#leith speaks | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

inthedoghousern · 8 months

Text

i'd have to think about it

pairing: daniel ricciardo x fem!reader

summary: it seemed like it was meant to be, but things don't always work out. too bad you might still be in love with each other. inspired by "i'd have to think about it" by leith ross.

contains: childhood friends to lovers, fluffy stuff, angsty stuff, cursing, reunions, breakups, proposals, pregnancy (is it drs? maybe not...) there's a lot.

5.2k words

a/n: sorry it's been a minute, school distracts me from the truly important things in life (this acc).

18 years old

"Danny," you whisper into the dark guest room. You weren't sure if he was asleep, you hope he wasn't. "Danny," you whisper again, slightly louder. You can hear blankets shuffling.

"What?" you hear him groan.

"Are you awake?"

"Now I am," he answers, annoyance in his voice.

There's a bit of light filling the room from the moon outside, and your eyes finally adjust to the darkness. You can make out Danny in the bed, he sits up looking towards you.

"Good, come on," you whisper still standing at the door. You're trying to be as quiet as possible to avoid waking up the rest of the house.

The two of your families had been close your whole life. You and Daniel were only one year apart, which meant that the two of you were always paired up. Over the years you became inseparable, and the dynamic between your families only got stronger. Your families were always on vacations together, at the race track to support Danny, staying at each other's houses for a few days for a change of scenery. This weekend was one of those instances.

You peek your head into the hallway, making sure there's no light from under any of the bedroom doors, the last thing you wanted was to wake up your parents, Danny's, or any of the siblings.

"Why? What time is it?" He rubs his eyes.

"Danny, come on!" you whisper-yell, getting impatient.

"Ok ok." He finally surrenders and gets up. He trails behind you as you quietly make your way through the house. At the door, you slip on your flip-flops and Danny follows suit.

You open the door and lead the two of you away and down the suburb street. After you're a good distance away from the house, Daniel finally speaks again, "Where are we going?"

"The beach," you answer plainly, still walking and looking ahead. You lived just a few minutes away from the shore.

"Okay... and we're going because?" Daniel asks. He's confused why you've dragged him out of bed and are cryptically answering his question.

You turn and look at him, "You're leaving in a few hours. I wanted to hang out!" you answer, a hint of a smile tugging at your lips.

He smiles back and shakes his head. "Why didn't you just ask before we went to sleep? Like a 'hey Danny, let's sneak out later, ok?'" He grins. "You let me get comfortable."

You laugh, "Sorry, I couldn't sleep and just decided in the moment."

"It's alright, I guess," he teases as he wraps his arm around your shoulder.

The two of you walk in step with each other the rest of the way. A comfortable silence between you, only the sound of your flip-flops slapping on the pavement and the rustling of the trees around you. The March air is cool on your bare legs, but you're both in hoodies and don't really mind the temperature. As you get closer to the beach, the crashing of the waves also fills the silence.

When you get to the beach, you kick off your shoes and walk to the edge of the water. It's quiet as the two of you watch the waves roll over your feet.

"Are you excited?" you ask breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I really am," he answers.

In a few days Daniel was leaving for the start of his racing season, he was going to be all around the world for the next few months. This year was an even bigger deal than normal, as last year he was selected to drive with the Red Bull Junior Team, so this was his first year with them.

You look down as you lightly kick around the sand with your feet.

"I'm going to miss you, you know," you say in a playful tone, but you really do mean it.

"Hey, I'm back in August." He nudges you with his shoulder and ducks his head slightly to try and meet your eyes.

You look up from the sand and at him, "I'm leaving in August before you get back, remember?" You give a small smile. He wasn't the only one traveling this year, you'd graduated from school in December and decided to go to an American university. So your first semester started in August.

"Oh, right." Daniel looks out at the water again with a small frown.

A silence falls over the two of you again. You just listen to the steady rhythm of the waves crashing.

"It won't be too bad. You're still coming to some of my races, right?" Daniel starts, still looking out. "And when you start school it's not like you're never coming home again," he jokes.

You laugh softly. "True."

It's quiet again as you let your mind wander. It was normal for Danny to be out and about with his racing stuff, but starting school across the world was going to make both your schedules even crazier. But your families always found a way to spend time together. It would work out. You really hope it would.

You're ripped out of your thoughts when you feel Daniel grab you and throw you over his shoulder.

"Hey!" you yell in surprise. He laughs and starts walking deeper into the water, and you know what he's going to try and do.

"Don't you dare... oh my god, put me down!" You're squirming and hitting him, trying to save yourself.

"Put you down?" You stop fighting and simply rest your head on his back when you've realized your fatal error. "Sure!" he answers happily.

And with that, he throws you off into the water. You're completely submerged for a moment and then come back up to the surface. Daniel stands in front of you, a smile plastered across his face. You push your now wet hair out of your face and stand up too. The water is up to your mid-thigh at this point.

"Really?" You splash water at him.

Daniel just laughs in response and turns slightly in a weak attempt to avoid the water.

You splash more water at him and he does the same back. His clothes are progressively becoming more wet but it's nothing compared to how drenched you are.

As you go to splash him again, Danny grabs both of your wrists and holds them in front of you. He starts pushing you back and the water is rising to your waist.

You push back, trying not to get dunked again. In a fit of giggles, the two of you struggle against each other.

Danny slips a little bit and you take your chance, pushing him hard. But his grip on you is still strong, and as he tumbles backward into the water, you go right down with him.

When the two of you come up to the surface you're both laughing hysterically. Daniel lets go of you and you move back slightly, you're floating in the shallow water facing each other.

"This is your fault," you joke. You're smiling so hard that your cheeks are starting to hurt.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he smiles just as hard back.

The water isn't deep, but you and Daniel stay submerged up to your shoulders. You don't know what else to say, and it seems like Daniel doesn't either, the two of you just look at each other. Both of your smiles relax a bit, and you notice Danny's eyes flicker down to your lips and back to your eyes. You feel your stomach drop a little. You're probably seeing things.

He swims even closer to you, a lazy smile still on his lips. You lightly push his face to the side, your heart beating fast. What was he doing?

He slowly looks back at you. "I'm going to miss you too."

"I'd hope so," you answer teasingly. You're trying to ignore how he's looking at you.

"Yeah?" He counters with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Yeah."

It's quiet again and you just look at each other. The way your heart is beating out of your chest is just too much. You break your eyes away from him and stand up, making your way to the shore.

Daniel lingers for a moment, watching you, but eventually, he gets up and follows.

Your wet clothes are heavy as you make your way across the beach to your shoes. As you pick up your flip-flops, you feel Daniel come up beside you, grabbing his shoes too. Neither of you put them on, and instead, just hold them at your sides as you leave the beach.

There's a certain amount of tension between you two as you walk back to the house. You can't describe it, and honestly, you're not even sure if it's just in your head or not. But you can't help but feel your stomach doing flips as you walk side by side down the street.

As you're walking, Danny starts to veer towards the side, walking into you. His side hits yours, and you laugh a bit as he gets you off balance. He keeps doing this and you run forward to escape him.

You turn to look at him behind you, walking backward down the street. A grin is back on his face, and on yours too.

You throw one of your flip-flops at him, and it hits him in the leg. It's not a hard throw by any means, but shock spreads over Danny's face at your assault.

He grabs the flip-flop and throws it back at you, but you dodge it. He still has two more shoes though.

When he launches the next one, you're not prepared and it connects with your arm.

The next moments are filled with you and Danny throwing shoes at each other and running around the empty road like maniacs.

There are still no words exchanged between the two of you, just laughter and the slap of flip-flops against your wet sweatshirts, bare skin, and the pavement.

You wanted the street to stretch on endlessly. You didn't want to get to the house because you knew that the moment would be over. It would've made it a reality that Daniel was leaving soon and so were you.

But unfortunately, the street had its limits. You and Daniel walked into the house and quietly made it back to your respective rooms. You said your goodnights. After the sun rose in the next few hours, Daniel and his family packed their stuff into the car. You two said your goodbyes.

You weren't able to go to any of his races that season. He didn't get back before you left for university.

You only came back for winter break that school year. Your families saw each other once.

When your summer vacation came around and you were back in Australia, Daniel was already gone.

This cycle repeated for the next three years. He invited you to races. You couldn't make it. You invited him to your graduation. He couldn't make it.

The frequent phone calls got difficult with time zones, so your communication turned exclusively to texting. Eventually, those slowed down too.

You watched each other's lives in pictures. Forgetting what the other's voice sounded like in person. But you never forgot how much you cared for him, and he never forgot how much he loved you...

24 years old

"Danny!" You call out across the lobby of the Monaco hotel. He turns and flashes you one of his signature smiles. You hadn't seen it in what felt like ages.

He walks over and you two embrace in a tight hug.

You pull apart and his hands are on your shoulders as he looks down at you. "I'm so glad you're here," he says.

"Me too!" You respond with just as much enthusiasm.

The past few weeks you and Daniel had been talking more frequently, finally trying to coordinate seeing each other again. You were both in luck when the days leading up to the Monaco Grand Prix, as well as the race weekend, fit into your schedule.

For a moment you're just smiling at each other, taking in one another's presence. A long overdue reunion. "Let's go, yeah?" He asks.

You nod and the two of you leave the hotel, ready to start making up lost time.

For the rest of the day, you two are attached at the hip. It was nice you got to spend so much time together before all of his racing and media obligations.

You're smiling to yourself now as the evening breeze dances lightly through the narrow streets of Monaco. You and Daniel stroll side by side, relishing in the familiarity of each other's company.

The city lights cast a warm glow upon the cobblestone pathways, and laughter and chatter spill from the restaurants, blending with the soft melody of distant music. It's a picturesque scene, one that perfectly reflects this moment shared between two old friends reconnecting.

"You know," Danny says, breaking the silence, "I should've kissed you that night."

You glance at him, eyebrows raised in surprise. "What?"

"On the beach," he clarifies. "I know you remember." He laughs slightly.

A soft chuckle escapes your lips as you shake your head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're bringing that up now."

"But I'm serious," he insists, his tone playful yet earnest. "It might just haunt me."

"Haunt you?" you echo, unable to suppress a smile at his confession.

Danny shrugs, his expression turning thoughtful. "Yeah, I mean... I've been thinking about it, seeing you again and everything. Wondering what could've been if I had just taken the chance."

You pause, the weight of his words sinking in. Despite the casual atmosphere, there was an underlying tension, a silent acknowledgment of the unsaid feelings lingering between you.

"I guess we'll never know," you say finally.

Danny nods. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

"I have missed this though," Danny continues, his voice softer now, "Just being with you, like old times."

You smile. "Me too."

Daniel wraps his arm around your shoulder, and the air is filled with a comfortable silence as you continue your stroll back to the hotel. Despite the passing of time and the unspoken words hanging in the air, there was a sense of ease in your companionship, a familiarity that went beyond any tension.

Lost in your thoughts, you steal glances at Danny, noting the way the lights danced across his features, casting a soft glow on his easy smile. Memories continue to flood back in your mind, intertwining with the present moment. You recall the laughter you've shared, the secrets whispered, and the countless hours spent together. But now it seems like you've spent just as many hours apart.

Lost in reflection, you barely notice when Danny's arm falls from your shoulder and he stops walking.

You stop too, turning to face him, confusion on your face. "What's up?"

He meets your eyes, his expression unreadable for a moment before he takes a deep breath as if steeling himself. "I know I shouldn't bring this up now, especially after all this time, but…"

Your heart skips a beat, anticipation and a tinge of anxiety rising in you.

He looks down for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before meeting your eyes again. "...I never stopped thinking about you, you know. Even after all these years, even when we were apart."

You feel a rush of emotions within you, "Danny…"

"I know it's complicated, and I don't expect anything from you. I just needed to say it, to let you know."

You're taken aback by his confession, you feel surprise, uncertainty, and a flicker of something you dare not name. For years, you've kept your feelings tucked away, buried beneath the weight of missed opportunities.

You don't speak, but you can feel a small smile start to tug at the corners of your lips.

You laugh a bit, shaking your head, and step closer to him. You're amused by just how much time the two of you have wasted.

He smiles back.

Neither of you have to say anything. The expression in your eyes and the ease with which your arms wrap around his neck and his hands find your hips say enough.

You feel his warm breath against your lips as he leans in closer, closing the gap between you. The world seems to fade away, leaving just the two of you in that moment, suspended in time.

It's a gentle yet passionate kiss, filled with years of longing and of the realization that perhaps fate had brought you back together for a reason.

After that reconnection, you two didn't waste any time. It felt as though the universe had conspired to bring you back together, and you weren't about to question its timing.

You officially started dating soon after, diving headfirst into a relationship that felt both exhilarating and comforting.

Years flew by in a blur of shared laughter, quiet moments, and unforgettable adventures. You celebrated milestones together, from anniversaries to Daniel's achievements in racing, always by each other's side through thick and thin.

You couldn't be happier. Your families couldn't be happier. Even the fans couldn't be happier. Childhood best friends to lovers. It was perfect. Everything was perfect. For a while it really was.

32 years old

"What do you think?" Daniel holds a ring in between the two of you. It wasn't some over-the-top gesture, he didn't get down on one knee; he knew you wouldn't want that.

So tonight he brought up the question, he asked if you would marry him.

"Daniel, I..." you trail off uncertainty in your voice. You look at the ring and then back up at him.

Daniel feels a lump form in his throat. This wasn't the reaction he was expecting. What made it worse was the seriousness in your voice.

"What's wrong?" His brows furrow.

"What does the future look like after this?"

He should've known you were going to ask this. You two were lucky in that your relationship had little tension. You rarely fought, even after the many years spent together. But there was one point of contention, even more so lately: Family. Kids.

During the first few years of dating, you two were always pestered about marriage and kids. Then, the two of you said it wasn't the right time. There was no rush to get married, to start a family. Not back then. But it's been eight years and now you're the one who's been trying to bring up the topic. You certainly didn't need a diamond ring from Daniel to cement your relationship, but starting a family with him was something you wanted. But Daniel was never as clear in what he wanted.

"You really want to get into this right now?" He sounds a little annoyed.

"We need to talk about this. I can't ever get a straight answer out of you." You start while shaking your head. "I'm ready to settle, Daniel. Soon. And I can't tell if you want that too. I want to start a family and I want that to be with you, but every time we try and talk about this we just put it aside for another day."

"Baby..." he trails off, his hand holding the ring falling to his side.

You cross your arms over your chest. "No, I'm serious. You know we don't have forever to decide this."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Tell me where you see us after this. Is it still just racing?"

"We do both," he says.

"I don't want that. I know it's not fair to you, for me to ask this. But I don't want to do it alone. I can't."

He takes a step closer, "You wouldn't be alone."

"No Daniel, I would. It's inevitable."

You're right. He could try his best, but there was no way he could be there every step of the way while starting a family. Racing was just too demanding and time-consuming.

"Are you seriously doing this to me?" his voice cracks.

"I'm sorry," you choke out. "I love you so much okay? But tell me the solution to this. I'm not going to ask you to stop racing." You've been with him through his whole career, you know how much work he's put in. How much he loves it. And you know he's not ready to stop yet.

He runs his hands over his face. It was an impossible decision. A gut-wrenching situation. But Daniel's stomach drops because he knows you're right.

"So what? We're breaking up right now?" His voice is laced with anger.

"Don't be like that." You're hurt by his tone.

"Be like what? We've been together for almost eight years and you want to end it just like that. I just asked you to fucking marry me!"

"Eight years of me following you, Daniel! My life has revolved around wherever you have to be, where you have to race. And that's fine, I didn't complain because it wasn't all bad. And I love you so what did it matter? But I'm tired of it Daniel."

He doesn't say anything and the two of you just look at each other.

Finally, Daniel speaks, "So this is it?"

You bite the inside of your lip. It seemed like Daniel made a decision, you weren't surprised by it, but it still hurt. Racing was his everything.

"I guess so."

Daniel runs his hands through his hair and turns away from you.

"What a waste of time," he mutters.

You feel your brain go numb and you can't believe what you've just heard. This wasn't easy for you. You weren't happy about it either, not one bit.

Before the two of you got together, you didn't even want to start a family. But eventually, that changed, and when you became a mom you wanted it to be with him, it was supposed to be with him.

"Are you fucking serious?" You snap back at him.

"What else would you call this? It's been nearly a decade."

"So none of it even matters anymore? You can be mad at me, but what the fuck is wrong with you." You're awestruck at how he is handling this situation.

"What the fuck is wrong with me? You're the one making me choose between you and my career." He answers angrily.

"And you chose."

"I guess I did."

You knew that you would love again. But the months after you and Daniel broke up were difficult. The two of you didn't talk at all. You coordinated move-out technicalities through friends and family members. Any trace of one another on your social media was wiped clean, which was nearly your whole account considering you'd been together so long. Plus the fans and media did not take the situation lightly. Your comments were always filled with things about him, and vice versa on his accounts.

But eventually, things slowed down.

You just left social media altogether and started a quieter life in Australia, without him. Eventually, you met someone and you started to make amends with the situation. You moved on. Your new boyfriend is a gentleman. And soon he became fiancé, then husband. And you're content.

Daniel focused on racing. He avoided the ongoing questions about you from the media, from his team, the rest of the grid. He avoided the silence in his drivers room without you in it. He avoided the empty space next to him as he traveled the world. But eventually, he moved on too. The late-night drinks over you turned into drinks with friends. He knew he could be content again too...

37 years old

Daniel could feel a wave of anxiety wash over him as he walked up the front stairs of your childhood home. He hadn't been here in years. He hadn't seen you in years. For the last few family events, you and Daniel were never there at once. He'd go to one, you'd skip, the next one, you'd go and he'd skip.

But it's been five years since you broke up. It's been five years and he knows you've gotten married. He hasn't met your husband. He knows you've had a kid. He hasn't met your daughter.

It's been five years and your families have gotten sick of walking on eggshells around the two of you. Especially since it seems like both of you have moved on. So they put their foot down and said you both had to come.

Daniel walks into the house and is welcomed by the familiar sight of both your family members bustling around, preparing for the gathering. There's a mix of nostalgia and apprehension within him as he scans the room, searching for a familiar face.

"Daniel!" Your mother's voice cuts through the chatter, and he turns to see her approaching him with a warm smile. "It's been too long. How have you been?"

He manages a small smile in return, "I've been good, thank you. How about you?"

As they engage in small talk, Daniel can't help but steal glances around the room, his heart pounding in his chest as he anticipates seeing you again. He wonders if you're here yet, if you're as nervous as he is about this encounter.

"Oh, come here!" your mother calls out, beckoning a man that Daniel doesn't recognize. Daniel's heart sinks as your mother introduces your husband. Daniel extends a hand, forcing a polite smile as he greets him.

"It's nice to meet you," Daniel says, trying to ignore the knot of jealousy tightening in his chest.

Your husband offers a friendly smile in return, shaking Daniel's hand firmly. "Likewise, Daniel. She's told me so much about you."

Daniel's smile feels strained now, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. He can't help but feel like an outsider in this moment, a silent witness to the life you've built without him.

"Speaking of her," your husband says as he looks around the room, "she might be in the backyard."

Daniel nods, his heart sinking even further at the mention of you. He forces himself to maintain his composure, offering a polite nod to your husband before excusing himself from the conversation.

As he makes his way through the house, Daniel can feel the weight of the past five years pressing down on him. He wonders what he'll say to you, how he'll navigate seeing you after all this time.

Daniel freezes as he catches sight of you in the backyard, playing with a little girl who bears a striking resemblance to you. His heart skips a beat at the sight, a mixture of emotions swirling within him. He hadn't expected to be hit with such a strong reminder of the life he could've had with you.

You look up and notice him standing there, and for a moment, time seems to stand still as your eyes meet. There's a flicker of recognition, a hint of surprise.

"Hey Daniel," you say, your voice soft.

"Hi," he responds.

There's a brief pause, a silent acknowledgment of the years that have passed, the wounds that have healed, and the memories that still linger.

As you stand up, Daniel notices the slight baby bump under your dress.

"Congratulations," he manages to say, his voice laced with genuine warmth despite the turmoil he's starting to feel. "I didn't know that you were expecting."

You offer him a small smile in return, a mixture of gratitude and sadness shining in your eyes. "Yeah, I'm only a few weeks along."

There's a heavy silence between you, you both struggle to find the right thing to say.

You pick your daughter up and rest her on your hip, walking closer to Daniel.

"Can you say hi?" you ask her with a smile.

The little girl looks at Daniel with wide eyes, seemingly studying him for a moment before offering a wave.

"Hi," she says with a smile.

"She just turned two," you say, looking between her and Daniel.

Your daughter nods, still smiling.

Your husband comes out to the backyard, and you excuse yourself from Daniel for a moment.

"Here," he says grabbing your daughter from you. "Time for us to hang out, little lady," he says to her and then gives you a small smile. You return it and he goes back into the house, giving you and Daniel a moment to yourselves.

Daniel watches silently as your husband takes your daughter, feeling a pang of envy at the easy familiarity between the two of them. He knows he shouldn't feel this way, that it's irrational and unfair, but he can't help the twinge of jealousy that gnaws at him.

As you turn back to face him, there's a tense silence between you, filled with unspoken words and unresolved emotions.

"How are you?" he asks softly.

You glance away for a moment, gathering your thoughts before meeting his gaze again. "I've been good, thank you," you reply, your voice steady.

Daniel nods. "I'm glad to hear that."

"How are you?" you ask. "Racing seems like it's going well."

"Yeah, I'm loving it. It was shifty for a while, but I'm happy with how everything is going," he answers with a slight smile.

"That's great." You two sit down on the porch steps.

Side by side, legs slightly pressed against each other, it was a position you two had been in countless times. In this exact spot. But obviously, things were different now. So different.

There's a tension between you but despite it all, there's a flicker of something in your eyes, a hint of warmth and familiarity that draws him in.

"I'm sorry," Daniel says suddenly. "For everything."

You meet his gaze, your expression softening at his words. "Daniel..."

"What I said then. That it was a waste of time," he continues, his voice filled with sincerity. "It wasn't. Whether you were my girlfriend, or just best friend. Those years really did mean a lot to me."

You feel a rush of emotions within you, a mixture of sadness, regret, and longing.

"They meant a lot to me too," you admit.

You both struggle to find the right thing to say, the right way to bridge the gap that has grown between you over the years.

"I know it's too late for us," Daniel says softly, breaking the silence. "But I just needed you to know."

You nod, a lump forming in your throat as you fight to hold back tears. "Thank you," you whisper, your voice thick with emotion.

You hate that you still feel this way about him. That it's been years and you have a new life, your own family. You're the one who wanted this. You're the one who left.

But Daniel sits next to you and your mind wanders to what could be different.

He's here at your childhood home. Your family, your kid, your husband just inside.

But in all honestly, if Daniel asked you to leave to be with him and split.

Well, you'd at least have to think about it.

#f1 #f1 imagine #f1 x reader #daniel ricciardo #daniel riccardo x reader #daniel riccardo imagine #dr3 #dr3 x reader #dr3 imagine #danny ric #Spotify

305 notes · View notes

syndxlla · 1 year

Text

best friends don’t look at each other the way we do

A low stakes, high reward, and self-indulgent Zelink fan fiction. Canon-compliant. Takes place between BOTW and TOTK.

Heavily inspired by my Zelink thoughts

I wanted to dig into the dirty, grimly reality of being the saviors of the world and not knowing how to be the savior of yourself. But you can find that safety in another person.

Fan fiction warnings: Canon-typical violence, eventual smut (in later chapters, characters are consenting adults), references to self-harm, eating-disorders, and a lot of angst. Each chapter will have chapter-specific warnings.

Chapter one: I used to tie your shoes

Song: We’ll never have sex by Leith Ross

Summary: Fresh off Hyrule Field, Link and Zelda have to face life after the Calamity, and come to terms with the long road to physical, emotional, and mental recovery.

Warnings: Vomiting, trauma, canon-typical violence, eating-sensitivity

Word count: 3.7k words

Author’s Note: I am so excited to share this. Please share and support this in anyway. I drew this art for the cover :) chapter begins after the page break. I love you guys. Also, these chapters won’t be heavily edited. Ignore any grammatical/spelling errors pls

Time. We never seem to have enough time. Green grass burns soft red embers into the field, a horse’s mane is rebraided at the nearest stable, and the stars shine as if nothing changed. Because it hadn’t, not really. The sun will still rise in the east and set in the west. The birds will still sing their songs at daybreak and the fireflies will still flicker at dusk. Nothing changed, but everything did. The air feels lighter, the sun feels warmer and yet Zelda’s fingers still shake as if she was in the snowy Hebra peaks.

The Princess by nature, is very gentle. She’s soft and patient at heart, but was placed under such strenuous situations all through her youth that caused her to often snap or lash out. But not now. Currently she is silent, stone-cold and confused. She was in shock. And Link could tell.

“Here.” He pulls out a baked apple from his pack, handing it to her. He has to get her attention twice before she finally takes it, their hands brushing for a moment. Her awareness returns to her gaze then, her bright-green eyes meeting his.

“I-I’m so sorry.” She sighs, her voice weak. “I’m just… so tired.” Link tries not to show his distress, but she notices his demeanor change as well. “How much further?” She says, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

“Probably another hour and a half. It’s just through those mountains.” He points.

“Dueling peaks. I remember.” She nods. “I remember everything.”

“Everything?” He asks as he starts to dig around a pack on the rear end of Epona, searching for his rito attire. It was starting to get dark, and she hadn’t stopped shaking since they left Castle Town almost three hours ago.

Zelda nods once.

Her silence speaks volumes.

He yanks out his snowquill armor, finally. “Do you remember anything from the last hundred years?” She doesn’t answer right away, she instead takes a smaller than small bite out of the apple. “Zel? Can I put this on you? You’re still shivering.” He asks, looking at her blank, traumatized stare. “It’s from the Rito, it’s soft as a cloud and will keep you warm for the rest of the way.”

“The Rito.” She sighs. “Revali…”

Link realizes that she hasn’t had any time to process what she just went through. She had spent the last one hundred years deeply focused, probably in a trance-like state. He places a hand on her cheek. “Look at me.” His voice is gentle and welcoming, not forcing her at all. She looks at him, their eyes locking. “Breathe with me.”

They take two deep, heavy breaths. They sync their inhales, exhaling together.

“It’s over. It’s all over, okay?” He reassures her. “It’s not coming back. It’s just us now, alright?”

She swallows, still emotionless. “You’ve changed.” She says.

“So have you.” Link smiles in an attempt to comfort her. “Can I put this shirt on you?” He asks again. She answers faster than she usually had, nodding twice this time. Link bunches up the excess fabric before pulling the head-opening over her hair. He then guides each one of her hands through the arm-holes. Link takes a moment to adjust the garb around her torso until it was probably positioned around her shaking body. She immediately sighs in relief.

“You talk more.” She mumbles, looking at him as he gently wraps his fingers around her long, golden hair and softly pulls it out of the shirt, knowing how much it irritates him when his hair is loose underneath a shirt.

He smiles again, “I do. Some people say I don’t shut up.” He tries to lighten the mood.

“Like who?”

“Impa.” He sighs.

Zelda’s eyes light up with that name. “Impa?”

He hums and nods. “We can go visit her when you’re feeling stronger, okay?”

“Okay…” Zelda looked down into her lap, the skirt of her goddess dress was barely white anymore. “I am going to get stronger, right?” She asks, her voice tender and broken.

Link’s heart sinks. Not because he’s worried she won’t, but rather because he feels responsible for putting her in this state.

“Of course.” He reassures. He believed it. He wanted to believe it.

“I’m… just so tired.” She repeats herself.

“I know, come on, let's get you a bed.” He then picks her up bridal style from the ground. They had stopped in the first place to get that rito armor for her. She rests her head against his chest as he lifts her onto Epona. She smells like burnt oil and exhaustion. He probably isn’t smelling any better.

They wouldn’t get to Hateno until noon at the earliest tomorrow, and traveling wasn’t doing anything for her recovery. He gets on Epona behind her, letting her weak body rest against his chest as they make their way to Dueling Peaks Stable. The road is quiet, so much quieter than it ever has been. The pair of lizalfos always swimming in the river aren’t there, and even the crickets suppress their chirps.

It’s post-apocalyptic. Literally. Link isn’t sure how to feel.

She throws up a few hundred feet from the stable. She gags and lurches over the side of the horse, somehow managing to keep it off of anyone. Not much comes out, she hasn’t eaten in over a century, but Link frowns when he realizes the apple probably triggered it. He silently curses himself out for causing her any form of distress. She dry heaves violently, and Link tries to hold her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. When she finishes, she holds her breath.

She can’t decide if she feels like she lost a bit of dignity or not. She holds back the tears that well in her eyes. Link breathes in to say something, but she raises her hand in protest. She would rather they act like it never happened. Neither of them say anything from there on, they just keep riding the final minute of the journey.

Everyone at the stable was asleep except for an attendant… who was also treading precariously between consciousness and a deep rest behind the counter.

“Excuse me?” Link asks to wake him up, hopping off of Epona after making sure Zelda would still be comfortable in his absence. She would never admit she wasn’t.

The man stirs awake with a jolt. He yawns, slightly startled, “So sorry, young man.” Link wouldn’t necessarily call himself young. He smirks softly.

“I’d like to board this horse till the morning, and we’d like one soft bed, please.” Link nods before setting down the required rupees. The man squints his eyes, taking the money in hand.

“Ah! It’s you! Link, was it?” He asks when Link turns his back to help Zelda down from the horse. “Jeez, you haven’t passed through here in at least six months! We were holding onto that old mare for you!” He gestures to their stables where a small gray spotted horse sleeps. Link’s first horse since he woke up from his century-long slumber. He only rode her in the beginning, when he was doing chores between Hateno, Kakariko and one time a longer trip to Zora’s Domain. But she’s old and weak, which is why she was easy to catch when Link was still regaining his strength. He stopped taking her out when he found Epona in the western part of Central Hyrule.

“Yeah… you guys can let her free.” He says as he sets Zelda down on the ground. She holds her cold hands together.

“Well uhh.. we tried. You see, after four months at a stable we let go of any forgotten pony’s, but she kept coming back.” He chuckled, his voice exhibiting a distinctive nasality.

“Here,” Link hands him a red rupee, not wanting to discuss an old horse any longer when he literally has the closest thing to a God in this world resting her head on his back. “Keep her for another month, I’ll come take care of her then. Okay?” Link asks. “Can I get that bed now?” Not impolite or forceful, he never was. He’s assertive but has a comforting cadence to his tone. For being such a talented swordsman, guard and easily the most deadly hylian in the entire kingdom, he was never rude or condescending. He was welcoming, and little kids often looked up at him with intimidation when they first met him, but it didn’t ever take long until they were chasing him with tree-branches while he fled and begged for mercy, letting them take him down with ease. The kids at the stables loved him, knew him by name, and would play as him in their silly pretend games.

The stable-man replies, “Of course! But you only asked for one bed, it’s not big enough to fit both of you.”

“I know, it’s for her not me.” Link then starts to guide her into the stable, where it’s much warmer and safer. Just because it’s quiet doesn’t mean it's safe. Hyrule is a dangerous place by nature, especially if you’re two century-old Gods being hunted for sport with the faces of children.

“You won’t sleep?” Zelda asks quietly behind him.

He doesn’t directly answer, and instead guides her to the bed. She’s weary, and he’s terrified of her not waking up. He wouldn’t be able to sleep even if he wanted to. He helps the Princess sit in the bed, and kneels before her to untie her sandals. When he touches the leather, he immediately gets transported into another memory.

It rips through him, just like the memories he had images of. Suddenly, he’s kneeling in the same position, but instead he was outside of the spring of courage. He looks up to see the clear sky, it’s sunset, and then his eyes meet Zeldas. Her face is rosy, and her eyes don’t have the blank stare they possess in the current time. He looks down at his fingers, tying the straps around her ankle.

“Really, you don’t have to do that.” She hums. He doesn’t respond. He never did back then. He finishes wrapping the leather around itself and then stands up. His face is emotionless. She looks at him, they’re about the same height. “I won’t be long this time.” She says. “I’m not expecting much anyways.” She sighs and then walks past him, but before she can get very far, he gently grabs onto her arm, holding her back. He doesn’t say anything but she can read his expression. He’s trying to tell her to have faith this time, just one more time.

Surely the Goddess would commune with her.

She shakes her head, and wades into the warm waters of the spring. Link turns to watch her, how her hair cascaded down her back, how her hands balled into fists. She turns around to look at him, their eyes meet. She smiles.

He comes back as fast as the scene played in his memory. He blinks a few times, and looks up at her. She doesn’t look any different, very little—if any—time seemed to pass. He doesn’t usually experience memories with someone, he wonders if she realized anything happened. Link didn’t even consider the fact he would keep receiving memories after the fact. His stomach turns, he feels like he’s lived two completely different lives and is forced to remember things from one that he doesn’t even relate to anymore. He doesn’t feel like the same person, the boy he was a hundred years ago is a complete stranger to him.

Link much preferred this life.

And that scares Zelda.

“I just remembered something.” He says. Zelda hums in response, a light-hearted noise that implies an inquiry. He elaborates, “I used to tie your sandals for you at the springs, didn’t I?” He asks.

Zelda smiles for the first time since they defeated Ganon. It’s a small pull of her lips, not showing any teeth but her eyes finally light back up. After she had asked if he remembered her on the field, she collapsed, not even aware of her own exhaustion until that moment. He ran to her aid, and ever since then she felt woozy, it only got worse the further from the castle they got.

“You did, yes.” She says. “I never asked you to, but since I was in the dress, you insisted.” She sighs. Link grunts in response. “It was very chivalrous.” Zelda adds.

They look at each other for a minute. Not saying anything. It was late, and two beds down there was a set of kid brothers sleeping. Link remembered them from their last visit. One of them wanted nothing to do with him, trying to act mature and ‘cool’. Link eventually won him over, though. They don’t speak out of fear of waking anyone. Zelda’s smile slowly fades away, and Link swallows thickly. They will never be the same.

He pulls her sandals off, her feet are filthy with century-old mud. He silently smiles about that. The closest thing to a Goddess in the entire world has dirty feet. How human of her.

Then, after pulling down the heavy rito-down blanket so she can slide in, he helps Zelda swing her legs into the bed. He pulls the blanket up to her neck, she lays on her side facing him. Her hands find their way up to her face, resting her cheek against them. Link pulls a short stool over to the bed, sitting on it and looking at her, bending at the waist.

“You’re not going to leave me, are you?” She asks in a timid, sleepy voice.

Link’s heart just about breaks when she asks. “Never.” He shakes his head. He takes his gloved hand and tucks a piece of her loose hair behind her pointed-ears. He lets his fingers linger a little bit longer than they should. “I will never ever leave you again.”

“Promise?” She asks, her eyes heavy with exhaustion.

“Promise.” He whispers, “Just as long as you promise to never leave me, okay?” He asks, ignoring the lump in this throat.

“Promise.” She says, taking her pinky finger and sticking it out for him. He wraps his finger with hers, which is far daintier and softer than he's ever been. She is a Princess, after all.

“Wake up in the morning, okay?” He whispers.

“Mhm.” She hums as her eyes slowly close. He tries to disconnect their pinky fingers, but she holds onto his. He leaves his hand in that position, letting her hold it until she falls fast asleep.

Link doesn’t move his hand until he’s certain it won’t wake her up from her much needed rest. He looks at her gentle, soft face. No one even understands what she just went through, no one ever will. He’s worried sick that she won’t make it through the night, and he keeps leaning his head down to listen to her breathing, or places a few fingers against her forehead to check her temperature.

He does his best to stay vigilant the entire night, not once even looking away from her. But just before the sun rises, his body suddenly catches up with his mind. He also just had the most demanding battle of his life. His muscles started to ache, and he developed a headache. He was just a boy, after all. More than anything, his sword arm was weak, and fire-hot pain shot up and down through it. He probably overused it fightin the calamity.

He keeps telling himself that he’s fine. He has to be fine, for Zelda. His arm isn’t that bad, what really hurts was his heart. Usually he’d just down a fairy tonic and maybe go to the hot springs if he was in the area but this pain was different. A twisting and contracting ache in his chest pulled and tugged on his lungs and pulse. It’s the same pain he felt when he remembered Mipha, and more specifically, the pain he felt when he dreamed about his family before the resurrection.

The dream that gave him the memories of a little sister with blonde hair like his collecting fireflies in her pockets. Her laugh echoing, the call of an older man, the image of a royal guards sword leaned up against the dinner table. The touch of his father’s hand as he rubs Link’s back to sleep.

Link’s first sword.

He wakes up like a fire, standing up and almost toppling over. He didn’t even realize he had fallen asleep. He could hear the soft tune of the penny whistle playing the standard stable theme, and the two little brothers played tag outside. He curses and looks down at Zelda.

Her bed is empty, and his heart completely stops. He starts breathing hard and heavy, his entire nervous system feels as though it’s pulled into stasis. How could he make such a foolish mistake? He swings his sword over his back, strapping his shield to his leathers and turns around in a wild-hunt to see the Princess sitting at the round stable table, drinking out of a mug and speaking gently with an older man.

Link takes a breath of relief, and approaches the two.

“Good Morning.” She smiles up at him. Her voice sounded much better, and her eyes finally had life back into them, but she still wasn’t herself. Her skin still looked sickly, her face hollowed out and eyes droopy. Any progress is good progress, Link decides then and there.

“I… didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Link sighs. “I’m so sorry. When did you wake up?”

“Oh not long ago, maybe twenty minutes? I didn’t want to disturb you-”

“You should have.” He interrupts her and her words get swallowed out of surprise. Link realizes that he snapped at her a little, and immediately becomes apologetic. “I’m sorry, again. I just…”

“You’re worried about me. I understand.” She takes his hand, her bones frail. In many ways, she physically looked worse today than last night. But at least she could hold a conversation. He nods. Zelda notices the tension, and changes the subject, “This kind gentleman was telling me about when you saved the stable from a horde of lizalfos about a year ago.”

Link looks over at the man, Giahzo. “Oh that was nothing, it was just two green lizalfos and a blue one who wandered too close to the stable.” Link hums. Their hands were still held together by Zelda.

“Don’t be so modest!” The old man chuckled, “Without you, it would have been a disaster! The number of monsters means nothing, especially when you don’t know how to fight!”

“That’s very kind of you.” Link smiles and then realizes he and Zeldas hands, he’s the one to pull it away. “What are you drinking?”

“I’m not sure…” Zelda begins and Link immediately snatches the mug from her hand. “Hey!”

“You can’t just drink something mysterious.” Link scolds.

“Oh it’s just a bit of Hateno Milk.” The man assures. Link looks at him, then Zelda, and then into the mug to see the creamy liquid. He brings it to his nose and smells it, and then takes a sip of it. Sure enough, it was just milk.

“I’m sorry, Giahzo.” He apologizes and places the mug back down. “I’m just on high alert.”

“Do not apologize to me, apologize to this lovely young lady you’ve graced us with.” The elderly man smiles with a chuckle, his eyes wrinkling up with his age. Zelda smiles, blushing a little, “Tell me, dear, where are you from? We don’t get many new faces at this stable these days.”

Zelda looks at him, her eyes sad. A hundred years ago every person in Hyrule knew her face. She looks at Link, unsure how to answer.

“She’s from the Outskirts stable.” Link covers for her. “Her family used to reside in Central Hyrule before the Calamity.”

“Yes.” Zelda immediately chirps, “We’re headed to Hateno for…”

“A honeymoon!?” Giahzo smiles brightly. Both Link and Zelda freeze in their tracks, and Link hopes he doesn’t look as embarrassed as he feels. “Hateno is a great Honeymoon destination! Although I’ve heard Lureline is even more splendid!” He clasps his hands together.

“Research.” Zelda clarifies, “so sorry to disappoint.” She chuckles politely, making a conscious effort not to look at Link. “I’m researching… population dynamics in Hyrule.” She makes something up that sounds completely believable.

“Of course.” Link then says, “I’m just escorting her there, we are total strangers.”

That breaks Zelda’s heart.

She knows he’s just trying to be extra careful, pushing her anonymity as much as possible. And in a way, it wasn’t a total lie. But it cut her like a knife.

“I see…” Giahzo doesn’t seem convinced. “Well, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to stop by. Hopefully the monsters will start to die down.” He smiles and stands up, moving outside.

Zelda is still afraid to look at Link, and he’s a little bit shaken up by the entire interaction. He knows the Yiga are still out there, he knows that there are people who will try to take advantage of her for power or money. He has no reason to suspect anything from the old man, but he can’t help himself from being deliberate. He senses her tension and walks back to the bed to gather their things.

“You should have woken me up.” Link says as he picks up a satchel full of food and readjusts his gloves.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was timid and tired. He turns around to see her, her green eyes looking up at him apologetically. “I didn’t know it would worry you so.” He approaches her.

“Of course it worries me.” He sighs. “I spent three years trying to get you out of that castle, I’m not gonna lose you on the first night.” He holds his hand out for her to trade, helping her up. She must not have rested as well as he thought, because as soon as she gets on her feet, she almost topples right over him. He catches her, holding her up before she collapses. “Woah there.” He mutters. “You alright?”

She nods, “Let’s just get to that house you told me about.”

—

chapter two

768 notes · View notes

justhereforxreaders · 7 days

Text

The Prince and the Dragon Rider - Part Seven: The Rift

Jacaerys Velaryon x dragon rider!reader

Summary: while still reeling from your first day in King’s Landing, you must come to terms with the command given during your private conversation with Princess Rhaenyra.

Warnings: angst, anxiety/panic attacks

part one: the oath

part two: tempest

part three: the dawn

part four: the test

part five: precipice

part six: pieces and players

soundtrack - listening recommendations:

• triassic love song by Paris Paloma • I’d Have to Think About It by Leith Ross • putting a spin on good luck, babe! by Egg • Call Your Mom by Noah Kahan •

After making your way through the endless maze of The Red Keep, and finally finding your newly assigned chambers within the palace, you sat in the stillness trying to calm yourself. Though you’d have likely found more rest if you had continued to wander. The opulence of the vast, unfamiliar space only made you feel more isolated and out of place.

With no other anchor to cling to as you try to soothe your heartache, your mind drifts to your mother.

Six short years of life by her side gave you little insight into the kind of person she was, or the kind of person she hoped you’d be. She was likely kind, and certainly clever, but what you knew without question was that she was incomparably fierce. In your bleakest moments on your journey with Tempest, you’d holdfast to the memory of her strength, using it endure whatever challenges you faced.

Surviving life’s hardships was your way to honor her sacrifices. And though, you told yourself that she’d be proud of who you’d become, you’d always pondered what kind of life she’d have wished for you if survival hadn’t been her primary driving force. If she’d been given the opportunity to be carefree and gentle, what kind of person would that have made you. Surely she wanted more than mere survival for you, but was the life you sold yourself to what she’d have wanted for you? Were you still honoring her memory?

Which was why, as fierce as you had made yourself and as hard as you fought to prove your worth within a realm of dragonlords, you also strived to preserve some of the softness within you that she was denied. If there was hope that you’d be able to find a peaceful life, you wanted your heart to be able to receive it.

However, as you sit alone with an ache so powerful it feels as though your chest has been set alight, you begin to despise your effort to protect that tenderness. If all you were meant to do was simply become a pawn in someone else’s game, what use was there for softness? What need was there for love?

You are so consumed by your thoughts that you do not hear the soft knock at your door or the quiet footsteps that tiptoe across the room as you lie motionless on top of your bedding. When Jace whispers your name from the foot of the bed, it takes you a moment to realize it is not in your head.

“Are you alright?” he whispers slightly louder, voice laced with concern. “I returned to the godswood and you had already gone.”

You sit up slowly, avoiding his eyes, and fold your legs beneath you, keeping your gaze fixed on the fabric below. After a beat and no response from you, you hear him shuffle around to the side of the bed.

“What did my mother speak to you about?” He asks quietly and your breath hitches.

He takes notice and moves to sit at the edge of the bed. Unable to bring yourself to voice the Princess’s command, you force yourself to look up and find his gaze in the dark. His eyes widen at your disheveled state and he darts a hand out to grasp yours.

“What happened?” He asks in a frantic whisper. “What’s wrong?”

You close your eyes and take your hand from his, steadying yourself with a shaky breath before finding your voice.

“I have been instructed to keep my distance from you,” your voice cracks, hoarse from hours of silence following your onslaught of tears.

“By who?” He moves closer to your face to see you clearly, “My mother?”

You sigh deeply and nod your head, he stands from the bed suddenly and you watch as he begins to pace the floor.

“She believes the nature of our companionship could be called into question, thus, jeopardizing your prospects for alliances through marriage.” You mutter.

“I fail to see why anyone would concern themselves with such speculation. You are my friend. Where is the fault in that?” He huffs and continues to pace back and forth.

“Jacaerys,” you say softly, “look at us. The closeness of our friendship is no secret to anyone, but what if you were to be discovered here? Alone in my chambers in the dead of night?” He stops in his tracks, as if this is the first he’s considered this, “Accusations and assumptions would not be difficult to form.”

“Why should it matter what they say, if it isn’t true?” He mumbles, staring intently at the floor.

“It doesn’t matter what they say or what they think,” You stand, crossing your arms over your chest, trying to contain the sorrow building within, “but I cannot allow them to turn me into a weapon to be used against you.”

His head snaps up in your direction, the confusion plain on his face as you continue.

“Look at why we’ve travel all this way in the first place. There are always going to be those looking to undermine and discredit someone in your position. Whether you admit it or not, you know our friendship could harm you and your standing. I will not risk being complicit in your pain.”

“And what of the pain that your absence would inflict? Why must we be forced to choose between happiness and duty?” He pleads and steps toward you.

“Your mother tried to have both, did she not?” You say plainly and he finds your eyes before placing his hands on your arms.

“Yes but this is different, there has to be a way,” there is a desperation in his voice that you have not heard before that breaks your heart even further, “Why must her mistakes determine our future? We can find our own path.”

You step closer and unfold your arms, taking hold of his hands as he makes to pull them away.

“The moment I took my oath, I knew I was giving up my right to my own path, Jace. For a time, it was easy to forget the larger roles we would be called to play. It felt like we could have both…” your voice trails off as you absentmindedly run your thumbs across the backs of his hands, “But the pieces are moving. And we must take our place.” Your voice wavers, if there were any tears left in your body they would be flowing freely.

He looks down at your clasped hands, gripping them tighter.

“But I can’t lose you.” He utters before returning his gaze back to yours, tears beginning to form in his deep brown eyes, “If I am to walk this horrid path then I only wish to do it with you by my side.”

You both stand quietly in the darkness, searching each other’s eyes, letting his words hang in the air around the two of you.

A hushed gasp leaves his lips and he takes a step back. Eyes wide and hands trembling as they leave yours. You cross your arms over your chest, taking a ragged breath which causes Jacaerys to take half step forward. Raising a palm in protest, you step away.

“Please go,” you sob softly.

He opens his mouth slightly, a question forming on his lips.

“Please, Jace,” you interrupt as sternly as you can manage, “I can’t.”

He closes his mouth and stares at you for a moment, unmoving, eyes locked on your face. Involuntarily, he begins to walk towards the door, still watching you intently, conflict and confusion becoming clearer upon his face with every step away from you. You nod silently once he reaches the door and with one last pained glance he exits your chambers, once again leaving you in solitude.

You retreat back to the bed and collapse into the fabric, curling up on your side as the tearless sobs begin to rack your body once more. Cursing the tenderness you have allowed to blossom there. As you desperately will the pain into numbness, you are at last given some relief as you are mercifully pulled into a dreamless sleep.

You awake with the dawn in a daze, taking a moment to remember where you are as you look about your unfamiliar surroundings. Once your mind is fully pulled from the fog of sleep, you stand from the bed and make your way across the room, trying to stretch your tired muscles as you pull fresh clothes from your bag.

As you rummage through your belongings, the red cloak you were gifted when you were sworn into service comes to the surface. You look upon it quietly for a moment before retrieving your other items of clothing and rushing back to the bed to dress yourself, doing your best to stomp out the sparks of anguish that its appearance brings forth.

Dressing yourself slowly and deliberately, you keep your mind focused on each step, trying to avoid inciting any further emotional responses. However, the red of the cloak makes that task all the more difficult as it lingers in the periphery of your vision. After fully dressing you dart back to the bag, intent on burying the cloak deep within, but a knock on the door stays your hand for the moment.

A handmaiden enters and offers you a bow.

“The Lady Baela,” she announces and backs out through the door as Baela steps forward.

“Good morrow, y/n,” she says with a bright smile.

“Good morrow, my Lady,” you bow stiffly, “how can I be of service?”

She walks forward, looking over your chambers until she spies a small table then turns back to you.

“I thought we might break fast together before we make our way to the throne room for the petitions,” she grimaces slightly at the mention of today’s events, “I imagined my cousins would be occupied with other affairs and didn’t want you to be left behind.”

The thought of the Princes causes a twisting pain in your chest but you do your best to smile politely.

“Thank you,” you mutter, “that’s very kind of you.”

She makes her way across the floor to stand next to you, a mischievous glimmer in her eye.

“I wondered if you might tell me about your travels as well,” she quirks a brow inquisitively, “Rhaena has already told me so much but I’d love to hear them from you if you’re willing to share?”

“Rhaena has told you about me?” Your brow furrows as you register her words.

“She has,” she chuckles lightly at your expression, “in letters and through most of the night, in fact.”

“That is surprising,” you say, taken aback by this revelation, “I thought she despised me.”

“She may,” she shrugs, rolling her eyes at her twin,“but more than anything she hates what she was denied. When we lived in Pentos, we had heard rumors of the wild sea dragon that lurked in the waters. For a time, Rhaena had plans to find it and claim it for herself before our mother died.”

You reel back in disbelief.

“I was unaware I had such a reputation,” you breath a laugh, a genuine smile growing at the corner of your lips.

Baela smirks and nods her head.

“You and your dragon have made quite a name for yourselves,” she takes you by the crook of the arm, “I look forward to testing mine and Moondancer’s mettle against yours one day.”

“I look forward to that as well, my Lady,” you nod in agreement.

Another knock rings out and more servants enter with platters of warm food.

“Shall we?” She asks and gestures towards the table where the meal has been placed.

“Yes please,” you say with a grateful sigh.

Conversation with Baela flowed effortlessly, bringing an ease to your soul as the two of you swapped stories over the meal. The relief was much too short lived however, as once the servants had cleared the table, Baela’s handmaiden steps forward.

“It’s time, my Lady,” she informs the two of you and you freeze in place.

Baela sees the change in your demeanor and thanks her handmaiden before she stands and moves to offer her hand to pull you from your seat.

“We’ll be along shortly.” She calls with a nod before returning her attention to you.

Her eyes soften and she sighs quietly.

“My mother used to say that The Red Keep was poisonous, but that poison could not harm a dragon.”

You take her hand and she pulls you to your feet.

“You may not be the blood of the dragon. But you certainly have the heart of one,” she smiles softly meeting your eyes to ensure you understand, “Don’t let them take that from you.”

You take a deep breath and stand at attention.

“Are you ready?” She asks calmly.

“Yes,” you pause, looking back to your belongings, “just give me one moment.”

You step over to your bag pull the cloak free, swinging it over your shoulders in one swift motion before affixing it with a black dragon clasp. Returning to Baela’s side, she beams proudly and links her arm through yours.

“Onwards, Dragon Rider.”

• @freefallthoughts @eywas-heir

90 notes · View notes

cosmal · 2 years

Note

leith ross — send me a headcanon or a prompt + a character and i’ll write you a blurb.

ok so. I just know when remus lupin is sleepy he gets clingy. usually he’s not overly clingy but when he’s tired it gets bad. do what u will with that gf <3

lovely hair

summary remus won't let you shower when you get home.

content remus lupin x fem!afab!reader

note um yes this is him <3

You finish work and there are about three things on your mind. Dinner, taking your horrible shoes off, and your boyfriend who you know is about somewhere. You suspect his bedroom.

You sit down at his ottoman and slip your mary jane's off. You leave them on the rug and decide to deal with them later. You can hear Remus's heavy footsteps across his flat.

You head to where you know he is and crack the door open. He sits on his bed with a towel around his waist and another in his hair. "Rem," you say quietly, not to disturb the blanket of quiet. He drags the towel over his face and looks at you. Smiling.

"Baby," he says. He never calls you baby.

"Hello," you chirp. Moving over to him, you unzip your skirt for more relief. You stand between his legs and sigh.

"Missed you," he mumbles as you throw your arms over his shoulders, linked behind his neck. The towel guards you against the water on his skin.

"Yeah?" you ask. You can't help it when you take the hair at the nape of his neck between gentle fingers. You twist and twist until water beads between your pointer and thumb and drags down your palm.

"Had a long day," he admits and sounds more tired than he seems. He looks fresh and dewy from his shower, cheeks a tinge of pink, eyelashes sparkling with drops of water. Still, he blinks slowly and you can see his breaths becoming more shallow.

You take his towel from his shoulders before his back can get any worse, and pout on his behalf. "I'm sorry, honey," you say gently. With even worse hands, you start to dry his hair.

You're much more gentle than you know he would've been. You can see it's started to frizz where it falls around his eyes where he's been rough with it. You work the excess water from his hair, slow where you squeeze and ruffle his soft locks.

"Feels nice," he says. Voice quiet and thick when he speaks. You watch him close his eyes and lean back into your arms. He's adorable.

"Yeah, you're mean to your hair," you say just as quietly.

"Am not."

"You're too quick, you gotta do it slowly," you tell him and throw his damp towel through the open door of his bathroom. "You have such lovely hair."

He leans back in and pushes his face into your abdomen. Nose pressing into the fat of your belly, he sighs. He wraps his arms around your legs and the barrier of your work tights feels horrible. You need to feel his skin some more if you're honest about it.

"Wanna take off your skirt?" he says into your shirt.

"Yeah," you say back.

He lets you go with a touch of excitement. You giggle and bend down to tug it down your legs and step out of it. He's back on you before you know it.

"Can I get changed?" you ask, holding his face in your hands. You tug his cheeks back gently and brush your thumbs over their highest point.

He shakes his head and mumbles a no.

"Remus, I'm all smelly," you say with a wrinkled face. You'd push him off if you had it in you.

"No, you're not," he says firmly. "You smell like you."

"I've been at work all day, I wanna have a shower," you tell him through a laugh.

"But, I've already showered," he says, mildly put out.

It's a treasure, really, to see him like this. It's rare, he's never this touchy, this wanting. You're used to his silent pleas, the grabs and searching hands that he tries to keep minimal. Though, when he's tired like this he hasn't an ounce of resolve. He's much more pliable, you think.

"Remus," you say as firmly as you can manage. Not very, if you're honest.

"Just lay down with me for a little bit." It's not really a question and you don't blame him for it. You've felt the same way several times - most of the time - and he's never denied you. He sleeps in later than he should with you in the mornings, he lets you sit in his lap when you ask him, and he never says no when you ask to cuddle on his sofa. It's not in his nature.

You look at him, the last sparkles of dampness, the towel that's started to slip off his waist, and his soft tummy, and you suddenly don't think it's in your nature to say no to him either.

"Okay," you say much to his delight. His droopy eyes brighten more than you thought was possible. "Okay, we can do that."

He doesn't say anything intelligible, just tugs you down with him into his bed. You curl in on yourself, tucked into his side with his arm behind your head. You lay your arm over his naked torso and realise this is much better.

“Not long, though,” you say but you don’t want to. You’d hoped this wouldn’t happen. “Gotta have a shower and make dinner.”

“Can I shower with you?” he asks, hand smoothing a pattern up your arm and into the rumpled sleeve of your blouse.

“You’re not serious, are you?” you laugh and look at him through the crush of your eyelashes.

He looks like you’ve slapped him. “Yeah, sweetheart.”

“Your hair’s just dried, baby.” You twist another selfish finger through his damp hair in front of his face. He keens.

“I’ll sit on the toilet.” You think he actually Is being serious.

"C'mon, Remus. You're tired." You kiss his cheek. "I'll shower and then make us some soup or something." Then his other cheek and his top lip. He chases you blindly when you pull back.

"You've just finished work. You shower and I'll make dinner, yeah?"

You sigh. You don't think you'll win with him. "You sure? It won't take me long."

"I don't mind." He kisses like you wished you would've. Slow and warm against your mouth until you're hiccuping a gaspy sound that makes Remus want to cry.

"You're unbelievable," you sigh.

"I know."

It takes you an hour before you convince Remus to let you shower.

hoping this fixes the readmore

#remus lupin #remus lupin x reader #remus lupin x fem!reader #remus lupin x female reader #remus lupin x you #remus lupin x yn #remus lupin fanfic #remus lupin fanfiction #remus lupin imagine #marauders fanfiction #the marauders fanfiction #marauder x reader

983 notes · View notes