#He's so insistent that Archer just ENJOY his time away

[cicero-the-assassin]

@archerwhiterp

Continued from here.

He was aware that the level of involvement Attigo had in his life was unusual for most. However, nothing their kind did was 'usual' or 'natural'. Who was Archer to question it? He was the lowest step on the feeding chain of predators. A vulture hovering for scraps and waiting his turn, too afraid to use his talons to take what he wanted. What he needed. He had always assumed that was due to some defect in his personality, in his morals. Yet as Lucio stated, those were both trained to some extent. Far more than Archer could even fathom. He flinched slightly and ripped his head back as Lucio offered to help. It was not a threat no, but those words in another's mouth would be. Now Archer kept his gaze fixed on the other, waiting for that break in the tension when he would pounce or relent. He gazed down as he offered money, charity, kinship. Archer swallowed uneasy, unsure why it felt difficult to believe. Lucio so far had acted nothing like his Master Attigo. He could only trust his words. What a feeling it was that he did recognize Archer. A feeling Archer could not put words too yet besides fluttering and excitable. He relaxed slowly and smiled, able to meet his gaze again. "I- I suppose it is. It's very lonely when you aren't known. Sometimes I wonder I... I have the strange urge to walk into a crowded room and simply scream. I don't know if anyone would notice me otherwise."

"As if I am a ghost."

His grasp was loose, Archer slips out of it quite easily. The poor boy was constricted and held prisoner often enough. He had little desire to subject him to the exact same thing. He takes no offense.

But he's aware that is something he'd never try with his master. Perhaps these little acts of individualism was Archer becoming more comfortable in his presence.

Relent is his route, his stance passive in nature. Lucio's clawed hands hide behind his back, twiddling his thumbs. Archer seemed so confused, so unsure of whether to trust him.

"I cannot imagine it has been easy for you," He muses, shrugging his shoulders slightly, resulting in a pop of his bones, "To be so isolated and cut off from the world, I cannot say that I know what that is like- but I sympathize." There is a general aura about him, calming and soothing. A low hum of white noise that no one can here but is definitely there. He is trying to comfort him without even touching him.

"We are all ghosts, for as known as I make myself, not many know what my nature truly is. Just our own kind. And not many of them socialize with me for the pleasure of my company. As you may have noted from your Master's distaste for me. Then again, he has a distaste for most anyone."

Lucio sighs, taking a seat, reclining in a chair of his, stretching like a cat.

"You don't need to worry about that for now though- you are far less alone now than you were a mere, what? Days ago? And though my sister has not met you, she is also aware of you. She wishes to meet you sometime during your stay with me. Trust me when I tell you you will get more attention than you are bargaining for.

So no worries. And- as I said, you're always free to speak your mind to me. I'd prefer it rather than invading your privacy. You will not owe me if you want something, so ask away."

@archerwhiterp

[ddaz3d-and-cc0nfused]

༉‧₊˚. 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐤 || 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐱𝐨𝐧

― pairings: daryl dixon x bimbo plus size!reader

― era: early season 9

― summary: you needed more clothes, and daryl was more than willing to spoil you.

― warnings: literally nothing! it's just fluff and the reader being very dense :`]

― wc: 1773

⋆ a/n: i loved writing this more than i love air, so i hope you guys enjoy this because i know i do.

masterlist | AO3

In any other lifetime, Daryl would’ve ignored girls like you; the ones that weren't as bright, that always had a question, that never knew what was going on, practically having a head filled with air. How you were still alive when Daryl had first met you was beyond him, because you were definitely the type that wouldn't be able to survive the apocalypse. He should've left you to die, but he quickly learned that your presence had easily brought joy to the group.

At first, he stayed away from you, but it was as if you flocked to him, following him around like a lost puppy. Anyone else would have been annoyed with the way you stuck to him— even though he'll never admit it— he liked that you always needed his help, that he was the first person you sought out. He quickly became your protector; you almost ran into a door? He's placing a hand on your shoulder to lead you the right way. You can't figure out why your gun is out bullets? Your gun that had miraculously disappeared is now back and the chamber’s loaded. Out of your favorite pink lip gloss? There's a new tube waiting for you on your desk. He always hovered, he always knew what you needed, and he made damn sure he could provide for you.

It wasn't hard to figure out that he was in love with you, and many people found it amusing— especially the leaders of the kingdom, and Alexandria. You were total opposites, and maybe that's just what Daryl needed.

Now here you were, practically fuming because of your lack of clothing. With Rick honoring Carl, and Daryl being his right-hand man, you weren't able to go out shopping. It's not that Daryl didn't trust the others to take you out, you were the one that actually preferred him there— mostly because you felt a lot safer with him— but also because you needed his opinion on what clothes you should get. Even if you liked it, you wanted him to like it too, because he was your boyfriend, and he would have to see you wear them everyday.

You must admit that Daryl had ended up dictating most of your wardrobe; from your perfume to certain shirts, and pants, and sometimes down to your bra and underwear. It wasn't like he had insisted on it like some control freak, but he knew it was something that would make you happy, so he obliged.

You huffed sadly, looking at your black-to-pink clothing ratio— which was unmistakably Daryl's. You had no idea when he would come home, and you were starting to get fidgety. Back before the world fell, you loved to shop, it was your favorite past time, practically robbing the poor stores blind with your friends. You stood there in your hot pink tank top, your underwear having the word ‘Baby’ bedazzled across your ass— Daryl had begrudgingly allowed you to take it home when he heard the excited squeal you let out when you saw the pair, which was one out of the many in the pack.

Your bedroom door opened, causing excitement to course through your veins as you turned around to look at your favorite archer, the man setting his trusty crossbow against the wall. You could see the crown sticker you had put on the handle of it, Daryl always threatening to rip the “stupid” thing off— even though you both knew that he ended up gluing it on there.

“Baby!” You squealed, practically throwing yourself on him. He pulled you flush against his body as you showered his face in never ending kisses, smearing your lip gloss all over his forehead, cheeks, and lips. “You're home! Oh, I've missed you so much!” He chuckled fondly at your enthusiasm, hands falling to the exposed skin of your waist, which was a product of your squirming.

“I missed ya too, sunshine.” You pulled your face away from his so that your arms were looped around his neck, peering up at him through those pretty eyelashes of yours. “So, I was thinking that my closet was looking like it needed more clothes.” He raised an eyebrow, his lips tugged up in the corners in amusement. “Is that so?” You nodded with a big smile on your face. “Yep! And I need you to come with me.” He looked conflicted as his left hand reached up to caress the side of your face.

“I dunno.” You gave him the best puppy dog eyes that you could muster, pouting your now barely glossed lips. “C'mon, D. It's been so long since I've been on a real shopping trip, and wouldn't it be a good time to go on a date?” He let out a defeated groan. He couldn't say no to you, he hated that he couldn't, and he also hated how you knew and took advantage of it.

“Alrigh’, we'll go tomorrow.” You let out a happy noise as you showered him in affection once more. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” You all but cried. “You're the best, bear.” You were the only one that was allowed to call him ‘’Bear.” You had claimed that it sounded familiar to Dar, which was another nickname you had gracefully given him. “Don’ go shoutin’ that.” You giggled, placing a peck on his nose. “No promises, Bear.” You teased.

As the next day came, you were up early, your body thrumming in enthusiasm as you thought of finally getting out of the walls for a while. You wiggled out of Daryl's unconscious embrace, the older man rolling over onto his back where you took full advantage of straddling his waist. You dragged your hands down his bulky chest, running your fingers through the patch of hair on his chest, down over his peck to trace around the tattoo that laid inked there. You bent down, your still shirt covered chest pressing against his, placing kisses from his lips to his neck, nibbling softly on the skin.

“Bear…” You whined softly, “You've gotta get up. You promised.” He groaned, large calloused palms resting on your full thighs. “Well good mornin’ to ya too.” You joined your lips together softly, Daryl closing his eyes so he could be surrounded with everything that was you. As you broke off the kiss, your peered into his eyes, Daryl looking into yours with admiration of his own.

“Alrigh’,” He sighed, “’M gettin’ up.” You cheered, landing one last kiss on his pursed mouth, bouncing off of him to find something to wear.

The ride to the store was nice, your arms wrapped tightly around his waist. As he assisted you getting off of the bike, you couldn't help but ask, “Bear, does my makeup look okay?” Even when it was the apocalypse, you still liked to do your makeup. His thumb came up to gently wipe off some pink eyeshadow that had fallen onto your cheek. “Ya look beautiful.” You smiled at him, your body flushing. “Ya ready?” He asked, holding out his hand for you to take. “Mhm.”

He had made sure every square inch of the store was cleared before allowing you to even step foot inside, insisting that you wait outside of it. When his sweep was done, he had reappeared to come and get you, tugging you inside and into the clothing section.

“Dar, look at all of these dresses!” You announced in awe. You gently touched the material, twisting the fabric between your fingers before letting go.

The next hour consisted if you throwing things in Daryl's awaiting arms, the man hauling around the items until you had reached the dressing rooms. You took all of the clothes out of his arms, Daryl collapsing in a chair with a disgruntled, but yet relieved grunt.

“’M too old fer this shit.” He all but complained.

As he watched you disappear behind the old curtain, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of normality. He knew for a fact that if the world still functioned the way it did, he would have never carried around clothes, or allowed someone to call him bear, or even touch his prized crossbow. He couldn't help but think that maybe— just maybe —you would be doing this with him if the dead had stayed dead. If Merle could see him now he'd call him pussy whipped for a skirt. He could almost hear him say it, a chuckle exiting his body at the thought of his older brother’s crude teasing.

The air got lodged in his throat as he watched you model a pair of low-rise denim shorts. He could see the tattoo above your ass on your lower back clear as day, three stars sat above either cheek.

“I figured these would be good for when it warms up.” You have him one last twirl before awaiting his approval. “Yea, it looks good. 'Real airy.” You giggled in satisfaction. “I know right?!” You disappeared back into the small room before popping back out in a light pink no strap tube top, even lighter pink feathers lining the top band above your breasts.

“What do you think?” You asked, a glimmer in your eye in your eyes that clearly states that you loved the thing. “Can that thing even be considered a shirt?” He snorted, but it was all just teasing to ruffle your feathers— no pun intended. “Ya look like a flamingo.” You whined at his faux insults, throwing him a weak glare. “Dar, don't be mean! I like it.” He blew out an overdramatic raspberry before focusing back on you.

“I like it. 'Would look good with that skirt I saw ya throw at me.” Your head perked up as if you were the one that had the idea yourself. “You're so right!” You rushed to squeeze to the skirt on, not even bothering to shut the curtain as you bent over.

Today, your panties read, ‘Sweetheart.’

It went on like that for what seemed like hours before you had finally left the store, the clothes that you wanted being shoved into old bags that Daryl had found— which he inevitably ended up carrying as well.

“Thank you so much for today, Bear.” You said tiredly. You fell face first onto his firm chest, breathing in his earthy scent. “Ain’ no problem, darlin’.” He wrapped his arms around you, his hands still clasped with the baggage.

You leaned up, pressing a sweet, glossed kiss to his cheek, smearing the product on his scruff, a feeling that Daryl will always welcome.

ೃ⁀➷ my lovely taglist!: @alina02

[hornyhornyhimbos]

could u write something where sub spencer reid and afab reader have fwb but then reader gets all pissy and jealous after seeing spencer kiss lila and he has to make it up to her ?

hope this is ok! i'm not the best at writing fwb situations so i hope i did ok 😅

spencer insists it's only a kiss, but when you aren't so sure of it, he finds a way to make it up to you ♡

18+ as always, dom!afab!reader x sub!spencer, use of toys (bondage and vibrator), thigh riding, oral m!receiving, maybe edging and orgasm delay (?), nicknames (mistress, ma'am; good/big boy), explicit language, implied unprotected piv sex at the end, 1.2K words, beta read by @broken-stardust <3

filthy fridays | ask box

"it was only a kiss!" spencer insisted for probably the fifth time.

"spencer, i saw those pictures. i'm not stupid. you may have only kissed her, but you sure as hell enjoyed it and wanted more," you scoffed, flinging yourself down onto your mattress with crossed arms.

technically this started four months ago when you and spencer had first agreed to a no-strings-attached, sex-whenever-you'd-like relationship, but this particular situation started twenty-four hours prior. you had spotted a picture of spencer kissing lila archer, america's sweetheart, on the cover of one of those cheap tabloids you saw in the line at the grocery store. needless to say, you weren't happy about it.

he sat down beside you, placing a soft peck on your shoulder, and you rolled your eyes when you figured out what he was trying to do. still, he whispered sweetly, "i'm sorry, love."

you wanted to kill him, but you wanted to kiss him and accept his apology at the same time. "you are not," you grumbled, scooting away from him.

like the lost puppy he was, he followed behind you, nestling up behind you and trailing kisses up to your ear. "is there any way i can show you how sorry i really am?"

you raised an eyebrow, turning to face him. "what were you thinking?" you asked simply, a pout still sitting on your lips.

he looked down at his fidgeting fingers, his voice shy as he quietly answered, "i deserve to be punished."

his sweet, submissive tone was like music to your ears. "you're right. you do deserve to be punished. now, why don't you lay back on the bed for me?"

he did as he was told, lifting his hands to the bed posts where he knew you'd want to see them. with a smirk, you pulled the satin ties from your bedside table, wrapping them around his wrists and watching as his breathing increased.

"i think," you said, undoing his pants and dragging them down to his ankles, "prolonging the fun is a good punishment, don't you?"

he nodded, his teeth clamping down around his lip as he held back a whimper, your cold fingertips mesmerizing as they worked at the buttons of his shirt.

a shiver went up his spine as you moved a hand to his thoigh, tracing circles along the sensitive skin. you swore you heard his breath hitch as you so much as glanced at the tent in his boxers.

with the opposite hand, you reached in the top drawer for your secret weapon: your trusty vibrator. you pushed the 'on' button, watching as he squirmed in anticipation.

it was a rare occasion for you to use one of your many toys on him, but you watched as he writhed under your control, and you just couldn't stop yourself. "now, if you do as i say," you smirked, pausing to remove his underwear as slowly as possible, "i might let you cum. how's that sound?" you asked, your voice thick as you pressed the silicone to his hard shaft.

"yes, ma'am," he answered, watching as you moved the wand down to his balls, where you knew he was most sensitive. "fuck!" he groaned, his arms already trying to maneuver their way from his restraints.

"ah-ah," you tutted, "good boys don't squirm. they thank their mistress for making them feel good."

beads of sweat began to drip down his face and neck as he muttered out a, "th-thank you, mistress."

you smirked, removing the wand from his balls and placing it just inches away from him on the mattress. he whined at the loss of contact, his cock twitching while he watched you remove your pants. "bought these just for you," you smiled, doing a twirl and showing off the new lace panties you'd bought while he was away.

"b-beautiful," he sighed, brows knitting together as you reached for the vibrator again. "what are you-"

"shhh," you instructed, slowly lowering yourself onto his bare thigh, rubbing yourself ever so gently on his skin. "good boys always trust their mistress, ok?"

he swallowed hard as you pressed the vibrator against him again. "yes, ma'am," he answered, followed by a soft moan.

you slid your cunt against him, the friction absolutely intoxicating. "can i turn this up a bit? or will you cum before i say so?"

you knew he was lying when the crease between his eyebrows appeared. still, he answered, "i can take it, mistress."

"ok, baby." and with that, you pushed the button, the vibrations increasing just enough that he was becoming a whimpering mess.

you humped at his leg like a puppy yourself, watching as your slick glistened on his skin underneath the thin material. "oh, you're so good for me, baby," you mewled, grinding on him even harder.

you watched as his eyes squeezed shut, and you knew he was close. but you knew one other thing: you were going to cum first if it was the last thing you did.

"fuckfuckfuck!" he strung out, his head hitting the headboard with force. "i'm gonna-"

"oh, no, you aren't," you smirked, pulling the wand away from his length. "but i might," you moaned, riding his leg even faster than before.

"no! no, please!" he whined, his eyes darting open as he watched your movements, eyes mostly focused on the silicone in your hand.

"nope, good boys only cum when their mistress says it's ok to cum," you instructed, rolling your hips on him. "oh, fuck!"

your high washed over you, and you threw your head back with a string of profanities as you rode it out. your hips bucked and squirmed against his thigh, your lace absolutely ruined by your juices.

"alright, big boy, it's your turn now." without warning, you pressed the silicone to his balls once more. you moved from his thigh to sit between his spread legs, sinking your mouth onto him, suckling at his bright red tip.

"fuck, you're driving me nuts," he groaned, willing his eyes to stay open.

you released his dick with a pop, just long enough to say, "kind of the point, baby," before forcing him into your mouth again.

he squirmed, watching as your mouth worked its magic. he twitched inside you, making you gag as you finally forced all of his dick between your lips.

"so good to me, ma'am," spencer praised, his head falling back again. "shitshitshit!" his seed oozed down your throat, the salty taste a welcomed one.

you swallowed hard before opening your mouth to show him your accomplishment. "you taste so good on mistress's tongue," you said. your eyes darted down, landing on a couple of missed drops of his essence. "oh!" you exclaimed, licking a stripe up his balls where it had spilled. "couldn't let any of that go to waste, now could we?"

his eyebrows furrowed together as you stood and pushed down your panties. "what are you doing, mistress?"

you lifted your hips, maneuvering yourself upward. without hesitation, you eased yourself onto his length, your head hanging low in what could only be described as pure pleasure. "mistresses always reward their boys when they're good."

-> taglist: @rupsmorge @writer-in-theory @broken-stardust @reidselle @dungeons-are-too-cold

[shearlin]

Word count: 2678

Chapter 7: Time

First || << Previous || Next >>

Happy International Women's Day that was yesterday! As a gift, have a cameo!

Fun fact! I noticed that on average I'm adding 1k words to my "final" drafts when I search for typos and errors before posting. Good thing I put an uploading schedule for myself in place or I would ended up in the editing limbo.

(I also discovered I cannot write accents for the life of me. There was an attempt, but I had to scrap it because I just couldn't do it justice. The accents live in my head and in my heart.)

Enjoy! :D

Another day, another fight, another close call. This time it was… well, Time.

They were on their way to Lon Lon Ranch, landing in old man’s Hyrule only a day's walk away from it. Their spirits were high, the sunbeams bright and the monsters stupid enough to think they didn’t notice them hiding in sparse shrubbery on the side of the road.

The fight didn’t look like anything special. They were so used to working together by that point, it felt more like a choreographed dance routine than a real battle. Legend twirled the ice rod in his hand, wielding his sword in the other, freezing and shattering any monster coming too close, while being covered by Sky with the Master Sword and a whip. Hyrule was dancing around the Darknut with ease giving Wind and Four an easy shot at his back, the two of them making quick work of its armour. Wild was giving them all multiple heart attacks by letting a giant moblin stab the air inches from his face, only to kill it in a rapid fire of blows in a blink of an eye. He would later claim he was ‘training his magic abilities’ and acting all innocent, the madman. Twilight was going after archers, covering the distance between him and them in a blink of an eye as a wolf, coming out of the shift with his sword already swinging. Warriors was taking care of the supposed leader of the pack, separating it from the rest and not letting it bark out any orders or call retreat.

And Time was dealing with a pair of black lizalfos from Sky’s era.

Legend didn’t see how it happened, not that it mattered, only heard the old man coming down with a yell of pain as the spiked metal ball connected with his left knee and rendering him vulnerable and unable to fight.

Twilight and Wars were to his side in an instant, covering him while Time tried to do his best to not move so as to not upset the crushed joint any further. Sky went absolutely ballistic on the monsters he and Legend were dealing with, allowing the veteran to provide additional aid to the old man's defence with his ice rod, allowing Wars to start on the first aid.

They might have been overeager in making sure Time was okay, but to be fair, they were just a few hours away from Malon. They were not going to bring to her doorstep her husband all broken and beaten up.

They defeated the monsters quickly after that, powered by their righteous fury. A fairy that was travelling with them for the past few hours, straight up phased through the glass of her bottle as soon as the last monster fell, so she could heal his leg, despite old man's insistence he would be fine with a red potion, since they were going to the ranch to rest anyway. She had none of that, healing him in a tirade of bells and chimes and then zipped ahead to have her fill of sugar water as a reward.

Legend might not be able to speak with the pink fairies, but by the way Time chuckled as she offered her farewells, he was convinced that that particular one had enough excitement for her life .

Once the injury was mended and Time led them back on the road, the good mood from earlier returned to their group and they started joking around again. Just their local old man being too slow with his reflexes and not being able to keep up with them younglings.

But Legend couldn’t help but feel the uneasiness prickle under his skin once more, as he fell to the back of the group, brushing off Sky’s questioning look and Hyrule’s attempts at conversation. They got the hint easily enough and he was left alone with his thoughts.

The ‘old man’ jokes were all in good fun. The old man himself was often pointing out with humour, how he can’t possibly rival their vigour during training sessions or with the long days of trekking across the lands of Hyrule, no matter his ability to move with deceptive ease and speed when he really wanted to.

And it wasn’t like those jokes were unfounded. He was the oldest. If anyone, Legend would know how years of heroing can weigh on one’s body. Time might have only two (three?) official quests under his belt, but he did spend his teenage and young adult years hunting monsters, clearing and cleansing dangerous cursed places and doing all sorts of work for the crown as the Hero of Time. He might have found peace and tranquillity in the life on the ranch with Malon once he officially “retired” that title, but it didn’t erase years of injuries, scarred tissues or impaired-or-possibly-lack-of vision in his right eye. The entire chain could attest that it would be weird if that life didn’t leave any strain on his body.

Occasional injuries caused by slower reflexes or lingering stiffness was to be expected.

Logically, Legend knew that. But it was happening too often.

Well, not really, it was happening too often for his taste.

Read the rest on Ao3!

[crowning-art]

TGCF SPOILERS BOOK 4

---------------------------------------------

enfkjenkenfe so turns out I forgot a lot of important incidents and had to go back and reread a bunch of book 2 (heart breaking experience even when you know what's gonna happen T-T) and there's this one line that made me laugh tho where Fengxin describes Hua Cheng when he was younger

“That brat will definitely grow up to be a good man!” Feng Xin commented.

lmao dude has noooo idea that this 'good man' will the bane of his existence in the future lmao

ok ok now for the actual reading!!

Everything here feels so sad like Xie Lian here is rejecting the steamed buns, the very same steamed buns that years later, he will happily eat off the ground....

Feng Xin and Mu Qing were already waiting for him outside. Feng Xin had brought back steaming-hot buns, and Mu Qing was slowly munching at them. Feng Xin passed two over to Xie Lian, but when Xie Lian saw those dull and dry crude buns he lost his appetite. He shook his head, refusing them.

My heaaart! Xie Lian gets his cooking skills from his mom T-T that's so cute but so heart breaking considering the circumstances.

I reread book 2 and saw it happen but to see the origins of this tradition is just....sad (gotta increase my vocab, something says Im going to need more words to describe sad soon lol)

“Now, none of you understand. Worshipping a God of Misfortune would certainly bring bad luck, but this statue isn’t for worshipping, it’s for stepping. If you step on a God of Misfortune, doesn’t that mean it’d ensure your everlasting good fortune?”

NOOOOO BABYYYYYYY MY BELOVED DONT GOOOOOO I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Mu Qing replied, “The king and the queen are His Highness’ parents, and I have my own mother. She needs my care too. I can’t say I need to go take care of someone else and someone else’s parents, and neglect my own mother. So, I pray Your Highness will understand, I cannot continue to follow by your side.”

but also....I get it.....he's justified to leave....but dooooon't

You're kidding me. You're absolutely kidding me

YOU MEAN TO TELL ME HUA CHENG DIED IN THE XIANLE BATTLES AGAINST YONG'AN??? AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE??? WHAT WAS HE? 17? 21???

Within the lanterns were all the wandering feral spirits that the elder had captured from the barren battlefield, so the one before him now must also be a young warrior.

He said quietly, “This war separated you from your beloved…I’m sorry. I didn’t win.”

However, the nameless ghost declared, “To die in battle for you is my greatest honour.

MY HEART IS BREAKING SO MUCH THINKING ABOUT THIS cuz little Hua Cheng was out there, alone, trying his best to bring comfort to Xie Lian from a distance, and fighting in a fierce battle, and then he dies. and it must have been a painful and brutal death...and no one knew...and he was alone...but he wasn't alone cuz Xie Lian never left his mind....but this little boy was all alone when he took his last breathe...

Ouch....pls someone give him therapy

The ghost was insistent, “Believe me, Your Highness.”

“I don’t believe you,” Xie Lian said.

He no longer believed anyone, and he no longer believed in himself either.

God I absolutely love Feng Xin so much, like my boi went out of his way and was willing to do something so humiliating to help Xie Lian and you can see how difficult it was....this is so sad

Feng Xin removed the bow on his back and boldly pulled at it. “My…My nickname is ‘Godly Archer’; I can shoot a bullseye from a hundred feet away. I will show off my embarrassing skill for everyone to see. If you all enjoy the show, will you p-please grant some coins!”

Lmao at this point, I should have a sad counter considering how many times I said it hahahaha

[karama9]

All That Hurts Us - new chapter

Chapter 14 is up: The Lynel, the Mayor and the Inn

Link fights a lynel, Zelda almost fights a mayor, and Remiss fails to enjoy peace and harmony.

Preview:

Link stopped and pointed at a convenient large rock nearby when they came within view of the lynel. The Princess followed his gaze to the monster before hurriedly hiding behind the boulder he was pointing at. He followed.

“White with black stripes?” she whispered.

Link nodded. “Yes, your Highness. I’ve never seen nor heard of that coloring. Since various colorings in lynels indicate how powerful they are, I’m assuming this one is the most powerful one I’ve ever seen. If I’m wrong and it’s especially weak instead, my mistake will simply mean an easier victory than expected.”

The princess nodded. “I’m a skilled archer. If you wish, I can assist.”

Link’s breath caught. Oh no. He was NOT risking getting the Princess killed by a lynel. “Your highness, I don’t doubt your skills, but it’s likely my own exceed them just the same. Furthermore, I would not be able to properly concentrate on the fight if I didn’t know your Highness to be safely away from it.”

He’d been worried she’d be insulted or otherwise insist on assisting him, but she nodded. “I will keep watch from a safe distance, then.”

Link swallowed. “I don’t suppose I could convince Her Highness that a safe distance would be behind Midah’s walls?” he asked.

Zelda scoffed. “I can’t see that being necessary,” she said, “and I think it likely that it would make it difficult to get you admitted inside the walls again if I were to go back now without you.”

Link’s eyes widened slightly: she was probably right. He’d been allowed in after she’d insisted on being allowed her escort- if she now showed that she was willing to be separated from him, they’d have an even harder time arguing he be allowed within Midah than they already had.

He glanced at the lynel again. It was too far from their hiding spot for its arrows to reach them, so if Link could keep it from coming closer to the large rock, the Princess would be safe staying right where she was.

Read the rest on AO3:

[scaramoon]

he accidentally hurts you while sparring

DILUC, KAEYA, XIAO, CHILDE — gn!reader

warnings/genre: kinda hurt/comfort? idk it’s mostly fluffy, mentions of blood and (very) minor injuries, swearing in childe’s

notes: rbs are v much appreciated, please and ty !! also pls ignore that i got carried away w xiao’s </3

━━ diluc;

you’ll have to be insistent if you even want him to spar with you; he knows you’re fully capable of standing your ground but... he’s worried

he’ll act like he doesn’t, but it’s obvious that he keeps close by whenever you’re sparring with someone

but if you wear him down enough or you’re good with your words, you can convince him to be your sparring partner

lmao just tell him you’ll get kaeya to do it 💀

“don’t- don’t hold your sword like that.” he said, his tone was flat but you’d known him long enough to be able to find the concern in it.

“i know how to hold a sword, diluc,” you responded. “i asked for a partner, not a teacher, remember?”

red eyes flashed towards you and something like a smile appeared on your lover’s lips. you mirrored it, letting your lips curl into a grin.

“of course,” he said, smallest hint of a playful tone in his voice.

but he was quick, and you may have underestimated just how well trained he was. normally, you could have blocked him. this time, however, you weren’t expecting it and you’d already began to drop your dominant hand to your side.

he noticed that, but he was just a little too late. diluc was used to the momentum of his weapon, but it wasn’t often that he had to stop it. he tried to step back before he hurt you, your name falling from his lips, desperation and worry coating his voice.

and then, just as soon as he’s processed it, his claymore was on the ground and he was watching you crouch and hold your upper arm. your seethe of pain sent guilt rushing through him.

it took him a moment to decide whether or not to go over to you; he wanted to, he really wanted to, but a part of him feared that you didn’t want him near you.

he couldn’t help it though.

“y/n?” diluc’s tone was almost a command, loud but desperate, wanting you to look at him and tell him that you were perfectly fine — wanting that to be the truth.

tears pricked in the corners of your eyes but you looked at him nonetheless. he hated that look in your eyes. seeing you in pain was one thing, but the knowledge that he was the cause of it twisted his heart in unbearable ways.

“i’m ok, diluc,” you said, quieter than you normally would. “just a little scratch, see?”

you moved your hand from where it was holding onto your arm. blood coated your fingers and the clothing surrounding the new wound, but it was clear that the cut wasn’t deep.

he didn’t say anything. his lips were pressed into a thin line as he kneeled beside you. eyebrows pinned in worry and concentration evident in his eyes, he started ripping at your sleeve to get a better look.

“diluc.” you said. your voice was more commanding this time as you moved away from him. why couldn’t he see it really wasn’t so bad?

“i didn’t mean to hurt you.” this time you could see clearly just how distressed he was.

he looked like he was about to cry and he wasn’t the one that’d been hurt. not physically, anyway; you had no idea how his chest hurt, how he felt like he couldn’t breathe.

you stared at him for a little longer. “i said i’m fine. but if it will help you sleep at night, you can come help me clean it, deal?”

“of course, dove.”

━━ kaeya;

he actually likes sparring with you

he doesn’t often get the chance, but whenever both of you are able to, he sees it as time he gets to spend with you

and any time spent with you is never time wasted in his eyes

plus he gets to do the sword under your chin thing and tease you </3

“dead.” you said proudly, standing over your lover, your sword under his chin.

a playful grin spread across his lips as he let you enjoy your win. you backed away and allowed him to stand up, dust himself off. a stretch of his arms, and then he was picking up his sword to go again.

“ready?” kaeya asked, smirk stretching his lips.

“yeah,” you said, smiling back. your gloved hand tightened around your sword’s hilt; the gloves were making your hands sweaty, your grip loosening. “actually, w-”

“y/n!”

the next thing you realized was a stinging at you side. your hand immediately came to the cut, taking an instinctive step back. the sound of kaeya’s sword hitting the ground met your ears, his hands were on your arms a second later.

“hey, hey, you’re okay.” he tried to sound calm but if was a bad attempt. he crouched down onto the ground, guiding you to sit in front of him. cautious hands grabbed the hem of your shirt, kaeya looking up at you. “can I look, love?”

“yeah, but I’m fine.” you said, though your face was twisted in pain.

his eyes were full of pity when he looked at you, jaw clenching before he lifted your shirt enough to see the wound. on first appearance, it looked worse than it really was.

“see?” you spoke again. “all good.”

he didn’t say anything at first. he just pulled you closer to him, chin hooked over your shoulder, though he was careful not to agitate your cut.

“not really. but it’s okay, we’re gonna get you all better, yeah?”

“kaeya, seriously, i’m fine. you don’t need-”

“y/n.” his voice was still sweet and concerned, but more stern when he spoke this time. “let me take care of you.”

“...fine.”

━━ xiao;

good luck getting him to spar with you in the first place

it doesn’t matter how much you tell him you want to, he’ll keep turning you down

needless to say, you’ll have to play your cards right to get him to agree to it

“what if i hurt you, y/n?”

“i’ll be under-trained and get hurt if you don’t help me.”

“you know i’ll always be there if you call for me.”

“and if you can’t come?”

“...”

“I don’t think this is a good idea.” he stated simply, eyes narrowing at you. you only threw him a smile.

“what’s the worst that can happen? you won’t even use your real pole arm, you have a stick. you can’t stab me with it, xiao.”

“I would rather not think about ‘stabbing’ you in the first place.” he huffed. “but... you need to be safe, in case one day I can’t keep you safe myself.”

a smile crossed your face as you gripped your weapon, ready for him to start.

you may have miscalculated the power and ability of an adeptus though. you quickly found yourself tired and overwhelmed, just blocking and dodging was almost too much. he could sense your fatigue already, and he was listening for you to call him to stop. xiao was ready to stop on a dime, but he knew that you were stubborn and insistent.

his “pole arm” came close to your side, and he really thought you would dodge this one. you’d done it before. but he felt the wood hit you, you falling to the ground, holding your side soon after.

his make-shift weapon was long forgotten now. he was kneeling beside you in seconds, gentle fingers running along what he was sure was a broken rib. he didn’t find one, but the guilt was already eating him and that knowledge did nothing to stop it.

“ow! that hurts, don’t touch me.” you said, seething in pain and making a pitiful attempt to move away from him.

xiao did not cry.

he didn’t, it just wasn’t something he was accustomed to, and quite honestly he wasn’t sure if adepti could cry. but the idea of you being scared of him started tears to fill his eyes; his chest was tight, and he had this uncomfortable lump in his throat.

“no, no,” you started, propping yourself on your elbows and then sitting all the way up.

you tried to reach and hold his face, to wipe the tears off, but he turned away from you; he kept kneeling, but shifted to a position a little farther away from you. the adeptus made a noise something like a squeak, and it seemed to surprise him. he didn’t wait for you to finish talking, he turned away and looked anywhere except you.

“xiao, baby, that’s not what I meant. you can- I just meant don’t put your hands directly where I got hurt... xiao? can you look at me?”

it took him a few more moments before he turned his head back to you. you knew he wasn’t always the most emotional, but you didn’t think you’d seen him like this before. he hummed, not trusting his voice. still, he wouldn’t look you in the eyes.

“I’m fine, you didn’t hurt me. its just a little bruise, there’s not even blood... I’m not scared of you, xiao, it’s not your fault.”

he stared at you for another moment before he cleared his throat and stood up. “can we at least have someone make sure you’re okay?”

“yeah.”

“...and you won’t ask me to do that again?”

“of course not.”

━━ childe;

he has mixed feelings about sparring with you

of course, it’s an odd form of quality time, but he likes it

plus that means he won’t have to watch you spar with anyone else

but there’s always the risk that you could get hurt

he’s an archer though, so he only “attacks” you with his melee — he thought he was being a lot more careful

“ready?” childe smiled, twirling one of his weapons around his finger.

“as always.” you said, gripping your own weapon.

“mhm, sweetheart, I’m sure you’re ‘always ready’,” childe said dropped his hands to his sides and stepping closer to you.

you knew what he was trying to do — he attempted to pull this off every time you sparred with him, and you never failed to catch him. seem relaxed, and whenever you thought he wouldn’t, he’d attempt to get the better of you.

this time, however, you were not as quick as you usually were. childe knew that you always saw through this; not once had you’d failed to block him, so maybe he put his trust in his weapons more than he should have.

he stopped when both of you look at the clean, but bloody, cut he’d made. his eyes widened as it sinked in, coming to the realization that he’d hurt you

“y/n- shit, I’m sorry,” he said, panic clear in his voice, though he tried to hide it. his hand was on your shoulder, guiding you to sit on the ground. “are you- you’re okay, it’s not that deep. we’re gonna get that healed and you’ll be fine, yeah?”

for words so reassuring, his panicked tone was saying something along the lines of ‘shit shit fuck dammit, i accidentally hurt my own partner, what the fuck-’

“yeah, it’s no biggie,” you said, smiling a little at him. “it’s just a little cut, I get worse on commissions.”

you knew that later he would claim he was totally calm. in reality, he was trying his best to clean the wound with his vision, and he’d get better help whenever he could get to bubu pharmacy.

“you owe me kisses though, y’know,” you teased.

‘good,’ he thought. ‘they aren’t mad at me.’

“whatever ya want, love.”

“oh? maybe I’ll take cuddles too.”

[loafslibrary]

Runaway (Revali X Reader) - One Shot

Word count:

3383

Description:

You and the rito have had feelings for each other for years, yet Revali won’t admit to it. You can’t keep your life on pause forever, waiting for him.

Finally, you decide to confront him...

Theme/Category:

Major angst, breakup, sad ending

Warnings:

N/A

Authors Note/s:

So… this isn’t my best work looking back on it now 😅😅

Wrote this because I've been playing a lot of Breath Of The Wild recently since its one of my comfort games, and Revali is one of my favourite characters from that game!

Told you all I was coming back and I thought what better way to get me back into the swing of writing then typing up an angsty one-shot with one of my favourite characters!

Enjoy! - 🍞

The summer breeze gently caressed your skin as you stood on the landing pad next to Akh Va’quot shrine, looking out at the view surrounding Rito Village. You watched as the setting sun trickled over the land, bathing everything in a golden honey coloured glow. A handful of clouds littered the sky, occasionally causing a shadow or two to slink across the body of water and surrounding cliffs.

You spent a lot of time in Rito Village; Revali being the main reason why you were here so often.

It was always a long journey from Hateno Village, but Revali would always make it worth it with the time you would spend together. He was intelligent, quick-witted, a skilled archer. It was to no surprise that you had fallen for him, as much as you told yourself not to. Despite knowing it was a terrible decision. You had assumed he had fallen for you too.

He was so gentle with you. He treated you differently to everyone else.

There was the morning after you had stayed the night at the Swllow’s Roost, he had offered to walk you to the village entrance to see you off on your journey home. You remember how he had called you beautiful, even when you were only half awake, you hair had not yet been styled and you still had the remanence of sleep in your eyes. The rito didn’t call just anyone beautiful. You remember how that one afternoon last spring, his beak gently brushed against the shell of your ear as he whispered “Aim a little higher, darling”, while he taught you to use a bow- his bow to be exact. You refused to use it at first, worried you would break it, yet he insisted. You remembered how he held you close on that chilly winter afternoon walk and said how once the both of you returned to the village, he would make you a hot drink to warm you up. You remembered how concerned he was that you would catch a cold. You remembered that one evening he had finally made the journey to visit you in your hometown, (In all the years you had known each other, he had only done this once) and how you had spent your evening together under the stars on the edge of the village, away from the eyes of the other towns people; laughing, dancing, exchanging stories.

The kiss.

Or what you believed to be how ritos would kiss one another.

“You don’t mean that!”, you laughed as you playfully hit his feathered shoulder.

“I most certainty do! Do you think a rito like me would lie?”, he asked, leaning a little closer with that cocky look of his plastered across his features. “You’re the pretties hylian I’ve see. Dare I say, prettier than Princess Zelda herself”. This only made you laugh more, a deep blush creeping across your cheeks as you shushed him, lightly pummelling his shoulder in your flustered state. “Your cheeks are turning red. I can’t say I blame you for having that reaction when you have someone like me complimenting you”.

Feathered fingers gently grasped your face and turned you to face him.

“Someone like you?”, you echoed his comment, snatching his wing away from your face and holding it gently in your grasp. “Someone like you…pompous, arrogant-“

“OH! So that’s how you see me?”, he laughed, and you joined in. If anyone else had said this to him you knew his reaction would be very different, but since it was you... “And here I was, thinking you loved me”.

Finally, your laughter had come to a stop, both of you catching your breath.

That was when he slipped his wing from your grasp and wrapped it instead around your smaller frame before he pulled you in to him and laid the maxilla of his beak against your forehead.

You felt your heart flutter for a moment. You were sure this was a rito’s equivalent to a kiss. You had only ever seen this interaction performed by couples. It was a sweet, romantic gesture.

And revali was doing this with you!

Before you could begin to overthink, you allowed yourself to relax in his grasp and be in the moment, feeling at peace, contempt, loved. Everything in the single moment was perfect.

It was memories like this that broke your heart, because despite all of this, he had never told you he loved you. He had never made his feelings clear. He had never made whatever your relationship was publicly known.

You had known the rito for four years now. The two of you had never agreed to being romantic partners, yet you acted like so much more than friends; how you would both find any excuse to be close to the other, how your touches always seemed to linger a little longer than necessary… How Revali had confessed on that late evening on the bridge connecting Rito Village to the outside world that if he had to take a bride one day, he would want someone like you.

You couldn’t go on like this. You couldn’t wait forever, stuck in this limbo, wondering what the two of you truly were. Was there a future for the two of you? You didn’t want to carry on being known as the hylian that’s always around Revali. You wanted people to know that you were more than that and not some hopeless fool.

You needed to hear that he thought of you as more than that.

You wanted to hear that he wanted you the same way you wanted him.

You needed to make a decision.

You had already rejected other hylians, gorons and zoras alike, turning down some that others had only dreamed of being with. You were slowly becoming the laughingstock of your friend group, and all for what? To stay in your sorry state, believing you may have a shred of a future with the rito?

So, this time, you weren’t so hasty when the goddess Hylia blessed you with a second chance to find happiness.

You had met him in Kochi’s Dye Shop. You needed to dye some materials for a scarf you were making (ironically for the one that was the source of your problems), and he was dying an old, faded tunic back to its once vibrant grass green.

You found out his name was Link.

Link was quiet, but dedicated, hardworking, sweet. You had seen him around the village a few times. He was always willing to help anyone who asked. You couldn’t help but admire that about him. He was well respected, popular amongst women, and you had to admit, you couldn’t help falling for his charms a little too.

After your initial introduction, the two of you began saying hello in passing, stopping to talk to each other if you had the time. There had been a night or two he had made time for you from his busy schedule, and you had shared a meal by the fire. He would tell you stories of the adventures he had been on, the people he had met along the way, and about his duties as Princess Zelda’s newly appointed knight. He was funny too. Most wouldn’t expect it due to his usually reserved nature.

Sometimes, you couldn’t help but think of Revali when with the Link. How you should be laughing at his jokes, asking how his day was…and a sense of guilt would was over you.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”, the rito’s voice shook you from your thoughts.

Just his voice prickled your skin with goosebumps and got your heart pounding.

You looked over your shoulder, seeing him standing there, chest puffed out proudly and his wings clasped behind his back as he walked towards you. The scarf you had once made him had recently been replaced with a teal blue one sporting a print of Devine Beast Vah Medoh, indicating he was the newly selected champion of the rito.

Of course it would be him.

“Yes, the view is always beautiful here”, you agreed, your tone a little melancholy as you turned back to said view.

You listened to the approaching footsteps as Revali made his way to stand next to you. “How do you know I was talking about the view?”, he asked, his vivid green eyes glancing in your direction with a playful smirk gracing his features as he stood next to you.

A lump began to form in your throat.

“How have you been?”, he asked gently you only gave a weak smile in response.

“I’ve been okay…”, you responded, not sure what else to say. “Congratulations on becoming the rito champion, you deserve it”. The lack of warmth and familiarity in your tone was immediately picked up by Revali, yet he chose not to comment on it just yet, unsure if now was the correct time to do so.

“Thank you”, was all he could say in response to your comment to begin with. “As you know, I’ve trained for years to be a worthy defender of my people”. You only nodded your head in acknowledgement at his words in response. When you didn’t bother to continue the conversation further, he finally asked, “Is there something wrong?”, always being straight forward and to the point unless he was taking the time to taunting or tease someone. When he was making fun of someone, he would pretend he didn’t know what he was doing; like how he would love to give others back handed compliments if they dare challenge him.

“I mean, you did miss the most targets during practice, but I’m sure you’ll improve eventually”, and “You’re pretty good for a rito who can’t fly in formation”

It was clear though he had no suspicion as to what could possibly be troubling you. He had no idea of the torment he had been putting you though.

You were silent for a moment, wondering if you should just push your feelings to the side and continue chasing this fantasy just to save yourself the possible heartbreak that was to follow this conversation.

“Revali… what are we?”, you asked.

There it was. The silence. The sickening feeling settling in your stomach. The dryness in your throat. It was as though the whole foundation of your world began to quake the second that question left your mouth.

Revali was still silent. He just stared at you.

That was all you needed to know exactly how this conversation was going to go.

“Why would you ask that?”, he asked, his tone of voice was like how he would speak to the other newly appointed champions. It was professional, directed… Unfamiliar to your usual conversations with him which usually held an air of adoration and softness.

You finally turned to face the rito fully, staring directly into his eyes. “We have known each other for four years now, Revali”, you pointed out. “During this time, you’ve never once mentioned how you truly feel about me”.

“I don’t see why you’re bringing this up”, he spoke coolly, making your blood begin to boil.

“I have spent four years of my life waiting for you”, you finally snapped harshly, your tone causing the rito’s eyes to widen, his piercing green eyes boring into you. You had never spoken to him like this before. “I can’t wait another four years, or eight, or sixteen”. You already sounded exasperated. Years of pent-up emotion bubbling to the surface. First was frustration. “Incase I haven’t made it clear enough, I love you Revali… I am in love with you”.

The air was filled with more silence, unsure of where to take the conversation next. The only thing that could be heard was the wind. Revali’s beak opened for him to speak, but he quickly closed it again.

“So you don’t feel the same?”. Your throat felt tight, and it made your voice break slightly, causing the rito’s eyes to widen. You had never once let your emotions get the best of you around him, so seeing you so upset was new.

“Why does it matter how I feel?”

“Because I want a life with you!”

Revali pulled his gaze away from you, not being able to look you in the eyes… the eyes he loved so much. The eyes that could ruffle his feathers with a single look. The eyes that held all the answers. “You know that’s not practical”.

“How? How is it not practical?”, you shot back and that was when you finally saw his mask crack. His own frustration and pain seeping through. He would also hardly let his emotions get the best of him. He was a rito champion. He had to be professional- a role model for all his race. They all had their eyes on him. History had it’s eyes on him. He couldn’t let them down when so many people were looking to him.

“What would the other rito think if I were to take you as a bride”- There it was. It was like a knife had just been plunged into your heart. You knew he was very private about his personal life, but it hadn’t crossed your mind that he was worried what others would think of your relationship.

“I can’t mate with you”, he pointed out, “We can’t create offspring together! Isn’t that the whole point of marriage? To settle down, leave a legacy behind”, he huffed, turning his back to you, looking out at something, anything, just so he didn’t have to see the growing pain in your eyes any longer.

“I can’t make love to you the way I need to”, he added flushing with embarrassment under his layers of perfectly preened navy feathers. “I can’t make love to you the way I want to-“.

“But I don’t care about that. Just having you in my life is what I need”, you chocked back tears that were threatening to fall. You didn’t want to cry. You didn’t want him to see you crumble.  

“Well, I am part of your life, aren’t I!? Isn’t that good enough?”, he exclaimed, turning to face you once more.

“You know what I mean by that, Revali. Don’t play dumb”, you warned him. A pregnant pause fell over the two of you then. You both just stared at each other for a moment, as if you were truly seeing one another for the first time- not just your happy personas you both wore when deep down you both knew you longed for something more. “I’ve already rejected countless courtships and marriage proposals, praying to the goddess Hylia that you would finally ask me to be yours”, you confessed. “I can’t keep waiting…”.

You both wanted more… So why couldn’t Revali just accept that?

“Perhaps you should take up the next offer. It would be better for both of us”, Revali chimed in with a bitter laugh. You felt sick. It was like someone had plunged their hand into your organs as began squeezing and twisting. It hurt. The love of your life was giving up on you, after you gave him everything.

You gave him everything.

“Well, I guess I will”.

With that, you could see his muscles tense. He had dug himself this grave, and now he had to lay in it. He had said it without thinking, like he always did when he was emotional. A fury began to build within him. He was angry at you for not arguing back. For not telling him that you only wanted him. He was angry at himself for not just allowing himself to love you. For not allowing himself to be with you. “Good luck finding some as good as me then; The Rito Champion”, he grumbled in his snobby arrogant tone that he never once directed at you before.

“I have, as a matter of fact”, you fired back, your jaw clenching as you tried your best to maintain your composer.

“Oh, is that so? And who would that be?”, he replied in a mocking, patronising tone. You had never been on the receiving end of this side of his personality before. You knew Revali could be rude, self- absorbed, egotistical. But how he was acting now was just vile.

He was cruel.

He was mean.

He was not the Revali you loved.

“His name is Link”.

The navy rito’s eyes narrowed at the mention of this name, knowing exactly who it was, and his feathers ruffled up in agitation, not being able to hide his emotions any longer. “Link?”, he repeated.

“Yes”.

“The princess’ newly appointed night?”, he scoffed, to which you only gave a single nod as your response. This was his breaking point. “How pathetic”, he began. “Are you sure you want to make that decision? Settling for a silly boy who plays with swords”, he spat his words with so much venom. Your face couldn’t help but contort in pure disgust at his attitude. “He can’t offer you anything of value. He’s small, weak. He probably doesn’t even know your name!”,

“Revali, stop”.

“I haven’t even met him yet, but I can tell he is no match for me”.

“Revali-“.

“He’s probably a strange looking thing anyway; with those pointed ears and fleshy body”, your eyes widened in disbelief at what you were hearing. “Why would you want to be with a hylian anyway? What do they offer in comparison to a rito?”, he spoke before he could think of what he was saying. This comment struck something in you, and in that moment it felt like your whole world was tumbling down.

“I AM A HYLIAN, REVALI!”, you yelled back.

And that was when it all clicked.

He was embarrassed of you. He was scared that the other rito’s would think less of him if he were to settle down with a hylian. Like he had mentioned previously, you couldn’t have children together to carry on his legacy, you couldn’t fly, you’d stick out like a sore thumb living amongst the rito. You would be a burden.

And then your tears began to fall.

Revali’s own eyes widened as he had realised what he said. The raging fiery anger than once burned behind his eyes now replaced with worry, fear, regret.

“I-… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it-”, you didn’t give him another moment of your time, barging past him and heading straight for the stairs that spiralled down the giant stone pillar that led to the exit of the village. “I wasn’t thinking! You know I don’t think any less of you because you’re a hylian!”, he called out, turning a few heads as he tried to catch up to you, but you wouldn’t stop. Not for him. Not ever again. That was one advantage you had as a hylian. You were used to relying on your legs to transport you from place to place, meaning you could outrun the rito any day.

You finaly made it to the archway of the village, heading towards where your horse was tied up in the stable, but to your surprise, the champion landed in front of you, giving you no choice but to face him.

“Please… I didn’t mean what I said. I-…”, he was desperate. The thing that truly mattered most in his life was about to leave to most likely never return. It felt like everything was unravelling in his grasp. “Please… I love you”.

“I see now that we would be an ugly match”, you said, barely able to speak as it felt like there was a gaping hole where your heart had been only moments ago. You made your way to your horse and climbed up, tying a cloak up and pulling the hood over your head in attempts to hide the tears that would not stop falling. “Perhaps in another life… things may have been different for us’, you sobbed softly.

“Please… I need you… I was angry- I didn’t-“.

“I wish you well Revali”, and with that, you set off on your way home to Hateno Village, allowing the wind to dry your tears and praying to the goddess Hylia that every thought a feeling of the rito you used to love would disappear. Forever.

[wlwfanfictionss]

christmas miracle

yelena belova x reader

chapter one: new friends, old lovers

this is a fic from this request.

warnings: swearing, fighting

Finally, no more fights. No more saving the world (for now). You were finally trying to enjoy life. Not being on the run or breaking friends out of prison. You had lost a lot of people, been through hell and back. But after all that time you were now enjoying a nice cup of tea in front of the tv in your own apartment. Putting your feet up on your coffee table, you were about to press play on your favorite movie when you heard your phone buzzing from the kitchen counter. There were only a handful of people that had your phone number and most of them were former Avengers. With a huff, you got up to take the call. The screen was lit up and an arrow was displayed on the screen.

“Clint. To what do I owe the pleasure?” you immediately said as you picked up the phone.

“I need your help” he responded.

And that’s how you ended up in a coffee place with the hawkeye and a girl with black hair who had a dog by her side. If you had to guess you would say she’s a couple of years younger than you.

“soooo, the tracksuit mafia is after you” you tried to understand the whole situation. “and they want the both of you dead?”

“Pretty much” the girl responded. Kate, you learned her name was.

“so why do you need my help? Can’t you just take Maya out?”

“I don’t want to kill anyone over this” Clint responded. “Maya just needs to understand that the Ronin is dead”

First, you looked at him puzzled, because well, he was the Ronin. But you got what he meant and nod your head in agreement. 

You and Kate actually had a lot in common which was nice. You both liked Christmas movies and annoying the shit out of Clint. It was funny, watching Kate try to take you down because she insisted on fighting you for training. She is a good fighter, for a college student. But she kinda forgot you were a trained assassin and are probably in the top 3 of hand-to-hand combat out of all the Avengers. It was fun. Kate never gives up but gets her ass kicked every time. It was nice having a friend nearby. Sam and Bucky left, Wanda was god knows where and Natasha…well you get it. It was nice having Kate around and finally having fun again. There was also the mission, but that was way less intense than idk fighting Ultron or Thanos. The mission was just trying to get Clint home in time for Christmas. That’s what you told Laura on the phone at least. 

So, if the mission was supposed to be easy. Then why were you on a cold rooftop fighting two people alongside Clint. It kinda reminded you of an event at a certain airport in Berlin. But we all know how that ended.

“For fucks sake” you yelled out when there were now two people you were fighting.

Kate came rushing back onto the roof after she was thrown of said roof by the masked figure and went back to fighting Maya with you. You really didn’t want to be there. it was supposed to be an easy mission. Get in, get the watch, get out. But no, now the three of you were fighting two highly skilled women. You could see Kate struggle. She was a good archer, that’s for sure but she wasn’t trained in close hand-to-hand combat like Clint and you were.

After you punched Maya in the face and she stumbled back, Kate shot an arrow straight in her shoulder blade. That finally made the woman go away. That was one down, one to go and so you turned around and focused all your attention on the masked figure. Clint was having a hard time, the figure easily dodging his blows and sweeping him off his feet with their leg. You swore you knew that move.

“Stay here,” you told Kate, knowing damn well she was not going to listen to you.

You pulled a knife out of your thigh holster and ran full speed at the person that was about to kill Clint. Wrapping your arms around their waist and tackling them to the ground made them lose their gun. The person was on their back and you were about to punch the light out of them when familiar red electricity shot from their wrist into your abdomen. You groaned out in pain and the figure pushed you of them. Clint was better prepared this time. You stood up and were catching your breath as you watched them fight, seeing Kate aiming her shot but not taking it at the risk of hurting Clint. And then the mask was ripped off. The person’s back was facing you, but you recognize that braid anywhere and time froze.

“Y-Yelena?” you asked.

She turned around. The both of you just staring at each other. Clint was not gonna wait for the two of you to have a heart to heart so he surged forward but Yelena ran and jumped off the roof, clipping herself to the wall so she wouldn’t fall to death.

“who the hell is that?!” Kate asked. But you didn’t reply. Yelena was the only thing on your mind right now and you ran past the two archers and jumped after the Widow.

“Y/N!” Clint yelled after you, but you weren’t listening. You would find them later at the house (if Yelena didn’t kill you) but first, you had something else to do.

You forgot how fast the small assassin could run but you were determent to catch up to her. Running through the icy streets of New York did NOT make it easy. But after almost running into a car, you could see her in front of you.

“Yelena! Stop!” you yelled at the blonde while still running after her.

She wasn’t stopping but you knew she could hear you. You were running on the opposite side of the street and were now running almost perpendicular to her. Enough was enough. Grabbing your knife and throwing it across the street. It flew past her face and got stuck in a door beside her. That made her stop.

“Yelena Please! I'm alone!”  

She turned to face you now, watching you cross the street towards her. And now you were facing her. It had been seven years, for you at least. The last time you saw her you had just taken down the red room with her and Natasha. You couldn’t help yourself and pulled the blonde into a hug. The smaller woman wrapped her arms around you as well and the two of you just stood there for a moment. Even after all that time she still felt the same, she was your safe space.

“You look different” Yelena teased as the two of you pulled away “stronger”

“so do you” you teased back “still tiny tho”

She punched your shoulder after that comment. And you both just laughed softly.

“Why are you helping Clint?”

“Why are you after him?”

“He killed Nat”

“Yelena, that’s not true” you tried to explain but you could see the look in her eyes, she believed it and she was going to kill Clint. “Nat sacrificed herself for all of us Lena”

“But Val told me-“

“Wait. Val, as in Valentina?”

“Yeah”

“That bitch” you angrily said, “you should never trust her”. You worked for Val for some time, the worst mistake of your life. “Clint was Natasha’s best friend, he probably loved her more than I did, he would never kill her”

“I don’t believe you”

“I know,” you said with a sigh

Your phone rang. Kate.

“Please tell me you are still alive”

“I am”

“where are you”

“im not telling you where I am”

“did you find her”

“ill explain later”

And with that, you hung up the phone and looked back at Yelena.

“you didn’t tell them where I am?” Yelena said 

“I would never”

“But I want to kill your friend”

“I know” You replied “kate there is this stupid voice in my head that tells me I have to keep you safe”

“I have to go”

You moved closer, cupping her face with your right hand. Fuck, you still loved her.

“I'll come find you” you told her “we aren’t gonna be separated this time”

[yourmidnightlover]

no need to rush

summary - you and spencer are in a relationship and when you overhear morgan teasing spencer about something private, you decide to help spencer out a bit.

warnings - virgin!spencer, fem!reader, kinda soft dom!reader, fingering, oral (male receiving), unprotected sex, creampie. *let me know if i missed anything*

wc - 3,052

masterlist

------------------------------

you knew spencer was a bit touch averse. it only made sense with his germaphobic tendancies. the only thing is, you thought he had worked past those with you. so naturally, when he stops abruptly during a heated make out session, you got a little... insecure? worried? you weren’t quite sure just yet.

but you would find out.

you and spencer had been in a relationship nearing 5 months. everyone on the team found out about your dating each other entirely on accident, a story for another time. 

when you walked into the bau late with spencer, derek had that smug, suggestive look on his face. you just rolled your eyes and went directly to your desk.

in reality what had happened was you both stayed up late, him explaining to you the concept of time in fluidity and a few different theories. you had both slept through each of your alarms, so when you woke up to your fourth one you had set, you immediately woke spencer up from his sleeping position on your stomach. 

luckily it was only a paperwork day, so you could probably catch up on sleep anytime after you left.

on your lunch break, you were going to see if spencer wanted to go get some thai with you. finally unfocusing from your case files, you turned your eyes to your boyfriend at his desk, apparently talking with morgan about something. 

he looked frustrated, and embarrassed. at first you didn’t understand what about, but you figured it was probably what morgan had said when you both came in late. 

finally getting up to go save your boyfriend, you slowly walked up to his desk. you didn’t try to hear what was being said. you kind of just did. 

“morgan, stop!” spencer exclaimed, neither of them noticing your arrival. you stopped far enough away to hear the rest of what they were saying.

“reid, look, it’s no big deal if you’re a virgin,” derek said. “i’m sure y/n would understand,” he said, trying to hide his laugh.

“it’s embarrassing. i’m a 25 year old virgin,” he huffed. “god! have you seen her? she’s gorgeous. imagine what she’d say when she finds out. what if she just doesn’t want me anymore? what if she wants someone who knows what they’re doing?” he ranted out, obviously worried about your reaction.

were you surprised? a little bit, yea. he’s gorgeous. there’s no question about that. how could someone look at him and not want to be with him?

but what really surprised you was that he was worried that you’d leave him if you found out. 

you loved him, and he knew that. 

you had been friends for a while before you finally admitted your feelings for him after the lila archer incident. he was shocked, saying he never thought you’d feel the same, saying that if he’d known he would have never kissed her back and that he really wanted you. then he got you. he never wanted to lose you.

and while he knew that you loved him, a part of him, the insecure part, was worried that you’d realize how amazing you are and leave him. 

he’d seen a few of your past boyfriends, and there was no doubt in his mind that they were more attractive than him. they were more muscular tough guys. 

but he didn’t know what total assholes they were. he didn’t know how much more attractive kindness made someone. not to mention the fact that he could carry on a conversation longer than all of them combined. 

“reid, she loves you. don’t forget that,” morgan added before you started walking up, acting like you hadn’t heard anything. 

“you’re right i love you,” you said as you wrapped your arms around his torso, standing on your tip-toes to place a kiss on his cheek. “what’re you guys talking about?” 

“i’m sure pretty boy’ll fill you in on it later. right, reid?” morgan insisted, his eyebrows raising like a father getting onto his son.

“uhm... right. yea,” spencer nodded, lips formed into a line as he placed his arms around you, turning around to face you as morgan walked away. “i love you too, y/n” he placed a kiss to your hairline. 

“i know you do,” you smiled, giving his torso a little squeeze. “lunch?” 

------------------------------

a couple weeks later when you had gotten a couple days off, you were both laying on your couch watching doctor who. you had told him how you’d never seen it, so he insisted he guide you through the seasons. 

you never brought up what you had heard, wanting him to open up to you about it first. you didn’t want to corner him about anything and make him feel insecure or trapped. so, you waited. you didn’t push. 

as you were cuddled together, spencer moved his hand to cup your cheek, turning your face towards his. you smiled at his sweet action, him returning the same, love-struck face. he leaned in, placing a gentle peck on your lips, the smile on your face growing. 

you kissed him back, bringing one arm around his neck as the other held his bicep firmly. the kiss slowly became more passionate, his tongue sweeping across your bottom lip softly, asking politely for an entrance that you gladly gave. you slowly sat back up with one another, not breaking the kiss. once you were sitting up, spencer pulled you onto his lap quickly, not missing a beat. 

“mm, wait,” spencer breathed. “i-i um...” he trailed off.

“sweetie, what is it?” you asked, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck gently, trying to encourage him. “you can tell me anything, y’know. i love you,” you said, giving him a kind smile.

“it’s just that... i’ve never...” he took a deep breath. “i’m a-a virgin, y/n.”

“okay,” you smile grew even wider at the final reveal. 

“okay? th-that’s it?” he asked in confusion. 

“it’s just... nothing could ever change how i feel about you. and you being a virgin?” you scoffed. “spencer that’s okay. it’s nothing that i’d be worried about, or stop loving you over. i don’t care if you’ve never had sex with someone. hell, i don’t think i’d care if you’ve had sex with tons of people. because i love you.”

“so you don’t think i’m... weird for being a virgin?” he wondered.

“spence, you’re weird as it is. but that’s exactly why i love you. i love your little quirks. you being a virgin is just another quirk,” you chuckled. “and if you don’t want to have sex with me, that’s totally okay. i didn’t get into a relationship with you to have sex with you. i mean, it’d be a nice perk, but you certainly don’t have to or are obligated to.”

“i-i don’t not want to,” he rushed out, rubbing his thumbs along your waist. “have s-sex, i mean. i want to. i um... i wa-want to with you.”

“are you sure, spencer? i want your first time to be special. you know how i lost mine, i just don’t want you to regret it,” he did know how you lost your virginity.

essentially, your prick of a boyfriend in high school was making out with you, and it got really heated. were you absolutely ready to lose your virginity? no. did you necessarily want to lose it to this guy? not really. he was just there, and everyone else was losing there’s so you figured you might as well. so you did it. in a car. in the parking lot. after the last football game he played in. he was already sweaty, and finished after 75 seconds.

you didn’t want spencer to regret it like you did.

“it will be special. it’s you; how could it not be special?” he replied softly. 

“you’re such a little charmer, spencer,” you said, bringing your lips to meet his once again, this time he was much more eager.

you gently tugged on the hair you were playing with, a low groan coming from his mouth into yours, something igniting within you from that sound. you slowly ground your hips against his, a little whimper coming from his mouth, creating a smile on yours. 

“can-can we do it... like right now?” spencer asked eagerly, his hips stuttering into yours.

“shh, we’ll get there,” you mumbled against his jawline, your lips trailing towards his neck as you nipped gently at his skin, licking it afterwards to soothe it. you felt his breathing pick up as your lips connected to the flesh behind his ear. you gently ran your teeth along his earlobe, a groan coming from spencer as he exhaled. “you like that?” 

“mmhmm,” he nodded, his hands finding your hips and grinding them against his in an attempt to find more friction. 

“patient, bubs. be patient,” you said as you sat up off his lap, extending your hand to him. “bedroom?” he nodded eagerly, taking your hand in his as he trailed behind you into your room. 

you both sat down on the bed and resumed kissing each other. you didn’t want to go too fast with him, you wanted him to be relaxed and enjoy this. he started trailing kisses down your neck, paying special attention to your reactions to everything he did.

“do you,” you breathed. “do you want to take off my clothes? or do you want me to?” you asked him quietly.

“ca-can i do it?” he asked against your neck.

“of course, baby. whatever you want,” you confirmed as he backed away from your neck. 

he brought his hands up to your face, cupping it gently before pressing a firm kiss to your lips.

“i love you,” spencer smiled.

“i love you too,” you said as he connected your lips again, his hands moving towards the hem of your shirt.

he slowly slid his hands underneath the fabric, moving towards the peaks of your breasts and cupping them stiffly. you moaned into his mouth softly, pressing your foreheads together. 

“that’s good, spence,” you whispered to him, giving him the confidence to lift the shirt up and over your head. 

he leaned back to observe you like this, vulnerable and ready. ready for him. wanting him. you wanted him.

you wanted him even though you knew everything there is to know about him. you knew the bad, the ugly, the scary, the worrying, everything. and you still want him. you want him regardless. and that’s all he’s ever wanted.

“ca-can i?” he looked at your chest in waiting.

“you can do whatever you’d like,” you encouraged.

he connected his lips to one of your breasts, the other in his hand being massaged. he played with the nipple, flicking his tongue over it quickly and occasionally nipping at it before pressing a firm kiss and switching to the other side.

you moved to lay down on the bed as he began kissing further down your body. past your chest, naval, and right above the waistband of your shorts. he looked up at you to make eye contact, only to find that you never took your eyes off of him in the first place. 

“go ahead, bubs. do what feels right, okay?” he nodded at you, now pulling your shorts and underwear down and off your body, throwing them in the corner of the room.

“i want, can i...?” he didn’t really know how to ask, he felt awkward asking anything in this situation.

“yes, spencer. you have full reign over my body tonight,” you confirmed. 

he nodded at your response, his body moving up towards yours as his hand remained on your hip. he pressed a kiss to your lips as you felt his fingers spreading your pussy lips apart, his fingers wandering through your folds. you gasped into his mouth, your hips grinding into his hand as your hands held onto his shoulders and hair.

his middle finger ran over your clit gently, switching between going back and forth and in circles. he moved his middle finger down to find your entrance, slowly easing the one finger in, relishing in the way your pussy clenched around him. thrusting his finger in and out a couple times, he pressed gentle kisses along your jawline. 

“k-keep going, spencer,” you moaned into his ear. 

he took the encouragement and pushed another finger into you, curling them in just the right spot to make you squirm. he used his other hand to hold your body down so you wouldn’t squirm away from him. 

“spence, fuck,” you whispered, feeling the tight coil in your stomach tighten. “you’re such a good boy for me.”

you heard him whimper into your neck at the praise, his ministrations picking up slightly.

he pressed his hand into your pussy, his palm hitting your clit perfectly with the way he was thrusting his fingers into your body. your hold on his shoulder tightened, surely leaving marks where your nails were, as you gently tugged on his hair. 

“yes, yes! oh my god,” you exclaimed. 

and just like that, the coil was wound so tight it snapped, releasing a flood of pleasure throughout your entire body. 

“spencer! shit!” you gripped his arm as his hand was working you through your orgasm, helping you come down. “fuck. are you sure you’ve never done that before?” 

“i’m a quick study,” he smirked before you smashed your lips against his eagerly. 

“god, i want you inside me,” you pleaded against his lips. 

“are you sure?” he asked, pulling back to look you in the eyes. 

“only if you’re ready, spence,” you replied, your hands running through his hair. 

“i’m ready. i’m more than ready, y/n,” he confirmed. 

“alright. but first, can i do something?” you asked mischievously.  

“what do you wanna do?” he wondered, his brows furrowing in confusion.

“just... if i do something you don’t like tell me to stop, okay?” he nodded. “i need words, bubs.”

“okay, i’ll tell you.”

“great,” you said, trailing your lips down his neck as he helped you shrug off his t-shirt. 

you ran your nails gently down his chest, observing the red streaks your nails left behind. you kissed all the way down his torso and stomach until you got right above his waistband, you ran your fingers underneath them. he lifted his hips so you could pull them down swiftly. 

once they were down, you trailed your finger along a prominent vein in his member, adoring the way it twitched against his stomach. you got onto your knees, grabbing his dick and licking that same vein slowly. his hips bucked up at the sensation, you pressed them down with a little giggle. 

you ran your tongue along the top of his member, licking the precum off cleanly. you took as much of him in as you could, using your hands for the rest of what you couldn’t fit into your mouth - which was more than you expected.

“fuck, y/n,” he moaned at the feeling of your warm, wet mouth around him. “th-that fe- oh! that feels s-so good.”

you continued to bob your head up and down, you went as far down as you could, your nose hitting his stomach once you got all the way down, the sound of you gagging filled the room.

“fuck! you’ve gotta stop, y/n, please!” he exclaimed. you quickly got up off of him making your way back up to his face before he planted his lips on yours. 

“are you okay?” you asked worried.

“yea, i uhm, i-i was about to uh, to cum,” he informed you with an awkward laugh.

“ohh, okay,” you huffed out a laugh. “so, how do you want to do this?”

“ca-can you be on top? like uhm,” he pressed his lips together for a moment in thought, “can you ri-ride me?”

“of course, bubs,” you kissed the corner of his mouth. “here, just lay back.”

you crawled on top of him, straddling his hips as you lined his hard dick up with your center. you made eye contact with him as his hands dug into your waist and hips.

“ready?”

“yes, please ju-just do something,” he begged.

you slowly sank down on his member, feeling yourself stretch to fit his cock as you gazed wondrously at his awe-struck face. once you were all the way down, you made sure to take a second to adjust to his length.

“oh my god, y/n,” he whispered quietly, his hands grasping at your hips as his jolted upward into your body. “please, please, please move.”

“patient, bubs. okay?” you placed your hands on his lower stomach to help lift yourself off his hips so you could slowly ease yourself back down. “fuck, spence.”

your hips rose slowly, slamming back down once just his tip was inside of you. once you found a steady pace for the both of you, you kept to it.

“it fe-feels so... good,” he groaned out, grabbing at your breasts as you moved your hands further up his chest.

“you like it?” you asked with a sly grin on your face. “do you like how my pussy feels on your big dick, spencer?”

“uh-uh huh,” he nodded, trying to maintain eye contact. “so we-wet and war-warm. so tighhht,” he mumbled out.

“that’s what you do to me. it’s all for you,” you said as you held his arms that were still up to your breasts. “fuck, spence it feels so good.”

“i-i think i’m gonna cum, y/n. please, oh my god, please!” he begged.

“mmm go ahead, bubs. cum inside of me. i want you to fill me up spencer,” you moaned, leaning down to his ear and biting his lobe gently.

“ahh fuck!” you felt the white spurts of cum shooting inside of you, covering your walls completely.

you continued to ride out his orgasm, wanting to get every last drop out. when you felt he was all done, you gently lifted yourself off of him, his hands immediately wrapping around your waist.

“spence, bubs, i need to go clean us up. okay?” you asked sweetly, running your hands through his hair.

“you didn’t... y’know,” he mumbled against your body.

“spencer i don’t always need to get off during sex to have a good time. besides, that happened earlier,” you kissed his hairline softly.

“but i want it to happen again,” he whined, placing a sloppy kiss to your collarbone.

“there’s no need to rush. we have all night, bubs.”

[nevsluvr]

🏹 — the archer; pick an AU, character(s), set a scenario and i’ll do some dialogue for it; the AU can apply both for reader or character but do specify please!

roomate!theo (if you don’t write for him, harry’s fine :D) and writer!reader where you usually go to him so he can read what you write, but one day you write a smut and he finds out you wrote something. and he’s all “you don’t wanna show me :(” and you just get embarrassed, but he finds out and he gets all cocky because the guy you described in the story of basically him and UGH i just rambled..

“aw why don’t you wanna show me what you have written in there huh?” harry said as you rapidly covered your notebook, he tried peeking and continued on insisting you showed him.

“stop it haz, i’ve wrote things in there that are embarrassing” you whined out, standing up now and pushing him towards the door, trying to get harry away from reading what you had written about well- him.

but he didn’t need to know that, you didn’t want him to know you fancied him and fancied doing stuff with him, what if he gets uncomfortable because of it? what if he stops talking to you?

and even though you always showed him your works and he enjoyed every second of it since you were insanely talented he couldn’t understand why you insisted this time it was different.

overthinking along with writing was a great talent of yours that developed since you could remember and your mind got lost in it covering every scenario possible of his reaction.

catching you off guard harry so fast almost seeming in lightning speed he reached to your desk behind you and snatched the notebook away, running towards the door to get away so he could read it.

still in a playful manner he opened it and mocked your frown, you had given up knowing he would bug you on and on until you caved in eventually, proving that his strategy worked every single time without a doubt.

harry’s eyes roamed through the words finding something strange and amusing, the boy described in this as you had said embarrassing written fantasy seemed oddly like him, the description of his bright green eyes, jet black disheveled hair he never really cared to fix and somewhat tall build that still towered over you was insanely accurate to the real deal reading it.

closing it up with a smirk on his face he looked at you analyzing your agitated state and avoidance of his now lustful gaze harry confessed with a small almost inaudible groan getting closer and closer to you “i can’t wait to have my way with you dove”

[bambinella]

So this is Christmas

A/N : So I may have gotten a little bit carried away with this one, but this is how Hawkeye should have ended in my opinion! I hope you enjoy!

Warnings: spoilers for Hawkeye

Natasha sat in her corner on the couch, currently shaking her head with a huff and a smile as she looked at the scene in front of her. It was December 1st, and both Kate and Yelena had insisted on putting out the Christmas tree. After all, December was Christmas month. They agreed to decorate it together, and were honestly doing a great job. However, the lower part being done, Yelena had a hard time reaching the upper part of the tree, causing her to stand on her toes. Kate, being much taller, failed at hiding her snort, and got swiftly hit in the face by a piece of decoration.

“Kate Bishop! Don’t you dare laugh at my height!”

“I’m sorry! It’s just so funny that you refuse to use a chair or something,” The archer chuckled, ducking away from yet another decoration ball. Yelena huffed.

“I don’t need a chair, I can do this on my own!”

“... Can you?” Kate teased, squealing and jumping away as Yelena was about to pinch her.

Natasha just smiled at their conversation and shook her head once more at Yelena’s stubbornness. Kate and Yelena had been growing closer steadily for the past few months, with more ups than downs. They had a rough year behind them, with many downs between them. However, Yelena had put her pride aside during them, and once she had accepted that Kate was not trying to steal Natasha away from her, and instead was just very lonely, she had done her best to be friends with the archer. Kate, on her turn, had respected Yelena’s very close bond with Natasha and had come up with the idea to plan her training sessions with Natasha up ahead, so Yelena would know and wouldn’t be surprised. It had taken time and a fair bit of teamwork, but the two of them actually started to get along. 

“Yelena, sweet girl, why don’t you use a chair? You’re not going to reach the top part,” Natasha chuckled, sitting up straight as she teased her sister. Yelena shot her a glare yet smirked.

“As if. I’m not going to be defeated by this stupid tree,” She huffed, once again trying to put the star on the top of it.

“I thought you liked the tree? I mean, that’s what you said last year,” Kate said, quickly taking the star from her hand as she put it at the top. Yelena gasped at that, playfully shoving at her shoulder.

“Katie, I wanted to see the huge tree in New York, not… this,” She said, waving at the much smaller version. Kate huffed at the nickname, yet shrugged as she looked at the blonde.

“It’s not the size that matters, it’s how you decorate it! And we’ll do it way better than they did last year. Trust me, it’ll be perfect,” She smiled.

Yelena just rolled her eyes at the happy-go-lucky vibes she got from the younger girl, taking a step back to look at the tree once they finished. It wasn’t big, but it had the cozy feeling they had tried to achieve. Job well done, she’d say.

Both of them sat down on the couch as well, Yelena cuddling close to Natasha, who pulled her close with a chuckle. Kate sat at the opposite side of them, a happy smile on her face. Yelena had become a completely different person after being reunited with Natasha, and her desire to be friends with the blonde had only become stronger. She loved both of them, and cared deeply for the Widows. At the same time, she thought of Clint and his family, and how her last Christmas had changed her life, sinking into thoughts with a smile on her face.

——————

“You coming?”

“Yeah! Come on Lucky!” 

Kate almost tumbled out of the car in excitement, taking a very excited dog with her into the snow. She closed the door behind her, looking at the Barton house, and couldn’t help but, once again, feel a little uncomfortable at the idea of invading their Christmas.

“Are you sure this is okay?” She questioned, making Clint turn to look at her, holding the presents in his arms. He huffed with a smile.

“Oh, I’m telling you, they’re very excited to meet you,” He said. Before Kate could even doubt him, there was a scream coming from inside, and a young boy came crashing through the door.

“Hey there he is! Hey buddy, Merry Christmas!” Clint said, getting on one knee to hug his son, who giggled and eagerly hugged him back.

Another voice came from inside, making both Kate and Clint look up. There was a young girl standing there with a wide grin on her face, obviously Lila.

“You made it! You kept your promise!” She said, as if she couldn’t believe it herself. Clint just smiled at her, and at Cooper, who appeared next to his sister. However, since he had kneeled down, the presents were shifting in his arms, grabbing his attention.

“Here, take something,” He said, a laugh and a slight panic audible in his voice. Lila just laughed at her dad, instead of helping, while the oldest son helped him out. It was the cutest sight, and Kate covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile. Her attention quickly shifted as the young boy - Nathaniel - came running up to her.

“What’s your name?” He asked, smiling up at her with so much love and innocence that she was taken by surprise.

“This is Kate,” Clint said to the small boy, ushering all of them inside. “Alright let’s go! It’s cold,” He said, earning a bark from Lucky. As they went inside, he immediately went to hug his wife, taking a moment to catch up on lost time together. Meanwhile, Kate found herself surrounded by three very curious kids staring at her, making the young archer blush. Their attention quickly shifted to her dog, however, giving her a moment to relax.

“The dog’s so cute! What’s his name?” Nathaniel asked, getting on his knees to pet and hug the dog, quickly followed by his sister and brother.

“That’s Lucky,” Kate chuckled, letting go of the leash so they could fully cuddle with the dog. Clint looked over at his kids and Kate, once again chuckling as he turned to his wife. 

“Ah, yes, brought in a couple of strays,” He chuckled, earning a playful glare from Kate. Her gaze shifted to Laura as she closed the door, a wave of nerves once again rushing through her.

“Hi,” She quickly said with a wide grin, her eyes filled with excitement once more.

“This is Kate,” He said as Laura made her way over to the young archer, wasting no time as she pulled her in for a tight hug. 

“Welcome! It’s so good to have you here,” She said, rubbing a hand on her back. The young woman froze for a second, before fully melting into the hug, a joyful smile spreading on her face. All her nerves and doubts from earlier were erased, and she just felt love instead. It felt like home.

After the introductions and a bit of small talk, they all moved to the living room, the kids basically bouncing with excitement to open their presents. Kate just sat on the couch and watched with a big grin, sipping on her hot choco while the three of them showed her what they had gotten. Clint and Laura watched with a wide smile, before he turned to her.

“You’re never gonna guess what was found in a black-market auction in New York City,” He said, pulling the watch out of his pocket as he gave it to his wife. A wave of relief washed over her as she took it, putting it close to her chest.

“Thank you,” She said, her eyes filled with a gratitude beyond words.

“I want you to take better care of your stuff,” He said with a chuckle, causing her to playfully glare at him.

“You’re hardly one to talk,” She huffed with a smile.

He smiled back at her, before catching a glimpse of Kate smiling at them from the couch. They had gotten off to a rough start, but in the end, this was perfect.

That was, until he heard the knock on the door. Him and Laura immediately looked up in red alert, knowing there weren’t going to be visitors or any more guests. Kate picked up on this, slightly tensing on the couch. Not wanting to alert the kids, he silently motioned for her to stay put, getting up from his chair as he slowly walked to the front door. 

However, when he slowly opened it, he was greeted with a sight he had not expected in the least. Standing there was Yelena Belova, who was very busy staring at the snowy ground. 

“... Yelena?” Clint asked, unsure what to make of the unexpected visit. The blonde had made no move to kill him, had not done anything but stare at the snow. After what seemed an eternity she looked him in the eye, her eyes a mix of sadness and nerves she couldn’t hide.

“... Could you tell me more about my sister?” She asked, her Russian accent thick and filled with emotion as she barely got the words out. Clint blinked at her, before a soft smile settled on his face. He could tell their fight was over. Now standing in front of him was, compared to the trained assassin with a deadly look in her eyes, a young girl mourning over the loss of her older sister.

“Of course. Why don’t you come inside, you must be freezing,” He said, taking a step aside. Yelena looked up with wide eyes, as if expecting to be sent away, staring at Clint for a long second. When she realized he wasn’t, the slightest of smiles tugged at her mouth as she nodded, stepping inside of the house.

Once inside, Yelena became the center of the attention as everyone stared at her. Kate let out a gasp, immediately standing up as she looked at the blonde, getting ready to defend Clint if necessary. He quickly shook his head, letting her know the situation was under control.

“Yelena?” She carefully asked, unsure what to make out of the surprise visit. Yelena got that smirk on her face that made her very irritating and way too attractive at the same time.

“Kate Bishop, I’m starting to think you’re following me,” Yelena mused, earnier a huff from the ravenhead.

“You know, I’ve been here for at least an hour, so I’d say you’re following me. Wait… did you come for more mac and cheese and hot sauce?” She asked, causing the assassin to roll her eyes.

“Everyone, this is Yelena,” Clint said, looking at his wife and kids. “Natasha’s sister,” He added, causing the entire room to go silent. Laura’s expression went from hard to soft, her eyes filling with compassion. However, it was Lila who acted first, getting up from her seat on the couch to walk over to Yelena. She slowly put her arms around her waist and hugged the taller woman, causing her to gasp and freeze.

“I’m so sorry,” She said, and her voice was filled with so much emotion that it hit Yelena straight in the face. This was the last thing she had expected to happen, and she wasn’t sure how to react to it. She slowly put her arms around the smaller girl, accepting the hug, causing Lila to hug her a little tighter before pulling away, sensing Yelena’s uncomfortableness.

“I miss her too… Natasha was my aunt, and she was family to me. So you being her sister makes you family too, if you want,” She suggested with a smile. Yelena had to blink several times to hold back tears before letting out a shaky laugh.

“Yeah… sure, thanks,” She said, not sure if Lila actually meant it or not. Clint decided to step in at that moment, knowing it was best to talk with Yelena in private.

“Kate, why don’t you show these kids how good you really are with a bow?” Clint suggested, earning an eager yell from his youngest son. Cooper shrugged and smiled, and Lila nodded at her dad with a smile, knowing what he was trying to do. Kate’s face lit up proudly at that and, knowing Clint was not in danger and had it under control,  headed outside with the trio and Lucky. Laura chuckled and followed them, to watch and make sure nobody got hurt.

When they were alone, both of them sat down on the couch, a silence falling over them. 

“So…” Clint started, only to be interrupted by the blonde.

“What was she like?” Yelena asked, looking him straight into the eyes. She still thought it was unfair that Clint had much more time with her sister than she had, but at least she didn’t blame him for that any longer. 

“Well… out of all of us, she was without a doubt the strongest Avenger. Powers or not,” He started, and he could see Yelena’s eyes lit up with pride at that statement. 

“She was stubborn, very loyal, a fighter until the end, she did whatever she could to make things right, and an amazing friend,” He said, looking at the blonde. “You two have quite a bit in common,” He added, and Yelena had a genuine smile on her face from that. Natasha had always been her idol, so those words meant quite a bit.

“Okay I need to know… how big of a poser was she actually? Tell me the truth,” Yelena said, a smile tugging at her lips, causing Clint to let out a laugh.

“The biggest poser of us all,”

“I knew it! I knew it, she tried to be like ‘I’m not a poser’ but I didn’t buy that bullshit for one bit,” Yelena said, fist-pumping into the air as she mocked her sister’s voice. He just smiled at her antics, a small silence falling over them once again.

“You know… I said it before, but Natasha talked about you so many times,” He said, causing Yelena’s head to snap up at him. “She used to talk about how much she loved Ohio with you, how you guys created your own secret whistle, how she always won in your bridge game,...”

“She cheated, that’s how she won,” Yelena huffed, and Clint chuckled again.

“That when your family had to run, all she cared about was getting you safe. When they pulled you away from her, she would have killed them all if she could,” He said, looking down at the floor. “Yelena, she never forgot about you, you were always her number one priority,” He added, causing her lower lip to quiver a bit.

“Over the years Natasha had to figure out who she was or wanted to be, but the one thing she always knew was being your sister. After she escaped she looked for you and the Red Room, yet couldn’t find either of you. When she finally accepted that you were probably dead, she didn’t eat or sleep for nearly a week, her guilt for leaving you behind nearly killing her. That’s how much she cared for you,” He said carefully, with the most sincere look on his face.

Yelena had to look away, breathing heavily through her nose to prevent herself from crying then and there. She had always believed that Natasha had left her, that she didn’t care for her and moved on, yet she had hoped for it to not be true, that it was just her biggest fear. Hearing that Natasha had never forgotten her was a little too much for the blonde to handle. Yet Clint wasn’t done yet.

“When Thanos came to earth and erased half of our population with a snap of his fingers, most of us broke down to pieces. Yet she never gave up. She never gave up on you, you were her motivation to keep going, Yelena. You were the reason she took over the Avengers, to keep pushing and to try and bring everyone back. To bring you back, it was all she needed to continue moving forward… it was enough of a reason to sacrifice herself for it,” He finally concluded, his head hanging low.

Yelena let out a heart-broken sob, unable to hold back her emotions any longer as tears formed in her eyes. Clint reached out and touched her shoulder, squeezing it gently to try and comfort her. And while Yelena could have easily brushed him off or even broken his hand, she didn’t. She let him help her through it while she sobbed.

He stared at the couch, tears forming in his eyes as well before looking back up at her. “We always saw her as family, but I’m not sure if she did until the very end. You were her only family that mattered, Yelena. You were the realest thing she had. She’d tell me again and again. And I’m so, so sorry that you had to lose her again,” He finally said, letting go of her shoulder as he tried to control his emotions. 

Yelena took a few deep breaths, trying hard to get her emotions under control as well. When she finally did, she looked up at Clint with gratitude in her eyes. “I’m glad I didn’t kill you on that ice,” She said with a small smile, causing him to huff. “Thank you,”

“Might as well, I still feel beaten up. That’s another thing you had in common with her,” He said with a smirk, causing Yelena to look up once more. “You’re both way too good at beating the crap out of me,”

“Ha, just a matter of superiority Clinton,” Yelena said with a smirk.

“My name is Clint,” He said, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Oh I know,”

“Daddy! Kate hit the bulls eye five times in a row!” The front door suddenly burst open as Nathaniel ran inside, followed by the others. Clint looked over his shoulder, turning towards the boy with a wide smile.

“Hey I told you she was good with a bow!” He chuckled, taking the boy on his lap, hugging him tightly as he squealed with joy.

“Actually I told you, and you didn’t believe me at first,” Kate added, strolling over to them. She eyed the two of them, noticing the dried tears. “Are you okay?” She asked, mostly to Clint yet also to Yelena.

Before Clint could answer, Yelena stood up with a smile and walked towards Kate.

“We’re fine Katie. We did some catching up, shared some laughs and tears, and now I’ll be on my merry way so you can enjoy your Christmas,”

“Actually,” Laura said, closing the front door as she turned to Yelena. “Why don’t you stay here with us? You’re Natasha’s sister after all, and family is always welcome,” She said with a warm smile. When Yelena was about to protest, she quickly continued. “Plus I just came from outside and I can tell you it’s cold. Just stay,”

“We want you here Yelena,” Clint added as Yelena turned to face him. Her eyes were wide in surprise, looking like a small child unsure what to do. 

“Don’t worry,” Kate suddenly said, sitting on the couch next to Lucky. “He already brought in a couple of strays earlier. What’s one more?” She said with a wide smile. Yelena huffed, yet it seemed to be enough to convince her. Walking over to the couch she sat next to Kate, turning to her.

“Alright Katie, I’ll take you up on that drink you offered,”

“My name is Kate!”

——————

Kate was swiftly pulled from her thoughts when a pillow hit her straight in the face. She tumbled back with a surprised ‘oomf’, leaning on her elbows to look up. 

“Hey!” She cried out at Yelena, who was cackling loudly at her.

“Oh Kate, you should have seen your face! Actually, you can! Natasha, show her the video!” Yelena laughed to Natasha, and Kate’s jaw dropped.

“Natasha! This is betrayal!” She cried out, and Natasha shrugged with a smirk.

“Sorry not sorry, it was too funny not to do it,” She said with a chuckle, and the young archer let out a whine.

“Oh I can’t wait to show it to everyone,” Yelena chuckled mischievously. Kate, being impulsive as usual, did the next best thing that came to mind, which was launching herself at the two.

“Give me that phone!” She said, diving between the two of them to try to get it. 

“No way!” Yelena countered, trying to shield herself between Kate and her sister. However, when during their wrestling Yelena accidentally nudged her in her ribs, the archer jerked and laughed.

“Dohohon’t!” She giggled, before freezing as she looked at them. “Uh oh,” She said when she noticed Yelena’s way too big smirk. She tried to crawl back yet was pulled forward, and with another ‘oomf’ she was laying on her back between the two widows. Natasha had put the phone away and held her wrists, her eyes filled with mischief. 

“Oh Katie, you have no idea what you just did to yourself,” Yelena grinned, before slipping her hand underneath her shirt as she started tickling her stomach. Kate threw her head back and let out a shriek before bursting into helpless giggles, trying to get from in between them. However, both widows easily kept her trapped. Yelena cackled along with her, her nails dancing over her stomach, ribs, underarms and occasionally her knee when it jerked upwards, turning the young archer into a hysterical mess in no time, a blush covering her cheeks.

“What’s the matter, can’t handle a bit of tickling?” Yelena teased, looking way too smug for being a walking tickle spot herself.

“This makes you even more adorable,” Natasha teased, causing her blush to increase and her laugh to grow louder. While Yelena tickled her to death - Kate was sure she had died laughing - there was only one thought going through her mind. This was going to be the second perfect Christmas in a row, because she was finally home.

[gossip-girl-of-middleearth]

The Road Less Travelled (Legolas x Reader) (Part 2)

A/N: A continuation of my Fellowship x Pregnant! Reader story, in which you ended up choosing Legolas to help raise your unplanned child. Part 2 can be read without reading part 1 first.

Synopsis: Life with Legolas, your two daughters and your treehouse is perfect, until one night, parental instincts go on ignored, and things go deeply awry.

Warnings: I watched The Conjuring before bed tonight and was unfortunately inspired. Enjoy. Also Legolas is a cute adoptive father send tweet.

Pairings: Legolas x Reader

Word Count: 2610

Rain fell heavily outside, though yourself and your family did not feel said rain. Buried below glorious crowns of leaves, your treehouse was situated securely.

Built into the thick trunk of an Ithilien tree by Legolas’ own bare hands, your treehouse was set with two bedrooms, and resembled an elevated cottage more than anything else. Around the length of the cosy home, a rounded balcony lay.

Leading down from said balcony was an old rope your children used to climb to and from home. One broken ankle later from your youngest twin, however, and a winding set of stairs was built into the trunk below, too — leading up to your balcony.

And indeed, “twins” was right.

Learning on the Fellowship’s journey that you were pregnant with that no-good Brander’s child was shocking enough, let alone discovering at the actual birth that said little baby’s embryo had split into two, providing you with a set of beautiful daughters.

Fortunately, they were nothing alike their biological father in spirit — possessing kind hearts and noble souls instead. Even more fortunately, they garnered your looks. Regarding their appearances, although twins, they each held distinctive differences.

Perhaps the luckiest of all, your old Fellowship colleague, now turned husband, seemed to have the most influence on both Ivorwen and Tobrien — better known simply as “Ivy” and “Toby”.

Rabbit stew, a recipe sent from your Shire friends, was made for dinner that night, as the four of you sat around a wooden table and ate merrily, enjoying the lively atmosphere the warm candles provided.

“There is still hair on the meat!” Ivy insisted, though, the grin on her 9-year-old cheeks gave away her agenda.

“There is not!” Legolas urged back, sharing her grin.

You and Toby laughed brightly, passing a plate of rolls between one another. This argument had been going on since before any of you had even sat down.

Ivy made a show of stabbing a chunk of rabbit and holding it up. “Yes, there is! See? There’s hair on it! You’re a horrible cook after all!”

Legolas made a show of squinting his eyes and leaning across the table to inspect the chunk of rabbit, before settling back into his chair and pressing on.

“That’s most likely your own hair! How many times have I encouraged you to learn my version of braiding?” Legolas pointed out, gesturing to his own locks.

Your eyes crinkled with amusement and love, as you watched the dad and daughter exchange teasing words, even if none of those words were actually “dad”, “father” or even “ada”.

“You’re impossible, Varno,” Ivy shook her head, still smiling nonetheless. “Just admit your talent lies in hunting and not in cooking.”

“I resent that accusation,” Legolas playfully warned, pointing a fork at Ivy.

“Varno” was a name both you and Legolas had decided upon. “Ada” reminded him too much of his own father, and “uncle” simply felt too misplaced.

So, instead, “Varno” was decided upon — meaning “protector” in Legolas’ own language, which is exactly what he had been for you, ever since that fateful night by the campfire you’d learnt of your predicament.

Although many of your friends and colleagues that evening offered you their hand in marriage, you had felt a maternal stirring within you. Something told you to choose the best of the best for your unborn offspring, and who better than a steadfast elf to keep you safe?

You had been watching Legolas one night, a few evenings after learning of the life growing within you, with your hand over your stomach.

Although you still didn’t quite have the full comprehension of knowledge behind this, you truly believed, till this day, that both Ivy and Toby told you to “choose that one—he’s our dad”.

Resolute in your mind, you approached Legolas and accepted his offer of marriage. He was ecstatic and gleeful, and then a little boastful to the other suitors. Cockiness befell him for a short while, until your stomach grew and a paternal kick changed him.

He matured overnight and grew from a young archer into an awaiting father, despite the girls not being his. That never slowed him, though—he was a better father to Ivy and Toby than some real dads were to their own children.

He soon married you after the war, and the rest was history.

After you had to break Legolas and Ivy’s “fight” up with a laugh and a motherly warning, the table was cleared.

“All right, dishes to the kitchen, and then teeth,” Legolas announced, quirking a brow in Ivy’s direction as she walked past.

Legolas mouthed to her that their fight wasn’t over, and Ivy made a show of raising her brows once in challenge.

“She gets that from Gimli, I know it. Don’t ask me how,” Legolas whispered to you, as you too walked by.

“Intrusive visits and loud Yules,” you joked, grinning over your shoulder at your best friend.

Grimacing, Legolas winced his teeth with a hiss. “Do not speak of such holidays, let us just enjoy the autumn while it lasts.”

“You don’t want Yule to come soon?” Toby asked, appearing from behind Legolas, and peeking her head around his torso to gaze up in his direction. “What about toys?”

“Galadriel sends the best, and nothing has topped the bow she gave me in Lothlorien eight years ago,” Legolas replied. “Have you brushed your teeth yet, aranel?” (princess)

Toby made a prolonged noise, as she beamed brightly to show off her teeth.

“No, I don’t fall for pretty girls and pretty teeth, thank you very much,” said Legolas shaking his head. “Breath test.”

He bent down and allowed her to piggyback ride him. Standing swiftly, he looked over his shoulder and at her, where she then breathed loudly with an open mouth into his face.

Legolas scrunched his nose and recoiled. “Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell someone with stinky gums. And I’ve been to Mordor.”

Toby’s eyes grew bright with excitement. “Will you tell us another Fellowship story tonight?”

“Only if you brush your teeth,” Legolas answered, nuzzling his nose with hers.

Ivy walked past again, done with her dishes, and scoffed at Legolas. “Don’t listen to him, Toby. It’s bribery!”

Legolas gently kicked her ankle as she walked by, although, a feather could’ve done more damage—your “gentle giant”, you called him.

“Very well then, tonight I’ll tell you all about the Mouth of Sauron, and why brushing your teeth is important,” Legolas said again, turning around to watch the eldest twin head for the bathroom down the hall.

She waved him off over her shoulder, before disappearing to brush her teeth.

Toby swiftly kissed Legolas’ cheek, before dismounting from the piggyback ride and skipping after her sister.

You watched from the kitchen sink with a warm smile, and wiped a bowl with a dry rag. You observed the ardent love in Legolas’ eyes, as he watched the hall for a minute, where Toby and Ivy could be heard giggling over their dad’s cooking skills.

He finally shook his head and turned to you, wearing a content smile of his own. Catching your warm expression, he walked towards you with a sly question on his tongue.

“What?”

“Nothing,” you replied, returning to the dishes. “But have I ever thanked you for marrying me and helping me to raise those two ladies?”

“Ladies is a stretching term,” said Legolas, coming up behind you with a wrapping of your torso and a burying of his cheek in your hair, as he hugged you from behind, “but no—I don’t think the few thousand times is enough. Could you perhaps tell me once more?”

You melted into his hug, laughed like bright bells, and turned around. Wrapping your own arms around him, you buried your head into his shoulder and embraced him tightly.

“Well, thank you,” you emphasised, teasing him slightly.

Rocking the hug a little, he kissed the top of your head, and responded after a moment. “Actually, it is you all the thanks is owed to—I never assumed a life like this would be possible for me, but here we are.”

“Here we are,” you agreed, squeezing the hug once more.

You both stayed like that for a moment, before he kissed the top of your head again and let go. “You can ready the girls for bed if you’d like, I’ll finish up here.”

You lifted his hand and kissed the back of it, before walking away. Your hands remained held until the distance you walked grew too much, and Legolas had to let go to stay in front of the sink.

He smiled after you, as you disappeared around the wall.

Sighing in tranquillity, as the rain grew outside, Legolas looked out the glass window to his side. All he could make out were tree trunks through the rain and moonlight, and the prince basked in the sense of home for a few seconds.

However, the placid state could only last for so long. Unsure if the girls teasing him all day on their rabbit hunt had just worn him down, or if his eyes were indeed working correctly, a sway of trees exposed a trunk in the distance, where Legolas could have sworn he saw a body scaling.

Narrowing his eyes and knitting his brows, the archer moved closer to the glass window. As his breath fogged up the glass, Legolas moved as close as he dared to the window, observing the distant trunk.

Peering harder and harder, Legolas prayed for the wind to sway the leaves again, so he could view the tree. However, before he had the chance to do so, a quick voice from behind startled him.

“C’mon, Varno!” Toby urged, waving her dad to follow. “Me and Ivy are ready for the bedtime story!”

Legolas jumped on his feet, most unlike an elf indeed, and snapped his eyes over his shoulder to his daughter. Meeting her young gaze, he calmed.

Although, with the odd anomaly on the distant trunk still on his mind, Legolas turned back to the window. The leaves swayed again, and Legolas saw the tree once more. However, this time, no beings scaled the side of it.

He swallowed his nerves and shook his head, as his daughter called him once more.

“Varno?” Her voice was slow and unsure.

Meeting her eyes again, he beamed brightly and ran forwards. Scooping her loudly laughing self into his arms, he spun around and lifted her high—all whilst heading down the hall.

Toby’s laughs and Legolas’ eagle noises alerted you first, as they flew into the bedroom. “Eagle Attack” was a game he’d played with the girls since birth, where he’d lift them high, making them “fly”, and screech obnoxiously.

It usually ended with him gently throwing them down onto a bed or couch, in an effort to tire them out before slumber. Tonight, apparently, was no different.

“Aren’t we a little too old for Eagle Attack, Varno?” Ivy taunted, already sitting cross-legged on her bed, as you brushed her hair beside her.

“I’m over two thousand-years-old, and I still find it fun,” Legolas taunted back. He collapsed onto Toby’s bed with her backwards, leaving the younger twin a laughing mess.

“I do not think that tires them out as much as you believe,” you advised, shaking your head with a smile in your husband and daughter’s direction, who asked for the ride again.

“That’s why I have stories hidden up my sleeve,” Legolas replied. He sat up on his elbows, and smirked at you.

You gave him a playful frown, before finishing Ivy’s hair. Kissing your daughter’s cheek, you began tucking her in.

Legolas readied one candle, and dimmed all the other lanterns, so sleep would find the girls swiftly. Soon, as you tended to Ivy and he to Toby, Legolas’ story began.

It was one you remembered well, and one you also didn’t want to. You appreciated how comical Legolas delivered the story, in a way accessible to children, for there was nothing child-friendly about that war.

It wasn’t long after that, that soft snores from the girls filled the room.

Bringing the woollen blanket up to each daughter’s chin, and kissing their temples, you and Legolas bid them a soft goodnight from the door.

Closing it behind yourselves, you both began the small journey down the hall back to your shared room. He wrapped one arm around your back, and led you safely to the door.

Upon entering the room, you each made your way to your own beds. You had only shared a few kisses on the lips throughout your marriage, usually in times of great emotion, like the birth of your daughters, or the wedding itself.

Yours and Legolas’ marriage was almost entirely platonic, but he loved you more than any other, and you him. Only Ivy and Toby were counted among his other greatest loves, with you sitting safe right beside them.

Although nothing physical or lustful of nature took place between you, your relationship was one of deep devotion, and you had, in your own way, each pledged yourselves entirely to one another.

It was simply the most beautiful friendship, and one neither of you forsook.

Fluffing up your pillow, you rearranged your bed, which was only a metre away from Legolas’ own. He did the same, and hummed to himself slightly over the rain outside.

“This weather is a little intense, isn’t it?” you spoke up, looking at the roof above once in gesture.

He followed your gaze and agreed from behind his concerned frown. “I was almost worried earlier that the roof would collapse, with the leaves now falling and such.”

“For its seventh autumn, it isn’t doing too bad,” you decided, now sliding into bed.

“Agreed,” Legolas smiled, commending himself and his handiwork.

As he slipped into his own sheets, Legolas thought of what he saw earlier scaling the trunk. You were just about to reach over, wish your best friend a goodnight, before turning the candle out, until Legolas’ voice stopped you.

“Actually, meleth nîn—” he called, earning a blinking back of your eyes.

Conflicted over his own words, that same paternal feeling that kicked within him eight years ago drove his instincts. Sucking on his lower lip in thought, Legolas decided to trust whatever his gut was telling him, and lifted his blankets over to the side.

He beckoned you to slide into the covers with him. It was nothing unusual for you both, for many nights you had spent sleeping in the same bed with him. It first started in those early winter days, when your teeth chattered and your bones shivered.

His body warmth provided both solace and security, until you each grew so comfortable around one another that hugging in your sleep seemed as casual as a pat on the shoulder.

You almost went to tease him about being touch-starved or something of the likes, until you saw the look behind his eyes. They were the eyes of a concerned patriarch, and you knew better than to disagree with him.

After all, you knew to trust your own maternal instincts. His were no different.

Without saying a word, you slipped out from your bed and climbed into his, relishing in the warmth of his arms. He kissed the top of your head goodnight, before turning the candle off.

Only a small percentage of the fear within his stomach subsided, but he tried hard to fight it away. Nonetheless, the rain lulled him to sleep, where he then fell into a light slumber alongside you.

That is, until the bloodcurdling screaming of the girls started.

[whitexwingedxdoves]

desolate | request

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader Warnings: Language, Death mentioned, real Angsty.  Request: Anonymous : It’s the first time she killed a human and she feels awful and Daryl tries to comfort her. A/N: this is why the world created sad playlists so that I could write angsty fic’s like this, haha. Hope you enjoy.  Tags: @deadthewalking​ @browneyes528 @phoenixblack89 @srhxpci @jodiereedus22 @witch-of-letters

The gates of Alexandria rolled back before you not that you noticed it, it was only until you felt hands on you that you decided to take a step forward. A tear clung to your eyes not daring to leave the nest of your duct, you were completely numb, not sure if it was the walking or the events of what happened before you returned home you just knew you were numb. People were trying to talk to you as you slowly walked in the direction of your home but you couldn’t hear a thing, it was like white noise. You dragged your bag behind you and eventually let go of your grip so that it fell to the floor but you never stopped walking and your tears never falling. “Y/N” a familiar rasp pulled you from your daze but only for a moment “The hell happened!?”

There was a thick layer of blood and mud that coated you, it matted your hair and dug deep under your fingernails, it was all you could feel; it still felt wet but of course under the southern sun it dried a while back but not to you, you could still feel it dripping off your finger tips and onto your shoes. Your once white shirt had been dyed a murky red colour, probably the effects of the blood and dirt that resigned there. There were new tears along the sleeves of your shirt almost meeting to your neck, your knuckles had bruised over but no one could see that just yet, they’d have to clean you first to figure out the extent of your injuries.

You're not entirely sure how you made it to the infirmary when your destination was your home yet you were there. Sat on one of the beds being cleaned up by a team of people. Rosita worked on your left arm, gently pulling the dirt from your skin careful not to disturb any cuts that may lay underneath the muck, Carol worked on your right arm a little less carefully than Rosita but still refrained from scrubbing your skin and a lot more gentle than you’d have done it had you been left to do so. Denise stood between them focusing her attention on your face and neck worried there were injuries to your head hence the distant stare and lack of words. You couldn’t see beyond the women attending to you and you never tried to, you just sat docile and vulnerable.

After a while the women decided to stop in their attempts to tidy you up, they only found surface scratches and bruises but nothing to cause the amount of blood shed that covered your entire being. “Well... is she gon be alrigh?” Daryl questioned the new doctor, his arms unfolding as he pushed himself away from the wall.

“Im- Im not sure. She doesn’t have any serious injuries” Denise replied, completely puzzled by her findings, when she finally looked up at the archer she saw the same confused face on his features. “I don’t think the blood is hers'' she whispered so only Daryl could hear her, he huffed at her words being careful not to draw too much attention to their conversation not that anyone was listening in anyway, Carol and Rosita seemed to be glued to your side attempting to pull you out of your own head.

Denise suggested taking you back home to get cleaned up and get some rest, she insisted you needed some space and not to overcrowd you so with that information, Daryl took it upon himself to escort you home. He left you on your bed for a moment while he ran the taps to fill up the tub and once he returned back to your room he let himself lean against the wooden door frame to examine your behaviour, you had barely moved from the position he left you in. He couldn’t quite get a grasp on what was happening, before you left for the supply run you were so happy, not even just for the run but everyday you were happy no matter what, like a glimmer of sunshine even on the darkest days and now you resembled the cloud that blocked the sun from beaming. More shell than human.

He returned to the bathroom to stop the bath from over filling and once again came back to you “Baths ready” he whispered so as not to startle you. Your head snapped up to him, momentarily snapping you out of your lost clarity. You nodded at his words and picked yourself from the bed and left the room. When you reached the bathroom you avoided the mirrors at all cost, you knew if you saw yourself you’d lose it completely, you stripped out of your dirty clothes not caring if the archer could see, not caring if anyone saw and dipped your toes into the water.

-

Daryl waited outside the door for you, giving you your privacy but not fully risking leaving you on your own. It took a while for you to emerge once again, you slowly closed the bathroom door behind you and clung onto the towel that was wrapped around you and bowed your head at the southerner “Thank you” Daryl jumped slightly at the sound of your voice but welcomed it’s arrival, he nodded a little too aggressively and pulled himself to his feet to meet with you. You turned on the tips of your toes and headed for your room, Daryl followed after with hasty footsteps. You sat down on the edge of your bed, your knees pressing together as you followed the pattern of the wood flooring.

“Ya feelin alrigh?'' The gravel in Daryl’s voice seemed to disturb the pattern of the swirling wood and caused your brow to furrow. Slowly you lifted your eyes to meet his and shook your head softly. Daryl took that at his cue to sit beside you “Wha happened?” this time the gravel didn’t seem to take residency in his tone like it usually did. A single tear raced down your cheek as you dug through your memory.

Clearing your throat and wiping the tear away you turned to face Daryl a little better but never daring to meet his gaze “There was – was man, he erm he was cornered by walkers and screaming for help”  your eyelashes attempted to bat away the tears and the lump in your throat seemed to form in an attempt to stop you from reliving the nightmare “So I helped him” a small laugh passed your lips as you shook your head realising how stupid you had been in that moment. “Once we got somewhere safe he told me to give him my bag, of course I didn’t give it to him. I tried to tell him I needed it that there were things in there for Judy but” you finally swallowed the lump that didn’t seem to stop growing “he grabbed the strap but I pushed back”

You fell silent for a moment, you could feel Daryl’s eyes on you, burning into you as you pulled at the hem of the towel trying to ignore the fresh sting on your skin caused by excessive scrubbing. “He ended up on top of me, pinned me to the ground trying to get the bag, I reached for a rock and hit him a few times over the head with it but he just wouldn’t stop scratching” every word made it hard to swallow and even harder to hold back the tears “I managed to grab my knife and” you couldn’t hold back the sob any longer, it came flooding out and your hands cupped your face trying to disguise your pain but to no avail. Daryl wrapped his arms around you instantly, pulling you into his chest and rocking you slightly. His hand stroked the crown of your head as he shushed you and you clung onto his leather jacket like your life depended on it “I slit his throat” you cried out, your heart seemed to be to heavy for your chest as your painful cries were muffled by the fabric of Daryl’s shirt.

He knew your history well enough to know that was your first kill. Your first real kill. He knew how you felt about taking another life, you swore to him that you’d never kill a person not even if it would save your life. He knew you well enough to know you weren’t thinking about yourself then nor were you thinking about the man above you... you were thinking about Judith and how badly she needed food. He knew in that moment all you could think about was getting her food back safe. His arms tightened around you holding your posture as you crumbled in his hold. “I’s okay” his voice cracked, holding back his own tears as you sobbed heavily before him.

Despite the amount of times you scrubbed your hands, you could still feel the warmth of the blood coating them like a ghostly reminder of what you had done “What If I can’t come back from that?” you finally spoke after your breathing became easier, pulling away from the mess you made on Daryl’s chest to meet with his eyes.

“Na, ya’ll be fine” he reassured, his hand resting in your hair and for a moment you believed him. He wiped away the tracks your tears made down your cheek with his thumb before ducking back into your gaze “I’ll make sure of it” you tried your hardest to let a smile twitch onto your lips but it refused to take part in the scene, you nodded at his words and laid your head back onto his chest letting the beating of his heart soothe your racing mind. “ill make sure of it” he repeated into your hair letting his chin rest gently on your head. He meant it too, every word. He would do everything in his power to make sure you never had to feel this way again.

[fandom-go-round]

Eyes Like Stars: Oberon x Reader

This is the 1000+ Follow Giveaway! Thank you for being patient with this and I hope everyone enjoys

Warnings: Reader Dealing with Mental Health By Ignoring it, Implied Mental Health Issues, Spoilers for Fate Grand Order Lostbelt 6, Oberon Lying like the Liar he is, Oberon might be a little OOC

           It’s easy to say that you’re busy all of the time but that’s not quite it. Yes, you have your duties to fulfill in Chaldea and emergencies pop up that need to be delt with. The more honest answer is to say that you keep yourself busy on purpose. If you have things to do, you don’t have time to focus on what’s happening in the outside world. Or your family. Or your friends. Or the fact you don’t think you can ever go back to normal. Doing things makes you feel better and it keeps you moving forward.

           This, of course, means that your Servants make it their mission to get you to relax. It’s a push and pull that some have been doing for a long time and Oberon had noticed it right away. Not that he’s been trying to notice of course. He doesn’t like being here but if he can’t leave, he might as well find something entertaining to pass the time. And, as much as he hates to admit it, you’re the most entertaining thing in Chaldea.

           He can say, with no hesitation, that you work way too much. Oberon isn’t a fan of honest anything and watching you work yourself to the bone drives him crazy. It’s not like he cares, of course it’s not that. He just gets so bored watching you run from place to place, he wants to throw you off. He wants you to stop doing tasks and focus on something fun. It’s not because he cares though. Not at all. Not that he wants you to pay attention to him.

           That’s what Oberon keeps telling himself as he watches you in the cafeteria, head buried in some kind of report. Mash is talking about something and you nod along, handing her the report before turning back to your dinner. Which, he notes to himself, has been sitting on the table for at least an hour and is probably cold. He smirks when you take a bite and makes a face; that’s what you get for being so nice to everyone else.

           He watches as the cafeteria begins to clear out, food served and Servants retreating for the night. You stay at your table, dinner forgotten again as Gawain comes up to ask you something. It’s not the bags under your eyes that upset Oberon. You’re not that important in his life. He’s just curious to see when you’re going to pass out and if it’s going to be in your soup.

           “Master!” You jerk at the call, turning to smile to Nursery Rhyme and Jack as they run over to you. Gawain quickly makes his exit, telling you to have a good night as he goes. Your focus is completely on the kids now and Oberon would think it was sweet if you were less annoying. Sleep should be your only priority but instead you’re talking to the kids now.

           “You want a story?” He only tuned back into the conversation when your voice rose, preoccupied with watching the red archer clean in the kitchen. He had been scolding the cat berserker and Oberon was content to watch the omelet on the stove go into flames. Not his magic, not at all. He’s snickering when your voice breaks through the drama, turning to see the kids looking at you with wide eyes.

           “Please Master? Just one before bed?” Nursery Rhyme’s hands are clasped in front of her face and Jack nods by her side, their eyes wide.

           “Please please please?” Jack’s whining seems to be your downfall, a sigh coming from your mouth even as you smile.

           “I guess I can do one story for the night.” The kids cheer at your words and begin to dance around you. This is when Oberon finally comes over to you, smiling and setting a hand on your shoulder.

           “That sounds perfect. Let’s do it Master.” You jump at his touch and his words, turning to give him a confused look. Oberon doesn’t let you argue, helping you up and following after the impatient children. You try to turn towards the smoking kitchen but he doesn’t let you stop, ignoring the half glare you send him.

           “What’s going on over there? Was it you” He laughs at your question, giving your cheek a quick pinch.

           “How rude Master, and after I decided to help you out.” The dry look that you give him makes him smile, snickering to himself.

           “I never asked for your help. And since when do you like stories?” He shrugs at your question, focusing on how the kids have led you to their room. They don’t hesitate to invite you both in, jumping onto bed and snuggling under the covers. Oberon takes a look around the room, letting you negotiate the bookshelf for a story.

           “Are you going to help?” Nursery Rhyme’s question makes him turn and he smiles, going to stand over your shoulder.

           “Of course. That’s why I’m here after all.” You shoot him another look and he laughs, grabbing another chair to sit next to you. It’s fun to read with you, Oberon will admit that. You get so into it, making voices and getting input from the kids. He makes himself a nuisance, chiming in with wrong lines and asking silly questions but the kids eat it up. You look annoyed but its fond and he grins when he sees that he’s made you smile.

           The kids insist on another story and Oberon steps in, letting you take a back seat. He half watches as you begin to fall asleep, head bobbing against your chest. The kids are already out like a light but he keeps reading until your breathing evens out.

           He doesn’t want to carry you back. No way. He just doesn’t want to get in trouble when the others figure out that you’re not in your room. It has nothing to do with how soft your face is and how you snuggle into him. Nothing at all.

           Oberon tucks you in and watches you sleep for a moment before leaving. Better to go before he decides he wants to keep you. Damn Master, being so interesting. Such a pain. He smiles to himself, closing the door and vowing to keep an eye on you. He’s not going to let the most interesting thing in this place get away now.

[daryl-dixon-daydreams]

Words: 5,229 Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader Reader pronouns: she/her Era: Alexandria Warnings: Language, typical TWD stuff A/N: This is Part 7 of a series! Find the previous parts on the Masterlist! Summary: Daryl continues to worry about Y/N and wonder about her past, but they continue to bond inside the safe walls of Alexandria.

Your name: submit What is this?

From that day forward, you and Daryl were almost inseparable. The growing closeness between you was obvious and spending your time together was like a subconscious habit you couldn’t break.

When he wasn’t around you, Daryl felt like something was just missing and it seemed you always ended up together, even if it was just to do nothing.

Not too long after your last bad run-in outside the walls, Deanna insisted on having a town get-together as a morale booster. There would be food and a bonfire and supposed comradery. You were lying on your couch when there was a knock on the front door earlier in the day. You winced from the continued soreness in your ribs as you climbed to your feet and when you rounded the corner into the hall you could see Aaron on the front stoop.

You immediately gave him a look when you pulled open the front door.

“Y/N,” he said with a smile. “How are you feeling?”

You nudged your head as a way to say “come in” and Aaron stepped inside. You walked back up the hallway and stood in the kitchen, waiting for him to follow. “I know that isn’t why you came by,” you said.

“It is too!” he argued. “Well… it’s at least one of the reasons…”

“Uh huh.”

“Tonight—”

“No,” you interrupted.

“But just—”

“Aaron, you know I hate this pretend bullshit…”

He sighed heavily. “It’s not pretend. It’s real. This place is real.”

“And so is what’s out there!” you argued back. “Daryl and I just almost died. That just happened! Am I supposed to forget about my busted ribs or this,” you asked, gesturing to the bruising on your neck, which thankfully was starting to fade at last.

Aaron’s face softened and turned apologetic. “No. Of course not. But if we stop trying, if all we do is think about what’s out there… what’s the point of living?”

Goddammit. He had a damn point. You sighed heavily and closed your eyes for a moment. You shook your head. “I hate you,” you said sarcastically.

He smiled. “Love you too. Starts at 7. I’ll wait for you to show up, and if you don’t, I’m going to come get you, okay?” He started to head toward the front door but turned around halfway. “Oh—and hey, maybe think about bringing Daryl with you?”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “…what’s that mean?” you asked suspiciously.

“What? Nothing! Just—you two are kind of alike in some ways. You know he won’t go unless someone drags him,” Aaron said.

“Uh huh…”

Aaron only grinned back at you. “I’ll see you tonight,” he said. You heard him open the front door and returned his shouted goodbye.

“Fuck,” you said aloud. You needed a shower and something to wear that would hopefully cover up worst of the bruising on your neck… At least you could count on dim lighting conditions since it was a bonfire.

That evening, Daryl was sitting on the steps of the house hoping, waiting to see if you would step outside. Finally, he saw you coming out onto the porch, shutting the door behind you. You were wearing a long sleeve thermal, with the sleeves partially pushed up to accommodate your wrist brace and the still balmy evening air. You had a light scarf looped around your neck, and Daryl knew that was purposeful. He got up as you came down the stairs and strode toward you.

You saw the archer and couldn’t help but smile at him as he approached. He had that stride, leading more strongly with one shoulder and foot than the other.

“Hey.” There was something about his deep voice that instantly put you at ease and you paused in the middle of the street.

“Hey,” you returned. You noticed again that his hair was shiny and looked soft, clean. He’d obviously cleaned up. “You going to this thing?” you asked.

He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and shrugged. “I dunno. Was thinkin’ about it. You’re goin’?” he asked.

You nodded. “Gonna try. I guess,” you said with a laugh. “Aaron talked me into it…”

“Yeah, uhh—yeah, he came by here earlier, too.” Daryl rocked on his feet a little bit. He wished he was better with words because he really wanted to tell you that you looked beautiful, even just in your jeans and thermal, bruises and broken wrist and all. “Well, if you’re headin’ there I’ll walk with ya.”

You nodded and Daryl fell into stride beside you. As you approached the center of Alexandria, you could already hear loud laughter and conversation and there was a warm glow from lanterns and the bonfire. Kids were running around playing the kinds of games you did when the world was free—Ghost in the Graveyard and Hide and Seek. You shook your head as you took in the scene, your feet faltering a bit. “Surreal, isn’t it?” you said vaguely. Daryl couldn’t help glancing at your expression. Far from looking content or like you were enjoying the domestic scene, your brow was furrowed and there was a faraway look in your eyes.

“Mhm,” he acknowledged. “C’mon. Let’s get a drink at least.”

You followed him through the crowd, feeling somewhat more at ease, more okay with him beside you. Daryl handed you a cold beer and grabbed one for himself, nudging his head over toward the reservoir just outside the circle of firelight and bubble of conversation. As you left the refreshment area you snagged a bottle of whiskey too. You collapsed down onto a wooden bench with a sigh and stared toward the water. You took a long drink from your beer and drummed your fingernails against the glass. Daryl was standing nearby, his blue eyes narrowed as he stared out over the water.

“Hey,” you said, drawing his attention. “Come on and sit by me at least. Then they can’t accuse us of being totally anti-social.”

He let out a small snort in place of a laugh and rolled his eyes. His stomach fluttered a little as he complied and took the other seat next to you on the wooden loveseat, spinning his beer anxiously in his hands. The bench was small; your shoulders were almost touching.

“Look what else I got,” you said, reaching down and lifting up the bottle of whiskey. Instead of the reaction you expected, Daryl just gave you a calm but perceptive glance.

“Ya plannin’ on gettin’ drunk?” he asked sharply.

You stared down at the bottle in your hand and your eyes fell again on the brace on your wrist. “Maybe,” you said quietly, not even really sure you had said it aloud.

Daryl’s brow furrowed more deeply. “Why?” he drawled.

You shrugged. “Does there have to be a reason?”

He licked his lips and leaned back in his seat. “Usually is one, whether or not there needs to be.”

He was annoyingly observant. You’d known him a matter of weeks and he always seemed to see right through you. But you simply uncorked the bottle and took a pull. It burned your lips and left a warm trail all the way down into your stomach. You chased it with another sip of your beer and tried to distract yourself by just staring out at the water again, looking at the glowing orbs of porchlights in the distance reflecting there. Every so often you could feel Daryl’s eyes on you.

“What?” you said, finally turning to face him. You were only a few inches apart. You thought you saw his cheeks grow a bit pink for a moment, but in the dim light you couldn’t be sure.

“Nothin’,” he said, turning away and gazing out across the water the way you had been just a moment earlier.

You sat together in silence for quite a while and although it felt tense at first, both of you relaxed into it. You alternately sipped from your beer and took pulls off the whiskey, a dangerous pattern because you weren’t paying any attention to how much you were drinking and you were a lightweight even before alcohol was a rare commodity.

But the longer you sat, the more you felt like there was a bubble in your chest, growing bigger and bigger and waiting to burst. Finally, you couldn’t hold out in the strenuous anticipation any longer and spoke what was on your mind. “You ever wonder how this place is going to fall?”

Your words were quiet and definitely a bit slurred. Daryl’s eyes snapped over to yours which were already on his face, surprising him as they flickered back and forth between his, holding his gaze steadily. He gulped and nodded. “Yeah,” he admitted.

“Or when…” you added.

“Yeah…” he agreed again. “I do.”

You sighed and turned back to look at the water. “I think about it all the time,” you said softly, and Daryl thought he heard your voice break. You stood up abruptly and whipped your empty beer bottle into the water, watching the ripples expanding across the small pond. You wavered a little on your feet and Daryl jumped up, hands extended in case you needed to be steadied.

“I think ya better slow down on that booze,” he growled.

You simply gave him a defiant look and took another pull from the bottle. You held it out to him but he only stared you down.

“Nah. If you’re gonna be stupid, then I’m gonna be sober. And I’m gonna get ya some water,” he said, turning to leave. His momentum stopped when he felt your hand gentle on his arm. He looked back at you in shock and couldn’t help the kneejerk way his body stiffened. But it was only from surprise. A split second later his stomach flipped at the feeling of your hand there and he wished you would never take it off. But you had obviously perceived his tension and you withdrew it quickly.

“Sorry,” you mumbled, sinking back down onto the bench, wanting to kick yourself for grabbing onto him.

The archer was left puzzled and chewed his bottom lip as he considered you a moment. “I’ll be right back.”

You were alone on the bench, waiting for Daryl to return, your head more than a little hazy from the whiskey, when footsteps approached. You knew they weren’t Daryl’s. They didn’t have his cadence and his footsteps were almost silent, even when he wasn’t hunting or tracking. You turned to see Spencer and internally groaned.

“Isn’t right that you’re over here all alone,” he said, walking around and sitting in the seat that was Daryl’s without any invitation.

“I wasn’t,” you snapped, leaning away from him.

“Look pretty alone to me,” he said, downing what was left in his drink glass and actually taking the bottle of whiskey from you to refill it with a healthy share.

“Yeah, well, that seat—the one you’re in—it’s reserved. Already taken,” you said, snatching the bottle back.

He scoffed. “What? By that redneck? Seriously?”

You shot a sharp glare at Spencer, but knew the sting was likely diminished by the glazed look in your eyes on account of the booze. “You know his name. It’s Daryl Dixon. Not ‘that redneck’.”

“Whatever,” Spencer laughed. “Guy’s a nobody. Who cares?”

“I care. Now get the fuck out of his seat,” you growled.

Spencer only smiled back at you. “I think you’re just afraid that if you let me sit here, something might actually happen between us… Come on. You know there’s something here—as much as you fight it. Some spark.”

You stood up abruptly and stepped away from him, scoffing. “What the hell is wrong with you? I feel like I’ve been perfectly clear with you over and over again. Did you forget that I punched you out?” He seemed impervious to your refusal and only stood up too and stepped closer to you.

“Come on, Y/N. You know you want this,” he said, reaching a hand out and trailing his fingers down your arm.

You shrugged him off. “Don’t. touch me. I won’t tell you again.”

He soured somewhat immediately. “What is your problem? Is it seriously something to do with that hick you’re always hanging around? You have something going on with Daryl?” he said, mockingly. “Seriously? What a fucking joke. He’s a mess. Just some—dumb redneck. You deserve way better than him. You deserve someone with their shit together, someone who will string together more than two words at a time. Someone like me.”

You physically recoiled from him again. “You’re a fucking joke. Everything you’ve ever had in life has been handed to you and you’ve turned out to be a spineless, spoiled dick. You have no idea what’s out there and you wouldn’t last a day. You’d be lucky to ever be even a quarter of the man Daryl is.” Your jaw was set. “Now fuck off and go find someone else to bother,” you growled. “Try one of the other sheltered suburbanites. They’d probably fall for your bullshit.”

“I can’t believe this shit,” he muttered angrily, but you heaved a sigh of relief as he stalked off, hopeful that he would finally get the fucking hint for once and leave you alone for good. You turned back to stare at the water in front of you, gentle ripples still bouncing off the shore from when you’d tossed your bottle in. Your uninjured hand went to clasp around your wrist brace absently.

You didn’t know that Daryl was only a few feet away, returning with some water for you, and that he had been watching the entire interaction. And Spencer’s words had stung. Sure, Daryl knew Spencer was an idiot and he certainly had no high opinion of the moron but Spencer had also just verbalized some of Daryl’s own deepest insecurities about himself and even… about you and how you felt about him… and that had stung him deeply. But then came your words… and he felt complete disbelief, sure he had misheard. He felt paralyzed for a long moment as he puzzled over what you had said and how you had said it. But you had been forceful and purposeful. Daryl hadn’t imagined that.

He was so shocked that his boots were rooted in place. He stood there with that cup of water in his hand, dumbfounded, before he finally snapped himself out of it and went around the bench to stand beside you. “Hey,” he said, holding out the water. “I just, uhh—I just saw Spencer stalk off. He looked pretty pissed. Was he botherin’ ya? Are ya alright?”

You accepted the glass and drank deeply from it, suddenly realizing that you actually were pretty thirsty. You rolled your eyes. “I’m fine. And maybe now that fucking asshole will finally leave me alone… Idiot,” you mumbled, looking back at the water.

Daryl shifted awkwardly on his feet. His heart was racing as he thought about what you had said. He watched with concern as you took another drink of whiskey from the bottle, this time grimacing a little at the burn. “Would ya quit that?” he asked, drawing your eyes to him.

You studied him for a moment. “Wanna get out of here?” you asked, glancing back at the crowd around the bonfire. Daryl followed your eyes and then looked back at you. His expression was unsure. He was trying to guess at your meaning. “Just—go for a walk or something. We can at least tell Aaron we came,” you said.

He chewed his bottom lip for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, alright. Somebody oughta babysit ya anyway,” he snarked. You pulled a face at him in response and one corner of his mouth twitched up.

“Alright then, chaperone. C’mon,” you said. Bottle in hand, you started to follow the edge of the reservoir, moving away from the glow of the bonfire and the loud laughter and conversation. Daryl walked next to you, content just to walk quietly. You ended up on the other side of the pond from the party, leaning on the railing of the dock and looking back across the water. Daryl walked past you to stand at the end of the dock. You meandered over to him and took in his broad shoulders and muscular arms. You couldn’t help biting your bottom lip. Oh, fuck You are in trouble… you thought to yourself. “Can you swim, Dixon?” you asked him suddenly. He had just enough time to snap around to look at you before you were grinning at him and pushing him hard, your uninjured hand flat in the center of his chest. He went plummeting into the water backwards and came back up gasping as you laughed hard at his expense.

“Are ya frickin’ kiddin’ me?! The hell is wrong with ya?!” he barked at you, treading water. His long hair was plastered to his face. “Oh, yer dead,” he growled at you.

“I’m dead? What are ya gonna do?” You slowly paced backwards on the dock, a wide, genuine smile crinkling your eyes, and the sight of that was enough to make any real annoyance Daryl had evaporate. He couldn’t resist that megawatt smile. “You made it so easy! You were just standing right there at the end!” you said back. “What, I was supposed to just not take that opportunity?”

Daryl let out a chesty growl and pointed a finger at you. “You and whiskey should not mix.” He pushed his wet hair out of his face and swam back to the edge of the dock. “Well…” he said expectantly, staring at you.

You laughed again and shrugged. “Well?”

“At least come help me get the hell out of here,” he rumbled.

You let out a loud laugh. “How stupid do you think I am? I know you just want me to come over there so you can pull me in or splash me or something! Besides, I can’t pull you out. Wrist? Ribs? Remember?”

Daryl muttered under his breath and pulled himself out on the dock, his wet clothes sticking to him, complete with sopping wet boots. He stared down at the water pouring off him onto the wooden deck.

You pressed your lips together in a pleased attempt to stifle more laughter.

“You’re dead,” he growled again, looking up at you. “I ain’t babysittin’ your ass no more. I dun care if ya do fall in and drown,” he barked, starting to stalk toward you to leave the dock.

“Oh, come on, Daryl. It’s pretty funny. I mean, if it were reversed—”

“My damn boots,” he interrupted, giving you another glare.

You stared down at his feet and grimaced. “Right… well… come on. I’ll walk you back to your house so you can change. It’s the least I can do,” you said, trying hard to stifle more laughter at the glare the archer was giving you.

“I should throw ya in right now,” he said. “Maybe it’d sober ya up,” he said, shaking the water from his arms.

“Hey—I probably shouldn’t be swimming! I’m a cripple, remember?”

“Uh huh. Convenient,” he muttered. He started down the sidewalk, leaving wet footprints. You jogged a little to catch up with him and although he could feel your eyes on him he was determined not to look at you, trying to pretend he was still mad. It didn’t last long and when he next looked up you saw that one corner of his mouth was quirked up in a half-smile. Your grin widened. “Ya are gonna pay for this eventually, ya know,” he said gruffly.

“Worth it.”

You walked with Daryl in a comfortable silence all the way back to the house he was sharing with many of his group members, although some had split up and moved in to the other house by now. You froze suddenly at the bottom of the stairs as Daryl climbed them.

“Woah,” you said. You pressed a hand to your head.

Daryl glanced back at you and rolled his eyes, letting out a sharp exhale. “Whiskey?”

“Yeah, it’s like it all just hit me at once.”

He let out a gruff laugh. “It ain’t hittin’ ya at once. Ya been slurrin’ for over an hour now.” He came back down the steps and gently grasped your elbow, his heart jumping as his fingers made contact with you. “C’mon. Let’s get ya some more water.”

You smiled at him a little abashedly as he led you inside. It was the first time you’d ever been in their house and you looked around, taking in Rick’s spare pair of boots by the front door and Judith’s high chair at the table.

“Here,” he said, shoving a full water glass into your hands. “I’mma get some dry clothes and rinse off this pond smell all over me. Thanks to you…” You laughed again and shrugged.

“You look good all wet though,” you said, the words surprising you even as they slipped out.

Daryl’s blue eyes narrowed and he ducked his head, mumbling a gruff “whatever” before disappearing downstairs to retrieve some clothes, completely baffled and unable to come up with any response to that. He hoped you hadn’t been able to see the warmth he certainly felt in his face. He came back quickly with a towel over his shoulder and some clothes under his arm and pointed at you vehemently. “Now just sit down and quit with the damn whiskey. Don’t go anywhere.”

You saluted him and affected a serious face, resulting in him rolling his eyes at you again. But you left the whiskey bottle on the counter and took your glass of water into the living room with you. As you sunk down on the couch, you heard the shower turn on. You unwound the light scarf from around your neck and tossed it down carelessly. Daryl’s crossbow was sitting on the coffee table and you picked up one of the spare bolts from where it was laying on the table and spun it absently between your fingers. You collapsed back on the couch so you were laying out flat and stared up at the shapes of the shadows on the ceiling. They shifted a little as your vision seemed to spin. You planted a foot on the floor to ground yourself.

You knew it was stupid to get drunk… but sometimes you just wanted to try to forget.

That’s where Daryl found you when he came back out, now in his change of dry clothes. “Y/N?”

“Over here,” you said, still spinning his crossbow bolt between your fingers. He looked over the back of the couch at you, leaning on his forearms.

You smiled up at him, just a small one, but it sent his heart fluttering. He was always amazed that that smile was just for him.

“Well, I think I smell a bit less like pond now,” he drawled.

You leaned up on your elbow a little, ignoring the twinge in your ribs. You dramatically sniffed in his direction and he gave you a look. “Less pond,” you said. “For sure.”

Leaning up closed half the distance to Daryl as he looked down at you and you felt suddenly like the air was charged. Probably just the alcohol, you thought to yourself, gulping at the sudden lump in your throat.

Daryl felt it too and he suddenly couldn’t hold your gaze any longer, running away from the feeling. It was magnetic. But he told himself there was no possible way you were feeling the same thing and he straightened back up and just like that the electricity, the heaviness in the air evaporated.

You glanced down at his crossbow bolt in your hands with a fluttering in your chest. “Probably shouldn’t leave these lying around with a baby in the house, ya know,” you said, waggling the bolt at him.

“She ain’t crawling much yet. But yeah… you’re probably right.”

“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” you said. Daryl gave you a questioning look, one eyebrow raised. “Judith.”

Daryl smiled and looked down at his hands on the back of the couch. “Ya. It is.” You liked the way his expression softened at the thought of her.

You strained to sit up straighter, an arm wrapping around your ribs. Daryl watched the tight expression of pain take your face over and then pass and he felt another hot flash of rage about what had been done to you outside the walls. And he had so many questions he wanted to ask you, so many worries… but you were so closed about it…

You spoke again, interrupting his thoughts. “You’re lucky. You have so many people, good people, and—they all obviously care about you. A lot.” Your voice was soft and Daryl finally looked up again and met your eyes with his. He felt a rush of nerves.

“Ya. Don’t make any damn sense, really,” he drawled.

“Makes perfect sense to me.”

Daryl felt those annoying butterflies flit to life in his stomach again. God, you hardly had to say anything, do anything for that to happen. What the hell was wrong with him? “Ya got people, too,” he said. “That care about ya.”

You let out a somewhat wry laugh. “I’ve got Aaron and Eric. Aaaand… that’s about it,” you said. You discarded his bolt back on the table.

“Nah. Ya got more than that.”

Daryl’s response drew your eyes back to his in surprise and you swore that his gaze was flitting between your eyes and your lips. Your lips parted slightly of their own accord. You felt suddenly breathless and the space between the two of you was charged again.

You gulped at the tightness in your throat suddenly and looked away, running scared. “I’m just—I’m not good at letting people in,” you whispered, not meaning it to come out so softly.

“And ya think I am?” Daryl laughed gruffly. “People have a way of gettin’ in anyway. If they want to.”

You were struggling to come up with something to say to that when the front door suddenly opened. Daryl straightened up and you let out a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding. You suddenly remembered you weren’t the only two people in the world.

“Oh, good! Daryl, you’re—oh!” It was Carol. “I didn’t realize we had company!” Her voice had been much more relaxed, much lower when she first spoke, but her tone and face suddenly brightened when she realized you were there.

You climbed to your feet and gave her a tight smile. “I was just heading out actually. It’s late,” you said, shooting a glance over at Daryl. He rubbed a hand awkwardly over the back of his neck.

“Ya, alright. I’ll walk ya out,” he murmured. He could feel Carol watching the two of you all the way across the kitchen and up into the front hall.

You stopped in the entryway to turn and give him a small smile. “Thanks. For tonight,” you said quietly. He gave you a dumbfounded look.

“I didn’t do anything,” he murmured. “’Cept not kill ya after ya pushed me in the damn pond.”

You laughed at his confusion. “Yeah. You did.” You turned to leave but froze once again with your hand on the doorknob. “Oh—and you can tell Carol she can knock off the suburban sweetheart act with me, okay? I’m not buying it. I’ll see ya, Daryl. Goodnight.”

Daryl spun around to see Carol standing at the end of the hall, her eyes narrowed as she stared at the space you had just occupied. “Did ya hear—”

“Huh,” Carol interrupted. “Yeah. She’s the only person to figure that out so far.” She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded before looking back at the archer. “I like her.”

Daryl rolled his eyes. “Ya, she’s annoyingly observant. Rick tell ya she knew he was a cop immediately, too?”

“Well, sorry to interrupt your date,” she said with a small smile. “She didn’t have to leave just because I showed up.”

“Would ya quit?” he rasped gruffly. “Wasn’t a ‘date,’ alright? We’re just—” he shrugged and Carol raised her eyebrows at him knowingly.

“Wait—why is your hair all wet?” she asked, moving closer to Daryl.

He groaned and rolled his eyes again. “She fuckin’ pushed me into the damn pond,” he admitted in a low growl. Carol let out a loud guffaw.

“Oh, yeah. I definitely like her,” she said with a grin. “You should bring her around more often. Let everyone get to know her.”

Daryl rolled his eyes again and headed for the living room to collect his bow. “Quit tryin’a meddle, would ya?”

Carol laughed and tried to look affronted. “I haven’t done anything! God, you’re so sensitive,” she teased him. “What’s that?”

Daryl’s hand closed around your scarf, which you had discarded carelessly on the floor. “Y/N’s.”

“Little warm still for scarf weather isn’t it?” Carol asked, peering at it curiously.

“Ya. She was—she was wearin’ it because of the bruises on her neck. One of those assholes was—” he broke off as he remembered turning the corner and seeing the guy on top of you with his hands around your neck. He felt another hot flush of rage. “When we were outside the walls, one of ‘em was choking her. She’s got marks all around her neck. Probably didn’t want anyone else seein’ em.”

“God. I couldn’t see them in here. It’s too dark,” Carol muttered. “That’s horrible,” she said. Daryl nodded, feeling the soft fabric between his fingers.

“Mhm.” He gave one more nod to Carol. “G’night,” he said, heading immediately for his space in the basement, the scarf still dangling from his hand. He flopped down on his back on the bed, running the soft fabric between his fingers. His stomach was turning as he thought of you, that brilliant smile you gave up so rarely staying in his mind’s eye. He squeezed his eyes shut and chewed his bottom lip, trying to banish it. The hell were all these damn feelings? The archer finally let out a frustrated sigh and set your scarf down on his bedside table before putting out the flame of his lantern and rolling onto his side, chasing sleep.