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anundyingfidelity · 6 months

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INTERROGATION GONE WRONG – Cleon XIII/Brother Day

Summary: Cleon XIII interrogates his statisticians about Hari Seldon's predictions. His in-turn maid remains there hearing the conversation, unbeknownst to him, knowing the answer - at least part of.

Pairing: Cleon XIII/Brother Day x female maid reader.

Word count: 2.9k.

Warnings: extremely dub-con, smut, abuse of power, forced orgasm, choking, fingering, degradation, p in v, creampie, not the soft aftercare you're waiting for. The author is also non native English speaker.

Notes: this is based on that scene of 1x04. This is the most non-con thing I've written ever. I gave my warnings. Also please watch Foundation lol, this show reminded me of how much I loved Lee Pace since like 2014. Once I'm in, I will never get out and I needed to write something for Cleon I love him he is an idiot.

☕ if you like my writing, support me with a ko-fi !

GEN MASTERLIST!

The man fell with a thud on the floor. You should be scared, surprised, trembling with fear, but this was not new behavior for you or anyone in the palace. Since Seldon's exile and the disaster shaking the Empire gradually, the response of the new Cleon was clearly expected after being a witness of a poor reunion and inconvenience with the staticians. More than a conversation, it felt like a judgment, a death one.

"Dining, now," he ordered passing by your figure on his way to leave the throne room. With a bow, you followed in an instant and ready to serve him.

Cleary, you could tell he was not in the good mood that day, already skipping the meal for breakfast with his brothers earlier; something that was out of the itineraries. Once a change of the routine happened, it meant something was off, so you thought. Demerzel was also not around, attending other meetings, so this left you alone with Empire, opening the door of the sole dining room the Brothers used privately, with the tall figure of Cleon XIII waiting impatiently for his midday meal and looking every move you made around the place to please him as fast as your feet allowed.

The cooks served the meal arranged from the menu after your order and they left as rapid as they came in, Brother Day dispatching them with a hand gesture once they were done. You took a couple of steps back, standing close to the table but ready in case he dispatched your presence as well.

"Not you, you stay," he commanded after sipping his wine for the first time, eyes focused on the plate he would eat.

"Yes, Empire."

You had to obligue, and that is what happened. You watched him from the corner of your eye, from time to time in silence, pretending to be unconcerned and collected, though that was far from being true. The whole meal time was eternal, specially that day. With no Brother Dawn nor Brother Dusk around for Brother Day to have a bland talk with, only the sound of fine cutlery clinking against porcelain as Empire ate. Boring, your head began to spin around, thinking in non-senses and theories of what you heard and read from Seldon's predictions of the fall. Empire was cruel, but it had you working, serving food to your plate, and probably that was enough. But it didn't stop your curiosity of learning further the philosophy of Hari Seldon.

When in front of Empire, your gaze seemed lost but your mind was working. You never said a single comment about studying Seldon's theory, of course. You were just a maid. Science and university never were a good pair for a woman who served the Empire. However, you still found the math behind his calculations as something intriguing and fascinating for some reason...

"Maid," the loud voice of the Emperor interrupted your daydream. "I said, wine."

The intense look on his eyes forced you to attend his order fast, serving more of the fermented liquid on the cup standing besides his plate.

His large hand took the cup when you filled it with wine and he sipped again, his eyes scanning you slow and deep. You knew he sensed something was wrong with you. Swallowing, you noticed he already had finished with his meal, so you finally you dared to speak.

"Can I retire your plate, Empire?"

"Is there something you want to share, maid?" he responded, blatantly ignoring your question and dragging your title like it was nothing but a shameful word to spill.

"At all, Empire," your voice came as a whisper.

Brother Day stood on his feet with such grace and started a slow walk towards your figure. You wanted to step away, but you feet were glued to the ground, so his tall and intimidating form washed over you soon.

"Speak," he instructed coldly. You started to tremble, unable to take off your scared eyes from him, bitting your bottim lip as he leaned. "Or do you want to be punished?"

His hand forced around your neck all of a sudden. As an act of reflection, you tried to pull back from his grip, but he was much stronger, having you in place and cutting your breath. "I know you hide enthusiasm around Doctor Seldon's theories," he whispered darkly on your ear. "I am not giving you a choice, speak!"

As he yelled down his last words, he pushed you harshly, body falling to the grown. Air filled your lungs once again and you coughed, sitting down and watching that he was coming closer with big steps. You dragged yourself on the floor using your hands and feet trying to not tangle yourself with the fabric of your dress. Fighting the tears on your eyes, your back touched the wall and sobbed. There was nowhere to go now. So you finally confessed.

"Your staticians would not give you a number because it's true!" you cried out. Brother Day stopped on his tracks just a couple of inches before you. "It's all true, Doctor Seldon is right. And it all began with the Star Bridge, I know you were a child when it happened because I was a child too when the crisis started. There is a probability, but is not zero," you said, recalling his words.

You saw his face changed. He was exhasperated already, but rage appeared in his eyes in a very visible way; a rage that you had yet to see from Empire. Fear took over you, afraid of what would happen next. Should you keep talking? Should you continue crying? Scream for nobody to come around for your sake? As you questioned yourself, he lowered himself to be at your level on the ground. Brother Day never sat down, but he was making sure to get under your skin. His powerful gaze had a quick effect to do that.

"Go on."

Too scared to speak, you opened your lips but no sound came out. Empire waited your words for a moment, scrutinizing your face. And still, nothing came. He grabbed your arm with a rough grip, forcing you to stand up, colliding with his body until your back hit the empty part of the table he had been eating in.

"You have ten seconds to continue or I will force everything that is in your head out of you, maid," Cleon threatened. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three-"

"I said it was probability," you shuddered. "Life is a probability by all means and Seldon knows that," you breathed, aware that Brother Day was feeling your shaking body under his piercing eyes. "I studied Doctor Seldon's psychohistory and theory for the last four years, learning math and other sciences on my free time on the library. So even if I don't posses a title, I know his hypothesis was only that at the time; a hypothesis can be null, but also be provable, and thus now is not untrue."

He slowly leaned away.

"So you say there is no error on Seldon's ecuation," he concluded, jaw clenching.

"None that I could find."

Brother Day paced in front of you, back and forth, hrad processing what he just heard. You could tell he was getting what he wanted, but nothing was what he really longed for. And what you found was nothing but the truth. Maths don't miss, it was useless to lie.

"How do you simply fall into a conclusion like that? Prophecies of the Empire declining into a dark age after centuries of rising. Of our legacy!" he stopped again and went back to your figure, trapping your body between himself and the dining table. You felt his breath when he leaned close, the smell of wine and fruits mixing with his cologne was intoxicating your nostrils as the last tears flowed down your cheeks. Sooner or later, you thought he was going to end up with your life. You had nothing left to lose by now.

"It's simple history and logic. Everything that goes up has to go down, even empires."

All you felt was his big palm slapping your face, your back hitting the edge of the table. A hurted moan filled the room, and he forced you to look at him grabbing your chin with the same strenght he had used on you all this time, like you were nothing more than a doll to play with as he pleased.

"In other circumstances, I would find you amusing," he breathed gainst your lips. The touch of his thumb on your cheek, wiping away your last tears, contrasted the roughness of his words, his body between your legs and his weight pressing you to lie down on the surface.

"Psychohistory words, not mine," you whispered, your hands running to wrap around his wrist, but his aura repelled instantly your touch. It was useless to keep trying. So here you were, ready for Brother Day to end with your life in just the blink of an eye. "Maybe Brother Dusk made a mistake," you continued, giving up on leaving the room alive. "Make Hari Seldon stay instead..."

Brother Day pressed further against you, almost crushing you with his significant huge frame.

"Such a talented brain and mouth, why don't I put you to good use? I think I deserve it."

He forcefuly turned you around until you were bending over the table, a loud gasp falling from your mouth. One of his hands making its way between your legs caused your thighs to press together, trying to stop him, but it was impossible, so you had nothing to do but beg.

"Please, Empire," you felt like crying again at his touch, his fingers cupping your clothed pussy in a slow motion. "Stop, please-"

"Shut up, whore," he grunted, rubbing his crotch against your ass and slammed your face with his free hand so you had your cheek lying against the cold surface. "I had enough from you."

Heartbeat rising, you tried with no results to escape from his body cage. The sway of your hips caused Empire to grow eager. His slender fingers pushed your panties aside, coating them with your own wetness, and that was certainly something you did not expect to be down there. He hummed in response, rubbing your folds, and you exhaled once he entered one finger.

Your body responded to his ministrations, his growing erection pressing against the curve of your ass while he played with your cunt as he wanted, easing a second digit inside your walls. Probably you should just give in by now as you felt your muscles tighten, already reaching your high. Almost. The first moan of pleassure escaped your throat and you regreted the answer of lust coming from your body the following instant, your palms holding yourself on the table.

His long digits fucked you faster and your legs trembled, his thumb played with your clit so deliciously you thought you were passing out soon. He leaned down until you could feel his breath on your neck.

"Fucking take it," he groaned, feeling your warm walls pulsing around his fingers.

Almost not having control over your body, your legs further opened, like his voice just ordered you to do it.

"Please, please..."

Again, you cried and begged, not sure of the reason. For pleassure, shame, mercy... Anything was possible at that moment as whimpers and moans fell from your mouth.

The sensation grew stronger down your belly, feeling him exploring your insides too deep, touching a place no man nor your fingers reached before. It happened repeatedly, it felt so sweet and sinful. Like something you never knew but you were sure would leave you aching for more. His fingers making you so drunk and pleading for a release, and the seconds that passed by were endless until you finally blissed out with a loud moan, convulsing by the work of his hand.

Brother Day gave himself a wicked smile, watching you squirm and gasp. Such a strong orgasm he ripped out of you. He pulled his fingers away from your pulsing cunt and admired your wetness coating them before he raised the skirt of your dress and took off your panties until they were hanging between your ankles.

You grimaced at the feel of his big palms rubbing your ass cheeks, parting them to get a view of your throbbing heat, still clenching around nothing. You could listen to him undoing his pants. He hissed, taking his hard lenght to rub the sensitive skin of your ass and his thick tip teased your slit, sliding slowly inside. You gasped at the sudden intrusion as he stopped from filling you up completely, feeling your tight cunt embracing him.

"Empire, please not this-"

"This is how I prefer you," Cleon whispered on your neck, you stopped your plea. "Submissive and quiet. You are not so bold now, are you?"

And he slowly entered your pussy further. You whined, nails scratching the fine material of the table. You were so tight and warm. He had to control himself of not pounding into you right away. Being filled up by the Emperor shouldn't arouse your body like this, but your heat welcomed his cock like it was the perfect missing piece of a puzzle.

"Are you a virgin, maid?" he asked, hips giving a couple of shallow, slow thrusts. Your hips moved in sink with his own, your nipples were now hard and erect against the surface, scratching the fabric of your bra and dress, giving up into heavenly bliss. Sweet mewls left your lips as he stretched your cunt. And it was oh, so long since you felt this full.

"No, Empire."

Your response was the green light. He started to rut into you. Rough. Even if your answer was to be different, you knew Empire would not care. He used to get away with what he wanted, and right now he wanted you. His own grunts made eco along with the sound of his skin hitting your ass, your moans escaping without any shame now. The small amount of discomfort he caused was transformed into pleassure and arousal, keeping his hands firmly on your hips.

"Then you can take it, you've done this before," he mocked, increasing his rough pace.

His grip was strong on your sides, you knew his fingers would leave marks on your skin once you finished. But nothing mattered, you decided, the only on your mind was reaching sweet climax and release. You could not escape from him, not ever. So your body and mind could go through it.

Cleon's eyes found the perfect spot of view to see his cock entering and sliding out your perfect pussy, his shaft glistening with your wetness and his own precum. He stopped and pulled out for a moment, teasing with entering and pulling out, watching himself sliding inside your body.

"Oh gods," he listened to your broken moan, breath hitching.

He again cupped your neck with his palm, fingers roaming around your throat, forcing your back to meet his chest. Your moans were cut by his firm hand, air being a privilige as seconds passed by. He sucked and bit the skin of your neck, burying his cock until his balls met your ass repeteadly, finding that sweet spot of yours.

"Cum," he ordered. "Cum or you will not breath again."

You knew you were close, but you needed it faster. You needed to breath, as good as his cock felt, fucking you and splitting you open, you still needed to make it until the end. Your fingers found your clit and played with your bud as Empire bucked his hips fast and rough. Finally, your muscles tensed and forced a hard orgasm out of you, walls pulsing around his dick. He grunted, not slowing his thrusts, softening the hand around your neck allowing you oxygen again.

"Merciful am I?" he groaned and you felt his seed painting your insides, cock throbing as he also came from his high.

"You are, Empire," you breathed out.

Your back arched and you held yourself on his hands and chest. You heard the sound of one of the chairs being taken out, being dragged by him until you felt he sat down, you on his lap with his cock still burried deep inside you. His slick cum ran down your inner thighs as he parted your legs, touching your abused cunt and clit, feeling how you were still connected. He rubbed your pussy in slow, gentle moves, collecting his cum mixed with your juices. He offered his fingers to your lips, so you licked them as he wished, sucking them clean. Your walls pulsed again.

"So obedient now," Cleon purred.

His hands undid your dress to free your chest, groping your tits as he pleased. He played with your nipples, just like he had played with all of you in a few minutes.

"What will happen to me?" you asked in a murmur.

"Such a pretty cunt you are," Brother Day began, tracing kisses on your shoulder. His voice made you shiver. "You would please me a lot as a cuncubine of the Gossamer Court."

You swallowed hard, not capable of speaking or fighting back. He felt your body tensing so he continued his speech in your ear. "No worries, I can play with you some more before it happens. And you will tell me everything you know about Seldon."

#cleon xiii x reader #cleon xiii x female reader #brother day x reader #brother day x female reader #foundation apple tv #cleon xiii smut #brother day smut #foundation fanfiction #brother day #cleon xiii #foundation season 1 #lee pace #lee pace fanfiction #cleon 13th #foundation imagines #lee pace x reader #idkkkk just leaving this here #I HAD TO DO IT OKAY?#foundation 2021

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bullet-prooflove · 8 days

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The Study!Series Part Seven: Cutting - Dean Archer x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989 @helsinkibaby @hufflepuffgirl @mimi-8793

The Study:

Part One: Courting Disaster - Dean realises Jack is courting you.

Part Two: Distance - Dean tries to discuss the distance between the two of you.

Part Three: Deserving - Jack tries to show you, you deserve better.

Part Four: Navy Shirt - You and Dean don’t have secrets.

Part Five: A Punch in the Face - Dean responds badly to the news of Jack's kiss.

Part Six: Blow After Blow - Dean doesn't know how much more you can take.

Dean doesn’t expect Jack Dayton to turn up at his apartment. He’s sitting on the couch, scrolling through his contacts when he hears a knock at the door. He’s spent the past few hours on the phone, trying to get one of the other hospitals take on the study and all he gets is the same answer.

You have to take it higher.

The problem is Dean doesn’t know anyone higher. All of his friends are like him, they’re the kinda of guys that like being in the trenches, they don’t exist in boardrooms, they don’t play the politics.

When he opens the door and sees Jack standing there it feels like the perfect end to a perfect day. You’re working a double at the hospital because you’re not ready to come home and deal with the ramifications of the study being cancelled. The only way you can cope right now is to bury yourself in your work.

“For Christ’s sake.” Dean erupts as he starts to slam the door in Jack’s face, but the other man reaches out, holding it open with his palm.

“Just give me five minutes.” Jack requests and there’s something in his voice that makes Dean pause.

“I can’t imagine what the two of us have left to say to each other.” He relents. “But by all means come inside.”

It’s strange for Jack, seeing the life you and Dean have built together. The picture frames on the book case tell the story of a happy marriage, one based on smiles and laugher. You bring out a lighter side to the Head of the E.D, one that Jack’s never seen before. There are touches of you throughout the apartment, pops of colour that brighten the living room, the fresh flowers on the kitchen table, lush house plants that radiate life.

Your office is the same, he remembers thinking how odd it was that the Medical Examiner’s office seemed more soothing in its dark basement than the rest of the damn hospital.

“The lip’s healing nicely.” Dean remarks and Jack can’t help but rise his fingers to touch it.

“Look.” Jack says as he tucks his hands back into his pockets of his overcoat. “I’m not here to rehash what happened with me and Isobel.”

It’s the wrong thing to say, Jack sees it the instant the words leave his mouth. Something ignites in Dean’s eyes as he fixes Jack with a furious stare, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Nothing did happen between you and Isobel.” Dean says forcefully. “You kissed her and I punched you in the face. That’s the summary of it.”

“Again that’s not why I’m here.” Jack reiterates and Dean snorts his response.

“I know why you’re here.” Dean says resolutely. “You were hoping Isobel was home, that she was alone, vulnerable…”

“Is that what you think of me? That I’m some sort of monster that preys on unsuspecting women?” Jack snaps back at the other man. “That is not what it was, I had feelings for Isobel, genuine ones and I thought…”

Dean knows exactly what he thought. He knows what it’s like to be loved by you, how it feels like the stepping into the sun. You have no idea how you touch the lives of the people around you, how kind you are, how compassionate. To you it’s just natural but to men like him and Jack, it’s everything.

“She loves you.” Jack says, his gaze meeting Dean’s. “She will always love you.”

“Is that why you took her off the study?” Dean asks him as he leans back against the counter. “Is that why you killed it?”

“I didn’t kill the study, the investors did. I tried to advocate for it but they’re more interested in prolonging the lives of those that can fund the hospital than they are in what happens after.” Jack tells him as he looks away, his gaze lands on a picture of you when you were younger, you’re standing alongside your brother on his highschool graduation day, your father on the opposite side. “I know how much it means to her, I made some calls, got the study over moved to Northwestern, Anita’s going to handle the change over.”

“Congratulations.” Dean says bitterly. “You get to ride in with your money and connections and be the white knight.”

“Dean…” Jack says quietly. “That’s not what this is about and you know it. That programme stopped Isobel from hurting herself back then, it’ll help others too.”

It feels like a gut punch because those things, the ones that Jack’s alluding to they’re private, something shared between just the two of you.

“She told you about that?” He says, his voice a little rough.

Jack draws up the sleeve of his coat before he undoes the cuff of his shirt and pulls up the fabric.

Dean takes it in, the white scars that line his forearm, they crisscross over each other transecting his flesh. Some of them are faded, older but others they’re much newer, probably the past few months.

The cutting was something you used to do to manage your grief. Always on the inner thighs, somewhere no one else could see it. It’s the reason you hadn’t taken a lover in such a long time before Dean, you were ashamed of agony you wore on your skin, deeply so.

“I’m more patchwork than man these days.” Jack tells him as he rolls down his sleeve. “Isobel, she saw these, she knew what they were…”

He trails off then because he remembers the tenderness in your touch as you cleaned his wounds, how careful you were, how empathetic.

“I’ve been there,” You’d told him as you’d withdrawn another antiseptic wipe from his cutting kit. You’d had one too once upon a time, tucked neatly away inside your make up bag. “I can’t imagine the immense pressure you must be under every day.”

“It feels like I can’t breathe sometimes.” He had whispered as you applied the wound closure strips. “Cuttings the only way to vent the pressure, it’s the only way I feel in control.”

“How bad is it?” You ask and he begins to unbutton his shirt. You don’t look away when the material slips from his body, he thinks you’re the first woman who hasn’t. His shoulders, his chest, his stomach, all of it is portrait of slender white scars. He favours a razor, you acknowledge, he has several in his cutting kit.

“Let me help you.” You request, your hand clasping his. “I know someone, someone who you can talk to, someone who helps me when things get a little too much.”

He’d started seeing Elle Abrams after that, finding healthier ways to deal with the stress.

“Isobel didn’t see it as a weakness, she understood what it was, a way of coping…” He swallows hard against the well of emotion in his chest. “She saw the real me and I think that’s why…”

He doesn’t say the next part but Dean knows.

That’s why Jack fell in love with you.

“Will you tell her about the study?” Jack requests and Dean suddenly understands the reason other man ended up on his doorstep tonight. It hurts Jack too much knowing that the woman he loves, doesn’t love him. He can’t face her again after that rejection.

“Yea.” Dean says finally, his palm rubbing over the back of his neck. “Yea I will.”

When Jack leaves your apartment he has one more stop to make before he heads home for the night. He asks his driver to detour by Oaktree Rehab Centre, where Sean Archer works.

He’s overheard the discussions about Dean’s son, their fraught past relationship, how they’ve started to mend fences. It one of the reasons Dean won’t tell his son just how sick he is, he doesn’t want the kid to bear the burden of that responsibility.

He knows how much you love Dean, that losing the other man will destroy you. He can’t stand the idea of you going through that again, of trying to survive that grief so Jack, he’s going to do the thing you can’t. He’s going to save Dean Archer so that you get the happy ending you deserve.

When he meets Sean he can see the elements of Dean in his features, they’re subtle but it's in the eyes and face shape. The body language though, it’s different. Dean is always reserved but Sean he’s open, genial. Jack supposes he has to be when it comes to the people he’s dealing with.

“How can I help you?” Sean asks as he comes to stand alongside the reception desk.

“It’s about your dad.” Jack tells the younger man. “I'm afraid he's not doing too great.”

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greentrickster · 2 months

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You know, for the Great God Airplane AU, I was originally picturing the Heavenly Officials as basically office workers/writing/manga assistants whose sole job was to help Airplane keep the world running smoothly. I didn't expect them to evolve in my head into a big, messy sort of family that's both terrifyingly efficient and powerful and also semi-disasters who are extremely loving of each other and their creator, but here we are.

It also makes it all the more interesting that, instead of waking to a bunch of well-intentioned but slightly strange new co-workers when he became the newest Heavenly Official, Shen Jiu woke to a group of highly efficient screwballs who were all practically vibrating with excitement to meet their new didi. They've never had a specified didi before, Airplane made them one at a time but they all came into consciousness at almost the same instant, and all tend to use cousin/older sibling/younger sibling/coworker relationships and terms pretty interchangeably depending on the situation. Like, maybe Memory of Grass and Water tends to be kinda the group mom more often than anyone else, but she's also the goddess of good self care, it's kinda part of the job description, and Eternal Candle Flame has some powerful DILF vibes, but that's just the mood Airplane was in when he made him. Practically speaking, they've all always just been a big bundle of interchangeable family/coworker relationships with each other.

But now? Now Shen Jiu's here, and they didn't know it would be him, but they knew that whoever it was would be worth loving, simply for being the sort of person willing to give up their everything to someone else so that everyone else would have a chance. And now they do know it's him, and he's here, and he's definitely the youngest so he's definitely didi, their precious, prickly, half-feral new didi, should they spoil him? They should spoil him. They're gonna spoil didi and visit him in his temple and drag him to family/office events and love him so freaking much. Precious precious didi.

Shen Jiu, for his part, has no idea how to react to all this. He's being faced by most of the most important, powerful beings in his world, and they know everything about him, and they're offering him their unconditional love and acceptance on the grounds that they think he's pretty great. Nothing in his life has prepared him for this, and you can bet that it takes him some time to get used to it, to accept that their love is real and for him. It's a case of, "If anyone could have done what I did, then you would have loved anyone" versus "Yes, but it was not 'anyone' who did this, it was you; so you are the one we love."

It all gets even wilder once he recognizes the pinyin notes and gets the whiplash of "What do you mean Shang shidi created the universe?"

#svsss #scum villian self saving system #shen jiu #great god airplane #I have given Jin Hengfu. Minhua. and Ning Binghe official Chinese names yes #But I'm not doing that for the rest of the Heavenly Officials #on the grounds that 1) terror of failure #and 2) I need their names to all be terrible jokes if you dig deep enough and I don't know enough Chinese for that

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tzilatza · 4 months

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NATLA Review - spoilers

Woke up today still feeling annoyed after finished the Netflix ATLA remake last night, and I think I've figured out the core reason.

It's the fact that: If they had held truer to the original source material, we could have had a truly great show. I disagree with those calling it a complete disaster. The acting was good, great in some cases. The effects were very well done, the bending looked about as good as it can in a live action media. The scenery was lovely.

But what happened in the writer's room?! The way they just reveal all the back stories up front EVERY TIME is honestly insulting to the audience. It's like they're so terrified that smartphone culture has made the public so accustomed to instant gratification that they have no faith we will stick around and keep watching if they make us wait for anything.

They're also clearly terrified of complexity. One of my biggest gripes with this remake is Jet's story. They completely took out his plans to murder a whole town of innocents in order to get a few enemy soldiers. Now, Jet isn't my favorite character, but his story is so important. Because it is real. The world is full of people who have been so brought down by injustice that they lose their sense of right and wrong, and we need to see that on screen. If Jet is too complex for them, how will they handle Ba Sing Se in the second season.

This goes along the same lines as removing Sokka's sexist moments. They felt they had to do it to make him more 'likable.' Yet the writers themselves went full sexist on Katara's character. They've taken out so much of her spark, her righteous and justified anger, and they've done it because even in 2024, people expect women to be more passive to be palatable. Enough people have already commented on them removing Aang's choice to run away. Heaven forbid the main character not be an absolute paragon. Did y'all notice that they even made Hahn likable? Hahn?! What reason do you have for making Hahn likable Netflix?! His role in the narrative is to be an example of toxic masculinity that is clearly the bad choice compared to Sokka who has learned and grown out of his own.

Don't even get me started with what they're doing with the fire nation family, I'm not ready to tackle that. In general, I have no problem with Azula getting a little more backstory and humanizing, but why season 1? Throwing in all these extra scenes just sacrifices screen-time where they could've actually fleshed out the real season one plots instead of rushing through things at breakneck pace. (ex: Aang escaping Zuko's ship in about 2 minutes flat)

At the end of the day, the scenes I most enjoyed were those that held true to the original like the Blue Spirit sequences. They could've easily done more of this, held onto the important plot points and even more important character complexity, while maturing it for an adult audience. I'm not disagreeing with every change they made. Go ahead and take out the silly Nickelodeon gags, add cussing and more realistic violence to get your mainstream viewers. Go ahead. They could've easily made a darker more mature version of the show and still held onto all the old fans in my opinion. But claiming that you're making a 'more mature' version and then removing the complexity and subtlety because they didn't think viewers could handle it...

What makes me most sad is that there are a lot of people who will experience ATLA for the first time through this show. There are a lot of adults who are not willing to watch original ATLA because they refuse to acknowledge an animated series can be anything other than a kid's show. Those people will watch this and think it's the real deal, and that just makes me sad.

If you've read this far, a very sincere thank you for listening to my rant. If you're an OG fan who enjoyed it, I have no problem with you. It was a fun watch, I was just hoping for more. If you are a new viewer who has never seen ATLA before, I sincerely want to hear your opinions. Is it a great show to someone who isn't holding it against the context of the original? And do you plan to watch the original now?

#natla #natla spoilers #live action atla #live action avatar #netflix avatar #netflix avatar review #avatar the last airbender #atla

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b4ts1e · 7 months

Text

▀▄▀▄▀▄Colored Bandaids▄▀▄▀▄▀ (𝚐𝚗!𝙼𝙲)

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚍: 𝚀𝚒𝚞/𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚖𝚗 𝙻𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝙱𝚊𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗 (𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚍) 𝙱𝚊𝚡𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚍 (𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚍) 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗 𝙼𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚊𝚢 (𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚍) 𝙼𝙲 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 (𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙾𝙻:𝙽&𝙵)

𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝:

Set in step 2! requested by: @a-kind-pandemic-disaster

(𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚍 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗)

It was known by everyone in Golden Grove at this point- MC is an extremely caring kid. Keeping things like basic first-aid and a multitude of snacks on them at all times, just in case something happened and somone needed it. It's been this way since they were a child, the only difference now is they have access to better supplies then the one dollar snacks and cheapest brand of bandages they carried with them as a ten year old.

On top of everything they were a good student with good grades, so- if their friends ever needed help with a subject, they'd always be ready to jump into help. Baxter and Darren had dubbed them the group mom as a joke- seeing them worry over Qiu and Tamarack getting injured in the past, but the nickname kinda just stuck. Them being so caring- it's what made Autumn like them so much back then and even now as teens.

When Qiu was a kid they didn't understand why their heart fluttered seeing MC had ran down from the top of the bridge just to check on them, Baxter, and Darren- but they understood now. They'd never admit it out loud of course, but they knew. It's also the reason they dedicated themself into taking care of MC behind the scenes- knowing they'd forget to do so for themself. They'd always prioritized others over themself, which annoyed Autumn just slighty- but the annoyance wasn't towards them. Of course not. It was towards everyone who kept MC from taking care of themself first.

Even at the current moment they were prioritizing someone else's homework over them eating- having been asked for help during the lunchbreak, to which they'd happily agreed too. Qiu kept a close eye on them, the other student, and the time- which was slowly winding down for when they had to return to classes. With a groan Autumn stood up, heading towards the two quickly but trying to appear nonchalant.

"MC, you've gotta eat. You can help them later, c'mon." they spoke, nudging them with their elbow. MC gave the other student an apologetic smile before standing up to follow Autumn back to their lunch table- as they packed the other student gave harsh glare towards Qiu. Not pleased with being interupted by the socially aclaimed 'Star' of Golden Grove. "Oh sorry [background character], Qiu is right. If you'd like we can meet up at the library after school if you still need help!" MC offered, breaking the other student's harsh glare in an instant as they smiled and accepted the offer quickly.

Autumn rolled their eyes before gently grabbing hold of MC's arm and guiding them to their group's table so they could eat with the little time left before class. "You need to be more careful MC, not everyone wants help. Most people just want you to do the work for them." they warned subtly, sitting down at the same time as the self-sacrificing teen. "Just because you don't trust others doesn't mean I can't treat people with kindness Autumn, thank you for your concern though. It means a lot." they said with a smile before eating their packed lunch- school food sucked.

(𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚙)

Qiu knew that MC wouldn't be going back to the caul-de-sac this evening with them, judging on how excitable that other student had been when they'd offer afterschool help to them. However as they were riding their bike out of the campus a familiar form jumped in front of their way- a smirk plastered on their face, Autumn was going too fast to stop without hitting them and too close to swerve around them. In a panic to not hurt someone, Qiu tried to turn- causing a loud skirrting sound to echo through the now empty school yard before and even louder crash and thud interrupted it.

The person was unharmed, but Autumn on the other hand- their hands, knees, and the side of their face were litered with scratches from hitting and dragging against the pavement, it even ripped through their jeans slightly. In the distance their bike was crashed into an empty bike rack and flipped- the wheels still spinning.

From a distance an all-to-familiar gasp sounded before quick footsteps approached the person laying around the pavement. Qiu hissed as they tried to get up on their own before being interrupted by familiar, gentle hands grabbing their forearms to keep them from standing. They did however help Autumn get into a sitting position, very slowly mind you. At this point the other student had ran off, but MC knew what happened- they saw it themself, having been exiting the library to hopefully catch the victim before them since the student hadn't shown up yet.

(Qiu's Perspective)

"Autumn- hey are you okay? Oh shit you're all scuffed up, hold on." my head was spinning, but the voice was familiar. "MC?" I asked quietly, squinting slightly as I tried to focus my vision on the person before me. It was definetely them, but it was strange to hear them swear. Were they really that worried? This wasn't the first time I had crashed in front of them, doesn't make it any less embarrasing though. "Yeah, yeah it's me. Keep your eyes closed, you're gonna be dizzy for a bit. Pretty sure you hit your head. If I wasn't so worried I'd be scolding you for not wearing your damn helmet, but that can wait." they said quietly, voice softer than usual.

I listen to their advice of keeping my eyes closed, hearing them tear open a saline wet wipe before feeling them start cleaning the scratches with it. I bit my tongue, hoping to conceal the hisses of pain that the process caused- but they knew it burned. Of course they did. They always did, they're so caring. "Sorry...I know it burns, just- stay still and this will go by faster." they basically whispered, they were close enough that I could feel their breaths just barely graze the side of my face they were focused on currently.

When they backed away and took my hands one at a time, I opened my eyes again- my vision no longer burred as I watched them clean away the small pearls of blood and concrete dust from the scrapes on my hands. After they finished my knees as well, they pulled out gauze, tape, and a box of bandaids. "Seriously?" I mutter out with a teasing smile, taking notice of the bandaids being the same colored ones they used to buy as a kid. "Oh hush- I couldn't control myself. Plus they were cheaper than the name brands." they quickly defended with a playful eye roll as they wrapped my hands with gauze and taped them off one at a time.

"How's your head?" they asked quietly, putting the colorful bandaids over my knees gently with a bit of neosporin. "It hurts, but I'll be alright soon. Thank you MC, for taking care of me like this." I answered with a small genuine smile, something I saved only for those close to me. Gently they smiled back, getting closer with the bandaids for my face. "Always. I'm the mom friend, remember?" they said with a light chuckle as they put the last bandaids on my face carefully. When they pulled away from me slightly, we realized just how close we were as our eyes met. I felt my face and ears heat up slightly, as I blinked rapidly.

Maybe it was the delirium from hitting my head, maybe it was something completely else- but in that moment? I wanted them closer to me, in more ways than one. Quickly I shook my head and looked to the side- MC doing the same, looking to the opposite side as they start to put the remaining medical supplies back into the travel med-kit. Clearing their throat they stood up, grabbing mine and their bags before offering me a hand up- still avoiding eye contact, but I swear... I saw a hint of red on their ears and cheeks.

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 1,353

#our life now and forever #olnf #olnf mc #qiu lin #qiu lin x reader #gn reader #writing #reqs open #ABatsie-Writes

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millionsvash · 1 year

Note

Hey I have an angst for you!!! Vash's s/o being sweeter and more doting than normal (they're sweet to him generally but now they've just cranked it up to 12) and when he confronts them about it, they say "I dont want you to leave me" Turns out they're very insecure and are trying to "give him better reasons to stay."

I hope this is to your liking! TW: Anxiety, self image issues.

Vash’s eyes carefully scanned over the contents delicately arranged before him. A 12-pack of donuts, a case of locally brewed beer from his favorite shop, and his favorite meal cooked exactly how he liked it. He’d never question this show of affection from you most days, but things have changed.

For weeks now, you’ve grown more affectionate towards the gunman. It began with words of affection, reminding him constantly that you loved him. From there, words turned into actions. Most nights, you were clinging to him in bed. While he was all for the comfort of physical affection, it began to become suffocating.

He hadn’t thought about it at first, but standing before this selection of offerings, his mind began to piece it together. It’s been a month since the two of you visited his favorite bar. He knew everyone there. Despite his infamous reputation and substantial bounty, his knack for thwarting large bar fights had earned him the gratitude of the owner.

There was a particular barmaid who had taken quite a liking to Vash. Despite Vash consistently rejecting her advances, she was as persistent as ever, only stopping her incessant pestering when you were around. Vash had told you of her actions straight away the first time she attempted to make a move. He wanted to be transparent with you. Of course, you had nothing but faith in Vash, but many could mistake his kind manner of speaking for flirting. The first time she openly flirted with Vash in front of you, you were left with a pit in your stomach that never seemed to go away.

You can’t count on your fingers the number of hearts Vash had to break when he informed an admirer that he was happily taken. It’s happened so much, the two of you have jokingly agreed he should wear a shirt with "taken" written in bold letters.

It had been funny at first, but over time it began to build insecurities inside of you. In your opinion, many of those who approached him were better-looking than you. The spiral downward was fast. It festered into a voice that nipped at your brain at all hours of the day.

Vash had noticed a plethora of new behaviors that emerged in a short period of time. You had begun to actively avoid mirrors; you’d become interested in cosmetics despite having no desire originally; and you were dressing up whenever you two would leave together, even for the smallest thing. You were buttering him up with words, agreeing to all forms of intimacy whenever he asked, suggesting to do things you knew he specifically liked every day.

Vash’s eyes moved from the delicacies in front of him to lock eyes with you. He could tell that smile on your face was fake. Truthfully, you were terrified he wouldn't be interested in what you gave him. Strong hands grab both your shoulders firmly, blue eyes staring a hole through you.

"I can’t take this anymore. Something is wrong; you’re hiding something from me." His voice was firm and assertive, but it still held care. "In just one month, you’ve changed as a person. It’s like you’re an entirely new person, and I hate it." There was a light crack in his voice. Perhaps it had been slowly eating at him too. "Please…just tell me what’s wrong."

All it took were those last 5 words to reach your ears for you to turn into a sobbing disaster. In the back of your mind, you had been silently praying that Vash would speak up about it. Too afraid to be open with him and too afraid to reach out for help, you had been suffering in silence for the past month. Tears flooded your eyes, blurring your vision of the blonde standing in front of you.

In an instant, he had pulled you against his large frame, wrapping his arms around you and resting his hands against the small of your back. You felt his chin rest upon your head, only moving once to place a soft kiss. The two of you remained this way as your tears washed away a month of suffering in silence.

"I’m scared." You say it to him in a soft, airy voice. You are still attempting to choke back your tears.

"Scared of what? Has someone threatened you? Did someone do something to you? Please, tell me." His grip on you gets ever-so-gently tighter, giving you a soft squeeze. "No…I’m scared of being alone."

Vash is taken aback by your words. "Alone? You’re not alone. I’m right here! You know I’m always here." There was a soft chuckle in his words, and you could tell he wasn’t entirely understanding what you meant.

"It’s only a matter of time before you find someone better than me." Just saying those words felt like a knife was being stabbed into your chest. "I’m…average. There’s nothing about me that stands out above the competition." You continue to speak after taking a large breath. "One day, you’ll find someone better…and I’ll be alone again." You finally gather the courage to look Vash in the eyes.

You regretted that instantly. You made him cry. You could see the tears forming in his eyes, threatening to drip down his cheeks. You felt like such an asshole. You keep thinking you should’ve just kept it to yourself.

"Vash, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have sa—"

"Don’t ever say that again." You flinch at the sharpness of his voice. "Don't ever think of yourself like that." His tone softens immediately upon your reaction. "You are the best to me. You don’t stand out above the competition because there is no competition. Everything about you is perfect." His hands move to grip your shoulders, locking you in place.

"Vash, I–" You try to stammer out words, but he doesn’t let you get a word in.

"You have the most amazing laugh. It lights up the whole room when you do. Your smile is like a warm hug. The compassion and kindness you have in your heart for every person in this world is unrivaled. You are a gift to everyone you meet." You can feel his hands trembling as he holds your shoulders. "You’re a gift to me…"

Those tears in his eyes finally fell down his face. He can’t hold back his emotions. Hearing you speak so negatively about yourself was like a punch to the gut.

"I will never leave you."

As your own tears return to soak your cheeks, the two of you grasp each other in a tight embrace. You allow yourselves to cry because even if the world were against the both of you, you’d always have each other.

#trigun #trigun stampede #vash #vash the stampede #Vash x Reader #Vash the Stamede x Reader #Vash x You #Trigun x Reader #trigun fanfic #breakfast is served!

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chibitts · 1 year

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Doppo Kunikida & sick reader! (requested)

warnings: none! pure fluffy fluff. kuni has a crush

— So, Kunikida doesn’t think too much of it when you’re gone the first day. I mean, it’s strange you don’t leave a note, but.. Maybe you’re simply busy with personal matters? Then day two passes by, and you didn’t leave a single note or message or email to anyone at the agency

— Instant panic mode ™️ “Oh God, what if they’ve been kidnapped or injured? Or worse???”

— The first place he thinks to check is your home. You don’t answer your door, but he hears the loud groan from inside when he knocks.

— So, with a hasty “I’m coming in,” he damn near breaks down your door.. to see you, sprawled out on the couch with empty takeout boxes, tissues, and some pill bottles scattered across the floor near you

— Your poor face is flushed and feverish, and you look so miserable.. you can barely open your eyes to look at Kunikida

— His heart almost stops at the sight of you :(( He can’t not take care of you now, ruined schedule be damned! (Even if it does make his heart ache to think about all the work he’s missing,,)

— Kuni’s a whirlwind, tbh. He fixes up your living room in under 5 minutes, even dusts a little.. And then when that’s done, he’s crowding around your space like a mother hen

— “Hush, you idiot. I can’t believe you didn’t even think to message m- Anyone in the agency! Clearly you can’t take proper care of yourself in this state.. Just be silent and let me take over from here, understood?”

— He’s a sweet pea, he makes you herbal tea and hot soup to soothe your sinuses and your throat.. Kuni is a big fan of natural medicine (and he also wants to cook for you, but shh)

— Still, he makes sure you take medication that you need… All those pill bottles on your floor were a recipe for disaster if ever there was one

— He checks your temperature by pressing his hand to your forehead or cheek.. His heart melts when you lean into his touch with a pleased hum

— Stop! You’re gonna make his heart break if you keep being so precious >:( Kuni can’t focus on his obvious feelings for you rn, he needs to take care of you!!!!!

— Doesn't leave your side for even a moment. If you need privacy, he’ll be standing right outside the door of wherever you are or turning away to face a wall, but he won’t leave you

— He’s just there with you all day, nursing you back to health and giving you his undivided attention which is undoubtedly rare for him

— The day ends, and your fever’s gone down quite significantly… maybe you’re too dazed and sleepy to notice, but Kunikida is heaving a sigh of relief at this

— Still he insists he stay the night, just in case. You don’t seem to mind, and before long you’re laying in bed, passed out as Kuni dozes in an armchair in the corner of the room

— Maybe tomorrow morning you’ll both be well and calm enough to talk about how Kunikida treated you less like a coworker and more like.. Something else. But in that moment, you were both getting some well deserved rest.

#bsd x reader #x reader #bungou stray dogs x reader #kunikida x you #kunikida x reader #gn reader #gender neutral reader #fluff #x reader fluff

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sandy-the-glader · 9 months

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Little Place In The Back Of Your Mind

Character: George Karim x Gn!reader

Type: Fluff/comfort

Length: 656 words

Summary: You’ve always been clumsy and slow. You feel so bad for keeping the group behind and you feel especially bad for how George always saves your ass. One early morning it finally gets to you and George reassures you that it’s okay.

Trope: Friends to lovers (Honestly could be read as platonic)

A/N: Here's a shorter Drabble one-shot thing to tide you guys over until I finally post some of those requests very soon!!!

I dropped my bag of supplies by my bed in the shared space me and Lucy had. This had been a disaster of a case. The Type 2 somehow snuck up on me and if it wasn't for George I would have been ghost-locked in a instant. I was being reckless and I could have gotten George hurt during this or even the others.

I let the angry and guilty tears flow as I sat on my bed. Lucy was showering downstairs, Lockwood was in the kitchen and George could be anywhere in this house. I was glad to be alone.

I felt like an embarrassment to them. I'm constantly tripping, daydreaming and god knows what else. I pressed my hands to my face trying to get those harsh tears to stop. God, I'm such a wreck.

No matter what I do, I always manage to get in the way.

I heard a knock on the door making my head snap up. I figured it was Lucy coming back from her shower so I quickly wiped my eyes and sat up.

"Come in," I called out. I sat there staring at the floor. I heard gentle footsteps patter up the staircase. Then when they reached the top they stopped.

"Y/n? Are you okay?" I heard no other than George's voice ring out. I looked at him and smiled softly. His face was puzzled.

"Yeah, I'm fine what's up?" George had a tray of tea in his hands but he put it on a small table in our shared space.

"No, you're obviously not. Your nose is red and your eyes look glassy. What's wrong?" I felt bad for getting him to worry about me like he always does.

"Really It's nothing I wouldn't want to bother you." He sighed.

"If it really had bothered me I wouldn't have started this interaction. So tell me what's wrong." He said firmly. He proceeded to sit next to me and wait for me to talk. He had his full attention on me and I love him for that.

"I just feel like I'm keeping you all behind. I'm constantly messing up on our cases and I feel like a liability to our team." I stared down at my roughed-up shoes I hadn't taken off yet. “I always mess everything up.”

"You know you make this team stronger?" He spoke truthfully. "I've seen you use your powers. Sometimes me and Lockwood aren't even capable of doing what you can do." I slowly started to look at him. He was so serious and I could tell it was all genuine. "You're always the first one to cheer someone up after a hard blow for a mission. You're constantly asking to help with any chore around the house. Whether it be cooking or oiling chains you're always willing to help the team and I admire that."

His face was soft and calm. A way that I haven't seen many times before. He's always so invested in something.

"Yes, I can admit that sometimes you're a little wobbly on the battlefield but you have other strengths besides combat. So many other qualities that make you amazing. You're so insanely smart and kind. So don't think about yourself like that. Or I will be mad and I'll have to talk some more sense into you." I chuckled softly. A ghost of a smile emerged on his lips.

"Thank you, George." Then I felt his arms around me. For a boy who isn't into "Touchy-feely" things this is a pretty touchy-feely situation. I soon melted into his touch and hugged him back.

"Is George Casper Karim hugging me right now or am I going crazy?" I joked. He groaned at my comment.

"Do not mention it. If you tell Lockwood I'll never hear the end of it." He hissed out. "Just enjoy the kindness I'm returning to you."

"Yeah, okay." I playfully rolled my eyes.

#lockwood and co #george karim #george karim x reader #save lockwood and co #comfort #george cubbins #ali hadji heshmati #new things are coming guys #I'm trying to get into a good writing habit

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pascalslvt · 9 months

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Tangled Alliances

Summary: When faced with sickness in your community in an already post-apocalyptic world, it is up to the strained professional partnership of you and Joel Miller to embark in a perilous and difficult journey in order to retrieve life-saving medicine. With your destinies intertwined, shrouded in tension, you confront the unforgiving challenges of your environment together, gradually forming an unexpected bond. Will that be enough?

Pairing: Joel Miller x fem!Reader, f/m

rating: 18+, minors dni

series warnings:, pre!ellie, during outbreak, set in TLOU 2022, age gap (28 & 52), swearing, mentions of violence, also actual violence, mentions of sickness, heavy angst...., fluff, trial & tribulations, severe weather, a lot of fucking animosity and hostility, enemies to lovers ???, infected people, tension...TENSION!!!, bickering, copious amounts of alcohol, inebriation, y'all don't get along...but y'all also have to, smut!!!!...a semi-slow burn, anxiety, exhaustion, NO USE OF Y/N.

chapter warnings: Mentions of backstory (involving the death of readers parents), bickering, bad langauge, tess is mother, mentions of sickness and death, aclohol, sharing a tent (wink wink), cheeky morning wood, just a sprinkle of smut if you squint its not really smutty but not completley clean, bad luck ??, tension. lots of it, intrusive improper thoughts.

word count ≈ 8,3k Estimated reading time: 37 minutes, 4 seconds (225 wpm)

a/n: This is the first part of a series i am writing!! I haven't actually written fanfiction since i was like...15, so be very very kind and gentle and patient with me because i am literally just a girl.....i have dusted off the cobwebs & busted my writing out of its retirement to create a story to quench my current joel miller obession. This storyline is actually inspired by a dream i recently had and i am very excited to reeeeally get into the series as i have a lot of plans that i cannot share with you right now.... also sorry if the tags are wierd i gennuinely have no idea what the fuck to write. Part two will come pretty shortly (don't get used to it) because after i awoke from the dream i literally wrote almost 20k words in one sitting so im splitting it up and giving this one some time to see if people are even interested in reading more...please enjoy!!!!!!

Part One: Hostile Beginnings

You were nearly seven years old when the outbreak started. To you, the world crumbled before your feet in what seemed like an instant - shattering the very ground on which you stood. One day after school, you saw your own mother's jugular be ripped straight out of her neck from the mouth of your neighbor, an old and fragile woman who used to babysit you from time to time. Before running away in fear, you saw your mother bleed out, right there on the lawn you used to play in. You never saw your father that day, and neither did you ever again. You always accepted that your father's fate was that he most likely died in that little cubicle he worked in. Or that he now spends the rest of his life infected. Whichever the case, it doesn’t really matter to you, you don’t think about him anymore.

You got away with your life by the skin of your teeth that day. That little girl ran until her tiny legs could carry her no more. Your English teacher, Theresa, had found you in a ditch, sobbing. You had been wearing the same outfit you did that day in class, a purple shirt with a flower on it, along with some blue pants. Theresa didn't have the heart to leave the little girl behind, so she took you under her wing.

Throughout the years, Therese - or ‘Tess’ as you liked to call her - taught you how to survive this very unfortunate world disaster. While you were still young, she taught you to crawl into small holes to retrieve food or water, and to hide whenever you felt something was wrong. She taught you to trust your instincts. She taught you to be resilient. Resourceful. In later years, you were taught to use a gun, to mend knifes, to defend yourself - how to navigate this apocalypse safely.

When you got older, Tess made use of you in her line of work. Smuggling. And you were good

This is how you got to know the man named Joel Miller. A cynical, gruff man of very few words. But, he always got the job done. You and Joel didn’t interact much. Now that you think about it, you hadn’t met him more than.. what? 5 times before today? even less so had you spoken with him. Tess didn’t want you to work alongside Joel as she believed his methods could sometimes be…taking unnecessary risks. He could sometimes be reckless. And you were not a risk she was willing to take. Not yet.

Ever since finding that shattered little girl all those years ago, Tess always felt an unwavering, deep sense of responsibility to keep you safe. She owed it to you, and she owed it to your parents. You were now a full-grown woman, 28 years old - and Tess knew you had a strong head on her shoulders. With the years, the fierce overprotective nature gradually softened. She gradually unfolded her wings of trust, and sent you out on more and more jobs. But, it wasn’t until recently that she felt comfortable enough to let you work with Joel. Nothing big, none spanning more than a day or three. To her dismay (but yet also relief), the two of you ended up ultimately proving to be an incredibly efficient team. However, the two of you could not get along even if your very life depended on it.

It was a silent alliance. It had to be. Otherwise, you’d end up getting on each other's nerves and damn near kill one another. Joel always made it incredibly clear that you weren’t friends - he wasn’t there for pleasantries, he was there to finish a job. Not that you objected. The less condescending shit you had to hear him say, the better. You didn’t care much, either way. You were a professional - after all, you had done this since you were a child. This was your reality. You never had much choice.

Lately, a lot of people in your community have fallen very, very sick. It is some sort of pulmonary bacterial infection that starts off with a fever, and will leave you coughing up blood a couple of months later. A slow killer, but a killer nonetheless. Some of the older folk have already started dying.

“No, absolutely not, Valerie” you heard Tess’s voice come from downstairs. You just happened to walk past to hear it. “It’s way too risky”. These words piqued your interest. “She is our best option, and you damn well know that” Valerie, a woman you live and work with says, a stern undertone in her voice. You slowly walks towards them, walking down the stairs without making a creak, eavesdropping.

“This would take months to complete..” Tess sighs, adding in, “We don’t even know if we have that kind of time, folk’ are already dyin’. We don't even have no idea how heavily surveilled it is”

“Do we have a choice? We’ll run out of our own supply within a month if we’re lucky. They will all die”

Tess is quiet, you could almost hear her thinking if you listened hard enough. You enter the room, “What’s going on?” you ask

Tess stands still and shares a look with Valerie before looking at you, sighing and crossing her arms. “We have received intel that there is a massive supply of vital medical equipment as well as medication, medication that we need. It’s In a settlement controlled by some sort of… faction. They call themselves the ‘reclaimers’. Nasty bunch. We need the medication, and well.. If our sources are correct, which they haven't failed us before, it’d be enough to not only cure the folk round here; but we could also sell for an enormous profit. We could make a lot of money. Maybe buy a new truck. Supplies. Guns….”

“I’m in.” you say, without hesitation, cutting her off. Tess shakes her head, she opens her mouth to speak, but you interrupt her before she can “I can manage myself, you made sure of that.”

Valerie looks at Tess with a ‘I told you so’ look. “You’d have to walk for, probably, months on end just to get there and back. They’re west, somewhere in Montana, located deep into the forest. You have never been on a mission that lengthy, and it's fucking cold as shit - and it's only going to get worse”

“What’s our other option here? Let people die?” you ask, and pause. They stay silent. “I wouldn’t accept if I didn’t know I was capable of handling something like this, Tess….”

You look at each other for a long time. She knits her eyebrows together, somberly, and shakes her head. She doesn't know if she can let you do anything like this. Not because she doubts your ability - rather, she cannot get herself to put you in that type of danger.

“You heard the woman…” Valerie says smugly.

“Fine”. Tess says, slightly annoyed and probably feeling very protective. “I need to stay here and take care of some things, keep track of the radio and such.. Valerie needs to tend to the people here. It…It would be you and Joel.”

This takes you slightly aback. On one hand, even though Tess might think his methods are unconventional - she trusts him, and you trust her. Besides, you have worked professionally very well before and always get the job done. But on the other hand…it’s Joel fucking Miller.

“Months on a job with Joel Miller? Fuck me…” You scoff. Tess’s lips curl into a slight smile evidently trying to hold back her laughter. She knows the kind of disdain you feel for him.

“There’s no one else I’d trust to send you away with on a mission like this. Except for me, of course” Tess says, leaning against a wall. “Are you still in, even if it’s him?” “Well.. i don’t really have a choice now, do i?” you say, and they chuckle. “When would we leave?”

Tess pauses. “You’d have to leave tomorrow” she studies your demeanor, waiting for you to opt out. Hoping in a sick, twisted way that you would - since that would mean that you’d be safe. You don’t hesitate. “He doesn’t know…yet. But, I know him. He would not turn this job down. Besides, he owes us too much, he can’t”

You nod. “Well…he’ll probably be as pleased with working with me as I am with him” you say, rolling your eyes.

“It’s about time the two of you get over that little feud of yours” Valerie interjects, you send her a warning look

“Ain’t my fault he’s fucking unbearable” You point at her, gesticulating your annoyance already brewing by the mere thought of him. She shrugs.

“I’ll call him on the radio - let him know.” Tess says.

“With her?!” You hear Joel’s voice boom down from the hallway, annoyance evident on his voice. ‘yup. i was right’ You think to yourself, chuckling as you’re eavesdropping from the other room. They start start walking towards the kitchen, where you are stood. When he sees you, he nearly rolls his eyes, stopping in his tracks. “Well. Looks like we’ll be partners.”

You smile tight-lipped, nodding and holding back an eye roll of your own - trying your best to be civil. “Seems that way”

“We leave at 8. ‘Expect you to be ready by 7 forty-five” He commands. You nod at his instructions. ‘One minute of a partnership, and he has already taken the leading role. Fucking jackass.’ you think to yourself. “Better get some rest”

“Yeah, no kidding…” You mumble to yourself, sneering. He gives you a warning look. One that says ‘don’t start’.

Knowing there’s no point in furthering this conversation as tensions are already high, and you have months to argue with him, you turn to walk “I’ll go pack then” You announce, turning around.

“And try not to piss me off” Joel says loudly as you walk away. You just hold up your middle finger and leave the room. “Real mature!” He scoffs as he looks at Tess with a look that says ‘can you believe her?’, she just shrugs.

That night you packed all that you would need - supplies, food, weapons, a tent…the everyday outing must haves in the midst of an active apocalypse, also…for the cold. Of course, you are not a total stranger to it, living here in Boston, but you also know that the cold here won't compare to the temperatures you are about to face - as you know walking through the north of the US in late autumn, early winter will not be an easy feat - and in a little tent, at that. It was estimated you would be gone for about a couple of months, at least - which is by far the longest job you’d ever been on. But, it was essential.

That morning you wake up particularly early, to make it a point not to be late. Wouldn’t want to give Joel the satisfaction of berating you. You can already feel yourself wanting to spite him. Tess helped you carry your things down, not that you needed help, rather she felt bad for sending you to do something like this. Capable or not, she had a …. Somewhat motherly instinct for you. She also gave you the map with the places you’re headed, where you’re meeting the informants, where the safehouses are located and so on - and gave you the same rundown as she did for Joel, keeping the both of you informed. You are now stood in the kitchen, with your things in your arms. She paused and looked at you, having trouble finding the words, feeling herself getting choked up by the reality of the situation. Before you can diffuse the fears you see swirling in her head, she holds you tight. “You be real careful of yourself, got it?”

“Yes m’am.” You say, voice slightly strained by the suffocating tight hold she has around you. She lets go of you, and cups one side of your face with her hand, and smiles with glassy eyes. She shakes her head as she takes a step back, as if to snap out of the sentimentality.

“Now go and get that medicine.” she nods, trying to sound emotionless and strong. You nod and turn to walk out the building. “Oh, and… give him a tough time. Joel, I mean” She laughs

“You know I will” You wink, as you finally leave the house. Tess stands there with an awful feeling inside the deepest parts of her. She was meant to be the one to protect you, and here she is; sending you off to a mission where she doesn’t even know the magnitude of the threat it poses to your life. But, it’s too late now. Way too many people are depending on you.

You continue walking out, as you lean against the truck parked outside. You’re not going to drive far with it, only 10-12 hours or so. They wanted to transport it somewhere else to sell (since the ongoing surge of illness has eaten away at your community fund), and since it was on the way Tess figured it would not hurt to cut down the length of the trip just a little bit. You stand there for a while, until you check your clock: ‘7:46am’. You snigger by yourself. Without noticing, Joel was walking towards you, gear in hand

“Right in time, for once” He mumbles.

“You’re the one who is late, Joel” You correctly point out.

“It’s one minute, stop yappin’” He says, walking over to the truck, throwing his stuff into it and getting into the driver's seat, slamming the door. What a cheerful man.

You throw your bag into the car “I don’t understand why you’re the one driving” you mutter, getting into the passenger seat

“You know exactly why. Now shut it before I rip off ‘ya jaw and shove it up ‘ya ass.” He says, matter-of-factly, putting the keys in the ignition, turning it and starting the engine, looking forward.

“Ooh, very kinky, Joel” You say sarcastically, taunting him.

He puts his foot on the clutch, as he shifts the gear. “Keep talkin', and I'll leave ya here.” he says and starts driving.

“If only I’d be so lucky…” You mutter silently, watching out of the window as he pulls out on the narrow road through the tall buildings, keeping away from the major roads as they are heavily used by FEDRA.

“I heard that” He said, pointing at his ear, eyes on the road.

“I’m glad your hearing is working, old man. Gives us a bigger chance of survival” you chuckle

“Old man?” He asks, insulted by what you said. “I'll show ya old man if you don't shut the hell up.”

You roll your eyes, and decide to sit this one out. You know it’s not worth bickering, as you have a long, long road ahead of the two of you. “That’s better” He said after a little while of silence. You roll your eyes once again, deciding with all your will and might not to respond with a snippy comment, as you didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of giving him the reaction he so obviously is searching for.

You two drive for hours and hours without saying a word, sitting in the thick tension that is between the two of you. It wasn’t necessarily a comfortable silence, rather a silence that comfortably didn’t mean you had to talk to him. After 7 hours, you can start seeing the shift in the sky, the colors indicating the impending sunset that's occurring.

“Maybe we should find somewhere to find shelter? Suns going down. “ You point out.

“I could work that out myself, thanks” He mutters. “We've still got a few hours left of daylight. Push on.”

“So I’m guessing your plan is that we sleep in the car?” You question, looking at him. He doesn’t leave his eyes from the road.

“Yup.” he says. Well, you couldn’t think of any better plan, to be fair. A truck is not a bad place to sleep given the alternative.

After about an hour or so, the car starts suddenly sputtering. “What the fuck?” Joel mumbles, as he quickly checks around the dashboard to see if there’s any indication as to what’s going on. You look over at him, quizzically. “Fuck!!” He shouts, hitting the steering wheel so hard that it honks, as the car comes to a halt. “That’s just…that’s just fucking great” He says, trying to restart the engine - to no avail.

“So much for your plan on ‘pushing on’” you said, looking out at the quickly darkening sky, mocking him. He looks annoyed at you, as he gets out of the car, to check the hood. When he does, a light amount of smoke seeps out.

Well, that sucks. But, you try to remind yourself that this truck was always going to be a temporary luxury, and you got 8 hours into the 12-hour trip. Oh well, more time with… Joel.. Sigh..

“Engines out” He grumbles, waving the smoke away from his face as he closes the hood again, standing and watching hopelessly at the car with one hand on his hip. “We’re not too far from the trucks drop off spot, guess we’ll have to walk the rest of the way.”

“So we just leave it here?” You ask

“Got a better idea? We’re in the middle of nowhere, nobody gonna steal it.” He answers.

“It’s your head, miller…” You mutter. He chooses not to answer to your snark.

“I say we still sleep in the car. It’s better than a tent.”

You nod in agreement “In the middle of the road?” You ask, looking at an already annoyed Joel. He grimaces, whilst he mocks what you just said

“No, you idiot, we’ll have to push it” he stated, looking around the road to see a good spot, and ended up pointing at a spot by some trees a couple meters from the road. “And it ain't an easy feat. Let’s see if you got the strength to push a two tonne vehicle, little miss”

You shrug. How bad can it be? Joel gets in the car and makes sure its gear is in neutral, as the both of you stand at the back of the car, starting to push. It takes some time, and Joel was right that it was, indeed, not an easy task. By the time you got the car by the trees you’re both catching your breath, Joel sweating profusely

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” You say between breaths, holding your hands on your hips. He’s bent over in exhaustion.

“Oh bite me” He hisses. You try not to laugh. “We’ll have to leave it here, try to radio Tess somewhere along the way, so they can pick it up - at least before someone steals it”

You nod. It’s gotten dark, it’s time to sleep. So, you climb into the truck and start leaning back your seat to get as comfortable as you can. Joel does the same.

“So…” You say, breaking out the map. “We’ll have to recalibrate… it’ll be…what I'm guessing… 2 to 3 weeks to walk to our first meetup spot with the informants.” I sigh, already tired.

Joel nods. “I'll carry ya if ya get tired” He teases, looking over at you as he lays back in his seat.

“Right back at you princess” You answer without a beat, changing the pins in the map, folding it back and lying on your side, away from Joel. He smirks at your answer.

“Y’sure got a mouth on you” He says.

You roll your eyes as you close your eyes “night”, you mumble, ready to sleep.

“G'night” he lies back on the seat and put his hat over his face before falling asleep.

The morning after, you wake up in a stir. The car was very cold, and the sun was just rising. You look around, and find that Joel is not in the car. You blink the sleep out of your eyes, and realize he’s popped the hood to check if there's any way to salvage this car. He sees you move around your head and peaks on the side of the hood

“g’morning, darlin’” he smirks. Is he more annoying than usual or is it because you just woke up? You can't decide. You furrow your eyebrows. He chuckles to himself at how displeased you seem to be awake. You were, after all, never a morning person. “We gotta get movin’”

“Yeah, yeah..” You mumble, getting out of the car to stretch and go to the backseat to collect all your things. Sleep still in your system, the two of you start walking along the road. After a while, you opt to walking through some hills, as Joel got more and more paranoid of meeting someone on the road. You walked for what must have been…14 hours, only taking a small break to eat something small that Tess had packed, sitting on two different places and not exchanging any words. The sun started setting, the sky turning an orange tinge.

“We better find shelter..come on” He said, looking around and seemingly found a spot not too far away - yet secluded enough to sleep for tonight. He increased his walking pace in a determined manner. You follow along not too far behind. Suddenly he stops dead in his steps.

“Jesus fucking Christ” He whispered to himself, anger and frustration very, very evident in his voice

“What?” You ask, eyeing him a bit worried about his reaction.

“God fucking damn it” He whispers to himself “Dammit - I forgot my tent. We'll have ta sleep in the open. Hope you ain't afraid of the dark…”

“Speak for yourself. I brought mine. I ain’t sharing.” You say, resuming your steps.

“You're a real treat to travel with you know that.” He says, looking at you stood still, frozen by his own frustration as he is kicking himself for forgetting that damn bag.

“I bet I am!” you yell, as you have managed to walk a bit further along than he has. He sulks as he continues walking.

You both decide on a safe spot to make a shelter. Joel and you start instinctively preparing to make a fire and collecting anything that will burn. To his dismay, a light downpour of snowflakes suddenly fall from the sky. You look up and laugh at the sheer irony of the situation, the frustration of the day just piling onto Joel. And it’s only the first day at that. “Ain’t that a bitch, huh, Miller?”

“Gotta be fucking kidding me” He groans. “That’s just great”

The two of you start a fire, and put two cans of soup on it for dinner. He is sitting against a rock, drinking whiskey, looking as happy as you could in his situation (spoiler alert, he is sulking). You are putting up your tent, which you dutifully brought (unlike Joel) and you pause as you catch a glimpse of the sad man who seems to be very stressed with the current predicament he has found himself in. He is visibly freezing his ass off. You feel strangely bad. He can't sleep in this cold…

“Look, miller” you pause, he looks at you. “You’re going to die in this cold. Let’s just share tents. Ain’t nun weird.”

He scoffs, and looks back at the fire, taking a sip of the whiskey “I'm good”

You sigh. “Stop being such a fucking Stoic and get over yourself. If you share your whiskey, I’ll share my tent” you say. Maybe by making a deal out of it, it’ll be easier for him to accept your help, you thought.

He thinks for a while. He weighs out his options, as if there is not only one he can realistically go with - which is to accept your help. “Fine. Half-and-half?”

You nod, somewhat happy that he accepted, yet less happy of the reality - which was that you have to share a tent tonight. “Half and half” You repeat, nodding. You walk towards him and sit next to him.

He gets another cup from his bag and fills it with his cheap, illegally brewed scotch, and passes it to you. “That’ll warm us up nicely” He said. It tastes like piss and firewood.

“Aye” You say. “How did you manage to remember bringing your whiskey, and not your tent?” You ask, with a slight hint of laughter to your voice.

He huffed. “Priorities” He smirked, turning to you.

“Well. I hope you have brought enough to maintain your end of the deal” you say, taking a sip. He silently lifts his bag, emitting a number of clinking noises, entailing he has probably got enough to last him weeks. Maybe a week now that you are involved.

“Seems like an unnecessarily heavy weight to carry” you remark, taking a sip of the strong liquid.

He stays silent for a while. “You’ll understand it soon enough” is all he says. Not knowing what he meant, neither caring all too much, you shrug and kept drinking aside each other in the dark silence. You eat the soup when it’s done, too. You pulled your legs to your chest to maintain more warmth, as it feels as though its getting colder by the minute, a few stray snowflakes falling onto the ground and quickly melting away.

“Didn’t think you were so damn sensitive to the cold” he suddenly said.

“M’not, it’s fucking freezing” you say, breathing out.

“Don't think I don’t see you shivering, princess” he says, with a sly smirk on his mouth

“Right back at you, princess” You say, mocking the way he said it to you. “Don’t fucking call me that ever fucking again, by the way”

“Someone’s a tad touchy, ain’t they?” He laughs, taking a swig from his whiskey

“Shut up, Miller”

“Why? M’igetting on your nerves?” he asks, sarcasm swelling in his voice.

“Always have been” You quickly retort.

“I’d say it’s mutual”

You nod, as you kept drinking. The whiskey has become a lubrication for the regular anguish you’ve felt in the presence of Joel. Now you felt no more than subtly irritated. The drunker you got, the happier you were of the deal you did with him. You kept drinking in silence, until you’ve drained about a quarter of the bottle - which might seem like a little, unless you calculate the amount of food you’ve ingested compared to the whiskey you’ve drank. Your cup is, once again, empty - and you guide the cup towards Joel, who dutifully fills it with more.

“Here ya go, princess” he says sheepishly, and you turn to give him a warning look

“I’m serious Joel, I’ll knock the teeth right out of your mouth if you keep calling me that.” You say, rather aggressively.

“I’d like to see you try” He snorts out.

You decide not to answer, as he is clearly getting a rise out of antagonizing you. You roll your eyes and chug the rest of your cup. So did, Joel.

He, again, filled your cup. “You seem happy I brought the whiskey. Like you could use some of it” He comments

“No shit. I’ve got two to three months on a mission with you. And it’s only the second night” you shrug. “Not to mention that we have to share tents…”

“I ain't that bad” He chuckles.

“You’re drunk” you add.

“So are you” he quickly responds.

You nod, and sit in silence for a while - both, quite drunk. “I’m fucking tired. You tired?”

You feel a bit loopy from all the alcohol, but stand up and agree, walking over to your tent. The closer you get to the tent, the more you realize just how small it really is. I mean, it’s small for just one person, imagine how cramped it is for two? Surely, the both of you cannot fit in there - what the hell have you gotten yourself into? You think to yourself.

Joel walks slowly towards the tent as he watches you look into the tent, worriedly. He looks himself, and the same thought passing your mind right now has suddenly dawned upon his, “Oh, boy….” he mumbled

“Yeah, I know.”. You are both stood there, looking, for a while - until you initiate and climb into the tent, and lie down on the right side - making as much space for Joel’s body as you can.

“This ain't gonna be comfortable, not one bit...” he says, as he lies down next to you in the tent, in a clumsy and stale motion.

Your bodies are uncomfortably pressing together, without there being enough room to move away, nor was there to shuffle to a more spacious yet also non compromising position. You tried lying back to back, as it seemed the natural and least intimate way to lie next to one another, thus facing away from one another. Still then, there wasn’t enough space to spare personal space - not in this tent.

“God this sucks.” you mutter from one side.

“You got that right.” He answers from the other.

You groan, as you try to get comfortable, nudging your elbow into his back in the process. He huffs out of pain. “You're making it worse.”

“Shut up. I’m just trying to get comfortable” You say, feeling an unrest in your body - one that the whiskey was not strong enough to numb.

“So am I” He gets more irritated as you keep nudging into him.

Finally, you settled to lie on your side, facing away from Joel. He takes the newly found empty space and lies with his arms against your back. You groan. “Your arms are hurting my back” he does not seem to care, and stays silent. You finally give into defeat, as the mixture of the sleepiness and alcohol slowly seems to overtake your body and you both fall asleep.

Somewhere at night, you had rolled over. Joel was very warm, so naturally, subconsciously, you drifted closer to the source. With your face against his chest, he was softly awoken by the warm breaths coming out of your mouth, in small snores. He looked down, and saw you sleeping peacefully, right against him. He lied completely still, not sure if he should wake you up. The snores were not loud enough to keep him up, so he presumed that is the price he’ll have to pay to sleep somewhere warm tonight, so he tried closing his eyes and fall back asleep, repeating in his head not to look anymore at you - and just go to sleep.

Suddenly you wake up, the morning after, head plastered against Joel’s chest, with his arm slung around your body, and your arm slung over his shoulder. It felt comfortable and warm….strangely.. Good lying like that, but you didn’t know how to react. It was utterly intimate and had crossed the border to cuddling very long ago. And oh god…is that your saliva on his shirt? Did you drool on his chest?! You were so close to him that you could smell the stench of whiskey on his breath, no less your own bouncing from his chest and back to your nostrils. You were basically on second base with the man, without ever remembering if you fell asleep that way or if you had done it in your sleep. I mean hell, you barely remember getting into the damned tent…’we must’ve gotten very drunk’ you thought to yourself. You must’ve rolled over and not thought about it.

You lie frozen, unsure what to do in this situation. If you jerk too much, you’ll wake him - but if you don’t move… he’ll see what you are seeing as of right now - which is you two in an extremely compromising situation. Maybe you could turn around? But then it would border spooning…curse this god-damn tent!

As if awoken by your thoughts, Joel’s body moves as if he’s waking up - and in a hasty and rushed move, he jerks his arm away from you - as if he just went through the same train of thoughts you did when you woke up. “What the fuck” He groaned, looking at you in an.. Almost disturbed manner.

“Fuck.. Uh, mornin’..” You peep out, embarrassed. Kicking yourself for not acting faster before he woke.

“Morning” he says in a rushed voice as he looks around, slightly panicked. None of you know what to say, an awkward silence hanging over you. He is quick to peel away from you to climb out of the tent. “We gotta get going” he announced.

“Y-yeah” You say, sitting still in the tent, processing the situation. When you have mustered enough strength, you crawl out of the tent too - stretching as you stand up. You pack up and walk alongside each other in silence, might as well have been miles apart. The weight of your unspoken closeness from the previous night's ‘cuddling’ lingers in the air, you were both a bit thrown off, sharing the occasional glances at each other, unsure of how to address what had happened, or whether it was better left unspoken. There wasn’t much to say, to be honest. I mean, what was there to say?

You got quite accustomed to the silence, to hearing nothing but the sound of your footsteps, wet against the humid grass. You’d think that walking for hours on end without the distraction of conversation would be something that would bother you, it proved to do the opposite. Without it, It was as if the world around you had muted its colors and sounds, leaving only the barest minimum of sensory input - which made time somewhat fly by. The aching in your feet and legs slipped to the back of your mind. You wondered if Joel was quiet because he was doing the same.

You also wondered what his thoughts were regarding this morning, and how you woke up. You didn’t talk about it, that’s obvious enough…but, what was he thinking about? Maybe he didn’t think about it at all - it was, after all, innocent, you rationalized. Was he also trying to decipher the mixed emotions you were feeling without giving them too much weight - since that might make them real, after all? You can’t deny just how safe and comfortable you felt, regardless of who it was.

Joel spotted you glancing at him here and there, he was equally aware of the tension. He, too, couldn't shake off the memory; He couldn’t help but to replay the events of last night in his mind, wondering if it was merely a product of shared body heat or something deeper. I mean, he could have just pushed you away…yet the unexpected warmth of your body against his, the rhythmic rise and fall of your chest as you slept, your breath hot against his chest.. It had been an intimate moment, and he couldn’t help but…enjoy it. However, he was as stubborn as ever, unwilling to broach the topic nor delve into the act itself. Instead, he focused on the mission at hand, pushing the awkwardness aside, shaking his head, not wanting to think too much of it either.

As you continued on the journey, the trees began to thin out, and you found yourself standing at the edge of a clearing, the sun going down behind a mountain up ahead. You looked at Joel, who seemingly had the same thought you did - it was time to find shelter. He took the map out of his bag and looked around. “We aren’t too far away from a safe house” he grumbled.

You nodded, taking out a map of your own, trying to help him in the search of said safe house. As you slowly approach the road leading to the building the weather began to change. Dark clouds gather in the sky, and the first few raindrops fall, pelting against your clothes. The urgency of getting under a roof became more apparent, so you quickened your pace.

Your breaths are visible in the cold, damp air, and the water has seemingly seeped into your clothes - leaving you feel colder and heavier. The cold made your thoughts kept circling back to the tent. The unexpected warmth of Joel's body against yours.. ‘God damn it. Get a grip. it's not even day four, and you're losing your mind.’ You thought to yourself.

Finally, you reached the safe house, which wasn’t what either of you had hoped for. It was an abandoned decrepit building, a relic of the world before the outbreak, with a roof that had seen better days. It was a stone building, partially hidden away by the tall unkept grass surrounding it, as well as tall trees huddling around it, vines growing on the walls. It was probably old 20 years ago, let alone now… The building was leaking from the roof and had gaping holes in the walls - making the shelter far from ideal. It offered some protection from the rain, but not much else. It was, however, better than getting drenched in the pouring rain and being exposed to the elements. You closed the door behind you and took a moment to catch your breath, looking around.

“Well.. This is the best we've got for now” He finally muttered as the wind howled through the gaping holes in the walls.

You look around and find it was pretty empty. There wasn’t any furniture, just a chair. Floor filled with scattered garbage and miscellaneous, dusty items from people who have been here before. The water is dripping from your clothes onto the stone floor beneath you, creating a puddle. "We need to get out of these wet clothes," he finally stated, his voice practical and no-nonsense.

You knew he was right, but the timing of it made it slightly uncomfortable. He knew he was straining on the already strange atmosphere that has been looming over the two of you since you found each other in the brace of one other. However, you also knew the reality of the situation. Your pride was warring with the necessity of the situation. The chill in the air and the knowledge of the dangers of hypothermia prevailed, and rational thought found its way back to you. You have months left to travel with Joel - and undressing in front of him to ward off sickness should not be an embarrassing thing, it ensures your survival and should be nothing more - is nothing more.

He could see the hesitation in your eyes, as you shivered, teeth chattering. He looked around for any dry fabric he could find within the safehouse—tattered old blankets and worn-out jackets. It wasn't the most comfortable solution, but it would have to do for now. He picked up a jacket. “Here.”

You nodded in agreement and began peeling off your drenched attire. Joel did the same, his back turned to maintain some semblance of privacy. Finally free from the soaked garments, you are quick to put on the jacket, zipping it, covering your body enough to feel more comfortable. You start wringing out the excess water from the clothes you wore, leaving a puddle of water there. You avoided even looking in the direction of Joel, who you know is (most likely) currently butt naked. Instead, you find a moth-eaten blanket in a corner of the room that the rain hadn’t reached. Shivering uncontrollably, you wrap it around your waist, covering your exposed legs. You could see a not so naked Joel who had found some pieces of clothing to cover himself, thankfully. He was now hanging his wet clothes against the singular chair that he moved to one of the few dry spots in the house, so you opt to do the same. The room was still far from warm, and the leaky roof didn't help matters, but, at least you were in dry clothes, if you can call them that.

You spot the ever so tiny wood burning stove in the corner of an empty adjoining room. You check if there’s any wood in there, and to your surprise there is - however, not much of it. Enough for tonight, and that’s all that mattered. You started a small fire and quickly huddled up against it for warmth. Joel walked into the room, as he’d seen the light from the fire from the corner of his eye. He nodded in approval as he silently walked towards you, sitting down next to you to also keep warm. You both sit there in silence, waiting for the clothes to dry.

Joel broke the silence, his voice softer this time "We'll have to wait out the storm here, and then we can continue our journey." You nod, agreeing.

As the night wore on, the humidity in the room strangled the feeble fire you had managed to kindle earlier, ultimately snuffing it out. The temperature inside the safehouse plummeted, and it became apparent that you couldn't rely on the fire for warmth any longer “Damn it” You mutter, shivering once again, trying to revive the fire - to no avail.

What was also apparent was that the two of you were so obviously treading around the one thing you knew would help warm you up, very much proven by last night. Unsure, feeling awkward, you didn’t know if you should bring it up. Proudly, you both sat there in silence. The memory of the previous night and the warmth that entailed lingered in the back of both of your minds. It had been an unspoken but undeniable source of comfort in the midst of the harsh world you inhabited, and now, with the cold seeping into your bones, and the urgency to get warm overtaking the awkward tension looming over you, the thought of that shared warmth became impossible to ignore.

Without saying a word, you shifted closer to Joel, seeking his body heat. Joel, initially surprised, looking over at you, understood the unspoken request and shifted to accommodate you. It was an unspoken agreement, a silent acknowledgment that you needed each other's warmth to survive the harsh, cold night.

With a shared understanding of practicality and mutual vulnerability, you created a makeshift sleeping area consisting of zipped up sleeping bags, dry blankets and whatever else fabric you could spare that would dampen the solidity of the cold, damp floor. This was where you settled as you finally lay side by side. You tried to find a comfortable position, mirroring the way you had slept in the tent the night before, with him against your back. Your bodies pressed together, and your breaths synchronized in the cold darkness, neither of you speaking about it, rather you let your bodies instinctively gravitate closer, seeking the heat that the other provided.

In the quiet of the night, as you shared body heat to stave off the biting cold, the tension that had lingered between the two of you began to seemingly fade. Despite the uncomfortable surroundings and your strained relationship, you both found a strange comfort in your shared warmth and the familiarity of each other's presence. There was no need for snark, nor sly remarks; pissing each other off. Neither did you have to discuss the somewhat uncomfortable, albeit innocent yet necessary, situation you’ve found yourself in. The cold was unforgiving, and your priority was to avoid hypothermia. You were, after all, nothing but two survivors making the best of the harsh and unforgiving circumstances given to you, finding solace and comfort in each other's company, even if it was unconventional.

He hesitantly kept his arms to his side. Joel broke the silence, clearing his throat, his voice barely a whisper, "I never thought I'd miss that damn tent." trying to diffuse more of the tension.

You slightly laugh, feeling a slight cramp in your body from the duress of the situation. The laugh eased up some internal tension you didn’t even know you were holding onto. “It was for sure warmer than this” You chuckle.

He smiled. And that was that. You were both admittedly exhausted, and drifted off into a very well-earned sleep, lulled by the heat radiating between the two of you. Secretly, you couldn’t help but to wish for the extra warmth that came from his arms around you, as it did yesterday, holding you impossibly close, keeping you safe in his big strong arms. Little did you know that he was thinking the same, but it was simply a line that Joel couldn't bring himself to cross. You had already navigated enough awkwardness and unspoken emotions that night. That didn’t stop him, however, from subconsciously doing so in his sleep - just as he did the night before.

Morning came, and you were awakened by the sun shining through the window, and onto your face. To your surprise, you felt your body be wrapped in the warmth of Joel's embrace. He must have instinctively put his arm around you whilst he slept. At first, you felt a sense of contentment. It was strange, but also undeniable. It was a reassuring feeling, knowing that he was there, holding you tightly - just as you had secretly hoped. But, as your senses fully woke up, you became acutely aware of something else - a firm pressure against your back that couldn't be ignored. You froze, your eyes widening in shock, and your heart raced as you registered the presence of Joel's erection pressed against your back. Joel was still asleep, as far as you were concerned. His breath heavy and warm on your shoulder, light snores leaving his mouth. Your mind raced as you tried to process the situation. You two had already crossed so many boundaries during the night to stay warm, but this felt like an entirely different kind of boundary altogether. Was this intentional? Or just a physiological response to their proximity?

Was there a sick, twisted part of you that engulfed your mind with fantasies of alleviating the pressure burning in the pit of your stomach with the (from what your back could feel was a very appropriately sized) dick prodding at your back? Yes. You were only human, after all. Were you going to do anything about it? No. You knew this was not intentional, not realistically. You’re a grown woman and know that he couldn’t control it just as much as you couldn’t control your deep guttural reaction to such an… event.

You debated over your next moves, unsure of how to navigate this uncharted territory. If you move away, he will wake up, realize he has a boner and think it scared you off. But if you lie there, hoping it goes away, and he wakes up with a raging boner still in full swing rubbing against you - he’d be mortified. Him, being a proud man would never live that down, and would probably not talk to you again, or at least not know what to say, in the midst of his own embarrassment. After yesterday, and the progress you made in your ‘partnership’, you couldn’t help but to dread the deafening silence that came with the impending awkwardness. You’ve been through so much already, and have yet to even get close to finishing this mission. So much left yet to go through. You have crossed so many bridges, this is just one of them. This was just a fleeting moment and not as significant as it might feel in the heat of the moment. It’s not a big deal, not really, just bodies doing body stuff. Or at least that is what you are telling yourself.

Carefully, you adjusted your position ever so slightly, shifting your body away from his rock solid member to relieve the pressure between your bodies, all the while ensuring that you didn't wake him from his peaceful slumber. It was a delicate maneuver to maintain the pretense of sleep, but you hoped it would be enough for you to potentially feign ignorance, just in case he was awake. You, flustered by the situation and the thoughts lingering in your (albeit perverse) mind, could not fall back asleep. Rather, you lied there letting your thoughts run wild. Couldn't hurt to indulge into harmless fantasy?

A couple of moments later, you could feel shifting next to you. Joel slowly woke up, feeling the oh so familiar throbbing that welcomes him in the mornings from time to time. Joel comes to his senses as he gently wakes up, quickly remembering the way he fell asleep against you and how much of a compromising position that would be for him right now. He quickly snapped his eyes open to see, to his relief, that you had moved away in your sleep, or at least so he thought. ‘Phew’ he thought to himself. He quickly sprung to his feet, leaving the room - hoping it goes away before you wake. He was not entertaining the idea of taking care of it, it could be too risky.

Him waking up reminded you of his existence, which filled your lust driven mind with an enormous guilt and shame regarding your thoughts. He didn’t have control over that, and your insatiable mind went and ran with it. You quickly shook the thoughts off and tried to think of something else as you laid there, unsure how to proceed..

You laid still until you heard Joel packing his bag. You took it as an indication that you were out of the woods, and had dodged a bullet - even though the both of you are flustered by it, without the knowing that the other one knew. You get up, and start folding the cloth and blankets that made up your ‘bed’, and walked out to the room with the bags and packed. Joel didn’t say anything.

“G’mornin’” You announce your presence. He, already hyper aware of it, hums as a response. You don't look much into it, relieved he isn’t treating you differently considering last night's sleeping arrangements. When you packed up, you put your backpack around your shoulders, your rifle around your neck and the rest of your gear clinging to the bag. You look at Joel, who is watching you as you pull the straps of the bag. You look up and nod. “Let’s go?”

He nods. You’re off.

#pedro pascal #joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller fic #the last of us hbo #tlou hbo #joel tlou #tlou serie #tlou series #the last of us #joel miller x f!reader #light angst #light smut #joel miller x you #here goes nothing

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aphrodisiac-siren · 1 year

Text

Slytherin Aemond x Reader ~Hogwarts AU

Part 6 {Final part}

You shut your dorm room door behind you, your back pressed against the sturdy wood as you heaved a sigh, trying your best to calm your racing heart.

"Oh you’re back" Sarah Parkinson, one of the other five girls in your dorm room addressed you "you’re the last one in, close the door will you?"

You nodded an 'okay' as you turned around to bolt it shut, hoping to not break into another girlish grin at the mere thought of what had happened at the astronomy tower.

"Targaryen?" Alys said aloud that had you turn back around in an instant. She had her finger up in the air, pointing at you or more specifically, the hoodie that Aemond had let you keep "is that Aemond's?"

"Were you with him this whole time?" Dani asked excitedly as she sat up on her bed, the other girls giggling like idiots as you rolled your eyes at their childish antics. As soon as you sat in your bed, Alys hopped off her own and onto yours in a second, tugging down at the collar.

"What are we thinking girls?" she looked over her shoulder for a second before she looked back at your neck "bunch of small bruises or one big hickey?"

"Oh fuck off, nothing of that sort happened" you shoved her off with a chuckle "we were practising spells"

"The one that makes his wand stand?" Sarah cocked a brow that made everyone laugh "bagged one of the most popular boys in school Y/N, finally"

"You guys are gross" you shook your head with amusement as you kicked off your shoes before getting under the cover "off to bed, all of you"

The girls burst into another round of giggles before they turned off their laps, exchanging amused 'goodnights',

You breathed out a sigh, smiling to yourself freely now that the lights were out. You drifted off into a peaceful slumber, still wrapped up in the warm hug his hoodie gave you; his cologne being the same smell that you slept and then woke up to.

***

"This is an absolute disaster" Alys groaned as you fanned your textbook at the smoke arising from the cauldron at your work station.

You and Alys had paired up to work together in potions class. She was going to pull another one of her stupid stunts of asking Aemond to switch partners but you held her by the arm firmly when you noticed her about to leave your side. 'It’s getting too obvious' you muttered under your breath as you forced her into working with you. But now after your third attempt at brewing the potion assigned had failed, you had wished that you were working with Aemond since things at his workstation seemed to be going quite smoothly.

"Ladies" professor Slughorn came to your table, his chirpy smile faltering when he saw the disastrous attempt you both had made "you needn’t leave the burner on the highest capacity the entire time, only after you've added the last ingredient may you increase the intensity of the heat"

You smiled at the correction he gave while Alys scoffed once he'd walked away.

"He waited to watch us fail three times at this before he could offer his wise council" she grumbled under her breath as she emptied the cauldron and brought the now empty one back to the table "guess we’re doing it all over aga- Gods sake, Y/N I’m going to fling this cauldron at your lover boy's head if he doesn’t wipe that smirk off"

You turned to where Aemond stood and well enough, he was amusingly smirking at you lot as you struggled to brew Amortentia: a love potion. It was a potion that one could use to bewitch someone to fall in love with them but in this case, all you students had to do was brew it and smell it. The potion was also said to give off the smell of what a person is attracted to so it would smell different for each one present.

You were tempted to ask Aemond what he smelled in his brew but you were too busy brewing your own potion, for the fourth time.

This time, you both managed to brew something without it exploding. Now all that was left was for you to check if it was the right potion or another disaster.

Alys went first, turning off the burner before leaning toward the cauldron to take a whiff. Her frown immediately melted into a soft smile before she turned toward you.

"Pine leaves, ginger beer and old books," she said with a giddy smile "exactly what Cregan smells like. Your turn"

You walked toward the potion, tucking your hair behind your ears as you leaned closer. You closed your eyes as you tried to focus on the smell. In all honesty, you half expected to smell green apples, smoke, peppermint and mahogany wood- Draco.

The smell of smoke reached your nose. Typical, just as you’d suspected, you were smelling Draco.

"Well?" Alys gently poked your arm "what do you smell?"

"Smoke" you softly said as you concentrated on what else you could smell, eyes still shut. Your brows furrowed when you smelled something entirely different than what you had hoped to smell next "whiskey and.."

Amber wood cologne, the same fragrance that clung to the hoodie Aemond had given you, the same smell that had sent you to sleep and the same smell you had started your day with when you awoke.

Your Amortentia smelled like Aemond Targaryen.

You took a step back, hand immediately flying up to your mouth in shock. You knew you fancied Aemond but you never took your feelings to be more than a small crush. You always took your heartache for Draco to mean that you still hadn’t moved on, but the potion seemed to tell you otherwise.

"You alright?" Alys asked.

"I uh yea" you managed to say, sneakily glancing toward Aemond who was busy pouring the potion into some smaller vials "I think we need to brew it again"

"What why-"

"Again" you repeated, proceeding to grab a cloth so that you wouldn't burn your hands whilst lifting the small cauldron "it’s still not-"

"Ah, I see you ladies are done" professor Slughorn approached you both once again "what is it you smell?"

You were about to tell him that your potion had once again not been brewed properly but Alys beat you to it and proudly announced what she had smelled. She then turned to you, letting you talk and you inwardly groaned.

"Smoke" you muttered, eyes not looking up to meet the professor's "whiskey and.. cologne"

"Cologne" your professor said with a chuckle "not very informative. Can you describe what this cologne smells like?"

Yea, like the one Aemond uses, you thought to yourself.

"Um" you took another whiff of the potion, the familiar smell from his hoodie momentarily drowning your senses "its almost like vanilla but with hints of spice, maybe citrus?"

"Very good" Slughorn beamed at you and Alys "you may pour this into a smaller vial"

You dared to look toward your left from the corner of your eye and your heart immediately skipped a beat when your eyes met Aemond's curious gaze. You couldn’t tell if he had even heard you but nonetheless, he offered you a smile before turning back to his notes.

You had concluded he didn’t hear you, that you both just happened to look at eachother at the same time by pure coincidence.

Wrong. You were so wrong.

The moment he heard the professor ask you the question he knew he wanted to ask you himself, he was all ears. Who were you attracted to? he thought to himself.

He felt his heart race when he heard you list, one after the other, fragrances associated with him. When you described the scent of his cologne, he was sure the entire class could hear his heart hammering beneath his rigid and composed facade that he was putting up.

And when you made eye contact with him, he felt as though the world has stopped. Not wanting to make it obvious that he was rather pleased by your response, he just looked away but boy was he a mess beneath that cold demeanour.

You comfortably sat by the fires of the Slytherin common room. It was already a few hours past curfew and you knew everyone was already asleep. Knowing you'd be the only one in the common room, you stepped out your dorm wearing Aemond's hoodie that you had slipped on again that night.

As you flipped through the pages of your book, you heard a shuffling noise and you looked toward the stairway to see a fluffy grey cat run down. You watched with a smile as the feline walked across the marble flooring and toward you before jumping on the plush green couch, cuddling close to you.

"Hello Vhagar" you softly chuckled, scratching behind her ears, knowing that's what she liked best. Vhagar was Aemond's grumpy old cat who he'd introduced you to in your third year. She didn’t like you at first and Aemond was quick to tell you she was just as hostile to everyone else. Over the years, she seemed to warm up to you, just the same way her owner Aemond had.

"Oi, psst.. Vhagar?"

You heard Aemond whisper as he approached the top of the stairway.

"She's down here with me Aems" you called out, keeping in mind to not be too loud since the others were asleep.

Aemond slowly made his way down to the common room, eye immediately finding you. He was dressed in his pyjamas, his wolf-cut platinum hair dishevelled.

"Left the door open accidentally," he said, voice slightly gruff from sleep "she knocked over the lamp by the door as she made her escape. Nice hoodie by the way"

"Aw thanks, it's a friend's" you smirked as Aemond sat next to you, smiling at your statement. Vhagar immediately left your side to go and curl up in Aemond's lap instead. He gently stroked her soft fur.

"What 'chya reading?" he asked, leaning toward you slightly so that he might get a better look. You scooted closer, handing him the book so that he might see what had you up this late.

Vhagar was quick to give in to her boredom of having to sit in one place for too long so she hopped off the couch to go and curl up by the fire instead, allowing Aemond to shift closer to you.

"Mermaids" he traced his finger over the lines on the pages "I take it you’re fond of aquatic creatures"

"Oh I most absolutely am, even though my favourite mythical creature is the Phoenix" you beamed as you excitedly began to talk about some of your favourite creatures and animals. You were so immersed in your little rant that you'd almost forgotten that not everyone was as enthusiastic about such things "sorry, I got carried away-"

Aemond, who had been listening to you patiently with a gentle smile, interrupted you as he shook his head slightly "I could listen to you talk for hours"

Your heart did that thing again that felt as if it were doing a flip.

"Like your friend's hoodie that much, do you?" he asked with a grin, changing the topic "I didn’t really think you'd wear it"

"Yes I do happen to like it," you said cockily "smells like you"

"Just like your Amortentia?" he raised a brow, flashing you his signature grin that he rarely ever gave others and even though he posed you with a question, it was fairly obvious he already knew the answer.

"What did yours smell like?" you asked, not bothering to confirm or deny his previous claim.

"Any guesses Y/N?" he asked, leaning his head back into the couch, his Addams apple bobbing up and down as he spoke "you get three go's"

"I don’t even know any girls you speak to who aren’t me" you smugly said, shrugging your shoulders.

"Then the answer should be fairly obvious, shouldn’t it?" he grinned again "go on"

Not wanting to come across as narcissistic, you did not suggest yourself and instead just shrugged again, not wanting to answer.

"You’re no fun" Aemond chuckled next to you before he shut the book and placed it on the little table beside him, getting up and offering you his hand "I want to show you something"

You took his hand, which was cold in contrast to your comparatively warmer. He led you away from the couch and toward the stairway but instead of going up, he walked toward the side. There was a small gap between the newel post and the pillar close to the wall. It was narrow but not too difficult for someone to squeeze through; though you'd never tried it, expecting nothing but the underside of the stairs.

Once you both were beneath the stairs, the secluded area was illuminated by the green glow of the depths of the waters of the black lake which was the view the students of Slytherin enjoyed.

"This has been my safe space," Aemond told you softly as he went to sit by the large glass window "my santuary"

You went to sit by him.

"Look there" he pointed at something out the window as he scooted closer, his one hand coming to rest on the small of your back "toward your left, look closely"

You turned to look in the direction in which he was pointing, squinting slightly. You continued to silently observe the bottom of the lake before you saw movement in the distance. Whatever it was, that was moving, was growing closer at a painfully slow speed. An then you finally saw what Aemond was trying to show you:

Mermaids.

They weren’t that close to the window but they were close enough for you to see their silhouettes. Over the years, you'd seen a number of fish, sea serpents an even the famous giant squid on few occasions but never mermaids. You pressed you palms into the glass as you involuntarily broke into a smile of pure fascination and Aemond watched you with a tender expression.

He didn’t utter a word, as if you too were some sort of magical being who he was afraid of frightening away by the sound of his voice.

"I've never seen one before" you whispered, watching as they began to swim away and disappear into the murky waters. You turned away from the glass to look at Aemond, whose face was illuminated by the greenish glow; casting the perfect shadows to accentuate his pretty lips, his chiselled cheekbones, sharp jawline, and mesmerizing eye. He still had his eye patch on and you tilted your head slightly with confusion.

"Do you wear that while you sleep?" you asked.

"Ah, no" he nervously breathed a chuckle "I was leaving the room so I put it on, to avoid frightening anyone"

"That’s unlikely" you immediately said. How could someone take one look at Aemond had find him anything but dashing?

"It's not something I'm too fond of" he honestly told you "so I hide it away"

He gingerly reached up and took off his leather eye patch with one swift motion, looking at you eagerly to see your reaction. In place of where his left eye should have been, now sat a blue sapphire that only added to his looks.

"I thought it might help with my appearance" he nervously rubbed the back of his neck "I was wrong"

"I disagree" you breathed out, looking at him adoringly "you’re beautiful, inside and out"

Aemond could feel his cheeks getting warm when he heard you quote himself and he was thankful for the dim lighting. Perhaps that was also a reason you found him handsome.

"Bet you said the same thing to my cousin" he joked and then immediately winced. Why did he find the need to bring up Draco? Especially right after you had giving him such a heartfelt compliment "Sorry I didn’t mean-"

"Draco Malfoy wasn’t the one my Amortentia revealed as the one I want" you swiftly spoke, placing your hand on his. His other hand was still on the small of your back, now gently caressing your lower back with his thumb "he isn’t the one who I look forward to seeing each morning, who makes my heart flutter with stolen glances, who makes me smile like an idiot at the simplest of touches. I want you, Aemond. Who did your Amortentia-"

"You" he said, voice coming out barely as a whisper. He made the bold move of flickering his gaze from your eyes to your lips "it’s always been you"

"Aemond" you subconsciously whispered, also looking at his lips.

"Y/N" he called out, leaning in hesitantly.

Your hand went up to rest on his chest just as his came to cup your cheek. Your eyes fluttered shut moments before you felt him capture your lips with his. You tilted your head a bit as you kissed him back, fisting his shirt ever so slightly. His lips were soft and so kissable, so much so that you never wanted to stop and pull away. Your hand slid up his chest and to the back of his head, fingers tangling in his silky pearlescent hair which you tugged while pushing yourself closer into him to which he responded to with the most satisfying groan.

His fingers too found themselves amidst your hair. He sucked at your bottom lip, humming contently each time a whimper escaped from you.

This small light sanctuary of his all of a sudden became your own little world away from the rest; a world you never wanted to leave.

The both of you continued to pull at each other, wanting as much close contact as possible. Both your hearts were beating ferociously and it was evident from the eagerness of the kiss.

"Y/N" he mumbled into your mouth.

"Aemond" you hummed.

You were the first to pull away to catch your breath. Aemond rested his forehead against yours, eye still closed and hand still on your cheek as he caressed your soft skin with the pad of his thumb while both of you panted, chest rising and falling with you both trying to catch your breaths.

"I really, really like you Y/N" he finally broke the silence "for the longest time"

"I like you too" you managed to say with a smile, leaning in again to peck his lips.

***

You and Alys cheered from the stands along with the rest of your house as your watched the Slytherin seeker catch the golden snitch, winning the match.

You beamed with pride at your boyfriend, who's quidditch jumper you'd worn to the match.

You and Aemond had been together for about four months and those four months were the happiest you'd felt in a long long time. He'd taken you out on a bunch of dates after your first kiss beneath the stairs and almost a month since that day, he'd asked if he could be your boyfriend.

Aemond celebrated with the rest of the lads as they descended to the ground and hopped off their brooms. As he was cheering and applauding the boys, he suddenly found himself surrounded by shimmering whisps of blue that circled around him a few times before the fused together to form a majestic Phoenix that soared above him.

Wait- A Phoenix

His gaze immediately snapped away from the patronus and toward the Slytherin stands to find you leaning over the railing, wand in hand. He looked up at you with a wide smile, which he knew you might not be able to see.

You had finally conjured your Patronus, and it was he who made that possible, at last returning to you the happiness you truly deserved.

AN: I’d done a poll to ask what readers would most like as their Patronus; I hope everyone’s just as happy with the Phoenix as Aemond is😭

Taglist: @greenowlfactif

#aemond targaryen #aemond smut #ewan mitchell #ewan nation #hotd #house of the dragon #hotd fanfic #hotd aemond #aemond x y/n #aemond x reader #harry potter #slytherin #hogwarts

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