#angst with a fluffy ending

[kasagia]

Bruises and scars

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x fem! tidemaker! reader Summary: Kaz Brekker believed he was too broken and bruised to ever count on you reciprocating his childish crush. You were a powerful Grisha, someone who wouldn't be content to be in a relationship with the human shell that he was. That's why he gives you the cold shoulder, that's why he avoids you like the water you wield so well, that's why he tried to drive you away after the day you confessed your feelings to him. Kaz Brekker couldn't love anyone. It would not be beneficial to either side. But Kaz Rietveld rises from the dead, reminding him of what it's like to feel unconditional, blind love. And he won't give up. Not until he gets his girl back... isn't it too late for that, though? Warning(s): Kaz and his trauma; violence; he's afraid of his feelings but loves the reader; generally Kazzle misses the reader; angst with fluff; I'm a sucker for happy endings, but the boy suffered WITHOUT HIS INVESTMENT; mentions of de@th and bl00d Word count: 7,4k

Counting days, counting days since my love up and got lost on me

"You're sending Jesper to do your dirty work for you? I didn't know you were afraid to talk to one of your own crows." you stormed into his office without even bothering to knock. Kaz swallowed. He really should have been better prepared for this conversation. After all, he knew you wouldn't give up so easily. "What is this?" you asked, slamming the wad of paper onto his desk.

"I thought you could read. This is your next job." he replied calmly, not looking up from the papers in his hand.

"In some snobbish fucking king's palace? Are you kidding me?"

"Nikolai isn't that bad. You'll see when you get there."

"And what makes you think that I will voluntarily leave Ketterdam, the club, my friends, and the Crows for two bloody years, Kaz?" for the first time since you walked into his office, he looked up from his papers, fixing you with a cool, impassive gaze.

"That I'm your boss, and you have to obey me. You needed a reminder, judging by the tone of voice you use when you speak to me."

"Was it because of what I said to you when I almost..."

"No!" he growled at you, stopping you from finishing your sentence. That day had already joined his nightmares anyway. He didn't have to constantly recall your almost-death. "It has nothing to do with it." he said, hoping that would put an end to your conversation and went back to writing down the numbers.

"Do not lie to me. I know when you do it, Kaz. You got scared because I said I love…"

"You can go and get ready, Y/N." he said without looking up from the paper he was holding. He had never felt her gaze so hot and intense on him before. They always glanced furtively at each other, discreetly indulging in the silly fantasy of loving each other.

Like they could ever afford to live a normal life. As if he could ever love you properly—the way you deserved.

You stared at him intently, trying to find any trace of emotion in him, any evidence that he didn't really want to send you away from Ketterdam, that he was only doing it because Dirtyhands was afraid of the growing feeling between you two.

"I can hold on like this, Kaz." your soft whisper cut through him, making him shiver. He could bear your screams, your anger, your madness, but the tenderness, the vulnerability you showed only around him… was much more dangerous to the cold Barrel Bastard. "I can go and return to you like nothing happened. I can stay near you and pretend I don't feel anything towards you. I can stop myself from wishing for your slightest touch. I can hide my true emotions around you and other people, just like I have done before… but please just prove to me that it's all worth it. That you can slowly take off pieces of your armour and let me see and be with the real you. Not the Brekker's mask you wore every time we were on Ketterdam's street. Not the Dirtyhands' cruel version of yourself that you created to survive in this town. Not the Bastard from the Barrel, who has so much power in his hands to take down his every enemy. Just the real you, Kaz. The genius-mind boss who cares about his people, not only the kruge. The man who loves his friends more than anything on this earth. The man who risked his own life and saved me from death's arms more times than I could count. Please… just give me this little piece of hope." he tried hard not to raise his gaze to meet your captivating, imploring irises that could touch Brekker's heart.

He knew that the moment he looked at your face, he would doom you both by giving in to this burning desire to be with you.

But he couldn't.

He had to keep you away from him.

"You must be foolish or delusional to think like that. I'm the Bastard from the Barrel. And I care about my crows, because they are good investments. Nothing more and nothing less, Y/L/N."

"Is this everything that we are? What am I to you? An investment?"

Kaz's mouth went dry as he felt the waters rising around him, when a familiar feeling of panic began to seep through his practised mask. He looked away, not wanting you to read his true emotions. Not wanting you to see how much he wanted to confess his true feelings to you.

No. You're my moon, my sun that illuminates me in my darkness. The reason why I'm even bothering to learn how to touch people without going under the water again. You give me hope and peace every time you're close to me. You're my greatest power and weakness. The only one in this bloody world who can change my plans. The only one I care about in the mornings, afternoons, nights, and midnights. I can't drink, eat, think, sleep, or work without thinking about you. You have the power over me. And that's terrified me.

He desperately wanted to give in to his desire.

But he couldn't.

He was too bruised and broken for you.

"Then I have my answer, Mr. Brekker." you broke the long, tense silence between you two. Kaz was too terrified to shift his gaze from the papers on his desk to the only woman who could easily crack the wall around his cold, almost dead heart with one of your smiles towards him. Too afraid to watch the tender expression on your face turn into a cold detachment, just like your tone of voice. "Sorry for taking up your precious time, boss. But I would rather be the foolish girl who falls in love too easily for her own good than a powerful man who doesn't want to feel anything. Nobody will sit around the table and tell a story about a man who loves only his kruge. No matter how great he was." your disappointed whisper lingered in his office long after you left.

He sat dazed in his chair until the candle stub burned out completely, leaving him alone in the darkness of his office. He stood up, lit a new candle, and watched the flame. He couldn't focus on anything other than replaying your conversation.

Rietveld's voice echoed in Brekker's head, somehow getting through his wall, mocking powerful Dirtyhands.

Coward.

And every breath that I’ve been taking since you left feels like a waste on me

"No way!" Jesper's loudspeaker scream snapped Kaz out of his thoughts. He sighed, rubbing his face with his hand, and got up from the desk.

He has done nothing since that fateful conversation. Absolutely nothing. He limited himself to staring blankly at the wall as his thoughts of Y/N effectively took complete control of him. He needed a distraction. Jesper's screams outside his office were perfect.

Without his cane, he walked to the door, eavesdropping on what was going on outside his office.

"Find another idiot to tell him. Or better yet, grab some suicide guy from the roof. If he wants to die anyway, he might as well act as a messenger for their one last time before Kaz rips their head off. SHIT!" the sharpshooter screamed in panic, nearly losing his balance as the door he was partially leaning against was opened by his rather worried boss. "Kaz, the fuck, since when are you sneaking around like that?!"

"Why exactly would I want to have ripped someone's heads off, Jesper?" he ignored his comment, eager to find out what they were hiding from him as soon as possible.

Maybe that would effectively occupy his head, so he could stop thinking about the tidemaker for a while. Unfortunately, neither of the two were in a hurry to answer his question.

"You know, there's always an occasion. Theft, insult, threat, frown, bad day, wedding, christening…" Jesper shut up, seeing that his attempts at a joke only infuriated an already irritated Kaz.

"Y/N is gone." Kaz unconsciously held his breath, feeling the whole world freeze around him for a moment, until anger and panic took hold of him.

"What? Did someone kidnap her? How did you look after her?!" he growled furiously, walking back to the office and limping towards his cane. His crows followed hesitantly, watching him struggle as he tried to put on his cloak in his haste.

"She runaway. I lost track of her around the harbour." a new revelation made Kaz freeze again. He stared blankly into the space between Jesper and Inej, turning his cane's crow head in his hand.

He should have anticipated that too. Had a backup plan. But he didn't. He's been acting strangely lately. He didn't recognize himself. But after all, that was what he had wanted all along - to stay away from Y/N. So why had her disappearance made him feel so much worse?

"Kaz? Should we send some people to…"

"No need, Inej. Go back to work. You too, Jesper." the gambler looked like he wanted to argue with him, but the Wraith, seeing their friend's strange behavior, grabbed his hand, and they obediently walked away from their boss.

Kaz leaned against the desk, dullly staring at the closed door.

It was supposed to be better that way. Neither you nor he will ever meet again. You won't exchange those longing glances again. You won't act like a couple of teenagers in love, and no one will ever attack or harm you to get to him again or to threaten him. Nobody was going to get hurt.

So why did he feel like he was going back under the water?

I’ve been holding on to hope That you’ll come back when you can find some peace Cause every word that I’ve heard spoken since you left feels like an hollow street

One week, two days, 10 hours, 34 minutes and 29 seconds. That's how long it's been since he last saw your face.

He was secretly hoping you'd come back to him and the crows. Fuck the crows, he just wanted you to walk through that damned door again and start arguing with him, shouting at him, cursing his name at all the saints you knew, so he could hear your voice again.

He missed you. More than he thought he would.

Irritatingly, everything around him reminded him of you.

Especially your empty seat during Crow's meetings. No one dared to occupy it, as if every one of the gathered was waiting for you to come through that door (or window) again with a malicious, characteristic smirk on your face, mumbling some insincere apology for being late.

It never happened. Though Inej prayed to her saints every day for your return. Just like the others. Although each of them experienced your departure differently. Jes stared often at the places you once occupied, imagining you were still there. Nina found herself often making too many waffles (of course, accidentally making exactly the few you were used to eating). Wylan often creates his bombs and other things in your favourite colours.

But Kaz probably took your absence the worst of them all.

If he had slept little before, fearing that nightmares about Jordie would haunt him, now he hardly slept at all. Because every time he closed his eyes, he saw your face. He heard your laugh. He smelled your perfume. He felt cursed. Cursed by you the moment your eyes looked at him full of sadness, anger, and disappointment... full of pain.

He thought that if you disappeared from his sight, he would forget about you and go back to normal. But your leaving only made him think of you more often and longer. He sat behind his desk for hours, staring blankly at the papers in front of him. Spread out plans, bills, and maps; it all stopped making sense to him. It stopped coming together, creating a perfect plan in his head.

All he could think about was you.

And Rietveld's voice, instead of being silenced and buried alive in his cold heart with your disappearance, only broke through his hard surface more and more often with the passing days without you by his side. And he wasn't holding back from taunting Dirtyhands at all.

The great Kaz Brekker fell victim to one of his own plans.

There must be something in the water Cause everyday it's getting colder And if only I could hold you You'd keep my head from going under

Even Ketterdam has felt your absence.

This time of year, it usually warms up enough for people to shed their heavy winter coats. However, it was the middle of spring, and a cool, icy wind still blew through the streets, bringing occasional, small snowfalls that melted on the street, creating mud.

Kaz had never despised the city he lived in more. Even it laughed in his face at his stupidity, reminding him that it was his fault that the only spark of joy and bewitchingness in this damned city had gone.

He shuddered as a child shoved past him, running happily to the ship that had come into harbour and thrown itself into its father's waiting arms. Brekker began to take rapid, panicked breaths. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall of one of the buildings, trying to imagine something other than Jordie.

His haphephobia got worse.

Earlier, he could bear the fleeting touch of strangers, such as being brushed up against him in a crowd. It was no problem for him to touch his crows for a few minutes (especially you and your comfortable hugs, holding your hand, or just feeling your warm skin under his bare fingertips).

But now even the slightest contact with a stranger brought him immediately under the water. And the tiny touch from his crows raised the waves he had to calm in the privacy of his office.

He was rolling down. He knew it well. But he saw it as his personal punishment for hurting your feelings in a brutal way instead of gently cutting you off. Maybe then it wouldn't hurt so much.

Kaz knew he was fooling himself. He would suffer anyway. He let you go too deep under his skin, penetrate his essence, and know his soul too well to just give up on you, and forget about you.

And what terrified him most was that, given the choice, he would let you in again. Even knowing he would be devastated after letting you go.

But it was better for you. You deserved something better than this life you would live with him.

And that one thought kept him sane. That he did it for your own good, that wherever you are now, he's sure you're better off than you were in Ketterdam.

Which didn't stop him from checking every ship that came into port in the sick hope of seeing your angelic face.

He just had to get over his grief. He did the same with Jordie.

The only difference was that he didn't dream of holding his brother back in his arms like he dreamed of you.

Maybe I, maybe I’m just being blinded By the brighter side Of what we had because it’s over Well there must be something in the tide

Kaz was on your bed, reading one of your books you accidentally left behind. It was all he could do lately. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he'd left that room for anything other than food and a change of clothes. He missed you. And he had no idea what he should do.

He inhaled your faint scent on the pillows.

In some strange way (probably because of your ability to control the water), you always smelled of the sea, even when you weren't near the harbour. Kaz hated water and hated the salty sea smell that hit him whenever he passed near the harbour. It reminded him of Jordie. But inexplicably, the smell of the sea on you brought him comfort, safety... peace.

Now it was a reminder of something else—how he let you slip through his fingers. In fact, he pushed you away from himself.

He shook his head, trying not to think about you. However, the world was always against him and never made things easy for him. The fact that the dried flower had fallen out of the book onto his chest was proof of that.

With trembling hands, he set the book aside and reached for the flower, afraid he would ruin it. However, the need to see if his eyes were deceiving him was greater than the fear of spoiling such a precious thing.

He remembered that flower. He put it in your hair himself.

"Just the two of us in a field of flowers? If I didn't know you better, I'd think it was a date, boss." he rolled his eyes as you giggled at his reaction.

"Stop it. Or they'll notice us." he muttered, trying to ignore the cool wind that somehow made its way through the high grass. He wrapped his cloak around him, enviously noting that the girl next to him didn't seem to feel that cold. He internally slapped himself for wanting to share his cloak with her.

"I highly doubt they'd want to look for us in that thicket of grass. Besides, usually when a woman is giggling at a place and situation like this, stealing some noblewoman's jewels is the last thing on her mind, Kaz. The same applies to her potential partner."

"As if I heard Jesper." he sighed, focusing on the nobles in front of them. The plan was for Jesper to distract them while he and Y/N collected what they had come for. Simple and fast, if his childish desire to be paired with Y/N did not overwhelm his senses. She distracted him more than he could afford.

"You and Jes also had a secret meeting among the wildflowers? Now, I'm jealous."

"Jes?" he asked, turning his surprised gaze on her.

"Yes, do you mind?"

"You've known him for a week." he remarked dryly.

"Yes, and what?"

"It took you two months to start calling me by my first name, let alone a nickname."

"Just because you preferred to call me tidemaker instead of using my name."

"To be honest, it might have slipped my mind then." he muttered under his breath, not realising she heard him.

"You forgot my fucking name?! Kaz Brekker you are the most ignorant person I've ever seen." Kaz knew from the anger in her eyes that only his haphephobia kept him from getting his ass kicked by Y/N.

"Well, now I remember." he tried to defend himself.

"I don't care, Brekker. Now you can even call me the fucking Easter Bunny and I won't answer you anyway."

"Don't be a child, Y/N. Y/N?" Kaz sighed in frustration when he got no response from you.

He had to come up with something; he knew this name thing wouldn't be resolved until he appeased you properly. And he didn't have time to indulge in your sulks. You had to rob these people. (It's not like his heart ached when you were mad at him.)

Fortunately, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that might help him. Your favourite flower, growing at his fingertips. He plucked a plant and put it behind your ear without thinking. You flinched at the sudden touch, staring at him in shock as the material of his gloves brushed your cheek as he pulled his hand away.

"Maybe I forgot your name then, but now I remember and know a lot more about you than just a stupid name."

"But how… how do you know I like y/f/f?" you asked in shock, never in your wildest dreams imagining that Kaz Brekker would bother with something like your favorite flower.

"You are my tidemaker. My most important investment. It's logical that I'll know you inside out."

"Should I be afraid or appreciate this unsettling but sweet effort?"

"You should know by now that nothing I do is sweet."

"Of course, big, terrible, Dirtyhands." you replied with a small smirk, similar to the one that kept Kaz from your sight.

To her, he could be more than Kaz Brekker. He could be Kaz Rietveld. And it terrified him more than the urge to reach out his hand again and fix her windblown hair.

The mastermind has been deceived by his own heart.

I’ve been told, I’ve been told to get you off my mind But I hope I never lose the bruises that you left behind Oh my Lord, oh my Lord, I need you by my side

"Zenik. Follow me." he muttered as he finally found the woman at the bar. He headed for his office without looking back, knowing full well that she would do as she was told this time.

"Yes, Kaz?"

"You are contacting Y/N." it wasn't a question. He knew it the moment Nina sent you her first letter a month ago.

He himself tried to send you his letter a week ago. It came back unopened, and the delivery man said no such person lives at this address. A lie he recognised without even knowing that Nina and you were still writing to each other.

"I am." she replied coolly. Kaz, seeing that he did not want to voluntarily cooperate, sighed and sat down in his chair. His leg was starting to hurt more and more often - another thing that went bad with you leaving.

"How is she?"

"Happy. Relatively. She is tormented by nightmares and unwanted thoughts about you." if Nina wanted to make him feel guilty, she did it brilliantly.

He already felt terrible without her judging eyes and dry answers. She must have seen the shadows under his eyes, as he did in his mirror. He had no right to pity himself. He knew it well. That's why he put up with Nina's attitude, in his stupid desire to know how you were doing.

"So… is she better off than here?"

"No. But that's not your problem anymore."

"Did she find someone?" he asked hesitantly, afraid of an affirmative answer.

"Possibly, things are evolving."

Kaz felt the world stop around him for a moment. The idea of someone else watching how you play with water and create ice sculptures, someone listening to your beautiful voice and making you laugh, someone capable of holding you and kissing you, made him sick. A sick sense of jealousy that Kaz only experienced when he saw the wealth of others.

A rash desire to come for you overtook him. He had to have you back. Before you fall in love with someone other than him.

"Do you think if we…"

"No, Kaz." Nina cut him off before he could ask a question. "You wanted to get rid of her, so hold on to your fucking decision. You hurt her, and you knew damn well you would, by ordering her to return to Ravka. Honestly, Kaz, did you think about how it would impact her? How she would feel? If you wanna break her heart again, go on. Chase her. Let's see if she forgives you also this time."

"Then what should I do?" he asked, and the desperation and hopelessness of his tone terrified both him and the woman standing in front of his desk. Nobody had ever seen him like this. Even you. And now he was ready to open up to anyone just to have you by his side again.

"Forget about her. After all, that's what you wanted, right?" he did not answer.

She was right. He wanted to get rid of you. Now he was paying the price, and he had no right to ask you to ease his pain and return to the Kettedram. Return to him. Which doesn't mean that his stupid heart will just let him forget about you. He's learned that over the months without you. And he cursed all the saints that he didn't know it until he gave you the cold shoulder.

Kaz no longer had the right to your affection. He had to accept it. He had to accept that he had given up his chance to love you. That now you had every right to go and love someone else. Even if the very idea drove him crazy and desperate.

He must have forgotten about you. For the sake of all of you.

But Nina's slamming of his office door only brought him back to his memories of you.

There must be something in the water Cause everyday it's getting colder And if only I could hold you You'd keep my head from going under

Kaz fell. He was in the most pathetic position.

He didn't care, though, as he sat like a fool on the shore of the same lake where he met you. At which he irreversibly gave you the remnants of his heart a few years ago, without even knowing it.

He told himself that Nina was right. Once he let you go, he had to persevere in that resolve. Ketterdam will only bring you pain... so why was it so hard for him to let go of his last ties to you?

"Why are you coming here with me?" your gentle voice snapped him out of his thoughts as he stared spellbound at your little water show.

"Am I bothering you?" he asked, shifting in his place on the dock as he watched you float in the lake.

He wouldn't even dip his little toe in himself, but he liked to silently watch you become one with what was dear to you. And by the way, he could admire your skills and beauty as much as he wanted. He didn't have to look for any particular excuse.

"No. It's just that I've never seen you watch your other crows train."

"They're not like you." it slipped out before he could think about it. "If anyone sees you, I better get them before they announce to the world that one of the Black General's tidemakers has taken refuge with me." your smirk dropped at the mere mention of your former life. Kaz cursed in his mind. "You are also too valuable an investment. And the rest of the crows liked you. It's a big achievement. Inej doesn't let new people in so easily... me too."

"So you like me after all, boss?" you asked with that mischievous smirk on your lips that made his heart beat like crazy. Good thing water was your specialty. At least you didn't hear his heart pounding.

"You're tolerable company, and what you can do… what you can do is amazing."

"It's just little tricks." you murmured, forming different shapes out of the water. "At the king's parties, I was quite often one of the highlights." you waved your hand, freezing the water to form an ice statue. His statue. "Not every tidemaker is strong enough to freeze water." with another wave of your hand, to his silent displeasure, you melted the ice. "Not to mention turning ice into water again. Most just stop at its liquid form and don't train any more. I like to think I'm too curious to ever stop exploring my powers."

"Or stubborn." he said with a small smirk, listening to your wonderful laugh.

He must have been cursed from the start, since fate had put someone so perfect in his path... someone he could never have. But he could have been watching you. Enjoy his eyes with your beauty and his ears with the tone of your voice.

"Sometimes that's a good trait too. You taught me that yourself."

"How convenient for you to learn from me only what you want and not what you need."

"Sometimes what we want is more important than what we need and what is more rational for us."

"What for example?"

"Love." he tried to keep a poker face, but apparently his eyes betrayed more than he would have liked, as you gave him a confused, questioning look. "What? You've never been in love?"

NO. Not until he looked into your eyes and heard you laugh. Not until he got into your first argument with you and lost with a smile on his face. Not until he first saw you use your powers to outsmart the bandits who attacked you. Not until he saw how the moonlight in Ketterdam made your eyes shine even more than usual, so that you might as well have lit up all of the city with your beauty. Not until he first heard his name come out of your mouth. No, until he foolishly began to believe in Inej's saints, when he saw how tenderly and kindly you treat the orphans in the streets of Ketterdam.

"This silence means either a very powerful heartbreak, or you really only love a kruge."

"What if I really never loved anyone? What if I don't believe in love?" he whispered, looking up at you. You sneaked up to him so that you were standing in front of him. Water trickled down your hair and along your neck to the hand you held out to him. You opened your hand, handing him a small shell.

"The world is too cruel for such beliefs, Kaz. If we don't believe in love, why should we get out of bed at all? Why do we accumulate all these riches and try to survive each day?" Kaz didn't know the answer. Not one that would allow him to avoid the uncomfortable subject of his feelings for you.

He took the shell from you and, being careful not to break it, put it in his pouch. Along with the other little things you fished out of the water.

Your eyes met. You stared into the other's eyes for a moment, lost in your own dreams, which were not too different from each other... Yet neither of you had the courage to admit them out loud and risk everything you had been so carefully building between yourselves. Even if your hearts burned for more.

So he sat with you in silence, watching you play with the water and analysing what you told him. What was the reason for his existence?

Kaz from a year ago would have answered quickly and without thinking. Revenge. But now that he was looking at you, he wasn't so sure about his answer… or at least it was closer to something much different than his desire for revenge.

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh It's your love I'm lost in Your love I'm lost in Your love I'm lost in And I'm tired of being so exhausted

He sat behind his desk, involuntarily reminiscing about the day it all began.

The day he almost lost you. The day you almost died in his arms. The day you told him something he secretly wanted to hear but wasn't prepared for. The day he will curse forever.

This was your first assignment after returning from Ravka and the whole sun summoner thing. A childish, simple burglary. Something to warm up his crows—a return to the reality of Ketterdam without queens and kings and politics.

And so it was. You filled your pockets with valuables and were about to leave when one of the guards spotted you. They were much better armed than you (it was supposed to be a simple robbery with no witnesses and no blood spilled, so you only had daggers and knives "just in case") and strangely familiar with all the secret passages in the small mansion.

Even though you found yourself in a terrible situation, you managed to leave the property. You laid out in the finish as you and Kaz ran towards the club. One of the guards shot at you and hit you. Very accurate, almost piercing your heart with a bullet.

Kaz stared dazedly as you screamed in pain as you clutched your chest and tumbled onto the muddy, cobbled road. He reacted faster than he thought, throwing the dagger at the man who shot you and killing him instantly. Inej would have praised him for such a throw.

But that effective kill didn't matter to him now. He ran over to you in a panic and kneeled beside you, tugging at the fabric of your shirt. He hissed as he saw the blood pouring down your skin.

"Kaz..." you groaned, looking at him terrified. Kaz ripped off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it tightly around your waist, trying to stop the gushing blood. "Cold." you mumbled, shivering in his arms. Brekker didn't even notice as he placed you in his lap; he was too busy to stop the bleeding until he found bloody Zenik. Where was she when he really fucking needed her?

"Shhh…. I know. Just try to hold on a little longer, okay? Nina and Jes will be here soon." he tried to calm you down by running his hand through your sweat-soaked hair. He rocked you back and forth, not knowing who he was trying to reassure—you or himself.

"We both know they won't make it on time."

"If you're wasting your energy talking, at least say something useful instead of talking nonsense, tidemaker." he growled at you, tightening his grip on you. "You're not getting away from me that fast. I didn't invest so much in you to make you leave before…" Until I tell you how much you mean to me... "Until we fill our vault with tonnes of Kruge."

"I could have predicted that even on my deathbed you'd be talking about the fucking Kruges." you laughed, coughing up some blood, which didn't calm his already madly beating heart. Where is that damn Zenik?

"Die in my arms and I promise I'll go back to hell for you. The devil can wait for you - I signed a pact with you first." you suddenly became serious, squeezing his gloved hand tighter and staring into his eyes as if they were the only stars in your dark sky.

"Kaz… I… I have to tell you…"

"Shut up, Y/L/N. You're not dying today." he snarled a warning, squeezing you so hard that he was sure to leave bruises on your arms. Panic rose in him as he felt your body slowly go limp, your breaths becoming less and less frequent.

"Kaz… I love you." you whispered, making him freeze in a daze. You only said those words in his wildest dreams. He had secretly dreamed of it many times, but certainly not like this. Not while your soul was slowly escaping from this cruel world unworthy of you.

He doesn't remember exactly when Nina came running, or how Jesper took you out of his arms, or how he kept up with Jesper's frantic pace as he ran with you in his arms.

But he surely was shaking all the way to the Crow Club. He only breathed a few hours after Nina announced to everyone that you would live. Then he left, without even entering your room to make sure Zenik's words were true, and locked himself in his office.

Tears began to fall from his eyes as he leaned against the door.

He could have lost you. Forever. Another person close to him.

His dreams would be tormented by the sight of your bloody corpse in some dirty alley. Again, he felt like that helpless little boy who had lost his brother. He found himself with Jordie THERE again.

Kaz couldn't go through all of it again. He wouldn't get up after your death. And there was only one thing he could do...

Fuck it all.

He needed you.

He was too exhausted to pretend any longer.

He was Kaz Brekker. He didn't need a reason. But his slowly dying heart without you seemed to be enough of an excuse to see you. Even if you're going to completely break it. Even the cold Bastard from the Barrel saw it as a good deal.

"JESPER!" he shouted, jumping out of his chair with his cane in hand.

"Yes?" his friend was at his side faster than ever.

"Tell the others to pack up. We're leaving in an hour." he muttered, taking out his travel bag from the wardrobe. Even without turning around, he knew a big smile had formed on Jesper's face.

We're going to get my girl back.

"About the damn time, Kaz." he patted him on the back and ran out of his office, telling the other crows the good news.

Your love I'm lost in Your love I'm lost in Your love I'm lost in Even though I'm nothing to you now Even though I'm nothing to you now

Kaz had been afraid of a few things in his life, but walking through the threshold of your new apartment seemed to be the most terrible of all his fears.

His crows obeyed him without objection for the first time in their lives and stayed at the hotel. He came here. On trembling legs and a rapidly beating heart. With his soul on his shoulder, ready to sacrifice and do anything to get you back. And if you didn't change your mind, it would be with a mind ready to carve your image into his memory so he could enjoy seeing you one last time in his miserable life.

Before he could change his mind, he knocked on the door.

He waited patiently, hearing footsteps approaching. He held his breath as the key turned in the lock.

But you weren't the one who opened the door for him.

"What?" a well-built, dark-haired man stood in the doorway.

Kaz began to compare himself to him, concluding that, when it came to appearance, he was superior to him in everything. He didn't stand a chance against someone like that for your heart. Doubts began to flood back into him. What if Nina was right?

"Are you going to stand here for half a day or..."

"Jackson!" your voice from the depths of the apartment shook Kaz. It froze him completely, irritating the man in front of him even more. "I need your help here, you big fool. What are you doing?" a moment later, you were standing in the vestibule. Your eyes met. Kaz shivered under your gaze, cursing himself for how quickly he fell under your spell as he stood there completely dazed.

"Y/N." your name came out of his mouth reverently, like a prayer, like a song long forgotten by a wanderer. You looked exactly the same as you did a few months ago. Except for the faint shadows under his eyes, which Kaz considered his greatest enemies.

"Kaz."

"Jackson. Hello there." the man waved at him, stepping between you. Jackson looked at you, worried. Kaz felt both anger welling up in him, a feeling of envy at how close you were with this strange guy, but also relief that you had someone close to take care of you. Not that you couldn't overcome the worst hell alone. He just felt relieved that you didn't have to. "Let him in, or should I kick his ass, wave?"

Wave? Did you two have nicknames for each other?

"It's all right. You can leave us." you said as you walked past him to face Kaz. The man behind you sighed, shaking his head.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

It might as well have been directed at Kaz. For the first time in his whole new Dirtyhands' life, he didn't have a plan, an emergency exit, or another backup plan. But now he was standing in front of you, staring at you helplessly as he absorbed your form. And that damn sea smell in your hair...

"Kaz."

"Y/N." he said as he came back down to earth. He took a small, calming breath. "How are you?"

"Really? Are you here just to ask how I'm doing?" she asked incredulously, folding her arms.

Kaz wrinkled his nose at your dry, angry tone. As he could see, it would be even more difficult than he thought. He stood in front of you, twirling his cane nervously in his hands.

"I'm here for a completely different reason, but I couldn't… I couldn't not come and see you." he admitted turning his gaze back to you after lowering his head in embarrassment.

"I'm alright. My brother and I are having a great time."

"Brother?" he asked. Relief and joy washed over him. Nor could he help himself to this naive hope, which began to warm his cold heart.

"Yes... Jackson. Who did you think he was?" he did not answer. You could have guessed. He knew you saw the flicker of jealousy in his eyes after that strange man called you a wave. You were his tidemaker, his wave, his sea, and all the fucking things. For a moment, he forgot that he was the one who had deprived himself of the right to claim against you. "You saw me, you asked how I was, so you can go now. Goodbye, Kaz." you were about to close the door on him, but at the last moment he put his cane between them, preventing you from doing so. You opened your door again, giving him a questioning look.

"Come back with me." he whispered, defeated. He couldn't let you go. Not again, not after there was still the slightest chance you might still want him.

"What?" you whispered softly, pretty sure you misheard him.

"There's no other reason why I'm here... I can't eat, I can't sleep, and I can't think or function like a normal person without you next to me. I'm one step away from daydreaming about you, hallucinating, and being insane that you're still by my side, so please... I'm begging you to come back to me. I know I don't deserve you and that I hurt you. You have every right to kick me out, but please, Y/N, just come home."

"What exactly am I supposed to come back to, Kaz? A cold, surly boss who is afraid of his feelings? Who doesn't hesitate to hurt me to protect his heart?"

"I'm not... I'm not good at this. Feelings. I... I don't know what it's like to love, but I know that when I'm with you... when I'm with you, nothing else matters. Not Ketterdam, not power, not Kruge, not wealth, not profit—nothing has ever been on my pedestal. Only you. Always you. And maybe I'm terrified of it, but now I know that I'd rather fight my own demons for you than let you go. I will try my best. If you still want me." he stared at you with undisguised hope in his eyes, only now realising how close he had come to you during your conversation. He tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, cupping your cheek uncertainly. "I love you, Y/N... even if I'm nothing to you now." he murmured, risking everything and resting his forehead against yours with a sigh.

There must be something in the water Cause everyday it's getting colder And if only I could hold you You'd keep my head from going under

He inhaled your scent with his eyes closed, waiting for your move. Hope grew with him every second you continued to let him be so close to you.

"You're an idiot, Kaz Brekker." he didn't contradict or argue with you. He was a complete idiot, pushing you away and begging you to come back, all the while acting like a love-crazy fool… however, he wouldn't have it any other way if it meant you taking your place in his office again. If someday he could hold you in his arms… "You have lucky you're my idiot. With all of your bruises, scars, and everything else." you promised, hugging him tighter. You pulled away from him with serious eyes, making Kaz swallow. "But if you do that shit again, forget I'm coming back to you. Also, we need to seriously work on your communication, Brekker. Do you know how long I've had to struggle here with that other idiot who claims to be my brother?"

"I can hear all of it!" you sighed at your brother's grumbling and gave Kaz a meaningful look. Brekker smiled slightly, causing a matching goofy smirk to appear on your face.

"See? But seriously, I'm not kidding. Last chance, Kaz."

"A deal is a deal. You're never going anywhere without me again."

"A red flag!" your brother coughed from the kitchen. You rolled your eyes, grabbing the edge of Kaz's coat sleeve.

"Shut up, Jackson. I'm leaving, I'll be back in an hour! Try not to burn down the apartment, spitfire."

You didn't wait for his answer as you slammed the door behind you and stepped out with Kaz into the street. Brekker led you towards the hotel where the other crows were staying. His hand in yours, which did not escape your notice. You turned your head towards him, giving him a confused look, which made him smile slightly, shifting his gaze to the port and the sea.

At one point, he noticed that one of the waves "attacked" a trader, washing him over. He cursed so loudly that you could hear him even from this distance. Kaz shifted his gaze to you, immediately noticing the sly smirk on your face. Suddenly, the wallet fell from the sky right into your waiting hand, along with droplets of salty, cool water.

He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement as he pulled you closer to him, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. A self-satisfied smirk formed on his face after seeing your blush.

One day, he will be able to touch you without his gloves. Hold in your arms without layers of clothes on. He will do it. No matter how long it takes him to get rid of the greatest demon of his past. But something told him that you'd keep his head from going under the water again. His queen of waves. His crow. His anchor. And he will make sure that he holds you in his arms forever. 

[apinchofm]

Mistaken Identity

Edwina's tea with the Queen leads her to another encounter with King George. Angst and fluff.

Edwina's stomach was twisting as she waited in the gardens of St James.

She was rather not looking too forward to tea with the Queen. She had a feeling Queen Charlotte wanted to ensure she would not mess up her second season.

The unmarried Diamond who ran from the wedding altar. She made her choice, she was fine with it. But the way people whispered about her; her virtue; what was possibly wrong with her.

The Queen must have been unhappy. Hence her making Edwina stew in the gardens under the sun. At least she thought she was alone. A man was walking towards her, in a long blue robe and night clothes.

She recognised him, even without the wig. It was the King. She had always assumed he stayed mainly at Kew. Then again, when she had seen him on the day of her failed wedding, that presumption was clearly wrong.

"Your Majesty." Edwina curtsied lowly to him as he approached her.

"No need for formality, Emily." The King said with a laugh. He embraced her and she gently patted his back, as she looked to the approaching guards not to startle him.

"Are you well, my dear? Look at you!" George said, looking at her with wonder. He cupped her face gently as if she was so very precious at him.

"Yes… Yes, I am." Edwina replied, settling into a warm smile, "Very well."

"Is your mother still trying to have you married? You must not marry unless you are in love!" He advised, "Remember that!"

Charlotte was running to the two, holding the hem of her red gown, two guards and Brimsely close behind.

"Of course." Edwina agreed, "Why don't we-"

"George!"

"Lottie." He grinned, still holding Edwina's hands, "Emily and I were speaking of her potential nuptials. Is she engaged to Friedrich yet? She deserves a good man."

"Yes, George," Lottie confirmed gently.

"I do hope he is in love with her. She is precious." George said, gently stroking her cheek. Edwina smiled gently, chuckling softly. Poor man.

"He is." Charlotte assured, "No less for our daughter."

"Father, might you find your rest? So that you are ready for the day. It is happening rather soon, and I should hate to exhaust you." Edwina said, leading the king to his men.

"Only if you are sure." He said.

"Mother has everything in hand." Edwina assured, looking to the Queen. Charlotte stepped forward and gently took one of his hands.

"Is everything in hand, Lottie?" He asked with a smile.

"Yes, George." Charlotte assured, "Everything is very much in hand!"

"Do not go over the wall. He is a good man." He whispered to Edwina, kissing her on the cheek before allowing himself to be escorted away.

"Your Majesty, I-" Edwina began. Charlotte stopped her, taking her hands.

"Let us have tea. We are all set up in one of the greenhouses."

They walked silently to the orangery, where tea was set up. Edwina had a million questions when she first arrived but found they had all disappeared after

"Thank you. For helping him. Again." Charlotte said, "As he has become sicker, sometimes it can be hard to pull him out of his state."

"Perhaps one does not need to pull him about but sit with the King inside of his mind at that moment." Edwina offered thoughtfully. The Queen's gowns. The palace. Everything is slightly outdated but no less ornate. All to keep His Majesty calm.

"Your Majesty, if I may ask; Who is Emily?" Edwina asked cautiously.

Charlotte smiled sadly, "She was our youngest. She was so very sweet and kind and so excitable! She was my favourite of my daughters; I am not ashamed to say so. She was to marry the Kaiser Frederick of Prussia, but she died."

Edwina looked shyly at the Queen, "I am sorry for the loss of your daughter." She said. A part of her wished to say 'and your husband', but King George was there, if not mentally. He was a kind man, Edwina could tell and it was clear how much Charlotte loved him.

"That is the true test of marriage. In sickness and in health." Charlotte continued, "To choose someone over everything. I still choose my husband every day."

Edwina nodded but was still rather confused. She had been chosen as a Diamond encrusted wife for the Viscount.

"What if choice is not enough?" Edwina asked.

"It is the most powerful part. It is clear now the Viscount chose you one day but did not care for you the next." Charlotte explained, "But he made his choice in full view of the Ton, at risk of his reputation. He is a man, which makes it easier for him. But you have the right to choose someone as well, Miss Edwina. I hope you know that."

"Thank you," Edwina whispered.

"I have a proposition for you. Which is why I asked you here today." Charlotte said, "I know you are facing rather vicious rumours and speculation due to recent events. I wish to offer you a simple marriage. To my nephew. Prince Friedrich of Prussia. He is a military officer, now a diplomat. He requires a wife of your virtues and skills."

"I accept," Edwina said, nearly immediately, and she raised an eyebrow, "I did promise the King, did I not? And I trust your judgement for me, your Majesty."

"No less for a child of mine. And my Diamonds are my daughters in a way." Charlotte said gently.

[mollysolo]

Hi! How are you??

Can I request a Kylo Ren x Reader, where the reader is Rey’s older sister and has telekinesis (very powerful) and protects him from all the people who are after him but over use them and pass out but release a energy blast but he catches the reader in his arms and places them his bed and waits till they wake up.

thank u :)

Hold On To Me

Pairing: Kylo Ren X fem!Reader

Summary: In the midst of battle, you test the limits of your powers and end up going too far.

Warnings: Mentions of the reader passing out, Kylo worrying about the reader, Kylo crying a little

Word Count: 1.5k

a/n: i hope you like this!

the gif below does not belong to me

At this point, the two of you had been fighting non-stop for five hours and Kylo had to admit, he was beginning to feel a bit concerned for you. Mostly because while you had gotten to become very familiar with your powers, you had never fought for this long before. He feared that all of this fighting would be too much for you and your body would give out.

But he never pulled you aside to tell you to rest for a few minutes because he knew that’s you’d refuse. As long as Kylo was out there fighting, so were you. It was your job to protect him after all.

And you had been doing extremely well so far during this particular battle, but the edges of your vision had began to grow fuzzy and dark and your breathing was echoing in your ears. But you knew that now wasn’t the time to stop fighting. So as your vision continued to grow darker, you mustered up all of the energy you had left in your body and continued to fight.

Moments later, you passed out and consciousness left your body while you started to fall to the ground below you. And as you fell, your body sent out one last large energy blast, causing anyone within twenty feet of you to get thrown even farther away and fall down.

Seeing this happen to you shattered Kylo’s heart in his chest, he hated seeing you overwork yourself just so that he could be protected and stay alive. Seeing you pass out made he feel as if he didn’t deserve you at all. It also made him want to arrange more training for you so that this would never happen again.

But even in the midst of these sad thoughts that flooded his mind, he knew that couldn’t waste another minute. He needed to get to you, even though the Resistance fighters on the other side of the battlefield had also started to get up from their spots on the ground. He would get you back to safety, even if he died trying.

He pushed himself back onto his tired feet and slid his lightsaber back into its holster on his hip. He then began to sprint over to where you were laying on the ground. His blood was roaring in his ears while he ran, desperately hoping that he would make it to you before either of you got seriously hurt.

And when he did finally reach you, he gave into the strong emotions he was feeling and he let his knees crash into the ground while tears had started to well up in his eyes. But he didn’t need anyone in the Resistance to see that he was crying over you. So, he quickly scooped your body up into his arms and started to run back to his ship as quickly as his legs would allow him to.

Once he reached his ship not long after he had started running again, he strapped you into the seat next to him. He’d rather have you resting in bed right now but this was the next best choice until he got you back to the base. And while he did fly you two back to the base, he couldn’t help but look over at you every few minutes, needing to make sure that you were still okay, even in your unconscious state.

———————————

Upon returning to the base, Kylo ignored everyone and everything that could have possibly attempted to bother him while he tried to get you to your shared quarters, holding your body tight against his broad chest as he ran. And while he ran there, he mentally noted that it wouldn’t be necessary to take you to the med bay unless you passed out again shortly after you woke up.

And when he did reach your shared bedroom within your quarters, he stopped running and slowly walked up to the bed. He gently placed you on your side of the bed and took a deep breath in and out. Kylo stood there for a few more minutes after that, simply watching the way your chest rose and fell with every breath. He let this sight bring comfort to him.

She’s going to be okay, he assured himself as he started to walk away from the bed. He then quickly walked into his closet to retrieve another pillow for you.

He placed the pillow beneath your head as softly as he possibly could without disturbing you. And once the pillow was in place, he pulled the soft covers over you, took his helmet off and sat down in the chair he had pulled up to your bedside.

He sat there with your hand in his and patiently waited until you woke up. He would wait there in that chair for the rest of his life if necessary, he’d never leave your side. Even if someone tried to pull him away from you, he still wouldn’t leave you. He would let The First Order crumble if it meant that he could stay by your side forever. He loved you too much to ever think of leaving you. Especially when you needed him most, like you did now.

While Kylo was stuck in his thoughts, you slowly started to open your eyes, blinking them a few times as you adjusted to your surroundings at your own pace. And now that you were completely conscious again, you noticed the weight of Kylo’s hand in yours and you softly smiled to yourself.

You looked over at him and recognized that far away look in his eyes right away. Then softly started to stroke the back of his hand with your thumb before you said his name in an attempt to get his attention. You wanted him to see that you had woken up and that you were going to be okay.

“Kylo?” you said quietly, causing his eyes to meet yours as soon as his name left your lips.

You watched as a look of relief took over his face and his eyes started to tear up once again. You let go of his hand for now and placed your hand on his face, gingerly wiping away the tears that had started to fall down his cheeks. He leaned into your touch, relishing in the way it felt against his skin.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, using that same soft tone you had just spoken with, not wanting to startle or overwhelm you in this moment. While he spoke, he placed his hand over your own that was still holding his face and softly stroking his cheek.

You smiled a little while you started to talk, “I’m okay, my head hurts a little.” you say with a chuckle towards the end of your statement, “But I’m okay.” you answered, making all of Kylo’s worries vanish as if they had never been there in the first place.

He chuckled with you, flashing a toothy grin your way, making your own smile brighter, “Good.” he replied.

He then leaned in and placed a kiss to your lips, not pulling back for a minute or two while he let you kiss him back, “We’ll talk about what happened later, but for now I just want you to rest, angel.” he told you, prompting you to nod in response.

“Okay.” you whispered to him, he whispered this word back to you seconds later as he started to stand up once more.

He disappeared into your shared closet for a few minutes to change out of his robes and grab some comfier clothes for you. Once he came back to his bedroom, he handed you the clothes he had brought for you and offered to help you change into them. But you assured him that you would be just fine changing into them on your own.

And once you had changed into these clothes, you let out a soft sigh and got back into bed, encouraging Kylo to join you by patting his side of the bed. Not wanting to waste any time, Kylo quickly walked over to his side of the bed and swiftly got under the covers.

The two of you gazed into each others eyes for a little while as Kylo started to wrap his arms around your waist and tug you closer to him so that you could rest your head on his chest. Which you did, allowing the sound of his heart beating slowly lull you back to sleep.

“I love you.” you told him as your eyelids began to grow heavier and heavier, letting your body nestle into his even more than it already was.

He planted a soft kiss to your temple and let his arms reclaim their spot around your waist now that you were comfortable, “I love you too, angel.” he whispered into your ear, not wanting to stop you from getting the rest you truly deserved.

And as you fell asleep once again, a soft smile rolled out across your lips. Kylo had also started to smile while he fell asleep and even though you could not see it, he still let that feeling of happiness take over his usually cold features.

a/n: btw i am aware of the fact that the person who sent me this request has sent the same request to several other writers.

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[cynicallyanime]

The Distance Between Us

Author: @cynicallyanime

Warning: Lots of angst with a fluffy ending! (Also memory loss.)

Notes: Sorry if this seems a little short or cut off in a weird spot. I’ve been trying to get back in the groove of writing. But, I’ve been having lots of personal setbacks. I had originally planned for more of the story so I might make a part two later if I find the motivation. Please COMMENT/REBLOG if you enjoy!

Pairing: Momiji Sohma x yn

Words: 5,965

Momiji Sohma was always a peculiar one. Ask anyone who's ever met him. They'll tell you about how he liked to wear feminine clothes until high school and he finally hit a growth spurt. Or they'll tell you about his accent and frequent use of German words that hardly anyone understood. Maybe they'll even tell you about how he always had a smile on his face and goofed around like a little kid, never taking anything too seriously.

The first time I met Momiji was when we were both really small. Probably, like, age twelve or maybe even younger. But, he went to an all boys' school and I went to a regular one. So, that's not where we met. I actually met him when I was preparing for my first big duet competition.

I play the piano. I have ever since I can remember. And for the competition, I needed a violinist to play alongside me. Or at least, that's what my instructor told me. My family had me in solo lessons, so practice was always pretty lonely. I was excited to finally be able to make a friend I could share music with. However, it was up to my instructor to make the match for me. I just hoped she picked someone nice.

There I sat at the practice piano on the day we were supposed to meet. All my instructor told me was that he was a boy, he was my age, and that we were at the same skill level in each of our instruments. So, it was a good match for the competition coming up in a few months.

I expected someone very studious. Someone who would probably not want to have any fun. That's just the way my instructor was. All work and no play. So when the door to the studio opened and I turned my head to see, I was surprised to say the least.

In barged the exact opposite kind of person I had imagined. A little blond boy skipped in through the doorway before the adults could even open it all the way. He bounded straight over to me with his violin case clutched in his left hand and practically touched his nose to mine.

"Hallo!! It's so wunderbar to meet you!!" His light brown eyes shined happily, the same as his broad smile. But, I couldn't help but be a little lost by his accent and the way he was saying things. "I'm Momiji Sohma! Und I can't wait to play together!"

Despite his friendly personality, I was still too flustered to speak properly. "I-uh..."

"Momiji. You're here to practice together, not play. Understand?" The stern adult scolded him. I presumed it was his violin instructor that had come with him.

He instantly stood up straight. "Ah! But we are practicing to be able to play together! No?" The instructor rolled his eyes likes he was used to his antics.

"Excuse me," I whispered out, not quite as outgoing as he was yet. He turned his eyes to me in surprise. "Why...um...why do you sound like that?"

He tilted his head and put one finger to his lips as he thought. "Sound like what? Hmm...oh! You must mean my accent. I'm part German on my mutti's side!" He explained with no hint of offense at all. Then, he continued with a small wink, "Mutti means my mother, by the way."

"Oh!" I finally relaxed when I realized that he wasn't intimidating at all. He was actually quite kind. "It's so nice to meet you! I'm yn yln!" I reached out my right hand and he took it without hesitation to shake it.

And that was the beginning of it all.

For the next few months, we spent nearly every day after school together. Hours upon hours of playing the piano alongside him made me so happy. His violin playing was so amazing. His face would become so serious while he concentrated on his strings. Sometimes I just wanted to listen to him play by himself. But our instructors said if one of us was playing, then the other should be too.

We learned so much about each other so fast. For the first time in my life, I had felt like I truly had someone I could call my best friend. Except...he wouldn't hug me like I saw all the other best friends doing. In fact, the closer we got...the further he moved away from me. At first, we would high five, bump shoulders, and even touch foreheads. Just like the first day we met. Out of nowhere though, he suddenly seemed shy around me and we stopped doing all of that stuff.

That was what was peculiar. The outgoing and bubbly boy who had become my best friend changed completely when I tried to get closer to him again. That made me a little sad. And also curious if maybe I had done something to hurt him. But, I never pushed because I wanted to keep being best friends.

Finally, it was the day of the competition that we had been practicing so hard for. But, we also had so much fun together that it hardly felt like practicing and sometimes I forgot that there would be an end. It was my hope that we could continue to be friends even after the competition. Maybe we could compete in more if we won this one. I had made up my mind to try harder than I ever had before.

A few hours before the competition started, I walked into the massive building with my hand held by my mother's. I gripped the skirt of my fancy dress in my other hand while she checked me in, nerves starting to get to me. All the nerves went away, though, when I finally saw Momiji.

The door opened to the green room we were waiting in and he skipped in, like always. My heart started racing so fast it felt like butterflies were hatching in there. I had never seen him dress so formally, all buttoned up in his suit and tie. He was so cute.

"Yn!!" He exclaimed upon seeing me as he walked closer. Maybe it was just my false hope, but I thought his eyes sparkled when he looked at me. "I've never seen anything prettier than you are!"

His declaration caused me to blush hard. So much so that I had to turn away. Our instructors and my mother excused themselves to go get some drinks, since we would be performing last. I clutched my hands over my chest, wondering if I would be able to hear the keys over my heart out there.

"I mean it, you know," he said softly, leaning his face to be in front of where I was looking. "It's not just the dress. You're always shining, just like schatz...like treasure." Momiji placed his hand on my shoulder for the first time in weeks and all my worries melted away.

I couldn't hold back anymore. I had to know why he had been distant from me. "Momiji," I whispered, eyes fixed on the ground, "do you...hate me?"

"What?" He sounded genuinely surprised. Like he didn't even know that his actions were impacting me.

Finally, I fully met his eyes as one of the tears that had been building up inside for weeks slipped out. "I asked if you hated me!!" His eyes widened at my volume and I was shocked a little bit too. But, how could he say I was like treasure when... "I thought we were best friends! But, you don't ever want to be near me anymore! You...you say I'm like treasure but you won't even hold me like I am!"

My outburst left a deafening silence hanging in the air. Tears flowed freely from my eyes. And Momiji...looked like I had struck him right across his face. His hand fell from my shoulder and I wished I could take it back. I opened my mouth to apologize and beg him not to stop being friends with me. But, he spoke first.

"You are wrong." I wanted to cry more at his words. How could I be wrong when I could see it so plainly? "It's because you are my best friend that I can't do that."

I clenched my fists. Couldn't he at least be honest with me? "Why?? How does that make any sense?!" I clapped my hands over my face to hide how red and puffy it was getting. Embarrassed. I was so embarrassed by my own behavior.

"Yn, stop that." His tone was stern but kind and he reached out to pull my hands away by my wrists. "Don't hide your sadness. Especially, when I'm the cause."

"Momiji," I sobbed, "I don't understand what you're saying." Feelings were hard at that age. First, you were confused about what they were in the first place and then about why they wouldn't go away. Mostly, I was confused because he was contradicting himself.

He reached out with both hands to wipe the wetness from my cheeks. Then, he patted my head so gently. "I want to hug you. But, if I do...bad things will happen. I don't want to stop being friends-"

"Then, don't!" I had listened to enough. My body moved without me telling it to. I slammed into his chest and wrapped my arms around his middle so tightly. "Nothing would ever make me stop being your friend!"

Then, it happened.

In a puff of yellow smoke, Momiji disappeared. The sudden absence of his body sent me tumbling to the ground. I sat up on my knees as the smoke started to clear and looked around. All I could see was his clothes piled in a heap where we were standing.

"Momiji?" I couldn't believe my eyes. The clothes heap started rustling. "Uh!"

I was scared of what it was...until a little yellow bunny poked its head out. Somehow, I didn't even have to ask. I knew it was him. His long ears sagged and his nose twitched as he looked at the floor. "I tried to warn you."

"Ah!!" I yelled in surprise. I hadn't been expecting him to talk in that state. But, I settled down pretty quickly. "Sorry! You just caught me off guard. That's all."

He looked up at me, his ears raised the tiniest bit. "You're not...scared at all?"

"Of course not!" Tears started to form again, except this time, they were happy ones. I promptly scooped him up and cuddled him in my arms. He placed his tiny ones on my shoulder. His nose nuzzled into my neck while I gently rested my cheek on top of his head. "You're my best friend, Momiji. I want to be friends with you forever."

I could feel the cold droplets falling onto my skin.  So I held him closer with my hands. As I set him down and smiled at him, a noise on the other side of the door made us jump. Without thinking, I scrambled to shove his clothes out of view and hid him behind me as the door opened.

Our instructors and my mother had returned with the drinks, laughing and chatting about who knows what adult stuff. Momiji's instructor immediately whipped his head around. "Where is Momiji?" I gulped. I didn't know why, but I lied.

"The bathroom...? I think? Or maybe backstage?" I pressed one finger to my chin thoughtfully. "He did say something about watching the others from a good seat..."

With a groan, the instructors quickly left to search for him. My mother took a few steps in and looked over my face. "Sweetie, what's wrong?? Is it nerves?" I nodded.

"I think I left my lucky bracelet in the car," I lied again, "could you get it for me, please? I think it would really help."

She took one look at my pitiful face and her expression softened. "Of course, sweetie. I'll be back soon!"

I let out a sigh of relief just as I heard a poof sound behind me. "That was clo-" The words died on my tongue as Momiji reappeared...naked. "Ahh!"

"Thank you," he said calmly, and proceeded to put his suit back on while I turned the opposite way. "If they had found out, we wouldn't be able to see each other anymore."

We sat next to each other on the couch and he told me everything. The curse that ran back generations in the Sohma family. That hugging the opposite sex triggered the transformation and that it lasted for varying amounts of time. That no one was allowed to know or the head of their family, Akito, would be furious and erase their memories. It was a little hard to swallow. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would've thought he went crazy.

With his secret finally out in the open, he clasped my hand in his. I squeezed it tight, never intending to let him go. Of course, I had to when it was our turn to perform. I thought I couldn't get any happier up on that stage playing with Momiji. But, then we won and we were allowed to keep playing together for more competitions.

Day in and day out for six months we would meet up to rehearse. We would hold hands when the instructors weren't looking, and when they left us alone for short periods, I couldn't help but hug him. One day, I even got up the courage to give him a peck on his little pink nose. When he returned to normal he was as red as a sakura blossom.

Momiji had his birthday in that time, so he had turned thirteen before me. It was finally my birthday...and I knew what I was going to ask for. I waited on my piano bench in the rehearsal room like always. The keys played a soft melody under my fingers and I hummed until I heard the door open.

Momiji walked in and closed the door behind him. I was so excited to see him that I missed the signs. Skipping over to him, I grasped his hand to pull him over to the bench with me. I couldn't feel how he dragged his feet over my racing heart.

"I finally know what you can give me for my birthday!" He had asked weeks ago and I couldn't come up with anything. But, it had finally come to me. "Momiji, I li-"

He squeezed my hand as he interrupted me. "We can't, yn."

"You...you don't even know what I was gonna say," I protested, worry seeping into my skin.

When he finally met my eyes, I saw it. They were red and puffy and his nose was as pink as it was in his bunny form. "I do. Because I want to say it too..."

"What happened?" My voice came out barely above a whisper. I didn't want to know the answer because I knew it was bad. I felt it coming off him in waves.

He sighed. "We can't be friends anymore."

"But...why?" My heart shattered.

His other hand covered our clasped ones. "Akito found out that you know." My eyes widened. "He doesn't want anything or anyone to take us away from him. So, I can't see you anymore."

"No," I whimpered, "that's not fair!"

I watched as he scrunched his eyes closed, his eyelashes becoming wet. "He said...you have to have your memories of me erased."

"No!" I yelled, standing up abruptly. "He can't do that! I don't want to!"

Momiji opened his eyes and looked at me brokenly. "You'll be better off...not remembering. You'll be safer. He'll leave you alone that way," he tried to explain. I just kept shaking my head. I didn't want to hear it. Suddenly, he got up and grasped me by my shoulders. "It's not a request. Akito's word is final."

Tears started dripping rapidly from my lashes as the door opened. A studious looking man in a trench coat walked in. He looked guilty already. This must be the one that does it. I quickly looked at Momiji, curling up his shirt in my fists. "Please, don't let him do this, Momiji!"

"I'm so sorry, yn!" He sobbed and reached in his pocket before pulling something out. Angling himself so the strange man couldn't see, he grabbed my face in his hands and pulled me closer. Momiji pressed a soft kiss to my lips as he slid something under the layers of my short hair. "Happy Birthday, mein schatzi," he whispered in my ear as he pulled away.

When he did, I almost reached up to pull it out and look. But, he glanced over his shoulder and I realized it was supposed to be a secret. "That's not fair," I cried but smiled slightly, "kissing me like that when I won't be able to remember."

"I'll remember for the both of us," he stroked my bangs softly out of my face, "I promise."

He held my hands as he sat me back down on the bench. I took a deep breath, trying hard to stop crying so the last time I looked at him wouldn't be blurry. Finally, I nodded. "Close your eyes. It will be over quickly." The man said as he stood in front of me.

"Thank you, Momiji," I said as I closed my eyes, "for being my best friend." All I felt was falling asleep.

I opened my eyes and groaned. Lifting my head up, I saw that I was in my rehearsal room. "Did I fall asleep at the piano?" I looked around as I stood up and stretched. It seemed...emptier than before. "That's weird," I chuckled to myself and scratched the back of my head as I went to pick up my bag.

My fingers grazed something and I carefully pulled it out. "What's this?" I mumbled. Turning it over in my fingers, I saw a yellow, bunny-shaped hair clip. Something poked at the back of my head briefly. I shrugged. "Where'd you come from? I think I'll keep you. It is my birthday, after all!" I used it to clip my bangs back and decided to leave for the day.

~Ten Years Later: Momiji's POV~

I'm tired. These auditions are never-ending. My dreams are finally starting to become a reality. Ever since the curse broke, I've gotten closer with my family. So, I've started preparing for the concert that I want to put on just for them. My father, my sister, and my mutti. The one I promised to play for Tohru will come later.

The thing about the concert is that I thought it would be more fun for them if I wasn't playing alone. So, I'm searching for someone to accompany me. I've been holding these auditions for days and yet, no luck. It's not that they're untalented. But, they're all...missing something.

I've almost given up entirely. There are still a few musicians left on the list for today. But, I can't bear anymore. I stand up to gather my things from the table as someone walks onto the stage. "I'm sorry, but I've decided to cut things short for today. I'll be leaving now," I sigh, not looking up from my stack of papers.

"Oh," says the voice of a woman. "I understand! Does that mean I'll be first to audition tomorrow?"

That voice. Older and more mature, but still somehow the same. My body goes rigid and I'm afraid to look up. It's not her. It can't be. Tentatively, I peek up at the woman standing on stage, her hair pulled into two low pigtails. She smiles shyly and my heart constricts. Surely, it's not. I look back down, scrambling through the list of people auditioning today. It's got...to be here...somewhere...aha!

With a flourish, I hold the paper up. Her picture is attached to the corner and so I lift it up to uncover the name. I can't believe it...it's been how long? Ten years, almost? Quickly, I sit back down. "Play."

"You," she pauses uncertainly, "want me to play now? I thought you were leaving..."

I clasp my hands under my chin and lean forward intently. "I've changed my mind. You'll be the last today. So, please," I gesture one hand toward the piano, "play me something that you love."

Even from this distance, I can see her cheeks blush under the stage lights. She nods and makes her way to the piano. The light glints off of something in her long hair and my heart skips a beat. A bunny clip holds the bangs out of her eyes as she sits at the bench and takes a deep breath.

Just when I thought I couldn't be any more surprised, she starts playing. Fond memories wash over me as the notes fill the theater. This is the duet piece we played at our first competition together when we were children. Does she remember? How would that even be possible?

Perhaps, she chose this piece because it reminds her of the first competition she won. That's the thing about how Hatori erases our secret from their minds. He leaves just enough of the truth that they wouldn't notice anything is missing. There's no other explanation for why she chose it.

She's gotten taller...but not by much. Then again, I've grown as well. I'm sure I would tower over her if I could stand beside her. We're different people now. We've both gone through so many experiences that shaped us into who we are now...experiences that we didn't get to share with each other like we were meant to.

"Mr. Sohma?"

Her gentle voice pulls me from my thoughts and back to the present. I got so lost in them that I didn't notice the piece was over or her standing in the center of the stage again.

"Are you...alright?"

I tilt my head quizzically at her. Why would I not be? I'm confused until I blink again, and something warm slides down my cheek. Reaching up, I feel the wetness that has gathered there. I quickly wipe the tears away and stand up, plastering a smile on my lips.

"Yes, yes! I'm alright, danke!" My feet move me toward her of their own will as I continue speaking. "You just played so sweetly that it moved me to tears." Suddenly, I'm so close that I can see the surprise glinting in her eyes and I realize that I ran to her. "I don't remember that piece being so sad the last time I heard it," I admit.

She ducks her head for a moment before looking up at me from beneath her eyelashes. I knew it. I knew that I would finally be taller. "It's not supposed to be, actually," she begins shyly. Still so nervous despite all the talent in the world. "The original piece is a duet with the violin. It's missing its other half...so I can't play it without longing or sorrow."

"Where do you suppose its other half is, then?" I question, never letting my gaze leave hers.

I watch as a hopeful shine fills up her eyes. "It's right here." It feels as though my heart stops completely when she gestures to me. She remembers me! Overcome with emotions, I step forward. Ready to wrap her up in my arms and never let go again. That is, until she gently places her hand on my chest to distance herself from me. "Mr. Sohma...what are you doing?"

As quickly as my heart soared, it came crashing into the ground. Of course, she doesn't remember. She only meant I was the other half because it's the job she's auditioning for. I step back, bowing my head slightly.

"I'm so sorry, miss," I clear my throat for fear that she'll hear how disappointed I am. "I don't know what came over me. The job is yours...if you want it."

She clasps her hands in front of her lips. "Oh, really?!" Yn gasps. I miss her always having that excitement in her voice when she's near me. "But, I thought you have more auditions to go through..."

"I don't need to hear any more," I declare, "you are the one I want." She nods and I take that as her acceptance. "Wunderbar! I'll contact you in a few days with information regarding rehearsals. Danke and enjoy the rest of your day!"

I turn to go gather my things without a second thought. But, I'm stopped in my place when something pulls on my hand. I look down and see both of her slender hands grasping mine. When I glance at her face, I see that she's blushing and looking at our hands in shock.

"I just wanted to say..." I watch as she turns redder and redder before she finally meets my eyes. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I'll work really hard to make you glad you chose me!"

Some things never change. I smile softly at her while I take the hand she's not holding and pat the top of her head once. "I don't think you'll have to try too hard." The flustered look on her face makes me chuckle for the first time in days. "Bis bald, Miss yln."

Finally, I leave the dim theater to walk around in the late spring sun. Sakura petals float though the breeze as I sit on a bench and stare at my hands. I can still feel her small hands holding mine and the soft strands of her hair. So what if she doesn't remember me? We can make new memories now. Yn fell in love with me once, as children...we can fall in love again. There will be nothing to stop us this time.

Over the course of the next few months, we spend every other day together. It's almost like old times. The weather is getting hotter and she's started wearing her hair up. I have never seen her look so beautiful. I find myself getting so distracted looking at the loose hairs on the nape of her neck that I mess up frequently. But, each time she laughs and the embarrassment is worth it.

She's been so professional. Never wanting to take too long of a break to chat or stray off course for long. It's hard trying to get to know her again. She's very different from when we were kids. I can tell that she keeps a carefully placed wall up almost all the time. But...I don't know why. Could it be because of me? Does she remember the feeling of being hurt and abandoned, but just not the reason why?

On one particular day when the leaves are starting to fall, we get out of rehearsal so late that the sun has already set. I clasp the handle of my violin case as we exit the studio I rent side by side into the cool breeze. She bows toward me politely, like always.

"I'll see you next time, Mr. Sohma!" Yn turns to leave, but I want to stay close to her.

So, I call out. "It's been about four months since we've been working together!" She turns around in surprise. "Let's celebrate! It is dinner time and I kept us too late today." My heart thuds in my chest while she hesitates.

"Oh, no! I wouldn't want to trouble you," she begins to politely decline.

I tilt my head to the side. "You're never any trouble to me." Her eyes widen, the streetlights twinkling in them. "I insist. I'd like to get to know you better, anyway. You don't talk much about yourself..."

"I just don't think it's a good idea..." she says hesitantly. "We shouldn't mix our personal and professional lives." There's brief regret in her once twinkling eyes.

"Oh, I see." Disappointment sinks my heart into my stomach. "How long have you been together?"

Her eyebrows cinch together momentarily as her lips part. "What do you..." I smile softly, trying not to let it show in my face that I can't breathe. After looking over my face for a long moment, her face lights up. "Oh! I'm afraid you have it all wrong, Mr. Sohma!"

"I...do?" I try to keep my hope in check.

Then, she giggles gently, eyes closing in amusement. "Yes!" She opens her eyes once again and meets mine. "I'm not seeing anyone...romantically...that's not why at all," she explains, "I've actually never dated anyone."

"How is that possible??" I blurt out before covering my mouth with my hand. Her cheeks flush red with embarrassment. "No! That's not what I meant! I just figured that you're so wunderbar...there's no way someone hasn't-"

I cut off my stupid rambling before my foot slides further down my throat. She rubs the back of her neck sheepishly. "It's sort of silly...you might laugh."

"I won't," I say hastily, "I promise." Placing a hand over my heart, I lean a little closer to her. "Feel free to talk about anything you like with me."

Hesitation mixed with something else war on the expression of her face. With a sigh, she sinks onto a nearby bench and gestures for me to take the empty spot next to it. "I'm waiting for someone special," yn reveals.

"Isn't...everyone?" I genuinely question.

She shrugs, brows furrowing in what looks like an attempt to sort though her thoughts. "This is different. It's someone I've met before."

"!" Her words cause my heart to stop beating and my lungs to stop taking in air. I thought she had no memories left.

Her hand reaches up to tentatively touch the bunny clip in her hair that she's worn every single day I've seen her. I watch as her lips curl into the whisper of a smile, nostalgia painted in the way her eyes soften. Her eyes shift to mine and I jump slightly, not prepared for this look of complete and utter innocence.

"Have you ever...felt like-no," she corrects herself, head tilting up to look at the stars, "have you ever known that something important was missing? Like, you walk into a room and forget why you went in there in the first place but you know it was for something you needed?"

I nod silently as she looks at the clasped hands in her lap. "Of course..." You. You are what's always been missing for me...

"The past ten years have been that way for me," she admits with a sigh. Finally, she looks back at me again. "I found this clip in my hair on my thirteenth birthday." Pulling the clip from her hair, she holds it up for me to see. "Someone gave it to me. And I can't remember who..."

"Are you sure you it wasn't just a gift from a classmate?"

She shakes her head. "I didn't have friends as a kid." I want to take her hand in mine so badly. But, she always shies away from contact. "The piece I played for my audition...I won a competition with it as a child. Except...it was a duet competition. How can I not remember who I played with?"

"..." I can't find any words to say. Hatori messed up somehow. There's no other way she would be able to put it together. But...she's been thinking of me and looking for me all this time! How do I tell her it was me?

Waving her hand dismissively in the air, she lowers her head. "I told you it was silly-"

"Not at all!" She glances at me, grief swimming in her eyes. I'm the cause of that. She should never have that look on her face. I scoot closer and open my arms to give her a comforting hug.

She flinches back, panic filling her features. "What about the curse??" I immediately stop my movements as she looks around. "I'm sorry," yn covers her mouth in surprise, "I...don't know where that came from."

I can't stand it anymore.

Without thinking, I wrap her up in my arms. She goes still for a long moment, her heart thudding so fast against her chest I can feel it in mine. I carefully take the clip from her hand and place it back in her hair. "Yn," I whisper into her hair as I kiss it.

Seconds later, her arms slowly wrap around my middle. She clings tightly to the back of my jacket as she starts to shake. "Momiji!"

"What did you say?" I pull back slightly to search her face.

Her eyes are watering, a few tears dripping off her lashes. She sniffles, rapidly looking at every aspect of my face before smiling. "It's you."

"It's me." A small sob escapes her as she throws herself back into my arms. I squeeze her tightly, lips buried in her hair, never intending to let go of her again.

But, she untangles herself from me abruptly and scoots back. "Wait, what about-" she waits, probably realizing that minutes have gone by since our embrace and I'm still human. "How did...when did-"

"Oh, mein schatzi," I chuckle warmly, the hole that's been longing for her finally filled, "I have so much to tell you!"

Her whole face lights up. She finally remembers me. We're finally together. Nothing is standing in the way of us living the life we were always meant to live together. She reaches out and cups my face. Her thumbs brush my cheek and come away slick. I didn't realize I was crying, too.

"My birthday is coming up," she whispers hopefully, "and I know exactly what I want-"

I swallow her words with my lips on hers, my hand cupping the back of her neck gently. She presses against me, her arms holding me snug against her. Our lips push and pull, like the waves that crash on the beach shore. And I'm sure I'm not getting any oxygen because the only thing I want to breathe in is her existence. Her serendipitous reappearance in my life.

My lungs start to burn and I know that it will have to end soon. But, I don't want it to. I want to keep feeling her in my arms, smelling the perfume on her neck, and tasting the tea on her tongue. And she wants the same. I know it. But, eventually it becomes too much to bear, and I have to pull away.

We pant with foreheads pressed together, breath mingling in the air between us. "Sorry," I swallow thickly, "I couldn't wait until your birthday...I've already waited almost ten years for you."

"So, you..." She begins quietly, smile quirking one corner of her lips. "You've never..."

I brush a strand of hair behind her ear, closing my eyes as I kiss her forehead for a long moment. "I've never kissed anyone like that before. I've been saving it for you. Only for you."

[giggly-squiggily]

I would like to request 🧡Bestie - "Why would you say that about yourself?" With Ler Mistuya and Lee y/n, I want it like, they're best friends at the start but then stuff happened and they ended up confessing to each other? Is that okay? It's like a platonic to romantic kinda thing. Like y/n be saying all the bad stuff abt them but they're used to doing that so they can talk normally abt it but Mitsuya just doesn't understand how they can just say that so casually, and yeaa y'know what happens next.

Oooo, this one's so good! I love a good best friends to lovers troupe, and with Mitsuya! :D I've gotcha covered, anon!

CW: Heavy self-deprecation, swearing.

Bestie: Why would you say that about yourself?"

“I’m unlovable.” You declared, nodding to yourself in acceptance.

“Why the fuck,” Mitsuya started, “Would you say that about yourself?” He stared at you, unprepared for your causal self-deprecation.

“Not in the general sense.” You corrected, regretting how you put that to your best friend. “Just in the romance part. I’m not anyone’s ideal type, Mitsuya. I’m the last pick.”

“No. Shut up.” He turned in his chair, getting up and storming over to you. “You better take all that crap back, you hear me? There is nothing- and I mean NOTHING, unlovable about you! You are probably the most lovable person I know!”

“I’m really not, Taka.” You gestured to yourself, feeling your heart sink. “What about me is so great? Besides, being single isn’t a bad thing.”

“Of course being single isn’t a bad thing. What is a bad thing however is thinking you’re gonna be single because no one would love you.” Mitsuya shook his head, sitting down across from you. “I hate when you talk shit about yourself. Especially shit that isn’t true.”

“I’m sorry.” You looked down.

“Oh you will be.” Before you could ask what he meant by that, his hands shot out to your sides, fingers wiggling and making you shoot up with a squeak. “Calling my bestie unlovable? Who the hell do you think you are! I’m gonna have to tell you all the things about them that are lovable! Number 1, their amazing freaking personality.”

“Ah! Ahehahahhahha! Tahhahahahakhahahaha!” You giggled out, curling inward as he pressed along your ribs. “Stahhahahp ihiihiihhit!”

“Number 2, how strong they are! Toman goes through it, and they’ve stuck it out since the beginning! Number 3- have you seen them? They’re so freaking attractive? Like- aphrodite hot!” He laughed along with you, working his hands to your belly and earning a squeal. “Don’t even get me started on their laugh! It’s so musical and sweet!”

“Tahhahahhahakahahhahahha!” You cried, falling back and pulling him down with you. Grabbing his hands, you interlocked your fingers with his, essentially holding them. “Ohoohkay, ooh…” That was when you realized just how close he was. “Erm…hehe…

“You wanna hear number 5?” He asked, voice barely a whisper. You couldn’t pull your eyes away from his as you nodded. He smiled, leaning down and kissing your lips.Warmth shot through you, bubbling down your veins and making your toes curl. When you two pulled away, his face was just as red, eyes warm.

“That. That is why you’re so lovable.” He nodded, making you smile.

“Tell me again?” You asked, looking at his lips. “That last one?”

He told you again and again.

~Send me a pairing and a candy heart phrase~

[clickingkeys]

Chapters: 4/4 Fandom: Helluva Boss (Web Series) Relationships: Blitzo/Stolas Goetia Summary:

Stolas comes to realize what it truly means to have a happily ever after. 

I can’t believe the last chapter came up so fast. ;-; I’m going to miss this fic. I really enjoyed writing it. Hopefully this last chapter is as satisfying to read as it was to write. 

No warnings for the last chapter. There’s some narrative tension, of course, but it’s mostly fluffy this time around. ;3

I hope you enjoy!

[kemart777]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Stargate SG-1 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Sam Carter/Jack O'Neill Characters: Sam Carter (Stargate), Jack O'Neill, Teal'c (Stargate), Daniel Jackson (Stargate), Janet Fraiser (Stargate), George Hammond Additional Tags: Memory Loss, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending Summary:

On a mission to check out a Goa’uld lab, Colonel Jack O’Neill falls victim to a device that takes a massive chunk of his memory. In the infirmary he awakens and asks about his pregnant wife. Now SG-1 has to help him through the grief of finding out he has lost everything, and show him that his life now is rich and he is loved. The problem is, if one certain major gives him the piece he is truly missing, he may not understand the life that they had, the delicate balance that it was. Now the threat is that it may either blow up in their faces or disappear forever.

[whalyrae]

PERFECT - ONE SHOT - M.JOON

Genre : fluff fluff fluff, a little of angst but it's a happy ending I promise !

Pairing : Minjoon my babies ♥

Word count : 1.4k

A/N : Hi hi ! No it's not an update for the old guard or dance with me ...!! I had this one shot I wrote years ago in french and I wanted to share it to my english readers ! Hope you'll like it !

I recommand to listen to Perfect by Ed Sheeran while reading it! :)

Also don't hesistate to follow me on twitter I follow back of course ! Let's be moots and friends ! ♥

ao3 link

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I found a love for me Darling just dive right in And follow my lead Well I found a boy beautiful and sweet I never knew you were the someone waiting for me 'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love…

The strings of the old acoustic guitar vibrated to the rhythm of the music imposed by the solitary musician. His deep, suave voice took over the music, while the lyrics flowed slowly, softly. A slight Korean accent betrayed his English accent. But this only added to the purity and uniqueness of this song. With his eyes closed, the musician let himself go, paying no attention to his environment - he always told him that what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Not knowing what it was I will not give you up this time But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own And in your eyes you're holding mine... 

Sitting alone in a park, leaning against an old Japanese cherry tree in full bloom this autumn, he couldn't help seeing his face invade his mind as he sang this song. He knew for a fact that Ed Sheeran had always been his favourite singer, and that's why he'd learned it. He wanted to play it to him for his birthday, which happened to be today. But he wasn't there. Everything had gone wrong so quickly.

Baby,I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song When you said you looked a mess, I whispered under neath my breath But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight... 

He danced in the dark. But an unbearable darkness. All he wanted to do was dance in the dark in his arms. But he was in the dark, alone, without him, without his arms. He was in a labyrinth of pain, regrets and memories that were only deepening the gaping hole in his heart. But despite everything, anyone would understand that he was madly in love. And that was why he was singing it on that balmy October evening. Even if he wasn't there with him, he still wanted to sing it.

Well I found a man, stronger than anyone I know He shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share his home£ I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets To carry love, to carry children of our own We are still kids, but we're so in love Fighting again stall odds I know we'll be alright this time Darling, just hold my hand Be my boy, I'll be your man I see my future in your eyes.

All his words described him so much. This song described them perfectly. They had known each other since the school sandbox. And as far as he could remember, the artist wanted to spend his life with him. At first, being young and innocent, no one interpreted this as love, and neither did the two protagonists. But as the years went by, the jealousy, attraction and feelings grew stronger and stronger. The more time passed, the more they fell in love with each other. Male or not, they didn't care; they always both believed that love had no appearance, no sex. In their eyes, love knew no boundaries.

And four years ago, one December evening, he took the first step, the musician kissed him, under the same Japanese cherry tree where he was at the moment. It had all been so beautiful, so perfect, so sweet. He would always remember the taste of her lips. And he would give anything to feel them against his own again, against his skin. Just as he wanted more than anything in the world to be able to feel her body against his again, to show him other than through words, how much he loved him.

Baby,I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful I don't deserve this, darling, you look perfect tonight...

Yes, he didn't deserve him. Unfortunately, his love wasn't enough: he had to be so clumsy, so awkward in his words and the way he acted towards others. All it took was one misinterpreted gesture on his part for him to think he didn't love him any more, that he'd found someone better. And he left, tears rolling down his slightly chubby cheeks that he loved kissing so much. They both thought they weren't good enough for each other, the younger one in particular. And yet for the singer, even a song like the one he was singing now wasn't even enough to say how madly in love he was with him.

A sob reached the singer's ear and he opened his eyes, without stopping his singing or his guitar. But he almost stopped when he saw him face to face, how long had he been listening to him? He hesitated to stop and take him in his arms, hating to see him in this state, but at the sight of his shining eyes staring at him, he straightened up and started again, his voice sounding more melodious, more powerful, a certain gentleness having been added when he plunged his gaze into his. Because now he wasn't singing just for himself, but for the man in front of him, his soul mate, his better half.

Baby,I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song I have faith in what I see Now I know I have met an angel in person And he looks perfect I don't deserve this You look perfect tonight. 

Slowly, the younger man moved closer to the man with the guitar, running a hand through his blond hair, something he did when he was embarrassed, making the guitarist smile softly. As soon as he caught sight of him, all his pain and aches dissipated, and all negative feelings disappeared from his being, as they did every time he was in the company of the younger man.

The song came to an end, and the melody stopped. The musician placed his guitar against the tree trunk and approached the youngest, only a few millimeters away. The young blond hid his face in his hands, crying his eyes out, apologizing several times between sobs. “Joonie…”

The man called Joonie gently grabbed his younger's wrists, letting him see his beautiful face. His slightly rounded cheeks were now covered in a light pink tinge, making him all the more adorable. Without waiting, the brunet took his angel in his arms, hugging him with all his strength. Being smaller than Namjoon, the blond laid his head against his chest, his sobs starting up again as he felt his elder's arms around him, his warmth invading him. He felt all the more guilty because he'd almost never felt that way again, and God, he'd rather die than not feel Namjoon next to him.

“Calm down Love,” the dark-haired man whispered softly against his shoulder, “it's down to me to apologize…”

The blond shook his head, disagreeing with his words. It was his own fault, he'd always been a bit melodramatic around the edges, but like everything else, it was something Namjoon loved about him. But his last words warmed his heart with a gentle warmth that only the guitarist could provide.

Slowly, the younger raised his head, gazing into the musician's eyes. The musician placed both hands on his cheeks, wiping away the traces of tears, his thumbs gently caressing them. He let out a small sigh of relief, having missed the warmth of Namjoon's protective hands.

“Hyung,” said the blond shyly, “will you sing it for me again?”

Namjun's lips stretched, a tender smile taking place on the face the blonde loved so much. Slowly, he broke the space between them and placed his lips on his. A simple kiss was all it took to make the other understand the boundless love he had for him. The two lovers closed their eyes, enjoying this moment as the most precious of all, for more than four years of their relationship. A moment that would remain engraved in their memories forever.

“Of course, Jimin,” Namjoon murmured softly against his lips, “I'll sing it to you as many times as you like.”

[hitlikehammers]

to die by your side (is such a heavenly way to die)

rating: t ♥️ cw: angst with a happy ending (which is actually kinda fluffy?), limbo/near-death experiences, post-S4/Upside Down-heavy, falling in love ♥️ tags: falling for each other in the space between life and death, happy ending

for @steddielovemonth day twenty-six: Love is a fire that never goes out (@sidekick-hero)

this is because of 1) this song being too close to the prompt for me to disengage it in my head, and the chorus therefore dictating this plot line, and 2) @hbyrde36 picked it and, again, I am very susceptible to people indicating they like a thing and would enjoy more, so @hbyrde36: I hope you enjoy what this became ♥️

“Oh fuck, not you, too.”

Steve looks up—when did he sit down, he doesn’t remember sitting down, he doesn’t remember how even got here, and hey, actually, where is here—

“What?” Steve looks toward the voice; familiar. See the wreath of curls around a pale face.

“This is death, right?” Eddie’s crossing over to him, crouching just beside; “I’m dead, like, I am very sure I’m dead, but you’re here, so—“

“I don’t,” Steve breathes in sharp—tries to get his bearings, tries to see but it’s just black in every direction, his lungs feel like they’re halved in size all of sudden, everything feels tight and painful and hard like inhaling isn’t something guaranteed, and his heartbeat feels like it’s dragging the carcass of something with it when it pumps, laborious and—

He’s is breathing, though, even if it’s kinda half-assed; he’s got a heartbeat, even if it feels like it’s about to fucking give out.

That doesn’t…that doesn’t sound like death.

“I,” Steve licks his lips; his mouth is so fucking dry but swelling kinda hurts and…he’s not as fucked up as he has a feeling he should be, he needs to think harder than he’s ready for just now to figure out what the last thing that happened between where he was, and where he is but: he thinks he should be more fucked up on, like, an instinctual level that knows he should be pretty fucked up, basically, and he’s not.

But again: he still hurts, and that…also doesn’t sound like death.

He swallows anyway; not that it helps.

“Max said there was this, black void,” Steve works through the first thing that comes to mind slowly, processes as he speaks; “with water,” and he looks down and sees the ripples in what he’s sitting in, moving around him but…but the reflections are right, and there’s no light so how are there even wrong reflections; he wasn’t good in his science classes but he feels pretty sure you need light to see anything in a mirror, plus—

“Water,” he flicks his hand from the standing pool around him up at Eddie without warning: “that wasn’t wet.”

Eddie splutters, but it dies down quick: it’s supposed to be wet. He expects it to be.

But it’s not. His eyes go so fucking big.

“It’s attached to the Upside Down,” Steve pushes on; “Eleven can like, come here, but,” he shakes his head and Eddie grimaces: she lost her powers.

“So it’s almost-death,” Eddie surmises, and drops into the not-water next to Steve.

“I guess so,” Steve shrugs, and draws his legs up; hugs his knees.

“Fucking great,” Eddie huffs, sneers, and it’s…Steve not sure why exactly, but it feels…targeted. Directed at him, because one, yes: he isthe only other thing here—as far as he can tell—but the words Eddie’d no-greeted him with float back into his consciousness:

Not you.

“Sorry to rain on your parade, man,” Steve bites out and shoves his head down between his thighs, maybe to breathe, maybe to think, maybe to hide, maybe to fucking cry, maybe to…fuck, he doesn’t even know.

He thinks he’s in the middle of trying to split the difference of every possible thing when Eddie’s voice breaks the still in the dark: “I didn’t,” and honestly, Steve’s never heard that voice sound so soft, so small; “that’s not what I meant,” and it’s an apology even if they words don’t add up exact, Steve feels it clear like a blow to the solar plexus. He turns to Eddie, who’s staring out at the nothing.

“I don’t want to be alone,” Eddie whispers, and his lip trembles, Steve can see that despite the lack of light.

Steve can see tears on that face, too, despite the lack of any light.

“But I hate that you’re here,” Eddie’s voice catches on kind of a whine, and Steve maybe would startle, when a hand reaches out and covers his; Eddie still does look at him, but he flattens his hand over Steve’s like a squeeze:

“That you’re here, too.”

And, oh. Okay.

Okay.

They’re here, then. Together.

Here.

___________________

It takes a while—he thinks; he thinks it’s a while, but one of the first things that makes itself plain in this godforsaken place is how times means absolutely fucking nothing, so; he think it takes a while to remember the vines.

They were coming back for Robin, and Steve would die before he let her get hurt so: that’s the last thing he remembers.

For Eddie, it’s the bats; Steve grimaces, hates even imagining like…swarms of them. More of their bites.

He’s the one who reaches for Eddie’s hand, this time—he wants to say it’s just a little comfort for the particularly bad things that are coming up as they sit here, as they draw patterns in the not-water and blow against it to make little waves just for shits, mindless and stupid: he wants to say that when it gets too much, and then keeps going, when it’s the worst, they’ve started to reach because what else can they do? Who else can they lean on?

Who’s gonna fucking know?

Actually: no. He doesn’t want to say that.

He wants to say the truth: the truth being they touch a lot. They reach a lot. They reach because it’s quiet. They reach because it’s dark. They reach because they’re frustrated. Or they’re scared. Steve could map Eddie’s calluses blind if he was asked to. Eddie traces his veins without being able to see close enough to know that he’s right.

He wants to say the truth: that he wants to touch. He craves it. And not just from anyone.

He craves this.

He doesn’t know what that fucking means.

But he’s the one who reaches, and covers Eddie’s hand, presses down to keep him when Eddie remembers the bats.

And he’s the one who leans, who rests their shoulders together and holds his breath.

But Eddie is the one who doesn’t move away, who leans in too, he tips his head onto Steve and breathes out slow so Steve can feel the warm damp of it on his skin and…

Steve’s heart’s fucking pounding, but then also it’s kinda like fluttering, and either way:

That’s not death.

___________________

Steve likes that the not-water is…not water, because lying back in it doesn’t fuck up his hair. Which…feels cleaner than it should be he figures maybe that’s just the same as both he and Eddie not being riddled with the wounds they should be rights be covered in—he can run his hands through it and that’s really all he wants, his hands, or like, you know if other hands wanted—

Whatever; he’s not going to question the not-water. He’s happy it doesn’t make him a wet dog just for trying to lay back and pretend there are stars.

Which he’d still be doing, if a weird…flapping noise hadn’t started up over to the left.

He has to squint in the no-light to see what the fuck’s going on, something in Eddie’s hands, oh shit, flapping, is it one of those fucking bats—

“What the fuck?”

Eddie freezes, and turns. And Steve sees what’s in his hands.

Doesn’t change his question.

Eddie just blinks at him. And runs his thumbs over the desk of cards he’s holding, flicking them one by one: flapping.

“Where the hell did those come from?”

Eddie shrugs. “Pocket.”

Steve gapes a little.

“You’ve had them the whole time?” because again, even if the feeling’s shifted: what the fuck

“Lots of pockets, man,” Eddie grins cheekily as he shakes his jacket out, like Steve can see any pockets.

Then he’s walking over to Steve on his knees before dropping cross-legged and shuffling the deck before he taps them out on his thigh and leans in:

“Pick your poison.”

And Steve’s played his share of cards, is actually pretty decent at poker, but, like…

“I don’t,” he bites his lip and stares at the predictable red pattern of the face-down cards;“I don’t want to think,” he finishes, kinda fucking lame, but Eddie’s not deterred, flips a few cards off the top with a thump before balancing the rest on his knee, offering half the cards he’s still holding to Steve with a little wiggle of his eyebrows:

“Go Fish?”

And Steve, he, like—

This is not-death, right, but whatever it is, it’s probably not good, and yet here Steve sits, with five cards in his hand and…Jesus.

He feels his lips stretch and he doesn’t think he’s smiled like this in…

In a while.

___________________

“Three Musketeers,” Steve answers when they’re lounging in the not-water, heads lined up so sometimes Steve feels the tickle of Eddie’s curls.

“The fuck?” Eddie huffs a laugh; the question was just things they’d miss if they never get out of here; like, it’s a little morbid and also a little hopeful all at once.

They’ve been working deeper in the category of food for a bit now, and so it’s candy bars. And Steve does not see what’s controversial about his choice, honestly.

“I love those, shit,” Steve waves his hand in the air, dismissing Eddie’s very wrong opinion, here; “they’re just,” Steve hums, tries to figure out the best way to defend a genuinely fucking excellent snack food:

“They’re simple,” and that sounds like a weak defense but look at where they are, look at their lives, that is fucking high praise. “Not too sweet and like, light and airy and,” Steve tilts his head, imagines the mouthfeel:

“Kinda delicate when you bite into ‘em,” he feels himself grin a little: “like bubbles or something,” because…yeah.

They’re awesome, but then he looks over at Eddie, who’s already turned to look at him, his gaze…something. Weighty but not oppressive. Piercing but not painful.

“Sorry,” Steve feels himself flush and it’s no the first time, or the worst time, but he’s grateful just like he is every time that there’s no fucking light and whatever lets them see at all doesn’t give away a blush; “sorry, that’s—“

“That’s adorable,” Eddie says with something…equally undefinable in his voice as much as his eyes, but this thing makes Steve feel, like, warm and tingly, a little, under his skin, in his chest; “you’re right, they’re…” and Eddie reaches for his hand, which they do a lot, yeah, but not…not so often for good things and this feels…like a good thing.

“They’re really good,” Eddie presses his hand over Steve’s, like a blanket, all encompassing—Steve has broad hands but Eddie’s fingers are longer than he’d ever noticed and he—

Steve likes how they fit.

“Under-appreciated, I think,” Eddie’s voice has lowered, softened, and it kinda feels like he’s saying something that has nothing to do with candy bars at all: “because people aren’t looking close enough to see how amazing it is.”

Yeah, for how Eddie’s staring at him, and for how Steve’s pulse has ramped up all of a sudden: Steve doesn’t really think Eddie’s talking about chocolate at all.

___________________

“You’re really good company.”

Eddie turns and blinks Steve’s way.

“What?”

Steve swallows; he’s not sure what made him say it. Except that it’s true.

“I’d have liked it,” he starts, like, expands on the point rather than revisiting the simple part; “if we could have, y’know,” and he gestures between them; “hung out.”

Eddie tilts his head, and he doesn’t smile exactly, but it kinda feels like his whole face, maybe his whole body, is a smile.

“Well,” he huffs a little laugh, like a disbelieving sound; “we’re hanging out, now.”

And Steve smiles the normal way, which is probably lesser to look at, but he wishes really hard that Eddie could, like, slip under his skin and see how it feels on the inside. “Yeah,” Steve grins at the darkness for a second, chews his lips a little, suddenly kinda…bashful, fuck:

“Yeah we are,” and then he breathes in deep, and makes himself be brave with something he doesn’t wholly understand:

“I like it,” and that’s an understatement.

And then Eddie hums, and covers Steve’s hand as he murmurs:

“Me too, sweetheart.”

And Steve’s heartbeat catches on that word, or more, reaches for that word, that name, greedy and wild and it pounds out that same desperate mantra blood-in-blood-out unwavering:

not-dead, not-dead, not-dead, not—

___________________

Eddie’s smile is so fucking pretty.

He didn’t know what Speed was, like the card game, so they’ve each got a pile balanced on a knee as the flip and they’re pressed up tight at their crossed legs to make a little table from their limbs for the discards and Eddie’s just…

It’s not just his smile.

“My grandpa taught me to play,” Steve comments idly, mostly just for something to say when it looks like they’re stuck and need to flip from the sides.

“It’s chaotic,” Eddie looks up and meets Steve’s eyes, his own fucking glittering when the lack of light should make that impossible but Steve thinks Eddie is kinda impossible so probably it fits.

“I like it,” he proclaims, as he reaches for another card to start the momentum back up, raises an eyebrow at Steve and waits for him to follow suit like he’s the expect, like Steve didn’t fucking just show him this game—

“You would,” Steve snorts and Eddie?

Eddie just beams bigger, and that catches in Steve’s pulse, nudges it to sing something that’s more than just not-dead; that’s more…

That feels more

___________________

It’s the more-feeling that breaks him, in the end.

“You called me big boy.”

Steve doesn’t really have control over his mouth, when it happens. Or else, like, he doesn’t think before the words tumble out, and the lie in the not-water and stare at the absence of the starts in the not-sky.

His heart’s jumped up to his throat, now.

Eddie’s quiet, for a while, even if time doesn’t mean anything here; Eddie’s quiet, and Steve’s heart wants to jump out of his fucking mouth but if it does than it’s got two destinations: it can’t drown in the not-water so that’s fucking useless, and then there’s Eddie, Eddie’s hands, Eddie’s chest and—

“I,” Eddie finally speaks, and his voice is rough, far away;“I, yeah.”

Steve doesn’t know what he was expecting. He wasn’t planning on saying anything so there weren’t any expectations built in.

“You looked at me,” Steve’s whispering, but it wavers, it moves with the force of his blood; “like you…” Steve licks his lips, swallows a whimper because what is he doing, what is he doing—

“Being almost-dead is really going to take the thunder out of your backlash on this, Harrington,” Eddie cuts into his panic and Steve’s head snaps over to look, to try and read Eddie’s expression: scared. Bracing for impact. Like Steve would, like Steve could ever—

“No, no, I,” Steve raises himself up and scoots over to Eddie, grabs his hands and presses them together in his own, never once looks away from Eddie’s eyes as they stretch wide.

“What did you mean?” because Steve’s started this, and Eddie’s anxious for it and…he needs Eddie to understand he’s not upset, he’s confused, his heart’s all swollen for it, he just, he—

“With the, with calling me that, and with leaning in like you did in the woods,” his breath’s shaking on the exhale: “with all the looks,” and he tries to leave it all in his eyes, on his face, open and clear for all that he doesn’t understand, but also for all that he…that he hopes.

Eventually, Eddie sighs, and squeezes his eyes shut tight, almost like a wince.

But he doesn’t pulls his hands away.

“You’re not stupid, Steve.”

Steve shakes his head, even if Eddie can’t see it.

“I’m very stupid.”

And Eddie’s eyes fly open, look wrathful, look offended on…Steve’ behalf, what the fuck?

And yeah, yeah, he’s opening his mouth now to fight him, to fight Steve about Steve and…no. No, that’s not the point.

“I’m stupid,” Steve says again, but quick so he can get it out; “about like,” he tries to find the right words and remembers Robin’s point on it once:

“About, you know, matters of the heart.”

Eddie’s features slacken, and his mouth drops open as he blinks at Steve before he eventually chokes out:

“Heart?”

But Steve can hear it. He can hear the confusion, like his own, but also just like his own:

He thinks he can hear the hope.

“You held that bottle to my throat and all I wanted was for you to lean closer,” he confesses, and it feels amazing, like he can breathe again, or see in color even though there’s so little color, here.

“And slit it?” Eddie croaks, incredulous, still a little slack-jawed and Steve laughs, because he can breathe, and—

“And kiss me, you dick.”

Eddie’s mouth snaps shut, and his eyes somehow get bigger, and his chest’s heaving and Steve wants that not to be for fearing, he wants Eddie to be anything but scared, he wants Eddie to be hoping—

“Stevie,” Eddie barely breathes and…it’s not scared, or else, not like it could be. It’s hesitant. It’s…full, of something Steve thinks might be incredible.

“You call me sweetheart,” Steve leans in, pushes the point, leans more until he’s close enough where he can feel Eddie’s breath on his face; “here. Now.”

Eddie nods immediately, doesn’t try to hide from it.

“Yeah, I do,” he breathes, and watches Steve so careful, unblinking.

“What does it mean,” Steve pushes, angles his lips without even thinking, without making the choice but Eddie?

Eddie makes the choice, and he kisses Steve so fucking sure and sweet and still wild somehow and Steve never wants to not be here. Never wants to not have this mouth under his, never wants to not have Eddie’s hands in his own: he doesn’t wholly understand it, where it comes from or what all it means but…his heart’s fucking dancing, the joy’s almost sore for it’s size and when Steve breathes between them, when they break for half a second to breathe and stare and marvel and Eddie looks like he’s entranced, like he’s overjoyed, and the only other thing here is Steve?

Fuck. Fuck.

If this ends up being death, that’s okay. That’s okay, as long as there’s also this.

___________________

He’s on top of Eddie’s chest, curled so so close, when it starts to feel…different. In his body. Like something pulling him.

The dark is still absolute but it almost feels like they’re on the brink of something, like dawn could come.

Steve fucking hates it.

“I don’t want to die alone,” Eddie whispers against his head, kisses at his hair.

“I don’t want you to die,” Steve grits out, almost violent, because isn’t this how it started, wasn’t that what Eddie meant, that he didn’t want Steve here, too—but Steve won’t accept that.

He cannot fucking accept that.

“I don’t want you to die at all.”

Eddie drags the tip of his nose back and forth against Steve’s hair some more as he breathes, breathes, breathes—

“To die by your side,” Eddie murmurs low; “would be my privilege,” and Steve chokes on a whine, a sob—it’s too much. It’s too much, and he needs this man, he needs him so much, he think he fucking loves hi—

“Maybe it’s not dying,” Steve tries, looks out into the abyss and he can’t see what’s on the way but he feels it; they both feel it: “maybe we’ll,” and he grabs Eddie’s hand and brings it to his lips.

“Maybe we’ll wake up.”

Maybe. Maybe.

“Kiss me,” Eddie exhales and Steve pulls back, slides up Eddie’s chest and hovers over him, makes to claim his lips but then Eddie lifts a palm, pauses Steve as he presses it over his racing heart and blinks at him, makes the tears fall from his lashes:

“Kiss me again when we wake up.”

And Steve will, he will, but.

He’s gonna kiss Eddie now, too. He’s going to kiss Eddie always.

He thinks his heart’s going too fast to beat out words but that, in itself, has to mean something that isn’t…death.

So he pours that conviction, and all the hope he’s got left, into Eddie as he devours him, breathes into him like they can melt together, like if Steve’s air lifts Eddie’s lungs they’ll be one person, one living soul and whatever happens…

Whatever happens will take them both.

___________________

Eddie splutters, clutches his chest; his heart’s racing, it feels like his blood’s on fire because every beat fucking burns, and the tear of his shirt where it’s stuck to his skin—dried blood, fucking hell—all up his side is absolutely disgusting, Jesus fuck—

“Eddie!”

He turns and that, that’s Henderson, and he squints; that’s Henderson running toward him, less than a minute away at that pace and Eddie doesn’t know if he can sit up but he’ll try, he digs his fingers into the mud and makes to lift—

And then something crashes into him, pins him right back down.

Covers his hands. Presses.

And he can’t get a word out, can barely fucking breathe before his lips are covered, before he’s being kissed so fucking desperate and giddy and all these feelings being fed straight into him, his heart leaping up in his throat to steal a taste but it doesn’t need to, it doesn’t need to because he feels…he feels it all everywhere, and he looks up and he shakes, he laughs, he’s gonna fucking cry—

“You woke up,” Eddie whispers, marvels, thinks his whole face is going to split open with, with joy and Steve, Steve is here, and he’s smiling back, and he’s breathing and they’re, it’s—

There’s light here. Steve’s eyes are like molten copper, they flicker, they shine.

“Promised,” Steve murmurs close, his lips moving Eddie’s lips with each syllable and the taste is, is…sweet and soft and light and perfect and Eddie almost doesn’t ask because it feels so right, so unquestionable but also he wants, something fierce and unwavering, and he needs to be sure where the water’s real, and the ripples mean something when you shift the whole fucking world, when you feel this big you know it’ll move the earth breathe your feet, so he has to ask:

“That the only reason?”

He still feels the hope from wherever they were, though; he feels it still, here, and he believes in it more in the light, he thinks, and he looks at Steve, takes him in, sees his chest rising and his pulse at the neck: real. Real, and so beautiful, and so, so—

Steve leans and kisses him hard, almost painful but it’s divine, Eddie will bask in the sting of it for the rest of his fucking life if he’s allowed, and then—

Then Steve pulls back and pins him with his eyes, now, fierce and on fire and they steal Eddie’s breath with feeling, with intent as Steve grabs at his shoulders, pulls them flush together and growls against his ear, like a vow almost:

“Only reason?” Steve huffs, shakes his head. “Not even close,” and he drags his lips over Eddie’s skin, catches Eddie’s hair, weaves into Eddie’s heartbeat:

not-dead, not-dead, not-dead

in-love, in-love, in-love—

tag list (comment to be added): @pearynice @hbyrde36 @slashify @finntheehumaneater @wxrmland @dreamwatch @perseus-notjackson @estrellami-1 @bookworm0690 

♥️

divider credit here

[pinkexpertnerdghost]

A Rose for You!

Lyney x Gn!Reader

Pt.2 to Watch and Be Amazed!

{ Ok! Ya'll asked for it. I kinda wanted to write more in the first part but it was already kinda lengthy. As in the last part there wasn't much one on one Lyney and Reader moments. But don't fret dear [Name]! You'll be in the lovely company of this little magical menace for a tour around the Nation! }

! Some Spoilers for the Fontaine Archon Quest Act 1 and some nudges to Lyney and Lynettes Backstory/Personal Stories !

General: sfw, fluff, Grin Malkin Cat, small Freminet and Lynette cameo, Lyney being the charming little flirt he is, flustered Lyney, french, a wee bit of angst here and there towards the end,

It was a new day, and you felt refreshed. Truly, Fontaine is one of the most snazziest places you’ve ever been in. Alongside the technological advancements, there was much attention to the intricacies of decorum and an artistic romanticism in the most mundane activities. Although, the air was a bit smellier than the countryside and the stars couldn’t sparkle as brightly.

You had woken up from your slumber, the sun beaming through the thin curtains by the window. Next to your bedside was a small nightstand with a beautiful lamp and the prop card laying face down. 

You rolled a bit around in your bed until you laid on your back facing the ceiling.

Your mind wandered to the events that unfolded last evening. The colorful memory replayed in your mind like moving photographs. 

The doves, cats in hats, paper butterflies and a pair of soft lilac eyes. 

You sighed.

From the walk to your hotel yesterday, you had viciously tried to recount the events that happened. At what point did Lyney slip this note in your sleeve? And why didn’t you notice sooner?

You had trouble sleeping that night. 

Lyney couldn’t have been serious could he? It was just a part of the show, of course he would shower you with pretty words and a suave demeanor . It's part of his charming routine, nothing more. 

Then again…

Why did he whisper at you so much? Now you thought about it, you were up there for at least one two..TECHNICALLY FOUR ACTS?! Also, he stopped you after the show to talk. AND NOW HE HANDED YOU A CARD ASKING YOU OUT?! No WaIT- Not ‘Out Out’ like a date or anything, an outing as friends? Can you even call him that?! What acquaintance just requests a day to hang out together? HE ISN'T BREAKING SOME PERFORMER AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE REGULATIONS IS HE?!-

Overthinking can lead to a very unsettled mindset preventing you from getting proper rest. 

So here you were, laying like a beached seal on your bed. You didn’t bother to get up right away. Too lazy and your head was fizzed out of thoughts.

You shifted your head around, the bedding beneath you shuffled along. On the nightstand was the prop card you had found in your sleeve last night. 

You eyed the shiny piece of paper. The little red grinning cat silhouette on the backside felt like it was taunting you. Calling you pathetic as it stared at you from atop his side table throne.

Stretching your arms above your head, you finally sat up. 

You reached and picked up the card, holding it with your index and thumb. Once again you carefully read the words that were written on the front in cursive. 

 “ I hope you had a magical evening, [Name]. Meet me by the bench near the potted flowers by the station at noon tomorrow. If you show up, best prepare for I still have tricks up my sleeve that will leave you dazzled! ”

You stared at it and noticed it was written on what was a blank playing card. 

Staring at how the curved letters formulated each word you wondered. 

Meet him at the benches by the Aquabus station by noon. Did you really trust this man? Even though he is technically a celebrity, you just met him not even a day ago. 

You swung your feet off the bed, card still in hand. Stepping down onto the small bedside rug, you idled around near the window. It looked to be early morning, you’d guess around eight o’ clock. 

“ I don’t have much plans today. Other than wandering the streets and walking into what I think will be interesting.” You said, your voice a bit groggy. 

You twirled the card in your hand.

You thought carefully of what you’d do next.

“ I think he might it want back.”

Yeah, that’s it.

“I’m sorry, sir?” You yelped. You had to crane your neck a bit to be able to make eye contact? You didn’t think it had eyes, but nevertheless you made the best effort to stare into its face.

Or what looked to be a face.

 You had seen some of them walking about freely in the main city. When you were making your way towards a staircase you bumped into one. 

The robotic garde halted and nodded.

‘ Ah, so they can communicate.’

It went back to walking down the street, undeterred. Turning around after that odd exchange you went back to the matter afoot.

You were lost. Lyney never specified which station he’d be waiting in. You were almost half convinced he was going to be at the Marcotte Line; the one closest to the Opera Epiclese. Although, the more you thought about it the less likely he would be there. 

He did mention that he might be available to take you to see around Fontaine. So he must have meant the main station hub located in the main city.

Even if he wasn’t there, you’d have that station checked off the list of possibilities.

You hurried up the stairs, the small journey reminding you of the Nation of Freedom surprisingly. Although both were vastly different, they did share a similar style of building upward rather than outward. 

Reaching the top, you made your way to the station. You kept your eyes open as you scoped out your surroundings hoping to find a tall tophat. 

It shouldn’t be hard right? Someone as extravagant as him would surely stand out.

You stood corrected. It looks like many people here in Fontaine take up the fashion trend that was tall extravagant head wear. You had gone over almost every suspect bench near flora, most of them were occupied by either locals, adventurers or both. 

He didn’t seem to be near the reception or the inner waiting area. 

“ It's almost noon” you turn to look out a window, the sun is high in the sky now. 

“ If I were a famous magician with an outgoing personality, where would I be?” You muttered as you had your eyes peeled, wondering in the same space.

Your eyes followed the cheers of children. Near a bench a group of kids surrounded someone. 

“ Wow!”

“Where did it go?”

“Could you do it again mister?”

“ Alright! Since you asked nicely. Watch carefully now!~” You heard a jovial smooth voice. 

Looking above the kid group you spot him, seated comfortably playing with his card deck. 

‘ Of course! You’d be where a willing audience was present!’ 

You waltzed over subtly. He was entertaining a group of little kids with some card tricks, you’d let him finish his mini performance before you made yourself known.

“ Is this your card little Mademoiselle?”  Lyney knelt down and held up a four of hearts card. The little girl with blonde hair jumped up excitedly.

“ Yeah! That’s my card!” 

Lyney laughed, a warm expression graced his features. His eyes met yours for a split second. Not knowing what to do, you sent a little wave. Well at least he knows you're here. 

His gaze flitted back to the group of kids. He got back up with the card in hand. “ Before I go, I’ll leave you all with a grand finale!”

The children gasped in unison and quieted down instantly. 

He brought the card close to his face. He flicked it two times before crumpling it into his hand. 

He shook his hand and reeled it as if he was going to throw a shot ball. He brought his hand up in a presenting way and when his palm opened there was a pop sound. It rained rainbow confetti and small cut out paper stars.

The children ooo’d and awe’d, and two were reaching their little arms up to catch the popper’s confetti. 

“ Ta-da! This has been a special performance, brought to you by Magician Extraordinaire Lyney!” The magician lifted his cape from behind him and took a bow. The children clapped and cheered. 

Two adults came walking up to the mini crowd. 

“ Thank you for entertaining them, Mister Lyney. Getting our little Anais to sit still is a magic trick on its own.” An older woman laughed, as she picked up a small girl who wore a Boater styled hat. 

“ Alright Hugo, let's go. Our boat will leave in a few minutes. Say thank you to Monsieur Lyney.” A man with a distinguished mustache taped a young boy in overalls. The little boy with his hands behind his back, thanked the magician before he went off with his father. 

Lyney waved the kids off as he walked off towards you. 

“ Hey there you. I hope managed to get a full night's rest.” He said, there was this sort of bounce in his voice. You may have only known him for a little while now, but you couldn’t help but pick up some recurring little quirks about him.

He wasn’t much different casually like he was on stage. This guy really does live and breathe in the spotlight huh?

“ Sort of. I had a bit of trouble sleeping.” 

‘No way you were going to tell him you were thinking about him. That would make the rest of the day awkward.’

“ I did end up getting some shut eye though, eventually.” You mustered up a reassuring smile. 

“ Trouble sleeping?” Lyney tilted his head as his index finger came up to chin. His eyes slightly narrowed as a mischief inducing grin made its way onto his face. “ You weren’t laying awake thinking about me were you?~” 

You couldn’t help but widen your eyes and sputter out. Is telepathy in his book of magic tricks too?!

“What? No, of course not!” You forced a cough to cover your small blunder. “It’s just, I need to get accustomed to the climate, that's all. It's like that the first few days in a new location.”

Lyney laughed, his smirk melting into a more genuine expression.

“I’m kidding! That might have been a bit much, sorry about that! Hehe.” He said apologetically.  

You crossed your arms as you held a small jaded stare at the cheeky magician. You were doubting if he really meant that. You blew out a held breath.

Reaching into your pocket you fetched the prop card

“ I found this in my sleeve when I left the Opera House. I believe this belongs to you.” You extended his card to him. His eyes suddenly lit up and he swiped the card away from you.

“So this is where it went! Honestly, sometimes my card deck has a mind of its own.” He mused as he twirled the card in his hand. 

His eyes traveled back to you. “Well since it got you here today, why not take a walk around town! I did say if we had free time we were going to show you around. Call it an encore if you will.” 

You looked around you, noticing something amiss after he said that.

“ Is Miss Lynette not going to join today?”

Lyney shrugged as he slid the card back into his deck. “ Lynette had something urgent to take care of, So she can't join us today unfortunately. So it will probably just be little old me and you today.” 

He was idly playing around with the deck before he made it disappear. “ Oh, you don’t need to be so formal! Just Lyney is fine.” 

You hummed.

“Alright. So any places to recommend visiting?”

At this the magician sported a confident smile and walked ahead of you. “ I have a full day planned out, a surprise around every corner. I want your stay in Fontaine to be an unforgettable glimmering memory.” 

He turned on his heel to face you and extended a hand to you.

“ Now if you’d allow me to be your escort, mon cher?” 

You could do nothing but stare. You couldn’t come up with any words to say except stepping forward and taking his hand. 

With a content smile, Lyney gently pulled you along. His gloved hand felt smooth where his fingers grazed your palm yet there was a distinctive tougher texture where the white detailing was sewn on. The people wandering the streets around you felt like the fizzling suds of a wave.

You felt your face becoming a bit warmer. 

He really does have a flair for the theatrical doesn’t he? 

Lyney had taken you everywhere, one exciting place following the next. But before anything, he invented you for a meal. It was noon and the complimentary breakfast from early morning wasn’t going to keep you going for the entire day. So you both stopped by a humble cafe. The food was absolutely delicious! The smell of toasty bread invaded your senses and the savory taste of garlic on your tongue made you smile with each bite . 

You were perfectly content with the garlic bread but you curiously asked Lyney for any recommended dish for the main course.

His answer was; “ If you want my word, then I’d say try this dish right here!” He pointed to a warm soup bowl as he leaned himself over to you.

After lunch, Lyney brought you to see many sights and places. From the tall waterfalls that made up the borders of Fontaine, you could stare at it for hours. He had to subtly pull you away from the viewing point as you kept your eyes glued to the running water. 

You took the Aquabus every so often to get around. You were looking out into the distance. The water seemed to stretch on for infinity, islands broke through the surface making the land seem like one big jigsaw puzzle.

While the ride dragged out, Lyney made quick conversation to pass the time.

“So, what brought you to Fontaine, hm? If my memory serves me right, you mentioned that you don’t get out much.” Lyney sat next to you with his legs crossed. 

“ Yeah. I see travelers but I'm never the one traveling. My job is not something exciting like an adventurer or extravagant like an artist.”

You shift in your seat. You folded your arms onto your lap.

“ I’m just a shopkeep. So, you can already say that I live a perfectly mundane life” You chuckled a bit dryly. 

Lyney was uncharacteristically quiet. He was paying his undivided attention to your words. You continued. 

“With every passing day, I gradually realized that my life had possibly reached a stalemate. Every day felt like a repeat of yesterday. It was the same route, same building, same aisles, and same feelings.” You said. You couldn’t exactly remember when you began to feel like this. It was a thought that had crossed your mind one day. And ever since, it had stayed in the crevices like gunk you couldn’t wipe off.

 “ So, I decided that I’m just going to throw myself out there into the world!” You spoke. You couldn’t really say exactly what your ideas were, but you described what you felt. 

Comfort. Trapped. Empty. Jealous. Fear. Doubt. Excitement. 

“ It may be reckless of me, but If I was never going to do it, I knew I would end up feeling regret for not having done anything about it. And even so, my boss was kind enough to grant me time off.” 

You snickered. “ I’m probably just assuming, but I feel like they might have let me have this because they probably noticed something. Not to brag, but I was their best employee. Swooping in to save the day when my colleagues were out.” 

You stretched your arms a bit, not having realized how still your body was the entire time. Once you were done it felt nice; it was as if your entire being took a fresh breath of relief.

“ So now I’m here. In Fontaine on an Aquabus with you.” You look up to see Lyney again. His eyes were soft and he had this understanding expression on his face. 

Really, any expression he wore felt as if it were through a pair of rosy lenses. Perhaps it was the natural charm artists like him had. Maybe. 

Besides,he could get away with just about anything because of his attractive face.

You shook your head away to look out into the Fontaine waters around and below. 

“ Well, good on you [Name]! I hope your ventures have been nothing but amazing and brought you happiness! ” He finally spoke. He inhaled deeply before he sighed out. His gaze faced the bow of the aquabus.

 “ Do you agree that birds create wonderful music for the ear to hear? Not to mention the splendor of colorful feathers and their ability to fly.” 

“Due to their natural charm, they are sometimes kept as ‘decorations’, provided food and shelter so long as they continue to amuse the people.” He said, his tone shifted ever so slightly. It was barely noticeable, but there was a very micro edge to his word. 

He crossed his arms, the brim of his hat covered the sun creating a little inkling of shadow cast over half his face blocking out the sunlight that might’ve stung his eyes. 

“ But being kept in captivity for too long, it will yearn for the open skies. It’s only a matter of time before the initial luxury turns into a finite cage.” Lyney hummed. His words brought you an unexplainable comfort yet somehow it felt very out of character for him. You subtly shift your gaze to his face. His expression didn’t seem to be exaggerated. His features were calm like a still lake, unmoving. His eyes, although trained forward, seemed to be not fully there. A misty reflection had settled over his lilac irises. 

The intermission lasted for a few beats of seconds. His mouth effortlessly shifts up into a cat-like grin. He turns his head back to you and straightens his posture, his signature tophat tips back slightly. His eyes conveyed excitement as the lilac once again seemed as vivid during his performance.

 He was no longer a still freshwater lake, but instead a lively and winding river. 

“Which is why you’ll get the best tour of Fontaine by yours truly! Mark my words when I said I’d leave you dazzled today, for I Lyney will see to it that you have nothing but laughs and smiles upon your lovely face, mon cher.~” He declared proudly.

You felt dazed. A warm bubbly feeling began to infest your chest. It was very much like when he placed a kiss to the back of your hand.

You smiled happily at his declaration. “Thank you for listening to me. And also..”

You couldn’t help the hot sensation over the apples of your cheeks or your muted heart rate from your ears. Yet you persisted, not breaking away your gaze from him.

“Thank you for being with me today.”

Lyney’s confident facade had faltered ever so slightly for that moment. But he recuperated and mirrored your expression. 

“It’s no problem at all, [Name].”

This was nice. He was nice. Despite knowing him for a little while, it felt as if you’d known him for much longer. 

However, you barely knew anything about him other than he had a twin sister who was coincidentally his assistant and that he was a popular performer in Fontaine. 

It irked you a bit, but you wouldn’t voice this opinion out loud.  It is as people said, once you learn the inner mechanism to a magic trick, the magic itself is lost and you're left to face the raw and sometimes cruel trick. 

You wouldn’t question why he went quiet. You wouldn’t question if he himself felt similar. You wouldn’t question why his demeanor sometimes felt too whimsical to be true. You didn’t want to ruin the mood. And you didn’t want to linger on the thought any longer. 

You both went to many shops, Lyney had insisted you try out anything that caught your fancy. And if you liked it, to get it! Of course you were on a travel budget, but you did end up purchasing two items. 

Your favorite stop however was the Hat Boutique. Lyney had a rather interesting insight on what headwear would ‘shape a face better’. 

“Hm, you could probably store triple the amount of props in this one.” He studied a scarlet red top hat that looked suspiciously similar to the one he owns. He then looked over to another hat sitting on a display. “But that one brings out my petite and charming face more.” 

He turned to face you. “ Help me out here [Name], should I go with this one or that one?”

You looked between the two options, narrowing your eyes and looked closely at the detailings. You looked at Lyney’s face and imagined how he’d look with either on. 

“If you want my opinion, why not go with this one.” You walked over to a particular Hat you saw as you were pursuing. It was a Fedora like hat in a rich dark violet color; it looked more like an inky black purple. It had a gray sash wrapped around it that shined slightly silver when the sun hit. 

“ It looks nice, and the material feels smooth to the touch. The color brings out your eyes too.” You said as you held up the hat for him to look. 

“Oh my, aren't you the charmer?” He smirked playfully.

You avert your eyes to the aisles of material and color, “ It’s just an astute observation is all.” 

He took the hat off your hands and studied it. “ Color me impressed! You have quite the eye for fashion mon cherie.” He sent you a proud smile and his eyes glowed with pride. 

You shook your head. “ I work full time at a small shop remember, so picking up on the interest of buyers is a skill I’ve gained. I wouldn’t say I’m a fashion expert.” You felt the corner of your lips twitch up into a little smile. 

“Are you going to tell me what you mean by that?” 

“What do I mean by what?” He repeated your question blinking owlishly 

You pouted. You got the feeling he was doing it on purpose.

“The nickname? You refer to me by that sometimes. What does it mean?” 

Lyney thought for two seconds before his mouth formed an o shape in realization. He gave you an innocent close eyed smile. “ That’s a secret~! But, I have faith you’ll figure out what it means on your own.” 

You gasped and brought a hand to your heart. “ How do I know you're not calling me a mean name? What a cruel scheme to pull one over me like that!” You whisper yelled in an over the top voice of hurt. 

 His shoulders tensed. Lyney suddenly became the slightest bit flustered. He shook his head, “I-I would never! Honest! I can assure you it doesn’t mean anything like that.” 

 

You let out a quiet snicker. You found it adorable really. He suddenly became embarrassed despite the brimming confidence he usually carries himself in.

After purchasing the hat, he decided to keep his signature cat still on but suggested making a stop by his house to leave the newly purchased hat. 

“ It won’t be long I promise! It’s just that, I wouldn’t want it to get weathered by bringing it around with us today. You did end up choosing it and I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to it.” He reasoned.

It was a small but cute home. It was built in a typical style that the main city carried; geometric edges, a very advanced looking outdoor light, and a beautiful door with a stained window. 

“Wait here okay! I promise I’ll be in and out before you can tell I left.” He quickly spoke as he jogged over to the front door. You couldn’t help but laugh a little as he sped off. 

So you stood outside. You looked around, and spotted a potted plant. 

CLANK TICK CLANK

The sharp sounds of metal and objects clashing made you sharply look at the direction it came from. You suddenly felt a bit confused.

The door swung open and you were expecting to see the charming magician. Instead it was a boy running out the door. He spotted you and suddenly skidded to a sudden stop.

“...” 

He had a giant metal helmet next to him. He had ash blonde hair that almost covered the left side of his face. His apparel reminded you of a sailor.

He just stared at you and stepped back a bit. His form seemed slightly shrunken and he held his helmet thing closer to him. Not wanting wrong assumptions to be made you sent the boy the most casual smile you could.

“ Oh, don’t mind me! I’m just waiting on a friend, said he had to drop off something. He should be back any minute.”

The boy didn’t say anything, and just nodded. And he stood there. Unmoving.

 Some glances at you and back to the floor.

 He taps around his helmet. 

Well this was awkward. Should you make small talk?

“Er, cool helmet. What is it for, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

The boy nervously glanced at you from the corner of his eye. His eyes were a very vibrant blue color. He didn’t answer for a while. You purse your lips feeling bad. Maybe the silence was better. 

“ving…” You barely heard it. You look over back to the boy.

“Diving..a diving helmet.” He spoke quietly. He didn’t make eye contact as his eyes were glued to the floor. 

“Diving? As in underwater?” You spoke with some bubbling curiosity. Before the boy could react, the door opened again.

“ I am here! Haha, sorry. That may have taken a bit longer than I thought. I hope you didn’t get too bored while I was away.” Lyney announced himself. He no longer had the hat box with him and he scratched the nape of his neck.

He noticed the other blonde boy. 

“Hm? Ah, Freminet! Where are you off to today?” 

Oh, he knows him? You thought, glancing between the two. 

“I was on my way to the beach.” The young man known as Freminet spoke. His voice sounded soft yet slightly raspy, perhaps he wasn’t used to talking much you figured.

Lyney approached you and eagerly motioned for you to join in the conversation.

“ [Name], allow me to introduce you to my little brother, Freminet. Freminet, this is my new friend [Name]. They were the ones to share the spotlight with me and Lynette during last evening’s show.” Lyney proudly chirped.

Freminet looked a lot less tense. “Oh, yeah. I remember. You rambled on about that show, saying how well they-”

Lyney coughed loudly. You look over at the magician with a raised eyebrow. 

There on his pale face was the smallest smidgen of a rosy color. Freminet immediately hushed. But he had a small nervous smile on his face.

“ I’m sorry If I seemed quiet just now.” Fremeniet now said addressing you. “ I recognized you from your appearance, but I didn’t know what to talk about. Or If you would find me odd for knowing about you.” 

You shook your head, understanding the full picture now made you feel a bit more reassured. “ Don’t worry about it, really. But, it’s nice to meet you, Freminet.”

You turned to face Lyney who looked a lot more relaxed. “ So you have two siblings? What a nice family you three are! There probably isn’t a shortage of banter or boredom then.” 

Lyney chuckled. “ Well, I’m usually the one who does most of the talking. I’m the eldest so it's my duty.” 

“Sometimes you take it a bit too far and become a blabber mouth.” A familiar voice suddenly joined the conversation. Looking about you were met with another familiar face.

“Hey Lynette.” You sent the twin a little friendly wave. She turned to you. Smiling a little and returning it, albeit more lazy. 

“Really? You see me as a blabber mouth? But Lynette, I mustn't let the audience’s cheers and support fall on deaf ears. Especially that our friend [Name] here has been on a grand tour with me as their guide.” Lyney ground proudly as he placed both his hands on his hips.

“Whatever you say. But, you’ve been taking them on a tour? How come you didn’t invite me to tag along?” Lynette deadpanned. 

Huh? You tilted your head in confusion and furrowed your brow. Didn’t Lyney mention earlier that his sister was busy. Lyney must have felt the obvious sudden awkward tension placed upon him as his shoulder tensed and he chuckled nervously.

“A-ah, b-but dear sister, you see since you were busy in the early time of today I didn’t wish to trouble you, so I took it upon myself to show them around. Hehe, please don’t be mad at me.” Lyney stuttered out all while looking at Lynette as he brought his hat closer to his chest.

 Lynette sighed and shook her head before she turned to you with a laid back expression. 

“ I hope he hasn’t caused you too much trouble, [Name]. He can go a little too far sometimes but that’s just Lyney being Lyney.” 

“Hey! I’m right here you know.” Lyney whined sadly. Lynette didn’t bother to look at him and Freminet had turned his head to the side. His shoulder’s bounced and looked like he was suppressing a giggle.

“ It’s really okay. More than okay really. Lyney has been nothing but kind and patient with me. He is a good listener and always manages to make me smile and laugh!” You said happily. 

Lynette’s deep violet eyes got slightly bigger with confusion and curiosity. Lyney stood beside you and took a quick glance at your direction. It was quiet for a moment. You suddenly became a bit nervous, was there something wrong you said?

Lyney laughed heartily as he threw an arm over your shoulders. “You see! Take it from them, that I never let my audience down!” You quickly glanced in his direction, not minding the close contact. You could see some red culminating around the tips of his ear and beneath his eyes.

“Well that's good to know.” Lynette crossed her arms. 

“ We must get going, the daylight is short so we mustn't waste it idlying.” Lyney said. Before you two left Lyney sent his siblings goodbye. “Take care Lynette, remember to be on alert alright? And Freminet, remember to get back home before curfew! I was about to dive into the waters last time you had forgotten about time.” 

“ Okay.”

“Of course.”

Lynette and Freminet replied in unison. 

“ Looks like we’re on the move again. I hope to be able to spend time with you Lynette.” You said. You wanted to get to know this family better. Lynette was blunt and to the point but you could tell she cared about the people closest to her. 

Lynette nodded and her lips curled up into a small but sincere smile. You turned to Freminet.

 “ It was nice to meet you, Freminet. If we ever meet again, would you mind explaining diving to me? It sounds interesting.” 

Freminet tensed slightly but managed to nod in agreement. 

“ Bye Bye! Take care!”

After you two had left, Lynette turned to Fremeinet with a pensive look.

“ Freminet, do you think our older brother is perhaps getting attached to them?”

“ I don’t know. But, he really seems to like their company. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him being this flustered in the presence of someone else.”

Lynette hummed. “ I hope he knows what he’s attempting to get himself into. Out of all of us, he knows what kind of situation we’re in.”

Freminet was quiet as he fidgeted with the nails and guards on his helmet. 

“ Do you think that [Name] would like Per?”

Lynette glanced at Freminet with an unreadable expression. She stood still and thought of last evening's performance. 

“Did... Did you go into idle mode?”

“Yes.”

“Huh?”

“ I think [Name] would find Per cute.” 

The rest of the day was spontaneous. From a walk by the sea shore, trying out pastries and free samples, Lyney explaining Fontaine history and technology. 

It was now close to night time and you were both currently walking through the garden close to the Opera House. The road towards the Opera House was beautiful, ever since you first came here a day prior. You had almost ran late to the Magic show seeing as to how pretty it was. The carved marble statues, the beds of wildflowers beyond the decorative iron railing, and not to mention the fountains. Water was almost everywhere you’d look, it was a given as this was the nation of Hydro. 

“Well, today was certainly a fun day.” You spoke softly. You looked up into the sky. It was the final rays of daylight and the sky was a beautiful swatch of evening gradience. All of the orange, blues and reds bled right into each other.

The water beyond mirrored the sky. The land was akin to a watercolor tray, a smokey mixture of cool and warm colors. 

“Thankyou, again for taking time out of your day to guide me through the nation’s cities. You didn’t need to know?” You walked alongside Lyney who was too admiring the sky. 

“Nonsense. I took you on this little journey because I wanted to. It was one of my prop cards that called to you, yes?” He glanced at you out of the corner of his eye.

“Yes but-”

“And you answered. You could have very well ignored it, even kept the card as a souvenir. But you didn’t. And that choice led you to today.” He spoke calmly.

You said nothing. Lyney was a stubborn man, no matter how many times you could protest against his kindness he would fire back with a reasonable explanation. 

“ The card, how did you manage to put it into my sleeve?” 

Lyney grinned like a bobcat. “ Uh uh my dear, a magician never reveals his trade secrets.” He mused teasingly.

“ Of course.” You sighed, giving up. 

“Have you always had a talent in magic? In performing?” 

Lyney finally turned his head to glance at you. Skipping ahead of you, he manages to turn his whole body towards you.

“ If you must know, It is a rags to riches tale!” He exclaimed as he bellowed out his arms dramatically in front of him.

“ As a young lad, me and Lynette were street performers. Everyday little crowds of people would congregate around us on the side of the street. Card tricks, Flower tricks, and even the feathered friends would aid in our little shows.” He exclaimed as he walked backwards.

“We would give it our all and Mora would rain down upon us.” He spoke with a triumphant smile on his face. He slowed down his pace and you managed to catch up. He was now walking next to you like before.

“ You could guess the rest. We eventually became so well renowned, we were able to afford high end venues and quality equipment for our shows. And soon we went from paupers to famed actors.” 

You had listened carefully. Despite his colorful disposition, the underlying tone of his small backstory felt off.

“ I’m sorry you had to go through such tribulation. It must have been tough on the two of you early on.” You frowned. Although he framed the tale as a dramatic novel, the implication that he and lynette had been living in the streets tugged at your heart.

He did say when he was a lad, so this probably must have happened while they were both children. Where were their parents? The rest of their family? You decided to stave off these questions as they could be delicate. 

Lyney had gone quiet for a moment. He smiled warmly at you. “ It’s alright. There is no need to feel sad for us. That is long in the past now. And besides…” He grinned widely. “ I think a smile would suit your lovely face more!” 

He took off his hat and dug around it and pulled out a curious plant. It was a glowing blue color and its shape resembled a pearl. It shined a mixture of a translucent lilac and ocean blue. 

He outstretched it out to you. You went ahead and tapped the leaves that looked like sea shells. The flower suddenly released some bubbles. The translucent orbs floated around you. You couldn’t help but pop a few, some giggles escaping you as you whirled around. 

Lyney chuckled. “ I did promise you that I would keep that smile on your lips followed by the melody of your laughter.” 

“ I-” You brought a hand up to your face. Your heart suddenly began to beat as if you had just ran a distance. 

Why did his words have to feel so..so..like this? Why did it feel as if what he said was true? Would that explain why your heart feels like it would sprout wings and fly away any moment?

You were positive your face was burning up. You coughed into your hand.

“You did, didn't you? Thank you for the reminder.” You had managed to sputter out. You heard the soft chuckling of the magician. The flower was no wear to be seen, he must’ve vanished it away when you weren’t paying attention. 

“I’m glad we’re on the same page, [Name].” He had a lopsided grin. Lyney was a cheeky man, a person with a silver tongue. He was a conman. And yet…

He managed to make you feel like you had a tornado of butterflies in your stomach all the time. 

You were left speechless, as you both continued to walk down a few more minutes. You both made it to the Opera. In front of the opera was a bigger fountain, and a few pairs of people were collected around it. 

You went up to the fountain, interested to see it up close. In the water collected at the bottom, you could make out a few glittering coins of Mora beneath the water. You heard a few steps up behind you and guess Lyney must’ve followed you. 

“ People wish at this fountain, right? What for?” You looked around at the elegant structure. The reflected moonlight in the water gleamed against the little gold accents around its edges. 

“ Fontainians come to this fountain to wish about anything, really. Better fortune, health, and happiness. But mostly, people come to this specific fountain for love or hopes for a healthy baby.” Lyney answered, his hands behind his back. 

‘Hmm, the pairs of people make sense now.’ You thought as you glanced around the area. Satisfied you walk around the front of the Opera house. The fountains shooting water high into the air makes you wanna take a closer look. Leaning into the thin railing your eyes stayed glued to the water. 

You could feel a ghost coolness of the falling mist from the tall fountain. 

Although it was a fun outing today, you had ran around almost everywhere in the nation. Lyney in toe with you, making you ignore the aches you felt for doing so much in such a short time. Now in this still moment, all your tiredness was catching up to you.

Lyney must have noticed, as his lilac eyes flitted between your face and the fountain ahead. 

“ Hey, want to see something cool?” 

You turned your head over to the cheeky magician with a brow raised.

With your attention now on him, he took off his hat. You leaned more on your arm against the railing with a warm smile. Half expecting him to pull out something out of his hat again, he did something else. He shook it in front of him, emptying it out of nothing. Nothing left the hat. 

Lyney hummed aloud. “Hmm, I was sure I had it stored in here.”

You couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Maybe you dropped it somewhere?”

“No no. I was sure It was in here.” He pouted as he now looked in, under and above his tophat. It was rather cute.

He eventually gave up and placed it back on his head. “ You might be right, maybe it slipped out while we were on the aqua-”

Just as he was about to finish, something dangled in front of his face. It moved from side to side, as if it was dusting off his face. Upon a closer look, It looked like a cat tail.

The look on Lyney’s face was endearing, his lilac eyes had dilated in surprise and followed the tail. 

“Ah, there it is!” The hat suddenly lifted up his head, floating just above.

To your surprise, you see a smaller tophat along two little black ears pop out. Two little black bean paws followed, grabbing along the inner rim of Lyney’s hat. 

Pop

“!!!”

You finally saw its face. It was a black cat with mismatched eyes of a droplet and star. It had a permanent toothy grin on its face. It wiggled in the hat and turned itself to look down at you. 

“?!!”

You could make out the red bow behind its back. You weren’t sure what to do so you waved at the cat. It moved its small pudgy body around the hat and twitched its tiny ears.

“!!!”

Lyney let out a giggle at the interaction. “ Aww, I think he likes you.” He managed to grab his floating hat by the rim and brought it down in front of him. The cat in the hat seemed bothered and was now looking up at you. Its tiny hat was slightly tipped back.

“Can I pet it?” You asked almost too excitedly. 

“Since you asked, of course! He is a bit mischievous but a glutton for attention.” He mused, side eyeing down on the cat. 

You gingerly brough your hand down onto the cat. Its surface was surprisingly smooth yet soft, and the cat wiggled towards your touch. It’s two little ears ducked back as it seemed to love the attention it was given. It’s face never changed, however. 

“ Does it have a name?” You asked as you kept petting it. Lyney nodded and smiled.

“ It’s a Grin-Malkin cat! I’m sure you're quite familiar with it, as it’s not only a prop for Lynette and I’s show, but our cute mascot.” He said.

“Prop?” You asked slightly confused. So it wasn’t alive? Then how did it move so life-like? 

“ The Grin-Malkin cat is a puppet, but its movements are based off of a real cat.” He said. 

You smiled, but kept petting the cute kitty. Even if it was just a puppet, the cat seemed to have a familiar personality. Its little paws stuck out, and one came up to ‘attack’ your finger. You quietly giggled at its playfulness.

“ So, cats are a part of your show’s soul huh?” You asked. 

“ If it wasn’t that obvious, yes.” He said with a charming smile.

“ ‘Based on a real cat’, so who was the lucky cat this little bean was based on?” You asked curiously. 

“ When Lynette and I were street performers, we managed to run into a lot of stray cats. Lynette was shy, so most of them got along with her.” He said as he looked down to Grin-Malkin.

“But, there was one troublesome cat. He kept on running off with my hat. Apparently, it made for a better cat bed than anything. He would be curled up inside when I found it.” 

“ Eventually, I thought of replacing my old friend with a new hat. A hat that wouldn’t disappear when I didn’t tell it so. But, me and the cat came to a mutual agreement. I would bring him along to the show as a replica puppet!” He said with a proud smile. It slightly faltered however as he continued.

“During one particular performance, there was a little mishap that happened. I had forgotten a card in my deck and the trick required that one card that I misplaced.”

You winced at the second hand embarrassment. “Talk about bad luck. What did you do?” You asked. The kitty that you were petting now turned around to look up at Lyney. It looked interesting in his story. So now, it was you and the cat’s eyes on Lyney.

“Well, as I was coming up with an improvised outcome, out came this little guy.” He motioned down to the cat.

“!!!” It bounced slightly in the hat as the attention now was on it. 

“ He had the card that I had misplaced and was able to save the show. And ultimately, make it better. The crowd and even I wasn’t expecting such an outcome.” He shook his head. 

“Aww, so he became the star of the show.” You laughed. 

“!!!” The cat whirled around to face you again and puffed out its chest in pride. 

Lyney laughed alongside you. “ That’s one way to put it.” 

Once you calmed down you noticed that you didn’t feel as tired anymore. 

“ It looks like today is coming to a close.” Lyney said as he looked around. There were now very few people outside, and the sky had turned darker than earlier. The magician tapped the tiny tophat on the cat.

“Before today the curtains come to a close, let me send you off with a grand finale.” He whispered. 

The Grin-Malkin cat wiggled its tail and his paw came up to the brim of its own hat. The cat tipped its tophat to you before Lyney grabbed his own and placed it back atop it’s hat. 

“With your permission, could you close your eyes for me.” He said as he leaned in close to you, his hands behind his back. 

“Okay?” You smiled nervously.

You shut your eyes and saw darkness. You could still hear the rushing of water and a faint sound of chirping crickets. 

“Okay, no peeking until I tell you too.” You heard the magician. 

You waited for what would happen. You felt someone get closer to you. The ghostly presence of someone close to your face. You refrained from moving, yet your heart began to pick up its pace.

You felt something warm touch your cheek, and something soft tickle your ear. At the same time you felt stiffer material tap against you above your head. 

It came as quickly as it went, as you felt a small breeze and you could no longer feel the close presence. 

“Okay, open your eyes now.” You heard Lyney say. 

You opened and saw the magician in front of you with a warm smile. 

“Do you feel anything different? Perhaps something is missing!” He said in a cheery tone.

Your hand reached up to where you felt something earlier. 

“Huh?” 

There was something behind your ear. Carefully, your fingers outstretched and touched something soft. It was a delicate circlet of petals connected to a smooth stem. Looking up from the corner of your eye, you spotted a blur of prisma like colors. 

A blurb of pink and pastel yellow. 

“ A rose? How?” You quietly questioned.

“Mhm!” Lyney nodded enthusiastically. “ That is a rainbow rose. A beautiful flower that grows wild only within Fontaine.”

“Ah, thank you! It’s really pretty and soft.” You delicately felt a petal. Beneath the bloom, there were smaller outstretched petals that pressed against your temple. 

“ Have you found it yet? The thing I stole from you.” Lyney asked, tilting his head to the side.

You glanced back at him confused. You didn’t feel anything missing from you, as you checked your packets and around your person. 

Lyney’s eyes followed your attempts to look for the missing something, slightly amused. 

“Given up yet?”

You really couldn’t find anything off. 

“ Is this a trick question, because I don’t feel like anything was taken.” You asked.

Lyney raised a closed hand next to his face. He smirked mischievously. 

“How strange, because I have something of yours in the palm of my hand.” He teased me. “I’ll give you one more chance, could you guess what it is?”

You nodded. You guessed it was either a prop card or maybe some mora.

“ I give up, what is it?” 

Lyney opened his palm and there was…

Nothing.

“Ta-da! The thing I stole from you was your attention.” He exclaimed with glee. He walked over to me and extended his hand over to me. 

“Here you go, you can have it back now!”

 …

This little- 

You may have had the tiniest urge to smack his shoulder. Shaking off that urge, you huffed and played along. Once you reached his hand to get your ‘attention’ back, his finger’s gently encased your hand.

He bowed down dramatically and kissed the back of your palm. 

 Very discreetly, he cracked one eye open and glanced up at you. You had frozen in place and with a flustered face you could only stare. 

He had the gall to smirk and send you a wink. 

There was an odd sense of Dejavu, the memory of when you were approached by him after the magic show that evening. 

“And it seems that…I have stolen your heart as well ma chérie.” Lyney whispered. 

He gently let your hand fall back to your side as he stood back up. He had an innocent smile on his face. 

You just stared at him completely dazed.

It was quiet for a very. Long. Second.

Lyney’s pale face slowly became redder and redder although he did not move.

The awkwardness was beginning to thicken and soon Lyney couldn’t take it anymore.

“Ahem…Ahaha hah haa... D-Did you get it? Because I had you focused on me the entire time so I stole your attention right under your nose. And now I just did a chivalrous act to make you feel flustered! I didn’t go too far again did I?” He muttered as he brought a hand to his mouth and averted his eyes. 

His rambling snapped you out of your dazed phase and you suddenly became very aware as to how hot your face was. Lyney being in some sort of distress in front of you made you sputter out.

“Nononono, It’s fine! I was surprised, very surprised actually…er that was a nice trick there, very smart. So don’t worry about it.” You went ahead and leaned forward from the railing to look back at the fountain. Lyney might have gotten the message because he did the same.

After a few minutes of cooling down, you turned your head to look at Lyney and see if he was alright. His lilac eyes spotted you out of the corner, and he ducked under the brim of his hat. 

“I think it’s getting late, I’ll take the Aquabus back to the main city.” You said, there was a small tight feeling in your chest. You were sad as to how fast the day went, how fast you had to say goodbye. 

“Let me walk you back to the station then. It wouldn’t be very gentlemanly to let you walk back on your own this late.” Lyney offered, his voice sincere.

And so you did. The walk back was slightly quieter. Again, he became uncharacteristically quiet.

Was it because of what happened earlier? Did he feel like he did something wrong?

“You know I had fun today, right?” You began. 

“It was very kind of you to take me on a tour around the city. I got to learn about the nation, eat good food, spoil myself with samples and sweets, and saw many hats I didn’t even know existed.” you slightly laughed. You heard him laughing quietly too. 

“ I met your siblings, met your prop cat and I got to meet you in last evening's show.”

You might’ve never gone out today if you hadn’t met Lyney.

You might’ve never got to know his family if you hadn’t met Lyney.

You might’ve never gotten to meet Lyney like this if you weren’t picked to participate in the final act.

The more you thought about it, the more you became grateful that for some miracle of coincidence you were picked from the audience. 

“I’m really happy that I met you. You made my time here in Fontaine feel magical. I’ll keep this day close to my heart, if that’s okay with you.” You smiled happily, the giddy feeling making you feel all sorts of floaty.

Lyney said nothing, only humming in approval.

Once you had gotten to the station, there was already a bus sitting there. The tour guide, or Melusine as you later found out, was sitting and leaning against the bus. Once it heard the sound of footsteps it sat up quickly, it’s tall ears snapping up.

“Ah! Oh, all aboard the bus! No wait, that’s not it..uh- everyone boarding please be careful with your arms, feet and legs inside the boat!” It spoke, half asleep.

You turn to Lyney. “ Are you going to go back to the main city?”

He shook his head.

“ No, I think I’m going to go back to the Opera house. I hate to be the naggy brother, but I just want to make sure Lynette didn’t forget any of the props backstage.” 

“ Oh alright. I guess this is goodbye then.” 

You had the urge to hug him. You weren’t sure how busy the Magician might be tomorrow, but somewhere in the back of your mind you believed you wouldn’t see him again for a while. The thought once again made your chest feel tight. 

“ I believe so.” Lyney said quietly. 

Well, no point in delaying your leave. 

“Wha- HEY!” You heard Lyney yelp, and quickly you turn back to see what happened. His hat was off its what and seemed to zoom over to you. 

The Grin-Malkin cat drove the Top hat like some dune buggy as now right side up was swirled with pyro elemental energy.

The grinning cat raced in the sky towards you, there wasn’t enough time to get out of the way so you braced for impact. But it never came.

The hat had swerved around you, drifting mid air as the cat kept facing you. 

Suddenly the thing nudged itself into your face, the Grin-Malkin cat rubbing its pudgy dark body against you. You could almost hear purrs. 

“ Hello, nice to see you again.” You giggled as its ears tickled your chin. Wrapping an arm around it you used the other to scratch above its head. 

“!!!” 

Lyney got closer and smiled nervously. “ I think he likes you too much. It never usually takes off on it’s own.” 

He bent slightly down to be on the hat’s level and he put both his hands on his hip.

“Hey now! Come on, back up here alright?” he tried to sound like a scolding parent.

“!!!” The cat shook its tail in his face.

“I’m serious. C’mon, back on Lyney’s head” He pointed to his hat-less head of hair. 

“!!!” The cat dug itself deeper into your embrace. 

Lyney frowned. “ I know you like [Name], but they really have to go. It could be dangerous for them to be out in the streets this late. The sooner you let them go, the sooner they’ll go back safely.” He reasoned with a reassuring tone of voice.

The cat retracted itself from your hold and glanced down at Lyney. Having made up its mind the cat’s paws extended to you.

You tapped them both. “ Lyney’s right. I have to go. I’ll miss you too.” You leaned down and pressed a small peck on the robotic cat’s forehead. 

It wiggled and a paw came up to its hat and brought it down in an attempt to hide its face. Although its features couldn’t exactly express, it looked to be shy. 

Lyney had noticed and brought a hand up to his mouth to cover his snickers. 

The cat then ducked into the hat, disappearing from view. You looked inside the hat and it was empty. 

Grabbing it from in front of you, you flipped it right side up.

“Here, let me help.” You raised it above Lyney’s head. Slowly you set it down and secure it in its place. All the while doing it, Lyney had his soft lilac eyes on your face. 

Fixing the hat a bit, you dusted off any dirt that may have gotten on it. “There we go! Now you look as sharp as you usually do.” You grinned.

You didn’t notice but when you smiled, especially at such close proximity, Lyney couldn’t stop the flush of color rising in his face. 

You kept staring at his hat and his face as well to see if anything was out of place. 

Without realizing your hands hover just above his arms. You weren’t sure if this was right. Maybe ... .Everything was going a step too far. Just as you were gonna reel back, Lyney raised his hands to hover right beneath your arms.

Without saying much but a nod, you hugged.

His cape felt soft, and his arms held you with care and protectiveness. You smiled as your face dug into his shoulder. You felt the hard material of the brim bump your temple. 

He smelled like flowers and ash. An odd combination yet somewhat comforting.

For what felt like a full day, you two finally separated. He had a warm and sincere smile on his face. 

Most of his smiles are bright grins that could light up a room. 

But somehow after a while the spark is lost, and the smiles feel all the same. But this one, the one you saw before your eyes. No, this was different.

The kind of smile that was not rehearsed nor under scrutiny of the captive audience’s eye. 

This one felt raw, special, authentic. 

It made him look beautiful. 

Realizing you were staring, you stepped back.

“ I….really think I need to go, or the Melusine will go back to sleep.” You turned on your heel and headed towards the boarding area. Before you left you took a big breath in. the cold air of the night and mist sending a current of energy through you.

As you were about to step on the bus, you heard him walk behind you.

“When will you be leaving?”

“What?”

“When will you be leaving? You said you were here on holiday, so when will you go back?” He asked. 

You stopped and thought. When will I go back? 

Go back.

Do I want to go back?

Can I go back after having a taste of what the world is outside of what I once knew?

“I leave in two days. Two days, yes.” You managed to say out almost in a flat voice.

“Why do you want to know?” You asked, you hadn;t turn your back to face him.

I want to see you again.

“ No reason in particular. I just thought you would be around to watch me and my sister perform in three days at the courts theater.” He said, there was a cheapness to his voice.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to go. I'm sorry.” 

“Yeah, Sounds like it.” Lyney dejectedly said. 

You step onto the bus and Melusine shoots up on it’s tiny feet. 

“ Leaving Marcotte Station!” They yelled. You sat down on one of the benches. You didn;t have the heart to look at Lyney as the bus started to move along the river.

You did however outstretched your hand behind your ear. The rose was still there. 

“ Ah, a rainbow rose? Oh oh! Did you have someone propose to you?” the Mesuline asked. 

“Wh-What?! What do you mean by ‘propose?!’ ” You shrieked. The Melusine set comfy on top it’s little pedestal.

“Oopsie, I’m sorry you probably don’t know the rumored implications of that rose do you?” They asked, tilting their head as their ears flopped to the side.

You shook your head.

“Well, since you're my only passenger for tonight, I suppose it’s okay for me to add on to the guidelines. And I’m tired right now.” It yawned.

“ When someone gifts you a Rainbow Rose, much like the one on you, it usually symbolizes passion and romantic encounters. It’s very common for couples here to gift each other a single rainbow rose or a bouquet of a dozen roses as a way to express their devotion to one another.” The Melusine mused. 

“Oh.”

“ But it’s also used to express platonic love for a dear friend or family. Flower gifting is a language that revolves around love no matter which kind.” It said happily. 

It hummed a little tune, and the boat sailed along.

“ But for it to be placed behind the ear, someone may be interested in you. Romantically I mean, haha.”

Oh dear…you might realize what the nickname he gave you means now.

“Ah- AHCHOO!” You covered your face as you sneezed.

“ Bless you!” the Melusine said.

You sniffled. Maybe it was the cold. 

Lyney had stood there watching the Aquabus get farther and farther away. He had his hat to his chest. 

He quickly placed his hat back on his head and walked back to the garden path.

There was no one around. He was alone.

Had his siblings made it back home yet? Probably.

The steps of his boots bore a fast and rhythmic pattern as he stepped.

His lips were in a flat line. His mind was preoccupied on many things. 

His sister, his brother, the rest of his siblings, “Father” and you.

You. He shook his head. 

He had a blast today. Although he had known Fontaine all his life, he practically lived on the stone walkways for a good part of his life, he never saw it like he did today. It felt new to him, a wondrous view!

Like that of an innocent curious child. Something that he never thought he would experience ever in his life.

He snapped away the thought. 

He made it past the fountain in front of the Opera House. Getting past the gates and the lonely lobby he made it into the audience area.

He had met you here. 

From when he was looking for a willing participant, he spotted you amongst the sea of eager people. 

He spotted you. You weren’t a local, perhaps a tourist. You intrigued him.

Foreigner’s often brought in the best source of intel. A web of secrets and truths hidden beneath the veil of illusions. The normal people and Magicians were similar in that aspect, despite the other living in ignorance. 

He never would have expected you to complete the trick well. Oftentimes, stage fright took a hold of the non troupe assistance, some on the spot improv would be on set in case the trick went off the rails. 

That is why Lyney wouldn’t often pick from the audience. It was a rare occasion. 

He would seek you out. Get you into a sense of comfortability, his silver tongue had a way of making people profess their hearts out to him. 

The world was a stage to him, and thus he must always perform his best. At least, that is what “Father” told him. 

You didn’t have much useful information. He was hoping for something more scandalous or perhaps a secret you were ashamed of. Instead, you were just some person seeking out the world that you never had stepped foot in despite being born into it. 

And yet.

Lyney sat down on one of the cushy seats of the audience area. He crossed on foot atop the other.

Why had he stayed with you today?

Perhaps he was afraid of seeing you upset if he left suddenly to shop for props he needed.

Maybe, he didn’t want to go back on his promise he made to you backstage. 

Maybe, he didn’t want to see your angry face if you found out the initial reason he asked you out. 

Lyney looked around, his eyes wandered to the stage. No one was performing. It was empty. The spotlight wasn’t shining down. It was devoid and completely useless to its intended purpose at the moment. 

Lyney had purposefully left out key information when you had asked about his background in magic.

You didn’t need to know of the desperate times where he pushed through with a smile while the tummies of he and his sister gurgled for food.

You didn’t need to know the cruelty of Nobility and their disgusting greed and wicked selfishness. 

You didn’t need to know about the House and the Fatui.

And you didn’t need to know about “Father”. 

Lyney exhaled. 

All of that would probably make you look down on him with disgust and fear. He much preferred to see a beautiful smile on you.

He didn’t need to see you again. You were useless to “Father”, to the grand scheme of he and his sibling’s mission. You would be a distraction, and distractions lead to silly avoidable mistakes.

Yes, that’s what “Father” would say to him.

And yet.

Lyney scrunched his face. He didn’t like feeling like this. He thought he was over this. After all, he had a home and a supportive family now. He shouldn't feel like this, he had his sister, little brother and the other younger ones to look after. 

And yet he wanted to see you again.

You made him feel like he had freedom. It wasn’t like the one he was granted when he and Lynette were free from being street rats. And strangely enough, it wasn’t like the freedom “Father” granted him when she took him away from the cruel mansion. 

He felt bliss with you. He felt like how the audience looked in the countless times he performed on stage.

Was that how it felt like to live normally? To live in bliss and ignore the world’s harsh reality, even for a few moments.

He used to stutter a lot as a young boy. Whenever his juvenile performances went wrong or a slip of the tongue in pronouncing large words. 

Yet he seemed to awfully flustered around you a lot of the time. 

He even gave you a Rainbow Rose of all things. 

It’s what felt the most appropriate he thought.

“ Oh no..” 

The realization hit him like a Mitachurl’s Axe.

“ Father is definitely going to kill me if she ever finds out about this. Lynette might as well.” He cried. 

“ACHOO!” 

“Ugh, I should’ve gotten out of the port sooner. I might come down with a cold.” He sniffled.

‘Maybe someone’s thinking of me.’ He thought. 

Before you went into your room, you had asked the reception for a vase you could borrow. They immediately noticed the flower on you and gave you a sneaky glance. Ignoring them, you went and filled the vase with water.

Before going to bed you placed the rose in the vase, on your nightstand so when the morning came it would get sun.

The last thing you saw when you fell into slumber was the rose. The memory of that charming magician is still vivid in your mind.

Perhaps, you could delay your trip back home.

After all, 

He did steal your heart and had yet to give it back.  

A/N: CWNCWNCONCON I WAS KICKING MY FEET AND CRYING WHEN I WORTE SOME PARTS CBKEBCIB The Fonatine siblings have a choke hold on me fr. Fontaine water giving that same energy that 3 am cold crispy tap water- I'm now tempted to make a Lynette x F!Reader fluff were they have a nice little tea party and make paper flower arrangements like cottage core girlfriends Tags: @b0rninh3ll @yukiaei @xiaossocksniffer @nayumeas @scarletrosesposts @sol3chu @rionah @jar-03

[sjhhemmings]

Dream Partner

Connor Rhodes x Fem!Reader

A/N: Connor is my bae now. I started watching med and i’m OBSESSED. God I love him. also sorry i’ve been like MIA? I just haven’t had the motivation to write :(

Lmk if you guys like this by REBLOGGING AND LIKING AND COMMENTING!!! Support your writers 🤞🏻🩵

warnings: alcohol, fluff, confessing feelings

“Y/N, truth or dare.” Ethan asks from across the table at Molly’s.

Most of you guys from the hospital decided drinks after shift would be fun, but now that they’re bringing in games, this isn’t going to end well for you.

Sucking in a deep breath you scrunch your nose in response, “Sorry, but I think it’s time for me to go home!” You say a little sarcastically because you don’t want to leave, but you don’t want to play the game.

“No, no, no, no, you’re not leaving me here with these maniacs.” Natalie said grabbing the back of your coat and sitting you back into your chair.

You glanced around the table of your colleagues and sighed. Whatever.

You and Ethan were sitting across from each other on the end of the table. Will sitting next to Ethan, and Natalie sitting next to you. Maggie sitting next to Will closest to the wall, then finally Connor sitting next to Natalie across from Maggie.

“Herrmann, get me another shot!” You yelled from across the bar earning a thumbs up and an eye roll before looking back at Ethan.

“You’re on. Dare.” You say confidently as Herrmann sets down another shot of tequila in front of you.

“I dare you to try and get as many phone numbers as you can from guys in this bar in under 2 minutes. Depending on how many you get is what determines your punishment.” Ethan says with a coy smile making your jaw drop.

“Woah, punishment?” You ask a little lost.

“Like if you get 5 or less, you take 3 shots, 6-15, only 2 shots, and then 16+ you can give me a dare twice as bad. With a punishment.”

“You’re so on.” You say taking your tequila shot and hopping off your stool.

“You timer starts…Now!” Ethan says starting your two minute timer.

As you walk away you pull your shirt down exposing a little more cleavage in hopes that would raise your chances as you make your way around the bar.

Exhausted and out of breath, 2 minutes later you make your way back to the table.

“Damn it.” Is all you say with a sigh as you sit down.

“How many did you get? 3?” Ethan asks with a smirk not confident in your abilities at all.

Exhaling deeply you roll your eyes and pull out the napkin you had every number on.

“Not quite…” You say looking disappointedly down at your results.

“Only…23 numbers.” You say looking up at Ethan’s dropped jaw. As the rest of the table hypes you up, you bask in the success.

“Now what did you say, I get to double the punishment?” You ask in a smart ass tone.

“Yep.”

“Hm, okay! Truth or dare Ethan? Choose wisely.” You say with a wink earning an eye roll.

“Truth.” He says sighing obviously still butt hurt.

“Is someone a chicken?” You ask pointedly making everyone else laugh.

“Nope. Just have fun coming up with someone that’s worth double the punishment for a truth.” He says taking a sip of his drink making you huff. If he wants to play it that way, then so be it.

“Have you ever filmed a sex tape?” You ask with the words rolling off your tongue. Ethan’s face turns bright red as the people at your table feel the awkward tension between you two.

“Remember, be truthful or you can choose to not answer for 4 shots.” You add while taking a sip of your own drink.

“No answer.” Is all Ethan says as he starts taking his shots as everyone else as the table dies from laughter.

After a few minutes of silence and miscellaneous conversations the table settles down. Making you forget about the game completely.

“Okay, okay, Y/N, truth or dare.” Natalie asks you to which you respond with an eye roll.

“Shouldn’t it be someone else’s turn?”

“Nah, you’re good at this game. You make it entertaining, pick one.” Natalie says making you chuckle.

“Truth. I don’t want to get up again.” You say giving her a pleading look.

“Describe your perfect dream partner. From head to toe, first thing that comes to your mind.”

“Do you want me to paint your nails next too? What is this a 12 year olds birthday party?” You ask laughing making her lightly hit your shoulder.

“I don’t even know where to start.” You whine making her give you a look of disbelief. You stare at your fingers that your fidgeting with as you start to think of your dream type.

“Okay, uh, Brown hair. Brunettes are alway cute.” You trail off not really knowing what to say next.

“Go on…” Natalie urges you making you rub your forehead from stress.

“I like green or blue eyes, wait just blue eyes. I like the deep ocean-y blue ones, not really icy. A stubble is always cute, or a little bit of facial hair. Oh and he needs to be tall, or taller than me at least.”

“Okay… give us some personality.” Will says with you rolling your eyes in response.

“God you people are needy!” You say faking annoyance. The alcohol has really helped in you not really caring with these things. “Confident but not cocky. Funny, able to take a joke and match energy. Communicates. Empathetic, and passionate. Pretty smile. Oh and respects me and my body or boundaries. ”

“Oh those are good,” Maggie adds making you blush a little.

“Hm. Give us some ideal careers.” Will adds making you think. Also a little suspicious. Why is he so interested.

“Surgeon.” You say without thinking.

“I need to be with someone who understands our job and is able to work with me on not having the most accommodative schedule. Or an NHL player so I can become his trophy wife.” You say with a smile toasting your beer with Natalie who mutters a ‘true that’.”

Before anyone really responds you a hear a soft chuckle from across the table. Will.

“What’s so funny?” You ask slightly glaring at him.

“You know, I was putting the puzzle pieces together, and you know who sounds like your Dream Partner Y/N?” He asks making you confused.

“Humor me, Will.” You say because you weren’t specifically thinking about anyone while describing your ideal type. It’s just your type that’s all.

“Mr. Connor Rhodes over here.” He says with a smirk making your face drop at the realization.

“Hm. Yeah, actually that makes a lot of sense.” Natalie says after thinking it over.

“Yeah the brown hair, stubble, blue ocean eyes, not the icy ones!” Ethan adds making you kick his shin under the table.

You can’t see Connor’s reaction to all of this but you know it’s probably not good. You wipe your hands down your face before you decide to get up, “I’m gonna go get another drink.” You say announcing your departure as you walk away.

Fuck what were you thinking. You and Connor? Dating? More than friends? Of course it crossed your mind, but for it to be a reality? Hell no. You can’t even imagine how much he doesn’t like you. He’s always second-guessing your choices as a doctor, and you’re never on the same page with anything.

It seems like he always has a problem with you, so now that you basically told him to his face he’s your dream type. That’s embarrassing.

Resting your head on the bar counter in front of you, you try your hardest not to cry from embarrassment right here right now.

Feeling a soft hand on your shoulder, you keep your face buried in your arms not willing to face Natalie or Will right now.

“Go away, Will.” You mutter but instead of the person walking away, you feel their presence shift to sit in the seat next to you.

“It’s not Will.” You hear Connor say making your face blush even more. Fuck why did he have to come over here. He’s probably going to give you the talk that, ‘As flattering as it is that you have a secret crush on me, I’m gonna have to say we’re better as friends.’ No way, you’re not putting yourself through that tonight.

“Oh. Well you can go away too.” You mutter again.

“Can we talk?” He asks in a softer tone making you basically become the whole emotion on embarrassment. God why tonight?

“I’d rather not.” You say still not lifting your head up.

“That’s fine. I can talk…just, listen?”

Finally lifting your head up and looking Connor in the eye you sigh.

“I-”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put you in this awkward position where you feel obligated to come reassure me and gently let me down, saying ‘you’re flattered but we’re better as friends.’ Because I know, not that we’re really friends and I’m pretty sure you hate me but that’s besides the point. I understand. Now I’m going to excuse myself saying I’ll go to the bathroom, when i’m probably just going to walk out the door. Have a good night Connor.”

“Y/N wait!” He says grabbing your elbow to stop you from walking away.

“No, it’s okay,”

“No. Let me talk.” He pleads looking you in the eye. This sends butterflies to your stomach and also makes you overly aware of him touching your arm right now. Oh my god, Connor Rhodes is touching your arm right now. You could faint.

Sighing you sit back down next to him. Turning your chair so your knees are facing each other and you guys are sideways to the bar counter you run your hand through your hair as a nervously.

“I’m sorry that Will put you in that position, I’m sure you didn’t mean anything by it and that was kind of a dick move on his part, I’m also sorry I gave you the idea I don’t like you. Because I do, a lot. Thats partially the reason Will was pushing you to share so much. I always thought you never liked me, and they’ve been trying to convince me to ask you out. So now I guess, that’s what i’m doing? Y/N, would you want to-”

“Wow, Connor um…” You say interrupting him quietly, shocked from his confession.

“And now this is the part you try to let me down gently?” He asks chuckling a little but obviously hurt.

“No! No, i’m just surprised is all. We’ve just never really agreed on anything as doctors and I was convinced that you always had something against me…I never really thought of the idea of us together. I guess I never really allowed myself too. I mean, like, I would love to go out with you don’t get me wrong…But if this is just out of pity because I ran off embarrassed, again I hope you don’t feel obligated to-” You say rambling but he cuts you off.

“Y/N, that’s not what I’m doing. I want to do this. I like you, a lot.”

Another blush creeps onto your face as you make eye contact with Connor. Your heart is in your throat, not really knowing what to say you smile shyly.

“So will you please, go out with me?” He asks furrowing his brow in anticipation of your answer.

“Yes,” You say smiling a little awkwardly because you don’t know where to go from here.

“And now is the part where one of you invites each other to their house, and then you guys make beautiful drunken love, allllll night!” Will says coming in between you guys, holding each of your shoulders.

“Will, if you don’t get out of my sight in the next 5 seconds I’m going to punch you in the mouth.” You say with your eyes not leaving Connor’s as he sits back in his seat and snickers.

As you and Connor both get up to leave, Connor grabs your hand to guide you out behind him.

“Wanna come back to my place?” Connor asks once you both are outside.

“I’d like that.” You say grabbing his other hand holding them between you guys.

Before you would even be able to prepare let alone register what was going to happen, Connor leaned down and placed his lips on yours.

It was a soft but needy kiss that you only broke because you needed air. Only pulling away far enough to rest his forehead against yours you both chuckle.

“I like you too, Connor.” You whisper as he places his lips back on yours and smiles in between the kisses.

[apinchofm]

See You Again

1 2 3 4

@spitefularmand @angel-starbeam @vaimperial @lizzibennet @kathonysbee @datsusara84 @queenaryastark @livingonfanficseyra @alrightsnaps @jeanvanjer @viscountessevie

Two Summers Ago...

George feigned being unable to catch up with Marina. She was shorter and in her long flowing gown, she had to hold onto it to run.

Her curls were freed from her ribbons, as he finally caught her, tickling her to soft grass. She shrieked her submission, hitting at his broad shoulders as he finally let her down. They lay down next to each other.

"So, my dear Lord Crane."

"My dear Miss Thompson."

He frowned,"My father has taken to berating servants. Philip is at university and I am his heir. Striking me would not help anyone."

Marina nodded. Lord Crane had always been a hardworking man. He seemed to have a permanent frown, though she rarely saw him outside of the long and tedious church services.

"Well, my father is threatening to send me to London." She announced.

"I thought he hated London? The city?"

Biting her lip, Marina fiddled with her hands, "He wishes for me to marry. I told you of my uncle Archibald, yes? Well, his daughters are coming out - whatever the hell that means - and my father asked if I could join them."

George could not help the snort that escaped his mouth. He knew Marina had been under the tuition of a governess since her mother's death but the images of his blunt darling in the Ton was amusing.

"What if you are matched to a man who has false teeth?"

"Ew!-"

"-Or a twelve year old - lords are getting younger by the day!"

"I despise you."

"You could always marry me."

"You are not funny, George."

He suddenly looked seriously at her, "Correct. No woman wishes to risk being a widow so young. I suppose that is why mother only married when father returned from America."

"My father purchased a commission for me." He announced, "In Spain."

"Spain?" Marina frowned. There was a war in Spain. She read her father's newspapers, and she would get suspicious looks from others. She was half French, the blood of the enemy. A ridiculous thing.

"You can't! You can't go to war!"

"Every man in my family has done-" The Cranes were a military family. Since the day Henry bloody Tudor was crowned on Bosworth field, every first born son had fought for England. They were lucky to have survived for so long, mastering strategy and fighting vigour.

"Luck runs out!" Marina protested.

"Marina..." He tried to make a joke, "If you weep for me, I shall send word to London that you are seeking an old man. With no teeth specifically."

She shook her head, sniffling, "I'm not weeping for you. Those poor soldiers you'll be commanding; they have little clue what an idiot you are."

"Marina, I shall not pretend to be the most poetic of men."

"That is an understatement-"

"May I finish?"

She smirked, leaning forward and resting her head on her hands, "Go on."

"When I return, we would marry and run away from our fathers." He vowed, "Mine should be dead. Because as far as I am concerned, I have always been yours."

Marina sighed, leaning forward and rubbing her nose against his, "And I am yours. Under two conditions."

"Name them." George whispered, quickly nipping her bottom lip. She slapped him lightly on the arm.

"A house in the country!" Marina laughed, "The children will speak French first!"

They both laughed, kissing each other as they dreamed of a life they hoped for.

Reality, however, would never be as sweet.

At Hastings House, Marina was enjoying the festivities. It seemed like her mother, Daphne enjoyed a garden party.

"I was so glad you could make it", Daphne greeted her, taking her away from Portia. "Colin is here - I know the two of you have been spending time together."

"Is this when you tell me to be careful with

"No - well, yes - but Colin can look after himself. Sometimes." Daphne chuckled, "But if the two of you make one another happy, I truly would be so excited to welcome you as my sister."

The talk of marriage reassured Marina. Perhaps Colin was planning to propose, and then she could escape London, George, and her dreams. She would have a husband to focus on, and a family to build.

Daphne led her inside, wanting to show her some art Marina had expressed interest in.

"I hear your father owns Chattlebourne Manor. A rather beautiful pace in Somerset."

"He does." She said, "It is a rather beautiful place to grow up in."

In the same hall, stood George and Simon, the two chatting in front of

"Hello." Marina curtsied. He bowed. As if they were nothing but strangers.

"Hello," George said. Marina looked at her friends, who gave her innocent looks.

"Mrs Coulson, may you chaperone?" Daphne asked her housekeeper, who nodded and stood in the corner to give them privacy. Simon escorted his wife out and Marina silently cursed him in her mind. She would try to kick him in the shin.

"You look lovely." He complimented. Her soft pink gown and curls are styled in a simple updo. If it was not for the string of diamonds on her neck, he would have believed she was that same girl who ran around in fields all day.

"Does it hurt?" She asked curiously, indicating his cane.

"Sometimes." He said honestly, "Mostly at night."

"Well, there are women you can pay for that, my Lord."

He could not help the laugh that escaped him. She looked at him before succumbing to her own giggles.

"Still so... you." He mused, smiling. But she faltered at that.

"I am not. We are both changed, and that is fine. One cannot live in the past."

"Very true." He turned to her, "So, in that spirit, might I call to Featherington House?

"Why not? Penelope would like to meet you." She said. Her cousin was such a believer in romance. One night, Marina showed her some of the letters she and George had exchanged over the years - when he was at Cambridge.

"Oh, the two of you would be perfect!" Penelope had squealed one night as they sat in Marina's bedroom, sharing a plate of biscuits.

She shook her head, "Never chase after a man who does not want you in the same way, Pen. It is a waste of energy."

"I meant to see you." George said.

"I am courting Colin Bridgerton." She said firmly, "You know that. He is a good man. And he will be a good father to any children we have." Marina said defensively, "He is reliable and kind."

"Don't marry him." He pleaded. Their eyes met in an understanding made years ago when the most difficult part of their lives was how he would sneak her biscuits in church.

"No..."

"Yes..." He stepped forward, "Marina, why else would I be in London?"

"No, George. You are being mean." She protested, shaking her head and backing away.

"I know me going away-"

"You did not go away! You did not go on some Grand Tour," She snapped, annoyed, "You went to war. I'm not some delicate little debutante who cannot handle the idea that you went to war. What I couldn't take was you..." She stopped, swallowing, "You..."

She threw her gloves to the ground in frustration. He reached out to touch her, but she stopped him, her face flushed with anger and hurt.

"Not when I have loved you all this time and you..." Her voice broke and she turned away from him, unwilling to give him her tears.

George too was upset, confused as to why she was so hurt.

"I have loved you too." He said earnestly.

"No, George. You forsook me."

[vintagegirl01]

Inner Healing

Marc Spector x fem! reader (Steven and Jake are mentioned briefly)

Summary: In the heat of a moment, Marc raises his voice at you. This leads you to get hurt but not for the reason that Marc is thinking.

Warning(s): angst that ends in fluff/comfort.

Marc had a stressful day. Between arguments with Khonshu and the back and forth conversations of his two headmates, he feels as if he’s barely hanging on by a thread.

Currently, the two of you are having dinner together. You’re telling him a story about something that happened to you at work during a zoom meeting. Although, you start to take note of Marc’s zoned out expression on his face. Something that happens when he has a lot on his mind.

Taking this into account, you decide to bring up your concerns to him.

“Marc, are you okay? You haven’t been talking much tonight.”

He nods.

“Are you sure?” You try reassuring him, taking his hand in yours. “I'm here for you, you know?

Your voice starts to get lost with the other voices in his head. Though he’s trying to hold it together, he can no longer keep it in.

“I said I’m fine!!! Now stop nagging and leave me alone!!!”

As soon as he sees that shocked look on your face, regret is instantaneous. As he is about to open his mouth to try to apologize, your reaction is what catches him off guard.

Rather than yell back at him, you nod and take you hand away from his own. “Okay.”

The rest of dinner is eaten in silence as he sees you keep your focus on your plate rather than look him in the eyes.

_________________________________________

As Marc lays in bed, he begins to wonder about the events that happened tonight.

Why did I have to yell at her? She was only trying to help and I made her feel terrible.

“That's what I’m wondering”, responds Steven.

Jake murmurs “Tu es un idiota” as well as a few other phrases that Marc cannot fully understand but gets the gist of what is being emphasized. That he was a jerk to the woman who loves him so much, despite his faults.

As Steven and Jake go on with their reprimanding, Marc is trying to figure out what the next step is. Though he knows he needs to apologize, he isn’t sure how to when the woman he loves won’t even acknowledge him.

Just then, Marc sees you walk into your shared bedroom. Though he’s initially happy to see you, he is shocked to see you grab a pillow and blanket and decides to break the silence between you.

“What are you doing”?

“I’m getting ready for bed.” You say without looking at him.

“Away from me?”

“I figured…after what happened tonight, you want space.”

“Babe, please…”

“It’s fine, you don’t need to explain. I’m sorry…”

“I’m the one that should be apologizing. I yelled at you when you were only trying to help.”

“But you wouldn’t have yelled if you weren’t upset with me.”

“Babe, where is this coming from?”

Though you are reluctant, you decide to bring up your thoughts.

“Growing up, my dad used to yell when he got angry. Sometimes even yelling at me for no reason. Though his feelings were never truly directed at me, I couldn’t help but feel that I had something to do with it. Therefore, I figured that if you yelled at me, it must mean I made you…”

Despite being unable to finish, Marc brought you in for a hug. He now understands. You were upset because you thought you were the cause for his anger. But that could be further from the truth.

It was actually you that made him happy. Something that, since Randall's death, he had not felt. He felt whole again because of you.

Yes, despite how absurd it was for him to say it, you were able to give the impression that the man with DID wasn't broken. For they all loved you back just as much as you loved them all. So that he knows how much you mean to him, even if he has to spend the rest of the night cuddling with you and whispering sweet nothings, he will. Because it is what he intends to do for the remainder of your lives together, as well as tonight.

[tervaneula]

Haa haa hoo hoo I made myself sad by listening to Vika hidas by Ida Paul and Kalle Lindroth (the song title translates to “The last slow dance”) because it made me think about NQK!Leonardo meeting Yuichi during the apocalypse. And we all know how that would’ve turned out UUUGH I DON’T WANT THAT

...yeah this is just me being a dumdum. That might be the case in some other timeline but here, in NQK, Leonardo will get to live forever with his stupid bunny man

Anyway the song is absolutely beautiful so y’all should listen to it, and I badly translated a bit of the lyrics under the cut so any non-Finnish speakers can get some kind of grasp on why this makes me so desolate:

You get to cradle me just for this moment Anyway, anyway Today we are two But tomorrow there will be no us

Tuuu-uu-uu Tuuu-uu-uu

This is our last slow dance and it’s supposed It's supposed to be

Tuuu-uu-uu Tuuu-uu-uu

This is our last slow dance and it’s supposed It's supposed to be

While the birds are still singing Carefully so I’ll hold you So you wouldn't forget to remember how we danced tonight We drowned just like that, as if in the Atlantic If we’d been there Like how we're here We'd still float on water

Like! Oh my godddd ghjfgrfghjsg in addition, the “tuu tuu tuu” humming could be a reference to “tuutulaulu”, which means “lullaby” in English, AND IT MAKES ME SO SO SAD???????? AAAAAAAA

[giggly-squiggily]

🧡 Bestie “Excuse me, are you alright?” With ler Korekiyo and lee y/n? Maybe he finds them crying because of the killing game and finds out they’re ticklish while comforting them :D

Oo, this is so cute??? Korekiyo, beloved! I've gotcha covered, anon! :D This of course got angsty in the beginning but fluffy by the end! I hope you like it!

Bestie: "Excuse me, are you alright?"

“Excuse me…are you alright?” Korekiyo’s voice shook you free from your misery. You didn’t look up, knowing you looked like an absolute wreck. Instead, you kept your head down in your arms, hoping he’d mistake you for someone else.

“Hm…(Y/N)?” Damn! So close!

“Go away…I can’t- I can’t…” You sobbed, shaking. You heard him kneel down beside you, followed by one of his many pockets being opened.

“(Y/N), here.” When you peeked, you saw a handkerchief, dark green with black trimming. It was so him you almost laughed, reaching out and taking the offered cloth. “T-Thank you…” You sniffed, cleaning your face.

“Of course. What’s wrong, love?” Korekiyo asked, extending an arm. You scooted closer to him, letting his long arms pull you into his chest. “Did something happen?”

“Yeah. A killing game. And I’m forced to play it. And I don’t know what’s gonna happen to you, to me…” You felt the tears start to rise again. Blinking them away, you closed your eyes, letting his heartbeat ease you. “It’s a lot.”

“It truly is. I’m sorry, my love.” Korekiyo ran a hand through your hair, sitting with you as you let the remaining tears fall. “I promise you this-”

“Don’t.” You cut him off, clutching his shirt. “Please. Don’t promise me anything right now. I just…I just want to stay with you like this. That’s all I need right now.”

“....Of course, beloved.” He sounded tired, but understanding. Eventually, the worst of your crying sustained, and you were left feeling numb. Korekiyo’s hands were comforting against your back.

As if noticing how you were feeling, he gave your side a gentle prod.

“Ehe! K-Kiyo!” You jumped, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

“Is this okay?” He asked, hand still resting against your side. You thought about it.

“Actually…yeah. Go ahead.” You nodded, already giggling when his hand prodded your side once more, keeping the touch gentle. “I guehehehehehss I nehehehehehd thiihihihs!” “Guess? I’d say you do.” Korekiyo laughed softly, lightly tracing your ribs one bone at a time, poking between them as you laughed into his chest. “I hate seeing you so sad, beloved. If this helps, I’ll gladly keep tickling you until you’re happy again.”

“Ahehehhehehhee! Yohoohohohu’re swehehheheheet! Ahehehehehahaha!” Finally, you reached out, taking his hand in your own. “Ohoohohkay, ohohohkay. I’m good.” You leaned up, kissing his masked cheek before tucking your head beneath his chin. “Thahank you. I apreheheciate it, love.”

Even if you couldn’t see it, you could feel the way his heart raced at your kiss. He squeezed you into him so gently, a pleasant warmth falling over both of you.

“Anytime, my beloved.”

~Send me a pairing and a candy heart phrase~

[sweetlywriting]

If possible can you do an angst with floyd leech where you're dating him and he used to call you 'shrimpy' until prefect comes and he starts calling them shrimpy while losing interest in you and eventually ends things with you.

You can do whatever ending but ive just had this in my mind for soooo long😭😭😭😭

If you cant do it then its totally ok!!

Washed away

Floyd Leech x Reader (Fluff to Angst)

A/N-Tysm for this request!! I loved this idea so much let me know if you have more! I had a lot of fun writing it and I hope it’s okay that I started it off fluffy I feel it makes the angst hit harder 😭

You were dazing off in history class, when suddenly professor Trein asks you a question about Savannaclaws next ruler. Seeing your sheepish look he sighs moves on to ask a different student. Happy the embarrassment was only a second you lean back in your chair with a sigh, only to be met with a whisper in your ear.

“It was Cheka Kingscholar, shrimpy”

You whip around to see the Leech brothers behind you, infamously tall and terrifying. Though from the coy taunting voice you could tell it was Floyd. The embarrassment began to trickle back in again as you heard snickers over the nickname. You huffed and stared at the clock on the wall, willing the class to finally be over. Eventually it was, though Floyd’s name calling did not. In lunchtime, the halls, the classes you shared it was never ‘y/n’ just ‘shrimpy’, and it never failed to infuriate you.

One day, after lots of frustration and the desperate thought that he’d be calling you shrimpy til senior year, you finally spooned up the courage to catch up with him after class and ask why he had assigned the odd nickname.

“I just think shrimp are cute” He said shrugging one shoulder and giving you a grin, as though it was the most casual thing in the world.

You felt embarrassed again . . . but maybe for different reasons this time.

“You should come to the maestro lounge sometime, I’ll give you a special deal on shrimp” He said throwing you a wink and flashing you his sharp toothed smile before walking off.

Huh’ you mused ‘maybe I will.’

***

You hummed softly next to your boyfriend as he continued to snore, leaning on your shoulder in his seat. The entrance ceremony was long and Crowley certainly seemed to like the sound of his own droning voice. Being second years the formalities were very much familiar and very much boring to you. Only the occasional game of ‘who can bother Jade the most’, watching the hyper first years scramble around, and seeing Floyd in the classic Octanville robes made the ceremony bearable for the first couple hours. As you started to consider also sleeping in your seat with Floyd an odd gray and blue ball of fur zipped past you with various students chasing after it.

I wonder what’s going on “ you mused lazily, unknowing that this was the beginning of realationships unravel. Your interest started to perk at the scene of dorm wardens joining the chase. Floyd opened his eyes and tilted his head curiously at the sight of the person holding the little gray creature.

“Who do you think that is shrimpy?”

***

With the start of classes and busy beginning of Nightraven college you quickly forgot about the ceremony, and person they called the ‘prefect’ who was rumored to be magicless. Though Floyd seemed to know them well. It truly didn’t bother you at first, you were glad he was making more friends, but it seemed the closer Floyd got to the prefect, the farther he fled from you.

“This is a partner project. I expect a quality presentation on how Scarbia’s climate contributes to its cultural and political systems” Professor Trein announced to the class. Well at least it was a partner project so you could work with-

“Let’s be partners shrimpy”

You froze. It was Floyd’s voice, but it wasn’t directed towards you. He was looking up from his seat behind you smiling at the prefect as they laughed and agreed. You swallowed and swiftly turned back to your own seat, staring at your desk and trying to blink back tears. He didn’t even look at you. and shrimpy was your name!

You flinched feeling a gloved hand from behind on your shoulder, and turned ready to give Floyd a piece of your mind-only to see Jade.

“We can work together y/n” He said a mixture of apology and concern on his face.

“Alright.” You muttered turning back away, not wanting the pity but appreciating the gesture.

***

‘Meet me at the maestro’

It had been so long since Floyd had actually asked to go on a date with you and you were beyond thrilled. Obviously the whole situation with the prefect had been a misunderstanding and he was finally taking the initiative to make it up to you! You dressed well, choosing his favorite colors of turquoise and purple with extravagant pearl and shell accessories while reminiscing on your first date the maestro lounge. Back then he had reserved the entire place for you two, wanted you to try everything, and constantly made you laugh. You held close to that memory as a place of hope, and were ecstatic it was finally paying off.

You slipped out of your dorm as the clock struck twelve and quietly snuck into the lounge.

An uneasy feeling settled in your stomach as you entered, the whole place was dark with all the tables and chairs pushed to the side. ‘Maybe not a dinner date?’ You thought, pulling out two chairs and deciding to wait for him.

After what felt like forever you could finally make out a tall silhouette walking over to you-but flinching back seeing your fancy attire. He didn’t lean over you the way he used too, constantly craning his neck to look at what you were doing, or playfully poke at your hair or nip at your ear. He brooded in his chair, leaning back with an uncomfortable expression and his hands both firmly stuck in his pockets.

Only the two of you and the gentle sound of water remained.

“I’m always going to care about you y/n, but I don’t . . . feel for you anymore” He said this simply. The same simple way he would say ‘I love you’ ‘let me do it for you’ ‘this reminded me of you’. The same simple way he’d gently tug at your hair to get your attention, he’d squeeze your hand tightly in crowds as if afraid to let go, and carefully he held your heart in his hands.

His love and indifference looked so similar but felt so different. You wanted to vomit.

Eventually you did. But not before the crying. Heaving sobs filled the silent room as you brought your knees up to bury your face in. He tried to reach you, saying some words that sounded like apologies but quickly left as you vehemently yelled for him to go.

You felt footsteps and were ready to yell at Floyd to leave again but were surprised to see Jade carrying a box of tissues and a folder.

“I told him not to do that here.” He grimaced seeing your face and pushed the box of tissues towards you.

“I just wanted to let you know I finished the presentation, and I put your lines in that folder, I didn’t want you to worry about the project on top of er-this” Jade said warily, as he began to walk back out wanting to give you space.

“Was it because of the prefect?” Your voice was quiet and strained but impossible to not hear in the still room.

Jade didn’t turn around but nodded, sealing your fate as a new round of your sobs mixed with the fading sound of footsteps.