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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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Mothers

Summary: Paul has a vision that you are pregnant with his child. While everyone is very happy for you, his mother isn’t at all. But when the life of your child is in danger you overcome your differences.

Pairing: Paul Atreides x reader (female)

Warnings: There is a scene in this fic where the reader thinks she might lose her child during her pregnancy. She doesn’t, but if this topic is in any way difficult or triggering for you, please don’t read this fic.

A/N: The next request from my list is done, over 3k words this time! I hope y’all like it, more angst this time.

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Paul was dreaming again. He could hear the sand crunching under his feet and smell the salt in the air as the waves crashed against the shore. You were there too, walking by his side as you strolled along the beach.

There was someone else too, a little girl, but he didn’t know who she was. At first he wasn’t able to really see her, she was running ahead and every time he tried to focus his eyes on her, she became strangely blurry. But he could hear her laugh, the sound echoing in his mind, weirdly familiar. You were laughing too, a bright smile on your face as you reached for his hand.

The little girl suddenly stopped to pick up a shell she had found in the sand. She turned around, holding it up like she had just found the biggest treasure anyone could think of. When Paul looked at her this time, the image was clear and sharp and he knew who she was before she spoke. Her wild, dark locks were floating around her head, a complete mess because of the wind, so similar to his own hair. And her eyes… it were your eyes that were looking back at him, that infections smile on her face so similar to yours.

“Daddy look!”

She came running towards him, gripping the shell tightly as she presented it to him, a proud grin on her face. His daughter. The little girl was his daughter.

With that realization dawning over him he suddenly shot up in bed blinking to get his eyes adjusted to the darkness of his room. The images of his dream were still lingering in his mind. Only that it wasn’t a dream, it was a vision, he was sure of it. He just knew. You were pregnant with his child.

He turned to you, his hand already stretched out to shake you awake, but he stopped in his movement when he looked at you. You were sleeping peacefully beside him, one hand extended to his side of the bed so he could reach for it if he wanted to. You knew how often he was plagued by nightmares and no matter how many times he had woken you up at night, you had never complained, always making sure to comfort him. He smiled fondly, retreating his hand. Instead of waking you, he laid down again, carefully reaching out to intertwine his fingers with yours. You deserved a peaceful night, undisturbed for once. Those news could wait until tomorrow, he decided. He fell asleep again with your hand in his, a smile on his face, dreaming of the little girl that would be his daughter one day.

---

You were woken by the feeling of Paul‘s lips gliding along your shoulder. He pressed featherlight kisses against your skin, his lips warm and soft, gently coaxing you from sleep. You kept your eyes closed and breath even, but he probably already knew that you were awake.

His lips had reached your neck, nose brushing against your skin, his curls tickling your face and you couldn’t suppress the giggle that escaped you. You felt him smile against your skin, nuzzling into your neck.

“Good morning, my love.”

His hot breath sent shivers down your spine and you turned around to face him.

“Good morning to you too.”

You took a moment to look at him as he smiled at you. He seemed relaxed, not as tired as usual and since he hadn’t woken you during the night you assumed that he was not plagued by nightmares or visions for once. But there was something else you couldn’t quite place, there was a spark in his eyes that you hadn’t seen before.

“You look happy.” you said, voice still heavy with sleep and his smile only brightened as he leaned down to give you a quick kiss.

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

Normally a sentence like this would have worried you, but the excitement in his eyes was so prominent, it only fueled your curiosity.

“I had a vision last night.” he started. “I saw us in the future. With a child, a little girl. I think you are pregnant.”

Your breath got caught in your throat at his words. You were used to Paul’s visions, that he sometimes saw possible futures, but it had never affected you so directly, he had never seen something like that before.

“I can’t explain it, not really, but I woke up with this feeling in my chest, a certainty that you are with child.”

At first you couldn’t say anything as you simply stared at him and you noticed how Paul watched you attentively, waiting for your reaction.

“You don’t seem surprised.” he stated.

“I already suspected it.” you admitted, a shy smile on your lips as you looked up at him.

“ I wanted to wait a few more days before I see Dr. Yueh and I didn’t want to tell you before I was sure, but… I guess you already know now.”

He laughed at that, leaning down to kiss you again.

“You have no idea how happy I am.” he murmured against you lips. “You’ll be a wonderful mother.”

“And you’ll be a wonderful father. Although you realize that this usually works the other way around, right? That I’m the one who’s supposed to tell you about the pregnancy?”

He laughed again, resting his forehead against yours.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Are you gonna let me see Yueh now or are you keeping me trapped in bed with you?” you teased.

His smile turned into a grin before he kissed you again, slow and deep, his warm body pressing against yours.

“I think Yueh can wait a little longer.”

---

Dr. Yueh was indeed able to confirm your pregnancy. Paul was beaming, the happiness and excitement clear on his face and you had no doubt that he would be a good father. He was eager to share the news and you agreed to tell his parents and Duncan, knowing that they were the people who were most important to him.

You let Paul speak to his father alone for a moment but the Duke seemed happy for his son and congratulated you too. Duncan was almost as excited as Paul, pulling you both into a hug that you feared would break your bones. Everyones joy was contagious and you felt happier than ever before. That was until you spoke with Paul’s mother. She had been away for a few days, but Paul didn’t want to sent her a simple message, he wanted to tell her himself, so she was the last one to hear the news. But the conversation didn’t go as you expected at all.

Lady Jessica was a Bene Gesserit and she was difficult to read, to get along with sometimes, but you had learned to handle that over the years. Since you married Paul you had felt like your relationship to your mother-in-law had progressed and you were proud that you got along well. Because of that it was even more of a surprise for you that she didn’t seem happy about your pregnancy at all. Instead she seemed rather shocked.

“You should have been more careful.”

Those were the first words she spoke after you had told her the news and it felt like someone had slapped you across the face, your euphoria crumbling under her angry eyes. You felt like a child who got caught doing something bad.

“Didn’t you think about the dangers that this could bring? Our situation is already difficult enough without you being pregnant.”

You were too stunned to defend yourself, staring at her blankly. Jessica was the one who you had thought would support you the most. She was a mother after all too and she had taken a great risk with choosing to give Leto a son.

“Mother.”

Paul frowned, as surprised as you, but he had found his voice again way quicker than you.

“I understand that those are not easy times but that’s no reason to-”

“Enough.” she cut him off. It was the first time you had ever seen her treat Paul like that. Jessica was normally a reasonable woman, one you could talk to, who would let you speak, but this time it seemed like she didn’t want to hear anything you or Paul had to say.

She turned around, dismissing you both with a wink of her hand. You glanced at Paul, unsure what to do now, but he just shook his head, turning to leave. The conversation was clearly over for now.

Jessica’s words had hurt you more that you had expected. After your talk she didn’t exactly give you the silent treatment, but she was more distant than ever and you barely spoke to her over the course of the next few weeks. She had made it clear that she wasn’t happy with your pregnancy and you felt that every time you saw her.

Paul did his best to improve your relationship with his mother again, but she was stubborn, as all members of house Atreides could be. He noticed that this was weighing you down and soon he had to accept that he couldn’t change his mothers opinion. He focused his energy on you instead, going out of his way to make you laugh, to surprise you with something you liked, to make you happy again. You appreciated his effort, knowing it was difficult for him too, his mother never had been so openly disapproving of something he had done.

After two months you had almost come to accept the new situation. You knew it was simpler to just avoid your mother-in-law and hope that time would change her mind. But her rejection still hurt.

You were walking through the hallways, on your way to the dining room to get something to eat. Your appetite had already increased and Paul wasn’t getting tired of getting you all your favourite foods and snacks whenever you asked for something to eat.

He wasn’t in the castle today, he had went away with his father and you felt a strange loneliness now that he wasn’t here. Usually you would have spent some time with his mother now, but that was not an option anymore.

You expected the dining room to be empty, but to your surprise you found Lady Jessica at the table, enjoying a late lunch. She raised her head to look at you when you opened the door, a small nod the only sign she had registered your presence and you considered just turning on your heel and leaving for a second. But you were done with letting her treat you like air so you simply sat down across from her at the table. A servant quickly brought you a bowl of soup and you ate in silence, the only sound the occasional clacking of cutlery.

You were determined to give her the same treatment she gave you, but unlike Paul’s mother you weren’t a Bene Gesserit and you weren’t nearly as patient as her, so it only took you a few minutes before you had to speak, all your built up emotions threatening to spill out.

“Are we just gonna continue like this?” you asked and for a second Jessica seemed surprised that you had spoken up.

She glanced at you, but only briefly before she turned back to the food in front of her.

“You know my opinion on the matter.”

You clenched your jaw, trying to swallow your anger. You didn’t want to argue with her, you wanted to find a solution.

“That still isn’t an excuse to treat me like you have been during those past weeks.”

“What do you expect of me then?”

You had to fight the urge to roll your eyes at the question. She was now looking at you, finally giving you her attention and you held her gaze, knowing you couldn’t back down now.

“I expect you to accept the decision Paul and I made and treat me like what I am, your daughter-in-law and not some stranger.”

“If you were a stranger I would not treat you like that. I do care about you.”

You huffed, a bitter remark already on your tongue, when there suddenly was a sharp pain in your stomach. Your hand flew to your abdomen, a gasp escaping you and you felt panic flooding your mind, your heartbeat speeding up. Something was wrong.

Jessica tensed, eying you carefully.

“What’s wrong?”

You wanted to answer, but in the next moment you felt like someone had stabbed you with a knife, the pain unlike anything you had ever felt. You screamed, tears beginning to form in your eyes and suddenly Jessica was there, kneeling in front of you, gripping your hands.

You couldn’t speak, but you knew that she thought of the same thing as you. The baby. Her gaze flickered to the meal you had been eating and she reacted instantly.

“Inform Doctor Yueh, quick!” she commanded the guard at the door and helped you stand up. You barely noticed anything that was going on around you, Jessica shouting more commands at the guards as she pulled you from your seat, helping you stand. With her on your left side and a soldier on your right, they dragged you through to castle to the medical wing. The pain was almost unbearable, your body flinching at every movement. You had never been more thankful for her Bene Gesserit skills, that she was able to stay calm and think straight, because the only thing you could think of was your child. You couldn’t lose your daughter, you simply couldn’t.

You found yourself in a bed at the medial wing and Yueh came rushing to you immediately, his hands quickly wandering over your body, trying to identify the cause of your pain.

“I think her food was poisoned. The child’s life in in danger. We need to find the antidote, quick.” Jessica explained and Yueh nodded.

He hurried out of the room and Jessica stood up too, but you reached for her arm, stopping her. The pain in your stomach had suddenly stopped, leaving you with a dull ache, but that only scared you even more.

“Please I can’t lose my child. Please, Jessica.”

You were sobbing, unable to fight down the panic. Jessica’s expression softened and she sat down again, reaching for your hands, gripping them tightly.

“You won’t. But you need to stay calm. Your fear isn’t helping her.”

You nodded, knowing she was right, but the panic was overwhelming, flooding your senses, making it harder to breathe.

“Repeat after me. Fear is the mind killer.”

You stuttered out the words, repeating them after her as she guided you through the litany against fear. She didn’t let go of your hands, her gaze strong and sure. She was an anchor of hope in your frightened state, staying by your side and you clung to her, knowing you wouldn’t be able to handle this without her.

After what seemed like an eternity Yueh finally entered the room again, handing you a glass with a liquid inside. It smelled horrible but you chugged it down without asking any questions. He laid his hands on your stomach, brows furrowed in concentration and every second that passed felt too long.

When Yueh finally raised his head and retreated his hands from your body, a small smile was gracing his lips.

“Your child is fine, Mylady.”

You exhaled shakily, relief washing over you. You allowed yourself to sink into the pillows, your whole body suddenly feeling heavy and tired. Jessica smiled at you, squeezing your hands.

“Everything’s alright now.”

You nodded, unable to say anything. Yueh insisted on examining you again, making sure you were alright too, but the only thing you cared about was your daughter, that she was safe.

Jessica sat there with you after Yueh had left, not leaving your side. You were glad that she was there, but there was one thing that was bugging you, that you couldn’t get out of your mind.

“How did you know it’s a girl? You said … her.”

You hadn’t noticed it at first, but Jessica had known that your child was a girl. You hadn’t gotten the chance to tell her the first time you talked, so how could she know?

She looked down for a moment and for a second you thought you saw guilt on her face, but it was too quick to be sure.

“Paul told me.”

She looked up again and when she smiled at you this time you felt like there was that warmth in her eyes again, that had been there before she had known about your pregnancy.

“He came to me again and told me about his vision. How happy he was. And how happy you were.”

She hesitated for a moment.

“I’m sorry for how I treated you. I just… I saw all the dangers that were waiting for you, for this child. I wanted to protect you. When I was pregnant with Paul I took a risk. I acted against the will of the Reverend mother and the order. And now that he has this abilities… I was scared she could be interested in this child too. And not just her. As you saw today, you are a target now, even more than before. And your child is too.”

You nodded. She was right, you hadn’t thought about the Bene Gesserit or the Reverend mother for a second.

“I know now that this was the wrong way. I should have talked to you. But you will soon learn that you sometimes do irrational things as a mother to protect your child.”

She smiled weakly at you and you nodded, squeezing her hands to let her know you accepted her apology.

You wanted to say something, but suddenly you heard loud voices from behind the door and a second later Paul burst into the room, breathing heavily, worry on his face.

With a few quick strides he was at your side, sitting down at the edge of the bed, cradling your face in his hands.

“Are you okay?” he whispered. “Are you okay? Is our child… is she alright?”

You nodded, unable to speak, but Jessica answered in your place.

“Mother and child are alright.”

He let out a relieved sigh, his head sinking down to your shoulder and you wrapped your arms around him, holding on to him.

“I was so scared.” you whispered into his hair.

“I know.” he mumbled into your skin. “I know.”

He raised his head, looking at you again and there were tears in his eyes.

“I came back as soon as I heard that something had happened. I will not leave your side again. I will protect you, I will make sure this never happens again.” he promised.

“As will I.” Jessica said and Paul looked at her surprised, only now realizing that his mother had changed her mind after all. A relieved smile spread across his face and he reached for her hand. There were no words needed between mother and son to know that he forgave her for how she had treated him.

In that moment you knew that your daughter would always be safe in this family, that she would always be cared for, that she would never be alone. And now that you had not only Paul, but also Jessica on your side again, you knew you would be able to face any danger that would wait for you.

#paul atreides x reader #paul atreides imagine #paul atreides x you #dune imagine #dune fanfiction

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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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Hello! I love your Paul Atreides fics! ❤️ I saw that you made some headcanons for the Hamilton fandom and I wanted to ask if you could do some for Paul too? 🥺 Like how would he comfort you when you are sad? And how would cuddling with him be? Would love to hear your thoughts on that ✨🥰

Hey anon! Thank you and of course I also do headcanons for Paul! I have a lot of thoughts about that :D Sorry for taking so long, but I hope you like it. The next fic will hopefully be up till Wednesday, thanks to everyone for being patient!

I think we can all agree that Paul’s primary love language is touch.

Paul is very attentive and will quickly be able to tell when you feel nervous or uncomfortable in a situation.

He might be hesitant with PDA at first and it will also depend on the situation, but he will touch you in some way.

Sometimes it’ll just be your shoulders brushing or a hand on the small of your back, just a gentle reminder that he is right by your side.

He loves to hold your hand, so when he knows that you are comfortable with it he will hold your hand at any chance he gets.

When you two are alone he will not hesitate to hug you and to hold you close, letting you bury your head in his shoulder, stroking your back softly.

Kisses. Lots of gentle kisses to your forehead, your temple, your cheek, the top of your head, etc.

Paul is a very good listener, you can tell him everything that bothers you or made you upset. When you tell him about your problems or struggles you can be sure that his attention is on you and only you.

He hates to see you unhappy or uncomfortable but it also makes his heart melt when you confide in him or seek comfort with him because that means that you trust him a lot and that’s very important to him.

He will also teach you the sign language of house Atreides so he can communicate in silence with you.

Paul is very protective of the people he loves and when another person is the cause of your unhappiness he will not hesitate to put them in their place (if you are okay with that).

He will do anything to make you feel better. You need distraction? He will clear the day and spent every minute with you. You just don’t want to do anything? He will simply lay in bed with you and just hold you if that’s what you want. You need his help to find a solution to your problem? He will figure that out with you too.

Paul needs you to know how much he loves you, so when you are feeling down he will whisper in your ear how important you are to him, how great and amazing you are and that he loves you more than anything. He won’t get tired of repeating it as often as you need to hear it.

Paul is also easily comforted by your presence and your touch, like when you lay a hand on his shoulder or when you are the one who reaches for his hand.

He loves it when you read to him, your voice just soothes him. He will rest his head in your lap or on your chest, just listening to you. If he’s really tired he will also fall asleep like that.

Paul gets really clingy when he’s tired. Like really, really clingy.

After a long day he needs you close to him to relax. If you are still busy he will follow you around until you come to bed with him or until he at least gets a hug (which he will then use to convince you that it’s way too late to work and the bed is a much better place than your desk).

He also won’t let you get out of bed when you have some time in the morning before you have to get up.

He loves to bury his head in your neck, he just feels so safe in your arms.

And also he can kiss your skin there, he knows all your sensitive spots and he loves to make you squirm.

He can’t sleep well without you. He just needs to know you are there and even when you are not in the mood for cuddling in the evening, he will hold your hand or touch you in some way when you fall asleep.

Paul loves holding you as much as he loves to be held by you. He likes that he can make you feel safe and protected in his arms, but he also enjoys when he feels like that, especially after a vision or a nightmare.

Something that helps him relax or unwind is when you brush your fingers through his hair, he just loves it when you do that. Bonus points if you scrap his scalp occasionally, the boy will practically melt under your touch.

He loves playing with your hair too, doesn’t matter whether it’s long or short.

Paul likes drawing patterns on your skin when you’re cuddling. He’ll stroke your back or draw circles with his fingers.

To sum it up, I think Paul would be really good at comforting you and providing you with the support you need in any situation. And he’s a cuddler to me, 100%. There’s no better place to be than in his arms.

#paul atreides x reader #paul atreides x you #paul atreides headcanons #dune imagine #dune headcanons

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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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hey ! I read your story called "fate" about Paul Atreides and I just wanted you to know I loved it ! Are you going to continue the story ? Sorry for my English I'm French !

Hey anon! Thanks for reading and for your nice message! There will be a part two for Fate, I just don't know when yet, but a lot of people asked for it. And no need to apologize for your English, it's perfectly fine! It's also not my first language, so don't worry about it.

#asks #anon

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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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Hi. I just wanted to say that I am in love with your writing. And I hope you take care of yourself, you deserve everything good. Take all the time you need for yourself ❤️

Hope you have a wonderful weekend ❤️

Lots of love to you ❤️

Hi anon! I'm very happy you like my writings, thank you! And thank you for your kind words, your message really made me smile. ❤️ Sometimes a little reassurance from messages like yours can really make a difference, so thanks for caring and taking the time to send me this. Hope you had a wonderful weekend too! ❤️❤️

#asks #anon

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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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Dear readers,

I’m sorry for being so inactive during those last two weeks, but it has been tough for me, to say the least. I’m struggling with a few personal things, grief being on of them and on top of that I have to keep up with my uni stuff too. I hope that I can focus on writing again this weekend, thanks to everyone who sent in a request and has been patient so far. I started drafts for the upcoming fics and I still need to finish them, but have a small preview of what you can expect next:

upcoming fics:

✧ mothers

When Paul tells you that he saw in a vision that you are pregnant you are incredibly happy, but his mother isn‘t at all. But when the life of your child is suddenly in danger you overcome your differences.

✧ mistakes

When Paul doesn‘t react well to your pregnancy you start doubting your relationship, but Jessica is here to make him see things clear again and he apologizes.

Headcanons:

✧ Modern!AU – Paul Atreides being your roommate/best friend

✧ How Paul would comfort you/cuddling with Paul

#paul atreides x reader #paul atreides imagine #fate part 2 is also in the making

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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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You are the Queen of Nose Touches™! I always thought it was a unnecessary and a bit too much before, but you converted me. The way you describe it is so natural and wholesome and intimate and I just fell in love. It always warms my heart when you include it in your writing. So, thank you for changing my mind ❤️

Oh my god, this is such a sweet compliment, thank you anon ❤️ I'm glad I could convince you :D I think it's actually such a cute thing in real life but it sounds kinda silly when you write it, so sometimes it's a bit difficult to include it in my writings, but if I was able to change your mind then I am happy! Tbh I had a really shitty week and barely got anything done, but your message really lifted my mood, so thank you for sending it and thanks for reading my fics! Hope you have a wonderful day! ❤️

#asks #anon

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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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I adore your Paul fics!! I've been having the hardest time finding fics in general that aren't NSFW (nothing against them/people who write them but sometimes I just don't want to see it) and it's so nice to like - yeah, Dune is a stressful as heck kind of a world, but to imagine Paul having some regular-person stress as opposed to "am I gonna get murdered" stress. LOVE<3 (And mad impressed that you do all this while being in college. Kudos to you<3333)

Thank you so much anon, you are too kind! I'm happy I can provide you with content that you enjoy! I totally understand why NSFW content is so popular, I enjoy it too sometimes and there are really great writers, but most of the time I'm also looking for different things, there are not enough soft!Paul fics on here. You can't imagine how hard I laughed at "am i gonna get murdered"-stress 😂 But it's true, the poor boy really can't catch a break or get some normal problems that people his age usually have, all he gets is just trauma. I really would have loved to see more of his daily life on Caladan and non-life-threatening struggles, but it’s also fun to write my own interpretation of it. Anyways, thank you for taking the time to send this message, hope you have a lovely day! ❤️

#asks #anon

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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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I'm the anon who sent the request for By your side. I am in love with it! I love the intimacy and softness between them, and how Paul needed reassurance as well, not just comfort. I also love the way you included Jessica. The whole fic is just brilliant. Thank you so so so much for writing my request xxx

Thank you so much for your kind words anon! ❤️ I'm so happy you liked how I wrote what you requested, it's always so nice to get feedback afterwards. So thank you for this message, hope you have a wonderful day!

#asks #anon

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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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I absolutely adore your writing, and am obsessed with your Paul fics. Could I request one for him with "I'll always be by your side." and hand/palm kisses, after the gom jabbar test? Thank you xxx

Dear anon, thank you so much for your kind message, I'm happy you enjoy reading my fics! ♡ Your request is done, you can find it here! Thanks for sending it in, I hope you like it!

#asks #anon

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alaynes-writings · 3 years ago

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By your side

Summary: Paul is deeply disturbed after the gom jabbar test and starts doubting everything he ever knew. You are there to comfort and assure him that you‘ll always be there for him.

Pairing: Paul Atreides x reader (gender neutral)

Prompt: “I’ll always be by your side” + hand/palm kisses

A/N: I was finally able to finish another request, hope y’all like it. The last week was very busy, so if you are still waiting for your request to be written, please be patient, I haven’t forgotten them. Anyways, hope y’all have a good week and thanks for reading!

---

You have never seen Lady Jessica like this before. Scared. Paul’s mother was a very calm and collected woman, a Bene Gesserit. It was difficult to figure out what was going on in her head, she never let you see through her. Over the years you had learned to accept that, it was just who she was. But now, as she stood in front of that door you saw her hands shaking, whispering some mantra of the order to herself in an attempt to get control over her emotions back. Seeing her in this state only fueled your own fear, your heart hammering in your chest.

She had come to Paul’s bedroom this night, waking you both, not surprised to find you in his bed. You didn’t understand why the Reverend mother needed to see him in the middle of the night, what all of this was about and neither did Paul. You had insisted on coming with him and he was too tired to argue with you.

You had reached for his hand as you hurried after him, unable to shake off the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. That had only increased when you saw Dr. Yueh waiting for Paul next to his mother.

Jessica had given no explanation to what would happen, she had simply ordered you to stay and wait. Reluctantly you had let go of Paul’s hand as he had tried to give you a reassuring smile, but it hadn’t reached his eyes and you knew he was nervous too.

He had disappeared with his mother in the room and you had wondered how long it would take, but Jessica had come out only a few moments later. Paul was not with her.

You wanted to ask a thousand questions, but you didn’t dare to speak, knowing she wouldn’t answer any of them. She just stood in front of that door, making it clear that no one would get past her, that the Reverend mother would get whatever it was that she wanted from Paul.

Jessica had sent everyone else away, there were no guards in the hallway and Dr. Yueh was gone too. To your surprise she didn’t say anything to you. She knew what you and Paul meant to each other, that you loved each other. Maybe that was the reason she allowed you to stay here, in front of this door with her.

You swallowed as you watched her whispering to herself, unable to get your own fear under control. You weren’t a Bene Gesserit, you had never learned to control your emotions like that. Sometimes you envied her for her skills and Paul too, he had learned so much from her. Their ability to stay calm in situations like this made you feel like you were a slave to your own emotions. Even now you could watch the fear and panic on Jessica’s face subside slowly with every word she muttered.

Suddenly you heard Paul scream, you eyes widening in panic as you took a step towards the door. Jessica looked at you, calm again and shook her head slowly. You hesitated, unsure if you should listen to her, but then Paul screamed again and your body moved without control, towards the door, towards Paul. The only thought left in your head was that you needed to get to him, to save him.

Jessica stopped you, her hands gripping your arms.

“You can’t go in there.”

“What is she doing to him?” you hissed. How could she be so calm when her son was in there, getting tortured or worse? It scared you. It scared you how her face could remain so neutral in this situation.

“It’s a test.” she said, her voice a bit gentler, like she was talking to a child who couldn’t understand the complexity of the situation.

You heard Paul scream again and fought against her grip, crying out his name. Tears were streaming down your face at how helpless you felt.

“Why do you let her do this to him?”

“Because he will pass.”

Her voice was steady and sure, a sharp contrast to the desperation that had been prominent on her face moments ago.

“How do you know that?”

“I just know.”

She knew that you weren’t convinced, that you were already trying to figure out a way to get past her, to get to Paul.

“If you don’t stop I will have to use the voice on you.”

You felt your blood freezing in your veins at her words. The voice. A skill that scared you to no end. It was something you couldn’t fight, something you couldn’t run from. You had seen her use the voice on people before and it had terrified you. She knew that. Maybe you should be thankful that she respected you enough to not have used it the second you took a step towards that door. You took a step back, free from her grasp now, tears still in your eyes.

Behind the door it was quiet now, but the silence felt even worse than Paul’s screams before. You felt like you couldn’t breathe as you stared at the door, waiting for a sign that Paul was alive.

“Jessica.” you heard the old woman call and Jessica looked at you before she opened the door.

“Do not come in. Wait here.”

When the door closed behind her it was quiet, you were alone in the dimly lit hallway, your heart hammering against your ribs.

It felt like you stood there for an eternity and when the door finally opened you jumped to the side. The Reverend mother was the first one to leave the room, not sparing you a glance. You were thankful for that, the old woman scared you. Jessica hurried after her and then finally, Paul came behind her.

You couldn’t say a word as you scanned him from head to toe. He looked unharmed, at least there was no visible injury. You could see that he had cried and he kept his head down, only briefly glancing at you. Wordlessly he reached for your hand, his fingers gripping yours tightly as he lead you back to his chambers. You almost had to jog to keep up with his fast steps and when the door to his bedroom finally closed behind you, you couldn’t hold back anymore, throwing your arms around his neck.

He reached for you in the same moment, his arms finding their way around your waist. You simply stood there for a few moments, pressed together, holding on to each other.

“What happened?” you asked into the silence.

Paul buried his face in the crook of your neck and you felt him take deep breaths against your skin. He was trembling, only slightly, but you could feel it and suddenly another feeling swallowed your fear almost entirely. Anger. What had the old witch done to him? What did he had to endure behind this door?

You let your hand wander over his back, stroking him gently, waiting patiently until he was ready to answer. When he raised his head he took a step back and reached for your hand again, wordlessly leading you to the bed. You both sank down on the edge and Paul was still silent, retreating his hand. Your mind produced one terrifying image after the other as you thought about what could have happened, but you held back from asking again, not wanting to pressure him.

He took a deep breath and then he finally started talking.

You listened as he explained what had happened, how the Reverend mother had ordered him to put his hand in that strange box, how horrible the pain had been. You shuddered when he described it to you.

“I thought my skin was melting from my bones.”

He kept staring at his hand, seemingly unharmed, but it was like he could still feel it. Like he couldn’t comprehend that his hand was intact, that the pain he had felt hadn’t left any traces on his skin.

Slowly you reached out and gently took his hand in yours. He didn’t pull away, he just watched as you brought it to your lips and kissed the back of his hand. He shuddered at the feeling of your warm lips on his skin, the tenderness a sharp contrast to the pain he had felt before, the pain that was haunting him now. Your lips wandered over his hand, kissing his knuckles, his fingers, his palm, every inch of skin and you heard him exhale shakily.

Paul didn’t know if it was just his mind playing tricks on him but he could feel the pain ease at every spot you kissed, the horrible memory replaced by your gentleness.

Finally you wrapped your hands around his, squeezing it gently.

“It’s over now. You got through it.”

He nodded, his throat too tight to speak. He watched as your thumbs stroke his hand softly and he wished he could just lay down with you, letting you comfort him, fall asleep in your arms. But he needed to tell you something else too.

“There’s more.” he managed to get out and you tilted your head to the side, encouraging him to continue. You tried not to show how worried you were, but Paul wasn’t even looking at you, his gaze fixated on your hands that were holding his.

When he spoke again, he told you everything, how the Reverend mother had hinted that he might be the Kwisatz Haderach, how his mother was supposed to give birth to a girl instead of a boy and you didn’t dare to interrupt, the words stumbling out of him. You noticed how difficult was for him to talk about it, even more difficult than when he had told you about the pain the box had caused him. Your mind tried to make sense of all the things he said and for a moment you wondered if this was just a terrible joke. You knew the Bene Gesserit had their own plans, that they weren’t just selfless advisors, but this was beyond everything you could have ever imagined.

Paul was silent afterwards, still not looking at you which worried you even more than what you had just heard.

“Paul.” you called softly, but he didn’t raise his head. “We don’t know if this is true. Even the Reverend mother wasn’t fully convinced.”

„But what if she‘s right? What does that make me then?“

His voice sounded hoarse, barely more than a whisper and he finally looked at you again. There were tears in his eyes again and he looked so unsure of himself, like you have never seen him before, so scared and anxious and it broke your heart.

„You‘re still Paul. Just my Paul.” you whispered. “The one who could watch film books for hours, who takes walks with me in the rain because he knows that I love it. The one who likes to listen to Guerney when he sings, who steals fruit from the kitchen for me. The one who teases Duncan at every chance the gets, who always wants to learn and do better. The one who protects the people he loves. That’s who you are. And it doesn’t matter if the Reverend mother is right or not. It doesn’t matter if you are the Kwisatz Haderach or not. It doesn’t make you anything else.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I love you. And I’ll always be by your side, whatever happens.”

Only then you realized that it was relief that was now in his eyes. Relief that you didn’t push him away, that you weren’t scared of him, that you didn’t think differently of him now.

He reached out, his hands grasping your face delicately as he kissed you, soft and slow. It was a gentle kiss, meant to make you feel how deeply he cared for you, how much you meant to him and you melted under his touch, gasping when he pulled away. He rested his forehead against yours, his thumbs stroking your skin gently.

“I love you too.” he whispered against your lips and you couldn’t help but smile, his own lips twitching up at the sight. It barely counted as a smile, but you were glad to see him calm again, the fear in his eyes replaced by affection as he looked at you.

“Let’s try to get some rest.”

He nodded, his nose brushing against yours and he quickly kissed you again before he turned to take off his shoes. When you were both settled in bed, laying on your sides, facing each other you reached for his hand again, the one he had to put in the box. You intertwined your fingers, shuffling closer to him. Paul’s eyes were already fluttering close, but he brought your joined hands to his lips, kissing your fingers gently. There were no words needed and you closed your own eyes, a wave of tiredness washing over you.

I will keep him safe, you thought to yourself as you slowly drifted off to sleep. I will protect him from any harm. Whatever may come.

#paul atreides x reader #paul atreides imagine #paul atreides x you #dune imagine #dune fanfiction

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