#and if anyone would put their claim against hers she wouldn't back down. family or not.

[magicalqueennightmare]

Little Witch (Pt 4/5)

Klaus Mikaelson x Reader

When you find your mother you nearly rip yourself apart to end her

You knew the moment the barrier came down in your head that you were working against the clock. The surge in magic from you would alert the old hag that your memories were back, she'd know you were coming and she'd know it wouldn't simply end with one of you scarred this time. A death would be the only thing to end this, and one gruesome enough to ensure no chance of resurrection.

You spared a glance around the hotel room you'd been staying in. You needed to grab anything worthwhile out of it but it occurred to you nothing there mattered. The clothes were those you'd brought just to have some on your back. Every material possession that mattered still lay within your shared room with Klaus.

Your heart ached when you thought of his smile. The way so many viewed him as nothing shy of evil yet he was so gentle with Hope, with you. The memory of his laughter when Hope had covered you and Hayley both with bright pink icing at her first birthday. 

You'd never meant to fall for the hybrid. Your goal when you first came to New Orleans was to be by Hayley's side for the pregnancy and birth then to ensure that a deep enough line in the sand was drawn to make anyone think twice of letting a threat towards Hope fall from their lips but your traitorous heart had other plans. He'd proven to be such a different person at his core then you'd originally thought him to be.

The Mikaelsons in general were an anomaly to you. They fought each other, daggered each other and claimed to hate each other at moments but the only thing fiercer than the Mikaelsons fighting against each other was when they were fighting for each other.  That's how you knew they would be with your loss. They'd survived worse.Each member of the ancient family held a place in your heart and you hoped they knew it.  

Your mother wouldn't win this fight no matter what it cost you. If mutual destruction was the only way to ensure she never crossed paths with those you loved then so be. You could make peace with it knowing you'd taken at least one threat down with you.

—-----------

You shut the door to the hotel room and walked towards the stairs. You didn't have time to wait for the elevator. There were normal humans here, on this floor alone you counted three families, two couples and a few guys on one last road trip before they graduated college. You needed to put distance between you and any collateral damage.

You made it to the first floor of the hotel and headed for the door. The moment you stepped into the cool night air you felt the stir of another's magic brush against yours but this was no witch native to New Orleans. Marcel had made the introductions himself between you and local covens to make sure there were no “misunderstandings” as he called it.  

No, this magic felt familiar. Yours answered the call, flaring with long buried anger from abuse at the hands that waited at the other end of this call. “Come and get me bitch” you muttered under your breath heading for the cemetery you'd picked for this confrontation. You refused to let her have the say so as to where you fought this time.

She'd ambushed you and Elijah like the coward she was but this time you were ready. No siphoner was in the state of Louisiana. Without that added advantage she couldn't take you one on one and win. You were a lot older than when you'd given her that scar. This time you wouldn't miss. 

 

“There's one cemetery we haven't checked. Where Hope was almost killed the day she was born. Klaus, her power draws strength from her emotions the memory of the anger she felt that day would be enough to wipe out a coven”  Hayley was home with Hope considering everyone she'd be safe with was trying to find you but that didn't stop her from helping the search. Klaus relayed the idea to his siblings then started to hang up but Hayley called his name “Yes?” “Don't let our daughter lose anyone tonight. Promise me” “I promise. Come morning her entire family will be together to greet her”

He hung up and turned his attention to the matter at hand. The air hung heavier the closer they got to the cemetery in question. Magic was at use, something he at one time would've avoided. The closer he got to the cemetery in question he could feel what magic was yours, it felt familiar. As familiar as your lips brushing against his or a whisper of your voice in his ear. What he at one time despised now was a comfort. You were alive and from the feel of it putting up one hell of a fight to stay that way. 

You groaned as you shoved yourself to your feet. How the hell was she this strong? You glared at her as you rotated your neck in a tight circle and got your answer. Multiple auras were around her, not just her own muddled brown one but an orange aura and two pale yellow ones. Your aunts. “You resurrected their powers but not them? You're that determined to kill me?”

You could feel energy swirling inside of her, she was building another attack “You're the biggest mistake I've ever made. I should've killed you the moment you were born but hoped getting rid of that father of yours would help” you let a smirk slip onto your face “Didn't expect his mother to come get me huh?”

You could see the stolen auras shimmer as if she was barely holding onto them. “The difference between me and you? I'll die before you walk out of this cemetery and go anywhere near the people I love” you hoped if you could keep her talking you could build a big enough blast of energy to rip her very soul to shreds. 

You tossed a small amount of power at her and she staggered then grinned “I'm going to kill you then I'll siphon power off your hybrid” you felt anger roll through you at mention of Klaus but then she tilted her head and said “Then I'll drain the little tribrid dry” your vision burst in a haze of blue, your magic oozing out of you “Did you really just threaten the two most important people to me?” 

You walked towards her and for the first time in your life saw true fear in her eyes “I'll tear myself apart before you hurt them because unlike you, I know what love actually is”

"I can't go in” Freya nodded to the entrance of the cemetery “She's got it warded too strongly but I can feel her Nik. She's using too much of herself. If someone with vampire blood isn't there to give it to her the moment she hits the ground she's gonna die alongside that old bitch”

“Kol stay with Freya” Rebekah ordered before nodding to her other brothers “Let's go”

—-----------

In all their years neither Mikaelson had ever seen a show of magic like what they just walked into.  Every inch of your body was covered in a blue light, your magic no longer hidden within your form. Even your eyes had shifted from their usual color to a vibrant blue that glowed in the dark light. A shield was formed of your magic, blocking them from getting closer. Whatever happened now they were forced to watch.

—--------

Your vision was narrowed down on one thing, making this bitch suffer before she died. You could feel others approaching and vaguely registered that they were familiar to you but you couldn't falter and give her an opening. It was time to end this. You leant down and grabbed her around the throat before lifting her up off her feet. 

Where the physical strength to hold her three feet off the ground had come from you weren't sure but you didn't care either. You looked into her eyes and smiled as a blue flame began to devour her from the inside out. “You shouldn't have come for me. You shouldn't have dragged anyone I care into it” your grip tightened on her throat before you added “and you damn sure shouldn't have threatened Klaus or Hope” you held onto her as her aura and the stolen ones of your aunts burnt under your flame “You'll die too” she tried but you simply smiled “So be it” 

When the final glimmer of her flicked away it was like you'd been drained. Your vision shifted from the blue haze to a gray fog. You'd burnt a piece of yourself off to kill her and there was a chance you'd burnt off too much. 

You felt your legs go out from under you and expected to hit the hard ground but two strong arms caught you and you heard a voice that fought against the darkness threatening to take you “Stay with me love” “Klaus?” You whispered before your eyes drifted shut.

“She's breathing and her wounds are healing. Your blood worked Nik. She just needs rest now” Freya stood protectively over where you were laid on one of the couches in the Mikaelson compound.

Klaus let his eyes track the movement of your chest rising and falling simply to reassure himself you were still alive. “It shouldn't have taken this much out of her. She's taken on covens before and didn't tire” 

Freya glanced up at him “A mother to a witch is like a sire to a vampire. In a way she broke her sire line. That's why it took so much out of her, why it nearly killed her. A lesser witch would've burnt with her mother and had no say so over it”  

Klaus flicked his eyes from his sister back to your still form. He'd nearly lost you. He'd do everything in his power to keep you safe. No one would harm you again. “Just give her space. We'll see how she's feeling come morning” 

@benbarnesprettygurl @secretdreamlandmentality @svtbpbts @a-beaverhausen @snowtargaryen

[doxypsychlean]

Hello, recently found your tumblr and I really love the way you write!! I have a request for Aegon being betrothed to someone a bit older (late 20s/early 30s) and therefore wouldn't be afraid to stand up for herself and wouldn't take his shit - but at the same time being a nurturing person. This combined with Aegons mommy-issues would just be a divine dynamic that I would love to read!

Oof, sorry for taking this long to post it! Hope ye like it:)

Wisdom

Aegon II Targaryen x Older!Reader

Headcanons

Warnings: mention of childbirth

Thou shan't repost/copy/ translate any of my work or I'll sneak into your home late at night and bite your nose off!

English isn't my first language. I don't proofread. I slap commas wherever I feel they're needed.

Alicent was against it from the very beginning. You were much older than her son. She'd heard all the tales,all the rumors about the monster you were. She believed them, there was no other rational explanation as to why you, a woman of noble descent, hadn't taken a man to marry. But there was nothing she could do. The King had made his decision.

Now that your father was gone from the world, you had taken over as Lady of the Eyrie and Warden of the East.

You were a strong, fierce woman and an excellent fighter.

Why you'd stayed alone for so long, no one could tell.

No one, except you. You'd spent your entire life fighting to secure your claim, so what was rightfully yours wouldn't be taken away from you.

It'd been long since the people had started spreading rumors about you being barren, some kind of a monster, even a man...

You paid them no mind. You knew why they did it. They wanted answers. They had none. So they created their own versions of your story.

You knew what you wanted- power.

Going against the Crown wasn't a safe, nor a wise choice. Though the prospect made you feel less than excited, you knew the next best thing was getting to the damned iron chair through marriage. But to whom...

You received a letter from your king not long after you'd put your father in the ground.

Viserys had heard enough about you. He couldn't afford a rebellion. Not now. So he'd decided you might as well join the royal family.

You didn't even bother with sending a letter back, but instead gathered your most trusted men and headed for the capital.

The Prince was confused. There were no horns and hooves, no spiked tongue, no tail. You were actually quite the beauty, if he had to be honest.

He tried to be smug about it, chest puffed out and all. He truly did.

Except you didn't blush or try to hide your face when he approached you, like most girls did. You weren't some clueless girl, but a woman grown.

"Don't test your luck, boy. You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"I- Well...I-"

He turned into a blushing mess, walking away with his head hanging in defeat.

Aegon had never met anyone like you before.

From that moment on, all he could think about was you.

Soon after the wedding, his mother stopped nagging him.

Scratch that, she avoided him like hell for a while.

Well, the prince also stopped giving her reasons to do so.

The first time he came back home drunk, you sat him down. After one long,long talk in which you explained how you won't stand around and watch him drink himself into an early grave, you sent the prince out of your shared quarters, so he could think about what he'd done.

Yep, he never made that mistake ever again. You made sure of it.

Your feelings for the young man grew with time.

He never left your side for too long, always trailing close behind.

You'd started giving him lessons in politics.

He couldn't deny it, you had experience in ruling.

As well as other departments.

Whenever in doubt, Aegon would run straight to you.

"I can't do it. I'll be the worst king there ever was or ever will be..."

"Not with me around, you won't."

On one particular night, the prince dragged his feet into your bedroom, tears streaming down his face.

You were quick to jump from the bed and take him in your arms.

In a fit of rage, his mother had screamed at him how the only thing you cared for was the Iron Throne and how he was the only one that didn't see it. How you'd toss him to the side the moment he becomes King, for then you'd have what you've always wanted.

Aegon asked you if what his mother had said was true, his voice faltering.

You confessed your love for him that night, your hands wiping at his tears as he held onto you tight.

Not long after, you had to call the Grand Maester to your chambers.

To say you were scared would be an understatement.

You weren't sure if your body could handle it. Maybe ten or fifteen years ago, sure. But now...Most women your age had two or three by now. You weren't old, but you also weren't stupid. You knew how wrong something like this could go.

You'd started considering getting rid of the child that was growing inside you.

And who could blame you? A self-made woman like you to succumb to childbirth would be unthinkable. After all you've done, you couldn't allow yourself to go in such a ridiculous way.

After a few days of contemplating on your side, the Grand Maester's presence was requested to your chambers once more.

"Princess, are you sure? The Prince Aegon-"

"Prince Aegon cannot and will not know about any of this."

The old man nodded, agreeing to keep his mouth shut.

Or so you thought.

That same night, instead of him arriving with your cup of moon tea, it was your husband.

The small teacup Aegon held in hands was shaking uncontrollably, threatening to spill everywhere.

He placed it on the table and stormed out without saying a word.

You were left there to make your choice. He knew he couldn't stop you. It was up to you to decide.

On the next morning you found him in the training grounds, the straw dummy he was swinging at almost completely torn in half.

"I have faced many a foe in battle. I have risked my life more than once, Aegon. And yet, I am not as brave as people make me out to be...I am afraid."

"Then let me be there for you, just like you've been for me."

The boy you'd given birth to months later was a carbon copy of you. He had the same hair, the same nose, the same smile.

The only thing that he didn't get from you were his eyes. They were the same shade of crystal blue as those of his father.

[selfproclaimedunicorn]

❝ don’t you see the danger this puts us in? ❞ — for aldreda

They had them all crammed into the same room in spite of Harrenhal being so overlarge that they could have been spread out enough that each crewman of The Silent Selkie would never be able to find their comrades again without aid. There were knights outside the doors, too. Even weaponless, damn near toothless, and with their captain tentatively brought into the fold of the usurper king they weren't trusted. The faithless greenborn were desperate enough for aid, but not enough to trust who gave it. Typical.

With a sigh, Vickon pushed himself off the cot he'd claimed for himself and crossed to the other side of the room where Aldreda sat on her own bunk, back to the wall and knees up to her chest. Gidyon spit out some teasing jape when Vickon sat across from her, a reminder of having seen them come from the same room the morning they'd stayed at Old Wyck on the hospitality of The Stonehouse.

“Shut your flapping maw, Pyke!” Quick as a cat Aldreda unfurled, leaned over the side of the cot, picked up her boot, and lobbed it at Gidyon’s head. He ducked in time for it to thud against the wall, but it still shut him up.

“A bastard wouldn't understand.” She grumbled, leaning back against the wall and drawing one leg up again, draping her arm across her knee.

“I doubt anyone besides me would.”

“Should you really be throwing things at him? Shouldn't we be presenting a united front, Mistress of Turncloaks?” Leofric's taunt was hollow, but it still made Aldreda wince. Vickon straightened, sucking in a sharp breath through his nose as he turned to glare at the other man. He had come to talk to Aldreda about what happened, to question and lecture as much as everyone else wanted to now that the shock had worn down and left nothing but raw nerves, but others saying such things drew out the closeness of his bond with Aldreda. She was Vickon's captain, his friend, his sister-in-arms that he'd shed blood with since he was four and ten; she did not need protection, but he still wanted to do it.

“We hadn't taken any stance on the Targaryens’ damned war, The Silent Selkie was neutral.” Vickon fought not to yell at him, but he was still an extension of the defensiveness radiating off of Aldreda.

“We weren't doing anything different from normal, but The Greyjoy still swore the Islands to Queen Rhaenyra.”

“Both of you shut up! What's done is done, Aldreda made her choice…and we all live with it now.” Toav glared at them, quieting them all as effectively as Aldreda would have. She was commonborn, with no noble name or even a family to speak of, but the rarity of her words and her status as the oldest among them gave an air of authority to everything she deigned to say.

Aldreda nodded at her, but Toav went silent again, brown eyes hard and judgmental. She sighed and slumped in on herself, hand at the end of her arm that was on her knee clenching into a fist so tight her knuckles went white. Aldreda winced again, but no one said anything else on the matter.

Satisfied, Vickon turned his attention back to her, and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his legs. “Aldreda…”

“Don't you fucking start too.”

“Don't you see the danger this puts us in? We're not just in the middle of the dragons making war, we're in the direct line of the queen's fire.”

“What was I supposed to do, Vickon? Have all of you killed immediately? Die right then because of the whims of fucking Dalton Greyjoy? Since when am I beholden to The Red Kraken?”

“Since he took Pyke. What kind of question is that? The Greyjoy has always been in charge.”

“The Farwynd certainly doesn't act like it.”

“You aren't The Farwynd yet.”

“And if I had not taken the offer given to me, I never would be.”

“You think King Aegon will give you Lonely Light when The Farwynd dies?”

“He'll at least give me a chance to fight for it and keep my uncle from taking Lonely Light.”

And Westley after him.

The unspoken continuation hung heavy between them. The man who'd given them everything and then driven them from their home. They both wanted to lash out at Westley, clawing and spitting for the happy little lies of subservience to The Farwynd that he'd spun before yanking them away to show how he only cared for himself. He'd been a brother to Vickon, had mended his ways for Aldreda, and then he turned around and wounded her thinking no one would choose The Farwynd's rightful heir. It made him sick; made all of them sick if the insults hurled over nights of drinking were to be believed, and Vickon did believe them. They had all left with Aldreda, had ignored the war when she did, had silently gone along with her taking the offer to be Master of Ships to King Aegon until they were alone and could talk without the greenborn listening in.

“We would be in danger no matter what I did, Vickon. I may as well see if the mainland king we’re saddled with has enough honor to keep the word given in his name. I’ll take his silly little title and win his fucking war, and when it’s all over I’ll sail home and take what’s mine…and then I’ll kill that whoreson for what he did.”

[dragonlover123a]

Guardian

6'5 Vash the Stampede

1in Meryl Stryfe

It was early morning on Gunsmoke, before the first sun had even peeked out over the horizon when Vash had started heading out of the hotel. He had seen a bounty hunter watching him the night prior and wanted to get out of town as soon as possible.

Normally he would wait for the two insurance girls to get up before leaving town. But with the tall girl on a vacation leave with her family and bounty hunters on his tail, he wanted to put as much distance between him and the little one. For her safety. He told himself. It didn't matter if not being in the same town or the same building or even in the same room as her made him anxious and antsy. It was too dangerous for her to be near him. Besides, she aged, he didn't. It wouldn't be fair to her to get old and wither away as she watched him stay the same for eternity.

But despite all this, something made him stop as he passed her door. Testing the handle, he was surprised to find that it was unlocked. Thats odd... She always locked her door. "Meryl?" He called out, looking around the room and his eyes landing on something small on the pillow.

Eyes widening in fear, Vash dropped his bag and rushed over to the bed. He knew exactly what this was. A long time ago Knives had created a specialized worm that could shrink someone overnight with a bite. Many of the victims died quickly, getting lost in the sands. Yes Knives had reformed, but the shrinking worms had bred and multiplied since then, making it impossible to wipe out the population. "No no no no no no no no. Please Meryl... Please be alive..." He begged, gently taking her diminutive form in his hands, gently pressing his pinky against her chest and sighing in relief when he felt her heart still beating in her chest.

Getting up, Vash went to close and lock the door before sitting back down on the bed and cradling the shrunken insurance girl in his hand, waiting for her to come too.

Opening her eyes, Meryl couldn't help but feel like something was off. Last time she checked, hotels didn't make their sheets out of... Leather? Sitting up, she inspected the material she had been laying on. Worn black leather that seemed awfully familiar. But she couldn't quite place it until she heard her name in a familiar voice. It was too loud and too far up than it was supposed to be, but familiar.

Meryl looked as far up as she normally would, but was only met with a large red wall. Looking further up, she finally met his eyes and screamed.

Vash jolted a small bit, startled when she screamed. "Meryl! Meryl it's okay. It's just me. You're safe. It's okay, you're safe" he comforted, smiling softly when she calmed down.

Okay... Meryl thought, looking around the the now much bigger room. She was probably at most an ich tall, at the mercy of the Humanoid Typhoon with her life in the palm of his hand. Which meant she was probably bitten by a shrinking worm and somehow survived the process. And yet, despite her circumstance, every fiber in her body was telling her she was safe here. "We need to get to November" she suddenly said, now all business.

Vash blinked, straightening in surprise. "November? Why would I go there? That place is crawling with military!"

"It's also where the main office for the Bernardeli Insurance Society is. There's a policy in place for situations like this. If any agent of the Bernardeli Insurance Society contracts a shrinking virus and survives, anyone can claim guardianship. Including outlaws. Provided an outlaw does claim guardianship, as long as they follow company policy their bounties can be temporarily put on hold until a further court hearing"

For a moment, Vash was silent, thinking. Could he really shed his bounty? Live peacefully with Meryl, Milly and Wolfwood? All he'd have to do is take care of Meryl. He could do that. Keep her in his pocket, or in his collar... "What are the company policies?" He asked after a while.

"Help me write reports, keep damages to a minimal, bring me to the office every now and then to show them I'm still alive" Meryl listed off. "That sort of thing. Once you claim guardianship they'll brief you"

Vash nodded, "I saw a little shop next to the saloon. Sold little clothes and food and stuff for shrinking virus survivors. And there's a bus that leaves in a couple of hours for November. Should we borrow a phone so you can call your boss?"

Meryl nodded and within the next few hours she had a new wardrobe and had called her boss, letting him know the situation and to make sure no military personnel tried arresting Vash the moment he stepped into the city as he was claiming guardianship over her.

Now they where on a bus, Meryl's typewriter balanced perfectly on Vash's lap as she directed him on what to write. But she couldn't help but watch as his long fingers effortlessly fly over the old keys. What took her hours to write only took him mere minutes. Smiling softly as he finished, Vash took the plas-paper out of the writer and held it up to Meryl for her to read. "Did I do good?" He asked, hopeful.

Meryl read over the report, sipping from her new canteen. As with just about almost everything he did, it was perfect. She was a senior disaster agent and had been writing reports for years and still had flaws in her reports. There where absolutely no flaws in the one he just wrote for her. "It's perfect Vash. If you where more responsible you could've been a disaster investigator yourself" she lightly teased.

Vash playfully scoffed, carefully folding the plas-paper and placing it in an envelope before putting the travel type writer back in it's case. "I'm plenty responsible." He retorted, gently poking her in a way so she would fall into the folds in his duster's cowl.

"Says the man who is over a century years old yet still can't hold down a job or make himself a full meal."

"You know as well as I do why I can't hold down a permanent job. You saw Augusta. And the whole thing with Legato. And it's not like I really have the time to cook all that often" he argued.

"Wait... Vash. Can you even cook?"

"I'm 134 years old. Of course I can cook. Can you?"

"Who do you think made dinner for that Schezar guy?"

"Touché"

The rest of the trip was spent in silence and next thing they knew they where in the main office of the Bernardeli Insurance Society talking to the secretary.

"Name of agent you're claiming guardianship over?" The woman asked.

"Meryl Stryfe"

"Agent number?"

"Um..." He looked at Meryl, who was on his shoulder. "47-A. Senior Disaster Investigator"

"47-A. Senior Disaster Investigator" he repeated.

"Your name?"

"Vash the Stampede."

She barely looked up, looking bored. "Do you have a last name or is it actually "the Stampede"?"

He chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Sometimes I use the name Saverem"

"Kay." She said, typing the name. "Have a seat. The boss'll see you in a minute"

He did as he was told, looking around the office nervously as his leg bounced.

Meryl placed a hand on his neck. "Vash. Calm down. No one here is going to turn you in. We're here to put a hold on your bounty, remember?"

He nodded, sighing as he gently pressed the small woman against him in a form of calming affection. "I know"

"Mister Saverem?" A man called out, making Vash look up and quickly stand.

"Follow me Mister Saverem" he said, leading him to Mr Bernardeli's office. "In there"

Vash entered the office, seeing a somewhat pudgy man with graying hair, a big mustache and square features. He couldn't help but smile softly. The man reminded him of a character from a series of Old Earth movies based on comic books.

"Well if it isn't the one and only Vash the Stampede, I'll be damned" the man mused in a gravely voice, standing to shake his hand, which Vash took politely. "My name is Jonathan Bernardeli. I'm Meryl's boss. I heard your claiming guardianship over her?"

Vash nodded, letting go of the man's hand and sitting in front of him. "Yes sir. I am. We've been traveling together for quite some time. I think I'll be able to properly care for her"

He smirked. "You better take care of our Meryl. She's our best agent. Which is why we sent her to you, ya know"

Meryl couldn't help but smile proudly at this as Vash smiled at her, a brow raised. "Oh really?"

"Yes really. Now about your bounty. I assume you know the requirements?"

"Yes sir"

"Good. I'll put in the paperwork to have it suspended today. But we will have to schedule a proper court hearing to get it gone for good. For now, consider yourself a free man Mister Humanoid Typhoon" He said, standing and opening the door for him to exit.

Vash grinned, "Thank you." He said, holding Meryl close to him as he left the building. He was now officially Meryl's guardian, and he was going to protect her with his immortal life as long as Meryl was still alive and well.

[fandomsareforlife]

Griffin Turner being the Master Of Time is so angsty, so have some dumb idea in bullet points

Tw: Abuse, Drug mentions

Griffin as the master of time brings so much more angst to this

- Griffin who grew up hearing that he is evil because his great uncles on his mama's side were evil since they betrayed the elemental master alliance

- Little Griffin pulling books from the library shelves trying to learn if his uncles were really evil, or was it just a big misunderstanding

- Griffin realizing that his mama's family name was sullied because they had people who wanted more power than they had

- Griffin reading book after book trying to find something that didn't automatically the elemental masters of time as power hungry, greedy, evil people, because his mama wasn't evil and she was an elemental master so the books had to be wrong about every time master being evil

- Griffin sobbing when the book that was written by a mage that had a story about a master of time being good snatched out of his hands because the mages were evil and stupid and you shouldn't read that Griffin, read the books that tell you your family is evil

- Griffin deciding that as a young child (he barely can reach the top of his bookcase without a stool) he will find a story where the elemental master of time wasn't evil so he can show his mama, who cried when he told her that he couldn't find any 

- His mother struggled so much getting people to take her seriously, as an elemental master who was a woman and one with dark skin and a tendency to cover up. She deserved to have a happy story, one that she could turn to instead of the medicines (not drugs, Griffin refused to put his beautiful mother in a category with addicts) she swallowed by the bottle to escape the tournament of his father

- Griffin feeling something break in his brain when he accidentally froze his best friend in school (a boy who claimed that he could read minds, and always seemed to know what silly thoughts Griffin was having so he was inclined to believe him) when he tried to take Griffin's book from him as a joke

- His friend thought it was amazing, and tried to convince Griffin to tell the others. Griffin refused, telling him that it may have been a fluke (it wasn't)

- His friend frowned, but nodded and said that they would have to do experiments to see if Griffin could recreate what he had just done

- Griffin screamed at him and told him he didn't want this power, and if he didn't want to end up dead then they would never talk about this power ever again

- His friend had glared at Griffin and told him to not be ridiculous, he should want this

-Griffin begged him to read his mind and tell him if he really was lying 

-His friend did, and he sighed and said good bye. Clearly they valued different things. Griffin said farewell and to not tell anyone. His friend didn't say anything as he walked away from Griffin

-Griffin couldn't, shouldn't, wouldn't let himself cry. He wouldn't give himself that privilege of grief. He forced himself to forget his friend's name. 

-Griffin tried to hide what happened from everyone, but his friend told his mother what happened, who told Griffin's mother, who told his father. 

-Griffin couldn't move for a week without his back yelling at him agony after that conservation

-His father made it very clear that Griffin was to train with this power, this power that made him vomit and rip off his skin so it couldn't be a vessel for it, and he was to be the best he could be with this power

-Griffin knew better than to say no to the man who had forced a woman to have a child with him in order to gain more power than any man needed. He said he would do it. 

-His father told him he would, and he threw the belt down against Griffin's back and commanded to not scream

-Griffin was quickly isolated from the other kids even more than he was, firmly kept away by his teachers, and he was told if he ever did anything that toed the line he would be expelled

-He was expelled by the end of the month, with some kids claiming he attacked them after school. Griffin had been laying in bed trying to not die from a training session that whole day

-Griffin's father told him he was to trained and taught at home for the rest of his teenage years

-Griffin's only solace through out those years was the extensive library, which he spent years hiding away as much as he dared to

-Griffin read every history book, focused on completing his childhood quest for a story that had an elemental master of time that was good. First it had been for his mother, but he was doing it for himself

-his father taught him how to pretend his elemental power was super speed, and made him run faster than any human had ever ran, and he made him learn how to swallow the bile that crawled up in his throat whenever he used his elemental power

-He eventually turned eighteen, and he ran away from his prison with as many papers he could carry, his clothes stuffed into a bag, and as much money as he dared to steal stuffed into the clothing and he ran as fast as he ever did before

-Griffin quickly realized that being a runner, as either an athlete or an thief, would be the best way to survive

-He learned quickly that being fast meant that he definitely had a career in those two occupations

-He became a track star in no time flat, breaking multiple records. The trophies he earned made him want to beat someone up

-Throughout this, he occasionally helped out those who needed it with things like food, clothing, or protection with his elemental power, though he pretended to be a mage. Lying left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he swallowed the deserts of doing a good thing to cover it

-Garmadon found out who he was, one day, and informed him that he would be willing to train Griffin. Griffin recognized his name, and he remembered that the stories always portrayed him being a leading factor of his great uncles being banished, and he yelled at him to never talk to him ever again

-Garmadon simply smiled at him and told him that he would see him soon, master of speed

- Griffin didn't thank him for the change of a single word. He didn't cry

-Eventually, he got an invitation to Chen's Tournament Of Elements, under the threat of him being revealed to be an elemental master of time to everyone

-Griffin accepted, and you know the rest, don't you? 

-No one would ever find out about Griffin. He would make sure of that. 

-(not even his childhood friend, who now goes by Neuro, and who didn't remember him. Griffin ignored the ache in his chest at that thought.)

[grimmgossip]

Sitting down at a small table in the back corner of the Three Broomsticks, it was unsurprising that Pen was perfectly punctual. The tall figure was as imposing as ever, but the time spent in Azkaban was apparent in the gaunt pull to their skin, the dark circles and the barely hidden shake to their fingers.

The longer we spoke, the more haunted they became, as the memories were pushed to the surface, forced to relive the pain and terror within the four walls of the looming prison. 

Q: How did it feel to have your own father try to put you away for life?  It did not surprise me... He cared only for his own reputation, not for mum and I. I hated him. I’m relieved that he’s gone… He surely would have seen me die in Azkaban.

Q: Is it true you have no choice but to live with your mother for the rest of your life? Yes, according to the conditions of my release. This is an easy condition for me to meet… I have no intention of leaving Penny to live alone.

Q: Why did you choose to end the esteemed Crouch name?  I wanted to separate myself from Sir’s (Crouch Senior’s) memory. The family name would have ended with me regardless. I don’t want children.

Q: What did you miss the most when you were locked up?  My loved ones. They were constantly on my mind… The dementors feasted on my memories of them to the point where I feared I might forget their faces. Nothing could be worse.

Q: Did you ever think you wouldn't get out?  I was certain that I would die in that cell. I nearly did.

Q: What, exactly, did He Who Must Not Be Named have you do?  The specifics of that will remain between Voldemort and I, forever.

Q: Are there Death Eaters out there now we didn't know about?  Obviously. There were many more of us than the handful who joined me in Azkaban.

Q: What are your thoughts on blood status? You joined the Death Eaters, but your own mother, who you claim to love, is a muggleborn - why side with the Dark Lord? I’m indifferent on matters of blood status... My loyalty was to Voldemort specifically- He saw through my mask and valued the truth of my capability. He was a better father than Sir had ever been to me... I would have supported him in anything he wanted, no matter the ideology. We had an understanding when it came to mum. I love her and she serves me… As long as she did not fight against us she would be kept safe for me, and I could trust that she wouldn’t. She’s generally not the fighting sort.

Q: Would you return to being a Death Eater? There is no reason to continue without Voldemort. Who would the effort be for, if not him?

Q: What was it like to be in an Azkaban cell? The cells are small, cold, and sometimes wet. The bars in what little window there is allow wind, rain, and all other unpleasant weather inside… There are no beds, only wooden benches too small to lay across. The dementors wander freely through the halls and in and out of cells as they please. They swarm around anyone who actively has a happy thought. 

Q: How did it feel to have dementors around you all of the time? The cold misery they bring lingers… It lingers in me even now. It’s harder to feel warm since my release.

Q: Igor Karkarov’s testimony against you played a huge part in your conviction; How did it make you feel to have a trusted ally throw you under the bus? I trusted Karkarov based on the merit that Voldemort trusted him. I never questioned Voldemort’s decision to allow him to know of me and my work… He’s foolish to have betrayed the trust he had in him. Q: How did your time in Azkaban change your outlook? My priorities have changed, at the same time as they have remained the same as they always were. While before my conviction I had no fear of imprisonment, now I do fear the reality of an Azkaban cell.

Q: Do you believe that Azkaban was an effective punishment, or has it become outdated? As a legal form of torture and murder, it’s extremely effective. The misery contained within the walls of Azkaban prison is greater than anything the Death Eaters achieved… Were the dementors on our side things would have ended differently.

Q: What are your big plans for the future now that you’re free? I will focus on taking care of what’s mine. I will avoid any possibility of ever being thrown into another cell, as I wouldn’t survive it a second time.

--

And after an endless amount of drinks and an amount of time that was lost track of, that's where we left it! So there you have it, an interesting story this reporter was happy to be able to break for you, readers. 

If anyone else has a story worth telling, please don't hesitate to reach out and maybe I'll treat you to lunch, too! 

-- Rita Skeeter

[bbygirl-aemond]

Say that rhaenyra three eldest children died leaving her pure and step daughters. You think the greens would fight the blacks now after viserys death

this is a great question! and a nice follow-up to the previous scenario that i discussed in way too much detail here. i mentioned in that post that i think the greens' lives were in genuine danger because of the instability of rhaenyra's claim, and that they usurped her not out of hatred of her but of fear for their lives. i also explained the two major factors weakening rhaenyra's very legitimate claim to the iron throne: her gender, and her bastards.

in this new scenario, we've maintained the potential issues caused by the precedent of putting an eldest daughter on the throne. so lords with older sisters and eldest daughters would likely still be pretty unhappy. but we no longer have the aspect of the bastard issue, which could also happen if rhaenyra made aegon the younger her heir if the idea of the strong boys dying makes anyone too sad! so what changes? let's discuss!

of the two issues (bastardy and gender), the gender issue will be much easier for the lords of westeros to swallow, for a few reasons:

there are likely fewer lords with older sisters/eldest daughters than there are lords with bastard siblings or children given how rampant infidelity seems to be in westeros, so fewer lords will feel negatively impacted by this.

pretty much all of these lords were willing to swear fealty to rhaenyra as viserys's heir back when she had no bastards (though i do acknowledge that aegon didn't exist yet so it's not a direct comparison). still, this means lords who are okay with rhaenyra but not okay with jace remain on rhaenyra's side.

the legal precedent actually allows lords to choose whether a change in their succession takes place. viserys didn't institute a law that makes absolute primogeniture mandatory. he simply created a precedent where if a lord wants to they can name their eldest daughter heir. so lords will feel that their claims are more protected by the law here, because they are still the ultimate authority on their succession.

overall, i do think this means rhaenyra would have more support than in canon, and significantly so. in canon, the greens only very narrowly had enough supporters to carry out a successful coup, and so even a small loss of support would make it pretty much impossible for them to do this, even if they wanted to.

otto would still be as manipulative and anti-rhaenyra as ever. but as i mentioned in my previous post, that isn't enough to get alicent and her kids to turn against rhaenyra. in this scenario, rhaenyra's claim would be much stronger in canon, and it would be much less likely that any of alicent's kids could pose a political threat to rhaenyra because there simply wouldn't be enough discontented lords to make them one. of course, things are still a bit iffy, but it's fair to say they would come down on the side of being willing to back rhaenyra. especially alicent, who we know loves rhaenyra and maintained her support of her for many years even after the strong boys were born.

that's not to say this wouldn't require a big adjustment for the greens: in your proposed scenario, rhaenyra still maintained her bastards as heirs for years. so alicent's kids would have still been brainwashed against her from childhood, and lords would have still begun to mobilize against her. hostility between the two sides of the family would still have built up over the years. i don't know that these broken bridges would have ever really been mended. but i do think alicent and her children would have felt able to let rhaenyra ascend since it wouldn't have risked their lives so directly.

[ladymorghul]

I agree with the other anon that it's funny how much hate Helaemond gets from some green fans as if it's the worst thing that could happen but on the other hand they're either perfectly fine with Rhaen*cent or outright ship it?? A big part of all these characters is the loyalty to their own side and family! Normally, they will NEVER betray their own side for a person who's actively fighting on the other side so to have one character - Alicent in this case - trample said loyalty to go to Rhaenyra and grovel to her is just insane lmao. And it's going to be worse to justify something like this after B&C (and after Storm's End if we're speaking from Rhaenyra's POV). Is Alicent supposed to forget her nephew's death and her daughter going insane just so she can get back with Rhaenyra? Seriously? What then? Punish Aemond? Put Aegon to death if Daemon and Rhaenyra suggest so and accept it? Or have her poison him herself in S4? I mean I wouldn't be surprised if some people in the fandom would be fine with it since they're the ones who've always had the opinion that Alicent loves Rhaenyra more than her own children since they're the product of Viserys' marital rape on her or that she actually hates them (and no, I'm not claiming she's the best mother either, but anyone who believes she hates them is delusional, sorry)… Really, nothing about this makes sense. The show is an adaptation, I get it, but this ship does more damage across the entire narrative than any good. The writers' intention to highlight how these two women just want to be close to each other and how the men around them are preventing it because they're thirsty for war falls flat. I know it's a bit of an unpopular opinion to have nowadays but: there's nothing wrong with women scheming against each other! There's nothing wrong with Alicent fighting to put her own son on the throne and doing anything necessary to achieve this result! Just…please (& this is directed at the writers), stop making everything about men vs women and stop blaming anything controversial a woman may do on the men in her life.

i get the frustration and i do think going forward even more stuff will make less sense for those who wanted an adaptation that was closer to the original source and its intention. i know i will continue to get angry myself with some of their choices but i also know their minds are set on this rhaen*cent story so i'm trying to not expect anything positive.

honestly, there's a lot to be said about the writing choice they made and this whole "women couldn't possibly have differences of their own, or self interest, or ambition, or agency and they all just want to be friends deep down" but i won't get into it. i simply don't like the direction the show took and i think it's alicent's character who will suffer the most due to this writing when it comes to development and stuff.

alicent acknowledges that both daemon and rhaenyra will never bend the knee to her son and her crowning aegon rests entirely on the fickle premise that a dying man who never even attempted to change the succession suddenly mumbled something about aegon before dying. it's so fickle that even aegon laughs when his mother tries to seriously convince him that it was his father's wish.

this is what makes alicent crown aegon and she knows this is a declaration of war regardless of her trying to "make peace". so her development in this story of war will be just as fickle as her motivation and drive resting on the words of a dying man because she herself isn't convinced of it.

of course it's hard for many to see the point that she might have made in episode 6, and sympathize with what she really believes in, when she herself doesn't truly, deeply or fully believe in it.

but hey, at least those rhaen*cents get that dangeon sex scene or whatever. great writing 11/10

rhaenyra's character remains intact. she was named heir by her father, she believes the throne is her right and she fights for it. she loses people and she dies but she dies trying to get what she thought was hers to own. she has her convinctions and beliefs untouched. sure it might pain her that she has to go war for it, that she lost a childhood friend, that later she loses her family, she might even regret the war at one point because of the family members she loses, but her conviction remains true in her heart and in the heart of the audience.

meanwhile alicent isn't just disliked for what the audience, in their majority tb, sees "she does" to rhaenyra as a friend but can't also connect to her when she has no real drive of her own. sure, a lot of them find it sad that she was manipulated and groomed by her father and such, but there's only so many "poor manipulated alicent" you can have from a majority tb audience.

i'm not sure why the writers thought that alicent can't be both a victim of her father + viserys while also growing to be a woman who's driven by ambition (to see her children on the throne) and fear (that daemon if not rhaenyra would harm her children) but yeah.

anyway i think i've said, both now and in the past, all that can be said on this subject. this story to me is not the story to choose to do this rhaen*cent dynamic they're trying to do. it is just not the story for it. and let me not mention again and again and again how fickle their foundation is.

they had a scene where rhaenyra said she wants to eat cake and ride on dragon back w alicent. they stopped talking in episode 2. they started talking again after 3ish 4ish years and again stopped talking in episode 5. exhausting to try to convince me of this was real, good friendship. it falls so flat to other stories i've seen.

but i'm also trying to just........distance myself from this narrative and enjoy s2 in others ways.

[dmclemblems]

Y'know, from Edel.gard always getting praise from the other two sides (that she's conqurring and killing the people of) and with her route ending in a high-five of all things (after Rhea and Thales kill each other so she doesn't have to), Clyde getting supported by others in his bid conquer Fodlan (even if other characters are doubtful - kinda moot when they still decide to help him... save Ashe who seems genuinely forced to), and Dimitri/Rhea and the Kingdom/Church as a whole getting EXTREMELY victim-blamed in 2/3's of the game, it... kinda sends a really worrying message about imperialism and conquering? Because the game kinda... makes a pretty clear stance that it thinks conquering (for "good intentions") = good, those who fight back the ("good intended") conquering = bad.

Like, I think it's more "oh shit didn't mean to say that" more than it was intentional (kinda like of all the racist shit surrounding Claude's/Almyra's writing as a whole), but damn if I can't not see it now :/

I feel like that was a big problem going on in Houses in CF too, but it's definitely worse in Hopes. It really could be just an oversight by the writers, but it just... really leaves a nasty feeling. Even though there's no definite "Edelgard did conquer Fodlan in SB" going on, I think a lot of SB fans probably assume that's just what happened? Personally I prefer to just think the war stopped after that last battle and she let things go unrelated to Rhea and Thales because she's "happy and fulfilled" in this route, but... who knows, the devs seem to like unification.

The way Hopes writes it is that if you're conquering people for a "good" reason, it's bad of them fight back because they're fighting back against the "good" cause, but... anyone can claim their reason is something good and that the people being invaded should just accept it. It's just worse in Hopes because it's in two routes and they try to write it off as both Claude and Edelgard doing it for good reasons.

Even if they managed to unify the continent in their respective routes, they still will have other lands to deal with. Sreng won't just stop invading because Faerghus isn't a main power if that were to happen. It would just put Claude or Edelgard in a situation where they now have to deal with that. Also, Almyra wouldn't just stop fighting because they lost one member of the royal family. From what they were letting on, the siblings seemed to be in a battle of succession, so... it wouldn't be all that surprising if later on another one started attacking Fodlan. Even if they didn't, other people from Almyra would.

Something I find interesting though about SB in contrast to CF is that it seems like the concept of conquering is more of a burden to Edelgard than if she didn't bother. Also, Shez is the main avatar character here instead of Byleth. When Byleth is there for Edelgard in CF, it goes down, well, you know; but apparently when Byleth isn't there but Shez is instead, Edelgard is "happy and fulfilled" and defeats both her real enemies. If she actually feels that way, is there even a need to continue the war in her route? In GW I could definitely see her continuing, but it seems like SB implies that having Byleth around was a bad thing for Edelgard. It pushed her and made her feel powerful, enough to conquer, but apparently she wasn't truly happy in CF if they're saying she's happy in SB?

It just makes me think Byleth's presence in her life, and as her teacher, wasn't good for her. As in like, her life would be better and happier without Byleth being a key part of it or being in it at all (since you can kill Byleth and all in Hopes). In SB you could get around the conquering thing imo, whereas in CF it's everything.

At least in VW the unification happened because there was no other option. Faerghus had no heir left and the Empire had also lost its leader. Since Rhea also died, there was literally nobody left to take over things. Claude probably would have if he hadn't left, but since he had to go back to Almyra it fell to Byleth, but if Claude had been the leader of Fodlan after VW I wouldn't have minded. The circumstances weren't so horrible there. GW is just like... Shez is part of the problem and plants these ideas in Claude's head, and in that route he wants to actually conquer even if he doesn't say it as openly/directly as Edelgard and Hubert do.

Unifying Fodlan doesn't need to mean conquering it, and AM was proof of that. Not only did Claude completely peacefully allow Leicester and Faerghus to become one again, but Rhea also doesn't die in that route and just leaves to let Byleth take over. There's no fight over who should be the archbishop or anything. Claude and Rhea both willingly step down from power. In Claude's case, again, he had to tend to Almyra, but he also didn't worry that "oh no if they find Rhea, what if she's back in power". Even if he didn't want that, he seems to have felt that Byleth and Dimitri would be able to work things out.

Dimitri only arrived to aid Leicester's forces and he planned to leave once they were safe, so the whole unification thing wasn't even his intention or desire. Also, he's not really the type to want to conquer or anything like that, and notably after the army integration, the Leicester soldiers... still tend to refer to themselves as Alliance soldiers. Dimitri obviously has no issue with letting them still be the Alliance. Honestly, I always imagined Fodlan being "unified" in AM was just an official way of explaining it, but that the other nations were still just Leicester and Adrestia. In AM I feel like "unification" is just the territories all being allied/at peace with each other with a leader at the top to regulate everything and whatnot, but with their own governing, etc. In something like CF, Edelgard wants to remove any existing power from the other territories and make it just "Fodlan"/Adrestia.

So basically unification doesn't have to be violent and it doesn't have to mean being conquered, but... it seems like a big thing in this universe where unification = conquered/being conquered. :(

[notladylikes]

"there's something....wrong with her."

her father and step-mother are in the kitchen, and she's hiding in the hallway, careful steps to reach the threshold, never crossing, just listening.

etta picks at her cuticles, back pressed against the wall, trying to control her breathing. she musn't make a sound, musn't alert them to her presence.

father hates snooping, and she's liable to get a wretched punishment if she's found out.

you're the older sister. you're supposed to set an example for grace. you're supposed to behave.

etta thinks it's a load of horseshit.

they're talking about her, likely having found out that she's been sleepwalking and roaming the halls of the boarding school at night. how she enters the building is anyone's guess, she's woken up quite a few times, drawn to areas of the school that she wouldn't dare enter when she was awake. etta winces just thinking about it, a shiver drawn up her spine.

"blame her mother,"

her step-mother would say, her usual go-to when something happened involving etta.

"it's her mother's fault she's fucked in the head."

etta's mother had a psychotic breakdown, likely from years of abuse at the hands of her father, shortly after henrietta was born. it wasn't long after that henry married another woman and started up his rightful family, as they called it. a new wife, a new daughter, and a leftover in the form of a blonde haired blue eyed little girl.

they'd started her on pills when she started speaking with her mother's 'ghost' - or what they believed to be a hallucination. she despised her father, her step-mother even moreso. the pills managed to dull her senses, make it nearly impossible to communicate with the afterlife.

soon enough her only friend, the visage of her mother would fade from memory and henrietta was left to her own devices. the sleepwalking would cease and she'd just be 'normal' but still never good enough, in her parents eyes.

"she's been sleepwalking again."

henry mused, cigarette perched between his lips as he inhaled the fumes from the stick of tobacco. she could hear victoria scoff, like she expected nothing less from the 'damaged child'.

"something must be done." 

henrietta knew what that meant. the hospital. stark white walls and restraints holding her down. she'd experienced it a few times in her youth when she was really disobedient - while her parents claimed they were 'praying for her'.

"maybe she's possessed."

henrietta mocked her step-mother's voice, but the shift of movement in the kitchen caused her to clamp a hand over her mouth, careful not to breathe, not to make a sound. it soon passed, as victoria rested her arms against the counter, mere feet away from where henrietta lay in wait.

"i'll call the doctor in the morning."

her father says, and henrietta pushes off from her spot in hiding and scurries up the stairs. she must act fast - she's had this planned since the last incursion. they wouldn't put her through that again, not this time.

etta goes to the closet, digs through boxes and old toys until she procures a backpack, a little dusty, but filled to the brim with supplies for her escape. she'll leave at midnight, when they're all set to be asleep.

when the time comes, henrietta leaves a small note for her sister - the only thing person she regretted leaving behind. she was normal, she'd be safe. they wouldn't harm her.

like a regular cat burglar, she climbs out of the window and drops down to the damp grass below, holds tight to her bag, and starts running.

she runs til she can't breathe, til her lungs ache, til her muscles burn. but it's worth it, and she pushes herself just a little further. just a few more strides, just a few more feet.

henrietta finally collapses near the trunk of a tree, pulling the backpack onto her lap and using her jacket to cover up with from the incoming hint of rain that threatens to fall from the sky.

there is a smile on her face.

for now, she is free. 

[luxmaeastra]

Alva stepped away from Orin. Her hair swept up in beautiful cornet. Her silver eyes shinning as she smiled at her sister.

Cunning in a way her sister was not. They were close once, thick as theives till Amaya had run to go to war. Till she'd let their mother to rule from her death bed. Till it had all fallen on Alva's shoulders.

She'd relinquished her claim when Amaya had come back. When she'd come with mates and an army and made good on her threat for blood.

A gulf of it now between them. Of parents, siblings and cousins dead because they'd tried to protect Alva. Becuase they'd tried to keep her on a throne she'd never asked for.

She'd wanted the life her mother had painted for them both. A family, being cared for, taken care of. It would have been one of their daughters who would have ruled. They would have been trained by their grandmothers as was the custom here.

And Amaya had spit on all of it. Cut her suitors hands and slipped out the window. She'd always been bloodthirsty and the war had only honed that blade.

But she could never do the politics and navigate the snakes here like she could. She could never play in the halls of power like Alva could.

She'd left, happy to sit in their country estate with Seren. She'd been happy to stay there but then she'd heard of the ball. Then Amaya had invited her personally to such a thing.

Orin hadn't looked away from her. His fingers till touched hers, till kept that contact. Did he feel her fingers tremble? Did he taste the deep seated disgust in her?

She wouldn't be afraid. She'd endured too much to let something like fear take root. She touched his chest, his hand fell away. She smiled up at her sister.

"You object sister but why? Am I not entitled to my mate like you?"

She knew why, she'd seen the way Orin and her had acted. She'd seen the way he'd been toyed and used. She hadn't asked Orin to purge himself of her touch but he had. Had burned himself from the Holy Fires in the Temples to prove himself - to renounce anyone but her.

Amaya turned her stormy gaze from him to her. She sneered, gripping the armrests.

"I object sister dear on the premise that he will remain neutral. That you will keep your mouth shut around him."

She titled her head, fingers curling in his shirt. She felt a viscous satisfaction when Amaya's gaze grew even more furious.

He wasn't her toy any longer.

"What secrets can I give when I have not been in court? Do you not trust your own sister to protect you?"

"Is that what you did when you happily sat on my throne?"

She shoved Orin back, stepping toward her. Amaya didn't stop it, only smirked.

"I kept our family together when you ran off to play solider! I consoled our mother when you gutted father and left her with a flesh wound. I had to burn the dead when they -"

"They rose up against me! This kingdom is mine! Mine to use and give to whoever I wish! What did you know of ruling? You were always in your stories -"

//For Sarai new verse!!!//

“Amaya.” Her voice was soft, but the edge of power she wielded was laced within her tone. This was meant to be a ball put on to celebrate and unite, to ease the tensions in a family that had been torn a part by war and more. Had she not promised them to at least try, to not allow the madness of her past reappear and consume her.

Her heels echoed upon the floor as she brushed past Alva, her raven hair pulled into delicate curls with small silver crystals woven in. Her dress was form fritted, the silver gathered at her waist before spilling down to the floor with a slit up the middle. Viren had opted to socialize with the various males within the room, she had been making her rounds as well when this began.

Sarai knew what she had been through, she remembered the nights she had held in her in her arms and consoled her. Even with a thirst of war and power, there was a fragile female under it all. She lowered herself onto her knees before her, one of the two people she would ever kneel for.

“Focus on me Star, listen. This is yours, this kingdom is your right and your sister stepped down willingly. Reward her, show you are just as you are a fine warrior and ruler,” She could sense Viren getting close, yet he was hanging back. This wasn’t his moment. “That you also care for family.”

[alltoolewis]

love your work sweetie;) could you do a fic where Lewis and the reader are married and max is the reader brother

Putting him first- Lewis Hamilton (ft Max Verstappen)

Trying to clear out my drafts & found this!! So this is kind of a mixture between angst & fluff!! Of course, no hate to the Verstappen family... it's simply just a made-up scenario! This is awful lol but I wanted to clear out a couple of old requests (New requests are open) 🤍

Part 2

Summary- You always knew it was risky marrying someone who was bound to become one of your brother's biggest rivals in years to come! But the 2nd your eyes landed on the brit you knew your connection was too strong to ignore... and 4 years later you were taking his last name and carrying his first child!

"You going back over there..." Max groaned as he noticed you grabbing all your belongings from the red bull suite "You've been going over there an awful lot recently y'know... anyone would think you support Mercedes" You couldn't help but roll your eyes at his jealousy "It is my husband's & father of my child's team...& I've been here since I've arrived, I need to see him at some point today..."

Your dad scoffed at your comment, clearly unimpressed with your decision of putting him first... once again "& He is your brother... stop putting in laws before fresh & Blood!"

"I'm not having this conversation again dad..." Sighing you naturally placed your hand on your swollen belly "When are you going to realize that Lewis is a part of my family too..." It was safe to say that your dad wasn't your husbands biggest fan... even before his rival with Max he had some agenda against Lewis... always saying that he was using you to get inside Max's head and mess with his performances. No matter how many times Lewis tried to comprehend with your fathers actions there was no use, he wouldn't change his mind!

"Were family first tho (y/n)…" Max chimed in "Dad's right you always put him first...!" Anger poured through your veins as you listened to your family's selfish claims! "Do you even understand how much I have sacrificed for you guys!" You hissed, trying your hardest not to get to angry due to the little guest in your tummy "I was giving you my whole damn support last season... It almost destroyed my relationship!" Last season was not only a tough one for Max & Lewis, having both your fiancé and brother battling it out in one of the toughest rival in F1 in history hit you hard as you had to constantly split yourself in two... not taking any sides to stop any arguments!

"Oh here we go again... always acting like a fucking victim" Your dad groaned "See them two over there..." Pointing at Max and Kelly in the corner "There real family... she's a real daughter giving her all and everything into this team! Everything into this family! YOU!" Your eyes closed as you braced yourself for the expected words "Your just a fake, your not a true part of this family. so go! Fuck off to your husband... get out of my sight..."

With glossy eyes you looked over to Max, hoping that he would finally stand up to your fathers words... but like always he remained silent... just staring blankly ahead at you... "Okay..." You whispered, voice shaking as you nodded to yourself causing the tears to slip down faster "But if you... any of you!" You hissed, glaring at Max "Think your going to be a part of my sons life you must take me for a joke!"

Max and Jos eyes grew wide as they took in your words "Oh yeah congratulations dad... you're going to have a grandson..." You glared, turning on your heel as you made your way out of the red bull paddock, leaving them all with a mixture of feelings...

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

Your eyes stung all the way to the Mercedes paddock, ignoring the looks of sincerity from the Mercedes crew as you searched hopelessly for Lewis... "I'm so sorry..." You sniffled as you landed on someone's chest, your nose immediately picking up the familiar scent. Your teary eyes looked up to find an equally concerned Lewis... "Baby... what happened?" He cooed, wiping a piece of hair from your eyes... your tears only got worst as people started to crowd round, frantically trying to see if you and the baby was okay. "Guys, please give us some space please..." Lewis yelled, eyes not going from you as he asked you again, calmly repeating the words as he stroke your hair "Look at me baby... tell me please... what happened!"

Shaking your head, you said the words he was sort of expecting "They did it again..." Lewis's jaw clenched as took your hand in his, walking you over to his private suite as he sat you down on the sofa, crouching down in front of you placing one of his hands firmly on your bump. "What did they say now darling... don't miss anything out..."

Lewis listened carefully as you recited the words that your father and Max and said, not missing anything out as the anger grew inside Lewis! He knew things were hard for you... having to constantly splitting yourself in half to make sure both teams are equally supported...

"You know I don't mind you staying with them gorgeous..." Lewis sighed, taking a seat next you as he kissed your temple "I mean I'd like to have you in my corner but as long as your safe and your in my arms at the end of the day I don't mind..." He knew that you'd be looked after in the red bull facility, the team always treated you as one of there own since Max joined! But the problem wasn't Lewis.... it was them!

"I know you don't but I don't want to..." You cried, hiding your face back in your hands, causing Lewis's heart to break "They are just not understanding that your a part of my family too... were having a little boy Lewis, in near 4 months time! I want to be near you... I need you!"

"Hey... hey... look at me..." Lewis whispered, pulling your head up to meet yours "You've got me... & despite what your family thinks I'm not going anywhere" Taking your hand in his, he laid it flat against your swollen belly "were a family (y/n)... nothings going to change that...."

"promise...?"

"I promise..."

[thelustybraavosimaid]

Eyes that burned hot with anger surveyed the area as his boots crunched against older snow, layered with new frost.

Castle Black seemed even more a bleak and forlorn place than he had remembered. There were more fallen brothers - his laughter to himself tasted as bitter as almonds - than free folk, though the wildlings lost some among their number as well. He didn't spot Tormund or many of the others who had sworn fealty to him, dead or alive.

He could only hope that the plans they made were still in place.

The Common Hall and the Lord Commander's Tower were in disarray, the armoury was empty, and weapons lay discarded and abandoned beside their wielders. Hardin's Tower finally gave way and collapsed. It didn't seem much a stronghold anymore, more so a ruin than anything else. A very empty ruin.

This was once his command, now broken, desolate, and fallen. And he couldn't find it in himself to care.

It didn't take long for him to notice the eyes peering at him from the only tower that was half-standing, or the twin children staring at him through the door, bundled in heavy white skins and shadowcat furs.

They watch me, he realised, though not out of disgust.

One of the children, a little girl, bounded to him through the deep snow, a wooden doll carved to resemble a giant held tight in her little hands. She seemed to take care not to look at the dead, ever determined to reach him. Her mop of carroty hair stuck out in all directions, tangled and unruly.

Her hair. Lucky.

When she reached him, she put a hand on her hip and jutted her bottom lip out, in a way his sister Arya used to. Lucky, and wilful.

"You...are you a god?" Her young voice inquired, far bolder than he had expected.

The question made Jon pause. "Why do you ask?"

"My ma and brother Delyn said so," she nudged her head in the direction of a woman and a little boy in her arms still standing in the doorway watching them, as kissed by fire as the girl was. "No one comes back 'cept for gods. Or them's as blessed by 'em. Are you a god, lord crow?"

I am no crow, he wanted to say, but it was a claim hard to refute when he was still dressed all in black. "I wouldn't say that," he replied instead. Jon knelt to meet the girl's emerald-amber stare, leaning over to eye her family. "You should go, and keep warm. Your mother waits for you."

She paused, gave a quick nod, and ran back as fast as she could in the snow cover. "I met a god!" She yelled.

As he watched her, a wintry breeze cut through the layers of his wool and nearly set his teeth to chattering, but he ticked his jaw and pressed his lips to a thin, bloodless line. He smoothed a lock of pale hair behind his ear. All the wind did was bring back memories, painful memories that only left him angry and jaded. He stood and turned away.

Love is the bane of honour, the death of duty, the good maester Aemon had told him once, what felt like a hundred years ago. He found out the hard way that the inverse was true. Duty had been a scourge of its own, the very death of love. Duty thrust its daggers into love several times until the boy with sweetness in spades fell face-down in the snow, until the snowflakes that melted in his cooling eyes were the last tears he'd ever shed. Now he rose again through sorcerous means, with an altered mind that held neither sweetness nor warmth to spare for anyone save for one.

The Wall was no place for a woman, even less so a young noble woman, but he'd defy everything time and again for her. Traditions mattered not if she needed his assistance, he knew. If he was forced to remain at his post and freeze at the Wall, he would gladly do so beside the girl who loved him more than life itself. But she was not here.

He could not sense her, and through Ghost, could not detect her earthen scent. That only made him angrier.

How he had longed to see the grey eyes that came alive when they rested upon him, how they haunted him for years now... I need to head to Winterfell, he thought. There is no time.

"My lord, I just fed your wolf," Jon's gaze found Satin, the wind fanning at his ringlets black as raven's wings. "And gave him an ox bone."

"Thank you," he replied, though he already knew. Jon's mind was Ghost's, and Ghost's was his, both taking up residence in the other, meshing into one more and more as time passes. Sometimes it was hard for him to know where he began and Ghost ended. "And where are the rest of the br--" he closed his eyes for a moment. Not my brothers. They are not my brothers. "--the Night's Watchmen?"

"They're...afraid to see you, my lord, so they stay inside, mostly," he said. "As are half the wildlings that didn't march south. The other half, though..." Satin's cheeks were pinkened from the cold, the sweet smell that he oft combed in his beard wafted in Jon's direction, infiltrating his senses. "Those who stayed call you the Crow-Come-Back."

Are you a god, lord crow? "I see." Jon eyed his steward carefully. "And you?"

"I am only relieved to see you here and alive, my lord, even if I do not understand how...or why you look so different. But it is often said that the gods work in mysterious ways." He leaned in close. "Are you well?"

"I have traitors to behead." And many more bodies to burn.

"Tormund and the others found and killed some of those responsible before they went south, my lord. I do not know where Lord Bowen or Lord Wick are," he began. "But they might--"

"Lord Snow, I have been searching for you," a woman's voice called to him in a melodic voice, and all of a sudden the air smelled of anise, nutmeg, and cloves. Only one woman here has a voice like that. He turned to the familiar, imagined scent, but instead of the welcome she was perhaps expecting, his stare was as icy as his tone.

"Melisandre." She may have been the one to have brought him back, but she also lied to him, filled him with agonising hope, made him pin all of his hopes on her and Mance and Stannis just for the love of a sister. The men of the Night's Watch were not to have sisters, nor brides of their own, only brothers all dressed in black, but Arya superceded everything. She always had.

"I will...go, my lord, and fetch you food and a horn of ale," Satin gave a bow, shot a glance at Melisandre, and hurried off.

Jon could only give a nod, but it was not food he wanted.

With her unbending posture and graceful, almost cat-like gait, it took little time for her to reach him. Her unearthly red eyes searched his face, as red as blood against snow. "The Lord of Light's gift has changed you in more ways than one, I see."

Jon watched her and frowned. "What do you mean, my lady?" He knew what she meant, though - he had seen it himself when he sprinkled water upon his face from his basin, when he saw his reflection in the warbling pool of liquid. He remembered his sudden shock and fascination of his newfound appearance, seeing how his brown hair blanched to white. How in the place of grey were red eyes that seemingly glowed hot as coal in a brazier and looked...aged, as if they could tell a thousand tales and one. To him, he looked like an uprooted heart tree given human form, a reminder that both he and his soul belong to his father's gods.

"White and crimson." The ruby around her neck swelled with light, "like a doom-driven warrior returned through R'hllor's cleansing fires."

He had a feeling she would say something like that.

"Blood and bone, like a heart tree," Jon countered. Like a Ghost. Just as he thought of him, the massive direwolf approached him, his footfalls as silent as he was, and brushed against his fingertips. With far more clarity, he watched her through two sets of eyes and smelled the etch of fire on her skin with two noses. Jon shifted on his feet, crunching new patches of snow under his heels. "I may have been brought back by your magics, but I belong to my father's gods, not yours."

"You are mistaken. But, I do not decide who my Lord's chosen are, Jon Snow, it is he who decides for himself." She regarded him, gaze boring deep into his. "I had thought Stannis was Azor Ahai," the spots of snow where she stood pooled to steaming water, "but it seems that title is instead yours to bear. Hearken to it."

"I will hearken to it once I make Ramsay Bolton answer to his words."

Once I have my sister home and safe, is what he really meant. It seemed as if Melisandre saw right through his words by the slight amusement painting her lips.

"You worry of her, she who has your heart."

Is my heart, more like. "Your propensity for stating the obvious is legendary, my lady." He let his sword hand rest upon Ghost's head, rubbing at his thick coat. "Why are we speaking of this?"

"Consider it an ask of curiosity. There is much and more I understand..." Except your own fires. "...especially matters that concern the heart. Your little sister is not lost to you."

"I seem to recall you telling me this before." Jon bristled at the thought of spilling his feelings to Melisandre. I have things to do. I need to find my sister. This conversation solves nothing.

"And this time I believe I see it correct." Jon gazed down at her again; she was assessing him. "But your fixation, your obsession..." Melisandre paused. "Would you bed your sister, Jon Snow?"

Would I--

Would you bed your sister?

A simple no would suffice, but the word seemed heavy on his tongue. Jon swallowed it down.

He almost thought he had heard the question in Ygritte's voice. But she had been gone for some time, and the pain of it still had teeth.

He had remembered, then, what that conversation was about. It was about Longspear, about stealing and what that meant to the free folk. And now he was accused of stealing Arya from a ...creature... who claimed to have bound his hands to hers. Jon had dark dreams of it - of his stick of a sister wedded and bedded, tears streaking her cheeks and blood staining her sheets.

No. He thought, furrowing his brow. His angry breath puffed white in the cold. She'd fight him. She'd spit in his face and stab him with her Needle. I know she would. She wouldn't let him touch her.

The thought of his little sister with Bolton blood all over her skin, painting her clothes, a wild look in her grey eyes...

He tried to focus on something else to shake his mind from the thoughts. He took a deep breath.

"She is my sister." He attempted to maintain an even plainness to his tone. "You said it yourself."

Her question was immediate, almost overlapping his last word. She took a daring, measured step closer. "And if she wasn't?"

Jon paused, briefly, before his stare hardened. "You step far beyond your boundaries, my lady. We are doing nothing but wasting precious time. You brought me back, and for what? To ask me mundane questions that serve no purpose? You spoke falsities about her whereabouts before, you will not fail me again."

You promised me you would bring her home. You promised me that she'd be by my side by now. She's not here, she's not...not here. I want my bride, I want my bride, I want my bride, I want my--

"All mortals err, and I am one such being. However, R'hllor has granted me another vision, Lord Snow. Your sister is indeed on her way here. Dressed in grey, just as I have seen, with a hundred and one wolves at her heels--"

Fire bubbled in his chest. He was sick of this, sick of hearing her lies. That godsdamned red woman could barely comprehend what her own god is telling her, had she really expected him to believe her this time? Alys was the first, who would be the next pretender? He just wanted to see Arya. Why must it be so difficult?

Why must everything he want be so far out of his reach?

"You better pray that the next grey girl is her," Jon growled, flexing the fingers of his sword hand. He relished in the pain of his jagged nails biting into the meat of his palm as a savage, cruel part of him imagined the burned digits closing around her pale throat, "elsewise the next soul your god sees personally is yours."

Melisandre faltered, just a bit. "If you are not careful, your passion will consume you, though I suspect it has already taken deep root." What gave it away? He wanted to ask. Dying for her? "Remember that the Lord of Light brought you back for a reason. We will have need of you before the end." She recovered, her lips pulling to a curling smirk. "But fear not. You will have your heart, Jon Snow."

A growl tore from his throat, bursting between his teeth. "I'll not play this game with you." Jon turned on his heel and left her there, heading straight to his dilapidated seat of command, his constant companion loping beside him.

The members of the Night's Watch who remained alive and were outside refused to even spare him a glance as he graced past them, electing instead to turn their heads or to simply pretend he didn't exist. He preferred it that way. He didn't wish to speak to any of them, either. Jon pushed open the door and went inside, immediately smelling the steaming hot cup of stew left on his table, with the horn of ale beside it, just as Satin promised.

The stew could hardly qualify as such. It was at the consistency of water, thin and, when he had a mouthful, found that it was near flavourless. It smelled as if it had plain roasted rabbit in it, but he neither spotted nor tasted any strips or chunks of meat, only finding that he was chewing on a few sparse, jagged cuts of carrots and leeks. He set it aside in favour of the ale, downing it all in a few gulps and relishing in the heat that warmed his belly. Jon settled down at his chair, pondering what to do next. He flexed his hands, opening and closing and opening again.

Suddenly he thought of Melisandre. She seemed fairly confident that Arya would make it here. If her vision was accurate and her telling sincere, it would be best to wait for his little sister's arrival. But what if she was wrong again? How much time would he have wasted then? How much time is he wasting just by sitting and doing nothing? He hoped she was right this time, but it was a cruel matter to rain words of optimism upon someone who was parched for just a drop of it.

His eyes began to droop. No, he told himself. I have done enough sleeping. But his body seemed to disagree. Sharp aches blossomed from the wounds at his throat, his back, his chest, and his burned hand felt clumsy and stiff. Maester Luwin used to say that sleeping allowed the body to heal itself, and the pain of movement rankled him once the warmth of the room settled in his bones, once the ale warmed in the pit of his stomach. But he had no time to sleep. His little sister was still out there and she needed him. He decided at once that he would rest only when she's safely with him. Jon let his fingertips smooth over his fading scars at his eye down to his cheek as he sighed.

For a while, all Jon could hear was the sound of the crackling logs in the hearth, the sound of his own hushed breaths, and the creak of his chair as he repositioned himself. Then the sound of a wolf and a monstrous pack of little cousins sliced through the air, the sound so deep and angry and vengeful that it made him shiver. Gooseflesh pimpled his arms, and with wide eyes he met Ghost's stare, the wolf's shining like two crimson suns.

They're calling to us.

For a moment he felt lightheaded. Dressed in grey, with a hundred and one wolves at her heels, were those the words Lady Melisandre used? Had she told it true this time?

His head snapped to the door as he rose. Little sister.

For now, he dared to hope again.

[wandsolsen]

Champagne Problems

Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Summary: In which Wanda rejected your marriage proposal, inspired by Taylor Swift's song Champagne Problems.

Warnings: pure angst, cursing.

Word Count: 1.8k

↳ Please, be aware that English isn't my first language, fell free to tell me if there are any mistakes.

You booked the midnight train for a reason, you wanted to contemplate your pain with your head against the train window.

The reason for your suffering had a name, Wanda Maximoff.

You sat down in one of the seats, feeling the hurt in your chest burning hard just for thinking about her. The train wasn't too much crowned, however, it wasn't all empty. There were people talking and people sleeping, you were not sure which was worse.

People looked at you, certainly worried about how miserable you were.

You finally rested your head on the train window, looking at the view from the outside. Unintentionally, you remembered Wanda's hand holding yours as the two of you danced on the dance floor.

Wanda smiled at you, and she looked happy. But she wasn't, at least, not complete. Not happy enough to say yes.

However, nobody could ever have thought that she would say no.

You felt the tears coming out, your mouth trembled as you remembered. Your heart was made of glass and she let it drop it.

You had prepared a speech, but when you got down on your knees, you didn't find the expression of emotion and excitement that you had imagined she would had. Instead, you saw Wanda's body tense and fear in her green eyes.

You were speechless.

She didn't even let you ask, she ran away, leaving you there, on your knees and crestfallen on the dance floor.

You were so broken that you hadn't the strength to reach out to her, Wanda's love escaped beyond your reaches.

You saw the pity look that your family and friends gave to you. You had told them that you were going to propose Wanda that night, you couldn't keep it a secret.

You had bought Dom Pérignon and one of your family members had already popped the bottle in an early celebration, it was humiliating.

"Maybe it's just one of her...What does she call? Oh, yeah," Steve remembered before anyone could answer him. "her champagne problems." Steve was trying to calm you down, but he wasn't succeeding.

Fuck Wanda, you thought, your veins filled with angry. Fuck her and her champagne problems.

But even with all the fury you were feeling, Wanda's picture was still in your wallet along with your mom's ring.

You didn't hate her for leaving, you could never hate her.

You remembered the first time you made Wanda blush, it was in November.

You both met in college, and you thought you were the luckiest person in the world for having Wanda as your roommate. She was organized, friendly and didn't ask too many questions, everything a person could want from a roommate.

"Someone said to me that this door was once a madhouse." You said to her, wanting to make small talk.

"Well, it's made for me." Wanda made a joke, and you chuckled.

"A beautiful and intelligent woman like you in a madhouse? I find it hard to believe."

"Beautiful people do have problems too." Wanda's face was getting flush.

"I know, I know." You said. "I just wanted to praise you because, well, you're definitely one of the most beautiful girls on the campus."

And there it was, Wanda's face all red and her shy smile on her lips. You felt your heart beating faster than usual at that moment.

"So do you?" You continued.

"Do what?"

"Have problems."

"Just champagne problems." She answered.

"Champagne problems?" You asked, with your furrowed eyebrows.

"Yes, nothing meaningful or worth mention," She explained. "when compared to the others issues around the world."

"Well, champagne or not, they're still problems."

She thought about your words for a moment, but didn't say anything. Wanda continued to devalue her own problems, claiming that her issues were insignificant and there were worse things in the world.

Wanda was very reserved in the beginning, it was usually you who started the conversations. It didn't take long for you to fall in love with her.

I mean, how could you not? She was gorgeous and caring. Wanda was kinder than the most people you had ever met. She was a dream girl, with her hair loose and long, her sweet smile and her funny laugh. The way she was always up to help someone in need, and how she tried to empathize with everyone.

Wanda was absolutely flawless.

You only asked her out on a date when you were sure she wouldn't reject you.

Now, seeing from afar, you could see how stupid you were. You should have waited, just kneeling after knowing for sure that she would say yes.

But that's the problem.

You had sure that Wanda would say yes with tears dropping from her eyes. Then, your song would have played, you would have kissed her and held her hand tight while dancing. Your friends would have cheered with joy, and Wanda would have hugged you with a radiant smile on her face.

You let out a breath of pain. You now lived with only wishes. Because she dropped your hand while dancing, instead of holding tight.

Just champagne problems, she would say, about this dramatic situation.

You had a black Chevy that Wanda loved, she enjoyed riding in your car, even if you never go anywhere special. And when the car stopped running and you decided that was time to buy a better one, Wanda didn't let you. Often you saw her on the passenger seat murmuring whatever song was playing on the radio.

Nevertheless, the Chevy wasn't going anywhere. Just like your relationship.

Feeling tired of sitting there in this hurt, you left the train and went to the nearest hotel that you could find, you didn't want to come back home anytime soon.

You lived in a small town, your failed marriage proposal was probably spreading in the mouth of people like a disease.

Your turn on your phone, there were many messages and missed calls from your friends, but no one of them matters to you. Except one.

There was one voicemail from Wanda. Just that. She didn't send you a dozen messages like your friends, just a voicemail.

You set down on the bed, before listening to her voice for the last time.

Hey, Y/N, it's me, Wanda. I think I owed you an apology for leaving you out there standing. I-I can't do this, I'm sorry.

Wanda's voice was trembling, it sounded like she was crying. Why was she crying? She left you, not the other way around.

You didn't know it was possible for your heart to break more, but it did. The sound of her painful voice would haunt you forever.

I really can't give you a reason, I guess I never was ready for commitment. Sometimes you just don't know the answer until someone gets on their knees and asks you, you know?

There was a long pause, so long that you thought the message was over. However, Wanda's voice filled the room again:

You deserve someone better than me, you always had. Someone who is not fucked up in the head like me, someone who will never hurt you like I did. You'll find a real thing out there, she will pick up the pieces of your broken heart and she will patch up your tapestry that I shredded. She will be so perfect that you will not remeber me, or all my champagne problems.

Your vision was blurred because of the tears that fall uncontrollably from your face.

Ours... your friends called, they all are worried about you, please contact them.

There was another long pause.

I lov...

Your heart started to race at the words she was about to say, but Wanda gave up halfway, as if realizing that the words were not true.

Goodbye, Y/N.

And that was it.

Four years of relationship saying goodbye in a voicemail of less than five minutes.

Your throat burned from holding on to crying for so long, you wanted to scream until your vocal cords burst.

You loved her more than anything, and she left as if it were nothing. As if your love meant nothing.

You took the picture of Wanda that was still on your wallet, and tore it into several pieces before throwing it in the trash.

Eventually, the sleep caught you while you were crying in the hotel bed, similar to a friendly hug in the midst of so much pain.

━━━━━━ ᗢ ━━━━━━

You heard that Wanda left town, without looking back, on the same day that she rejected your proposal.

Wanda's sweet perfume was still impregnate, along with your memories with her, in every room of the house that the two of you used to live. You didn't manage to stay there, it didn't take long for you to sell the house and buy an apartment in the city center.

You sold your black Chevy, there was no one around to stop you.

You also sold Wanda's things that she left behind, you didn't want anything to remind you of her. Because after the end of the day, you were still mad at Wanda. For leaving, for didn't give you a good reason, for making your waste four years of your life.

"She would've made such a lovely bride, what a shame she's fucked in the head." That was probably the last thing that someone spoke about Wanda, before another big gossip emerge in your town and they eventually forgot the humiliation that she put you through.

At first, you stayed in your new apartment with your heart broken, just watching futile reality shows and eating junk food. Steve, your best friend, was there all the time giving you emotional support, even though he didn't always know how to say the right thing.

But eventually you had to face reality, after all, you suffering or not, life still went on.

It took two years before you were ready to fall in love again. And two years since you had heard from Wanda, you didn't know about her even on social media, since she had deleted them all.

It was as if Wanda had simply disappeared, little by little, she became a myth in your life, a ghost that haunted you from time to time. Not even your friends and family mentioned her name.

Sometimes you wondered if she really existed, if you haven't invented her in your head.

It was in a bar outside the town, that you met Natasha Romanoff. She was self-confident and carried a death look in her eyes, rigid on the outside, but soft on the inside. She had short red hair and was not very fond of wearing jewellery.

Totally different from Wanda.

Natasha was fun to be around, it was easy to understand her because she was always honest with you.

You started to date her on the very first day of summer. Then, after spending all the four seasons together, you started to carry your mom's ring in your pocket and Natasha's picture in your wallet.

And when you got on your knees, she didn't leave you crestfallen on the dance floor. She said yes, and held your hand tight while dancing.

However, in the end, Wanda was wrong.

You still remeber all her champagne problems.

[loki-hargreeves]

Loki x Reader - Thanos controls You

Warnings: angst, mentions of torture, mind-control, fighting, choking, blood and gore, more angst (it's a lot ok)

Word Count: 5,8K

Summary: After failing to deliver the Tesseract, Loki has been living in fear that Thanos will one day find him again and seek revenge. You have been missing ever since Loki was imprisoned after what he did in New York. Little did Loki know that you were with Thanos all along. During the events of Infinity War, Thanos makes you battle Loki in order to obtain the Tesseract

Author’s Note: I know Thanos doesn’t have the mind stone at the beginning of Infinity War but it’s fiction and I’m gonna do what Marvel does best, ignore canon. Let’s blame the Other’s powers, okay? Please enjoy this angsty little thing! :)

YOUR POV

“There’s room for more!” Loki yelled over the cries of scared children and their crying families. There was no way he would send a half-empty escape pod on its way to Midgard. That’s when he saw a child all by herself a little further away. She was clinging onto the wall for dear life and the ship trembled due to the impact of getting shot at. Her parents were nowhere to be seen. Dead. Loki felt sick to his stomach when he knew they were most likely dead. Thanos’ children were slaying kids and their parents heartlessly and they had the audacity to say they were being rescued. That their deaths were part of something bigger than life itself.

They viewed Thanos as a god who was being merciful even when he ripped a beating heart out of someone's chest.

Loki’s heart clenched in his chest painfully. Before it would be too late, he made his way to the tiny child and picked her up carefully. She seemed to recognize the prince but she wasn’t afraid of him. Instead, she hugged Loki so she wouldn’t fall out of his grasp.

“Where’s mommy?” The girl sounded absolutely petrified.

Loki didn’t know what to say as he made his way to the pod. Once he reached it, he saw a woman by the entrance.

“You’ll be safe here,” Loki promised the child as he handed her over to the lady. That’s all he had time for as he returned to the corridor. A particularly loud blast made him stumble over his feet and he had to catch his balance by taking support from the metal wall. The lights flickered, which meant the electronics of the ship were injured. There was a strange smokey smell in the air, which lingered with the irony stench of blood.

Loki couldn’t believe this was happening. Had Thanos finally come for him? Or did Thanos somehow know of the tesseract? Either way, if Thanos succeeded, he would kill two birds with one stone. The thought of this being all his fault made Loki nauseous. Guilt was nibbling at his skin and he knew it would eat him alive in the end. He never wished for this to happen!

As he ran down the corridors frantically searching for Asgardians that needed help, he heard different kinds of cries. People were letting out guttural screams. Others were pleading for their lives. Listening to the massacre that was taking place was worse than any nightmare Loki ever recalled having. They were all drained after Ragnarok and now Thanos had found them. It was haunting how ruthless fate could be.

Footsteps began to approach Loki and they were awfully close. Too close for his liking. He was quick to grab his daggers and turn to face whoever dared try to sneak up on him. When he saw a familiar figure, he nearly dropped the blades from his hands. Seeing you there was like shock itself punched him in the face.

You were there, real and clear as day.

How long had it been since the last time he saw you?

Ever since Loki had found out about his true nature, his life had gone downhill. After he ended up with Thanos and went through pure hell with him, he had changed. During his time away from Asgard, he had only missed one person truly - you. You, who had been by his side through everything. You, who hadn’t loved him any less when you saw his deep blue skin and those crimson red eyes that in Loki’s mind resembled blood. You, who had seen him as the rightful king of Asgard when everyone else betrayed him. The light of his life, the angel that had cared for him even when he felt like a monster.

You, who hadn’t been on Asgard when Thor brought him back to face Odin in trial. Loki had spent a lot of time in his cell, alone. He waited for you to appear but you never did and no one ever told him why. They rather left him to drown in his own vicious thoughts. It wasn’t until Loki pretended to be Odin that he began to learn what had happened on Asgard during his exile.

The people at the palace loved to gossip. Some claimed you had stolen a ship and left Asgard behind for good, that living as Loki’s widow had been too hard for you. In Loki’s darkest hours, he wondered if you truly felt ashamed for being associated with him. So ashamed in fact, that you had left it all behind and started anew. Sometimes, he believed that, but it never stopped him from trying to find you. He had searched night and day but it seemed like you had vanished into thin air. It had killed him more every day living in the unknown. His only wish had been that you were okay.

Now there you were, looking like you had never left. In a moment of pure shock, Loki couldn’t even begin to comprehend how you appeared on the ship - seemingly out of nowhere. He was happy to see you, despite how appalling everything else was at that moment.

“Y/N,” Loki spoke your name softly and dared to blink. When you were still there as he opened his eyes, he felt goosebumps all over his skin.

You looked at him so innocently, but then he noticed that something was off. The look in your eyes was cold. You weren’t in your typical Asgardian gear. Instead, you were dressed in dark armour that Loki could’ve sworn he had seen before, but he didn’t know where. Nevertheless, it made him feel uneasy.

“It’s been a while, Loki,” You attempted a smile as you walked closer to him, your husband. It still counted since he had never truly died, right?

Loki didn’t stop you as you walked right up to him. His eyes never left yours. Part of him wanted to kiss you, to hold you and feel you were real, but the shrieks in the background reminded him of how dangerous everything was. The daggers disappeared from his hands and Loki held you by your shoulders. He needed to see that his hands wouldn't go right through you, that he hadn't lost it.

“You need to get off this ship, Y/N!” He told you seriously. There was profound fear in his voice.

Instead of being worried at all, you just smiled back at him.

That was so unlike you.

“Y/N, do you hear me?”

“Oh, I do,” You confirmed nonchalantly, “I’m not going anywhere. Not yet.”

A bloodcurdling cry startled Loki. They were coming closer and closer. The two of you wouldn’t be safe in that passageway for long. By now, his heart was racing with his thoughts. He felt panic settling into his bones.

Before Loki could say another word, you cupped his face rather gently. The fact that you didn’t seem disturbed by what was happening was eerie to Loki. He knew that you had a heart much bigger than anyone else he knew of. The version of you he remembered wouldn’t have been so calm. Something was terribly wrong.

“I need something,” You admitted and batted your eyelashes. Before, Loki would’ve found that quite adorable, but at that moment it was so wrong. He had been so ecstatic to see you and know you were alive, but now he almost wanted to run the other way.

“What?” Loki barely found his voice at that point. He felt sick and heartbroken. This had to be a nightmare, the worst kind.

“The Tesseract, Loki. I really need it,” You blurted it out.

Shivers ran down his spine. How did you know about it? Why did you even care? He was unsure if he could even trust you with the knowledge that he had it in his possession. Usually, he would’ve trusted you with his life without any hesitation, but you had been gone for years and returned like this, with bizarre motives.

You returned at the same time as Thanos and you were looking for the tesseract. Loki wasn’t a fool. He finally put two and two together and the realization was too arduous to believe. The idea of you and Thanos even meeting was something Loki could only see happening in his worst nightmares, but he was afraid it had already occurred. If so, he needed to hear it from you,

“Is Thanos making you do this?”

The tone of his voice seemed to offend you as you sent him a nasty glare. Your softness turned harsh and you pushed Loki against the metal wall with a loud thud. Before he could get out of the way, you grabbed your own dagger and pressed it against his neck so it was ever so slightly pressing against his exposed skin.

“He is not making me do anything. I am glad to serve the all-mighty Thanos. I won’t fail him, unlike you,” You snarled at Loki spitefully.

Never in a million years had Loki imagined this moment to happen. One where you would be fighting against each other. It was supposed to the two of you against the nine realms. Being held like that by the one person he loved more than anything was tearing his heart to shreds, but he tried not to show it.

Deep down, he knew it wasn’t truly you. He knew exactly what Thanos had done to you so you would act like this, and it only made it hurt so much more. It felt like someone was pouring salt into an open wound, and his entire body, heart and soul were wounded.

“Now give me the tesseract and we will be on our merry way,” You tried to obtain it again. This time you seemed more serious. Was it the tone of your voice or your weapon pressed against his pulse? Loki didn’t know.

“I don’t have it,” Loki lied as smoothly as he could because even thinking straight at that moment felt impossible. The world was caving in around him at supersonic speed.

You pressed the sharp edge of the blade closer to him, feeling how just a little bit more pressure would've broken his skin “You’re a great liar, my dear, but I know that’s not the truth.”

Loki didn’t want to fight you, but he didn’t see another way out. And it was good for him that you had learned most of the tricks from him. Your every move would be more easily predictable for Loki. He had to find a way to distract you.

“Why do you need it?” That was a foolish question. He knew damn well what Thanos would do if he got his dirty hands on the infinity stones.

“Why do you care?” You didn’t answer his silly question.

Suddenly, Loki grabbed your wrist tightly and yanked your arm to the side. He tried to be as gentle as he could, but Loki knew you wouldn’t go down without a fight.

At least your weapon fell out of your hand, but you knew how to defend yourself without it. So did Loki.

Loki tried to turn things around so he would have you pinned down against the wall, but you didn’t let him get that far. As he turned you around so your back was pressed firmly against his chest, you kicked your legs against the wall hard, pushing both of you back. Loki took the biggest impact as he fell on the floor, with you on top of him. Quickly, you rolled out of his grasp, turning around in one swift movement so that you were now sat on top of him, with your legs tightly against both his sides.

A powerful orb of magic grew above your fingertips and you brought it closer to Loki’s face - so close that he could feel the heat of your burning powers. The magic created an electric sensation on your skin. It felt like you pushed your fingers deep into warm sand. Toying with it was exhilarating, and seeing the astonished look on Loki’s face made it so much better. The green light of your powers cast light in his eyes, only deepening the look of disbelief that was painted all over him.

“It’s sweet that you’re trying not to hurt me,” You taunted him at that point, “but that doesn’t mean I won’t hurt you.”

“This isn’t you, Y/N,” Loki groaned. He was so sure of himself.

You tilted your head and smirked, looking at him like a cat would at a mouse. “I don’t know, Loki. It’s been a while,” You explained casually and leaned closer and closer to his face, stopping when your noses brushed against one another. By now, Loki was frozen on the spot. He was trying to come up with a plan and he felt hopeless.

“I’ve changed,” You whispered to him and felt tempted to kiss him, to taste him. Would you taste his fear? His heartbreak? You were sure it would taste sweet.

“The torture must’ve been painful,” Loki pushed his feelings aside. Yes, he felt like his heart had been ripped to shreds, but he had to do something. He had to surprise you, even if it would hurt. Words could hurt more than actions, and if Loki wanted to survive and to help you, he needed to reach the real you even if the only way to do so was cruel.

How did he know? You narrowed your eyes and surprisingly, found yourself waiting for him to continue.

"I was trained well."

"Trained?" Loki spat out harshly, "I know you're afraid. He has promised you something worse than the pain he has inflicted on you already. It won't happen. If you let Thanos continue his reign, he will not care about your loyalty!"

"Shut up!" That was too much for you. With tears brimming your eyes from anger, you put your hand over his mouth to silence him. He didn't budge and you didn't know why.

You pushed the memories aside. The painful memories of the time Thanos first found you. It was wrong to think of it as torture. No, he had shown you what you're truly capable of. It was training. Training to become a stronger person after the hell you endured on Asgard.

But now that you found yourself thinking about it, it seemed like the memories were all blurred as if you were looking into the past through a broken lens. Someone had spilt oil all over it and the pictures were warped.

"I know you have it," You needed the tesseract. "Give it to me and then this will all be over," you removed your hand from his mouth because it looked like he wanted to speak.

Loki knew that if he’d push you, your magic could burn him, but at the moment he couldn’t come up with another plan. He couldn’t just stay on the ground as people were being killed on the other side of the wall!

"Okay," Loki blurted out. Okay?

For a moment, he had you surprised which was the perfect distraction.

Loki grabbed your wrists tightly and pushed you to the side, but not quickly enough. You released your magic and it graced the side of his face, making him growl out either in pain or frustration - or both. The two of you rolled over and this time Loki was on top, holding your arms pinned above your head. You were trapped because of one mistake. You couldn't believe Loki had used the element of surprise to turn the situation upside down.

Furiously, you tried to kick your legs free, but he had you pinned down beneath him and Loki was strong. There was no point in squirming, you had to come up with another idea.

The two of you faced each other and Loki revealed his face and the damage you had done. Your magic had burned his skin and left a bloody cut on his eyebrow. It had just barely missed his eye. If he lived, it would surely leave a scar.

You flinched when a drop of his blood hit your cheek and it rolled down the side of your face.

"What are you going to do, kill me?"

Loki could never bring himself to kill you. He wouldn't be able to live with himself with your blood on his hands. No. He had other ideas. Loki remembered what it was like to be under Thanos' control. He remembered how much it hurt to even think about the torture. He had to remind you, he had to make you see that this wasn't the real you.

"This version of you, or I certainly hope so," Loki replied mysteriously. Before you could ask him to elaborate, Loki released your wrist and slammed the palm of his hand against your forehead. In a split second, you were in a different place - in your head. You could've sworn you heard him mutter "I'm sorry," before everything turned black.

It was hot, burning hot. Metal chains were attached to you and they were glowing red. Torching. You could only scream in pain as the metal sunk into your skin, your bones, your nerves. It felt like he had chained your mind and with the tiniest movement of his finger, he could make you do his dirty work.

He, Thanos, was sitting on his throne. He was the puppet master and you the puppet. He didn't look at you fondly. No. He was smiling as he watched you cry your lungs out, letting out animalistic growls as the pain got worse. It was so overwhelming that every once in a while, you would scream until you passed out. But every time, one of his children would be there to wake you up.

It was time for another round. And another. And yet another. Would it ever end?

Each time you tried to resist the chains, the strings that were sewn onto you and connected to his fingertips, it hurt more. Eventually, you learned that allowing the strings to tighten around you made it hurt less. It almost felt good, like a long embrace after a long day.

"I don't want to hurt you, my child."

Lies. You knew that all he said were nasty lies, but sometimes it was easier to believe lies than the truth.

"Make it stop!" You would beg him. How long had you been there?

You could remember Thanos touching your face gently, which was so comforting after everything you had endured. At the same time, it made you sick. You couldn't believe that the one who had caused you distress could have such a gentle touch.

"You're ready," Thanos had realized. The Other had appeared right before you and his fingertips were pressed against one another, making him look like he was deep in thought. You had no idea what they were doing, but the next thing you knew was that you no longer felt pain.

The chains, the strings, they were all invisible. It looked like you were free, but the weight of the metal was still pressed against your skin. Had you imagined it?

No,

Deep down you knew that the strings were still attached to you, but they had only made it seem like you had a choice.

"Excellent," The Other's voice surprised you. You merely blinked and you had returned to the vessel. Loki was above you and the Other was standing right there, "You found him."

The Other used his powers to push Loki off you. Shock had made your entire body numb and you couldn't scramble up to your feet. It felt like your limbs had been turned to stone and you were anchored to the floor.

Loki got up slowly with his arms raised in surrender. He was well aware of the powers the Other had and Loki wasn't going to fight him now. If he followed you for long enough, then maybe just maybe he could come up with a plan. Loki looked at you as you finally got up. As you stood next to the Other, you couldn't believe your legs carried you. Something was so wrong. You felt sick and you couldn't shake it off. It felt like something had snapped within you, but you didn't know what.

"He is waiting for you," The Other explained as he turned to walk away, most likely to wherever Thanos was waiting.

Loki had no choice but to follow, and you walked behind, making sure he didn't try to escape.

Why did Loki make you remember that? What did he think he would obtain with making you relive something so awful? It hadn't worked, right?

There he was. Thanos was standing by a hole that had been ripped into the side of the ship. Magic was keeping it sealed so the vacuum of space wouldn't suck everyone into it. But still, the emptiness of space wasn't frightening at all compared to the titan who was standing right there.

Loki swallowed thickly as he saw him again. It had been years but he remembered everything like it had happened yesterday. Seeing Thanos standing in the middle of the piles of bodies, in the room that smelled like smoke and blood, was sickening. Thanos hadn't just killed a part of Loki. He had just slaughtered these innocent Asgardians with the help of his so-called children. He had taken you.

He will make you long for something as sweet as pain

Loki closed his eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. They had stayed true to their threats.

"I know what it’s like to lose," Thanos turned around now that he knew Loki was there. At long last. Thanos had not forgotten what Loki had failed to do, and Thanos was a man of his words.

"To feel so desperately that you’re right yet to fail, nonetheless," Thanos continued dramatically and slowly made his way closer to Loki. He saw Thor on the ground, bloodied and weak. The brother of Loki. As tempting as the idea was to torture Thor right in front of the god of mischief, Thanos had different plans. If there was only one way Loki would ever give him the tesseract, it was going to be in order to save you. You were Loki's true weakness.

"It’s frightening. Turns the legs to jelly. I ask you, to what end?" Thanos looked Loki right in the eye. He could see that Loki was afraid, yet Loki never looked away from him. He was either too proud or fearless. Thanos had liked that about Loki initially. But he had failed Thanos greatly. It had cost him infinity stones.

"Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same. And now, it’s here. Or should I say I am," Thanos finished his dramatics because it was time for action, to turn the wheels and see the bigger picture. This was the end of an era and a new beginning for a different universe. In Thanos' mind, only he could bring balance and order. He gestured for you to walk up to his side.

Too afraid of the idea of what would happen if you disobeyed, you walked right up to Thanos, feeling like a fly that was willingly flying into cobwebs. When you were close enough, you kneeled and dipped your head so he wouldn't see the worry in your eyes. It wasn't there before.

"I didn't obtain the tesseract from him, but I am sure that he has it, father," You muttered quietly. Why did you say that? There was a pounding headache growing within your skull. You didn't know what was right or wrong anymore and you couldn't fight it either.

Father

Loki clenched his jaw as he followed the situation closely. Hearing that made his blood boil. He wanted to rip Thanos apart after this. Never in a million years had he imagined this, to see you pledge your alliance to Thanos, kneeling before him and respecting him. Thanos didn't deserve that. Hell, Thanos didn't even deserve to look at you. It was wrong.

At that moment, Loki worried that his trick hadn't worked. That the memories hadn't awakened anything within you. That it was all too late now. This was the end, the one thing in life that was inevitable.

"I know, my child," Thanos let out a sigh. Then he grabbed you by your jaw like he had done before, forcing you to face him. "I know he has it," He repeated and suddenly his touch turned violent. He closed his hand around your neck tightly and you gasped for air helplessly. Your hands - tiny compared to his - grabbed his fingers and you tried to pry them apart, but he was tougher than you. Panic shot through your entire body when you realized you couldn't breathe. It turned your blood to ice and your poor heart was beating so hard you were afraid it would explode.

What was he doing?

The moment he pulled you to your feet, so high that you had to stand on the tips of your toes, he spoke, "The tesseract or her life," Thanos smiled devilishly, showing no remorse. He didn't care about you. You were a pawn in his game and if you would die at his feet, he would just walk over you and carry on.

"You choose," Thanos put the weight of the world on Loki's shoulders.

Loki wanted to rescue you from that monster, but he wasn't stupid. With all of Thanos' children surrounding him, he knew that he would be dead before he could reach you. Nonetheless, it didn't mean he wouldn't try. Seeing you clawing at Thanos' hand, fighting for something as simple as air and not getting it was heartbreaking. Loki's body was trembling with hatred and hurt. Tears blurred his vision and he struggled to keep his composure.

How had it all come to this?

The thought of Thanos with the tesseract was haunting. Soon he would have all the stones and he would destroy reality as they knew it. But Loki could live with that. He couldn't live knowing you had died when he had a chance to save you. Perhaps he was selfish for choosing you over the entire galaxy, but Loki didn't care. Nothing mattered if he would lose you again.

"Alright, stop!" Loki made up his mind. "I choose her," Finally, Thanos released his grip on you and let you fall on the cold ground. Your hands wrapped around your throat gently and you coughed painfully. It took you a while to finally breathe again, which was a huge relief for both Loki and you.

And now Loki was holding the tesseract. It was so bright that it painted the space blue. It was almost too bright to look at. The power within the stone was so strong, you could sense it like heat from the sun in spring after a long and cold winter. Loki was tempted to use the tesseract to grab you and escape, but he quickly shut those thoughts away. Thanos would follow him for the end of all days.

"You...you really are the worst, brother," Thor was following the situation to the best of his abilities. He spat out blood as he watched Loki holding the cube. It made him sad. Everything they ever knew was destroyed in the name of power, pure and raw power that the tesseract could offer. Was it worth it?

Loki glanced at Thor who was too weak to even get up. He didn't care too much about what he had to say. Then he looked at you. There you were, on the ground struggling to breathe after Thanos had crushed your windpipe. There was bruising on your skin that would only deepen with time. Time that you possibly wouldn't have after this.

He saw the tears running down your face, but you didn't sob and whimper. It seemed like you were as still as stone. You couldn't bring yourself to face Loki.

"I assure you," Loki found his voice and he addressed both you and Thor with his words, "the sun will shine on us again."

What did he mean by that?

You were ashamed to tilt your gaze to see him, to see the tesseract. The damn infinity stone had ruined it all! It was why Thanos had wrecked Loki, why he had destroyed you too. Why so many people were now dead. If you had one wish that could come true, you would wish for the tesseract to be destroyed forever.

Thanos had his back turned to you. Loki was slowly but surely making his way closer to the titan, almost like he was afraid to move but he forced his body to comply. Why? Why would he trade the tesseract for your life? It seemed like whatever spell you had been under had worn off. You were free, but it was more terrifying than being under Thanos' control under these circumstances. He didn't need you, and soon enough the vessel would be blown to bits. All of you, even Loki.

Would you be able to tell him how sorry you were?

"Your optimism is misplaced, Asgardian," Thanos wasn't fond of Loki's strange choice of words.

"Well for one thing I'm not Asgardian," Loki replied quickly. It sounded a little bit witty, which was confusing. Where did the boost of confidence come from? Was he up to something?

"And for another," He continued dramatically. This time it was Thanos' turn to be confused.

"We have a Hulk."

Everything that happened after that happened so fast that you could hardly keep up with it. Loki dropped the tesseract and he leapt toward you. Thanos barely had time to turn around when a huge, green beast appeared out of nowhere and it seemed angry. It was eager to fight the titan.

Loki had you up on your feet in no time and the two of you ran away from the immediate danger. He led you to one of the many corridors on the vessel until no one could possibly see you. They were too distracted by the Hulk to even think about Loki and you. It wasn't until he was right in front of you that you could comprehend what was going on. He was kneeling on the floor and you were sat against the wall for support. Your hands were trembling so hard, it seemed like you were freezing up and you couldn't make it stop.

Loki had tricked Thanos.

He was relieved when you didn't fight him, yet he was unsure if it meant you were no longer under Thanos' control, or if you were simply too tired to fight.

He cupped your face gently and searched for answers in your expression. Back in the day, he had been able to read you like an open book.

You put your hands around his wrists and pulled him closer. You were desperate for the comfort he could bring in the midst of the living hell you were stuck in. How did he not hate you?

"I'm s- I'm sorry," You whimpered, finally cracking like a plate that had fallen on the floor. "I'm sorry."

"Shh, it's okay," Loki couldn't possibly let you apologize for what had happened. He was possibly the one person who understood exactly what you had gone through and what it was like to follow orders from that monster. There was not an ounce of judgement to be found in his heart.

What mattered now was that you were together again. You could come up with a plan, but you had to work fast. As much as Loki wanted to hold you and comfort you, to feel that you were real, he knew there wasn't enough time for that.

"We need to get off this thing," Loki's mind was running a marathon as he tried to come up with an escape plan.

"They're gonna blow it up," You explained, feeling how bad your lips were quivering as you spoke. The moment Thanos had what he came for, they would leave and destroy everything they'd leave behind.

Shivers ran down Loki's spine as he heard that. It only confirmed that you had to act quickly. Loki wasn't sure how long the Hulk could fight Thanos. Would they be able to rescue Thor? How much time did they have?

The blood in the wound you had caused on his face was beginning to dry. It looked gnarly and all you wanted was to make it all better. Knowing that you had hurt him made you sick with guilt.

"I'm sorry, Loki. I didn't w-want to fight you," You sniffled, breaking Loki's train of thought. For the first time, he felt lost. He didn't really know what to do. Were there any escape pods left?

"I know," Loki assured you. "I know that. I was in your shoes when I was on Midgard," He explained briefly, unaware whether or not you knew of it. Had Thanos talked about him to you?

A sense of impending doom weighed you two down. If this was the end, then at least you were together, right? You and Loki against the nine realms, you would face the end together if there wasn't another way out. Whenever you had pictured your final day, you had imagined something entirely different than this. You would be old together, with hundreds of stories of your shared life. You would be surrounded by people you cared about. It would be calm, the exact opposite of this.

"I love you," You needed to tell him that. Any moment could be your last. The world would cave in and you would be gone forever.

Loki hated how much that sounded like a farewell, but at the same time, it had been so long since he had last heard those three words, let alone from you. Perhaps it was sick and twisted, but it made him smile.

"I love you too," Loki was sure of it. He had never stopped loving you and he didn't think he was even capable of that.

It seemed like you acted on instinct. You found enough strength to push yourself right against Loki. There was no hesitation in your actions as you kissed him. Loki closed his eyes when he felt your trembling lips pressed against his. Your scent, still sweet and familiar despite it all, punched its way into his lungs. He held your face gently but the kiss was passionate, almost despairing.

You wanted to scream out in agony because at last, you were reunited with Loki but not in the way you imagined. You felt like the shell of the person you were before, and now you knew for a fact that Thanos had done the exact same things to Loki. That titan had killed your souls beyond repair. But all you could do was kiss Loki and hold him and hope that he could feel how sorry you were. You didn't want to let go, afraid that if you did, it would all end. Just like that.

Loki broke the kiss, and for a moment you rested your foreheads against one another like you had done so many times before. It was comforting. You both wanted to stay close like that, but you recognised that you couldn't. Letting go of each other and getting up on your weary feet was so incredibly difficult, but it had to be done.

The world around you began to glow brighter. You quickly held onto Loki, startled as the mysterious light surrounded the two of you.

Loki held his breath as he studied the warm glimmering magic that had swallowed you. In between the bright rays of light, he saw all the colours of the rainbow. Shimmering. He saw reds and blues, yellows and greens, shining brighter than the other and it changed smoothly.

The Bifrost

He didn't know how or why, but he knew for a fact that you were in the magical portal. He couldn't see beyond it anymore. He couldn't feel the floor beneath his feet. It was like he was levitating mid-air, with you tightly in his arms.

Heimdall must've conjured the forefathers, letting their powers flow through him one last time. Where to? Loki assumed that anywhere would be better than where they had been mere seconds ago.

And it was a miracle.

A/N: I think it would've made more sense for Heimdall to send Thor or Loki to earth rather than the Hulk. So that's why I ended it like that

I'd absolutely love to hear your feedback! <3

TAGS:

Loki: @yuna-belikova @ornella0910 @castiels-majestic-wings @lucywrites02 @myraiswack @prettysbliss @weirdfangirl2416

Forever Taglist: @iraniq  @embrycallsgirl  @blackroseyaz @badass-psycho @r-alexandra01 @p3aches13 @your-pixels-are-showing @disasterren @iamsuperjenna @yuna-belikova @ornella0910 @optimisticpeacecollector5 @thehumanistsdiary @your-pixels-are-showing @klanceiscannon14 @i-have-arrived-bitch

[qyllenhaal]

God’s Face in the Fire || Part 2

Dark!Lee Bodecker x Dark!Reader

Summary: A wife who would do anything to give her husband the world, even if it means getting herself involved with his trouble.

Word Count: 10.3k

Chapter warnings: dark themes!!! contains mentions of murder, non-graphic death scenes, smut (loss of virginity in a flashback scene), manipulation, brief mention of sexual assaults, misogyny, uncomfortable situations. Please heed the warnings!!! 18+ only

A/N: It's been forever since I posted. The last two weeks have left me discombobulated that it was hard to find time to sit down to write and edit this, but I'm glad I got to it! The next part is going to be the last part but I have plans to do one-shots for this universe. I'm going to be posting a Senator!Chris fic tomorrow so stay tuned for that.

Enjoy!

"You remember when I took you out for milkshakes and you spilled yours all over me? You were wearing that exact same color," Lee said pointing at the dress she was pressing.

"All those years ago, and you still remember that?" Y/n wanted to drown in this tender moment she's having with her husband. Hearing him laugh, his stomach shifting, and his eyes wrinkling.

"How could I? Watching you get all flustered and cute really got me goin’. It's when I knew I was gonna marry ya."

The days have been incredibly warm and beautiful since Y/n had done what she did. It was cruel irony that she was enjoying another day while someone’s body was rotting. The softer moments of life were few and far between these days, but right now she’s offered her a wonderful distraction.

She had taken on more tasks than usual to distract herself from the intrusive thoughts she had. She even accepted a last minute invite to help put on an event at the local rental hall with some of the other mothers in town. It gave her an excuse to look nice and show herself off to anyone who had some doubts about Lee. Things were looking good for him, but there was always something to do to further rehabilitate his image. She always looked her best as the sheriff's wife. Keeping up the appearances exhausted her since they have become more frequent for her. However if she wanted the people to fawn over her lovely family, she had to show up. An arts and crafts event for the kids is also a good chance to get their daughter out of the house.

Teenage Y/n did not see herself becoming a housewife so young. It was unsavory to think about being a homemaker for one of the boys’ at school. She surmised that she would’ve stuck by her original plan if she had not been so lonely. All of Y/n's friends left within a year of graduating high school. She didn't have that many friends to begin with, but she thought that at least one would always be there for her. Rose went to college, and Barbara found a man to marry and moved to upstate New York. Only one stayed for some time, Judith, but she eventually left after having a shotgun wedding. It was selfish of her to think that someone would stay just because she got rejected from the only college she had applied to. Other people had lives and Y/n was just not at the center of them.

The absence of her friends made her pregnancy more lonely. Her baby shower consisted of her family, Lee’s sister, and his co-workers and their wives. None of the women seemed to be fond of Y/n. It always plagued her mind to know if they thought she was too young and stupid or if it was just something else

She found solace in some of the other mother's in town. When she began showing up around to volunteer at bake sales and food drives she expected them to look at her face and then down at her belly and reject her. She is younger than them and feared they'd find her naïve. She had kept to herself for so long that she thought they'd write her off as the sheriff's meek wife.

Y/n didn't get a chance to mingle with anyone prior to her marriage and Lee made it harder by insisting in little ways that she stay in the house. No one was at fault that Lee wanted to keep her to himself. It was possible he did it out of insecurity, but Y/n now speculates that it was because he didn’t want to hear or even see what he may have been doing.

One of the ladies who Y/n only knew by her dark hair and distinct, pointy nose joked that Lee had, "finally let Rapunzel out of the castle." When the other mothers joined into laughter, she felt small. It was only a harmless joke that was steeped in the truth. It took her persistence to no longer wanting to feel alone while being pregnant to get the women to warm up to her, and the did.

"I remember spilling the milkshake, but I was too embarrassed to remember anything else about that night," she admitted.

Lee remembers that night very well. He wishes that she didn't end the night so quickly because she ruined a pair of trousers that could easily be replaced. He had only bought them to impress her, but it didn't take much to get her to swoon over him. No other man was giving her the time of day.

"We should go out to that diner Friday night. Now that we have someone to watch the little one, we don't have to stop by your parents to drop her off anymore. I can just scoop you up and we can have a night together," Lee pressed himself into Y/n's backside. She giggled when his hands lightly danced against her ticklish sides.

Lee had also been aware of the slim moments of intimacy with his wife. He was serious about this race but he truly underestimated how much time and effort he'd have to put into this. But people really did love the old mayor. The only slight Lee had against him was his old age and how some believed that if he kept going then he might run into some health problems. The rumors about him becoming more and more forgetful were minute compared to the dark gossip swirling about Lee though. Some of the people in town would probably vote for a paper bag before Lee.

His biggest fear is that he loses the election and drives his wife away. He could lose the race, but if his wife somehow slipped away, taking their baby with her, he’d drink himself into a stupor. Lee tried his very best to hide his insecurities from her. When he worried, she worried too and it made it much harder for him to plan his way out of whatever hole he is in when he has a hysterical wife to deal with. That's why he'd rather not tell her anything.

Lee also wasn't the young man in his prime anymore, he believed that his good looks were fading, and he has gained a considerable amount of weight. The fear of Y/n just up and leaving him for someone younger than him and riding off to the city always plagued him. The birth of their daughter should've assuaged him, but his self-doubt always lingered like a cloud that made him stick to his vices.

"I've really missed ya honey...missed this body of yours."

Y/n flinched when his hands ran down the front of her body, over her stomach and then circling up back to her breast. Her body has changed considerably since giving birth and the hormonal imbalance left her feeling tired, sad, and alone. Her mother told her that all she had to do was look at her child and she'd feel better, but every time she looked at her little girl all she did was worry. Was she a good mom? Why was her daughter crying so much without much working? Was Lee staying at work for long hours to avoid the crying and her? Did he still find her attractive?

They’re both too busy thinking Lee's mayoral bid to realize they felt the exact same way as each other. If there was any other time that proved they were an extension of each other, it was now, but they were too blind to see it.

"Lee y-you're going to be late for work," her voice was weakened by his lips now nipping at her neck.

"Don't give a damn," he whispered against her skin, inhaling her familiar scent, "just wanna feel my wife."

Today, Y/n felt herself slipping back into her normal self and normal life. She melted into Lee, hoping that maybe they could have a moment to themselves, but they were interrupted by the phone ringing downstairs. Every early morning and late night phone call had her on edge. They never seemed to be about anything important but it hasn't failed yet to make her stomach churn.

Lee groaned and pulled away from her. She watched him disappear to go answer the phone.

It has been nearly two days and the only thing on her mind is what happened after she left that brothel. The anxiety made her feel sick. Hours later after it happened, around 2 a.m., she woke up and darted to the toilet. Lee kept asking her if she was pregnant as he held her hair back while her face was in the toilet. She dismissed his claims, knowing full and well that she was just sickened by her actions.

Lee had not mentioned a death or anything related to that brothel, so had he even been found? Was his death even reported? The girls who worked for him were probably too worried about their own arrest than the death of their abusive boss.

She wiped the look of worry off of her face when she heard his heavy footsteps coming back up the stairs.

"Who was it?"

"Your brother," his tone held disgust, "invited us to dinner on Sunday. He asked to speak to you but I told him you were still sleep."

"Lee!"

"I don't want to hear it," his voice boomed, much more dominant and rough than hers, "I ain't having dinner with him and I don't want to hear your mouth about it."

Y/n stayed silent and watched him grab the police hat resting on the dresser. She hated for him to leave on such a sour note, but she wouldn't dare say anything in fear she might make things worse.

He started towards the door of their bedroom before turning back to his wife, "Sandy supposed to stop by Saturday. I don't know why, so don't ask, but she claims she's comin'. Who knows if she'll stick to her word."

It’s like Lee did that on purpose, as some sort of sick payback for her brother calling. Y/n was not fond of Sandy and did not like to be around her for more than ten minutes. Sandy was a nice girl, a bit unsavory at times, but her husband Carl was a stain on her life. There was something about him that reminded her of the men her mother had warned her about when she was a young teenager; a man with a slick tongue and a creepy air around him. However, she found Carl much more sinister than that. The look in Carl's eyes when he looked at her and flashed her that unsettling smile was imprinted into her brain. They did not come around much, but when they did it was always a traumatic experience for Y/n.

Lee left the room before Y/n could respond. He knows how Y/n feels, but he can’t bring himself to care right now. She’s not going to protest against it because she knows better than that. He focused on the sound of soft babbling from his daughter as he walked into her room.

"Hey you," she looked up at him with her big eyes and her widening smile that made his heart swell, "you gonna be good for your mama? You've been on a mean streak lately and I'd hate to make good on my threat and put you in baby jail."

His daughter reached up and tried to grab at his face. Lee was clean-shaven now, but for the first few months of his daughter's life he had enough hair on his face for her to grab a hold of. It was funny to see how she still tried to grab at his non-existent hair, pinching his skin in the process.

"Miss the beard little lady? You're just like your mama," he kissed her forehead and felt a deep sense of guilt that he had to leave her to go to work. But everything he did was for her and if he believes that the long hours are going to pay off. All of his work is going to pay off when he wins that race.

-

The dress her daughter wore was blush to complement her mother's golden one. She looked around at every single building and person they passed as if it was her first time seeing it again. Her sense of wonder always made Y/n adore her even more. Y/n wondered what was going on in the little mind of her and what sense she made of the world.

She was never fussy when they were out, which was good for Y/n, but also good for the rehabilitation of Lee's image. He has such a good daughter and pretty wife, he must be doing something right. Every single person who stopped to say hi or coo at how cute her baby was, Y/n wondered if they have ever said something negative about Lee. Y/n never received weird stares or grimaces that would make her paranoid, but she still felt on edge. She always wanted to be on her best behavior, especially when Lee was not with her.

Y/n was forced to be her normal self; cheerful even though her mind was reeling over two nights ago, her sister-in-law, and what the conversation between Lee and her brother this morning may have sounded like. When one of the toddlers thrusted their drawing her face she feigned an excited smile. She hoped the mother's didn't notice her lackluster attitude.

"Y/n , can I speak with you?"

It was Sally's voice that called to her. She looked at the blonde woman with a bit of panic on her face. She thought that she was going to get chewed out by her, especially since she pulled her far away from the other children, and her daughter who was being held by one of the recently graduated girls.

"Is everything alright Sally?"

"I should be asking you that. Why am I hear things about Mrs. Blackwater sayin' she seen your Lee dumpin' bodies in the river behind her house?" At that moment Y/n could not hear her despite her lips still moving. Her blood ran cold at that last name being mentioned. It's been years, close to a decade, since she thought about that old woman, but the mere mention of her name brought Y/n back to a place she didn't want to be.

"I-I...I don't know what she's talking about-"

"My husband and I made a sizable donation to your husband's campaign, and it would be a shame to see him lose," the sugary voice and fake smile on Sally's face made Y/n's stomach ache. She didn't like how some of these women could be so fake because it always made her question if they really liked her or not. But Sally didn't care what Y/n would respond with, all she cared about was her and her husband's reputation, "you're not that much younger than me so you remember them days when that old bitch would be on her porch spewin’ whatever nonsense she could think if at any girl who walked on her sidewalk. No one likes Mrs. Blackwater, but don't think for a second they won't consider what she has to say about that husband of yours. I've heard too many whispers about him and I don't like it. I'll pull my endorsements if you don't fix this shit."

Was murdering one person not enough to save her husband from losing this race? The brothel owner was one person, someone who would not be missed by many people, but could she do something about Mrs. Blackwater?

'That's not right, that's not right.'

No matter how much she tried to shake that evil idea off, it kept creeping into her mind. Murder was the unlikely tool she had in her arsenal all along. It was morally wrong to kill someone, but her victim and the potential one had not been nice people. Mrs. Blackwater's stain on this Earth paled in comparison to Reed's, but that woman made her blood run much colder than the brothel owner.

It was so ironic that Mr. Blackwater was a beloved man in town because no one could stand his wife. They knew not to cross her path and that pies and home cooked meals would not abate her disdain for people. A man who was so kind and friendly was married to the most antisocial person Y/n has ever come across. But he never wasted a moment to sing her her praises. Y/n remembers one of her sons and he was mean just like his mother; a school yard bully that would beat up on anyone he saw as weak and alone. Y/n was lucky that he knew she had an older brother to protect because the Blackwater’s youngest boy never tried anything with her. However, she was not lucky enough to escape the wrath of Mrs. Blackwater. The irony was that she probably would've been better off being a victim of her son. That woman was nasty and wasn't afraid to show it.

"Don't you two get tired of dressing like whores?"

They had to pass the Blackwater house to get to Rose's house. Her house used to be at the end of the street before it got burned down, leaving the Blackwater house the last one on the street. It was nice, and had a big, big porch that Mrs. Blackwater always sat on for most of the day. She didn't stop at calling them just "whores'' and "wenches" either. Y/n never could understand why they always took the brunt of that woman's anger. Rose went home in tears every time she walked by that house. Maybe Y/n's anger is displaced, but she blames Mrs. Blackwater for why Rose was so eager to leave. There wasn't much here, but Rose always promised she'd stay. But ever since they encountered Mrs. Blackwater's misery, Rose had changed.

She could imagine that same venomous voice saying awful things about her husband, "Lee Bodecker put that body in the water. I saw it with my own two eyes!"

The thought of her husband killing someone shouldn't sound so crazy, especially after being able to do it herself. But her Lee can't be a cold-hearted man who slept with whores, murdered people, and ruined people lives. He was so sweet to her, he wasn't always was, but his touch was so soft against her skin, how could he hurt anyone?

Y/n had just turned 19 when she met Lee. He was a deputy, closer to being the sheriff than either of them knew at the time. Their age difference scared her somewhat; she only gave him a chance so she could distract herself from reminding herself that she should be finishing up the last year of being a college freshman. She had the grades and thought her test scores were satisfactory but she got rejected from Indiana University. Her father told her that there is always next year, but her mother told her she should just figure out a new plan.

It was the uncertainty and loneliness that made her get closer to Lee. He was close to his late 20s, unmarried, and he didn't exactly make his loneliness unknown.

He left a sour taste in her mouth in their very first encounter; pulling her over as an excuse to get her number. She gripped the steering wheel to stop them from shaking so much. She only had her license for a few weeks and made sure to be careful in fear of this exact situation happening. His slick talk didn't make her feel that much better either. She was too shaken up to even look at him in the eye or take in any of his features. She just remembered seeing his badge the words DEPUTY SHERIFF etched into it.

Lee let her off, saying she had a "pretty face" and that he hoped to see her around. She didn't think much about their interaction the days after he pulled her over, but she began to see him more than before. Y/n couldn't remember a time she had seen him prior to that one night and found it odd that his face kept reappearing. (He later told her that it was fate, but it was not. Lee purposefully put himself in her orbit. It was not hard to learn what her routine was and when she went out.)

She was weary about his advances, unsure how to react to them because the most experience she's had was with two boys, only one of whom she kissed. Their first date was not by choice either, he just decided to stick by her side while she was at the local dinner by herself.

And he has always stuck by since then, always hovering around her until she realized he was not going to go away and it’d be futile to ignore him. Lee never gave her the chance to make the decision for herself, but his girl was so sweet and she just needed a few cushy words for her to understand that this was where she belonged.

"Do your parents know you're out here meeting me?" It had only been a matter of time before she learned to be very obedient to him; always accepting his plans, even if it meant sneaking out of the house in the midnight hour. The smirk he wore on his face every time he watched her walk up to him left her feeling enchanted.

"Don't talk too loud. If my brother hears you he'll kill you and have my head."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her front to him. Lee groaned at the feel of her breast against his chest. She was so nervous to do anything with him that she only let him kiss her. It was fine for a while, but he had grown tired of waiting. Tired of being teased by her in those soft, pink dresses that would ride up whenever she had to bend over even just a little bit. He couldn't believe how naive she was to believe he was always dropping things like a pencil or his wallet on accident; he just wanted to see her bend over for him just for a chance to peak at what pretty panties she wore that day.

Getting her to come out with him at night was surprising, but the idea of riding in his patrol car was so alluring. The sparkle in her eyes gave him an overwhelming sense of machismo; enough for him to realize he just needs to take what she wants.

The full moon hung in the clear sky and they had a vast, open field in front of them. He took her just to the edge of the county that was secluded and was his favorite spot to go for some quiet (or getting his dick sucked). The moonlight and a few street lights that were actually working were the only light they had.

"You look so pretty today baby," his hand rested on her thigh the whole entire drive but only now did he actually move it to stroke her skin, "you always look so pretty for me. I'm the luckiest man in town."

Y/n giggled and her face felt like it was burning up. No one had taken the time to compliment her sweetly, and that was obvious to Lee. He cradled her face in the palm of his hand and watched her turn into putty. His hand inches closer to her heat causing her to jump like his hand was made of actual fire.

"Relax baby...just relax for me," Lee planted his face in her neck and nipped at it. His lips tickled the skin on her neck and she did her best to suppress her giggles but they spilled from her lips. Lee smirked against her skin, "there she is. There's my girl."

She let a laugh slip through, but she suppressed the moan that was stuck in her throat. It was so odd to feel him on her neck but it was an unfamiliar feeling that she liked. His hand never left her thigh, in fact he had sneakily moved it closer to her sex. She felt ashamed about the growing wetness that she could feel sticking to her.

Lee grabbed her hand and placed it right over the bulge straining in his pants. She let out a heavy sigh when she realized what it was. "That's how hard you make me. You making me so fucking hard girl," he growled in her ears. This was something only the senior girls from her high school could dream about when they talked about hooking up with their boyfriends. None of them were even half the man Lee was, and here he was: hard and ready just for her.

"L-Lee," her voice broke into bits, her body overheating from Lee taking control, "wait, can we slow down?"

"You taste so sweet baby," he continued kissing her, ignoring her until she was pulling away from his grasp. "What's wrong girl?" The furrowing of his brow made her worry that she pissed him off. Lee was all she had, he convinced her to put away her dream of going to college and stay here for him, if she ran him off then she'd have nothing else.

"I'm just nervous. I’ve never done this before Lee," she hoped her honesty went a long way and would make him take her home instead. But all it did was make him readjust himself in his seat and pull away from her rather coldly.

Lee was irritated with her, she got him all hard, but he did his best to temper his anger. She's lucky that he was on the job all day and didn't have a chance to drink yet or else she'd see the side of him that he purposely hid from her.

"Don't be nervous baby. You know I love you right?" She nodded her head with her wide eyes holding a sad look in them, "good girl. Let me show you something."

Lee patted his lap and Y/n looked at him with apprehension.

"C'mon now," he patted his lap once again, this time with a bit of impatience in his voice.

Y/n awkwardly shifted over the center console of his patrol car and found herself in his lap. His strong arms wrapped around her waist and he rested his chin on her shoulder. She tried to ignore how his bulge poked at her slit through her cotton panties.

"You ever been in a car this nice before?"

"Uh-uh," she shook her head, somewhat distracted by the beautiful interior and his cock poking at her. The only car she's ever drove was the shitty one that was passed down to her. Lee's patrol car doesn't look like it's more than five years old.

Seeing her look in wonder at the dash made him even harder. He began to rut against her, trying to feel as much friction as he could, but it wasn't enough to satiate a man who has been waiting a few months for this.

He sat back and started fumbling with his pants. Y/n heard the sound of the metal on his belt and unzipping of his pants but she froze on top of him instead of moving. She grabbed the steering wheel and held onto it as tight as she did the night he first laid eyes on her. Her alarm rose when Lee lifted her up a little to push her panties to the side.

"Lee what are you doing-"

"Shhh baby don't worry, I got you."

The sensation of his head poking at her slit and her sliding down him was unspeakable. She was uncomfortable with his splitting size, but he didn't move her at all, trying to give her some time to adjust but it was just so hard for him to restrain himself. She was so tight and warm, and definitely untouched by any man. "Fuck," he mumbled warmly in her ear. She felt him wrap his arm tighter around her, almost as if he was afraid she was going to somehow run away from him. Even if she wanted to, she wouldn't know her way back home and she'd be stuck out here. She was safe with Lee even though she found herself feeling more confusion than pleasure.

Those girls from her high school days had to been lying to her, sex didn’t feel all that magical; his patrol car was not a romantic place to lose her virginity. Lee rocked her on his cock slowly as she tried to find the same pleasure that he was experiencing. His heavy breath was on her ear as she stared straight up into the night sky.

"You feel so good. You feel so fucking good baby."

His pleasure is what made her want to stay on top of him like this. She cared for him so much and she just wanted Lee to be proud of her. The "good girl" that continuously spilled from his lips sounded like a hymn she wanted to memorize.

Y/n let Lee have his way with her body. He groped her breast through her dress and then let his hands graze her sides. She wondered what he was doing when his hand slipped into her panties, but the warmth that shot through her made her mind go blank. Lee rubbed at her sensitive bud and she constricted around him. Instead of whimpering, she was now fully moaning; the way it felt so good had put her discomfort into the back of her mind.

"Oh fuck -- move your hips girl. You feel so good."

He rubbed her harder as a reward for swirling her hips against him. She began to bounce on top of him and he no longer had to do the hard work, just lean back and feel her engulfing him in her warmth.

"Lee," she whimpered, unsure of herself, but then she called his name again, "Lee," as if to let him know that he was the one giving her pleasure.

Lee knew he wasn't going to last, not when she was as tight and wet as she was. He can't remember the last time he took someone's virginity, nor when he was this hard. It was clear to him that she had no idea what she was doing by the way she bounced on him without a rhythm. Sometimes she'd stall herself before moving fast again. It didn't irk him, he found it endearing that she was so inexperienced. He was going to have to show her a lot of things and get her to fuck him to his liking.

Y/n gasped when Lee pulled out of her and jerked himself until white liquid was splashing on the back of her panties. She'd have to wash them before her mother saw the stain.

"You did so good baby, taking my cock like a big girl," he placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek, still trying to catch his breath while she shifted on top of him. He put himself away and nudged her towards the empty passenger seat. She was silent the entire time he drove her home. A sense of pride filled her because she had made Lee feel good. The sex itself was too weird to describe as being good, but she liked how she felt inside when he told her she felt good and that she made him cum. That's all she wanted to do was please Lee.

-

Saturday morning proved to be another beautiful day. It seems as if Summer didn't want to leave just yet even though October was near. There wouldn't be many more opportunities for Lee to make his impressions and sway the last few voters not on his side.

The event had been boring at most, but Sally's words really shook her up. No one in town would deny that Mrs. Blackwater has always been a bitter women, but they also wouldn't necessarily turn the other cheek if she starts going around saying that Lee Bodecker is a murder. Y/n's new problem made her forget about the decaying brothel owner. She doesn't care how mean the whole town thought the old woman was, she wanted her gone.

"You slept in. Did I tire you out last night?" Lee had the same smug smirk on his face that has been imprinted on her brains since their early years together.

Y/n nodded even though it wasn't completely truthful. She slept so hard because she's mentally spent and it was finally catching up with her body. Lee had been too distracted to notice how distant she was last night and how she is still distant now. In his eyes, as long as she was eager to lay under him then everything was fine.

Most mornings started like this: Y/n waking up next to her still tired husband and waiting to hear her daughter crying for her. He trudged out of bed and she heard him beat a path down the hall to the bathroom. There was still no sound of her daughter needing her, giving her some time alone. It was nearly silent except for the faint sound of the shower going. She breathed deeply and found herself feeling serene. Just five minutes without the memory of Sally threatening to pull her and her husband's support taunting her.

"Y/n! Do you not hear her crying?" Lee held a stern look on face, he must have been standing there for a few minutes. His towel was wrapped around his waist, stomach hanging over the soft white cotton, "what's wrong with you girl?"

She shook her head, "nothing Lee. I'm just still a lil' tired."

His face softened at her explanation but he nodded his head towards the door so she could take care of their daughter. Y/n hurried not to upset him for the rest of the day.

Their baby was just fussy and hungry. Her little eyes weren’t that red so she hadn’t been crying for long. “You hungry?” Her daughter somewhat understood what her mother was saying because her eyes went wide. The nightgowns Lee had bought Y/n made it much easier for her to pull herself out of them to feed their girl. She could see her daughter calming down, eyes closing once again. Y/n thought about keeping her daughter with her but she needed to rest in her crib. She placed her down gently as not to disturb and wake her again. At least one person in this family deserves peace.

"Back to sleep?" Lee's voice startled her, but the hand on her hip soothed her. Y/n nodded, never taking her eyes away from her girl. "Precious isn't she? So sweet when she's not fussin' about."

"She only fusses because she's teething, and she misses her father."

"Honey, you know why I'm at work longer than usual. It's for her. It's for you. It's for us. Do you know how much better her life, your life, is going to be better after I win that race?"

"But what if you don't win?"

Y/n rarely questions Lee, not even over small things, so he was confused as to why she was questioning him now. Did his wife not believe in him? She worried a lot, but when he first ran for sheriff, she was not this doubtful.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Lee, I didn't say that. It's just that people been talkin' and -"

"And you believe them? So my own wife doesn't think I'm going to win because a few people can’t got some things wrong?”

Y/n flinched as his voice got louder. The brashness of his voice woke their girl up from her attempt to fall into a deep sleep. Instead of waking up and silently looking around, the first thing that came from her was a cry. It served as a way for Y/n to escape Lee's wrath. She pulled her crying daughter into her arms and held her close to her chest. One glance at Lee's face and she knew he was going to deal with her later. But for now he just sighed and walked out of the nursery.

"Aww don't cry honey. It was just your daddy, okay? He's not mad at you sweetheart. Don't cry...don't cry," Y/n's voice cracked and tears slipped down her face. Her pleas were more for herself than they were her daughter.

Lee's hesitance to address the obvious problems he faces in regards to the election made Y/n feel uneasy. All she wanted was for her husband to just outright say he never did those things, but he never did. And if Y/n has resulted to murder, then she knows deep down that he did some of those things that people allege. There were just things that were too loud to drown out. The business when it came to solving a string of murders that happened a few years ago and people talking about him didn't affect him when he was going for re-election. There was no one else that had a strong enough presence to go against him and the folks in town figured that Lee gets enough done as far as crime goes, even though he could do more.

Y/n should be tired of trying to clean up his mess when he was so short with her. However it is not entirely his fault; he does not know. Maybe one day he'll learn and be grateful for what she has done for him.

-

Lee just couldn't stop reminding her that Sandy and Carl were coming over. It's almost as if he knew it got under Y/n's skin and used it against her after she hurt his feelings this morning. He's a sensitive one, even though he hides it well from most people, but her moment of vulnerability wasn't meant to hurt him. Though if their conversation had progressed any further, she might have spilled what she did to the brothel owner. She may want to believe Lee would be proud of her, but she cannot be so sure. It's sickening to assume that someone would be proud of a murder. She quickly began to feel dirty after a few minutes with her own thoughts ever since Lee snapped at her.

"Can you clean up? We're going to be having guests soon."

There were just a few baby toys on the floor but it was best not to make things worse with Lee (even though those toys were going to end up in the same place anyway).

Lee stepped outside as Y/n put their daughter in her high chair. Ever since her birth Lee was mindful not to smoke in the house; it was one of the house rules Y/n proposed that he was surprisingly very accepting of. She had taken away most of the things that he used to destress: alcohol, cigarettes, and candies.

She heard the motor of a car and Lee's muffled voice. She knew it was them, but hoped they were just making a short trip over. It's not like Lee likes Carl, and he's constantly complaining about his trouble making sister. Y/n hates that Sandy uses their daughter as an excuse to come over. She wouldn't mind if Sandy came alone, but she hated Carl around her little girl and she's sure Lee feels the same way.

Y/n's mother had gotten their daughter such a stupid gift when she was born. A baby that's not even half a year old yet didn't need a toy that had a million little pieces they could easily choke on, but of course it was her favorite thing to place with. Lee never cleaned up the mess, it was always Y/n who was doing it. She tried her best to pick everything up before they stepped inside but she heard the front door open. She tensed up, but she only heard the heavy footsteps of one person, and god did she hope it was Lee.

"What you doin' down there?"

Her eyes trailed up and Carl was gazing down at her. Words got caught in her throat and she clutched her hand around one of the toy pieces, the edges of it painfully digging into her palm.

"Did I scare you?"

The smirk on her face made her want to shriek. She noted that he didn't call her "darlin'" like he used to. She can only guess what Lee did to him when he "took him out back" after calling her that for a few years.

"Where's my niece?"

Y/n shot up, not caring about the toys still on the floor. She'll be damned if Carl is alone with her daughter for even a second.

Sandy came in with Lee following behind her. He gave Y/n a look of understanding, he too hoped this was going to be a short visit. The sound of Sandy fawning over her niece overtook the room. Their daughter giggled and babbled at her aunt as if she could understand her.

"Y/n go make us some ice tea."

Usually Lee doesn't command her to do things, unless he was stressed or horny. She knew her was the former by the look on his face. He was aggravated and this visit wasn't going to make him feel any better. As Y/n left the room, Sandy sat down on their couch with their daughter in her arms. Carl sat next to them, making the alarm in Lee rise.

"I got you something honey," she pulled out a little doll from her purse. It looked tattered and Lee wondered where she got it from.

"You know she already has enough dollies," Lee joked. It didn't matter to his girl, it was a new toy, "got anything for your brother?"

Sandy eyes him before pulling out a small bag of candy. She tossed it to him and he caught it, "I knew you'd ask for somethin'"

He opened it and instantly popped a sweet cherry candy into his mouth.

"Y/n's not letting me drink since the girl is so young. This is the only thing I got, even though she's on my ass about that too," Lee knew that Sandy wasn't too interested in the ins-and-outs of his everyday life but he gets tired of complaining to his deputies.

"Yea, I bet," she kept a snide comment about her sister-in-law to herself. The box of cigarettes she had calling her name we're going to have to wait. "How's that mayor race going?"

"It's going."

"Heard that whore house owner croaked," Carl's voice carried to the kitchen and Y/n paused, "found in unusual circumstances...chairs pushed up against the door...poisoned. Reckon one of those girls got tired of him holdin' them down-"

"No smoking in the house," Lee interrupted when he noticed Carl reaching for the pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket. Carl laughed as if he wanted to challenge Lee, but his hand went back to resting on the back of the couch.

"Wouldn't want this little darlin' smellin' like a bar."

Anytime Carl spoke at or about her daughter, Y/n wanted to vomit. Carl is not nice. She wonders how twisted Sandy might be to marry someone who is awful to women and has no filter.

There was a cloud of fear over her head when Carl was around. She wishes Lee was more apprehensive but Sandy's his little sister, and he cares for her no matter how much those two causes. Things would be different if Y/n had told Lee about that time Carl pressed himself against and put his hand up the skirt of her dress. His threat would forever bounce off her skull and it only got louder when he was near. "Shut you're fucking mouth or else your husbands gonna see his slut wife bending over for another man." She was five months pregnant and had no way to defend herself. He only groped her, but she always wondered if he would've gone further if Sandy hadn't come in looking for the cooking tongs Lee told her to fetch. Sandy knew something had happened, but she said nothing. Y/n's disdain for her only grew from that day on.

Lee redirected the conversation from what Carl had started to something a bit more asinine. He didn't want to talk about something work-related because he didn't need to be stressed out any further. Reed’s death wasn't another blow to his reputation like Lee thought it would. It was going to be another unsolved murder from the way it was looking though. The people assumed one of the girls did it. The place had been emptied out; it surely looked different from when Lee was last in there. Lee was lucky that Reed was extremely disliked, unlike that preacher Roy who died some years ago. More people said "he had it coming" instead of "why isn't the sheriff doing anything?"

He laughed about it though. When he was alone in the car after leaving the crime scene, he laughed. There was no more worrying about the rumor that Sheriff Lee Bodecker beat one of his girls. When Lee did go to that place, he was never forceful. Lee could be mean towards women at times, but he was never violent.

-

If Lee was called in on a Sunday morning, then it was very important. He woke Y/n up at 5 am and kissed her out of her confused state to say goodbye. She only slept for another hour after laying her head down back on the pillow.

This morning felt so different.

The morning she woke up knowing her task was to deal with Reed, she was distracted and jumpy. But she had grown so accustomed to her guilt that it's become a comfortable feeling. Mrs. Blackwater was a more personal score to settle. That woman was throwing dirt on Lee's name, but the turmoil she caused her teenage friend would never leave her mind. Y/n had learned how cruel someone could be without physically hurting you. The boys on school grounds were annoying brats, but that woman had a truly awful mouth.

The Petersons’ daughter was over right after church. She had a wide smile on her face, happy that Mrs. Bodecker was giving her another opportunity to make some money.

"She's been a fairly good mood lately," Y/n handed her daughter off to the shorter teenage girl, "she slept through the night for once, but she's still gonna need a nap. Once she starts fussin' put her in her crib. I should be back before Lee."

Y/n wished her well and the Petersons girl wished Y/n a good time running her errands. It was comical to think of this as an errand, even though today she was going to treat it like one.

She was in Lee's nice car again meaning she was going to have to temporarily get rid of it. Y/n put much more effort into this, her haphazard plan to take out Reed could've gone horribly wrong. She spent her time snooping around town when she was out with one of her mom friends. The plan had been simple: park the car at the crowded grocery just two blocks away from the Blackwater house. The house sat at the end of the street, a bit separated from the other row of houses because of the larger amount of land they owned. It wouldn't be a problem to walk to the house seeing as others in this neighborhood do the same thing.

When her mother had made that dress for her to wear to the Spring Formal, Y/n cried, saying she was going to look like a nurse instead of "the prettiest girl in town" like Jim, the guy who asked her to the dance said. A teenage grievance had somehow come in handy almost a decade later. It was under a long coat that was a bit abnormal for this warm day.

Y/n felt sickly confident. That only thing she worried about was Lee cruising through and seeing his car in the parking lot. But the grocery store offered a great cover. The sun was covered by a thick cloud as she walked away from the grocery store and to the old Blackwater house.

That porch still looked the same. It was old and rickety, squeaking as she stepped on it, she's surprised it didn't give it away some years ago. The rocking chair Mrs. Blackwater sat on while terrorizing people was no longer there. At least her days of scaring off the newer generation of kids were over.

Y/n knocked on the door and waited. She had to knock again, and by the third time she wondered if the old lady did the job for her!

"Who is it?" The voice was much more frail, but it was that voice.

"I'm here to help!" The upturn of her voice at the end made her statement sound more like a question.

The locks on the door began to click and Mrs. Blackwater peered at her.

"You're not the one they always send."

"Oh, she's sick today! I'm just filling in for her today!" After two weeks of watching, Y/n learned what days Mrs. Blackwater's nurse came and went. She came everyday but she was absent on Sundays. It's somewhat astounding that Mrs. Blackwater didn't ask about Y/n turning up on a Sunday.

"Ahh whatever," she dismissed, unlocking the screen door, and wheeling backwards in the wheelchair that she had been relegated to a few years ago.

Y/n didn't know what to expect when she stepped inside, but it wasn't too far off from how her parent's house looked; black and white photos littering the walls and stacks of paper that probably could've been thrown away a decade ago. What is different from her parent's home is that this place is an utter mess. The nurse that usually comes to take care of her could at least tidy it up a bit. With how much she hated everything, Y/n would've assumed she hated mess too, but her home says otherwise. This lady was an absolute hoarder.

"Don't bother me," Mrs. Blackwater sniped at her. She wheeled herself next to the couch and glued her eyes to the black and white television screen.

Y/n doesn't know how many hours Mrs. Blackwater spent sitting there and watching The Andy Griffin Show. She didn't laugh when something funny happened, she just sat there still, sometimes grumbling to herself in reaction to what was happening on screen.

The least Y/n could do was tidy up a bit. It would be a kind gesture to leave her to die in a presentable place.

Mrs. Blackwater is not going to die a violent death. She was awful, but she did not deserve the brutality like someone who has done physical harm did. (If she was just a little bit braver, she would've hacked him to death, but the sight of blood makes her ill). Mrs. Blackwater was up in age, nearing her 90s, and it would be time for her to go soon anyway. Y/n dusted around the TV, one of the last things this old woman may see. All the photos of people on the walls were staring at her as she moved about cleaning the dust from the frames. So many people, many dead but most probably alive. Mrs. Blackwater had children and probably grandchildren but no one came to visit her. Her tongue was sharp, but how could no one come and visit their aging mother?

"Stop moving so damn much. Sit down girl."

The venom was still in her voice. It would never go away, at least not until she dies. This woman didn't appreciate anything and enjoyed being miserable. Y/n listened to her like that scared little teenager she used to be. She sat on the couch, a few feet away from Mrs. Blackwater who had not taken her eyes off the TV or moved at all. Y/n was spending time with a woman who was going to die at her hands today. If she's going to die then at least she's going to die doing what she loves; watching her shows and bitching out the closest person in reach.

She had only moved to grab the newspaper from the table on the other side of her. It was Friday's addition, Y/n could tell from the photo on the cover. She couldn't help but eye the old woman as she read the paper. It has been probably three hours and she hasn't even asked for anything to eat.

"People droppin' like flies in this shit hole."

Y/n's ears perked up, but she didn't say anything, she just let the lady talk.

"Leroy should know better not to do that shit here...especially with that corrupt sheriff around...would've had an easier time gettin' away with it in the city. Everyone in the city already does all that illegal shit so it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Now he’s dead."

Y/n had heard that name before. She remembers vividly Lee chewing someone out on the phone and saying their name with contempt. Leroy, Leroy, Leroy. The name "Bobo" also came up in the conversation a few times. Y/n wanted to be mad at Mrs. Blackwater for referring to her husband as "corrupt" but something nagged at her to keep the conversation going for her sake.

"W-what do you mean?" Her voice cracked but it was ignored by the old woman.

"You must not be from here. Everyone knows that if you get caught up with that fat bastard sheriff you must be doin’ some awful shit. The only reason why he keeps gettin' re-elected is because everyone is scared of him. It doesn't matter how many babies that man has, he's a killer...dragging that man's body and fucking up carnations..."

No one had ever talked to Mrs. Bodecker about her husband like this. Town gossipers had the decency to wait until she left the room to say something about him. But she's not Mrs. Bodecker right now. It does not matter anyway because the old lady doesn't know what she's talking about. She hasn't spent the hours with Lee, with him being sweet and so soft with his daughter. Y/n firmly believes that if Lee did indeed kill someone then it was for a good reason. She knows her husband involves himself in dirty things, but it had to be for a good reason. Lee did not show brutality for no reason; he didn't get his rocks off on hurting innocent people.

"People can change. I'm sure he's a different man now."

"Why!? Because he got a bitch and a bastard? You are too naïve...at least the other girl they send has some more sense in her head. No man is going to want to marry a dumb girl."

An awkward silence surrounded them but it was mostly felt by Y/n. She found herself frozen with a ball of rage and anxiety in her stomach. But she had no time to dwell for much longer though.

"I'm thirsty...go make me something."

Y/n noticed Mrs. Blackwater flinching when she grabbed the remote to turn the volume higher. She either had arthritis or just pain in her hands.

"Okay...do you need to take any pills at this time?"

"My husbands gone and my children don't visit me. You think I care about taking my pills?"

Maybe Mrs. Blackwater would be kind to her if she knew Y/n was going to take her out of her misery. Breaking open the capsules and dumping it in the tea she made for her is going to do the job. She might succumb to a heart attack, or pass peacefully. The only person Y/n felt bad for was the poor nurse who was going to find her dead tomorrow morning.

-

Lee was able to leave his shift earlier than expected. Sundays are very quiet, the only thing he got up to was paperwork at the station. He could go home early to his wife, play with the girl while Y/n makes dinner, and get a nice ride from his wife while their daughter sleeps. Y/n said something about needing him to pick up some chicken stock from the grocery store.

People filled in and out of the grocery store as the sun began to set. A few people spoke to him, never for too long knowing that he's not fond of small talk. But more people being friendly with him was a good sign. Even without his sweet wife next to him, no one shied away from saying hello to the man running for Mayor.

Two boxes of chicken stock should be enough even though his wife sent him for three. The brand she likes isn’t exactly cheap. Lee promptly made his way to the cashier who greeted him with a smile.

"Good evening sheriff!" her voice was sweet and she batted her eyes a few times. Lee offered her a smile, but a small laugh escaped. This girl couldn't be younger than 20 but she fawned over him like a young school girl. Her behavior reminded him of Y/n when she was that age. "Darlene said she saw your car in the parking lot but didn't get a chance to catch Mrs. Bodecker herself."

Lee stopped caring about the items (a few snuck in there for him) being rung up. His brows furrowed and the girl realized that she had said something maybe she shouldn't have.

"My wife was here?"

"That's what Darlene said. Her shift ended right as I was coming in so I wasn't there when it happened...do you still want the chicken stock?"

"Yea yea just ring it up."

Lee's mind was too preoccupied with the weird behavior his wife has been exhibiting for the last several weeks. She often hovered over him when he was on the phone like she was interested in what he was talking about. All the swearing and terms she didn't understand kept her from asking what his loud, and often abrasive, phone conversations were about. But now she was listening a little too hard for his liking.

The only time Y/n was supposed to drive their car is if Lee told her she could or if there was an emergency. A trip to the grocery store did not fall under either of those categories. But it was particularly weird to him that she would go to the store when she told him to go himself. If she had forgotten something, she would have not hesitated to call the station. Something was up with her.

Everything felt normal as he stepped into the house. The smell of what she was cooking hit his nose and the familiar noises of his daughter babbling louder than the Y/n moving around the kitchen. If he had no questions for his wife, then he'd feel all warm inside walking into his home in this current state.

Y/n was talking to their daughter as if she was holding a real conversation with her. Their daughter started squealing when she saw Lee appear in the doorway. He put his index finger to his lips to tell her to quiet herself, but she was only louder.

"I couldn't believe it either! They said the hairdresser purposefully dyed Marie's hair darker," she spoke, thinking her daughter was just squealing because she was talking to her and not because her husband was creeping up behind her.

Hands snaked around her waist and she nearly jumped. "Oh yea? Is that what the town is gossipin' about today?" Lee's familiar voice soothed her and she turned around in his arms. She deftly kissed him and looked up at him.

"Wanna know what else I heard?" He whispered to her. Y/n nodded, a smile spreading on her face as she rested her forehead against his, "heard the sheriff's wife been out and about and driving his nice car."

Y/n's smile fell from her face, but it only made Lee smile wider.

"You wanna tell me what you were doing out?"

"I needed something from the store."

"So my task to pick up the chicken stock after work was for nothing?"

"No...I went to my parents house...didn't want to go empty-handed. You know how my mother gets."

What a sweet little liar.

But she still had the smell of an old house lingering around her so maybe it wasn’t completely a lie. Still, he knew something was up with her.

“How was work?” She quickly tried to change the subject. Lee was not really in the mood to interrogate her, it was Sunday after all. He sat down in the chair next to his daughter's high chair. She started reaching for his hat but he was too far away, so Lee rested his head on the tray and let her have her fun. Y/n was probably going to be mad at him for putting his head where she eats and getting all of his “outside germs” all over it, but he didn’t care.

“I’m tired,” he confessed, a heavy sigh escaping him, “I’m really fucking tired.”

Y/n wishes she could lift more of her husband’s burdens. Killing people who were talking about him did not get rid of the core problem. Sometimes she wishes he never decided to run for mayor. Life was so much more comfortable when he would run unopposed for county sheriff. Instead her husband had a bigger dream. From the very beginning she felt like it was a long shot that this would be successful, but they had gotten so far in changing how most of the people viewed Lee. And even though they felt a way about him, they still respected the sheriff.

“It’s going to be over soon. I promise.”

He truly wanted to believe her, but the sinking feeling that the past was going to catch up with him was not going away.