#enhancing experience | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yaksha-lover · 11 months

Text

Pink in the Night

i’ve always wanted to write a soulmate au :)

Malleus Draconia x Reader

wc: 5.9k

cw: reader is yuu, major character death, descriptions of violence/injury, mentions of fae heat (brief, sfw), pmmm inspired, yandere-ish

For the first few hundred years of his life, Malleus is convinced he doesn’t have a soulmate. While other children gleefully show off small scrapes and bruises that magically appear on their skin, Malleus’ own remained blemish free. He wonders if perhaps his soulmate is simply being considerate; trying to save him from harm by living a careful life.

He remembers when Silver first got a scrape on his knee, how the seven-year-old had started crying when it appeared. Lilia had consoled him and taken care of the injury, telling his son what it meant. By the end, young Silver had shed tears of excitement for the future.

A bittersweet feeling climbed Malleus’ throat at Lilia’s words to his son - fate, destiny, soulmates - it seemed the world had simply forgotten about him. Perhaps that was his destiny: to rule Briar Valley undistracted and alone, concentrating only on his kingdom. While uncommon, it wasn’t impossible - there certainly existed some unlucky enough to be born without one.

Five hundred years later and the time in which Malleus wished for a soulmate has long passed. The thought rarely crossed his mind anymore - it was no different than any other loneliness he’d felt it in his life. Unlike other children, he’d grown up without his parents. Just the same, he’d do fine without a soulmate.

The morning of NRC’s orientation on his third year, Malleus feels a sharp scratch on his arm, like that of the cat which had scratched him as a child when attempting to flee his touch. It’s faint and quick, and his fae blood means any visible mark is gone within a second. Malleus pulls down his sleeve anyway, eyes scrolling over the area of his wrist where he’d felt it. His pale flesh is as unblemished as ever; he almost feels like he’s hallucinated it.

The feeling leaves him in thought and he decides to take a walk on campus. Absorbed by the morning’s events, Malleus barely takes notice of the bustling of the students around him, all preparing for something he can’t quite remember; he makes a note to ask Lilia about it later.

Malleus walks until that the sky darkens into a deep azure. The tranquility of nature is soothing to him; he feels like just another one of the trees. The birds chirp freely in his presence, uninhibited by fear or distaste. Eventually he runs into Shroud, talking to himself in the courtyard. Malleus is almost pleased at the encounter: him and his fellow dorm leader seeking to find peace in similar ways.

The pleasantries are quickly dispelled when he realizes Idia is dressed in his black ceremonial robes. Malleus is confused, and Shroud quickly becomes defensive when he questions his choice. He does not struggle with the idea for too long. Malleus figures that perhaps there are things that fae and humans simply cannot understand about each other.

His day is quickly soured when Lilia informs him that he’s missed the school’s ceremony again. The distraction of another lost opportunity means he forgets all about the strange incident from the morning.

Time passes quickly for Malleus, it always has. He blinks and Heartslabyul’s dorm leader has overblotted. He blinks again and another Spelldrive tournament approaches.

Another late night, Malleus escapes Diasomnia dorm to take a walk by himself. He only has so long before Sebek realizes he is gone, so the prince makes haste to his usual spot.

Ramshackle reminds him of why he enjoys nature: it is another place where Malleus can simply exist amongst the gargoyles, where his presence causes no disturbance and nothing to change. It seems this kind of peace can only exist for him in places abandoned by others.

The solitude he’s enjoyed so long is shattered when this time, the dorm is not empty. A child of man walks out from the gates of the dorm, rubbing their eyes and dressed in simple clothing.

You seem as surprised to see him as he is by you. It catches Malleus even further by surprise that you do not cower at his appearance.

You offer your name, and Malleus finds it unusual. He is certainly well read, having been educated on all major parts of the world since he was a child (it wouldn’t do well for a prince to be aware of only his own kingdom), and yet, he has never heard of your name. He doesn’t dwell on the details, certainly it could be the mistake of the outdated nature of Briar Valley’s texts.

Malleus decides not to offer you his own name. He wonders if perhaps keeping it to himself would help maintain the serenity of Ramshackle; without his name, perhaps you will still treat him as just another person. He silently mourns the loss of this space, and vows to find more ruins in which he can find peace.

The next time Malleus sees you, you call him ‘Tsunotaro,’ and he laughs for the first time in a while. He’d thought maybe you were bluffing last time, pretending not to know who he really was. Your bravery to call him by this nickname is delightfully baffling.

You tell him about Azul and the contract, and Malleus almost feels sorry for how pitiful and doe-eyed you look. It’s not as though he can’t understand the sentiment. In a way, he’s grown fond of Ramshackle too. He leaves you with words of encouragement and disappears into the night.

Three days later, Malleus drops to his knees in his room, feeling like his bones are being crushed into dust. The pressure is so overwhelming he passed out.

He awakens on the bed of his room, with Sebek standing by his bedside. As soon as the half-fae sees his eyes flutter, Sebek is yelling out for Lilia and Silver to come. Malleus groans at Sebek’s loudness and lightly chastises him. He immediately apologizes in a softer tone as the two others come rushing in.

The prince moves his arms and legs, relieved to find them in tact. Although he feels sore, his bones and tissue are not fractured and split as he worried. He wonders if he’s dreamt the pain; it feels like a distant memory. The only thing that remains is a sort of empty pit in his stomach, but he supposes it’s likely because he hasn’t eaten. Lilia checks up on Malleus, pressing his small hand to his forehead.

‘Strange’, his guardian remarks. ‘A fae’s first heat is often painful, but it shouldn’t have been for someone like you. Well, at least it seems you slept through the worst of it.’

Malleus isn’t sure what it should feel like, but the crushing of bones definitely seems extreme. Still, he accepts Lilia’s explanation for his condition easy enough. He retained no actual injury, so there doesn’t seem to be any explanation other than his own body.

When Malleus feels well enough to return to his duties as housewarden, Lilia explains the situation he had been hiding from Malleus while he was in his incapacitated state.

It seems Ashengrotto was more dangerous than Malleus gave him credit for. Kingscholar and a few other students had stopped his overblot, but during the fight, destruction to the nearby dorm building caused a student to be crushed and killed.

Lilia explains the chaos that the school has been thrown into while he’s been asleep, the attempt at damage control by Crowley, and Azul’s further breakdown once he’d realized what he’d done.

Ashengrotto was hardly Malleus’ favourite fellow housewarden, but his situation was terribly sad. He knew, despite his greediness and flaws, that Azul was not a bad person.

As he walks around campus, the courtyard is empty of students. Malleus loves the quiet, but not like this. This kind of quiet is constrictive, like oxygen has left the air and Malleus can no longer breathe. He spots a single student walk down the hall, so distracted that he fails to even notice Malleus as he walks past.

The next few days pass in a similar silence. It seems even those who did not know the student who was killed are shaken by the event. Ashengrotto has left the school and gone home; Malleus isn’t sure if it was by choice or not.

Lilia encourages Malleus to attend the vigil for the student who died, stating his attendance to be important both as a housewarden and the future king of Briar Valley.

The two of them walk to the vigil, accompanied by Silver and Sebek. Malleus is so lost in thought that he doesn’t realize they’ve walked the path to Ramshackle dorm.

It’s then that he spots the giant picture of you, printed on a canvas, set in front of the dorm gates. You smile in the picture, but he can tell you were caught off guard by whoever took the picture. It’s not unflattering, but he’s surprised they chose that one. It seems more like a causal picture taken by a friend than one meant for a funeral. When he asks Cater later on, he’ll learn it was one of the few anyone had of you. The picture is surrounded by white candles, probably twenty or so.

Blue hair catches his eye and Malleus notices the two freshman boys he’d occasionally spot with you standing off to the side of the portrait. The redhead keeps his gaze cast down, but the blue-haired boy is unable to keep the tears from spilling down his cheeks. Malleus imagines if he was any closer, he’d be able to hear the soft sobs spill from his lips.

Malleus doesn’t realize he’s stopped walking until Lilia is ushering him quietly to stand behind the crowd. At his height, he’s still able to see over the rest of the students. A blur of grey flashes by his eyes as something runs between legs to the front of the crowd.

Grim sits frozen at the bottom of your portrait for a moment, the rest of the students going silent as they watch him. Malleus notices Leona standing off to the side of the crowd beside Ruggie, the two of them looking as glum as he’s seen; it’s strange for him to see the prince without his usual smirk or sneer.

The cry that breaks the silence a moment later replays in Malleus’ head for days. Grim’s grief at your death haunts him; the more he remembers it, the more the pit in his stomach grows.

It’s the pity that sets Malleus on his next decision. This experience, this loss the campus has faced has undeniably changed things. He feels sorry for you and your friends, of course, but mostly Malleus hates the silence he can no longer escape.

Malleus doesn’t bother telling Lilia; his guardian would likely try to stop him, but Malleus knows he’s in no danger. His grandmother had given him the magic shield only because she knew he could handle it.

The prince straps the small, metal shield to his wrist, before spinning it’s round edges until it aligns with his designated mark.

Malleus finds himself two days before Azul’s overblot. He knows he’ll have to do something before his heat becomes too much of an issue for him to intervene. The fae sneaks away from his guards in the middle of the night to place magic-resistance charms on the Octavinelle building; he hopes it’ll be enough to prevent your death and all its fallout.

The next two days play out just as before. Malleus finds this part of time-hopping quite tedious; the repetitive nature of reliving the same days over and over again. Although he supposes it isn’t much different than how he normally feels through the school year. Without extra events to attend, his routine is rather simple. Unchanging, even. That is the life of a fae as old as him; every day feels the same.

Some minor things feel a bit different than before: Malleus hadn’t remembered Kingscholar glaring at him from across the hall the last time around. The behaviour isn’t unusual for Leona, so Malleus doesn’t think too hard about it.

Malleus mentions to Lilia about his ‘bad feeling’ regarding Ashengrotto; he hopes it will be enough to entice him to keep watch of the situation while Malleus is forced to stay in his room and face his heat.

The prince waits in his room, staring at his stone ceiling. He anticipates the pain, but as the sky turns dark and his room is only lit by candlelight, nothing comes. His bones do not crush and his head does not splinter. He wonders if he’s made a mistake; could casting a simple spell and telling Lilia about the incident change enough to not have his heat come?

Malleus goes to see you once more after Ashengrotto is dealt with. He doesn’t expect to feel so…strange seeing you alive again. You thank him for the advice he’d never intended, but he can’t help but feel an unusual happiness at hearing you bring up the gargoyles.

He doesn’t see you for a while after that, but it’s difficult not to think of you. Things become busy, and so he sends you a holiday card to make up for his lack of visits. He feels oddly upset at your lack of reply. Perhaps you’ve discovered his identity and no longer wish…Malleus perishes the thought and resolves himself to return to your dorm when he can.

The next time you meet, snow covers the ground around Ramshackle. Something else has changed too; you look happy. He finds that the faint red that dusts your cheeks and nips at your nose… it becomes you.

When you pass him the tickets, Malleus starts to hear his pulse ring in his ears. Surely he’s misunderstood your intent? Your casual demeanour does nothing to quell his surprise.

Malleus composed himself before thanking you and promising to attend. He goes back to Diasomnia and makes Sebek vow to ensure he makes it there. He hates to use the half-fae’s devotion for his personal needs, but Malleus refuses to disrespect you by failing to attend the first event he’s been personally invited to since coming the NRC.

There’s still days before the event, but Malleus can’t stop thinking about the encounter. He is…ambivalent about you. In a way, you’ve given him hope and that is much worst than those like Kingscholar who outright reject his presence. You don’t know him, and so you do not fear him. Is it truly possible that his name and his position is all that keeps others away? Or perhaps you are special; Malleus allows himself to believe for a moment that you might accept him anyway, before banishing the thought to somewhere it will not harm him.

The day of the SDC, Sebek reminds him repeatedly of it’s time, and insists on guiding him to the event. Malleus declines Sebek’s request when he happens to feel a dull pain shoot against his shoulder, like he’s been hit by something heavy. He checks his body but no bruise colours his skin. Still, Malleus grows increasingly restless as he wonders, so decides to head over early.

This time, he watches your death in real time.

Schoenheit’s overblot form rages above you all. Malleus approaches the group, intending to step in, but sees the release of the poison mist a second too late. As the purple haze consumes your body, Malleus feels an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. When you fall to the ground, he feels his limbs grow weak and heavy. Suddenly, any pain is gone, and you have grown still.

The others are distracted by subduing Vil, not yet noticing your fallen form behind them. Malleus approaches you silently, and his stomach begins to turn the closer he gets. When he catches sight of the blood trailing down your left shoulder, he does not stop to help the students that now call his name.

Malleus turns his shield and he’s back in his room. He’s left himself a couple days before the SDC, just enough time to fix things.

Malleus wonders if you have any idea that he is your soulmate. He wonders how you would feel. Pleased? Ambivalent? Afraid?

He pauses on the last possibility and stays there until he is overwhelmed by a tight feeling in his stomach.

Part of him is angry as well. Malleus is one of the most powerful mages in this world, but the universe has decided his fate was to be bonded to a fragile human, and a magicless one at that.

He dismisses the thought as soon as it comes. No, it all makes sense. Malleus is strong precisely because you are weak; he was made to keep you safe, to protect you from anything that would seek to harm you. He knows that now.

If destiny has ensured you be bonded together, he will ensure it is forever.

Malleus sees you again, but now he only watches from afar. It’s strange to see you in this new light.

You are his soulmate. Someone the universe designed for him; someone who would be forced to accept him.

He casts a spell of invisibility as he approaches you, sitting outside Ramshackle with Grim. The two of you bicker gently, but Malleus is too focused on his goal to really notice. He casts charms of protection and invulnerability on you, and slips away as quickly as he can.

Malleus intends to leave, but he’s held in place by the sound of your laughter; it rings free and clear. He flees the scene before he can think too long about why the sound replays in his mind.

When the day of the SDC finally comes once again, Malleus is sure to enter the stadium early enough to sit in the shadows in case he needs to intervene.

His protection spells work as intended, and he only reveals itself when it’s time to reconstruct the stadium - he still has a show to watch, after all.

The others’ shock at your friendliness with him is quite amusing. Malleus imagines the surprise they’d feel if they knew you were his soulmate too.

Although he hadn’t really wanted to do it this way, Malleus figured that it’s necessary to reveal his real identity to you now; if you are to be his forever, there’s no reason to spare you the details.

Your continued use of the former nickname you’d given him pleases Malleus. It confirms to him what he’d believed - soulmates were obligated to love each other, no matter what. Even the fearful reactions of your friends did not serve to deter you from him. How could they? The two of you were meant to be.

In the days following the SDC, Malleus contemplates how to tell you that the two of you are soulmates. The matter is rather delicate and although the two of you are in a good place, he’d rather not reverse his progress.

He decides to consult Lilia, who is both surprised and overjoyed when Malleus shares the news. His guardian advises him not to rush into things, but rather to begin a courting process before revealing the truth, so as to not scare you away. Unfortunately, Malleus doesn’t have much experience in the area.

His first strategy is one traditional of his family; the giving of gifts over a period of seven days. Malleus sends letters back to Briar Valley to bring him the most expensive and desirable collection of jewelry and artifacts in the royal family’s care. Malleus’ grandmother writes back in congratulations and sends what he requested.

Unfortunately, he failed to account for the cultural differences between fae and humans. One night as he stops to chat with you outside Ramshackle, you pull out one of the gifts he’d left at your doorstep: an ancient necklace, said to be blessed by the original thorn fairy herself.

Malleus prepares himself to finally reveal the truth to you, excited that you’ve finally acknowledged his courting.

Then you tell him that you’re afraid you have a stalker and ask if he’s seen anyone lurking around Ramshackle, claiming that ‘cursed’ objects have been left anonymously at your doorstep.

Malleus takes a moment to compose himself (it’s a little rude of you to call his gift ‘cursed’) before promising to keep a look out.

He goes to Silver that very night to ask him about human courting rituals. Silver explains the concept of ‘dating’ to Malleus, and that night, the prince asks you to accompany him to dinner at the Mostro Lounge.

Malleus feels the excitement bloom in his chest when, after walking you home from dinner, you ask him to attend a play with you the following week.

The two of you go on many dates, until he’s begun spending the free time he has at Ramshackle.

Sitting on your couch, he makes a mental note to make renovations to some of the older furniture when he has a chance. He’d like to preserve the ruins look of the building, but not at the cost of your discomfort.

The doorbell rings, and you’re jumping off the couch to answer the door. Ace and Deuce stand outside with bags of snacks in hand. They smile at you, but just a bit of that happiness drops at the sight of him on the couch.

Your best friends haven’t exactly taken well to his newfound presence. The feeling isn’t entirely not mutual - it’s them who should apologize for taking so much of your time. You’re his soulmate after all, not theirs. You usher them inside and they take a seat on the chairs farthest from the couch.

“Sorry, Malleus, I totally forgot I made plans with them to come over earlier. Is it possible for us to watch the movie another time?”

“Of course, my love,” Malleus says, watching intently as your friends wince at the pet name. “I will see you tomorrow for tea with Lilia?”

At your nod, a small smirk rises to his face as he approaches you, dropping a small kiss on your lips as he departs. He notes the embarrassed and disgruntled look your friends faces; as much as he hates to let them see you in any intimate way, he needs them to know their place before he leaves.

One day, Malleus walks in on Deuce holding you. Your arms are awkwardly grasping at his shoulders, and he grips underneath your arms. It’s clear you’ve fallen, and yet Malleus can’t help but let the picture freeze in his mind; it burns into his memory.

Deuce helps you stand properly before the two of you let go of each other. You apologize and thank him awkwardly; the two of you haven’t even noticed him.

Malleus greets you from the doorway and both of you flinch in surprise. You gesture him inside, telling him all about the ‘funny story’ that just happened with Deuce.

He tries to sleep that night, but every time he closes his eyes, Malleus sees you in Deuce’s arms. He knows there’s nothing between you; it was an accident, and you love him after all.

Malleus makes the decision to reveal that he’s your soulmate the next time you two are alone. That happens to be two days later, once again on the Ramshackle couch.

He told you he wanted to discuss something serious, and he feels terrible at how anxious you look from across the table. Malleus wordlessly takes a small needle he’d brought with him and gently pricks his index finger.

You just stare at him, bewildered. Malleus takes your hand, flipping it palm-side up. No red pools on your finger, and no indentation appears either.

It’s his turn to stare in confusion. Every time you’ve been injured, he’s felt it. All your deaths, he’s felt. You’re human, you should not be healing this fast. He tells you as much.

“Is-Is this about soulmates, Malleus?” Your eyes flick up to his, voice wavering a bit. You glance back down to your lap as your hand rises to scratch at your neck. “In my world, we don’t have soulmates. I’m sorry, I should’ve been honest with you before, but I was worried that if you knew I wasn’t your soulmate that you wouldn’t want to be together anymore.”

The words echo in his ears, but he can’t understand them. A world without soulmates…? But how?

“I’m sorry to ask this of you, but will you prick your finger. Just a tiny amount will do.”

“Malleus, I-“

“And please, keep an eye on my hand.”

You frown but nod. You prick your hand, wincing at the sensation, eyes flicking down to his own finger, eyes taking in the slight prick that appeared before quickly closing.

Malleus holds his breath as your face blooms into a myriad of emotions: confusion, shock, uncertainty, and finally a smile.

You launch yourself at him, capturing his lips in his very first kiss, and for once, Malleus does not think. He only feels the brush of your soft lips against his own inexperienced ones, following your lead. The moment lasts forever in his mind, but you still pull away too soon.

“Malleus, I’m sorry you’re not my soulmate but I’m so happy you’re mine~”

Your words unsettle him, but before he can think of it too long, you pull him into another kiss.

Things pass normally for a few days; the two of you continue to go on dates and avoid the subject of soulmates.

Malleus fears the worst when the campus is invaded, but rushing over to Ramshackle, his anxiety is temporarily relieved at the sight of you still on campus. You cry to him about Grim and he frets over your injuries - however mild, any threat to you is worth dealing with.

He begs you to stay at Diasomnia since your dorm was destroyed but you refuse. You insist on staying at Ramshackle and even ask that he not stay alongside you, promising that you can handle yourself. Malleus almost does it anyway, but Lilia warns him to give you space in your grief and worry for Grim and your friends

He visits you one last time before he’s forced to stay with Diasomnia as their dorm leader. Malleus closes his eyes as he pulls you into his arms. Now that he’s had you close, being apart always feels like there’s something missing in his life, a lingering anxiety in the back of his mind that keeps scratching at his brain and ignoring the rational side of him.

The two of you stand in silence, wrapped around each other, until you pull away a couple minutes later. Giving his hand one last squeeze, you slip a pink, string bracelet on his arm, asking Malleus to keep it safe until you seem him again before encouraging him to return to help his dorm.

Malleus tries to leave but feels himself pause in the doorway. He looks back at you, sitting on your bed and staring at your phone, and gets a bad feeling.

It’s just paranoia, he rationalizes. You’ve been through so much, he can’t lose you again. But this time, you’re here and away from the action. Nothing will be able to harm you anymore while you’re on the same campus as him.

Malleus still silently casts a couple of protection spells on you before he takes his leave again.

He isn’t able to visit for some time after that, with his dorm leader responsibilities leaving him occupied. He knows your protection spells haven’t activated, so he tries to reassure himself while being away from you. He sends Lilia to check on you, and his guardian returns confirming your health.

Two days later, Malleus sits at a table with Lilia, Sebek, and Silver when he feels it. There is no pain, only a chill that seeps deep into his bones, stopping him mid-sentence. He feels everything at once: fear, despair, and finally, relief. The table remains silent as Malleus is struck with emotion, the others watching him in concern.

“Malleus? It is unbecoming for the future king of Briar Valley to be lost in thought mid-conversation.” Lilia speaks with a light-hearted tone, but Malleus barely hears him.

“Something is wrong with them. I know it,” Malleus whispers, mostly to himself. “No, no. They’re still on campus, that can’t be. You confirmed this yourself, right Lilia?”

Lilia’s pause kindles the fire of Malleus’ worst fear.

“I’m sorry, Malleus. They needed to help their friends, and they knew you would never allow it. But the rest of them are strong, I never thought-“

The confirmation comes three hours later when the rest of the students arrive back from the Island of Woe. Lilia and Malleus rush to the group of students gathered to greet their fellow dorm mates.

You are noticeably absent.

He barely hears their words, their explanation about your sacrifice, and your fall into the underworld.

He sees the shocked faces of the other students (even Kingscholar, lacking his usual smirk), and Lilia is ushering him away before he can even think about the wetness dripping down his cheeks. Out of the corner of his eye, Malleus sees Leona try to reach them, but they are too fast for him.

The tears come full force once they’ve teleported back to Diasomnia, but he does not sob. Malleus Draconia is not someone who cries. He wipes the wetness off his face, before turning to Lilia.

“We’ll need to wipe their memories as soon as possible. The future king of Briar Valley cannot be remembered to be so…emotional.”

The cold neutrality of Malleus’ tone shakes even Lilia. He continues to stand, staring at the wall in concentration.

Lilia places a hand on the prince’s shoulder: “Malleus, please sit down. You need to rest after what’s happened. The others can wait-“

“No, no, I won’t have to, I’ll go back again and fix things. It’s simple,” Malleus says, mostly to himself.

“Go back? Malleus, please, what are you saying?” Lilia grabs on to both of Malleus’ shoulders, but he does not break free of his conviction. “You don’t mean-“ Malleus’ lack of response confirms his suspicions. “That watch has never been meant to be used, Malleus! It was for world-ending emergencies, for a threat to your kingdom! You have no idea what you’ve done, the cost you’ve had to pay-“

“I’ll see you soon, Lilia, and all will be right again.”

“You don’t understand! If the prefect continues to die after you’ve already intervened, then that is fate! Nothing you do to change time will change the fact that they aren’t meant to survive.”

“…Change time? No, we’ve moved beyond that, Lilia. I’m not going to change time, I’m going to break it.”

“I will help the new prefect,” the student says. “I’ll show them to Ramshackle.”

You are sure that if Crowley’s face were not concealed by his mask it would be frozen in an expression of shock that mirrors the rest of the students.

“Uh, Draconia, that is very…kind of you, but it seems like a lot to trouble yourself with. You are very much needed here for orientation. Perhaps one of our vice housewardens might take care of it?” Crowley looks around but no one steps up to contradict this ‘Draconia.’

“I will be going now. Lilia, please handle the new students.”

Before anyone can further question his decision, Draconia puts a hand on your shoulder and guides you out of the room, leaving behind silence.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Draconia? You think you can just- what, change the world to your perfect dream? Change time again and again just because of the prefect? These are people’s lives you’re playing with! We’re not here to be subjected to your stupid whims.”

Malleus turns around to face Leona.

“And what, pray tell, do you plan to do about it?”

“I’m not afraid of you, overgrown lizard. You know it isn’t right, forcing us to play these roles that you’ve designed. And the prefect? Forcing them to be with you? You think-”

“Do I need to remove those petty claws of yours, Kingscholar? In fact, I bet you barely remember why you’re here.”

Leona’s face tells all Malleus he needs to know: “I-I know you’ve done something. My head, it just won’t clear-”

“It’s best if you forget about it and play along. We wouldn’t want you to cause more problems for yourself and your friends. The prefect is easily upset - I wouldn’t want to have to do anything bad to keep the world perfect for my soulmate.”

“Hey Leona,” Ruggie says, jogging up to the group before noticing Malleus. He stays close to Leona as he whispers to him: “You got class in ten. You know Crewel will freak if you miss again.”

Leona glances back at Malleus before reluctantly following Ruggie.

You try to be subtle as you sneak glances at him, but you don’t think you’re very successful. You don’t have a clue why this- well you don’t know very much about him but considering everyone else’s reactions - probably very powerful fae has taken an interest in you. He doesn’t glance back as he walks in front of you. The two of you continue that way until you suddenly run into something hard. You squeak out an apology but Draconia does not turn around or explain why he’s stopped. His question breaks the silence.

“Are you happy, prefect?”

“…Happy? I-I mean, I don’t know. I have these memories but…something feels off. Something is missing or different and I have no idea what. The headmaster claims I was always a student here, I just had some kind of injury but - this person doesn’t feel like me. I know these halls but I was not the one to walk them. I feel- Ah, I’m so sorry! I don’t even know you, why am I going on like this! Please forgive me, uh, sorry again but I haven’t gotten your name.”

“Malleus,” he says, “Malleus Draconia.”

“Sorry Malleus. We can continue to…my dorm. Thank you for volunteering to take me.”

You wait for Malleus to continue walking down the hall, but he only turns around. You are taken aback by the piercing gaze of his eyes: he looks at you as though he is searching for something lost deep in you.

Malleus pulls a needle out of his robes, and you begin to sweat. He doesn’t look at you, only holding the needle to his hand before using it to prick his index finger.

You wince as you feel a prick on your own finger, swiping over the pooling blood with your thumb before looking back up at him in realization.

“You- You’re my soulmate? Malleus, that’s- How did you even know? Is this-”

You’re interrupted by a large form enveloping your body. Malleus’ arms squeeze you so tight it becomes harder to breathe. You struggle instinctively, wanting this stranger to stop smothering you. Regardless of being your soulmate, you barely know him.

He lets you go, pulling away before taking your wrist and slipping a string bracelet onto your arm.

“Everything is as it should be. There’s no need to worry, my soulmate, you are exactly where you should be, and with who you should be with.”

#experience may be enhanced by listening to mitski song of same name #malleus draconia x reader #malleus x reader #twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #malleyuu #soulmate au #twisted wonderland #twst #twst malleus #twst malleus x reader

775 notes · View notes

made-nondescript · 1 year

Text

yeah

#i drew this with a severe nausea inducing headache i hope that enhances your viewing experience #<- a few days ago i am better now <3 #goodtimeswithscar #nondescript art

1K notes · View notes

roserocksrapidly · 8 months

Text

Perfect summary of Phos and also the narrative of hnk itself

#hnk #houseki no kuni #hnk spoilers #hnk 103 #i know it's not (always) on purpose but #i do think the constant waiting between chapters really enhances the experience of agonizing gradual change 👍

276 notes · View notes

latenightsundayblues · 7 months

Text

Just remembered the time I downloaded an AI image generator app back when the craze started and typed "jesse pinkman in a supermarket"

Hes just like me fr......

#breaking bad #jesse pinkman #you guys im fucking crying what is this #i was looking for something else and got JUMPSCARED #the extremely low quality and countable amount of pixels enhances the experience i think

197 notes · View notes

j4mboree · 1 month

Text

🎶🎶Give me all your poison, and give me all your pills🎶🎶

eewwwwwww emo🤮🤮 so dramatic and emo yuck yuck yuckkkk /j

#bully cce #bully canis canem edit #bully #bully game #bully rockstar #bcce #cce #jimmy hopkins #gary smith #mcr #three cheers for sweet revenge #my art x3 #this was fun to make and the experience was enhanced by listening to criminal by britney spears #smopkins #gary x jimmy #jimmy x gary

59 notes · View notes

cowboyheyxu · 9 months

Text

"you're going to cut yourself if you cut it that way."

"am not," you childishly retorted.

"are too," dan heng childishly replied (out of character, you think).

you roll your eyes at dan heng, giving him a speck of your time before your attention cuts to the apple in your hands. though you have no good luck at peeling oranges, you think apple peeling might be easier.

when you pulled dan heng out of the cold archives into the kitchen⎯only to tell him that you were peeling apples⎯he was not pleased. "do you remember the oranges," he brought up. the memories never fail to bring a scowl to your face.

oranges require a set of skills you don't have. and they squirt everywhere. apples don't do that. you peel an apple with a knife and then it's done. and you've worked with knives before⎯you are member of the nameless.

"i still don't see why you have to peel apples. you can eat the skin," dan heng complained from the corner of the kitchen. while he was brooding in the corner, you were peacefully peeling across from him.

"dan heng," your eyes are trained on the apple, not paying attention to the man in front of you, "sometimes, i like to eat apples without the skin. do you know how frustrating it is to have skin stuck in your teeth?"

"is it seriously worth this much extra work?"

no. it wasn't.

the real reason you were trying to peel an apple was because you couldn't peel oranges. and the thought of not peeling any oranges frustrated you immensely. oranges were the easiest freaking fruit to peel! you've seen dan heng do it for a multitude of times. you didn’t even like apples.

if you couldn't peel oranges, you could at least peel apples, right?

dan heng watches you from afar (five feet) as you attempt to skin the apple in your hands. your tongue is sticking out ever so slightly as you concentrate hard on the task. dan heng can't help but stare a little longer at you, despite mentally telling himself to stop. it was just too easy to get caught up in all that is you.

you're sitting criss-cross on the counter across from him. you're hunched over as well; from afar, anyone could have mistaken you as a hunchback on the express. even with that, dan heng still finds himself mesmerized in your craft, even if you're doing it wrong.

your hands grip the knife tightly; your hands are squeezed into a hard ball around the knife, and your knuckles look paler than usual. they move delicately around the skin of the apple. you're weary of cutting yourself as well, dan heng notices.

he walks away from his corner and slowly creeps up to you. you're so fixated on the apple that you barely notice the shadow in front of you. it's only when he taps you on the shoulder, you jump up slightly. the apple nearly falls out of your hand, but the knife still remains unyielding in your grip.

"you!! we need to put a damn bell on you," you tsk, holding onto the apple a bit more tightly as you reposition your hands.

but before you could position your hands to the way they were before, dan heng quickly reached for them and stopped you from doing anything. finally, you look up at him, furrowing your eyebrows as you blankly stared at him.

his hands held yours midair, "let me help you."

you give him a playful scoff and try to shrug him off of you, "relax. it's peeling an apple. it's not hard," you lie. you were actually having trouble: your hold on the knife was slowly starting to become loose; your hands were shaky; and the closer the knife got to your fingers, the more stressed out you felt.

dan heng's expression remained unmoving: his eyes were stale and his lips were turned down. it seems that he did not believe you.

"well, i can help you peel it faster," he offered.

"seriously? i can peel it fast already."

"are you sure about that?" dan heng crossed his arms and gave you an impassive look.

"yes!" you defend, accidentally waving the knife near dan heng's body. you quickly recline your hand to the side and give him a small apologetic smile.

"well then, would you like to race me then? which one of us can peel an apple the fastest," dan heng leaned in closer, making you lean back onto the counter. your head was pressed up to the cabinets on top, giving you room to access the vicinity between you and dan heng.

and embarrassingly enough, there was a lot of distance between the both of you. when dan heng moved a few steps closer to you, you moved all the way back into the counter.

you try to avoid looking in his eyes, "since when have you been the type to play games?"

"i'm not playing games," dan heng rested a hand on the counter, "just wanted to prove to you that you need help," he rested his other hand on the other side, unintentionally caging you between him.

you huff, "fine! fine. i cave. you've tempted me too much."

dan heng's eyes softened as you relent, patiently holding your apple in the air as you wait for him to get a knife and another apple. dan heng doesn't mention the fact that you've gotten an early head start with your quarterly peeled apple. he knows he'll win this anyway.

"ready?" you ask him, tossing your apple up in the air.

"yeah," he waits for you to catch the apple in your hands, "three. two. one. go!"

you and dan heng begin skinning the apples quickly. your hands are unwavering and arrhythmic, while dan heng's hands are agile and dexterous. the peel of dan heng's apple has already extended farther than yours. you try not to focus on it as you try your best to peel your apple just as fast.

there you go again. dan heng stops peeling his apple to look at you. you're struggling a little bit, but you're not doing particularly awful. your tongue has stuck out again, and you are completely absorbed in peeling. your eyes are narrowed and your grasp is firm.

dan heng looks at his apple. he's nearly done, and yet you were only halfway there (even though you got a head start). you were fully engrossed in peeling, yet you have barely made it three quarters around the apple. but you look so enthralled in such a trivial thing, and who is dan heng to take that look away from you? that oh-so determined look, where your eyebrows are contorted together and your tongue is sticking out. that look, which makes you look like the only person in the world.

you are the only person in the world. it's late and the kitchen is as dim as always. yet still, your light always finds a way to peek through. dan heng thinks you've been glowing a lot these past few days (and nights). dan heng isn't one to preach immortality, but he hopes that this moment between the two of you will last forever.

dan heng stops peeling his apple.

he watches as your fingers begin to move more quickly, evading the knife's blade as you peel the apple a little bit faster than before. you didn't need his help. a small piece of his heart sinks at that; after that one night⎯a few nights ago⎯he's been secretly envisioning the warmth of your hand on his. not like he'd let anyone else know that, though.

you don't even notice that he's watching you. you're so intent on skinning the apple that you fail to notice that dan heng has been watching you this entire time with fond smile growing on his face. all you can focus on now is the proximity of the knife from your fingers; how fast you need to move your fingers so they don't get cut; how much skin you're cutting off.

when you're finally done, you squeal, jolting up and hitting your head on one of the cabinets. while you spend time rubbing your head, dan heng slices off the final piece of skin on his apple during your distracted state, effectively making him the loser of the challenge.

once you've recovered, you turn over to dan heng to see him holding his apple in one hand and apple peel in another. his expression is neutral, though he is trying his best to remain calm on the inside. could you have noticed that he let you win?

"okay, i didn't see who won, so be honest with me," you turn your body to face dan heng, "who won?"

dan heng could very easily lie and say he won. he could witness your pout and your complaints, muttering something about how you're "sick of him" yet continue to spend the night with him anyway. he could gloat and brag and show you how to peel apples properly.

"you won," he lied, as he was trying to fake a defeated expression.

your eyes lit up the entire kitchen in that moment. the grin that easily broke out on your face matched the stars outside of the express. in fact, your ardent expression could very well be equivalent to the wonders of the universe itself. there was something so brilliant and indrescrible in the way your entire face simply bloomed when you felt accomplished.

and even though dan heng lost at apple peeling, he won at something else. seeing your eyes gleam so brightly in dim light was a treat in itself. it was the reason for the blood rushing up to his cheeks; the reason why electricity was flowing through his veins right now; why he felt so tingle-ish all over.

"see! what did i tell you," you playfully pushed his shoulder. dan heng tries to remember what your millisecond of touch felt like on his skin. you continue gloating, "you're all talk," you smirked, cutting an apple slice.

"am not," dan heng pretended to scoff. he looked down at the counter to try and hide the smile that was finding its way on his face. you are the reason for that too: your grin was practically contagious.

"aw, don't sulk dan heng," you mocked. you put brush your index finger on the bottom of dan heng's chin, gently tilting it upwards. dan heng's smile faded, as he was caught off guard by the action. with eyes that darted up instantly, and eyebrows that raised astonishedly, dan heng looks up at you.

"i'm sure you'll win next time," you simpered, tapping a spot on his cheek, "just try not to talk a lot of shit next time, okay?" you snicker, offering dan heng the apple slice you just cut.

dan heng rolls his eyes at your comment, yet he takes the apple anyway. unintentionally, he hides his other hand behind his back, while his dominant hand retrieves the apple slice.

your eyes squint as you watched his hands. usually⎯you've noticed⎯dan heng puts his hands at his sides. they're either propping him up, in his pockets, or leaning somewhere. more importantly, they're always near you. but tonight, one hand is placed behind his back, away from you.

you quickly connect the dots, your illuminated eyes now dimming. dan heng looks up from when he was eating the apple, only to see your eyes turning bleary.

"hey, is your hand okay?" your eyebrows scrunch up, and your eyes flicker to dan heng's for a split second, only to reorient back to his concealed hand.

dan heng stared at you for moment, squinting his eyes as he tried to determine what you were staring at, "my hand's fine."

your eyebrows still remain curt, and your eyes are still narrowed, "c'mon, you don't have to lie to me."

"what?"

"your hand, dumbass," you pointed to the hand he held behind him, "if you were injured, you should have told me. you matter more to me than a stupid game," you say it frustratedly, huffing and biting the inside of your lip to prevent yourself from saying more. "i can take care of you," is on the tip of your tongue, but you choose to hold it back for now.

dan heng bewilderedly blinked at you a few times. you thought he had cut his hand? he matters to you more than winning?

"uh," he moved his hand away from his back, now holding it in front of you, "i didn't cut my hand."

dan heng's hand is fine. it's pristine, and it looks as callous as you remembered. his hands are practically divine⎯like a gift given from the aeons. long and rough and delicate despite it all. there was no cut adorning the pale flesh.

without thinking, you run your fingers tenderly along his palm, turning his hand over and staring at it astoundedly.

"oh," you whisper.

dan heng cannot hear anything other than his own heartbeat. you touch him so reverently, so softly. his breathing started to become quicker and more shallow, and he sincerely hopes that the kitchen is dark enough to hide the subtle tint of red embellishing his face.

oh.

"even if i cut myself, i think i'd be okay," dan heng says in a quiet manner, reassuring you.

your eyes jump towards his quickly, before noticing how you were practically caressing his hands. out of immense mortification, you attempt to pull your hand away as fast as you can; only for it to be grabbed back and interlocked with dan heng's hand.

you gawk at the sight until you look back up at dan heng. his eyes are silently pleading for you to not let go, and you're starting to wonder if he actually did cut his finger. because why else would he act like this?

your entire body feels like it's on fire. dan heng looks at you with such intensity that you can feel yourself burning. his hands are cold, which helps you cool down from his gaze.

you swallow, "you're an idiot," you lightly shake your head as you squeeze his hand, "what if it gets infected?"

dan heng relishes in the feeling of your hand in his. he doesn't know what spirit possessed him to grab your hand, but he is forever grateful. and when you squeezed his hand with yours, a part of him evaporated into the stars, swirling around and dancing in the vast universe.

dan heng shrugs at your question, and you look personally offended, "stop. we're friends," you ignore how your heart shrivels and burns at the description, "we take care of each other. and⎯i don't care⎯i'll always be pleased to take care of you," you squeeze his hand one more time, and you feel his thumb come up and brush over the top of your hand. you try your best not to scream.

you glance at the peeled apple next to you, sitting on a napkin on the counter. your eyebrows slightly raise up when an idea flows through your head. to dan heng's (and your) dismay, you untangle your fingers out of dan heng's grasp. he wants nothing more than to grab your hand and entwine it back in his fingers, but he's curious when he sees you grab the apple from the counter.

you cut another slice out of the fruit, placing the apple back on the counter after you were done. you turn back to dan heng, still caged underneath him. you are not complaining.

"open," you quietly instruct.

dan heng, with some chasteness, does what he's told. he parts his lips halfway, leaving enough room for you to hold the apple slice to his mouth. your fingers are so close to his mouth when you insert the apple between his lips. dan heng tries not to think about it too much, because if he does, he's ninety-nine percent sure he would combust.

you give him a half smile when he chews and swallows the apple, "good job. see, i just took care of you."

his eyes crinkle, "aren't you hungry too?"

"eh. i'm not the biggest apple fan."

dan heng's eyebrows furrow, "then, why were you cutting an apple earlier?"

"you like apples."

he feels his heart (and body at that) melt away. in this moment⎯the two of you being so close in near darkness⎯lasts forever. dan heng is not too fond of 'forever,' but right now, he truly hopes that he is subservient to you for years on end. for he cannot envision a happy life without you in it. he can't even envision regular life without you in it.

dan heng lets out a breathy chuckle; it sounds more like a light scoff than a laugh. his head drops down; he tries to conceal the grin that is about to burst on his face.

when he looks back up, you are there. you are always there. there is reassurance in you: you are security, you are safety, and you are reliance.

dan heng says something about oranges. about them and their peels. about how you two could have an orange peeling contest next time.

because with you, dan heng knows, there will always be a next time.

bonus:

"you like oranges, do you want me to peel those for you more often?"

"you already peel them for me, idiot," you roll your eyes, "i still don't understand why you don't let me peel them."

"it's so i can win orange peeling competitions," dan heng nonchalantly shrugs, laughing when you slap his shoulder.

"you're annoying. i can peel my own oranges," you rest your hand on the counter, tapping your fingers on the surface.

"then they'd become weapons, not fruits," dan heng teased you, moving his hand closer to yours. he's not holding it. not now, at least. because for now, everything is enough. the apples are enough, the oranges are enough, and most importantly: you are enough.

he's quite satisfied.

#they are so open arms by sza #dan heng x reader #dan heng x you #dan heng x y/n #honkai star rail #hsr #honkai star rail x reader #honkai star rail x you #hsr x reader #hsr x you #if you read this pls listen to open arms by sza bc it ENHANCES the experience

303 notes · View notes

uncanny-tranny · 6 months

Text

Definitely don't knock your device's accessibility options. I was looking through my phone's accessibility settings last night, and wow, it feels like technology has really advanced since I first got a smartphone.

I've even found a setting that raises certain sounds I apparently have trouble hearing, and it feels like I'm experiencing the music I love with a completely different perspective. It's honestly wild because my first smartphone had like... mono audio, and that was as close as you could get to accessibility

#disability #disability advice #like i'm not HoH as far as i know but i do have some differences with hearing #honestly my biggest issue is. i can barely differentiate where sound is coming from. i usually guess when i can't see a sound's origin lmao #which i don't think disables me but it is harder when i'm driving i've found #there have been a few times where i HEAR an ambulance but i have no clue where it's coming from. like none.#and like... you don't even have to be disabled to use those features on *your* device...#...it's just that for many disabled people they will be heavily invested in making their things accessible #so while i'm not unable to use my phone if that hearing booster wasn't in use it still enhances my experience 👍#also live transcription???? that would NEVER have been an option with my first phone #i feel OLD (ish)

138 notes · View notes

madtotry · 4 months

Text

and if i could let it ride i'd take my time and free my mind one. — two. — three. — coming soon.

hiccup haddock x reader

a/n. gn reader. theres one mention that implies reader believes in gods. we're pretending night furys aren't quite as fast as they are in canon/or you can imagine elsa is just somehow even faster if you want. unlike the past chapters, this one ends abruptly because part 4 will be set immediately after this ★ 1.7k

the air tastes like freedom, and with the way elsa pierces through the wind with more enthusiasm than you've seen since last winter, you know she feels that same magic.

depending on where you go, the air is always crisp and biting, but it isn't always new. there's a time of year where something beautiful lays to rest her weary head until next year, leaving way for something magical to rise in her wake. it's the feeling of knowing the snow is fresh and the world is stopping just for a special moment, to say, "look at this, look at me, look at everything i can do." and you thank the gods every year, that you have lived to see another one of these seasons.

your arms whip up to feel the cold air run through your skin as elsa whips through just above the surface of the ocean, playfully dropping a wing to spray water up at you.

you laugh brightly, tilting your head up to gaze at the clouds racing by, and it takes everything in you to not fall and lay down on elsa's back — the idea in theory representing a perfect pastime, but in reality the one thing that could ruin your mood right now would absolutely be taking an unforeseen dip into the freezing sea lest you slip.

your eyes shut for a moment as you just sit like this, balling your hands into fits before thrusting them in the air excitedly and leaning down on your chest to rest your head atop elsa's.

she chirps at you in greeting, and flies a little further up from the sea to spare you from being splashed.

"i feel so alive," you whisper to her, a tradition at this point; ever since the first time the two of you flew through a day just like this, and you'd declared you'd never felt so alive to her. the sentiment still reigns true every year, and elsa always agrees.

on days like these, you're reminded just how fast she can fly and for just how long she never seems to tire — especially if she's close to the sea.

you don't know for sure how long you've been out here, but you near the island you've met hiccup halfway on in the past up ahead, and feel the same sensation you do when anticipating a new season as you approach it.

"what do you think?" you mutter to your dragon, and she's already dipping to graze the cold water of the ocean to fly just above the surface, circling the island.

the season is absolutely — at the very least partially — to blame for your boldness in going as far as to seek out someone you are usually terrified of looking your way. the world feels safer at times like these, and you almost feel as though you can be yourself, as though you could act like a normal friend.

elsa makes it halfway around the island before you spot hiccup and toothless flying past it, and you find yourself overcome with the urge to yell out jovially to get their attention.

however you bite your tongue, already seeing elsa's own bold plan of sneaking up on them unfolding, and you find you like her idea much more — it feels more like you.

"shhh," you playfully whisper to your already deadly silent dragon, as she glides just far enough behind and below them that she's gone completely undetected.

you have to hold a hand to your mouth to contain a giggle as she slowly rises; still completely unseen.

they finally notice you at the exact same time, both with an identical whip of their heads to your direction.

your hand falls back to hold onto elsa and the other raises to wave, leaving your wide grin on show as hiccup's brief distress at a possible threat becomes his own bright smile.

"you!" he exclaims, like he wants to say a proper greeting but the pleasant surprise caught him off-guard.

"me!" you reply so easily, talking freely having never felt so natural.

"i didn't think you'd be here," he says.

you shrug happily, "i'm always here," referring more to being in the sky this time of year than just the small island.

beneath you, elsa and toothless seem to have been staring at each other this whole time, not in any aggression, but you see toothless's eyes and recognise the glint of competition in them from elsa's own.

hiccup picks up on this a moment later after quietly asking his dragon, "what's going on, bud?" and spares a glance to see you almost smirking with both hands securing themselves on elsa.

in the blink of an eye, the unspoken race begins, and elsa is surging forward and swiftly surpassing toothless, dipping almost imperceptibly closer to the surface of the ocean, knowing she's even faster the closer she gets.

your hearing is enveloped by the strong wind racing past, but a quick cheer from hiccup breaks through the noise as toothless flies past you, now ahead of elsa by a significant distance.

this doesn't discourage her though, and if anything it draws your dragon to grow even more determined, flapping her wings with a vibrating strength followed by bringing them close to her body. you lean down as flat against her as you can, holding on tight as her now tearing through the air like an arrow makes you feel like you could be flung off at a single wrong move.

(you'd laugh at the memory if the wind in your face wouldn't whip your breath away, knowing full well you have been hurled off her back after not being fully prepare for just this.)

she reaches toothless, and flies just a bit further past him when she unfurls her wings to do the heavy lifting once more.

your eye catches hiccup's own mirthful ones and you can tell it's only a matter of time before he pulls a trick out of his sleeve to get ahead again.

you have to crane your head slightly to get a good look at them as elsa gains a lead, and frown when you notice them slowing down ever so slightly as hiccup's hand runs down the back of toothless's neck.

"they're up to something," you whisper to elsa as you try to keep a watchful eye on your competition, but it gets caught in the breeze when the night fury that was just trailing behind, now has caught up to you. he growls proudly, not-so-subtly showing off his new "v" shaped flaps that run from his neck to his tail.

hiccup seems proud too, especially when the two suddenly dip out of your view. you whip your head up and down, left and right, trying to spot where they disappeared to — gasping when toothless appears on your other side swiftly, and hiccup winks.

your mind stutters for a moment, not even realising the two have flown ahead of you again, and instead suddenly acutely aware of the freezing tip of your nose being drowned out by the growing warmth across your cheeks.

elsa, however, grumbles at your disracted demeanour, and speeds up as much as she possibly can, before making a warning 'yelping' sound to you, telling you to prepare for what she's about to do.

her sudden plunge breaks you out of your stupor, and as soon as her downward motion ceases, you sit up straight — this being something you've rarely seen in action and have grown confident in, but all the well familiar with the consequences if you don't raise yourself as far up from the sea as possible.

you know elsa has hit the water from the way her body grows colder, like ice, and you quickly feel the rest of her body submerge with your feet all the way up to where your knees dangle by her sides.

the water rushing past you nearly reaching your hips is heavier than the air above, and you know for yourself it would feel like trying to fly through honey, but for elsa, the water surrounding her only serves to fuel her.

even as the freezing water engulfs the lower half of your body, you reach a hand out to graze the surface. flicking the water with your cold fingertips, you imagine it absorbing into your skin with an ethereal glow, wondering how it feels for elsa to have something so simple yet so powerful coursing through her — funnily enough — like a fire.

toothless is still ahead of elsa, but she's now hot on his tail with her built up speed, and you're regaining focus from the coldness sinking away from your body, holding on tight in preparation for the light show elsa will embodying and soon zoom by her competition.

you find, as elsa rises, that your mind had been just as enveloped as hers in the water — for the moment your feet hang back out in the open air and the water is already dried off your hand, you can suddenly feel hiccup's gaze on the two of you, a heat you'd have quickly and self consciously noticed in any other situation.

you can't find it in yourself to look away from him now, and you can't stop examining his every facial expression — the wonder in his eyes, his surprised smile, and the way you swear it grows when he notices you're looking at him again — as elsa reaches the same height as toothless again; bringing the two of you face-to-face

you can tell the way his eyes are lit up he's curious about every intricate details of what elsa is capable of, his mind reeling at the sight of something he's never even imagined before. it's like he's been shown the stars for the first time, like the constellations are forming before his eyes, and you don't miss the way his eyes flickering from your dragon to you with warm cheeks impacts your heartbeat.

it only lasts a moment though, because the second elsa is side-by-side with toothless once more, you're holding on tight and she's soaring past in a blur.

the world around you feels secondary to the floating feeling of moving this fast, and your eyes shut protectively in face of the air pinching at your skin — but the smile on your face is unstoppable, as elsa's speed leads the two of you to a well deserved win.

#i listened to “dragon racing” from the the httyd 2 soundtrack on repeat while writing this and and it absolutely enhances the experience #and apologies for the wait between chapters #taking flight (my writing)#hiccup haddock x reader #hiccup x reader #httyd x reader #how to train your dragon x reader #httyd imagine #httyd fanfiction #hiccup horrendous haddock iii x reader #hiccup horrendous haddock lll x reader #hiccup horrendous haddock the 3rd x reader

71 notes · View notes