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kasagia · 4 months

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The grudge (Losing your memory pt. 2)

Pairing: Young! Coriolanus Snow x fem!Capitol! reader Summary: You promised you would destroy him. Be his ending at all costs. The fight between you begins. Both about his position as President of Panem and about the feelings you still have for him. But the question still haunts you... is your Coryo really gone? The second part of Losing your memory, but can be read as a separate oneshot. Although I recommend reading it. Inspired by: "The grudge" by Olivia Rodrigo and @uhnanix idea/request Taglist: @uhnanix @serving-targaryen-realness @diannana @aoi-targaryen @omgsuperstarg @il0vebeingdelulu @chelseyyouraverageluigi @un06 @tallulah477 @snowspubes @hueanhdang @snowspubes @phsychobanana @blythlover ~•♤♤♤•~ Coriolanus Snow's Masterlist ~•♤♤♤•~ Main Masterlist ~•♤♤♤•~

"Wait... what do you want to do?" Clemensia Dovecote asks in shock when you invite her over a few days after your birthday party.

"You heard me." you reply calmly, playing with the Sejanus bracelet on your wrist.

"This is madness, Y/N. You can't… you…"

"You think so?" you ask, amused by her scandalized reaction. "The Capitol has seen stranger, worser things." you say, getting up from the couch and walking over to the mini bar to pour you both a drink. "Besides, you have to admit, it's an… exciting idea. People are going to love it… well, maybe not the old farts and those idiots from our year, but... I'm very optimisitc about it."

"Yes, but… my God, HE is going to hate you for this." she says with a growing smirk on her face. You laugh heartily and hand her the glass.

"This is the least of my worries. The question is... will you stand by my side?"

"Y/N? You've been quieter lately, has something happened?" your mother snapped you out of your thoughts as the three of you ate dinner together.

You replayed your conversation with Clemansia from a few months ago, wondering how to break the news to your parents… actually, now was as good a time as any. You doubt there would ever be a good time to convey something like this.

"I… actually yes." you say, clearing your throat and getting ready to drop the bomb on them.

"Is that Coriolanus? Did he propose to you?" you choke on the drink you were drinking and look at your mother with a dose of disbelief and disgust.

Apparently, the ridiculous amount of roses, chocolates, dresses, and even fucking jewellery that Coriolanus was sending you didn't go unnoticed by your mother. After the first month, you thought he would take the hint, but since he tirelessly sent you gifts, you stopped returning them to him damaged (e.g., cut roses and burned clothes) and decided to give them to the servants and maids and simply ignore that poisoned snake.

"What?! No, of course not. Besides, I wouldn't say yes like... never." you shudder at the thought, at which your father laughs, joining in on the conversation between the two of you for the first time.

"Then what is it?"

Their expectant glances intimidate you for a moment, and for the first time, you wonder if the decision you've made is right. But there was no turning back. You won't let Coriolanus win so easily (or, rather, at all).

"I… well. I've submitted my candidature for president of Panem."

The silence in the room after your statement is... extremely disturbing. They both freeze; your father holds the fork halfway to his mouth, staring at you in amazement, and your mother looks like they've frozen her. For a moment, you wonder if you've given them a heart attack. But your concern for them quickly fades when their loud collective screams echo throughout the dining room.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

"So I guess I won't have your votes then?" you ask jokingly, going back to cutting your steak.

"Are you crazy? A female president?!" your mother asks indignantly, and you roll your eyes. Honestly, you were a little surprised at her shock. As if you would ever play her role as an obedient wife.

"You may not know it, mother, but more and more female politicians appear in the government. Right, dad?" you ask him, using your only-daughter charm on him, mentally thanking everyone above that this man never treats you with disrespect and hostility like other fathers would if their only child was a girl.

Maybe you kind of enjoyed being his precious diamond after all. Even if that made you desired by all of Capitol's young men, who were more than willing to take your hand in marriage and dowry.

"That doesn't mean you have to be one of them! Y/F/N, tell her something!" you look pleadingly at your father, and after his long silence, you already know that you are melting his heart to your will. All it took was a little, gentle pressure.

"What are your real chances of winning?" he asks with a sigh as your mother looks at him with disbelief.

"Y/F/N..."

"I think my only serious opponent is Coriolanus. People are fed up with these fearful politicians who have been arguing with each other for a long time. Me and Snow are a fresh take on Capitol affairs. We are young and ambitious. People may choose us out of curiosity alone. And among the female electorate, I think I have a much better chance than him... if you can convince mother to let me do this, of course. I won't do anything without your blessing and support." you reply, looking at him confidently. His face is unreadable, as are his eyes, and you silently hope that you have inherited his ability to hide your emotions.

"Y/F/N you can't think about that seriosuly. She can't do this!"

"If you want to be in power, wouldn't it be better for you to join forces? Run a joint campaign. You would become Prime Minister, and he would become President if being a First Lady didn't suit you."

"I am Y/L/N. I am taking everything or nothing." this one sentence makes his façade break down. He smiles and clears his throat, trying to hide his proud smirk behind his glass of wine.

"Very good. You know your bank account number. If you need more campaign funds, in a reasonable amount, of course, you know who to ask." you smile at this and get up from your chair, ignoring your mother's words of protest.

"Thank you, father." you say, kissing his cheek and leaving the dining room, leaving him to deal with your mother's anger. You had to call your staff. The game was about to start.

You enter the parliament building quite uncertainly. You are wearing a white suit made by Tigris. The black vest, which is intended to liven up the outfit, fits you a bit too tight, but you blame it on the fact that you've been stress-eating sweets lately. You will ask her to sew you appropriate clothes later.

For now, you wanted as few people as possible to know about your candidacy. You trusted Tigris, but there was no way in hell you could let Coriolanus find out about this beforehand. You will present him with a fait accompli.

Just like he did when he chose Lucy Gray.

You notice him first. He is wearing a blood-red suit and a snow-white shirt. You wonder if subconsciously it's his reminder of the deaths of the people who allowed him to be where he stands now, but you prefer to think that the bastard simply has no conscience.

You could easily escape from him, but you don't want to. Not any longer. He will be the one running away from you. So you walk straight up to him, the click of your high heels echoing off the marble floor of the Parliament building.

"Nice suit." you say to him. He lifts his head and turns to you as he hears your voice. You can't read the look in his cold, blue eyes, but you don't care about that now. You're only here to stick a pin in him before his performance. "You wore your father's clothes and now you wear Sejan's? Maybe you haven't really changed at all." you scoff at him, and he shakes his head with an equally mocking smile as yours.

"This is probably the latest collection from your favorite designer. Not that I remember." he says, putting his hands in his pockets and watching you carefully as he takes a step towards you.

"Impossible. My favourite designer is Tigris. And I heard that lately you're too much of a snobbish, self-assured asshole to wear what she made for you."

"Maybe it's because she's turning you against me, trying to convince you that I'm a monster?" he says this ironically as you both stare at each other.

You notice that the rose is missing from his jacket pocket. His hair is also messier, as if he's running a nervous hand through it—a habit that obviously hasn't died with your Coryo. You frown at this but shake it off to respond to his taunt.

"Maybe you are actually a monster, Coriolanus? Didn't that occur to you? How could anybody do the things you did so easily? Or maybe Dr. Gaul calls this an unconventional, out-of-the-box way of thinking?"

"At least she's not pretending to be someone she's not." he growls at you, furious, a grudge shining in his eyes, at which you seethe in anger. He, of all people, has no right to resent you.

"At least I can honestly say I'm not a murderer. And what about you?"

Before you can react, he takes a step towards you. One of his hands wraps around your throat like a snake. However, he remembers that you are in a public place and quickly moves his hand to your cheek and brushes a strand of hair behind your ear. His icy eyes are locked on yours as he tries to read any reaction from you. You give him nothing. And you're damn proud of it.

"If you didn't come to wish me luck in my first public appearance as a candidate for president, you should go. Before I give you a real reason to call me a monster, little diamond." he whispers quietly, the tone of his voice laced with threat, but you don't give a damn.

"Oh, snowy… I really wish you a lot of luck. You'll need it, my boy." you say, patting his chest dismissively. You walk away, making sure to bump his arm with yours as you move past him to go to the hall where the first recording for the presidential candidatures of Panem is to be held.

And you already know that it will be hard for you not to look at him, as a furious surprise will appear on his face when he sees that you will also be presenting your programme and announcing your candidature.

You've regretted your candidature many times over the past two weeks. Partly because you had to spend more and more time with the devil in a fancy suit. You didn't see this coming; you were too busy thinking about preventing him from winning. Now you had to attend balls with him and other candidates and various events that helped promote your campaigns, smile at cameras and photographers, and try to remain as polite and courteous to others as you needed.

Like now.

You were attending some important business event, and your uncomfortable high heels were digging into your skin, hurting you. But it was worth bleeding a little. You looked drop-dead gorgeous.

"Tomorrow you have an interview with the Capitol Times; the day after tomorrow we are promoting in the children's ward at the hospital; at the end of the week we both have to go to Fulvia Cardew's engagement party. And in the meantime, you have to go to at least three fittings of new clothes that Tigris made." Clemensia says, writing something down in her small notebook.

"Thanks, Clem. I don't know what I'd do without you." you say with a small smile as you sip your glass of champagne.

"You'd have to keep that stupid calendar and schedule yourself. If you want to help in some way, you can finally answer one of the many calls from Coriolanus. He torments both me and the servants in your house at night."

"And make my mother lose hope that someone is courting me? No thanks; this way, I have peace from her, and I don't have to talk to him longer than I should. Besides, I thought you liked it when I gave you the gifts he somehow managed to leave at my door."

"At some point, yes... but you will finally have to clean up the relationship between you two. Even if we win, Coriolanus will remain an important political player, and it would be good to have him on our side. Besides, it's obvious that he… oh shit. Gaul is coming." she says, terrified, and leaves you. You turn around just as the co-creator of The Hunger Games walks up to you.

“Miss Y/L/N. Congratulations. You surprised me.” you swallow the rest of the champagne and set the glass on the table behind you, preparing to face this crazy woman.

"I think half of the Capitol was in a similar condition. But I appreciate the gesture, Dr. Gaul." you say this with a polite smile as the woman looks you up and down. You're glad you're keeping yourself from trembling under her scrutinising, watchful gaze.

"Mr. Snow seemed to be particularly surprised. As soon as he returned to the lab, he came up with wonderful ideas for next year's Hunger Games." she boasts, and you smile fakely. It sickens you to think about what these two could have come up with for these poor children. But you don't show it. Instead, you chose to strike back.

"I heard that after Lucy Gray's disappearance, their... popularity dropped a bit. I hope things are going well with the sponsors? It would be such a shame if the project and ideas had to be... cancelled due to a lack of money."

"We're doing well. When Mr. Snow becomes president, I think the government will be more willing to fund them."

"IF Mr. Snow becomes president, Dr. Gaul." you correct her, slightly irritated. The woman smiles and nods her head mockingly.

"Of course... If." she says it with a wolfish, menacing smile.

You both stare at each other with hatred for a moment, both of you refusing to give up in your little battle. The atmosphere between you is tense.

You flinch when you feel a hand on your back. The delicate scent of roses begins to float in the air.

"Dr. Gaul. I am so happy to see you here. Y/N, you look amazing as always." Coriolanus says as he leans in and places a kiss on your cheek. You would wipe it in disgust if there weren't other people around you.

"Mr. Snow." Dr. Gaul greets him.

The mysterious smile never leaves her face as she watches the two of you. You remember what she just said. How Coriolanus was still so eagerly working with her on the Hunger Games. His hand on your back starts to burn you in an unpleasant way.

"Excuse me. I need to get some fresh air. It started to stink in here." you say, subtly implying that it's the scent of Coriolanus and his rose that bothers you as you walk away from them both.

You go to the roof of the penthouse, which is surprisingly empty, and take out a cigarette. You search for the lighter, thinking about what Gaul told you. Somehow you felt even more distant from Coriolanus... as if she emphatically confirmed what you already knew.

Your Coryo was completely gone. And there was nothing that could bring him back to you.

But why did you still care about him anyway?

"I didn't know you started smoking." you flinch when you hear his voice behind you.

You ignore him, trying to light the lighter, but to no avail. Apparently, today everything must have gone shitty for you. Seeing your struggles, he walks over to you. He takes a lighter from his pants pocket and holds it to your cigarette, lighting it.

"What the hell do you want?" you ask him madly, at which he raises his eyebrows, but he is not moving away from you.

"What? You won't even thank me? You know, I've helped you there. I could just leave you to talk with Gaul, but I walked in and took her attention from you." he says, stuffing the lighter and his hands into his pockets as he leans on the railing next to you, staring at the skyline of the Capitol below you.

"I didn't need a fucking hero. I could have left her at any time. Unlike you, I don't play vaseline, I don't humiliate myself, and I don't do anything I don't want to, just to please other people." you snort and blow a cloud of cigarette smoke at him. He coughs, looking at you offended, to which you just smirk.

"You know, I remember the time when you were doing everything in your power to please ME. In many, many ways, actually." he says, using his hand to wave away your clouds of cigarette smoke.

"Keep these memories close to you because they will never happen again. I'd rather be burned alive than ever sleep with you again." you say it with obvious disgust. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the furrow of anger forming between his eyebrows. "Don't frown. Or make-up artists will have a hard time covering your wrinkles."

"I have no idea why you are so aggressive and act madly when it comes to me. I didn't do anything to you." he responded firmly to your mocks, never taking those ice-blue irises off of you.

"That's the problem, Coriolanus! You think that you don't do anything wrong, when the truth is that you are taking actions that are terrible. I feel like puking just looking at you and thinking about how many children will suffer because of Dr. Gaul's and your crazy ideas." you burst out furiously at him. You are now standing opposite each other, both of you glaring at the other in a furious, defiant way.

"The Hunger Games are necessary."

"Bullshit." you interrupt him before he can make any arguments. You see him sigh, running a hand through his gelled hair.

You catch yourself subconsciously missing his curls and how you used to stroking them when he was lying with you on your couch and reading a set book for one of your classes…

"Have you ever been in the District? 10, 11, 12? No. You didn't. You have no idea what kind of people are leaving there. You live in the safety of the Capitol, and you have no idea how quickly these rats can start a civil war and rebellions. Did you forget what they did to us? How have we suffered? I lost my father, and my family went poor. I had to pretend that I was still a rich snob. Tgiris, my grandmother, and I starved more than once; they wanted to throw us out of the apartment. I had nothing but a meaningless name and family."

"You know, that was the time when you had everything. You had friends, family, and a girlfriend. My love and limitless devotion, respect, and admiration. Now what do you have left? Money? Power? Glory? Besides, people are not the same. They can be good, Coriolanus. The fact that you are too afraid to see or admit it is proof of how huge a coward you actually became." you say it disappointedly, dropping the cigarette to the floor and stomping on it.

"I am not..." he pauses as you look up at him, and your eyes meet. He thought that no one could silence him. But one look from you, full of resentment and sadness, makes him fall silent.

You make him feel weak. As if he was still that poor teenager who had to hide his family's terrible financial situation. Only now he's hiding the fact that your words are actually reaching him. That they actually hurt him.

He couldn't afford to have any weaknesses. He had to be strong, tough, and decisive. However, after one look at you, it was enough for him to begin to question everything he had learned under Dr. Gaul. To question everything he did after the fucking Hunger Games and Lucy Gray.

"Yes, you are. Everything you are doing and every bad decision you've made, you made out of fear. Fear of losing your life. Of losing your position. Of never coming back to the Capitol. You are a coward who desperately tries to play the brave man that matters in this world."

"You have no idea what it was like in the district! Or in the Hunger Games, when I had to get Sejanus out of there. You don't know what you would do in such a situation, so don't you dare stand there and judge me. Not when all I could think about in those days, what kept me away from absolute madness, was you." he says, desperately trying to present his actions to you as right, to make you understand his point of view and the reasons why he did all of these.

"Maybe not. Maybe I don't know what it's like. But I would never become the cause of the death of my best friend. You have his blood on your hands. I will never forgive you that." you notice him flinching at your words, but that's all you can see through the mask of indifference he suddenly decided to wear. But his eyes—his eyes and the emotions hidden in them—remind you so much of your Coryo.

"Do you think I have removed it from my memories? That his screams didn't haunt me in my dreams? That I simply forgot about him?"

"You are certainly on a good way to do it, Coriolanus." your soft whisper gives him goosebumps. You look at each other for a moment. When you realise he has nothing to say, you shake your head, laughing bitterly, mocking yourself for thinking for a moment that he really was more than just the cruel Gamemaker, and turn away.

You walk towards the exit, but suddenly you hear his quick footsteps behind you. He wraps his arms around your waist with one hand and holds your hands with the other, making sure you don't break away. He rests his forehead against the back of your head, inhaling your scent for a moment before whispering into your ear.

"Do you remember that place?" he asks, his nose stroking your cheek. "Our second date. Sejanus, let me take you to one of his parents' penthouses. They were supposed to be on vacation, but they came back earlier. We had to hide on the roof and wait since they would leave so we too could. We had a picnic here. I was holding you close to my chest, a little closer than I am doing now. It started to rain. I was furious because I wanted everything to be perfect for you, and as always, everything went terribly wrong. I wanted to look at the stars with you and run my hands through your hair while you fell asleep on my chest, cuddling up to me as if I were your teddy bear. I loved feeling the weight of you on me. In every circumstance. Anyway, we gathered everything and ran to your house. You let me into your room through the window. We took a hot shower together and..."

"And then happened the worst sex I've ever had." you interrupt him, trying to regain control of the situation. He only laughed at that, which made your heart skip a beat when, for the first time in so many months, you hear him laughing truly, not in a mocking, bitter, or fake way.

"The worst? Your moans and scratches on my back proved otherwise. Besides, considering it was the first time for both of us, I guess I did a good job. Your silky skin has haunted my dreams since that night. It never stopped. And judging by the way you are breathing right now, you also seem to think about that time fondly. We can do it again at my place tonight if you want. I am now in a much better position to truly make your nights unforgettable."

"I'd rather be bitten by one of Dr. Gaul's snakes, but thanks for the offer." you huff, getting out of his arms and pushing him away from you as you go to the exit of the Plinth's penthouse's roof.

"Don't tempt me. You know I can arrange it. Sucking the poison out of your delicate skin with my mouth is a really tempting alternative." he says, following you as you both return to the main hall.

"Disgusting pervert." you whisper over your shoulder so that only he can hear you in the crowd of elites and reporters who have gathered.

"Both of us, my darling. Both of us. But the point is..." he grabs your hand and helps you down the stairs as if he was a true gentleman. You would roll your eyes at this, but people have already noticed, you know, that you have hardened the mask of politeness on your face. "I remember everything. I am not losing my memory. I never will. Not about you. Not about us." he whispers, and you feel his blue eyes burning a hole into your temple with how intensely he stares at you.

"You must be mad to think that I will just go back to you. Besides, I don't have time for you. My voters are waiting for me."

He chuckles and gives you a mysterious, quizzical look that you can't read. But before you can analyse his stance, he pulls your hand to his mouth and places a gentle kiss on it. His full lips tease your skin, setting it alight with the reminder of all the times he's had the opportunity to do this.

He pulled away from you as quickly as he leaned into your hand. He smiles, giving you a view of his pearly teeth. How pleased the devil is...

"We shall see, my little petal." he whispers. Your old nickname he gave you one day is sounding as perfectly sweet as it used to, and you are not sure how much strength you have left in you to not let him melt your heart. Then he walks away from you, leaving you in the crowd of other people.

And you stand there, rooted to the floor, and all you can do is stare at the back of his head as you try to snap out of the feeling of his lips against your skin, trying not to dream of experiencing all of him again.

A week later, you were returning from another party. You managed to sneak out a little earlier than usual without anyone noticing. Relieved, you got into the empty elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. You leaned against the wall and sighed, rubbing your neck, where you wore a diamond necklace. Your momentary alone relief didn't last long.

As usual, you smelled him first. The faint hint of roses hit you as the man leaned against the wall of the elevator next to yours, giving you some space. You glanced at him casually. This time, he didn't have a rose on his vest. He was also much paler.

"The makeup artists chose the wrong powder for you." you say, not knowing why you even initiated a conversation with him.

"Was Thomas so tired that he couldn't stay with you until the end? Was he too scared to hold on to the precious diamond that had fallen into his hands like a grain to a blind hen until the end of the night?" he responds to your taunt. You frown at the hint of jealousy in his voice.

Coryo has always been possessive and unsure of your relationship and whether you might leave him one day for someone better. Therefore, any man's attention towards you caused... unpleasant feelings for him. He obviously still had this behaviour towards you. Even though you were no longer together.

"He has an exam. Anatomy or some other shit. But don't worry, he will definitely accompany me when the election results are announced."

"Seriously? Are you now going to show off with that little boy-toy?" he asks you furiously. You can feel how his cold blue eyes are piercing right through you.

"Livia Cardew?" you scoff as well, opening your eyes to glare at him with an equally disgusted look. "But you know what? Actually, I'm not surprised. The biggest whore in Capitol. After you, of course."

"You slept with that whore 374 times. Which makes you equally slutty, little petal." he says with a cheeky smirk. You huff, folding your arms as you look at him in disbelief.

"I can't believe you were pathetic enough to actually count this."

"You're lucky I've lost count of the number of orgasms you've had because of me."

"And you are disgusting." you shake your head, impatiently waiting for the elevator to go down to the ground floor so you can get far away from him. You try hard not to think about all the times you had… done this.

But he doesn't let you go that easily. He leans down and brushes your hair back to give him better access to your ear to whisper.

"And you crave me as much as I crave you, my darling."

"Do you think that just because you started donating to charity organisations, I will suddenly fall into your arms or into your bed? You think I don't know you're doing this as part of a campaign? To get more votes? Are you that stupid to think that I will fall for it and believe that you are trying to be a better man for me?" you ask him, angry and defensive, mocking him.

"I'm starting to doubt my ability to do anything you could approve of. But it's nice that you still care about me enough to be interested in what I do."

"You can give up your candidature for president if you want to see me happy." he laughs at your words, looking at you with a mischievous smirk.

"And make it so easy for you? No way, my darling. We both know that only the two of us have a real chance of winning. You should finally surrender and join me. We both know this is where we'll end up. I, with you by my side, just as it has always been."

"Not always. I remember very well the time when it was only you and your songbird." the elevator is on the second floor when he aggressively presses the stop button.

You try very hard to hide from him the fact that you feel insecure in this situation. In a small space, with him practically at your fingertips, you don't know if you can control yourself. So you try to remember all the disgusting crimes he committed.

"It was just a game. A show for the Capitol. You know I had to win. It didn't end the way I wanted, but you know perfectly well that I had to do it." he says, placing his hands gently on your shoulders as he tries his hardest to keep your eyes on him and you standing still in your place for the time he talks.

"I've already told you this. There is always another choice." you growl in his face, furious, refusing to give up.

"You wouldn't even talk to me if I still remained a nobody. You would have dumped me the moment it became known to all Panem that my family was poor and that Snow's name meant nothing. And marrying you would only be a distant dream of a madman."

"As if you had any chance now." you mock him with a laugh. You somehow push him away from you and press the start button. The elevator starts moving down again.

"I have your parents' blessing."

"And my disgust and resentment towards you."

There is silence between you for a moment. He stubbornly stares at your face, trying to read some emotion there, but you give him nothing but a blank stare at the door in front of you as you impatiently wait for it to open.

"What do you do when you win?" his question catches you off guard for a moment. You look at him in shock.

"What?"

"What do you do when you win? Bring an end to the Hunger Games? Try to get me killed? Why are you doing all of this?" he asks, standing directly in front of you. Your chests rub against each other with every breath you take. You lift your head slightly, staring at him defiantly.

"So YOU won't win." you finally reply, shuddering as he takes your hand gently in his and starts tracing patterns on it with his thumb.

He leans towards you so that you could rest your chin on his shoulder if you wanted to. You shiver, feeling the warmth of his body close to yours and feeling his lips gently brush against your earlobe.

"Snow lands on top." he whispers, hot air caressing your ear as he bites the lobe of it.

"Y/L/N takes everything." you whine, digging your nails into his neck. He gasps in surprise, his hands gripping your waist tightly as he presses you against the elevator wall with his body.

"Or nothing. But don't worry. When I win, there will be no one who can stop me from marring you."

"IF you win, then I will be gone. You will never find me. Just like your little songbird." you can see the fury in his eyes at the mere mention of her. His grip on you tightens.

"She is not mine. You are. Accept it and end this. You don't want to be president. I do. There is nothing more powerful than you and me, so and this damn kind of punishment for me and accept your place as my First Lady."

"Maybe I don't want this… but it will be so funny to watch you fail," you say, tilting your head and watching him closely as his nostrils flare with rage at your stubbornness. "Besides, I'd rather shoot myself in the head than be your wife."

"There was a time when you wanted it. When it was all we dreamed of. You and me. Together. Against the whole world."

"That's how it was. When I thought you were worth something more, when you were my top priority. I thought you wanted something more than money and power, but it looks like I never meant for you that much to be as important to you as you were to me. Or maybe I didn't know you at all." you say, no longer hiding the hurt in your voice, and you press the button on the damn elevator to get away from him.

You promised yourself that you wouldn't show him how much he hurt you or how much you missed him. But apparently he wanted to make sure he destroyed not only your Coryo but you as well.

You look away from him, ignoring the fact that he suddenly went quiet next to you. All he did was look at you. And you avoided his gaze, afraid that you would melt in front of him and that you would show him your heart again.

The elevator opens, and you sigh in relief. However, it doesn't last long. You tense up when you see reporters downstairs, waiting at the exit.

"Smile for the picture." you say, and drag him with you towards the exit.

You quickly let go of his arm as he obediently follows you, and you try to ignore the fact that his fingers lightly brush against your hand as if he wants to grab it. You move away from him gently and quickly walk past the reporters and paparazzi.

You quickly get into your car and nod to the driver to go. You lean back in your seat and sigh deeply, placing a hand over your racing heart. You can't help but glance at Coriolanus.

Thanks to your car's tinted windows, he can't see you. Still, he watches your car with his eyes, and for a small moment, you think that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't all rotten to the core. Maybe, in his twisted way, he still cares about you.

The first round of elections was behind you. As you expected, Coriolanus and you achieved the greatest results. The game for the presidency of Panem has begun to be fought solely between you two.

And you were about to play the first dirty card against him. Clemensia nods at you as you head towards the podium and the microphone.

"Good evening, everyone. Thank you very much for all your votes and the trust you have placed in both me and my, well, rival after all." people chuckle gently, you find Coriolanus' curious gaze in the crowd. "I am convinced that, no matter who of us wins the upcoming elections, Panem will be in good hands anyway." You see a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes as he comes closer, moving freely through the crowd. The look in his blue eyes never leaves you for a minute. You would tremble, intimidated by his attention, if you didn't know, what would happen in a few minutes. "Without further ado, I would like to introduce someone who will certainly make this evening more pleasant. You have no idea how much I had to beg our star of the evening to agree to perform today. Ladies and gentlemen. At my ask and to your delight. The one and only Lucy Gray Baird!"

As you leave the stage, you glance at Coriolanus, seeing him staring at the woman with the guitar appearing on stage in shock and mild horror.

You stand further away from the crowd, on the other side of the room—as far away from Coriolanus as you can be—and watch him carefully, leaning against the wall.

You have to admit that Lucy Gray is stunningly beautiful. And the legend she has created around herself, her voice, and her skills only make her more perfect in the eyes of others.

You're not surprised that she charmed Coriolanus months ago and now. In fact, you expect Snow, too overcome with emotion upon meeting her again, to forget his façade and pursue her. With a bit of luck, maybe your people will be able to take compromising photos of him.

But you are surprised when, after watching her for a while, he shifts his gaze to the crowd of people, looking for something. You freeze when his eyes meet yours. You raise an eyebrow, not sure why, instead of staring at the girl, he stubbornly searches for your gaze. Or rather, you don't want to admit that you know the reason why, because that's exactly why you quickly leave the great hall of parliament and run away from the man who is now walking towards you.

And much to your misfortune, Coriolanus Snow learns from his mistakes. That's why you suddenly bump into someone a few metres from the exit at the end of the corridor leading to the elevator. You collide against a wall of toned muscles. His arms quickly wrap around you, keeping you from falling.

"Leaving so soon?" his whisper sent unwanted shivers down your spine, as did how close your face was to his.

"Get your hands off me." you snap at him and get out of his grip. You stare at the elevator, contemplating how to get past him and get in, but he sees your intentions in your eyes and blocks any escape route with his body.

"What game are you playing?" he asks, staring at you. You lift your head, returning his defiant glare. "I don't even care how the hell you found her. Why is she here? What do you need her for?"

"Shouldn't you try to catch your little songbird before she flies away again?" you mock, ignoring all of the questions he asked you.

"I am." he says, staring firmly at you, making you more confused by his actions than before. He should have been after Lucy Gray… why the hell was he keeping you pinned to the wall, blocking your only escape route with his body?

"What?"

"I am not letting you run away. We are solving this here and now." he says this, looking around the hall. You take advantage of his moment of inattention and try to free yourself from his strong grip, but he doesn't move even an inch in your struggle. Fuck his peacekeeper training.

"We have nothing to solve, get it into your stupid head!" you shout at him in frustration, unable to get out of his arms.

"You know what your main problem is? You don't allow yourself the idea that you might be wrong or that you don't know everything about me. I may be a monster, but I've never lied to you. About anything. Lucy Gray and I had nothing when you were with me. Whoever gave you these stupid rumours was lying. Ask her. She'll tell you that the only thing I did was kiss her. When I was drunk in District 12, exactly the day after I got there. And do you know why? Because I was convinced I had fucked up my life and I would never see your damn face again. And fuck, even kissing her couldn't get you out of my mind. All I thought was you. All I think about is you. I can admit it out loud. How about you?"

"I despise you." you growl angrily, struggling in his arms.

"Yes? Then why did you frame Livia for engagement to Festus? You think I don't know it's because of you that they were caught fucking in the garden together?"

"I wanted to discredit you. Show that your girlfriend is sleeping with anyone on the side. Besides, you made Thomas fail at university, and he had to retake his exams today, which is why he couldn't show up. I had to take revenge."

"No. You were jealous of me. You wanted to get rid of her and you did. Why are you playing the gardener dog? Why don't you just admit that you want me?" you roll your eyes at him, trying your hardest to hold on to your internal irritation and fury at him. But it was a very demanding task, considering how his mesmerising icy-blue eyes were now watching you very carefully.

"I don't want you." you say, trying to sound firm but also a little indifferent, enough for him to believe you. But you can see by the way his eyebrow raises that you've screwed up something.

"Yes? Then kiss me." his sudden command leaves you extremely stunned. You almost lose the fight with yourself to keep your jaw from opening from shock.

"What?"

"If you despise me, if you don't care about me, then you will have no problem with kissing me and walking away like nothing had happened." he explains, moving closer to you, your noses brushing against each other, you feel his breath brush against your lips, and the warmth of his mouth is so close that it makes you feel as if you could actually touch him.

"Let me go. I'm not going to make a fool of myself for your own amusement. Those days are gone forever; we are not a couple, and we will never be together again. Get over it!"

"Then kiss me. C'mon. Prove your point. Kiss me as if you hate me. As if you despise every little part of me just as much as you claim. Prove that you have absolutely no feelings towards me despite hatred and grudges."

And God, you want it. You want it so much that it hurts you not to be able to press your lips to his right here and now.

You know that the moment your lips meet his, all your cold demeanour towards him will melt away like snow in spring. You know that you will easily return to his arms, giving yourself to him and proving nothing in your favor. And you've come so far—too far—to let him see past your facade now, to let him make you want him even more than you already do.

You shiver as he leans in so that his nose brushes yours as he gently cups your cheeks in his hands. He doesn't make the first move. Of course not. This cunning snake tempts you to give in to your greatest, darkest desires, which you feel ashamed of for having managed to survive in the recesses of your heart.

"End this torment. For both of us sake."

Just a gentle touch, you think, hearing his whisper and feeling his body softly press against yours, complementing you perfectly as always. One taste of his lips. Just one...

Your heart beats fast, and your breaths are mingling in the small space still left between you two. With a trembling hand, he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. His fucking eyes are all you can look at, the unspoken request shining so brightly in them that you can't mistake his desire for anything else. And you give in, tilting your head to place your lips so close to him...

A loud bang makes you both pull away from each other. A drunk senator staggers towards the elevator, nodding at the two of you. He mumbles something under his breath, and after a quick glance towards Coriolanus and a nod of his head, you decide that he will walk him away and make sure he doesn't tell (or remember) how outrageously close the two of you were just moments ago.

You walk back to the party, trying to calm down enough to let the blush fade from your cheeks.

You make sure that Clem sends Lucy to her hiding place after her performance, and you continue to politely smile and pose for photos, promoting your allegiance.

And the next day, when you are reading the morning newspaper, you notice in one of the photos that this bastard put a rose behind your ear.

It was raining heavily.

It was late at night as you were preparing for your speech the next day. You walked around your room with a piece of paper in your hand, gesturing and practicing proper intonation and posture.

“Miss Y/L/N?” you stop when you hear the voice of one of your maids. "We have… an unusual situation."

"What? Did something happen?" you ask, confused at her uncertain tone of voice.

"It depends on how you interpret the situation, miss." you raise an eyebrow at her questioningly. She points to the window. You frown in surprise, but walk over to the window anyway.

"What the bloody hell is he doing here?" you whisper, seeing Coriolanus standing in your garden. He was completely soaked. His hair and coat were soaked with water, clinging to him as he stared at your window, standing still as the rain hit him.

"David says he's been there for several hours. He tried to talk to him and get him to leave, but Mr. Snow… just stands there."

Your first instinct would be to close the curtains and pretend he wasn't there, but you didn't want to think about the scandal that would start if anyone found out that your rival was standing outside your window in the full rain like some lovesick puppy. It was obvious he had to be here for a reason. It was probably some dirty play on his part. Something that was intended to negatively impact your candidature.

But then you looked at him. Even when you showed up, his gaze was... disturbingly empty. He couldn't fake it that well. It was not like he could completely hide his reaction to seeing you.

"Does anyone else know about this?" she shakes her head, and you sigh. You have no idea why he's standing outside your window in the heavy rain. You're just thanking fate for him choosing the day your parents left the Capitol to behave so strangely. You just hoped no meddlesome paparazzi saw him. "All right. Make sure it stays that way." you ask her and walk out of your room.

Walking downstairs to get to your coat and umbrella, you wonder why the hell he's standing outside in front of your mansion, staring at your window, risking getting sick with all the rain pouring down on him furiously.

It has happened before that he was standing under your window. Before this whole Hunger Games thing started, Dr. Gaul and Lucy Gray he would often sneak up to you through your window to talk about what was bothering him.

But that was a long time ago. And now you had no idea what he was doing out there and in all this rain.

You wrap your coat around yourself and take an umbrella as you go outside. The rain somehow seeps through your shields, hitting you unpleasantly. Water droplets start to soak into your clothes. You wonder how he stayed there for so many hours.

"What the hell are you doing here? Are you crazy?! Is this another one of your sick tricks against me?!" you shout, walking towards him. But he doesn't answer. His eyes are locked on you as he stands there, motionless. You notice that his eyes are bloodshot from crying, and his hands are shaking slightly, as well as all of his body. You don't know if it's from the cold or from crying. "Coriolanus?" you ask, starting to seriously worry about him.

He trembles even more, not looking at you. He fixes his gaze on your shoes. What worries you is that he is completely oblivious to the rain pouring down on him. As if he didn't feel anything at all anymore.

“Alright, come on.” you say, pulling him by the arm towards your mansion. You hide him a bit under the umbrella, but it doesn't change the fact that he's soaked like a dog. Maybe even worse.

His silence, the lack of any emotion on his face, worries you. You haven't seen him like this before. So… empty.

You enter the house through the back entrance. You put the umbrella down and turn towards him. Seeing that he's still not reacting to any stimuli and acting like he's on some kind of autopilot, you walk up to him and start unbuttoning his coat.

He doesn't comment on your behavior. Neither do you say anything. You just want to get him out of all those wet clothes so he won't get seriously sick... You have no idea why you worry or why you care. Maybe you are on some kind of autopilot too.

As you lead him to your room, you are involuntarily reminded of all the times he snuck there with you. When you were still the closest people to each other in this world. When you came to each other for comfort. When you were each other's only shelter.

"I should still have some of your old clothes here. You should go change and take a warm bath. There's no way you wouldn't get sick after this." you say, walking over to your clothes chest and looking for some of his old shirts and pants.

"Grandma'am is dead." he says it in an empty, emotionless tone of voice. You freeze in shock and slowly turn to face him. He still stands where you left him, his gaze blankly fixed on the space next to you.

You don't say anything. You don't know what to tell him anyway. You just stare at him, waiting for him to say something more. It bothers you how he just… doesn't do anything. Acting as if all that was left of him was an outer shell, a facade that barely held together.

You walk up to him and take his cold hand hesitantly into yours. You stare at them for a moment and look up, meeting his icy, bloodshot eyes.

"I... I am so sorry, Coriolanus." his bitter laugh at your words might be a good sign after his disturbing behaviour earlier, but somehow it worries you even more than his silent attitude and blank stare.

''You will never forgive me, will you? You will always see me only as a monster? As a murder and nothing more?" he asks, hearing that you still call him by his name, even at a time like this. The version he hated, instead of the sweet nickname he hadn't heard in a long time. Which even Tigris stopped using.

"Thta's not..." you start, concerned at the calm tone in which he says it. As if the truth of what was happening between you was starting to dawn on him.

"This is exactly what I am to you! A heartless monster! But you know what?! I AM NOT! And you... you are a hypocrite." he starts getting angry and pushes your hands away from him as he paces around your room.

"Me?!" you scream at him, disbelieving. You step in front of him, blocking his path and forcing him to face you.

"YES! You! You may not be a murderer, but you do something much worse. Your indifference, your hatred, and your aversion towards me—do you think it doesn't do anything to me? You've been killing me and hurting me day after day since I left the fucking Capitol and was sentenced to exile. And since I came back, your face, your voice, and your memories haunt me more than ever before. Missing you is killing me. Watching you from afar is killing me. Not being able to hold you in my arms is killing me. You said you could confidently say you're not a murderer. I do not agree. You kill me every day, and each time in a more cruel way. But all I can do is follow you like some faithful puppy, waiting for you to change your mind and give me a chance to show you that I'm not lost, that I'm not a monster, and that I didn't WANT any of this to happen! I spend every sleepless night, when I can't pass out in bed due to exhaustion and lack of sleep, thinking about you! And even now... when my life is falling apart around me, all I can do is... come to you. Just like I've always done."

He's shaking with emotion, and you think you've never seen him so moved or so shaken before. You wonder if he might have gotten drunk, but those thoughts quickly leave you when he suddenly leans down and wraps you in his arms. He buries his face in your neck, inhaling your scent as he continues to shiver. His wet clothes start to soak yours, but all you feel is his breath on the skin of your neck.

"I miss you so much, petal…" he whispers, and you stroke his wet hair, unable to tell if it's his tears soaking the collar of your shirt or his wet clothes or skin from rain. In fact, it doesn't really matter to you at all right now.

"Why did you come here? Of all places…"

"And where else could I go?" he interrupts you, his eyes looking at you so… pleadingly. As if there really was no other place on earth he could go in such a situation, where he could wallow in his grief and despair.

"I don't know… to Livia or…" he cuts you off before you can finish your sentence. He tangles his hand in your hair and pulls you in for a kiss. His lips are terribly cool against yours, but it only enhances how amazing you feel as he caresses your lips tenderly with his.

He slowly steals the warmth from you, which you're strangely happy about while he's deepening the kiss. You press yourself against him, slowly warming him up, his wet clothes uncomfortably transferring their wetness to yours, which you ignore in favour of kissing him. Just like the drops of cold water dripping from his hair onto your forehead, which doesn't sober you up and doesn't make you move away from him. If anything, you place your hand around his neck and pull him closer.

Eventually, though, you both have to pull away, gasping for air. You both take shaky breaths, his forehead resting against yours, as your senses slowly begin to come back to you. But you're secretly glad that his hands don't leave you as he uses the pad of his thumb to stroke your cheek, your lips, your cheekbone, anywhere he has a chance to touch you, as long as he doesn't take his hand away from your face.

"Only you saw me in my fragile form. Only you saw my shattered heart and the shell of myself. I... only allow myself to be vulnerable with you." he whispers with his eyes closed, keeping his forehead pressed against yours, trying his best to hold on to you as if you were his only anchor.

"Being sad, mad, or vulnerable doesn't mean being weak. Don't be ashamed of having emotions. I... all I ever wanted... was for you to... to be something more than all of these people in the Capitol. To be someone more than what Dr. Gaul tried to mould you into. You are a good man, Coryo. Please show me that you can still be that man. That my friend and lover is still there."

You don't talk to each other anymore after that. You don't know whether he has heard your request or is even considering granting it. All you know is that you lost that night. That the rational part of you had gone to fuck itself, seeing him so vulnerable and hurt, just as you were.

So, when he tries to break away from you and walk away, you grab his wrist tightly, stopping him.

"Stay. Don't go." you whisper. You don't know if it's a request or an order. He doesn't think twice about it either, turning back to you after a moment and pulling you into his chest as he holds you tightly in his arms and buries his face in your hair.

And he stays. You manage to get him to take a hot shower and some medicine in case he catches a cold.

This night, you fell asleep in each other's arms. Every now and then you stop stroking his hair, his back, and drawing patterns on his chest to use the pad of your thumb to gently wipe away the tears that sometimes fall from his gorgeous blue eyes.

And in the morning, when all that remains from him is a scent of him, of his cologne, and a dent on the pillow, you can't help but feel disappointed and silently hope that maybe your Coryo is still alive.

You haven't had a chance to be alone with him since then. You both are too busy running your campaign and the ongoing rivalry between you two.

However, you notice that he has stopped sending gifts, late-night phone calls, or other ways of getting your attention. Whatever relationship you had was purely political. You didn't know whether to be happy or cry.

Tigris stopped talking about him. You don't know if it's a good change, but she doesn't mention her cousin anymore. She was quieter after her grandmother died. The black clung to her wardrobe and skin, highlighting her paler than usual complexion.

It was the evening they were supposed to announce the election results.

You took the elevator to the top floor of the Snow apartment, picking up Tigris and Clem on the way and heading to your house to either celebrate your success or failure.

You sigh tiredly, leaning against the elevator behind you. You close your eyes and listen as it moves up to the next floor.

You open your eyes when you hear a soft, buzzing sound. Things have changed a bit since you were last here. The interior was, of course, renovated and more elegant, but somehow... more emptier.

You try to shake off the feeling as you go further.

"Tigris?! I'm here!" you shout as you enter the living room.

You look around curiously, waiting for the blonde. You walk over to the bookshelf, looking through its contents. You choose one of the books and sit on the couch, but before you open it, you notice a framed photo on the coffee table.

You take the frame in your hands and look at an old photo of you and Coryo at the end of one year at the Academy. You cup your hand around his cheek, pulling him closer to you as you press a kiss on his cheek.

You smile as you remember the circumstances of taking this photo.

Sejanus found an old camera among his father's belongings. He insisted on taking photos to celebrate the end of a difficult year of study for all of you. You didn't know that Sejan developed the photos and gave them to Coriolanus.

And you certainly didn't expect him to keep them.

“I'm afraid Tigris is not here.” you place the photo on the coffee table and slowly turn towards Coriolanus. His hair is not combed with gel; it is slightly messy, and he has those adorable, damn curls on his head again. "She left a few minutes ago. You must have passed each other."

"Oh. She probably went to Clem's." you say, standing there slightly awkwardly and looking at him. He's wearing a black shirt and pants. Slightly wrinkled for your taste and definitely too wrinkled for his. "Are you alone?" you ask, unable to stop yourself.

"I am." he says, putting his hands in his pockets, walking around the couch so that he's now standing next to you, and picking up the book you were planning to read before Tigris came downstairs. "I guess your Thomas is waiting for you at your home."

"We... kind of broke up. Well, we weren't together, but… our paths diverged." you admit, taking the opportunity to have his back turned to you as he walked over to put the book back on the shelf. You can see his shoulders tense slightly. You've never wanted to run your hands down his muscular back more.

"What a pity. Right when I remembered his name…" he murmured. You take a few steps towards him, the click of your high heels echoing throughout the empty apartment.

"You always knew it, you were just too offended and angry to use it." he chuckles at your words and turns to face you, leaning his back gently against the bookshelf.

"Maybe." he hums, nodding his head, his eyes studying you intently.

"Maybe." you repeat after him, warmth rising in your chest as you see a stray strand of his hair fall onto his forehead.

"You should go back. I believe they will announce the results soon." he moves past you to grab the photo from the coffee table and places it on the chest of drawers next to the chair next to the bookcase. In the meantime, he turned on the TV, and he was right—they were going to report the results soon.

"What will you do if… you don't win?" you ask him, and he freezes for a moment. He sets things on the shelf, trying to arrange everything perfectly as he ponders his answer. You are getting a little nervous since you can't see his eyes or facial expression.

"I'll think of something for myself. Don't be happy. You won't be able to dance over my grave for a long time." you snort, shaking your head in amusement at his answer.

"I believe that in this case, it will be you who will be dancing at my funeral. And quite quickly."

"Stop it. You know damn well that I would never hurt you." he snaps at your answer as he turns to face you. You have been taken aback by his sudden reaction, but your defense system quickly kicked in.

"Sejanus..."

"I regret it every fucking day. Every day I wake up in the morning and don't see you on the other side of my bed. Every day I spend time surrounded by people I can't trust. Every day when I see Tigris' betrayed look and your disappointed, hurt gaze, it haunts my dreams as much as his screams. And maybe I'm a monster because I really don't care if he lives or dies, but I REGRET IT. Honestly. By you. Because of you. Because I lost you. I... I had lost you." he whispers the last sentence, as if it's only now dawning on him what really happened. It breaks your heart to see him like this, especially after what happened a few weeks ago.

"Coriolanus..." you say this and reach out to grab his arm, but this time he's the one pulling away from you. And the treatment you've gotten from him, just the same as you've once treated him, is tasting bitter.

"Just leave." he says, his eyes averting from you as he stares at the window overlooking the Capitol.

You walk up to him and place your hand on his shoulder. He turns his gaze away from the city in front of him and looks at you questioningly, not understanding what you are doing right now.

'Coriolanus... I..."

"And the president of Panem becomes… Y/N Y/L/N! Congratulations, Madam President!" the hosts' shouts and fanfare echo from the television, interrupting you. It takes you a while to realise what happened. Your hand falls from his shoulder as you stare dazedly at the TV behind him. You won. You became president.

Realisation hits you. You have no idea what will happen next. And... you're afraid. But not that you can't handle it. Not that you'll have a lot of new responsibilities, or even how many people you'll have to deal with from now on. NO. You are afraid that HE will never be close to you again. And the last few weeks... the last few weeks, maybe even months—had shown you that you couldn't live without him next to you anymore.

You needed Coriolanus Snow… as much as he needed you.

"Congratulations." his words snap you out of your shock and numbness. He sticks out his hand, waiting for you to take it and shake it. But you can only stand there, staring at him as you try to sort out your feelings. "You won't even shake my hand? Am I not worth even that, Madam President?"

You shake your head.

You hear him snort, laughing bitterly at your action, believing this is another example of your stubborn behaviour towards him. He drops his hand, obviously hurt, and is about to respond when you suddenly take a step towards him, cup his cheeks in your hands, and pull him in for a kiss.

He is surprised. Probably the same as you, but he gets over it rather quickly as he automatically responds to your kiss, caressing your lips with his as fervently as ever.

At some point, you end up on his couch, your hands moving from his neck to under his shirt. Your touch breaks him out of the trance you put him in. He takes your hands in his and moves them away from his body.

"I don't want your pity." he huffs, pulling away from you as he stands in front of the couch. You pull him towards you by his shirt so that he's straddling you, and you kiss him again, effectively silencing him as your hands land on the buttons of his shirt.

"You've never had it." you mumble between kisses, trailing your fingers over the bare skin and muscles of his back, and he moans softly into your neck, leaving a few hickeys there along his way to the buttoms of your own blouse. "It was always either my love or grudge."

"And now?" he asks, moving away from you again. His blue eyes stare intently into yours, and you know your answer depends on how this evening goes. And you missed the comforting feeling of his skin against yours too much to worry about his morality, of which you were apparently the sole soul that wanted and was able to take care of.

"Both of them." you reply, licking your lips. Maybe he was right from the beginning? Maybe you were destined to end up together? Maybe you were really the only thing that could keep him on the right path? But were you willing to devote your life to keeping him in check?

"I can work with that." you moan as he kisses you while lifting you off the couch. Your blouse falls somewhere on the floor as he carries you along the familiar path to his bedroom.

His lips caress yours gently like never before. His hands are practically everywhere, gently stroking every bit of your exposed skin. He pins you against his bedroom door and sucks on your neck, leaving a hickey. You moan again, causing the same reaction from him.

"Please, don't ever leave me again." he whispers into your mouth before trying to devour you again.

"Then don't give me a reason to do it." you whisper back, combing his hair as he pulls away from you enough to open the door. He kisses you all the way to his bed, stroking your waist gently.

He lays you down on the bed, his mouth moving to your neck, licking and sucking, leaving a few marks there as his hands moved down to the button of your pants.

"Wait. Wait." he listens to you immediately. He freezes, lifting his head to look at you with concern and a worried expression on his face. "You're not mad that I won?" he gives you such a beautiful smile and laugh that, for a moment, all you can do is watch him.

He was so ethereal... breathtaking in every sense of this word. You have no idea how you managed to stay away from him for that long... even knowing what he did.

"I love you. I have always loved you and always will. I'll get over the fact that you won't be my First Lady."

"Well... you can be my First Lord... or something like that..." he laughs at that and leans in to kiss you. You cup his cheeks in your hands and pull him closer to you. You moan into his mouth as his bare skin touches yours.

You whine in protest as he pulls away from you. He looks deep into your eyes and caresses your cheek tenderly with his hand.

"You sure?" you smile slightly and nod, placing your hands on his shoulders as he pulls you closer to him again. "We shall create a dynasty, my beautiful little petal." he promises you, placing soft kisses on your collarbones. You run your hands through his blond locks, pulling his head and lips to yours. "My most precious diamond." he plants another kiss, this time on the corners of your mouth, undoing your bra. "Mine."

"Coryo..." you moan, and he responds in kind, happy to finally hear his nickname falling lovingly from your lips like it used to.

You don't care what happens next. What will happen the next day? What will happen when you take over as president? Will he try to gain more influence than you? Will he continue working for Gaul? Or maybe you will unite your forces and create a presidential couple that Panem has never seen before. You do not know. All he cares about is his touch, his mouth, and his body against you.

And in the morning, when you wake up wrapped in his arms as he places kisses on your temple and tenderly, lazily draws patterns on your back with his fingers, you realise how good it was to be back where you belonged.

You realise how good it felt to wake up in your Coryo's arms again. Even if neither of you were the same person you once were. And you will certainly have more than one fight, dramatic breakup or silent fight for influence and power.

But after all, love was stronger than any grudge you could feel towards your Coryo... or at least as long as he still was him.

2K notes · View notes

arminsumi · 8 months

Text

fogging up nerd armin's glasses.

𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍 — アルミン ⋅ fem reader

NOTES: damn i rlly be making my entrance to hell with this 🫡 kidding. ENJOY MY FELLOW NASTY BXTCHES 😈 the poll ain't even finished but i whipped this up in preparation for the armin prompt winning so i can satisfy our nerdmin craving lol

🔞 mdni / 18+ content

SUMMARY — nerd armin being pathetic for u until he snaps 'n puts u in ur place and does a full 180 :)

WARNINGS — smut, stereotypes (nerd, popular girl), mean reader / "pathetic" min -> mean min

SMUT WARNINGS — nasty kinky smut, implied experienced reader, namecalling (bxtch — both ways, he uses your own spells against you like some mf sev. snape, slvt,), stereotype kink (?) if that's what it's called, calling him/you pathetic, (mean) (nasty) dirty talk, oraljob (m. receiving), cvm swallowing, unprotected sex (implied taking the pill tho), creampie, dom/sub dynamics (switching), mean reader -> mean armin later, slight overstim, slight size kink, mentions him watching/learning from pxrn + mxsturbating with a pillow, please lmk if i have missed a warning!!

WORDCOUNT ≈ 1.2k

🍒 𝐉𝐚𝐲 ⋅ 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬/𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 !

gold-framed, oversized, round glasses slip down his nose. there's a slight fog gradient creeping from the bottom of the lenses, owed to the searing heat coming from his dampened cheeks.

he's never felt this good in his life and you know it, that's partly why you offered to give him head in the first place. the other reason was to pay him back for helping you study for the past couple of months. he's showed up at your dorm room every weekend, textbooks clutched tight to his chest, back of his hand pushing those round glasses up his nose by the rim. there's faded freckles speckling his face and an ever-present boyishly red blush adorning his cheeks and ears.

that blush becomes more prominent when you have him like this. head tilted back, fistfuls of your bedsheets clutched tight in his delicate hands, head spinning. he's got the most picturesque blissed-out face, a real erotic expression straight out of a hentai. you don't need to even ask if he's ever gotten sucked off before, because the answer is clearly no. no way he has. he is the most straight-laced, uptight student — valedictorian, of course, and when he's not the best in school he's upset with himself. self-esteem so low, but your mouth is doing wonders to bring it back up. because he's receiving a sloppy blowjob from the most popular girl in school.

"oh my g—o–oood that's s-so fuck-fucking good!" he chokes.

the poor boy started out so quiet, able to swallow every moan and erotic noise. but when you really got into it? he lost it. he's been whimpering on your bed with you between his spread legs for an hour now.

"please don't fucking stop — fuck! — please 'm begging you, don't stoppp! yesyesyes fuck, ahhhah — oh my god i'm gonna go crazy if you lick it like that."

you give your jaw a break and pop off his cock, earning a startled whimper from him. he is so fucking pretty laying there, wettened blond bangs stuck to his forehead, blue eyes half-shut, textbook being nudged off by his elbow. and just an hour ago that textbook was being held in his hand while he taught you in that know-it-all voice of his.

now all his voice sounded like was pathetic, and you made sure to tell him that. "you sound so fucking pathetic." you smile up at him. his dick jumps and throbs, precum beads out and you swipe your tongue over his slit to collect it.

" 'm pathetic for you, 'm all for you — ouhhh fuck!" he goes into another lust daze, it looks like he's slipping from reality when your plush lips engulf his cock. and you haven't even shown off your deepthroating skills yet. how is he gonna survive that?

the answer is; he doesn't. he squirts out three hot, thick jets of cum the split second he feels his cock hit the back of your throat. the slight contractions of you swallowing made him let out the most broken, nasty whimper you've ever heard a man make.

you pull off and gulp all his cum down. "jeez, 'min, you moan like a bitch." you giggle meanly. he's absolutely getting off to your dirty talk. he wishes it was right in his ear.

but there's some hidden part of him that wants to throw you into a fatiguing position and bliss you out with some mean strokes. that secret little part of him seethes when you call him pathetic. oh you think he can't make you cum? he could ruin you with his cock. he knows it.

so when he goes home after your 'study' sessions, he watches porn and learns how to stroke right, how to play with that lil kitty of yours, how to lick it how to fuck it and how to ruin it. it's like a study session itself. he even practices with his pillow, thrusting his hips into it, mimicking the rhythm of the pornstar on his screen. practicing his smart mouth on his fist or fruits, learning how to control his tongue better, pretending it's your pussy.

your next few study sessions with him are riding practice.

you're teaching him everything he needs to know to destroy you, and you don't even realize that he's absorbing the information with the intention of using it against you. oh, you like your clit rubbed like that? you like it fast, like it slow? you like dirty talk? creampies?

"you're fucking nasty." he talks back to you for the first time when you're demonstrating how to hit it from behind.

you're caught so off-guard, all you can do is smile in shock.

"what'd you say?"

"nothing." he lies sweetly.

with that, he snaps his hips flush against your ass. those delicate hands that you taught many things to are now squeezing your hips with a nearly bruising grip, just how you told him you like.

those pretty lips that you taught how to french kiss and taught how to eat pussy are now brushing against your cheek, muttering dirty talk just how you told him you like.

"mmm who's a bitch now?" he seethes, cock sinking so deep that you kick your feet around.

"oh m- oh fuck! hahhhh, 'min 'min 'min! f-f-fuck don't stop! don't you fucking stop talking to me like th-that — oh my god that's the fucking spot, right there right there, harder please right fucking thereee!!"

he chuckles behind you, genuinely amused by how you sounded like a bitch in heat. it's like the both of you swapped places completely.

that pretty fat cock pumps in and out at an eye-rolling pace, the deep strokes he's hitting are something you never taught him but for some reason he knows how to do it well. your body slowly feels like it belongs less to you and more to him as he bullies his cockhead into that mushy spot. now that spot really fucks you up, and he learned that quick when you taught him. he listened to your every word and put all the theory into practice.

so that's why you start gushing and creaming around him. there's juices running down your thighs. sweat and heat searing across your bodies. hell, even armin's got your juices running down the front of his thighs as he fucks into you from behind.

"god you're making a fucking mess, have some shame. my fucking cock is getting painted white. 'gonna clean it up for me with that mouth of yours afterwards? yeah, you're damn right you are. uh-huh, i'll call you my bitch. can't believe you fucking like that, you're a fucking freak."

that last line is what makes you cum. oh, that was so funny to him; weren't you the one who used to call him a freak?

"look at that fucking back arch, wow..." he admires breathlessly, expression feral as he approaches his own high. "gonna cum inside, just how you want, 'sure you still want it?"

"yesyesyes! gimme your cum!" you cry, feeling slightly overstimulated with each stroke of his cock. it was so fucking thick, you felt so full that it's all you could focus on. so full. and he was gonna fill you up even more.

"oh my fuckin' god 'm gonna cum in this slutty fuckin' pussy, take it like a good slut — m-my slut, yeah? you're my slut? say it, please. yeah. say it again, 's gonna make me cu- fuck! ohhh god 'm gonna cum. take it, fuckfuckfuck 'cumming, 'cumming mmm!"

armin's never orgasmed that hard, or shot out that much cum. now if you weren't on the pill, you would have absolutely gotten pregnant from that session. he's a boy with breeder balls, that's one of the first things you told him and he remembered it.

he pulls out and relishes in the sight of his cum dripping out and running down your slit.

"that's so fucking beautiful." he smiles naughtily, wiping the sweat off his forehead with his forearm. "hey, up for round two?"

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sixosix · 8 months

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summary wc 1.5k, lyney’s teapot voicelines (with a bit of modification here and there) turned fic. just fluff and pining lyney LOLL to celebrate him coming home yesterday ❤️

“Hey, Y/N!”

Arriving at the Serenitea Pot only to come face-to-face with a certain illustrious magician is what you haven’t been expecting. You stumble back from surprise, and Lyney reaches out to catch you naturally, like this was something out of his scripted shows.

He beams. “I just knew you would be making an appearance here!”

“D-Don’t scare me like that!” you scold, warmth spreading across your face with each passing moment of his proximity. What’s with Lyney’s breath coming off so warm? It burns more than holding his vision for too long. “What if it was someone else who came in here?”

“That’d be really awkward,” Lyney admits, but his easy smile and undaunted fingers on the small of your back convey no embarrassment.

“I almost forgot that I gave you permission to this teapot,” you sigh, gently pushing him away with a palm on his chest. He concedes, pulling you upright and backing off.

You place your hands on your hips. “Well? How do you like it here?”

Lyney’s smile softens impossibly, letting his gaze wander around your teapot. Outside, it’s dim and wet from the rain, but here, his face is cast in a warm, gold glow—it’s taking all of you not to crash onto his chest and use him as a heated stuffed toy. “Your home is breathtaking. Even a legendary magician like myself can confidently say I've never seen or heard of anything like it!”

You huff, gesturing for him to follow you inside. “Impressed, are we?”

“It’s hard not to be impressed by anything when it comes to you,” Lyney says without missing a beat. You thank every archon listening that your back is facing him, not your bitten lips and wide eyes. “But were I to say I've already gotten completely used to it... Would you think I'm lying?”

Is he planning to make himself at home on the first day? “Sure doesn't seem like the truth.”

Lyney laughs, speeding up to walk beside you. “Aw, that really hurts my feelings… But, I was really being honest this time!”

“Ha, ha,” you say blankly, twisting the doorknob open. Lyney ooh’s and aah’s at the sight of your hall, twirling around as he takes each in, from souvenirs you received in Fontaine to furniture you bought all the way from Mondstadt.

He makes his way to a shelf filled with various items you’ve collected over time, region to region. The Adhigama Wood still looks as clean as it was first bought, after you’d been lectured about the special paint that’ll keep it grease-free, appearing untouched. Lyney looks hesitant to reach out, scanning a framed picture in the middle.

It’s a solo picture of you with flowers adorning your head, two bouquets wrapped in large leaves in your arms, and your face captured mid-laugh. The aranaras took it. Lyney looks at it for a moment too long, his finger hovering above the glass.

Starting to feel a little strange about it, you stand beside him, wondering if there’s anything wrong with the picture that he’s seeing. Yet there is nothing but a thin layer of dust on the image, which you swipe away. “Something caught your eye?”

He turns back to you with a mischievous grin. “Well, looks like I've got no choice but to stay here for a while longer! After all, it will take some time for me to win your trust again.”

Lyney looks up at you through his lashes, tilting his head. “...You won't kick me out, right?”

‘Staying here for a while longer’ meant that Lyney was checking every nook, cranny, and room, empty or unoccupied (“Some of your friends live here?” Lyney gapes). You give him a bit of a story for each one, and he soaks your words in like a sunflower to the sun, never appearing disinterested even when you speak about a round table like it’s your firstborn child.

He’s explored more than your friends whom you’ve offered to give rooms to, which is saying enough. And now, exhausted, you pair rest on the loveseat, gazing at the ceiling wordlessly.

“Say,” Lyney says, after moments of silence. He sits up, shuffling closer to you until he kneels on the seat cushion and displays his hat. “Why don't you take a look at this? Do you see anything different about it?”

You squint. “Don't think there's any difference.”

“Ah, but that just means you need to look at it more carefully! Just come a bit closer.” Lyney brightens when you play along, drawing nearer himself. “So, do you have the answer? Is it the pattern, or the color? You should have seen this hat many times before.”

“...Nope, still not seeing it.”

He sighs, resting the hat on your head. “What a pity... Although, your conclusion is actually correct.”

Unbelievably confused, you reach out to hold it, patting all around it. “Is it bigger or smaller than before?” You can’t see much from this angle, nor feel much.

“You look adorable,” Lyney grins, pinching your cheek. “And no, the whole thing was misdirection. I just played a little trick, and stole something of yours. And after that, I also slipped a card into your pockets.”

You blink, reaching down to your pockets and fishing out a card, just as he’s said. It feels as real as it can be between your fingers, still warm from its previous holder.

Lyney grins at your dumbstruck expression, pleased. “Now, can you guess what I stole from you?”

You take a moment to answer, watching him carefully. “My heart?”

He jolts just as his entire face bursts into flames. “Ah, um, a most unexpected answer! I have to say, even my heart has begun to race too.” He looks at you with a petulant glare, as if saying, why would you say that?

Lyney clears his throat, “What I actually stole, however, was your ‘attention.’ E-Even though it's not nearly as valuable as your heart, it's still very important to us magicians nonetheless!”

He trails off, face still pink. “...Okay, you can return my card to me now.”

After that, it had been pretty hard to get rid of Lyney.

He seems to always be there whenever you come around—either spread out on the couch and practicing cards with one hand until you call for him, or appearing in front of you the moment you warp in. You ask if he’s just here every day, waiting for you, but he seems embarrassed to give you an answer.

Today, he has his pets with him. Some of them fly and run around outside, with Lyney at ease when you assure him that there are no signs of monsters here, and you have an Adeptus continuing to keep this haven safe.

You have Lyney’s hat on your lap, playing with Rosseland. The cat is performing a little magic show for you, taking after its owner, especially with how it soaks in your applause with a smug smile.

Lyney is a deflated balloon on the other side of the room, most likely regretting his decision as now you’ve poured all your attention on his pet assistants instead of him. Even worse, his pets seem to love you much more.

Having enough, Lyney approaches from behind, frowning at Rosseland, who appears unbothered, loving the crowd as always.

Your head falls back to the couch, looking at Lyney with a dazzling smile. “You were asking if they could stay here, right? I think you can guess my answer.”

Lyney is torn between celebrating and groaning at the thought of possibly more days of you ignoring him to come. “That would be wonderful,” he says instead, though sincerely. “Thank you.”

You laugh quietly, pulling him close with your fingers on his nape. “Why do you look constipated? Don’t tell me you’re feeling jealous over your own cat?”

He doesn’t tell you, so he keeps quiet instead, the red on his cheeks spreading all the way to his neck.

“Don’t make fun of me,” Lyney says, feigning annoyance while you chuckle. He leans impossibly closer, until your noses are barely an inch away.

“Your cat is watching,” you warn upon seeing the look on his face.

Lyney groans, snatching the hat and wearing it on his head, where Rosseland settles inside by practice. Then, against your mouth, he whispers, “Haven’t I made it obvious I brought them here as an excuse for this?”

You raise an eyebrow. “So you are jea—”

You didn’t end up finishing your sentence at all, swallowed by the press of his lips.

By this point, you’re no longer surprised whenever you enter your teapot.

“Morning, Lyney,” you say, leaving him stunned instead when you plant a kiss on his cheek before maneuvering around and entering your home.

It takes a while for him to snap out of it. Lyney grins, catching up to you. “Good morning. It would be great if I could see you every morning if you’re gonna kiss me like that.”

a/n more sixosix lyney fic what have i become

#genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x you #lyney x reader #lyney x you #lyney x y/n #lyney x gender neutral reader #genshin x you

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cartierre · 1 year

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ALWAYS FOREVER | mv1

SOCIAL MEDIA!AU max verstappen x fem!indian!reader

♡ liked by yourusername, danielricciardo, f1 and 649,405 others

tagged: yourusername

maxverstappen1 मैं करता हूं (i do)

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yourusername मैं आपसे बहुत प्यार है (i love you so much) comment liked by maxverstappen1

user1 rue, when was this?

user2 did we just get harder than hard launched by max?

danielricciardo amazing wedding, so happy for both of you!

christianhorner it's wonderful seeing you grow up and being a husband now. you better treat her good! ⤷ user3 christian defending y/n is so adorable ⤷ user4 not only a second dad to max but apparently also to her hahahahahah

user5 i'm speechless. i- what even happened ⤷ user6 how did we all collectively just missed that max was dating (and is now married!) to someone????

♡ liked by maxverstappen1, christianhorner and 73,578 others

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yourusername so many differences and yet here we are; mr. and mrs. verstappen

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maxverstappen1 most beautiful woman, mrs. verstappen ⤷ yourusername well thank you very much, mr. verstappen

user7 not her changing her beautiful desi surname to some generic bitch ass white one ⤷ user8 she probably wanted it? that's her decision to make?

user9 they're so beautiful omfg

user10 i'm still in tears how max fully embraced her culture for their wedding like the OUTFITS he looks so good in traditional indian clothes

♡ liked by maxverstappen1, danielricciardo, schecoperez and 128,394 others

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yourusername summer break/honeymoon in delhi

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user11 i need more desi max content ⤷ user12 i didn't even know i needed it this bad

user13 why do i feel so proud seeing them together? i'm in tears they're so cute

user14 i've seen some paparazzi photos of them in delhi and lemme tell you max is literally GLOWING idk who y/n really is but she's doing him so good

user15 them spending their honeymoon in delhi feels so special to me as an indian fan of max. him learning and embracing our culture makes me just love him even more.

♡ liked by maxverstappen1, redbullracing and 87,392 others

yourusername zandvoort ✿

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user16 omg is she going to attend the gp this weekend? ⤷ user17 probably ⤷ user18 this will be the first time we'll see her at a race! ⤷ user19 can't wait for her paddock fashion game ngl

redbullracing our good luck charm 💪🏼 comment liked by yourusername

♡ liked by maxverstappen1, redbullracing, f1 and 80,302 others

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yourusername now that i've seen you win once in person, trust me: i won't be leaving you alone to any races from now on. i'm so proud of you, माय लव (my love)

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maxverstappen1 ❤️❤️

user20 watch her post one of these every few weekends because max is unstoppable ⤷ user21 this man doesn't know how to loose ⤷ user22 he's not only winning at races but also at life i mean she's so cute

redbullracing our good luck charm seems to have proven their value ⤷ yourusername i'm happy to be of service

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maxverstappen1 जन्मदिन की शुभकामनाएं ✨ (best wishes for your birthday)

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user23 him learning hindi for her is the most adorable thing ⤷ user24 is she learning dutch for him tho? cuz i haven't seen her going around speaking in dutch ⤷ user25 girl- bffr

yourusername हमेशा के लिए हमेशा के लिए (always forever) ⤷ yourusername altijd voor altijd (always forever)

user26 HAHAHA Y/N POSTING HER COMMENT IN HINDI AND DUTCH HAS ME ON MY KNEES ⤷ user27 she really said 'enough of this shit talking' lmaoooo ⤷ user28 i love her for that

#max verstappen #max verstappen imagine #max verstappen imagines #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen x you #max verstappen fluff #max verstappen fanfiction #max verstappen x y/n #f1 instagram au #f1 social media au #f1 imagine #f1 imagines #f1 x reader #f1 x you #f1 x y/n

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dalliancekay · 3 months

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Crowley is not stupid, Aziraphale is not an idiot and other assorted thoughts

Or how nothing is black and white and my bullying home and religious trauma is a metaphor not a direct translation to what our immortals experience. And vice versa. -

I don't know what it's like to hang out on Earth since the beginning but I'm sure it is richer than we can imagine we could imagine.

Our two favourite, currently men shaped beings, are captured for our storytelling enjoyment when their time on the Green Planet is about to be cut off.

One has been thrown out from their family home ages ago, we are not sure for what misdemeanour exactly, and is now working for a dumpy place where they don't mind inflicting pain if you misbehave nor do they care whether a trial is fair. So, a mafia, basically. And our hero is tasked with collecting new additions to the unhappy family on top of that. He doesn't much care for it and seems to do the bare minimum only.

The other has been sent to the young planet to guard the indigenous humans and told something vague about an Ineffable Plan that will all work out when there's a War in a few thousand years, which 'our, the Good, side' will win and everyone will be happy. Just tell the humans to behave and if they don't kick up a fuss, we will welcome them Here.

And Here is a vast, empty place, well lit, with busy, lonely bees working and filing, and checking, making sure rules are in place and are followed as written and everything is ticking over; the higher ranks' punishments rare but swift. Everyone has learnt a lesson when half of them were unceremoniously fired when someone said some nasty things about the CEO. So things might not be perfect but at least if you stick to your tasks you will be left alone.

So, we meet demon Crowley, whose family threw him out as mentioned above and his job sucks and he hates it but it's not hard and his placement is rather a nice place so he does his best to not to lose the position. Sometimes he wonders what is the point of it all and that's when he runs into his adorable archenemy, the angel Aziraphale.

Aziraphale was sent to Earth and given a job, one that doesn't seem to quite work out (or does it?) as he follows his heart instead of the rules almost immediately but surprisingly is not punished for it by the CEO. So he spends his time helping the natives, following orders he receives as best as he can and when he runs into his archenemy the demon, he feels a certain strange tingle and flutter in his heart at the sight of the rulebreaker.

They have done a fair job of it for 6 millennia. They avoid getting fired and even manage to take on each other's tasks to lighten up the load and the (pointlessly) random business trips (does anyone Up or Down there ever heard of geography?)

When we meet our heroes in present day-ish, they've been told the End of the World sequence has been triggered and life as they know it is about to end.

How do they feel about this? Well. Our demon is appalled. He knew this was coming. But not really. It's just something to sort of work towards right? After all, the Earth has been developing rather nicely. The alcohol got better, the food for his Angel, the music got interesting, the clothes tighter... He's having a good time. Yes, he pushes his luck sometimes. Sleeps too long, gives in and saves someone instead of ruining them. He gets into all kinds of tangles to spend time with his crush. He is rash but he's not stupid. He knows what's at stake. But he's angry. And sometimes that's hard to contain. He does go too fast. But Aziraphale is always there to catch him. And if he can't, he waits and worries and is there when Crowley returns.

So about the angel? He knows he should dislike the demon. He knows he should follow his directives. He knows he should not meet or talk to Crowley. And what does he do? Gets himself arrested in his fanciest silks so they can have crepes when the world and humanity is bringing them down with their relentless hate towards each other. He puts on a magical performance when the demon fails to deliver some contraband liquor in the midst of the Blitz bombing.

And, now. Here's the funny bit. Angel has gotten himself a part time job in the past few centuries. He's had a few before, but not quite like this. He has a place he loves now. A safe, cluttered place where a demon is welcome. It's not much like his original home. You could say... it's rather quite the opposite of it. In any case, he never really got on with his managers but tbf he likes his job. It makes the humans happy and he loves the humans and loves making them happy.

He also does not want the world to end. But his fam has always told him that once this bit is over, an even better one will come along. What that bit is was never quite explained but then, asking questions was always frowned upon and rather vehemently so. He's noticed this from the get go... unlike a red headed angel he once knew...

What is my point?

That neither Crowley or Aziraphale are wrong. Or right. Doing the correct thing. Or not. Me. You. We come from broken families, we have been friends and lovers with bad people, we have escaped religions, cults, home countries. Lies. Rules. Hate. We have fought for our love to be recognised as love.

Crowley and Aziraphale live in a world where Heaven and Hell is real. Where Satan rules over a smelly place with mould on the walls and God is engrossed in her sci fi novels and seems to have forgotten about Her Earth project.

You can't call Aziraphale stupid for believing in God. She exists. Whether She has a plan is open to debate, sure. She seems to have claimed so at some point, but then, we all change don't we. Maybe She changed Her mind and forgot to tell the upper management. Maybe She thought She didn't need to spell out all the details to them so they kill Job's kids. Maybe She was vague on purpose much in the style of King Henry II and Thomas Beckett.. Anyway. Back to Aziraphale, our angel on Earth. He is kind, has hope, wants to believe after thousands, millions of years. And this is not stupid. Aziraphale does and is brave, courageous things. And he's slowly learning to trust himself more too. To know the difference. It started with the sword and his overthinking on the giving away of it. He made a decision to protect Job's children. Risked Falling for it. Trusted the demon over his bosses. Not because Heaven is WRONG. Yes, they are. But the thing is they don't care. And Aziraphale does. He cares about humanity. And he cares about Crowley.

Nobody noticed (or did they) how our two field agents fell in love (neither did they tbf) and how fiercely they guard the little secret they share. The smiles and the glances, the small flowers of hope that things can change one day.

And they did change. Plan A, War and Destruction, did not work out. The youngster they sent from Below decided he likes the new place and refused to ruin it. They both learned things. They are still learning. The demon how to trust again. The angel how to question things.

So what's next? The place Above is going to send their trusted agent. He followed the rules last time seamlessly. It did not quite work out but no problem, they'll send Him out again. With a rather more final arrangement.

In the meantime, the disgraced and rather troubling Earth agents have been lying low. Unsure of their places and overall safety, they went on with their lives as best as they could until the angel happened to help his former boss run away with his paramour from the other side and is visited by the Big Boss.

Big Boss wastes no time and suggests to our angel he should come back Upstairs and take the place of his disgraced superior. To use his skills. To be better looked after I suppose. New opportunities. To be close to the big upcoming decisions or - under a close watchful eye.

Aziraphale, not surprisingly, refuses. He does not want to put any of his 'skills' to any good causes but his own. But then. THEN. He is not so subtly made aware that his dangerous liaisons with the other side have been noted and his help in the latest Complication might not go unpunished if he's not careful.

And this job offer suddenly seems FAR more sinister than it did 15 minutes ago. Especially when it is handed over with a coffee (that he does not much like) from a place called Give Me Coffee Or Give me Death.

Our angel goes home to cautiously tell his demon about the trouble they are in and his world comes crashing down around him.

This post turned out to be completely different to what I originally wanted to write. Is there a point? You decide.

Aziraphale's decision makes complete sense, he loves the Earth, his home and Crowley over and above everything else. And he WILL fight for their safety. AND the humans in the process if he can.

This is my very first Tumblr post. Way to go me etc. Please be kind.

#good omens #aziraphale #crowley #aziracrow #neil gaiman #season 2 #ineffable husbands #ineffable divorce #armageddon #shower thoughts #kaypost

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bokutooooo · 7 months

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Dream Ride

warnings: strong language! flirting? age gap!! (LEGAL)

"Hey Neela, who's this red neck?" I laugh and Neela rolls her eyes. "This is Sean he just moved here try to be nice." "Hey nice to meet you y/n" he puts out his hand "Hey, have you showed him around yet?". "Yeah I showed him around a bit, you coming tonight?" "I think so my car finally ready, i'm so excited to show it off."

Neela and I are getting ready at my house. "Soooo going to make a move yet? I mean you guys eye fuck each other all the timeeee, you've had a crush on him for years." I laugh "He's turning thirty In like 3 years" "so what? I think you should make a move, It's likely he feels the same". It's true me and Han do flirt a lot but it never went anywhere, plus he is way older than me. "yeah yeah, just keep getting ready missy"..

We pull into the the race centre In my newly improved Nissan Skyline GT-R, of course it isn't just a boring plain car It's pink and white with a glossy finish don't even get me started on the interior. "this car Is so hot, I love it" I smile, proud of what I did "I know right! it's so perfect". I park In a spot near Twinkie's Hulk themed car, makes me grin every time I see it. Neela's already talking to Sean as I'm speaking with Twinkie "I see you're already best friends with red neck huh?" "yeah, seems chill, thought maybe he'd like to come with me tonight. He's seems really into cars." I look over my shoulder at Neela and Sean "You know DK's going to get mad right? Just look, already glaring at him." twinkie looks over, DK already on the move, eyes widen he's quick to rush over. I'm quick to follow behind him "Hey hey hey DK how's going I see you met Sean" I look over at Neela who looks a bit worried. Neela and DK have been dating? for awhile, I mean I don't know if I'd call it dating but best friends with benefits? DK has always been possessive over Neela but sometimes it's a bit much. "Who's this gaijin?!" Neela steps In front but Twinkie is quick to speak up "DK he's here with us, we don't want any problems just here to race. "really? can he drift." I swallow, Sean is probably so confused. "I can race, wanna race?" Twinkie and I look at each other wondering if we just heard the same thing. Now don't get me wrong DK doesn't scare me just I know damn well he's an amazing racer and going up against him Is kind of dumb, especially If you're Sean and have never seen DK race before. DK chuckles "alright gaijin sure, but uh whatcha gonna race with? that?" he looks over at the Hulk car. "He can use mine, see what the kid's got."

I recognize that voice so fast I don't even need to turn around to see who it is. "Really Han? gonna let this kid race with your car? .. alright I won't stop you, I can add it to my collection." he smirks he knows he'll win.

Me and Neela are listening to Twinkie lecture Sean about his stupid decision "Do you even know what DK stands for?" Twinkie crosses his arms waiting for a reply. "No? Donkey Kong?" I laugh and shake my head "It means DRIFT KING Sean, basically Twinkie's telling you that you're going to get you're ass kicked." I smile and watch Sean's face "Maybe I'll win? you never know" "the chances of you winning red neck are slim to none, than you'll have to pay back Han". I lean back against my car, "What about me?" I turn to see Han shoving his mouth full with chips. I smile seeing him shoveling food in his face he's always eating "just explaining what's going to happen after he loses" "hey have some faith in him, maybe he'll win".

"keyword Han. MAYBE, I just feel bad for you sucks you're gonna lose another car." He just laughs and looks at Sean "just try, you'll still owe me though."

"alright let's go! chop chop!!" Han hands his keys over to Sean to his 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. "Han man this car is too nice for this."

Han shrugs "Y/n lets go up a level" Neela tugs at my arm "alright good luck Sean, see you at the finish line.. if you ever make it..." I giggle walking towards the elevator. "wait up!" twinkie and Han jogging towards us.

The elevator Is filled with the talking of Neela and Twinkie, the two of them stand close to the door while me and Han are In the back. I watch as Han leans down, "Hey y/n how have you been? it's been a minute since we last talk, missed you" he whispers it so Nel and Twinkie can't hear. "Just been working on Kai, finished her a couple days ago. I'll show you after if we go back to the garage." He's teasing me..I know he is, and I'm enjoying every second of it. "Sure, forgot you name them. I know you've been working on her for awhile, congrats." I smile and the doors open, we step out into the crowd of people. Music's blasting and people are shoving their tongues down each others throat, dancing/gridding. "Do you guys really think he'll win this" i ask looking at Neela and Han "probably not but why not give it a shot"

"Okay!! Let's get this started!!!" a girl steps up between the two cars who keep revving their engines while glaring at one another. "READY?" she looks at the two cars "SET.." the room goes silent for maybe 3 seconds. "GOO!!" and off! both cars race off around the building, twists and turns and all you can hear is screeching noise of the tires. There're quick to go up another level and people rush to get up there. "Come on!" Neela grabs my hand as we run.. or at least try to In our heels.

Once we reach upstairs everyone waits patiently to see who will reach the finish line first. And whoosh! DK stops perfectly, I sigh but already knew what the outcome would be. a minute later Sean screeches In and stops. People are cheering and surrounding DK as I walk towards the scratched up, dented car. Han, Twinkie and Neela are already talking to Sean "You own me a car red." Twinkie's laughing and Neela's talking with Sean. "So that didn't really go to plan huh?"

"Yeah guess not, but I'll just practice till I know for sure I can beat him" I just chuckle at his remark "Han, maybe you can teach him how to drift, a couple of lessons wouldn't hurt." Han turns to me and smirks "maybe you should baby" I glance at him, cheeks reddening at the nickname "why because I drift better than you?" I raise an eyebrow at him with a cocky grin on my face. "whatever you say"

"I wish you'd just race me already! I've been waiting so long" I groan, he smiles "maybe later" he shrugs "you always say thattt!" walking to his car "meet me at the garage, think there's a party going on." I turn back to Sean Twinkie and Neela.

"you guys up for it?"

-----------

Might make another part^!

#Han lue #tokyo drift #fast and furious #racing #tokyo #drifting #movie series #street racing #Sung Kang #movie #x reader #writeblr #han lue x reader #cars

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cinnamontoastcrunch-15 · 2 months

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Today's @wolfstarmicrofic prompt is smitten!

(521 words.)

"Evans?" Sirius' voice pulls Lily from her revision. She lifts her head, ready to shoot Sirius a glare, only to find him looking hesitant. It takes her by surprise. "Could I, uh... talk to you?" Never once has Sirius come to her for advice. If he needs to talk, he goes to James, sometimes Remus. Not Lily.

Part of her wants to say no and send him to one of his close friends, but she falters. Sirius isn't stupid. He would be going to James or Remus if he could, and he isn't.

"Five minutes," she answers calmly, closing her book. Sirius doesn't hesitate in pulling out the chair opposite Lily.

"Okay, right, uh... it's about Remus," He starts. "I just figured you were the right person to ask, because he spends a lot of time with you, and he... well, uh... do you know if he's- if he... fancies anyone?"

Lily narrows her eyes suspiciously. She needs to be careful here.

"Why? You trying to play matchmaker, or something?" She asks.

"Yeah! Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing!" Sirius says triumphantly, face brightening. "He doesn't really talk about that stuff with us, so I was just curious!" He seems a lot less nervous now, even offering Lily a smile.

The issue is, Lily knows exactly where Remus stands on romance, and she's made a promise never to tell Sirius. Namely, because Remus is absolutely, 100% gone for the man, and he's also entirely convinced that Sirius doesn't feel the same way. If he's really trying to get Remus a date, then she needs to shut it down.

"...no, he doesn't," she answers simply, moving to reopen her book.

"Oh. Okay." If Lily didn't just Remus' judgement, she would say Sirius sounds pretty dejected. Ah, well. It's probably about his matchmaking game being put to a stop. Before he can say anything else, Remus' voice rings out from beside the two of them.

"Hey, Lils, I was wondering if we could- Sirius! Hi!" Sirius' head whips around, and the shift in him is obvious. His cheeks have turned a hearty shade of pink at the sight of Remus, and the expression on his face is one that Lily can only describe as smitten.

Oh, wow.

Maybe Remus' judgement is a little... clouded in this department.

Sirius offers Remus a wave, and Lily watches the two of them, trying to figure out who's going to get their head back together first.

Remus wins, blinking harshly and turning back to Lily.

"Uh... the transfiguration homework, would you want to come to the library and work on it together?" He asks, and Lily nods.

"Yeah, sure. Two seconds." She starts to collect her stuff, shoving it into her bag. Right as she gets up, she turns to Sirius one more time. "My advice, Black? Ask him." Sirius' eyes widen, a realisation hitting him.

"How did you figure it out?"

She rolls her eyes with a smile, standing and starting to walk with Remus.

"It's written all over your face!" She calls behind her shoulder with a grin, before promptly stepping out of the portrait hole with Remus.

#platonic lilypad>>>#i missed lily so have some lily perspective #wolfstar #sirius black #wolfstar oneshot #marauders #remus lupin #remus x sirius #young marauders #moony x padfoot #atyd marauders #marauders oneshot

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friskarm · 3 months

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tentatively putting my thoughts into the tag. for context i am an anime-only watcher but i've been really, really enjoying the mage exam arc and i was definitely a little surprised to find out that this arc has a lot of people frustrated!

one of the strengths of this arc, i think, is seeing how frieren interacts with characters and personalities we've not seen her encounter before. fern and stark are both relatively placid as people; they're generally content to go along with what frieren says.

lawine and kanne are two very strong personalities that frieren initially doesn't know how to deal with at all! they have a whole thing going on and frieren's choice is to. not handle it at all. rather, she spends much of her time quietly observing the two of them until she can speak with each of them individually and figure them out, just a bit. she really struggles to get a grasp on the situation until she does that; it's lawine and kanne who are acting first within their team.

then, secondly -- frieren's plan is so. elf with a lot of time to spare. the impact of the time limit is felt so strongly by every human character on the field; everyone is in such a rush! fern's team are stoked they caught a stille so early. the team that attacks them are desperate to steal it asap. after lawine freezes the lake, the other teams are desperately trying to thaw it, for a quick solution.

frieren, though? frieren's solution takes a shitton of time and involves her essentially meditating by a pond for god knows how many hours. it's such a frieren plan; i feel like only someone with a relationship with time like frieren does would come up with it.

tldr; frieren's capacity to form relationships and understand people and her relationship with time are shown off in a really interesting way wrt the way frieren solves the stille problem.

that, and... it seems a bit silly to say this about a show with a certain character in the title but... i do not feel that frieren is exclusively about frieren. it is certainly a story about her adventures but frieren is by no means the only important character! fern is also there! and stark but hes on vacation. so let's talk about fern.

the one fight scene fern has is so unbelieveably crunchy to me bc we learn so much about the world (now) and about the world (part)/frieren's view on magic from it! the girl she fights has really impressive magic; we know that this is generally considered a time of peace, the demon lord is dead, etc. magic is not necessarily a means to an end. i wonder if this means magic has entered a sort of renaissance? a time period after a period of great upheaval, where social structure is thrown out the window and great advances are made in technology, science - and maybe magic!

the way fern uses magic is very indicative of how frieren feels about magic. fern says (that frieren said) that "this is enough to defeat mages of this era", which is so interesting to me bc yes, ofc, fern does win! with her simple magic and full auto fire. but does that automatically mean fern is a better mage? it's complicated...

you hear a lot about the different philosophies of people who use magic in these episodes, and what i'm really interested in seeing is mr war guy meet frieren, bc i think they'd be the most interesting contrast -- a warrior of the past, and a warrior of today.

specifically bc -- frieren is basically a custom-designed warrior. the way she can mask her mana is very specifically designed to be able to weaponised against demons, flamme did that to her very purposefully. the way she's trained fern is also indicative of that; fern's immense firepower and stamina being "enough to defeat mages of this era" without being flashy so to speak indicate, at least to me, that this sort of thing was common in frieren's time! but this is a type of magic very specifically made for battle against a very specific enemy.

no wonder frieren likes collecting weird spells so much... i wonder if she's had much time at all in the past to play around with magic for the sake of anything but fighting and training to fight?

#frieren #sousou no frieren #sorry this was inspired by my friend velteris's good post #this is also probably highly incoherent #i am just a simple anime watcher

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witchthewriter · 29 days

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 & 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐬

a/n: crossover that I really wanted to do. I've used dragons from every timeline.

gif cred: @gameofthronesdaily.

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ | ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ ᴵᴵ

I wanted to make this as simple as possible, so I'm not going into backgrounds or Houses or the wheres, whos and whys. But if you'd like me to make backstories for them, let me know in my inbox!

(but p.s. I can already see Kyle being a Velaryon Prince and Simon a Targaryen because of their natural features.)

𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 | 𝑴𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒚𝒔

There's something very regal about John - he holds himself with dignity and grace. He walks with pride and knows his rank/his place. Because he's earnt it.

Meleys, who was once known as the quickest dragon in Westeros, also holds herself the exact same way John does.

She is the Red Queen, vicious, fierce and unyielding. She is royalty - looks it too.

I'm not quite sure she'd like a male rider - there would have to be a lot of winning her over. All her other riders have been female, and very bold. Yet, when Meleys saw the bravery of John, she allowed him to mount her.

But the two of them together would be an absolute force to be reckoned with. Intelligence mixed with tactics, and planning - they would soon become one of the most feared rider and mount in history.

𝐊𝐲𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 | 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈

Known by a lot of positive traits, the first one being: understanding her responsibilities. Silverwing is the perfect dragon.

Great with people, friendly, and elegant. She knows when eyes are on her.

In the same way that Kyle can make a friend wherever he is. People find him very charming.

Both are great at socialising. This reflects how a dragonrider usually has similar traits to their mount.

Know their duties, but also know when enough is enough. They don't let others walk all over them.

𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲 | 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓

Ooh boy, okay so these two bonded over being grumpy and moody.

While Vermithor used to be the mount of one of Westerosi's greatest Kings, I think he would like Simon a whole lot more.

Simon, who would never make him do anything Simon wouldn't do himself.

Both of them hate too much company.

And the only way to truly get away from people is in the air.

Vermithor might be considered an old man, but he's still got that passion within him, and damn anyone who says what he can and cannot do

The pair could be gone for weeks. Only relying on one another for company, aiding each other in getting food and Vermithor being wonderful at finding bodies of water.

Although they do usually go to the same places now.

Sometimes Simon forgets how formidable Vermithor is - and that in the past anyone who approached him would burn to death by his flame.

But really Simon only sees a big lizard with wings who snores when he sleeps and grunts when he's angry. Oh, and watch out for his tail because he will try to knock you over when he's irritated.

𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐓𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐡 | 𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒙𝒆𝒔

Let's gather what we know about Soap: intelligent (obviously, no one in the army reaches that level by being a complete tosser), he's active and ready to be in the field i.e, now the air.

Meraxes is known for being an avid flyer. Her first and only rider, Rhaenys the First, flew her mount so much - some say it was the collective amount of both her brother and sister riding their own beasts.

Johnny is the dragonrider who is constantly scowering for dragon eggs. If he finds them, he cares for them like they're his own children.

Johnny would literally be the Father of Dragons. Would 100% do a Dany and walk into fire to see if the eggs will hatch (don't worry the other boys look out for him and Meraxes would never let him be so stupid as to willingly hurt himself.)

If you have a different opinion I'm more than happy to hear it!

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which-qsmp-egg-would · 2 months

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It's finally time for the February summary!

And you NEVER guess who won again!

Richarlyson

With 12/58 polls won (20%!!!) and another win under his belt, it's safe to say I'm scared of him. Richarlyson was voted most likely to:

Dig holes in the yard for no reason

Be a terror to a babysitter

Pretend to be kidnapped during a road trip

Try to get struck with lightning

Be a biter

Be better off if he were raised by wolves

Spin in an office chair enough to break it

Wear shorts in 0° weather

Lick a metal pole as a joke but get stuck

Be an Ethogirl

Start the plot of 'The Parent Trap'

Love 'Fortnite'

Wonderful chaos child.

SunnySideUp

Some things never change, do they? Coming in 2nd place for the 2nd month in a row, with 11/58 polls won, is our sunshine princess! They've been voted most likely to:

Sleep with no less than 7 blankets

Demand to paint her parent's nails

Watch Winx Club

Hold their breath to get what they want

Cry every time a parent takes her fishing

Drive around the island in a toy car

Become a leaf millionare on the playground

Wear light up shoes

Follow an internet tutorial to become a mythical creature

Have the most insane roleplay with barbie dolls

Make friendship bracelets

What perfect results for Tubbo's princess!

Dapper

I was actually surprised to see Dapper in 3rd this month! With a score of 9/58 polls won, she's certainly climbed the ranks this time! Dapper has been voted most likely to:

Be really into bugs

Have a dinosaur hyperfixation

Learn how to perform magic tricks

Be able to name every local animal species by name

Perform surgeries on his stuffed animals

Hyperfixate on 'Digimon: Digital Monsters'

Love 'Undertale'

Create "potions" in the bathtub

Collect mundane objects

Ah, just like his father. (I think they would love Digimon, and I will CRACK on this hill)

Pepito

Next is the littlest huevo ever, Pepito with 8/58 polls won! Pepito has been voted most likely to:

Climb a tree and get stuck

Have a comfort blanket that's probably falling apart

Have a pocket full of rocks by the end of the day

Sit on the floor to watch TV

Only sleep in a onesie

Wear velcro shoes because Pepito can't tie Pepito's laces

Accidentally call the teacher mom/dad

Be unable to keep a poker face

I'm realising how long this post is going to be now...

Tallulah

Now is when the point drop off happens. Coming in at 5/58 polls, Tallulah has been voted most likely to:

Eat flowers and judge them by color and taste

Make Valentine's day cards for everyone on the island

Write a musical for her siblings to play in

Cut her own hair

Be the teacher's pet

I'm glad to see her higher up on the list this month! I can't wait to see if her model gets redesigned, I'm confident it will look awesome.

Chayanne

Coming in just under his sister with 4/58 polls, Chayanne has been voted most likely to:

Be concerningly excited to go fishing

Read Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War'

Play the drums

Make a pillow fort to comfort a sibling after a nightmare

He may have come in lower this month, but I'm sure he's happy his sister is getting the attention.

Ramón

These next three are tied, with 3/58 polls won! Ramón has been voted most likely to:

Get really into Hide and Seek

Be on tech for Tallulah's musical

Join Richas in the plot of 'The Parent Trap'

Leonarda

With 3/58, Leonarda has been voted most likely to:

Pretend to be a werewolf on the full moon

Be raised by Wolves

Wear Heelies

Empanada

Now the last with 3/58, Empanada has been voted most likely to:

Sew cool outfits for her siblings

Exclusively eat poptarts in the morning

Have a sugar crash from all of the Valentine's day candy

I'm noticing a theme with those three.

Pomme & Chunsik

Unfortunately, Pomme and Chunsik did not win any polls in February. While Chunsik is the newcomer, Pomme hasn't won a poll yet! Although after that wonderful Paintball poll, I imagine that will change for March! Better luck next time, my complimentary-colored eggs.

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naomeii · 4 months

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For you, with love.

—Pairings: Xiao/Alatus x Archon gn! Reader

Content: Angst to (?)(depends on perspective), manipulations, grieving themes, character death, does not follow the lore!, slightly suggestive/smut, really tiny portion tho, age gap, xiao and alatus are diff people.

Synopsis: ? (Tba)

The grand hall of Y/n's opulent residence was ablaze with light, the air thick with the heady scent of flowers and the sound of laughter and music. Nobles, dignitaries, and admirers from across Teyvat had gathered to revel in the extravagant affair. Y/n, though once a revered Archon, now hosted lavish parties in their newfound mortal guise, surrounded by the splendors of their amassed wealth.

As Y/n moved through the crowd, a symphony of admirers sought their attention. Flattering words and sweet promises were whispered into their ears, as the nobles vied for a chance to capture the heart of the former Archon. Some expressed their intentions with eloquent poetry, while others presented lavish gifts, hoping to win Y/n's favor.

Zhongli and Venti, having long relinquished their divine titles to live among mortals, observed the scene with amusement. From a discreet corner, they exchanged knowing glances and indulged in their usual bets, predicting which suitor would capture Y/n's attention that night.

Zhongli, his expression calm and collected, remarked, "I wager that the young lord in the blue attire will be the one to capture Y/n's interest tonight. There's a genuine sincerity in his words."

Venti, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, retorted, "Nonsense, my dear Zhongli. It's clear that the elegant lady in red is the true contender. Watch as Y/n's gaze lingers a moment longer when she approaches."

Meanwhile, Y/n graciously entertained their admirers, graciously accepting compliments and gifts. Despite the rumors that painted them as power-hungry and a literal avatar of greed, those who engaged with Y/n personally discovered a different truth. Y/n was kind, generous, and genuinely interested in the stories and lives of those around them.

Y/n then glided over to where Zhongli and Venti were observing the spectacle. The music and laughter from the party surrounded them like a comforting embrace. Y/n's eyes sparkled with amusement as they approached their two former divine companions.

"Ah, making bets again, are we?" Y/n teased, a playful smile gracing their lips. "What's the prize this time? Perhaps a share of my nonexistent wealth?"

Venti chuckled, "Oh, you wound us, Y/n! It's all in good fun, you know. Just trying to predict the next lucky companion to bask in your radiant presence for the night."

Zhongli, ever composed, nodded in agreement. "Indeed. A harmless diversion from the usual routines of our mortal lives."

Y/n's eyes flickered between Zhongli and Venti, their gaze thoughtful. "Well, I hate to spoil the suspense, but I must say, Zhongli, you might just win this round. The young lord in blue seems to have a sincerity about him that caught my attention."

Zhongli's eyes gleamed with a hint of satisfaction, and he gave a small hum. "I'm glad to hear that my judgment is still somewhat reliable."

Venti, not one to be easily defeated, crossed his arms and pouted playfully. "Well, we'll see about that. The night is still young, and love is as fickle as the wind. I've got my eye on that lady in red; mark my words."

Y/n chuckled, enjoying the banter. "We shall see, my dear friends. Let the games continue, and may the best observer win."

With that, Y/n rejoined the lively dance of the party, leaving Zhongli and Venti to resume their good-natured rivalry.

Venti, his expression shifting from playful to contemplative, leaned in towards Zhongli, his emerald eyes reflecting a mixture of curiosity and concern. The music of the party continued to swirl around them as he spoke in a hushed tone.

"Zhongli," Venti began, "I can't help but wonder… what do you think Alatus would say if he saw Y/n living like this? The opulence, the parties, the indulgence – it's all so far from the Archon we once knew."

Zhongli's gaze followed Y/n's figure as they disappeared into the crowd. He sighed softly before responding, "Alatus was a guardian, a presence of serenity and order. To witness Y/n, the one who carries the memories of their love, immersed in this sea of extravagance… it is a stark contrast."

He took a moment to choose his words carefully, his tone measured. "Alatus valued simplicity and the beauty found in the quiet moments of life. Seeing Y/n reveling in this display of wealth and excess would undoubtedly be a source of sorrow for him."

Venti nodded in understanding, a solemn expression settling over his features. "It's hard to watch sometimes, isn't it? The ones we care about, changed by the currents of time and circumstance."

Zhongli's eyes, filled with a hint of melancholy, met Venti's gaze. "Indeed. But as mortals, they must find their own paths and forge their destinies. Whether it aligns with the ideals of Alatus or not, Y/n is navigating the complexities of their existence in a world without divine duties."

The wind stirred softly around them, carrying the distant notes of the party. Venti sighed, a whisper on the breeze, "I just hope they find the happiness they're searching for, even if it means drifting away from the past."

The party continued, and Y/n took a moment away from the crowd to appreciate the moonlit courtyard. The night air was cool, a refreshing contrast to the warmth of the celebration within.

Unbeknownst to Y/n, Xiao, a newly-appointed servant known for his quiet diligence, was attending to the lanterns that adorned the courtyard. His eyes, reminiscent of starlight, were fixed on his task.

One delicate lantern, however, seemed determined to resist Xiao's efforts. As he carefully adjusted its position, a sudden gust of wind sent it tumbling from his grasp. With lightning reflexes, Y/n stepped forward, catching the lantern before it could crash to the ground.

As Y/n held the lantern, their gaze locked with Xiao's, a momentary pause fell upon them. In that instant, it was as if time itself had stilled. Y/n felt an inexplicable flutter in their chest, a heartbeat that echoed with a resonance long forgotten.

Xiao, stood before Y/n, his expression calm and composed, but his eyes betrayed a depth of admiration that only a true devotee could understand. Y/n, momentarily lost in the intensity of that gaze, saw a reflection of Alatus in Xiao's features—the same ethereal quality, the familiar intensity that had once drawn Y/n's heart.

A flicker of recognition sparked in Y/n's eyes, a recognition that transcended the boundaries of the present. The lantern exchanged between them became a silent bridge connecting two souls. Y/n, overwhelmed by a sense of déjà vu, felt a surge of emotions that defied explanation.

With a sudden realization, Y/n excused themself from the courtyard, claiming a sudden need to attend to an urgent matter. The sea of partygoers seemed to part effortlessly as Y/n made their way through the crowd, their thoughts in a tumult.

In the solitude of a quieter space, Y/n leaned against a balustrade, their breath coming in irregular intervals. Memories of Alatus, thought to be buried deep within, resurfaced with unexpected clarity.

Meanwhile, Xiao, still in the courtyard, looked down at the lantern in his hands. His heart raced, for he couldn't fathom the idea that the Archon he had admired from a distance since childhood was now standing mere steps away. He had heard of every story related to Y/n, their mysterious lover, the tragic tale that surrounded their stepping down as an Archon, and he had collected countless paintings of them, trying to capture every nuance of their enigmatic presence.

Tonight, however, Xiao found himself closer than ever to the Archon he idolized. He had not anticipated this encounter, and the realization that he was now serving the very person who had inspired his quiet devotion left him in a state of awe.

Zhongli, ever perceptive, observed Y/n's hurried exit from the festivities. A sense of concern crept into his expression, prompting him to follow Y/n through the corridors of their residence. As he caught up with Y/n, he noticed the uncharacteristic tremble in their hands.

"Y/n," Zhongli called gently, "is everything alright?"

Y/n turned to Zhongli, eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and distress. "Zhongli, I… I saw a servant, fixing the lanterns in the courtyard. He looked so much like Alatus."

Zhongli's gaze softened, understanding the weight of the revelation. "A servant? Can you describe them?"

Y/n recounted the encounter with Xiao, the servant whose features mirrored those of their lost love. Zhongli listened attentively, a thoughtful expression on his face as he processed the information.

"He looked so much like Alatus, Zhongli. It felt like a glimpse into the past, a cruel reminder of what I once had," Y/n confessed, their voice wavering with a mixture of sorrow and longing.

Zhongli placed a reassuring hand on Y/n's shoulder. "These emotions are only natural, Y/n. The world has a peculiar way of intertwining fates. "

Y/n nodded, a tear escaping their eye. "I know, Zhongli, but the resemblance is uncanny."

Zhongli pondered for a moment before speaking, "Perhaps this encounter is a chance for you to find closure."

Y/n, with Zhongli's supportive presence, took a deep breath and re-entered the lively party. The music and laughter surrounded them once again, but the encounter with the servant lingered in the back of their mind.

As they mingled with the guests, Venti approached with his characteristic mischievous grin. "Y/n, my dear, care to share the details of your sudden escape? It's not like you to vanish from a party so abruptly."

Y/n glanced at Zhongli before sighing, "I saw a servant who looked strikingly like Alatus. It caught me off guard, and I needed a moment to collect myself."

Venti's expression shifted to one of genuine concern. "Alatus? That's quite a revelation. Are you alright?"

"I will be," Y/n replied, a small smile playing on their lips. "Zhongli has been a great comfort."

Just as the conversation unfolded, Venti's eyes flickered towards a figure in the crowd. He paused mid-sentence, his gaze fixed on the servant serving guests with quiet efficiency. Y/n and Zhongli followed his line of sight, and their eyes widened in realization.

"Is that the servant you met earlier?" Venti asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Y/n nodded, still not knowing the servant's name. "Yes, that's the one. The resemblance to Alatus is uncanny."

Zhongli, ever composed, observed the unfolding scene. "It seems fate has a peculiar way of intertwining in our lives."

The grandeur of the party continued, and Y/n found themselves in the midst of a lively dance with an aristocrat. Their forced smile hid the unease beneath the surface, the encounter with the servant lingering in their thoughts. Venti and Zhongli, observing from a distance, exchanged glances, realizing that the outcome of their bet was hanging in the balance.

As the dance continued, the aristocrat's hand rested on Y/n's lower back, a gesture that caused discomfort to ripple through Y/n's demeanor. Before Venti and Zhongli could intervene, however, a sudden commotion erupted.

A splash of wine splattered across the aristocrat's expensive attire, eliciting a scowl and a sharp, irritated comment. Y/n, caught off guard, turned to see the source of the disturbance, and to their surprise, it was the same servant from before – Xiao.

The aristocrat, fuming with anger, raised his hand, ready to strike Xiao for the perceived offense. Y/n, sensing the impending conflict, swiftly intervened, placing a gentle hand on the aristocrat's arm. "Please, it was just an accident. No harm done."

The aristocrat hesitated, glaring at Xiao with disdain. "An accident, you say? This servant should know better!"

Y/n, maintaining their composed facade, dismissed Xiao with a nod, silently signaling for him to step away. Xiao obeyed without a word, blending back into the shadows of the grand hall.

As Y/n diverted the aristocrat's attention with charm and diplomacy, Venti and Zhongli approached, their expressions a mix of relief and curiosity. The aristocrat, momentarily appeased by Y/n's grace, retreated, leaving the trio alone.

Venti couldn't help but comment, "Well, it seems our mysterious servant has a knack for turning the tide."

Zhongli added with a subtle smile, "Indeed. Fate works in mysterious ways, doesn't it?"

The party gradually came to an end, leaving the opulent residence bathed in a tranquil ambiance as guests departed. Y/n, wearied by the social intricacies and emotions of the night, retreated to their private chambers. The moon cast a gentle glow through the window, and the silence of the night enveloped the room.

Venti and Zhongli, having lost their bet in good spirits, decided to join Y/n after-party. They found Y/n reclining on a plush chair, a contemplative look in their eyes.

"Well, it seems we were both wrong," Venti remarked with a playful grin, settling into a seat. "No love connection for you tonight, my friend."

Zhongli nodded in agreement, his gaze thoughtful. "Indeed, fate had different plans. But tell us, how are you feeling after the events of the evening?"

Y/n sighed, a mix of emotions playing on their face. "It was a night of unexpected encounters. The resemblance of the servant to Alatus, the intervention with the aristocrat – it all stirred up memories and emotions I thought were buried."

Venti leaned forward, his expression more serious. "Perhaps there's more to discover about this mysterious servant."

Zhongli added, "And yet, it's crucial to navigate these emotions with care. The past may be a guiding star, but the present is where we must anchor ourselves."

As the conversation unfolded, Venti and Zhongli offered both wisdom and camaraderie. Eventually, they bid Y/n goodnight, leaving them to their thoughts.

Alone in their room, Y/n contemplated the events of the night. The echoes of the past, the mysterious servant, and the unforeseen twists of fate left them in a state of introspection. Slowly, the weariness of the night began to weigh on Y/n, and with a heavy heart, they succumbed to the embrace of sleep.

In the hazy glow of lanterns and the distant sound of music, Y/n found themself at another grand party. The social intricacies and predictable conversations weighed on them, and a familiar sense of boredom settled in. Their gaze searched for a reprieve, and it found solace in the enigmatic figure of Alatus. Alatus, dressed in regal attire that reflected the moonlight, caught Y/n's eye. A shared understanding passed between them, and without uttering a word, they quietly slipped away from the festivities. The moonlit courtyard provided a secluded sanctuary where the stars bore witness to their clandestine escape. Leaning against the railing, Alatus turned to Y/n with a knowing smile. "Another tedious affair, isn't it?" Y/n chuckled in agreement. "I sometimes wonder why we subject ourselves to these gatherings. It's the same mundane conversations and false pretenses." Alatus nodded, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Yet, in the monotony, we find each other. That, at least, makes these nights bearable." As they stood in the quietude, the moon casting a soft glow upon them, the conversation shifted to more profound matters. Alatus spoke of dreams and aspirations, of a future beyond the divine duties that bound them. Y/n listened intently, their hearts resonating with the shared vision of a life beyond the confines of their roles. "The mortal realm has a beauty of its own," Alatus mused. "I often envision a life where we can experience its fleeting moments together, free from the obligations that tether us to the divine realm." Y/n, caught in the ethereal atmosphere of the night, couldn't help but agree. "A life where we can choose our path, where our love can blossom without the weight of duty. It's a dream worth pursuing."

The warm water embraced Y/n's tired body, easing the lingering tension from the night before. Steam rose in gentle tendrils, creating a veil of tranquility in the bath. As Y/n reclined in the water, thoughts swirled in their mind, a reflection of the complex emotions that had woven through the threads of the previous evening.

Deciding to address the matter of the servant who inadvertently caused a disturbance, Y/n called for their servants to summon the servant from the previous night who spilled the drink on the aristocrat. The servants hesitated, sharing curious glances among themselves before fulfilling their lord's request.

Outside the bath, the servant waited with a mix of uncertainty and trepidation. His thoughts echoed the concern of potential repercussions for his accidental spillage during the aristocrat's confrontation.

Upon Y/n's command, the assistant led the servant into the bathing area. The servant entered hesitantly, his eyes cast downward to maintain respect for Y/n's privacy. Y/n, still submerged in the warm water, looked up, their eyes meeting the servant's.

"It seems we had a bit of an incident last night," Y/n remarked, their voice gentle yet carrying an air of authority. "You were the one who accidentally spilled wine on the aristocrat, correct?"

The servant, nervously wringing his hands, nodded. "Yes, my lord/lady. It was an unfortunate accident. I apologize for any inconvenience caused."

Y/n observed the servant's demeanor, noting the hesitancy in his actions. "There's no need for apologies. Accidents happen. I called you here to discuss the matter and assure you that there will be no repercussions."

The servant glanced up briefly, surprise flickering in his eyes. Y/n continued, "In fact, you prevented a potential conflict. I appreciate it. What is your name?"

The servant, still somewhat taken aback by Y/n's unexpected leniency, stammered, "I… I am Xiao, my lord/lady."

Y/n, still immersed in the soothing warmth of the bath, looked at Xiao with a genuine smile. "Xiao, there's no need to stand on ceremony. Join me in the bath. We can continue our conversation without the formalities."

Xiao's eyes widened in surprise, his customary reserved demeanor momentarily faltering. "My lord/lady, it is not appropriate for me to—"

Y/n interrupted with a chuckle. "Nonsense, Xiao. After last night, I feel it's only fair we get to know each other better. Besides, it's just a bath, no need for formality here."

The air in the bathing area shifted as Xiao hesitated, torn between the ingrained social norms and the unexpected invitation from the Archon whom he had admired from afar. Y/n, sensing his internal conflict, added with a reassuring tone, "Consider it a gesture of gratitude for your swift actions last night. There's no need for any reservations."

After a moment of contemplation, Xiao nodded in agreement, albeit with visible reluctance. He started to disrobe, his movements cautious as he entered the bath. The water's surface rippled as he settled in, keeping a respectful distance from Y/n.

The atmosphere in the bath was charged with an unexpected tension. Xiao, typically composed and reserved, found himself growing increasingly uneasy under Y/n's gaze. His eyes darted everywhere but Y/n, and he felt a peculiar sense of dizziness that clouded his thoughts.

Unable to resist the impulse, Y/n's fingers brushed through Xiao's hair. A soft gasp escaped Xiao's lips, and he stammered, "M-my lord/lady?"

Realizing the breach of boundaries, Y/n quickly withdrew their hand, offering an apologetic smile. "I apologize, Xiao. It's just… your hair reminded me of someone."

Xiao, his cheeks tinted with a rosy hue, nodded in understanding. Yet, before he could fully process the situation, Y/n leaned closer. In a swift, unexpected motion, their lips met, the warmth of the bathwater sloshing around them.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze as Y/n straddled Xiao, the intensity of the kiss leaving both breathless. As quickly as it began, Y/n broke the kiss, leaving Xiao bewildered and flushed. Without a word, Y/n stood, the bathwater trailing in their wake.

"I… I need to go," Y/n murmured, their gaze avoiding Xiao's confused eyes.

As Y/n left the bathing area, Xiao remained in a state of shock, the water settling around him.

Xiao, still recovering from the whirlwind of emotions stirred by the unexpected encounter in the bath, rose from the water. His heart fluttered nervously as he noticed a towel left for him by Y/n. Despite the shyness lingering within him, he appreciated the small gesture.

Wrapping the towel around himself, Xiao stepped out into the hallways. His eyes caught a glimpse of Y/n engaged in conversation with a persistent noble, likely another suitor vying for their affections. Xiao averted his gaze, his heart still racing from the recent events.

As Xiao made his way back to his servant quarters, he couldn't shake the daze that lingered. The encounter in the bath had left an indelible mark on his thoughts. Once in the privacy of his room, he couldn't help but feel a rush of emotions reminiscent of a teenage crush.

In the solitude of his quarters, Xiao retrieved a portrait from his trunk. It was a carefully preserved image, capturing the essence of Y/n, the one he had admired and loved for a long time. Holding the portrait close, Xiao closed his eyes and let the memories wash over him.

The stars, in their cosmic dance, seemed to favor Xiao in that moment. The realization slowly dawned on him—Y/n, the Archon of their admiration, was the one who had kissed him. A blend of disbelief, awe, and a spark of hope filled Xiao's heart.

In the bustling atmosphere of the Lantern Rite festival, young Xiao's eyes widened in wonder as he observed the vibrant lanterns illuminating the night sky. The air was filled with laughter, music, and the joyous chatter of the crowd. Amidst the revelry, he caught sight of Y/n, the Archon, radiant and commanding, as they gracefully moved through the festivities. Tugging at his mother's sleeve, Xiao couldn't contain his excitement. "Mother, look! It's Y/n, the Archon! They're so amazing!" His eyes sparkled with awe as he watched Y/n, their presence almost ethereal in the festive glow. His mother chuckled, ruffling Xiao's hair affectionately. "Yes, they are, my dear. The Archon has a way of captivating everyone with their presence." As they strolled through the festival, Xiao's gaze lingered on the paintings and portraits displayed in honor of Y/n. Some depicted the Archon alone, while others showcased them with a masked lover, their expressions capturing the essence of a love story that transcended mortal and divine boundaries. In the midst of admiration, a hint of jealousy flickered in Xiao's young heart. He turned to his mother with determination in his eyes. "When I'm older, Mom, I'm going to marry Y/n. They're the most amazing person in all of Teyvat!" His mother couldn't help but chuckle at the innocence of her son's declaration. "Well, Xiao, you have quite the ambitious heart. Who knows what the future holds? Just enjoy the festival for now." As the years passed, Xiao's admiration for Y/n blossomed into a dedicated collection of posters, trinkets, and anything related to the Archon. His living space became a shrine dedicated to the one he had vowed to marry as a young child. Even though Y/n had chosen to live as a mortal, their presence continued to be revered, with shrines erected by devoted followers. Xiao found solace in visiting these sacred places, offering his prayers and wishes, often murmuring, "Please let me marry you." One day, as Xiao knelt in front of a particularly elaborate shrine, a chuckle echoed in response. Surprised, Xiao looked around, only to find a mysterious figure standing beside him. The figure revealed themselves to be Chongyun, the exorcist from Liyue, known for his connections with the spiritual realm. Chongyun grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I don't think marriage is quite possible with an Archon, especially one who has had a lover before. However, I can pull some strings and maybe get you a position in the Archon's residence." Xiao blinked, processing Chongyun's offer. The prospect of working in Y/n's residence, even in the most humble capacity, filled Xiao with a mix of excitement and nervousness. "You can do that?" Chongyun nodded. "Oh, yes! I have some connections in the spiritual realm. I can put in a good word for you. Who knows, you might get a chance to be closer to the Archon than you ever imagined."

Xiao's eyes fluttered open as the first rays of dawn filtered through his window. The tranquility of the morning was interrupted by a polite knock on his door. Still groggy from sleep, he was surprised to find another servant standing there, delivering unexpected news.

"Xiao, the Archon wishes for you to shift your room closer to theirs," the servant announced with a sense of urgency. "You are to be their personal assistant, accompanying them wherever they go. Pack your things; the move is to be swift."

Xiao blinked, processing the sudden turn of events. The gravity of the situation slowly sank in, and he nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you for informing me. I will make the necessary arrangements."

As the servant departed, Xiao's mind whirred with a mix of emotions. The prospect of being in such close proximity to Y/n, serving as their personal assistant, was both exhilarating and daunting. The threads of fate seemed to be pulling him into a new chapter, one that held the promise of being closer to the Archon he had admired for so long.

As Xiao settled into his new room, he couldn't help but be struck by the opulence that surrounded him. The space was larger, the furnishings more elegant, and the air carried a distinct air of refinement. It was a stark contrast to the simplicity of his previous quarters.

While he took in the surroundings, the servant returned, this time holding a set of robes. With a respectful bow, they explained, "Lord/Lady Y/n has requested that you wear these robes from now on. They wish for you to meet a certain standard in attire."

As Xiao examined the robes, he noticed their intricate details and luxurious fabric. It was a departure from his usual attire, which reflected the practicality and simplicity befitting a warrior. These robes were more refined, in line with the elegance expected in the company of an Archon.

Feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension, Xiao changed into the new attire. The robes draped elegantly around him, a visual representation of the shift in his role.

Once dressed, Xiao made his way to meet Y/n, the weight of the unfamiliar robes adding to the sense of transformation.

Venti and Zhongli, having caught wind of Y/n's intentions to mold Xiao into a reflection of Alatus, tried to talk some sense into them. They emphasized the importance of letting Xiao be his own person, with his own identity and choices. However, as they debated the matter, the door opened slowly, revealing Xiao in his newly adorned attire.

The transformation was remarkable. Xiao now looked almost identical to Alatus, right down to the elegant robes that mirrored the attire of the departed yaksha. The only notable difference was the hair – Xiao's remained short compared to Alatus's long locks.

Venti and Zhongli stood in silent astonishment, their eyes widening at the uncanny resemblance. Y/n, on the other hand, smiled with a sense of satisfaction as if their vision had finally come to life. The room held a charged atmosphere, a collision of Y/n's desires and Venti and Zhongli's concerns.

Xiao, unaware of the deliberations that had taken place, approached Y/n with a respectful bow. "My lord/lady, I am here as you have requested."

Y/n's smile grew wider, a mix of satisfaction and a hint of something more complex. "Xiao, you look exquisite. I believe the attire suits you well."

Venti and Zhongli exchanged uneasy glances, recognizing that their attempts to dissuade Y/n had seemingly fallen on deaf ears.

As Y/n admired Xiao's transformed appearance, a soft smile played on their lips. Xiao, his demeanor still marked by shyness, looked at Y/n with a mixture of uncertainty and compliance. Y/n, with a gentle touch, began to run their fingers through Xiao's hair, expressing their vision of perfection.

"You'll need to grow out your hair, Xiao," Y/n suggested, their voice carrying an air of determination. "Once it's longer, you'll look absolutely perfect."

Zhongli, recognizing the delicate situation and perhaps feeling a sense of responsibility, tried to interject without giving away the details. "Xiao looks splendid as he is now. There's a unique charm in his current appearance."

However, Y/n, seemingly determined to see their vision come to fruition, dismissed Zhongli's comment with a casual wave of their hand. "It's a matter of refining the details, Zhongli. Xiao will appreciate the change once he sees the complete picture."

Xiao, caught in the middle of the exchange, remained silent, his eyes flickering between Y/n and Zhongli.

In the ensuing days, Xiao found himself transitioning from a humble servant to the personal assistant of Y/n, accompanying them to various gatherings and events. The shift in roles was both surreal and daunting, but Xiao approached his new responsibilities with a sense of diligence and loyalty.

One day, Y/n proposed an idea that stirred a mix of excitement and apprehension within Xiao. "Xiao, how about a friendly spar to sharpen your skills? I'd like to see your prowess in combat."

Xiao hesitated, as he had never been trained in traditional combat. However, the prospect of engaging in a friendly match with Y/n left him intrigued. "I… I'm not skilled in martial arts, my lord/lady."

Y/n smiled reassuringly. "No worries, Xiao. I'll guide you through it. Just give it a try."

Reluctantly, Xiao agreed, and the impromptu spar commenced. Y/n, with a keen eye, observed Xiao's movements and gracefully guided his actions. Each strike, each parry, seemed to echo the fluid elegance of Alatus in his prime, though Xiao remained blissfully unaware of the resemblance.

As Y/n patiently instructed Xiao, the courtyard became a canvas for their shared movements. The dance of the spar unfolded, a delicate fusion of guidance and newfound determination within Xiao. Despite his initial hesitation, Xiao started to grasp the basics, his movements aligning with Y/n's subtle cues.

Y/n's guiding hand aimed not only to enhance Xiao's combat skills but also to mold him into a reflection of their departed lover, Alatus.

The courtyard was hushed after the friendly spar, and both Xiao and Y/n found themselves slightly out of breath, beads of sweat glistening on their foreheads.

As Y/n wiped the sweat from Xiao's forehead, a moment of intimacy unfolded. Xiao, his shy demeanor surfacing once again, lowered his gaze, a mix of gratitude and uncertainty in his eyes.

Y/n, their touch lingering, looked into Xiao's eyes with a gentle smile. "Xiao, you've done well. Your moves are beginning to reflect the grace of.. a good warrior."

Then with a tender expression, Y/n brushed a strand of hair away from Xiao's face, their touch lingering a moment longer.

In the midst of the shared warmth and the afterglow of the spar, Y/n hesitated before softly speaking, "Would you, perhaps, spend the night with me tonight? We can continue our discussions and training in a more relaxed setting."

Xiao's eyes widened slightly, the invitation catching him off guard. He stammered for a moment before nodding with a mix of nervousness and curiosity. "Of course, my lord/lady. I will be honored to spend the night with you."

The night was shrouded in a soft glow, the air thick with anticipation as Y/n adorned themselves in an almost translucent robe. A gentle knock echoed through the room, and Y/n, with a knowing smile, opened the door to reveal Xiao standing there.

Xiao's eyes widened as he took in Y/n's appearance, the almost ethereal glow accentuating their features. A flush of embarrassment painted Xiao's cheeks as Y/n invited him into the room. Hesitant yet intrigued, Xiao stepped inside, and the door closed behind them.

As soon as he did, Y/n's lips met his in a fervent kiss, the air between them filled with desire. Xiao, his back pressed against the door, let out a low, involuntary moan as the heat between them intensified.

Their tongues engaged in a silent battle for dominance that mirrored the unspoken complexities of their connection. The soft echoes of shared pleasure resonated through the room, a manifestation of the uncharted territory their intertwined destinies were exploring.

In that intimate moment, time seemed to lose its grip, and the world outside the room faded into insignificance.

As the kiss deepened, hastily opened Xiao's robes, their fingers fumbling with the fabric in their eagerness.

Y/n kneeled down, and seeing Xiao's cock already leaking with pre, "Ah, such a good boy for me aren't you?~"

──────────﹒★﹒﹒─

As the morning sun painted the room in a gentle glow, Xiao stirred from his slumber. The warmth of the sunlight filtering through the window signaled the arrival of a new day. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, he became aware of the soft weight nestled close to him.

Turning slightly, Xiao discovered Y/n in his arms, their form snug against his. The traces of the night's passion lingered in the quiet morning air. Y/n, still lost in the embrace of sleep, appeared serene, their features softened in the morning light.

A subtle smile played on Xiao's lips as he observed the peaceful scene.

As Y/n stirred from slumber, the morning light casting a gentle glow on the room, their gaze fell upon the figure beside them. Xiao, now resembling Alatus more than ever, lay peacefully in the morning stillness. Y/n's eyes softened with a mixture of fondness and longing.

Snuggling closer to Xiao, Y/n's voice carried a tender whisper, "Alatus, I missed you." The words, filled with a deep yearning, hung in the air. Yet, Xiao, caught in the embrace of Y/n's sentiments, experienced a moment of freezing recognition.

Xiao, having never known what Alatus looked like, had only heard the name as a figure from Y/n's past. The realization that Y/n, in that vulnerable moment of waking, mistook him for Alatus sent a ripple of complexity through his thoughts.

As Xiao gently extricated himself from the embrace, the rustle of fabric and the sound of his footsteps echoed in the room. Y/n, still in a half-asleep haze, registered the movement and glanced at Xiao putting his robes back on.

A sudden realization dawned upon Y/n as clarity cut through the lingering remnants of sleep. The features that they had mistaken for Alatus in the soft morning light now held the distinctive essence of Xiao. A moment of awareness washed over Y/n, and their eyes widened with the realization that they had momentarily forgotten the present in the depths of their longing for the past.

The room, once filled with an air of intimacy, now held a subtle tension as Y/n recognized the mistake. A brief flicker of regret passed through their gaze as they watched Xiao, who seemed unaffected yet carried the weight of the unspoken complexity in the room.

"I… I'm sorry," Y/n murmured, the words laden with a mix of regret and acknowledgment. The echoes of the night's passion now mingled with the awareness of the present, creating a moment of vulnerability between them.

Xiao, having donned his robes, met Y/n's gaze with a stoic expression, his features revealing little of the internal turmoil.

"Alatus is not here," Xiao finally spoke, his voice calm but carrying a subtle undercurrent of emotion. "I am Xiao."

As Xiao swiftly left the room, a mix of emotions lingered in the air. The realization of Y/n's unintentional act and the discovery of a picture spoke volumes about the intricacies of their connection. Fate, it seemed, had woven a tapestry that unraveled the complexities of their intertwined destinies.

In a quiet corner of Y/n's residence, Xiao stumbled upon a picture that held the essence of Alatus without his mask, embracing Y/n. The resemblance between the image and Xiao's current appearance was undeniable, a reflection of Y/n's subconscious desire to recreate the past.

Staring at the picture, Xiao felt a surge of conflicting emotions. Envy, an unfamiliar emotion to him, crept into his consciousness as he traced his own features in the mirror. The realization dawned on him that every aspect of his current environment seemed crafted to mirror Alatus, as if Y/n sought to resurrect the past in the present.

A profound understanding settled within Xiao as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Y/n, in their grief and longing, molded Xiao into the image of their lost love. The room, the picture, and even Xiao's own reflection seemed like echoes of Alatus, a manifestation of Y/n's attempt to fill the void left by his departure.

Xiao, feeling suffocated by the weight of Alatus' clothes that seemed to cling to him, walked out of the residence, seeking solace in the open air. The field, bathed in the gentle hues of the day, offered a temporary escape from the echoes of Y/n's unintentional expectations.

As Xiao stood in the field, a tap on his shoulders startled him. Turning around, he found Venti standing there, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Found you," Venti chimed, his carefree demeanor contrasting with Xiao's internal turmoil.

Xiao, perplexed, asked how Venti managed to locate him in the vast openness. Venti simply grinned and gestured to the surroundings. "The winds carry whispers, my friend. They led me to you."

Venti's expression shifted as he mentioned Y/n's concern. "Y/n is worried about you, searching everywhere," Venti confessed, giving Xiao's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

Xiao, feeling a pang of guilt, corrected Venti. "Not me, Venti. They are worried about Alatus."

Venti's gaze softened as he absorbed Xiao's words. Understanding the complexities of the situation, he offered a supportive presence. "Y/n cares deeply for both of you, Xiao. It's a tangle of emotions, but we're here to help untangle it."

With a thoughtful look, Xiao seized the opportunity to ask about Alatus. "Tell me about Alatus and Y/n," he requested, a mix of curiosity and a desire to understand the person Y/n had loved so deeply.

Venti, his usually carefree demeanor giving way to a more somber expression, hesitated before recounting Alatus' tale to Xiao. The winds seemed to carry the weight of the story as Venti spoke.

"Alatus was a Yaksha, a guardian under a Malevolent God," Venti began, his voice carrying a tone of reverence. "He served with unwavering loyalty, bound by duty. But within that service, he yearned for freedom."

Venti paused, his eyes reflecting the gravity of the story. "Just as he was on the brink of breaking free from those chains, tragedy struck. Alatus was killed, cruelly robbed of the chance to embrace the freedom he longed for."

Xiao, absorbing the revelation, felt a profound sadness at the untimely demise of Alatus. Venti continued, "His departure occurred just before Y/n and Alatus could celebrate their union in marriage."

"Let's get married once this is all over," Alatus suggested, the warmth of his words settling into the space between them. Y/n, in agreement, envisioned a life together among the mortals, free from the confines of duty. As they spoke of their future, plans were made for a wedding that would mark the beginning of a new chapter. The anticipation of the ceremony, the shared dreams, and the promise of a life entwined filled the air. Alatus and Y/n set their sights on the next month, a time that held the potential for a union that would transcend the realms. However, fate had other plans. The next month never arrived as Alatus, in the line of duty, faced a brutal and unanticipated fate. The cries of anguish echoed far and wide as the Malevolent God's reign came to an end, sealed by Morax's intervention. Alatus lay wounded, his life force slipping away before Y/n's eyes. In the aftermath of the battle, Y/n, desperate to defy the inevitable, tried to gather the spilled blood and return it to Alatus. The heart-wrenching scene unfolded as Y/n's attempts proved futile. Alatus, weakened but filled with love, gently stroked Y/n's cheek. "Forgive me, my love," Alatus whispered, his voice barely audible. Alas, Alatus succumbed to the wounds. The field where they once dreamed of a future together now bore witness to the pain of a love cut short.

Xiao found himself entangled in the complex emotions stirred by Y/n's past love for Alatus. Despite his deep feelings for Y/n since childhood, Xiao grappled with the realization that he could never truly compete with the profound connection Y/n shared with the departed Yaksha.

Contemplating the situation, Xiao turned to Venti. He urged Venti to share every detail about Alatus, a request that left Venti puzzled. Xiao, with a determined expression, explained his reasoning.

"If the Archon can't love me, then let me be the one they loved," Xiao declared, his voice carrying a mixture of resignation and determination. He acknowledged the impossibility of replacing Alatus but was willing to embrace a role that held the past.

Venti, concerned for Xiao's well-being, hesitated. "Xiao, you can't force yourself into a role that wasn't meant for you. It's not healthy," he cautioned, trying to dissuade Xiao from pursuing a path that seemed fraught with emotional challenges.

However, Xiao's persistence remained unwavering. "Even if it means being someone else, I want to be the one they loved," he asserted, driven by a profound desire to offer solace to Y/n and fill the void left by Alatus.

Reluctantly, Venti yielded to Xiao's persistent request and began recounting the intricate details of Alatus' persona. Months passed, and Xiao immersed himself in the process of becoming more like Alatus, even allowing his hair to grow out to mimic the departed Yaksha's appearance.

During this time, Y/n remained unaware of Xiao's transformation, believing that he had left their residence. The echoes of Xiao's footsteps were replaced by an absence that went unnoticed, as Y/n assumed they were left alone to grapple with the memories of their lost love.

Xiao, with each passing day, delved deeper into the role he had willingly embraced. He studied Alatus' mannerisms, adopted his way of speaking, and endeavored to recreate the presence that had once filled Y/n's life.

As Xiao, now an almost perfect mirror of Alatus, entered the residence with Venti by his side, the guards, recognizing the familiar presence of the Anemo Archon, allowed them entry. Venti, still uncertain about the consequences of this elaborate transformation, accompanied Xiao with a sense of caution.

Inside the residence, the maids relayed the surprising news to Y/n – Alatus had come to meet them. Confused and thinking it was some cruel joke, Y/n approached, ready to dismiss the notion. However, as they laid eyes on the figure standing before them, their breath hitched.

It was Alatus—or so it seemed.

The room, steeped in a mix of emotions and the echoes of the past, became a stage for an unexpected reunion. Y/n, confronted with the uncanny resemblance of Alatus, stood frozen in disbelief. The air carried a sense of surrealism as they grappled with the notion that someone they thought was lost had returned.

Xiao, now fully immersed in the role he had taken on, awaited Y/n's reaction with bated breath.

As Y/n furrowed their eyebrows, a mixture of confusion and disbelief etched across their features, Xiao swiftly interjected, gently stroking their cheek with a familiarity that mirrored Alatus' touch. The gentle caress, a subtle echo of the past, seemed to bridge the gap between the present reality and the memories Y/n held dear.

"Did you miss me, love?" Xiao asked, his voice carrying a conviction that sought to quell Y/n's doubts. The touch, the words, and the uncanny resemblance held a power that tugged at the heartstrings of memories buried deep within Y/n's consciousness.

Confronted with the possibility of Alatus standing before them, Y/n's initial skepticism wavered. The touch felt too familiar and the words to be dismissed, and as Xiao's hand lingered on their cheek, Y/n leaned into the comforting embrace, tears forming in their eyes.

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x you #genshin impact angst #genshin angst #genshin x reader #genshin imagines #reader insert #angst to comfort #genshin xiao #xiao x reader #xiao x you #xiao x y/n #xiao x reader angst #alatus #xiao #alatus x reader #xiao smut

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yxngbxkkie · 9 months

Text

rivals (l.k)

hey! i'm back with the skz street racing! i do apologize at how long it's been. the only thing is that i had to completely start over his fic, so the idea might be a smidge different than what was explained. it's 90% the same, but yeah 😅 i hope you guys like it! 💓

feedback is greatly appreciated 🥰

"Who's that?" You ask your boyfriend, Dal, while tapping his forearm. Your gaze focuses on the brunette across the street.

The frown on his lips is noticeable from where you're standing, his arms crossed over his chest. Dal releases a quiet grunt, and he rolls his eyes at the sight of him. "That's Lee Minho. He thinks he's hot shit just because he's quiet," he mentions, grabbing a hold of your chin.

Dal forces you to look away, meeting his eyes instead. "Maybe he's just quiet," you try to defend him.

"Baby girl, trust me," Dal mutters, releasing his grip on you. "He's an asshole. Stay away from him, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," you agree with a nod, grabbing a hold of his hand. "I trust you."

He smiles at you before roughly pressing his lips to yours. Heat crawls along your skin, doing your best to pull away from him. PDA isn't your favorite. Knowing other people are watching makes you feel embarrassed.

Dal proudly pulls back from you, giving your hips a little squeeze. "Come on, let's go meet the others," he offers, tugging you along with him.

You snap out of your thoughts when a hand snakes around your waist. Dal nuzzles his face in your neck as he stands between your legs. "Do we have to do this here?" You ask him.

"I just want to love you," he sighs.

A scoff leaves your lips as you look away from him, seeing Minho across the street. Today marks one year since Dal's warned you about him. You've yet to speak with the man as your boyfriend refuses you to go near him.

You recall the stories Dal has told you about him. How he'll play dirty just so he can win the race. How he's a womanizer, collecting women like trophies.

But looking at him now, watching him talk to the person beside him makes you think otherwise.

"Baby girl," Dal tsks, capturing your attention, "I need you to stop looking at him."

You furrow your brows, wondering why he cares so much. "Looking at who?" You play off, hoping to skip past the possessiveness. "There are multiple people here, handsome."

Dal rolls his eyes before glancing in Minho's direction. "There's no one else really over there, baby. No one goes around him except for Kim. I don't know why he'd want to be around him but whatever," he rambles off as he grabs your wrist, tugging you off the back of his car.

"That's his name? Kim?" You ask, not daring to look back, knowing it'll make him more upset. "Only reason I was looking is because I've never seen him before. Is he new?"

"Kim Seungmin is his name. He's not new," your boyfriend bluntly explains. "No one knows the reason why he disappeared for a while."

You hum in response, watching Dal as he walks towards the driver's side door. He grabs his wallet from inside, slamming the door shut afterward. "What are you doing?" You ask him, knowing the next race starts in ten minutes.

"I'm going to get something real quick," he mutters, quickly glancing at you. "I'll be back. Don't move."

He walks away from you before you can say anything else. A small sigh comes from your lips as you look around once again. Some people are finishing up the last touches to their vehicles while others converse, waiting for the race to start.

You find yourself looking in Minho's direction again, only to find his eyes already on you. Your heart jumps in your chest, not expecting him to stare so… sharply. Your gaze turns into a glare, the comments Dal has made about him coming to the front of your mind again.

Panic shoots through you as Minho pushes himself from the vehicle, making his way towards you. Shit, what do I do?! You silently question yourself.

"Y/N, right?" He asks as soon as he stands in front of you.

"How do you know my name?" You counter him with narrowed eyes.

Minho motions his head towards the direction your boyfriend walked. "Dal talks about you to everyone here. I figured you knew," he mentions.

"No, I didn't know," you mumble, feeling a bit embarrassed. Just how much does he say?

"He makes it seem like you know. But, I'm not surprised that he's full of shit," Minho rolls his eyes.

You shake your head, refusing to let him talk about Dal like this. "And you're any better?" You ask him, anger laced in your voice. "He's told me the stories about you, Lee Minho."

The brunette lets out a chuckle, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm sorry, what? What stories?" He tilts his head, and his arrogance starts to annoy you.

"Your collection of women that you sleep with?" You recollect, raising an eyebrow. "Your behavior is disgusting."

Minho's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, not knowing what you're talking about. "I don't collect women. You can't be that dumb, right?" The insult slips past his lips.

"Fuck you," you scoff, walking away from him.

Dal rounds the corner, almost running into you. Both hands rest on your arms, keeping you from falling on your ass. "Where are you going?" He asks. "I thought I told you not to move."

"I was trying to get away from Minho. He tried to talk to me," you inform him, your hands gently playing with the zipper on his sweater. "You told me to stay away from him, remember?"

He hums before kissing your lips. "Let's go see what the asshole wants," Dal seethes after pulling away, tugging you back towards his car.

By the time the two of you show up, Minho is about a quarter of the way back to his own vehicle. Dal shouts his name, gaining his attention as well as the attention of people around him.

"What do you think you're doing? Talking to my girl?" He asks instantly, raising his arms to shove the brunette.

Minho swiftly steps out of the way, avoiding being shoved roughly. "You introduced her to everyone else here, so why not me?!" He counters Dal's question, raising a brow. "Are you afraid she'd leave you for me?"

You and Dal scoff in unison. You didn't realize how much of an ass Minho was up until now. "For you?" Dal laughs, a smirk playing at his lips. "Dude, you've slept with half the women in this city. Why would anyone go for you?"

A crowd starts to form around the two of them and you begin to feel slightly uneasy. Minho taps his chin with his index finger, humming loudly. "Ah, right, I'm being pinned as a womanizer," he mentions before shaking his head. "I think I realize what's going on here."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Dal growls, growing irritated with Minho's attitude.

"Everyone here knows the record you have with women," Minho states, motioning towards multiple women. He points to one with platinum blonde hair, remembering her being with him a few weeks ago. "He was with her three weeks ago. I saw them down the alley."

Your eyes widen, looking towards the woman he's pointing to. "You're full of shit," Dal says, "I don't even know who that is."

"Of course you don't. I'm done with this conversation," he announces. "You're a fucking idiot."

Minho walks away, sliding into his vehicle. He revs his engine once before driving towards the starting line. The crowd begins to dissipate, and Dal walks over to you.

"He's lying, right?" You ask him, avoiding his touch.

"Of course he's lying, baby girl," he tells you with a scoff. "I told you how much of a dick he is."

He tries to touch your arm again but you stop him. "I need some air away from you," you tell him, walking away from him before he can say anything.

You run your fingers through your hair. You don't know what's worse, witnessing Minho's personality or finding out your boyfriend is possibly cheating on you. You find the woman Minho accused and you quickly make your way to her.

"Excuse me? Can I ask you something?" You call out to her, giving her a small smile. She looks at you hesitantly before she nods her head yes. "Was what Minho said true? I just want the truth. I won't get mad, I promise."

She releases a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but, yeah. I swear to God he never mentioned having a girlfriend," she confesses, placing a hand over her heart.

You swallow the lump in your throat, trusting her honesty. "Thank you for telling me," you tell her before walking away.

You try your best to keep the tears at bay, blinking rapidly while staring at the pavement. Your footsteps slow once you hear Minho's deep voice.

"I swear to God, Chan. I'm going to stop coming to these. This guy is the absolute fucking worst and it's killing the vibe," Minho says into the phone.

You stop in your tracks, turning your head to see the brunette sitting in the driver's seat. His door is open, his legs sticking out of the vehicle.

Minho's eyes meet yours and he can see the unshed tears in your eyes. "I gotta go," he mentions before hanging up. He lifts himself up, shoving his phone into his pocket. "Hey, are you okay?"

You let out a dry laugh and lick your lips. "I'm absolutely fucking peachy. I found out that my boyfriend's been cheating on me. Not how I thought my night would go," you spit at him.

His dark eyes look down at the concrete sidewalk. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your relationship," Minho sighs, slowly reaching a hand out to touch you. "He's been on my ass ever since I started street racing. I just wanted him to shut up."

"I'm sorry I believed his lies," you whisper loud enough for him to hear.

"It's okay. You didn't know, and you were being a supportive girlfriend," he shrugs his shoulders. "I forgive you."

A laugh escapes your lips as he gives you a sassy smirk. He's pretty cute… You think to yourself as it grows quiet between the two of you.

"Hey, do you think you can drive me home?" You ask him after a minute or two, looking up at him.

"Yeah, sure. Although I have a race to finish first," Minho laughs, motioning his arm towards his car.

You shake your head and reassure him that it's fine that you're willing to wait. He slides back into the driver's seat, shutting the door afterward. His eyes meet yours after he fastens his seatbelt, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you going to get in?"

Your eyes widen at his question. "O-Oh, I don't normally ride in the car during races," you stutter, shaking your hands back and forth.

"I'm not going to leave you standing here by yourself. Especially with him still around," Minho nods towards his passenger seat. "Get your pretty self into the vehicle."

You press your lips together, knowing that you won't be able to get out of this. "Okay," you whisper mainly to yourself, walking around the front of his vehicle.

He leans over the passenger seat and opens the door for you. You thank him and slip into the leather seat, shutting the car door immediately after.

"Y/N!" Dal's voice captures your attention, glancing out the window to see him walking closer to Minho's car. "What are you doing with him?! Come on, let's go!"

"You lied to me," you tell him, trying to keep yourself calm. "I asked you if Minho was lying, and you told me yes. But, I found out that he wasn't."

"Baby girl, listen," Dal starts to explain, his hand reaching for yours. "She meant nothing to me. Why would I need her when I have you?"

You let out a dry laugh, scoffing immediately afterward. "You're so full of shit," you shake your head. "We're done."

Anger flashes through his eyes, and he does his best to try and force you from Minho's vehicle. "Yah! Have some fucking respect," Minho curses, leaning across your body to shove Dal's hand out the window. "You don't get to treat her like that."

"Fuck you," he spits at the two of you before storming off.

Minho's hand gently grabs yours, feeling your heart starting to flutter. You meet his eyes, providing him a small smile. "Thank you," you whisper, squeezing his hand.

He laces his fingers with yours, a smile coming to his lips. "If you're free tomorrow, I'd love to take you out to lunch or dinner," Minho offers, leaning his head against the seat.

"Are you asking me out?" You chuckle and bite your lip.

"That depends on what your answer is," he says before starting the vehicle.

Other racers line their cars up with Min's, hearing the announcer state that the race will start within a couple of minutes. He releases your hand and places it on the head of the stick shift.

"And if I said yes?"

Minho glances over at you. "Then, yeah, I'm asking you out," he mentions smugly.

You hum in response, a light chuckle leaving your lips again. "If you win the race, I'll go out with you."

He licks his lips and revs his engine. "Only if I can kiss you for good luck," Minho counters, his need to feel your lips on his very high.

Your cheeks blush and you don't hesitate to agree. The two of you meet in the middle, your nose brushing against his before his lips press against yours.

One of your hands finds the jacket he's wearing, gripping it tightly. The kiss is shorter than you like, a whine escaping your lips when he pulls away. Minho hums before slowly opening his eyes.

"If I win, can I kiss you again?"

"Yes," you whisper as a woman walks in front of the line of cars.

Minho glances back at you as you settle into your seat, buckling yourself in. The woman raises the flags for about ten seconds before swiftly waving them down.

"Hold on tight, pretty," Minho smirks while shifting into gear, speeding down the lit streets.

tagging: @thewxntersoldier @reddesert-healourblues @spacegirlstuff @foxinnie8 @moon0fthenight @luckieleaf @stayconnecteed @tiaxa @yoonrimin @sunny-future @daysofskz-ateez @endzii23 @sweetbutpsychovalkyrie @bunnies-only @sleepyleeji @hhwangsmoon

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