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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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i llove this so much!!

leveling the playing field VI

summary: you didn't meet the requirements for the plinth prize, only to find out that you're not just missing out on that- you're missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime. your friend wants to help, because maybe you can help each other.

pairing: coriolanus snow x fem!reader

wc: 3.6k (she's long today DAMN)

tags/warnings: capitol brat!reader, maybe slightly ooc coryo, idk i tried my best. do they love each other or hate each other? who knows (we do, kind of). implications and discussion of abuse, so read with caution!! also a little bit of swearing

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next part

a/n: omg it finally happened?? i couldn't resist anymore i had to :,)

anyway i wanted to pop in for a rare note and say thank you so so much to everyone reading this!! it means so much to me that people are enjoying this as much as i am enjoying writing it :)

so if you are and you wouldn't mind,, please reblog or leave your thoughts in the replies! it really helps me out so that way it can reach more people, and also it really helps motivate me to actually keep writing it bc i'll be reminded people want me to :).

thank you for reading this long ass authors note! and thanks for making it this far in the fic!!

i promise it's not over yet ;) we've still got a long way to go! so hopefully i'll see y'all soon when the next part comes out !

xoxo, raye

You walked back to the academy, still too high on adrenaline to even consider sleeping at that point. By the time Coryo made it back in, it was nearly eight am. You totally understand him wanting to get a bit of extra sleep, considering the night you just had- but who knows how long he was with Dr. Gaul.

Other mentors had started to arrive before he did, and almost everyone made it clear they didn't want to speak with you. You didn't have the energy to chat anyway, you didn't want to. You're endlessly relieved when Coryo arrives, notifying you of his presence with a hand on your shoulder. You jump at this, regardless of his effort to not scare you.

The chair scrapes across the floor and you feel everyone's eyes on you at the dramatic reaction. To him, it really wasn't shocking.

"Sorry- I'm sorry." You chuckle, quickly getting up to give him his spot back.

"Have you slept?" He asks, making no effort to reclaim the desk, noticing how your hands are shaking as you motion for him to sit.

You aren't sure what the safer answer is. Yes, I slept while I was supposed to be watching over Lucy Gray? Or no, I'm still running on the two hours I got a couple of days ago? Neither is very promising, so you decide to just be honest.

"No, uh, I've been watching for Lucy Gray." You point to the screen, unable to control the trembling of your hand as you do. "I couldn't sleep if I wanted to, so I just decided to start drinking coffee a few hours ago. Might as well commit." You explain, trying to force positivity into your tone and a smile on your face.

Coryo eyes you warily. "You should go home. Get some rest."

"No! No, I'm fine." You insist. "I'm not missing it."

"Go home and sleep." He says again, sternly this time. You tend to listen to him when he's commanding so he clung to that approach, but the look in your eyes immediately makes him regret it.

You look down, then back to your seat on the bench. You take a shaky breath before locking eyes with the blonde again. You're full of impulses that contradict each other. To listen to him, to snap and tell him not to speak to you like that, or to storm out and never come back. Realistically, he is under a ridiculous amount of stress. You can't blame him for being a little commandeering. After all, it's what he is meant to do. It's what he's been raised for. "I told you. I can't."

Realization dawns on him and he stares at you for a second, eyes widening. "Right." He nods slightly, shrugging off his coat and holding it out to you. "Just go lay down on the bench." He accentuates his point by shaking the jacket.

You smile, taking it gratefully. "Thank you, Coryo."

"'Course." He nods, finally moving to sit down once you walk away. You settle down on the bench and curl up, your head resting on his bunched-up uniform jacket like it's a pillow. You're not sure you've ever been so comfortable, and you're asleep within a minute.

Coriolanus wonders if his coat will smell like raspberries when you return it.

"What's he doing?" You hear Coryo's accusatory voice before you even open your eyes. As you try and shift, adjusting to the sounds of everyone around you, you come back to reality. No wonder your neck is sore as soon as you sit up, sore from your wooden bed, with no time to really wake up before you're hit with the realization of what's happening on the screen.

"I-I don't know!" Lysistrata says, assumingly replying to him.

You're squinting at the lights as you adjust, the figures of Lucy Gray and Jessup becoming clear as he chases her in her rainbow dress out of the tunnel and across the floor, booking it toward a pile of debris that would allow her to climb up into the stands.

"What's happening?" You ask pointlessly, standing now that you see Coryo is as well.

Lysistrata looks at you, shrugging helplessly as she stands next to Coryo.

"Hey! You promised me that if I-" You start, pacing toward the girl with determination, anger burning up in your chest and in your eyes.

"Y/N/N, wait-" Coriolanus holds his hand out to stop you, effectively his attack dog, from getting any closer. From telling her off for blowing your deal. He squints closer at the screen, not saying a word, just leaving you in a limbo- unsure what to do.

As the camera zooms in on the tribute, his theory is confirmed. Jessup has a white foam surrounding his mouth, and Coryo looks at you knowingly. Had Lucy Gray poisoned him? Surely not, he was her only ally. It was too early to take him out, but maybe she didn't think that through, maybe-

"Rabies." You say, hardly above a whisper, eyes locked back on the screen now as well. "That's why the medications didn't help."

Coriolanus is relieved by this explanation, it makes so much more sense. But only knowing what's wrong doesn't help Lucy Gray, Jessup is still fully feral, chasing her up in the stands on wobbly legs as she makes her way to what is left of a concession stand.

"If she can just stay away, he won't last long in this state." Lysistrata says, looking on with sadness in her eyes. "Poor Jessup..."

"Coryo." You say, ignoring her sympathies, seeing Coryo's mind running miles a minute trying to figure out what to do. "Do you remember those posters in the war? When the rabies breakout happened?" You ask, holding onto his arm, giving him a light shake to snap him out of it. "They said that-"

You don't get to finish before he's reaching for the comunicuff. Water, of course.

"Wait." Lysistrata stops him, grabbing the arm that was reaching for the screen.

"Don't touch him! Jessup's going to die anyway! All we can do is try to keep him away- you just said that!" You fire off at her.

"I know, Y/N." She lets him go, holding her hands out defensively. "Let me do it. He's my tribute, after all."

"Lyssie... You don't have to do that." Coriolanus tells her, and you feel guilty for snapping on her like that. She was just trying to help.

"If Jessup can't win, I want it to be Lucy Gray. That's what he would want, too." She explains, stepping back to her desk, tapping away at the screen and sending in water bottles on faulty drones that are more likely to knock the tributes out and smash the bottle than successfully deliver it to their hand.

Thankfully, this is what you want. You watch quietly as Jessup is bombarded with drones programmed to seek out his features, and Lucy Gray drops behind some of the seats to avoid any flying glass or stray drones. He swings helplessly at them with a board he picked up somewhere along the chase, and you glance at Lyssie for only a second, which is long enough to pick up on the fact that she's crying. God, that's probably your fault.

He trips and falls off the stands, bones audibly cracking on impact. Everyone in the room is silent as Lucy Gray reemerges, climbing down to be at his side.

"God, please don't let him die alone..." Lysistrata whispers, hardly audible even to Coriolanus, who's stood right next to her.

"She won't." He whispers back. "It's not her style."

You swallow, drowning in your own guilt while Lucy Gray is talking to the dying boy, stroking his hair and telling him to go to sleep until his eyes lose all sense of life, chest halting. She closes his eyes gently, which cues the buzzer announcing his death.

"Lyssie..." You stop her as she stands to leave, her eyes glassy. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what you were doing."

She laughs slightly, more tears spilling from her eyes. "Y/N. I know you, okay? I get it. Don't apologize if you don't mean it." Until she finished speaking, you didn't realize her laughs were bitter. "You can't keep taking out your anger issues on everyone else. I'm sick of it, everyone is sick of it- sick of you." She says, not giving you the chance to defend yourself before she's gone. You did mean it, but it's not like she'd ever believe that. You had done this to yourself.

You straighten your shoulders, turning to face the screen again. "Lysistrata will come around." Coryo says, sensing the tension radiating off your skin like a heater.

You just slightly shake your head. "Maybe I... Maybe I should go home. Just for a bit." You say, but it comes out more as a question.

"You should stay." He states, offhandedly sending some food in for Lucy Gray before turning to face you fully. He could guess why you don't want to go home, whether or not you were explicitly told to not return until the games were done, though, he doesn't know. Either way, for him, it wasn't worth the risk.

"Actually, yeah, you're right." You sniff. "I'm just having a moment. I'll be fine." You force a smile, blinking rapidly to push back those stubborn tears that wanted to spill.

"No, no that's not what I meant. I just meant..." Coryo trails off.

"It's okay." You smile and nod. "Can I just get some air, then? I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Please. Don't rush on my account." He nods. "But don't stray too far."

"Yes sir, Mister President." You joke, giving him a lazy salute before heading for the door.

You had been gone for a while, far too long for Coriolanus's comfort. Lucy Gray retreated into the tunnels after receiving the food he sent and seeing Reaper come back into the clearing. Now, with Lucky rambling on about the weather again, he felt like he would snap.

He double-checks once more that Lucy Gray is, in fact, still hiding, before he gets up to go after you.

It doesn't take Coryo long to find you, due to him tracking down the sound of crying in the hall. No doubt in his mind it was you, but he'd never seen you cry before.

You stop at the sound of footsteps, frantically wiping your eyes and nose on your sleeve as you make an effort to stand. By then, he's in front of you.

"Don't get up." He says, crouching down in front of you. He doesn't know what to say, he doesn't know exactly why you're crying, or how to help. He wishes he did, he would do just about anything. "What do you need?"

You shake your head, forcing a smile and trying to stand anyway. Coryo stops you with a hand on your shoulder. "I-I don't.." You start, but as soon as you speak the tears start flowing again and you feel like you can't breathe.

"It's okay. Hey, you're okay." He says, pulling you into his arms, effectively onto his lap as he sits back. One thing he knows that works with you is a hug- it's all he can do while he thinks over what could be the root of your problem, or was it just that Lysistrata's comment pushed you over the edge? You were overtired, overworked, and this easily could have been the last straw.

Through your tears, you try to tell him that you're fine, but you just stutter and spit and you know you're a mess- a mortification to your family.

"I'm not sick of you, Y/N." Coryo says, rubbing your back. Feeling your hair between his fingers and trying not to tangle it or pull it by mistake. "I could never get sick of you."

It surprises him when you laugh. Of all things, a laugh. It was just so you.

His statement was more of a confession to himself than to you, and when you pull back he's scared. Was it not about that? Was he way off base, or incredibly unhelpful and somehow offended you?

You sniff, wiping your eyes again. "Thanks," You chuckle, shaking your head. "But you don't have to say that."

Coryo tilts his head, confusion knitted into his expression. "I do." He insists, able to look into your eyes now. "I have to tell you that because it's the truth."

You sigh, smiling slightly. Sadly. "You don't see it."

"See it? See what?"

You just shrug, making no attempts to move away. His hands on you, the feeling of him almost surrounding you is comforting. You want to live in it forever, but you know you can't. "Just... That I'm me, I guess." You say, voice cracking. "You're unflinching to it." You're abrasive sometimes, defensive, and some would call you an overall angry person. He doesn't see you that way, and you're not sure why. Today you were slapped in the face with the fact that your actions have consequences more serious than what your parents can make up for with money or unwritten agreements.

"What's wrong with being you?" He asks rhetorically, not giving you a chance for you to argue before he continues. "You did the right thing. They're jealous- that's all it is. None of them fight for what they want like you, they just sit around and wait for it to be handed to them on a silver platter, and you could too, but you're better than that. You're better than them. Stronger than them."

With his hands now moved up to your shoulders, he's shaking you gently, trying to get your mind to soak in what he's telling you. To believe it, because he knows he's right. The reason others avoid you is the very reason he is drawn to you- your ambition is unmatched, except, maybe, by his own.

"Do you understand, Y/N?" Coryo asks, pressing one hand to your cheek and staring deep into your eyes as if he could somehow look into your mind and grab hold of what Lysistrata said, replacing it with his vision of who you are. "You are perfect. They are fools."

Your smile had gone, ready to fight his point, but it returned by the time his rant was done, blush creeping its way across your cheeks and over your nose. "Perfect is a bit of a strong word." You speak softly. "Don't you think?"

"No. I don't." He shakes his head slightly, running his thumb across your cheek to wipe away a stray tear.

The air became thick with everything he said circulating in your head like a carousel. A relentless spinning cycle with Coryo's every word circling around itself and caging in your panic. The spinning seemed to slow after a moment, as if giving you a chance to catch your breath.

Seemingly, in your experience with him, compliments were few and far between. To others, anyway. Not that you were keeping track, but if receiving compliments from Coriolanus Snow was a race you would be winning by a mile, and that's exactly what it felt like every time.

He tilts your chin up again, the same way he had just a couple of days ago in the arena, drawing your eyes back to his. It takes every ounce of his focus to keep his hand from shaking.

Truth be told, the desperate honesty in his eyes was enough to convince you he was right. You are better than them, smarter than them, stronger than them. If Lysistrata and your other classmates chose to hate you for that, that was because of fear. You'd be lying if you tried to say it didn't make you feel better, even powerful. Coriolanus thought it was right, so how could it not be?

You smile, nodding slightly within his grasp. "You're right, aren't you?"

"Always." He validates your entire thought process just like that.

You can't help it anymore. The power of his words push you past the brink, leaning forward to meet his lips with your own. Coryo pulls you forward with his firm and gentle hold on your cheek, meeting you half way. And as he kisses you, heart pounding out of his chest, you both feel fucking invincible.

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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my ffav fanfic atm

leveling the playing field V

pairing: coriolanus snow x fem!reader

wc: 3.6k (she's long today DAMN)

masterlists // nav // requests

join my taglist here

a/n: head empty, no thoughts. only this fic. but i should say if you enjoy it please reblog!! it means so much to us as writers, and who knows! maybe one of your mutuals is missing out on their future favourite fic ;)

next part

You're about to walk out the door, heading to the academy to meet Coryo before the games start. To try and prepare as best you can.

"Y/N, wait." Your dad stops you as you reach for the handle, and you quickly turn to him.

"Yes?" You know better than to rush him, but you already were running slightly behind schedule.

"Good luck today." He says and you nod at him.

"Thank you."

"And don't let Coriolanus down." There it is. "He is helping you, he didn't have to do that. Don't ruin this for him. If he needs anything, get it for him. If he tells you to jump, ask how high. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." You nod, a pit forming in your stomach. The pressure was on, not that it wasn't already, but now it was so much more real.

"Now, hurry up. Don't keep him waiting." He dismisses you, and you don't have to be told twice.

When you reach the academy, you rush inside. You were always rushing places, these days. The building was almost deserted, it was still quite early, but only two minutes until the time you agreed to meet Coryo in the courtyard. The Games were set to start in just under three hours, and you weren't sure what you would fill that time with, but that is what he asked of you so that is what you will do.

The last you had seen him was only about four or so hours ago, when he walked you home after stopping at the zoo to bring Lucy Gray the arena layout and he gave her a compact. One she promised to give back after the games, after crying over what today would bring. You felt bad, but mostly because you felt it was somewhat inconvenient that she would waste time over tears when you had important information for her on where to go and how to hide. This was valuable to her. Every moment counted if she wanted to walk out of the arena alive.

You spot Coryo pacing the courtyard through the window before you push it open, stepping out onto the path as the cool air brushes over your skin. It was July, but the mornings were still crisp.

"Sorry I'm almost late, I-"

"It's okay." He interrupts you as you get closer. He really only wanted you there for company, and he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep in this time anyway. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, if a little tired." You shrug. "You?"

"Fine." He echoes your answer, just standing there staring at you in the silence. He really wasn't afraid of silence- but you were.

"What about your back? Recovering okay? I have some extra morphing if you're in pain." You offer, already reaching for your bag just for the sake of giving yourself something to do with your hands.

Confusion takes over his features. "Morphling?" He asks, brow furrowed. "Why do you have that on you?"

"Migraines, twisted ankles, cramps..." You answer. "You never know when you'll need some." You hold the small tube out to him, but he shakes his head, pushing your hand down.

He was sore, it wouldn't hurt, but something about taking it from you felt wrong. "No thank you, I'm fine." It would make sense that you would have it, though it was only accessible by prescription. It was likely your dad who prescribed it to you, if only so you could have it on hand. Or because he knows how often you're hurting, or he doesn't want you acting hurt- exposing the irony of having an abusive father who's also the most sought-after doctor in all of the Capitol. Morphling numbs the body, but also the mind. It's highly addictive, expensive to those who could access it, and not for the faint of heart- but you showed no signs of addiction. You must not take it often, therefore there's no real reason for him to be worried.

"Suit yourself." You shrug, tucking the vial away again. "Let me know if you change your mind. We have a long day ahead."

He nods in confirmation, joining you as you sit down on a bench nearby. "What did you give Lucy Gray last night, anyway?"

"A compact?" He feigns confusion, knowing the true implications of your question.

"Duh, Mister President." You tease. "I meant what was in it?"

Coryo chews on the inside of his cheek, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He has to answer casually, lest face your anger issues when he shows any guilt about cheating. "Uh, nothing." That wasn't a total lie, he just left out the part where he implied that Lucy Gray could find something within the cage at the zoo that would fit nicely in it, something like rat poison.

"Nothing?" You ask, raising an eyebrow at him. "You just gave her that as a gift?"

"Something like that." He shrugs, and your expression reads as though you're not buying it. "If she happened to find something to put in it, something that could help her, that would be just an unrelated convenience."

You freeze, staring at him in disbelief. "Coryo." You whisper, slapping his shoulder to get him to look at you as you read between the lines. "Something like rat poison? That's cheating! Are you kidding me right now?"

"What?" He defends, sitting up straighter as he looks over at you again. "It's my only shot! If she doesn't win, I can kiss the prize goodbye."

"It's not about her winning, Coriolanus. It's about the efficacy of the mentorship! Dean Highbottom said-"

"Dean Highbottom despises me, winning is the only thing I can do to get him to even glance at my mentorship as an option." He argues and you groan, burying your face in your hands.

He watches you, and suddenly feels regret for his decision. If only because you didn't approve of his actions. "Okay." You sigh, dropping your hands into your lap again and sitting up straighter. "Okay. We can work with it. As long as she is smart about it, we won't get caught. And like you said, we didn't do anything. It was just a gift."

"I warned her. She knows." He assures you. Really, there's no harm done unless you get caught. And should Lucy Gray become the victor, your life plan will fall beautifully into place. It will be worth it, you're ashamed you didn't think of such a thing first.

After everyone else arrived, the two of you decided to make a fashionably late entrance, walking into the newly decorated hall, containing many students and professors alike, the large screens against the back wall displaying all of the remaining tributes and the Hunger Games logo, where the games themselves will be aired. You were excited and scared all at once.

"Y/N, Coriolanus." Dean Highbottom greets you as you enter, taking in the atmosphere. Both of you grace him with just a nod. "I'd advise you to tell your friend Sejanus to find a seat near the door..." He adds quietly before walking off, leaving the two of you confused.

Coryo doesn't seem to think too much about it, just heading down the stairs. You follow behind him, head held high to counteract any of your peer's bitter staring or laughs. Everyone knew you didn't qualify for a mentorship, and to most, you just appeared to be following Coriolanus Snow around like a lost puppy, hoping to get the scraps of his success.

They won't be laughing when you are Head Gamemaker, that's for sure. But even then, will that not also be the scraps of his success? Him appointing you to the job of your dreams after his inauguration, will that not appear to be out of bias or pity? This isn't a question you have time to let bother you. Your future starts today.

When the games are about to start, you follow Coryo over while he decides which desk to take, deciding on one in the back row close to where you will be sitting. "Good luck." You grin, placing a hand on his forearm.

He looks down at where your hand is brushing over his coat sleeve and he nods.

You get closer, standing on your tip-toes to whisper to him. "Snow lands on top."

A small smile forms on his face. "Snow lands on top." He whispers back, grabbing your hand for only a moment, afraid of the Dean or Dr. Gaul taking notice. That would only serve to get you both in trouble.

You sit in the first row of benches where Coryo can see you, can easily look to you for help. He's grateful to have you in his peripheral, knowing that you're there, and you're not leaving, is what he didn't realize he really needed.

You both watch silently as the tributes walk out to their designated spots surrounding the pile of rubble in the center of the arena. You were there just last night, but now it looks scarier- even in the light of day. Maybe it's because you know what you are about to witness. All you can do is hope Lucy Gray won't be the first down.

Your heart drops into your stomach when the camera pans to show Sejanus's tribute- the one who escaped, hung from a beam by both his wrists. It's hard to look at, and along with the gasps that echo through the hall and Lucky's commentary, you hear a chair scraping and your eyes land on Sejanus, who's now standing in the middle of the room. He's seething, you can see it in the exaggerated rise and fall of his chest and in the contraction of seemingly every muscle in his body. That's what Dean Highbottom meant- he knew Sejanus would be leaving quickly. You stand as well, your intuition telling you he won't be leaving quietly. Neither would you, if you were in his place.

In a second, Sejanus is throwing his desk and everything on it at the large screen in front of him, screaming in anger. "You're all monsters!"

You find your feet carrying you toward the screaming boy, but he's shoving past you to leave before you get the chance to talk to him. Hug him, something. You stumble back at the contact, able to save yourself from falling as your eyes follow Sejanus out the door.

Coryo saw you get knocked back by the force of Sejanus's misplaced rage, and he wanted to check on you. Make sure you are okay, but the games are about to start. He promised Dr. Gaul that you would receive no sympathies from him, and her eyes are burning into both of your backs so he settles for shaking his head at you when you look like you want to follow Sejanus. Doing so would not only leave him alone, but sympathizing with him would align you with his attitudes, however irrelevant to your own opinions.

"Y/N." Coryo says to you, and when you look at him he shakes his head. Stay, he's saying. It's like he can read your mind. But he needs you to stay.

Surely, Sejanus needs you more. Surely, it would just be a few minutes. Then you remember what your father told you this morning and you smooth your shirt back down, returning to your seat. The games hadn't even started yet, and you're already facing hard decisions.

"You should go home." Coriolanus mutters to you, readjusting his posture in the uncomfortable chair.

"Huh?" You ask, looking up at him from where you're sitting on the floor next to his desk. After everyone else left, there was no use in sitting so far away when you could finally talk candidly about the events of the day.

"Go home." He repeats and you shake your head, attempting to salvage what was left of your hairstyle, which was carefully pinned back this morning.

"I can't, I'll stay. You can go home." You reply, looking up at the screen again. Nothing new had happened in a long time- but you didn't want to miss it if it did.

"Why not?" He yawns.

"My parents are expecting me to stay with you until it's over." You explain.

Coryo sighs, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "I'd invite you to stay with me, but we aren't prepared for guests." Neglecting to mention, of course, the unmaintained mess the Snow apartment had turned into over the last twelve or so years.

"Of course, I wouldn't expect that of you. One of us should be here anyway." You wave it off. "Go home, get some rest."

As soon as he's packed up and left, insisting he won't be gone for long, you make yourself comfortable in his chair with your eyes trained on the screen. You have to stay awake. Lucy Gray could make an appearance any second in search of water, food, anything. You have to stay alert. You can't let Coryo down.

You're jolted awake by the sound of gravel crunching under footsteps, echoing over the speakers from microphones inside the arena. Shit. You fell asleep, you weren't supposed to fall asleep. Immediately you're looking for Lucy Gray onscreen, looking for her body, looking for any sign of her but you see none. If there had been a fight, if she had been screaming, that would have woken you up before footsteps did.

You squint to see what's going on, eyes landing on two figures in the middle of the arena, under the beam that Lamina is lying on, still seemingly asleep. The hair on the back of your neck stands up when you realize who the two people are. Sejanus and Coryo. Your friends. Inside the arena, standing over the body of Sejanus's tribute. You recall that one of the female tributes, Lamina, had killed him and cut him down. You suspected that he asked her to- so what were the boys doing in there?

You can't tear your eyes away- what can you even do? They're talking too quietly for the microphones to pick up. Why are they even there? If Coriolanus had planned this he would have told you. This is too reckless, even for him.

You're not helping by sitting and watching. You have to get there.

Abandoning your bag, you walk as fast as you can manage out of the Academy building before making a run for it, heading in the direction of the arena. You don't even have a plan as to what you'll do when you get there. Do you go in? You'll be risking your life without a doubt. You can't risk calling them, you'll practically be summoning the most violent and angry of the tributes right to them, and to you.

When you see the arena, there are people standing outside and several peacekeeper trucks. At least people know.

"What the hell is happening?" You ask, walking up to the first person you see. A peacekeeper.

"You can't be here, Miss. You have to go." They start to push you back and you shove them away by the front of their helmet.

"Don't touch me! My friends are in there and I need to know what's happening right now!" You're trying to keep your voice down, but you need answers- urgently.

"Miss Y/L/N," You hear Dr. Gaul's voice and the peacekeeper lets you go, motioning for you to go over and join her where she is standing with the Dean, and people you recognize as Sejanus's parents are standing by a black vehicle nearby.

"What's going on?" You ask again, firmly as you walk up to the group.

"Sejanus got inside, we don't know who let him in. Coriolanus went in to coax him out."

"What? Why not send peacekeepers? Coriolanus could die in there and you let him go anyway?" It's hard to even believe they would allow a student to walk into harm's way like that. And not just any student, either. Coriolanus Snow.

"If we sent in peacekeepers Sejanus would run. Coriolanus is the only one he would trust so they could leave unnoticed." Dean Highbottom explains.

You scoff, pointing into the gates. "Then why are they still in there?"

"Sejanus is in a difficult place right now, Miss Y/L/N-"

"Yeah. Fuck this." You roll your eyes, taking off your blazer and dropping it on the ground before rolling up your sleeves, and making your way over to the gate.

"Miss Y/L/N, you can't go in there." Dr. Gaul half-heartedly tries to stop you.

"Watch me." You state and the peacekeepers open the gate, letting you in. She must have allowed them to, otherwise they wouldn't.

You're mindful of your steps, trying to be as quiet as possible. You hop over the turnstiles, your landing making the two boys' heads snap toward you.

"It's just me." You whisper, knowing they can't see you in the dark but the large open space will still carry your voice.

"Y/N?" You hear Coryo reply, clearly confused.

"Yeah. We have to go, come on. Come with me."

"Go back!" He hisses. "You can't be here!"

"Neither can you!" Now is not the time for fighting. For once, he needs to listen to you.

He just huffs, turning back to Sejanus, you're assuming to try and talk him down.

"Okay, I've got a plan." You say this time walking back through the bars, triggering the mechanism.

Enjoy the show!

You try not to wince at the loudness of the voice, knowing by now that any nearby tributes must have heard that. If the Coral's pack had heard, clearly being the biggest threat, they'd be here soon so you pick up your pace, running back to the bars that surround the arena in one large circle.

Coryo is calling you to try and get you to stop, to leave, but his whispers don't make it to you anymore.

"Give up?" Dean Highbottom asks you from the other side, and you pick up a large rock from the ground.

"Nope." You shake your head, beginning to walk around the outside, far from the entrance before you start banging it against every bar you walk past. Just for fun, you begin to sing one of Lucy Gray's songs. Maybe, that will be less obvious of a diversion.

When Coriolanus and Sejanus hear the ruckus you're making outside, the banging accompanied by the sound of your voice moving slowly around the outside of the large arena, they look at each other in a mutual panic.

"Sejanus, please. We have to go now." Coriolanus pleads with him, and he looks back down at Marcus for a moment before nodding.

"But we're taking Marcus with us."

"Okay, whatever. Yes." Coriolanus agrees desperately, already grabbing the boy's legs.

They start to carry him toward the exit, picking up pace as they hear that your diversion has worked, echoing voices working their way around the outside of the arena. That's Coryo's primary concern- until they hear what can only be attributed to a war cry from behind them, another tribute with a large knife sprinting after them.

Wordlessly, they both drop Marcus and start to run.

Once you heard what you were sure was Coral's group running up behind you, still out of view, you changed your tune.

"Gem of Panem, mighty city, through the ages you shine anew!"

With this, you hear their confusion and anger increase tenfold, along with their speed.

You start running, dragging the rock along every bar.

"Come back, Capitol Princess! What are you so afraid of?" You hear Coral's familiar voice shout at you, getting closer.

They're laughing now, following you around the outside of the arena. Hopefully, Coryo is out because now it's a race. You're on the opposite side now, and have a long way to go to get back around. You ditch the rock, picking up a full sprint.

You can hear them gaining on you with every step, and you ditch your pride and start to yell about halfway back. "Open the gate!" You scream, hoping someone can hear you, and open it for you to make a quick escape. Every inch you have on the three tributes following you counts, and you're losing that valuable space very quickly. You've never been much of an athlete.

You round the side of the building, seeing the gate partially open, and Coryo is standing there holding a hand out to you. "Y/N/N! Come on!"

As soon as you get close enough he grabs your arm and pulls you through, yanking you back as the peacekeepers slam the gate again in the faces of the tributes. Barbarically they slam their weapons against the bars, making you jump as you crash into Coryo's chest. He's got his arms around you now, holding the back of your head protectively as they eventually give up and walk away, stalking off like a pack of wild animals who had lost their prey; except you don't think they planned on eating you. Just killing you for the fun of it, to leave your family and the city tortured the same way it was over the murder of Arachne Crane.

You're breathing heavily and you can hear your heartbeat pounding in your head, maybe it's his. You can't even really tell.

"You shouldn't have done that." He mumbles to you, gripping onto you as tight as ever. He wants to scold you, tell you that you were too reckless for your own good. That you could have been killed; but he can't. He doesn't care. In this moment, he is only concerned with one thing. "Are you alright?"

You inhale, trying to focus on slowing your laboured breaths as you nod against his shoulder. You couldn't speak, even if you wanted to. You couldn't argue with him and tell him you were only trying to help, and you would argue that you did.

"Coriolanus." Dr. Gaul says, walking up and looking him over. "You'll need stitches, come back with me to my lab." She instructs and he lets you go.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asks, pushing your hair back out of your eyes to look at you more clearly. You just nod, biting on the inside of your cheek.

"Fine." You assure him quietly, heart still racing behind your ribs. "Go get stitched up."

taglist: @keziahcore, @kitscutie, @annaelise, @serrendiipty, @babyspice6, @fratboyharrysgf0201, @totallynotkaibiased, @stelleduarte, @klplynn, @secretsicanthideanymore, @bejeweledreverie, @gloryekaterina, @andrewgarfieldsbitch, @queenofspades6, @pixiepopz, @pepperonipastas, @ladybug0095, @lunamothwrites, @nhlfs, @sbrewer21, @mus-tbe-a-weasley, @splxtscreen, @unclecrunkle, @karmaswitch, @sunghoonsbakery, @coconut-dreamz, @nekee-lilac02, @ooooglymoooogly, @riddlerloveb0t, @lovedbalances, @notyourwildestdream, @snowlandson-top, @too-lit-for-fanfic, @utopiakys, @@deafeningballoonnacho, @roosterschanelslut, @impeterporker, @chmpgneprblem, @cosmoetik, @http-ilysm, @Lauravanderbooben20, @dry0campa, @luclue, @lokidala, @urvampgfsworld, @carolanns-world @nan-nie, @ulookhotasf, @shakespearseclipse, @iovemoonyy, @yunloyal, @notyoursweetheart-honey

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fill out my form linked here to join my taglist!

#coriolanus snow

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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i watched tbosas a few days ago and im OBSESSED. i cant think of anything else

Anyone interested in a young coriolanus snow fic??

#coriolanus x reader #tbosas #tbosas fanfiction #coriolanus snow fanfiction

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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TBOSAS Masterlist

➵Young Coriolanus Snow

coming soon

#coriolanus snow #coriolanus x reader #tbosas #tbosas fanfiction #coriolanus snow fanfiction

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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sigh

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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Anyone interested in a I can see you by Taylor Swift inspired Dean Wichester fanfic? Will probably have multiple parts. I just started watching Supernatural and I'm obsessed.

#shakespearseclipse #supernatural #dean winchester #i can see you #speak now tv #taylor swift

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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No one has to know what we do

Summary: Kinda just a prologue, there is not a lot happening, basically reader is Azriels sister and its a modern!au

A/N: Hi guys! My first acotar fanfic wow! I just NEEDED to write for our Highlord. There are not nearly enough fanfics about him and Im so seriously in love with him its not healthy. As always, constructive criticism is appreciated!

Anyone interested in me posting a part 2?

Being Azriel's slightly younger sister, you were not a stranger to his two best friends, well, they were more like brothers really. Cassian and you had always had a sibling-like relationship, but it has always been different between Rhys and you.

When all four of you were children, you would steal both Azriels and Cassians things without even thinking about asking them. When you wanted to borrow something from Rhys, however, you would put on your cutest face, eyes wide, lips slightly curved into a smile, and ask him nicely.

When the four of you were growing up, your three former best friends and you drifted apart slightly. You quickly found your own friends and didn't spend much time with the trio. But the separation did nothing to end your little crush. Quite the opposite happened, whenever you would see Rhys, you would become overly nervous and giggle.

The year you turned eightteen and the boys turned nineteen was horrible for your relationship with Azriel. It was the year you brought home your first official boyfriend. You had given up on your stupid fantasy of Rhys falling for you and decided to move on. Your parents weren't overly interested in your boyfriend and you were stupid enough to think that your brother wouldn't either.

One evening, not long after introducing him to your parents, thinking you were home alone, you invited your boyfriend, Tamlin, over. At first, everything seemed to be going well. The two of you ending up on the couch with him on top of you, kissing slowly.

"I still don't get how exactly you managed to tear down the building at the lake, Cass, but-"

Rhys deep voice was silented pretty quickly, when the trio entered the living room, taking in the scene before them, all of them seemingly in a trance. Their expression of utter shock would have been funny, had you not been in a compromising position underneath your boyfriend. You quickly pushed him off, standing up and clearing your throat.

"Hi", you croaked out.

"Hi? Hi? That's what you say after I find you with his tongue down your throat?", Azriel practically spat out, trying and horribly failing to stay calm.

"I think it's best if you leave", you quietly said to Tamlin, trying to get him out before your brother would do something he'd regret.

"Why should I leave? I'm not scared of your brother."

Idiot. Stupid Idiot with a death wish.

Before Azriel could react to the most stupid thing anyone has ever said, Rhysand stepped forward, radiating just as much rage as Az, but seemingly keeping it concealed beneath calm exterior.

"Maybe you should be. If you think you'll win this fight, be my guest. I won't be the one wearing a body cast.", he casually shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips as he imagined your boyfriend in a cast.

Apparently, Tamlin wasn't as fearless as he claimed to be. He swallowed heavily before looking to the floor and leaving without another glance in your direction.

The second Tamlin had left the room, three pairs of eyes strayed to you.

"Since when do you have a boyfriend?", Cassian asked in as nice a tone as he could manage. He didn't exactly love the image of you making out with someone, but he did wish to ease the horrible tension which had befallen the room.

Clearing your throat, you answered: "I've known him a few weeks now."

"Who cares? Why are you going around kissing people? When I was your age-", Azriel started

"Oh please, when you were my age you practically banged the whole neighborhood.", you said, getting slightly agitated with your older brother. The hypocrisy!

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things to do."

You could feel three disbelieving stares on your back as you left the room. Just before closing your bedroom door, you could hear Cassians booming laughter.

"Oh she's definitely going to be a lot of trouble for you, Az. When did she become so feisty?", Cassian managed to get out before continuing to laugh.

"Shut up."

Rhysand stayed silent. His mind was jumping back and forth between being pissed about you kissing someone else and the way you just left the three of them standing there afterwards.

"You both have to promise me something.", Az said slowly.

Cassian had managed to stop laughing by then and both Rhys and him were looking at their brother with a question in their eyes.

"No matter what fucking happens, neither of you can ever start anything with my sister"

#rhysand x reader #acotar fanfiction #acotar #rhysand #acotar fic #modern!au #acotar modern au

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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No one has to know what we do

Summary: Kinda just a prologue, there is not a lot happening, basically reader is Azriels sister and its a modern!au

Anyone interested in me posting a part 2?

"I still don't get how exactly you managed to tear down the building at the lake, Cass, but-"

"Hi", you croaked out.

"Hi? Hi? That's what you say after I find you with his tongue down your throat?", Azriel practically spat out, trying and horribly failing to stay calm.

"I think it's best if you leave", you quietly said to Tamlin, trying to get him out before your brother would do something he'd regret.

"Why should I leave? I'm not scared of your brother."

Idiot. Stupid Idiot with a death wish.

Before Azriel could react to the most stupid thing anyone has ever said, Rhysand stepped forward, radiating just as much rage as Az, but seemingly keeping it concealed beneath calm exterior.

Apparently, Tamlin wasn't as fearless as he claimed to be. He swallowed heavily before looking to the floor and leaving without another glance in your direction.

The second Tamlin had left the room, three pairs of eyes strayed to you.

Clearing your throat, you answered: "I've known him a few weeks now."

"Who cares? Why are you going around kissing people? When I was your age-", Azriel started

"Oh please, when you were my age you practically banged the whole neighborhood.", you said, getting slightly agitated with your older brother. The hypocrisy!

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things to do."

You could feel three disbelieving stares on your back as you left the room. Just before closing your bedroom door, you could hear Cassians booming laughter.

"Oh she's definitely going to be a lot of trouble for you, Az. When did she become so feisty?", Cassian managed to get out before continuing to laugh.

"Shut up."

Rhysand stayed silent. His mind was jumping back and forth between being pissed about you kissing someone else and the way you just left the three of them standing there afterwards.

"You both have to promise me something.", Az said slowly.

Cassian had managed to stop laughing by then and both Rhys and him were looking at their brother with a question in their eyes.

"No matter what fucking happens, neither of you can ever start anything with my sister"

#acotar fanfiction #acotar #rhysand #rhysand x reader #acotar fic #modern!au #acotar modern au

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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Acotar Masterlist

➵Rhysand

No one has to know what we do

#acotar #acotar fanfiction #rhysand #rhysand x reader

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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Cause I know that it’s delicate

Summary: Nikolai and y/n have been friends and nothing more. But what happens, when the feelings between them change? Part ll of Is it chill that you’re in my head?

Warnings: None

Author’s Note: After WEEKS I finally present part two. Constructive criticism is always appreciated since this is the first thing I've posted online.

Nikolai regretted leaving you standing at the lake within five minutes, but he found it quite stupid to go back now. So, he continued his walk towards his room. His mind couldn’t decide what to think about. It was like watching a tennis match between you in that dress and that stupid guy that had asked you out and whether you said yes or no.

He was such an idiot. He should’ve done something to stop that Inferni from asking you out. Nikolai didn’t trust that guy and besides, his best friend deserved something better. Like a king maybe. There was a slight possibility that Tamar had been right and he did have feelings for y/n. After brooding for what seemed to be another hour, he decided to seek you out.

You hadn’t been on any dates for quite a while. Trying to help your new king, you spent most of your time with Nikolai, not having a lot of time for your love life. The prospect of going on a date filled you with anticipation, though your thoughts always swayed back to a certain blond. The way he looked today seemed to be glued to the inside of your brain. Your mind kept switching between thinking about his arms, his back and his abs. God you felt like your head was going to explode with how red your cheeks were. Genya, whom you had asked to help you get ready, misinterpreted your more than noticeable blush.

“The way you’re looking right now, this guy has to be the most gorgeous man you’ve ever seen.”

“What? No, I wasn’t thinking about… Actually, I was thinking about the way Nikolai acted today. It was a little confusing.”

Genya had a huge smirk plastered on her face.

“You’re about to go on a date with someone, and everything you can think about is Nikolai?”

“Don’t say it like that.”

Genya’s smirk grew even more, if possible.

“Oh, come on, everyone knows how infatuated you are with each other.”

“He’s not infatuated with me, we are friends and nothing more.”

“Y/n darling I hate to break it to you, but you can be as oblivious as a goose.”

“A goose?”

“Oh, you know what I mean. Did you know that some of us have bets going on about who will confess their feelings first.”

“Well, that’s lovely. You’re telling me my love life is so pathetic you guys are betting on it?”

You were growing a little impatient with Genya. First, she was trying to tell you that Nikolai was in love with you, which was impossible, right? Yes, he was often flirting with you, but that was just how your friendship worked. Plus, he was king and couldn’t be in a relationship with a heartrender. While Grisha were generally more accepted in Ravka than for example in Fjerda, a Grisha could never sit on the Throne. Why were you even thinking about this? Genya had really gotten into your head. Nikolai wasn’t in love with you, end of discussion.

“Either way, I have to be on my way now or I’ll be late to my date with Dmitri.”

“Dmitri? He’s a nice guy. Although I suppose a certain king is a little more appealing to you, considering how hard you were staring at him the second he took off his shirt.”

“You were at the lake today?”

Genya snickered. “Oh, yes. Though I could have probably seen your staring from a mile away.”

“Will you stop it? You’ve obviously been in the workshops with David too often and lost your mind.”

“If that makes you happy. Have fun on your date.”

Dmitri and you had a lot of fun and tons of things to talk about, and the hours between afternoon and evening had become blurry by the time the two of you decided to eat dinner together. Walking side by side, his hand occasionally brushing yours, you couldn’t help but think about how nice this felt. Even though you had banished Nikolai from your mind during the date, thoughts of him were in the back of your head, waiting to jump back into the front of your mind. But you wouldn’t think of him. Not when you were having such a great time with Dmitri. After a dinner with lots of laughter and jokes, Dmitri offered to bring you back to your room.

“So, I had a great time today.” you tentatively began.

“Yes! Me too. I’d like to go out with you again if you’re up for it.” He seemed happy that you had brought the topic up. Before you could open the door to your room, he quickly took your hand and placed a chaste kiss on the top of your hand.

“Goodnight.”

He was gone before you could reply. Cheeks still a little rosy from his kiss, you went into your room and closed the door behind you.

"How was your date?"

"Saints! Nikolai what are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you obviously. So, how was your date?"

Nikolai was laying on your bed as if it was his. Well, since he was the king, it probably did belong to him. He looked at you expectantly, waiting for you to answer his question.

"It was ... nice"

He nodded slowly, as if in deep thought.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

His eyes snapped up to yours as he started to make his way over to you. A grin was forming on his stupidly beautiful face.

"I wanted to talk about how freakishly handsome I am." You couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from your lips.

"I always knew you were vain but breaking into my bedroom to talk about your appearance seems like a new low to me."

By now he had reached you, standing close, leaning slightly towards you, so that your faces were only breaths apart. Both of your faces turned serious again, both breathing the same air.

"Y/n, when you agreed to going on a date with this guy I could only think of two things. How much I hated that guy and how stupid I was for letting him get to you first. I wanted to be the one to make you laugh. I wanted to be the one to take you out for dinner. If you don't feel the same -"

"Shut up" You breathed out before grabbing the kings collar and pulling his lips against yours. He immediately answered your kiss. Wrapping his arms around your waist while yours were tangled in his hair. When you both broke apart to catch your breath, Nikolai looked were happy with himself.

"Now lets get back to the reason I came in here." You raised your eyebrows in question.

"How freakishly handsome I am"

"Oh shut up" You said before pulling him in for another kiss. He smiled against your lips and you felt as if you were on top of the world.

Tags:

@going-through-shit

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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Cause I know that it’s delicate

Summary: Nikolai and y/n have been friends and nothing more. But what happens, when the feelings between them change? Part ll of Is it chill that you’re in my head?

Warnings: None

Author’s Note: After WEEKS I finally present part two. Constructive criticism is always appreciated since this is the first thing I've posted online.

“The way you’re looking right now, this guy has to be the most gorgeous man you’ve ever seen.”

“What? No, I wasn’t thinking about… Actually, I was thinking about the way Nikolai acted today. It was a little confusing.”

Genya had a huge smirk plastered on her face.

“You’re about to go on a date with someone, and everything you can think about is Nikolai?”

“Don’t say it like that.”

Genya’s smirk grew even more, if possible.

“Oh, come on, everyone knows how infatuated you are with each other.”

“He’s not infatuated with me, we are friends and nothing more.”

“Y/n darling I hate to break it to you, but you can be as oblivious as a goose.”

“A goose?”

“Oh, you know what I mean. Did you know that some of us have bets going on about who will confess their feelings first.”

“Well, that’s lovely. You’re telling me my love life is so pathetic you guys are betting on it?”

“Either way, I have to be on my way now or I’ll be late to my date with Dmitri.”

“Dmitri? He’s a nice guy. Although I suppose a certain king is a little more appealing to you, considering how hard you were staring at him the second he took off his shirt.”

“You were at the lake today?”

Genya snickered. “Oh, yes. Though I could have probably seen your staring from a mile away.”

“Will you stop it? You’ve obviously been in the workshops with David too often and lost your mind.”

“If that makes you happy. Have fun on your date.”

“So, I had a great time today.” you tentatively began.

“Goodnight.”

He was gone before you could reply. Cheeks still a little rosy from his kiss, you went into your room and closed the door behind you.

"How was your date?"

"Saints! Nikolai what are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you obviously. So, how was your date?"

Nikolai was laying on your bed as if it was his. Well, since he was the king, it probably did belong to him. He looked at you expectantly, waiting for you to answer his question.

"It was ... nice"

He nodded slowly, as if in deep thought.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

His eyes snapped up to yours as he started to make his way over to you. A grin was forming on his stupidly beautiful face.

"I wanted to talk about how freakishly handsome I am." You couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from your lips.

"I always knew you were vain but breaking into my bedroom to talk about your appearance seems like a new low to me."

By now he had reached you, standing close, leaning slightly towards you, so that your faces were only breaths apart. Both of your faces turned serious again, both breathing the same air.

"Now lets get back to the reason I came in here." You raised your eyebrows in question.

"To talk about how freakishly handsome I am"

"Oh shut up" You said before pulling him in for another kiss. He smiled against your lips and you felt as if you were on top of the world.

Tags:

@going-through-shit

#grishaverse #nikolai lantsov #nikolai fanfic #nikolai x reader #nikolai fluff #shadow and bone #shadow and bone fanfiction

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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I watched GotG vol. 3 a few days ago and I ABSOLUTELY loved it. It was heartbreaking but an amazing movie. And whoever decided to dress chris pratt in that red shirt at the beginning of the movie deserves a raise. Anyone interested in a starlord fanfic?

#gotg3 #peter quill #star lord

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shakespearseclipse · 2 years ago

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Is it chill that you’re in my head?

Summary: Nikolai and y/n have been friends and nothing more. But what happens when the feelings between them change?

Warnings: None

Author’s Note: Hi there! This is my first fanfic (that I’ve posted) and English is not my first language, But I hope you’ll still enjoy this. Oh, and I really don’t know (or care) if this is canon compliant. I might consider writing a second part if anyone is interested. :)

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Nikolai was sparring with Tolya again. Which was nothing out of the ordinary except for one thing: He was shirtless. Unsurprisingly, the number of observers had doubled, young Grisha girls surrounding the lake where the sparring took place. You could only roll your eyes at their obvious stares. Although you had to admit that your best friend was quite nice to look at. Well, that would be an understatement. He looked absolutely marvelous, muscles moving with every movement of his. Everything about your friendship was platonic, but in moments like these, you weren’t sure if you wanted that.

Unfortunately, a group of Etherealki started talking about Nikolai, which didn’t aid your daydreaming to stop.

“Oh, just look at his arms!”

“And his abs.”

You had to hold in a chuckle, it was entertaining to hear these young girls whispering on and on about him. Being completely fixated on the Etherealki’s conversation, you almost missed the wink that Nikolai had thrown you from the sparring ring. Which was a really stupid idea in hindsight, since it caused him to shift his attention from Tolya, which resulted in him barely dodging a punch in the face. Now you couldn’t hold back a chuckle.

“Did you see that? He gave her a wink!”

“She is definitely in love with him!”

“Can you blame her? Who isn’t in love with him?”

It wasn’t the first time you heard people speculating about your friendship with Nikolai, so you had a lot of experience in tuning out these comments. This time however, you couldn’t help but think about a relationship with your best friend. There was no point in denying that he would be an amazing boyfriend. He was funny, attentive, friendly and obviously his good looks wouldn’t pose a problem either. Distracted by your daydreaming, you didn’t notice that the fight had ended.

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The second Nikolai left the sparring ring, he overheard some Grisha men talking about some girl in the audience. He decided to stick around and see who they were fussing about.

“She looks amazing. She should wear this red dress more often.”

“Oh yeah, this dress is amazing.”

“I think I’m going to ask her out today.”

After searching the crowd Nikolai realized that the only girl wearing a red dress was his best friend y/n. He couldn’t help but agree with these men. You did look amazing in that dress. He had never thought about you in any way that was not platonic, but now he felt like he couldn’t shake the idea off. Your hair looked so soft in the sunlight he desperately wanted to touch it. And he didn’t even dare thinking about your lips. His brain told him to stop this staring, but his body wouldn’t turn away. He couldn’t let you go on a date with this guy. The thought alone made want to throw up. But that is normal, no? He was just protective of his friend.

“You can’t ask her out. She’s dating the tsar.”

Usually, Nikolai was not a fan of gossip and rumors, but this one he could let be. If it kept these slimy guys away from you, he was more than happy not to correct them.

“I don’t think she is. Have you ever seen them kiss or hold hands?”

“We could just ask. Excuse me, moi tsar, but there are rumors that you and y/n are dating, are they true?”

Nikolai couldn’t believe this guy. He just asked his king about some rumors. The audacity of this Inferni baffled him. A few seconds passed before Nikolai grumbled an annoyed “No.”

“Great! Thank you moi tsar!”

The Inferni immediately made his way over to you and Nikolai could do nothing but try to burn holes in his back with his looks. Which, surprisingly, did not work.

“What’s gotten you in such a bad mood?” Tamar, who had snuck up behind him asked. Nikolai didn’t respond, so she tried to follow his gaze. The second she realized what was going on, she couldn’t help the laughter that escaped.

“Have you finally acknowledged your feelings for her?”

“I don’t have feelings for her.”

“Sure, moi tsar.”

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Meanwhile, the Inferni called Dmitri had approached you. “Hello y/n.” You greeted him in return. He seemed to be quite nervous, though you couldn’t fathom why.

“Uhm, I wanted to tell you that you look very beautiful today and I wanted to ask you out for a coffee maybe?”

Your gaze fleeted to Nikolai, who was already staring at you. You believed you saw a muscle in his jaw jump. Your eyes drifted back to Dmitri. Maybe a date wasn’t a bad idea. The whole daydreaming about Nikolai today was probably just a result of your practical non-existent love life. Giving Dmitri your sweetest smile, you replied: “Thank you Dmitri, I would love to go on a date with you.”

After deciding the details of your date, you excused yourself and made your way towards your king, who hadn’t moved during your conversation with Dmitri.

“Hello kolya. You seem a little tense.”

When Nikolai finally turned to you, you felt your cheeks starting to burn under his stare. He was close and this proximity didn’t help your heart to slow down. You could feel his own beating just as hard, but you had no idea why. He leaned even closer before whispering in your ear.

“Oh dorogaya, you have no idea.”

Before you could reply, he was stalking away from you. Confused by both his unusual serious behavior and his last statement, you went back to the little palace to get ready for your date later with Dmitri.

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