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writingonleaves · 3 months

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and all at once, you’re all i want (i’ll never let you go) - jack hughes

pairing: jack hughes x original female character

warnings: literally nothing. fluff! some minor worship of nina hischier (the goat), a little love letter to my alma mater

title: "king of my heart" by taylor swift

word count: 10.3k

author's note: first fic in the new year is for @wyattjohnston 's winter fic exchange 2k24!! i had the absolute pleasure of writing for @wildrangers <3 taylor, i hope you enjoy this as much as i enjoyed putting it together and demi, thank you for your endless hard work for putting this on!!

four times where jack hughes and ashley grassie showed up for each other and one time where everyone showed up for them

*****

one - two months

“Jack, are you sure about this?” Ashley asks, fiddling with the silver rings on her fingers.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” He responds confidently, sparing a look at her from the drivers seat before turning his eyes back on the road. “Everyone’s expecting you.”

“You told them?”

“That my girlfriend was coming with me to a New Year’s party? Of course.” He squeezes her thigh lightly. “They’re excited to meet you. And not while we’re working.”

“I’m excited to meet them too.”

“You sure?” He teases lightly. “You’ve been quiet all afternoon.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about.” They stop at a red light, and he leans over to kiss her cheek. “Ash, baby, they’re gonna love you.”

“But you don’t know that,” she protests softly.

“I do, actually. Because everyone loves you.”

She rolls her eyes. “You can’t promise me that everyone’s gonna even like me.”

He shrugs. “I’ll prove you wrong. You’ll see.” He tugs at her gold sweater. “Is this new?”

“Yeah. Seems fitting for the occasion. Sparkles equals New Years, right?”

“I like it a lot.”

“I know what you’re doing,” she deadpans.

He smirks. “And what might that be?”

“Distracting me.”

“Maybe so. You’re so smart, Miss Columbia Grad.”

“Jack,” she whines, making him laugh.

He picks up her hand and kisses the back of it. “Trust me, okay? It’ll be great. And I’ll be with you all night.”

Ashley swallows, before forcing herself to nod.

The thing is, after two months of dating officially (she’s not counting the month beforehand when there wasn’t a label on things even though there should’ve been), there are still important parts of each other’s lives they have yet to experience together. She’s gone to a few of his games, but has never met any of his teammates (except for Luke, but he doesn’t count), choosing to meet Jack back at his place after instead of waiting for him at the rink. She also doesn’t count that one Devils game she had to fill in for, which is how she met Jack in the first place. The few times he’s invited her along when he does go out with them, she’s been busy with other things.

New Year’s is kinda a big time to be meeting new people. People that mean a lot to Jack. But that could just also be all in Ashley’s head. She’s never really done this before. The last serious boyfriend she had was in high school where everyone knew each other. There was no need for introductions.

Jack squeezes her hand. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“Coming with me to this. Taking off work early. I appreciate it a lot.”

She shrugs casually. “It’s about time, right?” She pointedly ignores the look he shoots her, because she doesn’t want him to know how nervous she really is.

Before they know it, Jack’s pulled into the driveway of the Toffolis and her hands start sweating again. She gathers the flowers on her lap and the wine bag as Jack rounds the car and opens the door for her. He grabs the bag, presses a kiss atop her head and hand in hand, they walk to the front door. She lets Jack take the lead as he just walks in. They walk into the kitchen area, as Cat pulls her into a hug and thanks them graciously for the flowers and wine.

It turns out that Ashley really does have nothing to worry about. Getting thrown into a whirlwind of introductions and new names is a lot, but she doesn’t mind. A wave of comfort crashes over her as Luke practically hauls her into a hug.

She finds herself besides Nico after he hands her a glass of wine. “You’re a journalist, right?” He asks.

“I am.”

“Do you ever watch Jack’s media interviews?”

Ashley giggles. “I do once in awhile. Trust me, I have my thoughts. I also met him for the first time from that. And you, technically.”

“Right, right. Will we ever see you in the locker room again?”

“Probably not. I was just filling in for Danny. On the rare chance I do sports, it’s usually for the Jets. Besides, better to watch and support you all without any stake professionally.”

“What do you usually report on?” Nico asks with genuine curiosity.

She perks up, like anytime she gets to talk about her job. As she talks, using her hands animatedly despite one of them holding a drink, Jack looks on from a distance with a lovesick look in his eyes.

“She is way too cool for you,” Dawson says, fixing his cap.

Jack rolls his eyes. “Shut up.” But Jack knows his teammate’s right.

Jack’s not clingy, perse, but it’s hard for him to watch Ashley just…be and not be touching a part of her. Even if it’s just sliding up against her so her body is pressed alongside his, he just wants to be near her all the time.

(Quinn once sent some random thing he found on Instagram about love languages a few years back and Jack had remembered absolutely roasting him. But maybe he had a point)

“So,” Nicole starts, refilling both their glasses up with champagne a bit later in the evening. “Why Jack?”

Ashley snorts. “Your guess is as good as mine.” From beside his girlfriend, Jesper barks out a laugh and from next to Ashley, Jack pouts. Ashley laughs, leaning into Jack’s side. “I’m kidding. Mostly. I was hesitant at first though.”

“Oh, yeah. He told me about this,” Jesper says. “Said he chased you down the hall after post-game media and asked you out?”

“Sounds about right.”

“And you said yes to that?” Jesper asks. Jack whacks his teammate in the stomach.

“Not right away,” Ashley admits. “He gave me his number and told me to text him if I was interested. And I ended up being interested.”

“Lucky for him,” Nicole chuckles.

Jack squeezes Ashley’s waist fondly. “Lucky for me.”

She listens on in interest as Nicole talks about how she and Jesper got together. Somewhere throughout the conversation, she can’t help but let her mind drift. They’ve been together for years now, been living together for a bit and are looking to move into a house. She literally moved away from Sweden full-time for him.

Ashley swallows as Jack asks about how their house search is going. There’s a very little chance that Jack will be leaving Jersey anytime within the next half decade. But her mother warned her that his career could take him places in the future unexpectedly.

And in a way, so could Ashley’s. But it’s not as easy.

She scolds herself for even thinking this far. They’ve been dating for literally two months. That’s nothing in the grand scheme of things. They’re celebrating entering the new year today, but she has no idea if they’ll even be together for all of it.

She’s hoping they are. God, she really fucking hopes so. But she could hope until the end of the world and have it fall short. She smoothes her sweater out with her suddenly-clammy hands, chugging the whole glass of champagne before putting the flute down on a nearby table. She excuses herself politely to use the bathroom, which she does, before getting some air.

She definitely looks a bit crazy outside on the Toffoli’s porch in the dead of winter, but she doesn’t mind the biting edge of cold. It’s grounding her, actually.

“Was looking for you.”

Ashley doesn’t even look at Jack, humming as she hears him walking out to stand next to her. “Did my sparkle sweater give me away?”

“No, Neeks did, actually. Said he saw you walking out.” She finally looks at him with his eyebrows furrowed. “You’re not cold?”

“Don’t even think about offering me your jacket,” she warns. “I know you’re only wearing a t-shirt underneath.”

“Then come back inside so we both don’t die.”

“In a minute,” she promises.

He huffs, rubbing his hands up and down her arms to try and generate some heat. “Everything good?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Just, you know, minorly freaking out at her boyfriend’s teammate’s place about the fact that she might be falling in love with him even though it hasn’t been that long and what a future could look like for them and how that future could fall apart in an instant.

So regular New Year’s Eve thoughts.

“Unlike you, I don’t have a college degree, much less two,” Jack grins. “I can’t read minds.”

“And you think I can?” She jokes back weakly. He just chuckles. She continues. “Your friends are nice. I like them a lot.”

He lights up anytime someone he loves gets brought up in conversation. “Yeah, they’re cool. They like you too.”

“That’s good,” she says softly.

He taps her forehead with his pointer finger. “Countdown’s soon. Come back inside?” He laces their fingers together.

“You gonna kiss me at midnight?”

“Think so.”

“You only think so?”

Jack smirks, kissing her deeply. “Shut up.”

Ashley is absolutely floored.

two - one year and one month

Cam’s wedding crept up on her.

Of course, Ashley knew it was coming, but still. Though she was surprised when Jack told her that he was free of games on that particular early November weekend somehow, only having to miss an optional practice and that he would notify the coaching staff far in advance.

It’s not the act of bringing Jack that she’s nervous about. Cam and Amanda, his fiance, came into the city a few months ago and they all grabbed lunch before heading to a game at The Rock that night. She’ll never forget how ultimately “traitor-like to the Bruins” Cam felt, Ashley and Amanda finding it hilarious. They both had a good time though, and that’s all that matters, and Cam, who has always looked out for her even before she had ever asked, subtly gave his approval.

(“I’ll admit my assumptions about him were wrong,” Cam had said. “He’s awesome, and he really cares about you. If he’s the one, I won’t be mad about it. He’s very lucky.”)

It’s more of a particular person that’s going to be at the wedding.

Weirdly, when she and Alex broke up way back when, one of the thoughts that circled her mind months after was exactly this. If and when the day of Cam’s wedding came, and they were both still close to him, they’d both be there. And here they are.

She’s over him — obviously, considering she’s in a happy, long-term relationship and it’s been four years — but how do you prepare to see your ex-boyfriend when the last time you saw him you had just broken up and you were in tears?

She and Jack drive up to Cape Cod early the day of the wedding and she feels a bit bad that he’s driving after he had a game last night and has one in just two days but he doesn’t mind, happy to be driving as long as she’s in the passenger seat next to him. They’re switching off anyways, and she had driven the first half. Cam and Amanda rented out a bunch of rooms at a few inns for their guests so her and Jack will get ready there before heading to the venue.

From a quick rundown Cam gave her a month ago when they caught up over the phone, she’ll at least be familiar with a good amount of people at the wedding. She’s excited to see them all again and catch up, those memories that were bittersweet at some point, all water under the bridge so many years later.

It’s what you get for dating within a friend group. Ultimately, at some point, sides are chosen.

At the end of the day, it’s Cam, someone who has always been there for her since they were 16, even when she didn’t necessarily do the same. He’s given his friendship selflessly to her for over a decade. The least she can do is come to his wedding to celebrate.

And she has Jack with her. Nothing can go wrong with Jack by her side.

“You okay?” Jack’s voice breaks her out of her thoughts as he squeezes her thigh, sneaking a look before focusing back on the road. “You’re quiet. You’re rarely quiet in the car.”

“It’s a 5 hour drive, Jack.”

“I’ve been playing country nonstop for the last half an hour and you haven’t chirped me once.” She starts playing with his fingers and his eyebrows furrow. “Alright. What’s going on, baby? What are you thinking about?”

“You know what I’m thinking about.” She shoots back with no malice.

He sighs, linking their hands together and bringing them up to his lips to kiss her knuckles. “Yeah. I got you though. I’ll be with you the whole day.”

“It’s dumb, really. Four years. And I haven’t thought about him in a long time.”

He shrugs. “He was your first heartbreak, and you haven’t seen him since. This is gonna be some sort of closure, even if it’s four years later.”

“You seem awfully cool about this, considering, you know, your current girlfriend is lowkey freaking out about seeing her ex again.”

“I’m not worried,” he replies easily. “You need this closure. I wasn’t smart like you back then and actually saw my exes probably way sooner than I should’ve. Besides, I’m the one on your arm now. Not him. I’m not pressed.”

She scoffs at yet another country song playing and skips it, snorting when ‘Suburban Legends’ by Taylor Swift comes on. How fitting. “I’m definitely hyping it up in my head. It’s nothing. And Cam told me that he purposefully put us at separate tables, in case Alex says some questionable shit while drunk.”

“No worries about you saying anything questionable?”

“Compared to Alex? No way.” He snorts, amused. But he knows enough about his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend to not push it. “I wonder if he’s bringing someone. God, I hope he is.”

“Why? Don’t want to rub it in his face that you’re happy and in love?”

“That’s mean,” she says airily. “No. I hope he’s bringing someone because I want to know what kind of girl can tolerate his ass. I did, but I was 20 and stupid. I wanna see what kind of girl can tolerate him at 26.”

“Does he know I’m coming?”

“Cam?”

He snorts. “No. Alex.”

“Who knows? Even if he does, he probably doesn’t care and isn’t overthinking it like I am.”

“I think you’d be surprised,” she looks at him, confused and he bites his lip. “Even if they play it off, guys are affected by that stuff more than you’d think.”

“What is there to be affected by?”

“You,” Jack says simply. “Not that I’m biased or anything, but you leave quite an impact on everyone you meet. And that lucky ass got to date you. As someone who also has had that privilege, I can relate a bit.”

Ashley chuckles before squeezing his hand. “Thanks for coming with me. I know your schedule is really busy with the season and everything-”

“You don’t need to thank me. Isn’t half of having a significant other just bringing them as plus ones to weddings?”

“Fair.” She leans her head on his shoulder momentarily as he pushes the sunglasses on top of his head to his face. “Thank you, though. I feel bad that you’re missing practice.”

He snorts. “Don’t.”

“They didn’t give you a hard time?”

“Not really. It’s an optional, anyways. Nico just told us to have fun and I think Lindy has a soft spot for you somehow. I’m excited. I like Cam. And I’m happy to be here with you.” He smirks, adding. “Come on, baby. Did you think I was gonna leave you to dry when your ex is gonna be there?”

“You don’t know anybody at the wedding. And Cam grew up in a hockey-loving family from Boston. There’s bound to be people who recognize you.”

“So I’m the arm candy for the night. That works perfectly for me.”

They arrive at the inn just past 1, and decide to stop by a nearby cafe to grab a quick bite. Jack decides to take a short nap before they have to start getting ready and head out while she scrolls on her phone and plays with his hair since his head is on her lap. Occasionally she finds herself staring outside the window at the water with a smile. Even if not in the summer, the Cape is beautiful.

Once it hits 4:15, she figures that she should start getting ready, but she can’t move without disturbing Jack since he’s still sleeping soundly on her lap. She gently whispers his name and presses a few kisses on his forehead as his breathing changes, groaning a bit as he stretches and opens his eyes.

“Time to go?”

“In like, an hour. I need to start getting ready.”

He hums, puckering his lips and she takes the hint, kissing him soundly twice before ushering him off her lap. She lays out the few makeup products she has, moisturizing her face before putting light foundation and concealer on. As always, she focuses more attention on her eyeshadow, deciding to add a bit of gold glitter to compliment her pink dress. She clips a matching pink bow in, liking the way it blends with the natural brown of her hair. She decides to save the lipstick for right before they leave and turns to Jack, who’s buttoning his shirt.

“What do you think?” He looks up as he’s buttoning his cuffs. “Too much glitter?” She asks.

“Never too much glitter. You look beautiful.”

She looks at his blazer and tie that he’s laid out on the bed, looking at him with minor confusion. “Since when do you own that tie?”

“Since last week when I bought it.”

She looks at where her dress is hanging. “It matches my dress.”

“Yes it does.”

She looks towards him as he tucks his shirt in, a sudden wave of love rushing through her heart. “I love you.”

He looks up and immediately walks over to her, placing a hand on her waist and kissing her. “I love you too.”

She puts on her dress quickly, smiling when she doesn’t even have to ask Jack as he comes over to help her zip it up, pressing a chaste kiss on her shoulder. His phone ringing interrupts and she brushes her hair before she puts on her accessories.

“Sup Quinny?”

Quinn’s voice crackles through Jack’s phone. “Where the fuck are you going all dressed up on a Saturday? I know for a fact you don’t have a game today, considering Luke just sent a snap of him playing Chel with Dawson 10 minutes ago.”

“I’m in the Cape, asshole. One of Ash’s friends is getting married.”

She peeks into the view of the camera and waves after putting in one earring. ��Hi Quinn!”

“Oh! Hey Ash. You look beautiful.”

She beams. “Thank you!”

Jack scoffs. “I’m here too.”

Ashley leaves the brothers to catch up as she starts gathering her things and puts on her lip tint before sitting at the edge of the bed since they still have 15 minutes left before they have to head out and she’s mostly all ready to go. She chimes in once in awhile, always happy to talk to Quinn as Jack shrugs on his suit jacket, ties his matching pink tie and clasps on his watch.

“Looking good, you two.” Quinn says as they both stand in front of the phone. “Matching tie, eh? Good move, Jacky.”

“We look good enough to make an ex jealous?”

She just rolls her eyes as Quinn’s eyes lights up, immediately catching on. “Absolutely.”

“Don’t encourage him, Quinn.”

Quinn just laughs and bids them farewell as Jack smooths down his tie. She puts on her jacket and grabs her boots and slips them on. As she’s about to bend down and tie them, Jack ushers her to sit on the bed and kneels down. He does it too quickly for her to dwell too much on how much she loves him, but he probably knows, if him gently rubbing his thumb over her ankle and the kiss on the inside of her knee tell her anything.

It’s only been a little over a year, but she really does think she could spend the rest of her life with him.

They end up running into Nick in the lobby and even though it’s been…four years since she’s seen him, she corrals him into a tight hug. She introduces Jack and Nick introduces Melanie, his fiancee. The only indication from Nick that he knows who Jack is is a subtle comment that’s delivered in a way that’s so Nick it makes her heart ache — “Jack Hughes. Only Ash would show up after almost five years in the flesh with a professional athlete at a wedding where her ex is gonna be at. Always gotta do some out of pocket shit.” — and makes Jack laugh as she slaps him.

The four of them walk the short seven minute walk to the venue together, with Ashley and Nick mostly leading the conversation. She can’t remember where they left their tentative friendship in their late teens and early twenties when the world was shut down and the future looked the most uncertain it had been. Even though they don’t immediately pick up where they left off, years of rust littered in their interactions and memories, she’s extremely happy to see that he’s doing well.

(Jack’s just happy to be there, holding his girlfriend’s hand as she leads the conversation. It’s nice not having to lead for once. There’s not many situations where he’s the one tagging along)

As they enter the ceremony space, Ashley immediately sees plenty of other people she recognizes. She chuckles to herself as she realizes many of the guys are from the soccer team. It’s touching to know they still keep in touch. Logan, one of said guys, greets Nick goodheartedly, before wrangling her into a hug. As pleasantries are exchanged and people are introduced, she does feel a bit out of place. But that’s natural, reconnecting with people after so long that clearly still hang out with each other and only hear about her through sporadic updates through Cam when they ask.

Sides were chosen, even if not intentionally. Ashley’s learned to be okay with that. Even if she thinks it’s unfair that Alex got to keep a lot of their mutual friends and she didn’t.

As everyone settles down in their seats, she squeezes Jack’s hand, opening her mouth to apologize for…something. Not preparing him in giving the whole lore of how she knows all these people? How the only reason she knows the sport of soccer is so well is because of Alex? Not explaining clearly the mixed feelings of her coming to the Cape this weekend?

But Jack’s enraptured in a conversation with Logan, and she smiles. Of course. Logan played hockey back in high school as well.

(Out of instinct, Jack does squeeze her hand back though, even placing them in his lap even though he’s not looking in her direction at all)

When Alex comes into view, a pretty redhead’s hand around the crook of his elbow, Ashley starts sweating. Thank goodness she has deodorant in her bag. Jack, who’s still talking to Logan, notices, and she’s about to apologize for her clammy hands as he sends her a confused look but the nearby exclamations of Alex’s name answers his question. He just presses two kisses to her temple.

Logan, to his credit, grimaces. “You gonna be good, Ash?”

She waves his kindness away. “Of course. It’s been so long. And it’s Cam’s day.”

And it is Cam’s day, as everyone falls silent watching both sets of parents and the groomsmen and bridesmaids walk down — she chuckles when she sees Sean walking down, forgetting that he and Cam got closer in college even after going to the same high school — before grinning as Amanda walks down in her beautiful A-line, ball gown of a wedding dress. Ashley wipes a tear away watching Cam do the same and she thinks if only 16 year old them could see themselves now.

(She has a moment when she looks at Jack where her stomach flips, thinking of the day they could be the ones at the altar. She quickly focuses her attention back to the front)

Cam and Amanda are pronounced husband and wife and she cheers as he dips her and kisses her, beaming and tearing up and laughing as she hears Nick wolf-whistle. People start dispersing, the large heated patio hosting a cocktail hour before the doors to the reception hall open back up again.

While she’s sipping on a glass of wine, she hears a familiar voice calling her name and she beams, carefully making sure she doesn’t spill any wine on Sean’s tuxedo as he towers over her and hugs her tightly. He introduces himself to Jack and she watches in slight amusement as they talk.

Sean and her never really were friends, more friends by association. He was more in the popular crowd in the school that Ashley herself was never inclined to push her way through. Her and Sean shared plenty of classes together though, and always got along when forced to work together. And in another life, sometimes Ashley thinks that she would’ve had a crush on the blonde boy.

Instead, she dated one of his teammates. And, well, that turned out the way it did.

(Ashley rolls her eyes when Sean makes a comment about how it “makes complete sense that you’re the one who ended up dating a professional athlete” because sure, Sean. Sure.)

Jack may be among many Massachusetts natives who live and die for the Bruins and are not hesitant in chirping him within 5 minutes of meeting him, but he smiles genuinely as his hand instinctively finds a way on her lower back. After dating Ashley for over a year, he’s used to the good-intentioned bluntness of New Englanders. She only starts rolling her eyes when high school gets brought up and stories about her start piling up. In contrast, Jack loves this and just eggs them on, eager to hear the stories.

With a quick glance at the seating chart when they’re all starting to filter back into the reception hall, she finds that the high school crowd is split between two tables, and that Cam kept to his word and put her and Alex at different ones. The tables next to each other, but still. She won’t have to worry about making accidental awkward eye contact with him across her chicken. She’s the slightest bit surprised she hasn’t crossed direct paths with him yet. But there’s enough people that they wouldn’t ever be forced to interact. And maybe that’s for the best.

Dinner passes by without incident, Ashley squeezing both Cam and Amanda tight as they come around to toast every table as Jack gives Cam a tight bro-hug and Amanda a polite kiss on the cheek. The dance floor starts to open up, and as usual, Ashley’s one of the first ones on, dragging Jack and practically their whole table out. She feels light on her feet and happy as she leans into Jack with a big smile. He ditches his suit jacket at the table and his pink tie is loosened and she thinks he looks so handsome. She’s happily tipsy enough where the curious glances and whispers from probably the entire fucking reception hall about why an NHL player is here don’t bother her. She knows he’s used to it. She doesn’t know how.

(Jack may not know everything of the lore and context behind Ashley’s relationship with the people she knows here, but he knows her and how deeply she feels and nostalgic she can get and how that can change her perception of her own memories and how that in turn, can make her extremely self critical.

So this whole evening, he’s tried to make it as easy as possible, talking with her old friends and classmates — which isn’t much of an ask, they’re nice enough — and just squeezing her hand or waist or kissing her temple or cheek when he feels her focus trailing off. If she talks to Alex and wants him there, he’ll be right next to her. If not, he’ll make himself scarce. Whatever she wants)

Ashley’s resting at her chair while Jack’s in a casual conversation with Cam as Alex comes up behind Cam, tapping him on the shoulder. She swallows and sits up straight and Jack automatically places a gentle hand on her back. Cam and Alex exchange a few words she can’t hear before Cam turns his attention back to her and Jack feels a surge of gratitude towards Cam, who looks extremely apologetic.

Jack watches as she stands up and steps towards Alex with a small smile. “Hey.”

Alex blinks. “Hi.” She gives him a quick hug before stepping back next to Jack as he stands up. “Alex, this is Jack, my boyfriend. Jack, Alex.”

“Nice to meet you, man.” Jack says with a firm, polite handshake and he doesn’t really see (or care about) Alex’s reaction before turning back to Ashley again, trying to read her. She gives him an almost imperceptible nod. Jack’s eyes flicker to Cam, who also nods behind Alex and he clears his throat. “I’m gonna get a refill. You two want anything?”

“All good, man.”

“Rum and coke, heavier on the coke?”

“You got it,” Jack presses a quick kiss to her hair before he and Cam walk to the bar.

Jack waves to the bartender for a whiskey sour for himself as Cam gets a gin and tonic. They both lean against the counter and Jack sighs, watching Alex take Jack’s previous seat. “Was that a good idea? Leaving them alone?” Because he knows her, of course, but Cam’s known her longer. And he had a front row seat to her and Alex’s friendship before they got together, their relationship when they got together, and the fallout of their breakup.

“Honestly? I don’t know. But they’re both 26 year old mature adults.” Cam’s eyes flit over to a redhead woman a couple seats away from the bar and waves her over. Jack’s trying to remember if he’s met her tonight

“Hi Cam,” she says lightly.

“Hey yourself,” he nods over in the direction of her and Alex. “You initiate that?”

She snorts, “Of course I did.” She perches herself on a stool and sticks her hand out to Jack. “I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m Francesca, but please call me Fran. I’m Alex’s girlfriend.”

Jack gives her a small smile. This is something. “Jack. Ashley’s boyfriend.”

“I’m aware,” she teases. “I grew up in Jersey and my brother’s a huge hockey fan. I’ve been to a couple of your games throughout the years.”

“Always nice to meet a fan,” He responds smoothly and genuinely. “Especially in a room filled with Bruins fans that could honestly poison my drink at any moment and I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re lucky there are no Rangers fans here.” Cam waves him off as Jack and Fran laugh.

“What a way to meet someone for the first time,” Fran says.

“While our exes are talking for the first time in over four years?” Jack says and Fran and Cam both snort. “You could say that.”

She turns to Cam, “Cam, you can go off and mingle, you know? It’s your wedding. Jack and I will be fine here.”

Jack opens his mouth to agree but Cam just shakes his head. “It’s fine. I need a second to breathe anyways. And also make sure this doesn’t go downhill.”

“Ashley seems like a smart girl and Alex isn’t that stupid,” Fran says. “They wouldn’t make a fuss at your wedding.”

Cam sighs and Jack thinks about how thankful he is that Cam has been there for his girlfriend way before Jack even knew her. Jack then turns to Fran and asks how she and Alex met and the conversation starts there, all three of them turning to the two exes from time to time to make sure there’s no flames or glasses being thrown.

Fran talks about how she and Alex met at work and laughs in amusement when Jack explains that it was the same with him and Ashley, talking about how Ashley had been filling in for a colleague for an interview and Jack practically fell in love with her the second he saw her and had to tell himself to not sound stupid in front of the pretty girl.

And honestly, as Jack talks to Fran, he laughs to himself a bit ironically. She reminds him a bit of Ashley. A bit too much for him personally and harsh in a different way than his girlfriend, but decent company nonetheless. So maybe he and Alex are more alike than they think.

Meanwhile, the conversation happening merely 20 feet away between two exes is not as casual. Not as comfortable.

“Been a long time, huh?” Alex remarks.

Ashley tries not to scoff. “Four years.”

Alex curses under his breath. “Yeah. How are you?”

What a loaded question. She goes along with it. “I’m good.”

“Cam mentioned you’re in New York?”

“I am. Moved out there about a year after college for work. Then went to grad school there.”

“Journalist?”

She shrugs. “More or less. The title’s changed a couple times throughout the years but all in that field.”

“That’s awesome.” He runs a hand through his hair and it looks so familiar yet unfamiliar. “I still remember when you told me you got into BU. Seems like the path was always laid out for you, huh?”

She’ll have to unpack that one later. “Guess so. How about you? I heard you were in Portland. Real estate, right?”

He nods, “Yeah.”

“That’s great. I’m really glad you’re doing well.”

“Thanks.” A moment of silence there. “For what it’s worth, it is really good to see you again.”

Ashley lets out a genuine smile. Small, but genuine. “Same.”

The sound of his laughter kinda aches a bit, but not in a way that has her sad. Just nostalgic. There is some easy banter, and somewhere in the back of her mind, Ashley’s remembering a bit of why she loved him in the first place.

There’s a pause in the conversation, before she continues, “I haven’t gotten a chance to meet whoever you’re here with yet, but-”

“Fran.”

“Fran, right.” she says. “But I’ve heard a bit. How long have you two been together?”

“Are we really going to do this?”

She swallows the urge to fire back, shrugging instead. “Why not? And don’t pretend like you’re not curious about Jack either. I figured I might as well just go first.”

Alex laughs. “Around three years for Fran and I.”

“You love her?”

“I do. A lot.”

She smiles. Genuinely this time. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”

“How about you and Mr. NHL Superstar?”

Again, she swallows down her instinct to fire back. “A little over a year now.”

“You happy?”

“Very.”

Alex nods once and doesn’t quite smile but has a pleasant expression on his face. “Cam said that he likes him. Which is a lot, considering I’m pretty sure he used to think that he was a cocky asshole.”

Ashley knows it’s not meant in that way because she knows that her boyfriend has somewhat of a reputation, but she gets defensive. “People aren’t always what they seem. Even if he’s a pest on the ice sometimes, he’s a wonderful guy.” You should know, she wants to say. You were the exact same way in high school.

They’re trickling into dangerous territory. She wonders if he’ll take the bait. If he does, she wonders if she’ll be strong enough not to fall for it. She wonders if he’ll apologize, not because she needs it, but because she knows she deserved one all those years ago.

Alex leans back casually, putting his arm over the empty chair next to him. “From me to Jack fucking Hughes. I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended.”

Ashley doesn’t know at all how she’s supposed to take that. Like everything he’s always done, he says it casually, taking a drink of water as she’s figuring out how to respond. She doesn’t. For the first time, she feels like she doesn’t have control of this conversation.

He notices she has no response and keeps going. “Hey, he’s a decent player and the money can’t hurt. I’m glad you’re happy.”

She swallows. A gold digger? Is that really what he’s hinting at?

Ashley almost sighs in relief when she catches sight of Jack, Cam and a woman who she presumes is Fran walking back towards them. Immediately she plasters on a smile and introduces herself to Fran, because it’s not her fault that her boyfriend still has the ability to get under her skin even so many years after their break-up. Jack presses a rum and coke in her hand silently and she thanks him quietly before making small talk with Fran. Just having Jack next to her has her blood pressure lowering. Soon enough, they all but shove Cam back into his own wedding and bid farewell as Fran excuses her and Alex and heads over to chat with someone she doesn’t recognize.

Jack leads her outside of the main reception hall into one of the hallways, where there are people sporadically chatting and also getting away from the music for a second.

Jack grabs her drink and faces her with a concerned look. “Ash? You okay? It seemed to get a little…tense at times.”

Ashley shrugs and chuckles. It’s bitter though, and he knows it, immediately placing a grounding hand on her waist. “I was how I always am to everyone.”

“Sure,” he responds skeptically.

She sighs. “It was fine. I’m fine. It didn’t go badly. I don’t know if it was good. It just…was.” She squeezes her eyes shut. “It was fine. It’s not a big deal. It’s been four fucking years and it’s not like I love him anymore. I shouldn’t-”

“Hey. Stop. None of that,” Jack says softly but firmly, leaning in closer and kissing her forehead as she bites her bottom lip harshly. He holds her hand gently and presses it against his chest. “Open your eyes, baby. Take some breaths with me.”

She obeys, looking into blue eyes that have become another home for her and taking deep breaths. “Thanks.”

“Always. Wanna talk about it?”

She debates in her mind. “No. It’s a wedding. Let’s go back and have fun and dance.”

“You sure?”

She nods, before placing a peck on his lips. “I’ll probably be more in my feelings tomorrow about it. Or the next week. But for now, come dance with me.”

“Lead the way.”

Ashley doesn’t even look at Alex’s direction for the rest of the night, instead looking at Jack when she feels like the floor beneath her is gonna get pulled away. The stupidly romantic thing is, she knows he’ll catch her everytime.

three - one year and nine months

“What do you think?”

Jack looks up from where he’s sitting on her bed and his eyes pop open, jaw dropping with it. He tosses his phone to the side. “Ash. Holy shit.”

Ashley twirls around in the yellow ruffle dress. “I like this one the most, but I don’t think it’s fancy enough.”

She looks up to see him biting his lip, eyes scanning her body. She blushes as he beckons her to stand inbetween his legs. “Don’t care. You have to wear this one, please. It fits you perfectly.”

She smoothes down the ruffles. “Are you sure it’s fancy enough?”

“Honey, most of the guys probably won’t even be wearing ties,” she settles her hands in his hair. “Wear this one. I know you love it and you look beautiful in it.”

She lets out a breath. “Okay, yeah. I can pair it with those flower earrings and matching bracelet and I think Scarlett has white heels I could borrow and-”

“Woah there,” he chuckles, rubbing his thumbs on the fabric at her hips. “Did you have too much coffee today? You’re talking a million miles a minute.”

“No,” she drawls out. “I’m just…nervous? This is the first thing we’re going to that’s so…”

“Public?” He finishes for her. She nods. He pushes her gently so that she’s sitting next to him. “I get that. I’m a bit nervous too. But I’ll be there the whole time. And you’ll have my parents and Quinn. And Nico will be there too. Besides, you’re great with people. I’ve seen you in action.”

She shrugs modestly. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“Then what is it you’re worried about?”

She swallows at his tone, because she doesn’t think he gets it. Why would he? He’s not the one that’s going to be scrutinized by his fans. At least not to the degree she would be. “Everyone else’s thoughts.”

Jack nods slowly in realization. He leans in to kiss her lips twice. She has to admit it makes her feel a bit better. His kisses usually do. “You know no one else’s opinions mean anything. Besides, it’s very clear to anyone that I’m happily taken.”

And he has a point. She’s made an appearance on his Instagram with two photos in his annual summer dump — one was just of her in the city and the other was of the two of them by the lake in Michigan — and he hadn’t tagged her, but it was clearly a message to the world that he wasn’t a single man. Social media doesn’t matter and it never will, but it had been a decision they both had come to, Jack approaching her gently and asking if he could post them.

But having it through a screen and having it in real life is different.

“I know it’s stupid,” she says. “But you know me. I don’t particularly enjoy being out of my element.”

“I know, I know,” he bumps her knee with his. “It’ll be fun though. We’ll get drunk the night before and maybe I’ll be hungover the next morning and you get to tell Luke if I do anything embarrassing.”

Ashley laughs. “That does sound fun.”

“Exactly.” He cups her face in his hands. “I gotcha, baby. Always.”

She trusts in that when she lands in Boston a few days later. She trusts in that as she gets swept in a world she’s not quite comfortable in, but finds there are a lot more similarities than differences compared to environments she’s been in. She’s a journalist after all. It’s her job in a way to blend into different lives in order to get the best and most impactful stories. She trusts in that as she’s rolling her eyes fondly at Jack, who’s chatting with practically everyone at the bar. She doesn’t think she’s ever seen this many hockey players in one room. She trusts in that as Jack then always drags whoever he’s talking to so that he can introduce her.

For someone who has always valued their privacy, Jack is making it pretty obvious that the “stunning girl in the floral shirt” is his. Ashley can’t say she hates it, even if it’s a little bold for her particular taste.

“He looks happy, doesn’t he?” Ellen asks as they both watch Jack across the room with Auston Matthews. Ashley’s cousins in Toronto would be freaking out right now.

Ashley snickers. “Drunk or happy?”

“Both?” Ellen raises her glass up to knock it against Ashley’s in a toast.

“I’ll drink to that.”

“Thank you for coming. I know it means a lot to Jack that you’re here.”

“Thank you all for having me,” Ashley responds, suddenly a bit shy. “It’s, been, uh, a bit overwhelming, to be honest.”

“I can imagine,” Ellen smiles sympathetically. “All this hockey stuff, business wise, is more Jimmy’s scene than mine.”

“Really?” Ashley thinks to all that Jack’s told her about his mother and all the warmth Ellen has emitted since they’ve met, not to mention how everyone they’ve talked to — player, coach, agent — has gravitated towards Ellen.

To her credit, Ellen chuckles. “That’s fair. Jack tells me that you know how to work a room, which is something that Jimmy’s always said about me.”

Ashley traces the rim of her glass. “I think Jack gives me too much credit.”

“I’m not sure about that,” Ellen says with a knowing smile. “I read your article the other day. The one about the family who’s had to travel across the country to get care for their child. Quinn sent it to me, actually.” Quinn read it? She doesn’t remember sending it to him. Did Jack send it to him? “It’s an incredible piece of work. How long did that take you?”

“From start to finish? Around two months.”

Ellen grins, placing a motherly hand on her shoulder. “You’re so talented, honey. I try to keep up with everything you write, but you do so much that sometimes I lose track.”

"You really don’t have to do that. But thank you, Ellen. T-that means a lot to me.”

“What does Mom not have to do?” Jack asks, squeezing himself next to his girlfriend.

“Read my articles.”

Jack grins. “Why not? They’re so good. Our family group chat is filled with them. Dad always loves your profiles.”

Ashley swallows. She’s pretty confident that the Hughes family likes her, but the fact that they all keep track of her published articles is a bit too much for her to handle right now. She downs the rest of her beer and waves Jack away when he opens his mouth to ask if she wants his. Instead, he asks the bartender for a ginger ale. Ashley’s grateful.

The next day, Ashley smiles as Jack’s walking the carpet. He’s up for the Hart trophy this year and as he squats down to greet a little boy and sign his jersey, Ashley can’t help but let her love and pride for him soar. She’s as out of the way as she can be, trying not to get overwhelmed with all the voices and flashes around her. It helps that Ellen and Jim seem to always be nearby and she makes fast friends with Nina and Luca, who are watching Nico do similar things.

She gets pulled out of her own world with a familiar hand on her waist. “Hey,” Jack murmurs into her ear.

“Hi.”

“Do you wanna jump into a few pictures with me?” Jack asks softly. “It’ll only take a few minutes. No pressure if not.”

“Uh, yeah. Sure.”

He beams, offering an arm as he leads them over to where the photographers are. She tries not to blink too much as the flashes hurt her eyes and hopes she and Jack are looking in the same direction.

“You look beautiful,” he pairs his sincere compliment with a squeeze of her waist.

She smiles at the cameras for a few seconds before turning to him slightly. “You already said that.”

“I know. It’s worth repeating.”

Thankfully, it’s only about 30 seconds before everyone else — Quinn, Jack’s parents and Nico’s family — are being ushered in for a group photo. She finds herself inbetween Jack and Nico and giggles as Nico tries to blow his hair out of his face. She takes pity on him after a few tries and she reaches up to fix it for him quickly, Nina laughing on the other side of her brother.

“Stop messing with it,” Ashley scolds lightly through clenched teeth, smiling for the pictures. “You’re gonna make it worse.” She giggles when Nico pokes her side a few seconds later.

When Jack wins the Hart, Ashley leaps out of her seat in excitement. To her, he’s always going to be the best player she knows because she sees firsthand how hard he works, but it’s nice that his peers are recognizing it too. He places a quick kiss on her lips before going up on stage and Ashley’s clapping and laughing to herself. He was dreading having to make any sort of speech.

After the ceremony, she just follows everyone to whatever swanky rooftop seemingly the entire NHL is gathering at. She finds herself flocking towards Nina for a lot of the evening as they both exchange fun stories and memories of their own lives over drinks. Ashley thinks she could keep talking to Nina for the rest of her life. She’s just so damn cool.

The next day, she drags Jack around the BU campus and is happy pointing out buildings that she had classes in, cried in, cheered in and lived her life in. They walk from one end of Com Ave to the other, Ashley dutifully pointing out Agganis Arena (“I’m sure Trevor has some good memories in this building”), their starting point.

She stands in front of the College of Communication building and stops. Jack dutifully stops next to her. “This building kinda looks like shit.”

Ashley snorts. “Yeah, I know. Especially compared to all the science buildings.” She bites her lip. “It all started here.”

“What did?”

“The dream.”

And yeah, maybe that’s a bit dramatic. But Jack said similar things when he brought her to Toronto earlier this year, so she knows he understands.

Almost two years together now, she’s convinced that no one will really ever understand her like Jack does.

He nudges her hip with his, the breeze blowing comfortably through her hair and rustling the plants around them. They watch as a student walks through the front doors. “Wanna go in?”

She shakes her head. “Nah, I’m good.” She tugs at his hand while sipping the lavender lemonade from Pavement in the other. “Come on. I’ll show you Bay State. I lived there my junior year after I came back from studying abroad in Dublin.”

Bay State Road is beautiful as always in the Boston summer, Ashley’s hand in Jack’s. She drags him out into the middle of the road and only squeals once when a car is coming and he pulls her to the sidewalk.

Campus isn’t the same when classes aren’t in session, but she hopes Jack can still feel some of the magic in the air through her stories.

“It suits you.”

She turns to Jack. “Hm?”

“This city. It suits you.”

“Oh,” she blushes for some reason. “Thanks.”

“Do you miss it here?”

“All the time,” Ashley admits. “New York is great, but Boston will always be home.”

“Would you think of working here? If given the option?” Jack asks.

“Maybe,” Ashley squeezes Jack’s hand, “But I also have reasons to stay in New York.”

He smirks, but it quickly transitions into something gentler. “Yeah?”

She could throw something snarky back at him, but she looks around the brownstones and lets out a deep breath. This is home, but flashes of Hoboken and East Village flicker in her mind and that’s also home.

She looks at Jack and feels overwhelmed. Oh. It’s Boston. It’s Hoboken. It’s East Village. It’s him. Jack is home.

four - two years

“Big day, huh?”

Ashley just smiles at Carissa, nudging her side. “We’ve come a long way since that phone call at 2 a.m.”

Carissa just snorts. “That phone call got us here.”

“True,” Ashley squeezes her arm as they make their way to their assigned table. “Love you, girly.”

“Love you more. I’m proud of us.”

Ashley grins, looking around as everyone is mingling amongst each other. There are past award winners here and Ashley’s already done some of her internal fangirling, especially when Lynsey Addario came up to her and wanted to talk to her.

She’s still decently new in this industry and knows she has so much to learn, but it’s comforting to see that all of her hard work has paid off.

People are starting to take their seats and Ashley looks around at her colleagues. Everyone’s dressed up and looks so lovely and Ashley smiles, looking down at her midnight blue dress. When Jack had seen her walk out of the changing room in it a few weeks ago, his eyes had popped out.

(“Fuck,” he had said. “Now I’m even more pissed I can’t make it to the dinner.”)

And yeah, it would be nice if he was here. But the Devils are playing the Islanders tonight. It sucks that he’s so close but so far away, but after two years now, it’s just part of the gig. And they make it work. So Ashley isn’t too upset about it, even if Jack is.

She’s a bit confused when there is an empty seat next to her, as it seems like the ballroom is filled. There’s no nametag there either, but her attention soon drifts off to the front. She has to bite her lip to stop herself from smiling too hard.

The Pulitzer Prize Awards Ceremony at Columbia University, also her alma mater in a way. Her 18-year-old-self who was sitting in the front row of Introduction to Journalism in Boston could’ve only dreamed about this day.

Opening remarks start and Ashley really does try to listen, but her eyes glaze over as her mind drifts off. She claps as the first few awards are being presented. She thinks about all the hours that it took to get this piece down, but also all the hours before — in her classes, at her college paper, in her internships, during her job search. The times she wanted to throw in the towel and just do something else. Anything else.

“I didn’t miss too much, did I?” She blinks, turning to the voice next to her. She freezes.

“Jack?” She breathes out. She hasn’t been sleeping much this week, so this could very well be a hallucination.

He beams and she reaches to place her hand on his cheek and she realizes as she scans her eyes up and down. Oh. He’s in her favorite suit of his. And he’s here.

“Oh my god,” she wraps her arms around his neck as her whole table cheers. Thankfully, there’s a lull in the ceremony where the whole room is blanketed in a low buzz. “What the f-don’t you have a game?”

“Technically,” Jack says, nodding at her coworkers with a charming smile. “Took a personal day.”

“What? You can do that?”

“Yeah,” he shrugs, like he didn’t just skip a game to be here. He rubs his thumb on her shoulder as he kisses her temple. “This is a huge deal, baby. I wasn’t gonna miss it. I’m so proud of you.”

“Lindy’s not mad? Nico’s not mad?”

Jack snorts. “The second you won, I told Lindy to count me out for the game so he can do what he wants with that. Nico’s lowkey pissed he also can’t be here.” He turns to Carissa on the other side and beams. “Hey Care. Congrats.”

“Thanks, Jack,” Carissa beams. “Surprised you pulled this off.”

“Surprised we pulled this off.”

Ashley looks at Carissa. “You knew about this?”

“Of course. Who do you think made sure he would have a seat?”

She looks between her colleague and her boyfriend. Something creeps up her throat that feels a lot like love.

When her and Carissa are recognized and they have to go up to accept the award and give a short speech, it’s kinda a blur. All she remembers is Jack’s kiss on her cheek and receiving a standing ovation as she and Carissa walk up together. So many hours with her eyes glazed over glaring at the laptop. So many hours interviewing with people and reconfirming facts. So many hours dedicated to this one piece.

She wouldn’t have it any other way.

As Carissa is speaking, she locks eyes with Jack. He’s beaming and his eyes are actually sparkling. His hair tousled and he’s so handsome and he’s hers.

(She almost trips walking back to him)

He chuckles, pulling her into another tight hug. “You’re amazing, baby. Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” she chokes out. “Thank you for calming me down all the times I was freaking out.”

“Of course. I’m sure all those glasses of cold water helped,” he jokes. She always said the ice cold water he would place next to her laptop would wake up her brain.

She laughs into his shoulder. “They did.”

He pulls away and just stares at her, smile still on his face. Their attention is taken away by someone who wants to congratulate Ashley and has no recognition on their face when looking at Jack.

(Jack looks on with pride)

plus one - three years and four months

Stanley Cups are interesting. Even some of the best athletes of all time have never gotten one. And some that are only slightly above average perhaps were just placed on the right team in the right season.

But this Stanley Cup, in Ashley’s completely unbiased opinion, this one was fully deserved. By every single person on the team.

She doesn’t think she’ll ever forget the absolute joy in Nico’s eyes as he lifted the cup in the air to a roaring crowd at The Rock, or how long the hug between Jack and Luke was when the final whistle sounded, or seeing Ellen cry as her two sons beckoned her in for a picture with the cup, her other son and husband standing close by with pride in their eyes.

The picture of her and Jack by the cup as he’s kissing her cheek as she smiles so widely her eyes are shut might be her favorite picture of them of all time.

Ashley had wondered if Jack was going to bring the cup to Toronto or Michigan. He ended up bringing it to Toronto while Luke brought it to Michigan. It ended up being all the same, since they were both present at both.

Jack winning the Cup is obviously a huge celebration. But he’s not the only one with something to celebrate.

Yesterday, when they were out to lunch with some of his extended family, Ashley had found out by phone that she was just promoted to be a director of her team. After her phone call, she had just covered her mouth in shock as she sat down on a nearby bench. It wasn’t until a few minutes later when a concerned Jack came up to her and asked what was wrong, before she told him and he smothered her face in kisses.

The parade around his pseudo-hometown is absolutely insane. Ashley doesn’t even know how she has a voice by mid-afternoon, much less how Jack has one considering that he’s been yelling all day. At some point, she forces him to sit down and chug a giant water bottle.

But she can’t overthink too hard. Her phone’s filled with pictures of Jack with his loved ones and she just feels proud.

Some of Jack’s extended family who still live in the area offered their home to host a party that night with just friends and family. Ashley did all she could to help prepare, which included coming over to decorate the night before and parking herself in the kitchen the second they got there to offer a helping hand. Well, she tried, before every single person pushed her away and insisted she go join the celebrations.

She finds herself in a long, in-depth conversation with one of Jack’s younger cousins who’s thinking about working in media when she notices it suddenly becomes quiet. Suddenly, the light flickers off and Ashley is confused.

Jack then walks in with a circular cake with candles lit paired with his beautiful smile. Ashley blinks in confusion as everyone’s eyes fall on her and before she can ask what the hell is going on, Luke bounds over to her and swings an arm around her shoulder, shaking her.

“Congrats on your promotion, Ash!” Luke exclaims.

Her mouth drops open and she looks around as everyone in the room cheers and shouts out their congratulations. She chuckles in shock as Jack walks closer. And then suddenly, all she can focus on is him.

“What are you doing?” She whispers, suddenly wanting to cry.

“Come on,” he says with the softest smile. “You didn’t think I’d just keep the news to myself, did you?”

“But this is your day,” she chokes out.

“My day. Your day. It’s all the same, eh?” Jack nods at the candles. “Hurry up. My arms are getting tired.”

A watery laugh from her before she blows out the candles at everyone’s cheers. Jack places the cake on a nearby table before smothering her in a tight hug. Ashley’s heart could burst right now at the love she feels from the people in the room and the person in her arms. She gets a chance to really look at the cake, which is white and sage with “Congratulations Jack and Ashley!” in beautiful script at the center. The lights turn back on and Quinn’s the first one who comes up to hug her. As Ellen is giving Ashley a kiss on the cheek, she sees Jack over Ellen’s shoulder, smiling at her.

She swallows as she pulls away, before glancing at the ring on her left finger. Ashley’s never let herself want much in her life. But if someone asked her what she wants with her life, she would just place them in this room. Right here. Right now.

(They cut the cake together. Ashley feels a buzzing joy throughout her bones)

#the winter fic exchange 2k24 #k writes #hockey fanfic #hockey writing #hockey blurb #jack hughes #jack hughes fic #jack hughes blurb #nhl #nhl writing #nhl blurb #nhl fic #jack hughes x oc #jack hughes x ofc #new jersey devils

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linnienin · 10 months

Text

🌛A s t e r o i d ⁕ S a l o m è🌜 ( 5 6 2 ) and the Dance of the Seven Veils

~~~~~~~~~~~ Y o u r ⁕ e n c h a n t i n g ⁕ e n e r g y ~~~~~~~~~~~

An astro walkthrough post following Salomè's steps in the Dance of the Seven Veils through the lens of the Seven Deadly Sins.

⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕

The gifs in this post (excluded the last one) were created by me and are from the movie "Salomè" (1953) with Rita Hayworth

"Look at the moon! How strange the moon seems! She is like a woman rising from the tomb. She is like a dead woman. You would fancy she was looking for dead things."

"Salomè", Oscar Wilde

W h o ⁕ i s ⁕ S a l o m è (quick summary of her story):

⁕ Salomè, the princess of Judaea, falls in love with the prophet John The Baptist (i'll refer to him as 'the prophet' to avoid repeating his name too much) and orders to free him from the prison he was held in (for condemning the marriage of Salome's parents, King Herod and his wife Herodias as unlawful)

⁕ The prophet rejects her, but she assures him she will kiss his mouth sooner or later, no matter what.

⁕ Salome's mother in the meantime convinces her daughter to view the prophet as an evil person that deserves to die (alimenting her fresh feeling from the rejection)

⁕ When Salomè is asked by her stepfather king Herod (who lusts over her) to dance she agrees only if she can asks anything in return.

⁕ Once the dance's over, Salomè requests the decapitated head of John the Baptist on a silver plate.

⁕ To the horror of all the partecipants, she finally kisses the mouth of the prophet consumed by her lustful desires.

⁕ King Herod, sickened and shocked, orders her execution.

(this is the William Shakespeare opera version based on the biblical one)

M y ⁕ i n t e r p r e t a t i o n :

In a birth chart Asteroid Salomè represents:

⁕ Your enchanting power

⁕ How people target your naivety to use your talent

⁕ The extremes you're ready to face in order to get what you want.

⁕ What you want but can't have

⁕ What desires consumes you

I also want to make a quick clarification between asteroid Salomè and Sirene because both are seducing and mesmerizing energies, but imo: Sirene : conscious type of seduction, aim for what they want, in control of their actions , calculated Salomè: unconscious type of seduction, influenced by others in their choices, controlled by their desires, not in control of themselves

P o s t ⁕ g u i d e:

I'll go through the steps of the whole Dance and make them into little sections:

⁕ Every section is about one of the Seven Deadly Sins ⁕ Within every section there will be interpretations of different Salomè signs/degrees, depending on which Sins they fall into (in my personal opinion)

Disclaimer: every single sign could fall into every single sin since they're all part of human nature, but one would always prevail on others imo, and this is just my personal take on them.

Enjoy ✨

1 s t ⁕ v e i l ⁕ o f f : P R I D E

⁕ Leo Salomè/Salomè at 5°-17°-29° : You enchant with your confidence and talent. Your creativity allows you to shine from within and make a strong impression on people.

⁕ You draw attention to yourself easily, and others envy this, so they target your individuality to trigger the worst out of you. They want to robb you of your 'Main character' type of energy, using your exposition and will to take up space, to their own interest. They feed your ego only to break your mirror into several pieces later, leaving you not recognizing yourself anymore. You'll find yourself becoming riddiculous just to gain that attention again, blending with the masses for validation, but feeling extremely guilty and shameful about it. This is how they trigger your pride. ⁕ You have a great desire to be able to show yourself without getting judged. You want to dive deep into your creative mind and feel accepted and appreciated for your dramatic and showy persona. When people don't understand your needs, you can get arrogant, narcissistic and selfish .

⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓

⁕ Aquarius Salomè/Salomè at 11°-23°: You enchant with your uniqueness and innovation. Your mindblowing perspectives draws people in and out of curiosity, and you release them with more confusion and even more questions, to trap them in getting back to you.

⁕ You know this is your strategy to create multiple connections and dodge your way to the top, but envious people want to stop you from climbing up that ladder. They'll use you and your network for their own interests, but turning their back to you once they get what they want. This is how they trigger your pride. ⁕ When no one truly deeply understand you, your different view and quirky personality, you start to doubt your identity, facing the negative effects of feeling like the black sheep. You lose the courage to stand up for yourself as you isolate from the world with no track of time and completely dissociating from reality. You become inexistent, cause you won't merge with the masses. A great desire to instill change and put reality in discussion burns in you, but if people keep overlooking your ideas, you just explode and can become rebellious, distant and unpredictable.

2 n d ⁕ v e i l ⁕ o f f : G R E E D

⁕ Capricorn Salomè/Salomè at 10°-22° : You enchant with your loyalty and perseverance. Your disciplined and committed persona inspire people, but they also get envious of all the accomplishments you've achieved with such resiliency.

⁕ You view life simply and clearly, this is what allows you to be so precise with no hesitation when making important choices. And because this is such a rare quality, people want to robb you of it and use it for themselves and their interests. However, you base your self worth on materialism and achievements and when people don't validate them, you only want to get more to prove yourself. This is how others target your weeknesses and trigger your greed. ⁕ They show you the best of everything to make you feel inferior and in consequence wanting it all. But the truth is you don't need it all to feel complete within. You have a great desire to feel the best and most powerful of all, but because you attach your emotions to the outside and not accept them inside of you out of fear of showing your vulnerabilities, you are therefore not in tune with yourself and you are controlled by the world. You want to become the best version of yourself, but if you don't truly accept your imperfections, you can get dissatisfied, demanding and cold with no way of enjoying life like you envisioned you'd have.

⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓��⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕

3 r d ⁕ v e i l ⁕ o f f : L U S T

⁕ Scorpio Salomè/Salomè at 8°-20° : You enchant with your mystery and intensity. Your enigmatic and independent spirit makes you an extremely interesting character everyone wants to get to know.

⁕ You attract unwanted attention, and you are the center topic of everyone's gossipy chitchat. You are people's dream, and everyone envy your subtle popularity, they all want to get a little sip of you. People view you as a prize they want to conquer to make themselves appear bigger. You have a great desire to form deep and meaningful connections, so you give a chance to others in exploring your hidden and vulnerable side, but all they do is take advantage of your thoughtfulness to feed their curiosity and ego, and once they get what they want, they only come back to you when they need a little refresh. This is how they trigger your lust. ⁕ You hide your emotional side because of past wounds, but your intense feelings still need an outlet or else they'd consume you. You need someone that cherish and care for your complexity and is willing to explore the dark without judgements otherwise you'll become insatiable, unfulfilled and uncontrollable, confusing the real profund emotional depth with a toxic emotionless bond based on superficial desires.

4 t h ⁕ v e i l ⁕ o f f : E N V Y

⁕ Virgo Salomè/Salomè at 6°-18° : You enchant with your skills and intelligence. Your analytical mind and organized approach give you the ability to grasp details and process them in an incredible clear and systematic way.

⁕ People envy your critical thinking and your kind, hardworking nature, so they take advantage of your modesty to use your talents for their interests. You take pride in giving yourself to others to help them out, but when this gets to an extreme and hinders you from developing your own identity, you get stuck in a limbo of constant crave for validation and endless comparisons. This is how your envy gets triggered. ⁕ You look at others' freedom and accomplishments, and you feel guilty you haven't reached that level yet, so you blame yourself for your inability and incompetence, believing you'll never get better and so remain stuck in your delusions. You have a great desire to master your talents and get genuine recognition from yourself and others, but when you don't take on this path, you become fussy, critical and judgemental.

⁕ Gemini Salomè/Salomè at 3°-15°-27°: You enchant with your wit and sarcasm. Your exceptionally curious mind make you jump on every kind of topic with no shame, letting you explore anything and expanding your horizons making you very clever and articulated.

⁕ You excel in debates and are such a social butterfly, you know how to grasp people's attentions with your words. And well, who wouldn't be envious of such a skill? People use your talents by making you feel like you're guiding them and you have the control over the situation, but then you focus too much on the details that you forget the bigger picture, and this includes you forging your own path and understanding what you truly want from life. Those distractions that people throws at you trigger your envy. ⁕ You look up at the people that make decisions and have a clear idea of what they want to do and you feel jealous of their resolution in walking only one path. You overthink so much you'd love to know how to find peace even for just a second, but you get absorbed in the envy, and at your worst you get gossipy, superficial and inconsistent. You have a great desire of knowing yourself fully, being flexible while also find stability within your flexibility. But if you can't look within and stop comparing with others, you'll never know your truth.

5 t h ⁕ v e i l ⁕ o f f : G L U T T O N Y

⁕ Libra Salomè/Salomè 7°-19° : You enchant with your charisma and tactfulness. Your cooperative nature and romantic aura enhance your already stunning natural beauty, and people envy this hard core because it appears as you have been blessed with everything by life.

⁕ They take advantage of your agreeable temperament to use you for their interests. So you live your life as a secondary character, always trying to please others but never taking into account your own will. People use this indecisiveness of yours to trigger your gluttony. ⁕ You never feel satisfied because you don't even know what you want. So you only "eat" more because you crave that instant moment of pleasure constantly. As you base your worth from outside sources, you feel empty inside, hence why you keep feeling the need to put things inside you to fill that void. You have a great desire to make the world fair for everyone and form genuine connections between people, but if you can't complete this purpose, you become unbalanced, overly-indulgent and insecure.

⁕ Taurus Salomè/Salomè at 2°-14°-26° : You enchant with your steadiness and sensuality. Your driven and kind hearted nature allows you to always put your best in everything you focus on, and you're not one to lose your focus easily.

⁕ People envy how firm and determined you are, despite looking very gracious outwardly, you never give up, and this beautiful combo of extremes make you look like a person that possess everything. Others are gonna want to break your peaceful and unshakable nature, taking advantage of your kindness, they're gonna try to use your resiliency for their interests and letting you see how much there is of the world by shifting your focus on the pleasures of life. Soon you're gonna enter the sensual world and you'd never want to go back. This is how they trigger your gluttony. ⁕ Your body craves intimacy and contact, but you've been living in your head, only focusing on possessions denying your sensual side. Now after realizing how food can fill you and make you enjoy the experience, you become addicted to it. The idea of something that doesn't take up space like everything in materialism, but can instead grow you to take up space (eating) makes you feel important and not tie your self worth to outward successes. But it's still making up for your lack of love coming from within, and if you can't feel it you can get stubborn, possessive and self-absorbed.

⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓��⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕⁓⁕

6 t h ⁕ v e i l ⁕ o f f : W R A T H

⁕ Aries Salomè/Salomè at 1°-13°-25° : You enchant with your assertivity and bravery. Your optimistic and dynamic spirit combined with your dominant demeanor allow you to be a great leader.

⁕ You fearlessness and ease in overcoming challenges make people envious of the power you hold. They use your spontaneous and competitive nature to their interests, trying to make fun of you, to slowly make you lose the confidence in yourself and step down the throne you deserve, but you can't stand the view of this injustice (both if made to you or to others).This is how they trigger your wrath. ⁕ You are not afraid to speak up, but after you lose your confidence, your words are spilled out with impulsiveness and aggressiveness, making people afraid of how quick you can lose your temper. You have a great desire to help others realize their potential, and you want to guide them on the tortuous path of life, but if people ignore you and make you feel small, then you become impatient, insensitive and reckless.

⁕ Sagittarius Salomè/Salomè at 9°-21° : You enchant with your wisdom and open-mindedness. Your free spirit allows you to experience life humbly giving you the ability to transform your mistakes in insightful life lessons.

⁕ You change people's perspectives by elaborating a wide range of informations and putting them in a clear view thanks to your capability of grasping patterns, and others envy this. They want to robb your wisdom, to feel like wise Gods themselves, so they use your knowledge to shut your voice down, triggering your wrath. ⁕ Once you raise your voice and let everyone see this impulsive side of yourself, you can witness people losing interest and trust in you, making you insecure and small, full of existential crisis. You have a great desire to change the world for the best, and to let people see different point of view with your philosophy, but when you are not understood you can turn into a close-minded, highly opinionated and skeptical person.

7 t h ⁕ v e i l ⁕ r e v e a l : S L O T H

⁕ Pisces Salomè/Salomè at 12°-24° : You enchant with your vulnerability and spirituality. Your imagination allows you to put yourself in other people's shoes and understand their point of view in an empathetic way.

⁕ Your easygoing and adaptable nature make others envious of you. They take advantage of your compassion by treating you as their personal punching bag, their shoulder to cry on, their victim to sacrifce. They suck all your energy into their personal interests, leaving you completely numb and not giving you space to display your creativity. This is how they trigger your sloth. ⁕ You have a great desire to feel emotions and share them with people that truly understand you, but if people neglect this aspect of yourself, you become lazy, unmotivated and hopeless. The world holds no meaning to you and you'd rather spend time feeling delusional than open up in fear of not being accepted.

⁕ Cancer Salomè/Salomè at 4°-16°-28° : You enchant with your softness and compassion. Your nurturing and maternal energy makes others feel at home and safe.

⁕ Your incredible intuition knows everyone's needs and your affectionate nature make you want to help everyone just to see a smile on their faces. Unfortunately others can misuse this gift of yours to their interest since they're envious of how perfectly in tune you are with your emotions. When you can sense that all you see are fake smiles, you start to question your ability to heal others and your sensitive side is hightened. This is the perfect moment for those people to strike some offensive words that will make you insecure and want to just disappear from the world. This is how they trigger your sloth. ⁕ You isolate and close yourself in your shell to protect you from further damage. You feel you are unworthy and that you don't bring any value to the world, so you dwell in your sense of guilt and fear, unable to do anything. You have a great desire to make the world a better place, to share your love and emotions with others, to protect those in needs, but if you can't express this side of youself you become pessimistic, moody and manipulative.

And you've reached the end! Congrats! And thanks for staying with me ✨

I hope you enjoyed this post and find it helpful in understanding your own Salomè placement 😊

Hope the dance steps were easy to follow too 💃

It took me some time to make cause i wanted to truly dive deep in the meaning of it and not only talk about the magnetizing part, but remember, this is only my interpretation, i'd love to peacefully discuss with you if you disagree with me 👍

I'm kinda tempted to make a post on Salomè through the houses, let me know if you'd love to know more on this asteroid

as always,

I wish you a wonderful day ahead (or night) 😘 and i'll see you in the next post! Yours Linnie 🌛

#astro notes #astro observations #asteroid salomè #salomè through the signs #salomè astrology #asteroid astrology #astro community

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kitten4sannie · 1 year

Text

𝐀 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭’𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞

pairing: dragon shifter! seonghwa x knight! reader (fem) x fem! oc feat. king! hongjoong

genre: fantasy au, slight angst, romance, smut (so, so much i promise <3)

summary: a knight is ordered by the king to save the princess from a fearsome dragon. this, of course, is a common fairy tale with a predictable ending — but what happens when there’s more to the story than meets the eye?

w.c: 11.3k

warnings: brief mention of branding, some violence/injury/blood, service top! seonghwa, switch! reader, switch! oc, f/f, threesome dynamics, pet names, praise, marking, long tongue kink, use of a tail (yk what i’m sayinggg), fingering (f/f receiving), oral (f/f/m receiving), deep throating, unprotected sex, breeding kink, creampie, dumbification

a/n: this was originally just going to be about dragon hwa but then i started thinking about a pretty princess and a knight and i just – also this is dedicated to my friend haru aka @stardragongalaxy as a late bday present also thank you for giving me creative (🏳️‍🌈) freedom with this fic hehe,, i hope you enjoy lovely <3 also i rewrote this thing a thousand times and i just don’t really know how i feel about it but i wanted to share it regardless so if you liked it please consider leaving some feedback <3

song recs: all around me by flyleaf, crossing over by elysion, constance by spirit box, desert rose by lolo zouaï

Masterlist

➽───────────────❥

As the daughter of the most feared knight of the round table, and your king’s most trusted confidant, you were thrown into the complicated web of the royal family, forced to navigate their endless strings of high expectations and saccharine lies. Instead of a silver spoon, you got used to one that tasted of metal and rust. To make matters more difficult, you were born without the perks of being a man. Expected to be quiet and prone to sewing doilies in the comfort of your bedroom, you instead doubled down on learning to sword fight, deciding to follow in the footsteps of your father. You learned early on that you were handed certain cards in life, expected to never trade them in. But you wanted more. You knew in order to receive the respect of those around you, it was imperative that you rose up to the same rank as your late father after he passed.

And so, you became a protector of the royal family, ordered to watch over the king, as well as the eldest princess. She treated you like you were just another person, one without a collar around their neck, unlike her father who sought to treat you how he saw fit. With forceful words and orders just as intense. With sweet promises, gazes full of lust, and late night visits to his bedchamber, followed with shameful walks back to your own. You didn’t truly realize your place in the cogwheels of royalty until you were caught giving the princess a gentle cheek kiss. It was then that he would discipline you. Brand you. Forever remind you of your role as the royal family’s guard dog.

Despite this fate, you wanted to prove that you could be more than a simple pet. You could be a lot more. You had something to offer. Something you could offer to the one that would receive it with a gentle smile and a heart full of warmth.

༻✧༺

Bending at the knee for the king, you didn’t stand until he ordered you to, resting your hand on the hilt of your sword, your heavy armor feeling a bit stifling from the intense stare he was giving you.

“My eldest daughter Rosanna, as you know, has been missing and we’ve just gotten word that she’s been spotted at the abandoned castle near Crescent Falls.” Grimacing, Hongjoong closed his hands into tight fists, unable to handle that he was powerless, despite having the highest form of power any individual could possess. “But, she’s being held hostage by a filthy dragon,” he growled out of anger, his loud, impassioned voice echoing throughout the throne room.

You stood still for a moment, a pivotal memory of the princess standing near her favorite patch of roses still fresh inside your mind.

“I’m going to be leaving tonight,” Rosanna said softly, twirling a rose she was holding and admiring the soft red hue, careful not to prick herself on the thorns. “My friend said he can take me away from here.” Wanting to be careful of her words out of fear that you wouldn’t understand, she continued vaguely, “He figured out a way to protect us.”

“How?” you questioned softly, about to speak more when she shook her head, making your mouth close up.

“You know I trust you, but out of precaution, I can’t go into detail…” Rosanna gazed down at the family crest etched into the hilt of your sword. “You know why.”

You nodded your head, knowing she could see the invisible leash her father had around your neck, feeling shame burn into the skin of your cheeks.

Fading back into her overjoyed headspace, she angled her head down and smiled to herself, the rose petals blurring into a mess of crimson, her eyes wet with tears. “No more forced marriage proposals. No more slaving away for my father. N-no more…father…” Her thumb grazed a thorn, but didn’t let it slice into her skin. “I’m going to be free from this prison…”

Your body twitched at the sight of Rosanna’s bittersweet expression, wanting to hold her, but remaining still, knowing your place. “Is the friend…Is it Seonghwa? That apothecary apprentice you’re always talking about?” you whispered near her, glancing around your surroundings to make sure no one was listening, before leaning in. “Princess, are you sure you can trust h–”

“I’m sure.” She turned to you, pulling you further into the gazebo you were both under to completely conceal yourselves from any wandering eyes. “Y/N…” Her features softened, her eyelids lowering slightly so that she looked at you through her wispy lashes. “Won’t you come with us? We can both…” Her voice trailed off, a light blush forming on her cheeks, her fingers drifting over one of your gloved hands. “We can…be ourselves.”

You were chained to the castle, to its king, to its people. If you were to abandon your post, you knew you would be putting yourself at great risk, but…there was something very familiar tugging at your heart.

“Y/N,” Rosanna whispered, now inches away from your conflicted face, giving you a soft smile. “Don’t you want to see where this goes?”

You slowly relaxed with her unspoken permission, squeezing her fingers ever so slightly when she entwined them with yours. “I…I do, but…”

When you couldn’t form the proper words, Rosanna pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek, rendering you speechless. The princess pulled away after a few seconds, rubbing her lipstick off of your face with her silk glove, her sad eyes meeting yours. “I know I’m asking a lot, but just think about it. I’m sure my father will want someone to come look for me, so I give you permission to find me.”

You nodded weakly, your cheeks feeling hot to the touch, standing eerily still like one of the marble statues that were littered throughout the garden. You were unable to react to the hug she gave you besides a small squeeze back, and only produced a small ‘goodbye, princess’ as she bid you farewell, leaving you to gaze at the sea of roses by yourself.

Before she disappeared that night, she left the rose on your bed inside your sleeping quarters. You closed your eyes and pressed it to your cheek, picturing the warmth she left on your skin.

“Y/N,” Hongjoong snapped, making you fade out of your bittersweet memory and ignore the tightness inside your chest. “You will come back to me with my daughter safe and sound.”

Were you willing to betray the king? The one who had his tendrils wrapped tightly around you, barely allowing you to breathe? The one who would burn entire kingdoms down for his daughter? Was going against him worth the destruction he would leave behind?

“I…I will defeat the beast and rescue the princess, my Lord,” you said softly, bending at the waist the best you could to bow to him, unable to look him in the eyes.

At that moment, Hongjoong got up from his throne and walked down the steps to stand at your level. With one finger underneath your chin, he tilted it upwards until you were forced to meet his fiery gaze. With the scent of ale on his breath, he leaned in close, pressing his lips against your earlobe, murmuring pointedly, “And if you don’t come back with my daughter...” Hongjoong grasped your jaw, his thumb pressing into your bottom lip, studying your eyes for any deception. “Don’t bother crawling back to my bedchambers. You’ll be dead to me just like your poor father sitting in that cracked urn you keep in your room. Do you hear me, pet?”

Swallowing harshly, keeping your emotions at bay, your hand slowly formed a fist over your heart, feeling the prying eyes of the King’s staff burning holes into the back of your head, afraid that they all knew about your secrets, about what you were planning to do next, about everything you were about to risk. “Understood, my Lord. I will return only with the princess by my side.”

༻✧༺

Sitting on your knees in front of a nearby stream to take a drink and cool your body down, you went stiff upon hearing the sound of your horse nervously trotting back and forth over the forest foliage, causing you to instinctively grab the hilt of your blade. You looked around the general vicinity, trying to spot any movement around the bushes and trees that surrounded you, unsure of who or what was watching you.

“What is a knight doing so far away from home?” a deep, sultry voice came out from behind you, causing you to spin around, almost dumbfounded that you couldn’t hear him sneaking up on you, despite your careful hearing. You saw a man standing before you, one that had a dark hood on, only allowing you to see the point of his nose, the sharpness of his jaw, and his smirking lips.

“I��m…here with the orders of the king,” you responded carefully, your fingers squeezing around your cold blade handle, but not pulling it out just yet. “The princess is being held hostage by a beast inside the castle many miles from here. I’m here to save her.”

The man took a small step forward, his smirk growing ever so slightly, tapping his fingers against the small black crystal hanging from his neck by a silver chain. “A beast, you say? Do you think it has piercing eyes that’ll petrify you?” He took another small step. “Or how about large, ghastly talons that’ll tear you to pieces?” He took one more step, just a few feet away from you now, his smirk turning into a grin, his canine teeth a lot sharper than you cared to admit to yourself. “Do you think he’ll try to swallow you whole? Or will he play with you instead? What do you think, knight?” When he tried to take another step, he stopped in his tracks, the razor-sharp tip of your blade pressing into his chest and drawing a bit of blood.

Your eyes narrowed at the stranger, standing your ground, having a very good idea of who he was, but choosing not to voice it. He didn’t have a weapon on hand. Taking him out while he was in a vulnerable state would be going against your code. “Everything I have. Everything I am. I will give.”

“So the King really does have you on a tight leash. What a loyal little puppy you are,” he replied disdainfully, leaning back slightly to relieve the pressure of the blade cutting into his skin. “Or are you doing this for the princess?” Seeing your eyes widen slightly, he chuckled softly. “Oh, I see. Will you free her from the tower and share a true love’s kiss?”

“Do not mock me, stranger,” you growled back, ignoring his question, the tips of your fingers turning white from how tightly you were holding your weapon. “You don’t know my motivations or my story, so kindly fuck off.”

“Got a bit of a temper there.” The man fiddled with his necklace some more, still grinning, finding delight in your reaction. Figuring he was done testing you, he bowed his head to you, his raven hair falling into his eyes. “I wish you the best of luck.” He angled his head up, giving you an intense stare, his forked tongue just barely slipping out of his mouth to lick at his lips. “Let’s see if the pretty little knight slays the dragon before he slays her.”

༻✧༺

You arrived at the abandoned castle by sundown, having to use an old torch to light your path through the dark, empty hallways and rooms, searching for any sign of life. Opening the next pair of doors you saw, you ended up in the library. You froze, your gloved hand still resting on the metal handle, suddenly caught off guard by the woman sitting inside on an old velvet couch with a candle and an open book in her hand.

“Princess Rosanna…?” you called out, making her jump and turn her head to the familiar voice she wasn’t expecting to hear so soon. Upon seeing your distinct features, the princess ran up to you once you stepped foot into the room, the cold metal of your armor and chainmail causing her to let out small noises of protest. “Princess, I’m so happy to see you alive and well.”

“You came for me,” she said as though it were a revelation, slowly pulling away to get a good look at you, licking her thumb and wiping a bit of soot away from your cheek. “I’ve missed you greatly…”

“Likewise, Princess. You’ve been in my thoughts all this time. Night and day…” You stood still, looking into her gentle eyes, her thumb still pressed to your warm cheek, feeling it slowly drag downwards to your lips, her thumb moving across your bottom one. “Do I…have something on my face…?” you whispered, not even noticing when your fingers clutched her lower back.

“Mm-hmm,” she murmured back, clutching your chin, bringing it towards hers. “Should I get it for you?”

It took everything in you not to lose yourself in this reality you’ve created for yourselves, as much as you wanted to. It was simple, really. You were a knight under the command of the king, and she was the princess, and if Hongjoong got his way, was destined to court with a prince that was up to her standards. Regardless of the situation, she was still pure gold — untouchable and timeless. You, however, were plain ivory, doomed to crack and crumble to pieces when the time came. Would she be satisfied?

You pressed your forehead to hers, closing your tired eyes, your heart still pounding away inside your tightening chest. “We…we shouldn’t…”

“Why shouldn’t we?” she questioned as fiercely as she could, caressing both of your cheeks, her thumbs gently rubbing along your jaw, encouraging you to open your eyes back up to look into her twinkling ones. “My father isn’t here. We’re miles and miles away from the castle. Who’s going to know?”

Despite the incredible complications present in the game of chess you were a part of, you felt your once idle piece beginning to move forward across the board.

“Princess…” you whispered back, your eyelids lowering slightly, closing your grasp around her waist, bringing her against you. Ignoring your dizzying heartbeat, you lowered your gaze to her parted lips, ready to risk everything for the woman looking back at you like you were her…well, her knight in shining armor. “May I…?”

“You may…” she returned, waiting for you to close the space in between the two of you, your lips meeting in the middle. Instead of fireworks, you both felt like you had been submerged into a warm pool of honey, slowly enveloping your bodies in its comfort, eventually drowning you in its adherent serenity.

As one desperate, though purposeful kiss led to another, the princess slowly led you backwards to the couch, sitting you down and lowering herself down onto your lap, her lips still connected to yours. The heavy sensation of arousal buzzing throughout your mind and body clouded your thought process. All you could think about were her plush lips moving against yours like you were her only source of oxygen, her warm hands moving down your jaw and up the back of your neck to slip into your tangled hair.

Rosanna broke the kiss for a moment to whisper breathlessly, “Touch me, Y/N. You have my permission.”

Your head was spinning, but you sought to keep it screwed on tight, removing your gloves to touch her body directly, though delicately, slowly moving your hands up to her waist, being drawn in towards her neck, leaving gentle kisses along the warm expanse of her skin. “Princess, your skin is so hot…Are you feeling unwell?” you murmured onto her, hearing her breath hitch from your teasing words.

“Quite unwell…” Rosanna sighed softly, playing along, pulling at the strings near her chest, loosening up her dress so that it began to slip off her shoulders. “Take care of me, knight.”

Greatly encouraged by her demand, you reached out to grip her shoulders, sliding her dress down little by little, gazing at her lovely, exquisitely soft body, the one you could only picture inside your head during the late hours of the night year after year. And now she was right here in front of you. You must’ve fallen asleep at the pond and been caught inside a dream you never wanted to wake up from.

Rosanna caressed your heated face, watching you with a loving gaze, letting you take your time, despite wanting to rip her clothes off along with every single piece of your armor. Slowly, but surely, you were brought out of your cloudy headspace when you noticed a deep bite mark imprinted in her skin just above one of her barely-covered breasts — one that was fresh and bruising. “Did…Did Seonghwa do this?”

She brushed a few loose strands of hair out of your flushed face and pushed them behind your pierced ear, nodding her head knowingly. “Yes, but–”

“Princess,” you interrupted Rosanna, gently taking her wrist and giving it a small kiss, motioning to the door with a soft smile. You believed in your heart that you could take better care of her than any man could, especially one that just did as he pleased. “Let me take you away from here. We can–”

“No!” the princess cried, overwhelmed by the thought of leaving, feeling your hand loosen around her arm, allowing her to pull away from you and stand up. She pulled her dress back up and began tying it up diligently, glancing down at it instead of your concerned eyes. “I don’t want to leave, Y/N. I’m happy here.”

“Happy?” you questioned, your voice losing its volume towards the end. “You’re happy staying here in a crumbling castle alone with a shapeshifter? I know he’s your friend, but are you not afraid of what he could do to you? After he’s already done this to you?” You motioned to where the deeply embedded bite mark was located underneath her thin clothing, grimacing.

Rosanna held her hands up to her head and gripped her braided hair, turning around to gather herself, appearing to be incredibly frustrated. “He’s more than that to me…”

Choosing not to face the possibilities of her words, you stood up to your feet, taking a step towards her in order to turn her around, taking her hand to hold it. “Princess, you know I just have your best interest at heart.”

Rosanna squeezed your fingers tightly, desperately wanting you to see her side. “Y/N, he’s not what you think! He’s actually incredibly sweet and takes care of me.” She looked down and smiled to herself, her eyes lighting up underneath her long, wispy eyelashes. “He loves me.”

“He does?” you mumbled, your eyebrows joining together in confusion, jealousy pricking into your heart like a thorn.

“Yes, and he can take care of you too, Y/N. He has more than enough love to give.”

“H-huh…?” You didn’t understand the context of her words, but it made your throat go dry.

She grasped your chin with her manicured fingers and leaned closer, suggesting, “Why don’t you stay here? You can spend some time with him and maybe you’ll end up falling for him like I–”

A loud, ear-piercing roar rumbled throughout the castle, making you jolt, your hand settling on your sword, until another screech replaced the silence after the first, this one so powerful that it made the large bookshelves nearby tremble and shed century-old dust into the air around you.

As if she was used to this happening, Rosanna walked over to the door to lock it, sending a glare your way when you stepped in front of the door, your back against it. “What are you doing?” she questioned sharply, pushing on your chest to move you, but not being able to. “You can’t bother him when he shifts, Y/N. He doesn’t have much control over it and he’ll…”

You gave Rosanna a stern look, putting a hand on her shoulder, proclaiming, “I’ll protect you, Princess. Don’t worry.” And with that, you turned around and ran out of the room, unable to register the many protests behind you, heading towards the sound of yet another roar, everyone’s words echoing throughout the labyrinth of your mind. Your father’s, the king’s, the princess’, Seonghwa’s, your own. You didn't know what you were doing, but you were going to follow through. The rattling inside your chest told you to.

༻✧༺

You followed the sounds of growling and deep bellows, the carpeted floor below you trembling every now and then, the old frames on the walls ready to fall off of their hinges, figuring that the beast must’ve been enormous for it to affect the castle. Eventually making your way to two heavy, opulent doors, you pushed past them and entered the vast empty garden area filled with dirt and crumbled stone just in time for you to come face to face with the dragon.

It was just as big as you imagined, taking up a sizable portion of the outside area despite it being spacious enough to hold at least a quarter of the kingdom that used to reside there centuries ago. The dragon’s scales were pitch black like the night sky, but shimmered with a holographic sheen under the light of the moon that shone down from above. Its tail had to be at least ten feet long, as thick and long as one of the countless oak trees sitting inside the forest nearby, its movement reminiscent of a snake slinking around in the grass. You noticed its talons next. They could probably tear you to ribbons if he caught you in his grasp. Lastly, you were drawn to its eyes, large and piercing, striking you with instinctive fear, reminding you that you were prey. Though you wanted to continue studying its immense presence, the dragon seemed to notice you standing there challenging it with your sudden intrusion.

“You’ve finally arrived, little human,” the creature bellowed in the deepest voice you ever heard, his words coming out serpent-like and seductive. He opened his mouth, baring his elongated, oversized fangs, his hot breath hitting the cold air. “Come here and show me what you got.”

Pissed off by his arrogance, you unsheathed your sword and began heading in its direction, circling the dragon carefully when it began doing the same thing, a low chuckle erupting from its large throat.

“What makes you think you can defeat me?” Seonghwa questioned, slamming one of his large claws down onto the ground near you, making the ground shake. “I could swallow you up in a second or turn you into nothing but ash and bone. Why are you doing this?”

“To prove a point, goddamn it!” you growled back, swinging your sword at the dragon and slicing into his large black leg, watching as blood began to drip out from the wound. Seonghwa didn’t like that very much. Emitting a harsh exhale, you barrel-rolled out of the way of his large claws when he attempted to stomp on you, having to run in the opposite direction, the dragon hot on your tail.

“And what point is that, you little pest?” Seonghwa growled, swiping at you, but missing due to your fast reflexes, your sword already making contact with the center of his palm, making him groan out in pain.

“That I’m much more suited to take care of Rosanna,” you grunted, ducking out of the way of its other large claw, unable to take a breath before his tail swung in your direction, forcing you to jump over it before it made contact with your body. You forced out a laugh that sounded just as arrogant as you wanted it to, giving the dragon a crooked smile. “You seem to be struggling to take out a ‘pest’ like me, so I think I came at the right time. She needs someone like me. Not an egotistical beast like you.”

A large amount of smoke suddenly began emitting from the dragon’s nostrils, a strange glowing light slowly becoming visible from the center of its stomach. “Now you’ve done it, knight. No more playtime.”

You backed up a bit, observing your surroundings for the best escape before it was too late. Seeing a large crumbling staircase behind you, you turned around to head up the steps, a few strands of your hair starting to float up into the air as though there was an electrical charge in the air. “Oh shit!” you exclaimed to yourself, as a large zap of lightning with a purple hue hit the steps in front of you, turning them to dust.

“Run away, little puppy. Let’s see how far you make it,” Seonghwa challenged in a guttural manner, watching as you continued your way up the stairs and headed down the opposite side of it. He lifted himself up into the air with his expansive wings and sent another burst of lightning in your direction, finding it amusing how the old concrete wall he hit far above you started falling around you in large chunks, causing you to leap out of the way of them and tumble down the rest of the stairs.

“Fuck…” you whispered to yourself, feeling a bit dizzy, but forcing yourself to get up and grab your sword, before starting to run away as fast as you could, the large flaps of the dragon’s wings behind you sending fear into your thumping heart. Before you knew it, you were back inside the forest you had navigated earlier, the vines and foliage crunching underneath your worn down boots. A few trees near you suddenly erupted into flames once the violet lightning struck them, slowly falling in your direction, the roots preventing them from dropping completely.

“Poor puppy isn’t fast enough,” Seonghwa commented gruffly, inhaling, little sparks of lightning exiting his mouth, before a large amount of it shot out past his fangs, heading quickly in your direction.

Glancing back out of the corner of your eyes, you ducked underneath the trees and continued running, diving into a nearby river at the last second when the zaps of electricity touched your back through your chainmail, feeling it shoot up your spine. Cringing from the pain, you forced yourself to stay underneath the dark surface of the water, despite it being freezing enough to shock your body, your limbs starting to grow numb with each passing moment.

Seonghwa landed back onto the ground with a thud so that he could stalk around the river in a calculated manner, keeping his head low to gaze down into the water, watching carefully for movement. “Come out and face me, knight,” he commanded fiercely, annoyance laced into his words. “So that you may submit to me.”

Unable to hold your breath any longer, you forced yourself out of the water and grabbed onto the dragon, holding one of his large twisted horns as he lifted you up into the air. “Submit…to me, beast!” Using the adrenaline in your system to your advantage, you grunted and swung your sword upwards, slicing off a portion of his other horn, hearing him growl deeply in response. Just as you had made your decision to attack him, Seonghwa had sent one of his claws up in your direction, slicing your forearm and chainmail up the middle, then cutting into the side of your jaw and up to your cheek in a one clean swipe.

Watching you wince and shut your eyes from the pain, Seonghwa feigned concern, “Oh, poor little puppy has a cut. Will you crawl into a corner and lick at your wounds?”

The sweat from your hand caused you to let go of his horn, eventually falling back down into the freezing water below, your blood leaking out into the murkiness around you. “Fight me as yourself, Seonghwa!” you called out once you got your head above the surface, coughing and sputtering to get the water out of your lungs, ignoring the pain pulsing from your wounds. “Don’t be such a fucking coward!”

Angered by your words, Seonghwa pressed one talon into the small black jewel that was lodged into his large chest, causing a misty puff of smoke to appear around him.

Too busy swimming to the edge of the river, you didn’t notice Seonghwa’s disappearance as you climbed out of the water, your chainmail falling off of your body, exposing your thin top underneath. You stood up and stumbled a bit, feeling your armor start to grow loose on your body from how soaked you were, opting to just rip them off out of frustration with your current state, gazing down at the droplets of blood hitting the ground below. Suddenly sensing a different presence, you turned around just in time for a naked Seonghwa to send a punch in your direction, hitting you square in the jaw where you were bleeding from, sending you back into a nearby tree. “Augh…” you groaned, glaring at Seonghwa through your hazy eyesight, able to catch his next fist with your hand now that you were ready for him.

“Just give up and submit to me already,” Seonghwa spat, grabbing you by the collar of your top and getting up in your personal space, growling into your face. “Get on your knees and admit I’m better.”

Now that Seonghwa was this close, you couldn’t look away from him. He was annoyingly handsome, despite looking disheveled as all hell. Pretty black hair, a few locks of it falling into his face. High, pointed cheekbones. Plush lips. Definitely kissable. What were you even thinking? It must’ve been the blood loss that had you acting like this.

“Did you hear me, knight?” Seonghwa leaned in closer, staring you down with an intensity that frightened you, amongst other things.

“Uh-huh…” You couldn’t really think. You were too distracted by his eyes. They were as blue as the ocean you’ve only seen in pictures. Entrancing, like the waves had crashed into you and swept you under, pinning you in between currents.

“On your knees!” He slammed his hand against the oak beside your head, bringing you out of your headspace. He waited for you to finally give up, but grew unceremoniously stunned when you answered him by sending the blood that had pooled inside your mouth straight into his face.

“You get on your knees and suck my proverbial cock, dragon shifter,” you returned aggressively, sending your fist up into his chin, causing him to bite onto his tongue and stumble backwards, almost tripping on his own tail. You pursued him, temporarily distracted by the man’s actual cock swinging in between his thighs. It was big. Way bigger than what you were used to seeing amongst the knight’s guild. Well, he was a beast after all. This distraction proved to be too powerful, allowing Seonghwa to sweep his tail underneath your feet, sending you down onto the rough ground in order to pin you underneath him.

“I didn’t think you had all of that in you,” Seonghwa huffed out, his heart racing from the adrenaline pumping through him, his pupils resembling marbles.

“Yeah, well, I did…” you mumbled, trying to breathe properly with his weight pushing down onto you, your own heart threatening to beat out of your chest.

Blood dripped out of his open mouth and landed on your face and neck, dribbling down the center of your chest, your soaked top glued to your skin. “Y/N…”

Thrown off by the use of your name, you tried to pull your wrists away from his tight grip, gently biting into your cut lip. “Wh-what?”

“I can smell your arousal…” he admitted under his breath, leaning his face down closer to yours, happily devouring the sight of your uncharacteristically flustered expression. “Why are you wet, knight?”

“Because I fell into a fucking river!” you snapped, trying to ignore the heat emanating from your face and the pulsing from in between your legs. Seonghwa moved one of his knees into between your legs so that you couldn’t close them, pressing it up into your mound and causing some friction, leaving you breathless.

“Don’t deny it, pup. We’re both adults, after all. You can admit that you want me. It’s okay.” Seonghwa pressed his lips onto your jaw, licking at the congealed blood that was left there, making you shiver.

“It’s just the adrenaline rush, okay? That’s the only reason I want this…” you mumbled to yourself, not wanting to admit to yourself that you’ve wanted Seonghwa since you came across him at the pond earlier that morning. And you definitely didn’t want to admit that you needed him after seeing what he was capable of doing. Needed him to treat you like a little play thing that he could simply swallow up. Perhaps you were a hypocrite for questioning Rosanna earlier.

“Take your trousers off. Panties too. I want to see how soaked you are for me,” he commanded gruffly, letting go of your wrists and sitting up, his tail slowly moving around in a snake-like motion around him, the ribbed tip of it flicking at one of your ankles. Seonghwa was looking down at you like you were his next meal. His next target to claim. To mark. You were going to be his just like Rosanna.

You sat up and pressed your back against the rough bark of the tree behind you, forcing your shame down into your throat and pulling your wet trousers off, tossing them onto the grass next to you. You swallowed harshly, hooking your fingers into the straps of your see-through panties, blushing deeply at the sight of the man in front of you. He was drooling, for starters. Breathing hard and heavy like he had just got done running. Burning holes into your skin with the intensity of his gaze, waiting to see you bare for him. You wondered just how much shifting into the headspace of a beast affected his normal thought process. Would he fuck you like a beast too?

“You look like you’re about to eat me,” you commented, pouting a bit.

“Not yet, puppy,” he replied in a low, calculated tone, his eyelids lowering slightly, the look in his eyes sending a jolt of fear down your spine. “I’ll save that for later.”

You saw a flash of black when you blinked. “Oh–” you barely got out, not even able to respond to his words, looking down at your bare cunt glistening with your slick, your panties split down the middle and falling into a pile on the grass. “Really?”

“You were taking too long.” Seonghwa moved closer to you so that he could get a good look at you. “Mm, you're a soaking wet mess just like I thought.” The tip of his tail slithered up and over your mound, making you gasp, eventually moving up and underneath your tank top, ripping it off of you.

“Does this thing have a mind of its own?” you asked with concern, watching as his tail wiggled in between your tits, fighting the urge to give into him completely, wanting him to continue leading you.

“No, this is all intentional, my love.” Noticing your gaze trailing his tail and the way it coiled around one of your tits, he licked at his lips, moving it up towards your mouth. “Get it wet for me.”

“G-get it wet?” you squeaked, your heart skipping a beat at his choice of words from before, not appreciating how soft it made you feel. “For what?”

Seonghwa shook his head slightly, blowing a bit of air out of his nose, amused by your reaction. He adored watching you submit to him little by little. He couldn’t wait to see what you looked and acted like when you were like putty in his claws. “So that I can fuck you properly,” he replied calmly, reaching out to grab your jaw, coaxing it open. “Don’t you want to be filled, knight? I can guarantee you’ll feel pleasure you didn’t even know existed.”

How did you get here? You were there to save Rosanna and be by her side and what were you doing? About to let her dragon shifter lover enter you with his tail? Now why on earth would you–

༻✧༺

“Just like that, pup. Just like that,” Seonghwa praised in between pants, watching as his tail slipped in and out of your open mouth, the tip of it hitting the back of your throat with each sloppy thrust, knowing he could stop at any second but not wanting to. His cock was too hard. Twitching. Shiny and red, and drooling just like he was. He was completely unable to take his eyes off of your watery ones and the way your throat contracted every time you choked on him. “You’re–fuck–doing so well. I…promise I’ll reward you. Don’t worry.”

You blinked your tears away, doing your best to relax your throat and breathe through your nose, trying to make sense of what was going on. Trying to understand why this was the most pleasurable moment of your life. Realizing that his tail must’ve been some kind of erogenous zone. Wondering what it’d feel like to get stretched out by it. Tempted to demand for him to fuck you with it. If only you could use your voice.

Sensing your desperation, Seonghwa slid his wet appendage out of your throat, letting it slide down your body, leaving a trail of spit behind. “You look like you want to say something, my sweet,” he mused, reaching towards your glistening chin to wipe some of the spit away.

“Inside…” you mumbled under your breath. “I want it inside.”

Seonghwa smirked, tilting his head to the side. “Want what?”

“Your…tail…” Your cheeks burned incessantly, making sure to swallow down the saliva that persistently filled your mouth. “I want it inside, Seonghwa. Give it to me.”

Taking in your delightfully submissive gaze, Seonghwa brought your chin in his direction and pressed a kiss beside your swollen lips. “Now that wasn’t so hard, now was it?”

“Give it to me before I chop it off and see if it regrows,” you returned snidely, feeling his grip tighten around your chin, his smirk growing wider.

With his thick tail coiled once around one of your thighs, Seonghwa used the tip of it to thrust steadily into your squelching hole, not completely sure how long he had been going at it for. It felt too good to think. “You haven’t felt pleasure like this for ages, have you, knight? You’re so wet…like it’s the first time you’ve been fucked by something other than your fingers,” he sighed out, running his own fingers up to your hips and holding them, feeling them jolt routinely against his touch.

“I’ve never…felt this before…” you replied in between breathless moans, trying to hold onto his shoulders for support, your hands starting to slip off of them from the sweat that had been coating the both of your heated bodies. “It shouldn’t feel this good…”

Seonghwa leaned in closer to lick at the cut on your lax jaw, tasting the remnants of blood, studying your feverish expression, figuring you were getting close again. “Just wait till you have my cock inside you instead.”

You squeezed around his tail again, making him groan, grabbing at his horns instead to keep from falling backwards, feeling the jagged edge of the one you sliced off earlier with your calloused fingers. “Seonghwa...shit…I don’t know if I can…nnngh…” You were already making such a mess on the dragon hybrid’s lap, your clear arousal spilt all over your joined thighs and lower abdomens, some even coating his already dripping cock.

“Shh, my love. You can let go now…Just let go and feel…” Seonghwa whispered into your ear with such gentleness it sent you over the edge once again, launching you into an endless abyss of pleasure, one that you weren’t even sure if you could crawl your way out of. What happened to your mission? Where was Rosanna? What would she think if she found you like this, being fucked beyond comprehension by the very individual that you swore to protect her from?

“Seonghwa, please, I can’t,” you begged near the man’s ear, your vision starting to fade in and out, your thighs shaking uncontrollably, unable to believe that his tail was still pistoning in and out of your tightening hole at a rapid speed.

“You can and you will,” he suddenly demanded raspily, burying his face into your neck and sinking his teeth into it, marking you just like he wanted to.

You came again, this time so hard, your ears began to ring and your vision faded out completely, passing out from exhaustion and not being able to witness Seonghwa cumming himself with a growl, not even having to touch his dick to do so.

༻✧༺

Rosanna stood in her bedroom with her arms folded across her chest, observing her lover holding you in his arms and gingerly walking up to her. You were sleeping soundly, your naked body limp, covered in bruises and cuts. “What did you do to her, Hwa?”

“We fought. She wanted to prove herself. She got me good too.” He walked up to their shared bed and laid your body down, pointing up to his sliced horn, not able to see the bruises left on his face.

Rosanna reached up to it, concern etched into her face, then looked down at you, running her fingers near the deepest cut on your arm. “You took things too far, Hwa. You were supposed to convince her to stay, not this.”

“She’s not as fragile as you think she is, my love…but, yes, you’re right. I’m trying to control myself in that state. It’s proving to be a bit more difficult.” Seonghwa turned around and walked to the other side of the room, gathering up a few jars of herbs and potions so that they could heal your wounds.

“How does it make you feel?” Rosanna asked, taking some of the jars from Seonghwa and opening a few of them, in order to prepare a mixture.

“The thoughts are taking a longer time to leave my head when I return to my normal state.” He handed Rosanna a mortar bowl and watched as she began crushing up the mixture inside.

“What kind of thoughts are you having?”

“Earlier, in the forest…I wanted…” he started, his blue eyes trailing your naked body, watching as your chest rose and fell, studying your closed legs, wanting to be in between them. “I wanted to breed Y/N. Until she couldn’t move. It was such a visceral feeling too, but I…I held myself back for the most part.”

“You’re waiting for my permission, hm?” Rosanna asked, turning the herbs into a fine paste underneath the pestle she was using. She chuckled at Seonghwa’s obedient nod, reaching over with her free hand to stroke his hair. “You can breed her, darling. Whatever you want, as long as she wants it too, you can give it to her.”

Seonghwa wiped his mouth to prevent any drool from falling from it, watching as Rosanna began placing the paste onto your wounds with a soft hum. “Do you think she’ll stay if we show her how much we want her?”

“I would like to think so.” Hopeful, Rosanna sat down on the edge of the bed and began petting your hair. She rested her hand on your cheek, smiling softly as you turned your head towards her palm, but didn’t wake up. “Though it has to be her decision.”

༻✧༺

You woke up to the feeling of a warm washcloth gliding across your abdomen, as well as two fingers running over the scar tissue of your brand, the trickles of water making you shiver. “Mm…” Once you opened your eyes, you blinked a few times to get used to the golden light pouring inside the room through the open window, eventually focusing on Rosanna, who sat in a chair beside the clawfoot tub you were laying in. “Princess…”

“Y/N….I know my father…he…” she started in a weak voice, gently tracing the insignia that was etched into your skin. “He’s a monster for doing this to you. I wish I could’ve done something to protect you. I…should’ve been by your side. I just didn’t know if he had control over you…if you were close to him like your father was. That’s why I kept to myself for so long, but that was…so selfish of me.” She closed her eyes, a tear falling from them once she looked at you, clearly struck by grief. “I’m so sorry…”

Hesitating only for a moment, you lifted your hand out of the heated water and caressed her cheek, rubbing her tears away with your thumb. “Don’t be sorry. You did what you had to for your own protection.” When Rosanna placed her hand over yours and leaned down further, you gave her a soft smile. “We’re two sides of the same coin, love. We both wanted to protect and take care of each other, but there was always something caught in the way.”

“And now…?” she whispered, dropping the washcloth in favor of holding your face, watching as you sat up.

Sighing softly, you pressed your forehead to hers. “Now, there’s nothing left to stop us. I see that now.”

She sighed as well, exhaling out all the worries, rage, grief, and despair she had felt for so long, instead drawing in everything that you were when she pressed her lips to yours. You kissed her back, sharing a gentle exchange of love and warmth, until it grew more desperate, more passionate, wishing it could somehow allow you to convey the myriad of things you felt inside that you simply couldn’t verbalize.

Breaking the kiss, Rosanna slipped out of her silk robe and climbed into the tub onto your lap, pressing kiss after kiss whenever she could, focusing on your neck once she heard the small breathless sounds you couldn’t help but let out. “What’s wrong, Y/N? Hmm?”

“Feels good…”

“Yeah? Do you want more?”

Smiling at your quick nod, her hand slid down in between your wet bodies, groping gently at your breasts, before slipping one, then two fingers inside you, chuckling softly at your surprised gasp.

“Princess,” you moaned, heat consuming your body and soul, tossing your head back just as she began to pump them in and out of you, her thumb pushing into your clit every time she filled you.

“What is it, love?”

Swallowing saliva down your throat, you gripped her thigh, pleading with your eyes. “Let me fill you too.”

Rosanna nodded her head at your request, emitting a choked gasp as you pushed two digits into her entrance as well and tried to match her thrusts, the both of you eagerly trying to bring one another to the same peak of pleasure. “That’s it, Y/N. Just like that…”

You leaned forward to bring Rosanna into an open-mouthed kiss, thumbing her clit with your other hand with as much quickness and pressure as she was offering you, moaning and gasping into her mouth, your bodies beginning to shake and tremble against one another’s. “Princess, oh my gods, please come for me…”

“I’m cumming, Y/N,” she cried out, resting his head in the crook of your neck, her cunt spasming around your fingers, until they were slick with her release. Rossana felt how tight you became around her own fingers, squeezing and rubbing your clit until you let out a silent cry and squeezed her shoulders for comfort.

Trying to catch your breath, you gazed at her until the bathroom door opened behind the both of you. “Rosanna…I…”

“Seems like you two are getting along,” Seonghwa interrupted cheekily, striding across the cracked tile floor and reaching down to pet both of your heads, his fingers slipping through your hair. “This is a lovely turn of events.”

Rosanna nuzzled Seonghwa’s hand, smiling to herself. “My love, won’t you take us to bed?”

“T-to bed…” you murmured to yourself, your cheeks hotter than the surface of the sun upon thinking about what had occurred the night before.

Seonghwa gave Rosanna’s forehead a kiss, before turning to you, grabbing you by the waist and hoisting you up over his shoulder, finding the squeaks you let out to be insanely adorable. Turning around the walk out of the bathroom with Rosanna at his side, he licked his lips, already drooling. “Let’s go, pup. I think it’s about time I eat you.”

“E-eat me?” you gasped, trying to bring your head up to look at Rosanna with pleading eyes, blushing even harder when she smacked your bare ass and chomped her teeth down in a teasing manner.

༻✧༺

“What’s wrong, pup?” Seonghwa asked huskily in between long, drawn-out licks to your reddened, puffy folds, his long tongue reaching from your clit to your tighter entrance each time, admiring the distant, glazed-over look in your dilated eyes. “Aww, already fucked dumb and I haven’t even bred you yet, hm? Tell me how good it feels.”

“It feels so good, Seonghwa,” you slurred out, unable to react to the feverish expression etched into the dragon shifter's face besides biting into your bottom lip, idly grasping at the princess' wrist for support.

“I bet it does. Hwa’s really good with his tongue,” Rosanna commented cheekily, suddenly blocking Seonghwa’s view of your face when she placed both of her knees on the opposite sides of your head, craning her head back to give him a perverse smile, much to his enjoyment. She pulled back slightly to gaze down at you, carding her fingers through your sweaty hair. “Want to show me what you’re capable of, my love?”

Dumbfounded, you stared up in between the princess’s thighs, swearing you were witnessing heaven itself. “I…wow…Yes, princess, please let me show you,” you answered her, having to swallow saliva down before you choked on it.

Chuckling softly from how endearing you were, she positioned her cunt down onto your mouth before you could say anything else, your eyes rolling back slightly as soon as you tasted her sweet warmth on your tongue. “Mmmn…” You instinctively wrapped your arms around her thighs, lapping at her folds up to her clit like an obedient pet, encouraging the princess to stroke your hair lovingly and rub herself on your open mouth out of pure desperation. “Yeah, just like that, pretty girl. Keep it up.” Fueled by Rosanna’s praise, you let go of one of her thighs to play with her clit, your moans sending pleasurable vibrations through her, unable to register the rest of her breathless praise from how distracting Seonghwa’s tongue was due to the way he kept shoving it in and out of your pulsing hole.

Seonghwa spread your lips apart with two fingers in a V formation, using his thumb from his other hand to rub and swipe at your swollen clit, not giving you a chance to instinctively buck your hips away from him, using his tail to wrap around you and hold you down. “Uh-uh-uh,” he teased in a muffled voice, pushing his slick appendage so far inside you, your vision started to fade out. You kept licking and licking, flicking and flicking your tongue up the princess’ throbbing pussy, opting to shove your tongue into her hole just like Seonghwa kept doing to you, losing yourself completely in the white hot pleasure that was pulsing through your entire body. There was no knight. No princess. No dragon. Just endless love. It was only when a hot gush of liquid spilled out into your mouth and went down your throat that you came to, squeezing and kneading Rosanna’s trembling thighs with your weak hands, drinking it down until there was no more.

Panting heavily, Rosanna climbed off of you and encouraged you to sit up, leaning her flushed face towards yours, dragging her tongue up past your bottom lip and into your mouth, tilting her head to bring you into a deep kiss, lowering one of her hands down to squish and pull at one of your tits. She opened her eyes up slightly to gaze into your barely open ones, her tongue coiling around yours, swapping spit and warm arousal with one another.

Once Seonghwa slurped your abundant arousal up into his mouth and licked his lips clean, he sat up as well, before standing up on the mattress in front of the both of you, idly grabbing your other tit, rubbing your nipple around with his thumb. “Do you like being filthy with your lovely princess, Y/N?” he questioned you in a gravelly voice, gripping the back of your head, as well as Rosanna’s as soon as you made a muffled sound of approval, alternating the position of your heads, deepening the kiss between the two of you, making the both of you moan into each other’s mouths. As soon as spit began to drip down your chins, Seonghwa emitted a low growl from the back of his throat, slowly slipping his cockhead in between your open mouths, groaning as you both began sucking on opposite sides, your tongues and lips working in tandem to slurp on his twitching length.

Knowing Seonghwa had been waiting for his chance to mate you, Rosanna slowly pulled away, wrapping her fingers around his cock and guiding it to your mouth, watching as you gingerly allowed it inside, the corners of your lips stinging from his size. “That’s a good girl, Y/N. You can take it all, right?”

You nodded your head quickly, sitting up on your knees to suck him off properly, holding onto his hips for support, trying not to gag when Seonghwa suddenly bucked his hips forward, forcing his cock down your throat, stretching it out.

“Mmmm, look at the pretty little knight with the dragon’s cock stuffed inside her pretty little throat. Isn’t it a beautiful sight, my love?” Once Rosanna nodded in approval and moved some of your hair out of your face, Seonghwa zoned in on you with glowing eyes, hunger visible on his arousal-stained face, the tip of his forked tongue swiping at one of his elongated fangs as he began to fuck your throat, thrusting steadily and enjoying all the gurgled noises you made. “Yeah, that's right. Get it nice and wet for me so I can breed that pretty pussy of yours, pup.”

You kept your mouth open as wide as possible for as long as you could, almost feeling lightheaded from the way his hot, heavy length kept pushing past your throat, gasping as soon as he pulled out and used your spit to slick up his cock, along with the abundant pre-cum that dripped from it. Seonghwa was breathing too heavily to speak his mind so you looked to Rosanna for guidance.

She kissed your cheek and hugged you lightly, rubbing your lower back in small circles. “Are you ready to take him, Y/N? He’s been waiting to become one with you, but only if you’re ready for it.”

You looked back at Rosanna, smiling softly, your body and heart full of warmth for her. Once you pressed a kiss onto her cheek as well, gingerly lacing your fingers with hers. “I’m ready.” Rosanna nuzzled you with her cheek, before looking up at Seonghwa, reaching up to pat his hip, causing him to spring into action.

In a head-down, ass-up position on the stiff mattress, you made sure to keep your eyes on the large, throne-like chair that was positioned at the foot of the bed, zoned in on the princess’s sweaty, shuddering body laid back against the seat, her fingers pushed deep inside her. “Oh, Princess…” you sighed out, overcome by the sight of her, but also taken by Seonghwa’s heavy body pressing down into your back, his cock ramming you forward with each powerful thrust. She gave you a lustful look back, breathing heavily and emitting soft moans of pleasure, pleased with the sight of her dutiful knight being fucked to hell and back by her precious dragon shifter.

Seonghwa chuckled darkly into your ear, hardly out of breath, despite how hard he was ramming into you. “Do you like the way Rosanna is looking at you? At us?”

“Yes,” you admitted shakily, a few beads of sweat dripping down along your neck and lower back, making you shiver, your throat hurting from how dry it was after breathing and moaning so heavily. “It feels so good…having her watching me…”

His tongue slithered out to lap up the sweat that dripped down your neck before it trickled onto the bed, eyeing the fading mark on your neck and sinking his teeth into it to make a fresh one, pleased with the strained moan that reverberated out of your throat. Seonghwa picked up the pace, his claws closing around your hips, hunching over and fucking into you like a ravenous animal, asking into your ear, “Tell me, do you want my kin inside you, Y/N? Do you want me to breed you like a proper mate?”

Locked into a delirious state of pleasure, barely able to focus on Rosanna’s increasingly blurry body jolting and sinking down into the chair as she met her climax, you found yourself nodding as quickly as you could. “Yes, yes, yes,” you chanted each time Seonghwa pounded himself into you, overcome by a delirious amount of pleasure once you felt his tail slide underneath your body to swipe and rub along your swollen clit, the rough scales sending almost painful strikes of pleasure into your core. “Breed me, Seonghwa. Breed me and make me yours.”

Seonghwa met Rosanna’s gaze, his lips curling into a blissful smile once he saw hers, knowing both of their wishes were coming true. You were his, and she was yours. The three of you allowed to mingle inside a space of your own, without any threats, able to join each other at a pinnacle of love for as long as your hearts desired. “As you wish, my love,” Seonghwa replied breathlessly, flipping your body around and facing you, using the tip of his tail to press into your clit in just the right way to make you let out a choked sob, your arousal coating his throbbing cock. “I’m going to fill you now. It’s coming, beloved.”

You tossed your head back onto the sheets below your head, about to fade away completely when Rosanna sat on her knees near the edge of the bed, beginning to run her fingers through your hair and leaving kisses on your cheek and earlobe, whispering sweet nothings and encouragement into your ear. Seonghwa’s relentless thrusts and the sudden intrusion of his cum flowing into your womb and filling you up to the brim sent you over the edge once again. You yelled out for them, reaching out your hands as well, feeling like you would drown in ecstasy without a way to come back to the shore. Seonghwa took your hand in his and held it tightly, leaning down against your body, still sheathed inside you, keeping you full of his love. Rosanna held your other hand just as tightly, pressing her cheek against yours, neither of them letting go of you.

༻✧༺

Turning your sore, bruise-riddled body in the velvet sheets, you faced the two slumbering individuals beside you, studying their features bathed in the moonlight that was peeking through the stained-glass window. Your dear Rosanna was wrapped up in Seonghwa’s arms, being held protectively from anyone or anything that wanted to do her harm. She held him back, her fingers clutching at the ends of his raven hair, her face displaying complete and utter peace. When you first arrived, you remembered the serenity etched into her features, her eyes diligently studying the book she was reading in the library. You remembered how Seonghwa looked at her anytime he was near her. With sparkling eyes full of love and longing. Perhaps they didn’t need you. You suddenly sat up and moved to the edge of the bed, holding two fingers over your heart, feeling it hammering inside your ribcage, your chest tightening up uncomfortably. Without thinking, you stood up and walked over to your clothes to begin putting your trousers on.

“I know things are complicated for you, but you shouldn’t go back to that monster of a king,” Seonghwa said in a hushed voice, already sitting up against the headboard, brushing his fingers over Rosanna’s hair as she slept soundly. You craned your neck back to look at the man, swallowing hard, the warmth inside your heart telling you that everything you felt before wasn’t a fluke. He ran a hand through his bed hair to smooth it out, leaning his head against the wood behind him. Sensing your apprehension, he sought to quell your fears. “ I’m truly sorry I gave you such a hard time before. I was acting out of selfishness. I couldn’t accept that you offered her something I couldn’t…”

Your grip loosened from the material that was hanging from your hips, letting it pool around your feet below. Seonghwa reached out for your hand, prompting you to take it. He squeezed your fingers, his eyebrows upturned with regret. “Please forgive me, love.”

You squeezed his fingers back, sliding back down onto the bed to leave a peck on his cheek. “I forgive you, Seonghwa. It’s okay. I…couldn’t accept that either, actually. I wanted to be the one that saved her. That took all her pain away. I wanted to be…her prince.” You laughed weakly at your own words, shaking your head, but Seonghwa looked at you with deep understanding. “I’m just a nobody with some rusted chain-mail. But…I’m happy being whatever she wants me to be.”

Seonghwa gave you a genuine smile, one that filled you with comfort. “She wants you to be you, darling. She fell in love with you…not the knight of the round table…” His voice drifted off as he pressed his lips to your cheek, closing his eyes. “Not the loyal guard of the king…” Another kiss, this one just beside your lips. “But you, Y/N, the softhearted, tenacious woman that’s underneath all the heavy armor you wear. That’s who she fell in love with.”

“So…I’m enough?” you asked under your breath, as though you were ready to crack and crumble underneath the weight of them.

“More than enough.” As Seonghwa encased your cheeks with his slender fingers, he brought you into a real kiss, letting you whisper a broken ‘thank you’ in between kisses. He brought you into his arms, giving you another gentle reminder, “You have a place here. With us. With her. I promise you.”

Once he let you go, you leaned your head in the crook of his neck, gazing down at Rosanna who was still sleeping soundly in his arms, tears threatening to leave your eyes. “I’ll stay...” Seonghwa nodded to himself in silence, rubbing your shoulder with his hand and pressing a small kiss to your cheek. You held your hand out above Rosanna’s head, wanting to touch her hair like Seonghwa had done earlier, but hesitating out of habit like you had done for many years prior.

Seonghwa took your trembling hand and guided it down to the princess’s head. “It’s okay, Y/N. You’re safe here. You don’t have to hide anymore.” He looked at you with his soft sapphire gaze, studying your softened expression for a moment, before looking down at Rosanna. “She wanted you to stay the most, you know. She’d stand at the windowsill right over there day after day, waiting for you to come. All this time.”

You didn’t realize you were crying until you saw your teardrops land onto Rosanna’s cheek and slide down onto the sheets in small splotches. Seonghwa sighed to himself, wondering if you had finally removed the last piece of armor you had on.

Rosanna’s eyes fluttered open when a tear landed on her eyelid, concerned by the sight of your immense display of emotion. She reached up to touch your tear-stained face, immediately asking, “Y/N, are you okay?”

You nodded, taking her cheeks into your warm hands and leaning down to press a gentle kiss onto her lips. Once you pulled away, you heard her make a small noise of protest at the loss of your warmth, causing you to let out a chuckle. “I’m more than okay…”

She wiped a few of your tears away with her thumbs, gazing up at you. “Then why are you crying, my love?”

Taking in a deep breath, you pressed your forehead onto hers, whispering, “I love you, Rosanna…since the very beginning, I’ve loved you with all my heart.”

Rosanna blushed heavily, suddenly wrapping her arms around you and pulling your body flush to hers, burying her face into your neck so that you couldn’t see how much you had affected her. “I love you too, Y/N. More than you know.”

“Once more,” you requested against her ear, eventually meeting her uncharacteristically shy, but passionate gaze.

“I love you, Y/N,” she answered with all the passion she could conjure up, relieved that you looked just as flustered as she did.

Your thumb pressed into her bottom lip, wanting to feel it move under your skin when she recited the spell that she now had you under. “One more time…”

Rosanna clutched the back of your head with two hands, her heart still skipping a beat when she said, “I love you…”

“As do I, Rosanna. Always and forever,” you returned, encouraging Rosanna to press her lips onto yours, your bodies melding to one another, making you forget about everything else entirely.

Seonghwa reached down to pet the tops of your heads, thankful he could witness a happy ending being written right in front of his eyes, the ink still wet to the touch. Though the books ahead were still full of blank pages, the first was finally complete, ready to be put back onto the shelf in favor of a new one.

➽───────────────❥

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azsazz · 3 months

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Little off topic but which sjm character do you think is best in bed?

Hm, this is a great question but also a very difficult one because i think that each character can be so different...

apparently i've decided to make a comprehensive list of all of their sex lives so enjoy lol. it's long as fuck. I tried to put them in order of personally who i think would be the best to the "worst" (this is just my opinion its cool if your roster differs):

i'm getting the vibes that rowan might be the most well rounded in a bedroom scenario. he can definitely be dominating if you've had a busy day and just need to be fucked. he can manhandle you into any position he wants, whisper filthy things in your ear while he fucks you deep. you're a sopping wet mess for him, cunt clenching and back arched when he commands you to cum. like i can't picture, say, dorian or chaol doing this kind of thing...personally. but i also think he's so sweet that he would be the aftercare king. there's also instances where i can see him being so kind and gentle, or if you're wanting to give him a ride or try something new, he's the best person for that.

az is also high up on the list because obviously. i think he can both be dominating and gentle, adventurous and soft. he knows exactly what you need when you need it, not because he's so attuned to your bond, but also because of his shadows. you're having a bad day? let him fuck it out of you. you're angry? he'll let you tear his skin with your nails, bite him, ride him to expel all of that negative energy on his cock. then you'll be all pliant and soft again while he cradles you to his chest. feel like you're two seconds from bursting into tears? he'll go nice and slow, wiping the tears that escape your eyes while you're overwhelmed with emotions and stuffed full with his cock.he knows your limits and he might tease that line sometimes, but he wouldn't ever cross it because your safety comes first.

let's see...sex with cassian is always a good time. he's so confident that it makes you squirm. and he's not afraid to try new places. you won't even make it to your room at the end of the date, cassian's pressing you up against the foyer wall and lifting your skirt to shove his cock into you because you've been teasing him all night with that fucking dress. i think he's so confident that he'll let you do anything, try anything. you want to peg him? he's already on his knees for you. you want to add a third? he's already calling out to azriel or nesta or anyone who has your attention. you're not afraid to tell him anything, ask him anything in regards to the bedroom because he's that caring.

rhysand, well, we all know what he's all about. they don't call him high lord for nothing. and those fuckin mind powers can drive you nuts, though, i know rhysand doesn't like to use them all of the time, because he's worried if he does it too much it will skew your reality and memories, and fuck, he needs you to remember the way he's fucking into you the way you're screaming for him. he often allows you into his own head, to share what he's feeling. it's almost like you know what it feels like to be dipping your hot cock into your own cunt, and down that open a realm of possibilities in the bedroom. also, that silver tongue we know so well does an excellent job against your clit, whispering encouraging words as you reach your crest. rhys has moves that no other character has and that puts him pretty high on the list.

eris i think can be a really soft lover that can fucking go for days. he's addicted to you in every meaning of the word. he could eat you out all night, fuck you until you're a weeping mess for him. but he hates seeing you cry, yet that raw feeling deep down in his chest has him torn, because he never wants to stop. he's soft because no one has ever been soft on him, except you. on the other hand, eris has a temper. we know this. when he's in a mood, he will not hesitate to go rough on you, bending you over his desk, the war plans covered by your body as he fucks you and fucks you hard. had a run in with his father that put him in a shit mood? he's taking it out on your pussy. had to go meet with the night court and cassain made a snarky comment that hit a little too close to home? he's fucking you so hard you don't have the breath to question why he's in such a mood.

lorcan my hate-fucking king. he's grumpy as fuck, knows what he wants. gives me major ghost vibes (iykyk). he'll take what he wants from you whenever he wants but he won't leave you without a few orgasms yourself. he's not as vocal, grunting and using his large hands to move you how he likes, guide your hips while you're riding his cock, a palm flat across your back that he presses into to make you arch for him more. gods, the way he fucking manhandles you because who can compare to this mans sheer size? he's hung as fuck, and he spends a lot of time stretching your cunt for him. it's not often that he forgets, but if he does it feels like you're being split in fucking half on his cock. you may have suffered some internal bleeding somewhere down the line because he went a little too hard with a little less prep than you were used to.

ruhn is another confident male who knows exactly what he's doing in bed. he's a player, cocky, arrogant, thinks he has you wrapped around his little finger but it's quite the opposite. he's the one that's had to chase you, and oh wow, was that fun. when you finally reach the point where he can show you what he's got, there's no going back. he's all over you from that point on. you're walking across town? he's right next to you. you're at one of his parties and didn't tell him you were coming? well, you little tease, he's just going to have to punish you for that, pulling you into a closet or bathroom for a quickie even though his bedroom is literally right upstairs. he's always got his hands on you, ready to spread your legs and feat or dunk his cock into you like some horny teenager whenever he wants. he's always hard for you.

lucien is hard for me to figure out, and i'm not really sure where he'd fall on the list because i don't think i have his personality down. i love that he would be so sarcastic and snarky, making little quips to both annoy you and turn you on. he's knows what he's doing, letting those long fingers brush across your exposed skin. he's teasing you the entire way through it; a brush of a knuckle against your swollen clit, a tease of his tongue in the same manner. just the head of his cock resting at the very opening of your cunt, hot and needy for you. it's torture for him too, but to see you squirming like this, gods, he'll hold off his own orgasm for ages to see you like this.

aedion i bet would be killer in bed. he gives me lucien vibes a bit, with the sexy comments that brush across your skin like his skilled tongue. i feel like he's really open with his sex life, not in the sense where he's telling everyone what noises you make in bed or how when he lifts your leg at a certain angle, you scream so much louder for him, but he makes it clear when he's hungry for you. at dinner, he openly looks at you through lowered, lazy lids. the lust oozes from him and everyone at the table knows that he's going to be taking you back to his bed as soon as that last bite leaves your plate.

hunt is just a good man. kinda makes me want to cry a little bit. he's definitely a giver, isn't worried at all about himself until he's thoroughly taken care of you. uses his wings to his advantage, letting the soft feathers brush across your hard nipples. his hands are strong, calloused from wars, but the way that they're gentle, scraping across your skin has you in a frenzy. i know hunt has the best thighs (besides cassian), and his ass is amazing too.

fenrys. my mans. he loves anything wild and free, so i have the feeling that sex with him would be much the same. i think that he's been through some horrible things, torturous things, so he'd never tease you to the point of tears, because that's just not him. sex with fen is fun, easygoing. you don't have to think hard about anything because it's naturally good.

dorian i gotta say is not super high on my list either. for the phantom hands alone he'd be a great lay. it might be a little overwhelming, but they definitely come in handy (haha). i can see him being a little arrogant, though he sees it as confidence. he's a prince, gets what he wants when he wants and that's no different with you. oh, how he loves how obedient you are for him, those pretty lips wrapped around his cock while he lies back, watching you with those sapphire eyes. but when you're really in a mood not to listen, gods, it makes him harder than a rock. when you're being a little bratty, he loves fucking that out of you until you're clinging to him again, begging him to let you cum.

tharion im not too sure about either. i like how funny he seems to be, and he also seems really open about his sexual prowess. i think he knows his way around a pussy and a cock, he's open to trying anything. he also seems like a giver...like i can picture you down by the marina hiding between boats, your ass perched precariously on the edge of the dock while he eats you out from the water. anyone can see, but tharion is just that convincing, needing to taste you right then or there, not caring that he could easily drag you down into the waters below. he likes the thought of someone finding you like this, all whiny and messy from his tongue.

chaol's probably further down the list. he is a man of order, he follows the rules to a t. you know what you're getting when you take him to bed, but that doesn't mean it isn't good sex. that's why you've chosen him. he knows what he's doing, and although he might not be as adventurous as some of the other characters, he knows his way around your body so that you're never dissatisfied.

ithan...i'm sorry, i just really can't picture him that well. i know that i wrote a breeding kink for him but the entire time i was like "this isn't him this isn't him." i can't help but to think of ithan as like a 19 year old lol (ik, he's 22). i don't think it would be awkward sex, but i do think that he has the potential to be a soft lover. he gives me the vibes of cocky college students but sweet on his girl.

#ask azsazz #azsazz #acotar #tog #cc #sjm men

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detectivemarvelingcomics · 7 months

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Ik you're working hard on the next nycv chapter buuuuuut if it's okay can i ask for more cute pre-isekai!batsis stuff with the batboys 🥺 if you're okay with it ofc!

Oh I'm always down for writing stuff about NYCV, sure I'll do like some bullet points or something

Not a chapter but y'all get some NYCV stuff too! Also to those who haven't read it this should be readable without having prior knowledge of the series so feel free to sit back and enjoy some Batboys fluff!

Tag list since it's technically NYCV content: @gabytodd @peachydokii @marshmallow12435 @f0leysgurl @luminaaz @lolsnacks @akuri-shinsou @pansinspace @time-shardz @lovely-maryj @urminebutidontwantyou @y3oudsc @rainnyydaysworld @underworlder @franini @mayo-0-o

NYCV!Batsis & the Batboys

[Not Your Classic Vigilante Masterlist]

Dick Grayson

As we all know, he's the first batsib, talk about a high bar to reach (ba dum tss), and luckily for you he was an amazing older brother.

Fun where it counts, doting 24/7, protective when the situation calls for it, and stern when he has to be. There's a reason why you looked up to him more than your father in some regards.

Whenever he's off on a mission somewhere far away, he sends you postcards. You keep them in a box under your bed and you haven't thrown a single one away! Each card had a cheesy joke written on them, something to make you smile while he was gone is how he signed them all off with.

There was one time he was on 'Babysitter Duty' (as they later put it) and you ended up staging a bank robbery in the ballroom while he played the Boy Wonder (of course) who saved the day! (Poor Alfred was nominated to be Condiment King).

He's actually insufferable, his coworkers used to hate him because of how often he'd pull his phone/wallet/photobook/whatever could physically hold your picture just to gush and say "Look at my baby sister isn't she perfect?!" "Dude, that's, like, a whole ass teenager" "Shut up."

Although you'd always shown interest in his vigilante work, up until after the whole "I will never be a vigilante thing" much later, Dick was always very very careful in keeping you away from it. Hell, you didn't even know he was a Robin until you wandered into his room one evening when he came back from patrol.

By the time you'd figured him out, he did everything he could to keep you away from harm's way. You just weren't trained to handle yourself, and Dick would be a leader before he was your brother, as much as he'd hate to admit it. So, to keep you safe, he kept you away.

But, when he was there, he made sure to be the best older brother you could ask for. Gifts, advice, jokes, confidants, anything you'd ask. After all, he had competition.

Jason Todd

AKA, the Competition. He's the next batsib you got and so far he apparently holds the title for 'Best Sibling' (according to a ranking system you didn't know about that's being score kept by Alfred, in second place is Cass, for those wondering).

If Dick was the doting older brother then Jason was the annoying one. The kind of brother to open the door to your room, stare at you for five minutes, and walk away like nothing happened. The kind of brother to pull a 'I'm not even bothering you!' kind of move.

But, when it comes down to it, oh this dude's taking a bullet for you. I mentioned it once in the story but he'd always wanted a younger sister and bam he got one, sure he thought you were a spoiled brat at first (and in some ways you were) but hell he's damn sure he'll keep you that way if it meant you'd always be, well, you.

There were some days he'd wonder what it would be like if you'd switched places. If he was the one with the silver spoon and you were the Gotham street rat and nope, shake that thought out of his head. Without you he's sure he'd have gone off the deep end in this vigilante shit.

As much as you'd argue that you both secretly hated each other, you'd remember the time when Jason broke his hand punching Conner Kent in the face. He'd just come back to the family and while you were both getting caught up, you let slip that you broke up because he fell in love with someone else and... whoops. Good thing Tim was there to talk some sense into him.

For the record, Conner did lose his footing, but he argues it's because he was caught off guard, while Jason swears up and down it's because the Lazarus Pit made him stronger, or something like that. You try not to think about it, you're surprised you're still allowed within Titan tower.

He'd never admit it, but of the batsibs he actually knows you best. If the others have questions about what you'd like or how you'd react to something they'd ask Jason. He'd always answer in a way that would wave them off, but he's never been wrong.

Jason, as cold-shouldered as he could be, he has a soft spot for you. If he ever saw you in trouble he's definitely going to step between whatever's going on, don't doubt him on that.

Tim Drake

The first younger brother and, in his argument, therefore the best. Ironically since he was the first younger one you did dote on him a little too much, being the one "good cop" figure in the manor while he was training to be a Robin.

Of course, though you were on the civilian side of things, he actually looked up to you in ways he never could with Dick or Bruce. While they're mainly for the vigilante stuff, you're just there to make sure he doesn't forget who he is: Timothy Drake and not just a Robin.

You were really trying to replicate what your older brothers did for you with Tim, though it was only a little more difficult with his background. Hard to get gifts for someone who probably already has it, and hard to keep secrets and surprises from someone who's good at figuring them out, but you always figured out a way, and those ways always made him happy to see.

Thursdays are Tim and (Y/N) days, everyone in the family knows it. It started out as a mini tradition to get Tim out of the house every now and then and soon it became routine, it was the time you both took to catch up with each other and this especially became true after you went to college. Those times were precious for him, and he always looked forward to it.

Until, that is, other members started crashing it. It started with Dick coincidentally running into you both and suddenly now Jason's already sitting at your booth? And Stephanie? And Cass? Barbara?! What happened to Tim and (Y/N) time?!

But, he had to admit, it was rare to see them all getting along well like this. He couldn't complain, as long as you all got to spend time together that's all that mattered. And, in the end, it was always you two anyway. You are one of his greatest confidants, and he is one of yours likewise. Despite the short age gap, you often found that you shared a lot in common with him. Maybe it was because of your similar backgrounds, or maybe it was because you doted on him so much.

Tim looks up to you. More than you think, and more that you'd expect. Every time you reminded him that you were just a civilian part of it seemed wrong to him. You're as much a part of the family as he is, or as anyone is, and usually it would be him to remind you of that when he caught you distancing yourself again.

You couldn't hide anything from each other, you could read him so easily and he was just good at finding things out. And when it came to being middle siblings, well, that's a pact in and of itself.

Damian Wayne

When you'd heard about getting another younger brother, a blood related one at that, you were ecstatic. Of course, you had Tim, but Tim had his responsibilities to the Drakes too, Damian was a Wayne and so were you, it was a little different.

Sure, his appearance was... sudden. His first impressions not so great either, but you could read him well. He was so young when he came into your father's care and underneath the harsh training and the poisoned words was still that little boy he is and you were determined to help him remember that it was okay to be a boy.

Taking him to the arcade, buying him books, and treating him out for meals were just a few points off of a list of things you've done to make him feel comfortable. You're not a vigilante, you can't help him with training or anything else, but you can help him in other ways and you tried to show that to him.

It took forever. Maybe about a year or so for him to finally open up to you, but once he did it was like a triumph to you, and you knew that you did well when one day you woke up and saw him fast asleep at the foot of your bed, still clad in pajamas and eyes slightly puffy from whatever happened the night before. He's still a boy. You'd remind that to everyone when necessary.

After a while, he would come to you to ask about civilian things, troubles at school, troubles with making friends, and even troubles at galas. And every time you were there to help him out, giving him a few tips and tricks on how to avoid the paprazzi, maybe a clue here and there about what to look out for when looking for friends, and, of course, study tips so he didn't lose his mind in academy.

One day, while waiting to pick him up, there was a knock at your window. It was a woman you'd never seen before. She wore a headscarf that covered her hair and a pair of sunglasses that partially concealed her identity and, hell, if you didn't know any better you'd think that was your own mother. But something told you that she wasn't there to just say hello and, naively, you opened your door and let her in.

She sat at the passenger's seat, everything about her poised and elegant to the point that you were near in awe at her disposition and, quietly, she spoke, "thank you, for everything you've done for Damian." Talia al Ghul, she had to be, why else would she be here? You hadn't heard much about her, you'd barely even seen a few pictures of her from Damian's belongings, but here she was. "Of course," you'd answer, "I know it's not the same, but I know a little bit of how it feels to be alone." And to this she nodded, with a small smile, and with one glance out the car she left, moments later being replaced by Damian.

"So, where are we going today?" He'd ask. You'd give him a list of places, ask him to choose one, and you'd head there with him in tow. One of his favorites had always been the park.

Bonus: Bruce Wayne

I had to include bat-dad. Despite how I write him, he actually really is a good father, just not in the way you'd expect him to be. Y'all hold out for his arc, I promise it will be good!

When you were first dropped off at the manor, you didn't know what to expect from him. He was this huge imposing figure who was clad in black with a scowl on his face, you thought he hated you already. You were so young at the time, how could you have known any better?

Whenever he spoke to you, he'd crouch down and speak in a gentle voice. Whenever you'd ask him of something, even if it seemed like he didn't hear you, you'd see your answer within the next few days. He'd build you a whole other manor if you asked for it.

If only he wasn't so busy, juggling his role as CEO and Batman, he barely had enough time for the both of those, let alone time to raise a daughter, but he tried to show you that he was there in other ways. Fully funding your schooling was a given, but whenever you'd show interest in anything suddenly you'd see more of it in the manor.

When you'd expressed to Dick that you were interested in the piano, you found one in the house the next day. When you'd told Jason that you wanted to read more of a certain author, her entire collection was in the library. You once told Tim that you wanted to go to Metropolis U for college and, out of nowhere, there was an offer for a full ride. You and Damian used to go over to the Kent's to play a certain video game since neither of you had the time to bring it over and, would you look at that, the manor now has a game room.

A series of misunderstandings is what plagued this relationship. One from a father who barely felt the love of a parent and the other from a daughter who vyed for it. You both found your own way of communicating with each other, and it wasn't until the very end where it got strained.

But could you blame him?

You called him a monster.

You didn't even let him explain himself.

But, truthfully, even if you did...

He wasn't sure if you'd understand it.

Hell, he didn't even understand it himself.

All he felt was the heartbreak of realizing he made a mistake that couldn't be undone.

#dc #batman #batfamily #batfam #batsis #batsis fics #batfamily x batsis!reader #batfam x reader #batfamily scenarios #batfamily x reader #batsis!reader #batfam fics #batfamily fics #batfamily x batsis #batfam x batsis!reader #batfam x batsis #my writings #nycv

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whbtheories · 8 months

Text

Character Preview: Satan

Domain: Gehenna

Sin: Wrath

Birthday: July 14 (Cancer)

Idiosyncrasy: spanking

Mental condition: depression

Ability: shapes the blood of those who love him

Theme colours: red, white

Interest

Of all the demons in What In Hell Is Bad? seen thus far, Satan's proclivities are perhaps the most tame of all, with only spanking highlighted as sparking his interest.

That said, his subjects are apparently big fans of being hit on the regular by their ruler, and his depression makes him quite the slapper.

Depression and Satan often go hand in hand, whether he is being blamed for it afflicting mortal beings, or portrayed as conquered antagonist or tragic figure.

And of course, his love of violence fits his sin to a tee.

We are told he is a lover of being both the spanker and spankee, but that anyone who gets with him on that level will soon be used to the submissive role 👀

(NB - the usage of S and M as personality traits in this context don't fully translate to sadist and masochist, but rather to dominant and submissive, or assertive and passive personality types.)

July is not a month associated with Satan, however the 14th is apparently Pandemonium Day - with Pandæmonium also being Milton's name for the capital of Hell, ruled by Satan, in Paradise Lost.

If we turn to the lunar calendar then July is also home to the Hungry Ghosts Festival, in which the ghost door opens and allows spirits to walk among us 👀

(The 15th of the 7th lunar month is when Dìguān, the Earthly Official of Taoism, visits this realm to absolve people of sins... And perhaps Satan seeks to beat him to the punch with his tempting deals.)

Personality

The ruler of Wrath is unsurprisingly said to be the most violent of all seven kings of hell, but despite this he is friends with all his subjects, an interesting feat.

It helps that the residents of Gehenna actively enjoy being the target of his wrath, with even Ppyong enjoying being slapped on his lil booty.

Satan spends his nights drinking with lesser demons in back alley taverns, suggesting a more casual approach to his conduct. Not so prim or proper.

He is also the first demon we meet in-game, and he is depicted as intense, knowledgeable, and tactically smart. And of course, exceedingly horny. He has a lot of ego but seemingly the skills and wisdom to back it up.

In this respect he is similar to Obey Me Satan in having a strategical mind and a flair for the dramatic, but unlike that Satan, WHB Satan seems confident in expressing multiple emotions without losing his head in his passion.

In tandem with Lucifer - and including Beelzebub who is often conflated with both - Satan is the demon most frequently portrayed in our media, historical and contemporary, and generally appears as one of two archetypes: the odious and not terribly bright monster of Dante's Inferno, often gifted with red skin and pitchfork; or the charming tragic figure of Paradise Lost, who may or may not bring ruination to us all.

This Satan is definitely in the latter camp, though just how charming he can be is yet to be revealed...

Aesthetics, symbolism, and my rating in the cut! ↓

Aesthetics

Satan is very much the pretty boy of the demon kings we've seen thus far, with long flowing locks, elegantly long horns, and an innocent looking face - well, other than the glowing red eyes, black cross pupils, and inverted cross mid-forehead.

His long black horns are tipped with blood red to match his eyes, and this colour also highlights his jumpsuit with a Seal of Solomon on each arm.

That seal is repeated in silver as his belt buckle, giving us a demon that is marked by Solomon three times - quite the statement. And in case it wasn't clear, he has the number 666 on him twice, as well as 'Gehenna'.

A full view of his outfit also reveals some katakana but it's beyond my translation abilities - I get something similar to boom/explosion isle which feels half correct at best. Although actually...

I wonder if it's a nod to Bakuon Rettou itself, which would certainly explain Satan's bōsōzoku style outfit 🤔 It's a subculture look from the 80s in Japan, consisting mostly of jumpsuits and bad biker boy aesthetic, with a dose of pseudo-nationalism to a greater or lesser extent - very problematic for irl nationalism, but fitting for a king of hell. They also put slogans on their jumpsuits that were translations of "cool sounding English" (eg "boom island", the literal translation of Bakuon Rettou.)

Bōsōzoku are an old fad now, but as a fashion type they are still popular in surrounding countries, thanks to popular media like the Bakuon Rettou manga.

(And on an even bigger tangent, they were heavily associated with nameneko merchandising, which as you can probably guess is cat related! OM Satan would approve of that part.)

If we see Satan on a motorbike, consider that one solved!

The inverted cross is also repeated - on his boots, his pants, and in the negative space of his heart pendant. This is a far more modern symbol of the occult, as until recent decades it was a holy symbol representing St. Peter.

In modern pop culture though the inverted cross is synonymous with Satan, hence its appearance here.

The placement on the forehead is also notable, as this is where the ash cross is placed on those repenting their sins - the inversion of that would suggest pride and relish of one's sins. Again, fitting for Satan himself.

And he has a final inverted cross on a long cord trailing from his hips to his knees - in this case one that is remiscent of Celtic high and Anglo-Saxon crosses of old.

This cord, along with his many belts and those boots, also ties in with the bōsōzoku vibe.

His thematic colours of white and red are a very provocative choice. White is a colour mostly associated - in this context - with angels and beings of celestial origin, as well as the concepts of purity, divinity, and origin.

For Satan himself to sport the holiest of colours is deliberately bold, not least with it accented by the colour of blood, of violence, and of passion.

His outfit is casual to the extreme but styled expertly. He very much gives the vibes of a delinquent king who is down to drink with his subjects, and he is also the leader whose outfit has least in common with the other residents of his realm.

In some ways this could suggest a demon who is careless about his throne, but imo Satan's look more strongly suggests supreme confidence in his reign.

A (pink-toned) blonde Satan reminds me of Lucifer from DC/Vertigo comics, who unlike Tom Ellis is platinum blonde and fed up of hell, as well as Satan from Ao no Exorcist who is the king of, wait for it, Gehenna.

[I'll dig into Gehenna in another blog ( ಠ▿▿ಠ)و ̑̑]

The only portrayal that comes to mind that has both blonde hair and red eyes though is Lucifer in Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis - who also sports long black horns tipped with red. Personality wise though, they are completely different.

Overall his look is quite becoming, youthful with a knowing smirk, and absolutely made to tempt with large eyes, and teasing tongue behind a fanged grin.

My Rating

Firstly I should admit my own bias - after Mammon, Satan was always going to be the demon I would judge most harshly as I am a big fan of how he is portrayed in Obey Me.

That take on Satan, and the intricacies involved in his origin from Lucifer and subsequent strained relationship and burgeoning personality, are admittedly undercut by later in-game writing that reduced him to a far flatter interpretation. But still, the juice was there!

So, bear in mind that this is a harsh personal eye I am casting upon this Satan.

Satan and Lucifer both have the biggest challenge in being portrayed in a new and unique fashion, having been done so many times before, and in my opinion this Satan does an excellent job of establishing himself with an iconic new look.

The long pastel hair and large eyes give great contrast to massive horns and slit pupils, while his outfit is impressively modern and stylish.

Only one very minor criticism would be the lack of tail, but considering none of the WHB demons have yet been shown with one, that is either a deliberate stylistic choice for the whole game, or we simply haven't yet been granted permission to see them. Either way, as it applies to all, it can be disregarded.

This Satan stands as very distinct from OM Satan, and really from any other Satan I can think of. The long hair is a really nice touch, especially given his overall contemporary vibes.

One of the prettiest Satans I've seen, and one of the most intriguing.

10/10.

#whb theories #whb satan #whb #what in hell is bad #what in hell is bad satan #satan

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bunnymajo · 9 months

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Did an update design for Tiara B. She's definitely a sporty & adventurous character but I wanted to avoid workout clothes like Tangle's, I so I went for a jumper and did a scrunchie instead of a bow since I think Fiona pretty much owns big yellow bows imo. I also kept the wand because I like it, and decided to make more of a backstory for the giant rock on it & give it a name and explain I guess what she would be doing.

I broke it down into 3 parts & put it under a cut

1 - Harmony Diamond- Treasure of the Boobowski royal family. Only the royal family are able to wield it and the power level varies depending on it’s users state of mind (ie - if depressed or low on energy it’s not as powerful as when they’re determined & confident) It’s main ability is it’s able to heal or restore what’s broken. Including healing the sick. In combat it can absorb & nullify attacks, basically it becomes an OP shield. It’s encased in a scepter that can also be used as a blunt weapon. (I also kind of want it to look like a gymnastics ribbon while in motion. Like a beam of light that whips around whenever the wand moves) Tiara, as the last remaining member of the Boobowski family, is the only one left to wield it.

As a child her father told her to keep its power a secret because he didn’t want others coming for her, despite her protests that it could really help people in need. Gazebo starts to consider finding a way to duplicate the diamond. The real one to keep and the duplicate to try and use more publicly & possibly distribute throughout the world if duplication is successful. In his experiments of trying to convert a chaos emerald into another harmony diamond, this causes an unforeseen reaction and Gazebo suddenly vanishes without any remains. The diamond and emerald are repelled to the opposite sides of the room. Tiara witnesses the incident in horror. She disposes of the emerald and starts carrying the Harmony Diamond and Gazebo’s notes with her at all times in her quest to find him and answers on what exactly happened.

Notes: -Based on the “rings of order” concept from Sonic Xtreme of being opposites of the chaos emeralds. Shiny rocks are just more interesting than rings.

also inspired by the Silver Crystal from Sailor Moon (which culturally are the opposite of Dragon Balls, the inspiration for Chaos Emeralds)

also also tying in some of the original game drafts where Gazebo was trying to make a cure for a disease that Sonic had to transport(?)

2- The Boobowski Royal family & the Castle of Light - located in a northern region (in between Holoska & Spagonia) the Boobowski family had been its ruler for centuries, but in recent history the kingdom’s population & general well being declined. The King at the time had been more frugal with the Diamond’s use and kept its powers secret, when the people revolted to form a democracy, the royal family was cast out and lived among its citizens. The castle became public property as well but it suffered heavy damage from the revolt.

Gazebo is from the 3rd generation after the revolt. Even with the political change the population still dwindled, almost as if it was cursed. The royal family’s history remained a faint memory, and he & Tiara lived in the mountains (like the Mobian Alps) mostly staying outside of the world of politics, Gazebo as a local doctor. Tiara is a “princess” in family heritage only. Gazebo sometimes wonders what it would be like to restore the Castle of Light to its former glory. This is also what motivates him to duplicate the Harmony Diamond, so that he can get a boost of power to heal the castle & the surrounding area. Tiara has no interest in politics or being a pampered princess, but she did enjoy working alongside her father with patients and helping people.

Notes: -Castle of Light has been documented as Sonic Extreme’s hubworld & where Tiara was from so I wanted to utilize it.

Wanted to make the history distinct enough from Satam’s Acorn Kingdom (since Tiara looking for her father is already pretty similar to Sally’s story) and have its conflicts come from internal struggles vs. outside forces like Eggman attacks or whatever the heck was happening in Soleanna.

3 - Tiara’s character- Since Gazebo’s disappearance Tiara has been traveling alone. In her home village she was always wandering off on her own so she’s used to being independent. She puts on a determined face & positive attitude through this whole ordeal but doesn’t let anyone get too close & won't ever admit to anyone that she’s felt lonely & scared. She’s pretty confident in her physical abilities so sometimes she can seem hot-headed, impatient or even arrogant on a bad day. She has short patience for people picking fights in particular (so like, Rough & Tumble she would absolutely yell at & fight them without hesitation)

At the end of the day she won't give up until she finds an answer as to what happened & where her dad went. She doesn’t mind if she has to sacrifice personal relationships for herself to get there. She’s put out missing persons reports in every town she’s visited. She usually stays in town for a week to a month, working odd jobs or helping citizens from badniks. She goes to the gym a lot (into gymnastics, aerobics, rock climbing) and likes following the local sports scene. Big jock energy.

#not sure if it's too much yellow. but I like it for now #tiara boobowski #tiara #sonic #my art #sonic xtreme

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coming-lieutenant · 9 months

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Hello!

Got another idea about younger detective and how Hank can't believe she likes him, so he thinks she spends time with them for Connor, until she's fed up with all of this and kisses him. Maybe in front of DPD 👀.

Thanks Queen/King/any other royality you might identifies with 💖😌

Get a Fucking Clue

A/N: Sorry for the delay 😭 my life literally imploded over the last week and a half and I finally got the ship back on course. I hope you enjoy it!! I’m so sorry it took me so long!

Cool, refreshing air envelopes your body, a comforting contrast to the summer heat outside as you walk step into the Detroit Police Precinct. Today marks the beginning of a new journey for you as a criminal investigator. Over are the days of sitting on the side of the road, in alleys, waiting for someone to break into a building, mug some unsuspecting passerby, or any of the other unsavory activities that occur under the moonlight of this restless city. Now, you get to work among some of DPD’s finest on the scenes of the crimes, solving crimes with much higher stakes.

You take a breath, trying to keep yourself cool and collected as you walk into the Bull Pen. You’ve been in here before, but typically you didn’t spend much time here. You walk through, looking at the desks, looking for the lieutenant and his partner you’ve been assigned to train under. You see a man, or android, rather, as you can tell by the bright blue LED on his temple, sitting at a desk. You recall being told the partner in question was an android detective sent by Cyberlife, and though you don’t see anyone sitting with him, you approach anyway.

“Hello. You must be Connor,” you say, greeting the android as you walk up to the desk. He looks up from his computer at you. “Hello,” he says, giving you a warm smile, “I am in fact. Can I help you with something?” You look at the empty desk across from him. “Have you seen Lieutenant Anderson this morning?” You ask, puzzled by his absence. Connor smiles again. “It would be surprising if I had. I’ll call him and let him know you’re here.” He picks up his phone, calling Lieutenant Anderson. He looks mildly surprised as his call is answered. “Lieutenant? Our trainee is here. She wishes to meet you.” He’s quiet for a moment, seemingly listening to the response. “Alright. I’ll let her know.” Connor hangs up the phone, looking to you, “He wanted me to inform you he’ll be here in fifteen minutes. He said you may sit at his desk until he arrives if you want.” You smile, nodding. “I think I will.”

You sit at his desk, taking in the various items he has scattered around. He’s got a little plant, which makes you smile, and a picture of a saint bernard dog. He’s also got stickers all over his computer screen, almost completely covering the screen itself. You scan your eyes over the snarky and sarcastic stickers, referencing his disdain for his ex-wife, happy people, and complaints.

Just as you finish reading them, you catch the motion of someone approaching out of the corner of your eye. You look up to see a particularly tall man, taller than Connor, with shaggy, silver hair and a brown leather jacket approaching. You smile, standing up. “You must be Lieutenant Anderson,” you greet, holding your hand out for him to shake. He stands in front of you, an apathetic yet curious look on his face as he shakes your hand. The contact nearly sends a shiver down your spine, heat blossoming in your hand and running all the way up your arm, settling in your cheeks. “Unfortunately.” He responds, looking down at you. “Are you the new kid Fowler wants me to train?” Your smile falters a little bit, taken aback, but you’re not one to back down at the first sign of trouble. You stand up a little straighter, smiling at him confidently. “I actually have several years of patrol under my belt.” This makes him chuckle. “I consider ‘several’ five or more years. How many you got?” He retorts. You cross your arms, still smiling. “Four. But regardless, I’m not fresh meat, Lieutenant, and I’m sure someone as experienced as yourself will have no problem training me up in no time,” you quip. This finally gets you a smirk from the detective. He sits down in his chair, “I’ll see what I can do.”

Your training under Hank went like that for months. Sarcastic comments from Hank, witty replies thrown right back in his face from you, Connor being an unfortunate bystander, day in and day out. As the days went by, you found yourself growing… Particularly fond of Hank. It was nearing the end of your training, meaning working so closely alongside Hank and Connor was about to come to and end, and you would be assigned to cases on your own and eventually be issued your own partner. As exhilarating as it was, finally having the world in your hands, it was bittersweet. You found yourself waking up in the morning eager to go to work, and though you were in some degree of denial about it, deep down you knew you weren’t eager to work. You were eager to see Hank.

Hank was grumpy, cynical, and spiteful, yes. Absolutely he was. Concurrently, though, you knew that, much like Connor, he had grown a soft spot for you. In fact, much to Connor’s chagrin, he seemed to have more of a soft spot for you than he did for even his android partner. Of the three of you, you were the most likely to make mistakes. To get things wrong. Regardless, he always met your self criticisms with defensiveness. Defense of you. He never let you feel like you weren’t a good enough detective, or like you would never be able to make it on your own. And, though you would never let him know it, the banter between the two of you, when it happened, never failed to light a fire deep inside you. It was exhilarating to go back and forth with him, and you basked in the attention of it.

Nearing the end of your training with Hank, only weeks out from it, you found yourself standing outside of Chicken Feed with Hank. Connor sat in the car, as usual, seemingly wanting to give the two of you space as he slowly caught onto your feelings for Hank. You smile at Hank. “Only a couple more weeks of this, huh?” you quip. Hank chuckles. “Yep. You’re lucky, you only have to deal with two more weeks of this ugly mug. Connor over there has to put up with it until further notice,” he responds, motioning to Connor in the car with the sandwich in his hands. “You’re going to miss him, aren’t ya?” he says, laughing. A look of confusion spreads across your face, and you look at him with furrowed brows. “Miss who?” Hank gives you a knowing look. “Connor.” He says, as though it’s the most obvious statement in the world. You are thoroughly perplexed by this. “Oh, uh… Yeah? I guess so.” You’re not sure what the point of the question is, but you finish your lunch anyway, not much of a word from either of you as you finish eating.

Back at the station, Hank’s words repeat like a broken record in your head. You sit with him, once again in Connor’s absence, as the two of you quietly work on filing through cases. Suddenly, Hank speaks. “You know, I think you should tell him how you feel.” You sit up, crossing your arms and leaning back in your chair. “Hank, what in god’s name are you talking about?” you demand, looking incredulously at him. He looks back up at him. “Connor. You should tell him how you feel. I mean, even when there’s no case, you’re always hanging around. You always seem to laugh when you’re with him, and you blush all the time. I think before your training is done, you should tell him how you feel.” You stand up, running your hand through your hair and sighing, pacing slightly away from your chair as you are struck with disbelief, not knowing how to respond. You’ve never in all your years seen someone be so dense. He starts to talk again. “Listen, I didn’t mean to stress you out, I just think-“ Suddenly, you know exactly what you should do. You spin on your heel, cutting him off as he speaks by grabbing him by the collar and slamming your lips onto his. Hank’s hands are suspended in mid-air where they had been while he spoke, and they slowly move to your arms, gently touching you as he begins to kiss back. After a moment, you pull away, smiling. “Still think it’s Connor I’ve taken an interest in?” Hank stares at you, a smile slowly creeping onto his lips as seemingly the whole bull pen stares at the two of you in disbelief. Hank chuckles, speechless. And you smirk, returning to your chair, satisfied with yourself as you return to your work. Finally, the man has gotten a fucking clue.

#hank anderson x reader #dbh x reader #hank dbh x reader

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acourtofthought · 10 months

Text

This sort of falls under Day 2's Magic Prompt since it's a theory on possible powers for Elain. Contains TOG spoilers.

I was having a conversation with @acourtdelaluna a few weeks back and we were discussing how SJM was very confident in her response to a specific interview question, that there would definitely be more ACOTAR babies.

Something about that didn't make sense to us though. Was she referring to a possible Epilogue she's going to write for all the characters? Or did she mean we're going to see it in an actual book like we did with Feyre? The entire spin-off is building towards this huge battle so how can there be another pregnancy for any of the main characters? It doesn't seem logical to have a pregnant female running around in battle.

But I realized today, Elain is the PERFECT character to end up pregnant in the series.

Rhysand is a warrior

Nesta is a warrior

Feyre is a warrior

Mor is a warrior

Gwyn is a warrior

Az is a warrior

Cassian is a warrior

Emerie is a warrior

Lucien is a warrior

The only main character who has actively turned away from everything to do with fighting in battle is Elain. She did not want a weapon and only accepted one when Feyre reassured her she wouldn't need to use it. And while she did use it to save her sister, she returned it "and didn't look back". She is the only character who was written to completely shun the Illyrian fighting leathers. In Silver Flames, SJM made it a point to remind us that "cruelty bothers her". I could be wrong but I don't think there are any clues that Elain's future is going to be that of a warrior in battle so where does that leave her? When everyone else is fighting in the war, what role will Elain play?

In the TOG series, Yrene was a healer. A healer who understood what plants could be used to create salves to aid in healing:

"Elide finished the tin of salve from her pocket, Eucalyptus, Yrene had said, naming a plan Elide had never heard of, but whose smell - sharp and yet soothing - she very much enjoyed. Beneath the pungent herb lay lavender, rosemary, and something else mixed in with the opaque, pale liniment."

I know it's not a theory many agree with but.... there is the possibility that Elain had something to do with healing Cassian after the Kings attack. We don't yet have proof of this though there are lines that could support it.

Aside from small clues that are maybe hinting at Elain's future, one of the biggest things we know as fact is her love of gardening and gardens aren't just about flowers.

Elain has a gentle nature, war and cruelty bother her, she is a grower of things (plants are needed for salves), and she rushed to Cassian when he was injured while Nesta chose to leave Cassian's side in order to decapitate the King.

I can't think of any character who is more suited to end up a healer than Elain.

Not only was Yrene was a healer (who played an important role in the defeat of the Valg), but in the final book with the final battle, she was pregnant.

Elain also ending up pregnant makes such perfect sense to me because it creates a valid reason for her to not have to fight with weapons while the others do. And if she does turn out to be a healer, that would be her contribution to the war itself.

Side note: In my mind Lucien has a breeding kink, full stop. The male who has such control in every single aspect of his life, not seeking revenge against his father and brothers, restraining himself when there are times he had every right to go off on Nesta, Feyre, Rhys, Tamlin, is going to go absolutely feral when he and Elain finally accept their bond and he's not going to give a damn about contraceptive teas.

#elucien #pro elucien #elain archeron #lucien vanserra #elucienweek2023 #Prompt: magic #elain x lucien #lucien and elain #pro elain archeron #acotar theory

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lesharl-eclair · 7 months

Text

strollonso fic recs pt 2: authors

4 amazing writers whom i am Watching for strollonso content. may or may not be their primary output, but whatever they have is certified delicious. apologies if you've read these many many times just take it as classic literature ;))

[part 1]

all fics below the cut; if you enjoyed these fics, please show the authors comment and kudo love; should you be the author of a fic that's here, and don't want to be here, please reach out to me and your wish is my command :)

@alpaine:

a strollonso pioneer (these works were written in 2022!) somehow i do not detect a single trace of rancid vibes. almost jarringly wholesome. very good :)

something in the air (T, <1k)

Fernando Alonso keeps complimenting Lance. It's weird. He's not going crazy, it's weird, right?

this is delicious (fernando Knowing and Choosing to praise lance knowing full well what it does to him........) short and sweet. a little glimpse into interactions that are dizzying to think about.

game misconduct (T, 2.6k)

**BREAKING NEWS 🚨** Alonso to the Canadiens. The return is still being worked out, but expect an official team announcement by the end of the day. “Fuck,” Lance exhaled.

the author really said "i love fanfic because i can write fernando alonso as brad marchand and no one can stop me" and i am compelled. compelled. i think the inherent homoeroticity of ice hockey really helps matters.

"holy shit, alonso" basically encapsulates this fic so well -- all the characters really come through and meld so well despite it being a different sport, and the strollonso is given the space to shine.

***

2. @wewentcarracing:

for me this is the essence of strollonso. little else comes close :")

silver platter (E, 9.7k)

Lance is well aware that the first word people typically associate him with is "spoiled". He's fine with it. Well; not fine, maybe, but mostly past the point of caring. He's not delusional about it, either. He's gotten more or less everything he's ever wanted, and he wouldn't have any of it without his father. If that makes him soft or weak or a brat or anything else people like to throw at him—whatever, fine. It's a nice life. He can also admit to himself that it's left him kind of ill-equipped for knowing exactly what he wants but not having any idea how he's supposed to get it.

if there is one strollonso fic to read, let it be this.

i adore the way this author does characterisation it is actually insane. the sheer intensity of nando. the way he puts his pussy into it. the magnetic charm and easy confidence. ESTEBAN AS A CHARACTER. and lance oh my goddddd the way you write lance is breathtaking. rich child mindset? how he isn't spoilt per se but there's still this lingering attitude at the back of his mind??? spot on.

also possessive nando might just be my favourite thing: “Let them hear. Why not?” Fernando says, voice rough and low and close enough to Lance’s ear that Lance can feel it against his skin. “Let them see what I do to you.”

all teeth (E, 3k)

Fernando has always been able to play with his food for a long time before he's too hungry to resist it.

this one i am actually addicted to. i have reread it an embarrassing number of times. pOSSESSIVE NANDO. and lance not being as naive as one might expect. the attention to detail here is insane (the parallels between the before and during....... the metaphors.....) the vibes here are like the richest dark chocolate cake. decadent and fantastic and so so rewarding.

***

3. @vicsy:

so much tenderhorny introspection. excellent character studies.

snapshots (M, <1k)

The photos Fernando keeps on his phone always tell a different story.

it's poetry, is what it is. short and sweet and the scenes it proposes are so fitting and immersive, a tiny glimpse into just how deep their relationship runs.

little flame, consume my hate (M, 17.6k, wip 1/2)

The problem at hand is that Lance can't bring himself to care enough — about his father's wishes, about his fate as the future king, as a ruler of a kingdom standing on a shaky foundation; about slaying a dragon who hasn't scorned him in any way. Even the thought of not coming back and perishing on this unwanted quest doesn’t instill as much fear. He has everything and thousands would wish to be in his place, but his life feels empty and artificial; lacking a spark or a purpose. Or: Lance is a knight who’s sent by his father, the king, on a quest to slay a dragon in order to prove himself. Instead of a mighty beast Lance stumbles upon a peculiar man named Fernando who wears a lavish robe and spends most of his time reading. Or so it seems.

this was such a fun read!! i really admire this author's scene-setting ability, everything is so balanced, detail-rich and a pleasure throughout. also also also also the au/worldbuilding....so much love mwah mwah <3 even through 17k words the narrative is well-paced and well-timed, and really drew me in :) simultaneously scared and excited for part 2!

shatter my life apart (see me for somebody else) (M, 1.5k)

For all of Lance’s naivety, for how easily he follows down that narrow path, it’s a rush no money can buy. A touch here, a not-so-friendly pat there, a show of teeth in a smile that is lethal and Lance knows Fernando wants a taste, craves to do so much more, something unspeakable, something that could turn into the nastiest paddock gossip to this day but it’s exhilarating — knowing he does that to a man by simply existing. Knows that, maybe, he wants it, too.

this needs to be framed and hung up somewhere, i think. author's way with words is insane - the almost dreamlike quality of how lance is blown away by nando again and again, the jarring difference between lance's perceptions and the reality are rendered so beautifully here. a character study to remember.

***

4. @merenwenformulauno:

you make nando suffer sO MUCH... ....... but i'm still here for it <3

Between Gravel Traps (series) (E, 3-5k per part)

It starts in Budapest, then Spa. Then Zandvoort, then Monza.

i think this took me a few reads to truly wrap my head around. the quality is pretty damn impressive and the potential is insane - a relationship that's a little rough around the edges, but still so distinctly Them. nando brute forcing (?) (there is no way that's the right word) his way into lance's affection is something i definitely did not expect, but plausible and lovely nonetheless. i love the way it's slowly growing into a race by race thing, looking forward to more!

against the clock (E, 28.5k)

fernando is a cop. lance is the wildcat behind the wheel of a bus that can't drop under 50kpm or a bomb goes off. a normal way to fall in love.

i had been putting off reading longfic for sooooo long you had no idea. this one kind of snapped me out of it !! a very masterfully done speed au. (loved all the little references but i will not go into detail bcs i dont want to spoil it here) this author has a penchant for suffering methinks. this work is still unfairly riveting despite all the pain, and the deliciousness of bonding through trauma is UNMATCHED.

***

that's all for today and thank you for reading to the end of this very lengthy rec list hee hee....there's actually so much more to this growing corner of ao3 so keep an eye out for more amazing works!!

if you enjoyed this, or if i missed any fic, please let me know :) drop me an ask mayhaps if you would like more fic recs, and i will try my best to give timely unqualified opinions <3

#f1 #formula 1 #fernando alonso #lance stroll #strollonso #claire's fic recs #claire rambles

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the-anxious-youth · 1 year

Text

I am Crazier - Chapter Two

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Dark!Targaryen!Reader/OC (fem)

Summary: After giving Aemond your eye in place of your brother Lucaerys’, the two of you return home to your respective families and deliver the news, an interesting offer comes your way.

Warnings: canon typical violence, gore, body horror, reader herself is a whole ass warning, Targaryen incest, no NSFW but still 18+

Author’s Note: I wanted to dive into reader’s past so flashbacks will be in italics. While this is written in an x reader format, some characteristics of hers were created by me, and she has the typical Targaryen hair and eyes, hence why it could be read as an OC piece. I hope you enjoy and let me know if you would like to be added to the tag list!

Word Count: 4,200

Chapter One

Aemond was silent as he flew back to King’s Landing, internally recounting the events that had just transpired. The image of you, his niece, gouging out your own eye was seared into his brain. He pondered how you could do such a thing for someone you claimed to despise.

He knew you handed over her eye to protect Lucaerys and not for his own pleasure, but there was a nagging feeling in his gut that your actions could lead to something more.

The two of you got along decently in your childhoods, as Aegon was the more frequent target of your rage. He never knew when to shut his mouth, and as soon as he brought the legitimacy of your brothers into question, you made it your mission to put the brat in his place.

Your parentage was rarely questioned as you were lucky enough to possess the long, silver hair that was famously Targaryen. The purple within your irises also suggested you were of pure Targaryen blood, which was closer to the truth than most people realized. You were conceived right before Rhaenyra was wed to Laenor while the young princess visited a brothel with her uncle Daemon. It didn’t take a genius to infer the identity of your father, but you appeared purebred enough for people to question it.

Aemond didn’t care much for the discussion of his nephew’s lineage, at least not until his mother advised him to. He didn’t care much for you either. Your borderline insanity always had him on edge, hence why he tried his best not to bother you.

As King’s Landing came into view, he prepared himself for the large quantity of questions he shall receive. Vhagar landed his feet upon the ground as Aemond claimed of the magnificent beast. His grip on his satchel was tight, and the knowledge of what’s inside weighed heavy on his mind.

While walking through the halls of the Red Keep, he mentally practiced what he would say to his family, especially his mother. He knew her quite well, but was unsure of the nature of the reaction she would have at your actions.

The guards outside the throne room bowed their heads out of respect for the young Prince. As the door opened he saw his older brother lounging on the throne as if it were a measly chair. His mother, Alicent, stood next to him and appeared to be involved in some form of conversation with her son.

In addition to his mother and brother, his uncle Otto Hightower stood on the opposite side of Aegon, and was listening intently to their conversation. Helaena stood beside her mother, but seemed to be lost within her own mind. She was the first to meet Aemond’s eye.

The sound of the great doors opening caused the remaining parties to turn their heads. His head was held high as he walked with an air of confidence.

“Aemond my dear, do come closer. Your brother and I are pleased at your return. I do hope you have some good news to share.” Alicent always had a special connection with her second born son, as was visible to anyone who spared a glance at the love displayed on her face.

“I do have news, but whether or not it is positive, I cannot say.” He closed the distance between his family members and himself, and mentally prepared for the difficult conversation he was about to have. Both his sister and mother wore looks of concern.

“Very well. What do you have to share?” Otto spoke calmly yet firm.

“We have gained the support of house Baratheon, but the events that transpired at Storm’s End were quite… unexpected.” Instead of explaining further Aemond reached towards the satchel within his coat and pulled out its contents.

The shock was evident on all four of their faces, and the two women gasped out of fright. A blood-covered eye rested in the palm of his hand.

“Aemond, what have you done?” Alicent’s voice trembled as she looked deeply into her son’s eye, silently asking for more context.

“I did not remove this eye from its owner, it was gifted to me in an effort for a truce.”

“From whom?” Suddenly Aegon spoke up, his interest piqued at the sight of the dismembered organ.

“Y/N,” Aemond muttered quietly as if it were a sin to say her name.

“She gouged it out herself as payment for the eye her brother stole from me.” The room went silent at the admission. Alicent was horrified that her niece would do such a thing. Otto appeared to be deep in thought, probably mulling over what her actions meant for the two families. Amusement was obvious on Aegon’s face, as he was not nearly as surprised as everyone else. But the most disturbed of them all was Helaena.

Aemond may not have been close to you, but his sister sure was. You were both viewed as odd, with Heleana and her bugs and you and your unbridled temper. Despite being polar opposites, you spent a large amount of free time together. When you weren't training with your brothers, it was not uncommon to find you lounging with your aunt.

A mixture of emotions rushed through her body. Anger that her brother would tempt her niece to do such a thing, fear for how this would affect your life, and sadness at the reality of the feud between their families, but the most prevalent emotion was longing. It had been a while since the two of you had last seen each other, and Helaena missed you greatly.

You were the only person who didn’t brush off Helaena’s predictions. You would intently listen to every word, something that Helaena greatly appreciated. Whenever Aegon had the gall to insult his sister, you would jump right to her defense.

After combat training with her brothers and uncles, Y/N had spotted a beautiful spider made of brown and blue, one which Helaena would love. Crouching down, she gently trapped the spider between her palms and immediately raced off to find her best friend.

Heleana was the only person outside of her Velaryon family she adored. To her, they were not aunt and niece, but sisters with a great deal of respect between one another. As she ran through the castle halls, a joyous smile laid on her face.

Y/N found her friend stitching a picture of a butterfly, and the latter looked up as her niece-sister loudly entered the room.

“Helaena, Helaena, I found something for you!” She sat down next to her and slowly opened her palms. Helaena let out a gasp and immediately smiled. No one appreciated her love of insects like Y/N did, and she was honored that the young girl went out of her way to make her smile.

Y/N was used to the looks of fear that constantly adorned the faces of those around her, but Heleana never held a single ounce of fear behind her eyes. Much like Jacaerys and Lucaerys, she knew Y/N would never raise a hand to her or put her in harm’s way.

The love between the young aunt and niece was one of a pure kind that would melt the heart of the cruelest barbarian. When they looked at each other, they didn’t see princesses of Targaryen descent. They just saw a person full of love who was often labeled peculiar or odd.

“Thank you so much, dear Y/N,” said Helaena as the spider crawled into her open hands.

“He’s beautiful.” They sat in a peaceful silence until Aegon spoke up, his words vile as usual. The short haired prince loved to complain about his sister, and today was no different.

“Only a wretched creature such as yourself would find beauty within an insect.” With a look of disgust, he stared down at his sister and niece.

“I cannot believe I have to marry a woman as delusional as yourself.”

“What’s delusional is your distaste for a lady as lovely as Helaena. I cannot tell whether you are ungrateful or just downright ignorant. Anyone would be lucky to spend their life with such an incredible person.” Y/N’s previously gentle gaze had turned to one of ice and stone.

“Are you implying that you would take my place?” A tone of hilarity rang throughout the challenging statement. Aegon enjoyed pushing Y/N’s buttons, and this was no different.

“I would marry Helaena in a heartbeat had it been permitted by the gods.” Confidence bled through her words, a stony look upon her face.

“Wouldn’t that be wrong, neice? A relationship without a man would be fragile, just waiting to be interrupted.” The mischievous grin on Aegon’s face did not go unnoticed by Y/N. She stepped closer until the two were only centimeters apart and whispered in his ear.

“What would be wrong is a prince without a cock.”

To emphasize her point, she raised her knee to roughly press at his groin while leaning back to look deep in his eyes. Aegon tried to appear unaffected but Y/N knew he was rattled. Her smile was off putting, and he knew her threat was a serious one.

As if nothing happened, she strolled back to Helaena and sat down next to her once again. Aegon rolled his eyes but decided it was best not to push her any further.

“Is Y/N alright?” Helaena shakily inquired.

“I believe so. Despite the bloody cavity on her face, she was of a tranquil manner.” Helaena let out a sigh of relief, but it was obvious she was still struck with worry.

“You didn’t pressure her, did you?” Alicent warily questioned. As much as she loved her son, she knew he had become cold in the years since the confrontation with his nephews. Many were afraid of the wrath that laid beneath his pale exterior, but she hadn’t forgotten that Y/N was not one of them.

“Of course not, mother. It was her brother I wished to unnerve.” Aemond was almost offended that his mother could think he would harm someone of which his heart held no ill-will.

“Apparently she found our long-standing quarrel tiresome and offered me her eye in exchange for its end.”

A bitter chill fell upon the room as the reality of Y/N’s action set in.

“It appears our precious niece is still as crazy as in our youth,” Aegon muttered, breaking the silence. In all honesty, he was impressed at the vehemence of the devotion she bore for her brothers. He could even picture the wicked smile on her face as she clawed her bloodied eye from its socket.

He remembered the night Aemond lost his eye as well as his brother did. While he missed the quarrel itself, the story his brother told was one he would not soon forget.

You had been peacefully resting in a bedroom at Driftmark when your slumber was broken by the sound of angered voices and pattering feet. Such things often led to conflict, something you would never fail to include yourself in.

Bare feet padded against the stone floor as you followed the hushed whispers through the halls, eventually ending up at the entrance to the dragon pit. Baela, Rhaena, Jacaerys and Lucaerys stood parallel to a boy with blonde hair who you immediately recognized as Aemond. They appeared to be arguing, so you hid yourself behind a wall to eavesdrop.

“Vhagar is my mother’s dragon.” Baela’s words were soaked in anger.

“Your mother’s dead, and Vhagar has a new rider now,” Aemond replied cockily. He was a boy who usually reeked of insecurity, but none could be found at the moment.

“She was mine to claim!” It was apparent on both her and her sister’s faces that they were appalled at their cousin’s actions.

“Then you should have claimed her!” Even though you couldn’t see his face, you could picture his smug expression.

“Maybe your cousins can find you a pig to ride, it would suit you.” Suddenly Baela lunged at Aemond, but was harshly thrown to the ground. Rhaena threw a punch towards his jaw, but he was faster than her, and retaliated by socking her in the nose.

“Come at me again and I’ll feed you to my dragon!” He began fighting with Jace, and you came out from behind the wall in case you had to step in. You would have loved to beat your young uncle unconscious, but you had been recently scolded by your mother for fighting your brother’s battles for them.

‘They will never learn to defend themselves if you’re always protecting them, Y/N,’ Rhaenyra’s words echoed in your mind, and as much as you hated to admit it, she was right. You wouldn’t always be there to keep them from harm, so it was about time they learned how to win a fight on their own.

You were starting to get worried until Aemond got knocked off his feet and was suffering the punches of Lucaerys and the two girls. It seemed as though the fight had been won, but then your brother’s throat was seized by his foe. Aemond stood up with his hand wrapped around Luke’s neck, and in his right hand you spotted a sizable rock.

Your breath caught in your throat as he lifted the stone above his head, his intent to strike blatant. As you took a step forward, Aemond hauled another insult at your kin.

“You will die screaming in flames just as your father did. Bastards.” You had enough of his taunting and started treading towards him, keeping your footsteps as light as possible.

“My father’s still alive,” replied Lucaerys, and your steps faltered. You knew he wasn’t aware of his lineage, and you were furious that he would find out this way. Aemond chuckled at his realization of your brother’s naivety.

“He doesn’t know, does he… Lord Strong.” Jace pulled out a knife as Aemond shoved his brother toward him. Despite his best efforts, his uncle was the better fighter, and he was quickly subdued as his back hit the dirt.

Aemond once again raised his arm, but was met with sand in the face. You smirked at Jace’s dirty move, knowing full well you were the one who taught it to him. Closing the distance between Aemond and yourself, you had every intention of putting him in a headlock when he was sliced across the face by Lucaerys. He gripped his now bleeding eye and fell to his knees, only to hear a cruel chuckle.

Aemond looked up and saw none other than yourself, and the crazed look in your eyes told him he had fucked up. Had he known his niece was present, he never would have dared to dig into her brothers about their parentage. The once smug smile on his face immediately turned to a wince, and you reveled in the dread behind his eye.

“That should teach you to watch your tongue!” You laughed joyously, mocking the mutilated boy in front of you.

Up until that moment, you bore no animosity towards the second born prince. He feared you like everyone else, and did his best to leave you alone. The second he disrespected your family, he became just another human that needed to be reminded of his place.

Aemond tried his hardest to conceal how frightened he was, but you saw straight through his cloak of lies.

“Nothing I said was untrue.” His voice shook as he tried to defend himself. Despite the terror streaming through his arteries, he never broke eye contact with you. He mentally prepared himself for the beratement he would no doubt receive.

Much to his surprise, you grinned as if you had just landed an arrow through the heart of a great buck.

“It seems you have forgotten your place, boy. I shall be more than happy to remind you where you lie in the hierarchy of this family.”

With your right hand you harshly gripped Aemond’s jaw, turning his face to inspect the gaping hole of which blood was pouring. Your eyes met his blue one as you thrust your thumb into the slimy orifice, causing him to yelp. The hoarse scream he struggled to choke down fell out his chapped lips as your nail met his optic nerve. Crimson ooze sept down his face and you leaned closer until your faces were millimeters apart.

“You would be wise to remember this moment the next time you dare think about bestowing harm upon my brothers.”

Alicent nervously paced around the throne room once the reality of her son’s situation set in.

“I know Rhaenyra well enough to know that she will be furious when she hears about the actions of her daughter. She may point the blame towards you, Aemond, since it was your disputation that drove her to such ends.”

She turned to her second born son, a combination of wariness and frustration visible on her features.

“You should never have accepted this from Y/N! We are on the brink of a war I wish to avoid. I understand the malice you have towards Lucaerys deeply, but involving the unstable daughter of the woman attempting to steal your brother’s throne will most likely have unsavory implications.”

Aemond’s heart tensed at his mother’s words. He opened his mouth to speak, but she went on before he could utter a word.

“We are trying to mend the relationship between our family and theirs, and here you go throwing a rift in our calculated plan. What if Rhaenyra wants revenge? Y/N is her only daughter after all, and the rift between our houses is greater than ever.”

“There is something you are forgetting, mother. This eye was given to me by Y/N’s own will. I did not ask her to do such a thing, therefore-“

“But she did it with the purpose of ending your feud! Lucaerys deserves punishment for stealing your eye, but Y/N does not. You know just as well as I do that her madness is not to be underestimated. If she convinces Rhaenyra to go to war for the crown, there’s no telling how far Y/N will go to win.”

Everyone was quiet, mulling over the words Alicent had just spoken. After a short period of time, Otto broke the silence in a calm and collected voice.

“If that is so, then we must appease them in some way. Should we keep Aegon seated on the throne, we will have to barter a truce. The only way Rhaenyra and her family will bow the knee is if we offer them something in return.”

“Have you forgotten that we already sent her terms?” Aegon commented sarcastically.

“Then we shall modify them to ensure she agrees.” It was clear Otto was formulating some sort of plan.

“What do you intend to offer her?”

“It must be in her best interest to accept.” Aemond wondered whatever was swirling around in his grandfather’s mind, but knew it was nothing good.

“What in the seven hells happened to you?!”

The glance at her daughter’s disfigured face appalled Rhaenyra, and sparked all sorts of questions in her head.

“I paid a debt,” you affirmed as if it were obvious. Looks of confusion could be seen on everyone in the room besides Lucaeyrs and yourself.

“To whom, Lord Borros? You owe nothing to House Baratheon.” Your mother all but begged for context on the gory orifice where your eye once was.

“We encountered Aemond while at Storm’s End,” Lucaerys muttered, and Rhaenyra gasped as she began to piece together the events that had transpired while you and your brother were away.

“He took your eye?” The looks of horror on every person’s face turned to one of fury. Daemon in particular appeared ready to cut someone’s head off for mutilating his daughter in such a way.

“Quite the opposite. His badgering of Luke became tiresome so I offered my eye instead of my brother’s.” You smiled proudly, watching the gears turn in your mother’s head. The silence was deafening, until it was broken by Daemon.

“I imagine Aemond’s reaction was quite amusing.” His smile matched your own, and his heart pervaded with pride. Out of your family, he was always the most supportive of your insane actions.

Despite not being present during your early years, the tales of your madness had reached even him. He had pondered how a child of his niece could act in such a way, but when he met you in person on the day of his late wife’s funeral, he immediately knew you were of his blood. For starters, you looked nothing like your brothers, bearing long, flaxen hair and piercing purple eyes. Ever since his marriage to your mother, he made an effort to support you, even when you were clearly in the wrong.

“Indeed it was, dear uncle.” While the both of you knew of your relation, you acted as uncle and niece to deter people from accusing your mother of being a whore.

“He tried his hardest to appear unbothered, but I took one look in his eye and knew he was rattled to his core. It took everything in me not to burst out laughing at his feeble attempts of intimidation.” Daemon was impressed, but Rhaenyra most certainly was not.

“How could you scar yourself for someone like Aemond? Need I remind you of the insults he spewed towards our family the last time we met?!” Your mother was furious at how you permanently disfigured yourself for an enemy without an inkling of wariness.

“I would rather lose eye than let an imbecile like Aemond take one of Luke’s.” Rhaenyra couldn’t tell if she was more proud of the love you bore for your brother, or angry that Aemond even tried to maim one of her children in the first place. She let out a great sigh while slowly shaking her head.

Daemon walked towards you and put his hand on your shoulder, emulating his pride towards you.

“I bet Alicent and those walking burdens she calls children will think twice about crossing this family again.” Your father was never a kind man, but he treated his secret daughter with the utmost respect as he held her in high regard.

“I need a drink,” muttered your mother. She began to ask more questions, but this time in regard to the message you were sent to give to Lord Borros. Your brother did most of the talking as you were off in your own mind, replaying the events that transpired at Storm’s End, a snide smile never leaving your face.

The next few days were uneventful as you were ordered to rest to ensure your eye, or lack thereof, would heal nicely. Your mother instilled a guard at your door night and day, as she was very familiar with the joy you got from disobeying orders.

On the fourth sunrise, she granted you access to the rest of Dragonstone as long as you refrained from training and riding your dragon, the latter bringing about irritation as you loved your dragon dearly.

You entered one of the rooms Daemon often used to study, and found him standing next to a window with a sour look on his face. As you got closer you noticed he was reading a piece of paper, and judging by the dainty handwriting, it was a letter of some sort.

“Dare I ask what you are so deep in thought about? I haven’t seen you this focused in a while.” Your voice was cheery with just a touch of teasing.

He raised his head and your smile wavered at the intense look in his eyes. It was not uncommon for the prince to be angry, but something told you this time was serious.

“We have received a letter from the Greens.”

“And? Did they finally dethrone that halfwit, or do I need to murder someone?” You tried to lighten the mood as you prepared for his next statement.

“Quite the opposite. They modified their terms in a way that is extremely ill-suited. Rhaenyra hasn’t even seen this letter yet, as the raven arrived within the hour.” Daemon was furious, and you could tell he was refraining himself from tearing the thin piece of parchment to shreds by the way his hands shook.

“What did they offer?” You ask carefully, not sure if you want to hear the answer.

“That cunt they call ‘king’ asked for your hand in marriage.”

“But he’s already married, and quite ungrateful for it.” At this point, you were utterly confused and desperate for more information regarding the circumstances.

“Not for him, but for his younger brother Aemond.”

In a few seconds, you were just as mad as he was.

“No fucking way!”

please don’t copy/repost

#my writing #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen #house of the dragon x reader #house of the dragon #hotd x reader #hotd

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