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awkwardgtace · 1 year

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Meeting Your God

Day 6 AU

THIS HAS SPOILERS FOR FF14 ENDWALKER AND PATCH 6.3 (Alliance Raid 2 post story)

Ash and Delphia are scouting ahead of their current group for this series of fights, but it's for some reasons that they want to keep hidden from the others

Meeting Your God

Delphia was excited. The next god to fight was Halone. All the stories she heard while training in Ishgard would be nothing next to this. Her tail whipped behind her and her ears twitched. The Elezen from her training days would never believe the little Miqo’te is the one who got to fight Halone. The Au Ra next to her clearly didn’t share her excitement. They had a glare on their face.

“Ash, I promise this will be fine. It’s just scouting. If we can tell the others what to expect the fight will go better,” she said. Ash groaned, it was clear they disagreed.

“We have faced Nophica, Althyk, and Nymeia together with no scouting. I don’t think we should be doing this. At the very least I don’t think you should be fighting as a Dragoon,” they said. Delphia frowned; this was an argument they’d had a few times already.

“Ash I told you I have to fight Halone of the twelve as a dragoon.” She held up her lance for emphasis. It wasn’t as though she had stopped keeping her gear ready. She also trained with her guild pretty often. Sometimes even getting Estinien to spar, usually with Tataru’s help. She was ready.

“You’ve been fighting as a ninja for all of the others. Halone is the goddess of war. The fight shall be worse than any other, we should not be alone for this.”

Delphia stopped walking and stared up at the tall Au Ra. Sometimes she hated when she couldn’t stare down at them. The house they’d bought in Gridania’s lavender beds gave her a perfect perch usually. Although, they hadn’t been there since the final days were averted. It was too painful to see the home that three of them had put together.

“Ash, we’ll be fine. Rescue me if it looks like things will go wrong and we’ll run. You’re one of the best white mages out there, you’ll keep me alive. Just let’s try this fight with Halone. I can’t just be part of the crowd later,” she said. She couldn’t wait. If they did it with the others everyone would know. She would be asked to leave, G’Raha would convince her to leave. She couldn’t have that.

“Is this truly going to help?” their voice was quiet. It made her shiver, they weren’t just treating it like a strange adventure anymore. They were making her face the truth too. “I know that this-”

“Pray not now.”

She had wrapped her tail around her leg, her ears flat on her head. Ash came up and pulled her into a tight hug. Things hadn’t truly recovered for them, not yet. The final days were horrifying. So many innocent people lost, and they lost one they loved. Nothing had been the same since they watched their partner disappear.

“This won’t bring her back, Halone didn’t-”

“The twelve didn’t help! You know how many nights I begged to bring her back. To show us she was safe. They could have done something… They could have helped. I need to be here to fight them, but Halone… She looked like Halone Ash. I can’t even enter the Holy See… I need to be sure I can face her, that we’ll finish this fight against them. I can’t let them keep me from fighting.”

“We’ll fight, but we leave at the first sign it’s too much.” They pulled back, large hands cupping her face. She leaned into them. “Promise me we’ll leave, I can’t lose you too.”

“I promise. We both live after this and… and maybe we can finally go back home once we’ve faced her. Just live in the memories until the next disaster. The next foray into the world of the voidsent.”

Ash leaned forward and kissed her. It was quick, but their emotion came through like fire. She wouldn’t be able to face this painful reality without them. Thavnair was rebuilding, the entire world was rebuilding. The lopporits were trying to find their place. The final days were stopped. Everything was good, but for the two of them life had been changed in horrible ways. Ways that they were fighting to overcome.

They spent the rest of the walk to Halone holding hands. This was about more than just discovering the truth of the twelve. This was her own chance at revenge. Revenge for the years she spent promising to serve Halone, to fight under her. The nights she prayed and begged for Alessia to be safe. That the disasters had merely separated them. Ash’s grip on her hand was tight, they were thinking the same things.

The battlefield for Halone was open, much like Nophica’s. There didn’t look to be any danger of falling, that made this easier. The goddess hadn’t appeared yet, but they were ready. They could do this. Ash had brought her back from death before. They took the events of the final days so much harder. They couldn’t save someone from their own dynamis destroying them.

“Ready?” she whispered as she squeezed their hand.

With a single nod they released her. Their staff in hand they started casting the spells that would keep her safe. She held her lance forward as she stepped closer. A large woman landed in front of them. The pain was already starting. The same hair and form as the one they lost. The warm feeling of Ash’s magic faltered for only a moment.

“Nophica had warned me there would be an army to fight,” the voice was melodic. She hadn’t heard Halone talk, she didn’t expect a similar voice. The goddess had a change in posture as she focused on the two of them. Almost rigid. “Pray let the battle commence. It shall be one to remember either way.”

Delphia ran forward. The fight began and her own mind started to go numb. Halone had been a guiding light in her time training as a dragoon. She’d been disliked for her heritage. Looked down on for her small stature. Halone pushed her forward at each step. A calming thought of someone who could stand tall, someone she could look up to.

She jumped, aiming to hit that armor Halone wore on her face. She wanted to see the eyes of the goddess she had grown to hate. Hating her was almost strange. Following her brought her to Ash. The Au Ra had traveled to Gridania to train in healing magic. They wanted to see the forests the place was known for. They were why the house they bought was in the lavender beds.

Delphia bounced off when her hit landed. There was no visible crack. It would take time to build up the jump again so she went for quick stabs. Halone was moving slower than she expected. The other gods had all been constant attacks, but Halone was leaving wide openings. Delphia grew desperate to make this goddess take their fight seriously.

“All-piercing spear, drink deep of raging blizzards!”

Another set of warnings how the ice would scan the floor. Ash had to run up next to her. The safest part of this attack was the two of them together. They had tear tracks. This was hard on them too. Delphia reached up to her own face, her gauntlet came back with the frozen tears. The ice attacks were stopping her own from streaming down her cheeks. It made this easier.

“For glory you must be prepared to render your all!”

Ash ran back and Delphia jumped again. She landed a solid blow on the helm once more. It wouldn’t be impossible to keep this up. She would see Halone’s face, see the face of the goddess who failed. She could remember the day she and Ash had been traveling. When a random woman had been injured. Ash healed her while Delphia fought off the attackers.

“You must do better than that against me.” Halone’s voice sounded strange again. Almost like she was crying. Delphia would never expect that.

A massive spear attack was coming and she had to watch for the safe spot. Running to that location gave her only more time to think, to remember. The brown eyes sparkling as they talked. Night-sky hair that she spent time helping to free of blood. The laughter when the new woman had never heard of such normal things as the aesthetician. The excitement with some of it. Ash had even spoken around her quite a bit.

Delphia managed another jump, landing on the helm again. The attacks were landing easily. It didn’t seem right. There was something bigger coming. The goddess of war couldn’t be this easy to defeat. This wasn’t the fight that she wanted, it was… It was as though Halone wanted to lose against her. That wasn’t enough.

“Fight like you mean it, Halone,” she shouted. That caused a reaction from the goddess.

“There is no retreat - only victory or defeat!” Halone screamed.

A pulse of something came from the goddess’s feet. Likely a warning. Ash had stepped forward, she could see them considering a spell. They were ready to rescue her out of danger. As she reached them a ring of icicles appeared behind them. She grabbed their arm and ran to where the icicles spawned. Just as they reached safety icicles spawned where Ash had been standing. This time there was no sign of the goddess going easy.

The icicles continued to appear in a circular pattern growing closer to Halone. Ash prepared spells, the pulsing hadn’t stopped. Another circle of ice appeared, she realized then it wasn’t icicles. Lances of ice were shooting up from the ground. Apt for Halone. She took the chance to do another jump attack, the helm had cracked. This should be enough.

Memories filled her mind as she entered the air. Working as an adventuring party. Taking in anyone who wanted to aid in battle. Yet the three of them were always together. She was their damage, dragoon or ninja once she’d learned of that job. The stone spoke to her in ways the dragoon job stone never did. Then a paladin, the only paladin she and Ash would ever work with.

“Victory must be seized with one’s own hands!” Halone’s voice hadn’t moved. She took aim.

Another attack landed, but this time Ash pulled her away. The rescue spell hadn’t been needed. She could do this, she would win. They’d finally move forward, forget all the pain. Reminisce in the memories that were too painful to see. Ash grabbed her arms and held her facing Halone once the rescue had finished.

“What are you-”

“Look,” they interrupted her.

Delphia watched as the goddess who may even be bigger than the ancients stood with her head straight up. She… she was taking Delphia’s attacks on purpose? That made no sense. Those attacks could cause the helm to shatter, freeing up new spots to injure. Create better openings to defeat the goddess.

“Why…” she whispered.

Ash shook their head, but pulled her into their arms. This fight was over. Together they watched the helm split in half as Halone turned to face them again. Delphia fell to her knees. Now she could see the tears on the goddess’s face. The clear pain in her eyes. The helm fell to the ground cracking the ice at the goddess’s feet. It wasn’t… it wasn’t possible.

“Alessia?” Ash was the one to say it. Delphia shook her head. This wasn’t possible. Alessia was a miqo’te. Adorable ears that twitched all the time. A tail that wrapped around Ash’s horns when she slept. Alessia… was another warrior of light.

Halone didn’t continue the fight. She dropped her weapons, both fading away. This couldn’t be Alessia. Alessia was shorter than Delphia. Halone, the goddess who looked like their lost partner, was gigantic. Taller than even the tallest Roegadyn. This wasn’t Alessia, this was someone else. A goddess playing an awful trick on a follower who used to be devout.

Delphia climbed to her feet. Ash’s hold had already fallen away. It was the opening she needed, the opening she wanted. These battles weren’t meant to be fatal, but this time she’d end the goddess who failed her. She switched her jobstone out, all of it was prepared. She pulled out her daggers and ran forward, she’d punish the twelve for abandoning them.

“Delphia!” Ash shouted. She ignored them, rescue wouldn’t be ready yet. She used a skill to get above Halone, forced the pain in her heart down, and made a move to kill. Except… that didn’t happen.

Halone caught her waist. Two massive hands holding her like a Roegadyn held a Lalafell. She squirmed to escape. There had to be a way to get free. To continue her plan. The twelve abandoned them in the final days, they weren’t there for Bahamut. It was never their power that helped they didn’t get to take credit anymore. She’d make sure at least one was gone, even one that looked like someone she could barely live without.

The goddess moved her until she was cradled against her armored chest. She hated it. It felt like when Alessia hugged her in those last few days. The night just before they fought Zodiark. Before the final days began. Alessia hadn’t gone along on that fight. She said she’d stay back, she’d protect the others.

When they returned Ash found her first. Delphia showed up seconds later, but those precious seconds were too many. She watched Ash desperately trying to heal Alessia as that horrible black smoke took over her body. No creature appeared in the aftermath, Alessia was just gone. The dynamis destroyed the aether of her soul.

The goddess kneeled in front of Ash. She towered even over them, they just barely reached Delphia while Halone crouched. It felt almost normal. Ash near her while she was wrapped in someone else’s arms. This wasn’t Alessia though. It wasn’t their partner and she had to get away. She started to squirm, a massive hand set on her cheek stopped her.

Delphia was forced to stare into brown eyes that looked too much like the ones she lost. She couldn’t even use Ash for support. Their fingers were wrapped around the hand bigger than her head, trying to pull it away. There was no chance for this to work. She should have known better. She couldn’t kill a god, at least not if it was a real god. Something more than Zodiark or the other primals.

“I missed you,” Halone(?) said. Halone couldn’t have missed her. They had never met before. At least not outside of the times Delphia prayed for help. “I missed both of you, but I couldn’t come back.”

“Lady Halone, we have never met. Pray release Delphia. I will make sure the two of us do not continue with the fights. I beg that you forgive her. We both have yet to truly recover from the losses suffered during the final days,” Ash said. Delphia could hear the undertone of fear. That wasn’t her bigger concern.

“No!” Delphia screamed. “Our fight isn’t over! You can’t just decide it’s done!��

“Del, I don’t-”

“Don’t call her that.” Ash was angry, she didn’t even have to be upset. She was angry too though. Only Alessia used her nickname… Alessia gave it to her.

Halone finally changed how she held Delphia. The goddess set her down next to Ash who pulled her close. Together they were left staring up at a face that couldn’t exist. Brown eyes, red lips, tears still trailing down massive cheeks. Bigger than any other race in the world. One of the twelve gods and yet… A carbon copy for the women the two of them loved and lost.

“Ash, Del, it’s me. It’s Alessia,” the goddess said. Delphia had already started shaking her head. It wasn’t possible. “Pray… why would I lie? What… what would Halone have to lie to you about?”

“Ash…” Delphia whispered. Their arms around her grew tighter. A few taps on her hand where they held it. Taps that meant no. They knew what she was thinking, they both wouldn’t risk it. Hope had left them both nearly dead too many times now. Claims that people thought they saw her, belief that she had somehow escaped that awful fate.

“Pray, how can I prove I am who I claim? We bought a home in the lavender beds? You both said I was the only paladin you’d place your faith in? The private moments shared in bed after the hardest battles my loves, two warriors of light, fought?”

“Why are you doing this?” Delphia’s voice was wet with her tears. Ash had already crouched to bury their face in her hair. “Is this punishment for coming to fight you alone? For my attempt to kill you? I thought only the Ascians would be this cruel.”

The goddess’s arms surrounded them. They were pulled forward, pressed against her. Another feeling of normalcy. A feeling of home that shouldn’t exist. If Ash wasn’t holding her, still crying against her, she’d fall for it. Think this was just like before, that their lives could go back to the simple days before the final days began.

“Pray believe me. I wanted to come back, but it wasn’t possible. I had to return to my post as Halone…” the goddess said. Ash tapped her again. They believed the goddess, but it only hurt more. Alessia was Halone? The goddess that Delphia looked to for guidance so often. That she begged to bring her love back. That same person was who she wanted back.

“Why did you come to us?” Ash asked. That caught Delphia off guard. They didn’t usually speak up, but then again this was Alessia. “Why stay as long as you did?”

Alessia let them go. She backed away, standing up to her full height. Three times Ash’s height at least. Just as beautiful as when she was a Miqo’te. Somehow more gorgeous standing so tall. Able to carry both of them easily if she wanted. To take them from here, make the decisions about what happened next. Yet there were still tears dripping from those warm brown eyes.

“I fell in love,” Alessia whispered as she bent over to be closer to them. A hand bigger than her head cupped Delphia’s cheek. An identical one holding Ash. This really was her. Their Alessia. The same one who they watched disappear during the final days. She was alive.

“I don’t understand. How are you Halone? One of the twelve… Why were you left weak by the road if you’re a goddess?” Delphia started to ramble. Everything was too much. The woman she loved was alive. Both her partners were alive. The three of them were together. She wanted to kill this woman. Nothing made sense. “How did you disappear during the final days? What… why couldn’t you come back? What let you stay in the first place?”

A massive thumb wiped away her tears. Ash’s head had moved to rest on her own. Her loves, her partners, all around her. Yet nothing would let them go back. Their home in the lavender beds wasn’t right for a goddess. She’d been so cruel to Halone since Alessia disappeared. They didn’t deserve the happy ending.

“The same reason you’re here now. I have to be a part of these fights. The truth you must learn. After… after I might be able to come home.” Alessia leaned forward, her head was big enough to touch both Delphia and Ash at once. A motion that was reassuring and cruel. “I… the me you knew was something I made. I’d been drawn to both of you for a long time. When I saw your adventures I grew jealous.”

“I didn’t think one of the twelve could be jealous of the rest of us,” Ash muttered. There was mirth in their voice, the comment made Alessia laugh. Delphia was lost, by the twelve was Alessia’s laugh beautiful. Even thinking that felt wrong, swearing the beauty by the beauty itself.

“I’m different. I made that person you knew, a young Miqo’te woman who could live with you. My power had been affected by the final days. The body I’d been using was disrupted and faded away.” A sigh followed by those huge hands disappearing. They pulled Delphia and Ash into a hug again. Alessia’s lips by her ears. “It seemed like the feelings I had were the power behind that creation. I couldn’t be her anymore though. I wanted to see you as myself. I had… I had no way of knowing this would even be possible.”

“What next then?” Delphia pushed back, Ash moved with her. They weren’t letting her go. It seemed they were worried she’d collapse. She probably would without their support. “You’re Halone of the twelve. We’re just… we’re just people that others call warriors of light. Is it all over?”

“No.” Alessia’s voice was loud. Similar to her quips during their battle. “Tomorrow, I fight as I’m expected to. I follow my role until it’s done. Then, once this is all over, I’ll come home. I’ll find a way to be with you both again. Not as Halone, not as the Miqo’te woman who had been lost and confused, but as myself. Alessia, a paladin who aids two warriors of light as they save the world time and again.”

“If you can’t come back?” Ash asked. Their weight against Delphia grew, they were worried too. That this dream would turn to a nightmare.

“I’ve spoken with Menphina and Nymeia, you two are my loves and my fate.” Alessia lifted them both up, holding them tightly to her chest. “I will be back once this is settled. Once this business I am needed for is over. I can return then. We can go home and be happy. I make no promises I will be a Miqo’te again, I find I like being able to hold you both like this.”

Alessia laughed again. It caused both her and Ash to laugh along. Alessia was alive. Their grief could be over. Ash even loosened their hold, but that reminded Delphia of one thing. She slid from their grasp and reached a hand up to Alessia. The giant woman crouched until her cheek met Delphia’s small hand.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Brilliant brown eyes were shining in front of her. Ash had followed her, their hand pressed on Alessia’s other cheek. “You heard my prayers and curses didn’t you?”

“I… Try as I did I could not avoid them.” Alessia’s voice was a whisper. Ash moved closer, pressing their forehead into her cheek. “I tried not to listen closely, I did not deserve to hear your words.”

“I’m so sorry. The things I’ve said… Pray, let me prove to you I had never meant to hurt you. Once we’re home I shall show you the truth of my feelings.”

“Alessia, I apologize as well. I have made my own cruel prayers.” Delphia jumped hearing Ash say that. They had tried to convince her not to blame Halone and yet they also blamed her. “You did not deserve the anger or pain from our hearts blasting your own ears.”

Tears rolled down the goddess’s face. Flashes of pain and relief in her eyes. Their words must have been akin to swords stabbing through her hundreds of times.

The remainder of the time was spent in silence together. Alessia had eventually shifted to hold them both. Her armor had been taken off and it was like the night before Zodiark. Before their lives changed. It was unbelievable to have her back. Unfortunately they had to leave. Sneaking back to camp where everyone would prepare for the fight the next day.

The trip to the battle was faster with their group. Everyone was anxious to fight the goddess of war. Delphia and Ash were towards the back this time. The fight would be exciting, Alessia promised a true challenge this time. There was a moment when the group reached the battlefield that Delphia worried the night before was a dream. Except she could see the mark on the helm where she’d cracked it. Everyone took their places, Ash squeezed her hand as she went to her spot. Alessia as Halone smiled, Delphia knew it was at them.

“I, the Fury, shall test your strength of spirit.”

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godisasimp · 2 years

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6.0 valk spoilers

Source : Notmdi on twt

Apparently mihoyo accidentally left her in 5.9 client/live version a few days ago

Oopsies

But here is a high quality close up of her face and beautiful boobs.

I love her a normal amount I swear

#honkai impact #honkaiposting #honkaimpact3rd #honkai elysia #mihoyo so unfair to Vill-V like #how do you want us to pull when you put this goddess next patch #anyway i have like 9k cristals currently #ahahah watch me not get her full gear bc I'm unlucky like that #Hi3rd 6.0

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bokettochild · 3 years

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For the requests if you're game?

Four and Warriors dynamic since we don't see it much?

Also you're awesome and absolutely don't have to do this if you don't want haha

So, words aren't nice to me today, and your prompt really helped with that. I'm sorry I didn't get to it sooner! But I'm glad I did it today. The verb tenses are a bit off and all over, but I really like the pretense.

For context, this is something that used to happen with me and my dad when he was in pain. I have no clue why it works, but it does somehow? For him anyway. Anyway, as I am the shorty of my family, I figured Four could take my place here :)

“Four, how tall are you?”

Don’t kill him. Green whispered, whether to himself or to his brothers none of them knew.

Why would he even need to know that? The grouchier voice in his head huffed out as hazel eyes shot up to meet the captain’s blue.

Was that particularly necessary? Vio groaned, and if he’d had a physical form the color in question would likely have just flopped over tiredly.

“Four foot four.” They answered curtly, turning their gaze back down to the sword in their hand as they continued to work over its length.

Warriors chuffed out a strangled sort of noise across from them, whether it be from pain, surprise or laughter they didn’t know, and as long as the captain didn’t push, they’d give him a little grace. The poor man was in enough pain as it was, and it really would be a shame to have him writhing on the ground if they kicked him in some... painful places.

“Really?” The man wheezed. “Please tell me you’re joking?”

They rolled their eyes.

Permission to kick him in the nuts?

One minute, let me think about it.

Pities sakes you two, we are not kicking the captain! Vio scolded. We’ll dye his hair while he sleeps or sew a patch on his tunic while he walks or something, not...oy vey.

“I’m four-foot-five.” They corrected aloud. “Happy?”

Sharp eyes met the captain’s again, four voices fighting over whether to cause harm or not. “Huh.”

Guys, look at him! Red huffed. He’s not even able to sit up straight! Give him a break, this one time?

Agreement rang in their mind. Wars was in pretty awful shape. The man had pulled his back while trying to heft a wounded Twilight through the forest the other day, and while he’d insisted the entire time that he had it handled, he’d come to regret it the next day when he woke up nearly too sore to move. They all teased Time about being an Old Man, and it was well known that Legend’s arthritis gave him trouble on some days, but neither the vet not their leader had ever moved as slowly as the captain this morning when they’d been on the road, and Time had had to call an early halt simply because Wars was clearly in so much pain.

The man currently lay on his stomach on the ground at the edge of camp, trying to stretch out his strained back and staring as Four with an odd look in his eyes. “Could you do me a favor?”

Could you not mock our height?

I thought we liked our height?

We do, but we don’t need to be teased for it!!!

“What do you need?” They eventually settled on, setting their sword aside and giving the captain their full attention.

“Stand on my back.” Warriors answered.

They blinked, startled. Once, twice, thrice, four times at the man. “Pardon?”

“Stand on my back.” Warriors repeated himself, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“But-”

Is he bonkers? Captain, we are not cracking your spine to put you out of your misery? Blue frowned, confused.

We’d hurt him doing that, why would he even ask?

This is Warriors, he’s not known for having all the lights on a good day.

“Aren’t you in pain?” Red managed to take the forefront, worry spilling into his voice as he stared down at where the captain lay on the ground.

The man smiled, shaking his head slightly only to wince and instead offer one of his charming smiles. “It helps. Just trust me, ‘kay?”

And what were they supposed to do? Even Legend had stepped up to offer help with the pain this afternoon, not that it would do much good for Warriors’ specific problem, but it had earned the vet a warm chuckle and a head ruffle, resulting in much squawking and insults as the vet protested the action. Wild had searched his slate for supplies to make a cure, and Time had called a halt for the day’s travels entirely. Sky had even offered what little help he could provide, but while offers of aid had come from everywhere, there hadn’t been anything that had worked.

But Wars was claiming that actively stepping on the injury would help it, and as absurd as it sounded, the captain seemed utterly confident in it, eyes almost pleading as they shifted where they sat.

“It won’t, I don’t know, mess up your back at all? Are you sure-”

“Goddesses, Four! It’ll be fine.” The captain huffed desperately, just do it, please?”

Now they understood why Warriors could charm discounts and special deals out of merchants and inn-keepers, his royal blue eyes looked utterly pitiful and almost tearful as they stared up at them, pleading and wide. The effect was ruined though when Wars added a tiny little pout that sent Vio reeling with laughter as Blue and Green stifled their own, Red cooing softly in their head.

“Alright.” The laughter of three of the four colors spilled over in a light chuckle as the smithy pulled themselves to their feet, stepping over hesitantly and setting one foot on Warriors’ stretched out back.

“Go on.” Wars prompted, chuckling fondly. “It won’t hurt me, I’ll tell you if it does, okay?”

That didn’t help at all. They weren’t big, they knew that, but they weren’t as slight as they looked, they were smithies after all, and they were a solid little brick of muscle mass. Warriors may be certain it would be okay, but they sure weren’t.

“Four, I’m literally begging you. Step on me.”

The smithy’s nose wrinkled and they pulled back. “That is incredibly weird sounding.”

“Step.” Warriors ordered.

“This is so weird!” A nervous laugh fell from their lips. “How does this even help?”

“Just do it!” The captain groaned. “It helps, I promise. I can’t explain it, but it does.”

One tentative foot pressed against the captain’s back again, only for the smithy to back off, earning a huff in annoyance from the captain. “Four-”

“Let me take my boots off first.” They murmured, shivering off the awkward feeling that came from stepping on of their brothers. But they could only avoid Wars’ pleading gaze for so long and once their shoes are properly put to the side, they had no valid excuse to not ‘help’ the man.

How does this even help him?

Do we care? We have an excuse to step on him!

Vio, I think you spent too much time around Shadow. Stepping on people isn’t funny.

It’s funny if it’s Warriors. Vio sounded particularly satisfied with himself at the moment, and the others could only sigh at that, finally giving in to the captain's request as Vio pushed the body forwards until they are standing, fully, on Warriors’ back.

“Oh, yes, thank you.” The captain’s voice comes out in a relieved sigh. “A bit lower if you could- that's the- yes, right there. Oh gosh.” Blonde hair met the dirt as their resident “pretty boy” let his face fall to rest on the ground. A satisfied sigh escaping him, albeit muffled by the earth. “That is so much better. Thank you, Four.”

“How does this help?” They frowned, staring down at where the man spread out on the ground, utterly limp and incredibly boney under their feet.

“No clue.” Comes the muffled reply, no attempt made to explain as the captain continued to let himself melt into the earth. “But it always works like a charm, so I don’t question it.”

Always?

“Who do you usually have step on you?” They ask, standing awkwardly on a boney spine any trying their hardest to keep their balance so they don’t slip and tumble onto Warriors’ head and give him a concussion on top of everything.

“My kids.” Comes the easy reply, as if the words don’t send them reeling enough that they almost do fall. “Mask jumped on top of e once to try and wake me up. I wasn’t asleep, but it was a tough battle the day before. Come to find out having a smallish person stand on you does wonders! My younger siblings used to do it too, but then they all hit growth-spurts.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” They chuckled easily, finding a comfortable placement for their feet as Warriors’ back rises and falls with soft laughter.

“Believe it or not,” The captain rumbles, the vibrations trailing up their legs and making them stifle a giggle. “I’m the short one in the family. The eldest, but the Hylia forsaken shortest.” There’s very nearly a pout in the man's voice and they failed to hold back their laughter as they look down at him.

”You’re the shortest?”

“To my eternal torment.” Comes the groaned reply, and all the colors can do in reaction is laugh.

Later, when the others finally look over and see what’s happening, there are shouts and concerned looks from the heroes when they see their shortest standing on the previously sore and aching back of their tallest, but for now, Four gets to tease the captain for being short; something they never thought would ever happen.

Vio cackled madly in the background the whole time, leaving his brothers concerned after the first ten minutes when the color’s mirth failed to fade.

#sorry I took so long!!!#vio is a member of #the warriors bullying squad #red is a member of #the warriors protection squad #lined universe #linkeduniverse #lu warriors #lu four #lu vio #lu red #lu green #lu blue #fluffics #linked universe fic requests #claybrownie7566 my beloved

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fatefulfaerie · 3 years

Text

Mortality

Zelink Week 2021 prompt #7/7 @zelinkweek2021

Word Count: 3,684

Incarnation: Breath of the Wild 2 (pre)

Additional Prompts Followed: Forsaken Fates, Lost Eternities

Inspired by this art by @morniae

A big thank you to @braidy-maidy and @linktheacehero for beta-ing!!

He wasn’t expecting a fairytale reunion as his horse trotted slowly, arriving at the Forgotten Temple with next to no fanfare. All sorts of geniuses from every race of Hyrule had gathered to study this place, to pull it from its lost state and unearth its secrets, to discover the reason behind its eternity and maybe even why its fate was to be forsaken and forgotten to all of history.

Link left his horse with the many others that were being cared for on the left side of the canyon and began to navigate the ruckus on foot. It seemed crowds of scientists and historians alike were out here securing their tents, making food, and languishing in a well-deserved rest. Link felt as if he stuck out like a sore thumb with his small brain, but no one paid him any mind, not even her.

In fact, she was nowhere to be found.

Perhaps he was expecting some fairytale reunion as he peered his head around every Sheikah, Goron, Rito, Zora, and Hylian in sight. He didn’t care that there was no fanfare, in fact, that may have made it even harder to spot her if it were a big deal that the hero of Hyrule had arrived. Thank Hylia these ruins were more interesting, that no crowd had congealed into a true tidal wave of obstacles. He missed her dearly, after all, no matter how short a time two weeks was in comparison to a hundred years.

He made his way all the way to the shrine in the back when he finally saw her. Zelda smiled when she spotted him and bounded over, clutching the Sheikah Slate.

“Thank the goddesses you’re here,” she said, pecking his cheek. “They haven’t made anything good for dinner in days.”

She walked right past him. Link’s mouth popped open as she practically flew to another inscription of the ruins being studied. Purah, following close behind Zelda, approached Link as he looked over.

“Two weeks she hasn’t seen me and I get a colder welcome than ten thousand year old ruins.”

Purah clicked her tongue and began to cross past Link.

“Sounds like you better get cooking.”

And so he didn’t see his blur of a girlfriend until dinner, when he was serving a ladle-full of meat stew to everyone who passed by with a bowl, salty chunks of meat and sweet carrots swimming in a broth that radiated a scrumptious scent for at least a mile.

The last person he served came up wearing a forehead beaded with sweat and sticky blonde hair from a hard-days work. As she approached, she lightly hit the empty wooden bowl against her hand, and pursed her lips taut with eyes almost apologetic. Her steps shuffled in the sand.

“Look who it is,” Link said before she could muster an apology. He looked more amused than upset, anyway. Zelda sat on her heels in front of the cooking pot and handed him her bowl.

“Sorry,” she said, “it was just a busy day. We think we’re close to finding--”

Link and Zelda’s eyes met. They both knew what she was going to say. The entrance to the caves. The hidden reason why this expedition was such an extensive operation. Only Purah and Impa knew the true reason, after all. Everyone else was just here for research. Bless their hearts.

They knew they needed to find it, but not finding it meant more of an excuse to not go down there.

Yet.

To not let go of the illusion of peace.

Yet.

To not face their mortality once again.

Not yet.

Link looked down to pour soup in her bowl. With everyone else fed--and Zelda more than likely went to the back of the line on purpose so that she would be the last one to eat--Link poured himself a bowl as well. They soon sat down in front of Zelda’s tent.

“When are Impa and Paya arriving?” Link asked.

“Tonight,” Zelda replied, but she swallowed hard, regretting taking another spoonful with a “mm”.

“Oh my gosh I almost forgot!” she said enthusiastically. “You should have seen it, Link. The reunion between Purah and Robbie? They just marched up to each other, both short, old, and wrinkled, said each other’s names and walked off. It’s hard to believe they used to be lovers.”

Link choked on his stew.

“What?”

“Did I not...mention that?”

Link was still coughing, eyes tearing up.

“No?” He croaked, before coughing a couple more times. “You’d think I would remember something like that.”

“Believe me I wish I didn’t,” she said, before changing the subject. “Oh yeah, how did the meeting go?”

“Horrible,” Link said between spoonfuls.

“What do you mean?” Zelda inquired, slightly disappointed. She had hoped diplomacy would work.

“If I had known that Kohga had an eight year-old hiding somewhere in that hideout, I never would have attacked him,” Link started. “Apparently we needed him to keep his son in check. The kid is so hell-bent on revenge that he didn’t even read the treaty. He’s determined to hunt us down until the end of our days. Even his guards think he’s taking it a bit far. I could see it in their faces when Sooga was going on and on about his forces being strong and ready to fight. Those poor men and women are tired.”

“I thought the Yiga wore masks?”

Link shook his head.

“Not anymore,” he replied. “Sooga wants them to be proud of themselves, whatever that means. Goddesses, that whole meeting was like getting a child to eat their vegetables. I’m pretty sure Riju was about to slap him at the end, the little runt recycling the dogmas of the Yiga that are ten thousand years old now. Even when I ask him why he said such things about Hylians, he doesn’t give a straight answer. He knows less about history than I do and I had amnesia. He’s just been conditioned, raised to hate.”

“That’s unfortunate, but not hopeless,” Zelda said. “I’m sure Riju and the rest of the Gerudo will be able to work it out if the entirety of the clan no longer backs him. Is there any danger until then?”

Link shook his head and swallowed his current spoonful.

“Not yet,” he said once he could. “The only reason they haven’t attacked here is because he wants to find the entrance of the caves as much as we do. He didn’t say it outright, but he’s waiting for us to do it for him.”

“That’s not frightening at all,” she said sarcastically. “We’ll have to increase security when we do eventually go down there, make sure he doesn’t follow us.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it, Zelda,” Link said. “He’s only eight years old, and he’s pretty short and lean.”

Zelda smiled as she sipped her soup.

“I remember a little eight year old like that who could best adult knights,” she said with a smirk. “People say he saved Hyrule.”

“Really?”

“Never grew an inch after eight years old though.”

Link scoffed.

“I can and will pour the rest of this stew over your head,” he said as he held it up. Zelda laughed, but put her arms out in defense.

“Don’t you dare!” She exclaimed. She stood up and began to back away “I’m a princess!”

“Not anymore,” Link said, forgetting about the soup and tackling her. They wrestled playfully, rolling down the rocky slope and laughing joyfully until they stopped suddenly in a gulch, Zelda hovering over Link and sharing with him panting breaths.

“I win,” she said.

“By chance,” Link argued. He brought a hand up and lightly coaxed her head to lower. It, however, did not take much effort, as Zelda more than willingly met his lips to his, exploring his mouth and enjoying the sensation. She felt her cheeks warm. Kissing was all they had ever done, so being flush to him was frankly exhilarating, but she didn’t mind it in the slightest.

They both heard the reigns of horses, the clatter of a covered wagon, the jingle of Kakariko-style bells, but it blended too much into the rest of the ruckus for them to think anything of it.

“Paya, you brought us to the wrong place,” Impa said. “I wanted to go to the research expedition, not a mating ritual exhibition.”

Zelda pushed herself off Link and attempted to fix her hair, composing herself as best she could. Link stood up, but he let his messy hair be.

“H-hey Impa,” Zelda said, walking towards her oldest friend. Despite her feeble frame and short stature, Impa hopped off the wagon like a child. “How was the trip?”

“Long,” Impa said, bruskly.

“She’s a bit cranky,” Paya explained as she stepped off and started to untie the two brown horses from the wagon. “Where do these go?”

“Over there,” Link said, pointing over to the mini-stable on the left of the canyon. “And your tent is the one next to ours. If you’re hungry, there’s probably some stew left.”

“Please,” Impa said, allowing the young man to lead the way to the appropriate cooking pot. She even let him help her walk when the terrain wasn’t the smoothest.

They had left Zelda alone, but it gave her the opportunity to help Paya with unloading the wagon, and to catch up with one of her newer friends before they all turned in for the night.

Zelda was surprised to find Paya as reserved as she was when they first met, but after a bit of grilling she admitted to Zelda that Impa had told her of their true purpose here, that sealing Calamity Ganon may not have been an ending they could trust. Her red eyes were sad and apologetic for learning the secret but Zelda wouldn’t have it, insisting to Paya that it was okay, that it won’t be a secret for long, and that Hyrule was going to be okay.

That last one was a lie Zelda thought about well into the night.

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

“Zelda.”

He opened his eyes to the dark tent, the edge where tan cloth met a small patch of dry grass.

Link couldn’t believe a whisper was what woke him up. Still half awake and already turned away from the center flap of the tent, he kept his eyes closed, hoping he could doze off again.

“Zelda, wake up.”

Someone gently shook Zelda’s foot, and Link guessed the voice belonged to Paya.

Link felt Zelda’s arms slide away from holding him and he tried to slow his breaths. They both would feel so guilty for waking him.

“What is it?” Zelda asked, the rustling that followed suggesting that she got out of the tent. “Should I wake up Link?”

Paya must have shaken her head, or said something to suggest that it wouldn’t be necessary, because that was the last Link heard of the conversation.

He inwardly wrestled with the decision to get up anyway since he was, in fact, awake, but his comfort insisted otherwise and he drifted off before he made up his mind.

“Link.”

The sunlight was bright, even through the dulled filter of the canvas tent.

He felt Zelda’s hand on his shoulder, and he rolled over at the gentle prompt. Link found her green eyes.

“We found it,” she said. “An entrance to the caves.”

Link closed one eye and scrunched up his face. Zelda knew he did that when he was both tired and confused but with his messy bedhead she saw it as adorable.

Link moved his arm to the other, pinching his own skin somewhere around the wrist and, once he felt pain, his entire body sighed exasperated. He faced the top of the tent and closed his eyes far too tight to go back to sleep.

He opened the blue gems one at a time and took a deep breath.

“I assume we are leaving as soon as possible?”

Zelda nodded.

Link didn’t say another word when he got up and started getting ready, almost ignoring Zelda and how she sat on her heels in her own silent and undetectable bout of sadness. He even left her there in the tent but Zelda let him have his space, let him breathe his last breaths in this wild, fresh air, let him hear the birds and see the sun before she dragged him down to hell, back down to war, back down to fear and panic and worry and trauma and everything he had worked so hard to heal from.

It wasn’t until they were several steps into the caves that his stoicism really started to wear at her. One statement and all of him was left in the tent. He just…walked, looking forward, not saying a word. Zelda hated it as much as she did a hundred years ago. She tried to remember that he wasn’t really mad at her back then, so he couldn’t be mad at her now…

Right?

She looked over at his profile again.

Right?

“Link?”

The hooves of the large, blue ox behind them clapped along.

“I, uh…” she began when he gave no response. “I’m sorry about all this.”

“It’s not your fault,” Link said quickly and briskly.

Zelda’s lips parted. Her pacing slowed to a halt. If she hadn’t stopped pulling the ox along, it would have rammed into her.

Link looked over his shoulder when he realized he was the only one moving, turning around completely to see Zelda with a slightly furrowed brow.

“Why don’t I believe you?” Zelda asked.

He decided to look elsewhere as he hugged his arms close, the stone ground, the cavernous chasm above them, the rocky wall, anywhere but Zelda.

“I’m not mad at you, I...” he said quietly, “I’m just feeling a little off, okay?” He said quietly. “I had trouble breathing when I left the tent this morning.”

Zelda’s expression softened. She closed the distance between them and attempted to comfort him with a hand on his shoulder.

“You could have told me that,” Zelda said. “I’m nervous too. We have a right to be. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Yet Link still refused to look up.

“I almost collapsed, I felt so weak,” Link said. “The dread, the fear of facing it all again, the thought of losing you…it gathered, I felt it here.”

He placed a hand on his chest and he started to pant. His fingers began to clutch at the brown leather, the blue cloth and he stumbled to his knees.

“Link!” Zelda exclaimed as she grabbed him under his forearms, kneeling down with him. His breaths were shaky and fast, and he stared down at the ground.

“Link,” she repeated. “Link.”

The next sound from Link was the combination of a spurt of fresh paint and a croaking frog, warm vomit spilling from his mouth in smelly chunks of beef and carrots. It was instinct that Zelda stood up with a yelp and backed away with arms floating up, the gathering of vomit ending up mere inches from her toes. If she had stayed where she was, her pants would have been covered in Link’s partly-digested dinner.

“Oh gosh, Link,” she said once she got over the shock, rushing to his side and drawing circles on his back. He didn’t react though, only staring at the mess on the floor with his weight on his hands.

Zelda’s eyes stung with tears as she ran her fingers through his hair, some drops even lopping onto Link’s mess. She held him as best she could while still giving him the distance he needed, but that could never stop her from the occasional kiss on the side of his head and whispering sweet assurances of love into his right ear.

After a couple fruitless lurches of his back and neck, Link hurled a second time. As ironic as it was for her to hope for anything from the goddess anymore, Zelda prayed it was the last one.

“Zelda,” he said between heavy breaths. It was apparent his lungs were exhausted. He coughed a couple times.

Link looked into Zelda’s eyes, finally, although they veered towards horror, the green marbles conveying desperation for how to relieve this poor young man.

“I know,” she said, trying to smile. She wiped away Link’s tears. “I know.”

Wary of the mess near them, she brought him into a proper embrace, rocking him back and forth and holding him in such a way that she was sure he knew he was held. She wasn’t sure how secure he could feel on the cusp of embarking into danger, but she would try her best.

“I’m scared, too,” she said. “Down here is an untouched wild that was left alone for a reason we know not of. Nothing is scarier than the unknown, especially for us who have been hurt again and again by the unknown. Hope has betrayed us too much for us to readily depend on it, but we have to try.”

Link looked up, tilting his head to see her.

“How?”

Zelda lips parted. She stammered speechlessly. He seemed so hurt by her hopefulness.

“Together,” she said, attempting to fake her confidence. There was still a small question mark at the end of her statement that she didn’t mean to expose.

Link stood up and faced away from her. He crossed his arms.

“Do you know how long a version of Ganon has been terrorizing Hyrule?” Link asked. “How long he has been reincarnating?”

Zelda, who was now sitting on her heels, shook her head.

“No,” she said honestly.

“Do you know what makes us any different from the people who tried to stop him in the past?”

“No,” Zelda repeated, again, honestly.

Link nodded.

“I don’t either,” he said. “And that scares me.”

Zelda stood up.

“Link, we—”

“I can’t lose you!” Link exclaimed, turning around quickly. “I ignored it, okay?! All this time when you talked about there being caves, there being another journey, I ignored it! I put it off! I casted it aside! I focused on us.” His voice broke. “I thought that was all there would ever be…”

He placed his hands on his hips and collected himself.

“This morning it all collapsed,” he said. “Right before my eyes. Everything I could have ever hoped for.”

Zelda scoffed.

“Do you think I was happy to have found these caves?” Zelda asked rhetorically. “To have been woken up in the middle of night and told that this place I saw in my nightmares was indeed real, that I was to investigate a threat that hasn’t been faced in ten thousand years of Hyrule birthing warriors more capable than you? I had to keep a straight face, but Link, I wanted to scream so loud that even Lurelin could hear me!”

Zelda released her residual anger at the world in heavy pants of her breaths. Once she sighed herself calm, she snagged a small rag from the heaps of resources strapped to the patient and by now likely deaf ox.

Zelda stepped forward and washed Link’s stunned face clean of vomit.

“Then I thought of our future,” Zelda continued. “I was angry because coming down here means jeopardizing that. I scorned myself for how selfish that was. I told myself that this wasn’t about me and you, that this is about a peaceful Hyrule. That helped but...do you want to know what really helped?”

“What?” Link asked.

“The people of Hyrule want to live in peace, and so do we. They want to raise families without worrying about another Calamity.” Zelda smiled. “I think we do too, when the time comes.” She perished the thought. That was a long while down the road. “But this isn’t just about a peaceful Hyrule, it’s about our peaceful Hyrule. I’m no longer a princess, distanced from others by a pedestal, and you are no longer a knight, distanced from others by a sword. We actually feel like a part of Hyrule this time. Of course we loved the Champions, my father, but we aren’t acting as Hyrule’s weapons anymore. We don’t feel like cards to be discarded or pawns to be knocked off in a game of chess. All of this is voluntary. We can’t blame a kingdom or a calamity this time. The possibility of losing each other is already giving us stomach-churning guilt because no one told us to go down here. We came down here because we want to preserve peace for all of us, preserve peace beyond even our lifetimes.”

Zelda placed a hand on Link’s cheek.

“And we will,” she said. “We have to believe we will. If we don’t think we’ll get out of here, then there is no chance we will. This is our first on-our-own decision and it’s a damn risky one. We can always turn back if--”

“No,” Link interrupted.

Link’s hand went to hers and his thumb stroked her soft fingers.

“No,” he repeated, however shakily. “We are going through with this. I just need to process it, that’s all. I didn’t think we would actually be doing this. I think we both held on to the fantasy of peace. I definitely held on to it too much.”

He finally let her touch soothe him.

“I’m here,” Zelda assured him softly. “I’m right here.”

She took his hand and placed it on her heart, the rhythm of which pulsated through his own veins.

“I’m not supposed to be alive right now,” Zelda said. “I should have died an eighty year old queen about thirty years ago but here we both are, young and spry. These caves are filled with dangers we don’t know, but with my heart in your hands and your heart in mine I know we can dare to do the impossible again.”

Link met his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. He tried to breathe the way she was, to feel her calm and to adapt it into his own body.

“Okay,” he said. “I’m ready.”

#zelink #zelink week 2021 #zelinkweek2021 #zelda #link #forgotten temple #botw #breath of the wild #botw 2 #breath of the wild 2 #botw sequel #impa #paya #purah #robbie

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sunlightandsuffering · 3 years

Text

Sugar Mama

prompt: Eren is the sugar baby this time!!

Eren stands at the vending machine, dead on his feet and wishing to god his shift was over. He has an hour and a half left of the hell that is the emergency ward on a Friday night, babysitting drunk people, patching up ridiculous injuries and pulling strange items out of people’s asses.

He is thoroughly done.

He fucking hates being a resident.

He hits the A4 button for an energy drink, pressing his cheek against the cold glass to pep him up and keep him awake until he can get his energy drink.

His plans are thwarted when he watches close up as the vending machine refuses to drop the redbull, leaving it just on the cusp of falling but not quite.

Eren wants to cry.

His impending mental breakdown is interrupted by his attending snapping at him, “Yeager!”

He turns his cheek to face the she-devil that is the on call ER doctor tonight, Mikasa Ackerman, prodigal ER doctor, mentor, and his unbelievably hot direct superior.

He doesn’t know whether to be turned on by her commanding tone or to fear it, it’s probably a little of both if he’s being honest with himself. At this time of the night though, he cannot bring himself to respond with his usually excited gusto, he’s tired. He’s been here for twelve hours, and normally that would be fine, except he’d been called in after working an eight hour shift already and him and Dr. Ackerman are the only ones manning the emergency ward tonight with a nursing shortage to boot.

Basically, it is hell on earth and he doesn’t even know if he’ll actually get to leave in an hour and a half, it’s only if his relief actually fucking shows up.

When Eren doesn’t immediately respond he watches as Mikasa takes a few steps closer, examining him like she would a patient.

“How long have you been here Yeager?”

He sighs, “Too long but I’m fine Dr. Ackerman, I just need my energy drink.”

Eren pulls back to mournfully expose the vending machine and his redbull frozen in space.

Her pretty face twists back into its usual scowl, the one he’s sure she inherited from Levi, the other Dr. Ackerman in the hospital.

“Just buy another one, what are you doing, we have patients, I don’t have time for you to mope around Yeager.”

He glares at her, “I’m a resident Mikasa, I’m not exactly rolling in dough and that’s all the change I brought with me tonight, the rest of my change is for the bus.”

Normally, he’d be more wary about using her first name but he’s not in the mood to deal with the attendings who have been out of medical school too long to remember what student loans are like.

Eren lives paycheck to paycheck, working grueling hours and with little time off, he doesn’t have any extra money for a second redbull.

“Oh,” Mikasa blushes, the apples of her cheeks flushing a pretty pink colour as she realizes her mistake, “Sorry, here I’ll get it.”

She pulls out a five dollar bill and stuffs it into the machine, ordering several redbulls and they all thunk satisfyingly to the bottom of the vending machine along with his original one.

Eren gathers them up thankfully, holding them in his arms, expecting Mikasa to grab one. Her blush remains as she puts her wallet away and Eren holds out her share of the drinks.

“It’s okay, you can keep them, I only need one.”

She takes one of his offered drinks gingerly and Eren can’t help but think how cute she is when she’s not yelling at him about almost killing a patient.

“Ugh thanks Dr. Ackerman.”

She turns her head away as she opens her energy drink, sipping it, “No problem, you’re doing a good job tonight Eren, I know you got called in to cover someone else.”

Eren almost chokes on his beloved energy drinks, narrowly avoiding dropping the other ones to the floor, Dr. Ackerman complimenting him???

Notorious hardass, beautiful, unattainable Dr. Mikasa Ackerman??

He must be imagining things, what a weird night it’s turned out to be.

“Thanks, Mikasa,” he tries his luck with her name again and she surprisingly still does not correct him, actually her mouth turns up just a fraction into a small smile.

She knows how to smile???

“Sorry, I know how it is to be a resident, I forget sometimes how bad the pay is, if you ever need anything let me know okay Eren, you’re one of my best residents,” she pats his shoulder, “I wouldn’t want you getting malnourished.”

Eren’s brain is about to explode, Dr. Ackerman likes him? Dr. Ackerman worries about him and thinks he’s a useful member of her team???

Mikasa looks like she’s about to say more when her pager goes off and immediately the soft kind-hearted Mikasa he’d been speaking to is replaced by his hardass attending, “Store the energy drinks and get your ass in gear Yeager, the nights not over yet.”

She’s right, it’s not.

Several hours later Eren is finally free, and so is Mikasa. He finds her in the locker room, changing a little ways away, stripping out of her scrub shirt and Eren quickly turns away, trying to keep his eyes from straying to the sports bra she’s practically spilling out of.

He hears a laugh, tinkling like a bell and then, “You can look now Eren, I’m done.”

Eren turns back to find his attending fully clothed in ripped jeans and a black hoodie, wearing a ball cap, and looking surprisingly tiny next to him for someone normally so menacing whenever she’s in scrubs.

He’s struck by the fact that Dr. Ackerman is a human being, and not just the doctor goddess he sometimes has dirty dreams about.

“Hi Dr. Ackerman,” he responds awkwardly, unsure why she’s in the resident’s locker room changing.

“Mikasa, you can call me Mikasa outside of work,” she grins at him, looking surprisingly approachable.

“Ahh okay Mikasa, are you heading out to?”

“Yeah, actually I was hoping I’d catch you, I remember you saying something about the bus so I was wondering if you needed a ride?”

He’s nodding before he can even consider her offer, of course he wants a ride home with a hot doctor in her car, he doesn’t care if it’s pathetic that he lives in a hovel and he doesn’t have a car. Men everywhere would kill for this opportunity, he won’t pass it up.

“Perfect, I was thinking maybe we could go for breakfast first too,” she tells him matter-of-factly as he follows her dutifully out the door of the change rooms, “And maybe we should stock you up on some new scrubs, yours are looking a little worse for wear?”

It’s not even a question, he’s just nodding and Mikasa’s grin is getting wider and wider as they step out the front doors of the hospital.

“And maybe we should head to my house after breakfast actually, I’m sure my bed is more comfortable than yours.”

Eren is nodding so vehemently he swears he’s going to give himself brain damage, yes, yes, yes, this is everything he didn’t know he wanted.

They stop at her car, a sleek white tesla, “So a breakfast date and then sleep, maybe shopping after, my treat?” She questions sweetly, her bravado leaving her as she unlocks the car.

Eren looks at her over the top of the car, “Dr. Ackerman, you don’t have to bribe me, I’ll do whatever you want me to whether you buy me breakfast or not.”

“Mikasa,” she corrects him quietly as she opens up her door and Eren grins as he climbs into the car, “Nah I think Dr. Ackerman is hotter, but you tell me, what would you prefer I whisper in your ear while I fuck you?”

#lys's drabbles #eremika

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aphrodite-would-be-proud · 4 years

Text

🕯Anon said: hi sweetheart 🕊 can you write about armin having a quiet night with the reader? something like wearing comfy pajamas, fairy lights, cute little candles, incense, soft songs and maybe some reading? and they just cuddling? 🥺 i think about that whenever i go to sleep and do all of the above, but i'm just by myself lmao anyways, thank you so much 🌸 (btw i'm the anon who asked you about the armin x painter!reader 🥺 hello 🥺 i just love how you write can we be friends please) 🕯

Quiet night with Armin

{ Armin x Reader | tw:none | sleep help, comfort, fluff | modern }

{ "Twilight, Valley of the Genesee" 1865 by Samuel Colman 1832 - 1920 }

Shimmering golden hues weaved across pastel blue walls in the form of strings, crossing the bookshelf before making a turn at the plants corner, illuminating the room with a soft warm glow.

Your head rested against the satin pillow, just right above Armin's shoulder, close enough that you can see the rise and fall of his chest with every breath. The ends of his hair ghosting over your cheek whenever he leaned to tell a particular clever line of the book he's been reading to you.

You can't exactly remember the name of it, but you can clearly recall his excited smile this morning when showing it to you.

"It's one of my favourites" he said, "the last time i got to reread it was in high-school, has it really been that long?" And that's all you can remember from the conversation before it got sidetracked by him asking if you had lunch yet.

There's definitely something to be said about rereading a book over and over again, a sense of familiarity, an attachment to the characters, plot and world setting. It's almost magic how quickly your comfort book, show or movie can turn a horrible day into a nice one, making it the silver lining.

Looking at the way Armin would pause for a second after some lines, or chuckle at random scenes, like it's an inside joke between him and his mind, you can tell he's definitely recalling some good memories.

Just like how he's adding to his list of comfort memories by sharing this experience with you, he wants you to be a part of this silly book he once picked up as a child and continued to revisit every few years.

You glance at the remaining pages, just as he flips another one to start anew. You've already finished a third of the book, only a quarter remaining.

It's not that you're getting impatient, but it's more that the soft blanket draped over you, the warmth of Armin's body pressed next to yours and the sound of his voice, are all luring you into a hazy cloudy state where your eyelids feel too heavy and turning your head to check the clock seems too exhausting.

How long has it been? since you curled up against him right after you went to put your empty hot chocolate mugs in the sink.

You don't have the heart to tell him that your brain stopped registering the words he's saying and instead listens to the tone of his soft-spoken voice and reacts accordingly. Stealing another glance at the remaining pages, you notice a few missing, okay good, just a few more. You can hold on right?

Right?

Forcing your eyes open, you suppress a yawn threatening to rise before curling even closer to his shoulder, face against his neck, hand over his chest.

Instead of focusing on his calming heartbeat, you try to focus your attention on different things, like the smell of snowdrops flowers filling the room from the scented incense sitting on the nightstand.

Snowdrops, the milky bell-like flowers who befriended the cold harsh snow herself.

An ancient German tale that Armin told you, on one early spring morning. When the universe was just in bloom, as the earth shaped its form and the plants dressed themselves, when the god in the heavens above just created snow, she was told to go seek her colours from the flowers below.

She came with her request, but the flowers turned their heads, refusing to acknowledge her for she is the reason for the harsh weather, deeming their life spans short, overzealous and jealous, protecting their colours from the merciless lady snow.

She was left all alone, friendliness, colourless with no love or sympathy from a soul.

Except for one, came knocking on her door, head bowed down and humbly offered to share. Snowdrops were the flowers that warmed the snow's heart, and so white was the colour in which snow was known.

Snow made a vow, to always protect her one and only friend, even from her own self. Under her watchful gaze, snowdrops were gifted with warmth that let them be the first flowers to bloom when winter bid her goodbyes as spring was arriving soon.

You've never seen snowdrops the same since, their delicate and shy nature standing out between all the proud flowers, you even suggested planting some to Armin.

"...but sweetheart" you remember him saying with a frown, " snowdrops are poisonous."

…

Yeah, and so getting their scented incense was the second best option available.

You hear the sound of another page being turned, fewer left to go, just hold on a bit longer.

Wondering the room with your eyes, your gaze fell on the straw sunhat hanging from the on the back of a chair. It's Armin's favourite, he'd always wear it when the sun was particularly bright that day.

you remember him saying it was a gift from his grandpa when he was a child.

His grandpa...didn't you visit his farm a few months ago?

...yeah you did, you can recall clearly, how you were:

Squinting your eyes to avoid the bright sun, you wiped the sweat collecting on your forehead before leaning your head back against the wooden wall. The occasional passing cool breeze distracting you from the dryness in your throat, even after moving to sit in the shade your skin still felt too hot.

The grassy fields in front stretched wide before ending in white pained fences, where the crops patches for vegetables started.

The sudden gentle waves of cool air against your skin made you glance to the side, where Armin was fanning you with his hat, while holding a tray with two ice filled lemonades in his other hand.

"Are you sure you don't want to go inside?" He said, sitting next to you before handing you the cold drink, "you've already done a lot, I'll do take care of the rest."

You've been helping Armin with the farm work since sunrise, feeding the animals together and watering the crops, saying you're exhausted from the scorching hot sun was an underestimation.

And yet, somehow Armin seems unaffected. Not a sign of being bothered as he sat there next to you with his rolled up sleeves and cuffed pants, the slight flushing to his face was the only thing he got from the sun.

"Yeah, I need to lay down a bit." You remember saying, after emptying your drink in one go.

"If that's the case then-" setting the tray aside, Armin patted his lap while looking at you, "Come here."

Too tired to protest, you layed your head on his thigh, feeling your back stretching and the cool air from his fanning was already making you feel better.

"You know, there's a story my grandpa used to tell me about the sun."

An Australian folklore, about a time when the earth was merged in absolute Darkness, when even the stars refused to light up the sky.

Eternal darkness was the fate of humanity, as people were spent their lives carrying torches to light up their way.

Gnowee was an alone mother in a forsaken world, left to fend for her little son. Each day while he slept safely, she'd venture into the the fields in search for plants or seeds. Knowing very well that's it's a matter of life and death if she couldn't come back with something edible.

Each day she'd come with whatever she could find, feeding it to her son even if it meant sleeping on an empty stomach.

But with food scarce and the abyss looming at every corner, things were harder each day.

One day after rocking her child to sleep, she quietly left with her torch to dig for yams she saw on her way last time. Retracting her footsteps, it was a long journey but she knew it'd be worth it.

And so she walked and walked till she reached the place, began digging the ground but dirt and mud was all that she could find. But she couldn't just go back to her son empty handed, and so she wandered far.

She wandered so far in fact that she reached the end, not the end of her journey but the end of the earth itself.

Somehow, in someway she managed to pass from under it, her will for her son to live another day far greater that anything, and so she emerged from the other side.

The void.

Where nothingness lived.

Looking at the vast empty space, she didn't know where she was, the line between the ground and walls was so blurred that she thought she's floating.

Panic and dread filled her mind as she raised her torch higher and higher, attempting to clear a path for her to see. For she had to go back to her son, all alone sleeping by himself.

Climbing the sky was her only solution, as she wondered the world, unknowingly lighting up a path with her as she went.

"And so the Sun Goddess wonders the sky above, in search for her son." Armin told you that day, before offering you his own lemonade to drink because he was still worried about you.

...

You can't recall how that day ended, you think you might have fell asleep on his lap right after.

The fairylights on the wall reminded you of the clear stars sky you've seen while on the farm, his grandfather was a really sweet guy too.

With your mind still coulded in drowsiness, your hearing was also delayed apparently, since you just noticed the book in Armin's hold was closed with him staring at you with a smile instead.

Moving so he could set the book on the nightstand, Armin turned towards you before pulling you closer to him, making sure the covers don't slip off of you. He cupped your face, stroking your cheek with love in his eyes.

"I'm sorry baby, did I take too long?" He said, glancing at the clock behind you answered his question.

You shook your head, murmuring a slurred "it's alright."

Posture visibly relaxing, he gave your cheek a small kiss before resting too on the pillow next to you, a yawn escaping him.

With half closed eyes, you saw him cuddling close to your chest, features softening as he bid you goodnight. Your hand moved to stroke his hair just like he always liked, lacing your fingers through the soft strands you closed your eyes too.

Warmth took over you, the feeling of his soft breath near your neck, the comfortable weight of his arms around you, the slow ticking of the clock, it all rocked you to sleep as you happily gave in.

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magnoliabloomfield · 3 years

Text

Possession Finale

After a blissful but not nearly long enough nap, Gally was awakened by a knocking on the med hut door. He came to enough to realize how comfortable he was before it was rudely taken away from him. He’d had a hold of Nikola’s waist and his head was resting under her chin before she slipped out from under him. He was left behind in the cot that felt more uncomfortable than ever before as she crossed the room and opened the door.

“Hey, how is he?” Jeff asked as he came in.

“As good as he can be after what they put him through. I got him all patched up and let him rest a bit. I think he’ll be ok,” her voice drifted to Gally. He started to pull the memory of kissing her up through the fog in his head and couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the cracked corner of his mouth. He was way more than ok.

“Thanks for helping me,” she added. “It was nice to have privacy.”

Interesting, Gally thought. He helped her? Did he… know?

“Thank yourself for that,” Jeff chuckled. “It’s only because you took all those anti-peeping precautions in case you ever became a patient.”

“Still, you guys got Shawn out of here to make this all possible. What’s been going on out there?”

“Mostly taking care of Shawn, you really did a number on him. I think all the boys will keep out of your biting range from now on. Well, all except one, I’m assuming,” Jeff was saying and Gally imagined he meant him.

Nikola giggled and it was the sweetest thing in the whole shucking glade.

“I take it went well then?” Jeff asked and Gally wished he had fallen back asleep for real, it was wild enough what had just happened between him and Nikola, it was crazy awkward to hear another person discuss it.

“Very well,” Nikola answered and Gally blushed despite himself. “I’m really glad we had this opportunity, I don’t know what’s going to happen going forward.”

Gally almost frowned at that. What did she mean? He wasn’t going to be changing his mind about his feelings, and he definitely didn’t want to give up kissing her now that he’d had a taste. Damn, that reminded him of the shuck Shawn was saying.

“Well, I really hope it works out in your favor,” Jeff said and sounded pretty darn sincere. “Alby really wants to hear what happened from you and Gally. Is he up for it, do you think?”

“I’ll try and wake him up, if he needs more rest then I’ll come out and talk to Alby first,” she told him.

“Alright, I’ll let him know,” Jeff said and there was the sound of the door and lock again.

“Did you get all that?” Nikola asked as she gently sat down on the edge of the cot and delicately ran her hand over his hair. He was so bruised and battered she was afraid a normal touch could cause him pain. Her fingers lightly brushed over any bit of unbruised skin she could find.

“M-hm,” Gally hummed as he cracked his eyes open and saw her hovering over him like an angel. “Just what exactly did you do to Shawn?”

She laughed before a protective edge took over her. “He got what he deserved for messing with my best friend, that lousy shank.”

Gally chuckled at her use of glader slang. “A few months ago, if someone asked if I’d ever kiss my best friend the answer would have been a hard no.”

“Don’t tell Newt that, he’ll be devastated,” She said without missing a beat and Gally chuckled hard enough to hurt himself on that one. “I wish we could stay in here forever,” he said when the laughter and then the pain subsided.

“I know,” she sighed. “Me too. So… one more before we go back out there?”

“At least two,” he corrected, making a bashful grin spread on her face as she carefully laid next to him, careful not to bump or jostle him in his sore state.

Her fingers ran through his hair, giving an electric thrill down his spine as her nails grazed his scalp. He’d never felt a caring or gentle touch before, and definitely not anything sensual, so everything she did was a new sensation to him. She leaned down to him and he knew what was coming first, her nose brushing against his and he grinned wide when she did even though it hurt.

“You like that, huh?” he asked.

“What?” she asked, not knowing what he was referring to.

“The little nose nuzzle,” he clarified, tilting his head to graze hers with his.

“It’s because you have such a cute nose,” she smiled and nuzzled back, watching his face go pink. “You’re really cute, if you didn’t already know that.”

“Is ‘cute’ a good thing?” he lightly squinted at her, remembering how she called the dog and the baby animals cute.

“Uh, it’s a very good thing,” she said like he was completely clueless. “Cute means that I not only find you wildly attractive, but I also enjoy spending time with you, so I’d make out with you but also I’d talk about anything with you and do anything for you that a best friend would do, and then make out some more.”

“Is that what it means?” he chuckled, seeing her nod and bite her lip as she grinned too. “Well, that sounds pretty shucking good.”

He reached up with his bandaged hand and slipped it behind her neck, gently guiding her lips to his once again. It felt like they were expressing all the emotions they’d have to suppress once they walked out that door, like they were reassuring the other of their feelings even if they had to deny something when they got out there.

They knew they couldn’t linger too long with Alby waiting on them, so very begrudgingly they got up and left the privacy of the medhut. The world of the glade was fairly small, but after his time alone with Nikola it came crashing on him with a violent rush. The sheer number of boys and their noise was almost too much for him even though he’d been living with it for three years.

They walked together but at a proper distance even though they’d much rather have been holding hands. They already felt a separation depression. Finally they got to the gathering hall and found Newt and Alby there, leaning tiredly in their seats.

“Hey,” Alby greeted, surprisingly calm. “How are you guys doing?”

“Fine,” Gally shrugged, not used to being asked that.

“Really? ‘Cause you look terrible,” Alby lightly teased him as Gally took a seat. “And you Nikola? He didn’t hurt you too bad?”

“No, it’s not that bad,” she said even as she wrapped her hand around her pony tail and ran it down the length of it.

“I bet Shawn wishes he could say the same,” Alby’s joke fell flat.

“I won’t apologize for that,” She said firmly, and Gally had to fight to control the expression on his face and not look over at her like she was a goddess.

“Don’t worry, that’s not what I’m asking you to do,” Alby assured her. “I want to hear what happened from you two. Nikola why don’t you go first, I’m just way too curious.”

“I heard some noises and I found Shawn and two other boys ganging up on Gally and beating him, so I yelled at them to stop before I tried to scream and run for help. Shawn caught me, and he was covering my mouth. He grabbed my hair so I couldn’t get away,” she said and again she touched her hair. “So when I managed to get one of his fingers between my teeth I just bit down as hard as I could. He’d either have to let my hair go, or he wouldn’t have a free hand to do anything else so long as I could clamp down hard enough. Plus it made him scream which brought everyone running.”

“So, you bit him because you were afraid of him hurting you?” Alby asked.

“He certainly could have, but I did it to help Gally,” she answered. “I thought they were going to kill him.”

“Uh-huh,” Alby nodded, tongue in cheek as he let that information settle in. “And what about you, Gally?”

The builder sighed heavily. “I was collecting wood in the dead heads when the three of them showed up,” he started reciting. “Shawn started talking a lot of crap about me trying to rile me up, he wanted me to hit him.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because after he hit me, Johnny said ‘I thought he was just supposed to hit you?’ and Shawn said ‘Screw that.’”

“So, you knew he wanted you to hit him, and you did it?” Alby questioned, looking skeptical.

Gally let out another breath and fidgeted a little. “I held back for a long time,” he said, looking down as he picked at his thumb. “But then he started saying some stuff I couldn’t let slide. I gave him a warning, I just grabbed his collar and gave him a little push away from me since he was in my face. He didn’t take the hint so then he had to take the hit.”

“What did he say exactly?” Alby asked, Newt’s eyes darted to Nikola and back.

“It made me believe he would do something to hurt Nikola,” Gally answered.

“What did he say?”

“I’m not gonna say it in front of her,” Gally said resolutely as he held Alby’s authoritative gaze.

Alby gave a pause as he considered Gally. “That bad, huh?”

Gally just nodded and felt Nikola shift uncomfortably in her own seat.

“Something bad enough to get you to throw a punch you knew he wanted when you were outnumbered three to one,” Newt observed.

Nikola gave him a sideways glance, wondering now more than ever what it could have been, still feeling guilty that it had something to do with her at all. But she was also thinking about how Gally was such a good guy. Maybe a little dim for getting into fights when he was outnumbered and secluded, but his intentions seemed good.

“I can’t imagine doing that for someone that wasn’t special to me,” Alby said and he seemed to be digging at something.

“Oh come on,” Nikola scoffed, trying to throw him off. “I’m the one and only frail little girl here, so either they want to protect me or they’re what I need protected from.”

“And those scales could quickly tip out of your favor if you’re not careful,” Alby was trying to speak in some kind of passive yet meaningful coded language and Nikola was sick of it.

“You mean your rule about me not belonging to anyone?” She looked at him cold, hard, and flat. “Glad to know I’m not just another inanimate object that came up in the box, but I’m not a big fan of that rule all the same. I don’t want to harm anyone, I would never intentionally hurt someone, but that includes myself. I’m not going to put myself through pain just to cater to someone else’s warped idea of possession. If I want to be close to someone I should be able to, it doesn’t harm anyone, they have to be responsible for how they think and feel about things that don’t actually affect them.”

“In a perfect world that would work,” Alby said and she felt a big ‘but’ coming. “But this is not a perfect world-“

“So what!” Nikola burst. “Are you planning on staying here forever? When we get out of here there’s a whole big world out there that isn’t going to bend and cater to them and they should be learning now to handle that and be a part of that kind of society.”

Alby sighed and ran a hand over his face in frustration. “We’re getting off topic. Nikola, do you want to banish Shawn for what he did?”

“No,” She said easily, causing all three boys to look at her sharply, Gally getting a shooting pain in his neck from it.

“How can you say that?” he asked her.

“I don’t want boys banished because of me,” she shrugged easily. “What, you think they won’t start hating me for being the reason one of their friends is dead? That’s how they will see it. They’ll think I do things on purpose to get someone banished. No, no banishing boys because of me.”

Gally couldn’t believe it, he sat there staring at her dumbfounded.

“Alright then, you can go now,” Alby told her as he shook his head, looking a few years older since they first came in.

She was hesitant to get up and looked between him and Newt and then glanced over at Gally. Apparently they weren’t done with him.

“You’re excused,” Alby reiterated, earning a slight glare from her before she got up and left.

Gally felt the beating was only starting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was dark and the glade was quiet for once. Despite what he’d been through, Gally was awake. Maybe it was thanks to the nap he had taken earlier. He sat on the swing in the midnight air that was just right when nothing else was. He’d spent time in the gathering room with Alby and Newt, hearing it from both of them that he needed to keep his distance from Nikola and not get attached.

As if he could do that. He never told them just how attached he was, he never tried to tell them the rule sucked, nothing. He just sat there. Sat there hating the glade, hating Wicked more than anything, and missing her. He hadn’t seen her the rest of the evening since he’d been in no shape to work and went to his room to rest and get away from everyone else.

“Hey you,” a soft voice came from behind him, startling him slightly from his thoughts, but he calmed down as soon as delicate arms wrapped around his shoulders. “How are you doing?”

He placed a hand on Nikola’s arm and let a heavy breath out through his nose, glad it was her and not anyone else. “That’s a difficult question to answer,” he admitted, feeling her warmth against his back.

“Anything I can do to help?” she asked before kissing his cheek.

“I don’t know, I don’t think so,” he said glumly, leaning his head back against her shoulder.

“Are you sure?” She kissed just below his ear and he nearly fell off the swing.

“Nikola, Alby and Newt reamed me about being too close to you, we’ll only get in more trouble if we’re seen together like this,” he said even though it was the saddest thing in the world to tell her.

“Don’t worry about it,” she whispered in his ear. “Tonight no one will recognize me.”

Gally furrowed his brows at that and turned to see what she meant.

“Holy shuck, your hair,” he kept his exclamation quiet as he saw her pixie like hair cut. “Why did you do that?”

She came around and stood in front of him, her hands resting on his shoulders, her whole body exuding stress. “Because it really freaked me out!” she started explaining. “He had me and I couldn’t get away, I couldn’t get away to get help for you when you needed it, and I hated how that felt. I never want to feel that again.”

Gally reached up and touched her hair and her face.

“Am I ugly now?” she asked when he stayed quiet.

“Never,” he burst immediately and she grinned in the moonlight.

“Would you be terribly upset if someone thought they saw you kissing another boy on a dark night?” she asked as she leaned closer.

“I could live with it,” he admitted as he looked up at her.

She leaned down and just before her lips touched his he pulled back. “But first, can you tell me why you don’t want Shawn banished for what happened?”

She nuzzled his nose with a slightly exasperated sigh. “Because it would set a precedent, you mess with the girl you get banished. And if we’re ever caught like this, I can’t have you getting banished. Literally, they would have to banish me with you.”

“Really?” he asked in surprise.

“You tried to beat up three boys for something one of them said about me,” she pointed out. “So, yes… I love you too.”

He wasn’t prepared for those words. He’d never heard the word ‘love’ directed at anything but ‘I’d love an air conditioner’ and similar phrases. She was willing to live with Shawn so she wouldn’t have to live without him, if that wasn’t love Gally didn’t know what it could be.

He got up from the swing and hugged Nikola, hugged her close and tight and she hugged him too, though she tried to be gentle. He finally pulled back, brushed his nose against hers and then whispered, “I do love you,” before he kissed her and kissed her.

“You must be tired,” she said when they were standing with their foreheads pressed together.

“I’ll stay up all night,” he said, more serious than joking.

“You need rest to get better,” she lightly scolded him before tiptoeing to whisper in his ear. “Come on, let’s go to the med hut. We’ll say something hurt and you couldn’t get to sleep and I was helping you.”

Despite his better judgment, Gally did what he wanted to do. He walked hand in hand with her to the medhut, fumbled through the darkness until the found the cot and picked up where they’d left off. Her chest was his pillow and her fingers brushed through his hair until he fell into a deep, sweet sleep like he’d never gotten before.

~~~~~~

It was chaos in the morning. Despite telling them their pretty accurate and hardly dishonest reason for being in the med hut together all night, Alby was fuming and some other keepers were too.

Gally stood with Nikola as she seemed to square up against them. As much as she wanted to, she didn’t interrupt Alby’s old sermon about the not belonging rule and other complaints going around.

It was Gally that snapped this time.

“She doesn’t belong to me,” He said, loud enough for almost everyone to hear. “She belongs to herself unless she wants to choose otherwise. It’s a stupid rule to tell people who they can and can’t belong to, only they get to decide that. So all I can say is… that I belong to her.”

Nikola looked up at him with surprise. She’d never expected the independent, headstrong and proud Gally to show any kind of submission. But she remembered how he’d said ‘you’re my friend and I’m yours’. He was hers. He was hers.

That effectively shut everyone else up for a long minute. Naturally the first thing they did was call a gathering and that time they walked hand in hand to the hall, Nikola taking adoring peeks up at his grim and determined face.

They had to admit that they were more than friends in no uncertain terms and deal with the keepers reactions to that. But in the end, no one could make a sound argument against what Gally had said. The new rule was that they could be together, but if they could just not rub it in anyone’s face that’d be nice.

He climbed the ladder to her tower that night, a prince coming to his princess.

“Has it lost the thrill now that we don’t have to sneak around and keep it secret?” He asked as she laid on his chest this time.

“Absolutely, I’m so over it now,” she said sarcastically, poking him in the ribs as she giggled. “Of course not, silly.”

Gally had never been called silly before.

“I’m really glad it worked out,” she sighed as she traced a circle on his chest. “But most boy’s aren’t exactly thrilled.”

“I’ll beat them all up,” he said and she giggled again.

“All at once?” she asked skeptically.

“If I have to,” he said. “I’d do anything for you.”

He kissed the top of her head, his fingers threading through her short hair, liking how soft it was.

“Because you’re mine?” she asked, propping herself up to look at him, her gaze happy and hungry.

“Because I’m yours,” he confirmed, nuzzling her nose and feeling the response of her lips on his.

She was also his.

Possession Masterlist

@frequentlychangingfandoms @quackquackbi @poulterjonas @crazysheeplyca @pre-google @gladerscake @neilox @thesuitkovian @carp3d1em @cottoncandy-dreamxd @emilyhadenbaker

The next one I want to start is Gally's love story after he gets taken in by the right arm. We don't go outside the glade enough in TMR fics, we always sending extra girls in lol. I don;t mind, obviously I've done multiple ones just like that. But I thought would be fun to try something different

#Gally #tmr #tmr gally #gally imagine #will poulter #will poulter protection squad #thirsting over gally's thick ankles

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johannstutt413 · 3 years

Text

(requested by mathmaticalknight)

Blemishine was in the Engineering Department, hiding from Zofia with her fellow tech-heads as she often did, the day she first encountered the Nian. She’d heard rumors about the meandering meddling metallurgist and her amorphous armaments, but it was only when the Doctor finally gave in and let her work with the Department that the Kuranta came into contact with her.

“Workshop #3 just sent up the results from their latest alloy test,” Passenger reported matter-of-factly. “No progress.”

“I’m definitely starting to see why we haven’t figured this thing out. It’s like the metal is...alive.” Blemishine was watching VODs of Nian’s combat performance to try and get some new data-

-which meant she was the perfect target when the real Nian arrived and glanced over her shoulder. “Well, you look like you’re having fun.”

“She’s incredible, isn’t she?” The knight looked over her shoulder, realized it was THE Nian standing over her, and with a blush said, “You’re incredible.”

“A lot of people don’t trust me, that’s true. I’m gonna borrow her, alright, Elliot?”

The Liberi waved an arm. “Bring her back in one piece.”

“Oh, you know I’d never hurt a hair on her head.” She hooked one of her arms under one of the Kuranta’s and pulled her out of her chair. “Let’s go.”

“Ehh? O-okay! I’ll be back, Passenger!” And without any resistance, Maria was off on an adventure.

At least, she thought that’s what was happening, though the Nian didn’t exactly explain as they walked through the corridors of Rhodes Island in the direction of the shuttle bay. “What’s your name, kid? I haven’t seen you around much.”

“Blemishine’s my codename, but you can call me Maria.” Honestly, she’d prefer the latter. “Is it true you’re not a Rhodes Island employee? I know you spend a lot of time in Engineering, and I mean, you’d have to be a smith to have a weapon as cool as yours, but I’ve never seen you in person before.”

“Closure offered me a job, but that’s not why I’m here. You like shopping? We’re heading into town.” Now wasn’t the time for worrying about the future; she did that plenty on her own, especially with Dusk around now.

The knight shrugged. “Auntie and I go every now and again, and when I needed new parts for my projects I’d go out to get them, but since I started helping out at the Department I don’t have as much time for that.”

“Projects?” Nian smiled to herself. “Like trying to recreate my weapon? I hope y’all figure it out.”

“Oh, that’s for the Workshop, it’s fun but not really the kind of thing I’d do in my free time, you know? I’m a mechanic at heart, and now that I’m working for the Department, maybe they’ll let me supe up one of the shuttles. I used to have a car that could get some real speed going before I became a competition knight...”

Thinking about the past was just as bad, but fortunately they’d reached the shuttles. “So you wanna mess around with one of these?”

“We’re here already? And yeah, that’d be really fun! They don’t run on quite the same intake system I’m used to, and I’d have to make some openings in the hood to fit everything on I’d need to, and then there’s the nitrous canisters- oh, there I go again.” Blemishine didn’t know many people who actually wanted to listen to her talk about this kind of stuff. “Sorry about that!”

“What do you mean? Keep going! I hate when people try to tamp down on their enthusiasm just to make other people happy, and you were really building up steam there.” Plus, she was super cute when she got excited.

Maria blushed again. “Alright, but only because you asked. So obviously we’d have to start with taking one of these babies apart - I think I could get Broca to help out with that, it really takes two people to get a car onto a maintenance lift when you’re trying to keep the engine cool - because they won’t let me look at the schematics yet even though I asked Closure specifically if I could...”

The entire drive into town was essentially like that; the knight went into the blow-by-blow description of what she wanted the shuttle to look like under the hood when she was done, and Nian only occasionally interrupted with an insight or a question to help her along. She was impressed with how much the Kuranta actually knew despite not having much opportunity to act on that knowledge back in Kazimierz (Nearl’s sister, no question about where she was from), but more than that, she was reminded of some of her old acquaintances who used to get the same gleams in their eyes when talking about sword-smithing or armor-forging. This girl wasn’t like her usual kidnappees for sure.

“-Hey, Nian?” Blemishine looked out the window. “I think we drove past town.”

“Did we? Shit, I guess we did.”

They weren’t turning around. “Are we gonna keep going?”

“Just a little bit.” The Nian smiled to herself. “I was going to take you shopping, but since we’ve been talking about cars, there’s a place I wanna show you. Might help out with this plan you’ve got.”

“Oh, it’s not really a plan, just some ide- is that a junkyard? Out here?!”A sign poked out from behind a dune. Looks like her birthday’d come around early this year.

The smith laughed. “You sound like a kid going to the candy store.”

“Candy can’t take you a hundred kilometers away in an hour, though, and that’s much more exciting than some sugar!” Maria giggled. “Not that I’m against sugar.”

“I can take it or leave it. There was one place I visited that had these cinnamon-pepper candies; those were more my style. Speaking of style...” They pulled into the lot, broken-down vehicles already visible from the entrance, and the tour began.

Well, less of a tour and more of a scavenging run; this wasn’t a museum, after all, and Nian never left home without a few tools. The Kuranta popped the hood on the first ground-level car within eyesight, putting on a pair of goggles and pulling a tool roll seemingly out of thin air. “This one’s in great condition; how’d you end up, little guy? Don’t worry, we’ll be gentle. Hey, Nian, could you help me roll this one forward a bit?”

“I’ve gotcha.” She popped open the door on one side, Blemishine did the same on the other, and the two pushed the car to where there was plenty of room on all sides. “Looking for something specific?”

“Just want to double-check a few things. How’d one of RI’s shuttles end up out here, do you think? I mean, if we had the keys, I’m sure we could get this one to run again, no problem...Do you hear that?”

The Nian sighed. “The rustling from over there? I heard.”

“Hands up!” A gruff voice barked as a small gang of bandits mobilized from behind other junk piles, crossbows trained on the pair. “Thanks for the fresh wheels, ladies. Toss us the keys and leave, and we won’t have to get nasty.”

“What kind of gang sets up shop in a junkyard? You can’t possibly make enough stops to survive,” Maria observed, hands still below her head.

The presumed leader, a Sankta with a black halo, spat on the ground. “Don’t change the subject. Hands, up, or your pretty little friend gets it.”

“Which one of us is little?” The other Defender asked casually, a pool of silver forming around her feet. “We’re about the same height, after all.”

“...Well, boys, can’t say I tried.” The Sankta fired at the Kuranta-

-and missed, partially because his target rolled out of the way, and partially because there was now a lump of metal where his Adam’s apple had been. Nian’s malleable murder-metal formed a curtain around her as she started walking forward with a smile. “Well, boys, you picked the wrong couple to rob.”

“Couple?” Blemishine asked as she reemerged from cover, sword and shield at the ready. “A couple of what?”

“A couple of-” At that moment, a bolt detonated against her tectonic armor, blasting shrapnel through and into her shoulder, and the Beast awoke.

A few minutes later, after the junkyard had had a proper bloodbath, the Nian was sitting on the hood of the car they’d rolled out while Maria patched her up. “Exploding bolts? That’s higher grade gear than your average bandit, isn’t it?” The knight asked

“Probably. Not that we’ve got to worry about it now.” She felt the debris-free gashes knitting back together in the Kuranta’s light. “I need a snack after that. Mind if we head back to town?”

“Nah, I don’t mind; there’s an ice cream shop that Surtr recommended I’ve been meaning to try. We can get a milkshake with two straws, like in the movies.”

Nian would have rolled her eyes if that didn’t sound like something she wanted to try. “You’re the first person I’ve dragged out with me who wanted to make a date out of it.”

“You’re the one who called us a couple,” Maria replied with a momentary smirk. Momentary because she wanted her next words to have the proper gravitas. “But I meant what I said earlier. You really are an incredible person, Nian, and now that we’ve gotten a chance to talk, I know it’s not your weapon we should be trying to emulate at the shop, but your spirit.”

“...I haven’t heard praise like that in a long time.” The Nian slid off the car.

Blemishine stepped off to walk back to their shuttle as the other Defender took her hand. “I don’t know if I’d call it ‘praise-’”

“What else do you call complimenting a goddess?” That stopped the knight in her tracks as Nian walked around her. “And praise of that calibre deserves a blessing.”

“You’re seri-” Whatever thought Maria had loaded up crashed to desktop as the ‘blessing’ in question turned out to be a kiss.

It was a good thing the smith’s eyes had closed before their lips connected; she might’ve gone blind from the Kuranta’s flash of light otherwise.

#arknights #arknights fic #blemishine (arknights)#nian (arknights)#tmw you wrote three pages because it refused to wrap up in two #maria is faqing cute #dunno if i have her voice right yet #but i'll be getting plenty of practice with the next few fics...

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mochegato · 3 years

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Capturing a Dream

Chapter 10 – Who Do You Trust

Chapter 1 Chapter 9

*Note – Savage is working with Klarion for his plan. Klarion is the one controlling everyone, but the Team doesn’t know that.

After a prolonged encounter with Firestorm, Chimera ran out onto the platform freshly recharged and ready to fight. She had already used Mullo, Roaar, and Stompp and was now on Pollen. She was beyond curious to see what cataclysm would do to one of Green Lantern’s creations but she was afraid of what it would do to his ring and, well, the power of cataclysm on a floating rock in space seemed like a poor decision, so Plagg had stayed with Adrien.

She hadn’t had time to feed any of the kwami after using them except Trixx, who she needed to keep up the illusion of her suit, so for now, each kwami was only used once then put back in the flute. She’d make sure to give them all extra treats and thanks after the fight. Taking the time to recharge Trixx had been risky and time consuming, but necessary. Didn’t mean she liked it. She had to hide and do nothing while the rest of the team were getting attacked. She hated it.

Taking time to hide and recharge meant her team had to fight on their own and cover their own backs. It lead to situations like the one she ran in on, a possessed Batman throwing Robin across the platform and kicking Rocket into a buttress. The force bubble that had been around Wonder Woman disappeared as Rocket’s focus was forcibly removed. Robin’s focus remained squarely on the threat in front of him. He stood, facing Batman, the apprehension in his stance was clear to Chimera. It likely would have been clear to Batman as well, but hopefully whoever was controlling him only saw confident defiance. Despite the façade, Chimera knew this particular fight was the worst for Robin; fighting the man who had become like a father to him. Even knowing he was being controlled, she could see the strain in Robin’s eyes.

She rushed forward to assist Robin. He threw a handful of smoke pellets before jumping at Batman, kicking at where he knew he had been, the kick designed to deliver maximum impact to sensitive areas. He landed roughly in an empty space instead. Robin turned around just in time for Batman to punch him with enough force to knock him back a considerable distance.

Chimera took advantage of the distraction to attack from behind. She almost made contact with the still distracted mentor when she was roughly yanked to the side. She landed on the concrete with a grunt. She looked down to see Wonder Woman’s lasso around her chest, pinning her arms to her side. Her eyes trailed the lasso back to Wonder Woman’s hands. An unnatural predatory glint was in Wonder Woman’s eyes. “Now, tell me,” she implored in an eerily cheery voice. “Who. Are. You?” She pulled the lasso tighter, drawing Chimera closer. “The Lasso of Hestia compels you.”

Chimera’s breath hitched as she took in the lasso. Wonder Woman’s eyes narrowed in glee. She would not be able to resist the Lasso of Truth. Any second now Klarion would know who Chimera really was, and more importantly, what she was. And once he knew that, he would know how to defeat her. Their next encounter would go very differently with that information.

Chimera looked over her shoulder to gauge the fight between Batman and Robin. When she looked back toward Wonder Woman, it was more a look of amusement than fear. Whoever was controlling them was clumsy. A novice at UMS could do better than this amateur. Their strikes were wild and indelicate. Not taking full advantage of the fighter they chose. She raised an eyebrow at Wonder Woman. “A weapon of subjection and dispelling illusions? Really? You think this has power over me?” She pulled on the lasso, easily pulling the normally well prepared Wonder Woman off balance, causing her to stumble toward Chimera as the lasso fell uselessly at her feet. Wonder Woman kicked off Chimera, using the momentum she gained to flip away from her, putting necessary distance between them.

But, the movement caused her to lose sight of Chimera for a few seconds. A few precious seconds that were all an expert UMS player, like Chimera needed. She spun her top out, just barely grazing Wonder Woman’s exposed upper arm. But, a touch was all she needed. Wonder Woman froze in the last moments of the flip. Unable to adjust to land, she crashed inelegantly onto the concrete in a way that Chimera was sure was going to bruise in the morning. Chimera slowly walked up to her, confident the person controlling her was still listening. She knelt down next to Wonder Woman’s ear and whispered, “You want to know who I am?” She pulled Wonder Woman’s face toward her so whoever was controlling her could see Chimera. “I’m a goddamned goddess.”

She dropped Wonder Woman’s face so she could no longer see Chimera and winced. It was kind of true in the cock your head to the side and squint kind of way. Like a 3-D picture, you had to look really hard and focus on what was behind what was presented. Okay, it wasn’t true, but there was a goddess involved somewhere and whoever was controlling the Justice League was listening. It would be nothing but beneficial for their enemies to have the wrong idea about her. It meant they not only didn’t know about the miraculous, but they would focus on the entirely wrong weaknesses, making them less able to figure out how to fight her.

Chimera gently laid the inoculation patch on Wonder Woman, watching it as it merged into her body. Chimera let out a small breath, laying her hand on Wonder Woman and wishing a silent apology for the pain she would feel in the morning. She looked over her shoulder, Robin was still holding his own against Batman. He still had some tricks he could pull out. She however was on a timer. Trixx would time out any second now. She looked toward where Rocket had been thrown earlier to see if she was moving yet. She could see some movement, but not much.

Chimera rushed over to her to see if anything was seriously wrong. “I think my head’s going to be ringing for a few hours, but I’ll be okay. I can still create bubbles. Just point me where to go,” Rocket stated confidently, but the urge to hold her head in her hands was evident.

Chimera gave her an understanding smile. “No. You’ve already taken out quite a few members. Go hide somewhere until you feel better. We have almost everyone by now, just a few more. It wouldn’t help anyone if they caught you in this state. Once you feel up to it, check with Aqualad to see where he wants you,” Chimera ordered her. Rocket nodded and shuffled to another room to recover.

Chimera let out a breath and found an alcove and hid herself… again. She huffed at the thought and vowed to make the transition as quick as possible. “Trixx, Pollen, separate,” she whispered, causing Trixx to come spiraling out of her necklace. She tossed a cookie to Trixx. “Eat quickly. Robin needs us. And I have no idea where Superboy is.” She tried to glance back nervously.

“Done, Guardian,” Trixx chirped after only a few seconds.

Chimera gave her a relieved smile. “I think you’re getting faster. Thank you so much, Trixx. Trixx, Pollen, unite.” Before the wave of light had completely engulfed her, she was already pulling Longg’s choker out of the flute. “Pollen, Trixx, separate. Great job, Pollen. I will feed you as soon as this is all over,” she promised, moving to tuck the comb into the flute. Pollen nodded in understanding and disappeared into the comb. Longg spun out of the choker to face her the moment it was secure around her neck. “Good evening, Guardian.” Longg bowed to her.

“Good evening, Longg. I hope you’re ready to fight. Longg, Trixx, unite.” She was blowing her melody in the flute before the light was done. “Mirage.” She was running the instant the word left her lips, her costume changing as soon as she finished the word.

She narrowed her eyes at the still ongoing fight between Robin and Batman. She corrected her course toward their fight but skidded to a stop just in time to see Superboy burst through the ceiling and the floor right in front of her. “Superboy!” She tensed to jump down to check on him, but got hit by Superman and knocked through the wall into the main meeting room before she could. She shook her head to clear away the fog and moved quickly back to the fight, still a bit hazy from the hit.

She got to the hole she had created in the wall just in time to see Batman kick Robin through the hole in the floor Superboy had created. She quirked her lips to the side as the unbidden thought that they were going to be doing a lot of reconstruction when this is all done occurred to her. Seriously, she and Superboy alone had been thrown through at least four objects, leaving gaping holes.

She jumped when Wolf hit the wall next to her with a loud thump. She whipped her head around to see Martian Manhunter stalking toward them. She will deny to her death that she yelped when Sphere came out of nowhere to knock him out of the way. She shook her head again to focus on Batman and Superman. She crawled through the hole in the wall and ran to the floor hole.

She peeked over the edge in time to catch Superboy swing Robin in a circle before launching him into Batman. Robin deftly placed the patch on Batman as they fell, rendering him unconscious before he hit the ground. Chimera took the distraction as an opportunity to drop down through the hole, landing behind Superman, who was charging at Superboy.

He heard her land and twisted mid-charge to swing at her instead. She jumped back at the unexpected move, just barely missing the hit. She dropped to miss his next kick and kicked her leg out instead to sweep his legs out from under him, but he floated up just enough to miss her leg, without having to resettle himself as he would if he had jumped. Instead, he could leverage his new height into a dangerous body slam. “Cheater,” she grumbled, flipping out of the way before he landed with enough force to create a crater right where she had been a second before.

Whoever was controlling them was clearly more familiar with Superman’s strengths than he had been with the others’ she’d come across already. She flipped out of the way his punch, but it passed by closely enough that the low pressure created interfered with her trajectory just slightly, throwing her a bit off balance, just enough for him to grab her arm and throw her into Robin. They landed in a heap of tangled arms and legs and bruises.

Superboy punched Superman from the side, knocking him over a few feet. Superman returned the punch, but Superboy blocked it. He kicked Superman in the stomach, causing him to double over, but not as much as Superboy had been hoping. Superman used the change to add power to his uppercut that connected with Superboy’s jaw with a sickening smack. Superman kicked him, launching him into a wall. The wall folded under the pressure, a spider web of cracks emanating from his point of contact. Superboy fell, landing on his hands and knees, muscles shaking with the strain to get up again.

Chimera kicked Superman’s knee from behind, forcing him to fall back slightly. She was at his side in an instant with a well-placed punch, knocking him to the side. She rose up her leg to kick him back, but he grabbed her leg. She tried to kick him with her other leg but he floated up into the air with her. He spun around a few times and let go of her, launching her through a buttress and out of Superboy’s sight.

“Chimera!” Superboy screamed, searching for any indication of her status. Not seeing any, he switched his focus back to Superman, who was still watching her to see what she would do. Superboy’s face was contorted in a dangerous grimace, eyes narrowed and glaring at Superman. He kicked Superman in the back, sending him sprawling forward just enough to almost put him off balance. He whirled on Superboy, using the momentum to increase the impact of his punch. Superboy deflected the punch only allowing it to graze him. Superboy delivered an uppercut of his own, knocking Superman back a few feet. Superman stopped his backward momentum and flew forward with both fists in front of him, sending Superboy flying into the wall.

Robin tried to sneak up on Superman but he sent his fist out behind him, swinging his body after it, to backhand him. Robin flipped back in a series of perfectly executed back handsprings. Missing the entire volley of punches Superman sent his way. The distraction gave Superboy the opportunity to grab Superman from behind and latch onto him, pinning down his arms.

“Sure about this?” Robin double checked, pulling a box out of his belt. Conner had agreed to it when he’d gotten it out of the Batcave, but now it was actually happening. Now he would have to actually feel the pain of it. Now it was real.

“Do it!” Superboy yelled in confirmation, bracing himself for the pain. His face was set in a determined frown. He needed to check on Chimera and this was taking too long.

Robin nodded and opened the box, slowly advancing on the two supers as the tell-tale green glow of kryptonite emitted from the box. Superman and Superboy both groaned in pain and slowly started curling in on themselves. Robin had almost reached them when he was knocked into the wall by Martian Manhunter. He reached down and placed the shard of kryptonite back in the box, easing the drain on the two supers before turning back to Robin. He moved quickly to attack, but Robin had jumped away before he could reach him.

Superman recovered quicker than Superboy. He grabbed onto Superboy’s arms, which were still wrapped around his chest, securing them and Superboy, into place. He launched himself, or more precisely Superboy, into the wall behind them over and over again until Superboy was barely standing. Superman turned and kicked Superboy in his sternum with enough force to knock out the already weakened super.

“Superboy!” Chimera screamed. She watched him, waiting for him to show any indication of movement. Seeing none, she turned her focus to Superman, glaring at him with an intensity that would have put Batman to shame. Superboy just couldn’t get a break from Superman. It didn’t matter if he was being controlled or fully in control of himself. No matter the situation, Superman kept making Superboy suffer, and for what?

She stood slowly, her entire body tensed like she was bracing for an impact, her arms hanging by her sides, but ready to spring at a moment’s notice. She started walking slowly toward him. She looked down so Superman couldn’t read her lips and silently mouthed “lightning dragon”. She slowly twisted her wrists as lightning crawled over her hands. Her fingers crackled with the electricity surging over them. Yellow sparks flared dangerously from her fingers, in short, controlled bursts. “How bad can I make him hurt?” she asked sharply.

Robin’s eyes widened in surprise, almost not jumping out of the way to miss Martian Manhunter’s grab for him. He’d never heard Chimera speak with such coldness. Even when facing enemies, she was rational and never used excessive force. The look in her eyes showed she was holding back now, the desire to hurt him warring with her natural inclination to protect. “He’s still our friend,” he cautioned her between jumps and kicks. “He’s being controlled.”

“Right. Just don’t kill him,” she nodded curtly. She brought her hands in front of her, wrapping them around each other, forming a large ball of yellow lightning coursing through it. Veins of electricity traced the invisible barrier she’d created and reinforced with her movements. She controlled the power’s path. She set the route and the destination.

Superman’s eyes narrowed and his body tensed to rush her. She gave him a second to demonstrate his super speed, allowing him to get closer to her before she struck, flicking her hands forward to direct the lightning at him. He froze in pain. He tried to move through the force of the lightning, but couldn’t get his body to function properly. Electricity trailed over his body, around his legs and arms, over his chest, holding him in place, interfering with the internal electrical impulses controlling the muscles, pushing them to contract. He screamed out in frustration and pain, trying to push through the restraints, but barely able to keep all his muscles from contracting and forcing him to curl into a ball.

Chimera’s face contorted in concentration and strain. She had not used Lightning Dragon before and utilizing it at full strength while maintaining an illusion of her regular costume, was quickly draining her energy. She focused her full attention to Superman, trying to increase the strength until he passed out. Her focus was distracted when Robin grunted loudly. Chimera spared a quick glance to Robin.

Her lightning almost faltered when she saw Martian Manhunter holding Robin strong enough to break bones. She looked back to Superman, trying to run through her options. She couldn’t drop lightning. Once she dropped it, Superman would start moving. She faltered for a second before deciding on her only option. She moved her right hand toward Martian Manhunter, splitting the impact of her lightning.

Martian Manhunter immediately dropped Robin in surprise and pain. Robin fell into a crouch, quickly moving away from Martian Manhunter while he regained his breath. He watched the scene before him. Chimera was holding the two heroes at bay, but just barely. Sweat had started dripping down her forehead from the exertion. With the force of her lightening split, Superman had started making progress toward her, though it slowed as he got closer and the strength of the lightning increased. But, even slowed, it was still there. He needed to act quickly to get to Superman before he got to Chimera. Martian Manhunter was closer, so he would have to be first.

“Hurry up, bird boy,” she grunted. “I’m starting to feel like the Emperor.”

“Drop Manhunter’s!” Robin called out as soon as he had positioned himself behind him.

Chimera moved her hand so they were both directed toward Superman, halting his progress only a few feet away. Robin quickly placed himself behind Superman as well. “Cut it!” He yelled out.

Chimera turned her hands up with a sharp flick, cutting the lightning’s path. She gasped for air, her chest finally feeling like it could fully inflate, as Superman collapsed on his hands and knees. Before she could take a full breath, she was already on the move to check on Conner, trusting that Robin had placed the patch on Superman’s neck the moment the lightning cut.

“Conner!” she called to him, gently repositioning him to lay down on his back and lifting his head into her lap. She gave him a quick check over to see if she could see any grievous injuries. There was nothing that stuck out, but he would likely have bruises and maybe a concussion. He may be invulnerable, but she wasn’t at all sure if that still that still held true against another Kryptonian. They could kill one another after all, that had to mean it didn’t, right?

Robin crouched next to her. “How’s he doing?”

“I’m not sure yet. X-ray vision is his thing, not mine,” she motioned toward Superman. “But he’s breathing, so there’s that. Go, help the others get Savage. I’ll stay here with Superboy. I’m going to need to recharge anyway. Let me know if you guys need help.”

Robin nodded in agreement. He laid his hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing it to give her silent comfort before running toward the Observation deck, where he was sure the rest of the team was heading as well.

Chimera brushed Superboy’s hair away from his forehead. She quietly cooed at him, trying to urge him to wake up. “It’s okay, Conner. You’ll be okay. We’re not done yet,” she reassured more for herself than for him. She anxiously ran her hands through his hair, in what she hoped was a comforting ministration. “I just need you to come back now. Come back… to me… please.”

She took a deep breath and looked around her to make sure nobody was looking before pulling out a few treats from her flute. “Trixx, Longg separate.” Trixx twirled out of her necklace with a tired smile.

“Guardian,” he nodded at her.

Chimera smiled back at him and tossed him a cookie. “Thank you, Trixx. Eat up. We might have more fighting before we rest.” Trixx nodded and started eating the cookie. “You did really well again, Trixx.”

Trixx smiled at her and twirled in the air. “It’s al…”

“Was that a light?” Conner muttered, scrunching his face and clamping his eyes shut to block out the light.

“Conner!” Chimera immediately brightened. “How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

“I feel like a human hit by a truck,” he groaned. “Repeatedly.”

Chimera chuckled. “That’s probably about accurate. Hopefully fewer broken bones though.”

“How are you?” He tried to open his eyes but the brightness hurt. Instead he slowly sat up and hunched over, trying to put as little strain on his aching muscles as possible.

“I’m fine,” she assured him. “That spin move definitely looked a lot more fun when you did it to Robin than when Superman did it to me, but he didn’t hit me nearly as hard as he hit you, or as much.”

He hummed noncommittally. He didn’t believe her, but he was in no position to argue currently. He needed to focus on opening his eyes. “Is it over?” he asked, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. He slowly opened his eyes just a bit, blinking repeatedly to try to make them accustomed them to the light.

“I think so. I haven’t heard anything over the coms yet. The League have all been immunized. The Team is just making sure Vandal is gone.” Trixx floated in front of her with an urgent look, glancing back and forth between Superboy and Chimera. Chimera’s eyes widened in realization. She looked down at her suit, her distinctly not normal suit. Once Superboy turned her way, he would see her in a very different suit from normal. He would know that her powers made her appear differently.

She looked down at Superboy again and let out a long breath. Would that be so bad? Would it be so bad for Conner to know that her suit looked different depending on what power she was using? She wasn’t going to tell him everything, just… more. And this was Conner. She trusted him with her life, and more importantly, she trusted him with her loved ones’ lives. She trusted him and he deserved to know that, in a way that he would understand. And there were just so many lies, she really needed there to be fewer. She needed someone to know more, someone who could understand her.

She motioned to the kwami to hide and looked back at Superboy. “Hey, Conner?”

“Yes?” He kept his eyes closed, but inclined his face toward her to show her he was listening.

“Want to see something nobody else has ever seen?” There was a distinctive edge of vulnerability in her voice.

He scrunched up his face in confusion. What could there possibly be on the Watchtower that nobody had seen. “Okay?”

“Open your eyes,” she softly instructed.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. His brows furrowed for a few seconds in confusion, letting his vision adjust before realization set in. His eyes widened and he snapped up into a sitting position, swaying slightly from the change in blood pressure. She reached out to steady him, watching him carefully to read his reaction. He was staring at her in awe, mouth slightly agape.

When he didn’t react for more than a few seconds, she looked to the side, nervous under his scrutiny. “It isn’t… I can’t drop…” She took a deep breath and looked back at him with a nervous smile. “You know I said I draw on different powers?” He nodded mutely, too shocked by the change to be able to formulate words. “I draw on two main ones, but occasionally add a new one if I need it. Each new power changes my appearance to enable the power. I use mirage to hide it so nobody knows. But I’m not doing that now.”

His eyes raked over the new costume and hair. He reached out to touch her face dumbfounded. His fingers traced her mask. The new shape felt odd, but didn’t seem out of place. Her hair was still pulled back, but in an elaborate French braid, that trailed down her back and flared out like a tail. The red and black of her current suit seemed to fit her much better than the brown and orange or her regular suit.

But the thing that absolutely captivated him was her eyes. They were blindingly, brilliantly, beautiful and visible. For the first time since he’d met her, he could see her eyes. “Your eyes are blue,” he breathed out. She smiled gently at him and nodded. He stared at her entranced trying to memorize every aspect of her like it might be the last time he would ever see it, which if what she said was true, it very well could be. “Why?”

“Why what?” she cocked her head to the side. “Why are they blue?”

“Why are you showing me? I thought… I thought you couldn’t,” he answered breathily, still staring in her eyes, trying to memorize the exact color, a deeper shade of blue than his own yet still bright.

“I’m not supposed to. It’s still not me, not me me. It’s another suit,” she babbled. Superboy nodded distractedly, only partially taking in everything she was saying. His eyes kept jumping from one detail to another, subconsciously comparing what she looked like now to what she looked like normally, searching for commonalities and differences to come up with a more complete picture of what she looked like.

“Nobody has ever seen me in just this suit,” she continued. “You’re the only one. I wanted you to see… well, I want you to see more, but…” she furrowed her brow in consideration, trying to force out the words she wanted to say while at the same time trying to keep the tears in. “There’s too many secrets. I hate it. I can’t… How close can I get to anyone when it’s all lies?” she stuttered out, trying to organize her thoughts, but there were too many coming too quickly for her to divulge them in an orderly manner. “How can you build trust when everything is built on lies? How can I expect you guys to trust me when you don’t know me?”

Superboy shook his head adamantly. His eyes became hard. “You’re being stupid again,” he growled.

She looked up at him shocked and furrowed her brow. “You know calling someone stupid, isn’t as comforting as you seem to think it is.”

“Then stop being stupid.” He flicked her forehead. She pouted at him and rubbed her forehead. “You don’t get to blame yourself because I screwed up.” She opened her mouth to object but he cut her off before she could say some ridiculous, insane reason it was her fault. “And what lies? What you look like? You’ve never lied about it. We know that isn’t what you look like. I know this isn’t what you look like.”

She opened her mouth again, but he cut her off again, more aggressively this time. “No! That was Savage’s mistake,” he argued, brows furrowed in frustration. “He underestimated us. We may not know the details, but we know what we need to know. I know you. And you do know me. You knew what drove me to use the shields. I didn’t have to tell you. You never suspected me of making a deal to get them. You never doubted me. Because you do know me.

“And I know you.” At some point during his speech he had started yelling, but he couldn’t stop now. It was too important that she understood this. “I don’t know who your parents are, but I know they love you and you love them. I don’t know your friends’ names, but I know you think of them like family and would give everything you have for them, for us, without hesitation. I don’t know what you want to do for a career, but I know you’re creative and have a drive and determination that whatever it is you want to do, you’ll succeed. And I know that you’ll drive yourself into the ground doing it unless you have someone there forcing you to sleep and take care of yourself.” He gave her an annoyed look.

“I don’t know how powerful you are or will be, but I know you’re scared because you want to protect people from getting hurt, not cause it. And I don’t know the names of all the people who broke your heart, but I know you use it to guide you in everything you do.” He took a deep, calming breath and looked at her tenderly. “I don’t know everything, but I trust you.”

She stared at him, frozen as she tried to process his words. He started to question if he had broken her somehow when she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. The hug both calmed her and set her skin on fire. She buried her face in his shoulder to hide her blush and so she didn’t have to look in his eyes, because if she looked in his eyes, all of her resolve would fade and she would do something dangerous, for her and Conner and everyone else.

They broke apart before at the sound of Robin’s voice over the coms. “Savage is gone. How is Superboy?”

Chimera took a deep breath and pulled away, keeping her eyes on the ground. “He’s awake. I’ll send him over while I recharge.” Superboy frowned at her, but nodded in understanding. He didn’t want to leave. It felt like they were close to something, but he wouldn’t force her into anything.

“Come on, our other teammates are waiting on you.” She gave him a strained smile, swallowing down the bile that pushed up her throat. The word was bitter on her tongue and she hated it. She reached out her hand to help him stand up, keeping a close eye on him to make sure he was stable enough to stand on his own. While he kept his eyes on her to make sure she was okay as well.

She nearly jumped when the New Year was announced over the internal system. “Happy New Year, Justice League.”

She let out a breath and chuckle. She looked up at Superboy, feeling vulnerable under his soft gaze. She smiled ruefully and leaned up to kiss his cheek. “Happy New Year, Conner.” She patted his chest and walked away to a more private area to recharge and catch her breath.

Recharged, refocused, and back in her normal suit, she joined Superboy on the observation deck, standing on the other side of Wolf from him, letting Wolf act as an emotional barrier for her. She crouched down to pet Wolf and quickly check him over for injuries. She cooed at him a few times and fell over laughing when Wolf accidentally knocked her over in his excitement.

Superboy smiled at her as he watched her play with Wolf. Laughing, he helped her up after Wolf knocked her down. His arm twitched to be slung over her shoulders, but she seemed like she needed space and as much as it killed him not to touch her right now, he would never not give her the space she needed. She suddenly straightened up. “Oh my God! How much did I miss?”

Superboy looked down at her, a confused furrow in his brow. “What do you mean?”

“Look at Robin and Zatanna. The way they’re standing. Their body language is completely different now. There’s no way they didn’t kiss at midnight. Look at those goofy smiles and blushes. And look at Kid Flash with his arms around Artemis. They must have gotten together too!”

Chimera was jumping with excitement and tugging on his arm. Superboy grinned at her enthusiasm and closeness. He looked back to the group. “Aqualad is looking a bit flustered too.”

Chimera cocked her head to the side to examine him, her eyes widening. “Oh my god, you’re right. Do you think Rocket kissed him, too?” She grinned at the couples, but suddenly wrinkled her nose in disgust. “They’re all going to be making out all over the Cave now, aren’t they?” She looked back at Superboy. “I’m happy for them and all, but I have no interest in seeing them making out.” Especially when she wasn’t able to herself.

Superboy laughed for a moment before he stilled, the idea hitting him too. He scrunched up his face. “Me either,” he agreed. He wouldn’t want to see that in the first place, but seeing them do it and knowing he couldn’t do the same with Chimera was going to suck. “We could always start carrying water guns around for whenever we see them making out,” he offered with a smirk.

Chimera’s eyes went wide, a mischievous smile spreading on her lips. “Next time I go to the store I’ll get a few super soakers and a ton of water balloons.” They started giggling at the idea until they felt a presence behind them.

They turned around slowly, eyes widening at the sight of Superman, standing stiffly behind them. “Hello Mr… Man,” Chimera scrunched up her nose. “You know, you supers really have a problem with your names. You make it hard to mock you based on your name. It’s rather annoying.”

Superman chuckled awkwardly. “Sorry about that… I guess. I’ll try to work on it.”

“Wouldn’t be my priority of things to work on, but you do you, I guess,” she muttered wryly, knowing full well both of them could hear her. Superboy smirked, but hid it with a downturned face. Chimera looked back and forth between Superman and Superboy, almost laughing at the awkwardness. They both looked extremely apprehensive and nervous, looking anywhere but each other’s eyes. She was starting to wonder if the inability to process emotions was genetic.

She studied Superman closely as she waited for him to say why he had approached them. He kept tensing his jaw like he was getting ready to say something before sending her a furtive glance and looking away. “Riiiiight,” she drawled, rocking back and forth from her toes to her heels. “Oh look! It’s Red Arrow… all alone… I should go check on him. Let me know if you want me.” She gave Superboy a supportive pat on the back and walked over toward Red Arrow.

She felt slightly guilty about abandoning Superboy to speak with Superman, but it looked like Superman really wanted to talk with him and wouldn’t with her around. He looked contrite, which was a really good sign for them starting to move toward a relationship, and that was something that Conner desperately needed. She grimaced slightly at the thought that it might be all in her head, just wishful thinking that Superman had finally realized how much he was hurting Conner and that he was blaming Conner for being created. If that was the case and he wasn’t going to try to make amends, she would personally recreate their earlier interaction… for scientific purposes, of course.

She glanced over her shoulder to check on their progress. Her steps faltered as she saw Superboy reel back in mortification. Superman reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder with an awkward smile, calming Superboy immediately. They spoke a bit more then both looked her direction. Superman’s expression was indecipherable. Bemusement, maybe? But Superboy was giving her a proud smile. She squeaked and turned back to Red Arrow, focusing on the task at hand.

She smiled slightly as she sat next to him on the steps. “Hey. Good job earlier. You were really brave going in like that, serving yourselves up like that for Savage.”

He shrugged and looked up with a wry smile. “It’s what I was programmed to do.”

“No, you were programmed to betray us,” she corrected him. “You chose to help us. You chose to protect the innocents from Savage and whoever he was working with. You chose to risk your life. That was all you,” she insisted firmly. She watched him for a few moments. Her determined set lips turned sympathetic. “How are you feeling now that all the adrenaline is wearing off?”

He huffed out a bitter laugh. “I have no idea. I don’t know what is me and what is programming.”

Chimera nodded looking away, staring at the great abyss of space beyond the barriers of the Watchtower. Her brow slowly furrowed in deep thought until the lines seemed etched deep enough they would never leave. “I mean… we’re all programmed in a way. Most of us not so literally, or so malevolently” she granted. “But memories we wish we didn’t have. Events we wish we could forget. Involuntary reactions we wish we could control.” She looked down at her hands, glancing over to him furtively every so often. “I break out into sweats and start hyperventilating when I see either a butt… certain insects. I can no longer function correctly. It’s in my head now and I can’t get it out no matter how hard I try or how logical I am about it. I can’t control the reaction. It’s just there and I can’t make it go away. I can never see them the same anymore. Which is terrible because I used to love them. They used to make me feel calm one kind of insect used to make me feel powerful.”

He stared at her for a few moments. “What happened?”

She shifted her gaze to the floor for a few moments considering her answer before waving her hands like she was waving away his concern. She looked back at him with a supportive smile. “It doesn’t matter. My point is we all have things in our heads we can’t control and can’t get out no matter how hard we try. Things that were put there against our will. But… that’s what makes us who we are. It’s all a part of us. We wouldn’t be ourselves if we didn’t have it there.” She looked at him for a second before her face fell. “But, I mean… that’s a stupidly simplified comparison. Sorry, I didn’t mean to be dismissive of what you’re going through. I do realize it is much worse than that. And if you wanted it out, I’m sure Martian Manhunter could work with you to get it out.”

Red Arrow shook his head and laid his hand on her shoulder. “No, no. That helped. Thanks.”

She gave him a supportive smile. “You know, if you need a place to stay while you’re dealing with everything, you can stay with us. Even if you’re staying somewhere else but need a break, we’re always there. Aqualad, Robin, and Kid Flash are there all the time so they’d be there to hang out with. Or, if you need space, Superboy and I can run interference,” she rushed to assure him. The Cave was a sanctuary for her. She wanted him to know it could be one for him as well.

“And you?” he asked quietly.

She quirked her head at him. “Me?”

“Will you be there to hang out with?”

“Oh! Yeah, well, mostly. I mean, I have school and other obligations, but yeah. I live there so I’ll be there. We’ve tried to make the Cave home for all the Team members. Even if you aren’t technically a member of the Team, you’re still our teammate and we watch out for each other.” She offered him a bright, reassuring smile.

From across the room, Superboy let out a satisfied laugh, his concerned frown from a few moments before turning into a smirk. Roy had just been teammate zoned, and he didn’t even realize it. He could continue to flirt with Chimera as much as he wanted, he wasn’t going to get anywhere. He made his way over to Chimera and Red Arrow. He took a seat next to Chimera, close enough that their hips were touching.

“Couldn’t help but overhear…” he started.

“Was that because you were eavesdropping?” Chimera asked with a pointed look.

He avoided her eyes, leaning forward to look past her toward Red Arrow. “Super hearing, can’t control it.” He pointed to his ear and shrugged innocently.

“Uh huh,” Chimera mumbled, rolling her eyes.

“Anyway, we have lots of rooms in the Cave. If you want one permanently or for a short term, feel free to take one,” he offered.

Red Arrow noted how close they were sitting and nodded, looking away. “Thanks. I don’t think I can rest yet though.”

Batman walked over to the trio, focusing on Chimera. He opened his mouth but quickly closed it, seeming to think better of whatever he was going to say before trying again. “You did good today.” He glanced over to Superboy. “You both did. You two… work well together.” Chimera blushed and looked down, not noticing Superboy do the same and Red Arrow roll his eyes and look away.

“Red Arrow?” Batman stepped forward to catch his attention. “We would like to discuss today’s revelations with you.”

Chimera could see Roy tense at the invitation. He nodded to Batman. “I understand.” He stood and started following him, but Chimera stopped him, grabbing his wrist as she stood and pulling him into a tight hug. “Good Luck,” she whispered. “Don’t forget if you need us, we’re here. That goes beyond just a room.” The corner of Roy’s lips quirked up in a reluctant smile as he hugged her back. He nodded to Superboy and followed Batman out of the room.

Chimera sighed deeply, watching him leave with Batman. She wrapped her arms around herself feeling impotent. “I can’t imagine how hard this has to be for him. I really hope he asks for help if he needs it.”

Conner stood and joined her, watching her with concern rather than Red Arrow. “He knows we’re here. You made sure. Now it’s up to him to decide what he wants to do.”

“I hate it,” she grumbled. She watched the spot where he disappeared for a few more seconds. If the Team hadn’t rescued Conner when they did, that could have been him, or worse. They could have made him into anything they wanted. He would have had nobody there for him, no support, just people criticizing him. Speaking of which, “Oh, hey! How’d it go with Superman?”

He startled for a moment with the new topic. “It went okay. He said we did good,” he hesitated before continuing. “His last name is Kent, too.”

Chimera reeled on him in surprise. “That must be why Martian Manhunter suggested it… He didn’t seem mad that you had the same name,” she hedged.

“He wasn’t. He said it fit,” he assured her with an uncertain smile.

Chimera squealed in excitement. “That’s great Conner!”

His smile turned bright at her excitement. “Yeah, I guess it is. He said he likes you.”

Chimera stared at him wide eyed. “Seriously?”

Superboy nodded with a chuckle. “He said he’s glad I have someone like you watching out for me.”

She looked away at nothing. “Who knew Mr.… Wait… Kent? Like Clark Kent? He’s Clark Kent?” she whisper shouted.

“Yeah? You know him?” He cocked his head to the side in confusion.

“I know of him. Oh my God, if my best friend ever found out I electrocuted Clark Kent, she’d flay me.” She looked toward where Superman had been standing and grimaced at the thought of Alya finding out.

Superboy furrowed his brow. “Is he famous?”

“Eh,” she made a so so gesture with her hand. “He’s famous in journalism. Especially among those who report on superheroes.” She quirked her lips to the side in thought. “Huh, I guess that’s how he gets all those exclusives with Superman. Cheater,” she grumbled but with no real heat behind it. She knew exactly why Alya had gotten all the exclusives she had gotten with the miraculous team so she really had no right criticizing someone else.

Superboy chuckled and looked over their teammates. He let out a long breath. It had been an extremely long few weeks and he was ready to do something relaxing for as long as they were allowed to. “Ready to go home? Maybe watch a movie or just… sleep for a few days?”

Chimera slumped against his shoulder. “That sounds amazing. I just want to sleep until school starts in a few days. What do you think are the odds they’ll let us?”

Superboy chuckled and shook his head, not wanting to admit the very low likelihood of it happening. He slung his arm over Chimera’s shoulder and pulled her into his side as they walked. “So… fall asleep watching a movie?”

She smiled up at him and hugged him around the waist as they walked. “Definitely.”

Chapter 11

Tags:

@mickylikesstuff @mystery-5-5 @roguishredaxion @vroomtaka @laurcad123 @just-an-observer-ignore-me @emimar7 @moonlightstar64 @maribat-writing-and-prompts @aespades @yokomisaki @glastwime859 @mysticknown @glastwime859 @fan-writtenen @stackofrandomstuff @jalaluvsu @ultimatetornshipper @charme-de-malchan @lozzybowe @deathwishy @too0bsessedformyowngood @kokotaru @ichigorose @nathleigh @dorkus-minimus @ira-sairain @jayjayspixiepop

#maribat #Capturing a Dream #connette #connerette #konmari #conner x marinette #Marinette x Conner

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essays-for-breakfast · 3 years

Text

One Look Forward

Melizabethweek Day 1: Flight/Freedom

“For someone who only found out they could fly three days ago, you’re a natural.”

Elizabeth pivoted higher, and the warm Goddess magic trickled through her nervous system, a power that turned the endless sky into her dominion. Her white-feathered wings beat against the force of gravity with ease. She was one with the light and the breeze. When she reached Meliodas’ side, who had been drifting a few dozen yards overhead, she beamed at him.

“In my defense, I do have memories of my first life,” she said. “So it wouldn’t be fair to say that I have no experience.”

Meliodas grinned. “I know. You used to beat me in a race more times than I can remember. But in my defense, I only have two wings instead of four.”

“And still, this never stopped you from inviting me to another challenge.”

“You know me, I’ll never get tired of chasing after you.”

They both laughed. A midair twirl and a somersault later, they interlaced their fingers, and Elizabeth’s heart raced with unparalleled joy, as though it wanted to outrun the winds themselves. Just as she and Meliodas had cast off the shackles of gravity, so too had she left her worries behind. Here, above the clouds, at an altitude where not even the flocks of barnacle geese or the daring goshawk dared to venture, the New Holy War had shrunken to a small scar on the world below them.

Unless she dared a glimpse at the ground. Several miles below, the hills of northern Britannia tasted their first afternoon of freedom.

The battles with the Demon King and Cath Palug had taken place only a day ago. For some people of Britannia, the wounds the forces of darkness and chaos had inflicted would never heal. Grey Demons had consumed hundreds of souls, each one a victim of a war they didn’t understand, and their red brethren had burnt uncounted villages down to the foundation stones. From the terracotta roofs of Sistana to the once lush lilac gardens of Belforet, everywhere across Britannia the New Holy War had claimed its toll.

Little more than a crater remained of Camelot. Thanks in no small part to the attack force of the Seven Deadly Sins.

“What’s with that gloomy face, Elizabeth?” Meliodas asked.

Elizabeth tore herself out of the cluster of her worries. “Don’t worry about me. I was just lost in thought, that’s all.”

“I know you better than that. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

Elizabeth took time to answer. Her eyes darted across the landscape below them. Between the patches of differing greens and the sparkling rivers woven through the hills nestled Liones capital. Her home.

Their home.

The tall fortifications and the bravery of the kingdom’s Holy Knights hadn’t sufficed in protecting the city. The Demon King’s subjects had broken through the human defenses, and with terrifying ease. Construction sites would disfigure the market alley and the northern quarters for many months to come. The graveyard would see countless more tombstones. Escanor was only one of them.

“It’s just that…” Elizabeth began, struggling to find the right words. “A lot as changed during the New Holy War. And I don’t know if everything changed for the better.”

Meliodas tensed, and the purple Demon magic pulsated across his obsidian wings. “Yeah. It’s a lot to take in.” He placed a hand on her cheek; this touch she cherished more than anything else in this world. “But you know I wouldn’t change one thing. Thanks to this mess of a war, I can be with the woman I love. And I finally fulfilled my promise to you and got rid of your curse. Is it selfish of me if I wanna celebrate that?”

“Not at all! I feel the same. Nevertheless, I can’t help feeling responsible for all the people who are less fortunate.”

Meliodas’ smile showered Elizabeth with so much affection that she almost forgot to keep herself suspended midair with a flap of her wings.

“You’ll never change,” he said. “Always putting others before yourself. Always the hero others can only wish to be. You really are amazing.”

Heat rushed to Elizabeth’s cheeks. “You’re making fun of me…”

“Never. Don’t you know I only escaped Purgatory and drove out my father because of you? Without your kindness and your encouragement, the Demon King would have razed Britannia by now. Guess I need to step up my game to keep up with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I gave old Bartra’s offer some thought. And I think I wanna accept.”

Elizabeth blinked, and for a moment she thought the squalls might have messed with her ears. “But you said you never wanted a crown! Even three thousand years ago, on the steps of the Heaven’s Theater, you swore that nothing could convince you otherwise.”

Meliodas gave her a half smile. “You remember that?”

“I will never forget! The time we spent there is among the most treasured hours of all my 107 lives.”

Elizabeth averted her eyes. It wasn’t like her to talk with such harsh fervor. Or at least, as the third princess of Liones, she would have never dared to say these things. Her past lives lent her a strength she had been missing before she had embarked on her journey to find the Seven Deadly Sins. How long ago the day seemed since she had stumbled into Meliodas’ tavern. And yet, the past year only amounted to the blink of an eye in the three thousand years they had lost and searched and found one another.

“So why,” Elizabeth continued more quietly, “why have you changed your mind all of a sudden? I wouldn’t want you to abandon your own plans for the future… just for me.”

Meliodas snickered. “You’re too worked up about this. It’s simple: I wanna spent the rest of our days with you, and since you’d never abandon those people down there, I’m not gonna do either. Besides, if anyone can mold me into a good king, it’ll be you, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth looked at Meliodas, the face of the man she had loved in life and death, through heaven and hell, in times of peace and war. And what she found in his emerald eyes was genuine; a genuine belief in her.

She reciprocated his smile, and without minding the tears veiling her eyes, she threw her arms around his neck. He stroked her hair. They bathed in the familiar warmth of the other, a feeling of security and belonging that only needed one word to describe: home.

Locked in a tight embrace, they pirouetted downward, interwoven like two parts of a porcelain music box who had finally found each other.

“We’re gonna rebuild Liones,” Meliodas whispered into Elizabeth’s hair. “And when we’re done, the kingdom will be in such amazing shape that King and Arthur and all the other uptight royals will pale with jealousy. Can’t wait to see their faces.”

Elizabeth smiled. “Then it’s a promise?”

“It’s a promise.” Meliodas pulled back a little and grinned. “I sure love picking the hardest challenges to turn into a vow, huh?”

“As long as we are together, I believe there is no obstacle we couldn’t overcome. After such long a time, Britannia is free of the fires of war. We have to make sure this freedom lasts. And nothing would make me happier than to stand beside you and protect this peace. On one condition.”

“That being?”

Elizabeth tightened her grip around his shoulders. She felt the Demon magic course through the veins in his back, a power equal parts deadly and comforting.

Familiar. Like home.

“Let’s travel across Britannia before you accept the duty as king of Liones,” Elizabeth said. “It’s been so long since we could fly together like this. I want to maintain this feeling for a little while longer.”

Meliodas grinned. “I don’t think we’re gonna do much flying. You’re just going to stop and offer a helping hand to every poor soul we come across, aren’t you? Kay, then I’m in. In fact, I can’t imagine anything I’d rather do, Elizabeth.”

The tears welled up again. “I’m so glad to be with you.”

“Me too. Although Bartra probably won’t be too thrilled with the plan. I better write my testament before admitting to him that I plan to take his daughter and drag her all across Britannia for the next couple months.”

Elizabeth chuckled and swiped an escaped tear from her cheek. “After all the battles we fought, I believe we can even take on the wrath of my father.”

“Together?”

“Together.”

Hand in hand, Meliodas and Elizabeth drifted across the sky above Liones. They would return to the ground and face responsibility soon enough. But this first afternoon of freedom deserved to be savored for a little while longer.

A small, selfish while amidst the clouds.

#melizabeth #melizabethweek #nnt #nnt fanfiction #nanatsu no taizai #meliodas #elizabeth #my writing #jeez it's been a while since I wrote for nnt #not my best work by any means #I hope it's serviceable #a lot more dialogue-heavy than usual

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after-avenging-hours · 4 years

Text

Out of Time [7]: Steve x Reader

Series Masterlist with dates on chapter releases - tag list will not be used for this series

Summary: After Steve gets injected with a mysterious substance during a mission gone wrong, you come to find out that the only thing that can save his life is a pure sample of Dr. Erskine’s Super Soldier Serum. Unwilling to let the love of your life die without a fighting chance, you travel through the quantum realm back to 1943. Equipped with little more than your knowledge of past events, you have to figure out just how exactly you’re going to get your hands on that serum. Not only that, but with the infinity stones no longer protecting the reality you’ve come from, there is now a chance that your presence in the past can change the future you’ll return to. Can you succeed without messing things up? And if things go wrong, can you fix it before it’s too late? Or will you run out of time…

Word Count: 6220

Warnings: Lots of feels

Steve manages to get a few short hours of sleep before his mind is pulled back to reality. As his eyes flicker open, he can see the sky is just beginning to lighten into morning. He feels the comforting weight of your head on his chest, your breaths are soft and even as it scatters across his skin. He watches over you for as long as possible, before the needs of his bladder become too great to ignore.

He’s gotten better at maneuvering out from underneath you without waking you in the process. He slips out of bed and pulls his pants back on before walking to the far end of the barracks where the door to the bathroom is. After completing his business, he makes his way back to you and smiles at the sight he sees.

You’re lying on your stomach, face buried into his pillow with your arms wrapped underneath. Your hair falls in disarray around your head and down your back. The blanket rides just below your hips, leaving the full expanse of your back open to his perusal. You look like a piece of art, which has Steve delving into his suitcase to pull out his sketchbook.

He takes a seat on the cot next to his and props the sketchbook on his knee, opening it to a new page. His charcoal pencil flies across the blank page, marking out your details in record speed. From the curve of your back to the pout of your lips; the arch of your brow to the peak of your knee from beneath the blanket. He leaves nothing out, not even the scar on your back from the wound he’d helped you patch up just two weeks ago.

He can barely believe that it’s already fully healed. He knows it has to have been that healing gel from your first aid kit. When you’d used it on the cuts on his back, he’d noticed that he was completely healed later that same night. He didn’t know how it was possible, but he’d been too preoccupied to track you down and ask.

He’s just putting the finishing touches to the sketch when you begin to stir. It starts with a change in your breathing before you slowly start to move. Your bent leg stretches back down, causing the bedsheet to ride just a little lower down your hips. Your hands slip out from beneath the pillow and you reach one back behind you, patting blindly at the empty space of the mattress. A cute little frown pulls at your lips before your eyes slowly blink open.

As your gaze comes into focus and settles on him, that frown flips up into a blissful smile. “G’ morning,” you mumble sleepily through that smile.

Steve chuckles through the huskiness of his own morning voice. “Good morning.”

“I didn’t kick you out of bed, did I?” you ask.

“No,” he shakes his head softly.

Your gaze drops to the book in his lap and you grin knowingly. “Are you sketching me in my sleep, Rogers?” you ask with a teasing lilt.

His face flushes, caught red-handed. “Y-yeah. Is that okay?” he hadn’t stopped to think if you would be comfortable with him doing that, he just knew that he needed to capture your beauty in that exact moment.

Your soft giggles help to ease his fears. “It’s okay as long as I get to see it.”

His heart leaps in embarrassed nervousness, but he pushes up from the cot to move closer. You sit up to make room for him as he turns to sit on the edge of the bed. He’s hyper-aware of your naked breasts against his back when you push in close to look at the sketch over his shoulder. You hum happily and wrap your arms around his torso. Your heat seeps into him everywhere your skin touches his and it feeds the fire burning in his soul.

Your fingers reach out to brush over the page, careful not to smudge any of the fresh charcoal. “I like the way you draw me,” you tell him sincerely. “So relaxed and carefree. Almost ethereal, even.”

Ethereal is a good way to put it. Any time Steve looks at you, he swears that he’s actually looking at a living, breathing goddess. You remain curled around him, soaking up your last few moments before looking at how bright it’s starting to get outside the window.

You release a soft sigh and press a kiss to the back of his shoulder. “I should head back to the officer quarters. Dr. Erskine wanted to head to the lab fairly early to prepare for the procedure.”

You shift away from him and move to stand. You’re about to bend over to collect your clothes when you feel a tug at your wrist. Turning around, you allow Steve to pull you closer until you’re standing between his legs. “Do you really have to go?” he asks, the vulnerability leaking from his voice as he looks up at you.

He’s not talking about right now. He’s talking about after the procedure. It makes your heart ache to see the despair in his eyes. “Yes,” you reply, just barely above a whisper. Any louder and you know your voice will crack.

His gaze drops as he leans forward to rest his forehead against your stomach, hands clutching at your waist. You let him have his moment, running your fingers soothingly through his hair. He nuzzles softly against your skin, trying to fill his head with your unique scent so that he won’t ever forget it.

When he lifts his head back up, his gaze flickers to the bullet scar on your abdomen. He leans forward once more and presses his lips to the area. A sense of déjà vu hits you at full force once again, as you suddenly remember all the times your Steve has touched you in that same spot. Even before you ever had a mark there.

The first time you’d decided to sleep together, you’d been standing in his room at the foot of his bed, unable to pull your lips away from his mouth. When your shirt had been discarded, Steve had promptly dropped to his knees and he pressed his lips to this exact spot. He then proceeded to spend a good several minutes driving you wild has he licked and sucked on the spot until a bruise had formed.

Any time you’d run through combat training with him, if you were only wearing a sports bra then once he had you pinned down, he’d send you that cheekily little grin of his before placing a kiss to this spot on your belly and then he’d help you up to keep training.

During group movie nights, while the two of you huddled close with his arm wrapped around your waist, sometimes his hand would slip beneath the hem of your shirt and he’d absentmindedly rub his fingers over the same area.

Your mind is still reeling when Steve pulls back and gently pushes at your hips to make room for him to stand and step around you. “I’m going to shower,” he mumbles quietly.

Your heart is racing just as fast as your mind as you try to pull your focus back to this present and turn to watch him walk pasts the rows of beds to the back of the barracks. He doesn’t look back as he disappears behind the door to the shared bathroom.

With one hand pressed to your drumming heart, you reach down with the other to grab your nightgown from the floor and pull it back on. The silk robe comes next. You pull the sheets on his bed back into place after that. You’re not sure why you’re dilly-dallying. You really need to go, but you’re desperately trying to soak in every last possible second of him. With nothing else left to do, your fingers brush over the items in his open suitcase. It’s just clothes and books, but it’s still a part of him.

With one last look to the door at the back of the barracks, you release a sad sigh and turn to leave.

“Were you out all night?” Peggy asks immediately as you enter the room. She’s sitting at her desk already dressed and in the middle of applying her makeup.

You wince slightly, having semi-forgotten that you had a roommate. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“Something wrong?” she asks, noticing the strange inflection in your voice.

You mentally curse her for being so perceptive. “Just nervous about the procedure,” you make up as you step further into the room and move to your side. You grab a towel knowing that you need to grab a quick shower to wash the scent of sex from your skin.

“Don’t you think we picked the correct person?” she wonders, not understanding your nerves.

“Oh, I know we did. Just… there’s a lot that can go wrong today.” There’s a lot that will go wrong today. The thought is enough to make you sick.

“Everything will turn out,” Peggy assures you. “You just need to have faith.”

You scoff at the word, the irony not lost on you upon the realization that it’s the same word you used to inspire Dr. Erskine. “I guess we’ll see,” you mutter, passing back behind her to duck into the bathroom for your shower.

Once you’re clean and properly dressed, you begin to pack your things. A strange feeling washes over you as you do so. You’re not just packing up to leave the camp… you’re packing up to leave for good. Peggy is already gone by the time you step out of the shower, so you no longer have to hide your feelings behind cleverly crafted lies.

You have a complete breakdown in the middle of the room as your heart breaks in two. You don’t just feel torn, you feel absolutely shredded. Steve is already in a vulnerable state of mind and you know you’ve only made things worse for him. Will he be able to make it through the procedure now with his mind unfocused?

To make matters worse, the guilt has been eating away at your soul ever since you’d come to the conclusion that you can’t do anything to save Dr. Erskine’s life. He was the sweetest man and you’d come to see him as a friend over these last two weeks, but all the confusion that stems from the Hydra attack is your best chance of getting the serum without anyone interfering. This is your only chance. You can’t mess it up.

When you feel like you have no more tears left to give, you clean yourself up and apply a slightly thicker amount of makeup to help conceal your tear swollen features. You pack your toiletry bag into your suitcase and then pull out the pistol. You look it over and feel the weight of it in your hands. With a resigned breath, you click the magazine into place, ensure that the safety is locked, and then you tuck the weapon into your thigh holster.

You pull out the case of particle discs and shrink your suitcase back down to its miniaturized version. It slips into your pouch, along with the disc case, before you tuck the pouch into a pocket on the inside of your dress coat. With your holster now holding the gun, there’s not enough room for both items without pulling someone’s attention to the area.

You take one last glance around the room to make sure you’ve left nothing behind. With a nod of your head, you step out to meet with Dr. Erskine.

The entire ride from Camp Lehigh to the lab, he’s flipping through a notebook, muttering to himself and jotting things down.

“I thought you said the formula was ready,” you state, breaking him from his train of thought.

He pauses and looks over at you. “It is. I am just running through the calculations to ensure I make enough for the six vials.”

Your heart skips a beat when you hear the number that falls from his mouth. “Six? Why not seven?”

He gives you a strange look. “The machine only takes six.”

You swallow thickly and try to act natural. “I know, but don’t you think there should be at least one extra? What if one of the nurses drops one or they don’t insert it correctly and they break the tip of the vial? It’s better to have a contingency, right? A backup.” You try to persuade him. “We can destroy it after the procedure, but you said it yourself, the components will degrade on their own, so there’s not much risk in just making one more vial…”

You hold your breath as he thinks it over. “Okay. I guess that makes sense. But now I have to re-do all my calculations,” he frowns before smiling teasingly at you.

You release your held breath with a light laugh. A laugh that you don’t really feel, because in just a few hours, this wonderful man will be dead, and you can’t do anything to stop it.

The laboratory is a beehive of activity as everyone prepares for the procedure. Several doctors, scientists, and nurses occupy the main space, checking the machinery and prepping several stations of medical equipment. Upon arrival, Dr. Erskine quickly steps into a sterile backroom to put the formula together and leaves you with instructions to oversee everyone else. Luckily, Howard Stark is too busy checking the levels on his machine, that he doesn't pay you much attention.

You greet Senator Brandt and his associates upon their arrival, directing them to the observation booth to await the procedure. You try to act unaffected when you’re introduced to the man you know is the Hydra agent. Unable to stand his presence, you step out of the observation room and stand at the railing of the top deck, looking down at the others working. You grip the metal railing tight, needing to hold onto something to stop yourself from charging back in there to rip that man apart.

The sound of the double doors getting pulled open draws your attention and you look over your shoulder as Peggy and Steve step into the room. He meets your gaze as he steps forward to stand next to you before he looks down into the lab. His hands brush the side of yours when he grips the rail himself. You feel your breath hitch when his pinky deliberately glides over yours.

His gaze lifts back up to meet yours and you can tell that he’s nervous. “You can do this, Steve,” you whisper so only he can hear.

His eyes roam all over your face before he nods once and turns to follow Peggy down the metal staircase and over to Dr. Erskine. You remain rooted in place, your hands gripping the rail so tight that they ache.

Steve is instructed to remove his uniform shirt before moving into the Vita-Ray machine. He takes a seat and situates himself in the center, looking up and meeting your gaze one last time before lying back. He and Dr. Erskine share a few words that you can’t hear.

You feel Peggy briefly pat your shoulder as a comforting gesture when she walks past you to get to the observation booth. You give her a small smile of gratitude, but stay where you are. Erskine grabs a microphone and gives it a few test flicks before talking to the observers up in the booth. While he talks, the nurses and doctors get Steve prepared for the procedure, bringing the injection plates down over his chest and setting six of the seven serum vials into their chambers.

“We begin with a series of micro-injections into the subject’s major muscle groups,” Erskine explains. “The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then, to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays.” Erskine sets the microphone down and moves back to Steve’s side. “Serum infusion in 5, 4, 3…”

Your heartbeat seems to pound harder and faster with each number that falls from the Doctor’s mouth. Even from where you’re standing, you can see that Steve’s breaths have intensified. Erskine places a gentle hand of comfort on Steve’s shoulder.

“2… 1.” Dr. Erskine gives one of the scientists a nod of approval and the man flips the levers to tell the machinery to inject the liquid into Steve’s veins.

His whole body tenses, jaw clenched and eyes squeezed tight before they snap open from the intensity of the cellular change happening instantly as the serum mixes into his bloodstream.

“Now, Mr. Stark,” Erskine advises.

Howard flips the lever that moves the Vita pod into an upward position and locks Steve inside. Erskine knocks on the outside of the pod to check on Steve before announcing that they will proceed.

Everyone pulls out their own set of tinted visors or glasses and Howard prepares the machine for Vita-Ray output. “That’s 10 percent,” he announces as he slowly turns the wheel to increase its output level. When he reaches 40%, one of the other doctors confirms that Steve's vital signs are normal. That only gives you temporary relief, when at 70% output, Steve begins to scream in pain.

It’s not just a quick yelp; it’s a long, agonizing, guttural cry. Panicking, Dr. Erskine rushes to the pod. “Steven!” he calls out, banging against the metal. Steve doesn’t respond, he just continues to scream. "Steven!"

Your heart beats frantically against your rib cage as Peggy moves out of the observation room to stand next to you at the railing. “Shut it down!” she orders urgently.

Dr. Erskine turns away from the pod, “Kill the reactor, Mr. Stark!”

Howard moves to do as instructed when Steve shouts once again, “No! Don’t! I can do this!”

The two men share a look before Howard moves back to the output wheel. “80… 90… That’s 100 percent!”

The light emanating from the Vita-Ray pod becomes blinding and you can practically feel the energy getting forced into the machine. Several of the consoles around the room begin to spark under the electrical strain. You’re not even sure how much time has passed when the reaction finally completes and the machine begins to power down. Everyone in the room seems to hold their breaths collectively. “Mr. Stark!” Erskine instructs.

The doors to the pod open with a hiss and wafts of steam come pouring out. Steve’s body, which had formerly been a fraction of the size of the pod, can now barely be contained within it. Sweat slicks over the muscles you’re all too familiar with. The pectoral muscles you’ve spent several nights snuggled against heave with each of his breaths. Arms that can rip apart tree trunks lay limp at his sides. Dr. Erskine helps him step out of the pod, and even on week knees, he still towers over the scientist.

He looks up and catches your gaze from where you still stand at the railing. You send him a shaky smile, hoping that you’re far enough that he can’t see the tears in your eyes. You press two fingers to your lips, unsure if he’ll understand that it’s a kiss goodbye before you turn away and blend into the crowd pouring out of the observation room. As they all make their way down into the lab area, you slip out the double doors and take the hallway back to the antique shop.

For your plan to work, you need to be one step ahead of the Hydra agent. Luckily, you know exactly where he’s going to go. Walking out of the shop, you move briskly to the driver that brought you and Dr. Erskine here. He’s leaning casually against the side of the car, talking with a few disguised agents in civilian clothing.

“I need your car keys. It’s urgent,” you tell him, walking straight up to him with your hand held out.

“Ma’am?” he questions, looking at you with confusion.

“Now!” you order, leaving no room for argument.

He pulls the keys out of his pocket and hands them over. You quickly duck into the driver’s seat, glancing at the rearview mirror, you see the men a few cars back eyeing you warily. You know that they are more Hydra agents, but they’re not supposed to act until they get their signal.

That signal comes in the form of the explosion that can be heard from inside the building, right as you pull out onto the road. You slam on the gas pedal and weave in and out of traffic. These old-timey cars don’t quite react the way you’re used to. It’s sluggish to accelerate and can barely turn worth a damn. You park the car right at the entrance to the Brooklyn Pier 13 and hurry out, not even caring that you’ve left the keys inside the vehicle. You make your way to the ship dock where you know the Hydra agent has hidden his submarine. Tucking yourself behind one of the cement pillars, all that’s left to do is sit tight and wait. You reach for the gun stashed in your holster and hold it close to your chest.

You don’t have to wait long before you hear the sound of gunfire and screaming. You slow your breaths in an attempt to keep your heartbeat steady. All your training as a SHIELD agent and an Avenger have brought you to this moment. You’re not about to mess it up now.

Hearing the man’s hurried steps approach, you dart out from your hiding place and attack with the speed of a coiled snake. Your arm swings out, jamming the butt of your gun into his temple and knocking him out in one single move. The forward momentum of his running combines with the force of your blow, causing him to spin and collapse to the ground on his back.

It’s not exactly a Black Widow move, but it’s sure as hell effective. You step over his prone body and crouch down to dig into his pockets until you find the vial in a hidden spot inside his jacket.

“Vic? Where… What are you…? How did you know he would be here?” Steve approaches, staring at you with confusion.

“It doesn’t matter,” you brush him off, your heart pounding now that you finally have the serum. “I have to go.” You stand and step back from the unconscious agent.

“Wait!” Steve darts forward using his newfound agility and grips your wrist. You wince under the pressure of his hold, his strength uncontrolled. He eases up but keeps your arm firmly locked in his grasp. “Where are you taking that?” he questions, indicating to the vial you hold. “You’re not going back to the SSR, are you?”

“Steve…”

His grip begins to tighten uncomfortably once again. “Is this that reassignment you were talking about? Are you another spy? Like him?” He glares at the man lying unconscious on the floor.

“No!” you protest. “But Steve, you have to let me go!” You try to tug yourself out of his grip, but it’s like tugging against an iron shackle.

“If you’re not a spy, then we can take it back together.”

“No, you don’t understand. I need it-”

“Need it for what?” You watch as anger and betrayal cloud his eyes. “You’ve been lying to me from the start, haven’t you? Why are you really here? Who are you working for? Answer me!”

“Steve, stop! You’re hurting me!” He doesn’t ease up on his grip this time, despite your whimper of pain. “You can’t take it back! That vial isn’t even supposed to exist! He was meant to drop it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Please, just let me go. I need you to trust me!”

“I did trust you! I let you into my home! Into my life! Into my-” The look of betrayal increases tenfold before it turns into a look of disgust. “You used me. Is this why Erskine picked me? Were you pulling the strings in the background, so that I’d let you get away with the serum? I saw the look in your eyes before you walked out of the lab. You left right before the attack! You knew what was going to happen, didn’t you?! Dr. Erskine is dead now! Do you feel any remorse?”

Tears begin to prick your eyes. You’ve never seen him direct this amount of anger and rage toward you. “Steve, I’m not a spy. I swear.”

He grabs the top of the vial with his free hand and twists your arm until you’re forced to release it to him. “I can’t let you take this.”

“No!” You protest and reach to try to get it back. You freeze instantly when he holds his arm out and high.

“You said it was supposed to get dropped, then I’ll drop it.” He threatens.

“Steve, I am begging you. Please don’t!” You make to reach for it again, but he grips your shoulder with his other hand.

“Then tell me who you’re working for!”

“No one! I swear!” Your heart pounds in your ears and the tears begin to fall as you watch the one hope you have beginning to slip through your fingers.

“I’ll give you to the count of three. One.”

“Steve, no! You have to listen to me-”

“Two.”

You struggle against his hold, screaming at him to stop.

“Thre-”

“You’re dying!” You cry out, openly sobbing now.

The devastation in your voice rips through him and gives him pause.

“Where I come from…” you choke on your words, knowing that this is the final nail in the coffin that seals away your reality as you know it. You’ve changed too much already. You know that this is the last straw. But you can’t let him destroy that serum. “When I come from… you’re sick. And that serum is the only thing that can save you.”

His arm slowly lowers and he releases the grip on your shoulder.

“I’m not a spy, Steve. I’m from the future. If I don’t make it back with that serum, you will die, and I-” your voice cracks. You cup your hands over your face and crumple to your knees. “I can’t lose you!”

You continue to sob into your hands until you feel a gentle touch trying to coax them away from your face. You look through tear-blurred eyes to find Steve crouching in front of you. He no longer looks angry, but his eyes flicker between yours, searching for the truth within them. “Yes, I knew what was going to happen to Dr. Erskine… and I feel horrible about it, but I couldn’t risk changing anything more than I already have! I couldn’t bear to watch it happen, so that’s why I left early and came here to intercept you and get the serum. I am terrified that I’ve messed things up and changed the future that I need to go back to. But I’m more terrified of going back without the serum. I’m not a spy, I promise. I’m just trying to save your life.” You hiccup when his hand reaches out to cradle your face, his thumb swipes over your cheek to dry your tears. “I know it sounds crazy, but you have to believe me,” you beg.

You watch his Adam’s apple bob when he swallows thickly. “Why do you think you’ve messed up the future?”

His question takes you off guard. It’s not the one you’re expecting him to ask. “Because we were never supposed to meet,” you confess. “I was only supposed to come for the serum, but when I got hurt and you took me in, I… I couldn’t stay away.”

“In the future, you and me… we’re…?”

Your gaze softens as you look back at him. “You’re the love of my life.”

Your breath catches in your throat when in the next instant, he’s tugging your body into his chest and wrapping his arms around your shoulders. You release a stunted gasp, the familiarity of his muscular form tucked against your body feels like a dream. Your arms curl around his strong torso as you bury your face into his neck and your hands clench at the fabric of his t-shirt.

“Does this mean… Do you believe me?” you ask, the hope that had once been cracking and chipping away inside you begins to bloom.

“I do,” he admits.

You collapse against him as you release a cry of relief. “H-How? Why?” you find yourself asking. Honestly, it’s pretty stupid that you do, when you should just accept his belief and run with it. But the fact that he fully believes that you’re from the future is nearly as crazy as the fact that you are.

He releases a breathless laugh before moving back enough to meet your gaze once more. “Because I don’t like sleeping by the window.” He smiles at your look of confusion. “And because I always need to use the bathroom as soon as I wake up.” His free hand reaches up to curl a strand of hair behind your ear as his gaze flickers between your eyes. “Because I loved potato soup as a child.” You think you’re beginning to understand where he’s going with this. “All these little things, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how you could possibly know them about me. You’d either have to be a damn good spy, or…”

“Or…?” you prompt, feeling dizzy.

You can nearly feel the caress of his gaze as it flits over your lips and up your cheek, before connecting with your eyes once more. “Or you’d have to be the woman I’m planning to spend the rest of my life with.”

“Oh, Steve!” You wrap your arms around his neck and bring his lips to yours. You put your entire body into the kiss, wanting to prove without a shadow of a doubt just how much he means to you. He kisses back eagerly, tugging your body closer until you’re sitting in his lap. You pull away with a wet gasp and drop your head to his shoulder, your whole body shaking.

“Vic, honey, why are you crying?” he asks softly.

“Because I don’t want to leave you!” you sob into his neck. “But I can’t stay. Dr. Erskine said the serum will start to breakdown. If I don’t take it back soon, this will all be for nothing, and you’ll die anyway.” When you lift your head back up, wet trails are traveling down your cheeks. “I’m running out of time!”

“Okay, okay,” he soothes, running a comforting hand up and down your back while he moves to hold the other between you. “Here,” he offers, opening his palm to reveal the serum vial.

Your hand shakes as you reach for it. Taking it back, you hold it close to your chest and look back up at him. “Thank you,” you whisper sincerely. He nods, trusting that it’s in good hands now. You peel back the front of your dress coat and slip the vial into the same internal pocket where your pouch is for safekeeping. You look back up and get lost in the blue of his eyes. “I wish I could tell you everything.”

He looks back, feeling your words fall to his gut. “I know.”

“I have to go,” your lips tremble as you speak.

The look of heartbreak on his face makes you weak. “I know,” he repeats. You move to push out of his hold, but he tightens his grip. “Just-” he spits out quick, to get your attention. “When will I see you again?”

The pain that enters your eyes is answer enough. “Not for a long time.”

His breath rushes out of him like a punch to the stomach.

You wince and place your hands over his cheeks. You hate seeing him so distraught. “Steve, listen to me. You are going to have some very difficult decisions to make. Don’t make your choices based on what you think will bring you back to me. Make the choice because you know it’s the right thing to do. I know that might not make much sense right now, but hopefully, when the time has come, you’ll remember these words and you’ll know what to do. Have faith and know that you’ll always carry me in your heart.”

It’s difficult to process your words, but he nods anyway. “Okay,” he agrees.

“I love you,” you whisper, pulling his head down until his forehead is pressed to yours.

“I’m really going to miss you,” he whispers back, his voice thick with emotion. You share one more second wrapped in the comfort of his arms before pulling back. The two of you climb to your feet. “Will you be okay?” he asks, unsure how dangerous time travel could be.

“Yes,” you assure him gently. You share one last look before your hand slips from his and you turn away.

“Vic, wait!” Steve reaches for your wrist once more, before dropping it quickly when you hiss in pain. Looking down, he gently cradles your arm to take a closer look at the bruise that has formed there. “Did I do that?” he frowns.

“It’s okay,” you try to brush it off and comfort him when he looks at you doubtfully.

“I hurt you.” Shame fills his features. You put your other hand over his where it rests on your arm, and you entwine your fingers through his.

“You’re still getting used to your new strength. It was an accident.” He looks like he’s ready to argue with you, but you really don’t have enough time to get into it with him. “Steve, what were you trying to tell me?” you ask, trying to change his focus.

He gives you a look like he knows what you’re trying to do, but he lets it go. “When we see each other again… Will you remember any of this?”

You release a long breath. “No…” you admit. “No, I won’t.”

“Then…” he swallows thickly and looks down at where your hands are joined. “Do you have any tips on how to get you to fall in love with me? Because I honestly don’t have any idea how I managed to catch an amazing girl like you.”

You laugh sweetly and step up to place a kiss to his cheek. “Just be yourself. You can be pretty charming when you want to be.” You squeeze his fingers before pulling back. “Oh! But one thing… when you get a better handle on these new muscles of yours,” you grin cheekily and poke him in the bicep. “Don’t be afraid to show off in the bedroom. Your girl likes it a little rough.” You shoot him a saucy wink that makes his cheeks flare up.

“Um… okay,” he responds. That’s not exactly what he was going for, but at least it’s something. “And then, one last thing,” he requests. He knows you’re being patient with him, when every second matters, but he has to know. “You and me,” he starts, reaching for your left hand, and his thumb glides over your ring finger. “Are we married?”

You breathe out a quiet laugh and look up at him with that smile that reminds him of Spring. “You haven’t asked me, yet. But I hope you will soon.”

He smiles back and it warms you like feeling sunshine on your skin. “Even if this wasn’t supposed to happen, I’m glad that I met you. I can’t imagine how I would have gotten through any of this without you in my life.”

You reach out to press a hand to his chest. “I will always be with you, Steve.”

He places his hand over yours. “I will carry you in my heart,” he confirms. His hand drops from yours, along with his gaze. “You should go.”

Your eyes turn sad as you retract your hand, but you nod, knowing that he’s right. You take several steps back and lift your arm to look at your watch. After pressing a button on the side, your quantum suit seems to materialize out of nowhere. Steve jumps at the display of modern technology. If he hadn’t been fully convinced that you were from the future, this definitely would have changed his mind.

His breaths come in quicker when he realizes this is truly goodbye. “Good luck,” he speaks, feeling like he needs to say something.

Your lips curl into a small grin. “I don’t need luck. I’m Lady Victory.” You hold his gaze for one more second before you hit the button on your time watch to snap your helmet into place and then you’re shrinking out of his existence.

Steve stares at the place you were just standing, barely able to believe that you’re gone. His mind snaps back into focus when he hears a splash of water and some sort of strange mechanical whirring. When he looks back, he sees that the man he’d been chasing has disappeared. He dashes to the edge of the dock and catches sight of a one-manned submarine beginning to submerge. Without thought, he dives after it, straight into the water.

Epilogue

#steve rogers x reader #pre serum steve x reader #40s steve x reader #captain america x reader

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ga-yuu · 3 years

Text

~Kurama~Main Story Chapter 26~

Chapter 25

-------Part 1--------

The very next day after spending the night with Kurama----

(This should do it!)

Yoshino: "All patched up. Thank you for your hard work. I'm relieved that your injuries are all minor."

Morinaga: "Thank you. But I'm also sorry Yoshino. Your deal with Tamamo was broken last night and I had to make you come all this way, even though now you don't have any business with the Shogunate."

Morinaga-san smiles apologetically as I finished treating the cut on his shoulder.

Before leaving for Hiraizumi, I had asked Yoshitsune-sama to allow me to stop at the Shogunate camp.

(Some people have been injured because of me, and I want to work as a pharmacist for them for one last time.)

Yoshino: "No at all. Is there anything else that hurts?"

Morinaga: "No no. I'm strong, so I get hurt less."

Kurama: "Then leave. You've been touched too much by Yoshino."

Yoshino: "No!! Kurama!!!"

Kurama, who was leaning against the nearby fence was waving to drive Morinaga-san away.

Morinaga-san who didn't seem to care much laughs and puts his kimono back on.

Morinaga: "He's a tough nut to crack."

(I am happy that he came all this way for me.)

Yoshino: "It's natural to touch a patient while treating them. Don't take that in a weird way, Kurama."

Kurama: "That's why I kept quiet during the whole treatment."

I was about to say something back when I heard the sound of one person's footsteps in my ear....

Shigehira: "What's an outsider doing here?"

Yoshino: "Oh, Shigehira-kun."

Shigehira: "Thank you for your hard work, Yoshino-san."

Shigehira-kun walks and stops right in front of us.

Shigehira: "Also thank you for looking after my men."

Yoshino: "No no, please..... I'm going to leave some medicines for the people who haven't been treated. Can I give it to you two?"

Shigehira: "Okay. About the ones who didn't get treatment----"

While Shigehira-kun was about to say something, we heard the voices of some soldiers behind us, talking near their tent.

Shogunate soldier 1: "By the way, did you receive treatment from Yoshino-san?"

(Ah....)

Shogunate soldier 2: "No no, I'm...fine."

Shogunate soldier 1: "Ah...well, I can't blame you. A lot of them were scared including me. Even though she was manipulated, she was terrifying...."

Shigehira and Morinaga: "..........."

(I went around apologizing but I knew a lot of soldiers wouldn't see me the same way as before.)

The soldiers had left without noticing us.

Shigehira: "----I'll be back in a bit."

Yoshino: "No wait!"

I hurriedly grabbed Shigehira-kun's arm as he was about to chase them.

Yoshino: "It's only natural they'd react like that, so I don't mind."

,Shigehira: "But...they're wrong. You're not a scary person."

Yoshino: "You can't force them to change their mind. And I'm sure someday, they'll understand. Even if someone was afraid of me, I didn't behave in a way that would bring shame to myself or to my friends. That's all I need."

(I think I would have paid more attention to people's reactions before, but now...)

(I know there are more important things to do...)

(And the one who taught me that was.)

Kurama: "That's right. There's no point in trying to understand a bunch of humans."

------Part 2------

Kurama: "That's right. There's no point in trying to understand a bunch of humans."

Kurama who was watching us completed my sentence.

Kurama: "They don't deserve your mercy. Instead, it's best to destroy those loudmouths like Shigehira was about to earlier...."

Shigehira: "Wait, I wasn't gonna kill them..."

Yoshino: "And I won't let you."

Morinaga: "Looks like you're already having a hard time, Yoshino."

Shigehira: "Are you sure about this....? You can still say no if you want, Yoshino-san."

Shigehira-kun pointed sullenly at Kurama.

Shigehira: "He's crazy. He's not nice at all."

Kurama: "I'm a demon and that's how demons are."

Shigehira: "That makes another reason to not date you!"

(Hmmm. I can't help but think that about Kurama from an outsider's point of view.)

Yoshino: "Kurama is kind. He's just got a slightly peculiar way of showing it. He's just unique."

Shigehira: "Are you really sure? You weren't fooled by him, right? Because you're so friendly with everyone, you might've been mistaken about him."

Kurama: "It is only Yoshino's peculiar interpretation that I am kind. But don't you talk about her."

Kurama looks down at Shigehira-kun.

Then he walks over to me and takes my medicine box which I was holding close to my heart.

Kurama: "If you've finished your treatment here, let's go. I suppose you'll be treating the Rebels next."

Yoshino: "Ah, I'll hold that."

Kurama: "Not happening."

When I reached for my medicine box, he easily lifted up to a height I can't reach.

Kurama: "You've been working since morning. What if you die from overworking?"

Shigehira: "Die from overworking? Why are you exaggerating..."

Morinaga: "No, Shigehira. Let's hear it."

(Ummm......)

The murmuring between Shigehira-kun and Morinaga-san makes me shy.

Kurama: "I don't have any problem with humans not getting treatment, but....I'm ready to make concessions to your lunacy. In return, I want you to not sacrifice yourself for anyone but me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. You don't have to do that much...

2. I'm happy but scared.

3. It's not concessions... (+4/+4)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yoshino(blushing): "What you're doing is surveillance, not a concession!"

Kurama: "That's because you have been treating others like you're their personal maid. I don't like that."

Shigehira: "I'm getting very confused. I can't understand if he's being kind or over-possessive. What should I do? Maybe this is what Yoshino was talking about earlier? Showing kindness in a peculiar way."

Morinaga: "Kind or not...I'm relieved to see that Kurama cares about Yoshino in his own way."

Kurama: "It's only natural, right?"

(I think he's a little possessive.)

(Am I allowed to assume I'm getting special treatment from Kurama?)

That thought made me tickle and my cheeks were also red.

.................

After saying a final goodbye to everyone in the Shogunate and treating the Rebels soldiers.....

Finally, we left for Hiraizumi.

-----After a few days, we arrived at the Rebel mansion and I felt nostalgic.

From then on it was a busy and hectic life....

Sueharu: "Hmmm. So, after that, Kurama and Yoshitsune-sama went back to making a deal again."

------Part 3-------

Sueharu: "Hmmm. So, after that, Kurama and Yoshitsune-sama went back to making a deal again."

Kurama: "I broke it for my own reasons and now we went back like we used to be."

One day, the three of us, Kurama, Sueharu-san, and me, were having a peaceful conversation.

Yoshino: "I was worried about the plan failing, but it happened exactly how he predicted. You should have seen it too, they were really cool....."

Sueharu: "Hehe, I can imagine how crazy it was."

Yoshino: "I was also surprised how they managed to pull it out without having any meetings at all."

Sueharu: "I know. Yoshitsune-sama and Kurama are like each other in some way, aren't they?"

Kurama: "How am I similar to that vague man?"

(I think Kurama is the only one in this world who can call Yoshitsune-sama vague.)

Sueharu: "Yoshino, I hope you're not having a hard time."

Kurama: "Why are you saying the same thing as that Adachi Morinaga?"

Sueharu: "......What?"

(.....Sueharu-san?)

Suddenly, Sueharu-san's smile disappeared.

Sueharu: "Can you please not mention his name?"

Yoshino: "Do you know, Morinaga-san......?"

Sueharu: "Hm? Oh no, we don't really know each other that well."

The tension suddenly eased and Sueharu-san gave me his usual smile.

(It's alright now...but it seemed like for a moment something wasn't right.)

Sueharu: "Rather than that, Yoshino. I heard that you and Kurama are dating."

Yoshino: "Mm. That's right."

Before I could continue, he takes my hand and comes closer.

(Eh?)

Sueharu: "What a waste of a pretty sweet girl like you. Why don't you let me have her?"

Kurama(glares): "Hey."

Yoshino: "Oh."

Kurama quickly intervened and knocked Sueharu-san's hand away.

Kurama: "What are you doing with my love toy?"

Sueharu: "Are you seriously still addressing her as a toy? You must be grateful for Yoshino's open-mindedness."

Kurama(clueless): ".......?"

(Yeah, the exact same face he makes when he says his favorite line 'I don't understand.')

Kurama: "What's wrong with calling a toy a toy?"

Yoshino: "Umm....you can call me you're 'partner'?" (She says 'Koinaka, which means lover, I think in Japanese. 'Koi' means love and 'naka' means friend.....so 'love friend'?)

Sueharu: "A goddess like you doesn't deserve Kurama's outlandish remarks, right?"

Muttering in a light tone, Sueharu-san held up his index finger.

Sueharu: "But as a preacher of love....I want to know. Kurama, have you told Yoshino that you love her, properly?

Kurama: "Of course. On the battlefield, our hearts connected."

Sueharu: "Not like that, what I'm saying is....have tried saying things like 'Good morning, you look lovely today' and when you're about to go to bed 'Good night, I love you' something like that?

(Ummm....)

Kurama: "Are you telling me to be frivolous like you?"

Sueharu: "Hey! Don't look down on me! It's only a common thing to do once you start dating someone. It can make your love last longer."

(As expected...Sueharu-san has a lot of experience.)

Sueharu: "Awww. I feel bad for Yoshino who ended up with a man who has no knowledge about love."

------Part 4------

Sueharu: "Awww. I feel bad for Yoshino who ended up with a man who has no knowledge about love."

Kurama: "......"

Sueharu: "Ouch! Stop grabbing my head!"

Kurama: "I don't know why, but it made me angry."

Yoshino: "K-Kurama. Let go of him."

When Kurama loosens his fingers as if he doesn't care, Sueharu-san quickly escapes and shrugs his shoulders.

Sueharu: "Well, I guess, the idea of love and romance is different for demons. But your life spans are also a problem. Have you thought about that? It's even serious...no matter how much you care Yoshino, she'll die long before you. Don't tell me you just overlooked that, Kurama?"

I was surprised by the serious tone of the question.

(I had thought about the same thing too.)

(No matter how I try, I can't make Kurama happy for the rest of his life.)

A feeling of sadness washed over me and I waited for Kurama's answer.

Kurama: "I don't think about the future."

Sueharu: "Wow, that's refreshingly flat."

Yoshino: "Really...?"

Kurama: "Humans die long before me. What's the point in worrying about the obvious? I would rather make her happy in every moment of her dream life than spending my time on such things. As long as she smiles till the end, my heart will be filled with the memory of it. Whether it's for hundred or thousand years..."

Yoshino(blushing): "Kurama...."

(I didn't think it that way.)

I was deeply moved and I couldn't think what to say back.

Yoshino(smiling): "Thank you."

Kurama(smiling): "Yeah."

-----For that first time, he didn't tell not to thank him like he always does.

Sueharu: "!!!! ......Thank you very much for the food. I'm afraid I have some business. So I have to go for now."

Sueharu-san smiles and stands up.

Sueharu: "Oh, Yoshino!"

Yoshino(still blushing): "....? Yes."

Sueharu: "May you live long and prosper. But if you ever get tired of Kurama, you can always come to me, okay?"

Yoshino(blushing): "Eeeehhh!!!???"

Kurama(glares): "Get lost."

As if he ignored Kurama's words, Sueharu-san turns and winks at me before leaving.

(Maybe you were just joking, but you're a sinful man in many ways, Sueharu-san.)

After we were alone, Kurama turned to me.

Kurama: "That man is a tricky one. Don't let him get to you too much, Yoshino."

Yoshino: "I think Sueharu-san was just joking, so don't worry about it."

Kurama: "That man talks a lot of nonsense. But he's very popular with human women."

Kurama touches my cheek and stares at me.

Kurama: "Also, is it necessary to tell you regularly that I love you like he said?"

------Part 5------

Kurama: "Also, is it necessary to tell you regularly that I love you like he said?"

Yoshino(blushing): "......It is natural."

(I didn't know Kurama had the personality to say this kind of thing outright before we became romantically involved.)

My cheeks get hot from embarrassment and joy.

Kurama: "You're completely flushed."

Yoshino(blushing): ".....It's because of Kurama."

Kurama: "I'm not sure if I like that idea....but if you want to hear it, I'll give it to you."

Yoshino: "Ah!"

He holds me in his arms, and his masculine face gets closer making my heart beat faster.

Kurama: "I love you. You are the one and only toy that can fill me up and the first and last thing I'll ever give my love to."

The words were whispered in my ear and it struck straight to my heart like an arrow.

(.....His love confession is exactly like him, ARROGANT! But....)

I also want to be bold enough to offer my feelings in words.

Yoshino(blushing):: "I feel the same for you too, Kurama.....I love you, so much."

Kurama: "-----I know."

(Eh?)

He scooped up my chin with his fingertips and observed my flushed face.

Kurama: "It's certainly not bad to say it in words. It mysteriously fills my heart."

Yoshino(blushing): "Ah...mm....?"

Kurama: "Yes. And the look on your face is telling me how much you loved it."

(He is really teasing me now!)

Yoshino(blushing): "...Kurama is so weird sometimes.."

Kurama: "Then I suppose you like weird men like me. But it's too late to run away now."

Once again, Kurama puts his lips to my ear, this time without laughing.

Kurama: "Yoshino. I will kill anyone who harms you. If you leave me, I will kill you."

(Ah.....)

His red eyes were clear in the sunlight and looked at me without blinking.

I could tell by the quiet expression on his face that he meant what he said.

Yoshino: "........too noisy."

Kurama: "Don't like it?"

Yoshino(blushing): "I don't mind. But I'm asking you to relax because it's impossible for me to leave Kurama as well."

(I can do my job as a pharmacist, wherever I want. So I'll live along with Kurama for the rest of my life, happily.)

Kurama(smiling): "Then, everything is okay."

Our lips meet and we kissed deeply as if we were attracted to each other.....

Yoshino: "......Mmm.."

I was pushed down, and he stole my breath.

(I'm sure our relationship is different from that of a normal man and woman in love.)

(But I'm sure this is Kurama's way of love.)

The proof of this is that I now embrace boundless happiness.

Our lips quietly separated and we gazed at each other.

Kurama: "I've decided."

Yoshino(blushing): ".....What?"

Kurama: "I'll be a better man to be worthy of your love."

Kurama was excited thinking about his new resolution.

Kurama: "I'm going to learn how to behave in a way that's so in love that no one will tell me what to do."

(Oh my....)

I'm really curious to see Kurama's idea of 'behaving like a lover.'

Romantic END // Dramatic END

#ikemen series #ikemen genjiden #cybird #ikemen genjiden kurama #ikemen mc #main story translations #otome #cybird ikemen #cybird otome

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thediamondgirl17 · 4 years

Text

Kitsune! Miya Twins x Reader: Sly Foxes (SFW-ish) Part 1

Okie dokie! So here we are! First Miya twins fic! I’m super excited! I read a fic called The Fox Witch by @haikyuufairy and it was SO FREAKING GOOD! It inspired me to write this! Now- I am NOT familiar with Kitsunes or authentic Japanese culture and things like that- so PLEASE bear with me! I’m trying my best. I’m literally going to do research for this fic because I love the concept of it so much! Kitsune Inarizaki was AMAZING and I genuinely loved it! So I hope I am doing this author justice by writing something (hopefully) as good as they wrote!

Like I said earlier I am a Kitsune/Authentic Japanese virgin and basically have no idea what I’m doing with this but...I’m gonna try anyway! So without further ado, lets get on with the story!! As always if you would like a Part 2, feel free to suggest and I will be happy to provide!

Warnings: PG-13

For as long as you could remember, you had grown up hearing stories of Kitsunes, the gods, demons, and all sorts of things that you had thought only belonged in the dreams of those older than you. You would leave offerings to the gods and the deities right outside their homes to try and keep the ‘bad’ demons away and have the good ones on their side if things were to turn bad. However, you never really believed any of it. They were myths. Fairy tales. Things adults would say to children to get them to behave. Right?

You had never expected any of it to be real. You had never expected that demons actually roamed the earth out of sight from human eyes. And you sure as hell did not expect to be passed out inside the temple on shrine grounds of the goddess Inari.

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“There...done...,” You said looking down at the pile of boxes you had just hauled into your new house. Finally you were away from your family and had just started working in the area. Your house was one floor, one bathroom, one bedroom cottage-like house that you were able to afford each month in rent. It was nice, quiet, and you had a nice big front and backyard.

You stretched out and sat down on a chair in the dinning room, crossing your legs and pulling out your phone to check it. You scrolled through for a while as a reward for hauling in boxes upon boxes of your stuff. However, when you had finally noticed you needed to unpack your clothes or else you would have nothing to wear, you did so. You grabbed a pair of scissors and started to cut open the boxes with your clothes, and clothing hangers in them. Silently you thanked the gods that the movers were able to already have helped you set up your bed and move heavy furniture so that you wouldn’t have to do it yourself. About a half hour had passed until you heard a knock on your front door. You placed down the clothes you were currently folding and walked over. Once you opened it, you saw an older man and woman standing there with a smile.

“Hello...My name is Aikio Tanjiro, and this is my husband, Eiji Tanjiro. And we came over to welcome you to the neighboorhood.” The old woman said and gave a small bow, along with her husband.

“Well it’s nice to meet you Tanjiro-san.” You said softly and bowed a bit as well. “Please, come in, I can make you both some tea.” You offered. The two had agreed and you gave them each a pair of guest slippers to wear. They sat down on the tatami on the floor as you boiled the water for tea.

“Oh please just Aikio and Eiji are fine.” Eiji said while sitting down.

“Oh...alright!” You smiled and once the water was ready, brought it over to the old couple. You sat down with them and started to pour the water into each of their cups.

“Have you been to the shrine yet since you have moved in?” Aikio said while blowing softly on her tea before taking a small sip. You smiled nervously.

“N-no actually, I’ve been busy unpacking.” You admitted with a small nervous chuckle.

“Oh well you must!” The old woman said with her eyes widening a bit. “There are Kitsune around this town that keep us protected from demons and Yako. Bringing them and the Goddess Inari an offering is an absolute must if you plan on staying here.” She warned and took another sip of her tea. You turned to her husband to see if he would say anything about her just having one or two screws loose, but all you got was a small smile.

“Don’t look at me...,” He trailed off. “She sounds a little crazy but she is right. There are Kitsune that have protected this area for generations. It’s best to appease them now when you first arrive so they don’t harbor bad feelings toward you.” He said and also sipped his tea. You just nodded slowly in agreement with them.

‘I don’t need to...,’ You thought to yourself as the three of you sipped on your teas. ‘But if they ask again, I wouldn’t want to lie to them, or disappoint them.’ You sighed internally. ‘I’ll do it anyway, besides it will help feed the wildlife.’ You thought as you sipped on your cup.

“Don’t mind the foxes in the area as well.” The old woman said. “This area is known for them. Some may be Kitsune who just haven’t reached 100 yet, so treat all of them with respect.” She nodded in agreement with herself. And for the rest of the evening the three of you talked about whatever else came to mind about your moving in.

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After spending the rest of the evening with the Tanjiro couple, you had finished a bit more of unpacking before crashing down onto the bed you had just made and groaned. You rolled over to look at the clock on your nightstand. You didn’t have work tomorrow so you would be able to sleep in. ‘I have to go to the shrine though,’ You internally groaned to yourself. It wasn’t that you didn’t believe in things like this, it was just that you thought it was childish, almost like Santa Claus or the old folk tales you heard as a kid. Oh how wrong you were.

The next morning rolled around, and you had only known this due to the fact that the sun was shining right in your eyes when you woke up. You groaned and rolled over to look at the clock. ‘11:30′ it read. You sighed and threw the covers off of yourself before rolling out of bed and trudging downstairs to make breakfast for yourself. ‘I’ll make breakfast, get dressed, do my hygienic rounds, unpack a little more, and then I’ll visit the shrine.’ You thought as you gently pushed around the ingredients inside the frying pan.

And you had followed that plan through. However when you had finished unpacking what you wanted for the day it was actually about on the verge of sunset. You sighed and shook your head. You stood up, stretched out, and went into the kitchen to whip up some food very quickly for the offering. After cooking what you wanted, you put it in two bowls. One for the goddess and the other for the Kitsune, covered them with tin foil, and then placed them in a bag to make it easier to carry up to the shrine.

Considering that now it was dark outside you grabbed your coat, and a flashlight. The shrine was not too far away from your house at all. It was about a half a mile away including the stairs to get to the shrine. So a trip there and back would be a full mile, which wouldn’t be bad at all. The stairs to the shrine were surrounded by wilderness, and the only thing you were really worried about were wild boars, but you knew that if you didn’t mess with them, they usually wouldn’t mess with you, so you didn’t worry.

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Slowly your legs carried you up the stairs to the shrine through the woods. Your flashlight pointed at the ground in front of you to insure that you wouldn’t fall. Every now and again you would hear the sound of something in the bushes beside you, but wouldn’t pay any mind to it. ‘It was probably just a bird or squirrel.’ You would think as you continued to climb.

You had gotten about halfway up the stairs when something had suddenly jumped out in front of your light. You jumped a bit and stared directly at it. It was a fox. The fox standing in front of your light had a basic grey body with completely black legs, a white tipped tail, and a patch of white under it’s chin. It’s tail was down but waved back and forth. The two of you stood there for a while just looking at each other.

“...Can you move please?” You asked softly. “I need to get to the shrine...I brought offerings...,” Your voice was quiet but to you it felt like it was echoing through the woods. Almost a moment afterwards, the fox looked away from you and jumped back into the woods where you wouldn’t be able to see it, even if you had tried.

However, after the fox had left, you heard a rumble in the sky and you groaned. ‘Please don’t start raining.’ You thought. And soon, almost as if the gods heard you and decided to laugh in your face, you heard the sound of light pitter patter on the steps to the shrine. At this point you were closer to the shrine than you were to your house, so you silently made a plan to go into the building once you got up there to keep dry until the rain would stop falling.

You didn’t think you were moving that fast along the steps to the shrine. Your legs didn’t feel like you were moving that fast. It was more like time slowed down, and you felt like you were moving slower. But no matter what the case, you felt the undeniably feeling of your foot missing a step on the rock/concrete steps. And you felt yourself fall forward a little to far for your liking. The next thing you remember was everything going black.

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“Why is she here?” A stern voice asked.

“Kita is gonna be so pissed off at you-” A playful voice teased.

“Watch your language! Remember where you are!” A deep voice scolded.

You groaned softly, from the noise, your head hurting, and being woken up. You felt yourself roll over on what felt like a futon. Your eyes opened for a moment and everything was blurry. Soon you closed them and re-opened them to asses the situation you were in. You sat up slowly and put your hand on your head. Under your fingers you felt bandages around your head. You let out a soft sigh and looked up. There were four people surrounding you.

The first one looked to be fairly younger than the rest of them. His black hair was pointed straight up in a spikey kind of way. He had grey eyes, and thick eyebrows that framed his face in an intimidating way.

The second one had greyish brownish muddies short hair and eyes that matched the color of it. He looked to be a bit older than the first one, but younger than the last one, and the same age as the third one.

The third one had blondish yellowish hair with an undercut that was brown. His eyes were also brown and he held this mischievous smirk on his face as he looked at you. He looked to be older than the first one, the same age as the second one, and younger than the third one.

Finally, the fourth one had very short brown hair, blueish greyish eyes, and darker skin than the other three. Out of all of them he looked the oldest. This was the one that kneeled down and let his eyes wander along the top of your head.

“How are you feeling?” He asked. You recognized his voice as the third one you heard. “Do you feel dizzy? Nauseous? Do you remember your name?”

“Chill with the questions Aran...She can’t answer all of them at once.” The one with the yellow hair said as if he were the smartest man in the world.

“Shut it Atsumu.” He scolded. Aran then looked back at you.

“No. No. And (F/n) (L/n)...Where am I?” You asked looking around you. “Am I in the shrine?”

“Wow...Good job...Someone get her a gold star.” Atsumu snickered.

“Leave her alone.” The second one said crossing his arms.

“Ginjima is right.” Aran replied.

“...I-is Kita gonna be mad at me Aran? I didn’t know what to do with her...I crossed her path and then there was thunder...a-and then she fell...there was so much blood...I got scared...,” The first one said pacing nervously back and forth. You sat there silently.

“Chill Riseki...Kita won’t be mad.” Aran responded.

“No you didn’t.” You replied and looked up at him. “I didn’t see anybody when I came up the steps.” Riseki furrowed his eyebrows when he heard this.

“Yeah you did! We even made eye contact...You asked me to move...,” He said looking confused.

“I said that to an animal...Where you further up the steps? If so I didn’t see you.” You replied.

“I-,” Riseki was about to say before he heard someone walking to the room you all were in. There were two sets of footsteps that could be heard. Two people walked into the room. One of them looked like a carbon copy of the yellowish blondish haired boy. And the other had very noticeable white hair with black tips.

“Is she doing well?” The man with the white and black hair said to Aran.

“Yes...She is up and about and asking questions.” He replied and everyone looked back at you.

“Did she bring an offering?” He asked.

“W-well...Yeah she was on her way up with two when she fell.” Riseki said gently rubbing his arm, a nervous tendency for the young looking boy.

“I guess it can be forgiven.” The white and black haired man spoke again. “Just as long ad you bring another one....What a waste of food..,” He said softly. While his voice held no emotion, it cut through you like a blade.

“So...Are you like the monk that runs this place?” You asked looking up at him. Almost everyone in the room looked at you as if you were stupid.

“I guess you could say that.” He replied.

“Ya aren’t gonna scold him for bringin’ her here?! What the hell Kita!” Atsumu said in a rude tone.

“No..., And watch your tone Miya. Remember where you are.” Kita said and crossed his arms. “He’s young...,” He trailed off.

“Okay but-,” You paused. “Riseki was it? Where you stalking me on my way up?” You questioned.

“N-no!” He shot back at you. “I literally walked in front of you!” He said not raising his voice but just making his words more stern.

“The only thing that walked in front of me on my way up here was a fox.” You said. Then the room went silent.

“Shit!” Riseki cried. The cussing and the sudden yell earned him a wack on the back of the head by Aran.

“It’s okay...We all messed up our first few times...,” The boy with the silver hair that looked like Atsumu said.

“However that still doesn’t excuse it...I know your getting used to this but if you can’t remember what form your in, you’re staying here.” Kita said putting his food down. You were silent until you stood up off the futon on the ground.

“I hit my head harder than I thought...,” You mumbled.

“What?” Atsumu teased. “Don’t believe in Kitsune?”

“Never seen one...or met one...so I couldn’t tell you.” You admitted and looked around. “But I think I’m dreaming at this point so...I’m gonna head home now.” You stretched a bit, eager to get out of whatever kind of a dream this was.

“You aren’t dreaming.” Kita said in his usual monotoned voice that sounded cold and strong. “And you should believe what your elders tell you.” You blinked for a moment and looked around you, at everyone.

“...Prove it...,” You said softly.

“We don’t have to prove anything to you.” Aran chimed in.

“Awe why not~!” Atsumu said playfully. “She’s already seen one of us...no point in hiding it anymore.” And soon his body had morphed. Not too much. But a tail and a pair of ears were visible. The ears were red, and that same fur had adorned the tail, however instead of red fur on the tip, it was black. You blinked then rubbed your eyes.

“Well since now you know. I expect offerings here tomorrow afternoon.” Kita said turning away from you. He started walking out of the room before pausing. “Inari along with all of us expect it now that we have shown you kindness.” And with that he left the room, leaving you in a confused state and looking around at the Kitsune in the room.

“...I don’t believe this...,” You whispered softly.

#miya twins #atsumu x y/n #osamu x y/n #kitsune #haikyuu #anime #xreader #inarizaki

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