#begs the question of how far tree-y she is

[youjusttryandstopme]

HAZEL TREE??????

[emsgwenstan]

Why not me?

Larissa Weems x fem reader {angst}

words: idk 2.5k?

warnings: language.

note: ok idek what this is, i haven't written anything in months because of burnout, so really just something i pulled from drafts.

“Don’t.” It was to the point; it was sharp and clear. I picked up my handbag, coat and gloves and evacuated the room as swiftly as possible.

Slamming the door behind me, I could feel its vibration, the loud noise echoing through the halls and corridors, just like every one of my steps down the marble stairs. Frustratedly, I rummage through my bag to find my car keys, desperately needing something to just go my way, I plucked them out and balled the abundance of jagged metal in my fist while storming across the cobblestone to reach my car.

The second I sat in the driver's seat, tears started to roll down my cheeks and my nose started tingling, I shove the keys into the ignition and reverse out of the staff lot before practically doing a burnout when setting off. Where to go now is the question. Where to go indeed. The only home I’ve ever known is nevermore, the safe place I retreat to when the outside world is far too cruel, when normies are unkind and when life gets too much.

Every possible place I think to go isn’t an option, they are all riddled with memories of her, there’s nowhere in the whole of Jericho that I haven’t been with her, the park benches and weathervane after getting hot chocolates on a sunny winters day, the local bookstore on a windy spring morning, the clearing just off the road in the woods on a gloomy autumn afternoon, or the empty fair ground on a cool summers night.

“Oh, you would love her y/n, she very pretty and quite the catch, she flatters me all the time and is very sweet-.” “Don’t.” The conversation plays on a loop, God why? Why wasn’t I enough? The trees reflections whipping across the windscreen seemed to become faster. “Goodness, can you believe she asked me? I haven’t been on a date in years.” She had said. “Help me find something to wear dear?” She asked, and, without question I did.

My grip on the wheel becomes tighter until my knuckles turn white and crescent shapes are imbedded into my palms. Did she not know? Didn’t she realize? Has she not seen the way I look at her? Before I drive myself out of the town ship I stop on the side of the road. I just sit there, I sit and cry for a long time, even as dusk falls and night comes, I sit and cry.

Many cars have passed my own, however none caught my attention until I heard one ripping down the road sounding like it’s going a million miles an hour, when it passed the brake lights almost immediately illuminated my skin and the tires screeched as it stopped, my brows crease in confusion until it reversed back alongside me. Quickly I came to realize who it was. Larissa.

Without second thought I tried turning my car on though it wouldn’t turn over, how bloody convenient. I looked to my side to see her get out and run to my door. “Shit.” I breathed. She reached for the handle and was stunned when she couldn’t open it a dumbfounded expression overtook her pale features. “Open the door.” She pleaded I didn’t look at her, I kept my eyes in front of me still trying to start the engine. “Darling open the door.” She begged, her voice cracking and muffled by the glass.

“Y/n so help me god I will smash this window if you don’t open the damn door.” Her accent became thicker as she yelled. I just wanted her to go away, I rest my temple on the headrest in defeat. For a moment it was quiet- too quiet, that was until I heard her door slam close. I peeled my eyes open and saw her wrapping a cashmere scarf around her wrist, immediately in rage I unlocked my door and stepped out. “What the hell are you doing!?” I seethed. “What am I doing!?” She asked incredulously unwinding the material. “What the hell are you doing!? Where have you been? I called you close to forty times with no answer, I thought you were hurt! I thought something bad happened!”

“Why do you care?” I spat, the bitterness rearing its ugly head. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re my friend, of course I��d care!” There it was friend. Somehow that made it worse- another kick to the guts. “Yeah, ok.” I murmured, twisting around and pulling out my bag, closing the door and storming down the tar road. “Where are you going!?” She shouted. “Away, far away from you!” I bit back.

“Stop!” She growled frustrated and confused. I ignored her request and continued walking. “Y/n!… oh, for fuck's sake.” Her voice died in her throat as she came to the conclusion that I in fact didn’t care for what she had to say. Larissa threw down the scarf and started power walking towards me, her heals clacking hard against the ground, her stride quick and harsh. “Hey-… hey! Christ just stop.” She said exasperatedly reaching my shoulder.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” I shrugged her off ripping out of her grasp. “Take the hint! Larissa, I’ve made it clear enough that I don’t want to be near you!” I yelled whipping around to face her. “What have I done? What is going on? You don’t do this- you don’t pull this kind of childish behavior; I expect this from a student not you of all people.” She reacted. “Thanks, truly.” I sarcastically remarked and resumed walking.

“Fine I’ll just follow you then.” She said as if she was one upping me. “Piss off.” I said starting to walk faster. “Tell me what is going on! Please.” She asked her voice a little calmer and more desperate. I once again ignored her. “Y/n. I’m not going to stop until you tell me what has gotten into you.” She said starting to slightly limp from the ache in her feet. “What has gotten into me?… what has gotten into me?” I stopped abruptly.

I spin on the spot facing her again throwing down my bag in the middle of the road. “You.” I said creeping towards her with my finger pointed towards her chest. “You have gotten into me!” I yelled. “Me?” She asked, her brows furrowing and voice shaking. “Yes you! Day in day out, I’m sick of it!” Larissa’s posture straitened and head slightly dropped to the side in question. “Can you elaborate?” She said her eyes flicking about showing her confusion.

“It would be my pleasure. Let’s start shall we. “I’m not sure where I’m going wrong, I just wish someone would want me.” Or “I’m not good enough.” Or “y/n, why doesn’t anyone fancy me? Is it because of this or that'…or some bullshit reason.” I started, quoting just a few things from her. “What? Are you annoyed now that I actually have someone who could potentially be interested In me?” She asked furiously.

“No, I’m annoyed because of how ridiculous it is.” I retorted. “Ridiculous?” She growled through clenched teeth. “Yes. Ridiculous. How many times was I there to say those things aren’t true? How many times have I reassured and helped you? How many nights did I spend being by your side trying to make you happy!?” I asked. “What are you getting at!?” She asked, her eyes wide and lips twisted. “Months… years actually! Listening to you talk absolute garbage about yourself and continuing to do so after me telling you I’m here! - and, and now… you’re settling? for some waitress who thinks you’re pretty?” I explained looking directly in her eyes.

Larissa recoiled and looked as if she had been slapped. “Tell me how you really feel.” She murmured crossing her arms over her chest. “Jesus Christ, get a grip! Are you that thick!? I’ve been tryi-” I began. “Don’t even start, what about you! As far as I’m concerned you don’t have a great track record in relationships!” She yelled, her anger taking over once again. “Just fucking listen!” I screamed, rendering her completely silent.

When I realized she had bit her tongue and no longer wanted to argue, I started to speak again in a more relaxed tone. “I haven’t spoken, been with or even looked at anyone else. I’ve said nothing, but I’ve tried in many ways to show you, to tell you… every single time you have had a problem, a bad day, needed help, needed comfort, who’s been there? Me. I have. I know you better than anyone and I’m telling you that, that woman isn’t for you.” I stated.

“Right. So, your jealous that you're not the one who’s getting the chance with her, is that what you're saying? Because I thought you would be happy for me, out of all people y/n.” She said quickly and bitterly. “No that’s not-” I try. “I’ve heard enough, you want to be left alone fine, go ahead.” She said rolling her eyes and turning around to walk back to her car. “Larissa.” It’s her turn to ignore me. Before she got too far, I reached for her wrist without thinking and stopped her.

“I am.” I said quietly, pulling her to turn back toward me. “Your what?” She asked back. “Jealous.” I express timidly, looking away from her but keeping the firm grip. “But not of you… of her… I’m jealous of her.” I said just above a whisper. I look back up, my gaze trailing from her shins to the hem of her dress, to the waist belt of her grey coat, to her neck, lips and face, her very confused face.

“I’ve tried to tell you… I’ve tried everything apart from actually saying it.” I said loosening the grip on her wrist. “Do you have any idea how hard it was? How hard it is to listen to you talk about someone else making you happy? Someone else who can see the side of you I’ve only ever wished to be privileged to see?” Larissa’s face dropped; her angered expression melted away as I continued.

“What?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry.” I said in the same level of tone, goosebumps forming over my body as a shiver made its way down my spine, right there I knew I ruined everything. I close my eyes and let go of her wrist, I could hear her take a step, but it wasn’t back towards her car, it was to me, my eyes snap open as I feel her entire body engulf mine, in all the years of our friendship we’ve never hugged like that. Not once.

Together we stood planted in the middle of the road not daring to move an inch, it felt like it lasted a lifetime but in reality, it was only a few moments. My head and my heart were reeling, so many emotions, so many feelings, so many memories, so many 'what ifs'. “Larissa.” I said into her chest. “I know.” Was the reply. “Let me say it.” I murmured, Larissa’s chest heaved and contracted deeply, she guided one of her hands to rest on my temple and forehead moving the fallen hair in front of my eyes. “Look at me… please.” She asked pulling back just a little.

I lifted my gaze to her eyes and held the lapels of her coat, smoothing them and giving myself time to breathe. “I…” I swallowed. “I, love you.” I said quietly, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. “I have for so long.” I breathed, finally after God knows how long I finally said it, although my relief was short lived when I saw Larissa face slowly revert back to one of distain.

“This isn’t fair.” She said pulling away and taking a step back her brows furrowing and unable to look me in the eye. “What?” I asked in disbelief. “I-… I liked you for a long while y/n, but now you choose to tell me?” It took every inch of me to not cry immediately. "What are you saying?" I asked dumbfounded, feeling bile build up in my throat. Completely taken aback, I recoiled and was in such a state of disbelief that I turned around in utter shock, plucked my bag from the ground and resumed trekking down the road.

The whole world felt like water filled the atmosphere and I was drowning, my limbs felt heavy and the cold seeped into my bones, I heard her muffled voice call out to me, but it was far too late, the second I looked up a pair of headlights were set right towards me...

[coco-loco-nut]

How Did It End?

pairing: charles leclerc x reader

summary: charles can’t shake the reputation of not being able to hold a relationship

masterlist ttpd masterlist

—————————

Sure, Charles dated around, but he was in his 20s, and it wasn’t like those relationships were super short. He thought the reputation assigned to him was unfair. So when he met you, he thought things would be different. How did things die so quickly?

He was used to the scrutiny at that point, so he did his best to protect you, like you were a flower that he needed to take care of. Maybe that’s what let a disease sink in.

“Charlie, we can’t hide. I don’t care what people say, I want everyone to know how much I adore my boyfriend,” you begged.

“Mon amour, they are ruthless. I don’t want you getting attacked because you are with me,” Charles frets.

“Charles, I can’t keep hiding,” you say, moving away from his touch as he reaches for you.

That became more and more frequent. Charles wasn’t wrong, the attention you got from the media was overbearing at times, but you were happy to be with him.

Charles could tell you were subconsciously pulling away. You shared love language is touch, and it was less and less frequent. It started to feel foreign rather than comforting.

That’s not to say that it was all bad. You and Charles truly believed that you were it for each other and this was just a low spot to work through. You were blind to what was to come.

The downfall really happened during a post-race party. You and Charles had been separated from each other, and people decided that that was the correct time to plant seeds of doubt in both your minds.

“God, Pierre. I don’t know what to do. She deserves better than me, I think things are ending,” Charles says on the phone with his childhood best friend, running a hand through his hair. Little did he know that you were having the same conversation with some of your friends, asking for advice.

“I think it’s time to call it off,” you and Charles get the same reply. As much as neither of you wanted to, the seeds had been planted, and that comment was like a good rain that helps it grow.

Not even a week later, you are moving your things out of Charles’ apartment and back to your apartment in London. You thought you had some peace and quiet at the start of your separation, but then the gossip pages got pictures of you and Charles. You were out shopping, feeling absolutely lost without him, you didn’t even realize that

Charles could hear the hungry voices around him, vultures waiting for the next bit of gossip. Former friends sending him pictures of you shopping and looking miserable, people whispering around him when walking around Monaco. It was all too much, and it was always the same question.

“How did it end?” like his life was a circus, and he was reaching his breaking point. The more he is asked that question, the more he can’t hold onto his PR filter.

“I can’t pretend like I understand how it ended. She was my everything, we had dreams together. It feels like her ghost and I are sitting in a tree, like that nursery rhyme. D-y-i-n-g,” Charles rants to Max, one of the few people to not offer the fake sympathy.

Charles was miserable attending Silverstone. Knowing you were so close but so far, it was torture. He just wanted to hold you in his arms, show you off to the paddock.

“Mate, he looks awful. What happened, where’s Y/n?” Lando asks Carlos, observing the Monégasque driver.

“Didn’t you hear? They called it all off,” Carlos says as Lando’s head whips over to look at Carlos in shock.

“How did it end?” Lando asks. Charles wants to rage at everyone and everything. It’s never asking how he is doing, only how it ended.

“I don’t know,” Carlos shrugs.

Charles knows how it goes, if he tells someone what happened, they will promise to keep it to themselves but end up telling all of their friends. It’s a spectacle, every time a failed relationship of his makes light.

You show up to the race in disguise, having been dragged out of your apartment by your friends.

“He looks miserable,” you say, watching Charles on the screens. It’s not too noticeable to anyone who doesn’t know him well.

“The same as you. Maybe you should reach out,” one of your friends suggests as you stand at the front of the barriers for the Ferrari fan zone.

“I, I shouldn’t. We broke up for a reason,” you tell her, not noticing Charles’ gaze on you.

“Maybe so, but it seems like you two need to talk,” she says and you look up at Charles who holds your gaze for a second.

“Maybe,” you can’t help the slight blush that appears on your cheeks. After the event, you see a text from him in your messages. You never blocked Charles’ number, you couldn’t bring yourself to.

You meet Charles at a park nearby, and it’s starting to feel like a bad idea.

“I’m sorry for all the media attention that came with the breakup,” Charles starts and you feel anger flare up.

“That’s what you are sorry for?”

“No! Well, yes, but I’m also sorry that I never publicly showed you off. All I could think about the past few weeks is how much I wanted you by my side. I love you, you are different than anyone I’ve dated before,” Charles corrects himself.

“Charles, don’t say that. Of course, I love you too, but I know how this goes. You will try and change, and things will be okay for a little, but then they will revert to how they were,” you sit on the bench nearby.

“No, they won’t,” he rebuts, but you don’t believe it.

“I hate seeing you miserable, but I can’t be in a relationship that makes me miserable in the long run,” you say, grabbing his hand.

“Y/n,” he trails off, unsure of what to say.

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t opt in to be your odd man out, Charlie. I was going down with the ship. You said you loved me but where were the clues? You never showed me off, I was stuck at home while you were out,” you go on a slight tangent.

“I never meant to cage you, I just wanted to keep you safe. I realize how wrong that was, now. I put the weight of the relationship on you, I’m so sorry,” Charles begins to realize you won’t budge, that you need to protect yourself.

“I’m just getting color back into my face, and you will too. You and I will find someone who meets our needs, and this will be just a small blip in your life,” you smile ruefully, removing your hand from his.

“I’m not the one,” Charles exhales, and you shake your head. You know what’s bothering him and why he’s fighting for you now.

“Ignore them. Those who truly know you don’t believe the reputation the media has spun of you. I’ll be cheering for you, Charlie. Maybe we can be friends one day,” you stand up, taking in the sight of him one last time. Charles watches as you walk away.

Neither of you saw the camera trained on you, but Charles took your advice. When the photo was published with the caption “how did it end?”, he ignored it. And when he finally met the one, he realized you were right once again.

[unabashednightmarepizza]

𝐹𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑇𝑒𝑦𝑣𝑎𝑡, 𝑇𝑤𝑜 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠

Genshin Masterlist

Mondstadt was far too peaceful, compared to the modern world of your planet. There was more greenery, more land to run around and just sit back and relax, trees and flowers weren't withered or tainted with cement...

And now, you were taking your words back as fast as Usain Bolt once ran.

Perhaps the outside of the city was just as you described, but the city? The City was the worst.

Children crying and screaming, people flocking around you and exclaiming their gratitude, elders praising you for your strength and beauty while telling how pretty and strong children you would have, how you were one of the fairest and most fierce maidens of the city and how blessed you were for having a face very similar to their Champion...

Aether's situation was worst, as he was soon surrounded with the teens of Mondstadt who had literal heart eyes for him, staring at his naked abdomen time to time as he blushed deeply while trying not to break anyone's heart...

You were starting to reconsider your early thought of settling here one day.

Your brain was turned into a puddle of jello, their constant talking doing nothing to relax your already throbbing head. Not even rubbing your temples worked, something that eased your school stress which often made your poor nape throb.

And the only way to just ease your poor abused mind, was to come to the Windrise where it was most peaceful with the almost-there hum of the nature and the huge tree

"Don't you think Lisa and Amber are like sisters?" you casually tell to Aether while extending a hand to touch the branch above your head as the shorter male looks up at you from the food he was eating, a kind of sandwich from your world that he was sure he would beg you to prepare more often.

It was one of the best snacks he ever had, and even tasted...familiar.

"Why do you say so?" He raised his brows with a questioning look, already preparing to hear yet another bizarre thing out of your mouth like you usually did whenever you were too bored, while wiping the leftovers on his lips with a napkin you offered so that he didn't use his dirty hands like an uncultured boy.

Nah uh, not on your watch.

" Amber does all of Lisa's footwork. Elder sisters also ask, rather demand, their little sibling to do something for them to laze around." You hummed all-too-knowingly with a shrug, slapping the branch softly with a smile.

He only hummed for a few seconds, pondering for an answer while looking through his previous memories with his sister. Although he forgot most of his memories, he was still able to remember Lumine and all the bickering they did.

And that alone put a smile on his face.

"Hmm... Since me and my sister are the same age, we always used to decide with playing rock, paper and scissors. How about you Y/N?"

"Oh... Uh, It's actually... Something I really don't want to talk about." you trailed off, clear discomfort written on your face as you and Aether sat side by side with Paimon laying on the green field like a starfish, looking up at the Tree of Vanessa and watching the slimes slowly go away to their path, totally unaware of the awkwardness that hung on the air.

But you also knew, from the almost teary eyes Aether had that he missed Lumine and needed to just vent... Even if you didn't wish to speak of your life back on Earth.

"How about Lumine? How is she like?" you asked him with a sigh, tightening your hold on your folded legs and resting your head on your knees as you turned your head to look at him with a soft smile. From what you vaguely knew, while Aether was a sunshine and more approachable due to his cute and round face, Lumine seemed more calm and collected and more likely to beat someone up and not be sorry.

Though she also had her soft and loving moments occasionally. As a matter of fact, you saw yourself in her even when you hadn't actually met her yet... A girl, looking so tough and strong, also sarcastic and funny in her own way, but is actually very vulnerable and in dire need of someone understanding her struggles and pain, and still loving and being there for her.

You could have become such good friends with her...

But you just... couldn't help wondering what happened to them. Why were they there? What did they see or experience enough to leave this world in a hurry? Why the Gods of this world didn't leave them be? What was beyond what others saw in them?

What did the Celestia plan for them this time?

You widened your eyes as your heart started beating erratically, all the while trying not to alert Aether, who was looking at the horizon, from your sudden fear, your mind was suddenly blank at what just crossed your mind. What was even this Celestia you just said? And what did it mean "this time"? You were so sure that you didn't know this world, you couldn't possibly know anything since you just started playing the game and getting into the lore, watching theory edits and such.

And you definitely hadn't read any books about the history of this world either. Then what was that sudden thought thar crossed your mind? Why did it sound like you knew this would happen and this Celestia?

The only thing you had gotten close to knowing about this world was that time when you first met Storm Terror and... a strange bard who talked to that dragon...

Who stared at you with a shocked face, eyes wide with terror and sadness as he looked at you tearfully, as if he had seen his lost lover after years of death taking his love away.

As if a war had wracked both him and whatever he held dear to himself forever to not give what he once blissfully had but never realized it. As if he had seen the ghost of a friend, or a lover right before him when he thought he would never.

Why am I thinking about such things? I mean sure, he was pretty cute with his big green and turquoise eyes and I literally felt my heart broke for him after he made such a kicked puppy face but... I don't even know him! Who is he anyways, and why do I feel like I know both him and that dragon? Why did such a terrifying creature literally whined at the first sight of me?

And your eyes just drifted up, where a land was floating slowly above, close to Mondstadt as if flauntly, as if to showcase its own power, to tell the humans below that they were the ones in power and that they could end them with just one single blow...

Arrogant jackasses... Those fucking, good for nothing Gods, thinking so highly of themselves yet still hiding...

Something inside of you told you that for whatever reason, you would see both that bard and dragon once again and then, you could demand some answers from him. Maybe it was a bit harsher than usual saying in such situation where you didn't even know that bard and therefore couldn't have any problem to begin with but, could anyone blame you for your fear, nerves and behaviour when you didn't know anything and anyone, not even about your travelling partners?

So, as weird as this whole situation was and you were getting the creeps because of it as if you were being watched, you were still happy to be here with Aether and hopefully learn more about him and his sister.

Maybe I could become friends with her too when all this ends and we find her? I wonder what she likes though, I hope she doesn't beat me up because I would be really sad but happy to be beaten by a strong, pretty-

At his silence that made the little balloon in your mind pop, which was enough to tell you that he wasn't ready to talk about her yet, you pondered for another way for him to open up without causing discomfort to him.

"What... exactly happened when you wanted to get out, Aether? And above all, why did you want to get out in a hurry?" you asked softly, not wanting to startle and trigger him since his eyes seemed lost as he concentrated on somewhere far away and also, not to dive deep in your own thoughts of being beaten by strong and pretty women.

He turned to you when he heard your voice after minutes of silence, focusing on your eyes as he shrugged his shoulders. He trully didn't remember much, he even barely remembered telling you that he and his sister was leaving in a hurry.... Perhaps, it was another play of that Unknown God to make him weaker, to enslave him forever.

He was going to have his revenge oh so badly, he swore it.

"I don't remember... All I remember is that feeling of panic and fear before the Unknown God came and another shooting star protected us before everything went black and I woke up near that shore."

You nodded your head absentmindedly, plucking a Windwheel Aster to play with as your mind played the familiar screen play where you needed to choose one twin over the other to save.

Which was just a while ago before you suddenly woke up here.

However, it was strange enough that there was a shooting star which protected them from the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, Asmoday, though he was yet to know her true name. From someone way too powerful than anyone on Teyvat, even the Archons.

But yet again, it was only normal. Archons were once normal Gods who lived in Celestia, before whatever it was that resulted in the ruined buildings, abandoned castles and desolate lands all across this vast world.

Yet...

Since the world was changing with your presence here, obviously since you were not from the game and lore... Would you dare to change the destiny of this world? Of all the people you will meet, of Aether and Lumine? Of Paimon on who you had no idea over as to what or who she is?

Do you dare to go against Celestia, as a human who didn't have a chance against Them even when a God had a slim one at deceiving and fighting that power?

These were definitely not in the game... Just what else is different than the game version?

Apart from the uncertainty this new reveal brought to you, which was initially another side that excited you, life in Mondstadt was... Peaceful for the most part.

It seems their Archon did a good job with maintaining what they were created for: Freedom.

Even imagining what future days may hold for you in this city, the secrets those ruins held, the kind of history they hid and what you could discover there filled you with a buzzing feeling that almost made you shake with excitement. After all, playing through a screen and actually witnessing them were way different.

Spoiler alert: You didn't like those Ruin Guards.

But even amidst your happiness, the one feature you had thanks to your more shy and reserved self back in your world since no one really paid attention to you started working: Picking on the mood of people close to you.

And in this case, it was Aether who was your stark contrast, sitting with a face close to breaking apart.

At first glance, Aether almost seemed like he didn't care about what happened to him. His eyes were hard most of the times, even when he didn't talk about his sister, and since he was kind of selectively mute because he didn't understand Teyvat language and you and Paimon were the ones who talked to him and communicated with others in his stead, that's why people often thought of him to be too harsh and hard to get close to.

If only they knew how wrong they were, if only they knew he had such a golden heart as you stared at his teary golden orbs as the boy slowly broke apart after months of being alone.

"And just like that... I lost both my sister and powers as some kind of seal was casted upon me and now, we are trapped here." Aether spoke out in a whisper, too low for you to hear had you been a few meters away from him as he clenched his hands angrily, veins popping up by the sheer force he applied at remembering the smug face of that Unknown God that trapped him here.

You always knew how lonely and hard it must be for Aether, with no one else to talk to like you did and no one to spend time casually with. Humans, whether on Earth or some other universe, always needed to be social whether they liked it or not. The humankind had always been that way, always seeking out closure and companionship and never wanting to be alone. If asked "What do you fear the most?", most people here would answer with "Archons." probably with "being alone" being the second most given answer.

But Aether had been alone for the longest time and possibly fought with many Gods in other worlds and this one, just to get out of here with his sister.

He experienced all the fears of ordinary people.

Paimon could always fly to wherever she wanted and eat without a problem, and even go for her own journey if she wanted. You could always ask for help from people and even hang out with them freely without worrying about anything and there wouldn't be a huge language barrier between you and them as well, unlike a certain short blondie.

Paimon could find another travelling buddy, you could settle down here and even build a new life for yourself.

Aether had no one and no way to do such things.

How could I be so stupid to not see this before?! He must have felt too bad as I hung out with Kaeya! Like a lonely kitten only wanting its owner..!

"You know... You are not alone here." you tentatively spoke, after internally scolding yourself for being carried away from the excitement of being in Mondstadt, carefully weighing your words as you slowly touched his hand, to which he lifted his head slowly in shock and stared at your star-shaped eyes that seemed to captivate him even more with each day.

"What do you mean? Have I suddenly started to understand their language or something?" he sarcastically asked with a slight hint of amusement, which he only did with you and not Paimon because your reactions were better, making you sigh out and pinch his cheeks harshly with a giggle as you cooed at his flustered state.

"Getting sarcastic now, are we? Oh my, I didn't know you had that side of you!" he rolled his eyes sarcastically at your dramatic gesture, swatting your hand away. But as the noisy little shit you were, you kept pestering him and nudge him with a wide smile that Aether couldn't dare to erase.

Enjoyment, nowadays, was hard to find for him after all.

He continued to look at you and listen to you excitedly talk, even though he knew it was because of your nerves by how hard you were chewing on your lips and fiddling with your fingers. Unaware, you kept on talking while putting stray hairs behind your ear to push them aside, all futile attempts too mask your nervousness from what you were about to stay...

And whether they would come off as offensive.

"I mean, obviously, me and Paimon can't be like your sister and we absolutely have no intention to do so but we are your friends. If you have something troubling you, you come to us. If you want to talk about anything, absolutely anything, you come to me. Because let's be real, Paimon would probably pull it towards foods and I'm rambling but you got the idea-

"Thank you... Y/N..."

"And I mean, I know I could be very-wait, what?"

You stammered nervously in shock at what left Aether's mouth so softly with a deep emotion, not expecting the chuckle that left his lips breathlessly next at your shock. His giggle was really cute, something that eased your worried heart and almost made you think everything was back to normal and that you two were just simple people hanging out together and not trying to roam this world for a way to get out.

But he was trully grateful, grateful for your attempts of making him feel better, always looking out for ways to look after him, being his friend...

Everything.

"I know you don't trust us yet, but I can assure you that as long as I am alive, I'll make sure you see your sister again and travel worlds again." you finalized what you had to say with a firm yet soft pat on Aether's back, promising him just like the time you had to choose one of them with a heavy heart and let the other be taken.

Like the first time you felt like a true villain.

Aether only gave you a wide yet tearful smile as he nodded his head, the light of the Sun of Teyvat hitting on both of your skins and making them appear to be so soft that you almost thought it was coming behind a silk cloth.

After all, he wasn't going to be alone anymore... After fighting his demons in the dead of the night for so long, without anyone really understanding his struggles...

He now had another friend, another one who understood him and how traumatic it was to be trapped in a completely foreign world.

Seeing you finally broke every kind of ice between you two, and since you didn't want to be sad all day when the weather was so nice, you hugged him tightly from his shoulders with a wide smile, opening your palm to show the vast greenery before you which was a blessing of Mondstadt and their Archon... well, whoever that fucker was now.

"Besides! You can't really get rid of me that easily! I have this bad habit of never separating from those I deem very close," you whispered the last part almost threateningly, leaning closer to his ear with a hand covering your mouth and his ear as if there was someone that could hear you, unaware of the heavy blush covering his whole face while he avoided looking down at your lips unconsciously...

A sudden, soft murmur broke you two apart harshly.... And saved Aether from the embarrassment by giving him enough time to dip his whole face to the cold water at the Windrise.

" So, does this make you and Aether my siblings, Y/N?" you flinched when you heard the childish yet sleepy voice of Paimon suddenly, who grew on you even if she sometimes got on your nerves. She was stretching as much as her tiny body would allow, slapping her lips loudly as she yawned and looked around with wide and curious eyes as if she wasn't here hours before she slipped into a deep slumber

Nonetheless, you couldn't help but coo at her cute question with a hand over your chest as Aether chuckled next to you while looking at Paimon who was sitting in front of you both before patting her head and confirming her...

Well, that was before she decided to become a little menace to you once again.

"Wait, wha- Aww you are so cute for-"

"Since you do all the footwork and I float-"

A cheeky grin from her as you groaned.

"Are you fucking serious right now?" An irritated scowl was plastered on your face with brows raised in question at the floating emergency food, the latter wheezing at the expression of your face while Aether tried to cover his giggles to be spared from your wrath ( which only earned him a slap to the back of his head because how dare he get satisfaction from such thing!).

But as much as betrayed you were from Paimon fooling you, it was also... kind of funny, what she said. She was really like a kid who didn't have a filter on her mouth and mind, never knowing when and what was the appropriate time to say something... That was perhaps what made her endearing in your eyes.

"Come on, Y/N, I can see your smile! I know you found it funny!"

"...Maybe, yes, it was funny." you grumbled to which they let out a loud yay! and you smiled at their enthusiasm with tired yet content eyes as silence settled once again. Paimon eyed you and Aether for a few seconds, admiring how pretty and strong you looked as you allowed Aether to lean his whole weight onto you and laid his head comfortably on your shoulder while she wasn't in any different position as she laid across your lap, with your hand slowly caressing her hair and pat her head.

For some reasons, you always gave off of a comforting vibe ever since they saw you or well, you saw them, timidly getting close to them to ask if you could sit with them near the fire they had built, promising that you wouldn't hurt them. They were suspicious at first just as any normal person would be, but Aether couldn't find it in his heart to decline you when you looked so helpless, just like he first woke up in Mondstadt apparently and didn't know anything, desperately in need of help.

You reminded him of himself, helpless and unaware of the dangers that laid ahead.

What sealed the deal for you and them, since they had eyed you all throughout the night for any suspicious move, and since Aether was laying down from the deep cut he got from his abdomen and bleeding, but was only met with a happy tune you muttered under your breath while getting warm with a contented smile, was how easily you got up and drew your dual blades- which they soon learnt them to be actually a spear that could be connected to each other- to protect them from a horde of hilichurls and even two Abyss Mages, with burning red and blue flames engulfing your blades and later the enemy.

The only thing you gave to them that night was a serene smile as you pointed to his wound with a worried expression, which made them both wince with guilt from how badly they thought of you when you only cared to protect them.

"Your wound looks bad... I have some ointments I made myself and I know how to sew a wound, letting it stay open like that would surely make it get infected. If you allow me, may I help you, young travellers who helped me?" and then a gorgeous smile that captured them.

And as you prepared everything while making small talk with Aether to draw his attention elsewhere from the numbing pain of his wound, initially learning you both were not from this world, that was when your fates aligned together which would change the fate of all of the Teyvat.

Suddenly, you three had become each other's companions and the others' everything.

And as she laid on your lap comfortably Paimon felt... bad and even saddened for you, feeling like crying suddenly as she stared at your protective hold on both of them even while you rested, being completely exposed to any kind of danger, although they knew there were no hilichurls or Abyss Mages close by.

You have always been there for both of them, protected them even when you barely knew them, patched them up, cooked them food and even gave some of yours to Paimon because she loved that particular dish so much or to Aether both because he was hurt and he was usually the one who did most of the work and needed energy more than you...

You have always been sacrificing something for them and what had they ever done to repay beck for all the kindness and love you gave them?

So far, nothing... They didn't exactly have a lot of Mora , even with new commissions they were taking and besides, you always refused to have a share of it since you three needed to either buy food or medicinal items and strictly prohibited them from buying anything for you like a mother scolding her children from spending too much for them.

"I don't need anything to know that you care for me and love me, sillies! Just be happy, healthy and make sure to not hurt yourselves too much and we're fine! Seriously, you are giving me grey hairs..."

Perhaps they couldn't show their love however they wanted to, per your orders, but she could definitely tell you how much you and Aether meant for her!

"Besides the footwork joke... Paimon never really had a family, or at least doesn't remember having one. So, Paimon is very happy to have such strong and caring siblings!" she smiled serenely, genuinely as she tilted her head to look up at you both, knowing full well that neither of you were actually sleeping from the small smiles you both supported. She nuzzled closer to your lap happily with a relaxed sigh, not caring whether you heard or not because she was so damn sure you did.

Paimon really could be so damn adorable when she wanted....

She didn't have to know, but both you and Aether were keeping your eyes closed just so that Paimon wouldn't get worried because of the tears that blurred your visions from what she said so earnestly, her touching words reaching the depths of your heart.

"We really are a strange Trio, huh? Two Outlanders, one pixie baby who refuses to be our little emergency food-" you idly sighed out with hands smoothing down their hair gently, making them both sigh and nuzzle closer to you... Though Paimon was just a tiny bit agitated because of what you said about her.

"For God's sake, come on!" you giggled in the most evil way possible at her growing irritation and kicking her legs up in the air angrily but continued anyways with little to no care.

Hah, that's what you get for always teasing me!

"One can easily understand this world's weird language and also the language of his other outlander companion, but doesn't have any other super powers-"

"They are called Visions!"

"And even so, it seems that some people noticed our strange behaviour..." You mumbled to yourself in worry as your hand momentarily stopped in mid-action, head lifting up to look at the city far from you three, standing on the lake and bustling with energy.

Oh yes, Lisa and Jean had their own suspicions about your powers. Both you and Aether seemed like normal people on the outside, but Aether could easily use Anemo vision and not get affected by the venomous tears of the dragon Dvalin.

And you? You used a different, much more powerful kind of fire than anyone else, wielded a long and heavy spear (something less than 3 people or so did in Mondstadt), and somehow... Understood Teyvat language and Aether's mother tongue without any difficulties even when you weren't from either one of the worlds.

"It's still very strange. Even if It's obvious they are exceptional and strong people, neither Y/N nor Aether seems to be affected by Dvalin's tear..." Jean mumbled curiously from her position near the window, staring sternly at you two as you shuffled closer to Aether to shield him and Paimon. That was, until your attention was taken away by Lisa who circled around you like a predator does to its prey, a finger touching your chin and turning your head to her direction flirtitously with a slight pout.

"Besides, StormsTerror seemed much calm and soft when its eyes landed on our cutie Y/N... I wonder why, have you ever interacted with a dragon before perhaps?"

To be honest, you also didn't have the answer for that. While you were floating up in the air with Aether, cross firing at the vicious dragon to stop it from harming the City....

You felt a sudden sting deep in your heart which threatened to tear you apart when its eyes found yours.

And no, it wasn't because of the glider Amber gifted you weighing on your back, making it harder to breathe since you weren't used to... floating.

It was as if you were hurting a very dear old friend, a family that was once your everything and a part of your soul.

Besides that chest piercing pain you still continued to experience even after that dragon flew away, what was that mysterious voice that helped easing your scared heart as the wind gently caressed your whole body and mostly face, as if phantom fingers rubbed your cheeks and head to map your whole face, and helped you with making StormsTerror leave Mondstadt for some time right after helping Aether with some shitty Mages that appeared out of nowhere?

Don't worry Windblume, I won't let you go. Not this time... Now concentrate and feel the wind in your veins just like you did before...

It was so soft, so loving yet... Also so pained, so hollow as if he missed a great part of him, as if he was trying to make up for a mistake he has done as you felt a sudden surge of power in you, a sweet pain on your back and just like that...

Five Mages were down with a flick of your spear.

"I just hope we didn't make their job harder than before with our presence..." You sighed after a long while, those thoughts still lingering at the back of your head and tapped their heads gently to get them to move since the sun was slowly setting and you needed to go back to the city where Jean kindly prepared a room for you three in the headquarter... After she asked what you needed since you three saved the city.

All of you first declined, but after Paimon and Aether left the room completely, you turned to Jean and with a stern face, asked for only a room which Aether would never have even a speck of information about you asked for it.

Fortunately, she understood your reasoning and with a kind smile, and even more respect growing in her for you, she offered whichever room you wished to have alongside new clothes and three courses of meal and told Aether that it was a "special thank you to the Honarary Knights from the Knights of Fovanius" and to have both of you closer in case of emergency.

Thank her and her brains, no wonder she is the Dandelion Knight and the Acting Grand Master...

"But just as Amber said, the number of hilichurls and Abyss Mages decreased significantly! Paimon wonders if it has something to do with Aether or Y/N!" Paimon exclaimed curiously as she watched you pack up and usher them both to go to their merry way as you turned abruptly, pointing to your chest unbelievingly and looking around.

"Me? Why though?"

She kicked her legs up in the air frustratedly, swiping her palm through the air and showing the nature around her as if it was an obvious fact and you were a fool for not seeing it....

And you trully didn't get it.

Seeing your confusion, Aether chuckled as he lead Paimon to float before you two started bickering again as he started to explain as much as he could.

"They always liked hanging out with you and even protected you... An insane part of me even thinks that they know you're in Mondstadt and therefore, don't want to disturb you since they know you are safe and happy."

Life truly didn't turn out the way Aether had wanted, and probably would never. His life had taken a sharp tune as soon as he and Lumine chose this world to travel next and... All of you knew how it ended.

But now, it wasn't so bad like it used to be months ago. Every day, even every hour, he was met with yet another extraordinary person or habit and it intrigued him a lot. Learning all about the people of Teyvat, what they did for living and their history, hanging out with people... He loved doing all those things, it made him feel like he was back to being the previous Aether before all the chaos happened.

Even though he knew he shouldn't get too attached and form bonds that would be broken in the end inevitably... when he finds his sister and leave the world behind. But maybe... Maybe he could get to bring you and Paimon with himself too? It wasn't like you couldn't, you definitely could land on another world since you were also an Outlander. There was a chance that Paimon couldn't, since he still didn't know of her origins, but he would fight Gods and Archons if he needed, so that he could keep his family together.

His sister, who was the literal half of his soul. Paimon who was always there to help him out and make him enjoy the life Teyvat could offer while guiding him and you... You, who always had tragic yet also comedic stories to tell them from your world whenever they get uncomfortable in some ways. You, who roasted people with your sharp tongue and quick mind, while being a total menace and gremlin, whenever they didn't take no for an answer since Aether didn't want to offend anyone and just did everything they wanted as the "helpful boy" he always was...

or whenever people didn't believe him whenever he said he was probably a lot older than their Archon because of his young, baby face.

Oh yeah... He was very doomed as he already got attached to you and the floating baby you always sweetly called.

"If you can consider being in a city where people worship 'The Champion' that eerily looks like me who fought alongside Barbatos for many times and face a huge statue of the said-champion every day being happy and safe... Then yes, I definitely am!"

Aether snorted at the sarcastic answer he got from you and the dramatic flip of your hair, not being able to help the fake-disappointed shake of his head as he watched you fondly with hands on either sides of his hip.

"What am I going to do with you?"

"Probably bear with me and my awesome self and amazing jokes, and also love me!" You turned around with a gleeful smile, hair floating up and dress swiping through the sudden wind that engulfed you softly and in that moment, he wished that the smile you always had would never disappear.

That you wouldn't loose the happiness and hope blossoming in your eyes with each new day greeting you.

And he thought, whatever strange things revolved around you and the mysteries even you didn't know about yourself...

He would always be there for you, just like you did and will continue to do with him.

You would get to solve all the mysteries and puzzles about just who this "Champion" was and their link to you. Meet and demand answers from that Archon about his sister and the Champion whom he was always depicted together with and maybe... Maybe, at least one of you would be able to get rid of that fog which clouded your memories.

And with that, three of you entered the safety of the walls of the City of Freedom once again... A place where you already started calling "home".

Unaware of what was waiting for your group in the headquarters.

[winniemaywebber]

The Apple Tree • Part 7

read previous chapter here

(gif by @hephaestn)

Rosie and Y/N make a decision about their relationship.

A sweet breeze ripped through the trees, the May weather finally rearing its head between inconsistent cold snaps. The children were grateful for it, the sun shining in their faces once again. One of the greatest joys in life was seeing them run madly through the fields, the sunshine turning their pale skin a delicious golden brown color. Another was seeing their eyes widen with joy when their persuasion worked. 

“Please, Miss!” they'd beg, their puppy eyes softening your already mushy heart. “Please can we go over to the air field?” You'd pretend to consider, falsely uhm-ing and ah-ing, keeping them on tenterhooks until you pretended to relent. It wasn't hard to say yes; the children got to see the planes take off and land, some of them hanging around with their favorite crew chief - sweet Kenny Lemmons was only nineteen and far away from home, a playful big brother to the kids. Always so gentle with them and always so willing to answer any question they had about his job, he made them feel so special with his kindness.

“Children!” You'd softly scold, making apologetic eyes at Ken. “Leave Lemmons alone. He has a job to do, and you're under his feet!”

“No worries, ma'am,” he'd reply, his young eyes twinkling with joy at being able to pass on his knowledge to more young minds. “I don't mind at all!” And he'd take them across the field, letting them watch him and the rest of his crew patch up flak holes. 

You'd get to see Rosie, always so darn handsome in his flight gear. The best part of it all would be seeing his face light up the second he saw you, running over to give you a secret kiss when the children were distracted by Kenny and the crew.

“I'll be back before you know it,” he'd murmur, pushing your worries away with a soft kiss to the forehead. 

“I love you, darling.”

You'd started to enjoy the longer days that this new summer was bringing, especially how the sun rose even earlier, flooding your bedroom with bright light. It was even better when you got to wake up next to Rosie - the soft morning daylight reflecting over him; the reddish tint in his hair coming out because of it. He'd usually kicked off the covers, the blanket ending up at his waist. Sometimes, the prettiness of him would take your breath away, your hand stroking every exposed part of him you could reach. Even in his slumber, he'd smile softly at your touch, humming as your gentle tickles on his broad shoulders would wake him slowly. 

“Hi, pretty girl,” he murmur, pulling you closer as he woke up. 

“Hey, handsome,” you'd reply, curling up in his arms and savoring every second of his warmth. It's on one of these mornings that he looks at you seriously with those beautiful blue eyes, still full of sleepiness. 

“What happens when this is all over?” he asks, suddenly.

“What do you mean, my love?”

“When this is over…and I have to go home.”

“Yes?”

“Would you come with me?”

The question shocks the breath out of you, you crawling out of his arms to sit up and look at him. 

“Darling,” you begin, your hand on his chest. “I absolutely would. But I have a life here. I have my job, I have this house. My friends…my whole life is here. I can't just simply turn around and give it all up.” You feel him sigh under your hand, his face dropping slightly. Without a word, he takes your hand and kisses it, nodding. A moment of silence passes between you both, the tension of the question hanging in the room.

“Will you at least think about it, Y/N?” 

“Yes, sweet man. I will.” 

—

“Turn on the radio!” Sally squeals, rushing through the door as you're in the middle of explaining fractions. “Oh, heck. Sorry, Y/N.” Their eager eyes turn to you, and then back to Sally. 

“Miss Sally,” Harrison pipes up. “We only listen to the radio at school on Fridays.”

“Well, I'm sure Miss Y/N here will make a special exception,” she replies brightly, turning back to you with her teeth gritted. “Turn on the darn radio.” With a sigh, you do as you are told and hear the familiar voice of Prime Minister Winston Churchill:

"Yesterday morning at 2:41 a.m. at General Eisenhower's Headquarters, General Jodl, the representative of the German High Command, and of Grand Admiral Doenitz, the designated head of the German State, signed the act of unconditional surrender of all German Land, sea, and air forces in Europe to the Allied Expeditionary Force, and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command…Hostilities will end officially at one minute after midnight to-night, but in the interests of saving lives the "Cease fire" began yesterday to be sounded all along the front, and our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed to-day.”

The whole room erupts into cheers at his last words, the booming voice of the country's leader being drowned by joyful screams, the children pumping their fists in the air. You and Sally grab one another, hugging tightly and jumping up and down. As you break apart, the joyful tears in her eyes suddenly turn to sad ones when she figures out what it all means for her. With a deep breath, she slinks back into your embrace, her whole body shaking with sadness and adrenaline. 

“Oh, Sal,” you say, surprised to feel a sob catching in your throat. “Hey, now. No need to cry.”

“I'm scared,” she weeps into you, her arms getting tighter around you. “I don't know what I'll do without you.”

“Doll,” you sigh. “You'll be fine. We'll write all the time, Sally.”

“B-but…”

"No buts, lady. Give me a minute.”

You break away from Sally and clap three times to get your students' attention, them stopping their celebrations immediately upon hearing it. 

“Wow, thank you. This is a very exciting day and it would be rude of me to not let you celebrate properly. I'm dismissing you all early!” Another cheer erupts, some running over to wrap their arms around your waist in thanks. Retrieving their belongings from their cubbies, they hastily wave as they rush on home, except for Penelope who hangs back. 

“What is it, dear?” you ask, walking over to her. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a shiny red apple, placing it in your hand. 

“Wanted to give you this, Miss,” she says sweetly, her eyes bright. “Was gonna give it you at the end of school. Picked it this morning.”

“Thank you, darling. You are so sweet. Go on home to mum now, okay?” Penelope nods and skips out of the school house, her long hair flowing behind her before breaking into a run to catch up with her friends. 

—

Walking home arm-in-arm, you and Sally have to stop every few moments to greet or wave to someone passing by. Some even hug you both in celebration before rushing off down the street to the pub which, no doubt, was opening early today. 

Opening the door to your cottage, you let Sally in first. She sniffs, her eyes cheekily squinting at you.

“It smells different in here than usual,” she teases, elbowing you in the ribs. 

“Whatever do you mean, Sally?” you reply, winking back at her. “I guess it's just because it doesn't smell like solely me anymore. It's me and someone else.” Her face drops suddenly, her eyes filling with fresh tears. 

“And what will you do when it just smells like you again?”

“Oh, Sally!” you say, exasperated. “You keep dropping these hints, like I'm meant to know what to do.”

“You never told me he asked you to go home with him,” she replies, sitting down in an armchair. 

“Because it doesn't matter if he asked or not,” you respond, kicking your shoes off in the entryway. “I haven't made a decision. I thought I'd have much longer, but obviously after today, I–”

“You'd better make up your mind. Don't break his heart, Y/N.” Suddenly frustrated, you stare at her pointedly.

“I wasn't planning on it,” you say, feeling your cheeks turning an angry shade of red. “But what about all this? What do you think Granny would think if she was here if I just gave up this nice house she left me? And what would the kids do? I can't just leave them like that. I can't abandon them when they need me.”

“When will you ever think of yourself? What do you want?” 

Without hesitation, you respond, the words spilling out of your mouth. “I just want to be with Rosie,” you say with a shrug. “But it's not that simple, is it?” 

“There. Yes, yes it is. You and I, we'll figure this out.”

“What if they figure out we're hard to live with, huh? What then?” You joke, Sally breaking into giggles.

“Then at least we'll have somewhere to come back to.” 

—

The celebrations on base had carried on until first light, you and Rosie walking back to your cottage hand in hand. The early morning mist hung atop of every house in the village, the grass sparkling with dew in the morning light. 

Walking into your cottage, you lean down to start the fire to warm you both up. Sitting on the couch, Rosie sits next to you and wraps his arm around you, his warmth enveloping you instantly. 

“What a night,” you murmur sleepily into him, and you feel him nod in agreement. Taking a deep breath, he lifts your chin to get you to look at him, his eyes softening as you do so. His thumb begins to stroke your cheek as he speaks. 

“Did you think on what I asked?”

“Y-yes,” you stutter out, suddenly awake. “But I haven't made a solid decision yet. There's so much to figure out, but I–” 

You’ve barely got time to finish your sentence before he's getting up from his seat and walking towards the door. 

“Hey!” you blurt out, walking towards him to stop him from leaving. “Where do you think you're going?” 

“I'm going back to base,” he says flatly. “It seems you haven't thought about it at all, Y/N.”

“Believe me, I have.” You reach out and take his hand, kissing his palm gently. “I've been thinking about it an awful lot. It's been torture. I think of saying goodbye to those children and it breaks my heart.” Hot tears begin to spill down your cheeks and you try to wipe them away as fast as they come but the constant stream is too hard to keep up with. 

Suddenly, you're wrapped in a tight hug, Rosie shushing you with his hand stroking your hair until the cry is spent, you feeling the frustration leave his body the moment you wrap your arms around him in reciprocation. Sniffling, you break away to look at him, your hand on his cheek. 

“Please, don't go,” you whisper, your voice croaky from the sobbing. “Please?”

“I won't, I'm sorry, I--ugh, I just reacted the wrong way and honestly, I'm being selfish. I want you to come home with me. I want to give you a beautiful life, give you whatever you want. I want to take care of you. My ma will love you, Y/N, so will everyone else and–”

“Rosie, you have to understand that I cannot rely on you,” you interrupt. “I've been on my own for so long that being ‘looked after’ is a difficult concept for me. I haven't needed anyone and I don't intend to change that.” You see him sigh, his eyes downcast. “But,” you begin again, your fingers under his chin to have him meet your gaze. “I love you. I'm in love with you. And if there's anyone I want looking after me, it's you.” A pause hangs in the air for a moment before you reach up to kiss him, your hand playing with the soft curls on the nape of his neck. As you break away and see how he looks at you, your breath caught in your throat at the sight of him, how he smiles softly at your touch, you've relented and done for. It's the easiest decision in the world. 

“I will come with you, darling. I'd love nothing more.” There's a moment of silence as you press your foreheads together, noses touching. 

You break apart and sit on the couch, Rosie holding your hand in his and rubbing his thumb over the surface.

“How will this all work?” you say, meekly, voice squeaking with nervousness. “I mean, where would we live? What could I do for work? I mean…I–”

“I understand your worries, sweetheart. How about this,” he pauses, clearing his throat. “We give it, I don't know, from now until Christmas. We'll write and I'll keep you updated.”

“That's over six months,” you say, eyes squeezing shut. “That is unbearable.”

“I know,” he grins, leaning over and kissing you on the forehead. “But how else do you expect me to save for a ring?”

“A ring?!” You reply, voice full of surprise. 

“Yes, my love. I’d ask you right now if I could, and–”

“Just say the word. Then I'd race you to the courthouse.” 

“I know it's a long time apart. But, it gives me time to make sure I can look after you the way I want to. I want to find you the prettiest house in the neighborhood, with enough room for a whole army of kids.” You giggle, your head now on his shoulder. “I'll find you the best school to teach at. I'll find you the sweetest dog at the pound. I'll find you and get you whatever you want and need, Y/N.” He pauses for a second, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “I just want to spend my life with you. In the grand scheme of things, seven months isn't long when we've got forever together.”

“Oh, darling,” you whisper, kissing him gently. “I'm over the moon.”

—

“Everyone?” you squeak out, trying your best to get their attention despite the crippling sadness clutching at your throat and chest. “I have something to tell you all.” The children's sweet eyes are on yours in an instant, ready to listen as usual. You take a deep breath to try center yourself, calm your nerves and steady your pounding heart. 

“Now, you all know that I've been seeing a lot of Major Rosenthal and–” you feel the tears pricking at your eyes as you try your best to stop them running down your face. “Well, he's asked me to join him when he returns home to New York. This means that–”

“Miss?” Harrison responds, his big green eyes brimming with tears. “Are you going with him?”

“Y-yes, dear. I am. I'll be with you until the Christmas holiday, and then I'll be leaving. But don't worry, I've made sure you'll be taken care of.”

A few days prior, your nerves shot after agreeing to Rosie's question, you had seen Rita, bicycling down the lane to her family home. She'd caught sight of you first, stopping the bike as quick as she could and wrapping her arms around you. It had taken everything in you to not begin to weep at this close contact, her face full of concern as she'd taken your expression in.

“Y/N!” she coos, rubbing your shoulders quickly. “Talk to me.”

You'd explained everything, from Rosie asking you to go home with him, you agreeing and then it all hitting you: leaving the children you had taught and been around from infancy, the cottage having to be sold and the thought of being so homesick you could barely stand it.

“Oh, darling,” she soothed. “But think of it this way! What a wonderful adventure, how fantastic for you. You and Major Rosenthal make such a great couple, too. I know you'll be so happy together, no matter what's thrown at you both.”

“What about you?” You sniff, wiping your damp face with your handkerchief. “Are you leaving anytime soon?”

“Oh, no,” she replies wistfully. “It turns out that I'm better off alone.”

“Nothing to do with the fact both your Yanks found out that they were simultaneously engaged to you?” You smirk at her, waiting for her reaction.

“Hey, I'm young,” she giggles. “It's all fun. Fun while it lasted.”

Through your stress, Rita's face still etched with sympathy, the answer had come to you. 

“Well, if you're staying, I have a job for you.” You shrug as casually as possible. Rita's face lights up in an instant, nodding enthusiastically before you've even finished your sentence. 

“Oh, Y/N!” she wraps her arms around you again, jumping up and down with you. “I'd love to. I'd be honored. Though I'll never compare to you–”

“Oh, stop it, you,” you cut her off, smiling nonetheless.

“I'm being serious! Nobody will compare to you. But I'll definitely try my best.”

---

“Miss Rita will be coming to teach you in the new year. What do you all think about that?” The children's faces go from sadness to excitable within an instant, some even pumping their fists in cheer. 

“Good! That makes me so happy.” You let the tears fall freely now, your hand clutched to your chest. “You'll never know how much I'm going to miss you, darlings.” You hear a few sniffles from the little crowd in front of you, and you turn away for a second to wipe your own tears. “But, luckily, we have all this time left together. No use being sad now, chickens. Shall we run over to the air field?”

“Yes!” they yell in unison, zipping out the door in a flash. 

—

Rosie's departure date comes quicker than expected, the news hitting you like a freight train the night he tells you, you both sat in the officer’s club. 

“Monday?” You manage to push out, feeling your throat close at the suddenness of it all. “Two days away?” Sally looks over at you, those big doe eyes of hers overflowing with tears. At any moment, the floodgates will open. You know you're able to stand it and be strong if Sally doesn't cry, but the second you hear her sniffle next to you, it's game over. 

“I need some air,” you croak out, trying your best to stand up without wobbling, in part from the three Old Fashioneds you'd consumed in quick succession. As you turn to grab your handbag, you see Sally clinging to James, him shushing her and stroking her hair as she weeps into him, leaving a dark stain of mascara on his dress uniform. You wipe your own as you walk away, not wanting to overwhelm the situation any more. 

“Sweetheart?” You hear behind you as you lean against a wall, face crumpling in what you thought was privacy. Rosie walks up to stand in front of you, his thumb stroking your cheek, catching the first tear that drops from your eyes.

"I'm sorry,” you snivel, holding the hand that's resting on your face. “I thought we'd have more time.”

“I know, baby. Honestly, me too.” He sighs a long breath leaving his nostrils. “But I promise you, it'll go so quickly. Before you know it, you'll be on that boat to New York to start your life with me.” He smiles his beautiful smile, your nerves gone in an instant. 

“I love you, Y/N. So much.”

“I love you too.”

—

Monday morning. You awaken before Rosie, not feeling well rested at all. Sleep had refused to come for the pair of you until the wee hours, you both falling asleep on tear stained pillows, clinging to one another so hard that you're sure you've left bruises on his soft skin. The soft morning light peeks through the thin curtains, flooding the room and enveloping Rosie. The gentleness of it brings out the red hints in his pretty hair, his subtly tanned skin glowing in the sunrise. Knowing this will be the last time in a while you'll wake up to him, you reach your hand out and run it along every exposed part of him, just as you do every morning. 

The blanket - always kicked off in the night by him - begins at his waist, so that's where your fingers start. Gently tickling upwards, your hand dips at his torso, all the way up to his collar bone before leaving your hand on his face, your thumb stroking the end of his mustache. He sleepily grabs your hand and presses a kiss to your palm, pulling you closer. 

"Hmmm, morning, sweet girl.”

“Hi, handsome,” your voice a little shaky. Feeling fresh tears threaten to spill from you, you sniff, trying to will them away. Without needing to say anything, Rosie places his hand on your waist and kisses you deeply. “Let me make love to you one last time before I go,” he asks. “Please?” 

You nod before the plea is even out of his mouth. Not wasting a moment, he's inside you, his mouth hovering over yours. 

“God,” he murmurs. “How will I manage without you?” You giggle, your hand stroking his face. 

"It'll be easy,” you moan. “Just think of all the time we'll have when I'm home with you.”

“Yes, my love,” he breathes deeply, kissing you. “I can't wait.”

—

“Come on, kids,” Rita says, trying her best to hurry them along to the air field to watch the planes ascend for the last time. They walk along, sluggishly, not one single sweet face holding a smile. Their usual ruby red cheeks are flushed, their demeanors the opposite of their happy selves. 

“My darlings,” you coo. “I know you will miss your friends. But, let's look at the bright side. They're going home to their families today, after so many years. Let's be happy for them for that, yes?”

“Yes, Miss Y/N,” they chorus, eyes suddenly looking a little brighter as you take control of the situation. Rita looks at you and bites her lip worriedly. 

“Don't worry,” you reassure her. “They'll take to you in no time. We have months and they'll get used to it, alright?”

“If you say so.” 

Walking along the grassy footpath that leads to the edge of the airfield, you see Croz and Rosie in a final conversation. You hear their joyous laughter from across the way, their bond always softening your heart. 

“You want me to bring my infant son to a jazz club?” you hear Croz laugh, his bag swinging in unison with his body.

“Hey, it's never too early,” Rosie replies, his finger wagging at him. With a knowing glance, they part from one another, acknowledging the fact with a glance that they've been bonded together forever due to this experience. As Harry walks away, he catches sight of you and waves, his usual anxiety and nervousness gone. You wave back, some of the kids around you saluting him. He reciprocates, putting his bag down and giving a proud salute in their direction. 

You turn back to Rosie and see him masterfully run his hand on the aircraft's every curve, using the same movements with his hands as he does on your body. You feel your stomach drop and it's an effort to keep standing as you witness him put his hands on every part he is able to reach. He sees you staring at him and grins, you running over to him as quick as a flash. 

“Love bug,” he whispers as he envelopes you in his arms. At this, you whimper and begin to sob, your body wracked with sadness. “Hey,” He soothes, his beautiful hand stroking your back. “Shh, darling. Those kiddos will keep you occupied and we'll be at city hall before you know it. Yeah?”

“Mhm,” you manage to muster out, your voice blocked by his shoulder. You break away and kiss him deeply, not caring who sees. “I love you, Rosie. So much I can hardly stand it.”

“I love you too, Y/N. My girl.” He hugs you tightly again, as if he cannot bear to let go. Alas, he does, sighing as his arms leave your body. He gently pulls your chin towards him and gives you the most soft, sweet kiss that makes your stomach flip. You take a few steps back and watch him clamber gracefully into the aircraft, your heart in your throat.

You find Sally a few moments later, both your faces blotchy with tears. Hilariously, you both reach into your pockets and swap matching embroidered handkerchiefs, Granny coming in clutch once again. 

"Frances strikes again,” Sally says, shoulders shaking from laughter and residual sobs. She reaches down and clings to your hand, her free one waving to James as she sees him whiz down the runway. Following behind is Rosie, who blows you a quick kiss before slamming his window shut.

 

Over the familiar hum of the aircraft, the gathered villagers cheer a chorus of “bye, goodbye! We'll miss you! Get home safe!” The final aircraft ascends, the noise going with it leaving a sort of eerie silence over the village that hasn't been heard in years. With a deep breath, you beckon the children down from the tower and lead them back to the schoolhouse.

Once there, you let them play outside so you can compose yourself before beginning to teach for the day. Sitting under the apple tree, you pull out your book from your bag and plan to read where you left off last week. A small piece of paper falls from it, scrawled in Rosie's penmanship.

“Counting the days until I see you again. I can't wait for you to come home. All my love, always. Rosie."

friends! thanks so much for reading this series. this is the final part of this arc but I hope to bring them back to you soon!!! <3

taglist: @sagesolsticewrites @ginabaker1666

masterlist

[sxxythingz]

Beg

Ao’nung (22) x Fem!Metkayina reader (21)

Warnings: smut, p n v, Ao’nung being a tease, oral (f receiving), dacryphilia (arousal from tears or crying), denial of orgasm (just a smidge)

Summary: You and Ao’nung have been broken up for 2 months, but that didn’t stop you from watching his every movement, missing him endlessly. One day, he catches you watching him like he normally does but this time when he confronts you, you finally tell your true feelings, leading to something else… 👀

WC: 3.2K

🛑MDNI🛑

You crouch behind a large rock, eyes focused on Ao’nung and the girl that he’s talking to as she laughs at whatever jokes he’s making. “Look at her. She’s not even that cute and I’m more than sure the joke wasn’t even that funny!” You whisper to yourself as you revert your eyes to the next movement that she makes. She reaches her hand out to stroke the strong muscles on his arms as he leans against a tree, propping one of his legs up on it.

“Wha- I know that she did not just touch him. That bitch!” Your voice echoes across the beach and you come to the realization that you’re too loud a little too late. Ao’nung’s eyes immediately follow your voice, spotting the top of your head and eyes peeking over the rock as you try to crouch down even lower in a weak attempt to not be seen, but it’s too late.

You stay in your crouched position for a few seconds before attempting to peek up to spy on them once again, but this time they’re nowhere to be found. Your eyes scan the beach area, looking for either one of them in confusion until you hear a voice from behind you.

“Looking for someone?” Ao’nung’s voice startles you as you gasp, quickly turning around to face him. “Ao’nung! W- No, I wasn’t looking for anyone. I-I was just checking out the waves before I decided to get in the water. Turns out the waves are perfect, which is ironic of you to show up. Care for a swim?” You nervously chuckle as you stand up, placing your hands on your hips with an unsteady smile.

He doesn’t say anything back, but instead reaches for your arm to firmly grasp it in his hand as he begins to walk away from the spot that you’re in. Anger taking over his face as he huffs loudly at your antics that he’s far used to by now. He roughly drags you along as you try to pull back from him, but his grip gets tighter with every pull from you.

“Ow! Ao’nung, stop being so rough. You’re hurting me!” You squeal out in pain trying to remove your arm from his grip, but it’s as if you said nothing because he proceeds to walk with his grip getting tighter so that you don’t escape. He corners you in front of his marui, letting go of your arm and standing in front of you with his arms crossed.

“I thought I told you to leave me the fuck alone. I have no idea why I thought that would work.” He rolls his eyes as you scoff. “Ok first of all, I already told you what I was doing. I was simply.. checking out the waves.” You lie once again as you fold your arms over your chest, fake confidence coating your throat. “From behind a rock Y/n? You were checking out the waves from behind a rock?” His eyes tell you that he knows you’re lying but yet, you still continue to lie.

“Y-Yes. You wouldn’t believe how peaceful it is to look from that angle compared to standing right in front of the ocean. Don’t act like you've never done it.” You defect the question on him and he squints his eyes at you.

“What? I’ve never- Ok, you know what, that’s it. This is the fourth time since we’ve broken up that I’ve caught you “looking at the waves” from behind a rock that just so happens to conveniently be where I’m standing. I’m moving on and you should too Y/n.” He says before attempting to walk off, but you grab his arm making him look back at you.

“No, ok I admit. I was looking at you and her, also I have been spying on you but it’s all for a good reason I promise.” You finally admit the truth, actually being too truthful as he huffs before turning back around to face you. “And what’s the “good reason” that your crazy ass could’ve possibly came up with for stalking me?” He asks you as he folds his arms over his chest, looking into your eyes.

“I-I miss you Ao’nung, ok? I miss us, I miss being with you, I miss touching you. I miss the way you used to touch me, the way that you would kiss me and love me. Especially the way that you would fuck me all night long. And I know you miss it too.” Your fingers tread up and down his toned abs, sending tingles down his spine as he sucks his stomach in with a deep breath. You knew that this would always turn him on and nothing has changed in the two months that you guys have broken up.

“See? T-This is why we broke up.” He pries your hand away from him, plopping it by your side and backing up quickly. “If you weren’t so crazy, possessive, and always accusing me of cheating on you, I could still do all of those things to you. You’re too much for me, Y/n and you’ve got to stop this shit. You’re acting crazy and I’m starting to believe that it’s not just an act anymore.” He says to you, making your ears retract as you deeply inhale at his harsh words.

“Come on Ao’nung. I’ll do anything, I’m begging. I just can’t be without you anymore, please.” You grab his arm once again, but this time he smirks at your words. “Anything?” You gulp as you slowly let go of his arm, his attention completely focused on you now as you nod your head.

“Get on your knees.”

You give him a confused look as you look around before speaking. “Ao’nung. We’re outside, as in out in the public where anybody could walk by.” You protest but he rolls his eyes at you. “Ok. I guess you don’t want to work it out, that’s fine with me so I’ll just go.” He begins to walk off again, but you interrupt him. “I’ll do it!” You get down on your knees, looking down at the sand beneath you while your heart races before looking back up to see him walking back towards you with a smug grin on his face.

“Good girl. You really want me back? Beg.” You blink at him blankly, not sure of why he’s doing this but you’re so desperate that you’ll do anything to get him back. “Please take me back Ao’nung. I want nothing more tha-“ He interrupts your advances to win him back with a chuckle, making your cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

“No, I didn’t mean for you to beg me to take you back.” He steps a little closer to you, reaching his hand down to your lips, pulling your bottom lip down with his thumb as he smirks. “I meant beg for my dick, and I might give it to you.” You feel in between your legs heating up as you flutter your eyes at his statement.

“Please fuck me Ao’nung. Fuck me until I can’t take anymore, until I walk. I want you to fuck me the way that you used to, make me cry. I need you Ao’nung.” You plead for him, to feel him inside of you even if it’s just one more time as you watch his confident smile light his face up.

“Take what’s yours.”

That was all you needed to hear before you jumped to your feet, attacking his lips with yours and wrapping your arms around his neck. Although you’ve kissed him more times than you can count, this feels as if it’s your first kiss with him. Butterflies flopping in your stomach, feeling like bolts of lightning as he places his hands on your waist to pull you body to body with him.

The kiss on its own told you that he missed you just as much as you missed him, he was just damn good at hiding it… almost too good. He bites your bottom lip, gently tugging at it as he smiles, moving his hands to your ass as he roughly grabs it. He slips his tongue into your mouth, oh how you missed his taste, the feeling of his tongue everywhere on you.

Your tongue fights for power over his, but he wins before pulling away from the kiss leaving you yearning for more as you try to pull him back towards you but he chuckles. “You really missed me huh?” He asks you as he gives you a smack on your ass, making you moan. You reach your hand that’s already around his neck up to the root of his curly hair, yanking it to the side to force his head to go in the same direction as he hisses.

“Seems like you missed me just the same.” You whisper to him, licking a long strip up his neck making him shiver. “M-Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. I’m not going to tell you even if I did.” You take a pause from nipping at the skin on his neck to bat your eyes at him with a smirk on your face. “Don’t tell me. How about you show me instead?”

He glares into your eyes before groaning loudly, you always knew just how to rile him up the right way. He would never admit it, but nobody could make him feel the way that you make him feel and he missed the feeling that you would give him. He crashes his lips back into yours, placing his hands on the back of your thighs and patting, signaling for you to jump and wrap your legs around his waist. You happily oblige, quickly wrapping your long legs around his waist for him to carry you into his marui and lie you on the mat that he sleeps on.

He doesn’t give you anytime to comfortably adjust to your position before he impatiently rips your loincloth from your hips, tossing it behind him to reveal your soaking core. “Don’t quote me but, I’d say you actually did miss me.” You smirk as he spreads your legs with his hands on your knees, then adjusting your top to reveal your hard nipples. He brings his face to your chest, sticking his tongue out to teasingly lick your nopales, making you sharply inhale.

“Shut the fuck up.” You giggle, knowing that he did miss you but he just didn’t want to tell you. He takes your nipple into his mouth, sucking at it like a bottle as his hand slides down your stomach until he reaches your dripping pussy, his fingers tease your clit. You moan while reaching your hand up to his biceps, squeezing them tightly as he dips his finger into you to collect your slick and bring it back to your clit, softly rubbing circles around the nub.

Ever since you guys broke up, you would play with yourself every night to the thought of him. The thought of his lips all over your body, his tongue touching the places that no one sees, him hitting all of the right spots without you having to guide him would always give you the best orgasms, but it never beat his own fingers touching your pussy, the most gentle touch makes you want to melt underneath him.

He brings his face up to yours, kissing your lips softly as he grinds his clothed core against your bare one. You hear his breath picking up as he pulls his lips away from yours and bites his lip, cursing with every breath that he lets out. “Ao’nung…” you breathe out as your nails make their mark into your arm. “I… please fuck me.” He chuckles at your words, pulling his hips from yours, allowing the cool air to hit your core as you groan.

“You already made a mess and I haven’t even done what I really want to do to you.” You lift your head up to look at the wet stain covering the front of his loincloth, making you blush in embarrassment. He unties his loincloth, tossing it in the same spot as yours, revealing his hard dick that’s dripping precum. He kneels down in between your legs, not giving a warning before giving your clit a long lick, your back arching off of the mat with a pornographic moan. He sucks at your clit, moaning into you as you reach your hand up to his hair to tug at it as he shakes his head from side to side.

He stares into your eyes as you watch him stick his tongue out, continuously licking your clit with his rough tongue, making your eyes roll as you feel your orgasm approaching. Your legs begin to shake, closing in around Ao’nung’s head before you feel him completely pull his mouth away from you and sit up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he laughs while watching you sit up in a fit of frustration.

“What the hell Ao’nung?! I was so close and you just stopped!” You yell at him, making him laugh harder at your anger. This wasn’t the first time that he did that, he would always tease you, getting you so close before denying you of your desires. You would get so angry at him for it, but it would always make your orgasms that much stronger when you finally did finish.

“Relax. You’ll get to finish. I just missed your sweet taste and got a little carried away.” He hovers on you, giving himself a few strokes before lining himself with you and looking at you. “You ready? I know that you can’t handle me sometimes, so I have to make sure that you’re ready.” You roll your eyes at his arrogance before licking your lips. “Just fuck me, skxawng.”

He smirks at you one more time before sinking himself into you, bottoming out automatically as you place your hand on his chest and moan loudly. He curses under his breath, both of you looking down to watch him pull back out of you before snapping his hips back into you. “Fuck! I missed this pussy.” You moan at his words as he brings his hips to a halt, smirking at you.

“How do you want it?” He asks you, bringing his thumb down to your clit, rubbing circles around it. “I-I want it fast and hard.” Your voice trembling as you speak. He brings his lips next to your lip, licking it before he speaks. “Beg for it baby.” You roll your eyes at his words, frustration written all over your face. “Ao’nung! Stop fucking teasing and-“ Before you can finish your sentence, he chuckles, pulling his hips away from you but you quickly catch him by tightly wrapping your legs around his waist to lock him in.

“Please Ao’nung… fuck me. Show me how much you really missed me, I need you. I need to cum all over your dick.” You feel him twitch inside of you at your words. “That’s my girl.” He rubs himself completely inside of you, making your back arch off of the mat. His paste is quick and hard, tilting his hips upward with every stroke to hit your g spot each time, leaving you squealing underneath him with your nails leaving crescent shaped marks on his arm and back.

He takes one of your legs and places it on his shoulder, reaching a new region as he digs deeper into you, kissing your cervix with his tip. “Shit! It’s too much Ao’nung!” You place your hand on his stomach, tears welding at your eyes from the pleasure. “Aww. I love making you cry with my dick. This is what you wanted, you have to take it baby. Be a good girl for me.” He brings his finger up to soft face, wiping the tears that fall out as you tightly shut your eyes, never stopping his rough strokes, but instead slapping his hips against yours, making you scream before he places his hand over your mouth.

“Shh! I know it feels good, but we can’t have anybody hear us, can we baby?” You quickly shake your head and he takes his hand off of your mouth. “Save being loud for tonight, I promise you can scream however loud you want.” He assures you, removing your leg from his shoulder and propping himself up on his ankles.

He drags both of his hands up your body until he reaches your neck, where he gently wraps both of them around it. He pulls you all the way down on him, relaxing your legs and spreading them all the way open as you feel yourself coming close to your orgasm. “Ao’nung… I’m about to cum. Please…” The overwhelming sensation prevents you from finishing your sentence as your breath hitches in your throat, back arching until you're on the top of your head, toes curling.

You both feel yourself pulsating around him as you cum on him, making him growl as he slows down his thrusts. “That’s it baby, cum for daddy. Cum all over my dick for me.” His hips jerk as you bite your lip, trying your best to hold in your screams as he told you to do. “Fuck, fuck fuck! I'm cumming.” He ruts his hips into you one last time, throwing his head back as he stays in that one spot filling you up, his semen mixing with your slick.

He stays still, breathing out as he looks back down at you before laughing, triggering a laugh from you too. He slowly pulls himself out of you, his cum dripping out the minute he pulls out. He reaches over and finds a piece of cloth, opening your legs wide to clean you up, making sure that he gets everything that drips out before tossing it in the corner of the room. He gets up to get both of your loincloths and helps you slip yours on before putting his back on.

“Feel better you crazy bitch?” He asks you and you laugh as he comes to lay beside you, staring into your eyes. “Much better, skxawng.” You almost wanted to cry thinking about the fact that even though this was amazing, he still won’t take you back, until his next sentence. “And to answer what you wanted before this… If you can stop being so fucking crazy and realize that I’m not going to cheat on you or hurt you. I do still want you and I would like to get back with you.”

Your heart skips a beat as your face lights up, giving him a bright smile as you squeal. “But! That means no more accusing me of cheating, no more stalking me when I’m doing something. And know that if I’m busy, I’m not doing anything wrong, I’ll always come back to you at the end of the day because you’re all that I want Y/n.” He admits to you as he places his hand on your cheek, wiping away the tears that have formed in your eyes as you listened to him.

“I love you Ao’nung. I can promise that I will trust you from now and on. I’m sorry for not understanding you before.” He leans in, gently kissing your lips before laying his forehead on yours.

“I love you too Y/n. So much more than I can explain.”

A/N: This is my first Ao’nung fic so I really hope that it’s good, I literally wrote this in the middle of the night and I just decided to randomly post it so tell me what you guys think! 💖

[queentheweeb]

Tsu'tey X Female Na'vi Reader

You always found it funny how Tsu'tey said he knew the two of you were meant to be together when your birth was announced. You are the baby sister of Sylwanin and Neytiri and he was five when you were born he never told anyone then but, he had felt a pull towards you. A need to protect you and always have you near him in anyway shape or form. He didn't understand it until he was much older but, by then it was too late. He was betrothed to Neytiri after Sylwanin was killed in a sky people attack at Grace school. He would never admit it because he felt some sort of shame but, he was more worried about you than Sylwanin. He knew he should have cared more about his betrothed but, he couldn't. It wasn't her that he loved, he loves you but, Eywa wants him to be with Neytiri and he can't help but, be bitter about that. Fortunately for him, you were unaware of his feelings for you and he will be damned if you found out. You would stop touching him, stop hugging, stop being with him, stop talking. Everything he is supposed to enjoy with Neytiri he is enjoying and wants to be with you.

"Tsu'tey~" You had noticed Tsu'tey from a while back and were going to sneak up on him but, when you saw his ears flick forward and backward you knew he had heard you so therefore you announced your presence to him. "Oh, now you're going to pretend to not have heard me. That's the game we are going to play." You put your bow and arrow down and with your tail moving back and forth getting ready to pounce that's when Tsu'tey turned around with a playful grin to meet your eyes. You froze at having gotten caught mid-jump since you were still crouched but, you couldn't help but, staring at him. He was a beautiful man, his face and body lit up like the stars and glowed like the tendrils in the tree of voices. You got jealous every time you thought about how he wasn't going to be yours. You didn't understand it though. He had said you were always meant to be with him so, why isn't he fighting Mo'at and Olo'eyktan more?

"I know I'm pretty to look at but, that position cannot be comfortable." You blinked out of your musings to see he was smirking at you with mischievous amusement. You loved this side of him, the side that only he would show to you and you're going to cherish every moment of it. You rolled your eyes got out of your crouch and walked to him to sit down next to him but, apparently it was too far for him. "Come closer, I can feel a breeze in between us." Both of you knew there was no breeze to be found but, you allowed yourself to be manhandled to sit in between his legs. You laid your back against his chest as he wrapped his arms loosely around your waist and used his fingertips to draw idle patterns on your hips and sides like he always did. He rested his head on top of yours as the two of you sat in silence for a while until you asked him a question. 

"Ma Tsu'tey." You felt him tense, squeezing you tighter to him and you craved it more, you craved his touch more and more each day. You started calling him ma Tsu'tey just to see how he would react since he would call you Ma Y/N  and it was absolutely enthralling seeing his pupils dilate and feeling him squeeze you, practically begging you to call him yours again. You would take great pleasure in it, and every time the two of you are alone you can just imagine that it's just the two of you in the forest as one. You wanted to be his one true mate, he was already your soulmate and it pained you knowing one day you were going to have to give this up. The day that happens you planned on leaving because it would be too much pain to watch the one you want be with your sister, she can touch him, love him and be there in a way that you dream of being. 

"Call me yours again Ma, Y/N." He was squeezing you tight to him wanting you to be a part of him. He was praying to Eywa that Neytiri and Jake would mate. He would give up being Olo'eyktan if it means he can be with you. He was desperate, deprived of you. It was you he wanted to fly with, eat with, lay with, laugh, cry, start a family with, and die with. He wanted all of that and so much more but, it seemed like a dream. At least here he can pretend it's a reality.

"Ma Tsu'tey, ma Tsu'tey, Ma Tsu'tey." You would say it as much as he wants you to because deep in your heart he was yours, and he will always be yours even when he has to be with Neytiri he will be yours. You will always love him. You tilted your head feeling his lips press along your shoulder, up your neck, to the tip of your ear, and back down to your cheeks and the corner of your mouth. That was a new one, he would do everything else usually but, he has never gotten that close to your mouth. You wanted him to do it again. 

"Ma Y/N." You looked up at him delighted to see he was panting lightly and his eyes were blown out because of you. You got the pleasure of seeing him like this, you wanted to be selfish and have him. Neytiri can have Jake, they seem to be getting along much better, and they can handle not having Tsu'tey. You deserved to have Tsu'tey, you're the one who's been with him through thick and thin. You were there when he cried when he was angry when he was happy when he was sad when he passed his Ikinimaya when his baby brother was born. You were there for everything so the one who deserves to have him

"Is me." You finished your thoughts out loud as you brought his face down to yours and pressed your lips to his for a kiss. It was as if something in him snapped because one hand tightened around your waist and the other went to your neck to hold you there while he ravaged your mouth with his. He forced his tongue into your mouth mapping out every crevice and swallowing your moan with a grunt of his own. This is what you needed, this is who grounds you, and this is your life. 

"Oel ngati kameie Y/N, Ma Y/N." He pressed his lips against yours reverently seeming to not get enough of you. He got tired of the position and turned you around so that you were straddling his lap and his hands remained where they were. This was much better and he can watch your face blissed out from his hands, his mouth. He continued to kiss you and caress his hands from the top of your head to your legs as much as he can reach in his position. 

"Oel ngati kameie Ma Tsu'tey." His response was to play with your tswin as he continued to kiss you with you responding in earnest. Eywa would forgive you, Neytiri would forgive you. Tsu'tey is yours and always will be.

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

We all know that Neytiri did in fact end up with Jake. Thank you guys for reading!

[anotherfansthings]

The Happy Couple

Neteyam x f!OmaticayaReader

Synopsis: Y/N’s father was once a fellow warrior to the Ole’eyktan Jake Sully, who died in battle against the sky people. As a dying wish, Sully promised he would take care of and protect his daughter, but what she wasn’t aware of was that they had dealt something of much greater significance. Becoming a future Tsahik to the Ole’eyktan’s eldest son: Neteyam.

Enemies to lovers |

PART THREE :

After furiously running the lengths of the forest, leaving your feet feeling beyond numb, you found yourself approaching The Tree of Voices. You rarely came here, being unable to bare the flushing memories of your late Father. But it was known to be an extremely private area, mostly for couples, but that did not slip your mind when you decided to settle beside it.

The night had fully settled by the time you felt recharged to argue again: not willing to let anything go down without a fight. It was your right.

As you were about to collect your final thoughts and start the long trek back home, you heard heavy footsteps slowly approaching. Thinking it was just a couple coming to show off their happiness, you hid away to avoid any embarrassment of catching them in the act.

'Y/N, is that you?' the voice questioned

Thinking you had been hunted down by your parents, you stood now in-view, but kept your head down to avoid anymore scolding.

'Y/N' Lo'ak whimpered, before throwing himself at you, holding you tightly against his chest

'Lo'ak' Y/N warned 'you can't do this'

'Do what? But Y/N we are friends, better friends than anyone in this whole clan. Please don't let this ruin our time together' he begged, now cupping your face trying to find your gaze which was anywhere but on him

Your eyes began to fill again 'You know that we can no longer be friends. All my time will be devoted to my mate, your brother-'

'This is stupid. You will be given spare leisure time, a time where we can still venture into the forest, and suffer from fits of laughter from our ridiculous jokes. Please, Y/N.' Lo'ak pleaded

'No' Y/N whined 'You of all people should realise how time consuming ruling the clan is. We are maturing now, there is no space for silly little trips around the nature. You have to remember we will still talk to one another: at family events and ceremonies, just not at the capacity as friends but as my mates relation.'

Neteyam had caught this moment between Y/N and Lo'ak, being too far to hear their words but close enough to witness his brother in close contact with his future mate. The mere thought of you two together infuriated Neteyam, as Lo'ak had once again chosen to avoid the direct orders from their Father.

He began storming over to where you two sit, with Lo'ak still holding into your face whilst you continued to inform him that your future was going to change, leaving all of your game nights and inside jokes behind.

Lo'ak was late to realise his older brother was charging towards him, unable to think of his next move before Neteyam removed his grip on Y/N and shoved him into the ground.

'What the hell are you two doing here?! Y/N has he done anything to you?' Neteyam demanded as he quickly scanned over your body before returning to hardly handling Lo'ak

Your heart began beating beyond your control from the undeniable overstimulation, leaving you to grip your chest in a desperate motion to try and control your panicking state.

'Brother we did nothing close to your imagination. Stop accusing, you're scaring her' Lo'ak challenged, and tried to assist you in calming down.

'Hey!' Neteyam shouted 'don't you dare touch her again. For once in your life obey the rules you have been given, it is for the greater good of us all.'

'But they can't-' Lo'ak began, becoming more frustrated by the second

Neteyam covered his eyes, giving a low sarcastic chuckle towards his brother 'No Lo'ak, no buts. You heard Father, everything that has been decided is final. Trust us we have argued otherwise. Don't be selfish about loosing your precious time with Y/N, she will still be here, still in your presence, in our family. Understand that what we are doing is to carry the Omaticaya people through many wars to come, battles with those around us, the struggles of Pandora.'

Lo'ak stood sloped in his stance, looking at his awkwardly placed feet at the ground, not wanting to acknowledge the truth that he was being told.

'Boy do you understand me' Neteyam cautioned

He then met his brothers eyes, who was sending a piercing glare towards the future leader 'Yes'

Lo'ak then slowly moped away from the tree, contemplating everything that was going on and wishing for anything but this.

Neteyam then stooped to your level, praying that you had overcome your pain, and were ready to talk.

'Y/N' he pleaded 'Please talk to me'

You then revealed your tear stained face 'Neteyam, I don't think I can do this, any of this.'

He then moved to carefully hold you into his side, which you finally accepted.

'We are in this together, I can help and support you whenever you need. Not everything is to be done straight away, we can plan everything to ensure we are both comfortable' he advised

'It is all too much. It has barely been a day of just learning of the news and its hurting so many of those around us' Y/N declared 'And even after that, the whole possibility of me pursuing the roles of a wife and mother: I don't think I am able'

Neteyam gave you a confused look 'How do you mean not able?' he questioned

'My mother, there is a reason I have never spoken of her existence to your family. She left me and my father soon after my birth: not wanting to take the responsibility of motherhood and marriage. It disgusted the people greatly. If she couldn't even do that, how am I to handle a family and leading? What if I am destined to imitate her actions, and be left with nothing?' Y/N confessed, quickly beginning to hyperventilate again.

'No Y/N, you cannot think like this. Rid yourself of those evil thoughts. You have done nothing but prove you are a great attribute to this clan. You will do them all proud one day, I know it' Neteyam insisted, but noticed you were distracted by something in the distance.

It was Eywa, sending woodsprites directly to where you and Neteyam were. They landed on you both, bringing a peaceful silence.

'Oh my' Neteyam grinned 'it must be a sign'

'A sign of what' Y/N responded, now wiping away her finished tears

'The same happened to my Mother and Father when they first met. It must be a confirmation of a beautiful future.' he concluded before looking at you with a look of complete relief

He then moved his hand to hold your face, and went to lean in.

'Neteyam what are you doing?!' Y/N gasped and back away

He looked somewhat hurt, but more so annoyed at your retaliation.

'Y/N we are future mates. You cannot be opposed to something as little as a kiss' Neteyam asserted with a sly laugh

You scoffed loudly 'So you think you can just make advances immediately? Neteyam we have just received this news, you can't expect anything of me now. And especially not find something humorous within it either.'

'Y/N you are mine, it is official. It is expected that you provide me with a line of heirs to the Omaticaya leadership. You have to realise that much more is required from you that a small touch of affection' he threatened

You felt violently sick from the words that you were hearing, and the volumes of disrespect that followed them.

'Excuse me, I fully understand the outlines of what is now expected of us to provide for the people.' Y/N corrected

'You are excused, my Y/N' he responded, and suddenly felt a powerful hand slap across his cheek.

After returning his head in your direction, you were caught by an indescribable look from Neteyam. His eyes seemed to show some form of sadness and regret, whilst his stance radiated a furious state.

'So saying before that everything that needs to be done can be done in a way in which we were comfortable, was that just a lie? Is that your way of luring me into the thought of you being the perfect partner? Great. Neteyam, your wondrous lies have made me see the utter beauty that shines through you, I am weak in the knees for your gracious essence and presence. Welldone you. Who knew you were so pathetic that a rejection to a kiss would force you to be disrespectful and ugly' Y/N conceded, letting out a heavy breath after talking for what felt like an entire essay

Without allowing Neteyam to even attempt an apology, you were off back to Jake and Neytiri, praying that after your lengthy rant they would banish him from ever speaking again. Or more realistically, a painful beating from his warrior parents.

TAGLIST:

@ellielovesrobinarellano

@arminsgfloll

@lu002

@hey-itsriin

@imthefunniestpersonalive

@flower-lise

@mashiromochi

@talbae

@hallows3ve

@pwallettes

@morks-watermelon

[If anyone has some ideas to spice up the story, do tell. I'm all for a bit of Sully drama 😉]

[futuremrsdrcullen]

This Love Came Back To Me - Chapter 5

It's Finally Here!!!! I can not apologize enough for how long this took to get out. But here it is! I hope you love it.

Summery- I was completely overwhelmed with this looming dread. This wasn’t just about Bella anymore. Though that was bad enough, this involved me now. Despite how often Edward disregarded my safety and despite how desperately Carlisle tried to protect me from this;

My life was in danger.

It was never going to end was it?

Word Count- 6,235

Warnings- Vampires- and all the things that go along with vampires (blood, biting, age gaps, sparkling, dramatics) a lot more swearing this time. There's some minor injuries and some very minor character death. mentions of vomiting (2 actual vomits, due to injury) Battle, fighting and planning. It's all very happy I promise.

There is no imprinting and there never will be <3

Notes from me- My name is Claire and this! This is finally my third love child. I started writing this on the 27th of July in 2022. I lost hope a few times but it's here and I hope you love it. Thank you, so so much for staying with me.

As always, I DO NOT own The Twilight Saga. All rights go directly to S. Meyer.

Read on AO3 <3

Masterlist <3 (Ch 3, Ch 4)

I love you <3 Thank you for still being here <3

Carlisle’s Point Of View

The more people we took out, the harder it became. They didn’t see us coming. They were barely trained. Some of them were only children.

Yet, I didn’t hesitate.

Their numbers were dwindling, they had to know then that they were going to lose. I watched as most of them decided to go down fighting but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow dart back into the trees. In any other circumstance, I might have let her go, but she was heading towards the path that would lead her to Y/n.

I had her pinned to the ground before she made it too far into the trees. I cradled her in my arms, facing her away from me. She was so small. I actually did pause.

“Please!” She sobbed. Though it didn’t sound like she was pleading for her life, I couldn’t bring myself to end her at all after it.

I twisted her out of my arms and launched her into a tree. If she’d run again, I would have stopped her and ended it, but she crumpled in on herself. She was backed into a tree analyzing me too.

“Please,” she said again. “I don’t want to fight.”

She wasn’t begging because she wanted to live; she wanted this to be over. She wanted to die. It caught me off guard, but I stayed ready. “Neither do I, child.”  She was only a child. I wanted to be kind, even if these were her last moments. “We’re only defending ourselves.”

She seemed shocked by this. “We didn’t know,” She explained. “Riley lied. I’m sorry.”

I was truly frozen.

If I could spare her, shouldn’t I try? I didn’t wish this girl any harm, but I had my family to consider. I could accept her surrender, but would they? I wouldn’t put Y/n at risk by bringing her into our home. But she was shaking and she was a child. So I couldn’t kill her. I crouched in front of her. She flinched back.

“I will not harm you. I never wanted to harm any of you.” I said with as much kindness as I could muster. “Will you surrender to us? If you do not try to harm us, we promise I will not harm you.”

She didn’t hesitate. She nodded over and over very quickly. “Yes,” she whispered, “Yes, I surrender. I don’t want to hurt anybody.”

And I believed her. I held out my hand and helped her to her feet. “We’ll go meet with the others now… What is your name?”

“Oh.” She still held on to my hand. “Bree.”

I smiled and nodded. “Bree, let my family regroup for a moment, then we’ll have some questions for you. If you answer them honestly, you have nothing to fear.” I didn’t like threatening her, but I didn’t want her to assume my guard was down. Where Y/n was involved, my guard would never be down.

We talked towards the clearing but Jasper met us before we got too far. 

“Carlisle?” He was just checking on me but as soon as he saw her he was ready to attack.

I held out my hand. I said his name but it sounded more like a warning than I’d met for it to. He stared at me like I’d lost it. For a second, I thought that I had.

“What’s going on?”

“She doesn’t want to fight. She’s surrendered.”

Though he was still hesitant, he did fall back. “I’m sorry, but that’s not possible. We can’t have any of the newborns associated with us when the Volturi come.”

“Jasper, she’s only a child.” I understood where he was coming from, but I couldn’t kill her myself. I trusted him to stand by my choice, at least to that point.

“It’s our family on the line here, Carlisle. We can’t afford to have them think we broke this rule.”

“They won’t. I know how they think. If they assume she’s one of ours, it might be the only chance she has. If they still dislike it, they’ll just kill her to punish us.”

He really thought about that for a moment but wasn’t convinced. “This is too dangerous.”

I took a step towards him and placed my hand on his shoulder. “You know I can’t kill her. I have to give her a chance. She’s just a child.”

He glared at me, but he sighed. I almost smiled at him.

“I don’t like this. At least let me take charge of her. You don’t know how to deal with someone who’s been running wild for so long.”

“Sure.” I smiled at him then. “Though I handled you well enough.” He glared at me again with no actual malice behind it.

“We need to be with the others. Alice said we don’t have long.”

I scanned the sky above the trees to find a distant and familiar plume of smoke. I prayed to whatever would listen that she was okay.

Y/n’s Point Of View

Seth continued to nudge me with his nose until I locked eyes with him. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve. I couldn’t look up for long before the world started spinning again and I had to put my head between my knees.

I could feel the shock setting in. I tried to focus on Seth’s breathing, and Bella and Edward’s hushed conversation, and the crackle of the fire. But when I remembered what was burning, I threw up again.

I heard Seth walk away only to come back a moment later accompanied by the sound of plastic. I opened my eyes just barely as he sat down a bottle of water.

I chuckled, “Thank you.” I wasn’t sure I could make myself drink it, but I was still grateful he’d brought it to me.

Next to it he also set down a set bandage wrap, which I could only guess were for my head. I didn’t exactly know how to dress a head wound, but I figured anything was better than bleeding out. Carlisle could fix it later.

Just as I thought his name, I felt as if I could breathe a bit easier. The fight would have to be over there too. Edward wouldn’t be so calm if it wasn’t, or if someone had been hurt. I knew I was probably in shock but I could breathe a bit easier knowing it was over- really and truly over.

I took a small sip of the water he brought me. It was so cold it hurt my teeth but it was still warmer than the snow. When it didn’t immediately hurt my stomach I took another, larger sip. That was all I could handle.

As I put the cap back on- Seth’s body went rigid and he sharply turned to Edward.

“What’s she doing?” Edward asked and Seth whined. I could only tear my eyes from them for a second to find Bella, who was horror struck. Everything passed in slow motion. She didn't look like she was breathing. Edward dropped to his knees. Seth howled, though it sounded more like a scream. It was so loud and broken, my ears were ringing.

“Edward! Edward,” Bella sounded so distant though she was still in the same spot just kneeling in front of Edward. From the pain in his face I knew it was bad.

I tried to sit up- to move closer but I was still bleeding and I didn’t want to make things worse. Seth winced and howled again. It took everything in me not to call out to them.

“What’s happening?”

“We’re fine, we’re going to be okay,” Edward gasped. “Sam- Help him.”

Something like relief washed over me. It wasn’t relief, but he was using the pack plural, which meant Carlisle was safe and the danger wasn’t here. I wasn’t relieved because the agony on Edward’s face meant that something had happened to Jacob.

Bella either hadn’t caught on to that part or her panic was masked by the shock. She had started to melt. Edward easily caught her. While supporting Bella at his side, he moved towards me.

I tried to get his attention. “I’m bleeding…”

“It’s okay, Y/n” He held up a hand like he was trying to assure me. “It’s okay.”

I nodded and he looked at my head wound for a brief second before wrapping it. “Carlisle will need to clean it, but you might not need stitches.”

I had to close my eyes as he wrapped my head. He pulled it tight. It almost hurt. I didn’t say anything more.

“Seth!” Edward shouted. I hoped nothing had gotten worse. “No! You go straight home. Now. As fast as you can!”

Seth cried soft and low. My chest tightened.

“Seth, Trust me. I’ve got them.”

Them, I thought. He was going to carry both of us. I opened my eyes wide. The wolf starred Edward down for one second longer before taking off.

“Edward?” I forced his name out. “What’s-”

“I need you to hold on. Can you do that?” I didn’t know if I could. “Y/n, I have to carry Bella. I need you to hold on to me.”

I was terrified, I was weak, but for Bella, I could do this. I nodded.

He tried to smile at me. “Good. We’ll be with Carlisle soon.” That was a comfort, at least.

Before I knew what was happening I was on his back. I was grateful that I couldn’t choke him, because I used all of my remaining strength to wrap my arms around his neck and hold on. I hid my face in his shoulder so I wouldn’t see the world zoom past us.

“Edward,” Her voice sounded so broken I thought she actually did know something had happened to Jacob. “What happened, Edward? What happened to Sam? Where are we going? What’s happening?”

“We have to go back to the clearing,”  His voice was distant. “There was always a chance, but when it became clear we passed the message to Seth and Sam. The Volturi decided it was time to intercede.”

If they were coming, they’d seek out all of us. It was better not to make it a challenge for them. The last thing we wanted at this point was another fight. As Edward explained it to Bella she made a strange sound. I wondered what she was putting together.

He tried to soothe her, “It’s all going to be fine. Alice can see that.”

“The pack?”

“They had to leave quickly. The Volturi do not honor truce with werewolves.”

I knew he was running out of places to divert her questions. She was going to put together that Jacob was hurt. She wouldn’t take it well. He hadn’t taken it well. My heart broke for them.

She got desperate. She begged him to tell her. I almost told her myself but he finally explained it all in hushed tones. “The pack missed a single newborn. It was over, they were cleaning up. Alice couldn’t have seen…”

“What happened?!” She tried again. 

“Leah got cocky. I imagine she was trying to prove something to Sam. She went after him by herself.”

“Leah,” she repeated, sounding relieved. I hoped he couldn’t hear the way it broke my heart. “Is she going to be okay?”

“Leah wasn’t hurt” He forced the words out.

He told her we were almost to the clearing. I risked a glance at the clear sky. When I saw the smoke I felt sick and hid my face again.

She asked him again to tell her who was hurt. It took him a long time to answer. I knew it hurt him just as much to say it. But she needed to know, if she hadn’t figured it out already.

“Jacob,” He said.

“Of course.” It was all forced.Then it was silent.

I think she passed out. I almost thought to check, but I could tell we were still moving and I could still smell the smoke from before, So I kept my eyes squeezed closed. We’d slowed significantly anyway. I hoped it was almost over.

As soon as I thought the words though, we did stop. And before I could react I was being pulled off of Edwards back and into Carlisle's arms.

He breathed my name. It was so light I almost missed it. I buried my face in his chest. He held me there until he noticed my bandage- or he smelled the blood, I couldn’t be sure.

“You’re hurt.”

“Only a little. Edward said it might not need stitches…” My voice was cracked and broken.

He kissed my forehead and gave me a firm look, “I will look at it when we are home.” though his eyes said he wouldn’t let me down play this.

He didn’t let go of my hand and he led me over to where Edward had set Bella down.

Edward confirmed my earlier suspicions. “She fainted after I told her about him.” He didn’t need to specify, the pain in his face said it all. “She’s still unresponsive.”

“She’s going to wake up in a moment, Edward.” Alice called from somewhere. I couldn’t tell where.

At the same time, Carlisle assured him, “It’s just the shock. I imagine they’ll both have to recover from it tonight.”

I wanted to lie and say I was alright. I wanted them to focus on her, but I remembered the way he looked at me just a moment before and thought better of it. Carlisle held Bella’s wrist and checked his watch.

Once he’d assured Edward again that there was no cause for concern, I asked them “How’s Jacob.”

I regretted it as soon as I saw Edward's face. Through Jacob and the pack's thoughts I knew he had felt his pain, but there was something more than pain there.

“He’ll fully recover.” He was answering my question while comforting his son. Edward’s shoulders relaxed a bit.

I grabbed Bella’s hand. “Did you hear that, Love? Carlisle said he’s going to be okay.” Her hand tightened in mine. 

Alice confirmed that Bella could probably hear us. 

“We’re out of danger now. We’re safe.” I tried. There was a break in my voice.

Edward tried telling her again that Jacob is healing already and he and Carlisle would go check on his progress as soon as they could. She could barely whisper Edward's name when she opened her eyes. She asked again if Jacob was okay.

“I examined him myself,” Carlisle confirmed. She took in every word he said. I smiled encouragingly at him. “His life is not in any danger. It will take a few days for him to be completely recovered- his injuries were… extensive. But he will recover. Sam and Paul got to him quickly. They took him home so they could help him recover. Once he phases back and we're done here, I’ll be able to do a full assessment.”

“He’ll be back to normal?” She asked Edward this time.

He nodded, “Yes, Bella. He won’t have any permanent damage.” She didn’t look convinced. She looked like she wanted to run and check on him herself, but Alice announced that we only had three minutes until the Volturi arrived.

It never felt like there was enough time. 

We got Bella on her feet, albeit mostly supported by Edward. Carlisle and I moved to the middle of our family. He looked towards the opposite side of the clearing. I wondered if they could see them yet.

Though my thoughts were interrupted by a shrill scream that came for a small girl I hadn’t noticed Jasper was guarding. Carlisle left my side for a moment to aid Jasper. I just watched in stunned silence.

“She surrendered,” Edward told me and Bella. “Only Carlisle would think of offering. Jasper doesn’t approve.”

I couldn’t say that I did either, not with Bell this close to her, but she was just a girl. Of course Carlisle would offer. She barely looked 16. He was patient when he spoke with her. He reminded her that our family wouldn’t hurt her.

She wanted Bella, of course. She hadn’t even noticed me. I was grateful again for my relative invisibility.

“Self control is possible and it is the only thing that will save you now.” He continued.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to tell her to hold on and that it would get easier, but it was better that she didn’t notice me. And I didn’t want to give her false hope.

I had to look away from her as Carlisle returned to me. He took my hand and kissed my temple. He was positioned in front of me. Alice was in between me and Bella and Edward was just in front of Bella. The rest of our family formed a united front around us. Only Jasper stayed back to guard the girl- or to guard us from her.

I shuddered.

I almost felt safe, but there was still something dark looming over us. I could hardly stand the silence by the time a group of people in gray cloaks appeared on the other side of the fire.

“Hmm”

Though my knowledge of vampires outside of the Cullens was limited to Riley and Victoria and now this newborn, I could tell this Jane girl was powerful. I knew enough about her to fear her even before I saw her. The men behind her weren’t as intimidating, but I knew better than to underestimate any of them.

Edward welcomed her and she pushed the hood off of her head. In one fluid motion the others did too. It was eerie the way they moved in sync with each other.

“I don’t understand.” Her voice was like a song while utterly uninterested. Her eyes were locked on the girl.

“She surrendered.” Edward said again.

“She was never given a choice, I thought, if she ceased her attack on our family, the right thing to do would be to give her a chance.” Carlisle explained.

“That is irrelevant,” Jane pressed.

He was tense, but unsurprised. “I understand.”

“Well I must say,” she seemed annoyed. “I never expected you to be able to clean this up, and walk away unharmed. How many made it here? With the destruction I’d think about thirty?”

“There were eighteen, including the girl. All of them were untrained.” He answered.

“All newborns? Who created them?”

“Her name was Victoria.” Edward answered  this time he nodded towards the pillar of smoke up the mountain. It looked much farther away than I would have thought possible. 

“I am to assume you took care of her then, Edward?” 

“I did. And the boy she was with.” His tone was harsher than hers. Where she sounded bored, he sounded irritated.

“Hmm, twenty. I’m impressed.” I followed her eyes as he looked at the girl by Jasper. “You there… Your name.” 

Jane smiled at the girl and I couldn’t take my eyes off her face. Before she could answer, she was writhing on the ground. Her screams were the only answer she gave. I looked at Carlisle who only winced, then to Bella for some kind of answer as to what was going on. She looked equally remorseful. Then it was quiet.

“Your name,” Jane repeated.

“Bree,” the girl gasped.

Jane’s smile grew and Bree screamed again. I pulled closer into Carlise’s shoulder- his grip tightened on my hand. I wondered if he’d tell me what was happening later. I wondered if I even wanted to know.

Bree explained what she could remember, after she was able to stop screaming. She agreed that there were around twenty of them, that Riley had ‘trained’ them to look for me and Bella. It was the first time she looked at me, but she wasn’t as crazed as she was before.

“But why? What did this Riley want with these humans?” Jane was almost confused, beyond her amusement.

“He said that the yellow-eyed vampires would kill us if they knew we existed. He said it was only a matter of time before they tracked us down and all he wanted was to live in peace. He said it would be an easy fight, and once we’d won we could keep their prizes for ourselves.” Her words made my skin crawl. “But he said our minds weren’t safe. He said we couldn’t know who created us and we couldn’t know any plans because once we did they could use it to destroy us.”

“It looks like Riley was wrong about the easy part,” Jane added.

Bree nodded. I was grateful whatever Jane was doing to her had stopped so she could speak. “Everything happened so quickly. Riley never came with us. I didn’t want to fight. That one” she nodded towards where Carlisle and I stood. I looked at the snow below our shoes, trying to fade into the background. “said they wouldn’t hurt me if I stopped fighting.”

“Ah but that wasn’t his to offer, young one.” Her voice was gentle. It was still unnerving. “Again I’ll admit that I’m rather impressed. The odds were stacked against you and yet here you all stand, unscathed. Though, I can’t say I’m terribly surprised Bella and Y/n are at the center of this.” I hated the way she said our names- like she was just trying to prove they knew them. 

“Victoria held a grudge against Bella,” Edward said in lieu of an actual explanation.

She laughed like she understood anyway. “They do seem to bring out the wildest reactions of our kind. Her gaze met mine and I completely froze. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Y/n. Aro will be quite disappointed he didn’t get the chance.”

“You’ll have to give him our regards.” Carlisle said.

“Of course.” Jane smiled at him. This time my grip tightened on his hand. “He gave me specific instructions not to harm your human pets this time. But that does remind me, Caius will be very interested when he learns that they are still in fact human. Perhaps he’ll decide to visit.”

“The date is set,” Alice told Jane. That was news to me, but I tried to hide my surprise. I knew it wasn’t exactly true for me, but I couldn’t be sure about Bella. Maybe they had set a date. Maybe they were just exaggerating the truth. I tried not to think about it.

Jane’s smile faded  just slightly, but her eye never left Carlisle. “It was nice to meet you as well, Carlisle- I’d thought Aro was exaggerating. Well, until we meet again.”

I was so lost by her comment, but Carlisle nodded.

She sounded bored again. “Take care of that, Felix… I want to go home.”

“Don’t watch,” Edward whispered. Carlisle pulled me into him so I was facing away. It didn’t stop me from gasping when I heard him break her apart. I held my breath again when the new smoke hit my nose.

When I looked around again, Jane and the others were gone.

Edward took Bella off of her feet again before she could collapse. She curled into him but didn’t say anything. Alice went with them to the house while the others agreed to make sure everything was cleared up. 

Carlisle watched after them for a long moment before asking me if I thought I could make it home without passing out.

I wasn’t certain but I nodded anyway. He told me it would probably be best to keep my eyes closed.

He carried me the entire way home. I was immensely grateful just to be in his arms. I couldn't tell how bad I was shaking. I wouldn't have been able to walk home if I tried, not that he would have let me, anyway.

When we got to our home, Alice and Bella went to Alice's room to get Bella cleaned up. Edward went to Carlisle's office to gather medical supplies while Carlisle looked over my head. Edwards original assessment had been right, I didn't need stitches, but Carlisle still wanted to clean it and keep an eye on my symptoms. 

“You definitely have a concussion.” He made me follow his flashlight with my eyes again. “But it doesn't seem to be getting worse. I don't suspect there is any internal bleeding.”

He kissed me over and over. He promised me it was really and truly over. He promised he would return home quickly- that he just had to check on Jacob, he had to reset his bones. Even I winced at that but I couldn't remember the last time I'd spoken.

He helped me lay out on the couch with my feet propped up by multiple pillows. “Just in case,” I nodded. “Rosalie will be here to check on you in a bit,” I nodded. “Stay like this for as long as you can manage.” I nodded one more time. 

He dropped a blanket over me; It smelled like him. I smiled softly at him. He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead.

“I love you, Y/n” I nodded, he chuckled.

Just a minute later, Edward came downstairs and all of the pain on his face broke my heart. I found a little courage and said his name. 

He froze, Carlisle froze too. They both looked at me. My voice was shallow but I spoke as clear as I could, “It doesn't have to be this hard, Edward.”

“I-” He tried.

I didn't let him. “No, just listen.” It was hard to speak, but I had to say it since it seemed no one else would. “It doesn't have to be either or. You don't have to choose. Neither does Bella. It doesn't have to be this cheesy vampire vs werewolf cliche. You can choose to just be happy.”

This time he looked out the window, towards the woods. My eyes filled with tears. He let my words sink in.

“Just don't close any doors. And don't let them close any doors. Let yourselves be happy.”

He nodded once, mumbled a thanks, then left.

Carlisle watched after him for a moment. I caught his attention and said, “I'll have about a million questions when you get back.” 

“I'm sure you will.”

I whispered, “I love you.” He smiled softly at me before following his son.

I layed there in silence content with just letting the time pass when Rosalie got home. She sighed and sat on the floor in front of me. 

“Thank you, Y/n.” Her voice was clear and perfect. “Get some rest.” 

I didn’t sleep. I don’t think I could have if I tried, but I let my eyes close and just breathed.

Carlisle came home a few hours later. He helped me sit up, while keeping the blanket around my shoulders. He checked my eyes with his flashlight, and once he was satisfied with my condition he helped me to my feet.

It was then and only then that I was allowed to do normal human things. I drank water, had a snack, and went to the bathroom. All completely mundane things and yet it didn’t feel real. I couldn’t believe it was real. I wondered what everyone else was doing- how they were coping.

Carlisle was watching me as I stared out the window above the sink. Even though he had told me a hundred times before, I had to ask, “It’s really over?”

He softened and stepped closer to me. “It is.”

“Hmm…” was all I managed. I ran the water over the plate I used in the sink. I just watched it run. It was normal, despite the fact that it didn’t feel normal at all. After a while he delicately reached around me and shut off the water. 

I watched the last few drops as they fell. He held my chin between his finger and thumb and turned my face towards him. I could tell he was checking my pupils. It made me laugh. He smiled too.

“Can we go to bed now?” I asked in between giggles.

He checked his watch, like he wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Then he nodded, “I think that’s a good idea.”

I laughed even more  when he lifted me into his arms and carried me to our room. We laid in our bed facing each other, absorbing the familiar feeling of home that surrounded us. I was again covered in the heavy blanket from before, though now it was mostly between us. 

“I think I'm okay.” I whispered.

“You don't have to be…” he whispered in response. “No one expects you to be okay right now.”

“I know.” And I did. I had been through a lot- we'd all been through so much, and at that very moment, we were okay.

I woke the next morning to the sun coming through the trees- really warm sun, filling the room with light and dancing off his skin. I stretched. He kissed my temple just below the bandage.

“How are you feeling this morning, Cara?” His voice was soft and I could tell he was assessing me again. 

“Alive.” I answered, honestly. I couldn't tell much, but I was alive. I smiled at him and kissed him. He melted into me. He kissed me back, but it wasn't as passionate as we normally were. I think he was still afraid I was breakable, worried he'd hurt me. I tried to prove him wrong by kissing him harder.

And I think it worked because when I parted my lips, he deepened the kiss. He still followed my lead, but he pushed his hand into my hair and pulled me closer to him. I could have stayed there all day- could have kissed him until the sun sunk back down below the trees, but my thoughts circled back to the day before.

“I have questions.” I reminded him.

He chuckled and gave me space to sit up. “Please ask away.”

I didn't think he could have been fully prepared, but I tried to start easy. “Is Aro in love with you?” His mouth fell open, I reworded my question so it wasn’t completely unhinged. “It’s just the way they all talk about him, and your time with him. It feels like there’s history there. And yesterday Jane was all ‘I thought Aro was exaggerating’ and I don’t even know what that could mean-”

“If I’m being honest, I don’t either. Aro has always been… infatuated with me. I wouldn’t call it love, but he- he’s always had an obsession with things he didn’t understand. Or, in my case, things he couldn’t control.

“When I found them, I was at a very low point in my new life, but I had one consistent habit he couldn’t train out. He tried several ways to get me to break, but I never did. He was obsessed, it went on for years, I left before it could really break him. To answer your question, history, yes. Love, no.”

I nodded, slowly taking in what he had said. “He wants Alice and Edward… Shouldn’t we be worried that he’ll want you too?”

“He wants Alice and Edward for their powers. I am not gifted in a way that would benefit him in the long run. If he had any remaining interest in me, It would just be to keep me as a pet.” The thoughts I had at his words were wild, I kept them to myself for his sake.

“Slight… topic shift. The girl yesterday, Bree…” I saw the discomfort on his face, I wouldn’t press the topic too much. I knew he had just wanted to save her. But my question wasn’t about his choices on the battlefield. “When Jane looked at her and she started screaming… What was happening?” I still wasn’t sure I wanted to know, but the words were out before I could think better of them.

“Jane is gifted. Though her talents are more harmful than those in our family. She can manipulate someone’s mind to inflict terrible pain.” Even he winced as he said it.

“And she was specifically told not to use that… power on me and Bella?” As grateful as I was for the order, I didn’t understand it.

“That surprised me too. Her gifts don’t work on Bella-”

“Like Edward can’t read her mind?” I asked.

He nodded. “Neither can Aro. She seems more or less immune to any of our gifts that affect her mind. Jane doesn’t actually harm you, it just makes you think you’re in pain.”

I had to weigh his words in my head. “And you think that her powers would work on me?”

“There’s no way to be certain, but I think Aro asked her not to try just in case, to keep a bit of peace between us.”

“I don’t think I get it though…” I laid back, dramatically. My questions just begged more questions. I was tired again already. “What’s the difference?”

“Bella has always been safe inside her own head, whereas you seem more physically safe from us. Jasper's powers work for Bella, but not for you. He physically manipulates the emotions of people around him, but he can’t with you. Alice see’s how people's decisions affect the path they’re on, but she can’t see your decisions, just how they influence other peoples.

“It’s just a theory, but it will be interesting to see how it develops. If you both become vampires, you both may have your own gifts to add to our family.”

That flowed perfectly into my next question. “Alice said the date was set?”

He ran a soothing hand down my arm. “Most of that was embellished, but Bella decided that it could wait a few more months. Through me, she has seen flashes of you as a vampire, but it’s never set in stone. I believe they’re working on forming a more solid plan for Bella since-”

Cutting him off, I heard Alice’s delighted scream all the way from our room. The sound made me sit up right. The world spun a little as alarms sounded off in my head. Carlisle sat forward slowly, wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed my shoulder.

“It’s alright, Dove.” He chuckled, “Alice is just excited because Bella is letting her plan her wedding.”

“Wedding?” His words didn’t help my panic much. I checked the date on my phone, suddenly afraid that I’d slept much longer than I thought. “What did I miss?”

He laughed, “They kept a good secret. Edward asked a while ago, but Bella only agreed the night before the fight. Bella has apparently decided this morning to allow Alice full planning privileges.”

“Oh…”

“Everythings fine.” He assured me.

“Oh.” I said again, still processing.

“There’s coffee downstairs.” He grinned at me and pushed my hair behind my ear.

“Thank god.” I didn’t have the energy to ask more questions anyway.

We didn’t hurry downstairs. I didn’t hurry to make my coffee. I kept getting distracted by kissing him. He was more than happy to oblige.

We were still in the kitchen by the time Alice was leading Bella through the house and towards her room. She was already talking about fabrics and designers. Bella waved sheepishly at me as they drifted up the stairs. I laughed and turned to face Carlisle.

“She already has a dress?”

“She’s very excited.” He passed me my coffee and I took a long drink. It was warm and it helped in ways I didn’t know I needed. I took another sip. “I’m sure Alice will let you help plan. If you wanted.”

I held up my hands “I’m good! Alice has it handled, I’m sure.”

He laughed, “She does. Though you might be the only one who can rein her in if she goes too far. Bella’s tastes are a bit more subtle than Alice’s…”

That made me laugh. “Just a bit.” I agreed. “Our dad is going to freak.” I took another sip of my coffee.

“You could probably help there too.” He smirked and I rolled my eyes, though I knew he was probably right. “That is, if you support them.”

I was caught off guard and a little confused. “What do you mean?”

“You haven’t given your opinion on their marriage.” He clarified. “In fact, you’ve never really shared your opinion on marriage at all.”

I guess I hadn’t really considered it. “Oh… I’ve never really been around marriages to form an opinion.” I told him. “I’m not against it- like my dad might be. And I do think they’re quite young… but I guess… When you know, you know.” I smiled at him and his eyes lit up.

He was on me in half a second, holding me to him and pressed against the counter. My hands were in his hair. Where he was delicate this morning, he now burned with passion.

I completely melted. Only to be interrupted again by Alice.

“Y/n!” She was suddenly in the kitchen with us, but unphased by the state of us. “You have to go with me to Seattle! We have to get dresses made!”

Carlisle braced his forehead on my shoulder and I threw my head back laughing.

Taglist!

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[capricorn-writer-kawaii]

Our Hero Academy

Chapter 7 - It all started with that first kiss

Prev. Chapter

Pairing: Shota Aizawa x female OC

Genre: Shota Aizawa X female OC fluff, angst, high school romance, friends to lovers

Words: 3.6k

Summary: 15 years ago, Eraser Head was starting his hero studies with his best friends Hizashi and Oboro. Contrary to what people think, his teenage years in the U.A. were bright and lovely, filled with the laughter of his best friends and his girlfriend's unconditional love. What happened over the years? What changed him into a gloomy sensei?

Extra note: You can totally picture Y/N in the OC female name, it's just that it'd be cute to read Aizawa calling her pet names. 🤍

Once again, thanks to @merrymonkey for illustrating this story. I love you, girl! 🥰

Chapter 7 - It all started with that first kiss

The two young heroes remained silent for some minutes in which Aizawa's brain was trying to come up with what to say or how to behave. Shota was terrible at those moments, he had never known what to do when someone was down, especially because with his only two friends, he never needed to worry about their mood, Hizashi and Oboro were always laughing and joking. Yet, before getting back to work, he forced himself to act, he cared too much about the girl to not try to do something. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kaori looked at him and couldn't help but find adorable his shyness and inexperience when it came to trying to keep a serious conversation. “I mean, if you don't, you might keep thinking about it while we work and…”

"Shota, why don't you just accept that you're being a good friend and you're worried about me?" Her question caused him to immediately blush and clear his throat.

"Fine, I'm worried about you, it's not normal to see you this blue."

"Do you remember the first time we trained together? I told you that heat and electricity are types of energy I avoid." Aizawa nodded, of course he remembered. "Before coming to the U.A. I was in charge of taking care of my brothers while my parents worked. We used to go to the forest, and while I trained, they played near me. They begged me for days to go to this place where my parents didn't allow us to visit not just because it was far from home, but because it was dangerous. Even for us who grew up between bushes and rivers, it was a risky zone. However, I was so reckless... I thought I could take of them with the control I already had of my quirk, but I couldn't be more wrong." Aizawa continued listening to the girl, anxious to know what had marked her back and forced her to limit the power of her quirk. Just by looking at her, he knew how embarrassed she felt of herself. 

"I took them there, and it was fine for a while until the downpour started. I thought it'd pass and we sheltered under some trees from the rain, but everything got worse with the lightning. That's when I knew we had to go back, or at least find a safer place, but since I was little, lightning terrified me, and that storm has been the worst I've seen so far. Because I got scared, I got lost and it took me longer to find our way home. When we finally made it, I realized that the youngest of my brothers wasn't there. Between the lightning, the rain, and the little control I had over them, I didn't realize when it happened." Kaori lowered her gaze, every time she thought back to that day, she relived how scary she had been. “I immediately went back, he was just a four-year-old kid lost in the woods under the worst storm you can imagine. I tried to decrease the intensity of the rain in the places where I searched for him, but if I did that, I lost what little control I had over the lightning. There came a point where I couldn't take it anymore, the river had overflowed its banks, and trying to control it was impossible. Luckily, I managed to find him, but the landslides because of the flooding blocked the path I had taken before. We couldn't even go around the river, we had to cross it and while we were doing it, my brother got hurt. I was desperate to check his wounds, and when we got out of the water... I couldn't think, Shota, I was a fool and leaned him against the trunk of a tree."

Aizawa went cold when he heard that, anyone knew how dangerous trees were in a thunderstorm.

“It all happened so fast. As soon as I saw the lightning, I tried to redirect the electric shock, but I failed. It wasn't just that, the tree went up in flames, and while I received the electric shock on my back, the fire burned my brother's face. I couldn't help it, I tried, I swear I tried, but I couldn't control the two energies at the same time. I barely managed to keep the electricity from touching him.”

Kaori did not refer to what happened after the accident as it was too painful to remember her little brother in the hospital crying from the pain of his burns. Also, it was terrible to see how time passed and his face kept remembering what had happened that day. Yet, the child loved her and now that he was older, he repeated to her that what had happened had not been her fault, but there would be no words that would make her forget the trauma of that day.

"Fire and electricity terrify me, and when I saw that Oboro received that shock, I couldn't continue with the exam." Despite how strong she appeared to be, Aizawa caught a glimpse of her friend's glassy eyes. “I don't want to see any other person going through that, but I'm still not good enough. Also, when I see my scar, I…”

Once again, Shota looked at her intending to wipe away her tears before they could even run down her cheeks, but he didn't let her, and gently took her hands. The boy did not stop there and Kaori felt how he intertwined his fingers with hers, Shota even caressed her with his thumbs.

"I was so rude to you that day. I'm sorry, I had no idea about this."

"Rude? Shota, you did nothing but take care of me.”

"If there's something I must learn from you, it's how to protect the people I care." Ignoring his shyness just for that moment, Shota gently caressed Kaori's cheek until he reached one of her pink locks and brushed it behind her ear. "You've let fear and trauma cloud what's truly important. Your brother is alive because you protected him, and your scar just shows how brave and kind you are."

"He got burned, his face will be marked forever."

“You were a child too, you did more than anyone, even a professional hero, would've done. Kari, you just need to be in the U.A. to polish your powers, you're already a heroine. You saved me too, in case you don't remember." He said with a sincere and tender smile. 

They both knew that they had little time left before going back to work, but Aizawa didn't want to leave without doing something else. “Let me check your back. It's been hurting you all night. Let me see if it's something serious."

Naturally, her first reaction was to say no; however, sighing, she sat with her back to him. 

"Can you help me with the costume?" 

Kaori didn't notice Aizawa's hands shaking as he moved her silky pink hair to one side so he could unzip her costume. Little by little, the young hero started to see the beginning of the scar that tormented her so much. It was huge, practically cutting through Kaori's skin from her right shoulder to below her left ribs. Aizawa couldn't even imagine how painful receiving that shock must have been.

Meanwhile, Kaori was not able to say anything, it was enough to fight with herself and allow Aizawa to look at her back. The tension the girl felt was so evident that he placed a hand on her shoulder, just where the scar began, to relax her a little.

"It's awful, right?" she asked barely audible.

"No," Kaori already knew him well enough to know that Aizawa was incapable of lying. "But I understand why your back was hurting you so bad. You cut yourself." The student's shyness had almost completely disappeared as he understood that it was more important to help her feel better. "I'm gonna clean those scratches and cover them, rubbing against your costume will be worse." In deep silence, Aizawa took care of Kaori's injuries.

It was the first time he could actually feel how smooth her skin was. No matter how careful he was, every once in a while a faintly audible groan of pain would escape, followed by an apology from the girl. Yet, Kaori knew that her friend was doing the best he could, so she closed her eyes and suppressed any other evidence of pain. 

“Shota, you're very considerate and I couldn't thank you for covering me up in front of the boys without even knowing what was going on beforehand. Also…thank you for staying with me during class, I know it hasn't been easy.”

One of the courses they took that year was focused on teamwork. At first, everyone wanted to team up with Kaori, they thought that her abilities would make her the perfect match, but she was far from it. While she could convert energy, she couldn't redirect it in such a way that her colleagues could use it. Her teachers hoped she could pass some energy to their classmates and help them fight better, but the truth was that because of the same trauma that she had just revealed to Aizawa, she would get blocked and end up hurting them. 

At first, Hizashi tried to train with her, but he ended up so hurt that he wasn't able to speak for several days. Kaori had tried to pass some energy to him, but she only managed to hurt his throat. Later Oboro came, however, the result was even worse than with Hizashi, as Oboro began to generate lightning from his clouds, and when he did, Kaori lost control and the professor had to intervene, but not before having to take them both to the infirmary. Naturally, that had scared her enough that she didn't want to try working with anyone else. 

“Sensei, I've thought a lot about this course… Hizashi's barely recovering and despite how strong Oboro is, he's still in the infirmary. Please let me do a different task.” She asked after the class ended.

"Hoshino, you can control how you pass energy to your classmates if you practice more."

“I don't want to hurt anyone else in the process. Besides…"

“You're worried because no one wants to work with you, right? Today you stood apart during the whole class. To tell the truth, I don't know how it didn't occur to me before, but yesterday when you stayed in the infirmary with Oboro, one of the boys approached me and offered to be your partner for the rest of the term. He's waiting for you outside, turn around." 

When Kaori looked at the door, she saw Aizawa waiting for her. The boy wasn't looking at them, he had his back against the wall waiting for her to come out so they could talk. 

"He tried to approach you several times, but you didn't notice because you were running away." The teacher commented patting her on the head.

"No." Kaori said sounding more determined than ever. "I'm not gonna work with Shota."

"Eraser, come here!" The teacher did not let Kaori say another word. Averting his gaze as usual, Aizawa entered. “Could you repeat what you asked me a few days ago?”

"But..." The young man's face immediately took on color. "You were supposed to tell her."

"Come on! What's up with you two? You're friends, you're always together! Why is it so hard for you to talk?"

The boys looked at each other for only a second and the teacher couldn't help but laugh at the speed with which they looked in another direction.

“Let's work together, I can erase your power if things get messy, that's what we've always done. The only difference is that this time we can try to incorporate something new.”

"Hoshino, you need someone who can help control you, who better than a FRIEND who knows exactly when to lend a hand?"

"Sensei, Shota, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Are you underestimating me? We've trained together many times and there've been many times that I have left you on the ground." Aizawa commented, unable to hide a somewhat mischievous smile.

"Eraser's getting more and more powerful. Imagine if you managed to transfer a little energy to him, you'd be helping him a lot." Seeing that the girl couldn't make up her mind, the teacher decided to give them some time alone, maybe so they could make a decision.

“Shota, I appreciate your help, but…”

"What's wrong? Am I not as good a partner as Hizashi and Oboro?"

"It's not about that."

"Then why are you avoiding me?"

“There are better companions for you, Shota. We can continue training with the boys, as we've been doing, but we won't work together in this class.” 

"I'm not usually easily annoyed, and I rarely get irritated by anything, but you're starting to get by refusing my help like this." The boy said seriously, he didn't understand why Kaori was so insistent on refusing to work together if she was the one who suggested it from the beginning. “Why did you ask them and not me to work with you? Do you really think that I'm not able to help you?”

“Why do you want us to do this together so badly? You already have your partner and you are doing well.”

"Because I don't want to keep seeing how you hurt yourself."

Despite being quiet, no one in the group had the facility to express themselves that Aizawa had. More assertive than any of them, when the young man wanted to, he clearly expressed his feelings, which showed how mature he actually was. Yes, he was a shy guy, but he was also respectful and considerate, so miscommunication was definitely not something that could happened around him.

“You keep talking about how you hurt the guys, but you don't talk about what happened to you. Stop thinking like a hero for a moment and think about your well-being, or at least let someone else do it.”

“Shota, you already did so much for me that day during the incident in the village.”

“Kaori, none of the times you left that infirmary did you do so with the permission of Recovery Girl. Every time your power gets out of control you're not only exhausted, but you consume all your energy. Recovery Girl told you very clearly, if you're not careful enough, you can hurt your internal organs, it's not just about breaking an arm. Ever since you trained with Hizashi you've had a hard time breathing, and yet you did it again with Oboro. It's not normal to see you so tired, and you have several days that you get agitated just walking from the dining room to the classroom. Besides, who cares about what happened that day? I didn't know there was a limit of times we would help each other. I don't know you, but I'm planning to continue working with you and the guys as long as I can, and if I need to help you every day of my life, I'll do it, Kari."

"I don't want to work with you because I wouldn't forgive myself if something happens to you again because of me, Shota! I've never underestimated you, I know what you're capable of, you're even better than all of us. I didn't choose them first because I consider them better than you, you know that's not true. When the four of us train together I always look for you before the boys. But this is different, this isn't normal training, and I'm afraid of hurting you."

"So you preferred to hurt them." Aizawa joked, managing to get a smile out of her.

“Well sometimes they are very annoying, Hizashi steals my food and yells a lot, and Oboro doesn't stop doing silly imitations. They deserved some of that." Her honest answer and the way she frowned was so funny and cute for the boy, that he giggled.

Those laughs… those sweet and warm laughs from Aizawa that were rarely seen made Kaori's heart lighter. How could she even think of hurting him? She couldn't… she loved him too much to put him in danger. Seeing him hurt once had been enough.

“I can help you, Kari. I can… I can protect you if you let me. I told you in the hospital that I'd get stronger so you wouldn't get hurt again. Everything will be fine, trust me.”

There were numerous times that both got injured, but Aizawa was right, he was the ideal training partner for Kaori, especially during that time when the girl didn't control her power very well.

They became so close that when they got hurt on a mission, they healed each other's wounds. Just like it was happening that night when Shota had taken over her eyes and back.

Back on the roof where they were resting, Aizawa zipped up her friend's costume and when she turned around, they both smiled at each other tenderly, the step their relationship had taken that night had been huge. Kaori had opened up like she hadn't with anyone, and Shota knew how to make her feel understood and accompanied by him.

“Ready to go back? We still have two hours of patrol left.” Rising to his feet, Shota offered his hand to his friend, who took it, and smiling at him, nodded.

Fortunately, Aizawa healed her friend's pain, because as soon as they returned to work, they had a lot to do. They ran into the bad luck that it had started to snow just as they had to deal with several attempted robberies. In one of those chases, they ended up running down a very narrow alley with minimal lighting. They had come very close to capturing the criminal, but had lost track of him.

"I think he went down the other street." Aizawa commented, leaning on the edge of the wall, trying to look into the distance, but no one could be seen thanks to the snow.

Kaori, who was behind him, tried to look, but since she was shorter than him, she couldn't, so she placed her hands on her friend's shoulders and stood on her toes.

“There's no one there, Shota. We better go back the way we came."

"I think that…"

Aizawa had turned to speak better; however, in doing so, the distance between the two disappeared. They had been so focused looking for the trace of the villain, that they did not notice his proximity. Kaori was still holding onto her friend's shoulders when he turned around and their lips met for the first time. None of them had time to process what was happening, one moment they had been looking at the streets, and the next, they were giving each other their first kiss.

Despite having been an accident and without any intention, that kiss shook every fiber of their bodies. Their lips barely brushed against each other, it was just a peck, but Aizawa felt her hands hold his shoulders tighter, as if she was holding onto them so she wouldn't fall right there. Meanwhile, the shy boy couldn't do anything, his body stopped responding from the moment he felt Kaori's soft lips touch his. That short but sweet first kiss paused and restarted their lives. 

Contrary to what anyone would have expected, including themselves, their shyness didn't make them jump miles away once they realized what had happened. Instead, the couple broke off the kiss by pulling away calmly, as if afraid something would crack if they moved abruptly.

"Kari, I'm sorry." Aizawa exclaimed barely audible, his gray eyes not moving from the ground.

"It was my fault." She responded without even being able to move her hands from the boy's shoulders.

They had no idea what to say or how to act. However, Kaori did dare to look at his face, and what she discovered she would never forget, Shota was smiling, he smiled shyly but lovely. The surprise caused by his reaction moved the girl so much that suddenly, something incredible happened in the area around them. Kaori didn't realize how or when, but she had controlled the energy that came from the snow and for a few seconds she didn't allow it to continue falling.

Aizawa noticed that something strange was going on and finally looked up from her. The boy gasped at the beauty of what was before him. And it wasn't just the snow that left him like that, but also seeing his first love with her beautiful pink hair full of snowflakes. That image became engraved in his heart. 

The same thing happened to the girl, who was spellbound looking at Aizawa. His dark hair was still half-pulled back in a low messy bun, and his black clothes were covered in snow. He looked so handsome that she couldn't say a word.

Taking his hands to Kaori's face, Aizawa tried to move a few flakes from her cheeks, but that was too much for her, and losing control of the situation, she turned the snow that surrounded them into water, causing both of them to be drenched in seconds.

"I'm sorry!" She apologized as she wished to disappear; however, that night Kaori heard an unforgettable guffaw coming from Aizawa, who in the long run, ended up making her laugh too.

Thus, first under the snow, and then under the rain, they had their first kiss and the most intimate and lovely moment. They didn't have to say anything to each other or do anything but enjoy that pleasant accident.

Next chapter

[thebookworm0001]

keep your demons on a leash

rating: Explicit

pairing: Reycaryn (the Dark Urge) x Astarion

summary: The violent thoughts and impulse to kill have been with Reycaryn since she woke aboard the Nautiloid. While she resists as best she can, sometimes the urge becomes overwhelming. Thankfully, there is more than one way to get blood racing - and Astarion is happy to help her raise her pulse.

AO3 link: here

warning for some Dark Urge-y thoughts through the beginning of the fic

The Urge was loud today. It was not often quiet, but it did not sing in her blood most days as it did now. Butchering the gnolls, first by her own hand then by turning them against each other, had woken it. A blood-shot eye winking open. Refusing to visit the same on the Zhenterim had sent it screaming in indignation. And though some bandits with more armor than sense had been left to the carrion birds after demanding her purse, their ends had far from sated the voice that begged for more bitch-butchery through her every hour. 

Reycaryn was not want to sit idle, though. Ever since Astarion had sought her out several nights ago, whispering pretty words about how he’d grown to enjoy her for more than the meals she provided, they’d had an understanding. It hadn’t escaped her notice that his proposition came quickly after she had not stood in the way of his murdering the monster hunter who’d come to capture him, but if his way of cementing something like an alliance was through sex, she had no qualms with that. He received a stronger foothold in her priorities, and she had someone to turn to on nights like tonight: when the Urge needed drowning out with something to make her blood run hot.

It had taken entirely too long for her companions to settle in for the night, taken in by a discussion of the day’s events and the need to gossip about each other’s habits and quirks. Gale’s penchant for talking about his Goddess-turned-ex-whatever-they’d-been had been a particular favorite of the group. And she’d managed a jab or two herself before her writhing insides sent her near-sprinting to a nearby spring to cool off. She’d felt Astarion’s eyes on her then, questioning whether now would be the moment to slip away and find their slice of privacy. But she suspected he knew as well as she that while blood made for a decent lubricant, water alone did not, no matter the aesthetics. Though he likely remembered how he learned that particular comparison. Still, the bath had only lasted so long, and their resident Warlock was, annoyingly, watchful at his post. She’d tried to squash the thoughts of where he could that famed Blade he waved about so enthusiastically. But then the Blade’s eyes began to drift closed, and the tang of magic filled the air as Astarion causally sauntered into the woods. 

And Reycaryn had never been quite so glad for the rogue’s minor magical talent. 

He’d already divested himself of his shirt when she’d caught up to him, and he dragged his eyes along her form with a heavy-lidded smirk when she emerged from the trees. 

“Well aren’t you the eager little thing.” She undid the closures of her leather top and let it slide into the ground, and her nipples grew taught at the exposure to the cool night air. Her flesh seemed to burn under his gaze as it leisurely took in her newly bared skin. They lingered, briefly, over the expanse of her breast where he had drank from her the other night. It was ballsy, knowing her normal attire left much of skin exposed. But she’d acquired new armor that demanded breaking in - and the sharp, constant ache of hard leathers agitating a still-healing wound had been such sweet agony. Her undershirt had been crimson by the end of the day. But the Urge had been quiet. Surely she could tempt him to bite her there again. 

“I prefer efficient,” she let her hips swing as she stalked toward him, and slid her hands up his bare chest, over his shoulders, and into his hair when he gave no sign of hesitancy. “I like to make the most of my time.” 

“Efficient,” his lip curled in disgust, “I’m afraid you’ve somehow mistaken me for Lae’zel, darling. Though I don’t see how you’ve managed that with these dashing good looks.” She curled her fingers tightly into his curls to stave off the way they started to twitch, then stood on her toes to hold her lips a breath from his ear. 

“My apologies,” she breathed, then pressed a kiss to the place his pulse ought to have beat. “Clearly,” another kiss below it, “I have neglected the master,” a kiss to his collarbone, “for raw force.” Pretty pictures of her perched atop him, that perfect hair tousled from exertion, eyes blown wide as blood rushed from his head, played in her mind and sent her heart racing. She sunk down on her feet to look up at him through her lashes. “However shall I make it up to you.” 

He smiled, fangs glinting in the moonlight, and a thread of instinctual fear thrilled down her spine and between her legs.

“Oh, I’m sure I can think of something.” His hands found purchase on her hips. He pulled, bringing her body flush to his. His length pressed hard against her stomach. She rolled her hips and smiled at the small moan it earned her. Slowly, his death-cooled hands rose at her sides, a wave of goose flesh traveling over her skin as they slid over her curves, thumbs briefly caressing the edges of her breasts on their way to frame her face. To anyone who stumbled across them, it might have been a  romantic scene: her arms hanging from his neck, his hands holding her head, fingers hooked behind her jaw as though to hold her still for an all-consuming kiss. But his hold was not gentle, and she let out a satisfied hiss as one hand snaked beneath her braid and collected a fist of her hair, jerking her head back to expose the long column of her throat. She opened her mouth as his thumb swiped across her lower lip, teasing at the dark lick of flame inked into the center of it. 

She moved to capture the digit between her teeth, to hold it in the wet heat and suck until the idea of removing himself was all but unthinkable, until he let her bite down and keep the bloody mess between her teeth forever, but he held her fast in his grip. And the sharp pain that shot across her scalp made her breath race from her lungs.

He tutted at her like a misbehaved kitten. “We ask before we bite, darling.” Her scalp tingled horribly, and she rewarded him with a wicked smile. It did not waver as he turned them around and bark bit into her bare back, or as she moaned when he shoved his thigh between her legs to pin her to the tree. She shifted her weight, her body searching for solid ground as he held her just off the ground, and felt her hips roll against him instead. Her clit ached at the pressure, and suddenly the whole of her attention was caught on the way the seam of her trousers felt when she twisted her hips just so. Again and again she writhed against his thigh, letting that seam and gravity and the delicious ache in her scalp bring her ever closer to that singular oblivion. Sweat ran down her back, skin flushed, as the knot in her stomach grew tighter and tighter until her hips were suddenly slammed back. Cold, unwavering hands held her tight against the tree, and the edge of that lovely cliff faded enough for her to see Astarion’s face - hunger of many flavors darkening his eyes. 

Reycaryn swallowed, and tried to even out her breathing. It wouldn’t do to simply rut against him like an animal. That they could do well enough on their own. Though it would be something to try - to see how far the mere pressure of their bodies against each other could take them. But that was a game for a setting with more time. And privacy. And preferably pillows. Cushioned by red and bleeding and- she shook the thought away. No. The only cushion she wanted in this moment was the grass beneath her, paltry as it was. 

“It seems,” she breathed,” I have a great many things to apologize for tonight.” Twisted her fingers through his curls once again, she relished at how soft they were against her skin and how lovely they looked laid against his neck. “Let me make it up to you.” She stared into his eyes, the blood red irises nearly encompassed by the dark of his pupils, before dragging her own down down down to where his length strained against the ties of his pants and licked her lips. “May I?” 

It took a moment for him to respond. Thoughts flicked rapidly in his eyes as he weighed her proposal. Likely he’d intended for her to stop only long enough to be divested of her trousers so that he could lavish her with practiced tongue and hands, or simply take advantage of the wetness that had already soaked a wet spot in his own pants to sheath himself in her heat. Something that would keep her swimming in her own arousal - that would remind her just how well she benefited from keeping him safe and well-fed. And she’d let him do so later. No reason to turn down the multitudes of pleasure he was keen to give her. Not when the rush of blood to her head and thighs managed the desire to see blood run elsewhere. But she could keep her thoughts at bay with his cock in her mouth as easily as with it in her cunt. And, well, perhaps she did feel a tiny bit bad about accidentally insulting him and then using him as little more than a grinding pad. She didn’t care to be quite that greedy. Especially not when the thought of taking him in her mouth already had her mouth watering. 

Eventually though, a smirk crept onto his face. “Well darling, if you insist on getting on your knees for me, who am I to say no?” Cool air filled the empty space left by his thigh when he removed it from between her legs, and the smallest of whimpers escaped from between her teeth at the loss of pressure. Meanwhile, his hands fell to his side - waiting to see how she’d approach her new task before reaching to praise or guide. Trailing her fingers down his chest, Rey slowly sunk to her knees. She held his eyes with her own as she worked at the ties of his trousers, a task made more difficult for the way the leather ties pulled taught against each other under the strain of his length against the fabric. She pressed her mouth to the bulge, still staring up, dragging it down she loosed inch after inch - never letting her lips touch his flesh until he was fully free. She jerked his pants down, captured his balls in her mouth, and sucked. 

She wrapped a hand around the base of his cock and stroked, twisting her wrist as she moved down the length of him. His hips twitched ever so slightly as she moved across his head, precum coating her palm, and a wave of heat flooded her body at how readily he responded. Their last tryst had been incredible by any measure - his focus on her had been all-encompassing. And though she would certainly not turn away that attention, she’d be remiss to not savor how he reacted to the same. When her hand retreated back up his length, her head followed. In a long, languid movement, she drug her tongue along its underside, flat and broad against the vein that protruded there and across his head, until she wrapped her lips around the very tip in the strange approximation of a kiss. Slowly, she fed him into her mouth, inch by inch passing her lips and over her flattened tongue until he hit the back of her throat. Where she found that her body needed no instruction on how to let his length pass further. Another memory her body held with no recollection of how she’d earned it. She took a deep breath, and let the muscles of her throat relax until her nose was pressed against her stomach. Then she released him. Fully removing him from the warmth of her mouth with a pop to suck in a breath. A trail of spittle hung from his cock, connected to her open lips. 

When she took him in her mouth next, she stared up at him. Head thrown back, lips parted, she hummed her pleasure just to see his face twist up and relish the deep moan, almost a grunt, that met her ears. Fingers tenderly brushed against her cheek before diving into her hair. He grabbed a fistful of her braid at the base of her neck, and she offered no resistance when he pulled her deeper onto his length. She slid her own arms against his thighs, hands resting against the sharp handles of his hips, as though she might pull and seal herself against his frame. Again, he slipped past the barrier of her throat with ease, and a string of curses rained down on her when she rewarded the tension that kept him fully seated within her with a hard swallow. She hummed again, letting her hands wander upward to tease the pale plan of his stomach and chest, and smiled around his cock as his hips thrust forward, as if he could somehow find his way deeper into her mouth. 

She let him guide her on and off his cock again and again, sucking and humming and swallowing in turns to coax a symphony of groans and grunts from between his teeth. And each time she let him hold her just a moment longer in that space where he filled her so fully she had to hold her breath. Sometimes she held herself there, relishing the extra sting as he yanked her farther back - the playful tutting that admonished her greediness. He was salty on her tongue, and bergamot, rosemary, and brandy cut through the scent of sweat. And while she knew her knees and jaw would ache terribly tomorrow, it would be a pleasant reminder of this evening’s activities. As engaging and enjoyable as Lae’zel had been, pleasant would not be the word to describe any part of their encounters. And she did not stare at her pulse fluttering in her neck as she wrapped her lips around her.

The world started darkening around the edges. Vaguely, Reycaryn registered that her chest was tightening, lungs beginning to scream. She could hold on a few seconds longer, she was sure, but dancing too close to that line where darkness claimed her fully was not the point of this exercise. A littler death was more appropriate for this evening. So she pushed her palms against him, hoping he would understand the request for a moment of air. In a moment, she was gasping. He pulled her away from his body by the hold he had on her hair and tilted her head up to the sky. The angle was hell on her neck, but her lungs cared little so long as she kept feeding them air. 

Reycaryn smoothed her thumbs across Astarion’s hips when the fog cleared from her mind, which had somehow become her signal that she was ready to take him again, but he did not move her. Instead, he held her still. Then, slowly, he pulled her upright. Her knees folded out from under her, and she rushed to reach behind her, a hand latching onto his wrist as blood rushed back into her legs, leaving them tingling and weak. But he did not stop until she was standing straight and her head tilted up to meet his. 

Suddenly she was very aware of her body. Of how her chest rose and fell, nipples taught and brushing against his skin with every breath. The drool that coated her chin and breasts, the tangled nest her hair had become under his grasp. Her swollen lips, the dark stain battle- and sex-tested as it was, were surely smudged. The prickle of her skin let her know Astarion was taking stock too. It was a slow, luxurious assessment, lingering everywhere and nowhere all at once. It ended on the slick dampness that coated her thighs despite her trousers. No amount of laundering would save them. Well, she had no one but herself to blame for that.

“I believe we’re well past the time for these ruined things.” His free hand hovered over the seam of her pants, hovering tantalizing close to where her blood pooled beneath her legs. She could not help how her hips rolled forward, seeking that contact. He avoided it, only touching her so much as he needed to slide his fingers underneath the hem against her hips. “‘Best be rid of them then.” Before she could move to help him unravel the ties, she heard a rip. Cool air kissed her hip, then a thigh, her ass as the sound of fabric being torn continued, until she was stepping out of the remains of what had once been a rather reliable pair of pants and undergarments. “We could have at least traded those, you know.”

“Trading your soaked underthings? Well now that is an idea. How much do you think the Wizard would pay?” Reycaryn rolled her eyes, though, she supposed, she had walked right into that one. The questions that arose about Gale’s relationship with Mystra and whether a goddess in the astral plane might leave naughty souvenirs, however, were entirely the vampire’s fault. But her mind stilled when his free hand found her hip. His thumb caressed the bone there, and she returned her attention to his face, where his eyes bore into her hungrily. His eyes flicked down to her lips, and she swallowed. She tilted her chin up as far as the hand in her hair would allow. 

His head dipped down, but avoided her face entirely. His mouth found the hammering pulse in her neck and latched, intent on bruising before biting. His teeth were ghosts, mere suggestions of fangs against her heated flesh as he purposefully kept them hidden behind his lips. But he let them scrape against her skin as he found new purchase again and again, leaving a trail of marks hidden beneath her tattoos as he took his time tasting her. She tried to push against him, to end the damn teasing, nice as it was, and coax him to slide into her. In whatever way he cared to. In all the ways he cared to. But his hands held her tight, hips pressed back to the tree and neck so beautifully bared, and where his hands could not reach the rest of his body was an unmoving wall which had pressed against her when she was too distracted by the idea of his teeth in her neck to notice. 

He continued to lavish attention on her skin, not so much as letting her squirm, and his tongue danced across her neck, her chest, her ears - his lips wrapped around the sensitive skin where the cartilage came to a point and sucked, and the moan she gave was guttural. His laughter was warm against her and fuck did she want that mouth occupied with other things. Like her mouth. Or her cunt. Gods she wanted him to touch her there. She’d been moments from cumming before, and now? Well, truth be told she could see herself coming with a well-timed pinch of her nipple at this point. But he did not need to know that. Nor did he need the boost to his ego should that occur. All the more reason for him to just fuck her.

“Something the matter, pet?” He smiled against her ear and gods she wanted to knock it off his stupid, handsome face. She settled for tugging at his hair as she tried to pull herself closer to something that would stab into her. 

“You know damn well what’s-” Sharp, icy pain stole the words from her lips as he bit into her neck. Her heartbeat jumped against his lips, the muscle desperately trying to close the wound. A beautiful, futile attempt. He tongued at the fresh bruise beneath, the blood he’d already welled up there, and she hissed at the dull ache that joined the puncture at her throat. As she started to feel her limbs paradoxically lighten and fill with weight, he pulled away, dragging his tongue over the last drops that seemed from the wound as he sealed it with a flash of magic. 

Then lips slammed into her own, and her breath caught as the force of it rattled her head against the tree. White scattered across her vision, and she moaned against his tongue as it claimed her mouth. Her blood was coppery and hot on his lips, and her body seemed to sing from the taste. She wanted more, wanted to know how she tasted to him, wanted to know how he might taste on her tongue. She nipped his bottom lip as they kissed, enough to make him gasp, enough to make him bleed, and smiled as their tastes met and mingled in their mouths. 

In the next moment, his hands were cupping her ass, her legs wrapping around his waist as he lifted her up, back scraping against the bark of the tree, then brought her back down as he sheathed himself in her in one swift motion.  

 Fuck yes.

Astarion wasted no time letting her adjust. And she needed none. His thrusts were measured, practiced, the product of centuries of pacing himself to ensure things did not end too quickly. With each, she felt him press against that lovely inner spot that made her writhe in his arms. With his next move, she clenched down, and the stutter of his hips against hers earned her a stunning little grunt. She pressed her lips to the place where his neck met his shoulders, kissing and lapping at the sweat-soaked skin. Then biting down with a hiss as his hand snuck between them to play with her clit. She moans, a sound that rattles her chest, and she knows he’s pleased when he does the same again, and again, until there is nothing in her mind but his hand on her clit, his cock in her cunt, and the curses pouring from her lips. 

He pressed her farther into the tree, her thighs wrapped around him and the full weight of him in each thrust holding her upright, to palm her breasts. She managed to drag her head from his shoulder, to press her lips against his and hope that her devouring kiss, tongue desperate to claim every corner, imparts just how desperately she needed this, how good it feels to be consumed by his every thrust and touch. She cupped his face with her hands, fingers digging into his jaw to hold him close, and she timed the way she clenched around him with each gasping breath she takes. 

And then she tumbled over a cliff. She gasped into his mouth, body shaking, as the tweaking of a nipple and the pinch of her clit pushed her over the edge. She held on desperately as wave after wave of mindless, white-hot pleasure claimed her body. Astarion stuttered beneath her, then rallied - his pace shifting sharper, harder, and she felt the final roll of his hips as he came inside her, body shuddering. 

They stood there for a while, his weight pressing her into the tree even as he let his head rest in the curve of her shoulder, until her heart found a calmer rhythm and he softened and slipped from her. His breath was warm against her skin as she unwrapped her legs and tested her weight on them, his hand close to her side in case they failed her. It took a few moments more for them to fully untangle, for their breath to no longer be mingled together. Reycaryn twisted a hand around to her back to feel for any wood that might have decided not to part with her yet. Thankfully she felt none, though her skin still held the imprint of the tree and likely would for another few hours. Good thing they had time yet before dawn and the rising of the rest of their companions. 

Astarion, for his part, was already half-dressed. Trousers retied with no trace of their previous entanglement. Though, thinking of it now, she wasn’t actually sure if she’d properly divested him of them. His shirt, however, had been, and she took precious moments to find it discarded in the tree line. 

“Excuse me, darling, but I do believe that shirt is mine.” Reycaryn pulled her hair through the ruffled collar of the shirt and pulled on the hem to adjust it. He wasn’t much taller than her, but it was, thankfully, a longer cut. Bending over would be a risk, but it would do.

“You can have it back in the morning. I’ll even make sure it’s in one piece.” She gestured to the wrecked pile of her clothes, then retrieved her top from where she’d left it. If she wandered back into camp wearing it and nothing else, well. Poor Wyll would never get the image out of his mind. “Besides,” she spun in a lazy circle, “I think I look rather nice in it, don’t you?” 

He set his weight back on one heel, bringing a hand to support his chin as he appraised her. “Well no one can argue you lack taste.” He smirked, pleased by his unsubtle self-compliment. “Oh fine,” he sighed, something like amusement mixed with the resignation in his voice, “but I expect it washed and dried when you return it to me.”

“Oh, am I your laundress now?” She resisted the urge to look down and determine how soiled the shirt was. There were grass stains, she was sure, though those weren’t her fault. It was possible the bites on her neck had reopened, but she doubted Astarion would let the snack go to waste. More than likely, he was just being his normal self - he was rather precious about his clothes. 

“It’s only the polite thing to do when borrowing clothes, darling. Especially after such.. invigorating activities.” He gave her a look that suggested he was keen to reclaim his shirt by continuing those activities, but she simply crossed her arms. Not that she wasn’t tempted - her body immediately heated at the idea - but she did want to trance for a few hours before she took over the night’s watch. Astarion shrugged and waved off the idea. “Then I shall see you in the morning.” And then he was gone, slipped between the trees to find his way back to camp or, more likely, to find a more filling meal somewhere in the woods. 

Reycaryn stared at the place he’d disappeared for a moment, then shook her head and turned to her destroyed clothes. She couldn’t salvage them, but she wasn’t about to leave them out here either. She’d figure out what to do with them later. But first, a cold bath. And, she supposed, a spot of laundry.

[winxanity-ii]

⌜Tactus Mortis | Chapter 10 Chapter 10 | me està⌟

╰ ⌞🇨‌🇭‌🇦‌🇵‌🇹‌🇪‌🇷‌ 🇮‌🇳‌🇩‌🇪‌🇽‌⌝

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As you kneel in the soft earth behind your and your father's cottage, your hands work methodically, tending to the small garden that has become your sanctuary. The gentle hum of life around you, from the buzz of bees to the rustle of leaves, usually brings you peace.

Today, however, it's marred by something else—a series of whispers that seem to call out your name, each utterance more desperate than the last.

"Y/N... help us..."

You pause, your hands stilling in the dirt as you look around, half-expecting to see someone standing there. But the garden is empty, save for the plants and the fleeting shadows of clouds above.

"Did someone call my name?" you murmur to yourself, a frown creasing your brow.

The question hangs unanswered in the air, the whispers fading as quickly as they came, leaving you with a chill that seeps into your bones.

It's later, while you're with Mirabel, that it happens again. You're listening to her recount the day's adventures, her voice a comforting constant, when suddenly, your name slices through the air, sharp and clear.

"Y/N!"

You jerk to a stop, heart hammering in your chest. Mirabel's words taper off as she notices your distress. "What's wrong?" she asks, her brow furrowed with worry.

You force a smile, pushing down the icy fear that the voice has stirred within you. "It's nothing," you lie, but the shadow of your nightmares seems to loom larger, even under the bright sun of Encanto.

The dreams have become more vivid, more terrifying as well. One night, you're standing in an endless void, the darkness pulsating with the sorrow of unseen spirits.

They reach for you, their hands cold and desperate, their faces a blur of pain and longing. Their cries fill the air, a cacophony of despair that you can't escape, no matter how hard you try to wake.

Another night, you find yourself in a forest, the trees gnarled and whispering secrets in a language you feel in your bones but cannot understand.

A fog rolls in, thick and suffocating, and within it, eyes glow with malice, watching you, waiting. You run, but the forest seems endless, and the voices grow louder, calling your name, begging for release.

These nightmares, once fleeting shadows in your slumber, have become chains that bind you to a world of fear and darkness. Each morning, you wake feeling more drained than the last, the vibrancy that once defined you now dimmed to a mere flicker.

Mirabel's hand finds yours, her touch warm and grounding. "You can tell me, you know," she says softly, her eyes filled with an earnest concern that makes the walls you've built around yourself tremble.

But you can't bring yourself to voice the truth, to admit how close the darkness feels, even in the heart of Encanto.

Instead, you squeeze her hand, grateful for the lifeline she offers, even as you feel yourself sinking deeper into the shadows that now color your days and haunt your nights.

☆

☆

The clatter of dishes and the soft murmur of the evening wind through the open window provide a backdrop to your mechanical actions.

You're washing dishes, your movements slow and devoid of the usual care you put into your chores. Your mind is far away, lost in the maze of your worries and the exhaustion that clings to you like a second skin.

The sound of a cup slipping from your grasp snaps you back to the present, the ceramic shattering on the floor with a noise that seems too loud in the quiet of the kitchen

You stare at the broken pieces, the sight somehow summing up how you feel inside—fractured, scattered.

"Y/N," your father's voice breaks through the fog that seems to envelop your thoughts. He waits until you're both seated around the fireplace, the crackling of the flames a gentle, comforting sound in the silence that has grown between you.

He looks at you, concern etched deeply in his features. "I've noticed you've been... distant lately. Is everything alright?" His voice is gentle, probing, filled with the worry that has been growing in his heart.

You lower your head, your hands clenching into fists in your lap. "I'm fine, Papa," you murmur, the words barely a whisper. But even to your own ears, they sound hollow, unconvincing.

He sighs, the sound heavy with unspoken fears. "Y/N, I know something's troubling you. You don't have to go through this alone." His hand reaches out, resting lightly on your shoulder, a silent offer of support.

But you can't bring yourself to open up, to reveal the depth of the darkness that has taken root within you. "I'll be okay," you insist, forcing strength into your voice that you don't feel. "I just need to tough it out."

Your father's gaze lingers on you, filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. "You're much stronger than you realize, Y/N. But even the strongest among us need help sometimes."

You nod, the gesture small and fraught with the tension that coils tight in your chest.

As you sit there, enveloped in the warmth of your father's concern, your mind drifts to the Madrigals—each of them showing their worry and care in their own unique ways.

Louisa, with her immense strength, has been more present than ever, volunteering to help your father with the heavy lifting required for his business. It's her silent way of saying she's there, a rock you can lean on.

Antonio, the youngest of the Madrigals, has taken to bringing his animal friends to visit you. Each small creature he presents with wide, eager eyes seems to offer its own form of comfort, their innocent affection a balm to the aching loneliness and fear that have taken root in your heart.

Mirabel, with her boundless energy and optimism, has taken it upon herself to drag you out for walks. These aren't just strolls through the vibrant streets of Encanto; they're filled with conversations about everything and anything. Mirabel doesn't press, doesn't probe; she simply talks, allowing you to join in when you feel like it. It's her way of providing a distraction, a momentary escape from the shadows that cling to you.

And then there's Camilo, the ever-present trickster, who has toned down his pranks around you, replacing them with frequent check-ins. It's unusual for him, always ready with a joke or a transformation, to simply be... there, offering silent companionship or a smile meant just for you. It's his way of showing he cares, even if he doesn't say it outright.

You realize how each of these gestures, small and seemingly insignificant on their own, weave together a tapestry of care and concern that you've been too wrapped up in your own worries to fully appreciate.

The thought of letting them down, of not living up to the responsibilities your gift entails, tightens its grip around your heart.

"I don't want to disappoint anyone," you reveal, the weight of your words heavier now with the realization of their collective efforts to support you. "Especially not Doña Alma. I can't fail the ceremony."

Your father wraps an arm around your shoulders, pulling you into a side hug. "Y/N, remember, it's not about not failing. It's about doing your best and knowing that, regardless of the outcome, we'll all be here for you. The Madrigals, your family, we stand together," he says, squeezing your shoulder gently, a silent reassurance. "You could never disappoint us, Y/N. We're here for you, no matter what. Don't carry this burden on your own."

As the fire crackles in the hearth, casting warm light over the both of you, you lean into your father's embrace, allowing yourself a moment of vulnerability. His words, meant to comfort, do offer a glimmer of hope amidst the encroaching darkness.

Maybe, just maybe, with the Madrigals by your side, you can face whatever comes. But the fear of disappointment, of not being strong enough, remains a specter that lurks in the back of your mind, casting long shadows over your resolve.

Lying on your back, the quiet of the night wraps around you, a blanket too thin to ward off the torrent of worries plaguing your mind. Despite the weight of exhaustion pressing down on your eyelids, sleep eludes you, chased away by the fear of the nightmares that lurk just beyond the veil of consciousness.

Turning onto your side, you release a sigh into the darkness, the sound heavy with weariness. "Sidero," you call out softly, a whisper that cuts through the quiet.

Instantly, he materializes before you, his form taking shape in the dim light of your room. He mirrors your position, laying on his side with eyes that hold a softness you've grown to find comforting. "Are you alright, chiquita?" His voice is gentle, a contrast to the turmoil swirling within you.

Another sigh escapes you, this one laden with an exhaustion that seeps into your bones. You close your eyes, a brief respite, knowing full well the terror that awaits in slumber. Opening your eyes once more, you find Sidero still watching you, his presence a steady anchor in the tempest of your emotions.

"Am I ready?" The question spill from your lips, a whisper of vulnerability amid the storm of your anxieties. It's more than just doubt about the ceremony; it's an inquiry into your own strength, your capacity to uphold the legacy and duties that have been passed down to you.

Sidero's form solidifies further, his presence becoming more pronounced beside you. "You've always been ready," he reassures, his voice soothing the edges of your frayed nerves. "You carry within you the strength of your ancestors, the love of your family, and a resilience that has guided you through the darkest times. This ceremony, this duty, it's about more than just leading; it's about uniting, healing, and honoring. And no one is more suited to that than you."

His words, though intended to comfort, only momentarily pierce the dense fog of your doubts. Yet, as you lay there, the whispers of the unseen battles you face echo around you, a constant reminder of the challenges that lie ahead.

Sidero, sensing your turmoil, raises his hand, the cold sensation of his touch sending chills down your spine as he gently caresses your face. The silent question you've harbored for so long finally finds its voice, "How come you've never moved on?" Your voice is barely above a whisper, laden with an unspoken yearning for understanding.

For a moment, Sidero is silent, his expression unreadable. Then, with a skill that belies his ethereal nature, he shifts the conversation. "Do you have another secret ghost friend I don't know about?" he teases, an attempt to lighten the mood.

Despite the shift in topic, you offer him a weary smile, grateful for his unwavering presence. "Thank you for being here with me," you whisper, the gratitude in your words wrapping around the both of you like a gentle hug.

Sidero hums, a sound that vibrates with affection and an unspoken promise. "I'll always be with you. You're precious to me, more than you could possibly imagine," he says, his voice carrying a weight that tugs at the very fabric of your soul.

Your eyes flutter closed, a battle against the tide of sleep that threatens to pull you under. "Stay with me," you murmur, half-dreaming, half-pleading.

"I will," Sidero whispers back, a guardian in the night. "Rest now, chiquita. I'll be here when you wake."

With the ceremony heavy on your mind and Sidero's promise cradling your thoughts, you finally succumb to sleep, a sliver of peace in the tempest of your fears.

A/N: I'm sorry y'all, i'm in love with siderio so ignore the shameless self-insert moments🥹🥹

[storiesbyrhi]

Bones and All - Chapter 4: Hawkins, Indiana

Eddie Munson/Reader Series Masterlist

Warnings: canon typical violence/gore, cuss words, weird parental relationships, animal farming/slaughterhouse referenced; no beta; updated each chapter

Synopsis: A Bones and All AU. What do you hunger for?

Chapter Summary: He's not a hometown hero but he might just be yours.

“So, you never finished school?” Eddie asked, his one question when you told him about the sleepover. Blood-soaked shag rugs. Tinsel skirts and high pitch screaming. But he wanted to know about you.

“No… I could have a couple times over but, you know,”

“Yeah. I haven’t either. There’s other ways to learn…” He shrugged, kept his eyes on the road. You were making good time to get to Hawkins. “And your mum left after that?”

“Um, not straight away. Two months,”

“That’s weird,”

“Yeah,” you agreed. Yeah. Why had she waited? If that was the final straw, then why drag it out and make you feel safe and forgiven?

Your mother’s letter played in your mind sometimes. It was her voice you heard, but it sounded far away like an echo. ‘Maybe never loved you like a parent should,’ and ‘I will always love you, Y/N. Please don’t come looking for me.’ What was the truth?

“Do you think she was afraid of you?” Eddie asked.

Although you had just been talking about her, it still took a second for your head to connect it. Had your mother been afraid of you? Of course, it had sort of half-occurred to you that she might have been, but it seemed infinitely more likely now Eddie had verbalised it.

You felt a pain shoot down your spine and an ache in your fingers; you pulled at them trying to coax warmth back into your hands.

Eddie saw it on your face, said your name and tried to apologise, but you didn’t hear him at all.

Was she afraid of me?

Did she love me?

If she was afraid of me, how could she love me?

Penny. Luke. Dmitri. Kevin. Marcus. Noble. CJ. Jamie. Lydia.

The letter said your mother saw no shame on your face after you ate Luke Vanderwall. Maybe you knew how to hide shame by then? Maybe you had already mastered emotional concealment? Because you sure as fuck felt shame. Didn’t you?

All your contradictions suddenly came into pristine focus. Leaving Sully under the pretence of not deserving guidance nor company, then asking Eddie for those very things. Spitting venom at Andy for offering help, but using that same word when speaking to Eddie.

Did you deserve guidance and company and help and love, or not? What did you believe about yourself? What was the truth?

The truth is like the waiting jaws of a monster, a more menacing monster than you’d ever be. It yawns beneath your feet, and you can’t escape it, and as soon as you drop, it chews you to pieces.*

She never loved me.

She felt guilty for bringing me into the world.

I was just another responsibility.

An obligation.

Any kindness… empathy… it was all because she was so guilty.

Penny. Luke. Dmitri. Kevin. Marcus. Noble. CJ. Jamie. Lydia.

Why did I let Eddie help?

Pretence?

What do I want from him?

Penny. Luke. Dmitri. Kevin. Marcus. Noble. CJ. Jamie. Lydia.

I’m gon-

“M’gonna puke,” you managed to get out before clamping your hands around your mouth.

Eddie had already pulled over the van, but you hadn’t noticed. He expected you to bolt, so when you didn’t he nudged at you with an urgent, “Go!”

You flew from the passenger seat and across the road, throwing yourself to the ground and vomiting up everything your stomach had been trying to break down. Through your tears, you saw the still-formed top section of Lydia Harmon’s finger. You’d bitten it clean off and swallowed it whole. Now, it sat amongst the bile and soup.

Crawling away from the mess, you made it to the shade of a tree, laying in the dirt and dying grass. The itch of an ant crawling up your arm begged you to move, but you stayed motionless.

Eddie watched it all from the van, his arms hugging the wheel and his chin resting on it. He was berating himself for asking the question; speaking before thinking had gotten him into trouble in the past.

It wasn’t so much the eating that made Eddie consider himself a monster. It was the conflicted emotions he experienced after. Sure, there was guilt. But only sometimes. Sometimes he liked it. That made him bad, right? But watching you paralysed with misery because of something he said made him feel really, really fucking bad. More than guilt. A little like heartbreak. That had to count for something…

Eddie gave you five minutes in the dirt before he came over with water. He was sure he was going to apologise, but he stayed silent. You were glad he did. He helped you stand up and you followed him back to the van. You pressed on like nothing happened.

When you stopped for lunch, Eddie went into the roadside diner while you went into the toilets. You were staring at yourself in the scratched up mirror when there was a knock on the door.

“Occupied,” you said as loudly as your voice would go.

Someone had written RB 4 MG 4EVA on the wall in pink lipstick. You wondered if RB and MG were still together. A little further over, a thick black Sharpie had been used to draw a heart with SGC written inside.

“Y/N? It’s me,” Eddie called through the door.

When you opened the door, he was standing right there. “Sorry. You have to go?”

“Nah.” He was looking at you with his arms crossed. “I got food,”

“Good,”

“Ah, do you wanna sit or eat, or just… hit the road?”

You wanted to not have to make decisions.

Eddie’s expression softened and he stepped closer to you. “I’m… I’m gonna hug you now. Okay?”

You nodded helplessly, then felt the warm pressure of Eddie’s arms wrapped around you. You buried your face in his chest and snaked your way around his torso. There were no more tears to cry, so you just breathed heavily.

Eddie smelt like cigarettes. Not fresh tobacco leaves. The cheap brand. You hadn’t seen him smoke though; maybe you’d ask him about it later. Under that scent was his humanness, but it was sour. The same sourness on Sully. Was that it? Was that the smell of an eater? Other people were sweeter. Other people smelt like what they had eaten. What they had spent the day doing. Not Eddie.

Cigarettes and sour. He smelt earthy and more neutral than he should have, given that neither of you had showered in a while, and he was so so close to you.

“Are you thinking about eating me?” Eddie joked.

“You don’t smell like everyone else,” you replied.

He paused, then, “So, you were thinking about eating me?”

You smiled into him and sighed. He took it as a good sign. He kissed the top of your head, but it felt the same as if he had just nestled into it.

“Let’s just keep going, yeah? We’ll get to Hawkins just after dark. Probably not a bad thing. I shouldn’t really be seen around town…”

You nodded and regretfully let him go, following him back to the van. He handed you the plastic bag he’d been holding. Two roast beef sandwiches and two cans of Dr Pepper.

“Do you need to know why?”

“Why what?” you asked.

“Why I can’t be seen in town?”

You shook your head. “No.”

The sandwich was objectively good, but you couldn’t taste much. It didn’t really satisfy you. Neither had the camp stove soup before it, or Spaghetti-Os. You’d been hungry too soon after Lydia.

…

Hawkins was nothing remarkable, but it wasn’t the worst place in the world either. You watched the town go by through the dirty van window, sitting up straighter when Eddie cut the lights and slowed right down.

“Neighbours notice everything,” he said. “And trailer parks? They’re like mini-towns. We’ve gotta go under the radar as much as we can.”

The van was parked behind some trees just down from Forest Hill Trailer Park’s entrance. You and Eddie carried your bags through a small wooded area, coming out into the Park behind some mobile homes. He knew his way around, even in the dark, unlike you. It took you almost tripping once before he held his hand out behind him so you could hold on.

“We’ll go through the bedroom window,” he whispered, coming to a trailer. The window was unlocked, sliding up easily. He climbed onto a trash can, wincing when it banged against the wall loudly. Once inside, Eddie helped you up and in.

“This is your uncle’s?” you clarified.

“Yeah. I grew up here, basically. He works nights at the plant in town, so he won’t be back till tomorrow.”

The darkness meant you couldn’t see the room around you perfectly. You could make out the bed and side tables, and that it was very sparsely decorated. Everything seemed to be in cardboard boxes in the corner of a room.

“Yeah, ah, this used to be my room. Well, I mean, Wayne says it still is. But the trailer only has one bedroom, so when I started to, you know, not be here, I put all my shit in the boxes so he could stop sleeping on the fold out.”

Following him out of the bedroom, you noted a small bathroom to your left, then the main kitchen and living room. The space had larger windows, lighting it with moonlight. It was enough to see by but in no way romantic.

“Welcome to, ah, my castle.”

There were dozens of novelty mugs and baseball caps sitting on shelves around the room.  It was a tidy space, lived in but also missing the warmth that comes with family.

“Here, you take the flashlight. We gotta keep the lights off,”

“Neighbours,” you said.

“Neighbours.”

Eddie cooked another scraped-together meal. He didn’t want to go using up all of Wayne’s supplies. He felt bad enough for skipping out on him all the time and for… everything else. He didn’t want to add ‘eating all the food’ to the list. While he cooked, he could tell you were still deep in contemplation.

Eddie knew his own mother was terrified of him, as she had been of his father. One of his first memories, if not the first, was one of the look of abject horror on her face when she found him after he’d eaten. It never got better after that.

It seemed odd that the same truth had thrown you, but he had empathy. He knew that people hid all sorts of shit from themselves. It sucked when it came to the surface.

When he brought dinner over to the small two person table, you were standing in front of three framed photos on the wall. The first was Eddie, maybe ten-years-old, dressed as a skeleton for Halloween. The second was a photo of a man who you assumed was Wayne, holding a baby you assumed was Eddie. Eddie was asleep but Wayne’s face was wide awake with happiness. The last photo was an older Eddie, maybe fifteen or sixteen.

The face in the last photo was almost the one Eddie wore now, but there was a lightness in the expression that was hard to imagine on the Eddie you knew. He also didn’t have the same scar across his cheek.

It was then you realised you hadn’t given much thought to Eddie’s scar at all. You’d noticed his hair and big brown eyes. What he wore. How he held himself. The different smiles. The shape of his lips. The palms of his hands. A lot more. The scar that crawled from his jawline, across his left cheek though, it seemed so much part of him that it hadn’t earned a second thought. It was as if your mind had just decided he was born with it. But, of course he hadn’t been. The third photograph told you so.

“Good?” Eddie asked, breaking your concentration and drawing your attention back to him.

When you tasted the food, you told him, “You’re good at this… Making something out of nothing.”

He swallowed and looked away. “I’ll go see Red in the morning. Early. You can take the bed tonight,”

"Red?"

"Max."

You nodded. “I had the bed last time,”

“It’s fine. I’ll take the couch. Or the fold out.”

You didn’t want to argue, so you just nodded again, taking another mouthful. Was he hungry like you? Did he feel it growing inside him like you did? Was it normal?  You wanted to ask but talking about eating was still something you weren’t used to, despite your best efforts.

Washing the dishes in warm water felt nice on your hands. It was good to help. Eddie dried and put everything away.

“You can have a shower if you want. If you can do it in the dark,” Eddie offered. He showed you where everything was, then handed you a clean towel. “S’alright if you leave the door open for light. I won’t spy or anything.”

The bed was comfortable and clean, unlike the cowboy’s. Sleep felt so close. Real actual rest. It wouldn’t come though. You knew Eddie was awake in the next room. He was quiet for a while, probably reading by moonlight. He began to toss and turn like you. Your heart rate picked up when you heard the squeak of the couch and the soft padding of Eddie walking down the hall.

“You awake?” he whispered, paused at the open door.

“Yeah,” you whispered back.

Eddie moved through the darkness, getting into bed with you without saying another word. Before you could will your body to unfreeze or think of much at all, he had wriggled closer to you, spooned himself into your back. As he spoke, you could feel his breath on the back of your neck.

“This okay?”

“Yeah,” you answered, but your voice sounded different. It caught you off guard, but Eddie was too on the cusp of sleep to notice.

He put an arm around you, pulled you closer to him. Not having to do anything, decide anything, made it easy. You melted into the mattress and into Eddie like it was the thing your body was born to do.

…

There was a note on the kitchen bench when you woke up.

With Max. Be back soon. Be ready to leave. – E

After making sure your bag was packed and by the bedroom window, where Eddie had already put his, you went to look at the photos on the wall again. You wanted to see if there were more somewhere but you couldn’t just look through all Wayne’s things. The man you had never met was already being more of a host than he should have been.

The clock on the microwave told you it was just passed ten in the morning. You were wondering how long an overnight shift was when Eddie came tumbling through the bedroom window.

“Ready?”

“Yeah,” you said, falling in line like a soldier.

Halfway back to the van, in the middle of the little wooded area, you heard leaves crunch and twigs snap behind you.

“Eddie!” a voice called.

You both turned.

“Shut up. Shhhh,” Eddie warned, stepping back towards the red-haired teenager.

She rolled her eyes and looked behind him to you. “She your girlfriend?”

“She’s my friend. What are you doing here? I told you to go to school,”

“Why? You don’t go,”

“Yeah, I’m a dumbass though. Come on, Red. Don’t do this,”

“Me?!” Max yelled. Eddie stepped closer again, frantically waving his arms in an attempt to get her to be quieter. “Oh my god. Nobody cares Eddie. You’re the one that makes this weird. Why don’t you just come home? Wayne misses you. He’s always sitting on the doorstep smoking,”

“Don’t try to fuckin’ guilt me, alright? I’m doing a fantastic job at that already.”

Max had her hands on her hips. She looked at Eddie, her face set in a frown. “You go for longer each time… You’re never here,”

“Jesus. We don’t, like, hang out? You’re a kid. You’ve got Dustin and Sinclair,”

“We broke up,”

“Okay. Fuck. Sorry. Alright? I don’t know what you want me to say,” Eddie said, completely exasperated.

Max looked like she might cry, instead she willed herself to get angry. “Do you even fucking care about anyone? You pretend you stay away so it's easier for Wayne, but it’s not. It’s not for Dustin or like, Gareth and Jeff and stuff.”

Eddie took a deep breath in and dropped his duffle bag. He clenched his fist and walked away from her. She watched him walk to a tree and lean against it, pulling every last reserve of patience he had.

You remembered what it was like to be Max’s age. Everything felt personal. Everything felt like abandonment. So, when she said, “And whose van is that, Eddie?” you understood her need to provoke.

Eddie knew he wasn’t going to be able to make her walk away of her own free will. He closed his eyes and let the self-hate wash over him. “I’m not your brother, Max,” he said, voice low.

She looked stunned by his words, her arms falling from her hips and her scowl turning into a sad frown. Eddie turned to her, hoping she’d run, but she was strong and defiant and everything he loved her for.

“I’m sorry, Max. I told you I’d be here, I was. But I’m not your brother. I don’t owe you anything,”

“Fuck you,” she spat, utter grief in her eyes. Max turned and walked away. Both you and Eddie knew that she was crying.

Eddie picked up his bag and began the walk back to the van. It was parked on the side of the road, a little less hidden away than last night.

You jumped into the front passenger seat and carefully moved a McDonalds take away bag to the floor.

“That’s for you,” Eddie mumbled.

“Thanks,” you replied, voice equally quiet.

He started up the van and pulled a u-turn, heading to what appeared to be the town centre. You’d figured Eddie would want to get as far away from Hawkins as possible, but apparently not. Staying silent, you are your breakfast and looked out the window and tried to imagine Eddie’s life in the small town.

Going passed a shopping mall and turning into a residential area, Eddie slowed down. He looked like he was searching for something or someone. When he clocked you watching him out the corner of your eyes, he said, “Found some weed in the trailer. I know someone always looking to buy. Figure we could make a quick buck, get supplies, then blow this joint.”

You nodded and smiled. We.

Eddie pulled up to a house that seemed pretty innocuous, except for the most outlandish swan statue smack-bang in the front yard. It wasn’t even a water feature or fountain. He looked over at you to find your brow set in a frown, a look of judgemental confusion on your face.

“Is that for me or the swan?”

“What?”

“Your face,” he said.

“It’s hideous.”

Eddie snorted a little laugh. “No accounting for taste, I guess. Wait here.”

He was in and out within five minutes. When he got back behind the wheel, Eddie handed you a wad of cash. “You’re the bank,” he said.

You took the money and held it in your hands while he circled the block and headed back the way you came.

“Here,” and he handed you his wallet. “How much do we have?”

The total amount of cash – yours, his, and the newly acquired drug money – was not bad. Eddie seemed happy with it, so you did too.

“There’s a thrift store on the other side of town. It’s big. Got like, camping shit. There’s a gas station just down from it,”

“Sounds good.”

You could tell he wanted to say something. Maybe about Max. The tap tap tapping of his rings on the steering wheel. His other hand brought to his lips, running his knuckles along them. They were giveaways that he wasn’t settled.

Deciding to risk it, you asked, “How’d Max do?”

“What?”

“In the driving lesson. Will she pass her test?”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah. If she can drive this, then she can drive anything.”

It felt like the conversation was about to die. “She seems smart. She’ll pass,”

“She is… Really fucking smart. Too smart… Deserves a scholarship or whatever, you know? Deserves better than Hawkins and everything that’s happened to her.”

They were nice things to say about someone. Nobody would have ever said them about you.

“I’m sorry… you had to see all that,” Eddie said then.

“It’s okay,”

“Nah, it’s not. I hate saying shit like that to her. I just don’t know how to make her stop… Her brother died last year… Fuck. It was a really shitty thing to say.”

You shrugged. “You couldn’t just tell her the truth?”

Eddie gave you a look of utter disbelief. “The truth?”

“Yeah, okay…” You shook your head. “Probably not the truth,”

“Probably not,” he repeated sarcastically.

“Anyway… Do you think maybe… if there’s time and there’s a good place for it, maybe you could teach me to drive too?”

Eddie grinned. “Am I taking you to prom too? Buying you a little red corsage?”

You quickly turned away, desperate for him not to see the embarrassment on your face.

“I’m sorry. Yes, Y/N. I will teach you to drive. But first, let’s get the supplies, ‘kay?”

Turning back, you smiled happily.

The thrift store provided a single mattress that just fit into the back of the van, a significant improvement on cardboard and old carpet. Pillows and blankets. A few more books. Other things deemed useful by Eddie.

After the gas station, you felt prepared to take on the world, or at least hit the highway and drive off into the sunset. Eddie had one last stop to make.

Half an hour or so outside of Hawkins’ city limits, you sped past an industrial farm. You didn’t catch the sign, unaware of the fact the place meant anything. Then, a mile or less down the road, Eddie pulled over and cut the engine.

You watched him readjust the rearview mirror and unbuckle his seatbelt.

“I worked there last summer for a week. They’re dumb as shit – all the cash from the café just stays in the register,”

“What is it?”

“Farm, mostly. Corn and soybeans. And pig slaughterhouse.”

“There’s a café in a slaughterhouse?”

“For staff, ‘cause it’s outside of town.” Eddie checked the time on his watch, then settled into his seat. “Better get comfy, got a couple hours before everyone’s out of there.”

You undid your seatbelt and climbed into the back. As you were pulling The Lord of the Rings out, an image of Eddie slitting the throat of a piglet flashed in your mind.

“Eddie?”

“Yeah?”

“Which part did you work in?”

He was rolling the window down, and suddenly you became acutely aware of the smell of fear and death. You knew it should have made you feel sick, but it didn’t.

“Started with the pigs. The pay is good because not everyone is cut out for it… But, ah… It wasn’t the killing part. That’s quick. It was everything else… The way they’re stuck in these shitty little pens just waiting to die. It fucked me up. Got all…” Eddie rolled his hand through the air as he searched for a way to put it. “In my head. Next day they tried to put me out in the fields but it turns out I’m too pasty white for that too… Spent the rest of the week washing dishes in the café. Quit on the Friday. But it’s how I know about the cash.”

You didn’t ask any more questions, just got back into your seat and started to read out loud from the bookmarked point.

…

You stopped reading for a late lunch slash early dinner. Halfway through, Eddie heard your stomach growl.

“You know you have to eat,”

“I am,” you said with a mouthful of peanut butter coated apple.

“S’not what I mean… Whatever… this is… We have to feed it.”

You thought about it. “What do you think happens if we don’t?”

“Honestly? I don’t wanna know.”

When the food was packed away, you both laid back on the mattress. It was too quiet, only the white noise of cornstalks and bugs beyond the metal walls of the van.

“What were you doing before we met?” you asked, carefully selecting a question you thought Eddie would answer.

“Nothing in particular,”

“How do you make money to live off?”

“Farm work, sometimes. Not really made for it though. It’s boring. Stealing is easy, once you’ve learnt. Whenever I’m back here I can usually get cut into some deals. Move some product out the state or whatever,” he answered. He knew you were building up to bigger questions, but he was curious about you too.

“When did you start living like this?”

“It’s been a while…”

“What made you wanna leave Hawkins in the first place?”

Eddie hesitated. “Pass,” he said.

“What are you gonna do once we get to my dad?”

He looked over at you. “What do you mean?”

“Well… Like… Are you just going to drop me off and… keep doing this or…”

“Guess that depends on if we find him. What we find out.”

You were pleased with that answer. It felt hopeful.

“Why’d you eat the babysitter?” he asked then.

“I don’t know… I was a baby… I just did it,”

“Okay… What about the next time? And the ones after that?”

It was only a question but you felt so accused. You wanted to be able to say ‘I can’t help’ it and mean it sincerely, but you knew that would never get passed Eddie’s bullshit detector.

“I… I don’t know,” you answered, words bouncing on shaky breath. “I can’t… I can’t control it,”

“Yes, you can,” Eddie said definitively. “If you couldn’t, you’d have eaten Andy,”

“That was different, I was distracted,”

“I don’t think it was,”

“What are you trying to do? What do you want me to say? That I’m a monster? That I enjoy being like this? That I just fucking love eating people?” You sat up, pulled your legs up into yourself defensively.

Eddie folded his arms under his head and looked over at you. His composure remained. “I’m just trying to get to know you… See if you’re… like me,”

“I don’t… I don’t know what that means. Like you how?”

Desperately, Eddie wanted to know if you felt conflicted like he did. Did you go screaming to the far end of self-hate, wishing you’d never been born and seeking oblivion, only to roll into the euphoria of eating? The undeniable high that came with the taste of the itty-bitty parts of the body like the pituitary gland. Sucking marrow from bone. Ripping fat from flesh. Did you feel it too? Because Eddie did. The frenzy. Swallowing. Feeling the person in him for days after. He felt like some kind of new superhero.

Eddie shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

You could see that it did.

Five painfully silent minutes went by. Eddie had closed his eyes and rested, while you sat looking around the van awkwardly.

The sun had begun to set and when you looked out the window, the industrial farm loomed dark and ominous on the horizon.

“Is it time?” you whispered.

Eddie sat up. “As good a time as any.”

The cornfield between the van and the farm provided the best cover. The dirt beneath your feet was unstable, making it hard to follow Eddie with any grace. The feeling of anxiety grew the closer to the buildings you got. When you started to hear the distressed pigs, you regretted coming. Eddie hadn’t asked if you wanted to stay back; even if he had, you wouldn’t have chickened out.

On the edge of the cornfield, Eddie surveyed.

“There’s not like, guards or anything?”

“Yeah, two guys. Mick stays in the office. Gets blazed and sleeps most of the night. That’s his truck there. The other guy is pushing fuckin’ eighty. Can’t hear for shit… Come on.” Eddie held out his hand, you took it without thought.

Keeping to the shadows, you rounded a couple of the buildings until you came to one that looked newer than the others. Eddie picked the lock and you crept inside. Down a few hallways, you went by rooms filled with lockers and doors marked with names of men like Dennis Hurn and Robert White. The double doors to the café were unlocked.

You kept your eyes set on the doors once inside, listening to Eddie jimmy open the cash register and empty it. Suddenly, his hands were on you, putting folded notes and coins in your pockets.

“You want some chocolate milk?” he whispered into your ear.

Turning around, you watched him rummage through the kitchen for a bag, then fill it with drinks from the fridge and any food in reach.

“Alright, let’s go.”

When you got back outside, you both gasped at the light of a torch coming around the building. Eddie grabbed you by the wrist and pulled you in the opposite direction. He tried every door, eventually getting lucky.

It was a barn, eternally bright with pale blue lights above pig pens. Some of the creatures were asleep, some stood staring into the void.

“We’ll let him pass and go back,”

“Can’t we just go through the field and circle around?” you asked, keeping your voice as low as his.

Eddie shook his head. “Too easy to get lost out there in the dark. There’s a reason Stephen King writes about cornfields. We’ll just wait.”

Eddie walked down the centre of the pens and up a staircase leading to a small loft. He sat on the edge, letting his legs dangle over. You sat next to him, sides pressed together.

“You hear the music?” he asked, to which you nodded. “It’s meant to keep them calm.”

The pigs below you smelt like fear. “It doesn’t,”

“I know… I’d let them out but they’d either die out there or get rounded back up… Don’t wanna give them false hope.”

You looked at Eddie as he watched the pigs, how his eyebrows were pinched together in sadness and the lights were mirrored in his eyes like stars.

“What did you mean? Like you how?”

He sighed, looking down into his lap. Eddie took one of your hands, clasping both of his around it.

“We’re… bad. But… I think you love this as much as I do.”

You had never felt more alive.

Eddie’s mouth was on yours, and you didn’t know how to kiss but it didn’t matter. His tongue felt both slimy and like velvet and as soon as you tasted it, you imagined what it would feel like everywhere else on your body. You stopped being able to breathe but you had always wanted to die so you thought, let it be, let it be death by romance, death by being seen, being known, being understood, being loved.

End Note: *Those two lines are from page 130 of the novel. It’s perfect imagery that didn’t need to change.

For people that have read the book, PLEASE feed my praise kink – whenever you see a sneaky reference or line that I have used in a different way to its original context, tell meeee. I am literally writing this with the novel next to me and my film notes on the other side. I'm thriving.

Fic Taglist: @harrys-tittie @azydrateanatomy @pussy-drunk @mrsdollardog

All Eddie Taglist: @solomons-finest-rum @ruinedbythehobbit @munsonlives @sweetpeapod @depressooo-expressooo-blog @thorfemmes @hawkins-high @corrodedhawkins @grungegrrrl @lilzabob @mymoonisalways-in-scorpio @averagemisfit03 @ches-86 @ilovecupcakesandtea @onehotgreasymechanic @hazydespair @lacrymosa-24 @mel-the-fangirl

[notinthislife50]

Chapter 14

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You went back to the road house, heartbroken, defeated, angry and annoyed with yourself. Why, why did you give him one more chance. Why did you not protect your heart. You kept asking these questions but you knew why, Sam was his brother and he would die for him, he would have died for you too. The same way you would have died for them. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt you. Your anger was more how could one man, one man who is what good should be in this world think his life mattered so little. Damn you Dean Winchester.

You set camp up in your bed, you drank, you cried, you vomited. It was your routine. Ellen, Ash and Jo tried to bring you back, even Brad had tried but they all got the brunt of your infamous temper. It also didn’t help that Sam would always text you with updates, begging you to come back as Dean was a mess.

When you came out of your drinking stage, you entered taking on every supernatural case that came across the pub stage. Still Sam texted you updates. Fuck sake Sam why won’t he just leave you alone. You didn’t care what he and Dean did. Or so you told yourself.

Then when Christmas wasn’t to far ahead, Sam knew how to guilt trip you.

“Please y/n, it’s his last Christmas. He needs us, he needs you ”

You sighed as you typed, why were you typing? what the fuck where you doing? Stop typing.

“Okay Sammy, what’s the address ? And ill think about it.” you hit send. Okay how could you delete something that was already sent. Fuck.

And with that you were sucked in to the world of the Winchesters again.

As you drove towards Michigan, you tried to ring the boys letting them know you were near, but none of them answered the phone.

“fuck sake” was all you could mutter, wondering what hell was awaiting you.

You made your way to the door and rang the bell, where were they? why it did it take so long to answer the door?

You then quietly made your way round the back and peeked through the window. When you saw the man and woman leave the kitchen and head towards the front door. You quickly opened the back door and slipped in.

“Ho ho ho boys” you smirked bending down and cutting the ropes from their arms and legs.

“You came” Sammy smiled.

“Yea yea yea, now move” as you heard the two people coming back towards the room. You ran through a few rooms and at one point all three of you were braced against a door. Sam and Dean tried to catch you up as quickly as possible.

“Well what the fuck do we do now if this stake thingy is in the basement?” you hissed.

“Well why don’t you help us look for some more” Sam throw you a dirty look.

You stepped back and looked at him “really Sam, want to have a go right now” but threw yourself back at the door when your heard banging from the other side.

“Well if you two would stop bickering I may have found the solution” Dean grinned. That fucking grin, God you wanted to smack him, no kiss him, no definitely smack him. Fuck which was it. Definitely both. You looked at him with such disdain he looked away and said to Sam “help me with this”

The brothers pushed the China cabinet towards the door. As the three of you poundered what to do next, you had an idea, you ran towards the Christmas tree and stated tearing off the branches.

You little thing,” Madge said storming in to the room, her tone threatening. “ I loved that tree.” grabbing you by the throat she squeezed tightly. As you slipped in to unconscious, you couldn’t help hear madges name being screamed around you. And then your world went black.

Next thing you woke up with an anxious Sam hovering over you, you groaned,

“You know Sammy this isn’t the Christmas wish I wished for " you hoarsed rubbing your throat

Sam laughed and stated “you know every time I wished for a sister instead of a brother I always thought it would be some one like you "

“What can I say I’m adorable “you groaned sitting up.

[jscomics]

Something in the woods

Annie loved where she lived. The small cabin had always felt comforting to her, and with her mother so close she was truly happy. Annie loved their large garden with plenty of room to play, she loved the jungle gym set her father had built for her and she loved playing with her dog Scruff. It was all perfect, or it would be had it not been for the creatures in the woods. 

Annies cabin is in the middle of a large forest. Most would find this a dream come true, but most had not seen what Annie had seen. She had lost track of how many times she had begged her parents to see the monster, and how many times she had been dismissed. An over-enactive imagination they would always say before making dinner or doing whatever it was boring parents did when they weren’t fighting monsters. Well, if her parents weren’t going to protect them then she will. That morning Annie woke up bright and early with a plan, she would take her ferocious wolf (Chihuahua) Scruff, gather some essential supplies and hunt this beast down once and for all.

As Annie made her way to the front door, the first obstacle presented itself. Her Dad.

“Heya sport, you’re up early aren’t you?” The Father questioned,

“Y..yes dad, I need to protect us from the monster!”

The Father let out a deep sigh before picking Annie up and holding her close

“Okay sweetie, but remember to let your mother know where you are and don’t stray too far into the woods, ya hear?”

“Yes dad” Annie giggled as they both embraced before Annie’s dad released her, said his farewells and went off to work.

Upon her father’s request, Annie wrote a small note to her mum that read, ‘Off to the woods with Scruff!’, before slipping on her bright pink wellies and journeying off with her noble knight. Annie stomped past the garden, past the jungle gym and stopped just before the tree line. She took a brief look around before deciding that there weren’t any monsters nearby and that it was safe to push on, and with that, she walked into the woods.

The woods were darker now that she was travelling through them. The twisted branches looked sharp and the bushes tugged at her coat as if beckoning her not to proceed, pleading for her to go back to safety, but she pressed on. Scruff marched in front, his ears twisting and turning at every sound that echoed through the thick undergrowth. The young pup was used to walks in the woods, however, today seemed different. He walked closer than usual and he remained silent, even when squirrel made themselves known he paid them no attention. Annie noticed this as a chill began to creep up her spine. “Scruff” She called out to him, but the dog didn’t look back at her, instead, he kept his eyes fixed on something deeper in the woods.

Annie turned back but they could no longer see their home, now trees blocked every path like prison bars. It was then that Annie realised, she was lost. Panic began to set in as the child spun around, desperately trying to find the path she had been walking on. “Scruff!” She yelled as she turned back to her dog, however, he was no longer anywhere to be seen as his ferocious barks could be heard trailing deeper and deeper into the dark forest, tears began to fall down her face as Annie began to run in, what she believed, was the way home. An eerie wind followed her as she pushed her way through the undergrowth, tripping at the roots that grabbed at her ankles like boney hands, threatening to drag her down into the uneven earth below. Annie battled forwards as the trees clawed at her jacket and scratching the skin that lay beneath until she eventually stumbled out into a small clearing nearby a pleasant running stream. 

The atmosphere was much calmer here than in the forest behind her so Annie decided to catch her breath. She walked over towards a large willow tree and leant up against it. Her parents would notice she wasn’t back and find her, wouldn’t they? The thought of this reassured her as the air grew warmer, lulling her into a fragile sleep. When Annie awoke the sky had turned a crimson red. It was getting late and there was no sign of Scruff, let alone rescue. Again tears fell from her face as she curled up by the tree, letting out small sobs as she tried to hide away from reality. A faint humming silenced Annie as she attempted to locate the source, looking around the tree she couldn’t spot anyone,

“H..hello?” Annie called out, “Mum, dad?”

The humming was replaced with a gentle giggle

“Fear not my child, everything will be alright” 

Annie jumped. The words seem to emanate from the tree itself, and as she studied the ancient bark, something began to grow from it. At first, it looked as if a large branch was being made, however, the branch slowly took form as more and more details could be spotted. Annie was frozen with fear as slowly an arm could be made out, then the legs and suddenly a face seemed to chisel itself on the wooden puppet that lay before her. The puppet tore itself from the tree, standing completely motionless for a minute before letting out a gasp of breath as life filled its hollow core. 

“Hello, young one.” The puppet spoke softly with a motherly tone, as one would give to comfort a child. “I am this forests guardian, you may call me Aran, and who are you?”

Annie fell back and landed on the soft grass, fear was painted on her face and for a moment Aran looked hurt.

“I am not here to harm you” Aran spoke calmly. She held out a hand close to Annie. “Here, a gift,” As the guardian spoke a flower grew from her hand, ending in the most beautiful rose that Annie had ever seen. 

“T…thank you. I am Annie” Annie said shyly

“Annie? what a wonderful name. Tell me, Annie, why are you in my forest?”

“I am here to defeat the monsters!” said Annie as she found her confidence again.

“Monsters? there are no monsters here.” Aran pondered this for a couple of seconds before a small mark of annoyance indented itself into her face.

“I am sorry Annie, I believe that was simply my fairies playing a trick on you, they are such mischievous beings.” Aran lifted her arms and began to hum before a small buzzing noise could be heard. Suddenly Annie was swarmed by small, humanoid creatures with butterfly-like wings.

“Have you all been harassing this small child?” Aran said disapprovingly 

The Fairies spelt moved in formation as they spelt out a large ‘yes’ in the air between the two. Aran let out another sigh. “I am so sorry Annie, you lot apologise too!” At her command, the fairies spelt out ‘sorry’ in front of Annie’s face. 

“It’s okay” Annie chipperly replied, “These fairies are so cute!”

Aran let out a small chuckle, “Yes I suppose they are.” Aran looked up and let out a small gasp, “Oh my it is getting rather late, do you know your way home young one?”

Annie shook her head

“Very well, we can walk home together then.” Aran reached out her hand for Annie to hold as the two began to make their way back through the forest.

The forest was now completely black. Aran seemed to know where every root was and made her way with ease, however, Annie continuously tripped and stumbled. Upon seeing this Aran let out another hum as hundreds of lightning bugs began to glow, lighting their path back. It was nearly midnight before the forest was thin enough that Annie could now see her house. 

“Can you make it by yourself from here?” Aran politely asked.

“Yes! but my dog is still lost in the woods” Annie realised out loud, gazing back. Aran chuckled, “Do not worry child” as she let out a whistle. Slowly something pushed its way through the bushes before Scruff emerged, covered from head to toe in mud and leaves. “Scruff!” Annie giggled at the sight as Scruff made his way over to her, his tail wagging furiously.

“Thank you Aran!” Annie said before being hit by a shining of light, accompanied by the voices of her parents crying out her name. “Run along now child,” Aran whispered, letting go of Annie’s hand and disappearing back into the trees. 

Annie ran back out of the woods and into the loving arms of her parents. As they cuddled she looked back into the woods and wondered if she would ever meet Aran again, smiling to herself at the thought as she walked back home.

Enjoy? read more by following our link below!

[esoteric-mantra-stuff]

Orpheus and Eurydice (A Maiden of the Stars Finale)

CW: For mourning and general icky eye stuff with deathroot.

This is the Finale of the Maden of the Stars Path. Thank you so much to everyone who has read up to here. I might to an epilogue of sorts later but for now, this is the end of this path. Stay tuned for the ending of the other one. It's a little short, but hopefully you guys like it.

—---------------

At the other end of Farum Azula, past a destroyed great bridge guarded by a Draconic Tree Sentinel, was Maliketh’s chamber. Since information about The Black Blade is so scarce, you don’t have much to go on making a plan of attack. You asked Ranni if she knew of any weaknesses, but she couldn’t think of anything useful. “The demi-gods did fear the Black Blade for a reason. Yes, even General Radahn would have bethought himself twice was he dared to face him in battle. His blade can sever the immortality of demi-gods and Tarnished warriors alike. To faceth him is to risketh true death.” She says as you approach the entrance. A wall of fog prevents you from seeing inside. “No wonder he was chosen to guard it. The odds seem stacked against us.” Ranni nods, wandering to the side of the building. You follow. ”After the Night of the Black Knives, I am afraid he shall not part with Destined Death willingly.” You sigh, leaning back against the wall. Ranni takes a seat on the railing of the bridge next to you.

“Is that all you know?” You say. “Does he have some sort of weakness we can exploit? He clearly isn’t infallible, but knowing he was tricked once doesn’t help in knowing how to beat him.” The witch shakes her head. “I apologize, but no. Thou wouldst know him far better than me at this point. The Beast Clergyman I sent thee to meet wast him, after all.” That’s… unsurprising. You’ve met the Gurranq more than a few times to feed him the disgusting Deathroot you often found near catacombs or whatnot. You had your suspicions about him (The ornate armor under his cloak spoke volumes about his true nature), but conversing with the shadow was almost impossible. He had brief moments of lucidity after his hunger diminished from partaking in the root. Those were fleeting, and he mostly just begged for more death to be brought, but sometimes he would comment on your appearance.  Not anything in particular, more saying that you looked familiar. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out he was probably talking about your father. You had no chance to ever learn of his real name and title. Much less how to approach and defeat him.

You close your eye and cross your arms, letting the sound and feeling of wind rushing over your fur wash over you. You know little of Gurranq and even less of Maliketh, but you’re not without any information. Para resolver cualquier problema, un hombre debe solo observar y pensar. If you put together what little you know of Maliketh, you can find a way to overcome this obstacle.

Let’s begin with a simple question: Who is Maliketh? Well… Maliketh is Gurranq, is he not? He is the shadow-bound brother of Queen Marika and her half-brother. That means that for all his strength, he’s bound to the rules of the shadow-bound beasts. He can’t betray Marika’s will unless it contradicts that of the Greater Will, or can he?

That brings you to your next question: What is Marika’s will? You’ve actually been wondering this for some time. You were led to the Erdtree by grace, only to be spurned and forced to commit a cardinal sin. Furthermore, Marika is responsible for the shattering, possibly the greatest act of treason against the Greater Will besides the Night of the Black Knives. It seems that Marika and the Greater Will are at odds with each other. Based on your interactions with him, it wouldn’t appear he knows why Marika shattered the Elden Ring.

That would explain why he’s taking the side of Marika’s captors. We followed grace to the forge and committed a cardinal sin by Marika’s guidance. Maliketh can’t take your side until he’s free from the Greater Will’s influence. Luckily you have a needle at your disposal that can do just that.

Final question: What would happen if you free Maliketh from the Greater Will’s influence? It seems so obvious now. Perhaps you should have thought of this sooner. Once free, Maliketh will have to unbind destined death to know what happened to Marika. Thus letting you into the Erdtree. If you can appeal to his relationship with her, you can convince him to use the needle and help you get to her. It’s risky, but it’s worth a shot.

You relay your plan to Ranni, who looks at you with skepticism. “The Black Blade will not be inclined to talk. How shall thou convincest him to listen to thy words?” You shrug. That part is the dangerous part. “I can only try to appeal to him. If it doesn’t work, we will have to fight him anyway, won’t we?” The Witch looks down at her hands, hiding behind the brim of her hat. “Perhaps thou speakest the truth. Still… I beg of thee to return hale and whole.” More promises to maintain and more people you could disappoint, but it’s too late to stop. Might as well continue sinking deeper. “I will… Promise.” You say.

—---------------

“Wolven Tarnished, why wouldst thou... Why... T’is no matter. I hereby vow that Destined Death shall not be stolen again.” You feel a twinge of sadness upon hearing the betrayal in Gurranq’s voice, but you can’t get distracted. Using your regular voice, you speak to the shadow as he approaches. “I don’t intend on stealing Destined Death from you. I just want to talk.” Gurranq ignores you, swinging his dagger down at you. You wait until the last moment to bat it away with your shield, sending it flying and clattering against the floor. The shadow, now inches away from you, seems stunned into silence by this. You take the chance to continue speaking before he tries to attack again. “My partner died so I could be here. You knew her, she wanted to help you, and I intend to do the same if you’d let me… Please, just listen to what I have to say. There’s no reason to fight.” Gurranq retreats slightly, sharp claws and fangs still in full display, but at least he is not attacking you anymore.”.... then… speak, Tarnished.” He says, a low growl still rumbling beneath his voice.

So far, so good, although perhaps you underestimated how nerve-wracking this entire experience would be. Well, it’s too late to back out now. You take a deep breath and push on. “Why is Marika trapped inside the Erdtree, Gurranq? What happened to her after the shattering? Don’t you want to know?” You don’t wish to sacrifice any more people than you have to. Your partner cared for Gurranq, feeding him in his eternal hunger. While it may not have meant much to her, it does to you. The shadow slightly recoils at the mention of his master but does not respond. You continue. “Grace guided us here, to Farum Azula. To get past the thorns that block the entrance to the Erdtree would require burning them and unbinding Destined Death, but I don’t intend on sacrificing any more people. That is why you must choose of your own free will.” The Black Blade seems perplexed by your words. The low growl peters off, and his fangs retreat into his mouth. You extend your hand slowly and carefully, minding the unspoken warning. Upon seeing (or maybe smelling) the needle, he understands what you mean. “If you decide that you don’t want to know, then I will respect it. You shall not see me again, and my partner’s death shall be in vain. But no one else can choose for you. That’s the most important thing….”

Gurranq stays quiet. Through the holes in the roof, you see the last rays of sunlight start to vanish, ushering the night behind the clouds. The shadow looks down at his claws, grasping the stone beneath him. “... boorish, blunt… and yet kind all the same… thy father… I knew him… Thou art the same.” He says, breaking the silence. You get that a lot, but that’s not a bad thing. “The shadow bound… are not made to be loved, but we love anyway… that is our curse….” He pulls back the hood of his robe, revealing an ornate helm beneath. The true face of Maliketh, the Black Blade. “I wish to know… what remains of me… underneath this….” The helm clatters on the floor as Gurranq pulls it from his face. Beneath it, his eyes are sealed shut by the curse of death. Black veins trail from his eyelids and down his cheeks like tears. His pure white fur was stained grey by years of neglect. He bends his head down, showing the back of his neck to you. It’s clear what you have to do now. 

The shadow winces as you push the needle under his skin. Perhaps a little prick just isn’t anything compared to the hit of a blade, but it still hurts all the same. Gurranq stays impossibly still for a moment that stretches out impossibly long after. Patiently expecting something you’re not privy to. You’re about to say something when Gurranq’s voice breaks the silence. “... my hunger wast my sole companion… now, even it hath forsaken me… I t-thank thee….” His voice breaks as he hides his eyes behind a large clawed hand. You stand back and give him a moment as he lets his newfound freedom from punishment wash over him. Just how long had he been suffering alone? Millenia must have passed since the shattering and even longer since the night death was stolen. You remember your father, how his life was ruled by forces beyond his control; With some bitterness, you think that maybe he would have wanted to be freed as well. You look up into the night through the ruined ceiling. The moon is waning. Soon the new moon shall be upon you.

You shiver as the night air blows through. The scent of ash from the forge is carried by the wind up into the floating city… You can only hope your companion is free to enjoy the night, wherever she is at the moment. You’re about to talk to Gurranq when you notice something odd about the moon. It's as if it’s much closer than it should be. Almost like you could reach out and grab it from the sky by extending your hand. Perhaps you’ve finally gone insane, but the idea seems… tempting. Against your better judgment, you reach out and grab the silver lining of the moon. Surprisingly, it makes contact with your hand.

You pull down the waning moon, now revealed to be a rune. Ashen colored, with the left side widening into the silvery “C” shape that you’d been admiring just seconds earlier. From it, you sense the ash from the forge, embers hidden amongst the muted grey. You don’t know why looking at it makes you so sad. You pull it to your chest and hold back your tears. For a moment, you almost feel a familiar embrace. Just barely.

“I miss you so much.” You whisper, hoping your words will be carried by the wind.

—--------------------

Time passed, seasons changed, and your victory was forgone after that eventful evening. With the Black Blade by your side, the innards of the Erdtree spilled open, the dark secrets held inside exposed for everyone to examine. The Golden Order, a dissected corpse set on a table. The fallen leaves would tell a story. A Wolven Tarnished, bound by the yoke of fate, led to a cold and dark path. A Maiden with no past whose life was spent for the new age to come. A mending rune shaped like the moon, made to allow fate to side with those whose actions are just. An era where fate would not be twisted again by the whims of those whose ambitions would bind others into servitude. The Age of the Icebound Stars has ended, and your part in weaving the Chill Night into being has just begun.