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enbyrecs · 7 months ago

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the chemistry between them is fucking righteous my guy im hooked on this so hard

Under The Moonlight

Request: Yes or No

Don't kill me pls I love y'allllllllll if it helps i have three parts already writtennnnn! look at the pretty man

CW/TW: Violence, implied homophobia, Christianity, bashing Christianity (idk if that should be a warning), Vikings being Vikings, men being men

Apologies to any ppl from Greenland or people with a lot of knowledge on Norse culture and their gods, I will get some things wrong.

~~~

The sail to Kattegat had proven to be a difficult feat, though most trips across open ocean typically were. The ocean had shown mercy at first; when the waves would only brush against the side of the boat gently, beckoning curious eyes to gaze into its depths.

But upon sailing closer to Kattegat, a storm began brewing above. The sky turned a dark shade of gray as the waves began to grow, slamming against the boat harder and harder, threatening to capsize it with each powerful hit. The other boats traveling alongside them began to disappear until the drenched man could no longer see more than a foot ahead of him through the pouring rain. With the roaring waves and claps of thunder hounding his senses, (Y/N) could hardly hear the instructions his siblings shouted in an attempt to keep the boat from sinking into the darkness below. But in the end, Leif's experience allowed everyone to escape the storm without losing a single person.

Rising from the wooden seat, (Y/N) stared at the harbor settled between the mountains, a horn blaring through the air to signal their arrival. The town appeared large and heavily occupied. Far more occupied than he had expected. Kattegat was a seemingly well-known town but the man hadn't expected to see so many Vikings gathered in just one harbor. His half-sister seemed to share similar thoughts. She stared at the town, gaze lingering for a moment before she looked back toward her brothers with uncertainty but after meeting (Y/N)'s eyes, her lips pulled into a warm smile and her shoulders relaxed.

Freydis Eriksdotter. Only younger than him by a few weeks. With her long blonde hair and tender blue eyes, Freydis had been a shining light in his darkest moments. While she physically resembled her mother, her stubborn and fierce personality could be attributed to their stubborn and infamous father, Erik Thorvaldsson. She had proven to be the perfect combination of her parents; her idle hands that could weave thread and mend injuries also knew how to handle a sword. And with a father like theirs, it was imperative they knew how to defend themselves, from animals and people alike.

"Stay close and out of trouble," A voice rumbled from behind him as the boat neared the docks.

Then there was his older half-brother, Leif Eriksson. With his broad structure, long brown hair, and bright blue eyes, Leif resembled their father in more ways than one. And yet, he tried to be everything their father wasn't; gentle, forgiving, and merciful. He and Freydis easily adapted to (Y/N)'s presence after his mother brought him to their home. They gleefully took him in, calling him their brother within days and growing to love him within weeks. Leif proved to be the older brother anyone could ever wish for.

"I'm not the one you should be telling that to." (Y/N) muttered, folding his arms over his chest and feeling the boat slow to a stop. The Vikings on the docks were quick to help secure the boat and one took a moment to examine the condition of it and its passengers.

"How in Odin's name did you avoid the storm?" He questioned curiously as he rested his hands on his hips

Brushing off his question, Leif addressed the man. "Did any ships from the west make it in last night?"

"No, just two ships before the storm." He answered and nodded toward the shore, drawing (Y/N)'s attention to it. Littered across the sand were bodies, flags, and pieces of wood. Few searched through the wreckages for valuables or familiar faces while others treaded into the waters to pull the corpses onto land. A saddening sight for anyone. Lives lost to the rage of the ocean. Leif studied the shore and exhaled softly, shaking his head lightly before turning to his crew.

"Toke, Ulf, you stay here with the boats and resupply," Leif instructed the two men and then turned his sights onto siblings. "Freydis, (Y/N), check with the captains at the harbor. The rest of you will come with me to search the town."

Freydis frowned but before she could protest, (Y/N) gently grasped her arm. "The time will come." He assured her gently. Freydis pursed her lips and nodded, gazing after their brother as he and the others disappeared into the crowded town. She heaved a sigh and turned back to look at their messy boat.

"You know, I do not need you watching over me," Freydis muttered and retrieved some more rope from the floor, squinting up at their sail to check for anything else that had possibly gotten loose in the strong winds.

"It's my job as your big brother." (Y/N) reminded teasingly, a grin appearing on his face when she scoffed softly and rolled her eyes. Freydis expertly tied the rope in her hands around the mast, glancing at the men as (Y/N) took the things Toke and Ulf had quickly retrieved. (Y/N) looked over their supplies, ensuring they had everything they needed.

"Where are you from?" Someone called out, pulling the Greenlanders' attention away from their tasks and onto the man watching them from the dock.

He was tall with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His brunette hair had been tied back into a bun, allowing them to gaze at his bearded face and dark eyes. He regarded the crew with mere curiosity and a boyish smile that screamed trouble, exuding an aura of friendliness. But even with his kind eyes and relaxed posture, (Y/N) couldn't find it in himself to trust him. They were newcomers on strange land. Easy targets for vultures.

Slipping his fingers around his sheathed dagger, (Y/N) allowed his eyes to sweep over the man once more, taking note of the axe holstered to his hip. When he turned his attention back onto the stranger's face he found the man already watching him. The brunette tilted his head to the side expectantly, presumably awaiting an answer from him but he received silence in return as (Y/N) turned his back to him and focused on taking count of their food supply, or rather lack of.

Chuckling softly under her breath, Freydis peered over her shoulder and answered, "Greenland."

"What kind of journey was it?" The man inquired, gaze lingering on the quiet man.

"Long. Five weeks. No stops." Freydis answered once more and watched the man closely as he finally tore his eyes away from her brother and stepped closer to asses the boat. Upon finishing with the mast, she finally faced him.

"Five weeks across open ocean in this?" He peered down at Freydis with twinkling eyes and a wolfish grin. "I'm impressed."

"Then you are easily impressed."

"Not true. My standards are quite high." The man objected playfully, watching his sister with an all too familiar look. (Y/N) had been no stranger to that dance, especially when it came to Freydis and the other women of the crew. And seeing as his sister appeared rather taken with the handsome stranger, (Y/N) doubted she'd only flirt with him.

"So are mine." Freydis pulled herself up onto one of the seats, wrapping her hand around one of the ropes attached to the mast to maintain her balance. She smirked at him, blatantly looking him over to feed into their little flirtatious game. "Are you from Kattegat?"

"No, from Ringerike. I'm Harald Sigurdsson." Harald spoke his name proudly, almost as if he were important. It made (Y/N)'s eyes roll. "Who are you?"

"My name is Freydis." The blonde answered before motioning toward (Y/N) with a nod. "And this is my brother."

"Ah." Harald leaned back, hand resting on the hilt of his axe as he looked back at (Y/N). "Then, I believe after such a long voyage, I would think a hot bath would sound good to your sister." Bold words slipped from his mouth and (Y/N) found himself raising his brows at him, hearing Ulf and Toke snickering quietly from their spots. Freydis looked at her brother with widened eyes but the corners of her lips twitched upward in amusement. Meeting her gaze, (Y/N) knew Leif would be far from pleased if he allowed her to leave the boat with a stranger, but he'd be unable to blame (Y/N) for it. Freydis had a habit of doing whatever she wanted, with and without permission. So, with the knowledge Freydis could easily defend herself if it came to it, (Y/N) hesitantly nodded.

"Well then," Freydis turned back to Harald and stepped onto the dock, turning her chin up at him and quirking a pale brow. "Where could I get one of these hot baths?"

"Come." Harald chuckled, shooting the man one last glance before he placed his hand on Freydis's lower back and led her down the dock until they disappeared from view.

"With that attitude, he's asking for someone to dig an axe in his back," Ulf said as he stood up, casting a glance over the boat.

Shaking his head, (Y/N) looked at him and offered a smile. "We've come for other reasons." He reminded, watching Toke finish securing everything.

With the boat taken care of, the two men followed (Y/N) down the dock and looked around as he led them into town. Sellers shoved varying items in his direction, shouting off prices and rambling about their products. Amongst the perfumes, clothes, and weapons being sold, there were slaves. Shackled and shivering. (Y/N) felt his throat tighten at the sight of them.

"There's Liv!" Ulf pointed out and (Y/N) tore his gaze away from the slaves, turning his back to them as his friends slipped from the crowd one by one.

"No luck." Yrsa sighed. Before (Y/N) could speak, another horn sounded off, signaling the arrival of more ships and it only took a moment for Lief to slip out of the crowd and join the group, looking over everyone with newfound determination.

"The cross belongs to an English Viking." He revealed, eyes searching for Freydis's familiar face and frowning when he didn't spot her. Turning to his brother questioningly, his frown only deepened when (Y/N) avoided his eyes and sheepishly rubbed the side of his neck.

"She left with someone. A so-called Harald Sigurdsson."

Sighing heavily, Leif nodded. "I'll find her. We'll meet up at the docks."

When Leif disappeared back into the crowd, (Y/N) faced the crew and motioned for them to start heading back. On the short walk to the docks, it began to rain lightly but the wind picked up considerably. They just couldn't seem to stay dry for long. It didn't take long for Leif and Freydis to join the crew, eyes trained on the ships sailing into the harbor. Upon getting closer, (Y/N) spotted two of the men on one of the ships, crosses dangling from their necks. Considering the loud cheering from the docks, the two were loved, perhaps even worshipped.

"It's him," Freydis confirmed, looking back at her brothers when the men stepped off the ships. She looked back at the sound of a familiar voice and her eyes narrowed upon seeing Harald greeting them, appearing to know the men on a personal level.

"Isn't that-"

"Yes." Freydis breathed, jaw clenching. Grasping the handle of her knife, Freydis took a step forward, ready to get her revenge on the man who had fled from justice. But she didn't get far before (Y/N) took her arm and pulled her back. Too many eyes, too many Christians. They'd see her coming from a mile away if she brazenly rushed at them and he doubted they'd only pray for her if she were caught.

"Not here," Leif told her, keeping an eye on the men as they strode deeper into town. Grunting softly, the blonde sheathed her knife and stepped back, eyes bright with rage. "Toke, Yrsa. Go get our things."

The men stopped briefly to eat, giving Toke and Yrsa enough time to gather everyones' belongings and bring them back, handing them off just as the men got on horses and began leaving town. The crew followed them out of town, keeping a safe distance away and being mindful of the other Vikings with the men. Leif led everyone into the dense forest, stepping over fallen logs and foliage as they climbed up the side of the mountain. A tiresome trek but a necessary one. Freydis needed to bring justice down on the man who had hurt her and her brothers had vowed on helping her. So, (Y/N) ignored the way his muscles ached for rest and marched on.

The winds lashed furiously on the mountain but it was the least of (Y/N)'s worries as he took in the sight below. A whole camp filled with more Vikings than he could count. Tents perched in just about every corner, horses roaming around, carts filled with supplies. It looked like an army preparing for something, but what exactly? (Y/N) swallowed and looked at Leif, taking in the concentrated look on his face.

"We'll set up camp in the forest." Leif decided, turning to his equally perplexed and surprised friends. "We'll keep an eye on him until the time is right." Leif nodded to his sister and Freydis returned it, eyeing the camp one last time before she turned and began heading back down the mountain, the others following close behind and exchanging glances. (Y/N) strayed for a moment, looking over all the Vikings present. A need for so many warriors could only mean something big, something important. Part of him didn't want to find out what it was.

Turning his attention away from the camp, he caught up with the others and headed down the mountain where they could rest until a solid plan was created. Yrsa and Ulf worked together to prop their furs on long sticks, Liv and Leif collected some sticks to create a small fire and Njal left to watch the camp. (Y/N) explored the forest, gazing up at the tall trees towering over them. While he was no stranger to a lush forest, he'd been used to seeing vast snow-covered plains for most of his life. He missed the openness of his home... He missed his parents and brothers. Sighing softly, he turned his sights onto the bright green brush and grass, searching for fallen branches and sticks to help feed the fire Liv and Leif had started. He'd have to take in the sights of nature another time. They had more important matters at hand.

Returning to camp with a handful of sticks and crouching down by the fire, he set the pile down beside Liv and brushed his hands free of dirt. Liv gave him a thankful smile, picking up a few and tossing them into the fire, the crackle growing louder. (Y/N) lifted his head to look at the others, noting Skarde seemed awfully quiet and upset. Yrsa had settled down on a blanket made of furs whilst Ulf and Toke conversed and his sister sat by herself, looking out in the direction of the camp. She perked up at the sight of Njal, watching him return with a conflicted expression.

"He must be important. He hasn't come out of the main tent." Njal informed them, gaze cast onto the ground as glances were exchanged.

Running a hand over his face, Skarde shook his head and spoke shakily, fingers toying with the thread wrapped around his hand. "This changes things."

"This changes nothing," Freydis spoke, snapping her head toward him and narrowing her eyes when he scoffed.

"Really? What is your plan then? Go down there and simply take your revenge?" He questioned, raising a brow at her as she stood and faced him.

"If I have to, yes." Noticing the growing animosity, Leif stood up from his spot beside Liv, glancing between his sister and friend as they went back and forth, both Greenlanders growing more annoyed with each passing second.

Skarde slowly nodded in disbelief, rolling up the thread in his hands and tossing it to his feet. "I won't be a part of such a plan." He spat, pushing himself off the tree he'd been sitting against.

"Then you break your oath to my father?" Leif furrowed his brows as he walked forward, placing himself between the two and staring up at him. (Y/N) rose up from his hunches and stepped around the brunette to stand beside his brother, briefly pulling Skarde's attention off his siblings and onto him.

Clenching his jaw, Skarde spoke, "I didn't promise your father to be a part of foolishness."

"What do we know of this place?" Njal's deep voice interjected, his tone full of uncertainty. "Trees, cities, and giant armies? These Norse are not our people."

"They are Viking... Just like you." Freydis raised her brows, pointedly looking between Njal and Skarde as she spoke.

"No." Skarde asserted with a light shake of his head. "We are Greenlanders. As are you." He said, inhaling deeply before he continued. "Until this morning, no one among us had ever seen more than 40 people together in one place. Now, I look at more men than in Iceland and Greenland together. We must be able to admit that what we came here for is now hopeless."

Silence fell over the crew and when nobody countered his argument, Freydis scoffed in disbelief and turned away from them, stalking off in the direction of the camp. (Y/N) didn't hesitate on following his sister through the foliage until they came across the tree line. Freydis stared out at the camp with crossed arms and a frown on her face. The crunching of leaves signaled Leif's presence, having followed his younger siblings as well.

"You shouldn't have stopped me at the harbor," Freydis muttered bitterly. "It would be done."

"And you would be dead," Leif stated bluntly, gazing out at the camp.

"Then I'd be in Valhalla with the other Einherjar, feasting with Odin and the Gods. And Father would be proud."

"We are not here for Father, Freydis." (Y/N) spoke up, hand reaching out to gently touch the back of her arm. She looked down at his hand, her tense figure slowly relaxing at her brother's touch. "We came here for you. Besides, Father didn't think of-"

"What are you trying to tell me?" She asked defensively, tilting her head up to look into his eyes. "Do you believe it's hopeless? Because I will not stop until I get my revenge."

"No, Freydis. We're asking you to trust us." Leif said, softening his gaze as he looked at his sister. Freydis swallowed and looked back at him, lips pressing together. She released a shaky sigh and nodded, loose curls bouncing against her speckled skin.

"I trust you."

"Good. Because I have a plan."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" (Y/N) questioned, eyeing the Vikings walking around with their weapons close to their sides and crosses hanging proudly from their necks. When night had fallen, Leif had pulled him away from the rest to take him to the camp. Leif wished to infiltrate the camp and figure out what exactly so many of their people had been gathered.

"If you'd like, you can return to camp," Leif glanced back at him, shoulder roughly bumping against another Viking walking by. (Y/N) stepped closer to his brother, listening to the soft prayers oozing from tents and groups of Vikings. Unease bubbled in his stomach. Too many Christians for his liking. Leif lifted his hand to his face, brushing back some hair before an older man suddenly reached out, snatching his wrist and staring at the tattoo Leif had on his wrist.

"What you doing over here?" He hissed quietly, voice thick with an English accent. He spared a look around before releasing Leif's wrist and glancing at (Y/N). "Come with me before one of these damn Christians catches sight of the both of ya." He sucked his teeth, shoving the brothers forward and away from the other Vikings. (Y/N) stumbled out onto an open area and looked back at the man, watching him warily glance back.

"If that Jesus bunch caught you two prowling around over there, you'd be lucky to get back." He shook his head, leading them toward a cart and pulling their hands up. He began stacking folded blankets and coats made of fur on their hands until the sound of drums began echoing through the air and everyone began heading in the direction of the sound.

"Stay close," Leif whispered to his brother, following the older man through the crowd. Men on horses led the way with their torches held in the air, only stopping once the crowd stood in front of those beating the drums. (Y/N) handed the blankets off to the older man, nodding to him and keeping close to Leif as they slipped through the crowd until they reached the front. A few Vikings stood on top of a hill overlooking the crowd. Harald Sigurdsson among them. He appeared to be quite important.

"Welcome, friends!" The man standing beside Harald began, voice echoing through the valley. Murmurs erupted through the crowd and a name seemed to be passed around: King Canute of Denmark.

"Over a hundred years ago, a great Viking army set off for England to avenge the death of Ragnor Lothrok. It achieved its goal. And after many great victories, our people were invited to settle into communities there. With time, we sent our loved ones to live and work there. The Danelaw became their home." King Canute spoke, allowing a brief moment of silence to pass as the information settled in.

"A year ago, all that changed. And a slaughter began. A massacre. Unknown in the long history of our people. An attack. Not warrior to warrior, but waged on innocent women and children." The more he spoke, the rowdier the crowd got, murmurs growing louder. "Waged for only one reason; to cleanse England of our people. You have been summoned here for a purpose, to avenge the death of our people and to show the English that they cannot murder Vikings and expect us to do nothing!" The crowd erupted in cheers, swords being slammed against shields in support. (Y/N) shifted uncomfortably as shoulders bumped against his, adrenaline beginning to pump in the veins of those around him.

"Our ancestors would not. Ivar the Boneless and Bjorn Ironside would not. I will not. Will you?" The crowd roared their response. It was not in a Viking's blood to simply ignore an attack against themselves, against loved ones. But many of the Vikings present weren't there to avenge a loved one. A blind and unexpected attack was an easy way to bruise someone's ego. "You are here for your families! You are here for your honor! You are here because you are Vikings!" King Canute finished, hearing the overwhelming shouts and roars of agreement, metal swords slamming against shields. Leif and (Y/N) exchanged a look, arms brushing against each other and providing the brothers with some sense of comfort in a sea of furious men and women.

"We will fight the English." One man staggered forward, head turning to sneer at the others. "But not with Christians!" He bellowed, motioning toward them with his axe as others cheered in agreement. Despite the years, (Y/N) could feel his scar ache as he looked toward the gathered Christians, a certain disdain swirling in his chest. "Christians killed my family. They are my true enemy."

"And you are mine, Pagan." One of the Christian men responded, stepping forward from the rowdy crowd. "These men are nothing but idolaters. Worshippers of Satan!"

With a war cry, the first man ran at the other, swinging his axe at him but his blow was blocked by the second man's shield. The two continued swinging at each other, urged on by both crowds alike. Swiftly going down the hill, Harald got in between them, blocking with his shield and swinging at the men in an attempt to push them away from each other. Releasing a cry when a sword cut him, Harald sneered at the men and spread out his arms to prevent them from attacking each other.

"Enough!" Harald snarled at them, heavy pants leaving him. He turned toward the first man, dropping his arms to his sides as he addressed him. "Jarl Gorm, you say you'll never fight with Christians but what am I? Did I not spend every summer of my youth with your family? Did you not love me like a son?" He questioned, whipping his head to look at the second man. "Jarl Nori, a pious Christian. I saw your sister the night of the massacre. What would she say about your refusal to fight with your brothers here? Would she not call you a coward?" Harald looked between the two before taking a step back and facing the crowd.

"That your God is Odin or Christ means nothing to me! Only your honor does! Only your courage does!" He shouted into the night. Heaving softly, he touched a hand to his sliced arm and lifted his blood-soaked fingers into the air. "This blood is not my blood. It is our blood, it is Viking blood! And it will always be!" His words garnered cries and shouts of agreement, flags swinging back and forth. The two men nodded to Harald and retreated to their previous spots in the crowd, content with keeping the peace for the time being.

"It is going to be a long night," Leif whispered as the cheers continued. (Y/N) could only sigh in return.

➸ ➸ ➸ ➸ ➸ ➸

"Did you sleep at all?"

"You know very well I can't sleep around strangers." (Y/N) answered with a yawn, trying to push away the exhaustion clinging to his body. Leif frowned, using his fingers to comb his hair back into a bun but before he could lecture his brother, (Y/N) turned his back to him and looked out at the bustling Vikings.

"What now?"

"We find him and we keep an eye on him," Leif answered and walked forward, the sound of singing filling the camp as Vikings went about their day. Men and women collected supplies, heaving them onto carts and helping one another. (Y/N) searched for the man, eyes flickering from face to face, never allowing his gaze to linger to avoid attracting attention to them. Feeling fingers lightly tap his arm, he followed Leifs' gaze and spotted the man walking through the ground. However, before the two could follow, Leif's shoulder was roughly grabbed and his body turned to face a stranger.

"It's them, all right." The man nodded to his friends and sneered at the brothers. "Your father is Erik Thorvaldson, yes? Erik the Red?"

"And what is that to you?" Leif asked, eyeing the men around them. (Y/N) brought his hand to his dagger's handle, looking over his shoulder at the men behind them, their shields up to block them from leaving.

"Our name is Becken. Your father killed our brother Sven." The man revealed, motioning between himself and the other Viking standing beside him.

"Our father's history has nothing to do with us." Leif retorted, reaching out to grab (Y/N)'s arm and gently push him forward, hoping to avoid a fight but one of the men cut in front of them, blocking them from getting too far and cockily grinning at them.

"Your father is a killer. Run away to escape justice. It has everything to do with you." The first man asserted bitterly. (Y/N)'s grip on the dagger tightened and he looked back at Leif, searching his face for permission to swing at the man in front of him. Leif grimaced and turned toward the man who had begun it, raising his brows.

"You're making a mistake." He warned.

Scoffing, the man in front of (Y/N) shook his head. "No, Eriksson. The mistake was yours." He declared, charging forward but before he could bring the sword down on the younger brother, (Y/N) grabbed his attacker's forearm and turned his body, slipping his dagger out while simultaneously elbowing the man directly in the nose. The man cried out in pain and stumbled backward, hand raising to touch his now bleeding nose. The pain, however, only fueled his rage and he charged again with an enraged cry. (Y/N) quickly dodged the following swing and slammed his foot into the back of his knee, sending the man toppling downward. He rolled over onto his back and attempted to get up but (Y/N) kicked his face, causing more blood to spill from his nose as his head slammed back into the grass. Retrieving the man's discarded axe from the ground, (Y/N) threw it at one of the men charging at his brother, successfully hitting him and causing the man to fall.

"Brother!" Turning, (Y/N) caught the shield Leif tossed at him and blocked a swing from a sword, using the shield to shove the man onto the ground. He spun around and leaned back, narrowly getting cut by an axe swinging in his direction. Lifting his leg, (Y/N) kicked the man in the stomach and made him stumble backward, using his momentary loss of balance to charge forward and dig the dagger into his arm. Pulling it out and panting softly, (Y/N) stepped back and briefly pressed his back against Leif's.

The man that had attacked him first blindly charged, face soaked in red. (Y/N) raised the shield to block his punch and lowered it just as quickly, swinging the dagger at his face and cutting his cheek. Moving his hands down to the bottom of the shield, he swung it sideways and hit the side of the man's face, knocking him down again. When another one charged, he did similarly, aiming at his wrist and knocking the sword from their grasp. Releasing the shield and charging, (Y/N) tackled the man onto the grass and pinned his arms down with his knees, lifting his dagger above his head and bringing it down.

"Enough!" Leif called, and (Y/N) froze, blade frighteningly close to his attacker's eye. Panting heavily, (Y/N) peered over his shoulder and spotted his brother holding a sword to the first man's throat.

"Just like your father." The man cursed, spitting out some blood and saliva.

"You're wrong." Leif lifted the sword, using the side of it to knock him out. "If I were like my father, you'd all be dead." He breathed and turned toward (Y/N), tossing the sword aside and motioning for him to stand. (Y/N) looked down at the man writhing beneath him and huffed softly, standing up and trailing after Leif.

"Taking another's life would've complicated things, (Y/N)," Leif scolded, looking back at him with a disappointed frown.

"They attacked first." (Y/N) argued with a huff. "They would've had it coming."

Sighing, Leif shook his head and looked forward. "You sound like Father." He muttered, leading his brother to a stream near the camp and crouching down by the water. (Y/N) joined him, letting the cool water wash his hands before he dipped his dagger in and cleaned it. Once satisfied, (Y/N) rose and wiped the blade against his pant leg, sheathing it and drying his hands on his pants. He caught sight of figures in his peripheral and gently kicked his brother's leg to catch his attention.

"Eriksson from Greenland. Not the sons of Viking warrior, Erik Thorvaldson, banished from Norway and Iceland for murder?" Harald tilted his head, regarding them with an amused smile. Leif stood up, shaking his hands off, and sharing a cautious glance with his brother.

"The same." He confirmed, eyes flickering to the men beside Harald. Most wore crosses.

"I suppose when you have a father like Erik the Red, you learn to fight like that." Harald chuckled, not catching the distaste that passed over Leif's features at his words.

"My name is Leif." He walked closer, tilting his head up to look at Harald.

"I'm Harald Sigurdsson. We met yesterday, though I didn't quite catch your brother's name." Harald said, tilting his head to look at (Y/N). His cocky and playful smirk made whatever respect (Y/N) had gained for him the night before wash away in an instant. His lip pulled back and he couldn't help but roll his eyes, a soft scoff escaping him. Harald merely chuckled at his distaste, eyes slowly raking over the Greenlander.

"I believe that's none of your business." (Y/N) responded, eyes trailing down from his face to the cross he wore. Harald's hand raised to toy with it, fingers wrapping around it and blocking it from view. (Y/N) lifted his gaze and met Harald's, holding eye contact for a moment before he looked away. Leif's brows furrowed slightly, glancing between his brother and Harald.

"His name is (Y/N)," Leif piped up after a moment of silence, climbing up the short hill to be at eye level with Harald. "We heard you last night. You're a good speaker. You moved many."

"Did I move you?" Harald asked, eyes remaining on the younger brother. His lips quirked into a small grin when (Y/N) refused to meet his gaze, only begrudgingly getting closer when his brother motioned for him. Crossing his arms over his chest, (Y/N) looked back at the men and briefly looked into Harald's dark eyes. When neither brother responded, Harald finally tore his eyes away and looked at the rather perplexed Leif, hand dropping from his cross. "Freydis said you captained your boat all the way from Greenland. Could use good ship captains who can fight. I can promise great glory if you join us in England."

"Glory?" Leif repeated, curiously glancing back at (Y/N). "I thought you were going to England for revenge?"

"We are. But true Vikings always reach for glory. It's what defines us."

"Like I said, you're a good speaker. I'll think about it." Leif answered grimly, although his tone made his answer rather clear and obvious. Harald's jaw clenched but he nodded, watching the brothers brush past him. (Y/N) paused, reaching out to touch Harald's cross, studying the metal and designs carved into it. Harald reached up to pull his cross out of (Y/N)'s grip, pausing when their fingers brushed against each other. His eyes lowered to look down at their hands.

"I wish you luck with our sister. You'll need it." (Y/N) murmured, releasing the cross and joining Leif in heading back to camp.

The rest of the day had gone by uneventfully as the army began moving toward Kattegat where Jarl Haakon allowed them to set up camp outside the walls of her city. She graciously opened the main hall for them, hosting a feast for the warriors ready to fight. (Y/N) and Leif wandered around the hall, keeping to the sides and mostly out of view as they waited for Freydis to slip inside and enact her revenge. A risky plan but they were aware of the dangers. Death is not the end, his mother would say to him whenever he grew afraid.

"There's Skarde." (Y/N) whispered upon spotting the man slipping into the hall. Just in time for another speech from King Canute.

"Friends!" He called from the table settled at the end of the hall, rising to his feet as the Vikings fell silent and turned toward the king. Leif walked forward, heading toward the other side of the hall as quietly as possible. (Y/N) remained on the other side, glancing at Leif as he kept to the wall but made sure to remain within their view, or rather Harald's view. It proved easier than expected seeing as Harald's eyes found him almost instantaneously.

"This is a historic occasion. Our thanks to Jarl Haakon for opening her city to our righteous cause. It is an honor to be here in Kattegat, in the great hall of Ragnar Lothbrok and his sons. To eat from the same table as Lagertha and all the heroes who came before. We are humbled and inspired by their legacy. But now is our time to make history. To show the cowards in England, that Vikings, despite our differences, are still one people. One heart. One soul." He concluded his speech and (Y/N) slipped out toward the middle of the room with Leif joining him midway as the Vikings dispersed. Finally meeting Harald's eyes, (Y/N) tilted his head at him and lifted a hand to his dagger, watching Harald's eyes narrow as they flickered to his hand. His eyes left the Greenlander for a moment.

"That's close enough, Greenlanders." One of the Christians who never seemed far from Harald spoke, stepping toward them and gripping Leif by the collar. Harald rose from his spot at the table and approached them as more men surrounded them. With his attention on the brothers, he didn't spot the cloaked figure descending upon the table with a knife in hand.

"Whatever you are planning, do not act on it. I'll kill you if I must."

"We're not the ones you should be worried about." And then, a frightened scream broke the tension.

#harald sigurdsson #vikings valhalla

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enbyrecs · 9 months ago

Text

1633 | king of my heart

summary: [ lestappen — social media au ] in which the crown prince of monaco falls in love with a formula 1 driver

warnings: language, implied/referenced homophobia

author’s note: i made a shitpost this morning and here i am now. never let it be said that i don't give the people what they want.

45,299 likes

monacoupdates Crown Prince Charles is present today at the #MonacoGP on behalf of the royal family! The self-professed avid motorsport fan will be spending time in the Ferrari, Alpine, and Red Bull garages.

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user charles is always serving damn

↪ user monaco how does it feel to have won in the crown prince lottery???

↪ user très bien, thanks for asking 😌

liked by pierregasly, f1, hshcrownprincecharles, and 512,920 others

tagged: hshcrownprincecharles, pierregasly

alpinef1team A very special visit from hshcrownprincecharles! #MonacoGP

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user charles at every opportunity: i'm not french! 😠 also charles:

↪ user lmao tbf he's known pierre for a while

↪ user bro how???

↪ user idk f1 drivers hang around monaco a lot and they both speak french

↪ user it's not even just pierre charles is also pretty close with the monaco-based drivers like max and lando

user 10 seconds penalty to ocon for not greeting charles 😂

↪ user poor estie bestie 😭

↪ alpinef1team Esteban did talk with Crown Prince Charles 😉 Just a pity that His Serene Highness had to rush off before we could get pictures...

hshcrownprincecharles has added to their story

seen by maxverstappen1, pierregasly, hshprincelorenzo and 1,293,201 others

liked by carlossainz55, f1, hshcrownprincecharles and 892,103 others

tagged: carlossainz55, hshcrownprincecharles

scuderiaferrari Please welcome hshcrownprincecharles to the #Tifosi for the #MonacoGP 🥳

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hshcrownprincecharles Grazie mille for the opportunity to try the racing driver life!

↪ scuderiaferrari Our pleasure 🥰 hshprincelorenzo and hshprincesspascale can we keep him, s'il vous plait?

↪ hshdukearthur I don't think Lorenzo and Maman would be the only ones against Charles becoming a Ferrari driver 😂

user you don't understand how emotional this makes me 🥹 charles always said that if he could pick any job he'd be a f1 driver and to see him get to experience his dream!! even if for only a day!!!

carlossainz55 Personally I think Charles would be slower than me

↪ hshcrownprincecharles This is lèse-majesté and I will have you thrown into the dungeons for your disrespect to the throne 😤

↪ carlossainz55 pretty sure your brother is the one who can do that...

↪ user does monaco even have dungeons?

redbullracing has added to their story

seen by maxverstappen1, christianhorner, schecoperez and 182,974 others

77,592 likes

mv01updates max post-monaco gp with the crown prince of monaco, his serene highness charles leclerc 😍

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user for some reason these pictures make me feel like i'm 5 years old again and watching my parents be romantic. like i want to scream "get a room" 😂

↪ user not a single unique experience 💀

user ayo 🤨 the helmet pics...

↪ user i stg i've seen pictures of drivers with their actual wives that had less tension

user just kiss already 😩😩😩

liked by hshcrownprincecharles, maxverstappen1, hshprincesspascale, and 8,491,293 others

tagged: hshcrownprincecharles, maxverstappen1

palaisprincierdemonaco La Famille Princière est heureuse d'annoncer les fiançailles du Prince Héréditaire Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc et Max Emilian Verstappen, avec l'accord de S.A.S. le Prince Lorenzo.

The Princely Family is happy to announce the engagement of Crown Prince Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc and Max Emilian Verstappen, with the approval of HSH Prince Lorenzo.

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user i??? what??? what happened to hello??? how are you??? my name is???

↪ user fr i didn't even know max was dating someone lmao

user damn at least we know why they were so touchy at the grand prix now 😂

hshprincelorenzo Félicitations!

user the hAND ON THE THIGH. THE SMILE ON THEIR FACES. I AM UNWELL.

↪ user ALL OF US ARE UNWELL

landonorris does this mean that max gets a title? if so, not fair 😒

↪ pierregasly yeah hshcrownprincecharles, can you knight me or something?

↪ maxverstappen1 go find your own royalty to marry 🙄

↪ landonorris does lewis count? like if i marry him will i become sir lando norris 🤔

↪ sebastianvettel i've asked, and no it does not work like that unfortunately

liked by victoriaverstappen, redbullracing, maxverstappen1 and 912,392 others

tagged: maxverstappen1

gq Presenting our July cover star, Max Verstappen.

The Formula 1 driver, best known for dominating his sport and more recently his engagement with Monaco's beloved Crown Prince Charles, sits down with GQ to discuss what exactly goes on in a two-time world champion's mind.

Verstappen offers insight into the ongoing season, the surprising way the sport helped bring him and his fiancé together, and the pressures of marrying into royalty, especially as part of a same-sex couple.

Read the July cover story at the link in bio.

liked by maxverstappen1, hshprincesspascale, hshdukearthur and 4,283,120 others

tagged: maxverstappen1

hshcrownprincecharles There are many words that can be used to describe love, but you will always be my truest definition 🤍

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hshcrownprincecharles p.s. thank you hshdukearthur for catching the moments just before i proposed on camera 😘

maxverstappen1 Charlie, I can tell you I love you in four languages, and it will never encompass everything I feel for you. Je t'aime, ik houd van je, ich liebe dich, I love you. Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world ❤️

user crying screaming throwing up #relationshipgoals

hshprincesspascale Je suis très contente pour toi, mon cœur. maxverstappen1, bienvenue à la famille! [ i'm so happy for you, my heart. max, welcome to the family! ]

user so if i learn how to drive cars very fast does that mean that i get to marry a prince as well??? if so sign me up 👀

↪ landonorris you also need to be one lucky bastard, otherwise i'd also be on the cover of gq right now

↪ gq maybe next year?

↪ alex_albon he wishes 😂

↪ hshcrownprincecharles first figure out how to flirt, lando norizz 😜

↪ landonorris if max can do it so can i

↪ maxverstappen1 please 🙄 i’ve been watching you make a fool of yourself in front of carlos for five years now

↪ landonorris i hate all of you 😃

↪ hshcrownprincecharles one less place to pay for at the wedding 🤷‍♂️

likes and reblogs are appreciated!

masterlist

#lestappen

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enbyrecs · 1 year ago

Text

obsessed w this🫶

Honey-Bunny

Winter Prompts Masterlist | Winter Prompts List

Pairing: Harvey Specter x Reader

Prompts: Mistletoe/ Hands/ Fake Dating

“Cut it out,” You grumble.

“Cut what out?”

“You’re being too smug. My family’s not gonna buy that I’m dating a smug asshole. Hell, they’re probably barely buying that I’m dating anyone.”

“I’m not being smug,” Harvey insists, curling his arm around your middle. You try not to overthink the way your body warms with the press of his palm, and the sweep of his fingers against the fabric of your dress. “I’m just so happy to be here with my honey-bunny.”

“Oh, my god." You reach out, snagging a glass of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray. You draw in a deep gulp, tipping your head back and letting it slide down your throat, joining the two that you’ve already downed.

“Careful, sweetie. Your family’ll think we’re not happy.”

“One of us isn’t right now.”

“Really? I’m ecstatic.”

You cast an unamused sidelong glance at Harvey and find him smiling brightly at you.

“C’mon, admit it,” He adds, leaning into you, his breath brushing your temple. “I’m a better stand-in at your family reunion than Mike is. I’m better dressed, I’m more interesting, I’m more attractive—”

“I am so telling Mike that you have such a low opinion of him the next time you see him.”

“Now that's not fair. It’s just, you know. Mike is like this,” Harvey raises his hand, waving around his shoulder, “And I’m like this,” He raises his hand, waving it around his brow. “Besides, I’m taller.”

“You’re the same height. The only thing edging you out is your Johnny-Bravo-like hair.”

Harvey’s jaw drops, a stunned laugh leaving his mouth.

“Johnny-Bravo-like?”

Your mom calls, “Get over here, you two!” Before your argument can continue. You wince at the sight of your family lining up for a picture.

“Oh—Mom, I don’t know—”

“This is not negotiable! Get over here!” She orders, “Both of you!”

“It’ll be fun,” Harvey insists, his hand resting on your lower back as he leads you over to the familial tangle.

“I don’t think I want you in our Christmas photos for time immemorial. I’m gonna have to explain who you were every few years.”

“Maybe you ought to just invite me back every year.”

“Doubtful.”

“Maybe your mother will—”

“Do not drag my mother into this—”

The two of you shut up as your mom waves the two of you into line with the rest of the family.

“You gonna quibble with me about standing one place or another? Making sure they get your good side?” You mumble.

“Please, sweetheart. Every side is my good side.”

You roll your eyes openly, winding up for another argument—and then Harvey curls his arm around you again. Your stomach swoops at the feeling, your face going warm. It’s absurd—you can’t stand Harvey, but he’s making you feel all…Gooey. You push a smile on your face for a few pictures, and are determined to hurry away and drown your gooey feelings in champagne—but as the others begin to disperse, your mother warns:

“Ah-ah-ah, don’t get far, you two. You know the tradition, honey.”

Your eyes go wide, stomach twisting with embarrassment.

“Oh—Mom, no,” You plead. “We do it every year—Oh, Harvey, you’re gonna love this,” Your mom swears, gripping both of you by your hands and tugging you to a different spot in the room. “Whenever a new significant other is brought home for the holidays, they take a picture under the mistletoe.”

“Really.” Harvey’s smug amusement is back, spreading his smile wide.

“It’s an old tradition—It’s—Mom, we really don’t have to do this,” You stumble over your words.

“Oh, come on now! You’ve always been a little shy, never bringing anyone home before, so we can’t pass this opportunity up!”

She looks up, positioning the two of you under the mistletoe that’s been hung in the event space by the staff (probably at your mother’s request). You glance up at Harvey as your uncle waves you closer together, holding up his camera. Harvey leans in, giving your cheek an obliging peck as you give the camera a weak smile.

“Oh, please,” Your mom complains, “A real one!”

Your smile goes tight as you look up at Harvey.

“This wasn’t part of our agreement,” You whisper, “You don’t have to do this.”

Harvey’s gaze skates your expression before he gives a small shrug.

“It’s a couple of seconds to make your mom happy,” He murmurs, “I don’t mind. But I’ll push back if you need me to.”

You can’t help it—you go a little gooey again at the offer. You’d expected Harvey to brush it off, or to be a dick about it—but his expression is sincere, and his eyes are searching yours for any hint of hesitation. So you give a small nod, and try not to think about the way your heart leaps into your throat as Harvey draws you closer. You sway into him just a touch, chest brushing against his. The two of you lean in, and your lips meet in a stunningly warm, soft kiss. You try to fight it, but your eyes slip closed. Harvey raises a hand to cup your cheek, his thumb sweeping tenderly over your cheekbone as your heads tip slightly, deepening your kiss. You vaguely register the coos and clapping from your family just a few feet away, and that finally snaps you out of it.

You lean back, nose brushing Harvey’s slightly. You blink at him in slight surprise, tongue sweeping across your lips. As Harvey’s eyes open, he seems just as stunned as you are. His slick, smug look is gone. His eyes are searching yours again, then dip, and catch on your lips before steadying there. Your chest flutters as he seems set to go in again, but you hear your mother shooing, “Alright, you two can canoodle in the corner! We need to get your cousin and her girlfriend in here. Go on.”

You clear your throat, pressing your hand to Harvey’s chest and guiding him away from the mistletoe. The two of you come to a stop in a quiet corner. Harvey’s arm is still curled around your middle; your hand is still on his chest. You raise your hand a little, absently straightening his tie, just to do something with yourself that isn't fumbling an apology, or drawing him back in.

“Thanks for the, um…” You trail off, waving toward your family. “I’m sorry, I didn’t remember that—stupid tradition.”

“Doesn’t seem that stupid to me,” Harvey offers.

“That stupid implies that you think it’s at least a little stupid.”

“It was unexpected.”

“I’ll give you that.”

“Wasn’t bad, though.”

“Sealed the deal. I mean—” You hurry to correct, eyes darting to Harvey’s face nervously. “In terms of being…Believable. I never pegged you as such a good sport.”

“No one’s ever managed to peg—”

“Oh my—I don't need to know that," You groan, turning and hiding your face in his shoulder. He chuckles, arm tightening around you.

“Still think I’m a smug asshole?” He murmurs against your temple.

“I know you are,” You grumble. “Just because you’re an alright kisser doesn’t mean you’re not.”

“An alright kisser? Oh, that just won't do."

"What do you mean that won't—"

You go quiet as Harvey cradles your jaw, drawing you in for another kiss. You let yourself lean into him, your hand slipping from his tie, up into his hair. He hums softly against your lips, nudging you back against the wall. Your breath leaves you in a soft huff as feel yourself pressed into the hard surface. You can't imagine what your family is thinking, or if they've noticed that the two of you have, in fact, taken then chance to canoodle.

Harvey just smiles, smoothing his hand over your hip.

"Better than alright?" He murmurs. You pretend to consider before shrugging a little.

"Nearly."

Harvey's expression darkens, and he chuckles softly, shaking his head.

"You're asking for it," He warns. You smooth his hair down, a wicked thrill shooting down your spine.

"Why honey-bunny," You coo, sweeping a fingertip along his plush lower lip, "I don't know what you mean."

Tag list: @amneris21 ; @elen-aranel ; @brandyllyn ; @massivecolorspygiant ; @blueeyesatnight

#harvey specter

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enbyrecs · 1 year ago

Text

Dickie Boo - Dick Grayson Imagine

Requested by Anon - Dick grayson (nightwing) x male!bff!reader where they’re relationship is like all cutesy and EVERYONE thinks they’re a couple (they call each other ‘baby’ and ‘boo’ ,always hugging and stuff like that 😂😂😂)

***

“Dickie boo. Where are you?” You shouted as you waited at the bottom of the manor steps. “We’re going to miss the movie.”

“Don’t call him that,” Damian hissed as he marched past. He bumped you. You flicked him in the back of the head.

“Ooo, you’re just jealous,” you teased, giving Damian a wink. Damian turned bright red, running out of the room.

Keep reading

#dick grayson

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enbyrecs · 1 year ago

Text

Hearts

Damian Wayne x Reader

You and your soulmate can feel each other's heartbeat

A/N: for @thesuperiorrobin btw I started writing this super late at night so it might not be the best but I hope you all like this

Word Count: 1.1k+

Warning(s): Barely proofread, loophole cursewords

You jolted up from your sleep. 4 times a week, 3 if you’re lucky. Like clockwork. Your soulmate's heart beats so fast, so hard, it wakes you up. You would think he was having a heart attack.

You don’t know what your soulmate does that gets his heart beating so fast in the middle of the night. You found this whole heartbeat soulmate thing so stupid. Of all the things you and your soulmate had to share, a heartbeat, seriously?

On everyone’s 10th birthday, they start “sharing” their soulmate's heartbeat. It's not really sharing though, so you didn't understand why they explained it that way. Probably to romanticize it.

You couldn’t go back to sleep until about 4am. But that didn’t matter because your alarm went off 2 hours later. You hated your life. Not only did you get no sleep because of your stupid soulmate but you had to get ready for school, a school filled with pompous a-holes. Luckily it was your last year and you only had a few more months left until you graduated.

You walk into class late, everyone looking up at you. Luckily for you, your teacher is nice enough to let it slide.

“Hey” you said to the boy you usually sat by. His name was Damian, Damian Wayne. Yup. As in Billionaire “playboy” Bruce Wayne.

“What now L/N?” He asked. He looked up at you with an annoyed expression. Damn. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

“Do you think you could help me with number 5?” You looked at him with pleading eyes. “Pretty please.”

“Sure.” And he did. You didn’t really need help, you just wanted to bother and talk to Damian.

The two of you were close acquaintances but not friends. He was you favorite pompous rich a-hole and you were one the most tolerable people at GA to Damian

After this class you were done. You were transferring books to and from your backpack when your best friend, Lienne, pulled up next to you.

“What are you doing after school? Do you want to have a sleep-” If you didn’t stop her now it would turn into an investigation.

“I’m working at the clinic after school, but I can come over after and we can have a sleepover all you want,” you smiled at her.

“Ok. See you after work. Oh, and bring those chips I like please,” she says walking away. You chuckled at her.

You worked at a pet shop clinic. You loved it. You weren’t a people person, you were a pet person. I loved cats, dogs, and hamsters. Any domestic house pet you could get your hands on, you loved it. They were so much easier to deal with than people.

You were peacefully playing with a hamster while it was quiet in the store. Suddenly 2 men rush in. You put the hamster back in its cage and turned to the 2 men. They both looked like they were freaking out.

“We need your help! Like it's an emergency,” the tall one said. He had jet black hair and a white streak at the front. Then the second one spoke up.

“It’s our brother's cat,” the other one said. He was shorter, maybe 5’10/11. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. He handed you an adorable little tuxedo cat. You couldn’t help but awe at it.

“Sure, what happened? Our vet is currently busy, but I can check him out and get him to see him as soon as possible.” you walked them into an exam room in the clinic. As you were assessing the cat, your boss walked in.

“What's going on here?” He asked. You explained what happened and gave your assessment of the cat to your boss. He complimented you on your good work and took over. You were happy until you felt a strain on your heart. Something was wrong with your soulmate. It felt like he was having a panic attack or something. You went to the front of the store to sit down. You were trying to steady your heartbeat to cancel his out. But of course as you sat down, someone walked in. It was none other than Damian Wayne.

“Where’s Alfred? Where’s my cat?” he asked. You walked up to him to get his attention. You were holding onto his arm while he was looking around frantically.

“Your cat? Is he a tuxedo cat?” He immediately looked down at you. “You’ve seen Alfred? Where is he?”

“Your brothers brought him in,” you explained to him calmly. You were already trying to calm your soulmate’s heartbeat and now you have to calm a frantic billionaire son. He was spouting nonsense you didnt want to listen to while you ushered him to a chair.

“Listen Wayne,” you said, shutting him up. “Your brothers brought him in. I assessed him and the vet is now with him. He's going to be fine”

You could tell your words helped, but he was still anxious. It was kinda cute that he cared this much for a cat. One time you saw him roll his eyes at a school assembly about suicide. But he was still breathing heavily. At this point your heartbeat was calm but you could still feel your soulmate’s fast heart.

You took Damian’s hand and put it over your heart, and you did the same to him. That's when you felt it. People who already met their soulmates said once you know it's this indescribable, thrilling feeling. They were right. It was like time stopped and nothing else mattered. Your hearts synced and that's all you both felt. You both stared into each other’s eyes. You opened your mouth to speak but was interrupted.

“Are we interrupting something?” The tall brother asked. You quickly moved back from Damian, putting your hands at your side.

“Yes”

“No”

You both spoke in unison. You looked at him, but he was glaring at his brothers.

“So what did Dr. Goldwin say?” you asked, smiling before it got awkward.

“OMG OMG OMG!” Lienne squealed, jumping around her room. “YOUR SOULMATE IS DAMIAN WAYNE.”

You weren’t surprised at her reaction when you told her. She always had a knack for the dramatics. As she was jumping around, spouting how beautiful your wedding was going to be, you got a text from your “future husband”.

Damian ☹️: Hello Y/N

Let’s go out on a date Saturday

Send me your address and I'll pick you up at 2pm

Y/N : I’d love to go out with you 😉

You’ll tell Lienne once she calms down. She's going to freak.

So… what do you think???

I’m working on request so plz don’t think I forgot abt those.

#damian wayne

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enbyrecs · 1 year ago

Note

Demonhead Damian when his lovely sugar baby is angry and giving him the silent treatment, how does this possessive man handle this?

Hot anger flares in your chest as you stride through the halls, and every assassin in your path knows not to get in your way. When you look like that—powers sparking, eyes alight—everyone knows that it’s more dangerous to cross you than to feign ignorance when the Demon Head inevitably questions them.

The guards avert their eyes when you burst into Damian’s chamber and accuse, “You dismissed my maid!”

As he sits behind his desk, his eyes slowly rise to meet yours. Then, his eyebrow quirks—just a little. “Removing one of your friends? That is all it took to convince you to speak to me again? To think I had considered having her killed.”

“I am still angry with you,” you point out, inclining your chin in the face of his blatant nonchalance. He’s not afraid of you? Good. You’re not afraid of him, either.

He tilts his head, corners of his mouth twitching. “Come to me, princess.”

You scoff. “Hire my maid back.”

A beat of silence passes, and then he lets out a long-suffering sigh. “Very well. But I do expect you back in my bed this evening; sleeping alone is…”

This time, he’s the one to wrinkle his nose.

“…inadequate.”

#damain wayne

5K notes · View notes

enbyrecs · 1 year ago

Note

could you do a batfam x oblivious reader who’s so close to finding out they’re a vigilante, but she doesn’t even know if that makes sense? like nightwing crawling in through the window when he thought she was asleep, only for her to be awake and go “wrong house?” not realizing it’s her boyfriend.. who thought she was asleep

this made me laugh. very good thinking brains y'all have

Oblivious

Dick Grayson

The sound of your window sliding open prompts you to look up from where you lie your head on the pillow. You can't seem to get to sleep and maybe it's a good thing— you grab for the lamp on the bedside table and raise it high over your head.

Climbing through the window, however, is not a common thief. It's Nightwing.

"What are you doing here?"

The vigilante freezes, slowly looking up to meet your eyes. "I was told there was domestic abuse occurring in this apartment," he says smoothly. "You have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Where is he?"

You look over to Dick's spot on the bed and only just now do you realise it's empty. There's a note written on paper that reads, OUT TO GET FOOD.

"He's grocery shopping."

"Ah, wrong apartment, then. Sorry to bother you." The vigilante then ducks outside.

Jason Todd

A loud crash prompts you to wake up— far earlier than you're used to. The sun isn't even up yet. Glancing to the side of your bed, you forget Jason's out on a business trip, what ever his business is.

You carefully climb out of bed, creeping to the bedroom door and slowly pushing it open. In your living stands Red Hood himself, dismantling an assault rifle.

"What are you doing in my house?"

The vigilante whips his head around, frozen like a deer in headlights. There's a long few minutes of silence where the two of you stare at each other.

"Gun's not working. I'll be out in a minute, just need to fix it. My apologies."

"Oh," you say, shrugging your shoulders. "Stay safe, then."

Red Hood nods, watching you return to your bed with a quiet sigh.

Tim Drake

Waking up at your usual time and kissing Tim gently on the forehead, almost as a reward for sleeping.

After eating breakfast as quickly as you could, you were surprised to see Tim still asleep and give him another gentle kiss, this time on the nose.

You've only got half an hour until you have to go to work, so you rush to the bathroom to get ready.

The Red Robin suit is draped over the shower wall, unmistakeable.

In your bathroom.

"Tim?" You shout, forgetting your boyfriend's need to sleep. "Tim!"

"What?" he replies groggily, slowly getting out of bed.

"The Red Robin suit is in my bathroom."

"Oh, uh, he asked me to clean it for him. We're sort of like, friends. I guess. It's weird."

"You never told me that," you say.

"It's a recent thing. Sorry."

You shrug and get ready for work, ignoring the suit at is it hangs in your bathroom.

Damian Wayne

"Emergency at work," your boyfriend had said. He gets a lot of those, you think. "Be back in the morning. Maybe later."

Now, going to sleep late— towards midnight, where Damian would have already dragged you into bed— you realised you didn't have on of his shirts to sleep in.

When he wasn't with you to sleep, you always sleep in one of his shirts.

You begin scrummaging through his wardrobe— which you never do— only for a shirt. You find one, your favourite black one, and pull it out.

Underneath the shirt, revealed as you yank it from the drawer, is a katanna.

"Oh. Oh."

It's late. You're tired. You've got the shirt.

It's probably just an antique piece anyway. Rich people have all sorts of things.

#ik it says she in the ask but no fem pronouns in. the actual fic so whatever #damian wayne #dick grayson #tim drake #jason todd

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enbyrecs · 1 year ago

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love this🥹

a love to die for (hannigram fic)

Hannibal contracts Hanahaki Disease in season one due to his feelings for Will. Believing no one can love a monster like himself, he tries to hide it. He’s resigned himself to death since he can see no other outcome. But Will can.

Or: Hannibal gets Hanahaki Disease and freaks out (he doesn’t think he’s freaking out).

ao3

words: 7.6k

Of course it's roses, Hannibal thinks to himself. They're regal and timeless. Beautiful, yet they can draw blood if one isn't careful enough. They're ironic and showy. They're a lot like him in many ways.

No other flower is so universally known as a symbol for romantic affection than the red rose. This is the flower people think of when they think of romance. When they want it to be obvious it's romance. If Hannibal was anyone else, he might think it fitting. Amusing, even. But Hannibal isn't anyone else. He isn't anything normal or commonplace—his first real inconsistency with the rose. And, since Hannibal is anything but regular, he never thought this would happen to him. He never thought it was possible that this could happen to him. The irony.

There's blood in his immaculate bathroom sink that perfectly matches the shade of the wet rose petals beside it. His doctor's mind took over the second he saw the red liquid dotting his sink, and his only thought was: It's far too soon for blood. And then he saw the rose with its small stem and knew it had to be the sizable thorns on the plant causing all the blood. His doctor's mind continues to work, despite the impossibility of this disease existing within Hannibal, and it reminds him that roses are one of the deadlier strains of the disease due to their thorns.

The disease. Hanahaki Disease.

It's an extremely rare condition. Hannibal had only seen it twice in his time as a surgeon. Since he primarily worked in the ER, Hannibal never operated on a patient with Hanahaki Disease himself, but he sat in on a couple operations. It's an extremely delicate and unpredictable surgery. Only one of the two patients Hannibal had seen survived. Survival rates decrease as age increases, and Hannibal wouldn't call himself young. His survival rate is well below thirty percent if he were to have the surgery to remove the roses in his lungs now. But he's getting ahead of himself. The disease is hardly anything alarming now. He can overcome this. This is simply another obstacle he'll surpass.

Hannibal pointedly does not give more thought on the topic. He does not bother asking how or when or who; it will be over soon enough. It's the lie he gets away with for a little over a week before he wakes up choking on petals.

Hannibal wakes up and finds his body in complete panic. He's covered in sweat so thick his hair is sticking to his forehead. He can hear himself desperately trying to suck in more air in loud, useless gulps. His adrenaline roars in his ears and sends unnecessary strength to the fingers he has fisted in his silk sheets. He breathes in another ragged breath, but his throat clogs completely. He's racing towards the bathroom before he's made the decision to move. He is not in control of himself. The panic worsens and turns his blood to ice. He is afraid. He is out of control and afraid. Two things he swore he'd never be again.

Hannibal forces himself to vomit into the toilet. It takes him three tries before the petals fall and he can breathe again. All he does for a few minutes is breathe and slowly regain control of himself. Once his mind has left its panicked state, he notices the blood and red petals that fill the toilet. They swirl together in the water, their matching colors oddly picturesque. Hannibal immediately flushes them away with a shaking hand before he can find them beautiful. He fears it might be too late.

Hannibal catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror and is struck paralyzed. He almost doesn't recognize himself. His hair is in utter disarray, dried tears he hadn't felt cling to his cheeks, and his face is flushed nearly the same color as the roses. Blood lines his lips.

Afraid and out of control.

He's denied it, until now. The cause of his disease. But Hannibal knows. The answer isn't as far away as he thought he put it, but he knows who's at fault. It's a shame, really. Hannibal had had plans for Will. He'd had plans for himself involving Will, such as Will becoming the scapegoat for his crimes. But he'll be able to find a replacement soon enough. For now, he must deal with Will Graham.

~~~~

Their lives are intertwined enough that Hannibal knows Will's schedule. Or, rather, since Will's schedule is so unpredictable, Hannibal knows the rare moments when Will is at home. Like he is now. Sleeping innocently in the bed he thought putting in the main living room of his house was a sensible place for. Will's dogs know Hannibal, so all he received upon his entrance was a few curious looks. He can feel a few of the dogs still staring at him, but they've become accustomed to his presence at Will's bedside enough that they don't react.

Hannibal looms over Will in front of the window, so the moonlight illuminates Will's sleeping form. He looks young and at ease in a way he never is when he's awake. Dark curls are splayed against his white pillow, and his lips are slightly parted. His face is relaxed and soft. Youthful. Will's somehow tangled himself in his various sheets and blankets, and they're woven around his body. They hardly cover him, and his shirt has ridden up to show off a delicious stripe of skin all along the side nearest Hannibal. Will's skin looks porcelain white and fragile in the pale moonlight. Hannibal is close enough he can touch. So he does.

Hannibal places the fingertips of his right hand delicately on Will's bare side. His skin is hot but soft. Hannibal needs more, but he withdraws despite his desires. A quiet, helpless sound—nearly a whimper—escapes Will's lips, and he tosses his head to face Hannibal. Hannibal holds his breath and remains completely still.

Will continues to sleep, now with his angelic face pointed towards Hannibal. And, oh, what he'd do to kiss that face. Hannibal is certain Will's never been kissed gently. How he yearns to be the first one to give him that gentleness. He'd ruin the boy for anyone else. He'd claim him through softness, reliability, and loyalty. Will would never willingly be with anyone else after the way Hannibal would take care of him.

Hannibal's lungs suddenly catch, and he has to fight off a coughing fit by holding his breath for a moment and breathing shallowly afterwards. He swallows and blinks back reactionary tears once he's regained control. It's a brutal reminder of what he's come here to do.

Hannibal had considered one of his kitchen knives or his favorite scalpel for this, but in the end, he decided to use his hands. The nature of his disease requires him to kill Will as intimately as possible.

With the practiced, smooth movements akin to a big cat, Hannibal gets onto the bed, his knees resting on either side of Will's torso. He doesn't touch Will, not yet. For now he hovers, just above the sleeping man, and watches.

Hannibal can feel Will's body heat between his legs. His right leg nearly touches Will's bare side, and Hannibal can't help himself as he ghosts his fingers down Will's skin once more. His touch is reverent. Worshipful. He wants to sink his claws into the flawless skin and claim. But his immaculate self-control wins again, and he pulls his hand away. Will makes another one of those almost-whimpers. His teeth sink into his bottom lip, and a worried crinkle forms between his brow.

"Shhh, Will," Hannibal finds himself whispering, and, as if by magic, Will's face clears again into soft tranquility.

There is nothing and there will be nothing as beautiful as this creature beneath Hannibal right now.

Hannibal delicately brushes an unruly curl off Will's forehead. He's so beautiful it hurts. The tip of Hannibal's finger softly runs down Will's forehead, down his cheek, over his chewed lip, and down to his neck. He's so vulnerable. So open like this. So unaware. Nearly innocent. His right hand covers Will's throat—barely any pressure is applied—but it's enough for Hannibal to feel Will's soft, warm skin. His steady pulse. It beats in time to the peaceful rise and fall of his chest between Hannibal's legs.

It's the most intimate moment in the entirety of Hannibal's life.

~~~~

It is a bit jarring, finding himself unable to kill Will. Even more so that he couldn't do it to save his own life. It's against everything he is. What's even worse is he wouldn't even know why he's acting this way if he wasn't suffocating on rose petals. He had no idea he could even feel like this. It should be exciting and novel. Instead, it's stupidly terrifying.

But Hannibal refuses to be governed by fear and failure, so he presses on. Besides, how long can this truly last? His feelings for Will can't be anything but a temporary fascination. He's even willing to admit he's obsessed. Infatuated. He won't lie and say he hasn't thought about Will in his bed. Perhaps he simply needs to be fulfilled sexually, and his obsession with Will Graham will fade back into morbid curiosity.

But…even after nearly a week of flirtation and a night in bed with Alana Bloom, his feelings for Will haven't faded. It almost seems like the opposite has occurred. Guilt and shame are two emotions Hannibal hardly ever feels now; they're something he left in his youth. Or so he thought. After his night with Alana, Hannibal feels dirty and wrong. Unbalanced. Guilty. His edges are rough and uneven, and he struggles to stretch his person-suit around his new ill-fitting shape. It's absolutely horrible.

It also doesn't help that the disease has progressed. He nearly had to stop during intercourse with Alana to catch his breath. It's utterly embarrassing. Embarrassment is another emotion he thought he'd left behind.

He tries to purge Will from his mind and thoughts, but it only seems to cause him to think of Will even more. He tries locking Will away in the depths of his mind palace like he does with all unpleasant and unwanted thoughts and desires. It doesn't work. Will always manages to escape, and Hannibal has no idea how. His mind often conjures up the image of Will asleep and beautiful and completely at peace on the night Hannibal had intended to kill him. He can't help but marvel at such beauty, even just the memory of it. It's torture, but Hannnibal can't seem to help himself, and his thoughts always drift back to Will. He's struggling, and for the first time in his life, Hannibal isn't quite sure what to do about it.

He's with Will now in one of their not-quite-therapy-but-just-conversation sessions. Hannibal used to derive such joy from these sessions, but now it's become a constant battle to reign in his feelings and keep himself from coughing. The last person Hannibal ever wants to know about his predicament is Will.

"So," Will says from his seat across from Hannibal, "you and Alana."

Neither of them had told anyone. Of course his clever boy had figured it out. …Hannibal really needs to stop internally calling Will his. Things like that are why he's choking on roses.

With a practiced nonchalance, Hannibal replies, "Does it surprise you?"

"No," is the immediate response, then a beat later, "Yes."

"Why? Alana and I have known each other for years. We enjoy similar hobbies and topics of conversation. It only makes sense we are compatible on a physical level as well."

"I know, I just…" Will trails off. He shrugs his shoulders in a jerky movement. "I don't know. It's none of my business anyway."

Will clearly has thoughts on the matter, but he's shutting himself away. Hannibal won't have it. In a softer tone, Hannibal says, "It's alright, Will. We are friends, are we not? Surely, we can speak about our personal lives together."

"Yeah, I guess. I…" He hesitates again. He shifts and refuses to meet Hannibal's eyes. "It feels…sudden to me. Out of the blue."

"Out of the blue," Hannibal echoes.

"Yeah. Random."

It was. It was nothing more than a response to how he feels about Will. There's no point in denying it. "And that bothers you?" Hannibal questions.

Will doesn't answer. His eyes wander the room, snagging on different pieces of decor. Hannibal thinks he won't answer, but then his eyes suddenly catch Hannibal's, and Hannibal knows no detail will go unnoticed. What is his boy planning? Hannibal is helpless as a dangerous thrill runs up his spine. One of the many, many things Hannibal enjoys about Will is his unpredictability.

Gazes locked, Will asks, "Did you enjoy it?"

Hannibal contains his pleasant surprise under his mask of neutrality. He wants to see if he can push Will further. He wants to see if he can get Will to ask him outright.

"Enjoy what?" asks Hannibal.

"Sex with Alana."

Hannibal is thrown back into the sensation of being buried deep within her, suffocatingly close to her, as he struggles to breathe past blood-red rose petals climbing up his throat. The thorns scratch and tear at his throat as he tries to keep a steady rhythm. It all tasted like blood, which should have made things more erotic for him since he's always secretly enjoyed a bit of roughness in sex, but all it did was remind him of his inadequacies. He remembers being grateful for how well he can craft a mask and keep wearing it. He remembers struggling to bring her pleasure, something he's never had trouble doing before, because he couldn't catch his breath like some sort of inattentive, lazy lover. He never reached completion himself. He had to fake it, which was another first for him.

Oh, how far he's fallen for Will.

"Damn," Will says quietly, jolting Hannibal back to the present, "that bad?"

Hannibal didn't think he'd given anything away, but of course Will noticed. His brilliant boy.

Hannibal replies, "Mediocracy isn't bad."

Will raises his eyebrows in disbelief, but there's a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. "Did you just call Alana mediocre in bed?"

"You seem to be enjoying this quite a bit."

Will immediately blushes a pretty pink and looks down. "You're just so…I don't know. Untouchable. It almost doesn't seem real that you'd sleep with someone."

"I am human, Will."

Will looks up again at that. He smiles something soft and lovely. A smile that Hannibal has only seen directed at himself. He cherishes it every time he sees it.

But that smile is deadly, and Hannibal is reminded of it when a familiar twinge tickles his throat. His chest feels heavy. Full. Like it's a tangled mess. Hannibal logically knows it can't be that bad yet, but he feels as if his lungs are weighed down. He easily slips on a mask of neutrality to hide his discomfort, but he thinks Will notices because he stops smiling and begins talking about the case Jack's thrown him into.

~~~~

Will has a fever. Hannibal can smell its sickly sweetness on him. He can feel the heat of it when he's near him. Will speaks of vivid nightmares and constant headaches. It's encephalitis. It must be. It's early in its stages. If Hannibal thought he'd see the result of it, he'd let it fester within Will for longer. See what it would do to a mind so reluctant to accept its own darkness. But Hannibal doesn't think he has the time.

The Hanahaki Disease has worsened. He coughs often and has been able to play it off as a cold, but it's coming up on two weeks of his so-called cold, and patients and colleagues alike have asked if he should see a doctor since his cold is hanging on for so long. All of his handkerchiefs come away bloody. The rose thorns have all but shredded his throat, and it's becoming too painful to eat sometimes. He'll begin losing weight if he hasn't already.

He can deny it no further. He cannot fight it any longer.

Hannibal is completely, unconditionally, and eternally in love with Will.

The irony of his demise makes him want to howl and bite and claw in frustration. He has become undone from something as cruel and simple as love. It is pathetic. But it is also inevitable. His time left is exponentially decreasing. Anything he's ever wanted to do, he'll have to do within the upcoming months. He wants to visit Florence one more time, and his heart aches because he doesn't know if he will be healthy enough to make the trip once he's tied up his affairs in Baltimore. Hannibal has no doubts that he won't see the next year. It is all ending for him. He only has a few hunts left in him, but he's only planning on one more. A tribute to Will.

His love.

His undoing.

His impossibility.

It's probably wise this hunt is his last. Hannibal struggles up the stairs of his own home and has been attacked by unexpected coughing fits more and more recently. It was completely humiliating when he could hardly get back in control of himself after a coughing fit during one of Franklyn's sessions that Franklyn decided to end it early for the sake of Hannibal's own health. Franklyn may be desperate and a bit obtuse, but Hannibal won't forget this politeness.

Hannibal wants to make a bouquet of his roses and place them in his design for Will, but they're covered in his blood and saliva, and Hannibal would prefer his last months to be as a free man. He'll just have to make do with the ones he bought to mirror his own.

It's night now. Dark. Hushed and sleepy. It's the world he belongs in. His hunt is tonight. Hannibal had sent Will off to the hospital with Alana that morning to Dr. Sutcliff. Hannibal had told Sutcliff to search for encephalitis, and Sutcliff promised he would. Alana had been texting him updates. Will's receiving the treatment he needs. However, getting Will to a hospital today was not a completely selfless decision. Will is likely to be in the hospital for a few days, allowing Hannibal to leave his design behind for lesser minds to sift through. Hannibal is afraid Will would deconstruct his design too quickly. That he'll see Hannibal in the design too soon. Ideally, Will is going to put it together once Hannibal is on his deathbed. By then, he will look ill and helpless, and he's counting on that to be the reason Will is kind to him in the little time he has left before he dies. He hopes Will is going to refuse to lock him up for his remaining days. He believes he can pull it off, but Will is unpredictable—his actions entirely his own—despite Hannibal's manipulations. Hannibal loves him for it.

It was difficult to find a pig that resembles Will for many reasons. The first and most obvious being Will is unique. There is no one like him. He is a star amongst the inky blackness of space while all other people are moons. It's impossible to copy perfection, so Hannibal doesn't try. He merely finds someone who has similar physical traits as Will. A head full of dark curls (this one's is a lighter brown than Will's) with a beard, blue eyes (the shade is all wrong on the one Hannibal found), and a slender yet strong build (it's not quite the same, too much meat in certain areas, but it's close). Hardly perfect. A poor substitute. But it will be clear to Will who it's supposed to be, and that's all that matters.

Hannibal found the man in West Virginia. He's a factory worker with no family and even less friends. Hannibal comes for him on Friday, knowing he won't be missed until Monday. Hannibal waits until the man is home and a few drinks in before slipping in through the door of his apartment, the lock easily picked. Hannibal is quick and quiet, and the man hardly knew what was happening by the time Hannibal had reached him and had his hands around his neck. He'd come from behind and snapped his neck while he was still in his recliner, a trashy reality tv show continuing to play.

Apparently, a simple snap of the neck is too much exertion now, and Hannibal's lungs catch, sending him into a coughing fit while he still stands behind the recliner housing the corpse. He had the mind to bring disposable face masks like the ones he used to wear as a surgeon in case a coughing fit occurred, and he'd have to prevent himself from spewing his DNA all over a crime scene. He's thankful for his foresight now as he tucks away the bloody mask and pulls on a fresh one. Hannibal refuses to get sloppy now, even if it's his last kill. They will not find any trace of his DNA here.

Transporting the body is another matter entirely. Hannibal should be able to wrap it in something and simply carry it out the door, down the stairs, and into his car, but he doesn't have the stamina now with the disease running rampant in his lungs. He'd debated and thought and remade his design a dozen times or more, but he'd come to the realistic conclusion that it won't be to his liking. What he wants and what he's physically able to do are two separate realities.

Hannibal shoves the body by the shoulders, and it falls to the floor. The thump isn't as loud as he thought it'd be, and his fear of nosy neighbors decreases somewhat. The action nearly sends him into another coughing fit, but he holds his breath for a few moments before breathing shallowly again. If only part of his lungs get air, they catch on the roses less, preventing him from feeling like he has to cough as badly. He's nearly mastered shallow breathing.

Once he can breathe smoothly and his adrenaline has somewhat faded, Hannibal rounds the recliner, bends down and grasps the corpse by the ankles, and drags it across the floor into the hallway. He'd looked up the floor plans for this apartment complex before his hunt, and drags the body towards the bedroom. His lungs catch. They catch again, and his breath hitches. He slowly stands and breathes shallowly for another few moments before bending down and dragging the corpse into the bedroom.

Hannibal has to take a second break to regulate his breathing before he lifts the corpse onto the bed, but the action is enough to cause him to begin coughing again. Thorns catch and tear his throat. His eyes fill with reactionary tears. He wonders about the state of his lungs. His throat and mouth are raw and bleeding. The taste of blood never leaves his mouth.

Once he finally ceases coughing, he wraps the blood and spit and plant residue in his mask and tucks it away next to the other one. He pulls out another fresh mask along with his scalpel. It's time for the next part in his design.

It's a surgery he's performed more times post-mortem than when he was an actual surgeon. It takes time, but it isn't too physically taxing, so he removes the lungs almost like he normally does. He only has one coughing fit during the surgery.

Hannibal brings the removed lungs to the ice chest he brought and left on the kitchen counter. He then returns to the bedroom to arrange the corpse and double-check he's left no evidence. It goes as expected, and Hannibal leaves the apartment as smoothly and quietly as a ghost.

Hannibal's energy is fading him, so he has to store the lungs and get some sleep before he can finish his design. After his nap and a small meal (it's become too painful to eat full meals), Hannibal takes his purchased bouquet of red roses and brings them to where he'd stored the lungs in his hidden basement. It takes him over two hours to weave the flowers into the lungs, but when he's finished, he's satisfied with the outcome. He wishes he had the strength to display this within the body, but he doesn't, and he won't allow himself to dwell on things he cannot achieve anymore.

It's nearly morning now, so Hannibal stores his flowered lungs and goes about his day as usual. He returns Franklyn's favor of politeness from earlier by referring him to another psychiatrist he believes will actually help him, ensuring Franklyn will have at least one stable aspect in his life once Hannibal is gone. Will is still in the hospital, and Hannibal is not risking stepping foot in any medical facility in case someone happens to correctly diagnose him. There is less light in his life without seeing Will, but it's a sacrifice he has to make.

It's odd living his life with an air of finality when no one else is.

Long after night falls, he drives down to a small state park near Wolf Trap and lays the lungs on an elevated group of rocks off the side of a busy trail. Hannibal takes a moment to relish in his design as he always does. The lungs rest unassumingly on the dark rocks. The roses are much darker than the light pink meat. Their thorny vines are woven in the soft flesh, and the plant really does look mightier than the lungs. It's no surprise Hannibal feels as horribly as he does. The moonlight illuminates his work beautifully, but Hannibal knows it will look better in the light of day. He closes his eyes and indulges in the small fantasy of Will seeing his creation and grinning in that rare but stunning way Hannibal has only seen him do three times. He allows the image to hang in his mind for a moment more before he makes his escape.

Hannibal has a spare car and many counterfeit license plates he switches on his spare car often. He typically uses this car for his….extracurricular activities. It's not one he'd like to drive. It's used, and the vents always rattle whenever the AC is on, but it serves its purpose, and for that Hannibal appreciates it. He parked the car at the nearest gas station to the trail. The place is rundown and rotting. Hannibal wouldn't even attempt to buy gas from this place, but there isn't a security camera in sight, and the clerk attending the store looks like he's seen enough to know not to ask questions and play dumb if questioned.

Hannibal gets into his spare car and begins his drive back to the property he stores it at. The night still feels young, and the dark sky feels like a protective blanket. His soul feels as if it's singing as he enjoys the serenity of the night and the satisfaction of a completed hunt. There is no doubt in his mind that this is his purpose.

Hannibal is only about ten minutes into his peaceful drive when his phone rings. He intends to let it ring and go to voicemail as an alibi to prove he was asleep, but when he glances at it and sees Will's name flashing on the screen, he doesn't hesitate to answer it. He won't deny the sense of worry that zips through him at wondering what Will could be calling about at this hour.

"Hello, Will."

"You sound awfully awake for," there's a slight pause, "3:43am."

It's been far too long since Hannibal has heard Will's voice, and he suddenly misses him even more. He hasn't seen Will since before he was admitted to the hospital for his encephalitis. Hannibal's heart feels like an aching hole in his chest.

Hannibal replies, "As do you." He hates how audible the smile in his voice is. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I am, actually. I've been asleep most of the time, but I woke up around midnight and couldn't go back to sleep. I, uh…I didn't think you'd pick up."

"I'll always answer for you, Will."

There's a ghost of an embarrassed chuckle on the other line. "And, uh, same for you too. I'll always pick up if you need me."

It shouldn't make Hannibal as elated as he feels. "Thank you." It's far too sincere for what Will told him.

"Are you…" Will falls silent.

"Am I what?"

"Are you okay?"

The question surprises him so thoroughly he blinks blankly at the road for a couple seconds. "Yes, of course I am. Why do you ask?"

"You just seem…off lately."

No one else has even noticed a thing outside his "cold". He isn't sure how to feel about Will knowing he isn't completely alright and then asking him about it out of a place of concern. It's a strange and unfamiliar sensation—being cared for and noticed like this—but it's utterly addicting. His heart flutters in his chest. He must know what Will sees, so he asks,

"How so?"

"Well…you know I feel like the thing with Alana was totally random." Will hesitates but eventually continues, "And you haven't come to see me." He says it quietly. Almost shyly. As if he thinks Hannibal might suddenly dislike him. "And I heard you referred a patient."

Hannibal can't explain to Will the reason for sleeping with Alana and avoiding him without revealing everything, so he deflects by smoothly answering, "Franklyn was far too invested in his relationship with me that it took away from his therapy."

Will doesn't speak for a few moments. "Do you still have that cold?"

Hannibal isn't sure what conclusions Will is making. He isn't sure if he's giving away anything when he speaks. Hannibal has no idea what Will could possibly be thinking. He never has to worry about this with anyone else. It's equally exciting and nerve-wracking. It's self-destructive to want Will's attention like this, but Hannibal doesn't have a lot left to lose. So he answers,

"Yes."

"Have you had a doctor check you out?"

"I am a doctor."

Will laughs something soft and quiet. "Yeah, smartass, I know you're a doctor, but maybe you should have a second opinion. Get whatever diagnosis you've given yourself a peer review. And don't deny that you haven't diagnosed yourself, because I know you."

Hannibal chuckles, feeling a bit like a chided spouse, and thinks it's nice to have someone truly wish for him to be alright. His heart completely belongs to Will. "Very well. Shall I come see you after my doctor's appointment then?" It's a lie. He won't see another doctor. He shouldn't visit Will either, but he's afraid if Will pleads for him to come, then he will.

Softly, "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that."

"Then it's set. I will see you soon."

There's a pause, and Hannibal thinks Will hangs up, but then Will says, "I miss you."

Hannibal isn't quite sure how to reply. He isn't sure how to say he misses Will too, but he also misses Will every second they're not together, so he feels a bit off-put. It feels as if his heart is in his hand, and Will might notice Hannibal is offering it to him if he says the wrong thing.

Will hangs up as he hesitates.

~~~~

Hannibal's health takes a turn for the worse. Even if he wanted to visit Will, it's impossible now. Hannibal has a terrible fever and feels as if his lungs rattle with each inhale and exhale. It's as if he can feel the thorny vines squeezing his lungs. He can no longer sleep through the night. Breathing has become a laborious and painful process. He hardly leaves his room, and leaving the house is out of the question. Hannibal caught a look of himself in the bathroom mirror earlier that day, and he looks like the dead. Pale with sunken, dull eyes. The only difference between Hannibal and a corpse is the sweat on his brow from his fever and the heaving breaths he takes that move his entire chest.

His lips are chapped and bloody. The thorns have torn up the inside of his mouth and throat, and when he forces himself to eat, he can only manage a few bites. He supposes he's alright with dying when he can't even enjoy the last meals he's taking the time to prepare for himself.

Hannibal begins to finalize any loose ends he has, generally through letters to colleagues and referrals for his favorite patients. He surprises himself when he writes a letter to Chiyoh.

He can't realistically see everything off that he needs to, and that's just as well. He will continue to live as peacefully and routinely as he can. He tries to get dressed into something more casual than anything he's worn in public in a very long time to see Will, but he has a horrible coughing fit as he's trying to change shirts and lays down to soothe his body and ends up falling asleep for a couple hours instead. Three days pass in this terrible agony, and Hannibal hates himself for wishing for death sooner. It feels like giving up, and he's never been one to lie down and take it.

Both Hannibal's cell phone and home phone have been ringing nearly incessantly. People have noticed his absence, and he's managed to play it off as his "cold" turning out to be bronchitis. It's something he needs to stay home for, and it's something respiratory-related, so the coughing and bedrest are explained. He tells everyone he'll be back soon, but it's a lie. He's gotten a few visitors at his door that he's turned away by ignoring them and saying he was at the doctor or asleep when they came by.

He has a visitor now. The doorbell rings, but Hannibal doesn't move from his lounged position on his couch in front of the fireplace. He's unshaven, and his hair falls over his forehead and tickles his eyelids. He's wearing a button-down with most of the buttons undone and his most comfortable slacks. His body can't choose between feeling ice cold or melting hot. He's attempting to enjoy one of his few remaining favorite wine bottles, but it's difficult when each swallow is painful and tainted with the taste of his own blood.

The doorbell rings again, and Hannibal ignores it. He's done this a few times now and learned people don't continue ringing the doorbell or knocking on the door after about ten minutes. He easily waits out every person who wants to visit.

This visitor is persistent, however, and the doorbell rings again and not even half a minute later there's knocking. Hannibal sighs in annoyance, but his lungs seize, and he coughs something raw and wheezing. His abdomen is sore from all of his coughing, and his body has begun to become too exhausted to keep up longer bouts of coughing. His horrid, wheezing hacks die off quickly—not due to any improvement—but due to his body's inability to continue coughing. The knocking stops. And then,

"Hannibal! It's me! Open up. I know you're in there."

Will.

Like one of Will's well-trained strays, Hannibal is unquestioningly pushing himself out of his chair and walking towards the door. He pauses as he enters the foyer directly in front of the hallway leading to the door. He looks awful. Will is going to be repulsed. He can't be seen like this. Especially not by Will.

This is the last time you'll ever see him.

Will bangs on the door. "Hannibal! Open the door, or I'm coming in!"

That doesn't leave him with much of a choice, so Hannibal braces himself for Will's reaction to his appearance before unsteadily making his way to the door and opening it just enough, so he can peek out and see the object of his suffering.

The daylight is brighter than Hannibal is anticipating, so he blindly blinks into the sunlight, unable to see much of Will. Will is immediately pushing against the door, and Hannibal is about to shove it closed when one of Will's hands lands on his chest and pushes him backwards along with the door. Hannibal stumbles a few steps back, Will's hand still pressed against him, and he hears the door close shut as he's still blinking to adjust his vision. Will's hand is pressed firmly in the center of his chest, and Hannibal's shirt is unbuttoned enough that the majority of Will's palm touches his skin.

Will is frozen in place with his hand remaining on Hannibal, and he is a vision to behold. He's breathing a bit heavily, and his cheeks are tainted a light pink. His curls are wild and untamed just as he is. He is handsome and rugged, yet he possesses a beauty Hannibal is never quite prepared for. Will's eyes are glued to Hannibal's face, and obvious surprise and concern splash across his features. Their gazes are locked like this for several moments. Hannibal finds himself stuck in place, unwilling to break this moment, yet unsure whether he should. The only sound is Hannibal's ragged breathing. It somehow sounds worse like this, louder in the absence of everything else.

Will blinks. He stares at his hand on Hannibal's chest, and Hannibal feels Will's fingers twitch before he's pulling his hand back and shoving them both in the front pockets of his jeans. Will flicks his eyes to something behind Hannibal.

He says, "You look terrible." Will's gaze continues to flitter about, and his shoulders are tense. Hannibal is definitely feeling ill, because Will almost seems…guilty. And that makes no sense. How is Hannibal reading him all wrong?

"Your kind words are always touching," Hannibal retorts.

Will grabs the front of Hannibal's shirt with both hands, impossibly quick, and shoves him against the wall. Hannibal's lungs protest, and he has to take a few deep, steady breaths to prevent coughing all over Will. They're close enough Hannibal feels Will's warm breath fan across his face. A few centimeters closer, and Hannibal could kiss him. One of Will's hands comes to cup his face, and Hannibal's brain completely shuts off. All Hannibal knows in this moment is the steady puff of Will's breath, the warmth of his palm on his cheek, and the intensity of his gaze. Will's eyes are tumultuous—an ocean in a storm—unsure, yet swelling with anger. Will's thumb moves to Hannibal's lower lip and gently pulls it down. Hannibal's heart skips, and his breath hitches. Will's eyes flick down to his lip. Something angry and hurt lights Will's eyes and then he's moving away. The air is cold in Will's sudden vacancy of Hannibal's space.

"Will?" His voice sounds rough and shaken. Weak.

Will's back is facing him, and he slowly turns as he shakes his head. When he's finally facing Hannibal, it's with the startling realization that he's blinking back tears.

"I trusted you, Hannibal." He scoffs then runs his hands through his hair and fists his fingers in his curls and tugs.

"Will," Hannibal says gently and reaches out to soothe him. His brain feels as if it's spinning. He can't catch up with what's going on inside Will's beautiful mind.

"Don't," Will spits. Commands. The glare Will gives him makes Hannibal's heart stop.

Hannibal blinks. "Will, I'm not certain as to what's going on."

Will runs a hand over his face. Swallows. He refuses to meet Hannibal's eyes. "Your lip." Blue eyes lock with Hannibal's for a split second. "It's torn from the thorns."

It takes Hannibal far too long to process Will's words. And then it hits him like a bucket of ice water.

Will knows.

Will continues, "Jack got them to let me out of the hospital early to see the lungs." He fixes Hannibal with a steely, firm look as he adds, "And to see the body."

"I see," Hannibal replies. "Have you come to arrest me? Kill me?"

Will flicks a quick, cold look over Hannibal. "What would be the point?"

A delicious thrill strikes through Hannibal at Will's apathy. His darkness. "Will—"

Will puts a hand up and interrupts, "I just came here to see if I was right." He sounds disappointed and betrayed when he quietly adds, "Guess I was." He holds Hannibal's gaze for a moment more before rushing out the door. It slams behind him, and the sound reverberates through Hannibal's house like a church bell during a funeral.

~~~~

It's as if Will's straightforward rejection is the final nail in the coffin. Hannibal had taken a shower after Will left. He found himself failing to stifle back sobs. It only exasperated his lungs, so he ended up crying and choking in the shower like some weak little thing left outside to die. It's exactly how he felt. But crying was cathartic, and a strange tranquility fell over him after his shower.

He falls into a restless sleep, and when he wakes up, he knows he barely has any time left. His mind feels hazy and sluggish, as if he's high or drunk or some strange combination of both. His hair is sticking to his sweaty forehead, and he can't be bothered to wipe it off. Everything outside of the immediate feel of his silk sheets on his naked skin feels far away and dull. It feels as if the world is shrinking since his perception of it becomes smaller and smaller with each passing minute. All his existence becomes is feverishly tossing and turning in bed, each breath he takes rattling his entire body. He's dehydrated, and his dry mouth is filled with the metallic tang of his own blood.

His only solace is the final indulgence he's allowed himself. One of Will's shirts. It's a plain white t-shirt he'd stolen the night he went to kill Will and failed. It still smells of him, and Hannibal buries his face into it now, painfully taking in deep breaths to fill himself with Will's scent. It's pathetic, but the last thing he wants to know of this world is Will, even if he only gets one small, stolen piece of him.

Hannibal is drifting in that odd space between dreaming and waking, and he can't trust his senses to tell him what's truly happening. He thinks he hears a distant banging, and another sound that reminds him of Will's voice. He knows it must be because of the way he's pressing his face into Will's shirt. Everything is tainted with Will now. Then he hears something rhythmic. It becomes louder. It sounds quite a lot like someone is running up his stairs. Hannibal doesn't have the energy to move nor care. His eyes remain closed, and his face remains buried in Will's shirt.

"Hannibal! Hannibal!"

Well, now he certainly must be dreaming if he hears Will calling his name.

"Hanni–"

The world stills momentarily.

A breathless, desperate, "Oh my god. No. No, no, no. Hannibal."

It feels as if the Earth is shifting. It might also simply be the mattress dipping beside him.

"Hannibal. Hannibal! Oh, god."

Something warm and solid pulls his face away from Will's shirt. A low whine of protest escapes Hannibal, but it's all he can muster.

A soft, euphoric sound, then, "You're alive!" A breathless laugh. "You're alive."

Hannibal can distinctively feel two warm, firm hands tilt his face upwards. The movement is a tad too sudden, and his breath is tangled with the thorny flowers lining his throat, and he chokes. Then he's being moved. Laid down on his back. Head tilted to be completely straight. The air flows through him easier. He wants Will's shirt back.

"Hannibal. Hannibal, look at me. Please." The hands are on his face again, delicately caressing his cheeks. "Please," the voice that sounds too much like Will's begs.

The only warning Hannibal receives is a puff of warm air against his face before soft, plush lips press gently against his. They don't stop. They kiss him desperately, incessantly, but they remain gentle. Always so, so gentle. It's a shame Hannibal doesn't have the energy to kiss back.

"H-Hannibal, please. I…fuck." More kisses. "Please, please. I…I love you too, okay? Do you hear me? I love you too. I love you too."

The kisses are everywhere now. They ghost across his nose, his cheekbones, his eyebrows. Those gentle lips kiss every inch of his face. The warm hands brush his hair from his forehead and more kisses are placed there. He's held so reverently. So cherished. When he feels warm salty tears drip onto his face, he can only compare it to a baptism, because something powerful has shifted. Something miraculous has occurred. The tears he is being gifted with are transforming him; he is reborn. Hannibal's chest still rattles when he intakes a deeper breath, and his eyes reluctantly flutter open.

Will is above him. Tears run down his face, and fear and desperation are uncontrollable fires in his eyes. Hannibal has never been looked at like this before. So deeply. So cared for.

So loved.

Something in his airway shifts. Perhaps nothing but a petal falling, or perhaps something else he's unwilling to name because he thinks a little hope will truly be the end of him, but he can breathe a little better now. It's the slightest bit less painful when he inhales to murmur,

"Will."

#hannigram

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enbyrecs · 2 years ago

Note

love a good no pronoun reader 😫🥰

"I'm here, I've got you-" with mentor!finnick right after reader wins the games?! ilysm 🥺🥺

pairing: mentor!finnick odair x victor!reader.

warnings: finnick greets you after you win the games, and consoles your anxiety. something more ensues…

hunger games masterlist

Your bruised knuckles shake where you wring them in your lap; the tribute quarters are so empty, hollow and bereft of any signs of life other than yourself. You've scrubbed your skin raw in the shower, still flushed and tingling from the coarse brush you used to rid yourself of the dried blood and dirt.

You want Finnick.

You know mentors are always the first to greet victors after the games, and you need him more than anyone else right now.

The door creaks your head snaps up where you're laying. He’s at your side in an instant, concern carved into his features as he reaches out for you.

You tremble at his touch; palm against your cheek, arm hooked around your waist as he begins drawing you up and into him.

"How are you doing?" he asks, voice low and soft and caring.

The tears well almost unconsciously, catching on your waterline and spilling down your hot cheeks.

"Not so good," you admit despite yourself.

"I know, honey. I know," he murmurs, tugging you toward him as gently as he can manage. You're in his lap before you can register what's happening, and you tuck yourself up small, head under his chin, shoulders under his armpits.

"I'm sorry," you cry, "I'm so sorry."

"Shh, you have nothing to be sorry for. You did everything you were supposed to." He kisses the top of your head, hair still damp from the shower.

"Okay." You nod vehemently, almost like you're trying to convince yourself that he's right, that you're not a monster after what you had to do in the games. "Will you hold my hand?"

Finnick smiles and it pushes his dimples out- they're crescent moon shaped. You resist the urge to reach out and touch them.

"Of course I will."

His thick fingers entwine with yours like puzzle pieces, like that's where they've always been, where they're always meant to be. You bring his knuckles to your face and hold them there, against your cheek as you rest on his broad shoulder. Your bottom lip starts to tremble.

"I'm here, I've got you," he murmurs. "I'm right here."

You tilt your head to gaze at him, uninhibited affection practically oozing from your every pore. He leans in- you’re close enough to feel his breath on your face.

Your lashes kiss at the corners as your eyes flutter closed and he takes that as an invitation. His lips slot between your own like they live there and the kiss feels like coming home. When he pulls back, you chase him.

He meanders away from your lips with his kisses: the corner of your mouth, your cheek, a lingering one on your forehead. Your hand, still laced with his own, is holding him so tightly you’re scared you’re cutting off his circulation. He can feel your anxiety.

“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

You’re smiling this time when you say,

“Okay.”

#finnick odair drabble

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enbyrecs · 2 years ago

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i love cute and accurate fics 🥰

How the aot veterans notice that you and Levi are secretly an item...

Erwin

Let's be honest, he knew it even before you two got together. Erwin is a very observing man, hardly anything that is going on in the headquarters can get past him. The first time he noticed that something was up was when Levi started to butt in while he was doing the plans for expeditions, always sneakily trying to put you in the safest position possible. It was always "Name isn't skilled enough to be here" or "She would do better if you put her over here". Another thing he noticed is that you two started to attend meetings late with some lame excuse, he just dismissed it but enjoyed how much you both struggled to keep the act up.

However one day you two don't show up to work at all, spending all day having "fun" in Levi's room and the excuses Erwin heard the next almost made him laugh. "And where were you two?" He asked as you and Levi entered his office, his eyebrow raised. "We were busy." Levi says but he knows that it's not enough. "I was giving her private training all day yesterday." Erwin nods, not believing a single word. "Is that so? And why didn't you inform me about this?" Levi scoffs, he knows he shouldn't lie to Erwin but he can't just say that you two were fucking like rabbits the whole day yesterday. "I thought that it wasn't important." Erwin sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose at Levi's words. "For Ymir's sake just say that you two were having sex and stop with this nonsense." Your mouth drops right open at the commander's words, a slight blush creeping on your cheeks meanwhile Levi scoffs at Erwin. Guess he did not have to lie to his superior officer anymore, the cat was out of the bag anyway.

Hange

It was their number-one entertainment besides spending the whole day doing titan research. They noticed it mostly because of Levi and how his behavior would change around you. Little things like, how often he sat next to you, how close the two of you would stand to each other anytime you were next to one another. One of the biggest giveaways was Levi's hand on your lower back which suggested that the two of you were already intimate with one another. They saw you once brush a fur off his uniform jacket, that was where Hange got their confirmation. For the next few weeks, they noticed even more, on one occasion, you had your hand resting on his thigh while you two were sitting down. It took everything in them not to bug you or Levi about it that is, until they saw love bites on your neck, they couldn't help but look at your neck and that's when they had to say something. "Damn name. Someone is getting it good huh?" You start to cough at their words and Levi looks up from his tea. "What are you talking about?" Hange snickers. "Your neck, Levi isn't going easy on you is he?" "Shut the fuck up four-eyes."

Miche

He is the one who keeps his nose out of everyone's business but even he couldn't help but feel intrigued when he noticed that Levi had your scent on him one morning. "Hmm.." He would hum, finding it strange just how strong your smell on Levi was. So he waited to see if you would smell like Levi too and he got his opportunity when you sat next to him in the mass hall at dinner. He side-eyes you, you indeed had Levi's cologne on you. "Mhh..." He hums again and looks between you and Levi. "So do you two use the same shampoo and soap or?" Miche asks, looking at your reactions. "What are you japping about?" Levi asks, already annoyed that Miche is asking such a thing. "Don't play me for a fool. You two smell like each other. Why is that?" You and Levi stay quiet and the silence is enough for Miche. "Ah, I see..." He can't help but nod in approval. "Well good luck. At least know we know where Levi is taking his stress out."

Nanaba

Now....she downright catches you two making out and it was by pure accident. She borrowed a shirt from you and wanted to return it so you told her to just bring it to your room when she had the time. Bad idea. Levi was sitting on your bed, you on his lap as you kissed passionately. His hands were rubbing your back under your shirt, you moaned softly against his lips. Levi's hands move to your hips and he grinds you on top of him, you get the message, and just as you are about to pull your shirt over your head when. "Name here is your shirt back- oh..." Nanaba stood in the doorway, her eyes going wide as she saw the position you two were in. It took a few seconds to register what happened but Levi spoke before you. "Fucking...fuck off. Can't you see we are busy?" He says, his voice harsh, his hands still on your hips. Nanaba chuckles. "Alright, alright, keep on....yeah. And use protection" "Out!" Levi yells and Nanaba smiles before closing the door behind her. "....I forgot to lock the door..." You try not to laugh at the situation when you see Levi's annoyed face. "Whatever. Now let's get back to what we were starting." You smile as he resumes kissing you.

#levi ackerman

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enbyrecs · 2 years ago

Text

🥹🥹this is so cute

it was an accident, really. a trick of fate that brought zoro to this new unspoken tradition. it all started when he once saw a flower that reminded him of you for some reason, so he plucked it. carried it with him all the way back to the ship to show you — not thinking much of it.

but when he saw how much your face lit up at the small gesture, gently cusping the flower in the palm of your hands, he knew that he'd do anything to see that look again.

so everytime the crew finds itself on a new island, he goes looking for a new flower that he can tuck behind your ear. he always comes back way too late, the sun setting in a swirl of warm hues and sanji harping on and on about how zoro got lost again.

but the world stand stills when he presents you the little flower, all his hope and love going into the small exchange, eager to see the very stars shine in your eyes when you look at him adjourning your newest accessory — one almost as beautiful as you.

#opla zoro

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enbyrecs · 2 years ago

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luffy x fluff is exactly what i needed in this moment😙😙

late night snack

✧ synopsis: you find your hungry captain in the ship's kitchen at 1am. you decide to have mercy on him and make him a meal.

✧ contains: luffy x gn!reader, ambiguous relationship (bc honestly luffy is so aroace-coded to me), cuddles, cooking as a bonding experience, 2.1k words

✧ now playing: johnny boy (instrumental) — santiano

✧ warnings: none

"Luffy, I'm almost too afraid to ask, but what exactly is it you're trying to do?"

It was the dead of the night and you originally just planned to make a quick trip to the kitchen and back for a glass of juice. After all, everyone was already sleeping and there were no disturbances in sight. Considering the plethora of instances that had you running away from marines or getting into fights with other pirates, that was a blessing to be fully taken advantage off. So you were looking forward to let the swaying of the ship on the waves lull you back into the land of dreams and find solace in the soft sound of light rain meeting the Going Merry.

But you found that when you entered the kitchen, you were not alone. And wherever your captain was, adventure was never far behind. This time "adventure" came in the form of a fire hazard frying pan with food in it taped to the kitchen wall with Luffy's rubber arm holding onto the wooden spoon. Luffy himself was standing on the other side of the room, his arm stretched all the way across the kitchen.

"Oh hi!", he exclaimed, happy to see you, then started to explain his current predicament, "well you see, Sanji refused to make me some food because it is 1am and I said 'Sanji, please' and he groaned 'make it yourself'. So I thought 'hey, that's actually not a bad idea!'"

"I don't like where this is going, but go on", you let out a sigh but could hardly be mad at him for the chaos he had caused in the kitchen, given the way he was looking at you with such a pure smile. "So, given that this was my first time cooking anything, my first attempt didn't work out as I intended to", he continued, "so I wanted to clean up the kitchen so Sanji wouldn't get mad, but you see, the spoon got stuck to the frying pan and I can't remove it even with my devil fruit powers." He still looked so carefree explaining this, that you couldn't help but envy him for his seemingly complete lack of stress and anxiety.

You stepped closer to the pan to see how he managed to get the wooden spoon stuck on it. You looked back and forth between the pan and your smiling captain, blinking in disbelief a couple of times. "I really don't get what I did wrong, I did exactly what the cookbook said", Luffy went on, "it said caramelize the onions-"

You stopped him right there, gesturing to the frying pan. "So let me just confirm this: you threw a whole fish and three whole onions into the pan and put caramel on it... and from the looks of it mozzarella?" Luffy nodded. "Sanji always said that being a chef also means you can be creative with the food you make and I thought that sounded really fun!", he stemmed his hands into his hips. "You look way too proud of this", you raised an eyebrow with concern written on your face, sending a silent prayer to whatever was out there to hear you. Keep my captain safe, never let him near a stove unsupervised.

You gently removed his fist from the spoon, hearing his rubber arm snap back to its natural length. "You're lucky you're cute...", you sighed and removed the pan from the wall, putting it aside with a slightly painful smile on your face, "this is a Sanji problem."

Even though you had a soft spot for him, or perhaps especially because of it, you felt the need to remind Luffy of the dangers of cooking with 0 experience. "Please be more careful next time... you could have caused a fire on the ship", you turned around to speak to him only to find he was no longer where he had been standing just seconds ago. You looked around the room and found him rummaging through the fridge again. "I'm still hungry", he pouted. You could even hear his stomach growling. For the sake of him and everyone else you decided it was better to not let him go to bed hungry and risk waking up to the final inferno that would annihilate all seas.

"If I make you something, will you help me prepare the ingredients and clean up the kitchen?", you sighed but you looked up in surprise when you found Luffy in your embrace, wrapping his arms around you in a tight hug and pressing his cheek to your shoulder. "Yes, thank you, you're the best!", he exclaimed and you couldn't help but smile, wrapping your arms around your captain as well and running your fingers through his soft hair. His hug felt warm and comforting and you almost didn't want to let go yet, but reminded yourself that you had promised to make him some food.

So you went over to the fridge and the pile of ingredients that Luffy had already dragged out of it and checked what you could make with the stuff you had. "I suppose I could make some wraps", you reasoned and started organizing the ingredients. "Ooh, fill mine with lots of meat please!", Luffy was sitting cross-legged on the floor, rocking back and forth with excitement. "Sure thing", you smiled back at him and tossed him the salad. "Can you wash this and cut a few leaves of it into small stripes?", you asked and Luffy nodded, getting up from the floor, seemingly lost in thought.

"Right... it needs to be washed", he repeated slowly as if this had been a major enlightenment to him. "Good lord...", you whispered with wide eyes, shaking your head at the mental image of what could have happened if you hadn't prevented him from making another 'Luffy original'. "Also, I noticed the oil was still in the cupboard, did you not use it when you tried to fry your fish?", you asked out of curiosity. Luffy shrugged. "I didn't know you had to put oil, I thought any liquid worked." You took a deep breath. "What did you put?" "Ketchup."

Despite everything, Luffy did a pretty good job following your instructions; after all, he had properly cut the salad, tomatoes and pulled the ground beef apart. "Cutting vegetables is harder than I thought", you just heard him mumble and turned around to find him staring at you with helplessness in his eyes, holding up his bleeding pointer finger.

"Yeah that's my fault, I should have seen that coming...", you sighed and opened a kitchen drawer to pull out the bandaids. "There you go", you said after putting the bandaid on Luffy's finger. He looked down at his finger, now covered in a black bandaid with a pirate skull on it and you just quietly heard him mumble something about a 'battle scar'.

"Sunshine, I think the tomato clearly won that one", you raised an eyebrow, preparing the meat for the wraps on the stove. "There'll be a rematch", Luffy informed you in a motivated tone. "Sure, tell that to Sanji tomorrow, I'm sure he's going to think that's a splendid idea", you chuckled. "Yeah, I will!", Luffy smiled at you. You laughed and went on to show Luffy how to prepare the beef.

He looked over your shoulder with his chin rested on it, watching what you did closely. He seemed curious and fascinated by how different cooking worked from what he originally thought. You leaned your head against his and heard him yawn. Luffy wrapped his arms around you again, nuzzling your neck with his eyes closed. "Hey, don't go falling asleep on me now, you don't want to miss your meal right?", you reminded him and he yawned again, nodding. "Don't worry, 'm awake", he mumbled with a tired voice.

Having him cling to you like this, peacefully resting on your shoulder, made you almost disappointed when the meat was finally done.

"This is great!", Luffy exclaimed with his mouth stuffed full of food after you had handed him two wraps, "thank you so much for the food!" You quietly enjoyed your own wrap, smiling at the situation. Luffy had a way of making every encounter the two of you had one without regrets, even if it involved cooking at 1am. As long as he was happy, you were content.

After finishing your late night snack, both of you decided it was time for a small break so you settled down on the couch, holding Luffy in your arms. You were laying on your back, your head propped up by a pillow, while your captain was resting on your chest with a satisfied smile on his face. He looks so cute, you thought, playing with his hair.

Luffy let out another yawn and you soon noticed he was drifting off to sleep. He looked so peaceful sleeping in your embrace and you cupped his cheek gently, pressing a soft goodnight kiss to his forehead. This was the night you found out that Luffy was a sleep-talker. "...Meat", he'd mumble and you smiled, deciding it would be cruel to get up now to wash the dishes and risk waking him up. Maybe you'd manage to get up in the morning before Sanji would wake up. This is worth it, Sanji will understand, you reasoned with yourself with perhaps a little too much optimism, something you suspected may have rubbed off on you from Luffy.

"Back in Windmill Village, they considered me a meat philosopher", Luffy mumbled in his sleep and it took you two minutes to suppress a laugh.

This man is an experience, you bit your lip to hold back your wheezing, burying your face in your hands. You just had to ask him to elaborate on this once he'd wake up. You shook your head with a bright smile on your face. Your fingers started gently drawing circles on Luffy's back, causing him to try and snuggle even closer in his sleep. Once you had recovered from your captain's sleep-talking endeavors, tiredness soon caught up to you and you drifted off to sleep, still holding onto Luffy. It was a peaceful night indeed.

But the peace was never meant to last. Once the sun had risen, you wake up to an angry "Luffy!" echoing through the kitchen. Luffy's eyes fluttered open and he promptly sat up. "Oh, good morning Sanji", he called out with a happy expression, stretching his limbs. Your ship's cook had a threatening smile on his face. "Don't 'good morning Sanji' me, what the fuck did you two do to my kitchen?"

"I helped y/n make food", Luffy explained, proud of his contribution. "I can see that", Sanji grabbed the caramel abomination from the kitchen counter and held it up, "this pan is literally ruined." You sat up as well and raised your hands. "In my defense, this was all his doing. I wasn't here to prevent this."

Luffy looked at you from the side. "Ratting me out like this... I thought we were in this together", he pouted and rested his chin on his knees. "Nuh-uh", you shook your head, "I'm not taking responsibility for Satan's first edible plague... then again I don't think you can even call this edible." "Technically almost everything is edible", Luffy gave you a thumbs-up.

"Dishes. Now."

You got up very fast after discovering that Sanji was not messing around. That was the day you two got sentenced to dish-washing duty for the next 3 weeks. Originally it was supposed to be one week, but you may or may not have gotten into a foam fight with Luffy, leaving the kitchen in an even bigger mess.

"This reminds me of my job at Baratie. Good times", Luffy was reminiscing. "You didn't have 'a job', you had to do the dishes because you couldn't pay for what looked like your last supper", you reminded him. "And I only broke 5 of them", he proudly informed you.

You couldn't help but laugh, Luffy joining in not soon after. You were once again reminded why you would never regret joining this crew. If someone could make even washing dishes fun and make you happy like this, you'd be damned to not keep him in your life. Luffy was like the sun, brightening up each day since you had met him; even the darkest of them. He looked up and caught you smiling at him from the side.

"What's the matter?", he asked, smiling back.

"Just thinking about how happy I am to have met you."

#monkey d. luffy #opla

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enbyrecs · 2 years ago

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stfuuu this is a masterpiece 😘🤌

(⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)🌷✨🩷🍪 Greetings Author-nim

Can I please request (⁠^⁠_⁠^⁠メ⁠)

(OPLA Zoro x You) Where Reader is an Assassin or Ninja and is a Pirate hunter, When Zoro used to be one too, they would always compete who gets the target first. Sometimes Zoro wins, sometimes reader.

So, imagine Reader's reaction when they saw Zoro with the crew.

And also, Luffy, somehow by some miracle with his own style of talk-no-jutsu managed to convince reader to join them(⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)

(⁠ ⁠˘⁠ ⁠³⁠˘⁠)⁠♥. Hope u have a great day and it's okay if u don't want to do this. I'll understand.

baby, let the games begin

wc: 2k (surprise, shawty)

cw/tags: gn!reader, swearing, canon-typical violence, mentions of drinking and alcohol, pining pining pining pining PINING

note: hi love, thank you so much for your request!! i hope you like this because i certainly love writing for this stupid himbo man

likes, reblogs, and replies are always appreciated <3

Honor be damned, you really wanted to kill him.

“Dirty play, demon,” you huff irritatedly, scowling at the asshole who skewered your target before you could. In a single clean slash, the head is relieved of its body and unceremoniously kicked into a bag. “We both know that one was mine.”

“Better luck next time.” Asshole. Stupid, selfish, infuriatingly attractive asshole. A million different ways you could end his life flashed through your mind and, with his back turned to you, became more of a possibility the longer you sat in your disappointment. The dock creaks beneath his receding footsteps and you spit a curse under your breath. The head now bouncing around in the pirate hunter’s hand would have had you living comfortably for months, not to mention buying some shelter for the stray dogs wandering your home island. Monsoon season was coming and you didn’t have nearly enough space to keep all of them dry. Finding food that wasn’t old bread and horse balls was hard in itself and shelter was just another task added to the to-do list. “You’re not gonna try and take it from me?”

“Why would I? You killed him; you get the bounty,” you reply scornfully, praying that whoever came up with the idea of hunter’s honor is torn to shreds by an octopus. “Guess it is your turn,” you concede reluctantly and take note of the blood dripping from the dirty fabric sack as he reapproaches. You’d have to clean your shoes when you were done. “I did take that guy from you in Flamingo Village, last week.”

“The one with the big, ugly hat,” he confirms and you don’t budge when he stands right in front of you. He had pretty eyes, you’d give him that. Too bad you wanted to slam your fist into his nose. “I was mad about that one.”

“Well, you got this one. Aren’t you gonna cash ‘em in?”

“I will. I’m just curious,” he says and his expression is unreadable. It bordered on amusement and suspicion with a little bit of awe. “You could have killed me a million times since I killed the target.” Already thought that, buddy. “Why didn’t you?”

“Like I said, hunter’s honor–”

“No,” he shakes his head decidedly and you narrow your eyes. “You’ve been following this guy for four days, watching other hunters fail to bring him in. My question is, why do you need this bounty so badly, and why aren’t you willing to kill me over it?”

“Technically, that’s two questions,” you deadpan and your heart does an unwanted little stutter when he scoffs, the tiniest smile pulling at his mouth. “If you really wanna know why I need it, it’s ‘cause I need to take care of some friends back home.” It wasn’t a complete lie, but you also didn’t need the most feared hunter in the seas knowing that you needed the money to buy squeaky toys and dog beds.

“Those friends aren’t worth killing for?”

“It’s sounding like you want me to kill you,” you fire back incredulously. “Do I need to worry about you, Zoro?”

“Look, all I’m saying is, all other hunters would be leaping at my throat as soon as I take their kill. I just don’t understand why you won’t, especially if it’s worth four days of stalking.”

“Maybe I like playing this little game,” you admit. It’s no secret to you that your job becomes incredibly boring at times. All the other hunters you come across take their jobs too seriously and believe that they’re purging the seas of evil. You, however, knew that the real evil was pacing around ivory towers and putting up the wanted posters. When you first met Zoro, it seemed like he didn’t take his job seriously at all. He killed like it was breathing and remained unamused at the melodramatic theatrics of flashier hunters. You ran into each other often because, besides being the only ones who survive their hunts, you were the top-earning hunters of your generation and ended up following the same pace every time. “I take a bounty; you take a bounty. I try to beat the pirate hunter at his own game; he throws a fit when I’m faster than him.”

“But, today I was faster than you,” he corrects and you stick your tongue out at him in defiance. “Who’s throwing a fit now?”

“Get out of my sight, demon,” you frown but you can’t hold it for long. It becomes a tired, melancholy smile and you start to make your way back to the town to book passage home. “Hope you enjoy all that Berry.”

“Let me buy you a drink with it before you go,” he calls after you and you freeze where you stand. “Consolation for kicking your ass this time around.” You shoot him a scathing look over your shoulder and take the bait.

“I did all the dirty work for you, asshole, so it better be three drinks at the least.” He chuckles softly under his breath and you roll your eyes, letting him catch up to you before heading to the nearest bar together. “I hate you so much.”

“No, you don’t.”

As time passed and you ran into him more during your hunts, that hatred turned into something different, an annoying feeling of excitement every time you heard a sword unsheathed or spotted someone with green hair. You found yourself checking your watch when you were ahead of him, counting down the hours until he caught up. You knew the sound of his footsteps and the rhythm of his breathing and memorized how the sun hit his eyes down to the iris. Sometimes, you’d work with him directly and split the bounty evenly once it was completed. During conversations to kill time, though he never admitted it, he liked being around you as often as he was. Eventually, you told him about your furry friends back on the island and started marking the places you’d been with a hasty drawing of a dog. It became part of your routine and the time that it took for him to catch up to you decreased exponentially as a result. You’re easier to follow, is what he said. On a particular mission where you were unusually behind, you were delighted to find his gross attempt at mimicking the mark scratched into the wooden bar counter.

You lose touch with him after a year or so of working together and you don’t expect it to hurt as much as it did. Word floated around that he was captured by Marines and posted up in Shells Town, but the same mouths reported that he escaped with pirates the following day. None of it sounded like him and it reminded you that you really didn’t know him at all. Still, you marked that silly dog into every barstool and backdoor you came across as you fell back into the same boring routines.

Taking a rest day at a floating restaurant called Baratie, you think you’ve found the perfect spot to scratch into the counter when you realize that someone has already done it for you. It was horrendous and nearly incomprehensible, but you choke back a sob when you run your thumb over the mangled wood. There was only one person who could have drawn the little dog so badly.

And it’s like your body senses him before your mind does.

In an instant, you’re hyper fixated on the familiar rhythm of his boots and the soft noise as his swords clank together with every step. There are four others with him, but you know his approach like the back of your hand. A boy in a straw hat whom you recognize from wanted posters rushes the bar, loudly requesting a glass of milk for himself and the finest rum for his swordsman companion. When he slides into the seat next to you, you can barely look at him, rendered defenseless from the conflict of emotions stirring in your mind. Thousands of questions were screaming to be answered but you couldn’t even open your mouth. The alcohol in your half-finished glass is all you can see.

“You found me,” he murmurs, flagging down the bartender and asking for a bottle of whatever you’re drinking.

“I wasn’t looking for you,” you reply just as quietly, watching his hand carefully replenish your glass before filling his own and downing it in a few swallows. You stop him from pouring another with a light hand on his shoulder and he wordlessly sets down the bottle, making you smile softly. “You still drink too much.”

“I don’t have you to slow me down,” he replies without hesitation, glancing at your fingertip as it traces the mark he made on the wood. “I’ve been putting those everywhere since I joined up with Luffy. Figured we’d run into each other at some point.”

“Luffy,” you echo. “That’s your pirate captain?” The irony of your situation escapes neither of you. If you were smart, you’d have every single one of them dead and bouncing around a burlap sack, just like the pirate all those years ago. But, just the same as the first time, you were stopped by a profound desire to be closer to Zoro.

“He’s not like other pirates. Not like the ones you and I know.”

“I’ll let the Marines know next time I bring in a head, then,” you laugh humorlessly, feeling the rum burn down your throat when you take another sip. You feel his eyes watching you carefully but you don’t look back at him. “I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to hear that.”

“They don’t have to hear anything,” he says in a low tone, one that sends goosebumps up your spine and has your heart beating a little faster. “They don’t have to hear anything from you ever again.”

“You’re not saying…”

“That's exactly what I’m saying.”

“You want me to just switch sides like it’s nothing?”

“This job has been nothing to you from the beginning, nothing but a way to feed strays that, thanks to you, have loving homes,” he reminds you and you exhale deeply. He was right, but part of you wanted vengeance for all the times you secretly wished he was still with you. “So, come with me.”

“Zoro, I–”

“You know, I’ve missed you so much I can’t sleep,” he shakes his head and sighs in defeat. “Every time we dock at a new city, I’m hoping you’re on a hunt because, as much as I care for them, they’ll never know me the way you do.” He looks back at his crew with something like sad fondness in his eyes. They wouldn’t ever know him the way you did, as a bounty hunter with no real place to call home and no real people to call friends. “It gets lonely when you’re not forced to be alone anymore.”

“And it’s lonely when you are forced to,” you add. “It’s lonely either way–”

“But I’d rather be that way with you,” he concludes. “It’s not bad when I’m with you.” You pause, collecting your thoughts and calculating how much money you’d have if you suddenly abandoned your current line of work. It was risky, sure, but something about risking it on Zoro made it feel a little less dangerous. “Your silence tells me I convinced you.”

“I’m not the one you need to convince; it’s your captain you should be talking to.”

“Trust me, he’s the least of our problems.” As if to drive home his point, a choir of cheers rises up from behind you as a loud belch sounds through the harbor.

“‘Our’ as in the crew, or ‘our’ as in you and I?”

“It’s always been you and I, hasn’t it?”

“It always will be,” you promise, letting your head fall onto his shoulder. He’s warm and safe and everything you were needing. “But, I need to teach you how to draw a better dog.” He hums in agreement, downing another glass contentedly.

“Yeah, you need to teach me how to draw a better dog.”

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