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helen-with-an-a · 2 months

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The object that stood in the way of a World Cup

Hi. So this is going to be a 2 part (maybe 3 part) story that I've had floating in my head for a while now.

It's angsty - I do want it to end with a fluffy end, but it's getting a little too long to be 1 thing ahahaha. Anyways.

Ona Batlle x Reader

TW: Angst, no direct mention of bad mental health, but it's clear R ain't ok.

Word count: 3.3k

Part 1 : Part 2 : Part 3 : Part 4 : Part 5 : Epilogue

Flashbacks are written in Italics; for anyone not aware of the British school system GCSEs you take at 16 (you have 3 or 4 choice subjects and 5 or 6 compulsory subjects) and A-levels you take at 18 (you choose 3 or 4 subjects)

Description: R sees Ona again for the first time since their breakup

This is what you had been waiting for. All summer. All year. Hell, probably all your life. The World Cup Final. And the thought absolutely terrified you.

Your first thought after the final whistle wasn’t one of joy or happiness. You weren’t elated like Lessi or Tooney who barrelled into you and squeezed you so tight it hurt. You weren’t jumping for joy like Gee, Kiera and Lucy who manhandled you into the middle of their huddle. You weren’t screaming so loud your voice went hoarse like Hempo and Es. You weren’t standing in disbelief like Mearps and Millie.

Your first thought was of your ex- girlfriend, friend-with-benefits, situationship, Ona. Your first thought was of Ona. Spain had won against Sweden yesterday. And now you had won against Australia. The last time you had seen her was not a fun experience for you. Screaming. Tears. Spiteful words she didn’t mean. But that was the last time you spoke to her. It had been a long 8 months without her.

You weren’t quite sure what you were to each other when you were both at United. You had met on her first day. You were meant to be her buddy. The management had asked around during pre-season if anyone spoke any Spanish. You had done it at A-level, so you stuck your hand up. Barcelona was The Dream for you, so you had tailored your studies at school as much as you could to help you achieve it – taking Spanish at GCSE and A-level and continuing to watch Spanish shows and reading books to help you maintain it. You weren’t fluent but you knew enough that it would help Ona feel more comfortable. And you clearly had.

After winning the first derby of the season, the team had gone for drinks. Alcohol flowed, inhibitions were lost, and boundaries were blurred as Ona ended up in your bed. You had thought it would be a one-time thing. A drunken mistake that wasn’t much of a mistake to you. And it was … until it wasn’t. The next time it happened was at your birthday. And then her birthday. And then the end of the season. And then alcohol wasn’t a factor in taking you both to bed. She was suddenly all around you. Her jumpers were in your wardrobe. Her football boots were by the door. Her stuff was in the shower. Her snacks were in the cupboard. You had never spoken about what you were, but you drove her to training, she cooked you her mother's dishes, you snuggled into her side when watch your show, she slept in your bed every night.

And then it all came crashing down.

November 2022

You knew you needed to tell her as soon as possible. You wanted to tell her the news that had you pouncing on her the moment she stepped through the door. You were happy and giddy and so, so excited. You hadn’t thought that she wouldn’t be all of those things for you. You had made no secret that Barcelona was your dream. Everyone know that if Barcelona came knocking you would be gone without a doubt in your mind. You had received a phone call from your manager that afternoon.

“Hey, Y/N. Are you free to talk? There’s an offer for you.” Paul said down the phone. He sounded composed but happy, it intrigued you.

“Yeh, I’m free. What’s the offer? It’s mid-season though and I’m out of contract in the summer, why are they wanting to talk now?” You were questioning but not closed off. You knew joining a team mid-season would be hard but not impossible.

“Well… it’s Barca. They’ve but in an offer for you.” You were in complete shock. Barca wanted you. You were going to play for Barcelona. That’s all you’ve ever wanted. You screamed. It was the only thing you could think of. “I’ll take that as a yes, then?” Paul laughed. He knew Barca was the dream. He’d already written up the acceptance email.

“Oh my god! Of course it’s a bloody yes. I’m gonna play for Barcelona” You shouted.

“They want you to sign on the first day of the January signing window. It’ll be announced just after El Clásico. Is that ok with you? It gives you a couple of months to get everything sorted. And since United haven’t played in the Champions League, you aren’t cup tied or anything.”

You were floating on a cloud of happiness when the door clicked open. Ona was back from having a ‘Spanish Day’ with all the Spaniards living in Manchester. She had barely made it into the living room when you jumped her. Lips trailing everywhere you could reach. She laughed that gorgeous sound as you shoved her gently to the bedroom, her coat slipping off as you went.

You lay with your head against the pillows, hair fanned out to the side. You were sweaty and out of breath in the best way. Ona collapsed down next to you, her arms quickly wrapping around your waist.

“I had a phone call today.” You said nonchalantly. “From Paul,” you added as you tucked the duvet around the both of you. “There’s been an offer for me in the January window”. She looked at you expectantly. “Oni, Voy a jugar para el Barcelona” you breathed out. She stiffened in your arms.

“Qué quieres decir, amor?” She choked out after a few moments of silence, sitting up and moving away from you. You knew she wanted to go back to Spain, go back to Barca … but this was not the reaction you were expecting.

“Paul phoned. They’ve put in an offer for me for the January window. I’m signing on the 1st with it being announced after El Clásico.” You stated the facts. The simple outline of the facts that made you feel so, so happy.

“Are we not going to talk about this? You can’t leave in the middle of the season. United need you. We need you…. I need you, amor” She started off loud, angry, and upset, but by the end of the sentence it was barely a whisper. You had never seen Ona so… you could describe the look on her face. The way her body seemed slumped over in sadness.

“Hey… hey. No, don’t think like that. I’m here until the break. We’ve got a month or so. Everything will be fine, Oni. You are well aware that Barcelona is only a few hours on a plane. Everything will be fine!” She seemed to accept your comforting words.

But everything wasn’t fine.

There was a shift in the relationship arrangement whatever this was. Fewer jumpers were in your wardrobe. When she ran out of body wash, she didn’t replace it with a new bottle. Less of her snacks were added to your weekly shopping list. You still drove her to training but her music no longer blasted out of the speakers. She still cooked for you but there were never leftovers for the next day. She still slept in your bed, but she held onto your arm rather than curling up on top of you.

And then it was the Christmas break. Your last day at United. You weren’t sad to be leaving the club. But you were sad to be leaving the people. Of course, you knew you would see some of them during the international windows and whenever you came home but it wasn’t the same. Once again, the alcohol in your system led you to be on top of Ona. The first time you had done anything since you told her about your move. Something felt different this time. She was leaving to go back to Spain the following morning and you wouldn’t see her again before you left.

You woke up with a slight headache, but that wasn’t what pulled you from your sleep. Catalan came drifting across the flat. Ona was awake, and by the temperature of the bed, she had been for a while.

“Hey. Qué ocurre? Qué pasó?” She was pacing the living room, muttering away to herself. “Oni? Hey, estás bien?” She wasn’t paying any attention to you. “Ona”. Your hands rested on her shoulders, halting her scattered movements.

“Don’t touch me,” she snapped. You jumped at the harshness in her tone.

“What’s wrong, Oni?” You asked again.

“I can’t do this.” She answered back. Her tone just as sharp. You knew what she was implying but you hoped you were wrong.

“This being…?” You trailed off.

“Us.” She stated simply. You waited a heartbeat, hoping she would realise you would do anything for her.

“It’s not like there was really an ‘us’ to begin with!” She spat at you. You felt your heart begin to splitter into a thousand pieces. Ona was looking for an argument. She was terrified you’d leave her behind at Manchester without a second look. Ona was hopelessly in love with you. She had been for some time. It wasn’t fast or scary. It was subtle and peaceful. One day she had woken up next to you and she knew it was you. It would always be you. But she didn’t know if she was yours. You were never a tactile person but with Ona, you always had some form of body contact. She thought it little of it. She was Spanish after all, touching your friends was fairly normal – she didn’t realise that you didn’t hug Lessi or Tooney unless they forced themselves at you. She didn’t consider how you were quick to shake off Mary or Maya’s arms. To you, and to everyone else but Ona, it was really obvious that she was yours and you were hers. You just hadn’t had the ‘what are we’ conversation yet. She was also jealous. Barca wanted you. Her home wanted you. Not her. Never mind that her agents had mentioned that Barca wanted her in the summer when she was out of contract. Barca offered money for you. Barca wanted you so badly that they offered a record-breaking fee in the middle of a season. She was scared, angry and jealous. How was she to know that you rarely argued back with someone? How was she to know that your easy-going nature was a result of growing up in a household where shouting was the norm? How was she to know that your mild-mannered temperament was due to your habit of placating your family to stop the noise? You had never told her that particular part of your childhood.

So, she hit you where she knew it would hurt the most, hoping to get a reaction out of you. “Eres sólo un polvo rápido. Fácil. Nada mas para mi. Something to pass the time. I don’t even know why Barca want you, honestly. No eres lo suficientemente buena.” She waited for a reply, but none came. She waited for you to lash out at her. Snap. Do something to make this … breakup? … easier. She wanted to be able to hate you in the same way she was trying to make you hate her. She did the second most painful thing she could think of. She spun on her heels and marched out the door.

You knew she was lying… you think. You hoped she was lying. You knew Ona could get mean when she was upset or scared. You had witnessed it after a particularly bad game – her harshness, her biting words. But she had said those words with such conviction, and you couldn’t think of a reason as to why she would be scared or upset. It had been a wonderful night. Laughter, soft touches exactly where you needed them, and love. You could feel the love between the two of you. Every lingering touch, every passionate kiss, ever whispered word. Everything was done with love, for the pure enjoyment of the other. Everything was perfect.

You're just a quick fuck. Easy. Nothing more to me. Was that all you were to her? Did the late nights mean nothing to her? Did the secrets you whispered into her hair mean anything? Were all the promises she made you lies? Was everything she ever said to you just so she could get her regular fix? Did she really think you weren’t good enough for Barcelona? She knew her opinion of you and your football meant a lot to you. Was every reassurance that you were good enough for the starting XI mean nothing? Was every calming word when you were waiting for Sarina’s call false? Did she genuinely think that you weren’t good enough?

You were in a daze all throughout Christmas. Seeing you family was fun, but you couldn’t shake the clouds in your mind. When you met with the some of the Lionesses in Manchester in between Christmas and New Year, everyone could tell something was wrong. You were normally on the quieter side, preferring to listen rather than speak. But you didn’t really do either. You were just there; not contributing to conversations or laughing along like you usually would. Something was wrong but no one knew what. And then you were on a plane, staring out the window as you watched Spain get closer and closer. You had never been to Spain outside of camps and tournaments. Ona had promised to take you there, to show you Barcelona, to show you her home. But you had to make it your home without her by your side.

And now you were about to play Ona in a World Cup Final.

Lucy knew something was eating at you in the days leading up to the final. She had phoned Leah to come to the hotel to cheer the whole team up and boost morale. It had worked for the other girls but not you. Kiera phoned Alexia as well. But the comforting words had washed straight over you. Everyone thought that it was because you were facing the Barca girls. No one in Barcelona knew of your history with Ona beyond that of teammates at United. If she was ever in town for a quick break, you always, miraculously, had other plans you couldn’t get out of. They didn’t know you lied and hid yourself away in your flat – moving your car a few streets along and leaving your phone off so the location couldn’t be tracked. You’d even gone so far as to phone up Hayley Raso in Madrid to ask if you could come visit her when you found out Ona would be at a team bonding event due to her free schedule coinciding with game-less weekend for Barca. Hayley was a little confused, but you were close enough friends from your time at Manchester that she didn’t question it.

Ona’s words had stayed with you. Every time you failed gave the ball away, passed a too-wide cross, or missed a shot on goal, her words echoed in your mind. You’re not good enough. The venom lacing her tone permeated your brain. You pushed yourself hard then ever before. You went for runs before training to improve your stamina, stayed late to practice free kicks and penalties. You lifted heavier weights and broke your old PBs in the gym. You were eating correctly and always seemed cheery enough, so no one really questioned it. Slowly the muscles started to grow. You were always on the stockier side, the muscles you had slowly built up helping you with your defence. But now you were really built. Your muscles were obvious, even under looser fitting clothes. Not that you really wore loose clothes anymore. At first, it was because everyone on the team, everyone in Barcelona, looked good. Their styles were just rubbing off on you, you had justified to yourself. But eventually, the tops became tighter and shorter. The trousers became low rise, and the hemlines became higher. The Barca Glow Up (and Lotte had coined it) was definitely real. You told yourself it was for you. The clothes you were wearing, the muscles you liked to show off, was because you were proud of them. Which you were. But you couldn’t lie to yourself for long. The Barca media frequently posted game day fits. You knew Ona followed Barca. You knew you would appear on her timeline. Yes, you were a little more tired than you used to be. But that was fine. You didn’t tell anyone the words that rattled around in your head when you were alone. You were fine. Everything was fine. You were playing the best football of your life at Barca. You were a key part of their defence, making your way into the Starting XI quickly and constantly proving your worth in every game.

You were fine. Ok, you hadn’t had sex, or even looked at another girl, since Ona arriving in Spain. Ok, you had to have some form of noise constantly in the background because every time there was silence your thoughts drifted back to Manchester. Ok, you couldn’t be around Ingrid and Mapi or anyone else in a relationship for too long otherwise you might start crying. Ok, you were still very much broken hearted. But you were fine. You weren’t necessarily good, but you were fine

The morning of the final, you were quiet. But everyone was, even Tooney. The buzz of anticipation. The air of expectation. Everyone was doing their own pre-match routine. You had followed yours to the letter. A gentle walk alone this morning followed by breakfast. A full bottle of water on the coach to the stadium. Pitch inspection with Less and Tooney. Warm up with Lucy and Millie. Hair slicked into a bun. A spray of perfume and into the tunnel to walk out.

She was standing just a head of you. Perfect. Breath-taking. Even with her game face on and her concentration as Irene spoke to her, you could see the usual kindness in her features. Those soft warm eyes that you had been lost in far too often. The freckles that littered her skin that you had traced and played dot-to-dot with as you laughed sleepless nights away. The braid that you used to tug on to get her attention before a match that always made her smile and break her focus. You knew you were still desperately in love with her. You shook your head. You couldn’t let her get to you. Not now. Your walls went back up as you pushed all thoughts from her mind. She wasn’t your Oni – even though you knew in your heart she would always be that to you –, she was the object that stood in your way of a World Cup. As Jess and Alex pulled your attention away from the Spanish players, you missed her looking at you.

She knew you had more muscle than before but seeing you in the flesh was something else. Your eyes that have the ability to truly look at a person, looked a little more tired than she was used to. The genuine smiled that was a defining feature for you was replaced with a hard line and a smirk every now and again. She thinks you have had a haircut since being in Barca – your bun wasn’t as big as it used to be in Manchester. She wanted nothing more than to trace her fingers gently over the new scar just above your eyebrow. She knew exactly how you got it. She watched every game of yours, live if she could – on repeat if she couldn’t. You had collided with a player during Chelsea Champions League match. She had been so terrified she almost picked up the phone to call you several times. She did play a little more brutally the next time she faced Chelsea. She had been carded after she left a particularly nasty tackle on the girl that had hurt you. She didn’t know that you also watched all of her games. She didn’t know that you also wanted to phone her after that match but was so scared of her rejection. But right now, you weren’t her Amor – even though you would always be that to her –, you were the object that stood in her way of a World Cup.

Part 2 will probably be out fairly quickly as a lot of it is already written but yeh

#woso #woso community #woso x reader #ona batlle x reader #ona batlle #woso fanfics #woso imagine #woso blurbs #woso soccer #barca femeni x reader #barca femeni #fc barcelona #manchester united #man utd #man utd women

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maxsimagination · 4 months

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𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 - 𝗹.𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘇𝗲

warnings: fluff, kisses

----

it was the day of the finals for the women's champions league and i was super nervous. it was barça versus lyon and i had been selected to be in the starting eleven. i could never have imagined that i would ever be here, soccer was my dream when i was a kid, and now here i was. 21 years old, almost 22, and already playing a finals match.

from the moment i signed with barça, i knew this club was it for me. it was everything i had ever imagined and more. my teammates were amazing and they felt more like family than anything.

lucy was the first person i met at barça, she showed me around and introduced me to the rest of the team. we got along like a house on fire, the whole team was rooting for us when we finally got together. that was almost a year ago, and to say that lucy was nervous because of the age gap was an understatement.

it was a laughable matter to me because i had assured her that her age only made her that much more attractive to me. along with her abs. she had grinned down at me with a cocky expression in response to my words.

all these thoughts flowed through my mind as we drove to training. ona and kiera met us when me and lucy walked in together, exchanging fist bumps and hugs. there was an air about the team, something like confidence but with a hint of nerves. i must have been the only player that was actually freaking out, i was still new and much younger than some of the other girls.

i knew soccer but this is the finals we were talking about. lucy must have been able to sense the tension in me, because she came closer to my side and wrapped a hand around my waist.

"we can do it, you can do it." she whispered in my ear. it was like our mantra, a chant we whispered when we were nervous. i smiled up at her, so thankful i had her by my side. "thank you, luce." "okay lovebirds, let's go!" ona yelled out, herding is out of the changing rooms.

i just laughed at her antics and walked out with them. we got going immediately, jonatan had us going hard, but not too hard as to wear us out for the game in a couple of hours.

——

we had just gotten to the stadium we'd be playing at, there was no one in the stands at all, they'd cleared it for an hour so we could warm up in peace. everyone else had their own pre-game rituals but the only one that i took on was laps around the field. i had my airpods and my music so it was a perfect fit.

i took off around the track, music blasting in my ears. it was a calming sensation, just running with nothing else going on around you. it helped me focus.

i kept running, until it was almost too much, finishing my warmup and stopped over by lucy, who was sitting on a soccer ball and fiddling with her water bottle. and she called me weird. "hey. you ready to crush lyon?" "fuck yea." she stood up to tower over me and the whole team was ordered off to the change rooms.

the fans were starting to trickle into their seats, and soon it was a full house. every seat booked out. my nerves were at an all time high.

everyone was almost ready and i put on my lucky boots, lucy had gotten them for me for my birthday last year and i'd won every game in them since. finally everyone lined up in the tunnel, ready to run out.

a hand on my back that i knew was my girlfriend, reassured me that we could do it. we could hear the commentators announce our team, and we started jogging out onto the field. everyone made it out and we all got into positions. the starting whistle was blown and we were off.

——

it was half time, and the score was 1-0 to barça. with me and kiera in the mid field and lucy and ona defending, we were almost impossible to get through. kiera had gotten the ball from lyon, racing up the field and passing it to me. i took off and weaved my way towards the goal. their goalkeeper saw me coming and i knew i didn't have a clear shot.

kiera was there so i shot it back over to her, she kicked it forward but it hit a defender, ellie carpenter. she managed to get it away from the goal, but not far enough. i got it back again and booted it straight towards the net and it went in.

first goal of the game and i was elated. i ran down the field, straight for lucy, who caught me when i jumped towards her. we were now getting ready to head back out there for the last half. lyon was getting more aggressive, violent even. the weren't afraid to push, shove, trip or pull.

they tried everything to score a goal and eventually they succeeded. it was wendie renard who kicked it in, assisted by vicki bècho. i was getting pissed off now too. we just needed one more goal and we were in the lead.

it was the 60th minute of the game and i had the ball, racing down the field again. i was so close, and i had a clear shot, but just as i was about to kick, there was a shooting pain in my left leg. i fell to the floor and turned to see selma bacha run off with the ball.

she had sunk her cleats into my leg on purpose. the medics came running on to inspect the damage and what needed to be done. lucy was right by my side the second i went down.

eventually they helped me off the field and subbed patri on so they could ice my leg properly. i sat on the sidelines for a solid 15 minutes and did warmups to make sure i could go back on. they called aitana off so she could get a rest and i ran back on.

my teammates all gave me high fives as i ran past, happy i was back on. we only had another 15 left in the game before it went to extra time so i was desperate to score another goal.

we were so close to getting the ball back and when we did it was alexia, our captain, who was streaking up the field. not surprisingly, lucy was close behind her, and so were me and kiera. alexia couldn't get a clear shot so she passed it to me then to kiera. i moved further back on the field in case it rebounded again.

kiera still had the ball and was trying to play it around the lyon defenders, but they weren't easy to break. she kicked it back to lucy who took the chance to score and shot it straight into the net.

i was overjoyed and ran back up the field to where lucy was, screaming "that's my girl!" and just in time too, the last minute ticked over and the ref called it game over, we won. i slammed into lucy and she almost lost her balance but held onto me anyway.

i was probably more happy than she was, based off of my reaction. she had saved the game and scored the game-winning goal. all of our other teammates ran to us, including the ones on the sidelines and we all had a group hug.

it was the best experience ever, winning the champions league and scoring a goal in the final game. and i did it with lucy by my side.

——

the ride home was amazing, everyone was so happy and lucy had the happiest expression i'd seen. we made it back to our hotel for the night and everyone immediately went to their own rooms, they were that tired. i refused and tagged along with lucy to her room so we could celebrate together.

we were comfortable together, lying on the bed in each others arms. i had drifted off into my own world just thinking of the huge accomplishment both me and her had achieved.

"what are you thinking of over there?" lucy's voice cut through my daydream. "you." i had a cheeky grin on my face to tease the older woman more. "oh really?" her eyes were sparking with desire as she turned on her side to face me. i shrank underneath her intense gaze.

"what about me, love?" i couldn't even get any words out, my throat had gone dry. lucy took things into her own hands and leaned forward to kiss me. it turned into an heated make out, our tongues battling against the other. she won that match and i opened my mouth to deepen the kiss. when we pulled apart, she only uttered one thing before diving back in.

"that's my girl."

#woso #woso x reader #woso community #lucy bronze #lucy bronze x reader #lucy bronze imagine

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safely-in-vhagars-belly · 6 months

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👑The girl in the silver dress👑New version (Prt 2) (prt 1 here)

Aemond x reader

Tags: Fluffish, royalty, modernroyalty, theselection

Cool devider credits: firefly graphics

🔷Summary: You are invited to become a selected girl for Prince Jacaerys's selection. You never thought you would fall for his uncle, prince Aemond instead.

🔷Author's note: Based on the books by Kiera Cass, but reading them is not required.

🔷Wordcount :5840

🔷Warnings: Mentions of non-con (Not happening to mc or oc) It will happen to Dyana, and it will be kept very without details. Mc does try to comfort her.

TAGLIST: @connorsui @lportes-22 @thisaccountisrandomsstuff @nikkitc0703

Training continues for months. You are trained how to sit, how to exit a car, how to dress and even how to nod and how to smile. Things you thought you had mastered and conquered long ago, are now fresh tall mountains that you must conquer once again. Lady Aemma has been a resentful and ruthless teacher that does not value tardiness, talking back to her or other inappropriate things.

As the snow begins to fall in the courtyard, and you make your way out for some much needed personal free time, you notice you aren’t alone in the old gardens. Against the cold stone walls, covered in ivy, is a long tall familiar silver haired boy with a cigarette in his hands, clearly lighting it before bringing it to his pink soft looking lips.

You hate how nervous you are around royalty. It has been months and for all reason, you should be prepared for anything they would throw at you. And yet you are terrified of them. You feel like an ant, marching up to a lion. He would not care that he crushes you under his paws. He would not even know or realize.

You make a small prayer to the gods in your head before giving it your all, and making a tiny curtsy for the prince. ‘’Prince Aemond.’’ You say, acknowledging him.

He does not greet you. He doesn't even know your name. ‘’You’re in my nephew’s selection.’’ He says, taking in your gown, remembering when you spoke to him. You give a hesitant nod. Prince Aegon has courted a lot of girls from the selection, and they all have been sent home or worse, even punished for their treason. From the 35 girls, he ruined the chances for at least 5 of them. The Queen covers it up very well, and Lady Aemma protects the girl’s privacy, but you noticed a pattern. Aegon scoops during a lesson, talks with a girl, the next lesson, he brings a gift, and the lesson after that, she is never seen or heard from again.

Aemond grabs his leather jacket, searching his right pocket. He brings out a used pack of cigarettes, broken open and most cigarettes already gone. ‘’Do you smoke?’ He wonders, out loud. You hear Aemma scream in your head, and you never quite liked the taste of cigarettes. So you shake your head.

Smoking was something your grandfather used to do, and now he is dead.

It is a bit attractive, however, because you know it's bad but you don’t need to join Aemond in his activities.

‘’I try to avoid it.’’ You say, carefully picking your words, hearing Jace’s warning in your head.

He smiles, as if lost in thoughts.

‘’Hm. Clever.’’ You feel your cheeks tingle and they turn red because of the cold, you hope it is the cold.

Aemond puts the cigarettes away, and you notice several rings around his fingers. ‘’What is your name, again?’’ He wonders.

You see no harm in telling him that.

‘’Y/N.’’ You say.

He briefly frowns before exhaling smoke. ‘’No Lady or fancy last name?’’ He is right. You should have said that. So why didn’t you?

You feel pressured and anxious. ‘’I-’’

Aemond grins. ‘’I’m teasing.’’ He tells you, closing in a bit.

You nod. You can’t feel your toes because of the cold but you aren’t sure that it matters. ‘’Right. Sorry.’’

He steps back, and just like that the spell he briefly put you under is broken. ‘’Don’t apologize. I won’t.’’ He adds with a wink. It is what you told him at the ball. You feel yourself smile. You step a little closer.

‘’I really appreciate the time you took to talk to me at the ball.’’ You say, and you mean it.

He smiles as if to say he liked it too. ‘’It’s always a pleasure to talk with someone who appreciates history.’’ He takes notice of something behind the two of you and frowns, you follow his gaze, turn around but by the time you have done so, it is gone.

He distances himself. ‘’However, my lady, I’m afraid the walls have eyes here, and ears. I think it is best for you, to go back inside.’’

You feel dread fill your chest. ‘’Did I offend you?’’

Aemond shakes his head, returning to his smoke.‘’I’m protecting you, that is all.’’

Your feelings are all over the place after your talk with Prince Aemond. One moment, he seems very kind and gentle, the next, it seems like he pushes walls around him to protect himself. You quietly wonder who caused him to be this quiet and this alone. He can smoke as many cigarettes as he likes, wear as many suits you wouldn't afford if you sold your left arm, and you would still see a lonely young man in a suit.

Your thoughts are wandering when you walk inside the halls that lead to the rooms of the selected girls. You are so caught up in your thoughts, you don’t notice that you bump into someone.

You apologize, quickly grabbing her bag for her that falls to the ground. It is filled with clothing, crammed into the small bag. When you finally meet her eye, you see its Dyana. You are very happy to see her. Until you see that she has cried. ‘’I’m leaving.’’ She tells you, with her timid soft and even more broken voice.

You frown, recalling how happy Jace seemed when he danced with her. ‘’O, why?’’ Dyana fumbles with a lock of her messy bun, barely looking at you, her eyes far away.

She finally breaks under your gaze. ‘’I’m not fit to marry the Prince anymore. This place only brought me misery.’’ The words leave her mouth in a hurry as she takes off into the direction of the great stairs. You stop her, your chest filled with dread and worry.

You beg her to reconsider.‘’Wait, slow down.’’ Not fit to marry the prince anymore? What does that mean?

She freezes the moment you lay a hand on her arm, and somehow, you already know what has happened to her when you look into her eyes. You drop your hand right away, stepping back to give her space, before tearing up silently too. Someone hurt her, in the worst way imaginable. ‘’He is the prince. The Queen’s son. How was I supposed to…’’ She whimpers. ‘’Say no?’’ The Queen’s Son.

And just like that, your world shatters. ‘’Oh my gods.’’ You mutter, at loss for anything else.

Dyana clutches her bag, tearing up helplessly. You want to hug her so tightly, but you know, not every survivor wants to be touched by strangers, especially not so soon after. ‘’Did something happen?’’ You ask, your voice gently.

Dyana nods, furiously as she recalls what has happened to her. ‘’He touched me. I didn’t wanted it.’’ She is righteously furious and hurt.

You will find that pig. ‘’Who did?’’ You ask.

She shakes her head. ‘’You can’t stop him. He’s too powerful.’’ You become afraid. Was it all an act? Did Aemond play you?

You need to know who did this. ‘’Who did this, Dyana?’’

She sinks to the floor of the hall. ‘’A-aegon.’’ You are relieved, and suddenly it makes sense what happened to all the other girls he ‘’courted’’. He likely won their hearts, took advantage of that, and sent them away to hide it from the other girls. ‘’That filthy pig.’’ You groan, balling your hands into fists.

You look at Dyana, your face softening. You sink to the floors too, not giving a damn about your gown. ‘’We must talk, but we will do it in my room. Walls have ears here.’’ You help Dyana stand up, but give her the choice of accepting your hand. She seems grateful and accepts, still shaking on her legs when you bring her and her bags to your room.

‘’Dy, I’m so so sorry.’’ You tell her, after you have given her a cup of warm chocolate. She nods as if to say she appreciates the gesture and the kindness.

She speaks. ‘’It’s not your fault. You weren’t there, and I thought Aegon was being kind.’’ She is blaming herself. You are enraged. They always pretend they are.

You make a cup of hot chocolate for yourself too. ‘’He should face justice.’’ You say.

She nods, but is unsure how to achieve that on her own. ‘’How? He’s the prince.’’

You have a few ideas. But unfortunately, that idea must wait. Another worry has popped up in your head, the way a weed pops up in a garden. ‘’Dy, I’m afraid I have another very unpleasant question for you.’’ Dyana seems to know where you are going, and nods, closing her eyes, wiping at her eyes.

You gently ask this, knowing it wasn’t likely on her mind earlier. Or perhaps it was. But you need to know for certain. ‘’Did Aegon, use…a condom?’’

She thinks for a moment, before shaking her head, faster and faster before covering herself, hugging her knees. ‘’No. No, gods…’’

She turns to you, terrified. ‘’Do you think i’m…?’’

You remain calm, but let her feel whatever she needs to feel. She is allowed to feel afraid, furious, broken and sad. ‘’I think it is for the best that we find someone to trust. If you are, we must get help.’’

She nods, instantly. And she has a idea as to where to get help too. ‘’The Queen.’’ That is a horrible idea, in your honest opinion. She is the mother of Aegon. She won’t discipline him for anything, and will send Dyana away.

You let her idea down gently. She is Aegon’s mother. ‘’No. We must not go to her. She will only protect Aegon and send you away.’’

Dyana nods, but you can tell that that was her only idea for help. ‘’Who can possibly help me?’’

You sigh, deeply, praying you won’t regret this. ‘’I think I know someone.’’

The rooms of Lady Aemma are decorated with the stuff from the Vale. Beautiful statues and paintings show that Aemma misses her home very much. The colours blue and grey stand out very much as well, as most pillows and trinkets are in those colors.

Her ladyship is dressed for a day in, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, likely her work-out clothing. ‘’Lady Aemma.’’ You dip in a curtsy, and you pray to the gods she will help you but mostly Dyana.

She is shocked to see you here. Worried too. ‘’Y/n. Can I help you? You had a free day today, remember?’’ It is true. You and all the other girls have a day off, every week.

You take a breath, steadying yourself before speaking. ‘’I have a delicate situation.’’

You fill Aemma in on what happened to Dyana. Aemma’s expression changes to neutral, to worried, to upset, to fury.

Dyana is horrified to see who you brought, but you did not know who else to bring. She covers herself, trying to curtsy for Lady Aemma despite everything. Lady Aemma tells her with a wave of her hand to stop it, her face a reflection of Dyana’s sorrow.

Dyana breaks into another wave of tears. ‘’I-I know you must be so disappointed.’’ She says, to Lady Aemma. ‘’I’m sorry, Lady Aemma. I tried to stop it.’’

Aemma comes a little closer, tears silently falling down her cheeks. Her voice is very gentle when speaking, her eyes sorrowful. ‘’Yes. In Aegon, but not in you, sweet child. Look at me.’’ Dyana hesitates, but obeys. You remain silent, knowing you did the right thing.

Aemma grabs Dyana’s hand, waiting for her to push her hands away. She doesn’t, so Aemma takes her hands into her own. ‘’You did nothing wrong. Men will always take advantage of good, kind women. You must not let this crime taint your kind heart.’’ She tells Dyana and you hear Aemma’s voice break as Dyana nods furiously.

She seems so strong as nails and stubborn as iron. ‘’I won’t. I won’t let him win.’’ You are glad, she decided to stay.

She seems afraid of Aemma. As most girls are, that met Aemma. ‘’Are you not furious? I should be thrown out of the castle.’’ Dyana mutters, quietly. You know she is referring to the maiden rule. Before the selection started, you were forced to answer that question as well.

Aemma sighs, but does not aim it at Dyana. It is aimed at the gods if anything. ‘’Aegon should be thrown out of the castle, Dyana. They broke the rules with him bothering you, we will break a few rules now too.’’ You wonder who the they are who she refers to so angrily.

Aemma continues, her disgust getting the overhand. ‘’The rule that only maidens can vouch for the Prince’s hand is such ancient bullshit.’’

You both gasp at her language , but you agree. ‘’Lady Aemma.’’ Dyana mutters, slightly speechless, but delighted.

The lady of the vale chuckles, grinning. ‘’You think Jacaerys is a virgin? Or Aemond or Aegon for that matter? They fucked. It is unfair to disqualify girls when their sheets see more activity than a laundry service.’’ That makes both of you chuckle, and Aemma joins in, grinning as well.

She nods to herself before getting up. ‘’Good. I brought supplies. I will make moontea for you, you can drink it.’’ She shows Dyana a bag with supplies and goes to work in your kitchen. You remain by Dyana’s side when Aemma has left.

Dyana tears up one final time, before reaching out and embraces you, whimpering in your coat. ‘’Thank you so much, Y/n. You might have saved my life.’’ Dyana is given moontea, and goes to sleep in your rooms after that. Aegon can’t find her here anyway.

You shared your room with a girl who was disqualified too, earlier. You quietly wonder if you should have done more for her as well.

You and Aemma leave Dyana be, sleeping peacefully. You turn to Aemma. ‘’I know you told me I shouldn’t be so kind…’’

Aemma suddenly grabs you by your shoulders, shaking her head when tears roll down her cheeks. She laughs, a little emotional. ‘’Oh. You shouldn’t listen to what I say about friendship. I have no friends. I don’t know anything about it.’’ She laughs, but there is a sad truth there. You pity her.

You nod, silently becoming sorrowful too. ‘’So you will keep Dyana’s secret?’’ You ask, just to be certain.

Aemma does not need a moment to think. She will. You see it in her eyes. She too had her own monster who committed crimes against her. ‘’Yes, I will. Unfortunately, I lost all my privilege with the king. I can’t make him punish that pig, sadly.’’ She attempts to leave, wiping at her eyes quickly so the outside world can’t tell how she cried.

You call her back. ‘’Lady Arryn-’’

‘’Yes, Lady Y/n?’’ She asks, turning around.

You smile at her. ‘’You do have one friend. Should you wish it.’’

She clears her throat, clearly touched. ‘’Thank you, Y/n.’’

Since Dyana is resting in your rooms, you can’t go there to read. And it is a good excuse to visit the royal library. The bookshelves are tall as the ceiling, the tables made of special imported wood from the north and the books are centuries old. You are looking for books on Nymeria, your comfort subject for when you are upset.

You see a red leather bound book with her name on the spine, but it is too far above on the cell for you to reach it. You jump up and down in an attempt to get it.

A familiar voice calls out to you, startling you. ‘’Want me to grab it for you?’’ You quickly turn around, bumping into the bookshelf and causing several books to fall down. You gawk at him.

Yet you can’t stop your smile from spreading ever wider. ‘’Aemond!’ He smiles shyly at you when putting the books back on their spot. You mutter when he goes to work. ‘’I mean, your highness, I mean hello. I mean…" You dip into a curtsy.

He chuckles. ‘’It’s quite alright. But that does not answer my question.’’ You try to convince yourself that he should not bother, but you really want to read that stubborn book.

You stare at the book you so eagerly want to read. ‘’Yes, please.’’ You say, instead of lying.

Aemond grabs the book easily, reaching much higher than you ever could. He hands you the book.‘’Thank you so much.’’ You mutter.

He takes in the book, reading the title. ‘’It’s a good one, but I think you’ll like this one better, personally.’’ He grabs another much lower positioned book, also about Nymeria, called 10,000 ships. ‘’That book covers Nymeria better. I think the book you are holding is very Valyrian based.’’ You look at the subtitles and nod. Fire and blood, it’s called. The motto of the Targaryens, and very obviously a hint that the book won’t be fairly written.

He seems to know his history. You quickly read the first few pages and see her being compared to a witch, an escort lady and a traitor in one sentence. ‘’Ew.’’ You comment, dryly, before slamming it shut.

Aemond nods, solemnly. ‘’My sentiments too, when I read it. It’s filled with slanders and lies of her enemies.’’ You let him put the first book back.

You notice he smells very nice. Like coffee and cigarettes. ‘’Thank you, for your recommendation.’’ You say and you mean it. He takes a book with him as well, about Oryn.

Prince Aemond does not mind helping you. ‘’No problem, just happy to help.’’ Prince Aemond says, his voice a bit gentler than usual. He gestures to the gate that leads to the exclusively royal part of the library. ‘’You are welcome to join the royal parts of the library. We have better lighting and comfortable chairs.’’

You aren’t sure. Aemma said that those parts are off limits. ‘’Won’t I get in trouble?’’ You would hate to be thrown out over something minor like this. But you really want to follow Aemond too.

Aemond pretends to think before laughing. ‘’No. You are with me. You won’t be in trouble.’’

He escorts you to the royal parts of the private library. There is indeed better lighting, and way more comfortable chairs. You and Aemond sit down on a couch covered in red and black velvet before each picking up your book. You notice you read the same line over and over again, bored and tired, not having the concentration to read as your eyes keep glancing at Aemond. He peacefully reads his book, lost in another world.

Eventually, Aemond goes to get a snack and you remain alone. You have a lot on your mind and you try to put things in perspective. Aemma seems nicer now, and you are very thankful for her discretion and her kindness she showed you both. Perhaps there is more to her story than you thought. Dyana seems to be fine now, but you must keep an eye on her and remain her friend. And Aegon? If you see him again, you likely strangle him on the spot.

Finally, Aemond returns with a plate of cookies, in the middle of it all stands one lonely chocolate cupcake, the one you ate at the ball. ‘’How did you know?’’ You ask, delighted as he hands you the cupcake.

He hides a blush. ‘’I…I asked. I hope that is alright?’’ He asked. For you. You raise a brow. Aemond blushes, further. ‘’I saw you eating one, at the ball. You liked it very much, you even licked off your fingers.’’ He rambles, a little nervous. ‘’I’m sorry, that must have been so creepy of me-’’ You silence him, grinning.

You quickly swallow the food you had in your mouth to answer him. ‘’Why would it be? I love cupcakes.’’ You say. These taste even better than Jace’s.

He seems very pleased when you eat the cupcakes, not giving a damn about manners or decorum when you lick off your fingers. ‘’I’m glad.’’ He sinks back to the couch, and briefly your shoulders touch. He quickly takes a bit of distance.

You feel a yawn coming up. Aemond whistles, impressed by the size of it. It is your turn to blush but his chuckle reveals he was just joking. ‘’It was a …intense day.’’ That is all you will say on it.

You see worry grow in his eyes as he sits up straighter, clearly listening to you, eager for you to share your worries. ‘’A girl wanted to quit the selection.’’ You tell him, fiddling with your hair.

He nods, as if understanding why someone would want to do that. ‘’How do you feel about that?’’ He must think you are dumb for talking her out of it.

You tell him, anyway. You don’t want to lie to him. You rather have him think you are dumb, than that he thinks you are a liar. ‘’I talked her out of it. Jacaerys seems very taken with her.’’ You recall how they danced and laughed. Before that pig ruined it all.

Aemond chooses his words carefully. ‘’I don’t understand something. You are here for Jace. Shouldn’t you, be…I don’t know, glad that she leaves?’’ You would never be glad if anyone left that way. But you can’t tell Dyana’s secret.

You hope he understands that. ‘’Not the way she left, Aemond.’’ That way was horrible. You sit up straighter, looking at the chocolate on your fingers.‘’I will fight but I will fight fair.’’

Aemond’s pupils seem to dance like stars when you look into them. He whispers a single word. ‘’Admirably.’’ You are unsure if he talks about your strategy or you.

You are reminded of your duties and of Jace, keeping your distance from the prince. ‘’Thank you.’’ A shiver runs down your spine, causing you to flinch.

The prince notices, a frown growing on his beautiful face. ‘’You’re cold.’’

You laugh, rambling a bit.‘’I usually am. Such a stupid habit from-’’ he silences you by taking his leather jacket off and carefully putting it over your shoulders. You smell his scent, and feel the warmth of his body over yours. You blush, unintended. ‘’O.’’

He grins to himself. ‘’Better. I don’t like you shivering.’’ You chuckle. Aemond picks his book back up, and you look over his shoulder reading with him. But it has been a long day, and your eyes start to close slowly. You fall asleep, eventually, snoozing peacefully agains Prince Aemond.

After a half an hour, dreaming about Dornish statues and one-eyed princes, you awake. You notice Aemond smiling at you, still with his nose stuck in a book. ‘’Good evening, sleepy beauty.’’ You gawk, quickly adjusting your messy hair and your gown. You blush too, he calls you beauty.

You feel so embarrassed. He must think you are lazy.‘’I must have drifted off.’’ You mutter.

But he does not seem to mind. He puts the book away, on the table.‘’Yes, but it is fine. I was with you the whole time.’’ He reassures you. ‘’I would not leave you to sleep alone.’’ He is such a gentleman.

You can’t fathom how he is related to that pig. ‘’I don’t understand how you are related to your brother.’’ He would have taken advantage of you.

The prince surprises you with his answer. ‘’I sometimes don’t either.’’ He reveals, his voice very distant.

You think for a while, taking in Aemond’s lucious glamorous Valyrian locks. ‘’I want to teach him a lesson.’’ You tell him.

Aemond leans in a little closer, intrigued. ‘’O?’’

You smile back, enjoying the way you become so brave and fearless when you are with him. ‘’But I need your help.’’

Aemond is a true gentleman, providing you what you need. He has access to the royal rooms, and after telling him that you suspect that Aegon is behind a lot of girls leaving, he does not hesitate to help you at all. You are sitting in your rooms, waiting for Aemond to enter through the door with the supplies for your revenge plan.

Tomorrow, several foreign ambassadors from all over the kingdom will visit. A ball will be held, and time with the prince is on the agenda. But you have a different reason to be excited.

There is a soft knock on your window. Confused, you open it and look into Aemond’s face. In his hands he holds a plastic bag. Your room is on the second floor. You notice there is a small balcony and he likely have climbed all the way from his rooms to yours. ‘’May I come in?’’ He asks, politely. You are shocked for a few moments, before letting him.

He delivers you Aegon’s favorite shampoo bottle, and a few bottles of pink paint. ‘’Did anyone question you?’’ You wonder, as he is finished taking the stuff out of the bag. He shakes his head.

He puts the shampoo bottle on the ground, putting the paint next to it. They are small little squeezable bottles of neon pink glitter paint. Perfect. ‘’No. Aegon’s bathroom is unlocked, so I had no trouble sneaking in. The paint I took from my mother’s room. She likes painting from time to time.’’ Well, you are shocked. The Queen has hobby’s. Who knew?

He rambles on, excitedly to help you with this plan. ‘’I went with the Neon pink unicorn color.’’ He adds with a cheeky grin. You like it when he talks with you. You like it when he becomes comfortable enough to drop his shields and walls.

That is perfect. The ball takes place at night, so if Aegon has neon hair it would be even more funny. ‘’My hero,’’ You declare before grabbing the shampoo bottle, filling it with the pink glitter paint. ‘’I hope Aegon likes pink.’’ Aemond watches you work, as a loyal huntsman seeing his evil queen prepare a deadly poison. Except this won’t kill Aegon.

Your phone buzzes and you look at the screen. Your heart drops several floors. Dyana is on her way.

You curse, quickly hiding the bottles. ‘’Ehm, a friend of mine is coming over. Can you perhaps hide under my bed for a while?’’ You ask, a stunned Aemond. If Lady Aemma was here, she would scream. You, asking a royal to lay under your bed? You, having a man in your rooms? You plotting revenge on the prince? All of this is so unbecoming, but if it is unbecoming, why do you feel so safe with Aemond near you?

Aemond seems fine with that, sinking to his knees before laying down on the floor and rolling under your bed, easily. You thank him silently and wait for Dyana to show up.

She comes mere moments later, causing you to flinch. She smiles brightly, seeming much happier and more upbeat. She brought a present as well, a basket filled with shampoo and soap bars, bubbles and other delicious goods wrapped with a large pink bow and a thank you note attached. She presents it happily to you, and your heart melts when she hugs you tightly.

Aemond is still present, so you must be careful not mentioning what happened to Dyana. ‘’I’m so thankful for what you did for me, Y/n.’’ Dyana speaks. She wipes at her eyes, laughing. ‘’Happy tears, this time.’’ She tells you. ‘’Lady Aemma arranged a therapist for me, I can see her for an hour on my free day. We took up creative therapy, and I learn painting.’’ She tells you excitedly. ‘’Without you, I would have given up. Thank you so much, Y/n.’’

‘’You’re welcome, Dy. Everyone would have done the same.’’

Her eyes become very serious and hollow. ‘’No, Y/N. You are the only one, I think. You are kind, you deserve the throne.’’ She tells you. ‘’I am your ally, should you wish so.’’ You feel a bit uncomfortable with that knowledge. Did no one help her aside from you? And why does she being your ally feel as if you take advantage of her too?

You speak your heart. ‘’Dyana, I don’t want you to be my ally. You are not indebted to me. I do would love to become my friend?’’ You suggest. ‘’The basket was not needed, but it is much appreciated. I love bubble baths.’’ You let out a soft giggle.

Dyana grins and comes closer to your bed, sitting down on it too. Your eyes widen in slight horror. ‘’Of course!’’ She sniffs a few times, taking in Aemond’s scent who is likely freaking out right under her. ‘’Hm. Have you been smoking?’’ She wonders but does not sound judgemental.

‘’No.’’ You say.

She frowns. ‘’Weird. I smell cigarettes.’’ She tries to look under the bed, and you quickly call her attention back by clearing your throat.

You must lie quickly. ‘’Uhm, yes. My former roommate smoked.’’ She nods, getting up and leaves after that, thanking and hugging you again.

Dyana leaves shortly after that and Aemond comes out of hiding.

‘’It was worse than I thought.’’ He speaks when he has cleaned the dust from his hands. ‘’He…He took advantage of her, didn’t he? Of that poor sweet girl that was here just now. That is why you want to teach him a lesson.’’ He eyes the gift basket. That is very much true. He is quite observant.

You nod. ‘’Yes, he did.’’

He sighs, rubbing his face with his hands. ‘’I can’t place her voice, so no worries. Even if I do figure out who it is, I will keep her secret. I just can’t stand that pig…’’ His voice trails off. You bring out the bottle of shampoo and hand it to him, your fingers briefly brushing.

He accepts the bottle, putting it in his bag. Aemond seems as if he wants to say something but decides it's for the best if he just leaves. And when he does, he takes a piece of your heart with him.

The ball is in full swing when you and the other selected arrive. Only 20 girls remain, including you, Baela, Floris, and Dyana. Most girls greet the royals first, and you do the same. Your attention is drawn to the well dressed prince Aemond, who hovers around by the buffet, with a plate with two chocolate cupcakes. You wish to run to him, to ask him who he is reservering those treats for.

A sudden pain in your side reveals someone has grabbed you. You turn your head, afraid of looking into the face of a furious Aegon. Instead it is Floris, with her catlike eyeliner and dark golden gown. ‘’I’m so glad you have decided to change the positions.’’

‘’Huh?’’ You mutter, a little stupid.

Floris chuckles. ‘’Oh, it is obvious. The entire world sees.’’ You wonder what that is. Prince Aegon is finally entering the room too, thunder written across his face.

‘’Oh my gods…’’ Lady Baela murmurs. You stifle a laugh, as you see prince Aegon with bright pink glittery dough in his hair that makes it seem like he had a duel with a toddler who’s only weapon was clay.

You chuckle, lightly before grinning at Dyana who lights up right in front of you. A hand is wrapped around yours, and you notice that Prince Jacaerys has joined you. ‘’May I have this dance?’’ You nod, complying.

Aemond watches as you two attend the dance floor, his heart clearly broken as he puts the cupcakes back with a sad grin. You don’t see him at the ball anymore after that. You become more and more aware of your feelings for Aemond and Jace, and what you feel for Jace is friendship. Jace twirls you around before speaking. ‘’You want to go after him, don’t you?’’ He asks, his voice soft and slightly heartbroken as you keep eying the doors, waiting for Aemond to come back.

Yes you would. ‘’I can’t. I’m yours.’’ You speak.

That is a lie and you know it. He shakes his head, his brown short hair shaking. ‘’You are your own. I can’t protect you from the rules, but I can’t stand to see you miserable either, Y/N. You and Aemond belong together.’’ He says.

You still doubt it. ‘’But the rules. I’ll be thrown out.’’ You don’t care about being thrown out. You care about Aemond not answering these feelings.

He sighs, trying to get you to go after Aemond. ‘’Perhaps Aemond can find a loophole. He is very clever.’’ Perhaps. Perhaps he can.

Your feet take off running, to where Aemond disappeared to. Your heart is finally free and open. ‘’Aemond?’’ But you can’t find him. You do find a letter addressed to you, and you watch through the window as a motorcycle leaves the castle gates, and your heart shatters into a thousand pieces. You read the letter before running downstairs, running out in the rain in your ballgown, after the motorcycle. But he is long gone, and you can only cry.

Y/n

I’m leaving the castle until the end of the selection, perhaps after that.

I’ve come to care for you, and my sense of duty has been suffering because of you. I thought I knew for certain that I was a man of priorities and morals, but you make me want to break and risk it all for you.

You are my nephew’s selected, and I can’t watch how he courts and throws away girls left and right, for he does not deserve a single one of you. He does not deserve the kingdoms, he does not even deserve to hold your hand, if you ask me.

I want you, but I know you won’t choose me. No one ever does. I will come back, perhaps. Perhaps not.

The media will call you a whore if you were to pursue me, and no foreign ambassador would ever take you seriously. There will be rumors if our relationship started during the selection, and people will mock every child we will have as a bastard. I can’t put you through any of that, as what the media writes about me, already kills me. I can’t stand to watch you become a bitter and resentful woman, and to see that pure light inside your soul die.

I hope these foolish one-sided feelings of mine go away over time, and I hope you can find the strength to forgive me for writing you this letter, and not speaking it to your face.

I love you, and because of that, I have to let you go.

-Prince Aemond Targaryen.

A/n

Thank you for reading. Part 3 will be the final part!:))

#hotd #hotd fanfiction #hotd fanfic #hotd smut #aemond targaryen #aemond #aemond one eye #hotd x reader #hotd x you #aemond x reader #aemond x you #aemond fic #aemond fanfiction #hotd x oc #aemond x oc #aemond targaryen x reader

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snowymav · 2 years

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things i noticed: after seeing bullet train four times!

spoilers? (probably)

tangerines cuff links are little gold chains.

the prince’s ‘makeup bag’ shown on the table is a momon pouch.

tangerine has a west ham (football club) sticker on his phone case.

^^ during the flashback to the twins as kids they’re watching a west ham match, their club song is ‘im forever blowing bubbles’.

^^ which is why it plays during the count of the seventeen body’s they killed before getting on the train.

^^ im also pretty sure one of the tattoos tangerine has on his forearms is the west ham clubs initials and something above it that is significant to their team (considering im from england you’d expect me to know abt stuff like this, i don’t)

ladybug is wearing three necklaces, one has big diamond beads on it :]

maria, ladybugs handler, calls him ‘little ladybug’ when she first assigns the nickname.

ladybugs socks are white with little yellow stripes.

in the book, the briefcase is actually a suitcase, in the movie, when lemon confronts prince about the case he says something along the lines of, “most people would assume it’s a suitcase with the train being overnight.”

the momon plush tangerine uses to silence his gun when he shoots the door is then used by one of the men with the white death to try and suffocate yuichi, he then kills the same man using the plush.

ladybug has his wasabi pees in a little glass bowl before the fight with hornet.

the only time tangerine seems threatened is when lemon talks back to him.

the marks on yuichis neck are visible from when prince tased him.

ladybugs hair starts to go curly after getting wet from wrestling the snake into the toilet (i thought it was cute okay im sorry).

im pretty sure the prince had another bag on the train, a bigger bag. you can see it in one of the luggage cubbies (im not sure if it’s when tangerine gets kicked out of the train or not but it might be that scene) it has a hot pink pompom keychain attached to it.

ladybug wears a big silver ring on his right (might be left, you never know these days with mirror imaging and stuff) ring finger.

ladybug does a little wiggle when he’s trying to fix the wires on the train.

and for all my fellow tangbug shippers

when ladybug finds tangerine and prince, tangerine immediately says ladybugs name.

at the end of the film, after prince gets hit by the truck, yuichi throws a tangerine to ladybug and ladybug smiles.

if i remember anything else i’ll add it!!

it was said in an interview that they experimented with a sea urchin but didn’t keep it in, you can see it on the counter during the ladybug and tangerine fight scene, when tangerine goes to grab the chopsticks (i assume this means tangerine was going to be the one to use it on ladybug)

when tangerine pays for ladybugs water his money is in an envelope not a wallet.

lemon shouts at kimura about the prince being “kiera knightly!” (i thought it was funny because aaron is in a movie with her!!)

at the end of the film when the prince is still alive, ladybug recommends a book on “surviving borderline personality disorder.” insinuating he also has bpd.

#tangerine x ladybug #ladybug x tangerine #ladybug #tangerine #the prince #lemon #yuichi kimura #momonga #bullet train #bullet train movie

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daniigh0ul · 3 months

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tati whatcha doin'

prev || next || beginning

Tati and Marco walk into the local bookstore. There's a red 'We're Hiring' sign she spots out of the corner of her eye. MARCO: I want a comic book! TATI: Okay, fine. She walks in and is hit with the smell of books and plants. Marco runs off to the kids and manga section. The lone worker stands behind the kiosk in overalls. She smiles at her. KIERA: Hi, welcome to Tomes and Teas. Need help finding anything? Let me know! TATI: Yeah, actually! Do you have a history section? I’m looking for The Life of Vampires in Simstopia and Werewolves & Lycanthropy, Vol. 01. Kiera types on her computer. KIERA: Yeah, we have them! I can grab them and ring you up, if that's all? TATI: Yeah, that’d be awesome! Marco shows up with a comic and a grin on his face. MARCO: This one, too! TATI: This, as well! After they leave and go home, Marco and Tati do homework together, their assigned chores, and get ready for family dinner. The night is uneventful, peaceful even. The Diaz family--minus the oldest--talk and laugh and eat before going to bed. While Tati is in her bedroom, she applies for the job opening at Tomes and Teas. As she scrolls Social Bunny she opens and closes her messages before making a choice. TATI: hey man mr. flowers said we should start pairing up for the final grade project. so like do u want to be partners? :D

Diego is typing...

Tati goes to sleep before she can read the answer.

#moonlight 2.0 #oc: tati #oc: marco #oc: kiera #:))))))))) end of chapter 1!!#ts4 story #sims 4 story

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mintmentos · 1 year

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The constant wearing each others clothes, the ring in the bottom of the box calling out to emmett, the rose from the courtyard and the rose at the wedding, the unsettling feeling of memories of a relationship compared to the new memories meeting that person as if for the first time and having these coexist

#this book did so much for me oh my lord #it’s the way so many of the things in the memory are subverted and acted out by the other person #lucian begging emmett to call him Lucian vs emmett refusing to call him darnay #lucian wearing emmetts shirt and emmett wearing lucians coat #lucians ‘need a hand’ in the memory and emmetts ‘need a hand’ in the present #lucian giving emmett a rose for his buttonhole and then lucian throwing away the rose in his buttonhole #god I just can’t deal #feel like I need to write an essay on this and I’m so wide awake thinking about it but I need to sleep #ahhhhhhh #the binding #bridget collins #kiera talks books

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rouecentric · 2 years

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Your posts are so beautiful that I couldn't stop myself from reading them over and over. If that's okay with you, may I ask romantic yandere Ludwig Parvis from Actually I Was Real One and platonic yandere Keira and Zeke? Your articles are really nice. Wishing you a good day!

thank you for reading and liking my posts! I hope you enjoy reading this one! :)

-Hoo boy, 'how did you get in this mess of a family in general?' I hear you ask. Well, let's just say you were Zeke's caretaker and now Kiera's personal servant who's a commoner

-As the personal servant of Kiera, you met Ludwig multiple times a day, but he didn't pay much attention to you, seeing you as a maid and just that at the time

-If Ludwig becoming a yandere for you was a fanfiction on Ao3, it would be a slowburn worker and boss to friends to lovers 200k words with the bonus tags: found family, children adopting an adult as their other parent, obsessive love interest, they're soulmates your honor

-So, yeah! Let's just temporarily change the subject to the children

-Og!Kiera would definitely rather quickly become yandere for you, as you were practically the only staff member that genuinely cared for her and freely conversing with her whenever

-You would always be by her side even when you were imprisoned for protecting and supporting her

-When Kiera was back in the past, she became a whole 'nother person, refusing to let you leave her side and even thought about convincing her father to give you a noble title just so she could make you her lady-in-waiting

-Kiera brings you everywhere with you, be it the library, training grounds, garden, her office and even sometimes even her bedroom if she needs something or comfort

-Kiera spoils you with the most random things, the book you were ogling at before time was reversed, sharing treats that another servant brang for her and sometimes just brings you to spend money with her

-Zeke was pretty hesistant to give you up as his caretaker, as he was extremely dependent and clingy with you, but calmed down when Ludwig told him that you were going to be Kiera's personal Servant

-She definitely accidentally called you mom multiple times

-He still is very clingy with you but less dependent, he'll call for you whenever you're not by Kiera's side

-Zeke always used to call you mom when he was younger, now he just does it in private

-Ludwig was curious, his eldest child started seeing him considerably less than she did in the past, but is always seen with you and hanging out at random places, it doesn't help how Zeke was also heavily dependent and clingy with you in the past

-So, as any reasonable person would do, he started calling for you more to stay by his side whenever he had paperwork to do or was taking a break in his office, trying to converse with you and become acquaintances

-The children noticed, Zeke was curious while Kiera was scared, why did he call for you? Is he planning on firing you? What if he took you away from her?

-Although Ludwig wanted you to become acquaintances with him, he started noticing minor things about you, like how nice your hair looks and how it shines in certain angles, the scent you have that he finds himself not being able to sleep without, how your eyes practically shine whenever the two of you talk, how some parts of your uniform loosen or tighten up, making you look more ethereal and- oh, oh

-The poor man fell for your natural charm without knowing he was falling for you

-He now becomes obsessive and protective! Anything you look at for more than one second will be bought without a single thought, appearing nicely wrapped in your bedroom, the asshole that tried to harm you? Already in prison

-That man loves holding your hand or touching any part of you, be it grabbing your waist disguising it as protecting you from falling down, holding your hair and even hugging you

-The kids already noticed their father's obsession with you and decided to team up to get you two together

-Once Ludwig realises, he buys you a noble title right away and tries to court you

-Don't worry if you refuse! He can always kidnap you, mentally break you, confine you in a room, break your legs and chain you to your new shared chambers with him, manipulate you, get your family in debt, so just give up and accept your fate! ❤️

-Kiera and Ludwig would often butt heads and argue for what is best for you, Ludwig wants to lock you up in your bedroom to protect you from the outside world, but Kiera knows that being just in your room is hurtful and can ruin you, she just wants to be with her step-mother!

-While Zeke always sides with Kiera, he is thankful when the two of them argue, so he can have more time to spend with you, lazing around and reading a book or two for him

-By the end of the argument, Ludwig decided to let you walk freely around the household but wasn't allowed to go outside the plot without his permission or unless it was a mandatory banquet/ball invitation from the imperial family

-Kiera absolutely loses her cool whenever she hears someone insult or spread rumors about you, so she forges fake letters of them comitting crimes and just tortures them

-You have two guards who are extremely skilled ex-imperial knights always protecting you, if you don't want them then they'll be in the shadows, watching your every move

-If you're infertile or not afab or not fem aligned and want kids, you can always adopt children whenever you want, but do be aware that your step-children will be jealous

#manhwa #manhwaxreader #manhwa x reader #yandere #yandere manhwa x reader #headcannons #actually i was the real one #yandere manhwa #soleil.xreader #tw yandere #cw yandere #platonic yandere #yandere female #female yandere #tw kidnapping #cw kidnapping

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keysmashhhhhhhh · 4 months

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thank you to the wonderful @fandomchaosposts for tagging me!! this looked like lots of fun and honesty a great excuse to talk about all the things I've been loving recently :)

last movie: love actually <333 one of my top 3 Christmas films makes me cry every year (also like hello how did they hire so many attractive people we have kiera Knightly, Hugh grant, Emma Thompson AND Colin firth??!?!)

last song: all you wanna do - from the Six soundtrack, I'm still so hyped after seeing it live and can't stop listening to the songs, also in a slightly worrying turn of events I do find this song quite relatable and lets not unpack that today

currently reading: The Persian Boy - Mary Renault (alternate retelling of the story of Alexander The Great's life from the perspective of his slave lover) and Redline by @chubbydino - as soon as I got kindle unlimited I got myself a copy and I have to say I'm having wayyyyyy too much fun reading it, it's reminiscent of fools gold but also so distinctly its own book!!

currently watching: I'm in the middle of hundreds of shows but I'd say I'm somewhat actively watching friends, criminal minds and a random cult documentary on Netflix I can't remember the name

currently consuming: nothing

Currently craving: coffee coffee coffee!! I just woke up so I'm in my natural pre coffee sleepy state

Anyways, I had lots of fun doing this! I'm going to tag a few people if they want to have a go but no pressure :) @love4lando @sof1shticated @bi-peanut @lil-italian-disappointment (and anyone else who feels like it!)

#tag games #i have way too much fun with these!!#i just like overexplaining all the things i love

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pickledpascal · 2 months

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Bewitched

Chapter Seven: Bleed Magic

Warnings: Violence, assault, racial profiling, swearing.

Word Count: 2.2k

Bewitched Masterlist

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Beau was swamped at work. And Dalia was outside, playing somewhere. Kiera didn't mind having the house to herself but she was so used to having the chatty sheriff around that the house seemed too silent. She sighed and grabbed a shawl to wrap around her body. She had been working at home for most of that day and just finished everything up. File some documents, talk with a few clients over the phone, small stuff like that. She needed to find Dalia to get dinner, but she usually appeared on time once it was done.

Kiera drew in a deep breath. Much like Beau, recently, her mind had been a mess between work and trying to take care of Dalia and also having a personal life. Maybe a walk would do some good? Feel the cool night air pass through her lungs. Perhaps that was why some people thought she was a vampire.

She went on quite a few night walks when things began to overwhelm her. She really wasn't beating the witch allegations either.

Kiera pushed her hands into the pockets of her pants as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Her neighbors weren't too close but enough that they would be able to see fires in the sandbox behind her house or any other “activities” Dalia did. They sure as hell loved to complain.

She took a deep breath as she walked, feeling the cool air fill her lungs. Strangely, it always made her feel better. She let out the breath, a light smile at the edges of her lips. She ran a hand through her hair and pushed it to gather on her right shoulder to feel the coolness on her neck slightly. The worries on her mind we're slowly melting away.

Kiera admired the trees, still green and blooming from the beginnings of spring. Dalia always loved picking flowers and giving them to her, wildflowers.

Kiera wasn't sure how she knew the difference between poisonous plants and normal ones, but she hadn't needed to go to the hospital yet so Kiera imagined she was extremely careful or read enough books on flowers that she didn't need to guess.

After a little while, she wondered what Beau was up to. If he was still at work or was back at his trailer. She hummed a tune stuck in her head, something new by Dua Lipa she heard while flipping to the Metal station. She had versatility, it wasn't like she couldn't enjoy other types of music, she just had more of a preference for Goth music and its subgenres.

An unsettled feeling formed in Kiera's stomach. Her eyes narrowed. She had learned to trust her instincts over the years. She glanced at her surroundings, no one else was out…

Kiera began to turn around and blinked as a knife was slashed through the air, she just narrowly dodged it, getting nicked near her shoulder. It was too dark to tell what the person was wearing besides the mask on their face.

Acting as quickly as she could, she grabbed onto their outstretched arm and used her other hand to punch the person in the jaw. They were knocked out cold.

Hm, working out certainly did its intended purpose.

———

Late nights at the Sheriff's office was not how Beau liked spending his evenings. He'd give anything to be in Kiera's bed, surrounded by her warmth and soothing scent—he wanted it injected into his veins. Well, maybe that was a bit dramatic.

He scratched at his neck, letting out a frustrated groan as he went over a case file for the millionth time it felt like.

“Hey,” There was a knock on his door. Beau looked up from the file to see Mo peeking inside. “It's, uh, something happened with Kiera.”

Beau blinked, immediately standing up from his desk, causing his chair to hit the wall. “What the hell happened?” His heart started to race. Kiera told him she could take care of herself and he trusted her but, at the same time, he couldn't help but worry.

Mo coughed a little. “Neighbors called the cops, thinking she started a physical altercation.”

Beau raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “I'm gonna check it out, okay? And good-fucking-night cause I'm not coming back here ‘till mornin’.” He told Poppernack, grabbing his jacket and making his way to his truck.

He needed to add Kiera's neighbors onto his punch list. He gripped the steering wheel hard, knuckles turning white. Just what he needed after a long day, his girlfriend getting the cops called on her for something she likely didn't start herself.

As he rode into Kiera's neighborhood, it didn't take too long seeing as there were a few cop cars and an ambulance. He could see Kiera inside the back of it.

Beau jumped out of his car, nearly forgetting to put it in park. “Beau Arlen, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's office,” he flashed his badge at the paramedics to let him through. As he got closer, he could see she was cuffed to the side of the ambulance. And the bandage on her shoulder. “Kiera, sugar, you okay?” He cupped her face.

Kiera looked up at Beau and hummed a little. “Should see the other guy.” She teased, eyes tired.

“What the hell happened?” He asked, looking for any other sign that she was distressed but found none and that… saddened him.

“Fucker tried to shank me from behind, only left a small scratch.” She rolled her shoulder that had the wound on it. “In return, I gave him a mean left hook. I guess they thought I decided to beat someone up for fun.” She let out a humorless laugh.

Beau narrowed his eyes at Kiera before he turned to one of the paramedics. “Get these cuffs off her for me.”

“Um, yessir.” He was a young kid and did immediately as asked.

Beau sat next to Kiera and wrapped an arm around her waist, “We can deal with this in the morning, hm?” He suggested softly. He could feel just how tired Kiera was by looking at her. It seemed her emotions were running thin, as was her capacity for empathy.

After being with Kiera for a while, Beau started to notice things about her. Signs of when she was having worse days than others. How quiet she'd get, how much she tried to be excited about things but wasn't, things of that nature.

“I was gonna make dinner.” Kiera murmured in a monotone voice.

Beau shook his head and helped Kiera stand even though she probably didn't need it. “I'm sure I can scrounge something up for all of us to have, sugar, it's alright.”

“Where the hell is she going?” A woman cried out, arms crossed against her chest. She was fair skinned with blonde hair and a robe on, as if she was just awakened in the middle of the night. She probably was.

Beau glanced from Kiera to the blonde woman. “That's Cindy,” Kiera said, “The one who called the cops.”

He pursed his lips and nodded. Time to turn up the charm. “Hello, Miss.” He turned to face the blonde. “I'm afraid you misread the situation with Kiera here, she was defending herself against an attacker. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take her home.”

“Excuse me?” Cindy raised an eyebrow. “Who are you to just let her off the hook? That thing,” She motioned towards Kiera's general direction. “Has been causing so much trouble in this neighborhood and I want her arrested!”

Beau rubbed Kiera's unscathed shoulder before he looked back at Cindy, pulling back his jacket to reveal his badge. “I'm Sheriff Arlen, ma’am. And I know this woman personally. But I would love to hear about this trouble you speak of, has Kiera put you or anyone else in this neighborhood in any danger at all?”

“No, well, I—”

“Then have a good night, ma’am.” Beau guided Kiera back home.

Dalia was waiting in the living room, kicking her feet with her head held down. Kiera was silent and sat down next to her.

Beau pursed his lips. He kneeled down in front of Dalia and cupped her face gently. “You hungry, honey?” She nodded.

Like mother, like daughter, huh?

“Alright, I'll heat up some leftovers. That okay?” They both nodded. He stood back up and pressed a kiss to Kiera's head. “After dinner, I'm gonna take a look at that shoulder.”

Dinner came and went, barely any sound besides their utensils against bowls and a slight wince from Kiera when she moved her shoulder the wrong way.

Once Dalia was put to bed, Beau helped Kiera take off her shirt so he could assess the damage. It wasn't horrible and the stitches the paramedics gave her were expertly done. He sighed as he dabbed a bit of alcohol on the wound to clean it and bandage it back up for the night.

“Y'know… I don't know what I'd do without you.” He murmured softly, ripping the gauze before he taped it against her shoulder.

Kiera let out a soft breath. “I know.” She lifted a hand to cup Beau's cheek, caressing it softly. “You are quite the diamond, aren't you?” Her eyes were soft and filled with adoration.

Beau fastened the gauze on her, lowering his hand to rest on her arm. “What does that mean?” He asked with a small smile.

“Just that I love you,” Kiera smiled back. “And I could never dream of leaving you. Even if your hands were stained in my blood, I don't think—no, I know—I would smile through the pain.” She glanced away from Beau just as he was about to say something. “But you'd never do that. And that is what makes you a diamond to me.”

Beau couldn't respond to that. What the hell would he even say? ‘Thanks.’ That didn't even begin to cover it. He pulled Kiera into a kiss, something soft but full of emotion.

If things didn't go the way they did, Kiera might've been killed. And, fuck, that thought scared him. He would've been devastated. Dalia would've been practically homeless unless Beau properly adopted her and… well, he knew about the horror of foster homes and— and—

“You're thinking too hard, sweetheart.” Kiera's soothing voice whispered. “What happened happened. I'm alive.” She hooked a finger under his chin.

Beau let out a humorless chuckle and nodded. “I know you are. I do. It's just—”

“Breathe.”

“What?”

“Breathe with me.”

“I don't—”

“You have a punch list or whatever. Do a breathing exercise with me, hm?” Kiera suggested with a slight smile. “And maybe lose the flannel.”

Beau glanced down at his attire and sighed, shaking his head but doing as asked. He stripped off his jeans, boots and flannel and got in bed next to her. She raised a hand to rest over his wildly beating heart.

“Deep breath in.”

Beau drew in a breath.

“Hold it. For… one, two, three, four. Now exhale.”

He exhaled. Simply listening to the sound of her voice calmed him.

“Can you just… keep talking? Please?” Beau asked gently. He could already feel his heart rate slowing.

The edges of Kiera's lips twitched upwards. “About what?”

“Anything.” Beau breathed.

She pursed her lips for a moment. She could talk for hours about any given topic yet found it hard to choose just one. “Well, y'know I really like video games? My favorite is a series called Uncharted which was recently turned into a movie which fuckin’ sucked ass. I mean, they ruined Sully's characters so irrevocably. I understand they're going for a young Nate but goddamn, they really—”

Beau was listening. He was. Well, maybe not exactly. But he loved her voice and maybe, subconsciously, he was taking in the information and filing it away for later so he'd understand what she was talking about in the future.

Eventually, Kiera talked Beau to sleep. He was quite the snorer. Probably something to do with those Texan genes. Not that Kiera had ever met a real Texan before Beau. So she didn't have anything to base that off of besides her own imagination mixed with stereotypes she’s heard.

Perhaps Beau thought the same things about her. As both a transgender woman and a Native American. There were enough stereotypes about that to fill an entire three-hundred page book. He didn’t seem to care about that. Another reason he was a diamond. Someone who didn’t care about her identity—at least, not in that way. In fact, he was quite interested in her heritage and what it all meant. Not to mention, Beau quite liked trying new foods.

Kiera got as comfortable as possible in bed with Beau, being careful with her shoulder and pressed a kiss to his forehead. She imagined Beau would be quite similar to a bear as he slept, big but soft and fluffy. He also really loved to cling to her and nearly always shifted in bed when she tried to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Or maybe Beau was more like a dog. A big dog. Who loved unconditionally. Yeah, that was it.

-------

taglist: @deans-spinster-witch

#oc #jensen ackles #jensen ackles x oc #jensen ackles x reader #transgender #beau arlen #queer #beau arlen x oc #beau arlen x reader #big sky s3 #big sky #big sky fanfiction #trans women #transgirl #native american #native girls

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