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flowersandbigteeth · 3 months

Note

Orc boyfriend with what he thinks is a tiny, smol mate who's so smol, so delicate, so sweet... They're actually pretty firmly built for a human, while a bit short, along with being stubborn and sassy and ready to bite heads off for their adorable XL size boyfriend.

I've got so many orc stories going right now, but you know I'm not mad about it ^_^ I love Orcs <3 There are so many different ways to write them. I have another couple of Orc asks I'm working on, as well 🥵

Orc (Cedar) x thick f reader

Word Count: 5K

Tw: sfw orc fluff, some brief descriptions of battle, brief mention of sa, size difference

More monster fluff here

“Put the stick down, sugar. We’re not going to hurt you.”

You scoffed at the soldiers circling you, their eyes dark with lust.

“We just want to have some fun,” another said, his eyes drifting over your shapely hips. “Don’t you owe us a debt of gratitude for rescuing you?”

You squeezed the iron fire poker that you had gripped in your hand.

“Rescuing me? You didn’t get your rocks off burning down the damn village?”

“It was a strategic maneuver,” the leader of the armored men said with an oily smile. “We are here to liberate you.”

“By assaulting me?” you snapped.

There was not a doubt in your mind that the second you lowered your weapon, they were going to drag you into some dark corner and act out all of the sick thoughts they had echoed on their faces.

Your King’s soldiers weren’t good guys. When they heard there was an Orc camp nearby, they couldn’t be bothered to attack it directly. Instead, they burned down your village. They said it was to prevent them from resupplying.

It was true you did business with the Orcs, who were technically your enemy, but they never acted like enemies. While big and quite scary-looking, they paid in gold and were always polite to the women running the shops. You never felt the least bit unsafe alone with one, and occasionally, they’d help you out with things that needed done– fixing roofs and cartwheels. The men of the town had all been conscripted for the war, so it mostly the ladies keeping the village afloat. The soldiers had made a whole lot of children and the elderly homeless.

“Come on, sweetie, this game is getting tiresome.”

One of the soldiers dared to approach you, and you didn’t hesitate a second, swinging your poker and smacking him so hard in the head that his helmet crunched. He collapsed on the broken boards that had once been the floor of your little noodle shop.

“Now that’s a crime!” the leader barked.

He waved to his accomplices.

“Get in there and restrain her!” Their eyes fell on the collapsed soldier, and they looked between one another, trying to sort out who was next to get a whomping.

You flexed your wrist, preparing to swing at whoever came at you next, when you heard the heavy steps of an Orc approaching. The soldiers were too inexperienced to know what that sound meant. You’d heard them approach every day at dinner time for several months. It wasn’t until he was shouldering his way through what was left of your door that they took notice.

“The enemy approaches! Your swords!”

The Orc you knew as Ash, wrinkled his brow and let out a lilting call to gather his brethren. The ground rumbled as more heavy feet ran towards you.

Wood splintered, and what remained of the ceiling creaked as they tore the walls away, making more room for a fight.

Faced with five nine-foot Orc barbarians armed with axes almost as big as their bodies, the soldiers tried to run for it. You screamed as they threatened to trample you, trying to force their way through the back wall, but they never reached you.

The Orcs didn’t need to draw their weapons, grabbing every soldier and smacking them against the ground until they stopped moving—a gruesome way to die, but practical.

When the danger was crumpled into a wet gnarl of bones and metal, their eyes turned to you. Ash said something to his friends in their own language before he stomped across the room and plucked you up like a kitten, cradling you in his arm.

“Hey, What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Quiet, little one. You’ll give us away.”

You puckered your lips at him, annoyed, as if the stomping of five tons of muscle was quiet. When you tried to wave your poker at him, he plucked it out of your hand but didn’t drop it, tucking it instead in his belt. He said something else to his friends before turning to split away from them.

You had no reason to panic. The Orcs had never harmed you, but being taken away from the group put frightening thoughts in your head, and you instinctively started screaming.

The Orc sighed, sounding tired, when four more soldiers came skidding around a corner, swords in hand. You looked up at him apologetically, smacking your hand over your mouth to stay the scream that didn’t want to stop.

He set you on the roof of what was left of a building and pat you on the head, a gesture that you read as “stay” before pulling out his axe. You weren’t going anywhere, even if you wanted to. The drop was fifteen feet down, and the stairs were just charcoal at the base of the building.

“Attack!” the leader of the soldiers shouted, but their moves in their heavy metal armor were slow. Ash swung his arm in a sweeping stroke that sliced four of them in half where they stood. The other one, eyes wide with horror, turned tail and ran.

Replacing his axe, he picked you up again and headed into the woods. This time, you had enough sense to keep quiet.

You’d never been to the Orc camp before, but you heard it before you saw it. The brassy sound of a grinder and hammers on metal rang through the trees, blended with the shouts of the Orcs in their language. There were lots of huge tents and fires spotted here and there. The camp was buzzing with activity. Orcs ran around shouting at one another, some gathering weapons, some sending groups in the direction you came. You recognized many of them as some of your customers. They often came in groups and hauled away vats of the noodle stew you sold.

A few Orcs waved at Ash but didn’t pay you much mind as he carried you to the nicest-looking tent. It had a banner outside of it with a gold bear embroidered into the fabric. Ash set you on the ground at the door and handed you your poker before patting you on the back, indicating you should go in.

“What’s in there?” you asked.

He said something in Orcish that you didn’t understand and walked away. There were too many other giants around to attempt an escape, so you pulled aside the fur covering the door and peeked inside.

“Hello?”

Your question was returned with a deep voice, smooth as a glassy pond.

“Enter, little one.”

Taking a few steps inside, you were faced with what you could only describe as the most handsome Orc you’d ever seen. His skin was a deep olive, and his hair fell over his shoulder in a long, dark sheet with small braids here and there. His tusks were large, but they seemed only to highlight how well his lips were formed. His features were harsh and defined but not unattractive, with a straight nose and deep-set gold eyes. The only thing you could point out as a flaw was a dark scar from his forehead to the right corner of his jaw.

You assumed the Orcs were blunt tools, sprinting into battle with no real plan, but this one was sitting at a high table examining maps with a book in his hand.

“I’m…I’m not sure why I’m here,” you said, brandishing your poker, though you didn’t feel like you were in any particular danger.

“I asked Ash to fetch you,” he said without looking up. “You’re the noodle shop woman.”

“My name is (Y/N), not “noodle shop woman,” and I don’t have a shop anymore. The soldiers burned it.”

He put his book down and turned his gold eyes to you.

“That’s why you’re here.”

“I don’t understand.”

His eyes drifted over you before they settled on the poker you were still holding up.

“You were feeding most of the camp. If there’s no shop to visit, you can make noodles here.”

You blinked up at him.

“Oh…Am I your prisoner?”

He chuckled.

“If you’d like to go back to your people, I won’t stop you, but judging how they burned down your village without hesitation, I think you’re safer with us.”

You had to admit that made some sense, but you still weren’t buying it.

“I can’t stay here with you!”

He tipped his head, the corner of his lip twitching up slightly.

“Why is that, little one?”

You narrowed your eyes at him.

“First of all, I’m NOT little, and second, an Orc camp is no place for a lady.”

A shudder that had nothing to do with fear shot down your spine as his eyes moved over your body. He crossed the room, scooping you up, and setting you on his table. Your feet dangled far from the ground.

“What- What are you doing?” you snapped, waving your weapon at him.

“My neck was hurting from looking down at you. You’re very short.”

The sparkle in his eyes told you he was teasing you, which drew heat to your cheeks.

“Maybe compared to you. You’re unnecessarily large. What are you doing with all of that muscle? Are you going to arm wrestle your books?” you pouted, eyes drifting to the massive bicep peeking out of the fur vest he wore.

He laughed out loud, gracing you with a wide smile.

“You’ll fit right in here.”

You raised your nose at him, trying to look unconvinced.

“Where will I even sleep? All of your tents are big and drafty.”

“Since you’ve declared your intention to court me, I wouldn’t mind if you slept here.”

“Declared my intention to— Where did you get that idea?”

He flicked a fingertip at your poker.

“In the old days, Orc females came to their males' tent and threatened them into submission with their favorite weapon.”

Your cheeks burned like hot irons, and you almost dropped it.

“Well…I’m not trying to court you. It’s for protection.”

He snorted at you but nodded his head.

“If you say so, little one, but it will be much warmer in my tent if it’s drafts you’re worried about.”

“I don’t even know your name. Ash called you something in your language. I didn’t understand…”

He examined one of the feet you had dangling over the edge of his table. Compared to his big hand, it was tiny.

“Cautalin, it means something close to general in your language, but you can call me Cedar. That’s what my mother named me.”

Your eyes traveled over his barrel chest and thick arms.

“Seems about right,” you said, finally setting your poker down.

He picked it up, looked it over, and tested the weight in his hand.

“Not a bad choice,” he said. “Light but effective.”

You glanced up at him through your eyelashes, feeling cheeky.

“Do you feel like submitting?”

You watched a flicker of heat ignite in his eyes, and he slowly set it down.

“Come on, let's get you to bed, killer.”

He picked you up again, walking you over to a large pallet covered in furs.

“This is your bed.”

He gave you another smile.

“We’re in the middle of a battle; I won't be sleeping tonight. It's all yours.”

Though you weren't quite sure about sleeping in his bed, weariness overtook you at the sight of the comfortable, cozy furs, and you crawled in, wrapping yourself up to your chin in blankets.

He put your poker next to you and blew out the candle, slipping out the front flap as you dozed.

—

You woke to yelling, but not the sound of battle. Crawling out of your furs, you picked up your poker and peeled out of the flap Cedar used as a door. Another Orc you didn't recognize was the one yelling, and Cedar had his arms crossed, looking bored.

Your eyes drifted to about twenty women, elderly, and children, cowering in the chilly morning air, their faces streaked with soot from the fire.

“They’re our enemies!” the strange Orc barked.

“Really, Asvoth? Are you really afraid of a handful of children and their mothers?”

“This is a war camp, not a nursery.”

“It's my camp, not yours. They stay.”

“I outrank you. I can take your command.”

Cedar snorted.

“Yet the King hasn't trusted you with a unit of your own. You're nothing more than an errand boy with a fancy title. Any of these children could take your job.”

Asvoth’s face turned a deep forest green from both embarrassment and indignation. He yanked the sword he wore on his back to his hand. Without thinking, you hopped in front of Cedar, waving your poker at the intruder. You had no idea why, a fact you only considered after you’d already put yourself in harm's way. Still, you'd made your move so the only thing to do was follow through.

“You heard Cedar! We’re not leaving! Get on if you know what's good for you!”

Asvoth sprung forward, dropping his sword toward your head. Your eyes squeezed shut, preparing for pain, but there was only the clang of metal. Opening one eye, you glanced up to see Cedar’s axe blocking the other Orc’s blow.

There was a moment when you thought Asvoth might overtake him, but Cedar’s muscles weren't all for show. He shoved the other Orc back, and he toppled over, landing on his butt in the dirt. His sword landed in front of the children with a CLANG.

“Woah!” the little ones cheered, circling around it like it was a strange animal.

A few of them tried to pick it up, but it was far too heavy, making their eyes pop even wider.

Cedar nodded at him, and a pair of Orcs from the camp dragged Asvoth up by the collar of his tunic, pushing him towards the forest.

“I'm reporting this!” He shouted over his shoulder as he stumbled towards the woods.

Cedar waved a hand at one of his Orcs, beckoning him closer.

“You and Orin follow him and make sure the King gets our side of the story, not his.”

When the situation seemed settled, Cedar looked down at you and patted your head.

“Thank you for your protection, little suitor,” he said with a smirk.

Your cheeks blew up in flames, but you puffed your chest and looked at the children watching Ash pick up the abandoned sword. They hopped around him like little bunnies, begging him to teach them to use it.

“I have no idea what you mean! I’m here to make noodles! Point me in the direction of my kitchen! These little mouths are probably hungry.”

He chuckled, but guided you with a large hand on your back to a large tent filled with whatever food supplies they had rescued from the village. You wrinkled your nose at the primitive workspace, but there were enough flour and eggs to work with. You were surprised to find someone had stuck in a lower table, perfect for your height. After washing your hands in a water basin, you got to cooking.

“What are you still doing here?” you asked Cedar, who had plopped down in a chair and was reading a book.

He smiled.

“Reading.”

You blinked at him, putting your floury fists on your hips. “Are you surveilling me? I’m not going to poison you all! I have to eat this too, you know.”

He tipped his head to the side, his gold eyes sparkling in the makeshift hearth.

“The sound of cooking is soothing. I liked to study in the kitchen while my mother cooked when I was a boy.”

You looked him up and down.

“I can’t imagine you as a child.”

You thought for a second, tapping your chin.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Orc child, actually.”

He looked back down at his book, shifting in his seat to get comfortable.

“You will,” he said as he flipped a page.

Your brow wrinkled at that nebulous statement, but you knew everyone was hungry after the long night, so you got back to work.

By midmorning, you had a stewpot big enough to feed an army filled with noodles, vegetables, and what little bit of venison the Orcs had been able to hunt between the battle.

“All done,” you said, clapping your hands and creating a puff of flour in the air.

Cedar got up and shouted something to his men, and two Orcs appeared to carry the big vat into the central circle so it could be served. You felt a sense of satisfaction when all the bowls were passed out and the children, tired humans, and bloodied Orcs were eating. The mothers spoke quietly between one another, while the children could hardly sit still, their big eyes following the Orcs every movement.

“Here.”

You looked up to find Cedar holding a bowl out to you. A grumbling stomach had you accepting it, and he patted the seat next to him for you to sit down. The two of you ate quietly for a moment before you asked him a question.

“What are you going to do with all of us?”

“Hmm?” he asked.

“Well, I mean when the battle is over. We have nowhere to go. Our town is destroyed.”

He looked at the children who, after scarfing down their bowls, were engaged in some game with Ash.

“I was hoping you would all return to our capitol city with us. That’s where we live when we’re not fighting.”

Your eyebrows jumped.

“To the Orc city? We’re humans. Don’t your people hate us?”

He shrugged.

“There are some weak minds who reveal their own fragility with their hate, but the rest of us like your kind. This whole war started because we wished to create allies amongst the humans.”

“What? The soldiers said you attacked!”

He chuckled.

“Your king has a very effective propaganda engine. That’s probably the only thing about him that is effective. We sent a delegation party to him to discuss our interest in mingling with you humans. You all are prolific; despite your size, you’re a sturdy bunch. We thought marriages would bolster our numbers and strengthen your stock. Your King attacked, and we were forced to defend ourselves. The force that attacked us was decimated, and he declared war.”

“You mean…you wish to mate with us?”

His eyes slid down to you, and he gave you a sharp nod.

“Is that so surprising?”

You thought about it for a moment.

“I don’t know…Maybe a little. You’re so strong. You’re not afraid we’ll diminish you?”

His thick hand cupped your chin and rubbed some flour away with his thumb. Your heart raced at his touch.

“Size is not what makes us strong. Our strength lies in our unbreakable bonds. Your King will be defeated, not because his forces are less than ours, but because he orders his men to betray his own people.”

He nodded towards the children, who were playing chicken fight on Ash and another Orc’s shoulders.

“They will remember it was men who burned down their village, stole their fathers from them, assaulted their mothers and Orcs who took them in, fed them, and helped them smile again.

“I suppose you’re right,” you agreed.

His smile widened.

“I will remember you took up arms to protect me against an enemy twice your size. You belong among the us.”

Suddenly the wool dress you wore was much too hot.

“I should go wash these before the next meal,” you squeaked, grabbing his empty bowl and scurrying away.

Once safe in the kitchen tent, you pressed your hand against your chest, trying to still your heart. Why did Cedar make you feel so fluttery? You’d never felt this way around anyone before. You usually kept to yourself and steered clear of romance. It had to be the battle, you decided. You were still hyped up from the night before. In a day or so, you were sure it would pass.

Dunking empty bowls in ice-cold river water helped cool your thoughts as you tried to focus on what to make for dinner. The Orcs stocks were pretty hefty, but they and the children ate a lot. You’d noticed many of the parents tipping some of their bowls into their little one’s, making sure they were fed properly in case the next meal didn’t come.

It saddened you it had to be this way. What horrible person decides to burn down their own citizens' village? Who was the King even protecting you from? Not the Orcs, that’s for sure.

A loud rabble outside dragged your attention away from the dishes, and you picked up your poker before peeking your head outside.

A few Orc scouts were speaking in rapid Orcish to Cedar. When they paused, his eyes immediately looked around for the children and frowned before he spoke to you all.

“The human King has sent reinforcements. They will close on our camp by nightfall.”

The mothers all gathered their children to their skirts, looking weary.

“Women and children to the kitchen tent! We will keep you safe, but you must stay hidden!”

You made way as a small stampede of humans rushed past you, many pushing their children to hide under the table.

“What’s happening?” You asked Cedar as people and Orcs rushed around.

He scrubbed his hand over his jaw, looking disturbed.

“Someone ran back to your King with a story that we’d kidnapped you, not taken you in from starving in a burnt-down village. We will win this fight, but then we will have to make the journey back to the capitol. They will keep attacking if they think you’re within their grasp. Do you think you can explain this to your people? We don’t intend to take anyone by force, but I wouldn’t trust the King’s soldiers.”

“Yes, of course. Whatever you need.”

You hurried back to the kitchen, where the humans were muttering to one another.

“Should we flee to the forest?” Isla, the former town candlemaker, asked. “Can we depend on the Orcs to protect us?”

Another woman scoffed.

“We can’t trust anyone. These Orcs are kind now, but they’ll sell us out at the drop of a hat.”

Linda, a quiet woman who worked as a weaver, whimpered.

“But we’ll starve in the forest alone. Word is the King’s men have raized every town for fifty miles!”

You inserted yourself into the conversation, holding up your hands.

“No one needs to escape to the woods. The Orcs are going to take us back to their capitol to keep us safe.”

Linda squeaked in horror.

“The Orc capitol?! Where they can enslave us?!”

“They have no plan to enslave you. Don’t you want your children to be safe? We will be safe behind their walls!”

“Or…when the King takes the city we’ll all be hung as traitors!”

“Shawna, don’t put that in her head. Linda, we’ll be fine. I trust Cedar.”

You paused on that thought, realizing not only was it true, it didn’t make any sense. You’d only just met him. Your conversation was interrupted by the shouting of men outside.

“We’ll talk about this later,” you hissed, “Here, take this.”

You armed the humans with whatever haphazard weapons you could find, mostly butcher knives and skillets.

Outside, you could hear the clang of weapons and the squelching sounds of metal piercing flesh.

“What's happening?” Linda asked, trying to get around you so she could peek out of the tent flap.

“Stay back!” You barked. “If they see us, we’re in trouble!”

You could tell she was losing it, hopping from one foot to another, her hands getting slippery on her knife.

“No, no, no,” she whimpered. “I don’t want to go with the Orcs. Even a human monster is better than them!”

Before you could grab her, she skipped through the doorway, running wildly into the fray. The other humans gathered around you, their opinions spilling out like loose marbles.

“What is she thinking?!”

“Linda, come back!”

“Let her go, she’s nuts.”

You clenched your jaw, squeezing your iron poker.

“She’s scared. I’ll go get her…you all stay put!”

Before anyone could stop you, you darted after her, trying to catch sight of her red skirt through the mess of armour-clad humans and massive Orcs. The King had sent a much larger force than the one that had burned down your village. The battle around you was brutal. You almost slipped on a puddle of blood, your eyes frantically searching for Linda.

You found her pointing her knife with shaking hands at a human soldier.

“What are you doing? I’m a human, too!”

“The King ordered you all dead!” he snarled, raising his sword at her. “No witnesses! Come on, do your duty to the kingdom, and die quietly!”

Panicking, you launched yourself at him, whacking him with your poker as you barreled into him. The two of you went down, metal clashing as you fell and dropped your weapons. Both of you scrabbled for purchase in the blood-soaked earth. You could hear Linda screeching beside you as you tried to overpower the soldier. His armor, now slick with mud, made it impossible to get a hold of him, and he triumphantly dragged himself to his sword, clumsily grabbing it by the blade and flinging it in your direction. You saw the metal flash in the firelight before pain exploded between your eyes, and your vision went black.

—

“Please tell me she’s not dead,” you heard Linda’s voice from far away.

Isla scoffed.

“You’d better hope she’s not, Linda. This is all your fault!”

“I'm sorry!” she simpered, “I made a mistake! I thought the soldiers were here to free us!”

“Free us from what? A good meal and a safe place to sleep?”

You dragged your eyelids open, vision blurry for a moment before it cleared.

“What…what happened?” you murmured.

“She’s awake!” Isla gasped.

You felt her cool hands against your cheek.

“Take it slow, here; have some water.”

She pushed a tin cup into your hands, and you wet your palette with a few sips. Looking around, you were surrounded by the humans, all looking very concerned.

“Is everyone okay?” you asked.

Isla smirked, and the other women tittered a bit.

“Thanks to you, I suppose. That chieftain or warlord or whatever saw you get knocked in the head and went berzerk. He killed most of the soldiers all by himself.”

Another woman poked her head out of the tent.

“She’s okay! You guys can untie him!”

“Untie who? Is the battle over?”

Isla nodded.

“Yeah, all the soldiers are dead. We’ve all been waiting for you to wake up so we can move the camp before the King sends anymore. Can you believe he ordered them to kill us? I guess so he could claim the Orcs did it and get more support for the war.”

She smirked at you.

“And as for who's tied up, your Orc friend thought you were dead. The others had to tie him up so he wouldn’t go on a rampage. He was ready to storm the King’s stronghold! You ought to see the ropes they had to use…thick as your waist!”

You heard the roll of stomping feet, and Cedar burst through the tent flap. His hair was wild, and his tunic was red with blood. He fell to his knees in front of you, holding his hands as if he couldn’t decide if you were safe to touch.

“Are you okay?” he asked, carefully prodding the bandage you had wrapped around your head. “That monster didn’t do any permanent damage, did he?”

“She’ll have a scar,” Isla said, “but I think she’s fine.”

Cedar’s face lightened, pulling you towards him, his big arms wrapping around you.

“Thank the goddess,” he sighed with a heavy breath. “I thought they’d taken you from me.”

He cupped your cheeks between his palms when he finally let you go.

“You are so stupidly brave, little one,” he gasped, eyes wet. “You have more honor than your people deserve.”

Behind him, Isla waved the women out of the tent, leaving the two of you alone. Not used to so much intimate attention, your cheeks warmed, and you weren’t sure where to look.

“I just didn’t want Linda to get hurt,” you muttered.

He gave you an odd smile, scooping you out of the cot you’d woken up in.

“Once I get you to our home in the capitol, I’m going to have to keep you locked up for your own safety,” he said, patting your head.

You looked up at him from where you were tucked, leaning on his bicep.

“Our home?”

He grinned at you, counting on his fingers.

“First step to Orc courting: Threaten your desired with your weapon. Done. Step two: Allure them with your cooking skills, cooking or hunting something delicious. Done. And the final step: Display your honor through a grand act of bravery. Done! You’ve effectively and thoroughly seduced me, little one! All that’s left is to take you home!”

He tipped your chin up with one thick finger and dipped his head to press his lips against yours. Your whole body felt like it was made of butterflies, every nerve flickering with excitement. Despite being covered in blood and mud, his kiss tasted like honey and sage. It felt like a warm cup of tea on a chilly morning. Your eyelashes fluttered shut and you sank into his warmth, despite yourself, happy to be alive and in his arms.

“Oh!” you gasped as he straightened his neck.

Your mouth fell open, unsure what to say. Before you could think of anything, Cedar carried you out of the tent, shouting orders at his men to pack up the camp so you could leave for the capitol.

#monster x girl #orc x reader #monster x reader #x reader #yandere x reader #soft yandere #orc boyfriend #monster romance #monster fluff #male yandere #yandere fluff #yandere romance #monster boyfriend #orc #orc romance

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yuurei20 · 5 months

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Jack Info Compilation part 18: Ace, Deuce and Sebek

Ace describes Jack as “the kind of guy who plays it too cool for school, but is still the first to step up and do work no one else wants to. His whole above-it-all schtick can get obnoxious. But he turns into a puppy dog around stronger guys, so he’s pretty easy to deal with. All in all, he’s a decent guy.”

Ace once cheats at a card game in an attempt to trick Jack into washing his ceremonial robes.

Jack catches him in the act, and Ace is unapologetic.

Jack and Deuce are on the track team together. Much like Ace, Jack has no reservations about insulting Deuce’s intelligence.

During Vargas Camp Jack makes the rare decision to put forth a “team effort” with Deuce, despite his usual lack of patience with teamwork.

Deuce compliments Jack’s cooking and while Jack tries to downplay it, he also says, “…I’m sure eating it with friends around the campfire makes it taste all the better.”

But Jack refuses to believe Deuce when he talks about the mine monster from the Prologue, saying that his story sounds like a hallucination.

Jack offers to complete their task alone (Jack insulting Deuce for being “too chicken” was added to his EN dialogue), but Deuce insists on going with him, despite his fears.

It is Jack who first notices when Deuce isn’t back at camp that night, and when other students tell him that Deuce is probably slacking off like Ace, Jack insists, “I can tell you, without a doubt, that he’s no slacker.”

Jack does not seem overly fond of Sebek, asking “Why’s Sebek always gotta be such a pain?” in a vignette and saying that he doesn’t care if Sebek respects his upperclassmen, he just wants him to stop trying to force others to do the same.

Jack is Sebek’s judge for the Culinary Crucible, and Sebek takes great offense at Jack calling his chicken noodle soup “normal.”

Jack is also Sebek’s interviewer in his second birthday vignette and gifts him with book about physical training, asking him to share any insights he may learn after he reads it. Sebek says he would like to hear Jack’s opinions as well.

#twstjack #twisted wonderland #Jack Howl #twstfacts #jackfacts

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lovelyladyabsinthewrites · 11 months

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hey 😘 do you think you could write a percy jackson x sister reader. it's totally up to you and i'm good with anything but angst/annabeth involved with percy. thank you!!

The Curse of Aphrodite

Pairing: Percy Jackson x Jackson!Reader

Warnings: implied in*est, sibling in*est, Aphrodite being petty

Words: 1866

Summary: You should have feared Aphrodite just as much as you feared Ares. She was terrifying, and her revenge might as well have just ruined your life.

(This is an older fic from my A03 but figure it was perfect for this request :>)

Another hectic day of being a demigod. Trying to keep a low profile from monsters and worst of all. . . getting through Valentine’s Day at school. All the pink hearts and cupids that littered the school’s halls was enough to make anyone grow nauseous. You and your brother Percy could only grin and bear it, for any grumpy comments might carry over to the Goddess of Love herself. She already wasn’t too pleased with Poseidon’s twins. Sure she was willing to give you and Percy advice last summer in that hellish junkyard, but it was for her own agenda and you didn’t like that one bit. And of course as all your friends were well aware of, you wore all your emotions on your sleeve. Including your distaste for the love goddess. Aphrodite saw it bright as day. Used to being adored by millions, she didn’t take too well to your disdain. For even though she let you and Percy out of her limo, you caught her once fluttery eyes ice over when she looked at you. You really should have listened to Annabeth and keep a mask on when you interacted with the gods.

Now you were going through one of the worst days of your life, and that's saying a lot. Everything that could go bad, did. And poor Percy was stuck with you for the entire ride.

“Here.” Percy handed you a slightly dampened paper towel.

Grumbling a ‘thank you’, you take it and dab the front of your shirt that was stained with spaghetti sauce. Your face was still red from the humiliation. Everyone had seen in the cafeteria how your tray of spaghetti seemed to explode onto you.

Percy had helped you clear a few noodles that had landed in your hair.

Gritting your teeth, you begin to rub furiously. “It HAS to be her. Of all freaking days!”

“You should have just been nice to her.”

“Not my fault that you were the googly-eyed one in front of her. That’s how her power works because guys don’t think with their brains!”

“Suiting since Ares doesn’t have any brains.” Snidely remarked Percy with a coy smile. Putting himself at risk just to make you smile was enough to make you dryly chuckle. Percy didn’t have it easy either. Him and Ares had been butting heads ever since your first summer at Camp Half-Blood. He should have feared the animosity that Ares possessed toward him. That was certainly one god you didn’t want to mess with.

Finally admitting defeat, you throw away your paper towel and simply sigh. “Can’t we just ditch for the rest of the day?”

As if he had been debating the same thing seconds ago, Percy easily replied “Mom would kill us. We already have a truancy record here anyway. We just have to push through it.”

That was the last thing you wanted to hear. Hearing it out loud made you want to cry out in frustration. Sitting on the dirty hallway floor next to you, Percy throws an arm over your shoulder. “We’ve been through worse days. In comparison, today is just an annoying hiccup.”

“Even fighting monsters I never had to deal with smelling like cafeteria spaghetti.”

You feel Percy begin to sniff you like a dog, prying a giggle out of you. “I don’t know. It’s not such a bad smell. I happen to like cafeteria spaghetti.”

Rolling your eyes, you offer “Want to switch shirts then?”

“No way!” Percy laughs. “I wouldn’t even be able to squeeze into it.”

Simply imagining Percy stretching out your shirt was enough to make you snort. You had always been the one with a temper and prone to dark moods. Percy, without fail, could find a way to make you laugh. He was your twin after all. No one knew you better than Percy did. He knew the inner workings of your mind and the remedies to whatever ailed you. Claiming it was his duty as the older twin to take care of his younger sibling. There was pride in his voice when he told you that.

“Thanks Perc.” you quietly whisper.

“No problem (nickname).”

That made you groan again. “I told you not to call me that in public.”

You help eachother up once the bell rings and sling your backpack over your shoulder. Of course as students swarmed the halls to get to their next class, many stared your way.

Percy squeezes your hand before leaving you for his own class. “Remember, we’ve been through worse than this.”

Nodding, you squeeze back in return. You were a daughter of Poseidon for crying out loud! Aphrodite didn’t scare you one bit. She can go ahead and make your clothes a mess as much as she wanted. You had fought deadlier monsters than the Lady of the Doves.

Glaring at a sparkly cut out of cupide, you internally challenge her.

Children of Poseidon truly did have seaweed for brains. When you thought you had made it through the school day, there was a storm waiting for you on the walk home. Not an actual storm thankfully, but one that would ruin your life regardless.

Outside of school there was hardly any reminder of the hallmark holiday except for a few flower vendors at each busy corner. Bouquets of red, white, and yellow roses were being sold by the dozen. Store window displays were decorated with multiple shades of pink. At least you were almost home where you could safely hide in your room, put the entire day behind you.

At one corner, Percy presses the crosswalk button while bouncing on his heels impatiently. You look across the street, past the zooming cars to see more street vendors selling Valentine’s Day treats and other cheap trinkets for desperate partners.

Crosswalk light alerting you that it was safe, you and Percy make your way to the other side.

Even though you hated the holiday, you enviously eyed the tasty looking treats for sale. Cookies shaped like conversation hearts caught your attention. They were well made and utterly cute.

Percy stops and looks over your shoulder. “You want one?” He picks up a cellophane package that had two of the cookies comfortably inside, tied off with a red ribbon. There’s even a blue one in here!”

Shocking, Percy liked the blue one. It made you smile how he would never change at least in that manner.

You scooch closer to your brother to read the icing on them. The blue cookie was on top, reading: Be Mine. The other one you couldn’t see as it was hiding behind the top.

“You two make such a cute couple.” An older lady with a knitted lilac beanie atop her crazy curls smiles at you and Percy.

Inwardly you vomit. “Actually-”

“We’re not-” Percy’s voice reacted at the same time with your own protest but the older lady just laughs.

“Aw to be young and shy. Because you two are so cute, I’ll give you them for free!”

Both you and Percy are quick to protest but they fall on deaf ears as she pushes the cookies further into Percy’s hands.

“I insist!”

Glancing at Percy you know he was just as exhausted with arguing with her as you were.

“Um, okay. Thank you so much.” Awkwardly, Percy unzips his backpack and places the cookies safely inside.

Grabbing his arm, you start hurrying the both of you away. “Thank you! You’re very generous!”Once you’re out of her hearing range you shudder. “Couldn’t she tell we’re related?”

“Probably not with those big, pink tinted, sunglasses.” Shrugs Percy. “At least we got free cookies out of it!”

“I’m kinda skeptical about them now.” Warily you shift your attention to his backpack. “It doesn’t make sense that she just let us have them for free.”

“Don’t knock on the first good thing that’s happened to you today!”

Exactly. It was too good to be true. If Annabeth were there, she would agree with you.

When you got home however, the smell of the cookies was simply too good for you to ignore.

Percy handed you the one that had been underneath the blue cookie. The icing was yellow, written on it simply: Love.

You inhale the sweet scent before biting into a corner. Percy hadn’t waited around to eat his cookie like you had.

“That has got to be the best cookie ever.” He comments through a semi-full mouth with cookie crumbs dusting the front of his shirt.

They were amazing. So delicious, you wished you had more to munch on.

“We should have gotten one for mom.” You mention while collapsing on the couch, remote in hand. Homework could wait. You needed to de-stress after the day you had. Your brother didn’t answer you as he had ventured to your shared bedroom. Not paying much attention, you flip through the channels. Down the hall you were able to hear Percy shuffling around the room.

And then a gagging noise.

You sit up. “You okay Perc?”

More gagging had you bolting from the couch and into your room where Percy was on his hands and knees. Back arched, his dry heaving continued.

“Per-” Oh no. A nauseous squirming sensation bubbling in your stomach. Incredibly uncomfortable, you brace yourself against the door frame. Your vision was spinning. For some reason, a memory popped into your head. You, sitting in the back of a limo, arms crossed while your brother did everything in his power to resist Aphrodite’s charm.

”Twins are so special.” She had said. “Have you heard the legend behind twins? They say lovers who commit suicide are reincarnated as twins. Isn’t that romantic?”

Just thinking of her voice made a shiver run through you.

Then it just stopped. Nausea gone and head back to normal, you open your eyes to find Percy recovering too. “Those stupid cookies. . .”

“I told you.” You remark with a small smile. Watching as your brother rolled himself into a sitting position, you run your hand over your forehead. Maybe you should call your mom so she could take you to the hospital. There was clearly something in those cookies. Perhaps you would even get sick again later. If you induced vomiting that should be enough to get it out of your system right?

“(y/n). . .” You heard Percy breathe out and you fear he’s about to feel sick again. When you look at him though, he’s staring right back at you with those gentle sea foam eyes of his. They were sparkling, a misty awe to them as your own heart fluttered in your chest. That’s when you felt like you were floating.

Percy blinked, unable to lift whatever spell the both of you were under.

You think back to your own cookie.

Love.

How stupid you had been. Aphrodite. Of course it was Aphrodite, and this was her curse. She must have been in disguise as the vendor. What a naive child you still were; you should have feared her just as you did Ares. Her vengeance was much more evil. For she could warp the sibling love you had for your twin. Warp it into another Greek Tragedy.

#reader insert #reader insert fanfiction #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson fandom #percy jackson fic #percy jackson fanfiction

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pjohoo-reclists · 6 months

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Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood Fic Recs

A list of fics starring Percy Jackson and Grover Underwood's platonic friendship. Requested by @evadne01 Enjoy!!

Decided Family by greensgables

G | 600 words | Complete

Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood & Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood

Book 1: The Lightning Thief, Fluff, Friendship

Despite what most people might think, Grover is very aware of the fact that he doesn't have family at Camp Half Blood. Or he didn't, until Percy came around.

The start of a legend by Phantomxlegend

G | 800 words | Complete

Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood

Hurt/Comfort, 12 year old Percy, Percy Angst

When you just find out you’re a demigod and immediately get thrown on a world ending, life or death style quest. It can be a little stressful. Or: Just some small Grover comforting Percy because y’all forgot about Grover.

Words of Affirmation by punkfistfights

G | 900 words | Complete

Percy Jackson & Sally Jackson, Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase

Fluff, Past/Implied Child Abuse, mentioned Gabe Ugliano

“Actions don’t always speak louder than words.” How the three people closest to Percy made sure he knew they loved him.

King-Size Candy Bars by liketolaugh

G | 1.0k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood

Abused Percy Jackson, Developing Friendships, Pre-canon

It takes a week or two for Percy and Grover to actually become friends, even after they're roomed together. Because Percy, twelve years old, pragmatic, and hostile, is about as easy to make friends with as Thalia was. Hopefully, Grover will pull it off in the end.

five ___ + one by samosasandlife

Not Rated | 1.6k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood

Fluff, Pre-the Lightning Thief, Monsters

Five times percy nearly got attacked by a monster and grover had to save him without him noticing, and one time he couldn’t.

first flight by wiindblumewisps

T | 1.9k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood

Fluff, Wings, Comfort no Hurt

“I can’t believe I’m helping you with this,” He says. “You didn’t have to.” “I have to.” He waves the hose at him again. A small group of water stays suspended in the air. “I have to be there for when you eat total shit. So I can say I told you so.” Grover attempts to bat away the water when it’s flicked at him. He sticks his tongue out at Percy, who responds in kind. “Your lack of belief wounds me,” Percy laments, holding a hand to his chest, in a tone that suggests he doesn’t mean it. “Really though, I’ve done way more out there things before, and they worked out fine, yeah?” “How could I ever forget your pool noodle fight with a cyclops?” Or: I wanted percy to have water wings so i gave him some.

in dusting cobwebs by GraeWrites

T | 2.6k | Complete

Percy Jackson/Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Annabeth Chase & Grover Underwood

Grover Underwood is a good friend, Percy and Annabeth are traumatized, Empathy Link

Annabeth shakes her head, adamant. “It was. Arachne’s web got twisted around my ankle and… and it pulled me in, and Percy grabbed me, but—” Tartarus. There’s a sudden sense of vertigo, and he reaches instinctively for Annabeth’s hand. He grips it, and the contact with her is enough to keep him from feeling like he’s falling into Tartarus again. “Annabeth,” Grover is saying, but he sounds far away. “Annabeth, that doesn’t mean it’s your fault. I mean, gods, after what you two went through…” Percy jolts, realization hitting him sharper than Jason’s lightning. His eyes snap to focus on Grover, his stomach twisting with sudden nausea. “The empathy link.” -- Or, Grover reunites with Percy and Annabeth following the battle against Gaia. They talk about some things. They don't talk about others.

blue by carolinaa

T | 3.3k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Percy Jackson & Clarisse La Rue

Empathy Link, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues

Left to his own devices, Percy starts to spiral. Someone notices.

an illusion you hide behind by maverickk

T | 4.2k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood

Good friend Grover Underwood, Dark Percy Jackson, Road Trips

Percy and Grover's road trip is going great. They're meeting with nature spirits, working on restoring the Wild, and completely ignoring the emotional tension slowly building between them. Yep. This is definitely a sustainable system.

to preserve the heart by aknosde

T | 13k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Annabeth Chase & Grover Underwood, Sally Jackson & Grover Underwood

Grief/Mourning, Emotionally Intelligent Percy Jackson, Healing

Percy's disappearance—his death—is a knife in Grover's gut, radiating pain in a steady, silent flow. He can feel the blood building behind the blade, like a dam ready to burst. This is the problem: Grover can't heal until it's pulled out, and there's nothing he wants to do less. Or: loving your friends, grieving, and what you can and can't move on from in eight months—and the rest of your life.

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grapesodadog · 6 months

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Audrey camp rejection! Because I posted the date.

She didn't understand you were flirting.

#my art #fan art #monster prom #monsterprom #my ocs #monster prom oc #audrey iii #monster camp #monstercamp #monster prom abdu #monster prom sawyer #monster prom noodles #monster prom susanne

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forgivemeforgetmenot · 6 months

Text

Unwritten

(Cloud x Aerith Fanfic)

Cloud awakened to a world tinted blue. It was early enough to slink back to camp before the others noticed his and Aerith's absence. Realizing he was holding her, he jolted his bare arm upward like a fire had seared his skin. The spasm must've stirred her awake; she sat up and stretched, her extended yawn shattering the lulling silence of the dawn.

"Mm…I slept great! How about you, Cloud?" She smiled down at him, prompting him to shift his eyes away.

"We should head back to camp," he deflected dryly.

Aerith giggled, "Hope I didn't get any drool on you. You're super comfy…soft, actually. Like a cloud!"

He snorted, rising to his feet, before starting the hike back. "Heyy! Wait for me!" She called after him.

Much to his dismay, the two returned to find Barret, Tifa, and Red already having breakfast. "Ohh," shouted Barret first, "Nice of y'all to join us! Bet ya worked up an appetite."

Red chuckled, "Hopefully, not too much of one. It's cup noodles. Again."

"Yum, anything sounds great right about now; I'm starving," replied Aerith, seemingly unphased by the blatant taunting.

Cloud, on the other hand, felt his face turning rosy. There wasn't anything to be embarrassed about. Why did he suddenly feel so… self-conscious?

Aerith sat beside Red and began slurping up her noodles. Wanting to put as much distance as possible between himself and her, Cloud chose a spot between Tifa and Barret. Tifa handed him his breakfast, which he took sheepishly, avoiding everyone's faces as he ate. "Alright, we got a long day before gettin' back to Sector 5. Hope you two didn't stay up too late," Barret chuckled while extinguishing the fire.

Cloud sighed, feeling pressured to explain their disappearance, but Aerith spoke up before he could formulate a reason. "I wanted to get a better view of the stars," she started, "y'know, away from the trees. Cloud caught me trying to sneak off, and like the dutiful bodyguard he is, he joined me to keep me safe from all the big bad monsters. Isn't that right, Cloud?"

Cloud fumbled over his words, caught off guard by Aerith's lie, "Mm."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever y'all say," Barret winked just before putting his shades on.

Red smirked, "I think if the interrogation is finished, we best be on our way. This is the first lead on Sephiroth we've encountered in quite some time—if he is lurking around the slums, we don't want to miss him."

Tifa spoke up, "True, but…why would he be hanging around Sector 5? It could just be another dead end; I mean, it doesn't really make sense, does it?"

"No, but it's all we have to go on as of right now," remarked Cloud, "we don't know what his endgame is or what exactly he needs to do to execute it."

"Feels like we're on a wild Chocobo chase…" Barret muttered. "At least I'll get to spend some time with my baby girl."

Tifa glowed, "That's right. And I can get a nice, hot shower in."

Aerith smiled, clasping her hands, "Okay then, let's get going!"

The group traveled well into the afternoon, exterminating dozens of Hedgehog Pies and Wererats. Barret led the lineup while Aerith, Red XIII, and Tifa chatted together. Cloud lingered a couple feet behind.

During the day's travels, he noticed Tifa eyeing him periodically. He caught her staring again before she slowed her pace to match his.

They walked silently beside each other for a brief period. "What's up," he eventually posed, sensing something plagued her.

She hesitated. "...You know you can talk to me, right Cloud?"

Tifa gazed at him, sincerity softening her face.

"What do you mean?" he asked, face forward.

"You can talk to me about anything. I…just want you to know that."

Cloud eyed her curiously, "Same goes for you."

She blushed, looking downward. "Right."

"Is there… something you want to talk about?"

Tifa opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say anything, Barret cursed from up ahead. "Goddammit, don't these motherfuckers have anything better to do!"

A pack of snarling Wrath Hounds blocked their path. Instinctively, Cloud unsheathed the Buster Sword and rushed past Aerith, Red, and Barret. He slashed through a duo, Barret fired a barrage of bullets into one, and Red went toe-to-toe with another. Tifa blocked a bite, eager to sink its fangs into Cloud's shoulder. From afar, Aerith cast a flurry of ice spells, causing multiple hounds to stagger, which gave the rest of the party a collective opening to wipe them out.

As Cloud sliced through what he thought was the last of them, a bloodcurdling scream seized his heart. He whipped his head around to discover a straggler clamped down on Aerith. Cloud lunged for the monster, ripping it off of her. Then Red pounced, sinking his teeth into the rabid beast's throat to finish it off.

"Is she alright?!" Barret asked as he and Tifa sprinted over to join them. Cloud clutched Aerith tightly in his arms, studying her unconscious face.

"Oh God, Aerith," Tifa cried.

"Check her pulse," Red urgently advised.

Cloud did so. "She's breathing." Everyone shared a sigh of relief.

"Cloud…" Aerith slowly opened her eyes, "You're kind of…hurting me."

He instantly loosened his grip, "Sorry."

She laughed weakly, "Aw. Were you worried about me?"

"We all were," Tifa smiled.

"Not me," Barret professed, "Girl's a badass. Ain't no dumb dog gonna take her out. I knew you'd be fine." Aerith giggled.

"Are you in any pain?" Red asked.

"Somewhat," she answered truthfully.

"Can you walk?"

"I think so."

Cloud helped Aerith to her feet, his hand lingering beneath her elbow in case she couldn't. "You worry too much," she assured him, "I'm fine!"

She winced, stepping away from Cloud. Tifa swooped in to steady her, "I think we better set up camp for the night; you need to rest, Aerith."

"I agree," added Red.

"There's an inn just down the road, as a matter of fact," Barret suggested, "if Aerith can make it."

"Of course I can!" Aerith limped forward, grimacing in pain.

Tifa wrapped an arm around her waist, "Let me help."

"We'll want to get there before it gets dark," Cloud interjected, approaching the two girls. Before Aerith could protest, Cloud swept her off her feet.

"Cloud!" She yelped in surprise.

"It'll be quicker this way," he decided, already pushing forward.

The group soon made their way to the Quartz Inn, where they paid for two rooms—one for the guys and one for the girls. Cloud, Barret, and Red settled into their respective suite. Barret exhaled, flopping on one of the beds, while Red XIII curled beside the crackling fireplace; Cloud sat at the edge of the other bed. "Man, it does feel damn good to lay in a bed," Barret sighed.

"Speak for yourself," Red muttered.

"You can have this one," Cloud offered, "I'm going to check on Aerith and Tifa."

Barret chuckled, "When did you get so considerate, soldier boy?"

"Cloud's quite the gentleman," Red commented, "especially regarding the girls." Uncomfortable with being the topic of conversation, Cloud grumbled and departed from his two taunting friends.

He crossed the hall and knocked on the girls' door. Tifa answered, her face brightening at the sight of his. "Hey, everything okay?"

"Yeah. Just wanted to check on the both of you."

The sweet smile slipped away, and her eyes dropped, "You mean Aerith."

Something about her tone felt less like an assumption and more like an accusation. There was truth in what Tifa said; Aerith had been wounded earlier, so naturally, she was more of a concern at the moment.

Aerith wasn't feeble by any sense of the word, but there was always something more delicate about the flower merchant, something that ignited a passion to protect. His determination to do so only intensified after his vision—the one he'd been having nightmares about for months. On the other hand, Tifa was a powerhouse—he knew she could take care of herself. "I wanted to finish our conversation, too," Cloud added.

Tifa lighted up some, "Aerith took a nice shower, I helped tend to her scrapes, and now she's resting. I'm sure she'll feel a lot better after a good night's sleep." Relief washed over Cloud, easing the tension in his muscles.

"Can I meet you outside, in front of the entrance? There's a patio where we can sit and talk. But I'm dying for a shower first," she laughed.

Cloud nodded, "See you in a bit."

20 minutes later, Tifa appeared. She greeted Cloud with a warm smile, sitting in the patio chair next to his. "Better?" he asked.

"Much."

Cloud waited for her to talk, but when she didn't, he began, "So, what is it?"

"Hm?"

"What you wanted to say earlier before the Wrath Hounds showed up."

"Oh," Tifa paused, "Well…"

"Tifa," Cloud groaned impatiently.

"Sorry...I just feel like it's not my place to ask."

"Ask what?"

"How do you...feel about Aerith?"

"What?" he questioned, puzzled.

"Do you...have feelings for her?"

Cloud looked away. Why was she asking this all of a sudden? "What's it matter?"

Tifa's ruby-colored eyes glistened, "I guess it doesn't."

He shifted in his chair uncomfortably, "Do you not like her?"

"What? No, no! I love Aerith," Tifa exclaimed. "She's become one of my closest friends."

"She's...my friend too," Cloud struggled to spit out.

"But...do you wish she was more than that?" Tifa pressed.

Agitation furrowed his brow, "That crap isn't for me."

"Right…" her voice cracked.

Cloud examined her; Tifa's head was angled away from him. She slouched in her seat, wrapping her arms around herself. "You okay?" he asked, concerned by her body language and bizarre questions.

"Y-yeah," she sniveled, wiping at her face, "I think I better sleep." She started speed walking to the inn.

"Tifa," he called after her, but she didn't stop.

Cloud sighed, rolling his head back to take in the starry sky. What had he done wrong? Was it something he said? Should he follow her? Maybe she needed space. Space.

He gazed up at it until his eyelids grew heavy.

The water was cold. He was cold.

She was cold.

Wake up, he tried to say. Wake up, wake up, wake up. But no sound bubbled from his throat. He shook her gently.

Wake up, wake up, wake up.

"Wake up. Cloud, wake up."

He obeyed and locked eyes with Aerith; her face seemed troubled. "Were you having another nightmare?"

Cloud sat up; she took her hand off his shoulder.

"Alright, alright, I get it. You don't want to talk about it."

He changed the subject, "What are you doing out here?"

She beamed, raising her eyes toward the sky, "I wanted to see the stars again."

"You're supposed to be resting," he rebuked.

"It's not like I've been doing squats."

"Aerith."

"You're not my mommy. And what about you, mister? Why are you out here?" Cloud fell silent, recalling his earlier conversation with Tifa.

"Is...Tifa okay?" he asked.

"She was before I fell asleep earlier. I only woke up a little while ago, and when I did, she was resting. Did something happen?" Aerith asked, concern saturating her voice.

"No," Cloud answered quickly. "I was just curious."

Aerith leaned in; Cloud's pulse quickened. "You're lying to me," she deduced.

He grunted, locking eyes with her, "Nothing happened."

"Cloud!"

He caved under the pressure of her emerald-colored daggers. "I don't know. I think I upset her or something."

"What did you do?"

"I told you, I don't know."

"You know more than you're telling me."

Cloud clenched his jaw, refusing to speak anymore on the matter. Aerith sighed, refocusing on the sky. Learn to talk to her, he had advised the flowers in her garden back when they first met. What a hypocrite.

Cloud admired how the starlight from above twinkled in her eyes.

"I've been having nightmares about Sephiroth," he whispered begrudgingly. Aerith faced him and offered a small smile. She slid her dainty hand into his.

"Whatever the future holds, we'll get through it together."

Her touch soothed him; the idea of defeating Sephiroth once and for all seemed utterly believable at this moment. But the sense of comfort was swiftly plowed aside by the recollection of the other nightmare plaguing him—the gruesome vision of Aerith's murder. He pulled his hand away from hers. "I've been having ones about you, too."

"They're just bad dreams, but they aren't real. And they're not premonitions," Aerith reassured.

"This one was, at one point."

She shook her head, "Not anymore."

He stayed silent, absorbing her words. "Is that why you've been acting so weird with me?" she questioned.

He gave her a slight nod. "Oh, Cloud," she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"What?"

"You should talk more. I like listening to you."

His hands felt hot; he considered slipping his gloves off. "I talk when it's necessary."

"Actually, you don't," she argued, "you spent months bottling that up. You shouldn't live life like that."

"I talked. Big whoop. Nothing's changed."

"That's not true either," she contested, lifting her head to gaze into his eyes.

He stared back, briefly glancing at her mouth as she spoke.

"I feel closer to you."

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Chapter 2 repost with revisions!

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