#and you always got the sense that she enjoyed your company as well... she somehow liked you for your flaws

[echeveriia]

i’m in full ‘i should text her’ mode help what do i do

[azrielbrainrot]

I Laugh Like Me Again... She Laughs Like You - Part 4

Azriel x Reader

Description: Azriel would give anything to hold you one more time.

Warnings: Angst (not that bad)

Word Count: 6680

Notes: This chapter was actually trying to fight me. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Hope you enjoy!

Part 3 ○ Part 5

The days were blurring together the longer you stayed in this room. You've long since memorized the golden stripes and swirls beautifully decorating the navy walls, counted the teardrop-like glittering stones hanging from the small chandelier. You've gone through every closet and box in this room as well. Unsurprisingly, the room was almost empty, but you weren't looking through it to find any information anyway, you'd really done it out of boredom, and admittedly some curiosity.

You knew you couldn't complain about your treatment in this house, you'd never heard of a prisoner being treated to home cooked meals and expensive clothes. The House had even brought you books and journals in case you wanted to read or write, and Azriel brought you little treats from the bakeries in town - things you suspect he already knew you liked. He also kept you company every chance he got, even if it meant simply sitting together in silence. You didn't go a day without seeing him. But it was hard to focus on romance novels, chocolate cupcakes or even the captivating hazel eyed male when your entire reality was shattering around you.

The day after you met the High Lord and Lady, Azriel had found you snooping through the few clothes left behind by Feyre, and that same night he dropped off what he called some of your old belongings - some clothes and jewelry so you didn't have to borrow anything else from the High Lady. Everything was neatly folded and carefully arranged, it seems Azriel was extremely meticulous about how to store his late wife's belongings. He told you he's barely allowed himself to touch them in fear of ruining anything.

The clothes had since lost your scent, even if put away in a closed box it would be impossible for it to linger after a century. Still, you knew these were your things, somehow you could feel it deep inside you. You hadn't told Azriel about this, scared of getting his hopes up.

There was nothing personal in the box, Azriel was probably reluctant in letting you see them in case it overwhelmed you and triggered any more painful reactions, but there was enough for you to get a sense of who you were before.

It was clear she lived a happier and much more fulfilled life than yours. The clothes were all beautiful, if a little outdated. They came in all sorts of colors and fabrics, but even if you still liked them now, you know you'd never buy something like this for yourself.

Working at the guild, you had to prioritize functionality. You didn't have many personal belongings, you traveled a lot for missions and had to keep hidden, never staying in the same place for longer than a couple of months at a time. Your clothes reflected this, you prefered to wear pants or even your armor since you never knew when you'd be called for a mission or attacked.

You always had to be ready to drop everything at any moment so there was no use getting attached to anything or anyone. Even your favorite dagger was simply the model you've found works best for you, and you can get it anytime from different blacksmiths. The small hoops currently in your ears are the only jewelry you actually own and it's more of a way to keep the holes open for when you have to do undercover missions in which you might need to dress up.

There was no time or place for getting pretty clothes that made you feel good or buying a nice pair of earrings for the sake of it. Even less for making friends. You were living an empty life, something you always had a hard time coming to terms with, but that seems impossible to accept now that you know what you could have had, what you used to have and was taken from you.

Not being able to even trust your own memories affected you more than you'd ever admit, knowing things you considered unquestionable facts before that night were all made up. You've had to rely on what Azriel tells you and your own intuition to try and fill in the gaps. Your body seemed to be giving you clues, nudging you in the right directions but it only left you beyond frustrated that you could feel like all the answers were on the tip of your tongue but not being able to put your finger on it.

From what you've gathered, the night you disappeared from the Night Court corresponds with the mission in which you almost died, meaning someone in the guild - your handler, if your suspicions are correct - must have found you and brought you in. It's safe to say that, aside from a few lies and omissions here and there, your memories since that night can be trusted. But everything before that was all a lie, over a century of your life was nothing more than a made up story.

A burning feeling behind your eyelids has you forcefully shaking out your thoughts. You can't let yourself get consumed before you even find out what exactly happened, before you can get your revenge. And you refuse to cry in this room where anyone, especially Azriel, could walk in at any moment and see you in such a state. If you had to pick one helpful thing the guild taught you, it was how to handle your emotions.

You knew the High Lord was making good on his promise, knew that Azriel was working to help you as well. He'd only ever left your side to look into any information you could give him about the guild, though your knowledge was limited. You weren't a high ranking member and they were more than careful. You didn't know anything about the other members, as much as they didn't know anything about you.

Still, you weren't used to waiting around while everyone else did all the work and it took them over a week to schedule a new meeting with you, where you hopefully will learn more about this whole situation and what they intend to do with you. It feels like they're keeping you in the dark, something you knew you'd also do in their place, but that has left you feeling nothing but frustrated and worthless.

That meeting was happening in less than an hour and anticipation was eating away at you. Azriel promised he was going to take you to the office, letting you use him as a safety line as you've done so often these days.

Aside from the welcome information and decisions you hope would be talked through, you were also just excited to leave this room for a few hours at least. Only being able to feel the wind through an open window was getting old, and the city below this house felt like it was almost calling to you at this point, but you were too scared of seeming too interested since you didn't know if they'd find it suspicious. Just because the High Lord left the room on a friendlier note doesn't mean he'll trust you completely after what you've done.

You were technically allowed out of the room, free to walk around the House, with Azriel's supervision of course, but after your first attempt you decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

It had been mostly a miscalculation on your part. You were so consumed with your problems and with finding some sort of distraction that you almost forgot Azriel wasn't the only one you knew before, didn't stop to think what reaction they all would have to you.

Azriel asked you to join him for breakfast downstairs as he usually did, trying to get you to move around and talk with the other residents of the House. You accepted, tired of being in the stuffy room and curious to meet the General and his mate, who you've sometimes felt around the House and heard so much about from Azriel.

The atmosphere turned painfully awkward as soon as you entered the dining room with the shadowsinger at your side, making the other residents of the house look up to meet your eyes, surprised you had left the room. It wasn't long before Cassian stormed out, barely making an excuse on his way out after getting a good look at you, his mate following right behind him.

You ended up eating breakfast alone with Azriel, the same way you would have if you'd stayed in your room like you always did instead. Except now you couldn't take the general's haunted expression out of your mind. It truly had looked like he'd seen a ghost. Maybe he did.

Azriel apologized to you on his behalf, even though it wasn't his or Cassian's fault, and you're almost positive there was some sort of fight between them, though you hope not too severe. You'd hate for Azriel to get into arguments with his family over you. He didn't invite you downstairs again after that, simply joining you in your room whenever he could. The reminder of how caring the shadowsinger has been with you almost brings a smile to your lips.

“I'll make you fall for me again.”

Those words haven't left your mind since that night. You've never had anyone look at you with so much love in their eyes, and tell you something so bold with such conviction.

You're not sure you deserve it, and you're terrified you'll never remember him because you know this version of you can't ever be compared to the one in his memories. Even if you end up regaining your memories, it's impossible for things to truly go back to how they were. It's been too long and you've changed too much. The both of you know this.

You haven't actually talked about his or your feelings since that night, but it's clear that he still loves you, well he loves the female he once knew anyway, you're not so sure you're even that similar to her aside from your appearance. It doesn't feel fair to let him dote on you, knowing he's in love with a version of you that will never come back, knowing that, even with the fluttering of your heart, your feelings for him don't come close to his.

It makes you feel like you're taking advantage of him, how he's so dedicated to taking care of you and to restoring your memories, even trying to find the people who hurt you, while to you he's a stranger. Even if an extremely handsome stranger whose company you enjoy a lot, who makes you smile and even laugh despite the precarious circumstances you've found yourself in, who makes you believe you can get through this.

You can't deny you have a reaction to him either, every soft touch feels like lightning running through your veins, and every whisper of your name has goosebumps spreading all over your skin. Your body obviously still remembers how it feels to love him and to be loved by him in return, but the butterflies in your stomach don't even come close to the depth of his feelings for you. It's glaringly obvious that Azriel would do anything for you, even going as far as letting you stab him the very first night you met and brushing it off when you tried to apologize during this week.

Truthfully, falling for Azriel sounds like the easiest thing in the world, but you don't think you'd ever feel like you deserve him.

The shadows in the room start shifting ever so slightly as if reading your thoughts - something Azriel has assured you they can't do - a sign that their singer is approaching.

You put down the book you never even started and hop down from the window sill you had been sitting on for most of the afternoon, waiting for him to knock softly at the door like he always did, letting you prepare for his arrival or deny his company if you so wished. Anticipation was buzzing at your skin the longer you waited so you opened the door for him as soon as his knuckles met the dark wood, catching him off guard with his hand raised.

You can't help but smile at his wide eyes. Surprising the feared Spymaster of the Night Court has to be a hard feat to accomplish and the fact that you just did it so effortlessly makes you revel in his expression for a moment. He offers you a small smile of his own but you can immediately tell something is holding him back.

He hasn't really given you any information about their research or the guild, simply letting you know that they were working as hard as they could on it. You knew the High Lord still had his reservations about your presence in his court so it only made sense for them to keep their cards close to their chest until they knew more about the situation. You suppose he also wanted to see if any of the leads you gave Azriel on the guild actually turned out to be helpful, a last test to see if you were being truthful.

So you wouldn't be surprised that the Inner Circle had a meeting among themselves before bringing you in, one it seems like Azriel just came from, but his expression is making your anticipation steadily turn into nerves.

“Are you ready?”

Even with the lump that has lodged itself in your throat, you nod and try to give him a pleasant smile. You've been waiting for answers and you're finally going to get them, even if it feels like your heart is threatening to give out.

You quickly turn back into the room to slip on your shoes, before looping your arm around the one he offers, ever the gentlemale. He guides you through the painting covered hallways, most of which you haven't walked through before.

As you approach the room your nerves get the best of you. There are a lot more people in the office than you thought there'd be, you can hear their mismatched heartbeats from here, feel their suffocating presences. One you can distinctively recognize is the General's, it reminds you of his reaction in the dining room, how it seemed to hurt him just looking at you.

You didn't think the entire Inner Circle would be in attendance, figured that it would only be the ancient one, the High Lord and Lady aside from you and Azriel. You'll likely have to reveal more about yourself than you'd be comfortable with in any other situation, including things you're not proud of, things you know they'll judge you for, they'll judge the female they once knew for.

Azriel noticed your body tensing, your steps getting slower and the apprehension rolling off you in waves as your thoughts soured. He stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder, meeting your unfocused eyes.

Seeing the worried look on his face makes you take a deeper breath, willing your mind to focus on what's important right now and let your fears stay locked inside you. Thinking of it as another mission the guild sent you on, you've put your life on the line numerous times, you can get through a simple meeting.

You feel a familiar mask of indifference fall onto your face, the mask of a killer the guild made sure you wore almost every day of your life, but before you can rid your mind of emotion, Azriel grabs onto your hand, intertwining your fingers together, and bringing it up to his lips. He leaves a soft kiss on your skin, one that sends chills down your spine, though it's the look in his eyes that makes you stop.

You're not alone. For the first time in your life, at least in the life you remember, you're not alone. He's going to be next to you for every step of the way. You don't need to resort to assassin tactics. The blank mask was something you didn't have a choice but to use, to protect yourself from the things you'd seen, from the things you feel. But here you're allowed to delve into your emotions, to stay true to them.

Azriel gives you a small smile and lowers your hand away from his lips, proud of whatever determination showed on your face. He lets go of you, making you feel the absence of his warmth immediately, fingers twitching as if trying to reach out to his comfort on their own.

As soon as you walk into the room all eyes turn to you. You had been right to assume everyone was here. You let your eyes wander around the room briefly, noting the familiar and new faces, before settling back on Rhysand's, the reminder of the excruciating pain you've felt the last time you saw him an obvious weight on your mind.

You'd seen them all before except for the blonde sitting on the sofa by the window, her brown eyes were wide, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. You know that was Morrigan, the High Lord's cousin, and from what Azriel has told you, one of your once closest friends. Apparently she'd tried to come talk to you but it so happened to be on the day after you went down for breakfast and you denied it without a second thought when Azriel brough the option up. You wonder if that had been too harsh but you weren't sure you could handle a repeat of the Cassian situation.

Feyre and Morrigan are the only ones who attempt to throw a greeting smile your way but you can't bring yourself to respond, acutely aware of the tension in the air, eyes never straying from the High Lord's. Choosing to focus on the elephant in the room.

“I trust your stay has been enjoyable,” Rhysand muses as he points to the chair across from his desk, urging you to sit as if this were a simple business meeting. As ridiculous as the idea sounds, it does something to loosen your muscles and the snort that escapes Cassian lifts some of the tension.

“Yes, the House has been making sure of it,” you sit on the chair across from his desk, not daring to look away from him and the High Lady. He releases a simple hum at the answer, but you're too anxious for small talk. “Have you found a way to get my memories back?”

“In a way,” he offers, leaving you with more questions.

Thankfully, Amren fills up the silence in his place. “The spell suppressing your memories is the work of witches. Daemati can enter anyone's mind and make them forget certain memories but if someone had simply rewritten your memories then Rhys would have been able to fix them.”

“Witches?” The thought was enough to send shivers down your spine.

“Witches use tools to strengthen their powers, to access magic they aren't privy to,” she continues, “It seems someone used a witch's tool to feign daemati powers and rewrite your memories, effectively warding them as well.”

“That's why you had such a strong reaction when I entered your mind.”

You were positive this had to be the work of a daemati. It had never crossed your mind that there could be something else at play.

“You can't undo the spell,” you conclude for them.

Witches have a completely different approach to magic than faeries. While your kind was gifted their magic by the Mother, witches have to resort to the kind of tools Amren mentioned. The resulting magic isn't organic and as such it comes with rules and drawbacks you don't experience as fae.

“We'll need to find the person responsible for it. They're the only one who can tell us exactly how to undo it,” Feyre says.

You bite your lip, your mind reeling with the information. You only have one suspect and the thought of not only finding him but also making him talk sounds beyond ridiculous. He also hasn't shown any hint that he could use witch magic. As far as you know he's as much high fae as you are, but you can never be too certain when it comes to one the best assassins in the world.

“Azriel says you can only identify one member of the guild,” the High Lord continues, barely giving you any time to process.

You nod. “I had direct contact with a few other assassins when I was called for backup but never knew their names or even what some of them look like without disguises.”

“Our only option is finding your handler, but Azriel hasn't been able to find any tracks even with the information you've given him,” Feyre stands closer to the desk now, her hand leaning on the dark wood.

“I'm not surprised. Norris is one of the most prominent members of the guild, I'm not sure how old he is exactly but I suspect he's been working there for close to a millenia.”

“Azriel is extremely good at his job,” Rhysand tilts his head slightly, as if offended for his Spymaster.

“I know.” From the briefings he's given you, he has spies all over the world aside from his shadows, who can listen and see things fae could never begin to imagine. Even with your hints, he's come closer to the guild in a week than entire countries have in decades, perhaps even centuries. “But we've been trained to kill and hide from people like him, like you. And Norris has been doing that successfully for a very long time.”

“We…” He taps his nails on the table, the sound echoing across the room. “So you're an assassin then,” the distaste clear on the High Lord's face.

You hadn't said the words out loud but everyone had probably guessed it the moment you walked back into their lives. The guild has made a name for themselves, and as much as some of your work consisted of spying or retrieving objects, most people came to the guild for mercenary jobs.

“Yes,” you confirm, forcing yourself to keep up the eye contact.

“An interesting career choice,” he muses, as if you had the pleasure of just choosing to become this monster.

The several pairs of eyes watching you intently were making you feel defensive, your temper rising up with it. It's easy to judge someone looking in from the outside. You'd been an assassin or training to become one ever since you could remember, which in reality wasn't your whole life like you thought before. Still, whether it was because you'd been taken in by the guild as a child or had your memories rewritten, you were thrown into it against your will and had since been stuck with no chance of an escape. Everyone has done things they're not proud of and you know fae in such important positions as these and as old as they are can definitely relate to this sentiment.

You weren't proud of it, far from it, but you didn't have a choice. And it's not your fault the female they knew before wouldn't do these things. It's not your fault that innocence and chance at being better she had were ripped away from you.

“Not everyone has the luxury of getting a court handed to them,” the venom drips out of your tongue, every word meant as a weapon.

You know this is a low blow, being aware of the circumstances in which Rhysand became High Lord, how he lost his whole family in one night. But if he wants cruelty, the assassin he keeps judging, you can certainly give it to them. Your bravado lessens when you feel the sharp intake of breaths around the room, most notably from the Illyrian by your side, where he still stands despite how tense his posture has become.

Rhysand's wings tighten against his body and his eyes narrow, finally letting go of the faux relaxed look he's presented you with. He takes a moment to answer you, likely leveling his temper or receiving soothing words from his mate.

“There was a time you wouldn't even dare to hurt an innocent.” This statement lacks the same bite as before, it gives way to disappointment, and it feels like a bucket of ice poured over molting lava. It cuts deeper than any amount of judgment he could have presented you with.

You straighten yourself in the chair, trying to not let it show how much this whole conversation is affecting you. “Well,” you lick your lip, now realizing how dry your mouth felt, “The only thing left from before is my body.”

His violet gaze finally becomes too much for you to bear, allowing yourself the respite of looking down at your hands. There are too many emotions swirling in his alluring eyes, even more felt around the room, the tension has become so thick you could barely breathe, couldn't even risk a look at Azriel in fear of what you'd find written on his face, terrified that the same disappointment lingered there as well.

“It's not,” the change in tone has you looking back up at him, meeting his gaze once more to find understanding reflected on it. And I can only imagine how you've been surviving through it all.

His echoing words make you pause, not being able to look away from him. It's only when wetness gathers in your eyes that you look back down, praying the room of perceptive fae don't notice how close you are to tears. You don't even remember the last time you cried, the last time someone extended you the kindness Rhysand just did, even after all the judgment.

Shadows start crawling up your legs, tentatively moving towards you as if asking permission to comfort you. You bite back a smile, keeping your tears at bay as you wonder if they moved of their own accord or if Azriel sent them to you. You relax your body, allowing them to twist and turn over your legs, mildly surprised that you can actually feel a ghost of a touch. You didn't think you could feel shadows.

You risk a glance at the shadowsinger in question, almost regretting it as you see the fondness reflected in his beautiful eyes as he watches his own shadows move across your skin. This must have been a regular occurrence before. You look away as soon as your gazes meet, not being able to bear the intensity in them in this room full of onlookers.

Unfortunately, your escape brings you back to facing the High Lord and Lady, who seem more than amused at your interaction with Azriel. The change in atmosphere from just a few moments ago almost gives you whiplash.

“You haven't told me what you plan on doing about the guild,” you try to keep your tone leveled, but looking at their reactions you're failing miserably.

“Finding your handler seems to be our best bet,” the smile on Feyre's face only falters a bit, the tension from before has almost dissipated. “Since he's the one who sent you here he might know who hired the guild and their motives for wanting the book.”

“You said he was the one who introduced you into the guild.” You nod at Rhysand. “It's possible he's the one responsible for your… accident.”

“I think so too,” you agreed, your hand moving up to touch the scar on your neck, “I've always been told this scar was the result of a failed mission, and that Norris had been the one to find me and take me to a healer.”

“We found the attackers not long after your death,” the general finally speaks up, cringing softly at the choice of word. His mate was quick to narrow her eyes at him, as if reprimanding him for mentioning it.

“He might not have actually cut my throat,” you shrug, trying not to linger in unpleasant thoughts. “He likely saw me after the attack and decided I'd make a good addition to the guild if I survived. I'm basically a ghost, that's perfect for an agent. I wouldn't be surprised if they'd done similar things before.”

“Either way, we need to find him.”

“Even if we do, I'm not sure he'll actually tell you anything.” Norris was one of the most respected members of the guild. His abilities far surpassed yours, he'd been the one to teach you most things after all. You've never been able to even sneak up on him so finding and capturing him alive already seemed hard enough, but making him cooperate and answer any of your questions was next to impossible. The Mother only knows how many fae have tried it and failed.

“He will,” Azriel stated. When you look into his eyes you can only see pure fury and determination written in them, leaving no space for any doubts. He stares into your eyes before adding, promising, “l'll make sure of it.”

Some of that confidence rubs off on you it seems, because your hesitation starts evaporating the longer you stare into his eyes. You've always been on your own, and as such you've only ever considered how you'd fare against your handler without backup. Between the famed Shadowsinger, the strongest High Lord in history, the Made Sisters, and everyone else in this room, your chances were exponentially higher. Escaping the guild doesn't feel like a pipe dream anymore.

“How do you want to find him?”

The High Lord rewards your determination with a smirk. “The only way to find someone like him is by making him search for us instead.”

“You want to use me as bait,”

“You can refuse,” Azriel assured. This explains his sour mood. You didn't think he'd agreed with this solution with the way he's been treating you so carefully, almost as if you're made of glass. You can't exactly fault him for it either, but the truth is you can't refuse. You don't know if you could ever find Norris with traditional tactics, or if the guild wouldn't send more assassins to the city, if they hadn't already.

“And keep living like this? Hiding without even knowing who I am?”

He searches your eyes, fear and vulnerability swimming in the hazel, but nods all the same. He told you he's dreamed of getting you back for a century, and thought it was something that would never come true, so it makes sense that he'd be hesitant on letting you put yourself in such a risky position. You know he understands why you need this though.

The meeting runs for a while longer, and by the time Rhysand was calling it a day the sun was already setting on the horizon, making way for the night to take over in all its glory, one that could only be fully appreciated in the Night Court.

As much as everyone seems to be warming up to you, letting go of the conflicted feelings towards having you back in these circumstances, you were extremely overwhelmed by the end. Talking to someone who knows you so intimately even though you don't have any recollection of it is a confusing experience. You could almost hear your mind screaming at you, begging for some peace and quiet.

The contrast between the Inner Circle and Azriel becomes clear in your mind. Your relationships were very different before but it's interesting to see that even when you don't have your memories, you feel so much calmer with him. That nagging feeling of being faced with something you've lost keeps rising up when they speak to you, but it doesn't come anywhere close to the myriad of emotions Azriel evokes simply by looking at you. And even if those emotions are more intense, you have a much bigger tolerance for them, as if your body would gladly accept any turmoil as long as you stayed in his company.

Just as you were about to leave the room, Rhysand invites you to join them for dinner. Everyone turns to you with expectant eyes before the words fully leave his mouth. They clearly planned it out together. This habit they have of speaking through each other's minds is one it might take a while getting used to.

You bite your lip, as you think of what to say. Cassian and Morrigan look particularly keen on the idea, it makes you feel a little relieved that the general isn't looking at you like a nightmare came true anymore, but you really don't think you can handle any more questions today, or to have them reminisce about your former relationships. You're not used to spending time with a lot of people in general, you'd go months without any sort of fae contact sometimes. You just want to go somewhere quiet, and you can only think of one person whose company would allow you to relax.

Making up your mind, you decline the invitation politely, trying to ignore the disappointment in their eyes as they bid you goodnight. This still feels like a huge improvement from where you stood with them just at the beginning of the meeting, that they'd want to keep you company when it felt like they were avoiding you this whole week. You might have gained some of their trust, and, to your immense shock, you trust them as well. It feels like a breath of fresh air after a century of not even trusting your shadow.

Maybe it's that feeling, or the immediate quiet that settles over you as soon as you walk into the empty hallway, maybe even the fact that you finally got some answers and even a plan, a chance at leaving the guild, something you never even dared to dream about, but it has you feeling a little indulgent. Your steps are noticeably lighter, and all the tension from before is now only a faint ache in your muscles.

“Azriel?” You look up at him with a smile, feeling it widen when he looks at you in answer. “Since I'm out of the room, can we go somewhere to watch the stars?”

The smile that takes over his face is blinding, it feels like it could rival the moon. It's fascinating how his beauty can still catch you off guard like this, even if you've been spending most of your time with him for an entire week.

“Of course,” he moves closer to you and takes your hand, pulling you into him, his eyes never straying from yours. It takes you longer than it should have to realize he was covering you both in shadows, too lost in his eyes to pay attention to your surroundings, how they've turned to black. He told you before that's how he winnows, though it can't be called that since he moves through shadows instead.

The light almost blinds you as his shadows disperse, giving way to a view you can't believe is real. The sky wasn't completely dark yet, stuck in the brief moments of twilight where you could still see the last rays of the sun illuminating the dark blue sky. And yet the stars were already twinkling in the sky, surrounding the full moon.

You can't help but gasp, forgetting about Azriel and moving to the edge of the roof, admiring the unforgettable view. Your eyes don't stray from it as you lean against the railing, long enough that the sun completely sets, and the streets become illuminated by faelights.

You had thought there was some sort of celebration when you first came here, but have since learned that every night is enjoyed to its fullest in the city of dreamers.

As some of your awe settles, you turn to look at Azriel as he too admires the city. His shadows had left him uncovered, choosing to scatter around what you now recognize as a training ground. You almost regret staring up at the sky for so long when you could have been reveling in his beauty this whole time.

His tan skin was glowing with the pale moonlight, eyes as bright as the stars when he looks down at you. You move closer to him almost unconsciously, as if you've been bewitched.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” you sound breathless even to your ears. “The view is a lot more beautiful from up here.” Your bedroom window could never do this justice. If you looked up, it almost felt like you were walking on air, among the stars.

He turns to you fully, ignoring the captivating sight in favor of watching you. His face relaxes further as he takes you in, the smile on his lips growing and the air around you changing. He raises his scarred palm up to cup your face, whispering softly, “It can't ever compare to you.”

“That's cheesy,” you stutter, clearly taken aback by the sudden flirtatious tone.

He grins down at you, a mischievous look in his eyes, rubbing his thumb over the increasingly warmer skin of your cheek. “You're blushing.”

Azriel has been open with his feelings for you all week, making it clear that they haven't changed over the years, even with your absence from his life, but he has never been this brazen. None of the interactions you've had can be considered anything else than platonic, and even with sweet compliments and bashful admissions, he has never looked at you like this, like he truly believed just one second of looking at you was worth more than this unbelievable view.

“You know,” you start hesitantly, “We haven't actually tried everything.”

He furrowed his eyebrows, trying to catch up to your train of thought. You can feel when he does because he tenses against you, and would have let go of your face if you hadn't placed your hand around his wrist, keeping him there.

“I think I've read it in a story before,” you lick your lips, feeling like lava is pumping through your veins when his eyes follow the movement, “Sometimes a kiss can be stronger than any magic spell.”

He leans closer to you slowly, looking into your eyes to search for any sign of discomfort. You can't be entirely sure what he finds in them, you can't feel much else but desire in this moment, but it has him clearing the rest of the way, both of your eyes closing as his lips finally touch yours softly.

A sigh escapes him when you press into him harder, needing to find out what he tastes like, what he feels like. His other hand comes up to cup your other cheek, holding you against him. You can feel him losing his restraint bit by bit, hands moving from your face to hold your neck, your waist, grip getting tighter with every stroke of his tongue against yours, a century of longing and raw passion melting into the kiss. Your own arms find their way around his neck, pulling him down, finally feeling the softness of his hair around your fingers. His chest is pressed against yours, close enough that you can feel his heart beating.

When you finally pull away from each other, you're both breathless. He leans his forehead against yours, eyes closed. You wonder how many times he's dreamed of this moment, of being able to taste you again after so long.

“Any memories resurfacing?” His voice is rough, deeper than you've ever heard it. It almost makes you hold back a moan.

“No,” you lick your lips, reveling in his taste, “but we can give it another try.”

His lips find yours as soon as the last words leave your mouth, more than happy to deliver. You might chastise yourself for giving in to temptation tomorrow, but in this moment nothing else matters. Not the guild, not your lost memories, not your mistakes. Right now there's only him, you and the stars as your witnesses.

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[recreationalfanfics]

Hiya! So happy to see another loki fan!

Could you do him and a bubbly, optimistic y/n! Real puppy dog energy, but she's also kind of clever. Like people underestimate her because they think shes ditzy, maybe loki did at first too, but she really just sees the bright side of stuff and is high energy, so they're actually really smart!

Srry this was so long!!! Have a great day!

YES! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PROMPT SO MUCH THANK YOU♡

- CONSIDERING THE EGO OF THIS MAN, HE DEFINETLY HAD THE GALL TO UNDERESTIMATE YOU. I mean, look at you. So bright eyed and happy, you were chatting with your fellow peers and your enemies alike knowing full well you're entering this contest that will costs the lives of many people.

- He thought you were niave really or maybe just really stupid. I mean, you often got lost in the arena, you were so unaware of your surroundings at times that you would just casually walk into objects and then proceeded to apologize to them, and overall seemed so happy and enthusiastic even though you were losing.

- He never saw your frown fall and he always found that interesting, as your fellow human was sent to Niflhiem, there was no sadness in your eyes. Obviously no one else noticed because they were too busy grieving but Loki did and thats how his interest in you starts.

- One day he corners you to ask about why you smiled despite the fact that it looked like humanity was doomed. No one knows what happened, Brunhilde just watched as you walked away and Loki followed you.

- Since then, people are so baffled by how close you and the God of Mischief are now. The way you two started talking to one another as if you weren't on completely opposite sides, decorating his nails with nail polish that you somehow acquired, and overall just glued to the hip.

- Sometimes you're a bit clumsy, like when your eyes light up when you look at Loki and run over to him, only to trip over your own feet but he just teleports and grabs you by your waist by teasing you about how clumsy you are.

- You always find his tricks amusing and even let him know what he could do to make them even "funnier", you're the only person who actually has a sense of humor because while Ragnarok was fun, everyone was so terribly serious sometimes but at least you knew how to have a little fun.

- Loves how openly affectionate you are with him, he is pretty touchy but not obnoxiously so, yeah he'll have his arms wrapped around you here and there but you're the one who just grabs his face when he floats upside down and covers it kisses or playing with his hair absentmindedly as he tells you about his latest prank he pulled.

- He also never really annoys you, even when he is being a little mean at times. The gods see it go over your head and they feel bad for you but they don't actually know when he says passive-aggressive things, you're not really bothered because you know he's a sore loser and you had just finished beating him in a game that you were simply too good at. He never goes too far but its clear he's still sulking.

- The gods aren't sure how but you've somehow managed to get Loki wrapped around your little finger almost as much as you're wrapped around his. Some gods admit that it's strange to see Loki so absent but they assume that he's just manipulating you and you just happen to be the new toy he's playing with since you seem like you mean well, but they also don't think you're all that bright.

- That doesn't mean that they don't enjoy your company, you're very fun to talk to but conversations are always cut short because of Loki's possessiveness.

- He especially hates it when Hermes mentions some boring fact about Greece and what it was like back in the day and somehow you get interested and start asking him questions and Loki just rolls his eyes in annoyance as this conversation goes on for LONGER THAN HE WANTS IT TOO.

- Zeus gets curious as to why Brunhilde lets you near the God's so much or why she let's you near Loki in general.

- Zeus: "If I were you, I'd be very concerned or at the very least, pick a new champion. Who knows what sick game Loki is playing at?"

- Brunhilde can't resist that mischievous smile and looks at Zeus with a raised eyebrow, "Really? I don't think they're really playing any games with each other and even if they were, Loki wouldn't be the one I was worried about."

The day of your fight came, everyone felt bad for you because the Gods had pitted you against their wisest diety. The humans weeped, after all, you were such a delightful soul but you stood know chance against such a revered and knowledgeable God. Göll was horrified as she started to tear up, you had become something like a big sister too her in your time here. Always comforting her after she lost her sisters and reassuring her that their sacrifices won't be in vain.

"I-I...We can't lose her too, Brunhilde!" Göll weeded. Bruhilde looked at you as you entered the ring, the both of you sharing a crimson smile.

"We won't, Göll." She assured.

While Heimdall was doing introductions, Loki was floating upside down and kicking his feet excitedly when you walked out. It wasn't uncommon for him to switch sides but for the first time since Ragnarok started, he was rooting for the humans.

"You seem quite happy. Aren't you worried about her?" Hermes noted. Loki turned his head towards him slightly: "Hmm? No. Not really. Why?"

Shiva speaks up, "Hey, I like that little mortal as much as the next God but she's...kinda out of her league this round, isn't she? I mean...look at who they're going against."

The round starts and your battlefield takes place in a clock tower where gears grinded and other mechanics clanked and clacked loudly. Your opponent looks at you smugly as you play with your divine weapon, a bouncing ball.

"I know, I feel bad for the poor God." Loki snickered, "After all, she's is quite clever when she wants to be~"

The very first thing you do, much to everyone's surprise, is throw your ball into one of the gears. The God against you taunts you for creating such a dumb mistake and you just smile at them, shrugging your shoulders carelessly.

"I can't watch this." Shiva groans, looking away. The green haired God smiled: "Aw, but you're gonna miss the good part!"

As they charge at you, you seem completely unbothered, standing still in one place. As they went to attack you, something sounds like it breaks and one of the giant gears hits the God into the side of the arena. Sending them crashing into the other gears, they try to shake it off and go after you again but realizes that one of their garments is caught in the gears, causing them to stay stuck.

Everyone watches from the screen and the God's can sense something is about to happen.

"What on Earth is going on?" Aphrodite frowned, confused as to why you haven't done ANYTHING to attack. Thor looks at Loki and narrows his eyes: "What did you mean by she was clever earlier?"

"Exactly what I said. Wisdom is fun and all if you're boring, you can know everything all you want. But cleverness is all about using the area and everything around you. Sometimes even the people." Loki smirked as he looked at the other Gods.

During your fight, the God still hasn't been able to get loose and your ball that was stopping the two gears from moving couldn't handle the pressure of being squeezed into two different directions before it finally shot out of the gears and directly at the God. With such force that their body which was struggling to be untangled now went limp and everyone gasped, the ball now having created a clean hole through the God's chest. You tilted your head as you looked at the camera, directly towards Brunhilde.

"Was that really it? I've had checkers matches that lasted longer."

The gods are horrified, unable to comprehend how their colleague could have been beaten so easily by a human like you. Meanwhile when humanity recovered from the shock, they cheered with such ferocity and excitement as you walked out of the stadium, your valkyrie appearing beside you and suffering from a killer headache and you apologized sweetly but congratulated her for being such an awesome partner.

"W-What just happened!?" Ares demanded, turning around to glare at the God of Mischief, "DID YOU HELP HER!?"

"Hmm? Oh, nah. She did it all by herself, can you believe that?" Loki grinned. Zeus grabbed him by his shoulder warningly: "Loki...if I found out you betrayed us for a mortal-"

Loki looked shocked but then laughed, his hand covering his mouth and tears nearly forming at the corners of his eyes.

"Please, don't tell me you didn't notice anything off about (Y/n)? Even I knew it but I thought you'd all see it. Although, I can't blame you, she nearly had me fooled." He sang in a know it all manner, "That's why I went to talk to her after Adam's match, after all, she was so chipper...a bit too happy. You know what she told me that day when I asked her why?"

The Gods all stayed silent, Loki kept them in suspense before quoting those exact words you told him: "that she couldn't wait to see the look on your faces when she avenged her friends."

They looked at him and then at you, who was now waving at the cameras and even blew a kiss at where Loki was.

"She...She was acting the whole time?" Hermes frowned.

"You knew?" Odin finally spoke up, rising to his full height and standing in front of Loki. Loki only lowered himself onto his chair and brought his knees to his chest, "I wasn't sure. After all, she complimented my boots right after so I assumed it was her optimism but I had my suspicions. I didn't know for sure until this battle. It's terrifying, isn't it? How she played us into just giving her a win on a silver platter."

Loki then bit his nail with a smile, a blush on his face growing as the Gods were realizing how you'd play them for fools the entire time.

"She's so perfect.♡"

[llamagoddessofficial]

A completely sad/sappy (sadpy?) self indulgent piece I wrote last night while feeling several Feelings. consider this an author insert & death sans thing

---

“... tell me about you.”

She blinked, sitting up, no longer leaning against his soft black cloak, waking out of the stillness the tree's shade and the gentle rain had cast over both of them. His words had come completely out of nowhere.

“Pardon?”

Reaper looked down at her, his expression unreadable. “i can’t say i’ve met many other mortals who seek out the company of death.”

She gave him a look. “Don't be ridiculous. I know plenty who would seek your company.”

“they would seek my touch.” His gaze was low. Those eyelights saw more than normal eyes ever could. “they would seek... earthly desires. nothing wrong with that, i also seek those. but i’ve never had someone seek me out merely for my company.”

“I’m not that interesting.” She mused, softly, notably leaning back against the tree, and not him. “Besides. You’re great company.”

“tell me regardless.” He pressed. “consider it my just payment. for my great company.”

... She hummed. Despite her easygoing exterior, he could sense her resistance, her immediate discomfort. He had sensed it, from the beginning; her unwillingness to share about herself. Her quick deflections, her paradoxical fear of letting others know her, despite her clear desperation to be known.

He was patient. He would wait as long as it took for her to collect her words.

...

“... You’re the only one who gets it.” She said, eventually. Her voice lacked its usual quickness, its usual exact choice of word, the wittiness he liked so much.

That gave Sans pause. “... go on.”

“I don’t... love anyone. I don’t feel romance. I can’t help it.” She stared into the middle distance. “I’ve never been in love with anybody. Even when I really wanted to be.”

He watched her, quietly.

“... I let my guard down, y’know. Every now and then. I let myself get close to people. Then... sometimes they start to feel things that I can’t reciprocate. They want me to love, but I can’t. They see it as a fault with me, or worse themselves, and what we had in the first place falls apart.” She looked down at her hands. “I gave up getting close, because I’m tired of hurting people I care about with the way I am.”

“... hm.”

“... You’re the only one who... gets it, I think.” She couldn’t look at him. “Feeling like you’re separated from everyone else, through no fault of your own. But at the end of the day, that separation is the reality you’re in, and you have to live with it.”

“feeling as if everyone is part of something that you can’t even begin to be part of. and even if you suddenly joined one day, everyone else is so far ahead of you, you could never hope to catch up in time.”

She nodded. She did eventually look at him, a small smile forming on her face. “Yes.”

“you enjoy my company most, because you know i won’t grow to expect anything from you?”

“You’re mature. You’re... well. Death. I’m a human. I can trust you not to love me. And theoretically, even if you did, I think you’d have very different expectations about it. Expectations we could manage.”

“... is that why... your relationship with error is so fraught?”

She let out a short laugh. “Error and I are ‘on break’. Would you believe me if I told you I used to like him the most, because I thought he hated my guts too much to catch feelings?”

Sans grinned. “error is full of surprises. yet i think the fact that you grew to somehow like him surprises me the most.”

“He’s a giant manbaby. But he’s funny. And I liked having someone I could shamelessly argue with.” She tucked her knees up to her chin. “We’re not on speaking terms at the moment. He got upset I spend so much time with you, then tried to kiss me.”

“... ah. that’s why he’s been watching romantic aus.”

“... I write about worlds full of love. Worlds where, regardless of looks or faults, romantic love always prevails and conquers all. Worlds where a self-insert can feel all those feelings I hear about on the radio.” Her breathing was very controlled, very quiet. “But it’s wish fulfilment, isn’t it? Giving a version of me the things I’ll never have. Giving everyone else the stories I’ll never be part of. Even if one of my most perfect characters stepped right out of my pages, I’d never have that 'happy ending'. I couldn’t give them what they wanted from me. I couldn’t give them what I want to give.”

A pause. She didn’t seem to like how obviously upset she had become. She emotionally retreated, quickly fixing on a smile, lowering her legs back into their previous crossed position.

“... I sound full of myself, I know." She chuckled artificially. "Oh, woe is me, I can’t get close to anyone because everyone just falls in love with me all the time.”

“no, not at all.” Sans reached out, and laid his hand over hers. “it’s happened more than once. you can’t blame yourself for recognising a pattern.”

... She squeezed his hand.

“i can’t promise i won’t love you. that’s a dangerous promise to make.” He murmured. “but i can promise i won’t ever expect romance from you, nor let romantic feelings define our relationship. closeness and love does not require romance. i’ve had thousands of years to come to grips with much more upsetting subjects than a woman potentially not returning affection i develop.”

...

She shuffled up to him, and tucked herself back against his cloak, her cheek pressed to the soft fabric. He reciprocated, wrapping an arm around her.

“Thank you.” She said, quietly. 

"of course."

... They stayed like that, for a long time.

[hellish-hyperfixation]

deja brew | bang chan x male reader

genre: fluff

Chan's day was going poorly, no other way to put it. Luckily for him, fate was about to pull him back to the past in the best way possible.

requested

word count: 1.9k

a/n: there was hardly any mention of reader's gender (except for one explicit line), so this could mostly be read as gender neutral reader as well! I wasn't entirely sure what you (requester) meant by a soft reader, but I tried my best! hope you enjoy:)

reblogs and comments are always appreciated:)

It was turning out to be a pretty terrible day for Chan. 

One of his newest projects got rejected by the company, he was scolded by Minho during dance practice, and he couldn’t seem to get any of his lines right during recording. The gym was full, so he couldn’t even let out his stress properly, and the dryer was broken, so his favorite hoodies were unavailable to wear. All in all, a day where nothing worked out, and a lot of small inconveniences built up. 

He went to his favorite coffee shop not too far from the dorm, Deja Brew, just to clear his mind and cheer himself up. As he entered, the scent of sweet lattes and pastries filled his senses, only slightly, and the familiar whirr of the coffee machines and subtle chatter of patrons wafted through the air. There weren’t many people, which was his favorite part. The atmosphere of a coffee shop, accompanied by the sweet solace of privacy. 

He received a piece of his favorite cake and a drink from the familiar barista that always seemed to be on the clock whenever he visited, and made his way over to a seat by a window tucked away near the back of the shop. Excitement began growing at even the thought of enjoying his treat when—

Splash.

Chan watched in horror as his drink spilled all over the stranger. His horror only intensified as he watched the lady’s expression morph from smug to irritated to angry in the span of a few seconds. He felt the yells before they left her lips, and when they actually landed on his ears, he felt a carnal desire to crawl up into a ball and sleep the entire day away in hopes that he would wake up and find it to be a nightmare. 

“I’m so sorry, maam, it was an accident. I can provide you with compensation for your clothes, or—”

“I don’t want your filthy money! This is a luxury brand! I bet a commoner like you couldn’t even begin to imagine affording something like this!”

“Then how can I—”

“Maam, please, you’re causing a scene.”

A new voice joined the conversation. Chan turned to face the new person, internally screaming at the thought of having to deal with another stranger, but the agony faded when he was met with a familiar face. 

Well, kind of familiar. You were older than the last time he saw you — just as he was — and you were… well, cute. You wore an evidently soft, somewhat bright sweater, and somehow managed to have a pleasant smile on your face as you dealt with the lady. 

He wasn’t sure how you did it, but the lady eventually left, leaving the two of you alone in the middle of the coffee shop, standing in a puddle of fruity liquid. 

Chan stared at you, starstruck, and you did the same. The silence was only broken by an employee coming by with a mop, asking the two of you to move so she could clean up the mess. You made your move then.

“Do you wanna come sit with me?  Maybe catch up a little?”

And before he knew it, he was sitting across from you at a booth near the back of the coffee shop, sipping on a new drink and nibbling on a new slice of cake (that the barista insisted he get as compensation for the trouble). 

“Are you alright?” You asked, startling Chan from his daze. He looked up at you, shocked at the concern in your expression.

“Oh— yeah, I’m fine. Just another Karen, right?” He laughed awkwardly, brushing off the interaction. You didn’t seem convinced, but let the topic go.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Nearly ten years now, I think.” You comment, drifting the conversation away from the incident. Chan internally thanked you for it. 

“Man, ten years, huh? Been a crazy few, that’s for sure.” You smiled at him.

“Yeah, feels like it’s been forever if you ask me. How’s everything? How are you?”

“Pretty good! I mean, it’s been a tough few years but it was worth it, y’know? Becoming a producer and the leader of a K-pop group. It’s all I ever dreamed of.” 

“No kidding! You’re the topic back in Sydney. Nobody believed it when they saw you on the telly, and I was telling everybody, ‘that’s my best friend!” You chuckled, thinking back at the memories, and Chan did too, imagining the scenario unfolding. 

He considered it for a moment. Life back in Australia. He thought back to his old friends and living with his family, fiddling away on the guitar whenever he got the chance. Being a kid, carefree and oblivious to the difficulties to come. Spending time with you at school during lunch times or recess, making memories he didn’t realize would fade over time. He missed it. 

“I miss it too, sometimes.” You say, pulling Chan out of his thoughts. Had he said that out loud?

Before he could reply, you continued.

“But I wouldn’t change it for a second. I’m proud of you, Chris. Really. I know we haven’t kept in touch since you left, but I’ve been rooting for you all this time, and seeing you be so successful is more gratifying than you could imagine.”

When Chan looked at you, he felt his heart clench at the endearment and adoration he found. The warm overhead light cast down on you, creating the illusion of a glow around your sweater and your hair. The hustle and bustle of the cafe seemed to die down as he focused his attention onto you, and it made him feel like it was just the two of you in the world. A little pocket of memories and warmth. He nearly missed your next words, having gotten caught in the moment. 

“You could say I’m your biggest fan.” 

The sounds of the world seemed to seep back into his perception at that, and he managed a small laugh. 

“Maybe you could be more?” He questioned. At your confusion, he leaned over the table and reached for your phone, stopping at the lock screen. 

He raised an eyebrow, silently asking for the password, and you smirked in response. 

“I’m pretty sure you could guess it.” 

No way… 

He input the numbers 31097 and, lo and behold, it opened. 

“Really? You remembered?” He asked, incredulous. 

Before he left for Korea, you and he had made a promise that, when you got your cell phones, you’d set the password as the other’s birthday. It was ages ago, and although Chan kept his promise, he wasn’t sure if you would. 

“Of course I did. Besides, it’s a pretty solid password, isn’t it? If I ever forget it, it’s just a google search away!” Chan huffed in amusement, a part of himself relieved that you held up your half of the agreement even after all these years. 

“What are you doing with my phone, anyways? You better not be poking around in there.” You joked, and Chan rolled his eyes. The banter came as naturally as the day he left. Without a word, he opened up contacts to put his number in. He took a quick selfie for the profile picture and slid your phone back to you. 

“You should be honored! It’s not every day my biggest fan gets my number.” He then opened his phone and slid it over to you, a silent invitation to do the same. 

“Just Chris? A bit boring, isn’t it?” You teased, picking up his phone to put your number in. 

“Oi, don’t judge! I don’t share my number often these days, I’m outta practice!” He exclaimed in mock offense, taking his phone back. 

“It’s not like you did much–” He trailed off as he looked down at your contact name. 

Your Number One Fan<3

The heart did inexplicable things to his own. He filed it into the back of his mind to inspect later. 

“Much better. Now we’re matching!” You turn your own phone to show him the screen, and the change made him nearly concerned at how much his heart was moving around that day. 

Chris<3

“Yeah, matching…” 

From there, the conversation flowed naturally between topics. The two of you talked for hours about anything. What it was like for Chan to produce music, respective memories that were created during the time you lost contact, reminiscing about the past. Before long, the window at your seat grew cold as the sky faded to black, and the barista came by to inform the two of you that the cafe would be closing soon. 

The two of you stepped out into the evening air, hesitant to say your goodbyes, but knowing it was inevitable. You walked in silence in no particular direction, just enjoying each others’ company for as long as you could. It was as though the moment existed in a bubble outside of time, and to address its existence was to pop it. 

Somehow, a few minutes in, Chan ended up leading you a few blocks away from the dorm, and he knew it was time. 

“I’m going this way… ‘bout you?” He looked at you hesitantly, as though afraid of the answer. You pointed your thumb towards the way you just came. A direct opposite to the dorm. Chan sighed. 

“Keep in touch, yeah? Can’t promise that I’ll answer right away, but…” He felt his eyes sting just slightly. He blamed it on the nonexistent wind. 

“I don’t want to lose you again.” 

Even as he said it, he kept a pained smile plastered on his face, and it tore your heart apart just a little bit. 

“You won’t. You gave me your number, remember? You’re stuck with me now.” You hit his shoulder playfully, and soft laughter filled the air. 

“Good, good. I’m counting on it.”

Silence filled the air once more, this time somber. This was it.

Chan knew he had more to say. He knew there was something unspoken, and he wanted to make it heard, and he knew this was likely the only chance in a while to do so. 

“I—”

Before he could speak, he was cut off by a sudden weight on his torso. You surged forward and captured him in a hug, wrapping your arms around him and holding him just tight enough for him to know. It wasn’t over. You were there, and you would continue to be there, even if not physically. 

Chan responded by holding you back. 

A sense of deja vu washed over him. He was sent back to the airport, young and teary eyed and holding you like you were the only thing keeping him on the surface of the Earth. The announcement that he had to board booming through the airport and resonating through his skull. You pulled away, also crying, but smiling like the angel he always saw you as. 

“See you later, alligator” you nearly sobbed out, failing to keep in the tears and the snot. It made Chan cry more. 

“See you soon, raccoon” and he was taken away to the plane, from his home, and from you.

If only your younger selves knew how untrue the farewell was. The moment felt so far away now. 

You pulled away before he could get too immersed in the past, and it was as though the brightness of your smile transcended time. 

“See you later, alligator.”

He remembers. 

“See you soon, raccoon.” 

Chan watched as you turned and walked away without so much as a glance back. It looked like goodbye, but he knew. He would be seeing you again soon. 

once again, reblogs and comments are appreciated:)

[justwritedreams]

Welcome to the Kingdom | Jeno

Chapter Nine: Come back home

Prince Jeno x Princess Reader, enemies to lovers au!, royalty au!

Word count: 6492

Genre: a bit of fluff, drama, fake relationship

Author: maari

Warnings: A brief mention of attacks on the kingdom, Jeno is very protective of the princess because yes ☺️ and probably some grammar errors

Note: Forgive me for taking so long, I was so excited to finish this chapter because the best part is coming and I'm not even as proud of this chapter as I wanted to be but you know how it is, author's block and a busy life didn't help.

Summary: An unexpected return home and a farewell at the wrong time.

<<<;Previous | Masterlist |

⪢ NCT Masterlist

Taglist: @floweronacloud, @cookydream, @travelleratheart101​, @ilvaussie​, @tyongf-sunflower99​, @mings-cafe,  @n0hyuck, @waltermitty97, @jihoonismydad, @madaboutjunmyeon, @actually-vl , @neomooniez, @pvppyhao, @ikayyyyyy (can't tag you honey 😞)

“Haechan!”

The princess hurried to catch up with the prince who was walking down the hall, he helped by stopping when heard his name and smiled as she approached.

"Princess, do you need something?"

"Actually, I'm looking for a company to go to the mall." she gave him best convincing smile.

"Are your employees busy?" he raised his eyebrow, curious.

Y/N snorted.

"I can't leave the castle without the company of someone from the royal family." she explained, crossing her arms. She thought the idea was ridiculous but she couldn't go against it. "Security issue."

"It makes sense." He raised his hand to his chin, thoughtfully. "Jeno commented that he wants to go downtown now."

She remained silent, considering the possibility.

"Do you know if he's already leaving?" she asked, uncertain.

Well, he was slightly less annoying so maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

"IHe should be in the garage."

She nodded. She had already gotten ready and separated her bag, she couldn't miss the opportunity, especially since she would be leaving as soon as possible.

“Alright, I’ll see if I can catch up to him. Thank you!" She smiled lightly at him and quickly placed her hand on his shoulder before leaving in long strides.

The princess went to the garage, hoping he was still there and she could get the ride, and she almost sighed when she saw him getting ready to get into the car.

“Jeno!” she called out to him, making him stop tripping over his own feet, turning back and staring at the princess in surprise.

“Y/N.” he smiled, confused seeing her approach.

“Can you give me a ride to the mall?” she asked, a little embarrassed, especially with the face Jeno made.

He seemed to really enjoy seeing her ask him for a favor and he didn't even hide his wide smile.

"What do I get from that?" He crossed his arms, making his arms bigger since he was wearing a tank top and Y/N got lost in the movement for a brief second, and looked back at him.

He had a raised eyebrow.

“I will be very nice to you for a whole afternoon.” She smiled sarcastically and he nodded.

“And what are you going to do at the mall?” he questioned, amused and she snorted.

“Buy a sword to stick in that annoying little smile of yours.” she replied angrily, making him laugh.

“Always so polite to your fiancé, princess.”

She rolled her eyes, impatiently.

"Alright." she shrugged. “I’ll walk then.”

She made to leave but Jeno held her arm, not so strong but enough to make her stop, she turned to look at him angrily while his eyes seemed more intense.

“I didn’t say no.”

She held his gaze.

“You love teasing me, right?”

He smiled sideways and brought his other hand to her chin.

“I like seeing your angry face.” he squeezed her chin lightly and she turned her head to move away from his touch.

It was clear he was doing it on purpose and she kept falling for that trick.

The princess crossed her arms, waiting for him to move away since somehow Jeno seemed much more interested in maintaining physical contact with her, he did so and held the door for her to enter first.

She got into the car so she didn't have to look at him, something about Jeno's eyes looked like some kind of spark, about to catch fire. She wasn't afraid of his intense gaze, but she was uncomfortable.

If she didn't know herself so well, she might say she was shy.

Jeno got into the car and the driver started it, leaving the garage.

“On second thought, it will be great to spend time with you at the mall, love.” he said, holding Y/N's hand and bringing it to his face so he could place a soft kiss.

She tried to move his hand away, but Jeno held on a little tighter, making her look at him with confusion. She asked in silence what he was doing, he just nodded forward where she remembered that the driver and the security guard were further ahead listening to everything they were saying.

Sure, great idea to go out in public with him. She would have to pretend to be terribly in love with her fiancé even in front of the employees.

She had forgotten that little detail.

She smiled, trying her best not to be ironic and brought her hand to his face, it was hot and surprisingly his skin was soft, it almost made her give in.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more, sweetheart.” she said and then tapped Jeno twice on the face, the last one being a little harder, and he looked at her smiling but his eyes told her to stop.

She pushed her hand away and turned to face the scenery outside the car with a faint victorious smile.

“Are you only taking one security guard?” she asked, after a long time of silence.

She had heard how the press in the kingdom was wilder and it didn't seem very smart to go out with just one security guard.

“Worried about me?” he asked, laughing, and turned to face the princess who raised an eyebrow. “There is a car with more security guards behind us.” he informed her and she nodded. "I would never leave without the necessary security when being with you.”

Y/N looked at Jeno, he was too sincere and for some reason that made her stomach twist with anxiety.

She took a deep breath and smiled, grateful, then looked back at the car window with a silly, involuntary smile.

She faced the city that seemed to be happy, this fact infected her mainly because it was the first time she was going to visit the kingdom as a tourist almost like everyone else, she never thought that shopping could distract her mind but for her purpose she was excited.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the mall and it didn't take long for them to attract attention either, the official car with the royal coat of arms was enough to make everyone around turn their heads with curiosity to find out who it was. The princess scratched the back of her head before taking a deep breath as the security guard and driver got out of the car to open the door for Y/N and Jeno, he turned around to meet the princess and his hand that went to her waist was photographed by all the onlookers there.

"Let's go?" he asked and she nodded, seeing the other security guards approach. Jeno had called a battalion to observe them and oddly enough, she was grateful for that.

They waved to some people and walked into the mall side by side, Jeno still keeping his hand on the princess's waist and she felt a small caress in the area but didn't say anything.

“So, what are you looking for?” she smirked when she noticed the curiosity in Jeno's tone. “Any specific store?”

“Yes, baby clothes.” she replied simply and Jeno turned so quickly to face her that she laughed.

"What?" now he looked confused and slightly scared.

Y/N wanted to torture him some more, it would be funny but she just told the truth.

“I'll have to go home soon and I wanted to give Taeyong and his wife a gift before I leave the kingdom.” she explained, seeing Jeno's expression soften and change to understanding.

“For a minute I thought you were already starting to make your layette.” he shrugged and it was her turn to look at him confused.

“We would have to get married first for that, wouldn’t we?” she questioned, raising her eyebrow.

Jeno moistened his lips with his own tongue and brought his face closer to the princess's , looking into her eyes.

“You and I are too old to know that babies can be made well before marriage.” he winked and she swallowed.

She hated the way her legs become weak due to the low tone of Jeno's voice, mainly because she didn't want to be affected by so little.

So, even though she had several answers on the tip of her tongue, she simply remained silent and continued walking, pretending that she hadn't heard any of that or that it hadn't affected her in the way it did.

Because as much as she was trying to fight the images, she ended up imagining Jeno and her with their own children… Worse, making the babies. It was because of this that she didn't notice when he took her to the store she was looking for nor when the attendants stopped where they were completely shocked.

“Your Highnesses!” the princess blinked a few times trying to control her flushed cheeks and faced the attendant who had just bowed to them.

She knew that some speculation would be shared among the media but she certainly didn't care, especially since the announcement of the heir to the throne of the kingdom had already happened hours before so anyone who thought that she and Jeno were buying clothes for their still non-existent children, it would be stupid. And of course, speculation was part of her life, with or without her fiancé, so she was used to ignoring it.

The attendant, although she seemed intimidated by the two's presence there, was cordial and Y/N's purchase didn't take that long.

Jeno, who seemed excited about the clothes and shoes as he looked closely at each model, was taking advantage of the situation to get closer to the princess. It was obvious to her that he would take advantage of the fact that they were in public, it was the perfect time for them to act like the young and in love couple they were supposed to be. He always had his hand on her waist or was stroking her elbow, the physical touch there seemed to be Jeno's plan that Y/N had to pretend that it didn't affect her in any way. Because a part of her was dying to push him away, but it wasn't like months ago that she couldn’t even breathe the same air as him. Maybe she was getting used to his presence.

And she should, after all, they would soon be married and he would live in the same castle as her.

But the princess wasn't the only one who left the store with a beautifully packaged gift.

“I still can’t believe you bought that.” she laughed, shaking her head as soon as they left the store.

"What? It’s cute." he shrugged, laughing too.

She looked at him suspiciously.

Well, actually the baby onesie written ‘protected by a samoyed’ with a drawing of the dog breed in the middle was cute but she didn't know that a prince or princess would wear that.

“You saw the pants, seriously, they’ll look great on my nephew or niece.” he explained, making her laugh again.

Yes, the pants that had a dog design on the back, right in the direction of the baby's butt. Perfect for the crown prince to the throne.

“I think the best part was the look on the attendant’s face when you picked out this set.”

He laughed and she continued watching him, Jeno laughed as if he were a child. She even saw a purity in his intention that she had never seen before.

“Do you want to bet how much this story will be on social media in 10 minutes?”

“If it isn’t already.” she concluded.

"Can I ask you something?" Jeno stopped walking and she followed him, feeling that the security guards were doing the same a few meters away from them. Y/N nodded silently. “Why don’t you stay here a little longer?” she looked at him confused. “I mean, in the kingdom.”

“My parents who set the date” she shrugged. She didn't deny it immediately because she had accepted the invitation deep down.

“But would it be so bad if you stayed another week?” he asked, slightly interested. “You could help my sister-in-law with the baby’s room, give some opinions.”

Y/N pondered, somewhat surprised. She didn't imagine that Jeno would propose that but she liked the idea, in fact she liked the kingdom.

It was very different from what she remembered, that was true, but it was even better. Her childhood memories were surrounded by the fights and annoyances she had with Jeno, and didn't even remember important details of the city or the castle, for example the labyrinth in the side garden that she had been lost once and almost ended up causing her kingdom and the Lee family went to war just because she had seen a rabbit in the bushes.

She was about to accept the proposal, her parents wouldn't mind and this would even help to further strengthen ties between the two kingdoms, when her eyes went to the shopping mall's big screen and she was able to see that the news at that moment was alerting with urgent news that a terrorist attack had just occurred between the borders of the two kingdoms.

Y/N felt her jaw drop as she watched the images scared and in shock, the explosion hadn't been recorded, just the aftermath and the wreckage of part of the bridge that connected the two kingdoms.

“Princess, what is it…?” Jeno let the sentence die as he looked in the same direction as her and was just as shocked, but he walked over to put his hand on her shoulder, and she didn't move away.

She swallowed hard, controlling the tears by blinking several times.

“It’s time to go home.”

[...]

Y/N walked back and forth in the library while keeping her arms crossed, her gaze was lost and her mind was far away from there. It was in her home, in her kingdom.

The security guards had escorted her and Jeno to the castle since suddenly the press appeared shortly after the news of the attack, she remained silent and didn’t answer any questions and Jeno still kept his hand on her waist to provide the minimum amount of comfort, although that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

The return to the castle was a blur and when she arrived, her team was already preparing their bags for the return to the kingdom. Still dizzy, Jeno convinced her to stay in the library and wait for the private jet to be ready for her departure.

But the princess was nervous, distressed and all those bitter feelings were being taken out on the inside of her cheek, which she bit nonstop.

“Y/N” she turned back and saw the queen standing there, looking at her with compassion.

The princess didn't even hear the door open or close, her head was full of thoughts.

“We extend our solidarity to you and your people.” Y/N nodded, unable to smile. “Taeyong called your parents, they are fine, they are safe.”

The princess sighed, relieved. She hadn't been able to talk to them on the way back to the castle and it felt like it would eat her alive inside but now she was a little calmer with the news.

"Thank you!"

Y/N saw the queen smile slightly and come over to hug her, the princess couldn't realize how nervous she was but she noticed that she was shaking as the queen hugged her.

“Take a deep breath and control your anger.” she directed. “You need to act with your reason and not emotion.”

"It is difficult." she admitted and the queen moved away to rest her hands on her arms.

"I know. But you can do that." she took a deep breath. “Did you know that when I was about to marry Taeyong, they raided my dress designer’s boutique?”

Y/N looked at her in shock.

“No, why would they do that?”

“They thought that without a dress there would be no wedding.” she shrugged and the princess laughed in disbelief.

“And why didn’t they want you to get married?” she questioned, unable to understand why.

She knew little about the queen, but from what she saw, she was very helpful and had a very strong maternal figure.

“Because being royalty doesn’t guarantee that everyone will like you and admire you.” Y/N understood. “And perhaps that is our greatest burden, to govern even for those who hate us.”

Y/N was silent because she had no way of disagreeing. That was the purest and simplest reality.

But it still wasn't fair. It was one thing to attack her and the royal family, it was quite another to attack innocent people and she was convinced that that type of attack would not recur during her reign.

She would never allow them to spread like a virus.

“I know you’re scared, but that’s what they want, Y/N.” the queen spoke and looked at the princess with determination. “Don’t let them win.”

Y/N took a deep breath and nodded, she felt hatred burning her veins and if she could, she would go after one by one who had terrified her people, but at that moment she needed to be cold and act carefully. The first thing she had to do was go home and then she could make a plan with her father.

"Thank you, truly." she smiled gratefully and the queen did the same, with a knowing smile. “By the way, I have something for you.”

Y/N turned to pick up the gift she had left on the sofa in the library and handed it to the queen, who looked at her curiously.

"What is that?"

The princess clasped her hands in front of her body before speaking.

"I wanted to give the gift at a calmer opportunity, but there was no time." She shrugged and the queen began to open the gift. "I researched and saw that newborn babies have a different temperature than us, as they feel colder than usual, I bought something that would be useful for the days in the maternity ward."

The queen took off the tiny clothes and smiled, delighted.

Y/N had bought a white set, as she didn't know the baby's gender yet, she opted for something neutral, and in a very warm fabric.

"Y/N, it's beautiful. Thank you so much!" The queen thanked her and pulled the princess into another hug, which she laughed embarrassedly. “Taeyong was right about you, you know.”

Y/N frowned and the hug broke.

"About what?" She asked curiously.

"You’re a good person." she confirmed and the princess smiled slightly. "Never forget that."

Y/N nodded and the queen said goodbye, saying that she needed to show her husband the baby's outfit.

Alone in the room, the princess hugged her body, suddenly feeling cold. She needed to put her thoughts in their proper place.

But with everything that was going on, being alone for that long would be practically impossible.

"You may come in." She spoke after hearing a soft knock on the door.

Y/N turned to face whoever it was when she heard the door open and felt her legs go slightly weak as she stared at the figure in front of her.

"Are you busy?"

"No, Mark. You can come in!" she responded promptly and saw the prince close the door behind him, visibly shy.

They hadn't been alone until then after the kiss and there was a strange air bothering them both. That was why Mark stayed away from the princess who although she wanted to be close to him, she knew she couldn't.

"I came to say goodbye." He explained and she opened her mouth to speak. "I don't want to do this in front of my brother and end up making things more difficult."

Y/N sighed and held her gaze, Mark avoided looking into her eyes and she knew it was out of guilt.

"You don't have to worry about that now."

He laughed lightly.

"I know it's irrelevant at the moment, but I don't want to hurt Jeno." he justified, looking up to stare at her firmly. "And not you."

Although there was a confusion of emotions inside her, Mark's words left her slightly calmer.

She had a special affection for Mark and nothing would ever change that, she knew her obligations and knew that she couldn't be with him like she had dreamed of in childhood, but she felt that she could count on him whenever she needed.

Even in the toughest situations.

That's why, unable to contain herself, she crossed the space that separated them to hug him tightly and rested her chin on his shoulder. Mark seemed surprised at first but reciprocated, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm scared, Mark." she admitted against his body and felt him tighten his hold on her even more.

"I know, but I also know you can do this." He patted her back and the princess closed her eyes, letting herself be enveloped by the strength and motivation that Mark conveyed to her.

They hugged each other for a short time, they didn't want to move away but they needed to, it was an official farewell. They would probably see each other less often than usual so Y/N wanted to keep that moment to herself.

Mark pulled away enough to look her in the eyes and placed a hand on her cheek as she looked at him intently.

"I believe in you." he spoke with conviction and then moved closer to kiss Y/N's cheek.

She closed her eyes once again, trying to make that moment last longer in her memory.

Mark moved away briefly, there was nowhere else he touched her and a very small part of her felt sad.

He headed towards the door, ready to leave.

"Mark." She called out to him and he turned his face to look at her one last time. "If this were another story…"

He smiled sadly, understanding the end of the sentence.

"I would have liked to have stayed with you in the end too."

Y/N watched him leave, closing the door in the process and she felt her shoulders sag, staring at the floor she felt like she had finally finished a chapter of her life.

And now the next ones to come, she had no idea what to expect.

[...]

“Y/N, please, can you stop drumming your fingers.”

A warm hand touched that of the princess who was moving non-stop on the arm of the seat of the private jet, forcing her to stop.

She faced the prince next to her, without saying anything she just nodded and stopped her nervous fingers, without breaking the touch of Jeno's palm.

It wasn't really because she wanted to but because she needed it. There were her employees there on the jet, they needed to convince her in the role of a couple in love.

And sure, it wasn't even like Jeno's palm was reassuring her, just because of a simple, silly touch.

Y/N looked around to see if the employees were watching them and when she noticed they weren't, she smiled sarcastically at Jeno.

"Is it bothering you?" she raised an eyebrow and he narrowed his eyes.

And then Jeno smiled widely, leaving the princess confused.

"It was." He admitted. "But just seeing that you focused your attention on me was worth it."

She stared at him in disbelief and her eyes fell for a few seconds on Jeno's lips, she huffed more to herself at the mistake and turned her face to face the window.

"I said you didn't need to come." She spoke reluctantly, and crossed her arms.

"Oh yeah? Do you want to get rid of my presence yet?" he questioned, seeming quite amused by the situation and she looked at him again, angry.

"You know the answer well."

Jeno brought his face closer to the princess's, who remained in the same position, trying her best to look only into his eyes.

And she failed miserably, of course.

"What kind of future king would I be if I left my fiancee alone in a situation like that?" Y/N was taken aback by Jeno's serious tone, leaving her speechless.

So she just stared at Jeno looking for any sign that this was just a game for him and she didn't find any.

He was being sincere and that made her heart beat a little faster than usual, as well as making her feel somewhat protected.

It was strange because the feeling she had was that she wasn’t alone.

Feeling her ears burn, she looked away at their hands that were still together, Jeno's finger made an almost imperceptible caress and one of the corners of the princess's mouth threatened to lift.

"Y/N, look. I know you're upset but-"

"It's not just that, Jeno." she shook her head, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I'm mad." She confirmed, irritated and looked at him again. "They attacked my kingdom, they attacked me. I'm not going to let things go like that."

She spoke, determined and he slowly nodded his head.

He knew the princess and knew that besides being stubborn, she wasn't the type to give up easily.

She just continued to stare at Jeno, surprised, and when his eyes returned to hers while he still had his warm lips pressed against her skin, Y/N felt her legs give in and her breathing became labored.

"It's going to be okay. I believe it." Without waiting, Jeno grabbed the princess's hand and brought it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, making her jaw drop slightly.

Just like he did in the car earlier that day.

She had no control over her own voice, so she couldn't tell him to move away or stop doing that.

After all, what could she say? For him to stop kissing her because her stomach was churning with anxiety?

"Do you want something?" Jeno asked interestedly and Y/N bit the tip of her tongue before she could respond with something that wasn't appropriate for the moment.

She would never verbalize what her body wanted to respond to.

"Can you get me a grenade to go after the terrorists?" She smiled, mischievously and he laughed lightly.

"Before that, you should train your aim better with the bow and arrow." He blinked before letting go of her hand and getting up from the seat he was in.

Y/N looked at him perplexed. Would he continue criticizing her techniques?

"But I'll have plenty of time to help you with your training." he shrugged and she laughed in disbelief. "Do you want to eat something?"

She denied with her head.

"No, I'm fine."

"Okay, I'll be back soon then."

Y/N took the opportunity to rest her head on the back of the seat and closed her eyes so she could try to relax, they would arrive in her kingdom at dawn so she still had time for that.

And now that the adrenaline in her body had practically evaporated, she realized how tired she was. Physically and mentally.

The time that Jeno had the opportunity to eat was enough for Y/N to sleep in the seat, when he came back and noticed that she was breathing deeply, he took a blanket that her team had separated and covered her, up to her shoulders. The jet had the air conditioning on, it wasn't cold but it wasn't that warm either.

He took a deep breath and observed the princess, carefully and slowly brushing aside the part of her hair that had fallen over her face, placing the strand behind her ear.

Her expression was serene, even though her brow was furrowed, she had fallen into a deep sleep and didn't even look like that girl was angry or scared.

Jeno found himself thinking about the moment they found out about the attack, Y/N was shaking to the point of being about to cry and he had been really worried about her. He had never seen her so shaken, in fact he never imagined that the kingdom was so important to her.

Well, of course he knew how she felt, after all he was also a prince, but he had never realized that she was alone, she had no brothers she could count on and support, very unlike him. And he couldn't contain the desire to protect her, to be by her side.

It was one of the reasons he decided to pack his bags and go with Y/N to her kingdom.

Jeno approached the princess's face to place a soft kiss on her forehead and let himself get lost in Y/N's perfume before walking away.

He would stay by her side as long as she needed. That was his purpose.

He would watch over her sleep so that she wouldn't have nightmares if necessary.

He would hold her hand if that was what she wanted.

He would keep her safe with his life if he had to.

When he pulled away, he saw that Y/N smiled slightly while still asleep and he stared at her some more, wishing deep inside that he had been the one who caused that smile in her dreams.

[...]

Y/N didn't even set foot in the castle and her parents were already walking over in a bit of a hurry to hug her, they had arrived at the scheduled time but even so that didn't seem to stop them from worrying about her.

"My daughter." The queen hugged her tightly, convincing herself that her daughter was safe and well, finally back home.

"I'm fine, mom." she assured, her voice was muffled by the tight hug.

As soon as her mother released the princess, it was her father's turn to hug her even briefly because his eyes were on Jeno.

"Let me see you." Her father asked and she moved away so he could look at her from head to toe. "Did everything go well with the flight?"

Although those were obvious parental questions, the princess was a little scared. It was clear that the king and queen were wanting to know if anyone had tried to do something to her.

And just thinking about the possibility of someone trying something with her on the jet was disturbing.

"Yes, more than fine." She replied, looking at Jeno.

"We didn't know you were coming too, Jeno." The queen spoke, smiling slightly at him. "Welcome."

"I said he didn't need it but-" the princess started to explain but was interrupted by him.

"I insisted!" He concluded, looking at the princess and then at the king. "Soon this kingdom will also be my responsibility, and I care about it as much as you do."

The queen smiled discreetly and the king nodded, looking proudly at the prince.

“We are happy with your decision, Jeno. It’s great to have you here.” the king spoke and Jeno smiled, grateful.

Y/N didn't know why he had made that decision suddenly but she was pleased to hear that, if she and Jeno agreed to protect the kingdom, half of their marriage was already well underway.

“I’ll ask them to set aside a room for you.” the queen said, turning to the servants who were further back to do so, they agreed and left quickly.

“You must be tired from the trip.”

Y/N agreed, sighing.

“The only thing I want is my bed.”

Jeno laughed.

“You talk like you didn’t sleep a good part of the way.”

“Yeah, but that seat isn’t as comfortable as my bed, my neck hurts.” She brought her hand to the part of her body that was throbbing.

Jeno raised an eyebrow, smirking.

“Want a massage, princess?”

Y/N felt her entire face catch fire, especially because her parents stared at her at the same moment. Jeno was bold and that irritated her, they were in front of the king and queen, for God's sake!

“Go to… sleep, Jeno.” she stuttered as she tried to bring out all the irritation in her tone of voice, which probably wasn't noticed by anyone there since it was clear that she had become shy.

“Honey, accompany your fiancé to his room.” the queen asked and Y/N took a deep breath.

"Of course." she replied, begrudgingly. "See you later."

She kissed her mother and father before leaving with Jeno following her, he said goodbye to her parents, and they quickly went to the huge main staircase of the castle.

Although she wanted to retort and fight with Jeno for making her embarrass herself in front of her parents, she didn't have the strength for that even if she wanted Jeno to wipe that insolent smile off his face.

But being surprised once again, he said absolutely nothing about it, not that he needed it, after all he had already done enough.

The princess already knew which room her mother had sent Jeno to, the largest and coziest in the castle, so her feet took her without even asking one of the servants where they should go.

When they arrived, the room was already ready with Jeno's bags next to the huge bed.

“Good, then I’ll see you later.” Jeno spoke before entering and the princess laughed in disbelief, shaking her head.

She still couldn't believe that he had given up everything to go with her to the kingdom.

“Ah, unless…” he leaned his arm on the door, smiling sideways. “You want to come in.”

The princess's jaw dropped and she rolled her eyes.

“You’re going to continue being the same insufferable person you always were, right?” she questioned, seeing him shrug. “Careful, Jeno.” She took a step forward, getting closer to him and looked him in the eyes. “Coexistence with me can drive you crazy.” she purposely blew the words into his face and smiled evilly, then walked away.

She walked out in long strides, feeling her head spinning and missed Jeno's mischievous smile right behind her.

“More than I already am.” he said to himself before closing the door.

Y/N took a deep breath as she saw the bedroom door approaching and stretched her arms behind her to try and ward off the pain and her eyes went to the hallway nearby when she saw a figure of one of the servants. However, her body stiffened when she saw who it was.

She would recognize that maid from meters away because she still couldn't forget the scene of her being pressed by Jeno while they kissed at the party. The princess followed her with her gaze, she didn't remember seeing her in those corridors at that early hour, especially because she imagined that her tasks were specific to the kitchen and not the organization of the rooms in the castle.

Y/N swallowed hard and gritted her teeth, crossing her arms as she watched the maid disappear into the hallway without realizing that the princess was watching her.

It wasn't like she liked to admit it to herself, but Jeno being in the castle and the maid there seemed to be a problem, yet another headache that she didn't want to have to put up with for so long.

She entered her own room, closing the door with a little more force and threw her bag on top of her bed, taking her hand to scratch the back of her neck, visibly uncomfortable.

She was getting lost in thought when she heard her phone ring and tried to shake off all those clouds that were forming over her head and went to answer the phone.

She sighed when she saw her cousin's number on the display.

“Hi, Yeri.”

“Oh good, I finally got to talk to you! How are you?"

Y/N brought her other hand to her forehead as she sat on the bed.

“Tired, confused, irritated… And you? Everything is fine?"

“Yes, I'm fine. Your parents told me you were coming back. I sent you a message but you didn’t respond, I thought you were on the flight.”

“Yeah, me and Jeno.” She sighed and threw herself onto the bed.

"WHAT?" Y/N closed her eyes and took the phone away from her ear at her cousin's scream.

“Stop screaming.” she asked tiredly.

“Sorry, it was a big shock.” YN laughed lightly. “What do you mean Jeno too?”

“He came here.” she replied simply.

"Why?"

“Ah Yeri, I don’t know.” Y/N turned sideways on the bed, staring at her own hand. “I think he felt a sense of duty since he’s going to be king in the future.”

“Hmm. Is it because of the kingdom or the future queen?”

Y/N felt her heart speed up.

“What difference does it make?” she asked, defensively.

“I think all of it, right? He’s getting attached to you.”

The princess smiled bitterly.

“I don’t think it’s me he’s getting attached to.” she replied acidly as she remembered the maid.

"Did something happen?" Yeri tried to guess, noticing her cousin's irritated tone.

Y/N took a deep breath, trying to organize her mind, but all that came was the memory of the two kissing.

“Remember that maid Jeno was making out at the party?”

“I do, what about her?”

“What do you mean what about her, Yeri? She works here and Jeno will be here from now on.”

Yeri was silent, which made the princess bite the inside of her cheek in anxiety.

“Ah, is that the problem then? Both under the same roof?”

"Of course. Did you forget we’re engaged?” Y/N snorted, it was obvious that was the problem. She had a reputation to uphold and if any gossip about him making out with the maids in the hallways got out in the press, that whole image of Romeo and Juliet that had been sold would go down and a scandal at a delicate moment like that needed to be avoided.

Y/N heard her cousin laugh.

"What? Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing. I remembered something. Well, I think you are the only one who has the power to end this situation.”

The princess frowned.

"What do you mean?"

“It's simple, Jeno enters the castle and the maid leaves. It’s a guarantee that you won’t have any problems.”

Y/N pondered, agreed with her cousin that it would be easier that way, but she didn't think it was fair.

“I can’t fire someone just because of Jeno, that’s mean.” she replied, feeling trapped. “I can’t take her out of here, the girl must need this job.”

“I’m not telling you to take her out of there.”

The princess frowned, confused.

"I didn't understand."

“Give her something she really wants besides your fiancé.”

[northstarco]

fact checks (ft. nikolas)

❝ nikolas checks facts, and answers questions.. at three in the morning ❞

"did you break your arm again?"

nikolas chuckles mid-read, glancing down at his oddly placed right arm and shaking his head, the question makes him place a hand on his forehead. "no my arm is not broken, not yet, at least".

"how weak are your bones?— well it's not my fault that i somehow almost always manage to break something it just happens!" niko shrugs, acting like his answer wasn't the stupidest thing in the world and glancing down at the sleeping feline in his lap. "i have bad luck, don't yell at me" he mutters, as if trying to be quiet so he doesn't wake up susi.

where is that poster from?

niko narrows his eyes at the comment, turning back to the queen poster situated right above his desk. he allows for a small laugh to escape his lips as he thinks about where he got it from. "a fan handed it to me at a fansign like a year ago? i thought it was a mistake but she just let me have it.."

did you really forget your instagram password?

nikolas, ready to make an excuse, laughs again. "yes, i did, and until i figure it out again you're never getting another juno instagram update" the 96 liner doesn't seem too bothered by the news, much to the dismay of his own fans.

i didn't know you played the violin :0 that's so cool!!

"ah" niko pauses, clicking his tongue. "well mæ̀ is a violin instructor so it was one of the first instruments i learned how to play, it's not my favorite, though, the strings make my fingers hurt" he frowns slightly, looking down at his scarred fingers. "these days the scars are from my guitar, though".

do you dream in english?

the question is enough to make nikolas snicker, it baffles him that someone would ask that, but it's also too interesting to not answer. "that's such a strange thing to ask.." he snickers again, just the thought of the question alone is enough to make him laugh. "i guess so? i dream in a weird mix of english and thai, my dreams don't make any sense".

you need to write more songs hello??

the comment makes nikolas smile lightly, and he places his cheek on his fist. "i do write a lot of songs, i just trash most of them because they're.. well, not sm approved" he chuckles at his own wording, he'd explain why in more detail if he wasn't weary about his mangers watching. "most of the songs i write are about personal experiences, not general experiences".

juno solo debut when?

"never" niko mumbles, shaking his head as he un-balls his fist and places his chin onto his hand. he chuckles at his own response, watching as the comments explode into questions of why? and what do you mean? a small smile grows on his face, and he lets his face fall down. "actually i don't know, not that the company will tell me anything anyway, if they even have something planned.."

niko narrows his eyes suspiciously, staring into space as he thinks about it for a moment. "i'm not sure, maybe those songs will escape the drafts someday".

song recommendations!!

"song recommendations.." niko taps his fingers onto his desk, scouring his mind for songs he himself enjoys. "everything is everything by lauryn hill, uh.. alterlife by rina sawayama, and farewell by akmu, that's a good one".

"i feel like you'd be a good music teacher— i have no idea what that's supposed to mean! but thank you!"

why are you live at three am?

"hm.. well i can't sleep, i'm bored, and doyoungie would've killed me if i called him at three in the morning" nikolas thinks of more reasons he could give to answer that question, but as he's about to answer, he gets a notification from his phone. when he looks down at his phone, he snickers, covering his mouth with his hand. "aww, kim doyoung hates me everybody" he pouts playfully at his phone, presumably humored by a text he'd gotten from his best friend.

"let's hope he doesn't come for my soul, i can't die before rina's new album is released.. oh my god, speaking of rina—"

nikolas then goes on a rant about rina sawayama's music, much too immersed in it. it's safe to say, the viewers were very amazed by the sight of silent niko, who often sat back and let his members do the talking during group lives, running his mouth like nothing else in the world mattered.

niko's ramblings only stop when a certain question catches his eye. "i'm going to australia soon, have any snack recommendations?— oh my god you have to try tim tams, and fairy bread, and also anzac biscuits those are so good! i remember my mom sent me snacks a few weeks ago and i finally got to eat them again, i also made fairy bread a few weeks ago, it was as good as i remember it".

"what are tim tams? oh they're chocolate biscuits that usually have some sort of filling, the ones with caramel filling are the best trust me".

"go to sleep" niko blinks at the comment, a small chuckle escaping his lips. "no! you can't tell me what to do, i'm staying awake for the rest of time now that you commented that".

nikolas crosses his arms, remaining stubborn as ever.

[sl33paholics]

Her Tender Touch

Gina Paulklee x black!fem! reader

Warning(s): strap on usage, oral (eating out), teasing, bounding, drunk sex, praise kink

I am so fucking sorry for taking DAYS to post something but GOSH! School had me in a chokehold and I lost motivation for a while but I'm HERE 🗣‼️

The sound of light rain hitting the windows was washed out by the chatter and noise from the bar around her. The loud music was blasting from speakers, and a few of the guys at the tables had gotten into it by now. "The usual?" asked a bartender, who had come over to take their drink orders. It was Friday night. (Y/N)'s favorite day of the week.

"Yes, please," you said, giving him a smile that he returned before walking back behind the bar. You leaned against the counter watching the scene around you as people came in and went out, your attention going towards outside the window before the bartender reappeared and handed you a tall glass filled with yellow creamy liquid that he had just poured for the other customers. He smiled again, "Enjoy."

"Piña Colada, how typical." You'd turn your attention to a tall, short hair, blonde woman huffing a cigarette with a short glass of Mai Tai in front of her. "Gina..." She turned to look at you, taking another drag off her cigarette before glancing away again. "Gina, I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight, or, at all really.'' You took a sip of your own drink and tried not to grimace at its bitterness. You'd always hated pineapple on ice, even though you loved the taste.

It was too fruity and sugary for you. "What brings you here?" You'd asked the woman as she took a sip. Gina shrugged nonchalantly, but there was something about the way she held herself that made you think that maybe there was more than she let on. She glanced around before looking back at you with a soft smile that somehow made her eyes look even brighter than normal. Were you seeing things? "I haven't seen you in...forever, fifteen years?" Gina shook her head, letting out a bitter chuckle. "But then again, why should we stumble across each other when we're both stuck living our miserable lives, huh?" Gina downed her drink in one gulp. "Let's get out of here. I don't feel like being cooped up in this god forsaken place any longer. Drinks at my place." The woman would stand up heading towards the door, watching her walk outside. You quickly paid for both of your drinks before rushing out as you mindlessly trailed behind her.

The walk was quiet. It was so different from the last time you saw Gina, what felt like forever ago. But you still weren’t used to her presence. Not in the same way you had been accustomed to it all those years ago when she was just a friend. Back then, it had been comforting having her close to you. Back then, her company seemed almost necessary to have. Her presence alone could make your life much easier. Now she was just some stranger. One whom you didn’t know anything about. And yet…you couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew you better than you knew yourself.

The two of you made it to her place. The silence was killing you as you followed her to her spacey room. She grabbed a bottle of Cognac from her dresser and began pouring into two shot glasses. “You want some?” She looked up at you as she sat down on the edge of her bed, watching you nod slowly. Her eyes softened, making you wonder if you had imagined it when she smiled faintly at you, “How have you been?” You sighed quietly, slightly fidgetting in your spot. “Well... I'm meeting you after years of no contact, so I guess you can say I'm..kinda scared but excited.” Gina nodded at you in understanding. “And you've got to be pretty fucking terrified of me if you're here, don't you?” She laughed softly. You could sense an undercurrent of bitterness in her voice, but you didn't want to ask for clarification. Gina ploped next to you with the bottle in her hand, her gaze never leaving yours. “Now, no need to be a sad sack, (Y/N), we'll talk over this with drinks, yes?" You nodded numbly, and Gina passed you a shot glass.

You don't remember what had happened between the two of you after drinking those shots of Cognac. All you remembered is your clothes were on the floor and your wrists being tied up to the bed frame, your body raiding the heat you felt from the liquor. Your breathing was heavy as you felt Gina's hands gripping onto your thighs. Her sensual kisses up and down your inner thighs made you shudder. Gina's thumb rubbing your clit in a circle motioned for you to arch your back as she licked her lips. You moaned slightly, feeling your pussy dripping hot wetness on the bedsheets. Removing her thumb and replacing it with her mouth, she gently kissed your clit , making you groan as you felt her tongue flicking at your folds. You whimpered as she lapped at your clit having her tongue roll it around counter-clockwise in circles until you couldn't handle anymore. You were so close. You needed her. You wanted her. You needed to be fucked.

Your mind was in a haze. You weren't sure what was real and what wasn't. But one thing you knew for certain was that Gina Paulklee was going to be the death of you. “Gina, I’m gonna cum,” you gasped, your legs involuntarily tensing. Gina stopped her sucking and pulled away from you, “Not quite yet, love,” she grinned at you, leaning forward, “but soon~” she whispered seductively as she kissed your lips lightly. You watched her walk away to her closet to grab some things, a dazed smile on your face. Gina had never called you 'love', you hadn't expected that, but hearing her call you that made you feel warm inside. You wondered how long you'd have to wait before you could finally feel her again, staring at the ceiling as you watched the room spin slowly around you.

You felt her hands grip your cheeks to turn your face to meet hers, and her lips met yours. Gina kissed you hungrily, her lips were swollen, red, and everything about her made you want to break free from the rope even more. Gina bit your lip hard enough to bruise, and you whimpered in pleasure, feeling your arousal growing with every passing second. Gina pulled away from you, panting. You stared at her, unable to speak, your thoughts racing as you processed everything happening around you.

Gina then climbed on top of you, seeing the size of the strap that was rubbing against your pussy as she smirked, “Do you like this?” She whispered huskily, running her hands along your sides before cupping your ass and pulling your hips towards her, pressing it against herself. "You like the jock harness? You like this? Let me show you how nice and easy it will be once I'm inside of you…" Gina lifted your leg up, forcing it around her waist so she was seated right at the opening. The light-haired blonde woman slowly pushed the tip inside of you , pushing her hips back as you bucked into her.

"Fuck… Gina, please -" You moaned, the familiar warmth pooling in the center of your stomach. "Oh, baby girl, you're mine, aren't you?"

(Y/N) panted heavily, the sheets underneath them damp and tangled with her sweat. You watched as Gina helped you adjust, leaning over to kiss down your chest before resting her chin on your shoulder, "So beautiful... So sexy... keep making those noises, I love your voice." She began to lick and suck on your skin, causing your breath to hitch in anticipation.

Gina thrusted against you causing you to gasp loudly, "Fucking Christ!"

"So good," she purred against your skin. She pressed her breasts against you. You clenched your jaw. "Yes Gina…" You felt her nipples pressing into your chest. "Please."

Surprisingly, she was gentle with you. Considering you're not a virgin and had experience with women, you weren't exactly prepared for such gentleness. You thought she would be rough, but you enjoyed her touch, her lips against your skin, her finger teasing your clit. "Who's my beautiful woman? Mhm~ such a fantastic body..." The only problem was you couldn't seem to stop yourself from moaning as she continued to thrust.

Her movements were beginning to get sloppy, and you could hear the sounds of her breathing quickening. Gina shifted her position on top of you, causing you to moan louder when she pushed herself completely inside of you. "Take it all, baby. I know you can, just like that." A deep guttural sound left your throat as Gina began moving faster and harder against you, thrusting against you with increasing speed.

"Come for me...come for me baby.." You were getting closer to the brink of coming, and it wasn't long before your entire body felt electrified and your mind was blank. "You were incredible," Gina panted, moving her lips up and down your neck, trailing her teeth there. “God..you drive me crazy, you know that?” She growled. “I know.” You replied quietly, watching her undo the rope from your wrists.

Feeling too weak to move, you just laid there looking up at the ceiling and waiting for your heartbeat to come back to normal, which it did a moment later. As the fog in your head cleared, you realized how much time spent just dozing off. "Gina?" (Y/N) looked around the darkened bedroom, finding nothing but darkness. You could barely see her figure laying right next to you. "Go back to sleep." You felt her arms wrapping themselves around your torso, her cheek on your arm.

[ryosei-hime]

The Dionysian Aspects of Queen Bee

Looking at Bee through the lens of a devotee of Dionysus is very interesting. So, I thought I’d make a post about it.

Dionysus is often mischaracterized as a drunk, but in reality he’s all about consumption within reason. He encourages drinking to excess so far as it brings you pleasure and joy, but the moment your over-indulgence brings you or others pain or shame, you’ve gone too far. He doesn’t approve of making an ass of yourself.

Which is exactly what you see with Queen Bee and Blitz. The moment Blitz is no longer enjoying himself, but drinking to forget and avoid his problems, she speaks up. If he’s not enjoying himself, she can’t enjoy the energy coming off of him. He’s tainting the punch, killing the vibe.

Dionysus also encourages (especially women and the disenfranchised) to free themselves from the bonds of social restrictions and norms. He influenced women to throw down their weaving, uncover their hair, and run wild in the woods during a time when they rarely got to leave their homes.

We see this with Bee’s party. The guests are all Imps and Hellhounds - those of the lower classes. She chooses to socialize and consort with these classes. While you could say this is because they’re her people, and she’s the progenitor of Hellhounds, she doesn’t have to party with them. She still has a higher position than they do. And while having an affinity for Hellhounds makes sense, she also seems to prefer imps which I personally think points towards simply enjoying the company of lower class demons.

Bee strikes me as someone who would willingly lower herself to their level to an extent for the fun of it. And she may potentially have a preference for those who are more downtrodden in society.

Note I say “to an extent” because she still has power and shows no signs of not wanting it. And she can be a bit rough with her encouragements to party. Her reasons for doing so aren’t entirely altruistic either. She wants others to feel good because she wants to feel good, too.

Dionysus can also be harsh and forceful with his liberation and freedom. It is not always something he allows his followers to choose to engage in. Sometimes, he also throws you into the punch bowl lol.

He’s a powerful God and he has no desire to be anything else. He uses that power and status to get things he wants, fuck with people for fun, and have his own good time. Bee is no more equal to the Hellhounds at her party than Dionysus to the bacchanates of his thiasos. So, in my interpretation, neither wish to actually be equal to the downtrodden they seek to uplift.

I do like to imagine Bee could incite her Hellhounds into a Dionysian frenzy and it would fit with her bee influence fairly well. That is of course just a head canon. But I think it would be a fun power.

Dionysus was also about sexual liberation, and I think she showed a bit of that with her musings over Satan lol.

But, I think, much like Dionysus, Bee is likely an extremely morally complex person. I don’t think she’s as purely good and benevolent as I’ve seen some speculate. Who in Hell is? She’s likely got her darker shades even if on the whole, she’s much more interested in others having fun than some Sins probably are.

Disclaimer: this is just a ramble because I really liked drawing the parallel. It is not an attempt to say that Bee is a terrible, horrible, evil bitch since I know someone will misconstrue it that way somehow, this being the internet and all. But she has notes of a God I worship so it should be obvious that I like her and this is not an attempt at slander.

[wisteriadaydreams]

Can you make a part 2 of party crasher it was so good!!!

THREE'S NOT A CROWD

pairing: Kamado Tanjirō x fem!reader

genre: fluff

words: 2.1k

Part 1

You didn't think any of it when Tanjirō first interrupted your alone time with Nezuko, nor did anything cross your mind the second or third time.

After all, it wouldn't be strange for a brother to want to spend time with his sister, would it? And this is Tanjirō you're talking about, too. Dedicated, determined Tanjirō who would sacrifice a life of simple pleasures and coal-streaked hands for a life wreathed in shadows and the smell of acrid blood to turn his sister back into a human. Tanjirō who would sacrifice anything for Nezuko.

Their bond is one that you often find yourself be envious of. It's one built on years of mutual trust and support, and now even with Nezuko's inability to speak, they're still able to communicate as easily as ever before. One of the things that always bring a smile to your face is seeing the siblings interact — Nezuko making muffled sounds and gesturing animatedly in an effort to convey her thoughts, and Tanjirō nodding along and even asking follow-up questions as if they're having a normal conversation. There's no doubt in your mind that they understand each other, theirs is a bond that surpasses verbal words.

And perhaps another reason why it doesn't bother you is because you enjoy his company too much.

You're convinced that it would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't want to spend more time with Tanjirō once they got to know him. (You know Inosuke does as well, even if he tries to deny it indignantly and loudly.) He goes above and beyond in helping others, and he spends time with people because he genuinely wants to get to know them. You can say something flippantly once and he'll somehow magically be able to remember it. You'll never forget that time when he brings you your favorite late night snack even though you've only mentioned it in passing once.

He's sweet and too kind for his own good and deserves everything good that this world cannot offer to him, so it's only right that you like to be around him so much, wouldn't it? Is it that unusual that even though you're already spending time with him during the day, you hesitate to tell him to leave the room because it never feels enough?

Though you think nothing of it, Nezuko seems to believe otherwise.

You like to say that you've become more attuned to your friend's thoughts and feelings, so you didn't miss the looks that would constantly flit between Tanjirō and you — pensive, with a knowing glint that makes her rosy eyes shimmer for a moment. On one particular evening, when the aforementioned boy has yet to barge through those shoji doors, Nezuko pulled you aside, her face knitted in determination.

Your senses tingled as you watched her write rapidly on your palm as if she has no time to lose.

"What do you think of my brother?"

You registered the question and thought about its motive for a moment, but the answer is already bursting onto your tongue before you can stop it. "I think he's a great friend. He never hesitates to lend a hand and he's always gentle with others. He's considerate and compassionate, and his strength always inspire me every day. I think you of all people know how wonderful your brother is, why are you asking me this?"

"Do you only think of him as a friend?"

You stared at the words even as the touch of her fingers have left your hand, something crackling under your skin like electricity.

"What do you mean? Should I be thinking of him as anything else?"

Nezuko gazed at you with that same knowing look as if she already knew the answer. You didn't understand why, but your heart started beating faster as you turn over her question in your mind. There's no doubt that you care about him. You would do anything to ensure his safety, from having his back in battle to tearing a piece of fabric from your clothes to put pressure on his wound. You drag his limp body inside after training and make hot drinks when both of you are in the kitchen, the moon high and the hallways quiet. You do all these things and more, and you know that he would do the same for you.

Isn't that what friends do when they care about each other?

But then there are the inexplicables. The light tremors that send your heart bouncing around like it's actively trying to escape from your chest. The way your stomach would flip and the hairs on your arm would stand up when he happens to move a little closer to you. The sense of belonging and comfort that turns your mind into a bed of clouds, something that you've only felt when you're with him. There are times when you feel like being around him is like standing too close to the sun — resplendent and blinding, burning down all of your defenses and filling you with light.

(You think you understand why a moth is so tempted by the flame.)

Nezuko's fingers moved to construct the beginning of another sentence, but the sound of the shoji door opening interrupted her. Tanjirō walked through and the wisps of her words is a thought unfinished, but you're able to fill in the gaps nonetheless.

Despite what you believed, those questions may be buried somewhere deep in your thoughts, but they never truly escaped. You still care deeply for Tanjiro, but those inexplicables have become more noticeable, more nagging and pulling at the strings of your mind. You like to think that you still acted the same around him, but perhaps the implication that your actions haven't changed is even more telling.

(And perhaps you're just afraid to give a name to what you can already explain.)

You knew you needed to talk to Nezuko and for once, as you walk towards her room in the middle of the night, you hope that Tanjirō won't be there. The noises of the peaceful night is lost on you as you focus on one destination in mind, but even as your ears seem to tune out the world, you're still able to notice the thump of very familiar footsteps.

"(Y/N)!" His voice is not loud enough to bounce off the walls, but enough to kick your heart into overdrive.

"Tanjirō?" Though you were hoping to not run into him, a traitorous part of you can't help but feel happy. "What's wrong? You looked like you ran here." It's barely noticeable, but you hear him panting a little, his chest rising up and down more than usual.

"There's...something I need to talk to you about. Can–can we go somewhere else?"

You silently debate on what to do in your mind. Although you really really want to talk to Nezuko right now, it's hard to deny him. So, after an arduous mental battle with yourself, you finally find yourself nodding. He takes you to a secluded spot in the garden that you showed him, where you know no one would interrupt you. It makes you wonder what is so important that he wants no one to walk in on you.

The moon is a beacon of light, and even the butterflies seem to have ceased their flight to make way for the silence. Even then, no one said a word.

You couldn't recall the last time you felt this jittery around him. He has always been able to make you feel comfortable, no matter the time or situation. So it's almost strange to see him like this, his feet rooted to the ground, him wringing his hands together, his eyes darting all over the place but never on you.

You think you should say something, but your tongue felt like it just turned into dead weight in your mouth. Inevitably, your eyes land on each other, but it manages to make both of you almost jump out of your skins and immediately look away.

"So...uh—" The act of talking somehow become an entirely foreign concept to you. "You wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Right! Right...umm..." Tanjirō is just as tongue-tied as you are, his bottom lip being gnawed between his teeth. Finally, you see him take in several deep breaths, and after what seems like an internal battle, he gains back some of his confidence. He looks at you with that familiar, resolute spark, the one that always make you unable to tear your eyes away.

"I want you to know that I care about you, and not in the way you think. Well, no, actually, maybe yes like the way you think. I do care about you that way, as a friend and companion." His previous confidence slowly dissipates as he rambles, but you patiently listen to him. "But the thing is my care for you runs deeper than that. Whenever you get injured, I feel like I'm also the one that got hurt. All I wanted is for you to be safe, happy, and smiling. But then I realized...that I want you to always smile at me like that." His words make your breath hitch, but you're barely able to recover as he continues. "Your smile makes my day better no matter what, and I find myself wanting to talk to you, want to be with you even if it's too late to be awake. I admire how strong you are, admire how you're able to stand up no matter how many times you fall. I like how you would hum a little song under your breath while you're doing something. I like how you would close your eyes in satisfaction whenever you eat. I like how you would deny that you're sleepy even when tears form in your eyes from yawning. I like how you would grumble when it's too early in the morning and Inosuke's already causing a ruckus. I like them all...and I realized that it's because I like you...I like everything about you."

He stops for breath, his entire body shaking and his knees going weak as if he just went through the hardest training in his life. You, on the other hand, while your brain is desperately gobbling up everything that he said and examining them over and over again in disbelief and shock, your heart finally gains the courage to give the inexplicables the name that has been right there all along.

"...(Y/N)? D-do you want to say something? You don't have to answer anything right now if you don't want to! I-I just want to know what you're thinking."

"Oh. Oh." The word is soft as it spills from your lips. Raw, unbridled waves of emotions too rapid for you to place buzzes to the very tips of your toes, making your hands fly to your mouth when tears begin to form in the corner of your eyes. "I can't believe it."

"(Y/N?! What's wrong?" Tanjirō immediately panics at the sight of them. "Was it something I said?"

"No, no, it isn't that." You wave your hands around and let out a bewildered chuckle. "Do you want to know why I was walking through the estate this late at night? I wanted to talk to Nezuko about you, about how I've been feeling different around you. But now, I don't need to do that anymore. Because I realize that I like you. I like you so much, Tanjiro."

"Oh my gods." His eyes are wide like the moon. "I was just with Nezuko. She was the one who got me to acknowledge my feelings for you. She told me I kept interrupting your time with her because I wanted to spend time with you, and she's...not wrong about that." He avoids your eyes as a blush overtakes his cheeks.

"Oh, I see. Well, I like spending time with you too." Now it's your turn to feel butterflies in your stomach. All those moments run through your mind, and you seem to see them in a new light. "So, where do we go from here?"

"I know that being a Demon Slayer throws us into situations that we can't anticipate. There's no telling what will happen in the future, what may happen to us. But even with such uncertainty, there's no doubt in my heart that I want to be by your side. I want to hold your hand and watch the stars with you. I want to eat meals with you and hear you talk. I want to lay on the grass and watch the clouds go by with you." There are many more things that Tanjirō wants and wants, but they can reveal themselves another day. "If that's alright with you."

His eyes burn like smoldering cinders, and you know that there's nothing he can ask of you that you would deny him of.

"Of course." You step closer to him, in search of that warmth that radiates like the sun, enough to finally understand what it's like to be set ablaze. "Of course."

(You're getting Nezuko whatever she wants the next time you see her.)

©️ wisteriadaydreams

➺ All of the following works belong to me. Please don’t repost, copy, or steal my content off of Tumblr. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.

[fleetingvow]

The nonexistent veins of this blog runs purely on angst. If you’ve come looking for written works of that category, please feel free to name the fics that have piqued your interest! A fair warning that the author’s first language is not English therefore perfection is not guaranteed, but that’s the beauty of it, is it not? Angst is an art of imperfection meeting a scale of perfection, or otherwise — if that makes sense.

Be reminded that this author writes under a nome de plume, which means all personal information are meant to be anonymous and not meant to be disclosed to the audience. This detail is relevant to those who wish to send an “ask” regarding the writer.

This blog’s works include gender neutral and female insert reader fics written about: Wednesday Addams, Evelyn Deavor, Anthony Lockwood, Henry Creel, Brienne of Tarth, Robin Buckley, Kang Sae-Byeok, and ( formerly and not anymore ) Camilo Madrigal.

Wednesday ‘ Wednesday Addams

BITTER SOLITUDE

Wednesday has always loved being alone. She enjoyed the company of solitude and the opportunity for something haunted in the eerie silence, but somehow your presence was missing. Did she do something wrong? ( Angst, Female Reader Insert. )

DEAD OF NIGHT

In which you and Wednesday open up to each other as comfort after you woke up from a nightmare, replaying the moments in the forest when the hyde attacked you not so long ago. ( Slight Angst, Fluff, Comfort, Female Reader Insert. )

DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS — I and II

wednesday addams never cried for anyone, not until she held you fighting for your life, desperately trying to stay alive to return the whispered confession. ( heavy angst. character death. female reader insert. )

WISH I NEVER MET YOU

a massive fight — you and wednesday never had that before, not until now that the walls almost crumbled down from the shouts being passed on back and forth. it could have worked, but then came the statement that ended it all for good. ( in progress. heavy angst. female reader insert. )

PRIORITIES

ever since wednesday got tangled with the monster mystery, her priorities seemed to turn into shambles as she brushed off your existence to get to the leads of her case, even if it meant kissing other people to do so. ( in progress. angst, cheating (?) toxic wednesday, toxic reader. )

Encanto ‘ Camilo Madrigal

JUST ANOTHER BOY

You were the new kid in Encanto and your family already tried to help building up the community by coming up with an idea of a school for the children in the small town. Whilst trying your best to survive education, you met a rather weird and awkward boy from the very famous family; The Madrigals. It was strange how he was outgoing and easily social to the others but you. Nevertheless, that's what made him interesting. Then, he just got weirder. ( Fluff. Gender-Neutral Reader Insert. )

FALLEN DEBRIS

After the disastrous dinner where Mariano and Isabella were supposed to come out engaged, you and Camilo had an extremely heated argument about Bruno after defending him causing your relationship to deteriorate completely. You were there when Mirabel and Abuela fought causing the downfall of Casita — you along with it. And when Camilo found your unresponsive figure underneath the piles and rubbles of the fallen shelter's debris, well . . . ( Heavy Angst. Gender-Neutral Reader Insert. )

FLEETING PROMISE

You were anything but mortal, and when you met a strange young boy, the light you provided only became brighter. But see, the thing is, you were strictly prohibited to be involved with any human interactions. So, when something found out that you talked to Camilo not just once but every night — much worse, felt things for him, you had to deal with the consequences. Before you disappeared, he had made a promise; a promise to let his heart reside in you forever until death do you part. But when you came back a decade later, there was nothing else you could do after you witnessed a purely uttered promise become a fleeting belief you clung onto for faith that even someone like you ever deserved mortal feelings such as love. ( In Progress. Heavy Angst. Gender-Neutral Reader Insert. )

Stranger Things ‘ Peter Ballard

AFFECTIONATE DISDAIN

Peter didn’t like the way you stood as if you owned the world. It was meant to be his. Not you. He hated your eyes all the way down to the tip of your toes, but as he had no choice but to put up with getting stuck with you, how was it that the way the light reflected on your angle changed? You were brighter than the daylight shine, and he was disgustingly allured by it. But no, you weren’t going to make him crumble. ( In Progress. Fluff. Enemies to lovers. Partial slow-burn. Gender-Neutral Reader Insert. )

ALLURE

Who knew that you could meet your strange neighbour again? Only this time, he wasn’t so quiet nor friendly. He was older, more dangerous — and just as you were about to kill him as a mission, your wants got in the way. Both of you couldn’t resist. Maybe that’s just how alluring you were. ( Romance. Angst? SLIGHT NSFW. Gender-Neutral reader insert. )

THAT WAY

You were once prepared to throw your life away just for him to look at you the way he did another. It took him years to realise. It took him years to feel what it was that you couldn’t feel twice. He knew it was too late, but he had to tell you somehow, even without talking. ( Angst. Gender-Neutral reader insert. )

GHOSTING PRESENCE ' Robin Buckley x Reader

You both had a massive fight, and the fact that you moved in together made it more difficult to handle. For the rest of the day, no one acknowledged anyone. The space between the walls were silent, and as you went to bed facing the opposite sides, she just knew it had to end. ( In Progress. Angst. Female Reader Insert. )

Squid Game ‘ Kang Sae-Byeok

MIRROR SHARDS

You’ll never forget the metallic taste of your lips joined into one as she choked back on her groans with your fingers pulling the large shard of glass from her side. ( Drafted. Slightly explicit. Fluff, Angst. Female reader insert. )

Lockwood & Co. ‘ Anthony Lockwood

DEAD WEIGHT

The reader’s skills got rusty and with anthony breathing down her neck all the time, well, things that were better off unsaid were spoken. that’s when four became three. ( Angst. Female Reader Insert. )

GHOST OF THE PAST

in which anthony recalls the tragedy of the only person who stirred his blood and thoughts. the girl who stayed young forever. ( heavy angst with a character’s death, specifically the reader’s. unproofread. )

[noaltbruh]

Hey there! Now I have some time off school thanks to Christmas Holidays, I've figured I'd go back to writing a bit! :)

This is another gift for my best friend, I'm not really confident in the way I write one of the biggest assholes in the Jojo series Rohan, but I hope you'll enjoy it, bud! 😊

Also, Merry Christmas to anyone who is reading this! 😚

Making an effort

While many would recognise Rohan Kishibe for his notorious story, for his natural talent, his intuition, or even for his look, there was not much to admire when it came to the type of person he was, or the way he would approach others in any social situation.

Indeed, it felt quite oppressing to feel like you were always being looked down upon, you were considered a simple weight, or an interruption in the creation of his "work of art".

But this is how one would feel, if they didn't react to this behavior by laughing in his face.

"Opposite attracts", don't they?

It is too bad that this did not apply to them.

Undoubtedly, there was a lot of...Let me say, attraction, between them, but they were no sun and moon, no light and dark, no loud and quiet.

Surely, Y/N appeared to be more polite and patient compared to her partner, who seemed to be living by the conviction that any other being was inferior to him.

But this didn't change the fact that she would have preferred staring at her duck lamp for three hours in a row, rather than participating in a party. Even if she'd showed up, it would have been merely to find an excuse to put on a nice dress and eat snacks.

But if there was a word to describe the way the girl wished to live her life, it was hard to think of anything but "habit". She did not thrive for new experiences, new adventures, new people...She did not understand changes, and refused to do so.

In the presence of someone even more quiet, reserved and introverted than she was, she somehow found the reassurance and stability she longed for. In a twisted sense, his reclusive nature is what has caught her attention.

Similarly, the other grew to..."Tolerate", by his words, her presence as well. Truthfully, he too found pleasure in the company of someone who could keep up with his provocations and acknowledged his rhythms...Most of the time.

Because at the end of the day, who doesn't appreciate someone who is a bit like ourselves? Who doesn't enjoy having a person who understands and respects your boundaries, your interests, your traditions?

Time went by naturally, there were no major changes aside from Rohan sometimes heading to visit a place for his...Research, but Y/N actually enjoyed traveling with him once in a while.

Their house, however, still remained their most trusted companion, especially during a time such as "Christmas", where the cheery and overly sweet atmosphere of the outside world made Rohan hiss like a stray cat.

So, while other authors were too busy with "spending time with their family and friends or whatever", the outstanding genius had had the brilliant idea of intensifying his work hours, instead.

It was a matter of randomness whether or not she would have come to disturb him during his drawing session. Was she feeling too tired that day? Or was she in the mood for annoying him, to the point where he'd accidentally drop ink on his sketches, and force her to sit in a corner for the rest of the day?

Not that she actually would have anyway.

The only warmth in the house came from the heaters Y/N had turned on a couple of hours before. She was busy reading another novel she had gotten recommended online, after the overly romantic one she had mistakenly decided to give a chance to before.

10 pages, 20 pages, 30 pages, 40 pages...

After stopping at exactly page 105, she carefully put the book back on her bedside table and got up.

The bedroom the two shared was right next to Rohan's studio. If she listened carefully, she could hear the sound of his wooden pencils and meticulously picked pens, barely touching the surface of the drawing base, completing another page.

With a bored expression, she stretched her arms and opened the door, the only light inside of the room was coming from the window, which wasn't saying much, considering the sky was cloudy. However, the artist did not look bothered in the slightest by this.

"Damn, you want some sunscreen?"

She commented, barely getting any reaction out of him.

"No, thank you"

The girl sighed to herself, still smirking a bit, and turned on the only small lightbulb in the room. She didn't mind the dark itself, she actually found it quite enjoyable, it was merely to poke fun at him.

"What about now?"

Y/N added, resting an elbow on the side of the table the young mangaka was drawing on, clinching her hand into a fist as it made contact with her cheek.

"Still no, although what you just did right now was quite unnecessary"

"Almost as much as you deciding to spend even less time with me during Holiday times"

Despite the weight of her words, her tone was still a perfectly calm one. She didn't like to lose her cool, she could hardly ever do so even if she tried. Yelling just wasn't part of her nature, and she lived by the idea that passive-aggressiveness was much more impractical than screaming, especially with people like her boyfriend.

"Was that supposed to be some sort of offensive remark?"

"It wasn't supposed to be"

She shrugged and leaned forward to take the pencil off his hand.

"It was"

The small object fell to the ground, there was a moment of silence between the two, broken by the green haired one.

"I didn't take you for the type of person who cares so much about Christmas"

The two of them finally made eye contact.

"Look, it's not about Christmas itself, it's just..."

Y/N frowned before finishing the phrase.

"I get that your manga is important and all, but...Can't you just catch a break once in a while? Can't we spend these days together like any other couple? For once?"

Rohan looked down at the uncompleted image of Heaven's door he had been working on before being interrupted.

He didn't have malicious intentions, nor had he considered the possibility that his partner would have liked to spend all her time with him. They weren't exactly a "lovey-dovey" couple, and in his mind, he genuinely believed that she would have been okay reading all alone wrapped in the bed sheets.

He was just purely clueless when it came to understanding other people's emotions, especially considering how she didn't like to be direct about how she felt.

But, even if he wasn't the best at it, she would have still appreciated any sort of attempt to do so.

"...What do you want to do, then?"

Despite the fact that this is what she wanted, the girl couldn't help being taken aback by his response. She knew Rohan actually valued her, and simply sucked at showing it. Even so, she wasn't entirely sure of how to answer. It's not like she had anything special programmed in mind, nor did she want to leave the house anyway.

"I...Dunno, we can do whatever, 's long as we actually do it together"

It was the kind of sappy answer that she regretted in the moment it left her mouth, but that it felt right to express, even for just a second.

The other got up from his chair and turned around, without honoring her with a minimum reaction to her affirmation.

"...So?"

She tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

"No"

A straight answer, that's all she got out of him, before he walked out of the room, leaving her alone. That was low, even for the standards of a person like him, especially after he had seemed to show some bare interest in cheering her up, just for a second.

"...Fucking asshole"

She murmured to herself and left the place with heavy steps. For a second, she wondered where he had gone, but she quickly shoved that thought away, refusing to think about it. Bored out of her mind, she took her phone and started scrolling through videos of cat fishes eating food.

This went on for almost an hour, before the sound of the chubby animals nomming was interrupted by a soft knock on the door, but she couldn't be bothered to answer.

So, instead of knocking again, the other one just made himself comfortable and walked inside the bedroom, staring at his girlfriend for a couple of seconds, while she turned off her device with a blank expression.

"What?"

This time, she broke she silence. She looked at him in the corner of her eye, realizing he had his arms behind his back. His stiff position made it pretty clear that he was feeling nervous, but she wasn't in the mood for teasing him in that moment.

After a fake cough, he took another step in her direction. For once, the smug and egocentric Rohan wasn't sure of how to start the conversation.

"I...Made you this"

He reluctantly said, as he handed her a small cup filled with vanilla-flavoured tea.

She recognized it from the smell, despite the fact that she had never actually tried it before, although she had wanted to for a while now. But, considering the small city Morioh was, she couldn't find any supermarket that sold this flavor.

"...Where did you even get this?"

She asked, as the took the cup with both of her cold hands, to warm them up a little.

"When I went to Tokyo two days ago, but you decided to sleep in the entire day"

Despite her effort to act upset, which she still was, she couldn't help but crack a small laughter.

"Heh, I made the right choice"

"Yeah"

Feeling a bit more relaxed after seeing her smile, he took a sit next to her.

"Where did you hide the tea bags?"

"Under the wholemeal bread, so that I would have been certain you wouldn't have seen them"

"...That was a clever move"

"I kno-...Thanks"

Y/N took a sip out of the beverage, it warmed her inside as well. It was rather sweet, but not excessively, it was just like how she had imagined it to taste like.

"So, er...The reason why I said "no" earlier..."

"Yeah? What was up with that dick move?"

Normally, he would have responded twice as provocatively to her rhetoric question, but he thought it was better to let it slide at least this time.

"You uhm...Said you wanted to do something together, but I kind of..."

He looked at the little mug covered in white tulips.

"Felt...Bad about how I had been acting and... Decided to prepare this for you...Myself"

The green eyed one concluded. In that moment, he understood, although unconsciously, how his partner had felt asking him to spend more time with her earlier.

It was...Cheesy and dumb to pronounce out loud, even more than what she had said. He was already waiting for her to tell him how unnecessary and "out of character" it was for him, and to be honest, he couldn't even blame her.

"...I get it, makes sense"

Was what he got as an answer instead, he doubted if he had heard her correctly for a second.

"Thank you"

She added with a small smile.

"You're...Welcome, I guess"

"Just don't it again, 'K?"

The girl put the cup down and pointed a finger in his direction, smirking a little.

"That is, if you don't want me to pour oil on all your drawings and sketches"

"That is, if you don't want me to kick you out of the house"

Rohan grabbed Y/N's hand and held it tight between his, reciprocating the other's expression.

"Dang, you were able to be humble for almost 5 minutes, if you reristed for two more, you would have beaten your last record"

"Oh well, there will be another occasion..."

He leaned over and kissed her knuckles.

"...Maybe"

The artist pulled her closer to his chest by her wrist, more delicately than he usually would. Despite his inability to keep his flirty attitude completely at bay, he still felt like he should have been a bit softer to her in that moment, compared to how he would usually act.

Y/N loved to listen to his heartbeat, it was one of the rare sensations that were truly able to put her at ease, to give her that feeling of comfort and safety, to gift her with the certainty that everything was okay.

She didn't care if one would have called it childish, the thought of it couldn't even cross her mind in a moment like that.

It's true, his boyfriend could be a jerk, and was a huge jerk, but it made her feel special in a way. Not his attitude itself, but the implications of it, in a sense. How she was sure she really was something extraordinary, if Rohan Kishibe, of all people, cared about her.

And on top of this, tried what he had to prove her that it was the truth: that her uniqueness was a precious treasure he had the duty to cherish. In his usual self-centered, narcissistic, selfish view, he found space for something else, a space whose existence he had tried to defy: in his heart.

Loving someone was actually worth it, that was the most important lesson he would have ever taken from Y/N.

The latter's eyes naturally closed a little, enchanted by the reassuring sound. She had a small smile on her face, but she didn't feel like falling asleep just yet. She wanted to enjoy her partner as much as she could, despite how tempting it was to let go and rest surrounded by his body.

She let out a small sigh in relaxation, slowly raising her arm and taking the sort of bandage off his head, letting his hair down. He didn't like to be seen without it, especially since it prevented his hair from getting in the way of his work.

However, the girl just saw the occasion and couldn't help herself, she thought he looked even more handsome without it, and it's not like he needed it in the moment anyway, didn't he?

"You just won't bite, will you?"

"Why would I?"

Her hand was still in his hair as she lightly played with it.

"You look hotter when you don't wear it"

"...Well, how could I ever refuse a compliment from you?"

All of a sudden, she noticed something in his expression, a slight detail that, from an inexperienced point of view, would have gone unnoticed, or given from granted.

"...Ya know, I love your smirk"

"I know you do"

"But...I just adore seeing you smile...For real"

Caught unprepared by the comment , the young artist could not help but manifest a pink remark on his cheeks. He hadn't even realized how long he had been smiling for, and how genuine it looked, just for once.

"What? You didn't expect that?"

"I must admit I didn't"

Slowly, one of his hands started to crawl its way through her back, making sure not to leave any spot untouched.

"But can it compare to how pretty you are right now?"

In that exact moment, she sensed a shiver down her spine. It was hard to tell whether it was due to his physical initiative, or his words. Either way, she perfectly knew how to send the ball back to him.

"I don't know, can it?"

"...No, no it can't"

No other sound came out of the room for the next few hours, aside from that oh their lips touching. Feeling comfortable with someone while in pure calmness and quietness, that was pure love for the two. Maybe and unconventional type, but meaningful to them both nevertheless.

The outside was already dark, and the moon was barely visible that day. Some Christmas ornaments could be seen in the distance from the glass barrier, which gave Rohan another idea.

"Hey, would you like me to give you your present now?"

"You...Actually got me one?"

She was hoping that deep down, a tiny fraction of Holiday spirit had managed to penetrate inside of him, but she had prepared to accept the fact that it would have, most definitely, remained a fantasy.

How happy she was, for once, to be wrong.

"Of course"

"But it's not Christmas yet"

"Dates are just a social construct, and Jesus wasn't even actually born that day"

"Alright mr. Nonconformist, let's see what you got"

He reluctantly let go of her, kissing her for one last time.

"Give me a second"

Soon enough, the green-haired one came back. He was holding a simple, but carefully wrapped packet, whom he let slip on her hands with a satisfied look.

"Well, go ahead"

Noticing the conviction in his gaze, Y/N could not resist a second further and opened the gift, to reveal a...Sweater?

She could guess he would have gotten her clothes, but she didn't expect him to present her with this piece of clothing, of all things.

However, everything started to fall into place as soon as she turned it around. Before she could say anything, Rohan anticipated her.

"Well, I've figured you would have liked it, since you love filling the walls of my studio with this...Thing so much"

"It's called a stickman, honey"

"Whatever it may be, you surely seem to enjoy drawing it everywhere"

He didn't receive a "thank you", or a "Are you serious?" Or even a "Where the hell did you find this?"

The girl simply laughed.

"W-WHAT? What's so funny now?"

"You're such...A dork"

She slowly folded the sweater and put in on the pillow next to her, as she wrapped her arms around his shoulder, finding the strength to kiss him between her giggles.

"I love you, you moron"

"I love you too"

[skellebonez]

Celestial Crossing (A MoonStone, SWKxChang'e, ship fic).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUCKY! You awoke something in me that could not be contained.

Everyone, I am so far down this rabbit hole. We both are. The fic title is actually the name of a new AU and it's gone so far in such a short time. You all know who to thank for jump starting me into pure chaos with this ship in the future because the plot bunnies (heh) I have for these two cannot be contained any longer.

As always, AO3 link here!

“What am I doing…”

It was hardly a question. Hardly even a statement, more an utterance of disbelief from the immortal.

What WAS he doing, exactly?

Making another rocket, of course.

Another.

As if making one the first time was even within the realm of normal. But then again, what was normal about any part of the Great Sage’s life?

Born from a rock. Learned how to shape shift from a secret tutor. Become immortal more times over than he could recall sometimes. Angered all of the celestial realm. Got trapped under a mountain for centuries, spent years on a pilgrimage with 4 companions, you get the idea.

Sun Wukong’s life was anything but normal. And yet, somehow, this one singular instance of making a second rocket seemed to be the thing that tripped him up.

It was even for the same reason he had built it the first time… almost. Sort of.

It wasn’t every day that the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the Handsome Monkey King, Sun Wukong himself had a meteorite with a letter inside of it crash land on his home. But it was yesterday. Just the night before to be exact. 9 hours, 45 minutes, and 23 seconds.

He was not counting. No. Don’t be absurd!

It was just…

There was no denying who it was from. It was impossible to.

Chang'e had sent him a letter. Somehow.

“Dear Sun Wukong,

It is alright to call you Sun Wukong in a letter, right? It’s been so long since I have really sent one to… anyone! Let alone one of my immortal or celestial compatriots. So I am unsure if proper etiquette has changed or not… once again. But I felt this was more appropriate than asking Pigsy or MK for your email address.

I was wondering if, perhaps, you might be able to pay me a visit? I so enjoyed your last visit, though with the world apparently ending and all it was so short.

And I do mean you, not you and MK or Pigsy. I (something was scribbled out here that he could not make out at all, except the word "lonely” barely legible) would appreciate it if you would act as a taste tester for some new mooncakes I was making! It’s almost time for the mid-autumn festival preparations and I would appreciate the (something else scribbled out, starting with a c… company?) assistance!

If you cannot or do not wish to, I understand. You don’t even have to reply!

Best regards,

Chang'e"

It was both formal and casual, somehow fitting for her. And yet… there was a sense of sadness that could not be separated from the words on the page.

Sun Wukong knew full well what the time of year meant for Chang'e. What the upcoming festival meant. Who… wouldn’t be there.

When was the last time she sent a letter to anyone asking them to visit? She must have before, given how she talked in her letter, but when? Years? Decades? … Centuries?

He knew a thing or two about waiting centuries for things for people. That was something the two of them had in common. Before MK? He had never actually physically interacted with anyone. Sure, he has correspondence with his lawyer and his development team and the people who wished to use his likenesses for Monkey Cop or whatever new TV show based on him there was.

But it was all via clones he sent out. Or letters, email, phone calls. Never physically meeting someone.

It had been such a shock to his system to finally leave the mountain and watch over MK when he was looking for a successor. To be around others. To talk to someone who was THERE! Was that what it was like for her when she saw the trio of intruders in her garden? Or was it more intense since she never got the chance to slowly adapt to it again?

Chang'e was so happy to see MK in particular, being such a fan of him as a hero. And she and Pigsy had gotten alone so well as they bonded over their cooking! Meanwhile he… photo bombed her and made her angry by not respecting cooking.

The first thing she didn’t seem to mind. If anything she seemed to think it was funny, him pretending to suffocate without oxygen like a dorky mortal (hey, how was HE supposed to know that MK and Pigsy wouldn’t realize he was joking). She looked at her phone and smiled at it in a way that felt more genuine than any other smile outside of the soft thankful one she shot MK after he thanked her for being so understanding and the ones she had while cooking with Pigsy.

But the one she shot them when they left was anything but genuine. He knew.

He’d worn the same one countless times before.

Maybe that was why he was buckling himself back into this rocket he had made while “borrowing” the staff from MK while he slept.

Maybe that’s why he actually attempted to fly this rocket the way he was supposed to, trying not to actually crash on the moon this time.

Maybe that’s why he hesitated for a few seconds longer than he wanted to before getting out and announcing his presence.

Maybe that’s why, when she rushed out of her garden and froze for only a second before leaping at him and enveloping him in a tight and warm hug, he leaned into it like he hadn’t ever before.

And maybe that’s why he asked her to show him her new mooncakes, let her lead him through her factory (her in turn letting him gush over every single bunny bot they came across, but especially the little shrunken one that he couldn’t help but want to carry around with them) and to the wide array of confectionery for them to partake in.

They stayed together for hours.

Mooncake after mooncake, far more than what a normal human could eat being no challenge to the Great Sage himself. The peach mooncakes were his favorite, because of course they were, but on this particular day he realized that ube was also a great flavor for him. He learned about how the moon goddess had set up her home and how she managed to broadcast her show to Earth. How she had a similar sense of humor to him, how she enjoyed dry and dark humor in the right way too, how she thought he had picked a wonderful successor and how she could see the difference MK was making in the world.

He also learned that when she laughed it sounded like wind chimes, almost. That she was just as happy to listen to him as he was to listen to her. That she enjoyed the tales he had to share about his journey that he never had the chance to tell anyone else.

He learned that she gave the best hugs, even if they were with one arm as they got tired and he realized he wouldn’t be able to fly home that night (day?). That she was more than happy to help him build a better ship or some kind of teleport device so that he could visit more. Could bring MK and Pigsy back. Bring more people.

Learned that she had the prettiest smile and eyes he’d ever seen.

Learned that, when she held onto his hand a little too long and a little too tight, that she may want him to stay longer.

Maybe… staying wouldn’t be so bad.

He should really learn to cook, eventually, if only to do something nice for MK. Who better to learn from?

And maybe they’d see where this all went. One day.

[tetrakys]

Hi. How are you? It's been a while since I have written a message here, but I've always had an eye on your profile and I wanted to thank both of you and Chino from the bottom of my heart for giving us the ANE story of Eldarya we all deserved to have, our little hearts are less heartbroken :))

Now I am wondering just as much as the others in the community how new gen candy is gonna be like. 😂😂😂

Truth be told, I am a little worried that no matter if they're gonna try their best or not, there will be a though crowd to impress due to recent events and I don't blame anyone for being skeptic, it will be hard to beat the original MCL that we all love and grew up with. I never tried Moonlight lovers or Uncoven, so IDK why they've never been an interesting subject of interest. Henri's Secret sincerely should have been left like that, only with the first season, the second one was a waste of time and money.

Getting back to New Gen, unfortunately, because of the comparison that will be between this and the previous series, the risk of not being successful is pretty high and I really hope it won't happen. It will be hard for them to have another failed project like Eldarya ended up for example. I never understood why I loved Eldarya TO so much (do you know how to answer that question for yourself?). I discovered it very late, despite MCL, but it still means so much to me and I'm sad that it's probably gonna end this way, with these 20 failed chapters. 💔

To answer my question, maybe because everything just made sense and worked together perfectly: the plot, the characters, the references, the harsher topics which made it real and somehow relatable.

Anyways, keep up with the good work girl and I will be back with a feedback that you will be asking for or not after finishing the story (I love writing, so who cares as long as I'm enjoying myself 😅). Sending love and hugs to you and the community. 🫶

Hello! Lovely to see you 💕 thank you for following me and the kind message, let me answer everything (long post, I'm putting it under the cut).

About New Gen:

You're very right, it's gonna be hard to impress people, I'm fully expecting part of the fandom to claim that the new LIs aren't as good as the old ones for the simple fact that there's no replacing your first love. I'm also expecting some people to hate on the game just because it's Beemoov and they would hate the company even if they found the cure for HIV. But I also thing that the game has the potential to bring a breath of fresh air to the fandom. Lots of people have left and haven't come back even to play Alternate Life, maybe a similar game but with a new story and new characters will make tired people and new people interested. Personally I just love Chino's characters, the way she brings life to them, in her 3 games I've managed to fall in love every single time so I'm fully prepared to do it again. I've never been able to get so attached to other games' characters even if I enjoyed them. I guess at the end of the day it's just a matter of personal preferences, her writing just click with me. Which brings me to Eldarya...

About Eldarya TO/ANE:

Why I loved Eldarya TO? 🤔 Firstly, as I mentioned before, I enjoyed the characters even the secondary ones, even the ones I hated (*cough*Miiko*cough*), I just got attached to them. I also started playing Eldarya late, it was 2018 or 2019, when the game first came out it was in French only and then I never kept up with it. Then I joined Tumblr, saw people playing and decided to play as well. I started with Nevra because he was the one dressed in all black and looked a little like a bad boy, turns out he was the ladies' man route instead, not exactly my type but I am still attached to him as he was my first. While I was playing his route I got super invested in wanting to tame Ezarel, he was such a bish, so I had to make him fall for me. In the end I got over him the moment I won the challenge and I got him lol, I spent the rest of his route trying to get with Lance with no success, obviously. After that I tried Leiftan because he was clearly in my eyes the "main guy" but I'm a shallow person when I play these games and I've never been able to move past his clothes, hair and general fakeness. I love him though, when he's his real daemonic self, just not my perfect type. Then I played Valkyon because he was the last one left and oh boy... I fell for him hard. I still bonk myself for having left him for last. However, I think we all know here that my one true love is his brother and I've spent years trying to have him to end up with... whatever his ANE version is. As I said I love Chino's characters, and since Eldarya was given to another creator you can SEE that the characters aren't the same. I've seen a couple of people upset when I say that Eldarya's characters aren't the same, they claim that the way they are now is a natural consequence of what they lived through those 7 years time lapse and NO I'm sorry I will never be able to agree with this. Game characters' aren't real people, they exist only in the way their creator makes them exist, if the creator changes they are very literally the definition of different people. ANE LIs are what ANE writer and creator see them as, which is not what TO writer and creator saw them as. It's really, quite literally, a different game. Including the way dialogues and events are written. I LOVED TO's darker themes and I loved the potion plot. TO wasn't a perfect game by any means but it made me feel things, now I just feel nothing when I play Eldarya. It makes me really sad. (And I haven't managed to keep playing since episode 14 :( )

About The Dragon's Call:

Thank you for liking our story 💕💕 writing it is cathartic for me, not only because of the game, but also because life has been a bit tough this past year and I'm fully aware Chino is indulging me only because she cares (and also cares about all the players who love Eldarya of course). I want to get to the point where I have Lance's (and Valkyon's) route complete and I can read it whenever I feel like I miss him. Honestly I wish someone else would've written it so I could've just enjoy it as a reader 😂 but at least I hope I'm doing the characters justice. And yes please come back to give me feedback whenever you want I really appreciate it! 💕

Sorry for the loooong rambling, hope to see you around here again 😊

[dragondemoness]

Kaito Momota x Reader Angst

Synopsis: You confess to Kaito that you cheated on him.

Warnings: Major angst, mad/sad Kaito, female reader implied, but no pronouns specified

"Hey, babe! How ya doin'?"

You entered Kaito's house, and he stood there with that large, goofy grin of his. Normally, that grin would have made you feel warm and happy inside, but you walked in with a horrible sense of dread.

Something happened the night before, and you knew you needed to come clean.

"So, what brings ya here? Miss me too much?" Kaito teased.

You breathed in through your nose.

"Kaito, I came because... There's something I need to talk about."

He gave you a curious look.

"Yeah? What is it?"

You hesitated, turning away from him and looking down at the ground. You wanted to change your mind so badly. Telling him what you had done would break his heart, and make him cast you away forever.

You looked up when you felt your boyfriend's hand on your shoulder.

You reluctantly looked up, and he looked at you with a gentle look in his eyes.

"Hey, whatever you say isn't gonna change my opinion of you, y'know. I'm not gonna think less of you or love you any less, I promise."

His words only made you more anxious, because you knew that wasn't true in this case. 

But he deserved to know.

With the thought in mind, you breathed in deeply.

"Kaito, I cheated on you."

His facial features changed to shock, and he stared at you for a second.

Then that goofy grin of his came back.

"Hah, good one, (Name)! Is that why you came over? To tell me a little joke? Well, I always appreciate a good joke! You sure had me going for a second!"

You weren't sure if he was serious or just in denial, but you knew that you had a chance to turn back, and you considered taking it.

But in the end, you decided to do the right thing.

"Kaito, I'm not joking. I cheated on you."

Kaito paused his laughing, and studied your face for a moment.

Your face was completely serious, with no signs of humor or playfulness whatsoever.

"You're serious?" His voice was so quiet, you could barely hear it.

You could only nod, as no words would form.

"When?"

"Last night."

His expression contorted to one of anger.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! Did our relationship mean fucking nothing to you?! Why would you do that to me?!"

"Just go ahead and break up with me."

Kaito stepped towards you, boiling with anger.

"No, you don't get to escape that easy! You can't just drop that shit on me and not offer an explanation!"

You blinked at him and breathed in, somehow managing to keep your calm.

"Are you sure you want to hear the details?"

"No shit! You fucking owe it to me! Now who was it? Rantaro? Shuichi? Some kinda playboy asshole?!"

"It wasn't a guy."

Kaito paused, and stared at you in shock.

"What?"

You breathed in deeply.

"It was Maki."

Kaito's eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open.

"Maki? Like, Maki Harukawa? Our best friend?"

You nodded.

Maki was as close to you as she was to Kaito. You met when you first started dating Kaito, when he decided to introduce you to his best friend.

You got along surprisingly well, and she seemed to enjoy your company more than Kaito's. She would even invite you to hang out instead of Kaito.

She grew to trust you, and you learned a lot about her. You knew things about her that no one else did. 

And you continued your friendship, and you worried that Kaito would be jealous, but he was happy that his partner and "best friend" were getting along.

He didn't know just how much you got along.

Kaito shook his head.

"Just... Why would you do that to me? What the hell happened?"

You gestured toward the couch, and he begrudgingly sat down. You followed suit and sat on the other end. 

It was last night, and Angie decided to throw a party. Kaito was hanging out with Shuichi and Gonta, so you decided to go to the party with Maki.

Neither of you were particularly party people, but it wasn't awful. You spent your time talking and having drinks. 

Then at some point, things got serious.

Maki asked if she could talk to you about something personal, and you said yes.

She started by saying that she never liked hanging out with Kaito. He made her irritated and uncomfortable. She only hung out with him because Shuichi was there, and she didn't mind him too much.

You were surprised. Partly that she enjoyed hanging out with you more than Kaito, who she had known for longer, but that she kept it inside for so long.

Although, considering how Kaito could be, you didn't blame her. 

You asked her why she never said anything, and she said that she didn't want to talk bad about your boyfriend while you were there, but now, she was ready to say it.

You weren't sure why, but the fact that Maki preferred your company over Kaito's made you feel special, in a way.

Furthermore, she confessed that she thought you deserved better than Kaito. After having a drink or two, she had a confidence she had never seen before. And she told you that after she met you, she only hung out with Kaito to see you, and that even though he annoyed her so much, seeing you made it all worth it.

She loved you.

And she watched you, waiting for your reaction.

You were unsure of how to respond at first.  You never even considered the idea that you would fall in love with a girl. You had been falling out of love with Kaito as of late, but you never considered that as a reason.

But in that moment, you realized your feelings for Maki. Even if you never noticed them before, you were suddenly hyper aware of them.

And so, with full confidence, you told her that you felt the same way.

And with a smile on her face, she leaned in and kissed you.

And you let her.

One thing led to another, and you ended up in her bedroom. 

You woke up together the next morning, and Maki was surprisingly gentle and attentive with you. She cuddled up with you while you told her that what you had done was wrong, and unfair to Kaito.

She asked if you regretted it. 

After thinking about it for a moment, you said no.

You felt bad for hurting Kaito, but you knew you didn't regret the experience as a whole. 

Maki smiled at you and convinced you to stay. You knew it was wrong, but being with her felt so amazing, you just couldn't resist. And so, you spent the rest of the morning with her. 

Kaito didn't think anything of it when you texted him saying that you spent the night of Maki's. He just saw it as two pals hanging out.

He never once thought that you might have slept together behind his back.

And now that the whole truth was revealed, he stared at you while you stared at the ground.

"So you hooked up with my best friend, who apparently hates me and I had no idea, because you didn't love me anymore?"

You nodded. Kaito threw his hands up in the air.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me? You could've just broken up with me and moved on to Maki!"

You hesitated.

"I didn't consider that I had feelings for Maki until last night. I thought that it was just a small phase, and that I would go back to loving you again. But last night, when Maki and I were together, I just felt so good, and I wanted to see where it would go. And I loved it so much more than I thought I would."

Kaito sighed.

"So you don't regret it at all, then?

You stood up and faced him. 

"I do feel bad for hurting you, Kaito. But I don't regret the experience. Because now I know what it is I've wanted this whole time. I do wish that I realized it sooner, and went about things differently. But there's nothing I can do to fix it now."

Kaito looked up at you. He didn't look even look angry anymore. Just exhausted.

You breathed in, and looked him in the eyes.

"Well... I guess it's goodbye then. I'll let you be the one to say it."

And he did, but in a tired and weak way. But you got the message loud and clear, and you left his house and returned to yours.

That night, Kaito spent a long time on that couch, holding his head in his hands and thinking.

Could he have been a better boyfriend for you? Did he do something to make you stop loving him?

Well, if he made Maki hate him, he could've made you hate him too.

Kaito had a long and very painful night. He lost his partner and his best friend. When he finally went to bed, he didn't fall asleep until many hours later.

Meanwhile, after you left, you called Maki and came to her house. You both decided to enter a real relationship, and you spent the night at her house.

A week later, you officially began dating. Although many of your classmates didn't approve of what you did, you still had many friends.

You and Maki were in a happy relationship, and you were together every day.

Meanwhile, Kaito wasn't doing too well.

He started drinking more often, and struggled to take care of himself. He just locked himself up in his house and tortured himself by looking at the happy pictures of you and Maki on social media.

Not to mention how he had very few friends.

Shuichi was always by his side, and often checked up on him or brought him food. He tried his best to support Kaito, and bring him comfort.

But the few friends he did have were your friends as well. 

Whenever you and Kaito see each other in public, you just awkwardly smile and nod to him while he looks away.

You're usually with Maki when this happens, so she shoots him a glare while taking your hand and pulling you away.

Even though you and Kaito ended on terrible terms, you found happiness in the end.

And even though it would take a long time, Kaito would be able to move on from you someday, and maybe he would find it in his heart to forgive you.

Dragon's Note: This was kinda fun to write, ngl 😶

I think I'll do another part, but from Maki's side of things

[napkinscrawls]

.First time. .Sick fic.

Omega/Terzo/oc | 506 words | cold symptoms | overhanging grief | Imps are little creatures

Omega & Atlas commiserate whilst he keeps her company through a cold. AO3

A tiny sneeze wakes Omega from his rest- no- not sleep- he wasn't tired, so he wasn't asleep. He had been diligently caring for his little friend. The imp archivist's snoot poked out of a nest of blankets he'd ushered her into hours ago. He looks down in time to see a horrendous sniff wrinkling her nose.

"Blow your nose, Las." He pulls another sheet of tissue from the rolls & waits.

A whine answers, muffled by the tissue now, but she does indeed blow & let him fuss over her.

Atlas shared that trait with Terzo; always so compliant when they got ill. Omega balls up the used tissue & volleys it into the nearby basket. He enjoys being trusted with this but wished it didn't take a disease to get the two to take a break. Well- the one now.

She couldn't have heard his thoughts, but Atlas shuffled out of her hole to regard the ghoul. "Omega?" Her stuffed up sinuses warping his name.

'Ah,' he must've sighed, 'didn't mean to do that'.

A tiny humanoid hand reaches out for his knee. She pats him awkwardly. That was the difference between the two; Terzo could comfort others. Omega smiled around the lump in his throat anyway. He was getting used to the mourning & hated it.

On cue Atlas flopped down on the mattress, huffing out her own sigh. "This is why I said not to nanny me."

He laughs, "Not a chance, Diavolino."

She glares.

"You'd suffocate yourself in vellum & snot."

"It's a cold." Atlas retreats back into hiding, stopped only by Omega silently tucking the blankets away from her nose again.

"& yet, Ol' Yeller, here you are." He gestures to her state despite knowing she can't see him.

"A pox upon you, Ghoul." She rasps, her inflamed nose bobs as she speaks.

They two sit in silence for a while longer, broken up by Atlas clearing her nose into the tissues offered by Omega. Who in turn slowly slid down from his sitting position to lying beside the imp. Her whistling nose was somehow soothing. Just the two of them. Deep in the catacombs where they'd be forgotten if they chose. If.

"Whatever did you see in him." Atlas' voice thick with mucus.

Omega was stunned by the topic but knew who she referred to.

"Same as you I fear." He angles his head to look at her beady eye that had become visible. "His charm."

Her look softened before she began to shake, her teeth bared in a snarling laugh, ending in a cough. "Charm. He worked hard at that, you know?"

Omega adjusts the blankets again "I could tell."

Atlas settles into the pillow under her chin "Ah, so you do have some sense."

"He talked about his shoes on stage once, for quite a while."

The imp grew heavy with sleep. "He always had more work to do."

Omega hums in response, watching Altas slip into sleep. 'I do have a thing for workaholics.' Was his last thought before he rested again.