#and grabbing him by the shoulders and pleading. no demanding he cherish what he has. to not make the same stupid mistakes you did

[hkpika07]

Don't worry CT!Gordon, my Gordon has no idea how he became a dad either. He was in denial for over 50 years.

@bruhstation I hope you enjoy! I've been wanting to draw Gordon meeting Gordon for a while. I love your art it always hits me directly through my heart and I end up as a pile on the floor.

[muffindaddystyles]

18, 19, and 40 please?🥺 maybe some smut if possible💕

19. “Take a breath honey, yes princess just like that.”

18. “Squeeze my hand if you could hear me baby.”

40. “I love you, pet. So much of it, come back, please??”

A/N: Girliessss, theysss and themsss. Sorry for being inactive :(( Missed you all so much!! Here's a blurb from mafia!h x soft subby.

Y/N had never been this bratty. She had her occasional time-outs where Harry refused to touch her for days till she broke through her ice and begged him with a drool-y sweet mouth and honeyed puppy eyes.

She knows the drill and loves the adrenaline that seeps to her toes when Harry glowers at her across the room with bolting dark intensity -- his hook of thumb in a demand to have her in his lap is enough to excite her, the punishments makes her insides shrill and makes her fall in love with her daddy more and the best part of all of it's that she wants to cherish again and again’s how adorably caring he’s once fucking her raw.

At the moment though. She isn’t being a brat on purpose. They came for a dinner (with one of the Harry's business people) and it’s all business talk, rich dicks everywhere, hush hush voices that Y/N despises and the piqued ogle of the wife on her that makes her squirmy in her seat.

She zones out into her own lil bubble for a second, imagining herself back in their cosy home comfy in Harry’s humungous overly worn hoodie, snuggling him and smooching him, pecking all those softish spots where he has runs his fingers through the night and she wants to have a delicious pizza all to herself because the food here’s the amount of worm and leaf of spinach on a worm.

She didn’t even realise that she was slipping into her subby state until she was getting all fussy about her surrounds and plucked her lipstick out smudging the crimson tip against a tissue and slides it atop Harry’s thigh from under the table,

Daddy, home?

His flicker of gaze alters from the little needy note towards his girl who’s being choosy in eating her veggies and rolling them around in boredom.

Her head perks up cutesly at the feeling of his attention on her and he suckles his wine layered lip upon the sight of her doe-blown out pupils and glossy eyes indicating him like a train's horn that she’s submerging into her submissiveness at dangerous rate when she goes all squeamish and pink cheeks at the mere touch of his knuckles against her elbow.

“Daddy, please.” She whispers into his ear impatiently squeezing his knee. About to write another note to him to stay persistent but her lipstick breaks and she flinches when it rolls under the lady’s shoe leaving a bright stain on floor.

“Behave.” Was all he muttered gruffly before throwing a nonchalant dismissive glance her way and that was the last straw for her.

It’s been hours!! All she wanted was to get home and cuddle! Is that too much too ask!?

That’s why she acted like a grump and didn’t even bid them goodbyes, waited at the lobby for him eagerly and couldn’t help but to sway with her hands clasped back and grin at the greedy thought that once he steps outside she will leap on him like an affection starved kitten.

Her wish remains a wish nevertheless when Harry passes by her with a stoic face and snaps his fingers at her, the single gesture’s enough to bead tension on her forehead.

“In the car. Right now.” He glares her sternly plucking his black leather glove to reveal his jewelled pretty hand as he reaches for the handle of the backseat door.

Y/N has decided that today she’s gonna hold her grounds and be as naughty as she possibly could to get her kisses of the day.

Sheepishly she slips inside and gives him a toothy smile whilst trying to scramble up towards to reach within the sweet distance for his lips.

The trinkets of her shiny dress makes a noise as Harry splays his calloused palm up her silken thigh, glides it all the way up her hip and keeps his grip on her to stop her from moving.

“What?” She pouts knocking her nose against his's in attempt to plant her lips atop his’s, all grabby hands for him, “You’re not havin’ any of me kisses.” He tuts, eyes dark and murky.

“But why!!?” She whines trying to cup his cheeks and just squish them awful good but he gives her a pointed look and doubles back, away from her.

“You know why, little one.” At that she gives him a nasty narrow squint of her peepers and mutters grouchily, “I hate you.”

“What did ye' just say?” He pushes her closer with one tug that elicits tiny gasp from her, his lip thin in annoyance, “I said I hate you!” She huffs crossing her arms and it makes her breast appear more plump.

In all reality, she’s too stubborn to tell him that she’s feeling terribly needy.

“Say tha’ again, I dare you.” Harry demands with tinge of surprise in his growl and she hisses in frustration adjusting the loose heavy shoulder of her dress, “I said, I hate you and this dress, ‘s so itchy. just w’na go home —-,” Her blabbing fades into a squeaky gasp upon the sharp sting of Harry’s hand against her bottom.

“What happened Sugar? Did cat caught ye’ tongue?” He grits wrapping his warm hand around her throat wanting to choke the battiness out of her, but rather it turns her into a melty puddle of a softie.

“Over my lap.” He says firmly.

“No.”

He doesn’t give her time and positions her himself horizontally on his thighs, elbows pressed into seat and raises her bum with the support of his knee, pinching her cheek teasingly to warn her.

He tries not to coo as she looks ethereal in the glittery dress that's now bunched in Harry’s fist atop her spine to expose her itty bittys and she mewls prettily when Harry spanks her asscheek watching it jiggle then does it again and again, on her last count she’s dripping down her thighs stickily.

“What a filthy little brat,” He groans adam apple bobbing from the vigour of heat spreading in his body as he inspects her wet holes with middle finger making her squirmy and whiny from his feathery touches, “Proper soaked just from gettin' spanked.” He traces the lace delicates of her panties and presses his thumb against her bundle of nerves to feel the throb from his touch.

He pulls her back up and squishes her cheeks to pucker her rosy lips, pecks it heartily, “Knows why you’re gettin’ punished baby?” His tone gentler now. Realising that she shouldn’t slip too deep before they reach home.

She snuggles into the crook of his neck and hums, guiding his hand to her sore bum to make him rub the burn he left on her ass.

“Uhmm. ‘cos didn’t behave nice, acted bad ...” Her voice slurry from desire and yearn. If it wouldn’t be for his grasp on her waist she’d have gotten off on his meaty thigh long gone, “And?” He arches his brow sceptically drawing soothing circles on her flesh.

“And that I said, I hate daddy ‘n the dress he gifted me ....” His heart thumps a bit from the statement but the rational part in him assures him that she was just bumbled about him being too distant from her.

“And what do bad girls get?”

“Punished.” She mumbles into his throat and he nods, kisses her hair and cups the nape of her neck to give it a tender squeeze.

How much she acts like a spoiled brat sometimes; he still always makes sure she’s in her comfort zone and knows why she’s getting treated that way.

“I love you, baby sweets. But .... it doesn’t mean you’d not get your punishment.” She was about to protest and throw a tantrum but the car comes to an halt right infront of the large dark doors of mansion.

Tranquil air fills with her giggly shrieks when Harry gets outside and throws her over his shoulder with an ease, his grin wicked as she squeals out “No's" grabbing onto one of the door-frames in the hallway but it’s all vain since he’s way stronger than her little grip.

Once in their room, he’s flipping her into heaps of pillows and catches her calf when she tries to crawl away in hurry.

Her eyes widen and she looks down with a pout upon hearing the rip of her dress, “Liked it.” She mummers sadly.

“Thought it was too itchy,” Harry shrugs pushing her up towards the bedhead and ducks down to speck soft kisses against her collarbones, mouth foaming at the sight of her tits spilling out of her lingerie.

“No! Was just —.. fuck ...” She keens out a moan bucking her core to grind against his thigh when he nooks his knuckle between her sloppy pussy lips and twists her panties pushing them up scruffily into her mound feeling the flutter of her clitoris, the sheer fabric of it giving the right amount of friction to get her to an orgasm.

Her wet gasps and moans fogs into Harry’s mouth as he kisses her with unyielding roughness, hot bubbles popping in her belly ready to spread the nice feeling inside her, holding her down when he knows what he’s gonna do next will turn her into batshit crazy.

He pulls back. Both. His hand and his mouth away from her.

She blinks, with a lazy smile first then the realization dawns upon her and she’s grappling for his sides but he takes her wrists and pins them down.

“Daddy no!” She growls a whine and he just sits on his heels and admires the mess he created out of her, flustered and sheened in sweat, all soft and pudging to litter her skin with marks and bites, his cock warming up in his pants, “Please daddy I want you.” The whites of her eyes enviable and glassy from the frustrated tears that are collecting at her waterline.

Though, Harry stays adamant because those innocent coy eyes are her best weapon and ties her wrists to the bedpost without saying a word to her.

“You brought this on y'self, baby.” He tugs the bound to make sure it’s not too tight and moves back to get rid of his pants, his prick bloated and throbbing from ridges, slaps against his lower belly it’s head coated with precum.

“Now you’re g'na watch me jerk myself off and cover ye' pretty tummy with my cum, might lick it off from you.” She shivers at his words. Toes curling as she silently pleads with a parted mouth and barely open eyelids.

His nostrils flares, howling groan slipping through his lips as he spits in his palm and wraps it around his fat girth slicking his fist up and all the way down to give some relief to his balls.

He dips down and sucks onto her lower lip, “Knows your safe word right?” He asks shoulders jolting when he slops the bulbous crown of his prick against her clit in slow circles.

“Yes, yellow.” She breathes out delicately hoping he slips into her soon but Harry has other plans as he squeezes himself more, swiping the dollops of white thickness from the crown of his prick and brings his thumb to stuff her mouth shut with that.

“What a greedy kitten.” He tuts in mock when she eagerly swirls her tongue around his thumb creating soft sucking noises, she gags around his digit, eyeballs rolling to her skull when Harry slides her damp panties away and strokes his cock against her drippy hole.

“Hmm. Feels good.” He husks pushing into her, but not stuffing her full and that makes her whimper. She glides her feet around his spine to push him into her and her squishy sloppy walls tries to swallow him whole.

Everything just feels too hot and overwhelming. Him fondling his shaft from where he isn’t soaked into her warmth and her tiny whines and whimpers as he teases and edges her.

“Daddy ‘m sorry!” She squeaks out breathlessly clamping down onto him, “I bet you’re.” He moans out, that one sweaty curl dangling and tickling her forehead.

“That’s the most prettiest sound I’ve heard.” At his praise she just turns into a puddle and wiggles for more.

“You’re g'na make me cum.” He kisses his teeth and she digs her feet into his back not knowing if she’s allowed to come too and not having a voice to ask for his permission.

She gulps. Eyelids fluttering. Her cheeks blushy and peachy, listening to his deep moans that whirls within the pit of his chest as he fills her pussy with warm ribbons of cum that sticks to her already soppy walls and then pulls out to empty himself on her tummy as he promised.

Moments later the room echoes with her treacly yearning whimpers and blubbers of Harry’s name as he licks her juices off and the his own cum that oozes out of her whenever he pushes his middle finger inside her cunt.

..

“No!” That’s why they’ve discussed it before hand, her safe word. Harry knows his baby girl and that she gives up too early, gets too overwhelmed before she could actually enjoy the good part all of it although she has a potential to be more bearing than that.

They’ve lost the count of her orgasms.

The overestimation thingy.

Harry thinks it could be the best punishment for her.

She cramps her thighs around his wrist to make him stop but he spreads them wider apart, “You could gimme another one princess, knows y’could.” He curls his fingers to caress that spongey button inside her that makes her writhe like a leaf and it definitely did.

“Shit.” Eventually she gives into him basking in the pleasure of it -- sinking down on his fingers and grinds her clit against his knuckles, her cum from her previous orgasms glistening on his skin.

“Fuck already squirting.” She didn’t realize that, too floaty in her subspace and the ecstasy until she feels his fingers rubbing inside her again.

“Daddy no, no, no ... too sensitive!” She cries out cramming her legs around his waist and pushes his chest away with her knees but Harry keeps pummelling them deeper, scissoring them and adding two more, her thighs shakes terribly a burn spreads in her limbs as the sensational craving envelopes her once again.

“Yes, yes, yes. Don’t stop, please!” She shouts out whimperishly making Harry smile and he smooches a kiss to her forehead, pressing his chest flushed to hers and cradles her jaw to make her look at him, “Cum fo’ me. You’re me good fuckin' girl – g'na come right?” She bobs her head quickly fresh tears gliding down her cheeks and Harry wipes them away immediately.

She’s flying high like a kite. Wanting him all. His hands. His touch. His cock. His cum anything she could get out of him.

His love. His attention. His constant assurances and praises, affection, tenderness and his kisses and loads ‘n loads of tiny kisses She’s always needy for that.

“’M your good girl!” She sobs out in high pitch grappling onto restraints and Harry feels this dire urge to protect his little one at all costs, “Yes you’re.” He coos brushing her hair away from her eyes and let her hide her face into his neck as she turns stiff like an arrow and creampies around his fingers, lips smushed against his cheek.

“Take a breath, honey. Yes princess just like that.” He massages her shoulder and pecks it to calm her down upon feeling her heartbeat go wild after she comes.

She shakes in his arms whilst Harry showers her in kisses lining himself against her entrance and sheathes into her in a slick, their moans melting as he buries himself deep till her belly and cum spurts out from her cunt with his each hard thrust and it drips down her bum and onto already splotched sheets.

White dots wafts past her eyelids, arms shaking and lip wobbling as she feels it hit like a train. Getting pooled into utter bliss of many orgasms, feeling a rupturing dose of euphoria cocooning her.

She feels like she’s on paradise and somebody’s calling her through the white noise but she’s unable to respond all she could do’s blabber nonsense while trying to stop squirming.

Then she gets familiar to that gentle voice, the cosiness of that hand holding onto her free ones now and the softness of those lips against her forehead.

“Squeeze my hand if you could hear me baby.” He gets anxious a little bit when she stays droopy and unresponsive like a sunflower at nights.

A huge grin adorns his after climax blissed out features when she obeys him and gives a lil squish to his palm, “There y’go baby sugar. Y'alright honey?” He kisses the tip of her nose when she just blinks up at him weepily.

“Daddy.” Her voice scratchy and awfully feeble from all of the screaming and moaning.

“No daddy. ‘S just Harry, I love you pet. So much of it come back to me, please?” He almost pleads corking his mind to think what would bring her back from her fragile state since she has never slipped past from him this deep ever.

She whines at the hollowness she feels in her tummy when he pulls out catefully from her with a squelching noise and hisses even when the sheets rustles against her folds, “So sensitive.” Harry murmurs trailing honeyed kisses into the softest flesh of her thighs.

“Yes daddy, but want you!” Harry’s brows shoots up into shock and he slips his forearm under her to hug her tight, “’M right her bubba.” She cuddles into him and yawns fumbling with his sides listening to his pacific breathing.

“Guess we gotta give this little one a sleepy bath.” He mutters into her hair, nails scratching soothingly up her neck and twirling her downsy baby curls.

“I love you.” She rasps out rubbing the sleepiness in her eyes with the back of her hand, “I love you too -- would you like if I lit up some candles in the bathroom? Y’favourite ones?” He thinks it might help her get out of her subby state.

“No. Just you.” She pouts battling the sleepiness away and clings to him when he walks them to bathroom and sits them into the cold tub, he wrapped her around him in a way she doesn’t come in contact with the coldness of it as they wait for it fill with bubbling water (Y/N was too sensitive and clingy that he knew if he’d away parted away she’d have cried endlessly.)

No words were exchanged as she almost slept on his chest and drooled all over him.

“Cutie.” Harry giggles softly pecking her parted snoring lips and cleans himself and her gently.

Gets his most worn out clothes, the one that could tell another person in a beat that she belongs to him from the smell alone.

She slings her thigh around his waist and smashes her face under his chin, canoodling into him with a little tired purr.

He was petting her head and running his hand over her back that when she mumbled into her sleep, rubbing her cheek up and down his chest, Harry stopped and ducked down to kiss her forehead feeling love bursting through his insides.

“I love you, Harry.” Was what she mumbled. He's just too much in love with his soft little button.

[mrsalwayswrite]

To Be My Night And My Day - Part 2

Summary: Hvitserk has been your best friend since childhood, the one you can always rely on. So when you start doubting your current relationship with Sihtric, Hvitserk kindly offers to help you out….but the consequences are never what you expected. 

Pairing- Sihtric x Plus Size!Reader & Hvitserk x Plus Size!Reader

Warnings: Angst, tears, soft boys

Words: 3k

Tag List: @youbloodymadgenius @evelynshelby @pomegranates-and-blood @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie @geekandbooknerd @adrille88 @dini73 @flowers-in-your-hayr​ (lemme know if you want to be added or deleted)

Catch up with Part 1

Sunlight streamed through the window in your home, warming your skin, as you tended to the few herb pots on the window sill. A pleased grin resided on your face as you took in how the plants were thriving. They had been a gift from Queen Aslaug for your last name day. You could not wait to tell her how alive and vibrant they were….unlike your prior attempts. 

 At the sound of the door opening, you looked over your shoulder to see Sihtric come in. You smiled at him, ready to make a quip about him getting off early from training. The tease died on your tongue when you really took in his appearance. His shoulders were hunched over, like he carried the weight of the world there. Each movement, each step, was slow and deliberate as if moving through a fog. Even the couple warrior braids on one side of his head were thoroughly disheveled. You wondered what had caused him to run his hand over them so aggressively and frequently. Yet it was the frown that marred his handsome face and the distant look in his dark eyes that caused a concerned churning in your gut.  

 "Sihtric, what's wrong?" You fully turned around, dusting the little bit of dirt off your fingers. 

 Carefully, he unhooked his sword belt, moving methodically, and laid it on the table with that far off glaze still over his eyes. His soft lips were pressed together in a thin line. It was not until he began walking in your direction that he lifted his gaze to meet yours. His arms wrapped around you, pulling your full frame against him. You immediately placed your arms around his neck, laying your head on his chest. Beneath your ear, you could hear his unsteady heartbeat and his shallow breathing. Internally, you attempted to quell your own fear, knowing Sihtric needed comfort right now, for whatever had caused his distress. This was the first time you had ever seen him act this way, and truthfully, it frightened you. 

 You started to massage the back of his neck with your hand, lightly squeezing and rubbing it in a way you knew soothed him. In response, his arms tightened around you, somehow drawing you even closer as if he wanted to meld your bodies into one. His head rested on yours, and for a moment you thought you heard a sniffle but you were uncertain. 

 A handful of minutes passed before you decided to break the silence. "Sihtric? What happened?"

 "I'm going to ask you a question…." he whispered, "....and I need you to answer honestly."

 "Of course."

 "Did Hvitserk and you have sex recently?"

 Immediately, you felt as if you had plunged into a frozen lake. Ice filled your veins, even as you tensed. It had been two days since Hvitserk and you slept together, and you had truly hoped that the blond prince had taken to heart your begging for him not to say anything to Sihtric. Guilt had clawed away continuously at your mind ever since Hvitserk walked out of your home, determined to find your man. But that night when Sihtric returned from guard duty, a tired smile on his face and a lingering kiss to your lips, you knew Hvitserk had not found him. So you had hoped, and prayed, that this would all blow over somehow. 

 Yet the truth was, a Pandora's box had been awakened in you. For even now, you still thought of Hvitserk in your bed, confessing his devotion to you. And you desperately wanted to make love to him again. 

 "So, he was telling the truth…." Sihtric stated blandly. His arms unwound from around your waist, then grabbed yours from around his neck and dropped them like they had physically burned him. Without another word, he stepped back away from you, creating distance that felt so much more than just physical. 

 Your heart shattered like broken pottery at your feet with the utter look of betrayal on his face. "Please, lemme ex‐‐" 

 He held his hand up, cutting you off. Your mouth audibly snapped shut. Silently, you watched him take several shallow breaths, hands on his hips, as if trying to internalize his anger and pain, to make sure he did not lash out at you. 

 At this moment though, you wish he would. Anything would be better than watching him attempt to hide his pain, his heart tearing in two. You wish he would scream at you. But this was Sihtric. He was too good, too kind, too caring to lash out at you. It only wrecked your heart even more. 

 "Sihtric, please, it was--" 

 "I trusted you." He cut you off again. A tear slid down his cheek before he hastily wiped it away. "I thought….I thought you were happy with me. I know we haven't known each other long but….I guess I should have expected this."

 "What?"

 "I have seen the way you and Hvitserk look at each other. You always explained it away as being best friends, but I know….in my gut I knew there was more to it. But I trusted you. You're the only woman besides my mother I've ever trusted….and cared for."

 Tears streamed down your cheeks and dripped onto your ample chest, a physical manifestation of the river of anguish coursing through you. "I am happy with you."

 "Then why?! I don't understand!"

 "Because….ugh, it seems so stupid now."

 "Am I not enough for you? I know he's a prince and I'm only a bastard but you said that didn't matter. Has that changed?" He took another step back, furthering the void growing between you two. 

 You wanted to reach out to him, to bridge the gap, to just touch him and hope he felt your sorrow. But the crestfallen look on his face, the dejection in his dark eyes stayed your hand. "No, I promise." You pleaded, hoping he could hear the truth in your words. "I don't care that you're a bastard."

 "Then why?!" He demanded, another tear rolling down his cheek. "Why would you do that? To me? To us?!"

 "Because I thought you were going to leave me!" You cried out. There it was. The painful truth. You never expected him to truly stay. But once you got a taste of him, knew what it was like to be cherished….you never wanted to let him go. 

 His eyes widened and mouth opened slightly as he took in your words. "What?" 

 This time it was you who stepped away. You turned your back on him, your stomach churning and for a moment you worried you might vomit. "I've seen you talking lately more with the shieldmaidens, laughing with them, training with them…."

 "So, it is jealousy? You decided to get back at me by letting Hvitserk fuck you?" He accused. 

 "No!" You whipped back around, frustration and sorrow creating an explosive concoction in your heart. "Gods! That's not…."

 "What is it then?"

 "I figured you were talking to them because you disliked having sex with me and were looking for someone….new. Someone who would be more interesting and knowledgeable and….and prettier. Just, someone not like me."

 This time he looked utterly destroyed after your explanation. "What?"

 "Why else would you be leaving immediately after we have sex? Or….or stay out so late? I just thought I was becoming boring to you….which I understand…."

 "And Hvitserk?"

 You shrugged. "He offered to help try and boost my confidence….in the bedroom….hopefully that would make you want to stay. I didn't know he had….feelings until after."

 He scrubbed his hands over his face as he heaved a deep sigh. Turning, he placed his hands on the back of a nearby chair as if to ground himself.

 "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Sihtric." You mumbled through your tears, as you pressed a hand to your mouth, desperately trying to suppress the sobs rising up in your throat. "Please just….I'm so sorry."

 He shook his head, his voice morose. To your surprise, he chuckled darkly before speaking again. "No, I'm sorry. It's my fault. It's all my fault."

 "What? No…." 

 He turned around, a wetness on his cheeks that had not been there prior. "I should have told you….I just…." His voice trailed off, his gaze dropping to the floor. 

 "Sihtric? What? Told me what?"

 "I love you!" He blurted out. 

 All the air vanished from your home. Your lungs struggled to expand, leaving your mouth gaping open. A kick to the chest from a horse would have been less painful than his admission. You could only stare at him as his declaration bounced around in your brain but refused to settle. "You….you do?"

 Slowly he walked over and tenderly held your hands in his, the battle-hardened calluses a contradiction from your own soft hands. Those dark eyes you loved stayed focused on your clasped hands as he spoke softly. "I know we haven't been together long….but I've known it for a while. You're special. Before you I never wanted to open up, trust was something that was hard. A quick fuck was easy, but to linger, to find myself wanting to hold you in my arms all night, to see your sleepy, sated face in the morning light. That was new. And it scared me. Somehow you changed all that. The more time we spent together, the more I hated to be away from you. That's how I knew….that's how I knew I loved you."

 "Why did you never say anything?"

 He chuckled, thumbs rubbing on the back of your hands. "I almost did. Gods, so many times. After we'd make love. Sometimes in the morning, seeing you laying in our bed. When I'd come back from training or guard duty and you'd greet me with that sweet smile on your face and a kiss….so many times I had to bite my tongue to keep the words from spilling forth."

 Everything clicked in that moment. And if it was possible for your heart to shatter even more, yours surely had. "That's why you would leave….it wasn't because you didn't like me…."

 "Never."

 "Sihtric, I love you too." You choked out amidst a sob. "I wish you had said something."

 "I couldn't."

 "Why not?"

 Finally, he raised his eyes to meet yours, a smile full of hopelessness on his lips. "Because I knew Hvitserk was in love with you, just as much as you're in love with him."

 "But…."

 "I know you always said you're best friends, but it's obvious to anyone who looks past the facade. There was always more underneath. The way you two gravitate to each other, the lingering looks and touches, the comfortability there….I always figured I was just someone to pass the time with, until the two of you finally confessed to one another. I just never expected it would be my fault that it'd finally happen."

 "Oh Sihtric, I'm so sorry." You cried, no longer able to restrain your sobs. Sihtric pulled you against him, letting you bury your head against his broad chest as you bled out your heartache. With the way his chest rose and fell rapidly and the wetness against your hair, you knew he was silently crying with you. For the miscommunication. For the betrayal. For all the unspoken hopes and dreams both of you had carried, now trampled and laying broken at your feet. 

 After some time, when both of your tears subsided, you continued to cling to one another like that would somehow stem the outpouring of your bleeding hearts. 

 The dark-haired Viking broke the silence tainted with misery. "He said he wanted to fight me. For you. Over you. How he can't live without you now….and will do anything to have you."

 "Will you?" You cautiously asked, face still pressed to his wet tunic. "Will you fight him?"

 "Do you want me too?" 

 You lifted your head, wanting to see his face as you answered. "I don't want you to fight. Either one of you. I'm not….I'm not worth it."

 "You're worth everything." He replied, cupping your cheek so tenderly it caused a fresh wave of tears to fill your eyes. 

 "Sihtric….please don't. I couldn't bear it if you got hurt….either one of you."

 "Then you need to decide."

 Your heart stuttered in your chest, your breath catching. "What do you mean?"

 "Y/n, my love…." He rubbed his thumb over your cheek, collecting the evidence of your sorrow. "You have to choose one of us."

 You shook your head. "I don't….I can't….Sihtric."

 His thumb continued to run along your cheek as he gazed at you, a swirl of emotions in his eyes that pierced you like an arrow. After a long moment, he nodded and dropped his hand. "I'll leave. Let you think in peace. Just know….whatever your decision, I'll respect it." 

 "Sihtric…." You begged, but what more could you say?

 After pressing a lingering kiss to your forehead, he released you from his strong arms. He stared at you helplessly, further shredding any remnants of your heart left. With that, he quickly turned and walked away, snatching his sword belt off the table, not even bothering to take the time to put it on before he was out the door. 

 Soon as the door softly closed behind him, you dropped to the ground with soul-wracking sobs. 

 It was selfish, you knew. There were two handsome, perfect men both asking for your devotion, both desiring you, both wanting you to choose them over the other. How could you possibly choose? You wanted them both. Needed them both. It was so selfish. 

 But it was the gods-forsaken truth. 

 ***** 

 You cried yourself to sleep that night. 

 And the next night, when Sihtric did not return home. 

 Hvitserk found you the next morning, still lying in bed. Your throat was hoarse from all your crying and your eyes felt permanently dry and red-rimmed. Curled under your furs in your thin shift, the desire to leave your warm nest was nonexistent. Food and drink had barely passed your lips. You knew it was all your own fault. Yet you wallowed in your misery, unable to escape its tenacious pull. Your thoughts swirled like a cyclone in your mind, a force of destruction you could not flee from. No matter how much you wanted to.  

 For how could you choose one over the other? 

 Without a word, he crawled into the bed with you, tucking your body against his in a warm embrace. Without a second thought you melted against him, desperate for the safe haven he provided in the stormy seas of your mind. Your full figure snuggled against his lean form in a way that was effortless, like your bodies were made for this embrace. Exhausted from your lack of sleep and excessive crying, it did not take long for you to drift in and out of sleep, sniffling pathetically when awake. He never commented on your deplorable state of being, just held you tight, an anchor in your waves. 

 "My sweet," Hvitserk kissed the top of your head as he soothingly ran a hand up and down your back, "don't cry. The Norns will decide."

 "Please don't fight him, please Hvitserk. I couldn't take it if either of you were injured."

 "Hmmm….what did he say?"

 You sniffled pathetically, throat raw as you spoke. "He said I had to choose."

 "And?" He encouraged quietly. 

 "Oh, Serk, I'm so selfish." You lamented, gripping the front of his tunic, now ruined by your tears. "Thor strike me down! I can't. I can't choose. I love you both. Gods, I'm so selfish."

 This would be the reason for him to walk away. You were sure of it. Even after all of your years of friendship, you were unable to choose him over your lover, someone you had only known for two years. Why would the blond prince stay? There were plenty of women who would willingly fill his bed. Why would he waste his time on someone like you?

 And Sihtric. Someone who clearly gave you their all- their trust, their love, their hopes and dreams. Surely, he could easily find someone new. Someone better than you. Why would he fight for you?

 How selfish were you to hurt both of these men you loved….and for some reason they loved you too. 

 Suddenly, you felt him nuzzle your hair. "You love me?" He whispered. 

 "Yes."

 He hummed, a hand drawing random patterns on your back as if in thought. "And you love him?"

 "Yes." You choked out, a fresh wave of remorse and self-loathing crashing over you. 

 Gently, he tipped your face up to draw you into a kiss. A soft press of mouths, urging you to respond, to sink into the comfort he so willingly offered. You clung to him as your lips moved in tandem, seeking the momentarily solace provided. 

 You pulled back eventually, opening your eyes to meet his green orbs. "Serk?"

 "It'll all work out, beautiful. You'll see." He assured with a smile, drawing you back to his sweet lips. 

 Even with his confident words, you were left unsure if you could believe him. 

 Or if your fractured heart could even try. 

Part 3

[solinarimoon]

Fields of Wildflowers

Chapter 6

A Sihtric x OC story

A/N: So I realized I was spelling Aelfwynn’s name incorrectly so I have corrected for this chapter and moving forward. Also, I have shifted some of the dialogue around for some of the cannon scenes to help it flow better for this part. I was originally going to keep this chapter paired with what I have planned for the next chapter but the natural break seemed to be earlier so this chapter is a bit short.

Read the previous chapters here.

Warnings: Threats of violence and references to past abuses/crimes, all in line with my OC and the cannon story.

Word Count: 1754

Photo used with permission from @fairyw1ngs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And then they were there, in front of them. Mercian soldiers. And at their center, the man who haunted Cwen’s dreams, Eardwulf.

“Aelfwynn, Come with me. Or I will kill all of these people then I will find your mother and I will kill her too.”

Cwen heard Aelfwynn gasp a small breath then sniffle and hold back tears before trying to take a step out of her arms towards the soldiers.

“Save your friends and leave with me,” Eardwulf told her.

He spoke to her with guile and manipulation in his voice. He was a serpent. Cwen’s monster.

“No, Aelfwynn.” Cwen cried in a panicked voice at the same time that Sihtric brought his ax arm up in front of the girl baring her way.

Uhtred spoke up, also placing his arm in front of Aelfwynn, “She will stay where she is.”

Eardwulf continued to speak to Aelfwynn, using his words to scare the girl into compliance.

“Aelfwynn, we are betrothed.” With a nod, he instructed two of his soldiers to dismount and approach to take Aelfwynn by force.

At seeing the soldiers advance upon her, Aelfwynn turned her face to Cwen and grabbed onto her, panic stricken.

“Don’t let them kill my mother!” She pleaded to Cwen.

Cwen shifted Aelfwynn to be next to Aethelstan, close between herself and Eadith.

She could feel the terror rising in not only Aelfwynn but in herself, but she knew she must remain strong in the face of it.

Cwen stroked the girl’s hair and whispered calm words. But her eyes lay trained on Eardwulf.

She felt the bile rising in her throat being confronted with the man who had stolen so much from her. And who would now steal from Aelfwynn.

Just as the tension reached its peak, as the two soldiers were close enough for Uhtred or his men to strike them down, Eadith pushed herself between Finan and Sihtric.

“No, no do not do this man’s bidding.”

“Eadith, what are ya doing?” Finan balked at the same time Cwen explained, “Eadith, no!”

Eadith took a quick glance at Finan but continued speaking to the Mercians.

“He has betrayed you all. He murdered Lord Aethelred! I witnessed it.”

“So speaks the traitor of Mercia,” Eardwulf countered.

Eadith continued to speak her truth, “As he lay mortally wounded in his bed,”

But still her brother interrupted her, “This is the word of a whore!” He shouted rising off the saddle of his horse.

“How dare you!” Cwen yelled. “You dare to call her a whore after all you have done!” She raged.

Sihtric’s jaw flexed and he reached behind himself to place the arm holding his ax against Cwen. It was half an embrace and half a restraint. Cwen gripped onto his shoulder and through ragged breaths placed a fierce kiss to the top of Aelfwynn’s hair.

“I will swear to it on the book!” Eadith pleaded, throwing her arms into the air towards the heavens. Cwen saw the soldiers on foot take a step or two back towards their horses.

“Aethelred refused to allow my brother to marry this poor child. So he killed him. That is the man you serve. Ask him why Aethelred was late to the fight at Tettenhall. Because this man lied to you!”

Cwen saw as Eardulf’s head dropped to his chest. Was this confession to be enough to convince his men of his treachery.

“Days he delayed telling you your fellow Mercians were dead! Days you could have had to travel home and save your families.”

It’s working, Cwen thought with astonishment. She now saw the archers disarm their bows and begin to look to their captain.

“He killed the messenger that Edward sent alerting us to the trouble.”

“My men will not be fooled by your lies,” Eardwulf countered, but one of his men demanded they let Eadith continue.

“I have proof of his crime. Look inside the pouch he wears around his neck. Inside you will find a ring bearing Lord Aethelred’s seal. It is a ring he stole from your lord as he lay dead.” She continued while daring to take a few steps closer to her brother.

“There is no truth to this,” he stated while glancing at the men at his side.

“If there is no truth to it, then prove it. Show your men what’s inside.”

“Seize Aelfwynn or I will have you executed for treachery.” Eardwulf commanded. When none of his soldiers made a move to oblige him, he screamed out for them to do his bidding.

“Do not threaten your own men,” came the rebuke of one of his soldiers as they placed a sword to his neck.

Another soldier ordered him to show them his pouch. If Eadith lied, then there would be nothing to hide.

Having no other choice, Eardwulf handed over his neck pouch and his soldiers saw the truth in Eadith’s confession for their own eyes.

The soldier’s arrows now trained on Eardwulf and Eadith told him to flee before his own men killed him for his crimes.

With a final glance, Eardwulf looked past Sihtric and Finan to lay his eyes on Aelfwynn. Then he shifted them to meet Cwen’s eyes and he spat before turning his horse and riding off.

The rest of his soldiers soon followed leaving the companions behind them.

As the soldiers crested the hill in the field and were lost to sight, the warriors sheathed their weapons.

Watching Eardwulf retreat out of sight, Cwen released the breath she hadn’t known she was holding. Her body finally able to react began taking more and more shuddering breaths.

Sihtric replaced his weapons in their sheaths and turned to place his arm properly around Cwen. He kissed her temple then he shifted himself to bring her eyes to meet his.

“He is gone, Cwen. Slow your breaths. He is gone and we are here.” When Cwen’s eyes began panicked searches over the horizon past Sihtric’s shoulders, he brought his hand up to her face and moving his eyes again to meet hers. “I am here. Breathe.” He commanded her in firm but gentle tones. As he saw her eyes focus on his, Sihtric felt the tension melting away from her. “There, Cwen. Breathe and see me. Breathe.”

After a few more moments, Cwen’s breathing had indeed returned to normal and their attention shifted to the children.

Aelfwynn was still clinging to Cwen’s skirts while Aethelstan held on to the woman’s arm and gripped the knife from Sihtric in his other hand. Sihtric bent down to meet Aethelstan and Aelfwynn’s eyes.

“It is over. You are safe,” he told them with the gentle soothing calm that Cwen had come to cherish.

“Aye, Eadith saved us.” Finan said while ruffling Aethelstan’s hair. But Finan’s eyes never left the back of Eadith as she stood staring where her brother’s horse had disappeared from view.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Uhtred walked into the barn with Osferth and Sihtric close behind.

Cwen sat on the floor with Aelfwynn, her head on her knees. Eadith had a damp cloth and was touching it to the girls temples and wrists to cool her fever.

“How is she?” Uhtred asked while crouching down to meet Cwen’s eye.

“I fear for her. She is getting worse.”

“Can you help her?” Uhtred asked.

“I do not know. None of us are healers. We will do all we can but…” Cwen trailed off and brought her gaze up to meet Sihtric.

Eadith continued where Cwen’s words lingered, “if it is in our power we will do it.”

“Good,” Uhtred replied. “She is the future. I will be returning to Aelesburg with Finan, Stiorra, and the boy. Sihtric and my son must ride on to Ceaster in hopes of finding Aetheflaed and Aldhelm on the road. I would have you ladies remain here with Aelfwynn and Osferth until we can return for you. She should not be moved if she is to get well.”

“Why do you return to Aelesburg?” Cwen questioned. “You will not be welcomed. What purpose does that serve?”

“The Mercian people must know of Eardwulf’s deceit and treachery. I cannot let this lead to wars and infighting. Not when the Danes remain a threat. I feel it is where my fate leads me.” Uhtred finished softly, while gently grasping Aelfwynn’s small hand.

“Since I was a child, I have known the Lord Uhtred is a man worthy of honor and respect. I pray that those with influence and power will finally see that too.” Cwen spoke while meeting the older man’s gaze. After a moment's pause, Uhtred nodded to the lady then rose and retreated out of the door followed by Osferth.

“We leave now and ride hard.”

Before following his lord, Sihtric knelt down to bring his forehead to meet Cwen’s own, his hand cupping the nape of her neck.

No words were exchanged between the pair. But after several heartbeats, Sihtric opened his eyes. And his eyes saw her. And Cwen saw him.

Sihtric brought his lips to leave a kiss on her forehead before quickly rising and leaving the barn.

Cwen’s gaze followed him until he was no longer in sight and then remained frozen watching the breeze ripple through the field blanketed with wildflowers beyond the barn's doorway.

Her reverie was broken when Eadith gently cleared her throat.

“I do not think I have ever witnessed a passion like his for you.”

Startled, Cwen turned to look at Eadith.

“He sees you. Not simply watches and lusts for you but sees you,” the woman emphasized.

“But we…” Cwen started and then trailed off not knowing what to say. She thought for a few moments, “we have not confessed anything or made any promises to one another. We only just kissed before the encounter with your brother. It was a fit of..” but again Cwen let her words trail off.

“Passion,” Eadith finished for her.

Cwen glanced back to the field of wildflowers and felt her lips turn to a slight smile.

“Yes, passion.” She agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be continued...

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[mightymorphingayagenda]

So I received an ask a few months ago about my thoughts on nessian having kids and then last night I had a lot of wine and this happened so, enjoy!?

This was one of those little moments Cassian would bundle up, like some cherished Christmas ornament, and tuck inside his heart forever. If his heart remained in one piece. It was so full he was worried it might break.

The smell of Nesta’s perfume and shortbread had lured him to the kitchen, where he’d found her sat at the table, bottom lip tucked between her teeth and brow furrowed in concentration as she’d iced a cookie. The beam of her high cheek bones a blushing pink in the warmth.

Cue tears brimming.

And he couldn’t even blame it on the presence of any smoke because by some Christmas miracle, his girlfriend had managed to cook something without nearly burning his house down.

Júlia had tucked herself into his girlfriend’s lap, and was mimicking her little mannerisms. Brows dramatically knotted and biting her lip. She’d even clearly tried to match their pyjamas, Nesta’s lose fitting red pants and white tank top a mirror to his daughter’s own long sleeve white shirt and fuzzy red pants.

The two of them were hunched over a cookie each, armed with little icing tubes and humming along to Mud’s ‘Lonely This Christmas’.

“One of those better be for me or it’s the naughty list for you too.”

“Daddy!” Júlia whipped her little head round, grinning excitedly in the way that children did- less actual smile more oh my god look at all my teeth.

“The one and only,” he smiled right back, picking her up as she tried to literally jump from the chair to Nesta’s terror and amusement.

He made a little mwa noise with every kiss he planted on her cheeks, and she was giggling in his arms uncontrollably. Probably hopped up on sugar if the crumbs on the table and the green frosting in her dark hair was anything to go by.

Finally he stopped and his daughter didn’t miss a beat. “Daddy me and Nesta made cookies and we even made the icing on our own and it’s all different colours and she’s really good decorating and she taught me how to draw a snow man!”

It was impossible to determine where one word ended and the other began. Perhaps his daughter had invented her own word several hundred syllables long.

“Can I see?” Cassian pleaded excitedly, putting Júlia down when she nodded so hard he was a little concerned her head might fall off.

“Hi you,” Nesta’s voice like velvet hummed soft and low as he leaned down to give her a chaste kiss, murmuring his own “hey, sweetheart”. Her lips tasted like sugar and he swore he saw a few granules dusted through her thick hair as he pulled back to asses one of Júlia’s creations.

“No way you made that!”

“I did I can show you I’ll show you how to draw a snowman too. And it’s harder than with pencils daddy, because you have to squeeze but you can’t squeeze it too much.”

“She’s got very steady hands,” Nesta said, like she was proud, her head falling back against Cassian’s chest where he stood behind her. He began massaging her shoulders gently. “She could be a brain surgeon,” his girlfriend continued.

Cassian was dangerously close to getting all choked up again.

He’d been a little worried asking Nesta to keep an eye on Júlia this evening. Not because he thought she’d let his six year old start licking plug sockets or anything. It was just they’d never hung out just the two of them before. He and Nesta had only been together eight months and he’d only introduced his daughter to his girlfriend two months ago.

But he hadn’t had anyone else to call when the snow had started falling with a vengeance on his way back from picking up a Christmas tree. It wasn’t Mor’s week with Júlia so she and Emerie had booked a Christmas mini-break, and his brothers were at a conference. So he’d called Nesta.

She’d been more than happy to pick up Lia from school and keep an eye on her. Almost as happy as she’d been nervous. He’d read it in her voice even through the phone. Nesta had never wanted kids, she’d told him as much, and it had put the brakes on their first date for a while. But Júlia had a mum, two in fact, and the idea that there was any pressure on Nesta in that department had slowly began to dissipate.

Still, Cassian had felt a tiny bit...scared. A bit crushed by his wanting them to adore each other as much as he adored them. So walking in and finding them like that, it had taken the wind out of him.

“I am going to be a baker!” Júlia proclaimed from her own seat now, knees tucked beneath her so she could reach the table.

“What will you call you bakery?” Nesta asked with genuine interest. It was lovely. She spoke to Júlia the same way she would an adult. There was no entertaining or humouring his daughter’s insane babbling, she treated every word as though it held the weight that of a wisened librarian’s might.

“Lia’s Bakery and I will you give you free cookies!”

“What about me? Do I get free cookies?”Cassian enquired. “I haven’t had a single one of your amazing cookies yet.”

“You weren’t here! And you didn’t help make them so I don’t think you should get any.”

“I was getting our Christmas tree!”

“Yes where is this tree that has kept you so busy?” Nesta demanded, tilting her head back to look up at him with arched brows. A naughty twinkle in her dove-blue eyes.

She loved teasing him, but Cassian always gave as good as he got when it came to her. With Júlia, well, his daughter got away with murder. Which Nesta found endlessly amusing.

“It’s by the front door. I think I’m gonna need a cookie to restore my energy before moving it again,” he looked to Lia.

“Fine,” she huffed. “But you’re not allowed to pick it, Nesta has to pick it.”

The way she said Nesta. Like she were one of the Disney Princess she loved to tell him about even though he’d literally just watched the film with her. It made his heart explode like a powdery snowball.

“Hmmmm, what about this one,” Nesta hummed, picking up a sugary treat frosted with a big red heart and offering it up for Júlia’s approval.

“Yes, daddy can have that one,” she nodded curtly.

“You can have a bite now, and the rest once you’ve put the tree up,” Nesta told him as he rested folded forearms against the back of her chair and hunched down to tuck his head over her shoulder, tilted a little to give her his best I-fucking-adore-you-woman eyes.

“Tease,” he smirked.

“Strategic,” she corrected, feeding him the cookie.

“Mmmmm,” he groaned. He wasn’t even putting it on, it tasted fucking delicious. Buttery and somehow melting and crumbing in his mouth at the same time.

“You’ve got a little something,” Nesta laughed, brushing the manicured pad of her thumb against her bottom lip.

“I was saving you a taste,” Cassian grinned, giving her a gentle kiss.

“Nesta doesn’t want kisses she wants the Christmas tree!” Júlia exclaimed, exasperated and impatient.

“You read my mind, Lia,” Nesta said.

Cassian chuckled, pushing off the back of Nesta’s chair and wondering back through to the front door.

Lia was hot on his heels, grabbing Nesta’s hand and tugging her from her seat.

It was a fucking massive tree, and his daughter’s eyes were wide as saucers as she took it in, halting in front of the sofa and nearly vibrating with excitement. By contrast his girlfriend collapsed onto the coach and he was tempted to laugh again. Childcare had clearly done a number on her.

But apparently she wasn’t so exhausted she couldn’t manage a little ogling of him.

Cassian might have been smirking by the time he got the tree upright in its stand, preening a little at the way Nesta’s gaze had lingered on his arms as he’d hauled 120 pounds of festivity about.

A fresh blush blemished her cheeks and she was rolling her full bottom lip between her teeth as she watched him. Knees half tucked beneath her and an arm laying across the back of the sofa, her ear resting against it and lose hair falling carelessly about the cushion.

He was going to wife her up so hard.

“Right, how about some decorations then?” He grinned down at Lia, having thrown Nesta a wink she’d batted off with a roll of her eyes.

“We did them in the colours look, we put them out colour coorninated.”

“Co-ordinated,” Nesta corrected fondly from the sofa as Cassian took in the neat sections of ornaments laid out on the floor.

“Co-or-din-ated” Júlia repeated, already on the floor and searching for the first glittering item to hang.

“We’ve gotta do the lights first though, anjinho,” he reminded her.

“Nesta we have twinkly lights and they can flash or you can leave them so they are always shining or when you click it you make it so they go like,” Lia wiggled her fingers in the air which Cassian recognised referred to the cascading setting on the lights, but knew meant nothing to Nesta.

She laughed none the less, Júlia’s happiness and excitement infectious.

“Will you show me?” She asked, propping her head up on her fist.

“You wanna go grab them, Lia? They’re in my office, on the desk.”

“Yeah I will go get them!” She yelled, already barrelling up the stairs, her little feed padding up the wooden slates like she were merely a skeleton of springs bundled up in the body of a little girl.

Nesta laughed again, a wide smile revealing white teeth and one of her beauty spots quirking in a dimple as she watched.

Once Júlia was out of sight however, Cassian was making a play for her attention. Falling onto the sofa beside her and throwing an arm around her waist.

“I think we have a problem,” he sighed happily, a smirk that promised trouble tugging at his mouth.

“We do?” She asked, letting her head rest against the pillow that was his bicep. Looking up at him.

“I only got one tree. But I have two angels.”

Nesta rolled her eyes and groaned through a subtle laugh, burying her lovely face into his shoulder and thus a telltale smile.

“You’re the worst.”

“And you, are the best,” he grinned, pressing a kiss to her hair and she looked up, smiling casual and soft. “Thank you for looking after her tonight.”

Nesta pressed her mouth to his, kissing him with a supple pressure for moment. “My pleasure,” she said as they pulled back just barely.

Cassian grinned again at that and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear with his free hand. “How was it?” He asked.

“Honestly?” She said, a hand coming to his opposite shoulder, thumb rubbing soft circles there. “Made me fall in love with you all over again.”

Brows immediately rising he let slip an, “oh shit.”

Nesta laughed. “I mean it,” she said, head tilting a little as she watched him. “I don’t think I ever actually appreciated what your being a dad meant. There’s this whole person, this kind, clever, funny person who’s just perfect and you made her, from scratch. And you’re raising her and every little thing she does is because of what you’ve taught her it just...” she trailed off. Overcome by a sentiment she couldn’t put into words.

“What are you doing this weekend?” Cassian asked. Unable to help himself. And if he hadn’t been so preoccupied with how she made his heart ache in the best way, he would’ve noticed a similar ache in his cheeks, because he was smiling like crazy.

“I know we weren’t meant to see each other and if you have plans of course you should do those but, well you’re here now, and judging by those very sexy pyjamas you’re staying the night?”

Laughing Nesta slapped at his hand playfully as it slid from her knee, up her thigh to take a greedy handful of her ass, her jersey pyjama bottoms soft beneath his touch.

“Lia and I are going to go ice skating tomorrow. She’d love it if you came.”

“Really?”

“In fact I think she’ll be heartbroken if you don’t,” he admitted.

“You sure you want me there? I know you have this sad little crush on me or whatever but you’re allowed to want time with just the two of you-“

“Shut up,” he laughed. “Of course I want you there. Really it’d just be cruel sending you home to pine over me-"

“Asshole,” she grinned.

“Daddy I will put the lights on but I need to sit your shoulders!”

They both turned their heads as Lia hurried down the stairs with strings of lights spilling over in her little hands.

“Wowwowwow slow down,” he leapt up. “We don’t run down the stairs, do we?”

“Can we sled down the stairs again this year?” Júlia begged excitedly as Cassian scooped her up at the foot of the stairs and held her at his chest with one arm.

“I don’t know what she’s talking about,” he told Nesta. “We have never once done that ever.”

His girlfriend laughed as she stood up and Júlia shook her head very seriously.

“Never ever,” she agreed.

“Then I’m going to beat you both when we do it this year, because I’m a stair sledding pro,” Nesta flicked Lia’s nose playfully.

Her wide eyed gasp made it seem as if Nesta had told her she was Santa.

“Don’t make me haul the mattresses out into the hall right now,” Cassian warned.

“Bring it, old man.”

Honestly Cassian would lose to her gladly, so long as it wasn’t the only ride she’d be taking on his mattress this evening.

* @featherymalignancy

* @sleeping-and-books

* @my-fan-side

* @hearts-of-persephone

* @witchling13

* @theoverlyenthusiasticwriter

* @typicalmidnightsoul

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* @monstrousloves-explodinggalaxies -

* @yikesitsmaddie

* @jjellybean

* @thronesandstars

* @mis-lil-red

* @rhysandsdarlingfeyre

* @cf-mist-and-fury

* @breezy-freezy

* @dayanna-hatter

* @anishake

* @candid-confetti

* @goldbooksblack

* @impossiblescissorspeachpaper

* @justgiu12

* @twansy17

* @caotica-e-quieta

* @singinginthedarktimes

* @carebear1339

* @keshavomit

* @januarystears

* @bookstantrash

[novanitas]

Love Goes

Writing from experience is always the hardest part about writing because you allow yourself to be vulnerable in a story that you have spun.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/31290827

Childe is the only Genshin character mentioned in the story.

The work was written with the mindset of a female reader but no pronouns were used so any reader may enjoy~

Warnings: I don’t know of any to tag >.< Loneliness? Minor Violence? Fluff? A Kiss???

And maybe sometimes love isn't meant to be. And perhaps sometimes it is better to love someone than to be loved yourself. And sometimes love comes and goes, and other times it just goes. Love is like a dam opening and closing as the water rises and falls in hopes of keeping everything in order, in hopes of homeostasis. If love was like a river, then yours must have run dry, the idea of a balanced ecosystem, something of the past. The summer months were approaching fast, and how would you make it through this long drought again?

Water, an essential component of life, something that everyone needs. Love, something you once equated to water, is now like that of exquisite jewelry, something only the rich in life has.

Maybe it was your personality that was unapproachable; perhaps you were too plain and boring; maybe it was the universe punishing you for being born. The maybe's and possibilities as to why you never found love piled up. Your brain found in its darkest crevices perfectly valid reasons as to why you were lonely. You were shy, too shy. Your voice was never loud enough for people to hear, even when you tried to speak. You spent so many years making yourself small and unnoticeable that now when you wish people would throw a glance your way, it never came. You were never pretty, or at least not in the eyes of those that caught your attention. You found yourself boring and without much of a personality, and you knew that others felt that way too. You never stepped out of your comfort zone because you never had anyone you felt comfortable enough to step out to. You had grown so accustomed to your ways that when someone started to take an interest in you, you'd push them away.

How is it to love and never be loved? It was lonely, to say the least—no one to share your feelings with and no one to share moments of happiness with. Your life was lonely, and you didn't know how to escape it.

How is it to be loved but be so oblivious to it? It was painful but only for the person loving you. To see their efforts dismissed because you were so used to being alone, so used to being unloved. To know the pain, you hide because you never had anyone to share it with. To see you suffering alone even though he was right there. To have a ruthless harbinger admire you was one thing, but to have one be troubled by the way you dismiss any kindness towards you was another.

"(Y/N), why won't you look at me?" The boy pleaded.

Why would you look at him? You asked yourself. Just another person passing through your life for what, a day this time, or a week, a month, maybe a year, but not long enough for you to trust your heart with again. Too many people passing through, too little pieces of your heart left to give—too many years of being left alone to know how to let someone else in.

You turned further away, walking down the busy streets of Liyue. The trees rustling in the wind reminding you that summer was approaching once again. Maybe if you ignore him, he'll go away. Perhaps you have finally lost all sanity, and the man speaking to you is nothing but a vivid hallucination built to keep the loneliness at bay.

A hand clasps around your arm, and you knew they were real. You knew good and well that you ignored the one guy you have had your eyes on since the second they walked into town, but why are you dismissing him now?

Loneliness is like a black hole sucking you in until you can't escape.

"Listen, (Y/N), I see the way you steal glances at me when I walk down the street. Why can't you look at me now?" His voice was torn, unsure of what to do because someone dared to ignore him with such a somber look plastered on their face.

"Because," your voice faltered as you stopped walking. "Because, nothing." You decided not to answer, why give your heart to a harbinger of all people. Yeah, give your heart to someone who literally takes people's hearts for a living, you thought.

"You can tell me. I'll listen," Childe said as he pulled your hand and your unwilling body over to a quiet table just above the noise of the streets.

You admit you didn't want to be unwilling; you just didn't know anymore how to be open to others.

Pulling a chair out for you, Childe then sat down across from you and placed his head contently in the cup of his hand, ready to listen to every word that fell from your lips. He was not expecting you to sit there at the table and quietly cry as he watched frantically racking his mind on what to do. At first, he thought it would be best to sit patiently and wait until you stopped crying, but as time stretched on, he became more and more distressed. After long antagonizing moments of contemplation, Childe rose from his chair and sat closer to you, offering a shoulder to cry on as he wrapped his strong arm around you. You found yourself leaning into his embrace and cherishing his presence. Noticing this, you soon composed yourself and thanked Childe for his time before begrudgingly leaving his company, in which you so desperately wanted to stay.

You told yourself in the first steps you took heading away from him not to go back and find yourself in his warm embrace again because it felt so intoxicating there that you wanted to stay forever, you wanted to give him your whole heart when there was only so little left to give. You told yourself to make yourself even smaller and to grow colder, so he stays away, but a heart born in Snezhnaya is already so used to the cold.

In the days following that, you and your strong will only left the confines of your home when absolutely necessary. If by chance you did venture out into Liyue, you made sure it was by the dark of night, and you kept your head down, eyes cast barely above your shoes, only making eye contact with shopkeepers to pay the dues. The streets of Liyue at night were always a sight that brought your gaze from the ground to the world around you, but in an attempt to avoid the sharp blue eyes of that reckless harbinger, you left behind a sight you adored.

Soon those days turned to weeks, and a habit had formed, and the pattern of your life shifted. You began to become familiar with Liyue's nighttime scene, and you began to prefer it as the crowds of people dwindled down, and the soul piercing eyes of Childe never found you. To be honest, you missed his gaze and the cocky way he walked the streets with confidence, but to protect yourself, you thought to stay away. And sometimes, when you protect yourself, you end up hurting or getting hurt more.

Childe was worried at your absence from the quaint streets of Liyue. He, instead of going about his official business at the Northland Bank, began waiting at shops he'd seen you visit daily in hopes to see you, in hopes to coax your heart out of its shell, in hopes to help you carry the pain. In heartbreaking instances, Childe would think to see a glimpse of you from the corner of his eye, and his heart would race at the thought of seeing you just once again, only to be crushed by the image of someone else reflecting into his eyes. He wanted to curse those people, but more than anything, he wanted to curse his heart for jumping at the thought of you.

Childe, having scoured the streets for weeks, began to worry if you had fallen ill or had left for good, and his head was shrouded in turmoil. Lonely nights in his bed turned to lonely nights in his house, his thoughts echoing off the wall, pacing around in their own cage. He only knew of violence, but yet he could not stop thinking of how he held you so fragile when you cried, so violence he turned to. He tore out his house into the streets of Liyue to interrogate and rough up anyone he could in hopes of finding you. Knuckles tight, he grabbed civilian's shirts and demanded had they seen (Y/N). Most of them were too terrified even to give a proper answer, which fueled his growing rage even more. Some civilians got off lucky as their shirts slipped from his grasps, while others were less fortunate than that. Dawn was slowly approaching as a yellow hue graced the horizon while Childe's bloody knuckles dangled by his side.

"Love comes and goes," he mumbled under his breath, "but why can't I let this one go?"

Not even hours passed before the word had spread through all of Liyue that a crazy ginger-haired harbinger tore through half of Liyue looking for you, leaving a trail of half battered bodies in his wake. You thought that in any other instance in your life, you would be scared by that news, but you weren't. Maybe, you thought, if someone was willing to go to such lengths to find you that perhaps this time, love wouldn't go. Perhaps this time, rain will come in the form of Childe, and the drought in your heart will be quenched. But some walls are built to last, and the wall barring your heart would not be an easy one to break. Strength, perseverance, patience, and a fierce tenderness could all hold the key to the breaking of the wall.

So the next night when you strolled the streets of Liyue you did not dare walk with your head down as before, you let your eyes flutter over the docks, hoping once more for a glimpse of Childe, of the harbinger with a delusion, of the man who's touch you could not erase from your memory. His embrace from weeks ago still imprinted on your skin. The stall owners began giving you sideways glances as you passed, and whispers of you and the harbinger of death filled the air. You wanted to hide away from their eyes, but you knew somewhere deep down that the only way you could find love was to give your heart away again, and so you walked with the purpose to find him. You felt exposed, all eyes staring at you, and in moments your heart lurched to a stop when a shadow in the dark had the same form as him. Disappointment was always soon to follow as a Millelith or drunkard emerged in his place. Perhaps you thought, as your mind wandered deeper into the darkness as the night stretched on, maybe, after all, Childe gave up on you. Maybe last night, he was giving up on you as his fist met the faces of others. Perhaps he found you impossible and unlovable after your shying away and weeks of not seeing you.

In an instant, dawn was upon you, and your feet were planted in front of the Northland Bank. This wasn't how the story was supposed to go. Childe was never supposed to approach you and ask why you wouldn't look at him. Childe was never supposed to be kind and to take you to a quiet spot to talk. You were never supposed to cry because you were touched by that act of caring. You were never supposed to shed a tear in front of him. He was never supposed to want to listen so intently to what you would have said. Childe was never supposed to hold you in his arms so carefully as if his touch might break you. You opened the doors to the Northland Bank and asked for Childe so you could tell him what you would have said that day at the table above the streets. The employees raised an eyebrow, knowing no one ever asks for Childe, but before they could escort you to his office, he emerged from behind them.

"(Y/N)" his voice was hoarse, and his eyes seemed much darker than before.

"I want to tell you what I didn't say before." The words escaped your lips at the volume of a whisper.

Taking your hand, Childe leads you through Liyue to a quiet tea shop.

"I was worried about you." Childe blurted as you both sat down with your teas.

"I know. I'm sorry." You said, a slight flush rising in your cheeks.

"If you knew then, why?" Childe asked, concerned.

"Because, Childe." You took a breath of the warm Liyue air. "I have gotten stuck in my ways. I have been alone for so long that I don't know how to accept your love or anyone's love. I don't know how to accept company when I have been so used to no one by my side. I am unsure if my heart can handle someone else walking out with a piece of it and never coming back. I have done things on my own for so long I-"

"And we can learn together," Childe said, reaching his gloved hand out to yours.

"But," you wanted to protest.

"But nothing." Childe insisted. "Love comes and goes, but I don't want to let you go. Love is hard, and learning to love is hard, but we can learn to love together."

"If I ask you if you love me 100 times a day, then would you still want to be with me? If I doubted you and ran away from your kindness, would you find that desirable?" You asked, looking deeply into his eyes, hoping Childe knew what he was asking for in wanting a relationship with you.

"It is easier for me to tell you 100 times a day that I love you than to stand by idly and watch you suffer on your own. If you didn't doubt my kindness, then I would not be living up to my name as a harbinger then would I?" Childe laughed lightly, trying to dissipate the thickness of the air. "And besides, prey is not as fun to catch if they don't run." Childe winked charmingly.

You smiled and punched his arm, to which he recoiled from.

"Be serious." You whined.

Childe's eyes grew a shade darker, and his face dawned a saddened expression.

"(Y/N) have you ever seen someone you love suffer and not be able to do anything? Well, in case you haven't, it is painful, more painful than watching someone die. Seeing you suffer from being alone and your self-doubt is harder for me than anything because it is not like a wound I can patch up. So please let me in, let me share your pain. Tell me your secrets and all your favorite memories. Let me be the kind of person that you have always wanted. Let me help you. I want us to grow as people together." Childe's eyes searched yours, praying the words he said reached your heart.

You sat there stunned at his words and decided that this was the time, now to step out of your comfort zone and to give your heart away, knowing that this time it won't go to waste.

And at that moment, the first rain of summer came, and the drought your heart had been in for so long had been washed away. Childe, a fatui harbinger, a killer, had a heart for you, and happiness bubbled in your chest.

As the rain fell harder, you and Childe stood from the chairs. Before you could run to shelter, he grabbed you by the waist and kissed your lips softly, pulling you into his strong embrace. Hair plastered to his face; he smiled at you as he rested his chin atop your head.

Love was like fine jewelry, and you were finally rich enough in life.

[8unnieswrld]

5 more minutes (Johnny Suh x Reader)

Word count: 1.8k

Requests: “Kiss me again” + “lol why u so short?”

Warnings: none shit is so cute

A/N: im literally so stupid i posted this but messed up in structure so i deleted it and took a week to redo it

You could feel a soft vibration coming from under your back as it shocks you from your sleep. The noise causes your heart to race as you roll over to reach for your phone. You couldn't even possibly begin to think who would be calling you, first thing in the morning. Nevertheless, silently cursing at them while thrashing your legs about angrily.

“Hello?” You grumble, head thumping as you roll over, placing your phone to your ear as you close your eyes once again.

“Y/N where are you? It's been 30 minutes and I-” You heard your boyfriend speak from the other side of the line, the background buzzing with chatter and laughter. Going silent you realise what Johnny was talking about.

You almost screamed at yourself when your eyes shot open, checking the time on your phone. You felt like you could just about kick yourself in the face right now as the large numbers stare you in the face.

11:30am

The ‘punch in the gut’ numbers haunt you as you roll out of bed running towards the bathroom, as best you could.

“Ha ha ha ha ha, the bus was late! Just uh- Let everyone eat first!” You laugh awkwardly. Tumbling into the bathroom, you flinch as the cold tiles touch your warm feet.

“You just woke up, didn't you?” Johnny sighs, chuckling a bit.

“I'm sorry! I set my alarm for 9:30 p.m. instead of a.m.! Tell the boys to start eating and i'll just order later!” You apologize while turning the faucet on the highest setting due to sheer panic, the abrupt action causing water to splash onto your phone, muffling Johnny’s laughter.

“It’s okay, I could have come and picked you up if you weren't so stubborn. I’ll come pick-” Johnny suggested before you cut him off, yelling.

“No! Babe, please eat first!”

You hear Johnny excuse himself from his bandmates at the table, explaining to them why he was leaving momentarily, causing them to all laugh and coo at you through the phone.

“I'll see you in a bit babe~” Johnny sings, before making kissy noises to the phone and hanging up.

Fuck.

You could not even believe the sheer idiocracy that you felt wrapping around your body as you stared into the mirror, a reflection haunting you.

“You’re so fucking stupid Y/N, you know?” You groan, smacking yourself on the head before violently turning on the faucet, yet again. Brushing your teeth and washing your face felt like a blip as you were running out of the bathroom, immediately towards your ‘I like to keep them in view because they’re pretty’ clothes rack to look for an outfit. Instinctively, you pause for a second to play music before picking your outfit. One that’s comfy enough to wear for a brunch but not too restraining on the stomach. As you were changing in your room you hear Johnny’s car pull up from outside, honking as if he wanted you to be dressed and ready to go when he arrived. You choose to ignore his signal, telling yourself that no one in their right mind could get ready that quickly. Pulling a dress over your head, you hear Johnny begin honking impatiently.

“Fucking hell.” You mumble, frustrated as you stomp towards the window, pulling it open to yell at him at the top of your lungs.

“I'M NOT READY!” You scream, poking your head out of the window slightly. Johnny laughs at this, amused as if you weren't almost an hour late to his best friend's insane engagement brunch. You reach behind your back, struggling to pull up the dress’ zipper. Fast paced footsteps carrying you to the mirror, rapidly spinning to see any potential issue. The sound of the front door closing causes you to flinch, even though you knew it was Johnny. You jiggle the zipper even faster trying to get it up before he walks in. You didn't even know why you wanted the dress up so quickly before he walked in, it's not like he had never seen you naked before, but right now you felt embarrassed and didn't even want to hear a word of it from Johnny. Frustrated, you scream in anger throwing yourself onto the floor in defeat while the non-compliant dress bundles at your feet. Johnny rushes towards your bedroom at the sound of the scream, quickly throwing the door open out of worry. The sight of you sitting in the middle of your room, pink silk dress bundled around you, hair messed up and half wet from washing your face, quickly dismisses his worried thoughts. Johnny could feel his heart soften, cherishing this simple moment in his mind as he smiles, walking over to you before placing you on your feet and zipping up the back of your dress.

Johnny’s hands felt cold on your warm flushed skin, hot from a mixture of anger, embarrassment and adrenaline. You look at him through the mirror, silently staring at him as he brushes your hair, not saying a single word. You had expected him to come in, laughing at you for setting your alarm wrong but I guess he could read your utter distress enough for him to stay silent, understanding. With one swift movement you turn around, hooking your arms around his torso, leaning into him with your face squished against his chest.

“Y/N it’s alright, no one is going to care.” Johnny comforted, stroking your head. You didn't reply, only getting up to walk towards your vanity which held all your makeup. Johnny opens your closet, grabbing a cardigan and an undershirt knowing how cruel the cold weather was to your health. He sits on the edge of your bed, close enough to feel heat radiate from you as he watches you apply makeup to your face. He decides to braid a strand of your hair to pass the time. One strand multiplied into two which then turned into 3. Johnny shuffles a bit, the fabric of his puffer jacket chafing together and creating sounds that faded into the music that continued to play. He pulls out his phone, sneakily taking a picture of you.

“Alright, I'm finished!” You announced, getting up from your seat to turn and look at your boyfriend. He smiles at you before handing you a black turtleneck to wear under your dress.

“You’ll get sick if you don't wear this.”

You roll your eyes, turning around as Johnny unzips your dress. Once you have shifted the straps of your dress off of your arms, Johnny places the turtleneck over your head, allowing you to pull it down and tuck it inside the dress before flattening out the layered material.

“Let's take a picture, we’re matching!” You laugh, finally paying attention to his outfit. Johnny was wearing a dusty pink button up shirt layered with a similar black turtleneck and a jacket. His outfit made you smile, realising that you had both unintentionally coordinated your outfits without communication. You stood in front of your wardrobe mirror, pulling out your phone as you pose awkwardly before Johnny stands next to you. His calming presence causes you to become more relaxed as you pose with him. You both took a couple photos, before you began to pose playfully with one another, completely unaware of the passing time. Johnny picks you up slightly which causes you to laugh as he takes more pictures. You cup his face in your hands as you giggle, staring at him full of love, quickly giving him an unexpected kiss. Johnny drops his phone, eyes wide as you smile, placing a kiss on his lips. He goes in for another before your eyes widen, seeing the time on the wall staring back at you like it had moments before on your phone.

“Johnny! Put me down we’re so late!” You squeal, kicking as you slide yourself off him, grabbing your belongings and his car keys. Johnny feels frustration build up in his chest as he whines playfully. He pulls you towards him once more as he huffs sitting down on your bed, kicking his feet like a child.

“Kiss me again Y/NNNNN~” Johnny whines, looking you in the eyes as he kicks his feet even more.

“Johnny we gotta go, we’re already so late.”

He pouts, eyebrows furrowing as he refuses to move, crossing his arms and puckering his lips. “Kisses. Now.” He demands, keeping up his childish demeanor.

You sigh, rubbing your temples as you move towards him, causing him to happily stand up and pucker his lips again, eyes closed and all.

A frown creeps onto your face. Who in the world would be unable to remember the difference in height between you two?

“Johnny... I literally cannot reach.” You announce, pushing his shoulders down as he laughs.

“Lol, why you so short?” He teases, causing you to hit his chest playfully to which he responded overdramatically by gripping his heart in “pain.” Apologizing, he bends down a bit till his face is just above eye level with you.

“Come on, I'm waiting~” He sings happily moving his body from side to side. You sigh, rolling your eyes playfully as you cup his face giving him repetitive pecks on the lips. He smiles into the kisses grabbing you by the waist as he pulls you both down, falling on the bed with a physical ‘oomf’. You laugh, but quickly turn to scold him for the sudden action.

“Johnny, we are literally so late! Jaehyun is going to be so upset!” You squeal, pushing his chest in an attempt to get up. Johnny barely moves, only nuzzling his head on top of yours. After repeatedly trying to escape and failing you sigh. Giving into his cuddling, you wrap your arms around his torso.

“Just 5 minutes Y/N. I barely see you.” He pleads, a more serious tone escaping his lips.

You bite your lip in guilt as you knew how far you and Johnny lived apart from one another, due to the fact you both attended different universities.

“Fine…” You mumble, placing a kiss onto his neck, the only place you could reach due to Johnny’s sheer strength and height. Laying in silence you could hear Johnny’s steadying heart beat rhythmically in your ear as you traced circles on his back. The silence was soon interrupted with Johnny’s phone ringing, sending waves of vibration over the entire bed. Johnny picks it up, placing it on his ear as he rolls over again to continue hugging you.

“Hyung! Where the fuck are you?” You could hear Mark question over the phone. Johnny and you both stay silent, looking at each other, desperately searching for a reply.

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

“Uh! Sorry Mark- Traffic’s real bad right now!” You panicked, getting up from the bed while silently motioning Johnny to do the same.

“Damn, the traffic’s that bad right now?” Mark laughs, causing you to facepalm in disbelief that he really believed the lie. “Alright...See you soon!” He greets before hanging up the phone.

“He is so stupid.”

[rogueonestan]

moments

pairing: din djarin (the mandalorian) x reader

word count: 2k

synopsis: din returns to the Crest one afternoon to a signt he did not expect (snacktime for day 6 of mandoctober)

masterlist

Traveling around the galaxy with your clan of three has been a long and excruciating journey, whether it’s other bounty hunters or sympathizers of the Empire consistently tracking you down, you’re always grateful for the small moments. Moments where you feel like you can stop and breathe. And not have to worry about whether or not you’ll live to see the next day. You’re always grateful that every now and again you’re able to unwind temporarily by exploring a small speck of the galaxy, like making quick trips to marketplaces. 

While the Crest was in hyperspace, you noticed that you guys were beginning to run low on supplies, suggesting to your partner that you should make a quick supply run sometime soon. Taking you up on your offer, the Crest jumps out of hyperspace, entering a planetary system with little to no lifeforms; the only lifeforms being found were clustered together in one tiny area, presumably the only town found on the planet.

When you finally landed on the outskirts of one of the planet’s towns, you could immediately see the beauty the planet has to offer. Jumping out of your chair, you rush towards the hull of the ship and press the button that releases the hatch. Seeing the hatch slowly descending to the ground, you gasp in awe at what the planet has to offer with the biggest smile plastered on your face. There’s not much as only trees surround you, but the sight makes your heart skip a beat. You’ve been used to landing on desert planets or planets that were taken over by the Empire, always planets that never intrigued you, but the view of this planet is truly something else; it feels like home.

You know you will probably never settle down on a planet like this due to your busy and demanding lifestyle, but dreaming about a simple life on a serene planet like this one makes your heart skip a beat. 

“Eager, aren’t we?” You hear a teasing voice suddenly appear from right behind you. 

Turning around, you see the two other members of your clan standing behind you. Din already has his pulse rifle secured to his back while your adoptive son quietly lurks behind. The smile on your face is replaced with a sly smirk, “aren’t you? Look at this place! It’s beautiful!” You gesture to your surroundings as the big smile on your face comes back, “don’t you want a break?” “Yes, of course,” you hear him take in a deep modulated sigh, “just remember, cyar’ika, to never-”

“‘Never let your guard down.’ Yeah, yeah, I know. You’ve told me dozens of times.”

“You can never be too careful.” He reiterates. The smile on your face never fades but only gradually increases as Din shows how much he cares for you. 

You make a noncommittal noise, turning around to head towards the marketplace when a tight grasp around your wrist prohibits you from doing so. You’re about to question your partner what he was doing when he places one of his blasters in your hand, tilting his helmet to the side.

Embarrassed, you glance down at the floor, putting the blaster in the holster you’re already donning. Looking down at the floor, you see your owl-eyed son looking up at you with his smile replicating the one that’s on your face, “whoops.” You say, shrugging your shoulders. You can tell Din is not amused. You already know that he’s already on edge by being on this planet. Even on peaceful planets like this one, Din’s always on edge and always scouting for potential threats. Knowing this, you decide to not push him any further, “let’s go.” You say as you begin walking in the direction of the marketplace.

With your arm looped around his, Din escorts you around the marketplace with the child’s pram following right behind you. You’ve been able to stock up on basic supplies you’ve been in dire need of: med packs, extra food and canteens of water for emergencies, and equipment for the Crest. While roaming around the collection of shops, the smile on your face has never left since you entered the planet’s system. You don’t know what it is about this place, but it makes you feel at home, safe. 

Every so often, you’ll point something out to him with the biggest smile on your face, so giddy at the fact that you can be free and not have a care in the world. It’s a luxurious feeling you haven’t felt in rotations and you hope that Din feels the same way. You may not be able to see it, but you know it brings Din joy to see you this content. 

You’re currently showing a trinket to Din from one of the stands when his body suddenly tenses up, his grip around your arm immediately tightening. You can feel his gloved hand slowly beginning to lose its grip on your forearm. 

You’re about to ask him what’s wrong when he suddenly says he’ll meet you back at the Crest. 

Taking that as your cue to leave, you put down the trinket that was in your hand and slowly begin walking in the direction of the Crest, not wanting to add any unnecessary towards you or the child. With the cart of your purchases and the child’s pram following behind you, the first feeling of worry overcomes your body since you landed on this planet. When you first arrived, you thought for sure nothing bad would happen to your clan of three, but Din’s sudden departure changes your mind. 

You enter the special code that Din created for you and open the hatch of the Crest. Once you’re able to safely get inside, you close the hatch, immediately engaging security protocols. You open up the child’s pram and see him so happy to see you. Smiling softly, you take him out of his pram and gently put him on the ground, where he begins to trot towards your purchases. His little arms try to grab one of the boxes but he’s far too small to reach it. His vain attempt makes your nerves slowly begin to dissipate. Rather than focusing on how you’re feeling internally, you decide to distract yourself in your favorite way: by spending time with your son. 

You’re not sure of how long Din has been gone, but your child always knows how to get you out of your head. You know that whatever threat Din sensed, he can do it on his own, but it never makes it easier when he’s out there alone. Thoughts of worrying over Din, possibly even losing him, begin to plague your mind. The child begins to tug on the end of your pants, trying to regain your attention once again. You shake the negative thoughts from your head and see his ears slowly lowering when he sees the smile on your face is now replaced with a slight frown. 

Uncrossing your legs and standing up, you pick up your son from the ground and hold him tightly in the crook of your arm. Lightly bouncing him up and down in your arms, you try to boost your morale by another distraction, by enjoying some of the food you bought earlier in the afternoon. Opening one of your purchases with your free hand, you’re able to find some of the food you purchased at one of the stands. One of the desserts you bought gains the attention of the baby in your arms, a series of giggles immediately filling up the silent air, and you feel some of the weight lifting off of your shoulders. 

You walk towards the dining area in the Crest, when in reality it’s really just a few boxes stacked on top of each other, and you carefully place the child on top of one of the ‘seats.’ Resuming the same position as you had before, you sit directly in front of your son and begin to open the dessert. 

You both take turns in sharing the delicious snack. Chocolate is smeared all over both of your lips, but at the moment you don’t care. All you can think about is how fortunate you are to have small moments like these. It isn’t much, but it’s home. Laughter fills the air. Huge smiles are plastered over your faces. You’re about to feed your child another piece of the snack when suddenly the hatch door to the Crest opens. The child immediately jumps off from the boxes and begins to waddle towards his father figure, who laughs in return at the ridiculousness of his son. When he returned back to the ship, the last thing Din would’ve expected was to hear rumbles of laughter and his son’s face covered in chocolate.

“Well, what do we have here?” You hear Din ask as he bends down and takes his child into his arms. Once his child is secure in his arms, Din makes his way over to you, where you’re looking down at the clasped hands in your lap. This behavior from you is quite unusual. Usually when Din gets back to the Crest, both you and the child excitedly greet him back. Something he loves and cherishes. Not you sulking in a corner. 

When he finally closes the distance between the two of you, placing the kid where he was sitting previously, then kneeling next to your side. Using his gloved index finger, he gently lifts your head up, forcing you to make eye contact with him. A small glint of shame lingers in your eyes and you can hear a modulated laugh come from your Mandalorian.

You open and shut your mouth multiple times like a fish, thinking of an excuse to explain your child-like behavior, but alas, nothing comes to mind. 

“I think you have more chocolate on you than the baby.” Din teases you. 

“Well, he is older than me”

“Not by much.” Scoffing, you playfully nudge your shoulder into his. The look of shame that once was on your face was now replaced with a small smile. You love moments like these. 

You support yourself off of the ground by putting your weight onto one arm, “I don’t like being made fun of.” Lightly kicking his leg, you begin to walk towards the ladder that leads to the upper level of the Crest when you feel a grip around your ankle. 

“‘m sorry, cyar’ika. Come back to me.” He pleads lightheartedly. He knows he doesn’t have to try hard to convince you to stay. 

Humming with faux contemplation, you lightly sigh, a habit you’ve developed since you’ve been around Din, “I don’t know. You’re being a bully.” 

“Just- come back to me. It won’t happen again.” His hand leaves your ankle as he reaches up to grasp your wrist that’s hanging at your side. Gently tugging on it, he begs you to rejoin him back on the floor. 

Sighing in a very dramatic manner, you slowly rejoin your partner back on the floor, where he immediately pulls you towards his side. Your body begins to relax once you’re back in your lover’s arms. With Din by your side is where you’ve always felt safest. Resting your head against his shoulder, the feeling of his hand rubbing up and down your back lures you to an even more relaxed state. The last thing you hear before you drift off are the distant cooing noises from your son and the sweet nothings your lover is whispering in your ear. 

[farouchelyoptimistic]

MoonMoon: Tadpole

Gang Tae releases a soft grunt as he stretches his arms, reaching over the other side of the bed. When he feels it empty, he opens his eyes. Brows furrowing as he scans the room. He slides his legs off the bed, standing up as a yawn escapes his mouth. Scratching the back of his nape, he opens the curtains, the morning sunlight seeping through the massive floor to ceiling windows of their room in their luxurious Seoul penthouse.

Moon Young had insisted on moving to the city when he started attending university. It took him a while to finally convince her to get comfortable with the idea of him going back to school. Of course, she was totally against it, reminding him about the ants that would so desperately follow him around. But after days of lengthy conversations and pleading, he had finally managed to get her to agree. She was slowly learning to understand other people's emotions, and if there's one person out there whose emotions she greatly understood, it was Gang Tae's.

She knew no matter how much she protested, he was still going to do it. She was aware it was a dream he so wanted to achieve, and fully knowing how many dreams he had given up upon during the entirety of his life, it was the least she could do for him. So after a few days of sulking and trying to convince him otherwise, she finally says yes.

But Moon Young being Moon Young, if her boyfriend was going to go back to school, he had to go to the best university, because that's what he deserved. Moving back to Seoul was a huge decision, but they both knew it benefited everyone. He was going to a great university there, she had started to write more books ever since Finding the Real Face became a huge hit, and they were closer to Sang Tae who was working under Mr. Lee's company.

They had wanted to live with him in their penthouse, but he enjoyed so much of his independence that he no longer wanted to share a room with his little brother and have bicker-filled conversations with his younger sister over breakfast. He now lives in a posh hotel room, just around the corner from Mr. Lee's company.

On weekends, they would take long drives back to Songjin City, sometimes with Sang Tae if he wasn't too busy, to visit the family they left behind. Sundeuk, now their official fake real mom, would whip up heaps of food for her fake real children. She loved how much her house filled with warmth and happiness whenever everyone was visiting. Especially when Sang Tae tagged along with Sang In because it always made Ju Ri happy.

"Ko Moon Young?" He calls out. Oddly so, she was no longer in bed. It slightly bothered him because she never wakes up before him. She enjoyed her sleep, cherished it to core. He was lucky all his classes in the past four years weren't scheduled too early to have him leaving before she woke up. It would have been disastrous of epic proportions.

"Moon Young-ah?" He was about to go out when he hears shuffling in the bathroom followed by a bountiful wave of cursing.

Cautiously opening the bathroom door, he basically dashes to her side when he sees her sprawled on the bathroom floor, wretching over the toilet bowl. Her black nightgown was scattered around her, her long hair cascading over her shoulders.

"Ko Moon Young! Kinchana?" He stands behind her, gathering her hair in his hand as he rubbed circles around her back.

"Aish. I told you those dumplings we had last night seemed a little weird." She crouches over and empties her already empty stomach again. When she finishes, she slams her hand on the floor, another wave of cursing escaping her mouth si early in the morning.

"Go away. I don't want you to see my vomit. Nobody looks pretty after wretching for an hour." She tries to push him away but he doesn't move an inch. He only chuckles, reaching over the sink to drench a small towel with some water.

"Ani. You're always beautiful." He smiles, wiping the side of her lips. She tries to glare at him, but she couldn't hide the coy smile that slowly surfaced on her lips. She lets out a small breath, leaning back against his chest, making fall back to sit on the floor with her.

He lets out a small smile, encasing her with his arms. He marvels at her small face as she closes her eyes, her skin smooth and bouncy. Tilting his head, he smiles wider at the sight of the elegance if her beauty, enticing, so caotivating. For someone who just wretched for an hour, she really did look beautiful still. He often thought to himself how he managed to resist her charms for so long when now he could barely stop himself from looking at her.

"You're staring at me like a love stuck fool again." She opens her eyes and smiles at him. He chuckles, bringing his hand over to caress her head. Living with her in this penthouse for the last four years really paved the way for the both of them to truly get to know each other. It was safe to say they were masters of each other now.

There was barely much to know more about Moon Young since she was basically a very open book. Mostly, Gang Tae just learned new ways to sate her, calm her down on occasional days she feels like setting the world on fire. Despite her wondrous character development, she was still Moon Young, and that comes along with all the temper and impulsivity and all the jealousy that comes with him having female classmates.

His personal favorite was to wrap his arms around her from behind. Initially she'd try to pry her way out, but immediately calms down once he presses a kiss on her neck. It works like magic. Not only does it calm her down in a second, it also puts both of them in a very good mood.

Moon Young on the other hand learned quite a handful with Gang Tae living under the same roof with her, especially since sleeping in the same room together. All those years of repressing himself, he was finally showing his true colors. She especially loved it when he got a little clingy on some days, demanding for some attention whenever she got too focused in writing her book. She loved clingy Gang Tae as much as she loved the sly fox version of him.

"Aish. My damn head freaking hurts." She grumbles as Gang Tae slowly helps her up. He only sighs, a small smile at the amount of cursing she was able to fit in one sentence this early in the morning.

"Maybe we should just stay home today, huh? Hyung can go with Mr. Lee. You look a little pale, I'm sure they would understand if we can't go today." He suggests, placing a hand on the small of her back as they walk out of the bathroom.

"Ani. We're going to invite them to your graduation, of course we have to go there. You're acting like you don't know who I am, indigestion and a small headache is not going to stop me. Plus, I want to eat real fake omma's food. I'm sick of your under seasoned side dishes."

He laughs, nodding his head. He caresses the top of her head again.

"Kure. Go have a warm shower then. It'll help with your headache." He opens the bathroom door again, ushering her inside. Backing away, she grabs hold of his shirt, stopping him.

"You're not joining me?" She gives him an all too innocent look, tugging in his shirt. He gives her a serious look, taking hold of her hand as he leans in to press a kiss on her forehead. She takes her hand off of him.

"I'm going to make breakfast." He whispers, gently pushing her in, closing the door with a ridiculous coy smile. He shakes his head, he almost wanted to consider.

They picked up Sang Tae with Mr. Lee and Seungjae following right behind them. It had been the usual setup every weekend drive back home. Sang Tae was routinely excited with the long drive, he always is. He looked forward to playing with his bestie, both of them giving Gang Tae a mild headache at some point in the trip. But this time, Sang Tae was a tad bit disappointed, bored even, because his bestie was mostly asleep the entire trip. Gang Tae had instructed him not to wake her up since she wasn't feeling well. He deliberately wanted to bond, but being a big brother meant to let his sick sister rest.

"How was the trip?" Sundeuk welcomes her favorite guests, wrapping Sang Tae in a warm hug while Mr. Lee directly glides towards Ju Ri. Jae Su immediately inches closer to Seungjae, sharing knowing glances with their budding romance.

The house was immediately filled with warm laughter and excited greetings. It felt like it brightened up in just a matter of seconds.

"It-it, it was was good. B-but, boring. It was boring. It was boring because my bestie was asleep the entire trip. Sh-she never falls asleep, she always plays with me. But this time she was sleeping. Gang Tae said she was a little sick, so I let her sleep." Their fake real mom nods her head, proud at Sang Tae's newfound considerations. She nods her head, smiling at she patted his shoulders.

"That's right. Good job." She muses.

"Yes, yes. I did a good job. She woke up in the middle of the trip because she had to vomit, so we had to stop at the side of the road. It would have smelled bad if she vomited in the car. It would have also cost money, because her car, her car is expensive. It's expensive." Sang Tae continues to ramble, making Moon Young roll her eyes. Why on earth is he telling everyone of her demise, she thought.

"Oh? Let me see her." She cranes her neck, eyes growing wide at the sight Ko Moon Young's pale, yet still beautiful face. "Aigoo! You look pale, Moon Young-ah." She holds her arms, squeezing them comfortably. "Kinchana?"

She nods her head, smiling warmly at the closest thing she now has for a mother. Her heart flutters when the fairly old woman's hand reaches for her face.

"You're probably hungry. Come on, come on, let's eat. Hurry everyone." She links her arm around Moon Young's, leading her to the table where all the food was served.

"Wait! Before anything else, "She turns back around, eyeing Gang Tae who was following close. "I believe congratulations are in order! Congratulations on the graduation, Gang Tae-ah!"

Gang Tae gets enveloped by a number of warm arms, hugging and squeezing him. Accolades filled the room, making him smile. He thanks each one of them, a huge smile on his face. His eyes curve into thin lines as he catches Moon Young standing by the corner, watching him with a huge smile on her face. She was proud of him, proud beyond measure.

"Now let's eat!" The homeowner says, dragging everyone towards the table. Gang Tae moves over to Moon Young, wrapping his arm around her waist. He sits her down on her usual spot in the table, taking the seat beside her. Automatically, he gets her a bowl of overflowing rice and a bountiful amount of side dishes.

"Here you go." He doesn't wait for her to curse at the fact she still can't use the chopsticks with eggs and gets a few for her, placing them on her bowl.

Scooping a spoonful, she stops midway when she takes a whiff of the smell. For some reason, it didn't smell the same way. It smelled horrible, making her insides feel stuffy.

"Aish. Why the hell do these smell weird?" She complains, eyeing them in a disgusted way. Gang Tae turns to her, sniffing the dish.

"Ani. They smell the same as usual, Moon Young. Just go ahead and eat them." He rubs her shoulder.

She shrugs, face still distorted. She reluctantly takes the spoon back and eats. As soon as flavor spread all over her mouth, her stomach starts churning. The disgusting smell only amplified, and she felt like she was getting a taste of it. Just like this morning, she legitimately felt the same way her stomach started to push its contents upward.

Slamming the cutlery on the table, she makes everyone stop, turning their heads toward her. She tries to stabilize her breathing, trying to calm her stomach, but the contents of her stomach, of what's left of it, started to rise until she could basically taste it on her throat.

She abruptly pushes back her chair, standing up and running to the sink nearby. As soon as she crouched down, she starts to hurl.

It took everyone a second, before they all stood up, running towards her. Sundeuk and Gang Tae were quick to her side, both rubbing her back as Gang Tae once again gathers her hair in his hnads.

"Kinchana?" Gang Tae asks her as she calms down, taking a table napkin from Mr. Lee who was quick to stay by them. He wipes her lips, putting a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it.

She nods, but it doesn't take long before she feels her world spin. She stumbles on her feet, her knees trembling. Luckily, Gang Tae and Mr. Lee was quick to grab her, maintaining her balance. They quickly bring her to the living room, sitting her down on the couch.

"Omo, Moon Young-ah. What is happening to you? Omo, you can't be sick. You have a book to finish." Mr. Lee worriedly rambles as he wipes her forehead. Gang Tae was sitting beside her, massaging her arms while Ju Ri was quick to bring over a glass of water.

"Aish. I'm fine. It's probably just a flu, I've had it for more than a week." She waves her hand, annoyed at the fussy attention they hand on her. Like the stubborn that she is, she tries to stand up, but Gang Tae only pushes her back down, giving her a look. She lets out a breath, leaning back.

"She’s sick. Is she sick? If you're sick you need to rest. Rest. But she's been resting too much. Should, should we bring her to a hospital?" Sang Tae rambles, panic starting to dawn over him at sight of his sister looking frail. Jae Su was quick to calm him down, telling him she was going to be okay.

"I wonder what's wrong." Sundeuk tries to think, worrying over her state. He crosses her arms over her chest, thinking of any possibilities. When a thought crosses her mind, her eyes grow wide. She didn't want to acknowledge it, but she needed to get it out of her chest.

"Aigoo!" She clasps her hands. "Could you be pregnant?" Everyone in the room stills. They stare at her incredulously, mouths agape.

"Frequent vomiting." Jae Su says.

"Dizziness." Seungjae responds.

"Altered senses." Ju Ri concludes.

All the heads in the room slowly turns towards Gang Tae who had a stunned expression on his face. His heart started beat faster, sweat beading over his neck and his ears starting to blush red.

"M-Moon Young-ah, could you be pregnant?" Mr. Lee asks her, suddenly sounding like an overprotective father. He eyes her and Gang Tae back and forth.

"Of course its possible. With the rate he's penetrating me, I'm not going to be surprised." Gang Tae's eyes grow wide.

"Uhm, M-Moon Y--" He doesn't get to finish because she stands up rashly, walking towards the door. He attempts to follow her, but she puts up a hand which he earlier learned meant she needed time with herself. He sighs, sitting back down.

When she was out of the door, everyone returns their shocked gazes to him. He was in mild shock, heart hammering, thoughts going on a frenzy.

He flinches when Sundeuk suddenly hits him with her hands.

"You knocked her up before marrying her?! Gang Tae, I cannot believe you." When she finally calms down, she takes in a breath, hands on hips. He looks at her with nothing but guilty and worried eyes.

"You might be having a baby. Oh, it's going to be a good looking baby!" She pulls him in for a warm comforting hug, rubbing his back. She knew he felt nervous, but she could see the hidden happiness in his eyes despite the worry and guilt. She knew in her heart, if someone was ready to become a father, it was him.

Everyone else in the room, after finally getting to wrap their head around the idea, slowly turned their stunned looks into smiles. It was unexpected, but it was good news altogether.

"Well, that's one more thing we need to celebrate." Mr. Lee says, sending everyone in soft cheers. It was good news, but though unspoken, they all slightly worried about Moon Young and how she would react. Especially Gang Tae.

He gave her a few hours on her own. Sundeuk offered them to stay the night at the rooftop room, Jae Su and Mr. Lee offering to take Sang Tae in their room like old times. He sat on the stairs as he allowed her her space, thinking, and trying get himself accustomed to the fact that he might be a father soon. He was nervous, it made his heart thud, but he was also happy. The thought of having a child with the woman he loves made him excited.

This was one of the dreams he had developed as he started his new life with her. He wanted to build a family, a family with her. And now, they were a step closer. There was only one step left to do.

He takes the red velvet box out of his pocket, opening it to reveal the bright diamond ring. He'd been keeping it for quite a while now, trying to wait for the perfect moment. He was going to ask her tomorrow, when they were back at the cursed castle. He was going to invite her to the balcony where the moon would shine over them and the fireflies would float around them like magical glitter. When the moment was near perfect, and he poured his heart and soul to her, he would go down on one knee and ask her. And then he could only hope she says yes.

He found her sitting at the edge of the rooftop day bed. The sky was bright despite the dark night, the stars were shining and the moon was huge. He stopped for a second, admiring how ethereal she looked under the glowing celestial beauty.

There was no way he wanted to spend the rest of his life with someone else. If he was going to spend forever with someone, it was going to be with her. Yes, she might be an irrational brat sometimes, but she was his irrational brat. He'd gladly put up with all the complaining and temper if it meant he gets to have her.

He doesn't say a word as he sits beside her, leaving no space between them. He knew she needed some space to wrap her head around what could be happening. But this time, she didn't have to face anything alone, because he'll always be by her side. Sometimes far away, but always near.

"I just hurled what's left of my guts out. I think the pipes might just get busted for real this time." She says, looking straight ahead. He turns to look at her, a small smile in his face. He knew, she was going to be okay. Wrapping an arm over her shoulders, he pulls her close.

"What if it hates me? What if it fears me as I did with my mom?" She turns to her, the fear in her eyes making his heart ache. He doesn't blame her for thinking that. Her childhood was wasn’t exactly the best, and though she was healing, he knows a small part of it still continues to haunt her.

"It won't. Because you're not like your mom. And you know that. You're warm. And you know what it feels to be loved. Most of all, because you know how to love genuinely and wholeheartedly. You know why I know?" She shakes her head, her stare boring into his eyes.

"Because I can feel how much you love me. I can see how much you love Hyung. You don't say it much, but I can see how much you love everyone else in that room today. And I'm sure, you'll love our baby as much. And it's going to love you because it's going to feel how much his mom loves him."

He takes her hand, rubbing her palm with his thumb. He smiles at her, assuring her that nothing else but love and happiness is coming their way. When she smiles at him with genuine happiness, he leans in to press a kiss on her lips.

"Saranghae, Moon Young-ah." He says, pulling her closer, squeezing her arm.

"Saranghae, Gang Tae-ah." She wraps an arm over his torso. He smiles, pressing his cheek on the top of her head.

"Now I might have something growing inside of me like a tadpole. Feeding off my body." She mutters, making him laugh. He only pulls her in closer, a ridiculous smile on his face.

"We'll get you checked tomorrow, to be sure. But don't call the baby a tadpole." He chuckles.

"If we really are having a baby, I hope it's a boy that looks like you." He only nods, she always said that. He didn't argue, but a part of him wished they'd have a girl that would like like her. A daughter he'd be able to treat like a princess.

"You're going to have to answer Sang Tae. He's going to be asking about the whys and the hows. I'm pretty sure you done want me to answer." Yet again, he chuckles.

"Don't say a word to him, Moon Young-ah." He says in between his chuckles. He lets out a breath and smiles, looking up at the sky. His dreams were slowly starting to become a reality. He knew in his heart, and with the way the stars glowed, his mom was happy for him.

He couldn't ask for more. He was graduating next week with a job waiting for him at Mr. Lee's company. He is going to marry the love of his life, and possibly a baby on the way. There was no more repressing, no more hiding his feelings. He was happy, and he couldn't hide it.

[somebodytolovesx]

How You Get The Girl - Laurie Laurence

Summary - Laurie arrives home after spending his last month in France and rushes to the place of his hearts content in the rain.

Warnings - Fluff.

The day brought little warmth for the clouds in the pale sky did not allow the sun to peak through and the rain had started to drizzle in the early afternoon, it had not been a surprise when the weather was not pleasant, November never brought warm days and rarely allowed the flowers to flourish in the March garden. The horrible weather, it had shortened all of the March girl’s day besides Jo’s who was prepared to go out under any weather circumstances as long as she brought a hat with her and didn’t stay out too long to catch a cold and although not among the March girls and only a close friend of the sisters, Y/N’s day had too been shortened when her mother had made the ungodly decision to keep her in for the day instead of allow her to proceed to her plans with Jo March.

The two girls were going to go and sit behind the mountain, on the edge of the little river and conjur up tales for Jo’s stories and then thread the daisies planted in the grass for Beth at home to say thank you for running into town when both of them were busy with work. It would have been a lovely day and perhaps Laurie would have come and found them as he was meant to be returning from France after her had been gone for there for the entire month, undoubtedly he would have been lonely and would need some livening up by some of his favourite girls.

But Y/N Y/L/N, instead, sat by her chair in the window for the afternoon as the rain got heavier and heavier and read quietly to herself as her mother sat in the other corner of the room with a sour look upon her face, knitting with elegant and slender fingers. She would have usually enjoyed being buried in her books for the whole day but when there was no work to be done or she had different plans, reading seemed like a chore to pass the hours until dinner then bed.

She held her hand shut over her mouth and her shoulders came up to her ears as a figure appeared on the other side of the glass window, distracting her from her wonderous book, but Y/N knew better than to make such a sound when her mother was in so deep with her knitting.

Laurie stood tapping on the glass with the back of his hand with a pale complexion and soaked through with rain clothes. 

Y/N hurried over to the door with a giddiness about herself and on the other side, Laurie followed her way. She opened it and gasped at his wet curls sticking across his forehead, the sheerness of his shirt underneath his damp coat, he was shaking from the coldness of the day. 

“You must have been raised a mad man, Laurie Laurence” Y/N stepped out of her home and closed the door behind her for there was no letting him in with her mother behind them. 

“I had to have come to see you otherwise what would my return have been?” Laurie grinned at the young lady before him. Y/N embraced him with a fondness whilst there was no one else to be seen. 

“Oh, it’s been so long, Laurie” Y/N felt as if weeping as she had done in his absence for the first two weeks he was gone and then their exchange in letters was enough to get her through the weeks until he would return home, “I do not know how I had not lost my mind without you here”. 

“Tell me everything” Laurie pleaded. 

“I cannot right now my dear boy, my mother is in the house and she has never been so approving of me associating with boys, even as a fine, young, gentleman such as you are” Y/N fussed. 

“Well come over to my house then where we will have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves” He spoke and with that, Laurie hurried Y/N back into her home to grab her coat, going red in the face and having to cover his mouth with his hand as he admired Y/N’s wrongful ability to sneak around her mother so well.

They walked arm in and arm over the first half of the field and caught up with one another with discussion of Laurie’s adventures in France and how he had sworn life was not quite as joyful without the little women and Y/N by his side and Y/N told Laurie of all the wonderful designs that had sprung upon her for her menswear clothing line that someday she hoped to sew together. She promised that when her first and most important, statement piece was complete, that Laurie would be the first to have it.

When they were on the other side of the hill, close to the March house, they ran behind the tree and stayed there for a while giggling amongst themselves and keeping watch that none of the girls were about and then they chased each other to the Laurence House.

The house was as it always had been even before Laurie had left and in her usual manner, when they entered into the main lounge room with all of Amy’s favourite paintings, Y/N fell into her corner of the sofa in the centre of the room with a deflated sigh of relief and the back of her hand on her forehead.

“I don’t think I ever want you to go without me again, Laurie” Y/N grumbled.

“I am sorry, I was too afraid to ask. I did not think you would want to come with me”.

“Nonesense, we hardly ever stop taking about it, don’t we?”.

“I apologise but I’m sure that I can put back together your heart with my gift”.

Y/N jumped to her feet from the sofa as Laurie held a book in his hands, she had already started to scold Laurie for his thoughtfulness and chivalry; she had asked him to bring back something small but something he didn’t have to buy with his money.

The book in his hands was plentiful of sketches of which Amy March had drawn of her two close friends and taped onto seperate pages in between, were tokens from different days they had spent together.

“Is this by your hand?” Y/N asked.

“The book, I had to buy but the sketches are those that Amy promised me in return for a few car rides and the tokens are what I have kept” Laurie blushed. He pointed to a wilted lavender flower from when they had spent the afternoon picking at the flowers that grew along the bank of the river. On the page besides that token was a sketch Amy had drawn in a rapid urge to capture the moment from Y/N’s birthday when she had kindly given Laurie her fourth kiss on his cheek. The first time she had kissed Laurie had been her first time kissing anyone besides her mother and the girls and from then she gave them rarely to him only in spurs or when it was only them.

Laurie pointed to the next page Y/N flipped onto, a letter he stuck in from Y/N. She recognised it to be the first one she had sent, a rather angry one demanding an explanation for where he had vanished too and why he had abandoned her without any inclatation to tell her before. There was a blank page on the next page where Laurie had written in his straggerly writing, ‘for my explanation’.

“Oh, I’ll have to make sure to go and get it for you tomorrow, it’ll be so sweet. Thank you, my dear boy” Y/N beamed from cheek to cheek and embraced him, pulling him close to her chest.

“It is yours to keep” Laurie beamed from cheek to cheek himself and let Y/N keep the book close on her.

“And I shall cherish it for the rest of my time here on this Earth” Then as she always did, no matter the many times she had seen the lounge room that they stood in, she wandered around it, inspecting every wall with curiosity.

Out of the fallen silence then, “Y/N, I want you to marry me. Say you will and if you haven’t the answer now, I will wait for ever and ever until you do.” Laurie spoke.

“I beg your pardon?” Y/N asked, flabbergasted but with a grin.

“I want to be man and wife with you, for worse or for better” He poured out his heart’s yearnings.

“Is this how you will get the girl you claim to love so much?” She asked.

“Say you will marry me, Y/N, I want you too cherish and too love if you will allow me too. Just say you will marry me and if not now, soon.” Laurie had spoken.

“We are still so young. I don’t think either you or I know what we want”.

“That’s how we work Y/N! Please...marry me”.

Y/N turned towards him with water brimming behind her eyes but she did not cry for this was such a time that she only ever wanted to happen once, she would not spoil it with silly tears.

“Well, Laurie Laurence, I suppose I have no other choice to and I simply do love you” Y/N ran to him - with the book tucked behind her crossed arms - and when she stopped in front of Laurie, he braced his arms around her and she was pulled up against him. Her feet off the ground.

“I ask nothing else of you other than you kiss me, please” Laurie pleaded then felt the soft kiss of his wife’s lips against his own, if he could he would have her lips on his the whole of the day but that would not be appropriate in many situations.

[henryobsessed]

The Widow and The Witcher Chapter 8

Summery: Will Julia have to say good bye to Geralt

Word Count: 2680 

Warning: Angst Fluff 

A/N He he another chapter Happy weekend

Chapter 8

Julia and Renee were cleaning up after a particularly difficult client when Yennefer stormed into the room. Her eyes glowing violet she started yelling as soon as the door closed. "You have no right to hold Geralt prisoner as a slave, Witcher's are their own masters and no one has the right to own them. You must set him free" Julia could not only see the anger, but she sensed the energy radiating off Yennefer. Taking a breath to calm her own anger at the accusation she spoke in an even-toned voice. " I might own Geralt on paper, but I have never treated him as a servant. If he requests his freedom it will be granted. I don't wish to hold him here any longer than he wishes to stay" this defused some of Yennefer's anger, but both women still stared at each other not knowing what else to say.

Tobias had been instructing Harlan in the garden near the healing rooms when he heard the yelling. He knew that Renee was working with Julia today, and afraid for both Renee and Julia's safety started running to the room. As he headed into the corridor, he saw Geralt running from the direction of the stables both men met as Geralt pulled at the door and they entered both worried about what they would find. Taking in the scene Tobias noted Yennefer standing purple eyes glowing and her stance was one ready to act. Renee was standing behind Julia a hand on her back showing her support. She looked at Tobias as they communicated silently with each other. Geralt moved to Yennefer and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Yen please" Yennefer shrugged him off standing even more rigid seeing Julia look at Geralt. Not knowing what to do Tobias cleared his throat and spoke: "Ok everyone please take a breath."

Angry Violet eyes flared at him. "Can I suggest that you all go about your tasks for this evening and tonight we can meet in the library and talk it through" Tobias could see a look of gratitude from Julia. Yennefer left going to find Ciri, Geralt turned a stony glare at Tobias wanting to stay and talk to Julia but seeing her not acknowledge him but rather turn back to what she was doing he relented and silently moved away terrified that he had just lost all chances with Julia.

Julia was filled with anxiety as she paced the Library, Renee and Tobias sat near her, she was grateful for them as she would have been in a worse state if they weren't there. It had been an awkward dinner, even Ciri was subdued picking up on the tension. Now they waited for Yennefer and Geralt to put Ciri to bed and return to the library. Continuing her pacing Julia could not hold it in anymore "I'm so confused, just yesterday he was asking to court me, holding me and even last night pleaded to sleep close to me. And then this morning I see him coming out from the gardens with Yennefer leaves and twigs in his hair. What would you conclude from that? And today Yennefer comes raging into the clinic demanding his freedom. Is that all he see's, that I own him, is that why he's been so caring and affectionate to make the most of his situation?"

Renee felt awful, she had been a part of encouraging Julia to open her heart to Geralt. Putting her head on Tobias's shoulder she felt his stiffness and anger, she knew how protective of Julia he was. He put an arm around Renee while he spoke " Julia I don't know what's going on in that man's head, but we need to hear them out. Whatever happens, you know we're here for you." Julia sat her head in her hands she didn't know what to think, her heart ached and so did her head. There were no premonitions, no foresight to help her see what to do next. It was like the blinders had been put on again, the only thing she could think to do was remove the problem. She needed to give Geralt his freedom then if he stayed, they would need to work out their relationship and if he left, she would know that he was never hers to start off with.

Geralt and Yennefer walked towards the library, both not quite sure what they would encounter. Yennefer was such an unknown in Geralt's life he could not understand why she wanted to get him his freedom. He could only think that if Yen couldn't have him then no one should. They entered the Library. Julia was sitting on the single sofa head in her hands, Renee and Tobias sitting on the 3-seater, so he deferred the other seat to Yennefer. He sat on the rug in front of the fire. Looking at Julia he felt so much guilt seeing her pain-filled eyes that he lowered his head not wanting to see the hurt in her eyes again.

Clearing his voice Tobias spoke up "Firstly, Yennefer we need to know why you came here in the first place before we can talk about the elephant in the room." Yennefer who had been smoothing her skirt as she waited turned to look at Tobias, sighing she said "Ciri is why I came here; I remembered the love in this house and the security. Wilfred and I spoke so much of you Julia on our trip back to Temeria that I knew this would be the best place to hide her. She is special, not only is she the sole survivor of the royal household of Cintra, but she also has elven blood. The kings of the continents are looking for her to use her as a pawn to control what is left of Cintra. I needed someplace that no one would look and where she would be cherished. I also remembered your healing abilities Julia and the help you gave me. I had hoped you could work with Ciri she's been through a lot, But it looks to me like things have changed here. I haven't seen Wilfred so he must still be travelling a lot, and I don't see any children about."

At this Julia looked up at Yennefer, eyes brimming with tears as she softly spoke "you didn't know? I never saw him again after he left with you. He was killed by the Scoia'tael on the way back. So yes, this house has changed and no there are no children." Renee moved towards her placing a hand on her back to comfort her. Geralt hearing her pain and how Yennefer was a part of that pain wanted so much to go to Julia and comfort her as well, but his feelings of guilt held him frozen in place.

Yennefer's face contorted at the softly spoken words of Julia; she had not known of the death of Wilfred. He had been a gentleman and the whole trip had talked about Julia and their plans. It saddened her to know that he had not made it home. Tobias spoke acting as the mediator "thank you Yennefer for sharing that with us, please know that her identity will be kept safe here. Julia, if we can settle the other issue tonight are you ok with Ciri staying here? Renee and I would be willing to help you care for her" Renee also adding in an excited voice "Yes I would be happy as well Julia"

Julia looked up and with red eyes focused on Geralt, he almost looked as dejected as the day they met sitting on his knees head down. Needing to hear what Ciri was to Geralt she asked him "Geralt, what relationship do you have with Ciri, why does she cling to you as a child does to a father?" Geralt looked up at Julia their eyes meeting until Yennefer answered for him. "Ciri is Geralt's child surprise, they are bound together by destiny." Looking at Yennefer Julia frowned and then back to Geralt "so she's your child" Geralt nodded not trusting his voice. "Then yes she can stay here. No matter what the outcome is of the rest of this discussion" looking at Tobias and Renee she smiled at them "I will hold you to your offer of help especially as the healing rooms are getting busy."

Tobias wanting to move the conversation along looked at Julia "Julia I believe after Yennefer's outburst this afternoon you wanted to address the servant issue." Taking a deep breath Julia stood and moved to kneel in front of Geralt, she took his hands in hers and forced a smile. "Geralt, Yennefer was right today, you are a Witcher, you are not meant to be a servant. You are healed and your strength is back. You are free to go." Kissing him on the forehead she stood all her resolve draining away as she saw the look of hurt in his eyes. Unable to keep herself together she hastily retreated out of the room tears streaming down her face, but she knew she needed to let him go if he was ever to have a free will choice.

The room was silent, Renee and Tobias sat looking at each other stunned with what Julia had done. They both knew how much she had grown to love Geralt even if she was only just beginning to show it. Tobias had seen the look on her face right from the day she had bought him back to the estate. His heart ached for his beloved mistress knowing how hard what she said would have been.

Geralt was lost he could not understand why she had told him to go. He had to go after her, had to make her see sense, standing Geralt moved to leave but Yennefer grabbed his arm. "where are you going Geralt, your free didn't you hear her you don't have to go chasing after her." Looking at Yennefer he saw confusion and pain cross her features, frustrated by her lack of understanding he pulling his arm free from Yennefer's grasp, turned and ran after Julia.

Julia couldn't face her empty bed, instead, she went to the healing room to look out at the stars. She sat facing the window tears running unchecked down her face. She had so many memories from this spot, many with Wilfred but they had been fading of late with new memories taking their place. She shivered putting her arms around herself. A blanket wrapped around her shoulders and Geralt came around into her field of vision. Kneeling at her feet Geralt look up at her, his amber yellow eyes filled with concern and care.

Geralt looked into Julia's eyes he could see that she had been crying. He reached up and brushed a tear from her cheek as he spoke in a hushed voice. "Julia, thank you for giving me my freedom. I love how much you care about people and I love that you fight for what you think is right." He smiled a tender smile at her "I want you to know I care about you, I even think I'm falling in love with you but if you don't want me around I'll leave." Julia's eyes widened at Geralt's confession.

Julia didn't want Geralt to leave but she also didn't want him to stay if he really loved another. The events of the last two days were conflicting in her mind. If she were to answer him truthfully, she needed answers "Geralt why did you leave my bed this morning? And why did I see you coming out from the garden with Yennefer looking like you had taken a tumble in the leaves?"

Geralt tried to think through the questions the first was easy, the second would mean owning up to the kiss. He got up off his knees and sat down next to Julia on the day bed, turning Julia to face him. Picking up her hand Geralt ran his thumb over the top of her knuckles caressing her skin. Honesty he needed, to be honest, that was the only way to show Julia that he was sincere in his declaration. "Ok......... this morning I woke early just as the sun was coming up. I was restless and I didn't want to wake you up, so I went for a walk in the garden. I honestly was planning on being back by your side when you awoke but fate had other plans. As I was wrestling in my mind over Yen and Ciri showing up I literally bumped into Yen. She didn't know it was me and using magic threw me across the garden. I landed in a hedge hence the leaves and twigs in my hair."

Julia waited as she sensed there was more. Shifting uncomfortably but knowing he had to speak the rest Geralt said "We sat on the bench in the middle of the garden and talked. A lot has happened in the kingdoms since I have been in captivity and here. This village seems to be isolated from the turmoil going on. While we were talking Yen did kiss me and I was tempted but I kept seeing your eyes in my mind, so I pulled back. I know Yen was confused I have never denied her before. She could tell something had changed, that I have changed. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you awoke."

Still feeling fragile and unsure of what she thought Julia knew there was one thing she could do. One thing that would answer her question. The one thing they had yet to do. Staring into Geralt's amber yellow eyes Julia put her hand on the side of his face. His eyes questioning as she smoothed his white hair back and leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips. She pulled back for just a moment as their eyes reconnected and she saw a light blazing in Geralt's eyes that told her what she needed to know.

Geralt with all his self-control leaned back in and gently kissed her back only to be met with a stronger passionate response from Julia. All the teasing from the last two days and the chemistry that had been building over the last few months were felt in that kiss. After a few more minutes the pulled apart hearts racing both gasping for air. Geralt knowing he was losing control so pulled back further looking into Julia's eyes.

Julia was overwhelmed almost ashamed at how much passion she had just shown Geralt but decided to not worry any more, eyes sparkling she said "Well that just answered that question, Yes I want you to stay Geralt. Not as my servant but to see where this new journey might lead." Smiling Geralt laid back on the day bed and pulled Julia into his arms both breathing deeply to slow the moment. The two gazed at the stars both content and at peace.

Julia awoke still feeling the strong arms around her. They had fallen asleep looking at the stars enjoying each other's warmth. Looking up she saw the last of the stars beginning to fade as the sun peaked over the garden. Geralt was on his back and she was snuggled into his chest. Julia didn't want to move, she was enjoying the feel of his arms around her, but her clients would start arriving in the next few hours and she needed to shower and dress for the day. "Geralt" she whispered "mmmmm" came back his groggy reply. "We have to get up. It's morning and I have clients arriving in a few hours." Geralt's response was to pull her closer and kiss her gently on the lips. Giggling Julia pushed away and poked him in the chest "That's not helping Geralt" a light rumbling laughter floated up from his chest "Can't fault a Witcher for trying"

They both sat up grinning at each other. It was the start of a new day.  

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[itisannak]

Vibe (Calum Hood Smut)

Summary: CEO!Calum wants his girlfriend with him on the investors' tour. (Smut/  Unprotected Sex / Oral; Male Receiving / Use of Toys / Semi-Public Sex) Request) (Words: 8.5k) (Part 1: Vibe)

The soft peck that is planted on my shoulder makes me stir in my sleep before I turn to my side to find Calum smiling at me. The smell of coffee fills my nostrils, and I am sure if I avert my gaze just a little, I will find Calum's espresso placed on the nightstand. "Buon giorno, principessa." He says softly, leaning down to press a kiss on my forehead. "Practising your Italian I see... Good morning, baby." I smile at him, sitting up and resting my back against the fluffy pillows. "Pretty much that's all my Italian knowledge." He states, just as I reach for the tiny mug that holds his double shot of coffee. He slaps my hand away softly, while I bring it to my lips and take a sip. He shakes his head at me, sighing as he surrenders. "How come you are not taking breakfast downstairs? I am not used to you being here when I wake up." I mumble, passing him the coffee. "It's Madison's day off. No breakfast today..." He replies, taking a sip from the mug. "I forgot about that... And I wanted to have some pancakes today..." I pout, making him smirk at me. "Aren't you a little brat? You barely eat breakfast on regular days and now you want pancakes... What am I going to do with you?" He asks, leaving the coffee on the nightstand before he crawls on the bed, making me lay on my back. "Fuck my face, daddy." I bite my lip, hooking my toes in his sweatpants; I have to cherish the moments he is in his sweats before he has to get into a suit to go to the office. He looks at me intrigued, cocking an eyebrow at me as I lower the waistband a little. He smells so fresh, the smell of his cologne still lingering on his skin. The light barely pierces through the heavy curtains, but the rays that shine in the room make his skin look so delicious. "Are you serious right now?" He nearly growls; I can tell he is getting hard just at the thought of me choking on his cock. And I really, really need to give him something as Good morning, make sure that he keeps the memory in his mind as he goes on about his day. "Very, daddy. Fuck my face. Please, I need it." I plead, looking at him in my most needy expression. I see him hesitate for just a second, for sure calculating whether or not he will make it to work on time. "Fuck it. On your knees." He demands, standing up from the bed and lowering his sweatpants and briefs, freeing his cock.

He is semi-hard, but I am sure the moment my fingers wrap around his length, his cock will become solid. I fall on my knees, looking at him through my lashes as he strokes my hair I love the view, his jaw tensing up and the vein on his neck bulging against his skin. "You gonna suck me off, or what?" He nearly commands me, his fingers tangling and pulling at my hair. I smile at him, licking my lips before I press them on his length. I start from below his tip, working my way down until I graze his balls. His cock jumps a little, which if anything is a little funny. My hand wraps around his cock, with my thumb pressing on the tip momentarily before I run it over the glistening head. "No teasing." He groans, reaching down to grab my jaw. He pries it open, looking at me satisfied as he slips his cock in my mouth.

He doesn't hesitate; he bucks his hips to my face, driving his cock deeper in my throat as I surrender. He thrusts his cock in and out of my mount, hissing as I keep my mouth open and let him do whatever he pleases. My nails dig in his thighs, scratching down as I look up to him, finding him with his head tilted back and his bottom lip tucked between his teeth. "The sounds your mouth makes... Fuck..." His voice breaks as he shoves his cock down my throat, keeping my face pressed against his crotch as my throat spasms around his dick. He lets me get some air after I gag on his length for a bit. "You look so good with tears down your face and saliva dripping from your chin. I love how you become such a filthy little whore for me and only me..." He praises me, while my hand strokes him. I tap his tip on my tongue, tasting the drop of precum that pools on the head of his cock. "I love how good you look like that." He moans, thrusting his cock into my mouth again. I swirl my tongue on the underside as I try to breathe calmly, the fire in my belly spreading.

I love his taste, my taste buds go all crazy as I take him in. I suck in my cheeks, watching him roll his eyes at me. The hand on my hair tightens its grip; I know Calum too well to know that he is too close. "Fuck... You really want my cum, don't you? So greedy..." He hisses, his hips bucking forward. I relax my jaw, letting him have his pace at using my mouth. I know that there is no reason to fight to have him under my spell, he wants to be dominant this time. So I just let him fuck my throat while my hand reaches up to stroke his balls, which tighten the moment I touch them. "I wanna fucking cum.... I wanna fucking cum down your throat... You'll swallow like a good girl, won't you?" He asks, stroking down my face. I hum, sending vibrations down his cock as he pulls out a little, resting the tip of it flat on my tongue while my hand still strokes him. "Fuck." He screams, spurting in my mouth. I adore the warmth on my tongue, I adore his taste to the point I would gladly suck him off every day for the rest of my life.

He gasps for air, watching me swallow down his seed with a smile on my face. He can't help but smile too, helping me stand up on my feet. He presses his lips on mine, prying my mouth open with his tongue as he kisses me. "I'll be late for the office." He sighs as he pulls away, resting his forehead against mine. "Screw them. Stay, please." I whimper, pouting at him. "I can't do that, pretty girl. I have to go... I'll send you pancakes along with your daily bouquet with Peter." He offers but I hum as I think about it. "Why don't you give me the flowers when I get to your office for lunch? You won't say no to lunch with me, will you?" I ask and he sighs. "Come on, Mr. Hood. Are you going to deny your principessa?" I ask, running the tip of my nail across his jaw. He grouses a little before he shakes his head. "If my principessa promises to wear her Lush toy for lunch, she has a deal." He replies, cocking an eyebrow as his tongue darts past his lips to lick them. "You are a tough negotiator." I wrap my arms around him, resting them above his ass. "It's all business, darling. What time do you want me to tell Peter to pick you up?" He asks, bringing his hand through my hair. "Why can't I drive myself to your office? I can take the Lexus..." I bat my eyelashes at him, making him roll his eyes. "Fine. You are lucky I love you and I can't resist you." He replies, leaning down for a kiss.

My high heels click against the tiled floor, making me walk with a tempo. No one bothers stopping and asking me who I am; they damn know who I am, their boss made sure of it. I smile at Calum's secretary who greets me as I enter his office, not stopping before I open the door and walk into his space. Calum is reading some papers, so his attention is not on me yet, which gives me enough time to walk toward him. "Whatever it is, leave it on the desk, I'll check it after lunch." He says without taking his eyes off whatever it is that he is reading. "Ok, sir." I reply, sitting on the edge of the desk. He lifts his head to look at me, smiling as he realizes I am here. "Fuck, I missed you." He sighs, pulling me to his lap. "You saw me in the morning." I giggle and he shakes his head. "I've been thinking about you the whole damn day. Your lips... I am hooked on you." He says, tracing his thumb over my bottom lip. "It's my magic power. I was promised flowers and lunch." I state, pursuing my lips. "Did you hold your end of the deal?" He asks, grabbing his phone to open the app. "Yep. And raised the offer a little bit." I reply, opening my cardigan and letting it slip down one of my shoulders, along with the strap of my silk cami top, revealing the little transparent lace bralette. "Fuck me." He utters, looking at me mesmerized. "Right here? They're gonna see us." I grab his chin, bringing my lips to his.

His tongue slips in my mouth, dancing with mine as I straddle his lap. I really need him, desperately. But the door opens, making me shoot up a little and sit in a more decent way before I turn to look at who almost caught us red-handed. "(Y/N), lovely to see you here." Mr. Roberman says as he walks toward the desk; good, the only person above Calum has just seen us messing around. "Mr. Roberman, it is lovely to see you too. Sorry for stealing Calum away from company obligations, but I was promised lunch and I am here to redeem it." I smile politely, making him chuckle. "Don't apologize, darling. I was here about lunch plans too. Samantha is joining me for lunch and I heard people buzzing about our CEO's gorgeous lady walking in here today. So, I came to ask you if you'd like to join us." He asks, making me look at Calum. "Sure, we would love to. We will meet you at the garage." Calum replies, smiling brightly. "See you in 10 minutes." The man states, before walking out.

I can't help but laugh nervously, hiding my face in Calum's neck. "We almost got caught." I groan and he hums. "It's going to be so fun, watching you try to keep it together at lunch with the Robermans." Calum says, making me perk up to look at him with wide eyes. "You wouldn't dare." I gasp and he gives me the most devilish grin. "That was our deal, wasn't it?" He replies, his eyes crinkling as his smirk almost reaches his ears.

"(Y/N), you look radiant as ever." Samantha compliments me, air-kissing me as Calum and I reach the table they have reserved. "Look who's talking. You look gorgeous, Samantha." I reply while Calum drags my chair out for me. That little shit is trying to play it nice... Calum brings his phone out of his pocket, letting it sit on the table as he taps his fingers on it. He has the nerve to tease me... "I haven't seen you since when? Must have been the cocktail party... You looked a little uneasy that day, are you feeling better?" She asks me, making Calum gasp and bring his hand on top of mine. "Oh no, darling. What was bothering you?" He asks me, pretending he has no clue. "Oh, it was nothing. Just a few cramps. Anyway, let's talk about something more interesting than that. How are you, Samantha?" I ask, holding back from kicking Calum's ankle. "Oh, I am so busy these days. I am planning for the European trip, to visit the investors. It is so exhausting." She sighs, making me turn to Calum. "What trip?" I ask and he chuckles. "I was planning on telling you tonight. We are going to Europe. Rome, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, and then London. We are meeting with investors and talking about business. I want you with me." He states, bringing the back of my hand to his lips. "To talk business?" I ask, joking with him. "You are my lucky charm, I need you there." He shrugs his shoulders, making me smile. "Oh, it is going to be so lovely, (Y/N). Rome and Paris, they have the most fabulous stores. It is going to be a treat..." Samantha sings, making me smile at her as the waiter approaches us.

"Are you sure you are not going to be bored? You can always get back home and I will take a cab when I get off." Calum asks me as we enter his office. I take off my cardigan, dropping it on the chair in front of his desk before I sit on the opposite one. "I'll have the best view in the world. I'll never get bored of staring at you..." I sigh, leaning my head on my palms as he takes his seat. "The Robermans brought you to a tough spot, didn't they?" I ask him, making him look at me with knitted eyebrows. "When?" He asks, bringing his papers closer. "When they told me about the trip. You weren't planning on telling me, were you?" I ask, making him chuckle. "I was planning on telling you. Tonight. I printed your tickets and I wanted to give you the black credit card, so you could buy anything you would need for the trip. Here." He passes me the tickets, having his signature winner's smirk.

I look at my name written on top of the paper, biting my bottom lip as I get up to move to him. "They ruined your plans, bub?" I tease him leaning down to kiss his lips. His left hand goes to my waist, pulling me closer to him, causing me to land on his lap. "We are going to get caught again." I whisper, making him hum. "We are not doing anything. And I really have to finish these before we leave. So, we are safe..." He states, twisting a strand of hair behind my ear. "I better go back to my chair then." I press a kiss on his forehead, making him groan and tighten the grip on my waist. "Show me what's under the top..." He sounds groggy, his voice is needy. "What if someone walks in?" I ask as he plays with the strap of my top. "I will fire them... Come on, give me a peak..." He groans, making me sigh in defeat. I lower the strap, revealing the lacy undergarment to him. He moans happily, grabbing his phone from the desk. "Come on... Lower the lace too..." He begs, unlocking the phone as he licks his lips. "Cal..." I protest but vibrations go off inside me, making me squeal.

"Cal what? What were you saying, princess?" He asks me, increasing the intensity of the pattern. "I hate you... So fucking much." I jolt, my head falling back and my lips parting as he continues the torture. "What, you thought I wouldn't use it? You were lucky Samantha implemented the no-phone rule. But now, I can play all I want. Come on, be a good girl, and lower that lace for me." He tries to convince me, using his strong voice. It doesn't take much to persuade me, to be honest, with the vibe going off inside me, hitting right on my spot, and his assertive voice making me dizzy. So I lower the strap of my bralette revealing my breast to him. My nipple is rough and pointy and he seems to be amused by it. "Fuck, babygirl... I want a taste." He murmurs, making me sit up a little, bringing my chest to his face, letting him wrap his lips around my nipple. He traces his tongue over it before he sucks as rough as he can. "Mine." He growls; the app has been set to auto, sending the latest pattern of vibrations to the little toy inside me. "Fuck... It feels so good." I cry out, making him hum before his teeth graze over my nipple. "Calum, please, this is frustrating..." I yelp, closing my eyes. My body shakes, hips bucking forward as I try to keep a balance.

But Calum is bafflingly stubborn, sucking even harsher as I practically collapse, my body fighting to stay upright. "Cal..." I cry out, throwing my head back as I cum, shivers running down my spine as I tremble. He hums pleased, letting my nipple slip from his mouth with a pop. "You make me so fucking hard, princess. I still wonder how I have any space on my brain left that is not occupied by you." He tilts my head so I look at him before he kisses me softly. I literally fight to get air in my lungs as the vibrations still go on, making my orgasm unbearable. "The vibe, turn off the vibe..." I squeal, gripping onto him as I shake "Fuck, you are right..." He grabs his phone, turning off the toy and fixing my bralette and top. "Are you ok, angel?" He asks, stroking my hair. I blink rapidly, nodding my head as my body relaxes a little. "I'll go take it out. I've been wearing it for too long. And my panties must be a mess." I realize, unstraddling him; my legs feel wobbly, it takes me a second to find my stability "I'll order you some tea." He offers, bringing the back of my hand to his lips.

"Did you finish your suitcases?" Calum asks as he walks into our closet. He is clad in a gray pair of sweatpants only, holding 2 glasses and a bottle of wine in his hand. "Almost. I need to see which formal clothes I will take with me." I sigh, scanning his body and biting my lip. "I thought you and Samantha went shopping for dinner clothes..." He states, placing the glasses and bottle on the little marble island in the center of the closet. "We did. We just bought so many things, I have to pick. That woman, she is a pro at shopping. And she has a good eye. Especially for lingerie." I reply, opening the jewelry drawer to pick some. "You went lingerie shopping with my boss's wife?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow at me. "Daniel eats well..." I reply, smirking at him. "Fuck, stop. I won't be able to look at them in the eye after that." He cringes and I cackle, walking closer to him. I pick up my glass, clinking it to his. "Well, your boss's wife likes me, a lot. So, you don't have to worry about your chair." I state, taking a sip of my wine. "Cool, I will make sure to stop doing a good job and slack at it, I am safe." He says sarcastically, making me giggle as I lean in on him. "That's why I told you." I reply, making him hum. He leans down to kiss me, pulling me close by my waist. I moan in the kiss, enjoying how plush his lips feel against mine. He takes my glass, leaving it on the island behind us. He wraps my legs around his waist, picking me up and placing me on the marble countertop.

"Let me worship you..." He whispers, standing between my thighs. I run my fingers through his hair, feeling my walls pulse around nothing. "I have to finish the luggage." I groan, making him groan as well. "But I fucking need you." He whines, voice breaking at the end. "I know. But I have to finish packing. Or else I will have to wear sweatpants at investors' dinner. Or lingerie and swimsuits, I've packed plenty of those..." I reply, making him moan and lick his lips. "That would be nice, actually..." He comments, gripping onto my thighs. "You wanna show everyone what's for your eyes only?" I ask and he groans. "No... I'll help you choose." He offers, hooking his finger in the neck of my top and peeking inside. I scoff, slapping his hand away, while he smirks playfully. "No bra, huh?" He wiggles his eyebrows, while he helps me off the counter. "For fuck's sake, Calum. Can you behave like an adult for just a minute?" I ask, shaking my head. He corners me up against the marble island, pressing his body on mine as he breathes heavily. "You don't want me acting like an adult now, princess. We have to pack." He comments, making me gulp as I feel my insides get on fire.

"There's the happy couple..." Samantha comments as Calum and I walk into the VIP lounge. Calum chuckles, pecking on my temple before he leaves me to go greet Mr. Roberman. "I feel so sleepy, I can't wait until we board." I groan, taking a seat next to her. "There is a long flight ahead of us, darling. You'll be able to nap a bit." She replies, patting my hand softly. "I don't know how you accompany Daniel to all of the trips. It has been exhausting and we haven't even left yet..." I joke and he hums. "Well, I simply cannot spend that many days without him." She explains; it is truly inspirational, seeing that they are still smitten after that many years together. "This is very romantic, actually. I hope Calum and I will be like you when we reach your stage." I smile, looking over at Calum. "Oh, darling. That boy is in awe of your every move. I think he worships the air you breathe." She comments, making me blush.

We board on the plane, going to the A-class seats straight ahead. I am used to it by now, but I still remember the first time I didn't fly economy; I was nearly shaking from how differently I was treated, Calum laughed at me over that during the whole trip. "Let me help you with that." Calum picks up my carry-on, putting it on the cabinet with ease. His t-shirt raises a bit, revealing his adonis lines. "Take a picture, it will last longer..." He comments as he takes his seat. "Why take a picture when I can stare at it every day?" I ask, biting my lip. "It is going to be a long flight to Rome..." He comments, making me chuckle. "Yeah, I know. I am planning on napping. I am sooo fucking tired." I stretch my back, before leaning back softly. "You didn't sleep well last night?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow as if he doesn't know I barely slept. "It was a little hard to, with you penetrating me every 5 minutes." I whisper, making him stare at me with knitted eyebrows. "I didn't hear you complaining last night... Thank God we don't have neighbors that close to our house." He says cockily, making me roll my eyes at him. "I didn't say I didn't like it. I said I didn't get much sleep." I pout, leaning my head on his shoulder. "Well, I have to read through some notes for the first couple of hours... You can use me as a pillow, I don't mind." He states, pulling his laptop out of the case. "You sure you don't mind?" I ask and he hums. "Are you kidding me? You lean on my shoulder, I turn my head to see you, you are asleep, so pretty. And I look a bit down and I can see down your top... I'll be the happiest man." He replies, making me huff "You are such a dirty bastard." I comment, leaning my head on his shoulder. "You love me for that." He points out, his voice is cheerful as he turns to plant a kiss on my forehead. "I do." I smile, wrapping my arms around his.

"You know why Samantha is with Daniel on every trip?" I ask Calum as I slip out of the shower. He is brushing his teeth, so he just makes a questioning sound. "For luxury hotels, nice meals, and shopping sprees?" He asks and I sneer, shaking my head at him. "Because she is still, so in love with him, that she can't bear being away from him for so many days. It is adorable." I state, wrapping my arms around his abdomen and leaning my head on his shoulder blade. "Hm, that is actually very sweet. Are you fangirling over their relationship? You know about their sex life, you know about sweet little details of their relationship... You are a shipper." He comments, making me sigh. "I just hope we are like that after that many years together. And Samantha... Well, she gets this life, she gets every aspect, and most of my friends don't. So, we talk a lot. She is actually very nice, very supportive, and not superficial at all." I press a kiss on his skin, making his hum. "I can actually promise you we are going to be like that when we are their age." He states, making me purr softly.

We didn't actually get to see Rome; the visit was only for a day and a half and it was packed with meetings for Calum, so I actually spent the day in the hotel with Samantha. And thank God we did, because the pampering came in handy for our first night in Paris. The Parisian investors insisted on a small celebration for the deal, so here we are, getting ready for the starlit dinner to impress the wealthy men by being literal arm candy. Samantha finishes putting on her lipstick before chuckling and turning to me. "Wanna know why I love Paris so much?" She asks me, making me turn to her. "Is it because it has luxury boutiques and fancy wine?" I ask and she brushes me off. "The first time Daniel and I came, it was again for investor business, he actually proposed to me. I didn't know anything about it, he just took me to the roof of the restaurant we were eating, and he pulled out the ring. He said he wants me to be with him for the rest of his life, that I am a lucky charm for him he wanted to keep on him forever. I've loved the city since." She replies, making me coo. "That is actually adorable." I state with a smile, making her hum. "Calum said you are his lucky charm too... Do you think he... I am sorry, I probably shouldn't ask about it..." She lets out, making me gasp. "What? You think he is going to propose to me? It's not like Calum to do that. He is not that big of a romantic." I reply, shrugging my shoulders. "Well, he insisted you come with us. And what better city than Paris..." She smiles at me, and I really feel my heart stop. I want nothing less than spending my life with him.

The knock on the door makes me rush to get off the bed before I even had the chance to slip into my shoes. "Ms. (Y/L/N)?" The hotel worker asks me as I open the door. "That's me." I smile and he hands me an envelope. "Mr. Hood sends this for you." He says as I inspect the envelope. "Thank you." I say as the man pulls from the door before walking away. I shut the door and tear the paper open with my nail, excited about what it has inside. 'You know what you should put on for the party. Let's have some fun. Xoxo Calum' I bite the inside of my cheek; how do I tell him I didn't pack it with me?

I walk out of the elevator, clad in my silk wrap dress and stiletto high heels. Calum is already waiting for me in the reception area, dressed in his 3-piece suit and no tie. He has this bad boy attitude that ties it all together, making me drool for him. "You look... You look like it is going to be a very hard night for me." He comments, pressing his lips on my temple. I smile at him, grazing my fingers over the collar of his shirt. "I didn't pack it for the trip." I whisper in his ear, pressing a kiss on his lobe. "I am sorry? What you didn't pack for the trip?" He asks, bringing his hand to rest on my waist, agonizingly close to my ass. "The toy. I didn't pack it with me..." I reply, making his grip tighten on my body. "Pity. I wanted to play a little." He sighs, sounding a lot disappointed. I shrug my shoulders, looking at him with a smirk. "Kitten, I hope you are not lying to me." He says sternly as he sees the smirk on my face. "I am not. You are kinda out of luck." I shrug and give him a condescending smile.

"Your girlfriend, Mr. Hood, she is quite the beauty." One of the investor's comments, raising his glass at me. Calum tightens his grip on my thigh, making me move on my spot a little. "Thank you. She has quite an interesting brain as well." Calum speaks; his words sound polite, but the vein on his neck bulges from the fury. How dare that man lay his eyes on what is his? And also patronize his partner? "I am sure she does." The man continues, smiling at him. I can see Calum's eyes get wide with anger; he has made it very clear he doesn't enjoy people hitting on me, even though the man is just politely paying me a compliment. "Will you excuse us for a minute?" Calum lets a moment pass before he gets up from his chair, holding his hand out for me. I leave my glass on the table, getting up and taking his hand in mine.

He walks us out of the area the dinner is held, guiding me to a little balcony. Oh my, is he actually gonna... "I don't like that guy." He starts, walking nervously. "I think I got that. But he was just polite." I explain, moving closer to him and placing my hand on his shoulder. "He can fuck off here with his bullshit politeness. You are mine. Period." He growls. "The possibility that I am my own goddamn person and no one's property ever crosses your mind?" I ask and he groans. "I don't mean it in a possessive way. I mean it... Fuck, you know how I mean it." He runs his hand down his face. "Sweetheart, he was just giving me a compliment, he did the same for Samantha." I try to calm him down, causing him to huff in annoyance. "I don't care what he did with Samantha, he was looking at you like he was trying to undress you with his eyes." He sounds irrational, which is nearly comical. "Baby, you are being a brooding little bitch right now." I point out, making him sigh. "I don't want him looking at you." He says after he takes a couple of deep breaths. "I know. You can just calm down, we get through this and we get back to our hotel room, and he will probably never see me again." I soothe him, cupping his face in my hands. He breathes calmly, resting his hands on my hips. "I am going to give you the world. I am going to hold it in my hands, and give it to you." He nuzzles his nose against mine; he really doesn't make much sense right now, what does this have to do with him being jealous over an old, white man? "I already have the world in my hands. I am holding it with my own two palms." I reply, squeezing his face a little. "I am so fucking in love with you." He whispers, leaning in to kiss me. He pushes me until my back is against the wall and we are by the window, to a spot there is no way anyone will see us. I kiss him back, bringing my fingers through his curls, while his hands roam down my body. God, his hands feel so good on my body, even now that my skin is covered by my clothes. "We need to head in..." I moan against his lips, making him groan and bite on my bottom lip. "I wanna cover you in hickeys..." He moves his lips down my neck, tracing his tongue over my collarbone before he finds his way to my décolletage, leaving open-mouthed kisses there. "You are literally like a dog peeing all over the place to establish dominance." I joke. "I thought you loved it when I left marks." He protests. "I do. But this is not one of the reasons I want you to leave marks. Come on, let's go in. I am getting cold." I say, cupping his face and bringing it to eye-level with me. He nods, leaving a kiss on the tip of my nose before he wraps his arm around my waist and walks us in.

I really, really hoped he would propose while we were in Paris; Samantha had gotten into my head and I really over-read every gesture Calum made. But of course, my gut was right in the beginning, Calum is not that big of a romantic. So, the moment we took off from Paris, my mood dropped. I slip under the covers of the bed in our hotel room in Berlin. It is basically freezing that time of the day in here, so Calum pulls me closer to him for warmth. His hand travels from my hip to my belly, tracing his fingers lower each passing second. "Cal, no." I bring my hand to raise his and drop it on his side. "Are you ok, baby?" He asks, his hand going to free my neck from my hair. "Yeah, just tired." I am lying, of course. "Oh, princess. Maybe you should sleep in tomorrow." He suggests and I hum. "Yeah, probably. Do you mind if I ask you to be quiet? I really need some sleep." I state, not turning to look at him. "Of course. Sleep tight, dream of me." He reaches over to flip the switch and turn off the light. Fuck, I don't know why I am so bummed over something that was just a theory. I just fucking wish he would wanna marry me, not because it is expected after all these years we've been together, but because he is the only person he made me consider ever getting married. He is the only person I want to actually marry.

If I thought Berlin was cold, Moscow came and punched me in the fucking face. Layers upon layers and layers of clothes just to go from the entrance of the hotel to the car which was supposed to take us wherever.

So I decided to stay in, where it is warm, and use the hot tub on the balcony of our room. Now, this is fancy. It is weird, seeing the cold city from the safety and warmth of the bubbling water. "There you are. Sam told me you didn't even go down for dinner." Calum snaps me out of my haze as he steps out on the balcony. I turn around to look at him, finding him slouched and looking exhausted. "It is so nice here. Too cold for me out there to go and I didn't feel like eating hotel food tonight. What's the matter, baby? You look just a little crappy." I state and he sighs. "I am exhausted. And the Russians are just about the harshest negotiators have had to work with." He replies and I pout at him. "Come on, get in. Enjoy the view with me. You'll feel a bit relaxed." I suggest, motioning him over with my fore and middle finger. "I'll go put on my swim trunks. I'll be right back." He says, smiling at me.

He is in the water in no time, and I am settled between his legs, with my back resting against his chest. "It's nice in here, you were right." He sighs, resting his chin on my shoulder. "I am always right. But you are still crappy. I can hear it in your voice." I turn my head to look at him. "I will be fine when the deal is over." He brushes it off and I hum. "Can't let my man be crappy until then." I turn around, reaching to untie my bikini top. "I know a way to make you feel a lot better." I reply, throwing the top in the water as I straddle him. His eyes go wide, mouth agape as I palm him over his trunks. "Baby." He moans, looking around a little. "What, sweetheart?" I ask him, slipping my hand under the swimsuit, pressing my hand on his cock. "We are a little bit exposed, aren't we?" He asks, while my thumb runs over his tip. "No one can see us. Come on, daddy. Let me make you feel a lot better." I lean closer, bringing my lips to his neck. I plant a few kisses right under his jaw, while I stroke him slowly. I feel his pulse against my lips as I work on his skin, making me run my tongue over his pulse point.

His hand moves down my body, pulling the ties of my bikini bottoms and undoing it, as I bite on his Adam's apple softly, my teeth mostly grazing the skin around it. "Baby..." He moans, while I stroke his cock. He becomes solid hard, his veins bulging against his skin; he needs me, just as much as I do. "Gonna fuck me, daddy? Gonna fill my pussy up?" I ask him, teasing him just a little more. He groans, digging his fingertips into my hips. "Please, princess... Take my cock..." He whines, making me smile at him. "You'll have to wait for just one more second." I chuckle, lowering my face to his chest and circling around his nipple. He gulps thickly, making me grin as I take his nipple between my teeth. "Fuck..." He hisses, throwing his head back and whimpering softly. I roll it between my teeth, watching his face twitch in agony. Oh, how the tables turn. I trail back up his face, holding it steady to admire the way he looks right now. "Let me slip inside you, please..." He is putty in my hands, cheeks rosy and lips plump and pink. "Take your cock out." I demand, tracing my thumb over his bottom lip.

He follows my order, freeing his cock for me before I hover over him, letting him line up his cock to my entrance. Until I sink my hips down on him and take him inside me, the only sound produced is the water bubbling around us. He gulps heavily, making his apple pop and eyes glisten for me. I let him go in slowly, allowing us both to enjoy this. My hands go to the back of his head, fingers playing with the hair in the base of his neck. His hands wander up my ribcage, cupping my breasts and running his thumb over my nipples. "Can I have you stark naked every day?" He asks me, while I wiggle my hips on his. "You act like I am not naked on your bed every night." I reply; the water around us moves as I ride him, making the whole setting totally oneiric. "I am talking about all day, every day. Have you walk around our house naked, taking in all of you, every inch of your skin... I wanna stare at you all day long." He whines, biting his lip at the end. "You are stretching me..." I groan, digging my nails into his skin as I feel my walls struggle to wrap around his girth. "I know, baby. You are so tight around me. Fuck, I haven't had you in 2 days, and I already feel like this is new. Your body, your fucking body..." He groans, bringing me closer to him. He buries his face in my neck, nuzzling his nose against my skin softly. "Calum..." I murmur, angling my body to get his cock to hit on the right spot. "Mm, princess?" He asks, bringing his hands on my ass, squeezing harshly. He makes my body move faster, pushing my ass down on him. "I am ovulating today... Don't..." I begin but he brings his lips on mine and stops me. "I won't... But I really want to..." He states, kissing down my cheek. My stomach is as tight as it can be, as a weird numbness spreads on my body. "Yeah, but... What if..." I struggle to let out, getting too hazy as his tip penetrates against my cervix. "I want all the babies with you..." He breathes against my skin, making me jolt a little. "I am not ready, Cal..." I whine and he hums "I know..." He replies, kissing my neck with a feather-light kiss. "I am close..." I state, biting my lip as I close my eyes and get ready for my high. "I can feel you pulsing. Cum for me..." He encourages me, bucking his hips up with force and making me yelp.

My legs shake and I become dizzy as I get closer with every second that passes, with every thrust he is giving me. "Baby, I need you to cum soon. I am running out of disgusting things to think of." Calum whispers, making me nod my head. "Just a little more, just a little more... Just a little... a little... more. Fuck." I feel my walls convulse around him as I cum, pulsing around his throbbing cock. He pulls out almost instantly, standing up in front of me. I kneel, bringing my face close to his dick as he strokes it fast, hissing as he throws his head back and I open my mouth for him, letting him cover my tongue with his seed. I watch his stomach rise and fall, tasting him in my mouth as he tries to calm down from his orgasm. "You are all that calms me down. I swear to god." He kneels in front of me and cupping my face in his hands. "See? I told you I can make you feel better." I state and he hums, bringing his lips to mine. "Your skin is getting pruney." He says, rubbing his hand down my arm. "I have been in here for quite a long." I sigh as I pick my bikini bottoms and tie them back on. "Wanna go out and order room service? You must be starving, I know I am." He suggests, fixing his swim trunks. "I wanna stay a little longer. The view is so pretty and it is so warm in here." I state, going back to the spot I was sitting.

Calum moves behind me, making me sit between his legs. "Are you excited to see your sister?" I ask, leaning my head against his shoulder. "The most excited I've ever been to see Mali." He replies, bringing his hand to cover mine. "You've missed her, huh?" I ask again and he hums. "Lots. I can't wait till we get to London." He sighs and I smile at him, feeling relaxed in his arms.

"Is it bad that I kinda wish we would visit more countries?" I ask Calum as Calum and I make our way to the place Mali is performing tonight. It is officially the last night of the European investors tour, and I haven't seen Calum this relaxed in the past couple of weeks. "Where else would you wanna go, princess?" He asks me as he holds my hand tighter. "I would love to go to Madrid, Granada, maybe Bucharest, it is very pretty there. And then I would love to go visit some Greek islands, it is like paradise in there." I reply, making him hum. "That sounds more of a vacation plan than a business trip." He says, pressing his lips on my forehead. "I didn't say I wanted more business trips. I said I wanted to visit more places." I state and he chuckles at me. "It is a little early to plan for vacation. But I will take your suggestions into consideration." He says, pulling me in front of him to face me. I smirk as he leans down to kiss me, making me giggle against his lips. "I need a drink." I state, moving toward the bar. "Bring me a beer. I'll find the table." He says and I nod, watching him for a few more seconds as he pushes past people. He looks totally different from his classic suit look, the black jeans and leather jacket making him look way more chill.

I pick up the beers and head towards where I saw Calum head. It is crowded in here, and I couldn't be more proud of Mali's success. I find Calum sitting on one of the tables in the front, scrolling through his phone. So I clear my throat and leave his bottle in front of him. "Thirsting on Instagram again? See anyone you like?" I ask, making him hum. "Yeah, the waitress that brought me my beer. She is hotter than hell." He replies, leaving his phone down. "Yeah, yeah... As if you are not liking thirst traps on insta." I cock an eyebrow, bringing my beer to my lips. "Jealous?" He asks, clinging his bottle to mine. "Shouldn't I be?" I ask back, crossing my leg over the other. "Baby, are you serious right now?" He asks, moving his chair closer to mine. "Absolutely... I've seen your activity tab, back when it was a feature. Don't try to play it coy." I reply and he hums. "I only got eyes for you. Plus, you post thirst traps all the time." He points out, making me bite my lip. "Barely ever, and I post them whenever you make me mad and I need to tease you." I shrug my shoulders, picking up my drink.

Mali gets on stage, being greeted by a round of applause and cheers from the crowd. Calum looks at her excitedly, making me admire once more their bond. She is once more angelic, her presence captivating, and her voice making you feel like you are in a haze. "Come dance with me." Calum holds his hand out for me, making me look at him with wide eyes. "Cal..." I protest but he still holds his hand out for me to take it. "Come on, it's my sister's show. No one will tell me anything." He states and I sigh, giving up. He wraps his arms around my waist, putting them in the back pocket of my jeans while I rest my hands on the back of his neck. He sways us to the song's rhythm, making me forget we are actually in public and that people can see, and that they are possibly annoyed by the handsy couple dancing in front of the stage. "Look at you, the rough and tough CEO, dancing with a girl." I whisper and he cackles lowly. "I am just a man, utterly in love with the woman in his arms." He replies, pecking on the top of my head. The song ends and Mali takes a moment to address us. "A round of applause for my lovely brother and his beautiful girlfriend." She says on the mic, making people cheer. Calum takes a bow as he holds a smug grin on his face, while I feel myself blushing, bringing my hands to cover my face as I laugh at how ridiculous we must have looked.

"Pizza's here." Mali sings as I pour us 3 some wine. "Good. Let's hope your brother comes back soon." I sigh, passing her the glass. "Why did he have to go back to the hotel?" She asks me, knitting her eyebrows together. "He forgot something... I don't know. Since he finished the meetings, he turned off his brain. He is in autopilot." I joke and she chuckles. "I haven't seen him this chilled back in a while. Never thought I would see him dancing in the middle of my show." She points out and I hum in agreement. "Same. I was so surprised when he asked for a dance... Oof, he really surprised me." I reply, opening the box of pizza. "Did you like the show?" She asks me, taking a seat on her couch. "I loved it. You have the voice of a literal angel." I sigh in admiration, looking at her as she coos. The doorbell rings, making her get up and head for it. "This better be Calum cause if I wait one more minute for him, I'll start eating." She comments, making me giggle at her as I sit on the couch and take a sip from my wine.

"Where were you, fuckhead?" She asks as Calum walks in the apartment. "I forgot your gift at the hotel. Had to go pick it up." He replies, leaving 2 gift bags on the coffee table by the pizza. "What did you get me?" She asks, clapping her hands together. "Stuff from the cities we were in." He hands her one of the bags, which she opens immediately. "What's the other one?" She asks, pointing at the one left on the table. "That is (Y/N)'s. She didn't go out in Moscow and I wanted to get her something..." He replies, reaching for the bag. "Why are you giving me this now? You could have waited until we got back home." I state and he shrugs. "Just cause. Open it." He says, picking his glass.

I pull the gift bag open, revealing a Russian nesting doll. "This was the only thing I wanted from the whole trip." I gasp, taking it out. "It is hand-painted. Every doll is different. Open them." He encourages me, leaning in for a kiss on my forehead. I open the big one, revealing a smaller one, and a smaller one, and a smaller one, and so on. Until I open the last one, and inside I find a diamond ring. "Cal... I think there is a mistake with the doll." I look at it with wide eyes, feeling my stomach tumble. "Why?" He asks with a chuckle. "There is a ring inside the last one." I show him, making him shrug his shoulders. "I put it in there." He states, making me gulp and look at him "Just look at the bottom of the doll." He sighs, puckering his lips while I take the ring out.

'Will you marry me?'

"If you are kidding, Hood, I swear to God." I threaten, making Mali laugh at my reaction. "Want me to get on one knee?" He asks me and I shake my head, bringing a hand to cover my mouth as I squeal. "Calum..." I cry, moving to hug him. "I'll take that as a yes?" He asks, tilting my chin up to look at me. "With every cell in my body." I reply, making him lean down and kiss me.

"Mali, did you get that on video?" He turns to his sister, who is holding her phone up, and nods. "Why you want that on tape? I look like a goblin, probably." I sniffle and he giggles softly. "You look fucking amazing. And my mom asked for the video..." He replies, pecking on my forehead. "She knew?" I ask and Mali chuckles. "We all knew. Honestly, I am surprised you didn't know. He has been planning for nearly 6 months, and I know Calum, he is not great at hiding things." Mali jokes and I chuckle softly, kissing Calum's cheek "I had no idea..." I reply, nestling to his chest. He kisses the top of my head, resting his hand on my hip. "I was horrible at hiding it. You came so close to finding it, so many times..." He states, making me sigh in disappointment. "Are you going to put the ring on? I wanna see." Mali asks, moving closer as I slip the ring on my finger and stare at it in admiration.

My Masterlist /  Vibe

[blankdblank]

Acorn Castles Pt 5

Ok, bit of an open ending. had another idea for how i would end it but it crumbled before i could write it down and it would no doubt double the size of this. But i hope you enjoyed this series all the same as i have. From Sickness to the squishy center of the grumpy King here we go. :D

All –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @sweeticedtea​, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17​, @jesgisborne​, @curvestrology​, @alishlieb​, @jogregor​, @armitageadoration​, @fizzyxcustard​, @here2have-fun​, @lilith15000​, @marvels-ghost​, @catthefearless​, @imjusthereforthereads​, @c-s-stars​, @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​, @mariannetora​, @shes-a-killer-kween​, @ggbbhehe4455

Hobbit/LotR – @abiwim​, @jotink78​, @pastelhexmaniac​

x Thorin – @evyiione​, @deepestfirefun​, @queenoferebor​

@bun-bun-the-rabbit.

.

Cocoa, it was meant to be a simple offer. Dazzling as ever with a shimmering headdress and midriff bearing gown through the Feast of Starlight and between turns with the Dwarves and willing Elf Lords you were granted ample dance partners and excused yourself to bed before your head could droop once the first section of feasting over the three day festivities bed called and you did not answer alone. Sharing a kitchen with King Thorin, his Princes and the Lin brothers you stood waiting for the kettle. Meant to help you sleep the mug was beat to the punch on closing your eyes as a too long endured stare from the King mingled with wine found your lips on his. A shriek from the doorway however had you instinctually trying to dart away only to groan grabbing your face at hitting an open cabinet door ushering the open mouthed wide eyed King to grab a towel on the counter to place under your now bleeding nose.

Kili still with mouth covered by Dwalin watched wide eyed as Balin hurried over to usher you to the shared sitting room with no word on the stolen kiss. Mug in hand you sat silent as the Dwarves and Bilbo, now all returned sobered up quickly to your now bruising face and swollen nose with a cut coated in a cream that had an Elleth arriving with fresh towels for the bath assuming you all were sleeping to drop them and sprint to fetch the Healers. Among all the Elf Lords inspecting both your face and the cabinet in case of any malfunction, as if the door swung out maliciously on its own you were ushered off to bed assured the swelling and bruising would be gone by morning as you downed the tea to help you sleep soundly. Perhaps a bit too soundly too quickly as just after you’d changed for bed your body dropped to the floor signaling another burst of men into your room fumbling against one another to get you safe into bed.

Smacking your lips a death like groan escaped your frozen body in the first of ten slips in and out of consciousness until finally the weight subsided and a shoulder could be lifted. Eyes opened and on the chair beside your bed Thorin slept sideways sprawled across the armchair snoring loudly with mouth open as if his body was determined to suck the roof down due to the awkward slumped angle of his neck. Clearly he wanted to be here as you slept and you hoped it wasn’t to scold you on forcing yourself on him. You shouldn’t have drank, only the wine smelled so good and you rarely were allowed raspberries or blackberries in the Water Tribe due to the year round winter.

Greed had let to lust and now here you had gone and spoiled the reputation of the King in front of his family no less and been amply humiliated and karmic-ly punished for it. Up onto your elbow you propped with hand moving to rub your face in another pained groan for the pressure headache building in your temples making you plop down again. The plop had did it though, somehow that sound of a body struggling to rise snapped the King upright mid snore with what could be taken as a disturbing full body turn joined by a wide eyed stare if done by a doll would send even the toughest warrior running for their very souls. “Miss Pear,” he hummed in concern and in mere moments was at your side kneeling on the ground with arms crossed on the end of the bed supporting his chin in a timid lock of eyes flooded with uncertainty on both ends. “How is your head?”

“Attached, but quite determined for me to remain flat at the moment.”

“Kili has apologized profusely for startling you, that was not his intention.”

“No,” your eyes shut, “I deserved it. I shouldn’t have sullied your reputation by assuming the right to touch you, even intoxicated.”

“You have sullied nothing,” he said moving a hand in an inch closer to the bed to claim yours tucking his fingers underneath the hand visible to him otherwise he’d have claimed and cradled both. That action had your eyes opening to find a much softer pleading gaze from him in a deep seeded ache to get his point across to you, “You have every right to touch me. Never had I presumed to have been worthy of your affections. My family have shared a fondness of my company which they had taken impression of some deepening bond I assured them was merely friendship. Perhaps wine loosened a hope in yourself possibly of a shared intention, which I can now boldly state to be truly valid.” Hastily he wet his lips to the quickening of your pulse and breath, “The painful home you once claimed placed no comfort in a future for you, here however you bear incredible power, over flame and myself. I will never from my position force any bond onto you, though from my heart I would humbly request to grant you my token to wear as a means of displaying a consideration of my courtship. And I would very much wish to request your approval on introducing you to my relatives upon their arrival to Erebor.”

From his breast pocket inside his vest he drew a tied chord on a small thick pouch form which he one handedly brought out a silver polished bead with runes and sapphire rectangular stones nestled around it. Timidly he set it down on the sheet looking between it and you and released your hand allowing you to prop up onto your side foregoing the pain in your head to do so as you lifted the bead. “This is to consider courtship?”

“Yes, I would never assume to have gained your heart and trust to consider matrimony. There will be no shortage of admirers on your behalf, merely quite selfishly I might wish to have it known to be a hopeful suitor, that I am proving myself to be a suitable husband against others.”

From his eyes to the bead again you looked saying, “None could offer a more suitable offer of comfort as a King.”

Halfheartedly he let out a breath of air and replied, “Of that I am aware, but could you love me?” Your eyes met his nearly tearful gaze and he continued, “Never, could I live with myself if I bound you to me out of simple comfortable livelihood. You are due a fifteenth of that hoard as per the contract, you could offer your own comfort without marrying should you wish it. Merely, you are not a possession and none would demand a union of you for status or any social expectation. I would wish to love you, and shower you with all the adoration due to you from decades away from me and all the more for all the years of our life together should you choose me. Yet I will not force my adoration of you to pressure any bond past friendship. All I may ask is for a chance to prove to you unlike so many others in your past that my intentions of a courtship are pure and centered around your every happiness.”

Carefully he eyed your still expression in the wetting of your lips and gave a brief nod as you readied to speak as if you might need encouragement to speak your mind or heart. “Your people, they would accept you marrying out of your race?”

“I am a quarter Hobbit, as is my sister Dis, mother to my heirs. My people will soon admire your heart and dedication as we have. Pay no mind to that.” Unsteadily you moved to sit up and concerned he rose to kneel on the bed to help you settle upright, “Do not push yourself.”

With legs crossed you locked eyes with him again, “My family, we never spoke of love,” he nodded and shifted his hand to your knee wishing to comfort and have contact with you. “But there wouldn’t be another person I would want to love, even if I am a stranger to it,” softening his gaze incredibly at the powerful words, “I doubt I could ever trust a stranger to try with, so, my answer is no,” parting his lips. “I will not accept your offer to claim a chance to prove yourself for courtship.” Closing his mouth to accept the assumed rejection he drew in a breath that sharply left him in a confused grunt as you continued. “I will accept an offer of courtship, there is nothing to prove.”

“You, are certain?”

“Our cultures differ, greatly, so I have much to learn, beginning with this,” you said lifting the bead, “How am I meant to wear it?”

To himself he chuckled and smiled a growing elated smile, “Braid it, into your hair.” Passing it to him he chuckled again eyeing it in his palm then looked up to you, “You wish for me to braid it?”

You nodded saying, “You know the rules, and I wish to serve-,”

Suddenly his free hand rose to cup your cheek almost reducing you to tears at the heavenly warmth of the palm you’d wished to do just that, “I serve you, not the other way around. Fili and Kili are my heirs, there are no enforced number of children for you to bear. Should I be too old to grant you children or we simply never conceive due to a wish to not share a bed chamber, of which you are perfectly within rights to decide even after marriage, I serve you, always.”

“Why would I refuse to share a bed chamber?”

Thorin wet his lips and said, “There have been other spouses, in our kin’s past who were cherished through certain traumas and youths leaving them uncertain of trusting another to share a room with while sleeping. This is deep rooted in our culture, respect for our partners. There is so much more to love and marriage than consummation or even sharing bed chambers.”

“I will try my best to find a happy medium should we hit a snag in the future.”

“I could ask no more than that while promising my every ounce of patience. May I touch your hair?”

With your nod he readied to shift around you off the bed only to stop in your next lean in. Restraining his grin that he might have earned a second try for a painless first kiss Thorin inched closer melting into the tender kiss. Lost to this blissful moment only to drop off the end of the bed to the floor not remembering how close he had been to the edge. With a soft chuckle he popped up and shuffled back to the edge of the bed smiling wider at your try not to giggle in a scoot forward to grant him room behind you.

From your pitifully knotted braid your curls were eased out with a tentative smoothing of fingers over your scalp to lighten the tension lingering in your head before his fingertips smoothed down to the ends combing out the knots. Separating sections to begin braiding them back again with a strip left aside. Next to the end of your side swept bangs the strip sat and again from the now open doorway another elated shriek came from the boys causing Thorin to tug you into his chest at the snapping of the bead into place to keep you from falling off the bed. Within moments all the Company were there to share in the news welcoming you as their future Queen.

Interesting times were coming ahead, with a lot of questions, but thankfully overall it seemed while they assured they could never repay you enough for all you had done the truth was quite in reverse. Aside from the gold and courage to face Balrogs, orcs and even a Dragon, together you had all found something so much more, a home with family you could trust.

[sonicgetsrawed]

Raindrops Keep Falling, You Slip Through My Fingers Every Time

Played a bit with reincarnation themes! So have varigo fun times through different au’s and settings! Enjoy!

The rain fell lightly on the sidewalk. Hugo watched as Varian stood out in it, hands outstretched as he attempted to catch the droplets, face turned to the sky. Lightning split the sky, thunder following closely behind. Varian didn’t acknowledge it, his soaked clothes weighing heavily on his small form. Hugo watched as a droplet landed on the boy’s nose, traced it as it made its way down, over his lips, over the curvature of his chin, to the lovely slope of his neck, finally to join its brothers and sisters in the fabric of his shirt. He brought his eyes back up to his face, water gathered around Varian’s eyes. Were they tears? Were they from the rain? He’d never know, it wasn’t his place to ask. He only knew the boy through the glass of his window. He glanced back to the book on his lap, tapping his pencil to his lips as he worked to solve the problem within, when he looked back up Varian was gone. He always was elusive like the flow of time, one moment there, the next gone, always slipping through his fingers, never his to keep.

********************

The muddy water splashed Hugo’s face as Varian jumped in another puddle. He wiped it off his glasses, not that it did much good, Varian was already jumping again. “Will you stop being so childish?”

Varian briefly glanced over his shoulder at Yong and Nuru as they spun each other around in the rain, a small smirk gracing his lips. “Childish, am I?”

Hugo’s eyes went wide, taking a small step back as Varian reached down to grab a handful of mud. “Varian, don’t you dare.” Despite his words a smile forced its way onto his face. He didn’t bother dodging as the mud hit him squarely in the chest, instead he bent down picking up his own handful. “You’re going to pay for that.”

Varian laughed, running as Hugo gave chase. Their battle didn’t last long, Varian somehow convincing Yong and Nuru to help him. He was on his back now as the three loomed over him, Varian menacingly holding the last of their mud ammunition. “Surrender now, and we might spare your life.”

Hugo couldn’t help but laugh as he gave his answer. “Never!”

The three exchanged a look, Varian giving a small nod as they came to a silent decision. “So be it.” Varian took a step forward, arm poised to strike, before slipping on the wet ground. He fell right on top of Hugo, blinking owlishly from the disorientation the fall caused. Hugo brought his hand up to cup his face, the mud smearing along his cheek. He still looked heavenly, his wet hair dripping around them, mud caked to every inch of him. Hugo pulled him down into a kiss, relishing in the way Varian melted against him.

“Truce?” He asked, breaking the kiss briefly.

Varian nodded. “Yeah, truce.” He captured Hugo’s lips again, not caring about the mud that was being spread in his hair as Hugo tangled his fingers in it. Hugo closed his eyes, melting just as much as Varian. When he opened them Varian had his back to him, shoulders shaking with sobs as he locked himself inside the eternal library. It had rained that day too, and he’d let Varian slip away.

*******************

Hugo let the rain mix with the salty air of the sea, the feeling intoxicating against his skin. They had just raided Corona and had come back with more bounty than he could be bothered to count. It was wonderful, or at least it should be if their hostage wasn’t so annoying.

“Hey, jackass! I know you can hear me! Let me go right this fucking minute!” Hugo rolled his eyes, handing the wheel over to Nuru before approaching the pole that their captive was tied to. He was a pretty thing, if it weren’t for that mouth he had on him, still he knew he’d fetch them a pretty penny at the auctions.

“I don’t think you're in the position to make demands.” Hugo placed his dagger under his chin, bending down so they were face to face. His breath caught in his throat, he hadn’t seen him this close before. The blue of his eyes was absolutely breathtaking, the fire that burned behind them, the way his freckles accentuated them, the way his front teeth stuck out ever so slightly, and that wonderfully unique blue streak in his hair. Yes, he’d definitely fetch them a nice amount of gold, but then again he just might keep him for himself. “My, you are pretty aren’t you?”

“And your pretty fucking annoying.” He snapped back, eyes narrowing in a way that made them sharper than the dagger at his throat.

Hugo tilted his head, a laugh bubbling up from between his lips. “You’re pretty feisty for nobility. You got a name, sweet cheeks?”

“Fuck you.” He spat in Hugo’s face, the other clicking his tongue as he wiped it from his face. Oh, he’d definitely be keeping him.

Hugo pushed himself to his feet, dragging the dagger up forcing him to follow his movements. “Have fun sleeping in the rain, dear. Maybe you’ll be more cooperative in the morning.”

“You can’t leave me out here!” Hugo smirked as he made his way to the warmth of the captain’s chambers. “Hey!” He ignored his screams and slew of curses as he twirled a gold coin between his fingers. If he knew how hard he’d fall for the other in just a few weeks he’d have ran back out and scooped him into his arms, kept him safe from all the horrors of the world. But he didn’t, so he let him sit out in the rain, oblivious to fate’s cruel game.

*********************

He didn’t ask for this, frankly he figured he’d spend the rest of his days trapped in this awful curse. He had expected to, no one could ever love him, he had accepted that fate even. And then Varian came, noble in his quest to stay in captivity in his father’s place. He wasn’t supposed to fall in love with him, but the other made it near impossible. He was smart, talented, he wore his heart on his sleeve, he was so caring, everything he wasn’t, everything he didn’t deserve. It was impossible to stop himself from falling.

Varian held the mirror close to his chest, fingers brushing the metal around its frame. “He’s sick.” His blue eyes met his green, a silent plea in them. Hugo wanted to be selfish, he really truly did, but Varian’s eyes watered with the fear that he might not be able to see his father before he passed, and Hugo may look like a monster, he had been changed now.

He cupped Varian’s face, cherishing the way he leaned into his hand. “Go to him.”

“But-“

“It’s okay. You’re free now.” Hugo blinked away his own tears as Varian’s slid down his cheeks.

“Thank you.” Varian flung his arms around Hugo, holding him tightly before breaking away and running out the door. Hugo turned to the window, finally letting his own tears go. The patter of the rain was soothing, although he hated how it blurred his vision when all he wanted to do was watch Varian disappear into the rainy night. He brought his hand to the window, a stupid attempt at stopping Varian, he needed to be free. Try as he might, he couldn’t catch the rain.

********************

“Varian, you don’t have to do this!” He was desperate now. Varian couldn’t leave him, he couldn’t, he didn’t want to be alone. “I can change.” It was spoken so small, he didn’t know if Varian heard it over the pounding of the rain, a last plea to get him to stay.

Varian turned harshly, the water spinning around him. “You can change?! You said that last time, Hugo!”

“Var, please-“

“No, Hugo! I- I can’t do this anymore. I can’t be with you anymore.” Varian’s shoulders shook, the rain getting harsher as his emotions spiraled. The rain moved around him, never touching him. Hugo reached out, lightning cracking in the sky. Varian’s breath hitched, shuddering from the impact, while each droplet burned Hugo’s skin. Water and electricity never mixed, and still they insisted they’d make it work. “We can’t change what we are.”

Varian turned to walk away, gasping when Hugo grabbed his arm, his face scrunching up in pain. Hugo tightened his grip. “Please, I need you. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Varian sobbed. In a desperate move Hugo pulled him closer, slamming their lips together. They had never kissed before, they couldn’t when every touch hurt the other, he shouldn’t have done it, but he had been certain their love would be enough to contradict their very being, it had worked before for other couples. He was hoping it would be the same for them. It wasn’t.

Varian slumped against him, eyes dull as the electricity ran through his veins, tearing him apart from the inside, the rain now soaking his clothes. He felt nothing as he lowered him to the ground, no light in his eyes as he cupped Varian’s cheek. He held his body close, not caring about the burning sensation that filled him with each drop. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I thought it would work. Please, come back. I’m sorry.” He looked to the sky as he rocked back and forth, silently pleading with whatever cruel god was up there to bring Varian back. The rain would never stop now that he was gone. The rain would always remind him of what he had done.

*********************

“Have you found your soulmate yet?” Varian rolled his eyes as Rapunzel leaned over the counter, eyes glistening in anticipation for him to answer the question.

“No. I don’t think I have one.” He avoided her eyes, instead focusing on his book.

“Nonsense! Everyone has one.” Before he could protest she grabbed his right wrist, forcing the sleeve of his sweater up. Everyone had an inscription on the inside of their right wrist, whether it be a name or a phrase. Everyone except him.

“Rapunzel!” He hissed, pulling his arm back hoping she didn’t see. Her wide eyes told him she did.

“Var, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” It wasn’t, he knew he wasn’t the easiest to love, but he had hoped someone out there was destined for him. Instead he had no mark, no love, nothing to look forward to. He stuffed his belongings in his bag, wanting nothing more than to snuggle into bed with Ruddiger and a nice cup of hot cocoa. He hesitated, their highlighters were so close together, he couldn’t tell which was Rapunzel’s pink and which was his whatever color he got. He had never been able to see color, another thing that made him different. He was too frustrated to care in the moment grabbing one at random and stuffing it in his bag. “See you tomorrow.”

He headed out the door before Rapunzel could protest, pulling the hood of his jacket over his head, letting out a small huff of annoyance. Normally he didn’t mind the rain but he already wasn’t in the greatest mood, this was just another inconvenience to add to the list. He turned starting his walk home, when someone came barreling into him. His world exploded in color, the new ability sending his head spinning, or perhaps it was from him hitting the pavement.

“Shit. Are you okay?” Varian stared up at the outstretched hand, and into the most beautiful green eyes he’d ever seen.

“I’m-“

“It’s okay, take your time. We can go somewhere and talk.” Varian nodded numbly, taking the man’s hand, he didn’t let it go, scared that if he did the world would go back to black and white. “I’m Hugo, by the way.”

“Varian.” He responded, letting what he was certain was his soulmate lead him down the street.

“I’m guessing you don’t have a mark either?” Hugo asked, pushing his glasses further up his nose.

“No.” He hated how little he was able to say, normally once he got going it was hard to stop, so of course he’d be tongue tied in front of the one person he wanted to impress.

“I’ve waited a long time to meet you.” Varian glanced up at Hugo, a soft smile on his face as he looked ahead. “Do you believe in reincarnation?”

Varian traced the lines of Hugo’s face with his eyes, the scar on his eyebrow, the softness of his hand, the way he was just perfectly taller than him. He felt comfortable here, he felt like he’d known him forever. “Yeah, I think I do.” He looked to the sky, the rain slowing considerably as the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, giving him hope for their future. For once he looked forward to it, whatever twists and turns there may be, he had Hugo for eternity.

[imagine-loki]

Return

TITLE: Return CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter Five AUTHOR: theterrifyingtermite ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine that, at the end of Endgame, Loki comes back. Only one problem: this isn’t your Loki… RATING: T NOTES/WARNINGS: Half-way there! (did I mention it was a slow(ish)-burn? it’s a slow(ish)-burn.)

Chapter Five:

It had been sometime in the early hours of the morning.

The last time she saw him.

She was curled up against him, their conversation having shifted to other things aside from the usual nothings that lovers whispered in the dark.

Earlier in their relationship, she would have never thought Loki, God of Mischief, current-upstart-King-of-Asgard would demand to snuggle.

At any moment, whenever it struck his fancy, no matter where they were or what they were doing.

Of course, knowing what she did now, she would never not let him hold her.

…not that she minded, ever, either.

Touch was precious to him.

One arm was locked around her waist; his other hand was weaving through her hair. It was in these dear moments that his guard was fully dropped. All pretense, even that done unconsciously from years and years of practice, was let go.

All she knew was peace and utter contentment.

Tucking her hand more securely around him, she allowed herself to drift away, sleep calling sweetly.

Instead, his whisper brought her awareness fully back to him.

She didn’t need to bring much along to Asgard, didn’t she know?

His fingers had stopped combing through her hair, nervously grasping at the locks instead.

Blinking, wondering if she heard him correctly, she had tipped her face up to see his, wondering what he meant.

He had stared resolutely away.

Only that…she didn’t need a lot. Only things from home she really wanted. But not everything.

A pause.

Her brow furrowed, sleepy confusion pulling them together. She pushed herself up on an elbow, trying to get him to actually look at him.

A deep breath.

Didn’t she know that he would take care of her? That she would want for nothing?

Oh.

Oh.

Even though he had closed his eyes, as if preemptively hiding from her semi-regular “I’m not helpless, Loki!” rant, a smile lit up her face.

How could she ever doubt him?

Settling back down into his embrace, she sighed a happy confirmation that yes, she did know.

His hands tightened against her, and then they slept.

Safe.

___

It had been a difficult day.

She had dreamed of their last night in some form the past three evenings, and she was tired.

Every time it was off somehow, as if her subconscious was polluting the memory with the reality it knew came after.

Retracting his offer; taking her ring. Being taken before her eyes.

Choking to death.

The worst: coming back for her.

That, and not being able to sleep again afterwards, left her quite annoyed.

Never mind the fact that she was now six months pregnant.

Which, apparently, was only halfway through the regular term for a Frost Giant.

Which, apparently, was the time frame in which this baby seemed to be developing-

-or so Doctor Strange has postulated earlier that day.

The man in question was another note of irritation.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like him…but the needling comments he wove into every conversation were starting to chip away at her resolve.

And on days when Christine had a shift overlapping their appointment, which had only happened once before, he seemed to hold back less than usual.

She had to convince herself after every session that she needed their help; needed them to keep her and the baby safe, considering…

Her fingers fiddled with the watch on her wrist; the anchoring point for the variety of spells cast over her.

Well, there was another point. She had no magical partner to help her through it. She needed all the help she could get from the wizards, frustrating as it may be.

Also, it was raining. She had gotten wet on the way home, and that had been the final straw.

She was tired.

So tired, bedraggled, and annoyed that she didn’t hear the sounds he made in the other room.

Didn’t hear his steps approaching the door.

All she knew was that it was overwhelming, and if she wanted to cry, she would.

So, curled up on her bed, wrapped in a blanket, listening to the almost-spring shower, she cried.

And cried

And cried.

And then felt a hand on her shoulder.

And then screamed.

Flailing, she wrenched herself away from the intruder, scrambling to move, to turn, to do something to get where she could defend herself, and oh – the empty mug from last night, which she blindly grabbed and waved over her shoulder – dear heaven why was her stomach in the way? – and then she finally blinked away enough of the tears, rolled herself over, gasping, only to look up and see-

“Loki.”

He was staring down at her, one brow arched up; his mouth set in a highly unamused line.

His gaze shifted to the mug she held in front of herself defensively; at which moment he plucked it from her grasp and thumped it down onto the side table.

Her response was to stutter; to try and formulate some sort of response.

Then finally, “What are you doing here?!” was blurted out.

She was at a total loss.

As they stared at each other, his arms crossing over his chest, her scrubbing at her eyes to clear them, shifting feet was her first response.

Then a mumbled, “stupid Tesseract,” finally broke the awkwardness.

“Oh,” was all she knew to respond.

And then, her heart leaped. Resting against his chest, having slipped out when he leaned over her, was-

“My ring,” was her whisper, with a hand instinctively stretching out-

-only for his hand to fold over it, gripping tightly, and for him to take a step back, suddenly wary, with a low, painful, “My mother’s,” and then she realized it.

There was a sea of agony in his eyes – severe enough for her to drown in. He knew.

There was nothing to fix this. There hadn’t been before, and there wouldn’t be now.

Hand dropping, she folded back in on herself, shaking her head as logic caught up with her emotions. “Sorry! I know. I just…don’t go,” was the lame, pleading finish.

Securing a tissue to blow her nose, undignified and exhausted, she refused to meet his gaze.

This was the moment he would turn tail and leave, angry with her once again.

He wasn’t hers, and yet it still hurt.

Except.

Even as she braced herself for the dramatic exit, he stayed put. Obviously uncomfortable, even as he held his posture stiffly, Loki still stayed.

She wasn’t sure what to make of it. Until-

“I saw Thor.”

Her eyes widening; jaw slack, she froze.

“W-wha-“

“I ended up in that ‘New Asgard’ place,” he muttered something unintelligible under his breath, “For whatever reason, I can’t always seem to get it to go where I want.”

A frustrated pout twisted up his face.

An instinctive giggle brightened hers.

At his following flat stare, she alternated between horror that she had laughed at this inexplicable man, fear he would leave, and the relief she felt. That was a face she knew. That was something familiar.

Still, she needed to hold it together.

“I’m sorry,” was her firmly controlled response, as she pushed herself up to lean against the headboard. “I just – it’s been a long day. You can keep going, if you want to,” was the hasty addition, as she winced.

Her fingers plucked at the blanket, eyes downcast, as she waited. Hoping. Disbelieving.

A longsuffering sigh, if one could be interpreted as such, filled the room.

“I may have found some…clarity, regarding certain things.”

A glance up, and she tilted her head, trying to emulate an inquiring expression.

“About what you said, and what I saw when…” he trailed off again, this time finding something decidedly interesting to study on her floor.

Guilt?

A small smile crept onto her face. “And?” was the quiet prompt, and a silent pleading for him to just look at her.

“He said he watched me die,” was mumbled, as he turned away, facing the window and the rain.

At least there was no storm.

___

He had told her a story once, about when he was a child.

They had been sitting in her backyard; him leaning against a tree – with a pillow, he wasn’t going to needless suffer, mind you – and her leaning against him, holding his arms that were holding her.

But when he began to tell her, words halting and unsure, she had turned in his arms, straddling his lap and letting her hands rest on his shoulders.

His grip moved to her hips, fingers unconsciously pressing harder than he ever had.

He had adored Thor. That he would never deny. They had been inseparable – comrades in arms when training; partners in crime when there was a prank to be pulled.

(Thor had been the brunt of many, even at the beginning, but it was all done in fun – no matter what the large oaf might think.)

Then, the slow divide that he became aware of; the chasm that only grew as they did.

And all he had ever wanted was to be loved. To be seen like Thor was.

And how he didn’t understand why everything he did was never good enough, no matter what he did, or how hard he tried.

His mother adored him, but she also loved Thor. Even if she had to correct his older brother more than she did him, she still loved him and cared for him, because that was what was supposed to happen; that’s how children were supposed to be cherished, and-

She had quickly reached up, taking his face in her hands, hushing him quietly.

Thumb stroking away the single tear that had fallen

Well, it didn’t matter now. It couldn’t be changed. It wasn’t really Thor’s fault, after all. He knew that.

But, she had countered, that didn’t mean it wasn’t a real hurt. A real pain. Had had been a child, and it was natural for a child to be hurt when faced with favoritism.

When he had gritted his teeth, bitterly announcing that it didn’t matter, that he had ruined everything anyway, which is why he never tried to explain it to Thor-

-well, she had pressed as closely as she could in silence, head resting on his shoulder, and just let him hold her and release whatever he needed to say.

___

They hadn’t spoken much after that, and here she was, several weeks later, and still thinking about it.

After another few off-handed comments about Thor, lacking the vehemence that had often colored his speech when forced to discuss his brother, Loki had asked about her. How she was feeling.

At least, she though he had.

When he had scoffed at her attempt to communicate how the pregnancy was going, she had to admit defeat.

Only…maybe she didn’t?

He had moved to the door, calling the Tesseract to his hand, when she had said his name with a strength before which she had been unable to find in his presence.

When he paused, the gateway open and waiting for him to fly away, her heart had danced.

“Just…if you need anything, at any time…”

A look back.

“I’m here,” she swallowed down the swell of emotion and dared to meet his eyes.

A nod.

Then he was swallowed up in the vortex.

Figures.

But – and here was her cause of ‘botheration,’ as she had been muttering to herself all day – he had at least acknowledged her. That was something, right?

At least he hadn’t run away immediately.

At least he was acting more like the man she knew he could be.

At least he had talked to Thor.

Right when her thoughts had drifted towards imagining the conversation, and the enthusiastic greeting that would no doubt have come from one half of the pair, and the less-than-thrilled, deadpan parry to such delight, she heard it.

It was a sound unlike anything she had heard before. Thunder, followed by a rushing, lightning-strike sort of sound.

And then it ended as quickly as it had started.

Only, there had been no clouds in the sky a few minutes ago when she had been sitting on the front porch reading, enjoying the early spring sun.

A knock on the back door; there was a tall, broad, blonde shape trying to peer around her curtains, who offered a cheerful wave when he managed to catch a glimpse of her approach.

At least her life was never boring.

[theatresweetheart]

Nightingale

Fandom(s): Sanders Sides, G/t

Summary: Roman is captured by a group of bandits and is used for their entertainment because of his voice. Logan hears the soft tune, the breaking voice and the shouting and he lets his curiosity of the situation get the better of him.  

Warnings: Blood, gore, mentioned non-explicit death, fear, mentions of abuse, kidnapping, swearing. (If I missed anything, please let me know!) 

Pairings: Platonic Logince, Background/mentioned Romantic Prinxiety

Word Count: 9,604 words.

A/n: I have had this story in the works for a very long time and I’m really proud of how it came out. It has been posted over on my A03 account (link here if you’re interested) and I’ve decided to post it here too!  

Enjoy!

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“Sing!”

Everything in him wanted to say “no.”

Everything in him wanted to demand he be released for what would be the hundredth time. To demand that this charade would only last for so long. That someone would come for him, to take him back home after making sure that these petty thieves got what they deserved.

He could feel the attention of the rest of the camp watching him intently. The sharp, hot, eager gazes that knew they would eventually get what they wanted from him.

It made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. It made the blood in his veins feel like ice, yet burn through him at the same time. To know that they could get what they wanted from him so easily.

At one point, he would have said “no.”

At one point, he would have demanded his freedom.

At one point, he would have defied everything they were telling him to do.

“Sing, little Nightingale, sing!”

The nickname, at any other time, would have been anything but derogatory. If it were coming from someone that he admired—a face that very vividly came to mind; a face that he yearned to see at least one more time—the nickname would have been soft and caring. Sweet. Something to be treasured and cherished.

But having it come from the mouth of a drunken man that decided he was worth kidnapping for his voice, to be used for their entertainment, it sounded as if the name was a slur.

A name that made him wince.

While everything in him was telling him to bark something back, to tell them to stuff their wants and their demands where the sun didn’t shine, Roman held his tongue.

He knew better.

He had tried to backtalk and it hadn’t ended in his favour. The reminder made him feel sick.

— — —

“This is absolutely barbaric,” he had spat at the men standing in front of him, standing over two hunched over forms. The others held them in place and kept them from fighting. One was in tears and the other sat in resigned silence. “You wouldn’t make me choose.”

“Don’t be so cocky, boy,” the man just behind him hissed into his ear, causing Roman to tense up, tilting his head away to try and put some space between them no matter how futile the attempt. “You don’t understand what we’re capable of doing.”

“Capable of being a pack of half-witted delinquents. If that’s what you’re going for, you’re doing splendidly.”

“Watch your tongue!”

The feeling of a sharp weapon suddenly digging into his lower back gave him pause. Even with the threat there, he sent a heated glare towards the one man right in front of him.

“Foolish of you to assume I listen to orders from a witless mongrel,” he barked, staying silent only proved to hurt more.

Though, when a sharp yelp of pain was derived from the young man knelt closest to him, ice was shoved into his chest. Almost immediately he had shut his mouth. A terror that was cold and biting stopped him from spitting another insult.

“Decide,” the thief spat at him, “one of them lives, the other dies. It’s a simple choice.”

Deciding over who got to live and who had to die was not a simple choice by any means.

While his bonds cut further into his wrists, he could feel the tip of the blade digging slightly into his back; a looming threat that if he didn’t say anything, there would be a world of hurt coming.

There was howling laughter from the others, as if this was some cruel sport that they were making him play for their entertainment.

Roman hated it.

He hated everything about this.

“Come on now, Songbird, decide.”

He had already made his choice. Deep down in him, he knew he had already made his choice.

The tired chocolate brown eyes of a close friend looked to him from his knelt position, even as blood trickled from his nose. A silent look was hidden behind those emotions; exhaustion, resilience, yet there was also something that said he was ready to give up his own life for the life of an innocent.

‘It’s okay,’ Virgil had mouthed to him before nodding slightly to the sobbing stranger beside him, ‘it’s okay if you don’t choose me.’

Nothing about this was okay.

It was almost too sickeningly easy.

Roman didn’t know the stranger, while he had spent far too many nights with Virgil to be able to let it go. To be able to let them do something far too gruesome to him just for the sport of it.

He had gotten the other into this mess and he was going to do his damned best to get him out of it, too.

“Have you made your decision?” The man closest to him spat, causing Roman recoil from the proximity.

He could only muster a single nod.

“Good,” the man crooned, removing the tip of his weapon from his back, before moving stand just over Virgil, the same weapon held under his throat threateningly. His friend didn’t move, but an almost unnoticeable wince showed just how terrified he was. “This one?”

When Roman met Virgil’s eyes again he saw the flash of terror, the panic that was rising in his chest. Then there was a look of resignation, as if he had accepted it.

He felt like he was going to throw up.

Roman shook his head, unable to speak.

He couldn’t bear the look of surprise on Virgil’s features, even the realization that flickered.

The blade was removed from his throat and was instead moved to the other’s. Their sobs got louder in response to feeling the cold metal. “This one?”

There was a single nod offered and instantly he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to tune it out.

The sound of something soft being sliced through would haunt him. The silence that followed the resounding thud was the only thing he could hear ringing in his ears. His entire body was tense with fear, anger, every emotion that he couldn’t express with his hands bound. There was so much he wanted to do to them. So much that he wished would happen to them.

After a second, he reopened his eyes and he met that of his companion’s. They were wide, terrified. There was blood staining Virgil’s clothes, but it wasn’t his own and Roman felt a heave rise in his throat.

“Let him go,” he spoke up, a weak plead, “please. You have no use for him.”

“I’m sure we could find another use for him,” one said, getting a bit too close to Virgil for Roman’s comfort, using the tip of a knife to tilt the other’s chin up.

It took only a moment before the latter spat in his face. “Don’t touch me.”

The thief flinched back instantly, leaving a small nick on the underside of Virgil’s chin, but he said nothing about it.

“If anything, he needs to learn his place.”

That was a shock. A stab of instant worry was the only thing Roman could feel at that moment.

“Let him go and I won’t say another word!”

The words were out before Roman even knew he had said them. The startled gazes of their captors turned to face him, their leader looked down his nose at him. Seemingly considering the offer.

Virgil’s eyes were wide, surprised at the fact that Roman would give up his freewill just to get him to safety.

“Really?” The leader stated.

Roman’s pleads got more desperate. “I’ll do whatever you want, just- please, let him go.”

“A deal like that is hard to refuse,” he said instead. The man turned on his heel and grabbed the knife from the other’s hands, using the same weapon to threaten Virgil’s life again. “If we let this one go, you’ll do anything we say?”

“Roman don’t—” Virgil was cut off when the knife dug deeper into him and he winced.

“Anything,” Roman agreed. “I’m begging you. Let him go and let him live.”

After a moment of silence, the knife was removed from his partner’s throat and his bonds were sliced. Two men from either side of Virgil grasped him by the shoulders and dragged him to his feet.

While the helpless look never left Roman’s face, the anxious one that fluttered over his own would forever be ingrained into his memory.

While Virgil’s angry shouts and swears faded from the night, swallowed up by the forest that surrounded them, the painful pounding of Roman’s heart never ceased.

“Now,” the leader grinned sharp as a dagger, sheathing the knife in it’s rightful spot before turning on his heel and looking their capture up and down. “Stay true to your deal boy, or there will be hell to pay.”

— — —

The tune started slow, a low resounding noise in his chest. A hum that reverberated through him, a song that he had had memorized ever since he was a little boy.

It was a song that he had taught to his beloved, even though his beloved felt as if he wasn’t worthy.

The song itself gave him comfort almost.

A sound that he could lose himself in, find a place to hide away and stay there for all of a few minutes. For however long he decided he would draw the music out. Sometimes it was slow, sometimes it was fast.

Sometimes his emotions would get to him and his voice would break.

He wasn’t proud of it. He wasn’t proud of any of his work.

Roman used to be able to take pride in his music, in himself. Ever since his capture, everything had changed. Without a choice in how he was able to share his talent, a gift as he had once been told, there was no heart in it anymore.

He had once been able to attract a crowd of willing listeners, grins of children that would push him onward, before bringing them into the song as well, allowing for them to experience and try and play around. To have fun when doing something so meaningful. To discover and laugh.

The sounds of the thieves relaxing to the song was all he could focus on, even as he shut his eyes. He ignored the chafing of his wrists. He ignored the cuts that lined his arms and sides, the stinging that never ceased. He ignored the aching pain in his chest. The longing he felt.

Instead, he focused on an evocative picture of sparkling brown eyes, a smile that would astound him every time it was flashed his way, brown bangs that would hang in front of such lively eyes.

As his voice grew in strength, he could hear his partner’s voice joining him in his head, bringing him back to a simpler time.

The sounds of hands drumming along in a timed rhythm with the song and suddenly he was no longer stuck behind bars with a travelling group of outlaws but was back home in the town square during one of the Midsummer festivals, a hand in his own as they danced. Bangles of gold and silver, hues of royal reds, purples and blues flashed through his memory. Laughter and warmth. Noises of the bangles jingling together and the excited chatter of the children in the village.

The faint sound of feet pounding against the ground in an exhilarated dance, hands clapping in time with the beat, bringing the colourful town to life. The sounds of instruments being strummed and pounded.

The rising moon in the back of his mind as he held onto his partner, moving in sync as they held onto each other. Twisting and twirling in practiced motions, memorized patterns.

The melodic laughter from his sweetheart was one of the few things that kept Roman going. On the vague hope that he would see him at least one more time.

As he spun the imaginary form into his arms, it was as if he could almost feel the actual warmth of someone in real time. The colours of his clothing twirled as the form did. The feeling of their hands intertwined, with one resting on his shoulder to keep his darling upright.

The scent of rose and lavender filled his senses, the smell of which his partner nearly always smelt of. Working with herbs gave him an earthy scent, something that could calm Roman within minutes. Holding his significant other in his arms only made it easier.

It was almost as if he could feel the cool touch of grass beneath his toes.

It was easy for Roman to lose himself in the song when he focused on surroundings that were no longer his every day reality. To sing and sit behind bars would not derive the feeling he needed to present.

He had tried performing halfheartedly. He had tried to keep his voice low and unheard. It had only resulted in pain and suffering. The young man had instead resorted to trying to picture that he was anywhere else than where he actually was.

As the song faded, so did the vivid image of the countryside and the festival’s coloured lights. The feeling of Virgil’s hand in his own seemed non-existent and the warmth disappeared as soon as his passion did.

When he had finally finished, he reopened his eyes, welcomed back with the unnerving sight of the others watching him intently.

He dropped his gaze to his hand, letting the thumb of his opposite run over the palm, as if trying to bring back the feeling of warmth and safety he had felt.

“Another,” someone demanded of him, someone far too close to the outside of his bars for comfort and he winced away from them. His wrists burning from the rope digging into them.

This was just torture. They were torturing him without really touching him.

He knew that if he didn’t do what they said, he would be putting his partner in danger again and that was the last thing he was ready to do. He’d stay in the firing line if that meant Virgil got out of this. If he got the chance to live his life like it was supposed to be lived.

“Come now, little Songbird. With a voice like that, there must always be an encore!”

Like there’s a choice, he sneered inwardly.

Just as Roman was about to snark something back at him, the flash of wide, terrified eyes and the sound of a body slumping to the ground resounded in his head and he shut his mouth.

It was a promise that he couldn’t risk breaking.

Instead, he began to tap against the bottom of the cage. The wood gave the sound he wanted, but not the atmosphere he dreamed of. Tapping in a rhythm that would be easy even for these imbeciles to follow.

It took a minute, but they were soon following his lead and the pounding was being repeated into the night air, creating a beautifully, haunting, echoing sound against the woods.

Another tune started again, but it wasn’t nearly as low in his chest as the first had been. The words, though he knew them by heart, started almost a count too late for his taste. A part of him took pleasure being able to sing in another language, as Gaelic was far from something this band of misfits knew.

Perhaps it was better that way, when they didn’t understand the lyrics.

While Gaelic was not his mother tongue, after countless nights practicing and learning from the others, he was able to repeat the song back to them without a hitch.

It was a tradition for at least one of the songs at their Midsummer’s festivals to be in the foreign tongue as it was said to honour the original settlers of the town itself.

Roman allowed himself to close his eyes again, drifting off to a place where he could find comfort. Though, the more he allowed himself to drift into the memories, the more unsteady the song became.

— — —

There it was again, that soft hymn of something on the wind.

It was something that Logan had come to recognize. Something that he had almost started to expect to hear every night at this point.

A voice, quiet as it was, carried on the peace of the night. While a sound that never ceased would usually cause discomfort or frustration, this sound was softer. It allowed him to relax in his study late into the night when his work kept him up.

It hadn’t always been there, he knew. From the very time he had settled in this area, there had only been the sounds of the birds or the babbling brook a couple of paces away from his doorstep.

The new addition of such a small sound only proved that there must have been some sort of travelling band in the area. They had been there for a few nights by this time, even as he sat by the window, a wicker candle sat on the windowsill with a flame that flickered back and forth and a book that sat open in his lap.

There was always the sounds of voices following after the song had ended and while it did make him feel uneasy, the songs themselves were melodic, whomever was singing them had a talent for the art of performance.

As intoxicating as the music would be, Logan had also begun to notice fluctuations in the notes. The voice cracking or breaking, turning into nothing but a noiseless whisper against the woodlands. Shouts would follow the fail and then there would be a tune again, but far less confident.

Some nights the songs would clear as the night sky, some nights the voice would break between notes. Almost as if the songs sometimes became a desperate latch on to a reality that was no longer theirs. Of course, searching too far into something like this could prove fruitless as it may never be understood why the voice would crack.

A part of him knew that impeding in someone else’s business could only end in more trouble, but the sound of those shaky notes said something that perhaps real words may not be able to express accurately.

While a part of him believed that something horrible could be happening, another part of him said that perhaps he was just imagining the bad scenario. There were cheers and claps that would follow the performance, begging for another song to follow. The night would stay quiet for a little while, before another song would begin.

Though, he did notice that no one would thank them for the praise, which did say something about the situation.

Logan briefly wondered how long the traveling band planned to stay in the area. While it was a bit inconvenient having a group of humans constantly chattering, he supposed if that was all they did, there was no harm in having them around.

It did make the woods feel a tad less lonely.

While Logan did enjoy his solitude—the tranquility of the forest gave him peace of mind—there was always a somewhat lonesome aspect to living away from his own civilization. He was more likely to happen along human camps than he was to find someone like him wandering this close to the border. This wasn’t to say that he didn’t have the occasional visitor.

While he did find it a touch odd that there were humans this close to the border itself, it wasn’t truly any of his business. Even if the strained notes caused a slight discomfort in his chest that he didn’t necessarily appreciate.

Pushing his glasses back up so they sat more comfortably on his nose, he turned his attention back down to his book.

What did catch him off guard was the sudden breaking of the voice and the silence that followed. However, the quiet didn’t last and was instead filled with noise from that camp. Though, the voices didn’t sound all that pleasant.

While Logan couldn’t make out any distinctive words, it was rather obvious that said voices were unhappy that the song had ended early.

While it was a bit disappointing, he could admit, Logan felt as if there was no true reason to be upset over such a thing.

As much as he didn’t want to involve himself in some unnecessary confrontation, there was something telling him that leaving this situation unattended could end in someone getting hurt. The idea didn’t sit well with him in the least, so, with a resigned sigh, he placed a bookmark into the centre of it before shutting his book and setting it to the side.

Grabbing his coat from just beside the door, he stepped out into the cool autumn night. Winter was on the rise slowly, just as the moon was reaching its highest peak.

The crisp air was refreshing.

Logan tucked his jacket a bit closer to himself, shielding out the cold air. It was about time he got out anyways. He’d kept himself cooped up in his house nearly all day reading, getting work done. It was good to get out for a little bit, even if it was to soothe his curiosity.

Turning his attention towards the source of the noise, he carefully followed along a path that he had made for himself a couple of weeks back.

While creeping up on the camp wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, keeping as low a profile as possible may be the better option if they had weapons. Not that it would do much damage, but a right shot in just the right place could prove painful.

“… finish the tune, Songbird, come now,” a voice demanded, sharp as a knife. Harsh and cold. “Don’t leave us in silence.”

“… I-I can’t—” A softer voice replied, it was shakier, more timid than the other, as if it was worried about something. Possibly his safety.  “I-it’s- I …”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion, did I, boy?” The first voice replied, a rhetorical question, then there was the sound of metal on metal and it rang against the forest, a yelp of surprise followed after it. “I ordered you to finish the song. For talkin’ back, I s’pose it wouldn’t hurt to have you start it over.”

Logan furrowed his brows, lowering himself into more of a crouch when the camp finally came into view and he was peering just over the edge of the trees. While his presence was largely unknown, as he had taken measured care to manage his footsteps, it allowed him the perfect place to sit back and observe the situation in front of him before intervening. Perhaps he wouldn’t need to at all and he had the situation entirely wrong.

Though, when he took in the scene in front of him, Logan was disturbed to find that there was a young man sitting bound in what seemed to be a cage. It was odd, as he seemed to be just as human as the others that surrounded him.

Searching over, he found that each of the members currently surrounding him had red arm bands on the right biceps; an easy mark to show others that they were apart of a certain band.

The young male sitting trapped didn’t, which told Logan that he was a captive. As if the cage didn’t do that for him.

“It wasn’t a request, Songbird,” the first voice said again and Logan was quick to identify him as the leader of this operation. “It was a demand. You wouldn’t appose us, would you? You haven’t forgotten what happened the last time you spoke up without permission?”

The young man shifted uncomfortably, turning his head away. “… no.”

“Ah,” the leader crooned, leaning a bit further forwards, looking as if he were about to reach through the spaces between the bars. When his hand was inches away from the boy, he shifted away, pressing his back against the bars furthest from the man. Unhappy, but not lashing out, he said, “then sing.”

A moment of tense hesitance, Logan was just about to break his cover when the sound of a rhythmic tapping caught his attention instead. His gaze was drawn right back down to the kid in the cage—maybe not a kid, per say, but a young man—dressed in a dirty white tunic and torn brown pants. A royal red silk belt was tied around his waist halfheartedly. He began to tap out a rhythm against the bottom of his confinement.

It took all of a few seconds before the rest of the camp began to join in on it and he was followed.

A moment later a soft tune arose from the enclosure and Logan was welcomed with that same melodic voice from earlier. Seemed that the nightingale was not a nightingale at all, it was a human boy that seemed to be used for his talents against his will.

The Gaelic that soon followed was something Logan recognized vaguely. There were a few words he picked up on such as “lost love” and “forgotten times,” it was obvious it was heartfelt lament that no one in the camp seemed to understand.

They obviously mistook the upbeat tune for something other than what it was.

While Logan was not fluent in the language, he knew enough to tell that this song was not for the thieves that kept him captive, but for the captive himself, possibly as a comfort.

Then, there was the shaky tone again. The notes were being missed and the voice was straining. He was trying to do his best without giving away how emotional he really was.

The leader seemed to take badly to this revelation and he used the hilt of his weapon to knock against the bars of the cage again, making the song halt immediately in response. “When I said restart the song, I didn’t mean for you to restart with your bellyaching.”

“I-I know, but I—” The boy was cut off and he flinched back as the cage was knocked on again.

“Stop with your words, and start with the music again, boy.”

When the others began to chime in on how they felt the lad wasn’t trying, he could see the fear building on the kid’s features. It wasn’t hard to miss such terror.

Everything in Roman wanted him to snark back.

He was fighting against every one of his instincts by staying silent, but breaking his promise would only lead to more harm than good. Though, when being faced by a group of belittling thieves, there wasn’t much he could do to stop the fear that flickered or to stop the panic that was growing in his chest.

“I do believe the lad has every right to feel emotional,” Logan spoke up, finally revealing himself and causing the camp to silence almost instantly. “I would say that being stuck behind bars and then forced to sing for your pleasure, which is clearly against his will, would be a tad upsetting.”

As soon as a voice as deep as the night itself rumbled around them, Roman’s attention had shifted instantly from the leader to the newcomer.

He was startled to find a form that towered over the trees that surrounded the group, which only meant trouble for himself. There was nothing any of the men in the camp could do and he certainly couldn’t fight back if the giant deemed that he was worth taking.

From what he could see through the darkness, there were sharp, cold, analytical brown eyes watching each and everyone of them in the camp. The glasses that he wore just magnetized it. He could feel his heartbeat and he could hear the adrenaline rushing through his veins.

The first man took a step forwards, but his sword was drawn and raised. Almost as if a weapon like that would do any damage at all. “A-and what say you about this?”

While Logan was impressed by the fact that he was being stood up to, instead of having panic reign throughout the camp, it was very obvious that this human didn’t want to lose his “prize” because they had rightfully kidnapped the boy in the first place. Who was Logan to take that trophy away from them?

He watched quietly as they seemed to surround the confinement of their hostage, whom of which looked mortified in his own way. Each of them had their weapons drawn, looking as if they were ready to put up a futile fight.

It was almost comical, in a pathetic way.

There really wasn’t much they could do to keep him at bay. Though, the way that the determination seemed to settle within the group said that he may need to go into more drastic measures.

So be it.

“Ah, I see what’s going on here,” Logan mused, planting a hand in the centre of the camp, partially for intimidation purposes and partially because he needed to balance himself. The others seemed to push away from the limb, and the unsteadiness of the group grew. “You think I’ve come for your little Nightingale.”

Hearing the term from a completely new source made Roman’s stomach sink. Whomever this person was, only thought of him the same way the other’s did.

“What else would you be here for!” The man shouted up, his hand tightening on the weapon he wielded. “We’ve done nothing to you!”

“That is true, but it would be impossible not to hear the sounds of someone’s voice carry,” he scanned over the group, looking unimpressed, almost bored. “You have found yourself a prize worth being proud of.” He ignored the way the quiet noise of protest from the hostage dug into his chest deeper than he thought it would. “It would be shameful of me if I were to take such a lovely voice away from you.”

The man stiffened at that, shoulders growing tense. “We shall fight you for the boy!”

“And you shall lose,” Logan shrugged his shoulders idly, “I fail to understand how you’ve not noticed the power I hold over each and every one of you. You may outnumber me, but you do not intimidate me. I advise you, do not be so foolish as to risk the safety of your men over something so trivial.”

While stooping to childish measures, such as knocking stuff over to cause a distraction, was not what he wanted to do, Logan wasn’t necessarily above it at this point. If he needed to get the kid out of there, then he would do what was needed.

This entire situation was just unnerving.

How humans could capture and keep one of their own as if they were nothing more than a treasure to either be hidden away or put out on display. He didn’t understand it and he might never understand the workings of their minds. Not that it was exactly the top priority, but it was endlessly fascinating, he would admit.

Now it was just getting tedious.

Humans were not a threat to him. He had slightly hoped that they would have gotten the hint and given up, but alas, the stubbornness of such people seemed to rage stronger than their short tempers.

“Well, you can make this easy on yourselves or you can be morons and make it difficult. Which option would you prefer?”

“We don’t take demands from the likes of you!” Another shouted and Logan’s cold gaze was drawn to the one that had said it.

“The likes of me?” He repeated, a brow quirked in question.

The same man seemed to be less confident when Logan was looking directly at him, holding his stare without once wavering.

“Do you wish to repeat that?”

When he was answered with nothing more than silence, Logan was satisfied that he had done nearly all he needed to. A lot of the intimidating just came from the fact that he was able to keep a cold exterior. It did make it easier that he really didn’t care much for this particular band of humans, save for the one that was currently there against his will.

Speaking of which, he leaned forwards a bit more, slightly unintentionally—but getting the exact reactions he wanted—blocking out the moonlight and casting the group in shadow. The kid in the cage seemed to shrink away from him as best as he could, eyes wide and terrified and, well, Logan couldn’t fault him for that.

“If you give up your little Songbird willingly,” the name sounded weird and unfamiliar, especially so since he wasn’t talking about a bird at all, “I may take pity on your pathetic attempt.”

“I will never give up! I said we shall fight you for it!” The first man declared again, stabbing the weapon in Logan’s direction and said male rolled his eyes.

“How many times must I repeat myself before you brutes understand?” He quipped.

Roman had almost seen it coming from a mile away and he ducked a bit lower down. While he was grateful to be getting away from the very people that had caused him so much suffering, he felt as if being taken away with the giant wasn’t exactly a better option.

Not if he felt as though Roman was a prize.

Logan leaned a bit further forwards, reaching over each and every one of the thieves and lifted the cage from the ground with ease.

Even though Roman had tried to prepare himself, he wasn’t able to stop the yelp of surprise that escaped him. His stomach dropped as the cage was lifted so effortlessly off of the ground. Every other time his cage had had to be moved, there had been four or more men on it at all times to make sure it didn’t tip or break open if dropped.

Logan drew the confinement back over towards himself and settled it down right in front of his crouched position. “If you attempt to best me, you should understand the fight will all be for naught.”

“I have never—”

“Never what? Been bested by someone bigger than you? Seems that way,” he mused, “with an attitude like yours, I would understand if you’ve never been told the word ‘no.’ I would also recommend that you pack your things and leave this area by morning.”

“And why should we comply?”

“Perhaps it would make you feel safer to know that your camp is practically on my doorstep.”

The hush of uneasiness that fell over the group said more than words ever could. Of course that knowledge wouldn’t make them feel better, he knew that very well.

Even though the leader still seemed to be seething in his anger, there was nothing he could truly do to stop what was happening. They all knew that weapons would only get them so far and if those were to be taken, there would be no chance at all.

In a huff, the leader raised his hand and snapped his fingers, though his stony gaze never left Logan’s. He would admit, the bravery was mildly impressive, more barely amusing.

“As pleasant as this has been, the night does grow late.” Logan tipped his head in a nod, showing some sort of acknowledgement, it was only respectful, before picking up the cage with a gentleness that belayed the rough words. “If I return tomorrow, there better be no sign that you were even here. Best of luck.”

With that, he pushed himself back into a stand and brought the cage a bit closer to himself, almost as if he were trying to steady the boy inside of it. His weight was hardly noticeable, but as he fell back into a comfortable walking pace, he could feel the slight swaying from inside a bit more prominently.

While it was getting late, he had more important things to deal with now and getting sleep was on that list, just not yet.

The trek back to his home almost seemed longer now that he had an unwilling passenger.

He entered his house moments later and shut the door, he slid his jacket off of his shoulders as an afterthought after transferring the confinement to one hand.

He was privy to the little noises coming from the human inside of the metal trap and it wasn’t that the terrified little sounds surprised Logan at all. Truly, any human with common sense would be frightened of something that could do whatever they pleased.

While that was not the case here, Logan hadn’t exactly explained himself or his actions to the captive.

The cage was settled down onto the counter of his kitchen not long after. The form inside of it cowered away from him, tucked into himself against the furthest bars possible.

“While telling you there is no reason to be afraid is illogical at this point, I would like to assure you that I don’t have the same plans for you as those thieves did,” Logan broke the tense silence.

Roman flinched back at the rough voice, before finding the words somewhat confusing. So, he wasn’t just some stolen prize? “I-I beg your pardon?”

While the giant seemed to be busy rummaging for something, it was obvious he had been heard. “As soon as I get that lock off of your confinement, you will be free to go. I certainly do not plan to keep you here against your will.”

When he came up with nothing, Logan shut one drawer before moving to the next one. After a second of rustling around, he was able to find the smallest knife he could. While it would terrify the captive anyhow, it was the least he could do.

He reached over and pulled the cage a bit closer to himself, the lock was impossibly small. It wouldn’t hinder him much, but it would make it a tad more difficult.

Getting the tip of the knife under the bridge of the lock took some maneuvering, especially to get it into the right position. It had slipped a couple times and the human and flinched with a gasp. Though, after he successfully managed to do it, it took one simple slight motion of the wrist and the lock was no more.

The door to the cage swung open after he pulled away and settled the knife a few paces away from the cage.

“I would recommend using the knife to cut yourself free,” Logan instructed, turning his back for a moment to shut the drawer he had left open.

There was no sound of movement for a minute, which was understandable, yet the constant fear was a bit frustrating. He had explained to the human he was safe, but yet he still showed the same terror—if not more—to him than he did with his human captors.

Roman hesitated, watching as the giant turned his back to him, seemingly distracted with another task.

But he did feel an onrush of emotions flood forwards at seeing the cage door open. The lock laying in pieces to the right of it. Seeing the knife come so close to him had been admittedly terrifying, but the promise had held up.

So, he eventually pushed himself into a shaky stand, using the bars behind him to pull himself up and keep him steady enough.

Freedom was right there and yet, in a way, he was still trapped.

Ignoring those thoughts, Roman moved to the edge of the cage before ducking through the low overhang and dropping the foot down onto the counter. The sight of the large kitchen was almost enough to stagger him completely. The fact that everything in here was not scaled to his size was incredible.

Incredibly horrifying, his mind supplied to him helpfully, if the giant changes his mind, you’re screwed.

He shook his head, as if shaking the awful truth away for the moment. While the knife itself was more than twice his size in length, Roman moved towards it, the only thing that would actually cut the ropes for good. He had tried biting them, countless times had he tried tearing through the ropes with his teeth only to be given a sore mouth and loss of hope.

Grabbing the flat of the blade as best as he could, he tried to pull it upright enough to actually get at the sharp edge. When that failed and it slipped from his hands, he jolted back.

The small curse split the air and Logan resisted the urge to turn to see what had happened. Had he cut himself? Injured himself further than what he already was? A brief glance over his shoulder proved that the human was struggling to keep the knife in a position that he could use to actually cut his bonds free.

As helpless as ever, he noted.

Turning back to face the kid, he reached over to grab the hilt of the knife, watching briefly as the human scooted a bit further away from him, even as he tilted it upright and held it loosely.

“This should make your task a bit easier,” Logan assured him when the confused brown eyes tilted up towards his own. “I only assumed that a little assistance would be necessary.”

“… thank you,” came the soft reply.

When the blade was tilted up for him like this, Roman could certainly get at the sharper edge easier. Though, the nervousness stuck in his stomach. The fact that anything could happen at this point was terrifying. So, he tried to shove the fear back and masked it with an air of, what he thought was, confidence.

He pulled himself forwards on his knees before placing the rope on the sharp of the blade and beginning to saw through it, aiming to carefully cut between his wrists and to try his best to keep from nicking himself in the meantime.

Though, his eyes did flutter up for a brief second and when he focused on the fingers thicker than he was, holding the knife up like it was nothing, an icy stab of fear fell into his gut. He was reminded at just how helpless he was.

So, he instead focused on doubling his efforts and getting the ropes cut quicker. The heaviness of the giant’s eyes on his back never lessened.

As soon as his wrists were free, another onslaught of emotions hit him from nowhere and Roman pushed himself away from the knife, his hands rubbing at the redness that circled his wrists. It had been so long since he had had full range of his wrists and the water that blurred his vision was almost a surprise to himself.

A shaky breath was taken in, even as he trembled with his reality. If the giant really meant what he said—how he would get to go home—then there was nothing to be afraid of. He could return to his life back in the village. He could embrace his darling again.

He actually stood a chance now.

This release must have been emotional and because of this, Logan didn’t really know what to do. So, he instead took the knife away and tucked it back into its proper place. Which then, if the little human was reacting like this, how long had he been an unwilling hostage?

“Judging by your stature, I would assume that they didn’t feed you very well, did they?”

At the suddenness of the voice, Roman’s gaze was drawn upwards, even as he rubbed the water from his eyes. “Ah, no, not really,” he admitted.

In all honesty, there were days that he went without eating. It wasn’t healthy, but it had been his only choice.

Logan made a low humming noise, letting his eyes flicker over the smaller form. “Perhaps you would want something to eat and drink before you head out on your way?”

While the question sounded more like a statement, almost as if he would be turned down if he said “no,” Roman could admit that having something to eat before finding his way home would be ideal. “If it isn’t any trouble,” he adjusted his torn shirt, uncomfortable under the inquisitive gaze.

“I offered,” he stated with a shrug, adjusting his glasses before turning to focus on the next task.

Roman’s attention instead flickered back down to his wrist, the blood that had dried around the open cuts where the ropes at dug into him.

What he didn’t understand, out of this entire situation, was why he had been helped in the first place. It didn’t really make any sense to him. It would have been easy enough to have left him there, to pretend that he hadn’t seen a thing and moved on as if nothing had happened. Or to even just ignore the travelling band altogether. Or even, taken him and kept him in the cage, kept him bound and stuck at the mercy of another stranger. It wasn’t as if he really expected to be let go.

“I don’t understand,” his voice came out soft at first, conflicted and confused as his thumb ran over the tender skin on the inside of his wrist. He then turned his attention back to the other male. “I don’t understand why you helped me. Wouldn’t it have, I don’t know, been easier for you to have ignored it?”

Logan’s shoulders straightened after a moment, setting the cup he had filled with water off to the side, before looking briefly over his shoulder. Roman was peering at him, confused yet searching for the answer.

Why did humans have to be so frustratingly touchy?

“While, yes, it would have been far more logical to not have intervened in your situation, unfortunately emotions are not solely a human feature.” While digging around for something that Roman would actually be able to drink out of, he spoke up again. “Morals are also something that are not only a human feature and my curiosity had put me into a precarious position. Seemed I was blissfully ignorant to the true nature of humanity.”

It took a bit of work, but he was able to find something that would work a bit better for a drinking tool, before flickering over his pantry. Bread would most likely be the easiest option on someone’s digestive system if they hadn’t eaten in days. Something heavy may make them throw up.

Logan dipped the small container into the water carefully, before nudging it over towards the human without spilling any of the liquid. “I did not expect to be harboring a human tonight, so do excuse my lack of resources,” he then leaned against the opposing counter for a moment, eyes staying locked on the smaller form. “So, yes, I suppose it would have been easier if I had ignored the position you had found yourself in, but it would not have been fair. Certainly less so since I was able to do something about it.”

Roman seemed hesitant to reach for the water at first, but his thirst was greater a need than his pride was at the moment. After taking a greedy drink of the cool refreshment, he sat back a bit more comfortably. “So, you’re really not going to … keep me?”

“Of course not,” Logan waved the worry away, “what good would that serve me?”

The human only shrugged his shoulders. “I dunno, it didn’t really serve the others any good … it was more for their entertainment, I guess.”

“Well, you have no need to fret about me doing the same thing,” he responded, pushing off of the counter and moving towards his pantry. “Unlike what others may tell you, I do have morals and they are, unfortunately, very loud.” Logan paused in the doorway of the pantry, looking over his shoulders. “You don’t have any allergies, do you?”

Logan would feel rather bad if he gave the boy something he couldn’t have and ended up doing more harm than good.

After Roman set the drink back down, he shook his head in answer.

He was honestly slightly surprised that he had been asked about that in the first place.

With a satisfied nod, Logan disappeared into the pantry to search through what would be suitable for the human. While he knew humans could eat everything they could, it was still difficult to find something that would be able to crumble into good portions without making too much of a mess.

While Logan seemed to be preoccupied, Roman let his eyes wander the rest of the kitchen. The house was astoundingly big and he was slightly shaken by the fact that when the caravan had picked their place of settlement for the couple weeks they planned to be there, that they hadn’t seen the mountainous cottage that had been nearly a mile or two away from the spot.

While it did make him uneasy, he was in no place to really voice that opinion. Not when he was being shown such hospitality instead of being stuck into another cage and used for his voice.

That experience was certainly going to be something that was going to follow him into his dreams for nights to come. At least this time, he wouldn’t have to face his night-terrors alone anymore. As soon as he got home, everything would be back to the way it was.

At least, that was the hope.

It was the only hope that Roman could hold onto.

From what he could see of the home, it was nice. Orderly, everything had a place and everything stayed in that place. There were a few pictures on the walls, as well as some paintings. Pictures of ravines and mountains. He leaned a bit further to the side to peer into another room through the doorway, what seemed to be a living room and a study.

His attention shifted once more when Logan reappeared through the pantry’s doorway with the biggest loaf of bread Roman had ever seen in his life. Admittedly, he didn’t spend much time around giants, but he had met the odd few that would pass near the town he lived in.

The two races usually stayed away from each other, or as separated as possible. He had heard of cities that had integrated both into one society, but he failed to really understand how well that worked. While it would be an adventure every day to live in such a place, Roman was happy to live in a countryside human village with Virgil. It was peaceful, quiet and the town was almost always alive with music in the evenings.

It was a bit unsettling, seeing a bigger knife making an appearance. Even focusing on how large Logan’s hands were compared to himself, or how easily he used the utensil.

So, he instead turned his attention away from that, sticking his thumb into his mouth before focusing on scrubbing the blood off of his wrists. He didn’t know when it had happened or how long it had been there, but he now had the chance to clean himself up to the best of his ability.

It stung, but that meant nothing to him. Not from everything else he had suffered through.

It took nearly a minute before there was a piece of bread being slid over to him.

“I do apologize, I’m sure it has become quite apparent that I don’t usually cater for people of your stature,” Logan said, leaning back against the counter once more.

Roman shook his head. “No, no, this is all— thank you.”

“It is the least I can do to assist you,” though there was something that was bothering him. However, he held off until Roman had at least had taken a few bites to settle his hunger. A moment of quiet passed before he found himself speaking again. “Though, I am curious. How long has that travelling band had you?”

It seemed he had asked the wrong question, as the human seemed to flinch slightly at that.

Roman dropped his eyes, just focusing on the bread that had been cut for him, even if it still had been a bit more cumbersome that what he was used to. “Four months, give or take.”

That nearly made Logan choke. Four months and no one had thought to step in to help before now? The thought was upsetting. The only one who had managed to actually make a difference was himself and that was because he wasn’t necessarily human.

Watching the downtrodden look sneak across the human’s features—he really needed to ask his name—it was obvious that this was not the topic to be chatting so lightly about, so he decided to change the subject. “The song you had begun in Gaelic, that was a lament about a lover, was it not?”

A more surprised look flickered over his face and the surprised brown eyes turned up to meet his own. “Yeah, it was. You’re the first person to figure that out. Do you speak Gaelic?”

“Rather brokenly, if you must know,” Logan admitted, “but I was able to pick up on a few words. I am left to assume then, that you have a significant other waiting for you?”

Roman nodded his head, a gentle grin crossed his features, as if he was lost in a memory. “Yeah,” he agreed again, “at least. I’m hoping so. I haven’t seen him in months. I can only hope he’s doing alright.”

Him, Logan filed that information away.

Roman knew that Virgil was fully capable of taking care of himself, but he didn’t want Virgil to worry himself sick over his absence—even if it was bound to happen anyways. Though, he ached to hold him again.

Hoping that all was well, was fair. Logan’s eyes flickered outside after a moment. It was possibly much later into the night than what would be healthy. He had stayed up far later than what was considered healthy, but sometimes it just needed to be that way if he were to finish some work.

Then again, it may not be perfectly safe letting the little human leave at this time of night.

Not if those thieves were scouring the forest in search of him, or if they were smart, packing and leaving. Not to mention the amount of nocturnal animals that would wander the forest looking for easy prey. The boy was weaponless, hell, he had been stripped of his shoes as it seemed, if he needed to defend himself, he’d need to be crafty with weapons.

“I’m sure you have got nothing to fret about,” Logan said instead. Emotions were far from something he understood, but a fondness that ran that deep meant something to the human.

They fell into silence again and Roman finished off the piece of bread he had been given, which had been more than filling and finished off the water he had been offered as well. Which meant that leaving was his next priority.

“I, um, I want to thank you for all of this, really,” Roman pushed himself into a stand, letting his eyes wander the counter top before turning his attention to Logan. “Without you, well, I’d still be a hostage. But I think that it’d be best if get on my way home.”

“Perhaps it would be best if you stayed.” Logan was quick to realize almost instantly after he saw the fear flicker on the human’s features that he had phrased that horribly wrong. “I meant the night, I didn’t—,” he cleared his throat a bit awkwardly, “that came out wrong. I was just speculating that if you stayed the night you would have a better chance of getting home in the daylight than you would in the pitch dark of the forest. Not to mention, you must be absolutely exhausted.”

After the explanation, Roman’s tense shoulders released and he relaxed slightly.

God, hadn’t that been quite the scare?

As bad as he wanted to get home, he knew that trying to while so emotionally and physically spent would only hurt more in the end. “I suppose one more night away from home wouldn’t hurt too much,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “if you’ll have me.”

Logan quirked a brow as if to say, once again, ‘I offered.’ The smirk on his face said more than words needed to. So, he pushed off of the counter again, only to pause for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night. “I am afraid I never got your name.”

It almost hadn’t occurred to Roman that they hadn’t swapped names, but there hadn’t really been the grounds for it. “Oh. It’s Roman.”

“While the circumstances could certainly have been better, it is a pleasure, Roman,” Logan acknowledged, as if it was more of an afterthought than a topic to dwell on. “Logan.”

While the moment was admittedly soft, it was almost getting stifling.

He then left the room altogether, leaving the human standing on the counter.

After a moment, Roman took a seat on the counter again, focusing down on his wrists, but with a smaller grin. A warmth bloomed in his chest as he let his eyes flutter closed, almost as if he could feel the heat of Virgil’s hands in his own.

After all of these months away, Roman was going home.