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thequeenofneverland1 · 17 days

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Klaus & Elijah Mikaelson////A Love Left Behind

Summary: you, a strong-willed woman, captures the hearts of brothers Klaus and Elijah Mikaelson but is pressured to marry Jackson Kenner to meet your pack's obligations. Torn between your love for the brothers and the expectations of duty, you faces an emotional dilemma. As your wedding day approaches, you struggles with heartbreak and regrets, ultimately realizing that love can come with painful sacrifices. Your journey explores the complexities of relationships and the choices that shape your destiny.

Warnings: Emotional Abuse, Forced Marriage, Heartbreak and Loss, Mature Themes, tension and Betrayal, Intense Emotional Conflict, Substance, insecurity and Self-Image Issues, family Pressure

Klaus stands at the edge of a dimly lit alley, his typical smirk firmly in place. His presence alone would usually send a chill down anyone’s spine, but not you. You barely spare him a glance, adjusting the strap of your bag as you walk by, seemingly uninterested.

Klaus steps into your path, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. “I assume you’ve heard of me, love. Klaus Mikaelson. The name tends to have that… effect.”

Your gaze finally flickers to his, utterly unimpressed.“Heard of you? Yeah. Do I care? Not really.”

Klaus blinks, his smirk faltering for the briefest moment, unsure if he heard you correctly. No one had ever dismissed him so casually.“You should be careful with that tongue of yours. I could have it ripped out.”

You quirks an eyebrow, unbothered. You take a step closer, looking him up and down before shaking your head. “Sure, if you’re into that caveman crap. But let me guess,daddy issues, control freak tendencies, and a superiority complex? Please. You’re not as scary as you think you are.”

For a moment, Klaus is speechless, not out of anger but because he genuinely doesn’t know how to respond. No one talks to him this way. Before he can form a retort, you walk right past him, your heels clicking sharply against the pavement as if you already forgotten about him.

It’s a grand ballroom, filled with high society vampires and witches, all dressed in their finest attire. Elijah, ever the gentleman, stands at the edge of the room, quietly observing the crowd, his hands clasped behind his back. His gaze lands on you, who’s sipping a glass of champagne, looking bored out of your mind.

Elijah approaches you, his movements smooth and calculated, as if he’s already predicting how the conversation will go. He offers you a polite smile.“It’s not often I meet someone as… self-assured as you. Especially in a room like this.”

You don't bother turning fully toward him, simply glancing at him sideways with an amused smirk. “And it’s not often I meet someone as old as you who still finds that line charming.”

Elijah’s smile tightens ever so slightly, the subtle dig not lost on him. He takes a measured breath, trying again “Your confidence is… admirable, though perhaps misplaced. You don’t seem to fully grasp the situation you’ve found yourself in.”

You take a slow sip of your drink before turning to face him completely, your eyes flicking up and down, as if you're assessing his worth before you even answer. “Oh, I grasp it just fine. I’m in a room full of vampires and witches who think a suit and a brooding glare make them powerful. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. Especially not you. A nice suit can only distract from the fact that you’re still an over-glorified corpse.”

Elijah remains stoic, but there’s a flicker of something, annoyance? Amusement?,in his eyes. You give him a slow, deliberate once-over before leaning in slightly, your voice lowering. “Word of advice. try loosening that tie before you crumble to dust.” With that, you turn on your heel, your skirt swishing as you disappear into the crowd, leaving Elijah standing there, momentarily stunned by your audacity.

In a small, candlelit room, Klaus sits in a high-backed chair, his eyes narrowed as you paces the floor in front of him. The tension is thick in the air, Klaus’s usual calm demeanor slipping ever so slightly as you continue to challenge him.

“You think you can defy me? I’ve lived for over a thousand years, Y/n. I’ve seen the rise and fall of empires. There’s nothing you can do that I haven’t already dealt with a thousand times over.”

You stop pacing, finally turning to face him.Your arms cross over your chest as you tilt your head slightly, a mock smile tugging at your lips.“Wow. A thousand years? And here I was thinking that living for centuries would make someone wiser. Must be tough, huh? All that time and still stuck in the same petty temper tantrums. I mean, don’t you ever get tired of being such a drama queen?”

Klaus’s eyes darken, and for a second, it looks like he might snap. He leans forward in his chair, his voice dropping low and dangerous.“You have no idea who you’re dealing with, love.”

You, however, are unfazed. You walk toward him, your gaze never wavering as you lean down slightly, your faces just inches apart.“Oh, I think I do. A thousand years of power, but you’re still the same insecure little boy who needs everyone to fear him to feel important. How’s that working out for you, Klaus? Do you ever feel satisfied?”

You straighten up before he can respond, turning on your heel and walking out the door, leaving Klaus staring after you, a mixture of anger and intrigue burning in his eyes.

Elijah stands in a dimly lit library, his hands clasped behind his back, his usual air of calmness and nobility surrounding him. You, however, lounge on a nearby sofa, flipping through an old book with disinterest.“It’s intriguing, truly. There’s more to you than meets the eye, Y/n.”

Without even looking up from the book, you smirks.“You’re right. I’m also more annoyed than I seem.”

Elijah’s eyebrows raise slightly, clearly not expecting that response. He clears his throat, trying to maintain his composure.”You play a dangerous game, challenging the likes of Klaus and me.”

You finally look up from the book, tossing it aside and standing to your feet. You take a few steps toward Elijah, your confidence unwavering.”Oh, please. Your brother’s just a homicidal drama queen with daddy issues, and you… well, you hide behind suits and manners like they make you any different.”

Elijah smiles. “I assure you, I am quite different from my brother.”

You step closer, your gaze never leaving his.“Sure you are. That’s why you’re always cleaning up his messes, right? Pretending you’re the noble one, while in reality, you’re just as much of a control freak as he is. At least Klaus owns his insanity. You hide yours behind all that chivalry and gentlemanly crap.”

Elijah’s jaw clenches, but he remains silent, choosing to take your words in stride. You simply smile, clearly pleased with yourself as you brush past him.

“Don’t worry, Elijah. It’s not all bad. You wear the control freak thing well.” With that, you exit the library, leaving Elijah standing there, his calm facade cracking just slightly as he watches you go.

The moon casts a pale light over the desolate warehouse where you are trying to catch your breath. Your shirt is torn, and you have a gash on your arm, blood seeping through the makeshift bandage. Your face is pale, but you try to hide your pain behind a mask of determination.

Klaus and Elijah burst through the entrance, having tracked you down after hearing of the skirmish you were involved in. Their faces are etched with worry as they quickly make their way to your side.”love, what happened? You look like you’ve been through hell.”

Elijah takes in your condition with a worried expression, his hands reaching out to steady you.”You need help. Let us take care of you.”

You struggle to maintain your composure, waves them off with a grimace of pain.”I’m fine. I don’t need your help. I can handle it on my own.”

Klaus’s frustration is palpable. He kneels in front of you, his eyes filled with concern. “You’re clearly not fine. You’re hurt and you need medical attention. We’re not going to just leave you here.”

You attempt to push past them, but your legs are shaky and you stumble. Elijah catches you effortlessly, his voice a mix of gentle authority and concern “You’re in no condition to refuse our help. You’re hurt and exhausted. Please, let us help you.”

Your resolve starts to crumble as you lean into Elijah’s support. Your defiant attitude fades as you recognize the genuine worry in their eyes.“Alright, alright. Just… don’t make a fuss.”

Klaus gently helps you into a nearby car, his touch surprisingly tender despite his usual intensity. Elijah retrieves a first aid kit from the trunk and begins to clean and dress your wounds as carefully as he can.

You wince from the sting but stays silent, your pride temporarily set aside. Klaus stays close, his hand resting lightly on your shoulder, offering silent support.”You’re not alone in this, Y/n. We’re here for you, no matter what.”

You meet his gaze, your eyes reflecting both gratitude and frustration.“I don’t usually let people in like this. You know that.”

Elijah, focusing on bandaging your arm, looks up and offers a reassuring smile.”We know. But sometimes, even the strongest need a little help. We’re not going to let you push us away, not when you need us.”

As Elijah finishes tending to your wounds, Klaus leans in, his voice softening.“We’ll get you the help you need, Y/n. You’re not going through this alone.”

You, despite your initial resistance, let yourself be comforted by their presence. You realize that, despite your fierce independence, having Klaus and Elijah by your side provides a sense of security you hadn’t anticipated needing.

As the car drives off, Klaus and Elijah remain close, their concern unwavering as they ensure you get the care you need. Though your pride still battles with your vulnerability, you find solace in their steadfast support.

After you are treated and resting in a comfortable room, Hayley arrives, a knowing smirk on her face. She finds you lounging on a bed, your arm freshly bandaged. Klaus and Elijah have just left the room, giving you some space to recuperate. Hayley strolls in, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Hayley smirks.”Well, look who finally decided to let someone take care of her. I have to say, I didn’t expect you to let Klaus and Elijah play nurse.”

You were attempting to rest, but you sit up with an exaggerated huff. You glare at Hayley, trying to hide your amusement behind a mask of annoyance.”Oh, just great. The one person who knows I hate when people fuss over me shows up to gloat. What’s next? A surprise party?”

Hayley chuckles, leaning against the doorframe with a playful smirk.”I’m just surprised, you know. You’ve always acted like you couldn’t stand them, and now look at you. All bandaged up and letting them dote on you.”*

You cross your arms, trying to maintain your irritated facade, but your eyes reveal a hint of amusement.“Yeah, well, don’t think this means I’ve suddenly become all buddy-buddy with them. It’s just... they’re insistent and annoying. It’s not like I wanted their help.”

Hayley raises an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.“Right. Because you always look like you’re enjoying yourself whenever they’re around. Especially with how Klaus keeps giving you those worried looks and how Elijah practically hovered over you.”

Your cheeks flush slightly as you try to play it cool, though your irritation is tempered by the slight smile tugging at your lips.”Oh, please. Don’t start with the ‘they care’ nonsense. It’s just because they feel guilty about whatever mess I got into. They’re not doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.”

Hayley steps closer, her grin widening as she watches you struggle to keep up your tough front.“Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, I can’t deny it’s kind of sweet seeing you so... vulnerable. Maybe there’s a part of you that actually appreciates the attention.”

You throw a pillow at Hayley playfully, though your smile betrays your true feelings.“Get over yourself. I don’t need you adding to the sympathy party. Just help me get through this so I can get back to pretending I’m totally fine and not emotionally softened by their annoying concern.”

Hayley laughs, catching the pillow and tossing it back onto the bed.“Alright, alright. I’ll let you be. But just remember, it’s okay to let them care. Even if you’re too proud to admit it, they’re not the only ones who want you to be okay.”*

You rolled your eyes but your expression softened as you watched Hayley leave the room.”Yeah, yeah. Just don’t expect me to thank you for the lecture.”

Hayley winks before closing the door behind her, leaving you alone with your thoughts. As you settle back into the bed, you find yourself reflecting on Hayley’s words and the unexpected comfort in knowing that Klaus and Elijah truly care, despite your attempts to act indifferent.

You walked into the grand hall, the light from the chandeliers casting a warm glow over the opulent décor. You held your head high, your steps deliberate and confident despite the lingering pain in your leg. The party was in full swing, with elegant guests mingling and laughter echoing through the room. Klaus and Elijah stood near the fireplace, engaged in animated conversation, but their eyes quickly shifted to you as you entered.

Klaus’s eyes narrowed, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence.”

Your lips curled into a practiced smirk as you approached them, your tone dripping with mockery. “Don’t flatter yourselves. I’m here because I have a life outside of your little charade. Not because I’ve missed you.”

Elijah’s gaze softened with a flicker of concern as he took in your appearance, but he quickly masked it with his usual calm demeanor. “You’re walking better. I’m glad to see you’re recovering.”

Your eyes met his, the hint of warmth in his tone making you bristle. You crossed your arms, trying to maintain your façade of irritation. “Yeah, well, I didn’t come here for a check-up. I came because I’m not going to let you two think you’ve managed to make me some sort of charity case.”

Klaus stepped closer, his eyes searching yours. “We were worried about you, Y/n. You know that, don’t you?”

You rolled your eyes dramatically, turning your attention to a nearby table laden with hors d'oeuvres. “Oh, please. Don’t start with the concern routine. I’m perfectly capable of handling myself.”

Elijah exchanged a glance with Klaus, a silent communication passing between them. Despite your insistence, both could see through your bravado. Klaus sighed and took a step closer, his voice dropping to a more personal, almost vulnerable tone. “You don’t have to put on this act. We genuinely care about you, love.”

Your resolve wavered for a moment, the sincerity in Klaus’s voice striking a chord. But you quickly recovered, forcing a laugh and shaking your head. “Yeah, well, don’t expect me to start letting you two get all soft on me. I’m not one of your projects.”

Elijah’s expression remained unchanged, though a glimmer of sadness flickered in his eyes. “We’re not trying to project anything. We just want to know that you’re okay.”

You snatched a glass of champagne from a passing tray and took a long sip, your gaze defiant. “I’m perfectly fine, thank you very much. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other things to do than stand here and listen to your pity party.”

As you turned away, Klaus and Elijah watched you go, their concern mingling with a sense of helplessness. They knew that your stubbornness was a shield, a way to keep your motions at bay. Despite your attempts to push them away, they couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness for you, wishing you would allow them to be there for you in the way they wanted to.

You mingled with the other guests, your laughter ringing out as you engaged in conversation, carefully keeping your distance from Klaus and Elijah. Yet, as the evening wore on, you occasionally cast glances back at them, your facade of indifference faltering just slightly. It was clear that despite your efforts to act unaffected, the depth of your feelings, for both and against them, was more complex than you were willing to admit.

As the night progressed, you found yourself increasingly annoyed by the persistent attention of your friends, who seemed determined to check in on you despite your best efforts to stay aloof. You had just finished laughing off an awkward encounter with a particularly persistent guest when you noticed Klaus and Elijah approaching you again, their expressions a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Klaus, his eyes twinkling with mischief, leaned in. “I see you’re managing to charm everyone but us. Is it a special talent, or are we just not your type?

You rolled your eyes, took a dramatic sip of your champagne. “Oh, it’s definitely a special talent. It’s called ignoring people who can’t take a hint.”

Elijah, with a hint of a smile, crossed his arms. “And how’s that working out for you? Are you enjoying being the center of attention, or is it just your way of avoiding us?”

Your annoyance was palpable, but you couldn’t help the smirk that crept onto your face. “I’m enjoying it just fine. And avoiding you? Maybe. But mostly, I’m just trying to have a good time without you two hovering over me like mother hens.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow, a playful grin spreading across his face. “Mother hens, huh? Is that what you really think of us?”

You threw up your hands in mock exasperation. “Yes, exactly! You’re like the overprotective older siblings I never asked for. It’s exhausting.”

Elijah chuckled, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. “If we’re such a bother, why not just admit that you missed us? It would save you from all this melodrama.”

You gasped theatrically. “Admit that I missed you? Never! I’d rather suffer through your relentless concern and witty banter than give you the satisfaction of thinking you’re actually useful.”

Klaus’s grin widened as he leaned closer. “Well, if we’re such a burden, you could always try to avoid us entirely. But I suspect you’ll find it difficult to enjoy the party without our charming presence.”

You shot him a look that was half exasperation, half amusement. “Oh, please. I’m sure I’ll manage. I’ve been dealing with you two for far too long to be daunted by a little thing like being pursued for my own good.”

Elijah’s eyes danced with mischief. “And what if we promise to be less annoying? Or at least try not to hover so much?”

You pretended to consider it, tapping your chin thoughtfully. “Hmm, tempting offer. But I think I’d rather keep you two around just for the fun of it.”

As Klaus and Elijah exchanged amused glances, you couldn’t help but feel a flicker of warmth at their continued efforts. Despite your protests and attempts to maintain your acade, it was clear that their presence, annoying as it might be, was something you secretly valued.

The evening continued with you navigating through the party, your interactions with Klaus and Elijah taking on a more playful tone. Despite your efforts to act annoyed, it was evident that their teasing and concern were an endearing part of your night, leaving you with a sense of both frustration and affection for the two men who refused to let you go unnoticed.

As the night wore on, Klaus and Elijah's persistent presence became an ongoing source of irritation for you. Despite your best efforts to ignore them, they continued to hover around, much to your dismay.

Klaus sidled up to you as you were attempting to enjoy a quiet conversation with a fellow guest. “You know, Y/n, you’ve been awfully quiet tonight. Are you sure everything’s okay? You’re not usually this subdued.”

You shot him a glare, barely hiding your frustration. “I’m perfectly fine. I just don’t feel the need to constantly entertain you two with my every move.”

Elijah, never one to miss an opportunity for mischief, joined in with a smirk. “Are you sure you don’t want to share? We might be able to help make your evening more enjoyable.”

You sighed heavily, trying to maintain your composure. “I’m quite capable of having a good time without you two interrupting every conversation I have. Just go away for a little while.”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged a look of amusement before Klaus leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “We can’t do that. We’re on a mission to make sure you’re not suffering in silence.”

Your patience was wearing thin. “And what makes you think I’m suffering? I’m having a perfectly good time without your constant need to check in.”

Elijah raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider this. “If that’s the case, then you wouldn’t mind if we stayed right here, would you?”

You tried to stifle your exasperation, but it was clear you were losing the battle. “Fine. Stay. But don’t expect me to be grateful. If anything, you’re making it harder for me to enjoy myself.”

Klaus leaned in closer, his grin widening. “You know, I think you’re secretly enjoying the attention. Otherwise, why would you keep engaging with us?”

You rolled your eyes and took a deep breath. “You’re impossible. You know that, right? Sometimes I wonder how I put up with you two.”

Elijah chuckled softly, placing a hand on your shoulder. “It’s probably because, deep down, you know we’re not going anywhere. We’re too stubborn to let you deal with things on your own.”

Klaus nodded in agreement. “And let’s be honest, you’d miss us if we weren’t around to annoy you.”

You tried to muster a serious expression, but the corners of your mouth twitched in spite of yourself. “You know what? Fine. If you’re going to be this persistent, then I’ll just have to accept it. But don’t think for a second that I’m not annoyed.”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged triumphant looks, clearly pleased with their ability to get under your kin. As you continued to mingle, they remained close by, your playful banter and teasing a constant presence.

Despite your attempts to ignore them, you found yourself occasionally laughing at their jokes and appreciating their company more than you cared to admit. As the night went on, it became clear that while you might act annoyed, their relentless attention was a reminder of how much they cared, even if it came in the form of persistent teasing.

Hayley strolled over to where you,Klaus, and Elijah were engaged in your usual banter. Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she watched her sister’s futile attempts to maintain her irritation. As Hayley approached, she couldn’t help but smirk at your obvious frustration.”Well, well, if it isn’t the trio of persistent annoyances. How’s my sister holding up under your relentless attention?”

You shot your sister an exasperated look, clearly irritated by Hayley’s timely arrival.“Oh, don’t start with me, Hayley. I’m managing just fine, despite these two refusing to give me a moment’s peace.”

Klaus grinned at Hayley’s entrance, his eyes dancing with mischief.“Ah, Hayley. Just in time. We were about to test the limits of Y/n’s patience. Care to join us?”

Elijah, trying to hide his amusement, gave Hayley a respectful nod. “We could use another perspective. What do you think, Hayley? Is Y/n’s annoyance as entertaining as we believe?”

Hayley’s smirk widened as she took a seat beside you, clearly enjoying the playful tension.“Oh, it’s absolutely entertaining. I’ve never seen her so determined to act annoyed while clearly enjoying the attention.”

You rolled your eyes, though a small smile tugged at your lips despite your best efforts to stay irritated.“You’re not helping, Hayley. I can’t believe you’re actually encouraging them.”

Hayley leaned in closer, her voice low and teasing.”Well, if you can’t beat them, you might as well join them. Besides, it’s quite clear that deep down, you appreciate their attention more than you let on.”

Klaus’s grin widened, and he leaned over to you with mock seriousness.”See? Even your sister agrees. You might as well embrace the fact that you’re stuck with us.”

Elijah chuckled softly, adding to the teasing atmosphere.“And if you’re honest, you might even admit that we make these parties a bit more interesting.”

You threw your hands up in a dramatic gesture, your frustration now mingled with reluctant amusement.“Alright, fine. You win. I’ll admit that having you around is better than being alone with just my own thoughts. But that doesn’t mean I’m not still annoyed.”

Hayley laughed, clearly delighted by your reluctant acceptance.“There you go. Now you’re starting to sound like yourself again. Just remember, sometimes it’s okay to let others take care of you.”

You glanced at your sister, your eyes softening slightly, even as you tried to keep up your defiant attitude.”Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the advice. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to pretend to be annoyed by these two for a bit longer.”

As Hayley joined the conversation, Klaus and Elijah’s teasing continued, but there was a newfound camaraderie in the air. Your exasperation was now mixed with genuine affection, and despite your best efforts to maintain your aloof demeanor, it was clear that the playful interactions and persistent attention of your friends were something you secretly valued.

As the evening drew to a close, the grand hall where the party had been held was starting to empty. You, Klaus, and Elijah found themselves alone in a quieter corner of the room. The noise of the guests had faded to a low murmur, and they had settled into comfortable chairs around a small table that had been pushed to the side.

Klaus poured a glass of wine and offered it to you, his eyes twinkling with mischief.“Care for another drink?” Klaus asked, a teasing edge to his voice. “You seemed to enjoy the last one.”

you took the glass, rolling your eyes with a smile. “Are you trying to get me drunk so you can finally win an argument?”

Elijah chuckled from his seat, his gaze amused as he watched their exchange. “Oh, we’ve already won. You’ve been on the losing end of our teasing all evening. Consider this just a celebratory drink.”

You took a sip, trying to maintain your composure. “Celebratory for you two, maybe. I’ve had to endure relentless banter all night.”

Klaus leaned forward, his expression a mix of mock seriousness and genuine amusement. “It’s not relentless banter if it’s entertaining. And we both know you secretly enjoy it.”

You shook your head, trying to suppress a grin. “Sure, if by ‘enjoy’ you mean ‘tolerate’ while plotting my revenge.”

Elijah raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Plotting, you say? Care to share any of your plans?”

You leaned back in your chair, crossing your arms with a defiant smirk. “I’m not about to give away my secrets. Let’s just say that you two are always on my radar. I’m just biding my time.”

Klaus grinned widely, clearly amused by your response. “Biding your time, huh? I’ll be sure to watch my back. But for now, I think we’re safe from any retaliation.”

Elijah laughed softly, shaking his head. “I’m curious to see what you come up with. Until then, we’ll just continue our delightful teasing.”

Your eyes sparkled with mischief as you looked at both of them. “Oh, don’t be so sure. I have a few tricks up my sleeve. You just wait until I catch you off guard.”

As the three of them continued their playful banter, the mood between them was light and comfortable. Despite your attempts to act annoyed, it was clear that the teasing and the company of Klaus and Elijah were something you secretly enjoyed. The evening continued with laughter and camaraderie, the easy conversation a testament to the deep bond that the three shared.

As the evening went on, Hayley and Rebekah joined you, Klaus, and Elijah in their corner, clearly in high spirits. The two women exchanged a glance and strolled over, their smiles full of mischief.

Hayley, her eyes gleaming with amusement, looked at you. “I see you’re still surrounded by these charming gentlemen. How’s that working out for you, Y/n?”

You try to keep your composure, sighed. “Oh, you know, just another evening of enduring their endless teasing.”

Rebekah grinned, her eyes fixed on her brothers. “Well, it looks like you’re managing quite well. I’d say they’re actually behaving themselves tonight.”

Klaus, overhearing, couldn’t resist chiming in. “Behaving ourselves? That’s a first. We must be slipping.”

Elijah nodded in agreement, his smile widening. “And here I thought we were being on our best behavior.”

You shot them a mock glare. “Oh, don’t encourage them. They’re already insufferable enough without any help.”

Hayley leaned in closer, her voice dripping with playfulness. “I’m just saying, if you’re actually enjoying their company, you should admit it. We all know how much you love the attention.”

Rebekah’s grin widened. “And don’t think I haven’t noticed how you keep engaging with them. You’re practically glowing every time they tease you.”

You rolled your eyes, though a smile tugged at your lips. “Yeah, well, maybe I’m just too polite to tell them to leave me alone.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the banter. “Polite, huh? We’ll take that as a compliment.”

Elijah chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “And here we were, thinking we might actually be getting on your nerves.”

Hayley nudged you playfully. “Come on, admit it. You’re having a blast with these two. If you weren’t, you’d have left a long time ago.”

Rebekah joined in, her tone teasing. “And who knows, maybe deep down, you’re already plotting how to get them to stick around even longer.”

You tried to maintain your feigned annoyance, but it was clear the playful teasing was getting the better of her. “Fine, fine. You all win. Maybe I do enjoy having them around, but don’t think I’m going to make it easy for them.”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged satisfied glances, clearly pleased with their ability to get under your skin.

Klaus raised his glass with a flourish. “To our charming persistence and Y/n’s unspoken admiration.”

Elijah nodded, adding, “And to the fun we’ve had tonight. May it continue for many more evenings.”

You shook your head with a reluctant smile. “Alright, alright. I get it. You’re all insufferable, but I suppose I’ll have to put up with you.”

As the group continued to tease and joke, the atmosphere remained warm and lively. Despite your best efforts to appear annoyed, your genuine affection for the company and the playful banter was evident. The evening ended on a high note, filled with laughter and the unmistakable bond of friendship.

As the evening wore on and the trio continued their playful banter, you took a moment to address Klaus and Elijah directly, your tone teasing but with an undercurrent of sincerity.

“By the way,” you said, a smirk on your lips as you looked between the two men, “I still don’t like you guys.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow, feigning shock. “Oh, is that so? Here we thought we were making some progress.”

Elijah leaned back in his chair, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “You’re not fooling anyone, Y/n. We can see through your tough exterior. If you really didn’t like us, you wouldn’t be spending so much time with us.”

You took another sip of your wine, your gaze steady. “Well, maybe I’m just trying to keep you two on your toes. It’s more fun that way.”

Klaus’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Ah, so you admit that we’re good for you, even if you refuse to admit it outright.”

Elijah chuckled, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. “And here I thought we were just a nuisance.”

You rolled your eyes, but your smile betrayed your true feelings. “Don’t get any ideas. Just because I’m spending time with you doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind. I’m still not a fan of your constant teasing.”

Klaus raised his glass in a mock toast. “To being a ‘nuisance’ then. We’ll wear you down eventually.”

Elijah nodded in agreement. “And in the meantime, we’ll just keep enjoying these moments of banter.”

You shook your head, though the warmth in your eyes revealed that despite your words, you valued their company more than you let on. “Fine, fine. Just don’t expect me to admit I like you anytime soon.”

The next day, Klaus and Elijah decided it was time to make their move. They approached you with a blend of confidence and nervous anticipation, ready to ask you out on a date. The sun was shining, casting a warm glow over their little corner of the garden where they had gathered.

Klaus, with his usual charm, flashed a charming smile. “So, love, we were thinking, how about you join us for dinner tonight? A more private setting, just the three of us.”

Elijah nodded in agreement, his eyes sincere. “We’d really like to spend some more time with you, away from the crowd. What do you say?”

You raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying their efforts. You leaned back, crossing your arms with a playful smirk. “Hmm, I don’t know. I’m pretty busy these days.”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged glances, a mix of desperation and determination in their eyes.

Klaus leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a pleading tone. “Come on, love. Just one dinner. We promise to behave.”

Elijah added with a grin, “We’re begging you. It’ll be fun, and we won’t tease you too much. Promise.”

You pretended to think it over, your expression a mix of contemplation and amusement. “Really? You’re both so charming, but I’m not sure I can trust you to keep your hands to yourselves.”

Klaus and Elijah looked at each other, their expressions showing a mix of hope and exasperation.”We’ll be on our best behavior. Just give us a chance.”

Elijah smiles.“And if you don’t like it, you can always escape. We’ll make sure it’s a memorable evening, in the best way.”

You finally relented, though your tone was still playful. “Alright, fine. I’ll go out with you two. But let’s get one thing straight, if either of you try any funny business or plotting, I’m going to have to take drastic measures.”

Klaus and Elijah looked at her curiously.

You continued with a grin, “Any wondering hands or sneaky schemes, and I’m cutting your hands off. Deal?”

Klaus laughed, clearly impressed by your boldness. “Deal. We’ll be on our best behavior, and we promise to keep our hands to ourselves.”

Elijah chuckled, nodding in agreement. “We’re looking forward to it. And no plotting, we swear.”

You gave them a playful salute. “Great. Then it’s a date. I’ll see you both tonight.”

As you meticulously prepared for your evening out, you carefully selected an outfit that combined elegance with a hint of allure. The deep red dress you chose hugged your curves just right, while your makeup was applied with precision to enhance your features. The final touch was a pair of strappy heels that added a bit of glamor. You were excited about the evening, though you knew you needed to keep your plans under wraps.

Just as you were putting on your earrings, your sister walked into the room, her gaze immediately landing on your outfit. The surprise was evident in her expression.

“Wow, look at you,” Hayley said, her eyes widening. “Where are you headed all dressed up like that?”

You were caught off guard, quickly scrambled for a response. You turned to face your sister, trying to sound casual despite the flutter of nerves you felt. “Oh, just going out with some friends. Nothing special.”

Hayley’s curiosity seemed piqued, and she took a step closer, her gaze assessing your ensemble. “Friends, huh? You’re looking pretty glamorous for just a casual hangout. Are you sure there’s not something more going on?”

You forced a nonchalant smile, though you could feel your cheeks warming. “Yeah, well, sometimes it’s nice to dress up even if it’s just a regular night out. You know how it is.”

Hayley tilted her head, her expression a mix of skepticism and amusement. “Right. So, no details then? No hints about where you’re actually going or who you’re meeting?”

You shook your head, your tone playful but firm. “Nope, no hints. I’m just in the mood to look nice tonight. Besides, you know how much I hate to be teased. I’d rather keep things low-key.”

Hayley’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she crossed her arms. “Alright, if you insist. But if I find out later that you were out with someone interesting, don’t expect me to let you off the hook easily.”

You laughed softly, feeling a mix of relief and amusement. “Fine, fine. Just know that if you do end up hearing anything, it’ll be on a need-to-know basis. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to finish getting ready.”

In the living room, Hayley was sprawled on the couch, flipping through a magazine, when Klaus and Elijah walked in. Both were impeccably dressed, Klaus in a tailored suit and Elijah in a sleek blazer, exuding a refined charm that was hard to miss.

Hayley glanced up, her eyebrows raising in surprise. “You guys are all dressed up. Where are you headed tonight?”

Klaus, catching Hayley’s curious gaze, flashed a confident smile. “We’re heading out for a dinner with Y/n. It’s a special evening.”

Elijah nodded in agreement, his tone light and casual. “Just a nice dinner, nothing too extravagant.”

Hayley’s eyes widened slightly, and she couldn’t help but smirk. “Oh really? You mean to tell me that my sister was lying to me about her evening plans?”

Klaus looked puzzled for a moment. “Lying?”

Hayley smirked, shaking her head with a knowing look. “Yeah, well, she said she was just going out with some friends and made a big deal about keeping things low-key. Seems like she wasn’t entirely honest.”

Elijah chuckled, clearly entertained by the situation. “Ah, the old ‘keeping secrets’ routine. Seems like she wanted to avoid any teasing.”

Klaus grinned, clearly amused. “Well, it looks like we’re in for an interesting evening. If she went through all that trouble to hide our plans, we must be doing something right.”

Hayley laughed, shaking her head as she stood up. “Your evening just got a lot more interesting. I’ll be eagerly waiting to hear all about it later.”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged glances, both grinning at the playful turn of events.

As Hayley watched them leave, she shook her head with a mix of amusement and mild irritation. “You’re both lucky she likes you. Otherwise, I’d have a few choice words about how she’s handling this.”

With a final, teasing smile, Hayley settled back onto the couch, already anticipating the stories she’d hear later. The playful drama of the evening had only added to her entertainment, and she was more than ready to find out how the night would unfold.

As you finally emerged from your room, you found Klaus and Elijah waiting by the stairs, both looking dashing and ready for the evening. Their eyes lit up as they saw you, their admiration evident.

Klaus, with a charming smile, extended his hand to you. “You look absolutely stunning, love. We’re very lucky to have you join us tonight.”

Elijah nodded in agreement, his gaze warm and appreciative. “Indeed. So beautiful like always. We’re both looking forward to a wonderful evening.”

You blushed slightly at their compliments, a smile playing on your lips. You made your way to the door, ready to head out. Just as three of you were about to leave, Hayley and Rebekah appeared in the hallway, clearly prepared to add their own touch of mischief.

“Look at you three, all dressed up and ready to go,” Hayley said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Seems like someone’s been keeping secrets.”

Rebekah joined in with a smirk, her gaze shifting between you and her brothers. “And here I thought Y/n was just hanging out with friends. Looks like there’s a bit more to the story.”

You cleared your throat, your tone firm as you addressed the teasing. “Actually, I’m not going with them. Remember,Hayley, I was just going to hang out with friends.”

Hayley’s eyes widened in mock surprise. “Oh, really? So all this effort and glamour is for just a casual evening?”

You nodded, trying to maintain your composure despite the playful challenge. “That’s right. I’m simply dressing up for a night out with friends. No need to make a big deal out of it.”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged amused glances, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. Klaus leaned in slightly, his voice low and teasing. “Well, if you insist. But I must say, it’s quite the coincidence that your ‘friends’ are so well-dressed.”

Elijah added with a grin, “Indeed. I guess we’ll just have to make sure the evening lives up to the expectation.”

You gave them a playful look, then turned back to your sister and Rebekah. “I’m serious. Let’s not make this a bigger deal than it needs to be.”

Hayley and Rebekah exchanged one last teasing glance before stepping aside, allowing you, Klaus, and Elijah to make it to the exit. As the trio walked out the door, the playful banter continued, adding a light-hearted touch to their evening plans.

As you and the boys stepped out of the house and into the crisp evening air, Klaus couldn’t help but turn to you with a teasing smile.

“You know,” Klaus began, his tone light and playful, “you’re quite the liar, love.”

You raised an eyebrow, glancing at him with a mixture of surprise and amusement. “Oh, really? And what makes you say that?”

Klaus chuckled, shaking his head as he walked alongside you. “Well, the way you fibbed about your plans. I had a feeling there was more to it than just a casual hangout with friends.”

Elijah, listening to the exchange, added with a smirk, “And we’re not exactly disappointed. It seems you were just trying to avoid a bit of teasing from your sister and Rebekah.”

You laughed softly, shaking your head. “Guilty as charged. I just didn’t want to deal with the endless questions and teasing. I knew they wouldn’t let up.”

Klaus smiled, clearly enjoying the banter. “Well, it’s good to see you’ve managed to keep some secrets. Adds a little excitement to the evening.”

Elijah nodded, his tone warm. “Indeed. And we’ll make sure this evening lives up to the hype. We wouldn’t want to disappoint our glamorous companion.”

You grinned, feeling a mix of excitement and gratitude for their company. “Well, I guess I’ll have to make sure the night is worth all the secrecy and effort.”

With that, the trio continued on their way, the playful banter and genuine affection between them making the evening all the more enjoyable. The anticipation for the night ahead only grew stronger as they made their way to their destination, ready to enjoy their time together.

As they walked along, you glanced over at Klaus and Elijah, a mischievous smile playing on your lips. “Besides,” you said with a playful tone, “remember that I don’t actually like you guys.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Oh, really? And here we were thinking we were winning you over with our charm.”

Elijah chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling. “Yes, I suppose we’ll have to work even harder to change your mind.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Well, don’t get too comfortable. I’m still not ready to admit that I actually enjoy your company.”

Klaus grinned, his eyes gleaming with playful defiance. “Challenge accepted. We’ll see just how much we can charm you by the end of the evening.”

Elijah nodded in agreement, his tone light. “Indeed. Consider this our mission for tonight.”

You smiled, feeling a warm sense of camaraderie despite your easing. “Alright then, let’s see what you’ve got. But don’t think I’ll go easy on you.”

With that, the three of you continued on your way, the playful banter and mutual affection adding to the excitement of the evening ahead. The night promised to be filled with laughter, charm, and perhaps a few surprises, making it one to remember.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind them, Klaus leaned against the frame, arms crossed, a smirk pulling at his lips. "Well, love," he began, eyes gleaming with mischief, "now that the night is over, how are you going to explain to your dear sister that you weren’t just out with 'friends'?"

You shot him a mock-glare, slipping off your heels. “You two are nothing but a headache, that’s how I’ll explain it.”

Elijah, ever the calm one, but no less playful, stepped forward and offered you his hand to balance you as you slipped into your slippers. “A headache? I’m almost certain you enjoyed yourself this evening, Y/n,” he teased, his voice velvet smooth. “In fact, I believe I saw you smiling more than once.”

Klaus snorted. “Oh, more than once, Elijah. I distinctly recall a moment where she almost laughed at one of your terrible history lessons.”

You rolled your eyes, suppressing a grin. “You both have overinflated egos, you know that?”

Klaus circled around you, his voice dropping into that dangerously teasing tone of his. “Admit it, love. You had a good time. For someone who claims not to like us, you certainly seemed to enjoy our company tonight.”

You huffed dramatically, arms crossing as you plopped down onto the couch. “Sure, I had fun, between all the terrible jokes and the fact that you two wouldn’t stop bickering about whose turn it was to pay the bill.”

Elijah smiled, sitting beside you. “You’re deflecting, Y/n. If you hated us so much, you wouldn’t have agreed to dinner at all.”

“Exactly,” Klaus chimed in, leaning casually on the back of the couch, his grin devilish. “In fact, I’d wager you’re looking forward to our next outing already.”

You narrowed your eyes, though the corner of your mouth twitched in amusement. “Don’t get too ahead of yourselves. I just didn’t want to eat alone tonight, alright?”

Klaus leaned closer, his lips quirking into a grin. “Whatever you need to tell yourself, love.”

Elijah chuckled softly at your side, adding in his usual calm way, “Perhaps next time we’ll make it even more unbearable, just to test your resolve.”

You rolled your eyes again, unable to fight back the smile threatening to break free. “You two really are the worst.”

Klaus, with a wink, stood up and stretched lazily. “And yet, you can’t seem to resist us. Funny how that works, isn’t it?”

Elijah placed a hand gently on your shoulder, his expression one of mock concern. “If we truly bother you so much, perhaps next time you should invite someone else to distract yourself.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll bring someone to keep me entertained and save me from your endless teasing.”

Klaus smirked, clearly entertained by the idea. “Good luck with that, love. No one’s quite as good as us at keeping you on your toes.”

You stood, giving both brothers a challenging look before making your way towards the stairs. “You know, if this keeps up, I’ll be the one who needs saving from you two.”

Klaus chuckled. “We’ll see about that.”

Elijah, ever the gentleman, gave her a slight nod. “Sleep well, Y/n. We’ll be sure to make your life as difficult as possible tomorrow.”

You shook your head, a playful smile still on your face as you turned and headed up the stairs. Despite all your protests and teasing, there was no denying that they made your nights far more interesting than you’d care to admit.

As you disappeared from sight, Klaus leaned toward Elijah, his voice low but amused. “She’s enjoying this far more than she lets on.”

Elijah smirked, his eyes still on the staircase. “That’s the fun of it, brother. She enjoys pretending to hate us, but we both know the truth.”

The next morning, you weren't the only one to wake up with a playful mood hanging over you. In the kitchen, Hayley and Rebekah had already started their day, drinking coffee and chatting quietly when Klaus and Elijah finally walked in.

Hayley immediately raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a mischievous grin. “Well, well, look who finally decided to show up. How was your night out with my sister?”

Klaus rolled his eyes, clearly already prepared for the teasing. “Good morning to you too, Hayley,” he said, ignoring the bait as he grabbed a mug from the cupboard.

Rebekah, leaning casually against the counter, took a slow sip of her coffee, her eyes glinting with amusement. “I’m more curious about Y/n. I mean, she looked like she was about to burst into flames when she walked past us last night. Almost as if she were... trying to hide something. What did you two do to her?”

Elijah, ever composed, simply smiled as he poured himself a cup. “Nothing more than what a pleasant dinner should offer. We were the very picture of decorum.”

Klaus chuckled under his breath. “Mostly.��

Hayley, never one to let an opportunity pass, smirked. “You’re telling me my sister spent the entire night with you two and didn’t strangle either of you? That’s impressive.”

Rebekah added with a wicked grin, “Or perhaps a little too impressive. You didn’t compel her to tolerate you, did you?”

Klaus shot Rebekah a dry look. “Please. I don’t need compulsion to be tolerated.” He took a sip of his coffee and leaned casually against the counter. “She enjoys our company. She just refuses to admit it.”

Rebekah laughed. “Oh, I’m sure she’s absolutely thrilled every time you show up.”

Elijah smiled slightly, unruffled as always. “Y/n has a sense of humor. She knows how to play along.”

Hayley snorted. “Oh, is that what you call it? Because from where I’m standing, it sounds like you two are enjoying the chase a little too much.”

Rebekah tilted her head toward Hayley, her smile devious. “I’m sure it’s more than just ‘enjoying.’ Honestly, it’s adorable how much time they’ve spent trying to win her over. You’d think they were schoolboys with a crush.”

Klaus shot his sister a warning look, but his smirk betrayed him. “Careful, sister. If you’re not nice, you might find yourself spending more time with Y/n than you'd like.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind,” Rebekah teased. “In fact, I think I might help her avoid you two next time. Someone’s got to protect her from your endless need to charm.”

Hayley grinned, shaking her head. “Good luck with that, Bekah. My sister seems to enjoy fighting them off just as much as they enjoy pestering her.”

Rebekah took another sip of her coffee, a gleam in her eye. “Well, one of these days, they might actually manage to wear her down.”

Klaus chuckled, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “We’ve got time.”

Elijah smiled slightly, his tone mild. “Persistence is key, after all.”

Hayley rolled her eyes, though there was amusement in her voice. “Just don’t let her catch wind of this conversation, or you two will be in even deeper trouble than you already are.”

Rebekah grinned wickedly. “Oh, I wouldn’t mind seeing that. The wrath of Y/n is always entertaining.”

Klaus raised his mug in mock salute. “Here’s to the challenge, then.”

Elijah nodded, his eyes twinkling. “Indeed. It keeps things interesting.”

Rebekah and Hayley exchanged glances, laughing softly. “Interesting, sure,” Hayley said with a grin. “Just try not to end up on her bad side... again.”

Later that afternoon, you were sprawled across the couch, enjoying a moment of peace after the eventful night before. Your phone buzzed with a text from Klaus, asking you to meet him and Elijah downstairs. You sighed, already suspecting what was coming. As you made your way down to the living room, Klaus and Elijah were lounging around, clearly waiting for you.

Klaus greeted you with a sly smile, his voice dripping with charm. "There she is, the woman of the hour. How about we take you out again tonight, love? Somewhere even more enjoyable than last night."

Elijah, ever the gentleman, added with his trademark calm smile, "It would be our pleasure to show you an even better time than before."

You stopped in your tracks, eyeing the two with suspicion. “Absolutely not,” you said firmly, crossing your arms. “I barely survived last night with you two.”

Klaus's smirk widened, his eyes dancing with amusement. “Oh, come now, love. You know you enjoyed it.”

Elijah gave you a gentle, teasing look. “We wouldn’t ask if we thought you didn’t want to come.”

You rolled your eyes dramatically. “I didn’t want to come last night, and I don’t want to come tonight.”

Klaus stepped forward, still smirking, as if he hadn’t heard a word. “You can’t deny it, love. You had a great time. Why not make it two nights in a row?”

Elijah, ever the picture of grace, leaned in slightly. “Consider it a... follow-up. To ensure your enjoyment was not a one-time occurrence.”

You exhaled, exasperated, yet you couldn’t help but smile. “You two are impossible. No means no.”

Klaus chuckled, clearly unfazed. “Ah, but you didn’t say it with conviction, love. I think there’s a part of you that’s curious.”

You narrowed your eyes, trying to maintain your resolve, though a small part of you did find their persistence amusing. “No. Absolutely not. I’m not falling for this again.”

Elijah's lips twitched in a barely concealed smile. “I must say, Y/n, your resistance is admirable. But I suspect, deep down, you're tempted.”

Klaus tilted his head, his gaze steady on you. “You can keep pretending, love, but we both know you’ll say yes eventually. Might as well make it easy on yourself.”

You raised a hand, trying to hold back a laugh. “No wondering hands, no plotting, no mind games.”

Klaus’s grin widened into a full smirk. “Deal.”

Elijah inclined his head, eyes sparkling with amusement. “Agreed. We’ll be on our best behavior.”

You shook your head, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Fine. But the second any of you step out of line, I’m leaving.”

Klaus’s eyes gleamed with victory. “Understood, love. We’ll be on our best behavior... for now.”

Elijah nodded, his smile warm and teasing at the same time. “We wouldn’t dare risk scaring you off.”

You looked between them, knowing full well they’d find a way to push your buttons, but despite yourself, you were already looking forward to the chaos they’d undoubtedly bring. “You two are going to regret this.”

Klaus leaned in with a wink. “We regret nothing.”

Just as you, and the boys were heading toward the door, ready to embark on their so-called "no-plotting, no-wondering -hands" outing, Hayley and Rebekah appeared in the doorway, side by side, looking far too amused for your liking.

“Well, well,” Hayley said, crossing her arms with a smirk, her gaze bouncing between you and the boys. “Isn’t this cozy? Another night out with the boys, Y/n? Didn't you say you weren't going to let them drag you out again?”

You felt a flash of irritation, but you kept your expression neutral. “I wasn’t dragged anywhere. I'm only going to make sure they don’t get into trouble.”

Rebekah raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening. “Right. Because that's always how it goes when you’re around Klaus and Elijah. Purely supervision.” She winked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

You shot her a pointed glare. “Someone has to keep an eye on them.”

Klaus chuckled, stepping closer to your side. “She’s right. Without her, we’d be absolutely lost.”

Hayley snorted, clearly unconvinced. “Lost, huh? Funny, because from what I saw last night, it looked like Y/n was the one in over her head.”

Elijah smiled calmly, his voice smooth as ever. “Now, Hayley, Y/n was perfectly in control. We were the ones being kept in check.”

Rebekah grinned wickedly, eyeing you up and down. “Are you sure you're not the one being dragged into their little games, Y/n? I mean, it seems like you’re making a habit of hanging out with these two.”

You crossed your arms, feigning nonchalance. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. And for the record, I’m just being nice. Somebody has to.”

Klaus leaned closer to you with a teasing smile. “Of course, love. You’re just being nice.” He glanced at Rebekah and Hayley. “She absolutely can’t resist us.”

You glared up at Klaus, then turned back to your sister and Rebekah. “I’m not going with them,” you declared firmly. “I told you, I’m meeting up with friends tonight.”

Hayley raised an eyebrow, looking far too entertained. “Friends, huh? Funny, because I’m pretty sure Klaus and Elijah count as anything but 'just friends.'"

Rebekah laughed, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “Oh, sweetie, don’t try to lie to us. We know you far too well for that.”

You huffed, rolling your eyes. “Believe what you want. I’m still not going with them.”

Hayley smirked knowingly, clearly seeing through her sister’s act. “Right. Because it’s just a coincidence you’re standing at the door with them, all ready to go.”

Klaus chuckled again, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “She’s a terrible liar, isn’t she?”

Elijah simply smiled, his tone gentle but teasing. “It’s one of her many endearing qualities.”

You shot them both a look, trying to keep your composure. “I don’t need to explain myself to you two,” you muttered, pushing past them toward the door.

Rebekah grinned wickedly as she called after you. “Enjoy your ‘friends,’ Y/n!”

You didn’t bother turning around, waving dismissively over your houlder. “I will.”

As the door closed behind them, Klaus couldn’t help but murmur with a smirk, “Love, you’re such a liar again.”

You smiled to yourself but kept walking. “Who cares? Besides, remember that I still don’t like you guys.”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged a glance, both of them wearing knowing smiles as they followed you into the night. They might not have had the full truth, but they both knew one thing: you were far from done with them.

The night had progressed with its usual banter, drinks shared, and casual teasing between you and the boys. The three of you sat in a quiet corner of a bar, you were nursing a cocktail while Klaus and Elijah exchanged amused glances. The mood was light and comfortable, with a teasing undercurrent that always seemed to hang between them and you.

After a moment of silence, Klaus broke it with a smirk. “So, love, we’ve been thinking.”

You raised an eyebrow, glancing between him and Elijah. “Should I be worried?”

Elijah smiled gently, leaning in. “Not at all. But we do have a... proposition.”

You sighed, already sensing the mischief behind their words. “Oh, great. Another proposition. What is it this time?”

Klaus chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with amusement. “How would you feel about making this little... arrangement of ours more official?”

You blinked, looking from Klaus to Elijah in surprise. “Wait, are you two actually asking me to be your... girlfriend?”

Elijah’s expression remained calm, but there was a teasing warmth in his gaze. “Well, we were hoping for a more romantic way of putting it, but yes, essentially.”

Klaus leaned closer, his voice smooth and teasing. “After all, love, it’s not like we haven’t been acting like we’re already together.”

You stared at them, your mind racing, but then you huffed, crossing your arms. “You two are unbelievable.”

Klaus smirked, clearly enjoying this. “Is that a yes, then?”

You narrowed your eyes at him, playing hard to get. “Oh, no. You don’t get off that easy. You think I’m just going to say yes and let you two smug bastards waltz around like you won or something?”

Elijah raised an eyebrow, his expression mildly amused. “We don’t need to ‘waltz around’ anything. The answer’s already in your eyes.”

Klaus chuckled. “Come on,love. admit it. You’ve had a good time with us, and you know it.”

You try to keep up your resistant front, though a smile was starting to tug at the corners of your lips. “You two are the absolute worst.”

Elijah smiled serenely. “And yet you keep coming back.”

You sighed dramatically, pretending to think about it for a moment before finally rolling your eyes. “Fine. Fine. I’ll be your girlfriend. But—" you pointed at both of them, your expression is serious despite the amusement flickering in your eyes, “—there are rules.”

Klaus tilted his head, intrigued. “Oh? What rules might those be?”

You leaned back, crossing your arms. “When we’re around my sister or Rebekah, we hate each other. Got it?”

Elijah raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Hate each other?”

You nodded firmly. “Exactly. We despise each other. I don’t need them getting in my business more than they already do.”

Klaus chuckled softly, leaning forward. “So we’re playing pretend now? Must we act like complete enemies?”

You shot him a glare. “Yes. When they’re around, we argue, we fight, we throw insults at each other. Otherwise, they’ll never let me hear the end of it.”

Elijah gave a small smile, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Very well. If that’s what you wish.”

Klaus shook his head, clearly entertained. “This will be fun. But you do realize, love, that your sister’s going to see right through this little act of yours.”

You scoffed. “She doesn’t need to know anything. As long as you two stick to the plan, we’re golden.”

Klaus gave you a teasing smile. “Fine. We’ll hate each other, if that’s what makes you happy.”

Elijah nodded, his tone calm and diplomatic as usual. “Agreed. We’ll play along, though I doubt it’ll last long.”

You finally smiled, satisfied with the agreement. “Good. Because if you two mess this up, I’ll make your lives miserable.”

Klaus smirked, clearly unbothered by your threat. “Love, you already make our lives more interesting. What’s a little more chaos?”

You couldn’t help but laugh, shaking your head at the ridiculousness of it all. “Just remember, publicly, we hate each other.”

Elijah gave you a knowing look. “As you wish, Y/n. As you wish.”

As the three of you approached the mansion, you caught sight of Rebekah standing outside, her arms crossed as she leaned casually against the doorframe. Your heart skipped a beat, and you immediately dropped Klaus and Elijah’s hands like they were burning hot coals.

“Don’t touch me,” you hissed under your breath, stepping away from the two brothers as they exchanged amused glances. You cleared your throat, straightening your posture and plastering an annoyed expression on your face.

Klaus smirked, clearly enjoying your shift in demeanor. “Ah, the game begins,” he whispered slowly, his voice laced with humor.

Elijah, ever the gentleman, kept his calm composure, though a hint of a smirk tugged at his lips. “Remember, Y/n, we must hate each other now,” he murmured, his tone barely concealing his amusement.

You rolled your eyes, stepping further away from them as they neared Rebekah. “Don’t remind me.”

Rebekah’s eyes lit up the second she spotted them. Her smirk grew wide, and you could already see the teasing comment forming on her lips.

“Well, well, well, look who decided to come home together,” Rebekah drawled, pushing off the doorframe and eyeing them with thinly veiled amusement. “Had a nice time, did we?”

You quickly threw on your best scowl, folding your arms across your chest and glaring at Klaus and Elijah. “Not particularly,” you snapped. “These two were as unbearable as usual.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow, playing along. “Unbearable? My love Y/n, you were practically hanging off us all night.”

You shot him a death glare. “Don’t flatter yourself, Mikaelson. The only reason I was even there was to make sure you didn’t do anything stupid.”

Elijah, ever calm and composed, chimed in with a faint smile. “She was quite insistent on keeping us out of trouble. Very responsible of her, don’t you think?”

You gave him a side-eye, but before you could retort, Rebekah let out a snort of laughter.

“Oh, please. The three of you can barely stay apart for more than an hour, and now you want me to believe you hate each other? Nice try.” She gave you a knowing look, her smirk widening. “You’re not fooling anyone, sweetheart anymore.”

Your eyes widened slightly in panic, but you quickly recovered, glaring at Rebekah. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. These two are impossible to deal with. I’m just stuck cleaning up their messes.”

Klaus, enjoying the act far too much, leaned in with a mischievous grin. “Is that what we’re calling it now? Cleaning up after us?”

Your glare intensified. “Don’t push me, hybrid.”

Rebekah raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained. “Right. And you just happened to be out together, holding hands all night because... what? You felt like tormenting each other?”

You sputtered for a moment, trying to think of a convincing excuse. “I— We weren’t holding hands! That’s ridiculous!”

Klaus chuckled softly, leaning toward Rebekah. “She’s lying, of course. But it’s adorable that she thinks she can fool you.”

You shot him a furious look, then turned to Rebekah. “Don’t listen to him. He’s full of it, as usual.”

Rebekah laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, Y/n, you’re terrible at this. But I appreciate the effort.”

You huffed, crossing your arms tightly and stomping toward the front door. “Whatever. Believe what you want.”

Elijah shared a quick glance with Klaus, both of them clearly enjoying Your flustered state.

Klaus called after you, his voice full of amusement. “We’ll see you inside, love.”

You didn’t bother turning around, but you muttered under your breath, “I hate you guys.”

As Klaus and Elijah finished dressing, the atmosphere in your room was still charged with the aftermath of your passionate encounter. You were, trying to regain your composure, quickly moved to open the door, your eyes scanning the hallway for any sign of unwelcome guests.

"Alright, you two, time to go," you said firmly, your tone brooking no argument. You glanced at both of them with a mix of satisfaction and urgency. "We don’t want Rebekah or Hayley catching you here."

Klaus, with a lingering smirk, adjusted his jacket and nodded. “As you wish, love. Always a pleasure.”

Elijah, ever the gentleman, straightened his suit and offered you a reassuring smile. “We’ll be going. But remember, Y/n, our arrangement is far from over.”

You shot him a pointed look. “Just go before someone sees you guys.”

As they made their way out, the door swung open slightly, and they nearly collided with Hayley, who had been casually walking down the hallway. Her eyes widened with a mischievous glint, and she smirked at the two men.

“Well, well,” Hayley drawled, leaning against the doorframe with a knowing look. “What do we have here?”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged a brief, amused glance before Klaus stepped forward with a charming smile. “Hayley. Just the person we needed to see.”

Elijah nodded politely, his expression calm but his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Hayley.”

Hayley raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting back and forth between them and the partially open door of your room. “I see. Looks like you two had a... busy night.”

Klaus, always quick on his feet, feigned innocence. “Busy? Hardly. We were simply saying our goodbyes.”

Elijah joined in the act, maintaining his calm demeanor. “Indeed. We were just leaving.”

Hayley’s smirk grew wider as she stepped closer, her eyes flicking toward your door. “I didn’t realize you two were so... close with Y/n.”

Klaus chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Oh, we’re very close. But not too close, I assure you.”

Elijah, looking unruffled, added smoothly, “We’re just very... attentive friends.”

You appeared at the door, your face flushed and your hair slightly disheveled. You threw a quick, irritated glance at Klaus and Elijah. “Are you guys done? I’m trying to keep things private here.”

Hayley’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she turned her attention to you. “Looks like you’re having quite a bit of fun.”

You tried to maintain your composure, though you were clearly flustered. “It’s none of your business, Hayley.”

Klaus gave you a teasing look, then turned to Hayley. “Well, Hayley, it was lovely seeing you. We’ll be off now.”

Elijah nodded in agreement. “Take care, Hayley.”

With that, the two men made their hasty exit, leaving you and your sister standing in the hallway. You sighed, rubbing your temples.

Hayley watched them go, a playful smirk on her lips. “So, are you going to tell me what’s really going on here?”

You clearly exasperated, rolled your eyes. “It’s none of your business. Just drop it, okay?”

Hayley’s grin widened as she followed you back into the room. “Oh, I’m sure it’s just the beginning. But fine, I’ll drop it, for now.”

As the door closed behind them, you leaned against it, your mind already racing with how you would manage to keep your secret from everyone. The night had definitely turned out more complicated than you had anticipated.

The living room was dimly lit by the soft glow of the television screen, casting a warm ambiance over the cozy setup. You and the boys were sprawled comfortably on the couch, indulging in a movie night. Klaus and Elijah flanked you on either side, their arms draped around you as they all snacked on popcorn and sipped wine. The atmosphere was relaxed and intimate, with you nestled snugly between the two brothers.

Just as Klaus reached for the popcorn, the door creaked open, and Hayley’s voice rang out with a teasing lilt. “Well, well, what do we have here?”

Your eyes widened in horror, and you scrambled to distance yourself from Klaus and Elijah, stumbling over the popcorn bowl in the process. “It’s not what it looks like!” You blurted out, your cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Rebekah sauntered into the room with an amused smirk, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Oh, but it sure is what it looks like. You’re cuddling with my brothers.”

Klaus, trying to regain his composure, shot a playful glare at you. “Well, love, it seems our cover’s been blown.”

Elijah sighed, giving you a knowing look. “I suppose there’s no hiding it now.”

You threw your hands up in mock exasperation. “Fine! We’re dating. You two finally got us. Happy now?”

Rebekah’s grin widened as she leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. “Oh, absolutely. But don’t think you’re off the hook that easily.”

Hayley, ever the instigator, waltzed over and plopped herself down on the edge of the couch. “So, are we joining you for the movie, or...?”

You quickly stepped between Hayley and the couch, your expression a mix of irritation and amusement. “Oh, no. Not happening. This was supposed to be a private night.”

Klaus and Elijah nodded in agreement, their expressions equally firm but with a hint of playfulness. “We’d appreciate it if you two would give us some privacy,” Elijah said smoothly.

Hayley raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Are you sure you want to be alone? It looks like you’re already quite comfortable.”

Klaus chuckled, his arm slipping around your waist as he pulled you closer. “As much as we love the company, we’d prefer if you left us to our movie night.”

Rebekah, with her usual mischief, stepped forward. “Oh, come on. It’s not every day I get to tease you three. Why not let us stay?”

You shook your head, trying to hold back a laugh. “No way. You’re not turning our movie night into a circus.”

Hayley and Rebekah exchanged knowing glances before reluctantly standing up. “Alright, alright,” Hayley said with a smirk. “We’ll leave you to your private cuddle fest.”

Rebekah gave you a playful wink. “Don’t think this is over. We’ll be watching.

As Hayley and Rebekah headed toward the door, Klaus and Elijah quickly resumed their positions on the couch, pulling you back into their embrace.

Once the door closed behind the sisters, you let out a relieved sigh, leaning into Klaus and Elijah. “Finally, some peace and quiet.”

Klaus smirked, his arm wrapped around you. “Indeed. Though, I must say, having them walk in was quite the unexpected twist.”

Elijah nodded, his gaze softening as he looked at you. “At least we can enjoy our movie now, without any more interruptions.”

You smiled up at you, your cheeks still flushed but your eyes twinkled with happiness. “Definitely. Just us, the popcorn, and the wine.”

Klaus chuckled softly, planting a kiss on your forehead. “Perfect.”

As the movie continued, the room was filled with the soft sounds of laughter and the occasional clink of wine glasses, the earlier embarrassment giving way to a cozy, intimate evening.

As the movie played on, you snuggled comfortably between Klaus and Elijah, but your earlier embarrassment had turned into playful banter. You glanced at Klaus and Elijah, your eyes twinkling with mischief.

“You know,” you said with a teasing tone, “if you two had been a bit more careful, we wouldn’t have been caught.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Caught? We weren’t exactly hiding, love. It’s not our fault if you’re so irresistible that we can’t keep our hands off you.”

Elijah, his voice smooth and calm, added, “Indeed. It seems we were simply too engrossed in our private moment to notice the door wasn’t fully closed.”

You rolled your eyes, your smile widening as you shook your head. “Oh, so now it’s my fault for being irresistible? Classic excuse.”

Klaus chuckled softly, his arm tightening around you. “Well, it’s certainly a convenient one.”

Elijah leaned in, his tone teasing. “And you did look quite comfortable nestled between us. It was hard to resist.”

You playfully nudged him with your elbow. “If you two had been a little more discreet, maybe I wouldn’t have had to explain our situation to Rebekah and Hayley.”

Klaus grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Ah, but where’s the fun in being discreet?”

Elijah smiled, his gaze warm as he looked at you. “Indeed. Sometimes, a little chaos adds to the enjoyment.”

You laughed, leaning back into their embrace. “Well, thanks to your lack of caution, I had to deal with Rebekah and Hayley’s teasing. So, consider yourselves warned. Next time, I expect you both to be more careful.”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged amused glances before settling back into their cozy positions. “We’ll take that under advisement,” Klaus said with a grin.

Elijah nodded, adding, “But for now, let’s just enjoy the movie.”

As the film played on, you nestled comfortably between them, the earlier embarrassment now a source of playful banter. The room was filled with soft laughter, the warmth of their shared closeness, and the cozy ambiance of their private movie night.

The morning sun filtered through the curtains as you and your sister prepared for the pack meeting. You were dressed in your casual but stylish outfit, gathering your things when Klaus and Elijah strolled into the room, their expressions a mix of reluctance and concern.

“Do you really have to go?” Klaus asked, his tone almost pleading as he reached out to tug on your sleeve.

Elijah, standing beside Klaus, added with a dramatic sigh, “Yes, must you leave so early? Can’t the meeting wait?”

You laughed softly, shaking your head at their playful theatrics. “Oh, come on. It’s just a pack meeting. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Klaus pouted slightly, crossing his arms. “But we were just getting used to having you all to ourselves.”

Elijah gave you a mock hurt look. “Yes, and we were rather enjoying the peace and quiet of our private time”

You couldn’t help but smile at their exaggerated displays. You stepped closer to them, placing a hand on each of their chests. “You know, I’m going to miss you two too.”

Klaus and Elijah’s expressions softened, though their playful disappointment remained. “Promise you’ll hurry back?” Klaus asked, his voice almost a whisper.

You nodded, your eyes twinkling with affection. “I promise. But before I go, I think you both need a little reminder of how much I care.”

Without missing a beat, you leaned in and pressed a soft, lingering kiss on Klaus’s lips, then turned to Elijah and did the same. The kiss was sweet and tender, filled with the warmth of her affection and the promise of your return.

Klaus and Elijah, momentarily stunned, blinked up at you with wide eyes, their playful frowns melting into genuine smiles. “Well,” Klaus said, his voice a low purr as he pulled her into a gentle embrace, “love. with that kiss of yours. we can let you go.”

Elijah, his gaze soft and filled with admiration, nodded in agreement. “Indeed. We’ll eagerly await your return.”

You chuckled, giving them one last squeeze before stepping back. “I’ll see you both soon. And remember, behave yourselves while I’m gone.”

As you and Hayley headed out the door, Klaus and Elijah watched you and your sister go, their smiles lingering as they exchanged a knowing look. The dramatic farewell had been just what they needed to remind them of the bond they shared, and they couldn’t wait for your return.

The room was buzzing with the low hum of conversations as the werewolves gathered for the pack meeting. You and Hayley sat together at one end of the room, chatting quietly about the latest pack developments. Your conversation was interrupted as Alexander, one of the werewolves, stepped up to the front, signaling that the meeting was about to begin.

As the room fell silent, Alexander cleared his throat and began to speak. “Thank you all for coming. We have a very important announcement to make.”

You and Hayley exchanged a curious glance, your conversation fading as they focused on Alexander. One of the werewolves continued, “We are pleased to announce that there will be a wedding between Jackson Kenner and Y/n Marshall.”

A collective murmur swept through the room, but your attention was solely on Hayley. Your eyes widened in shock, and you turned back to Alexander. “Wait, what? I can’t do that. I’m currently in a relationship.”

Alexander's expression remained stern. “This is a matter of great importance for the pack. It has been decided that this marriage is essential for maintaining our alliance and ensuring the stability of our community.”

Your heart raced, and you turned to your sister for support. Hayley stood up, her face a mixture of frustration and determination. “This isn’t right. Y/n is already in a relationship. You can’t just force her into this.”

Alexander's gaze was unyielding. “The decision has bee made. Y/n must end her current relationship and prepare for the wedding.”

Your frustration grew, your voice rising in protest. “This is insane! I can’t just break up with them because of some pack’s alliance. There has to be another way.”

Hayley stepped forward, trying to argue, but Alexander held up a hand to silence her. “This is not up for discussion. Y/n must comply with the decision.”

Your eyes were filled with a mix of anger and despair. “So that’s it? I just have to accept this?”

Alexander nodded firmly. “You have until the end of the week to end your current relationship and make arrangements for the wedding.”

Hayley looked at you, her expression one of sympathy and frustration. “I’m so sorry, Y/n. We’ll figure out a way to make this right.”

As the meeting continued, you sat in stunned silence, your thoughts racing as you tried to process the sudden turn of events. The prospect of having to break up with them and marry Jackson Kenner was overwhelming, and you couldn’t shake the feeling of helplessness that weighed heavily on your shoulders.

That night, the atmosphere was tense as Elijah and Klaus noticed your demeanor had shifted significantly. The warmth and cheerfulness they were used to had been replaced by a more subdued and troubled air.

They found you in the living room, sitting alone with a distant look in your eyes. Klaus approached first, his voice gentle but filled with concern. “Love, you seem off tonight. Is everything alright?”

You forced a smile, though it didn’t quite reach your eyes. “I’m fine. Just a bit tired, that’s all.”

Elijah, not convinced by your reassurances, took a seat next to her. “You know you can talk to us about anything. We’ve noticed something’s bothering you.”

You glanced at them, your resolve wavering for a moment before you shook your head. “Really, it’s nothing. Just some stuff from the meeting earlier.”

Klaus and Elijah exchanged a worried look before deciding to speak to Hayley, hoping she might shed some light on the situation. They found her in the kitchen, busy with a late-night snack.

“Hayley,” Klaus began, his tone serious, “we’re concerned about Y/n. She’s been acting strange since the meeting. Is everything alright?”

Hayley looked up from what she was doing, her expression thoughtful. “I can’t tell you anything, Y/n is the one who needs to talk to you. It’s not my place to reveal what’s going on.”

Elijah, trying to understand, pressed further. “But she seems really distressed. Is there something we should know?”

Hayley sighed, her eyes showing a mix of frustration and empathy. “She’s dealing with a lot right now. The announcement from the meeting, it’s a huge deal for her. She needs to come to terms with it in her own way.”

Klaus nodded slowly, a frown deepening on his face. “Alright, we’ll give her space. But if there’s anything we can do to help, please let us know.”

Hayley gave them a small, sympathetic smile. “Just be patient. It’s a lot for her to process.”

As Klaus and Elijah returned to the living room, they found you lost in your thoughts. They could see the strain on your face, and despite your attempts to mask it, it was clear that the weight of the situation was heavy on you.

Klaus sat beside you, his tone soft but filled with care. “We’re here for you, Y/n. Whenever you’re ready to talk, we’ll listen.”

Elijah nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with understanding. “Just know that you’re not alone in this. We want to support you however we can.”

You looked at them, your heart aching with the burden of the forced decision you faced. Though you were still reluctant to fully open up, the comfort of their presence provided a small solace in the midst of your turmoil.

On a quiet Sunday night, the moon hung low over the horizon, casting long shadows across the Mikaelson estate. You sat nervously in the grand drawing room, your heart heavy with the weight of the conversation you were about to initiate. Klaus and Elijah, both unaware of the storm brewing in your mind, lounged casually nearby.

“Klaus, Elijah,” you began, your voice trembling slightly as you fought to maintain composure. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Klaus looked up from his book, his usual confident demeanor slipping into concern. “What’s wrong, love?”

Elijah, sensing the seriousness in your tone, straightened. “Is everything alright?”

Taking a deep breath, you continued, your eyes meeting theirs with a mix of sadness and resolve. “The pack… they’ve been pressuring me. They want me to marry Jackson.”

The room fell silent. Klaus’s eyes widened in disbelief, his face a portrait of anguish. “What? But why?”

Your gaze dropped to the floor, unable to meet the pain you saw reflected in their eyes. “It’s complicated. The pack’s tradition is binding, and they believe it’s necessary for maintaining peace. I don’t have a choice in the matter.”

Elijah’s expression softened, though his heartache was evident. “But what about us? What about everything we’ve shared? Surely they must understand—”

“I tried to explain,” you interrupted, your voice breaking. “But they’re adamant. They want to solidify their alliance with the Crescent Pack through this marriage. It’s not just about me; it’s about politics and power.”

Klaus stood abruptly, his face a mix of fury and despair. “So, you’re leaving us. You’re choosing Jackson over us.”

“No,” you cried out, tears spilling down your cheeks. “It’s not about choosing. It’s about having no choice at all. I love you both, but they’re forcing me into this. I can’t defy them without risking everything.”

Elijah reached out, his hand gently touching your arm, but his eyes were filled with sorrow. “Is there truly no way to avoid this? Is there nothing we can do to fight this?”

You shook your head, your voice barely a whisper. “I’ve tried everything. The pack’s decision is final. I have to go through with this.”

Klaus’s anger and heartbreak were palpable. “You should have told us sooner. We could have done something. We could have fought for you.”

“I didn’t know how to tell you guys,” you admitted, your voice breaking with the weight of your regret. “I was afraid of how you’d react. And now, I’m losing you both.”

Elijah and Klaus exchanged a heavy glance, the weight of their shared loss settling between them. Klaus looked back at you, his eyes filled with a mix of love and resignation. “So, this is it? We’re really done?”

You nodded, your heart aching with the finality of your words. “I’m sorry. I truly am. But I have to go. I hope you guys understand.”

With a heavy heart, Klaus and Elijah stood, their faces reflecting the profound sadness of the moment. They turned away, unable to bear the pain of seeing your tears, and walked towards the door. Each step they took felt like a part of their hearts breaking, the love they had shared now a distant, painful memory.

You watched them go, your own heart shattered into pieces. The echoes of their footsteps faded into the night, leaving you alone with the weight of a decision you never wanted to make and the loss of a love you could never truly let go of.

As the door closed behind them, you sank into a nearby armchair, your emotions spilling over in quiet sobs. The weight of your choice pressed down on you like a physical force. You barely noticed when Hayley entered the room, drawn by the sound of your anguish.

Hayley rushed to you, her own heart breaking at the sight of your tears. She wrapped her arms around you, pulling you close in a tight embrace. “Oh, Y/N,” Hayley whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could do.”

You clung to Hayley, the support from your sister a small comfort amidst the overwhelming grief. Your voice was muffled against Hayley’s shoulder as you spoke, your words heavy with sorrow. “I’ve lost them, Hayley. I’ve lost the men that I only loved.”

Hayley tightened your hold, her own tears streaming down her face. “You didn’t want this. You didn’t have a choice.”

“I know,” you said, your voice breaking. “But knowing that doesn’t make it any easier. I didn’t just break their hearts today. I broke mine too. I’ve broken three hearts.”

Hayley pulled back slightly, her gaze searching your tear-streaked face. “They’re hurting, but you’re hurting too. You loved them, and they loved you. This isn’t just about what’s happened; it’s about what could have been.”

“I keep thinking about the moments we shared,” you said, your voice trembling. “The laughter, the tenderness, the promises we made. And now, it’s all gone. I had to choose between them and my duty, and I feel like I’ve lost a part of myself in the process.”

Hayley wiped at her own tears, her heart aching for you. “You did what you had to do. You were caught between a rock and a hard place. They’ll understand, eventually. But right now, it’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to feel like you’ve lost everything.”

You nodded, your sobs becoming quieter as you leaned into your sister’s embrace. “I wish I could turn back time. I wish I could find a way to make things right, but I know that’s impossible.”

“I know,” Hayley said softly, her voice filled with empathy. “But you’re not alone. I’m here for you, and we’ll get through this together. It’s going to take time, but you’ll find a way to heal.”

As the two sisters sat together in the dimly lit room, the enormity of your loss seemed almost palpable.the love you had shared with Klaus and Elijah was now a bittersweet memory, and the future seemed uncertain. Yet, amidst the sadness, there was a small flicker of hope in the support of family, a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there could be solace in the connections that remained.

The day of the engagement party arrived, casting a bittersweet aura over the event. The venue was adorned with elegant decorations, a mix of white and gold, creating a festive atmosphere that belied the underlying tension. The guests, including many pack members and important figures, mingled and chatted, their conversations a backdrop to the day’s main event.

You arrived with a forced smile, your heart heavy as you tried to appear composed. Jackson Kenner, ever the picture of confidence, stood by your side, ready to take the next step in the arranged union. As Jackson and you moved through the crowd, you couldn’t shake the feeling of being an actor in a play you never wanted to be part of.

The moment came when Jackson, with a reassuring hand on your back, gathered everyone’s attention. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned toward the couple. Jackson’s gaze was steady as he began to speak, his voice carrying over the hush of the crowd.

“Thank you all for coming to celebrate this special occasion,” Jackson began, his tone warm and inclusive. “Today, I have the honor of asking Y/n to be my wife, officially.”

You forced a smile as you looked at Jackson, but your thoughts were far from the joy of the moment. You could feel the weight of the promise you had made, and the memory of Klaus and Elijah’s hurt expressions from the night before seemed to hover around you.

Jackson took a deep breath and reached into his pocket, pulling out a stunning engagement ring. The jewel sparkled under the soft lighting, catching the eyes of everyone in the room. He turned to you, his expression earnest.

“Y/n,” he said, his voice gentle yet filled with hope, “will you marry me?”

As he extended the ring toward you, your heart ached with the knowledge of what this moment truly meant. You hesitated for a brief second, your eyes meeting Jackson’s. Despite the sadness that lingered in your heart, you took a deep breath and nodded.

“Yes,” you said, your voice soft but resolute. “I will.”

The room erupted in applause and cheers as Jackson slipped the ring onto your finger. You tried to focus on the happiness of the guests, but the emptiness of the moment made it difficult to feel genuine joy. You managed a polite smile as Jackson hugged you, his arms warm and reassuring.

As the party continued, you found herself caught in a swirl of congratulations and small talk. The evening wore on, and while she made an effort to mingle and partake in the celebrations, your thoughts often drifted to the faces of Klaus and Elijah, the pain of their absence a constant undercurrent to the evening’s festivities.

In the midst of the celebration, the engagement ring on your finger was a constant, glittering reminder of the choices you had been forced to make, and the heartbreak that had accompanied them. As you looked around at the smiling faces and the joy of the occasion, you couldn’t shake the feeling that the night, while full of celebration, was also steeped in a profound sense of loss.

You stood in front of the full-length mirror, your reflection revealing the intricate lace of your wedding gown, the weight of the world heavy on your shoulders. You barely recognized yourself in the mirror, dressed up like a bride for a man she didn’t love, not in the way you loved Klaus and Elijah. Your heart ached, and your stomach churned with each passing second. This wasn’t how your life was supposed to go.

A soft knock on the door made you jump. You turned and saw Hayley standing in the doorway, her expression somber. “You ready?” Hayley asked, though you both knew the answer.

You gave her a weak smile. “How do I look?”

Hayley sighed, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. "I wish there was another way."

"I know," you whispered, your voice cracking slightly. "But this is what has to be done for the wolves. For our people."

"Y/n, you don’t have to marry Jackson just for them," Hayley said softly. "It shouldn’t be your burden to carry."

You turned back to the mirror, your eyes stinging as tears threatened to fall. "It’s not just about the wolves, Hayley. If I don’t do this... things will fall apart. Peace will crumble, and the war will begin again. I’m doing this for everyone."

Hayley stepped closer, placing a hand on your shoulder. "But what about you? What about what you want? What about Klaus and Elijah?"

Your heart squeezed painfully at their names. "They know why I’m doing this. They understand." But your voice wavered, and deep down, you knew that wasn’t entirely true.

The ceremony was simple, but the weight of its significance was suffocating. Klaus and Elijah stood at the back, watching silently as you walked down the aisle. You looked beautiful, radiant, even, but the sadness in your eyes was unmistakable. You caught Klaus’s gaze for a fleeting moment, and his jaw clenched. He was trying to hide his emotions, but you knew him too well.

Elijah stood beside Klaus, his expression a mask of calm, but there was a storm brewing beneath the surface. He loved you too, and seeing you marry another man was like a dagger to his heart. But just like Klaus, he was forced to watch. Forced to let you go.

As you reached Jackson at the altar, you forced yourself to smile, to play the part you were supposed to.Jackson smiled back at you, blissfully unaware of the turmoil raging inside you. He took your hands, his voice warm as he whispered, “You look beautiful.”

You nodded slightly, unable to muster any words in response. Your eyes flickered back to where Klaus and Elijah stood, the pain in their eyes mirroring your own.

Later, after the ceremony, you slipped away from the celebration, needing a moment to breathe. You found yourself by the lake, the cool breeze ruffling the fabric of your dress. You hugged yourself, trying to hold yourself together as the tears finally began to fall.

"I knew I’d find you here."

You turned at the sound of Klaus’s voice, your heart skipping a beat. He stood a few feet away, his eyes locked on yours, the tension between them palpable.

“Klaus…”

“Don’t,” he said, his voice low and thick with emotion. “Don’t say my name like that. Like you’re sorry.”

“I am sorry,” you whispered, your voice breaking. “I didn’t want this. I didn’t want any of this.”

“And yet, here we are,” Klaus muttered, stepping closer. “You in a wedding dress, married to someone who isn’t us.”

You took a shaky breath. “You know why I did it. It’s to protect everyone—"

“To protect them,” Klaus interrupted, his eyes flashing with anger and hurt. “But what about us? What about you?”

Elijah appeared then, his presence calming but no less heartbreaking. "Klaus, don’t." His voice was gentle but firm. "This isn’t what she wanted, but it’s what she had to do."

You looked between them, your heart splitting in two. “I never wanted to hurt either of you. You know that.”

Elijah nodded slowly, but his eyes told a different story. “I know, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”

Klaus stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He reached out, brushing a tear from your cheek, his touch sending a shiver down your spine. “Tell me, Y/n,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Was there even a moment when you thought about choosing us?”

Your breath hitched, your hands trembling as you reached up to cover his hand on your cheek. “Every moment, Klaus. Every moment, I thought about you both.”

Elijah’s voice was quiet as he spoke. “But you didn’t.”

You turned your gaze to Elijah, your heart breaking all over again. "I couldn’t. You know I couldn’t."

Klaus pulled away, his hand falling to his side. "It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? You’re married now. To him."

The pain in his voice was too much to bear, and you couldn’t hold back the sob that escaped your lips. You buried your face in your hands, your body shaking as the weight of your choice came crashing down on you.

Elijah moved to your side, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “We understand, Y/n. We do. But it doesn’t change how much this hurts.”

You looked up at him, your eyes filled with regret. "I’m so sorry, Elijah. I’m sorry for everything."

Klaus turned away, his voice hard as he spoke. “Sorry won’t change what’s happened. You’re his now.”

You swallowed hard, wiping your tears as you looked at both Klaus and Elijah, your heart shattering all over again. "I’ll always love you. Both of you. Nothing will ever change that."

But even as the words left your lips, you knew they weren’t enough. Nothing would ever be enough to fix the damage that had been done. And as you watched Klaus walk away, followed by Elijah’s lingering, heartbroken gaze, you realized just how much you had lost.

#the originals x y/n #the originals x you #the originals x reader #the originals #Klaus mikaelson #Klaus mikaelson x you #klaus mikaelson x y/n #klaus Mikaelson x reader #Klaus Mikaelson x Marshall!reader #elijah mikaelson #elijah mikaelson x y/n #elijah mikaelson x you #elijah mikaelsonx reader #Elijah mikaelsons x Marshall!Reader #klaus mikaelson imagines #elijah mikealson imagine

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boyfhee · 1 year

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PROMISE ⋆ psh

prompt · “you’ve been talking about this for months so i figured that maybe if i got it for you, you’d shut up.” “i love you.” requested

g · fluff warnings · kissing wc · 0.7k

note · why is looking for pics on pins is the hardest part of writing a fic. btw the hyunjin is not skz hyunjin i promise that's like the only name i could come up with

“i can’t believe you turned hyunjin down,” your friend pipes up from behind you during the self study session, bringing up the same topic for the fourth time in the past twenty-minutes. “even i felt my heart flutter at his confession, he was even promising you the world and all,”

“just because he said that doesn’t mean i should date him,” and you reply with the same eleven words that you’ve been telling her for the past twenty-minutes as well. “besides, i like someone else,” you turn around, making sure your words reach her loud and clear, and your gaze travels to the back of the class, setting upon sunghoon, who looks away instantly with a rosy tint dusting his cheeks.

and then you don’t see sunghoon again, at least not for the next two hours. when the german lesson rolls by, you decide that skipping it would be better. you’ve simply taken that course for extra credits thinking it would be easy and so far, that language has only proven you wrong. which leads you to sitting on an old wooden bench in the school backyard, enjoying the consoling winds with sun rays kissing your skin just as gently, your fingers busy running over the tiny words and patterns engraved by the alumnus.

you look up the second you hear footsteps approaching your direction, a little worried that some staff might’ve spotted you sitting here instead of being in class, but the sight of a familiar figure eases your thoughts, making your lips curl up in a soft smile.

“sunghoon?” you shift to your right, an action that tells him to sit next to you, as if he wasn’t going to do that already. “skipping classes again?”

“you’re one to talk,” he chuckles, and you feel a thousand butterflies in your stomach. it’s almost unreal, the way you feel when he’s around you, it’s like you’re underwater, and you could breathe. “i have something for you,”

but sunghoon manages to help you swim out to the shore with his words, pulling out a small something from his pocket, which you fail to recognise until he takes you hand and places it on your palms, a soft gasp escaping your lips as the smile on his face grows wider, cheeks quite literally flushed red.

“this—”

“you’ve been talking about this for months so i figured that maybe if i got it for you, you’d shut up.” you agree you’ve been mentioning the kuromi keyring you saw at the store to sunghoon quite frequently, but you didn’t expect him to buy it for you, especially since it’s official merch and well, also expensive. “i love you,”

you didn't expect him to say those three words either.

and sunghoon is quite taken aback by his own words, eyes open wide as his heart started beating like it’s going to come out of his chest. he just hopes you don’t hear it beat crazily at the sight of you, although the flustered look on his face gives away how his feelings are spilling around everywhere, and the way you glow in sunlight, the way wind ruffles your hair, it’s doing nothing but making it harder and harder for him to pull himself together.

“before you say anything, this is not how i planned to confess. i don’t think i even planned to confess right now, i thought i had all the time in the world to do that, but then hyunjin asked you out this morning and. . .”

a second passes, and then another, you tilt your head to take a better look at his face, his sun kissed eyes catching your attention almost instantly with the way they gleam with surprise and hesitation. “and?”

you manage to breathe out, words as quiet as a whisper, his hands brushing against yours as you shift closer.

“i guess, i’m just scared to lose you, perhaps a bit jealous ever since he confessed to you, but again, i can’t blame him. it’s impossible to not fall for you,” his eyes meet yours, it’s quiet, just the sound of summer being the music before you break into faint laughter, his laughs joining you and spinning in the air the next second everything goes silent once again.

you feel a certain nervousness pooling inside of you as his hands slides into yours, a touch that sets all the butterflies free. “i can’t promise you the world, but i promise you all the love in this universe, even beyond,”

“i don’t need the world, hoon,” you lean towards him, one hand intertwined in his while you proceed to hold his face with the other, smiling against his lips before his eyes flutter close. “just having you is enough,”

#—approved.#k-labels #enhanet #hyfenet #enhypen imagines #enhypen scenarios #enhypen drabbles #enhypen fluff #park sunghoon #sunghoon x reader #enhypen x reader #sunghoon drabbles #sunghoon fluff #park sunghoon x reader #park sunghoon imagines

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strwbmei · 8 months

Note

Hi Mei, Can I ask a relantionship hcs sfw and nsfw for Aponia with a gender-neutral if possible, please? You are free to ignore this if you like

pairing(s): aponia x gn!reader

contains:

Aponia HCs

╰┈➤ SFW ;

: ̗̀➛ Aponia was really hesitant to get into a relationship with you at first. She's seen many horrible things happen to those that she loves, and she knows better than anyone that she can't do anything to change it. Still, like a moth to a flame, she can't help but find herself drawn to your radiating warmth. Perhaps this time, she deserves to be selfish.

: ̗̀➛ The Deep End is a cold and dark place— one where normal humans most likely wouldn't be able to survive for more than a few days. Because of how long Aponia has isolated herself in it, her body has learned to adapt, lowering its temperature to match its environment. She can also see in the dark much better, which is pretty cool.

: ̗̀➛ Because of this, Aponia would always shy away from your touch. Believe me, it was much to her annoyance, but she had grown insecure about being so cold (literally and figuratively) and she didn't want to scare you away with it. She was especially hesitant to hold hands because they were the coldest part of her body, but she learned to be more comfortable over time.

: ̗̀➛ If the two of you have a disagreement (which is near impossible, by the way; my girl Aponia can never be wrong,) it's really obvious to everyone else because of how weird and aloof she acts. For example, she barely ever leaves the Deep End, but suddenly you'll find her in the lobby drinking with either Elysia or Eden with a somber look on her face; sighing every few seconds and completely ignoring Elysia's bombardment of questions. The Flamechasers find a great deal of amusement seeing how you're so easily able to influence a woman usually so dangerous and cunning.

: ̗̀➛ Expect her to be the more dominant one in the relationship, taking the lead and making decisions (with your input too, of course!) because she's used to being the one giving orders. Despite that, though, she's actually really inexperienced with relationships so it's more of a team effort; the team consisting of you, Aponia, and Elysia because she helps you get through to Aponia more and somehow manages to offer the best relationship advice.

: ̗̀➛ Aponia doesn't really get jealous, at least at first. She got upset, but she used to have the mindset that if you like someone else more, you should simply choose them instead and she'll accept the decision you make. Over time, she grows to be more greedy and possessive of you. Because of this, she really appreciates it when you give her reassurance that you're hers and hers only even when she doesn't ask for it.

: ̗̀➛ When Griseo started calling you Mama/Papa, Aponia almost shed a tear. Griseo is almost like a daughter to her, and hearing her call you that only further solidified the fact that you were the person she'd want to spend the rest of eternity with.

╰┈➤ NSFW ;

: ̗̀➛ First of all, set a safe word. Seriously. Her libido is low, but every time the two of you have sex it always ends with you not being able to walk for months. Set a safe word if you value your life or if you don't want your pelvic bone to get turned into dust like actually. I'm not exaggerating; this woman goes rough.

: ̗̀➛ That doesn't mean that she means to, though. She's a gentlewoman at heart, but being surrounded by people like Kevin and Kalpas for most of her life has skewed her perception of an average human's limits. She's more of a soft dom if anything; you ending up with your legs shaking is already her being gentle.

: ̗̀➛ Remember how her hands are the coldest part of her body? Yeah, she's definitely taking advantage of that; cruelly tracing your body with her hands and making you tremble and whimper from the sheer temperature of her fingertips. As serious as she appears, she can be quite the tease when she puts her mind to it.

: ̗̀➛ Has a huge thing for dacryphilia. She was absolutely terrified the first time you started crying during sex thinking that she hurt you, but ever since you quickly explained the real reason and assured her that she did nothing wrong, she's made it a goal to make you cry from the pleasure. Did she really do a good job if you aren't a sobbing, shaking mess by the end of it?

: ̗̀➛ She doesn't have a specific preference for positions, but she hates it when she can't see your face. Aponia is the type of woman who thrives off of all of the small reactions she coaxes out of her partner. Blindfolds are definitely on the table, though— maybe it's her sadistic side, but she just loves seeing the fabric dampen with your tears...

: ̗̀➛ Aponia is really into body worship. It doesn't matter whether she's on the giving or receiving end of the deal, she loves the intimacy of the whole thing. She'll literally leave her marks and kisses on every inch of your body, and she expects you to at least try to do the same for her. This often leads to a lot of marking for both of you, though...

: ̗̀➛ For your own good, don't make her jealous. She's a patient woman; even more so with you, but if you upset her like that on purpose? Say goodbye to your ability to walk, speak, or think. Once you can speak again, make sure you give her tons of reassurance because that kind of stuff really upsets her. The idea of you with someone else gets her blood boiling.

#x reader #honkai impact #honkai impact x reader #honkai impact smut #smut #hi3 #hi3 x reader #hi3 smut #aponia #aponia hi3 #aponia honkai #aponia x reader #aponia smut #・❥・strwb fluff

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silentmoths · 1 year

Text

HSR thirsts 2, Electric boogaloo

I promised @ainescribe I would write her a sacraficial Jing Yuan thirst bcs she is desperate for the mans, figured I'd add a couple more in here too ehe

Jing Yuan, Welt, Lan x Reader

NSFW but not exactly explicit, Monsterfucking i guess??? looks at lan???? godfucking??? idk??

Jing Yuan

Careful hands and soft lips explore your skin, your own hands tugging at his silky soft hair, pulling it free of its tie as you watch a wall of white cascade down his shoulders.

Jing Yuan’s gaze only seems to smoulder more, his smile is soft, but his eyes give away the lust and the intentions as his lips return to yours. He’d been fighting today, you can smell the residual Ozone that always seems to linger on his skin after a fight, mingling with the usual scents of his favourite tea, and freshly polished wood.

“How many Mara-struck today?” you whisper as he pulls back just a hair, enough for you both to catch some air as his hands slide to your waist.

“Too many.” he responds, his smile never faltering, but you know deep down, he’s so very tired of dealing with it all, which is why you’re always waiting with open arms when he returns home for the evening. Some nights you both simply exist in each other's hold, other nights turn out like this, a more… primal stress relief that neither of you minded. Careful, practised fingers working your clothes off so he could access more; he always wanted more, and you were always happy for him to take as much as he needed.

“I love you.” he murmurs against your collarbone as he settles between your knees, revelling in the soft shudder it sends up your spine, it happens no matter how many times he says it.

“Love you too…” you whisper, tugging his bicep until he comes back up to kiss you again-

Skrrt, skrrt skrrtOh, not again.

“Mimi-” He gasps softly against your lips. The Lion was at the door, again.You hear her familiar, growling moan from behind the door as she continues to scratch at the wood.

Every. Fucking. Time.

Skrrt, skrrt skrrrrt.

“Mimiiiii.” you whine in frustration “Not noooow.” “Mrrrrrrrrough.” comes the indignant reply from the other side of the door, which only serves to make your boyfriend snicker.

“Should we…let her in?” he asks, you look at him in absolute horror.

“No!” you cry at him.

“Why not? She just wants to cuddle.”

Sometimes, you think your boyfriend is only pretending to be stupidly smart.

You motion at your naked body, and then at his mostly naked one.

“You see nothing wrong with this!?” you sigh, exasperated when he simply shakes his head.

Another round of scratches at the door, and then a mighty thud, followed by a pitiful, grumbling meow. You knew that thud, that was the ‘I’ve fallen over, come dote on me, dad’ thud.

Jing Yuans golden eyes land on yours again, wide, soft and pleading.

Sometimes you think you let him get away with too much. Then again, it’s always you who ends up receiving most of the aforementioned Lion cuddles at the end of the day.

So perhaps it's you who wins.

Welt

“You’re up late.” the familiar voice calls as you trudge through the parlour car at some ungodly time of the night.

“And so are you, Mr. Yang.” you respond as you quietly sit beside him.

In the dead of the night, when everyone else was asleep, the parlour car was truly a lovely place to sit and watch the stars.

“Another nightmare?” Welt asks as he gently pushes his glasses up his nose.

“How can you tell?”

“You learn these things when you’ve been around long enough.” He responds as he leans back against his seat.

“And what brings you to the parlour car this late in the evening?”

“Just…restless I suppose.” He sighs “Sometimes it’s just nice to sit back and watch the stars.”

You nod, leaning back as well as you both simply sit and admire the view out of the large glass viewing windows, Pom Pom had obviously cleaned them today, not a single streak or speck of dust to be seen.

Usually, you came to look at the stars after a nightmare to decompress and distract you from them, but tonight it seemed, not even the stars could help you. Your leg is fidgeting, bouncing up and down repeatedly as your mind lingers on darker places, on decisions made and on lives you could have saved-

Until a hand rests on your bouncing leg, and the touch is enough to cease the thoughtline entirely as you look over to the man beside you; he’s watching, his gaze soft, concerned, his thumb slowly rubbing circles along the top of your thigh.

“Sorry, Mr. Yang…” you murmur, “Usually the stars are a good enough distraction…”

He simply shakes his head “Don’t be… and you can call me by my name, you know.” he points out “I don’t know who it was that decided to call me ‘Mr. Yang’ but it’s never bothered me either way.”

You let out a soft noise in response and nod.

“Thank you…Welt.”

At this, he smiles softly, his gaze slowly slipping from you, back out to the stars.

“You said you come here to use the stars as a distraction?” he asks after a long moment of silence.

“Yeah…there's something both…calming, and kinda terrifying about it.” you muse “it’s beautiful, but it also puts things into perspective, we’re just…specks of matter in the grand scheme of things…”

“And you find that thought…distracting?” He asks with a raised brow.

“I mean…yeah, usually.” you nod as you shrug your shoulders “not tonight apparently.”

Welt hums in thought for a moment.

“Are you still in need of a distraction?” He asks after a moment.

“I mean…if the stars aren’t gonna do it, I don't know what will- mph!” Your sentence is cut off as nothing but a surprised squeak, you’d been so unfocused as you stared out at the universe, you hadn’t noticed him leaning closer until his lips pressed over your own.

Something sparks inside you both, how long has it been since either of you had done anything like this? What was meant to be a simple kiss, breaks for a moment, lips an inch apart as you both blink.

And then your on eachother like rabid animals, the next series of kisses only growing rougher as you find yourself pushed back against the plush seats of the parlour car. You grip at Welt’s jacket as his cane clatters to the floor.

Somewhere amongst it all, you both regain enough faculty to move from the car and to welt’s room, neither of you wanted to deal with Pom Pom yelling about any mess when he woke up.

You wake the next morning to Welt sitting on the edge of his bed, stroking your hair, and you realise your mistake, what would the others say if they saw you leaving Welt’s room?

“Stay here, you should be safe to leave in fifteen minutes. March 7th is already up, and Himeko is like clockwork.” He tells you softly, seemingly reading your thoughts.

He leaves you then, after pressing a short kiss to your temple.

This may have been the first intimate encounter with the enigmatic Mr. Yang

But it certainly was not the last.

Lan

Lan, Aeon of the hunt, Archer lord of fate.

Never in your life did you think you would be standing before his mighty presence.

He stamps a single, mighty hoof and you kneel, he needn’t say anything, his sheer power alone was enough to command respect.

So colour yourself surprised when the indomitable god of the hunt lifts you, One of his mighty hands easily wrapping around your waist and pulling you from the ground.

He has no discernable face as he holds you up, only the sleek, black facets of the horned mask, even still, you can feel something akin to hot breath ghosting over your body as he holds you. It’s impossible to tell what he’s feeling, is he angry? Pleased?

And then he does something… unexpected.

He tilts his head at you, curious, almost confused at your presence.

With a gulp, you slowly reach out, your hand caressing one of the facets of his mask, and you feel his massive frame shudder as one of his hooves gives another stamp; you couldn’t kneel this time, so you simply continue, hoping that it’s what he wanted.

It seems like second nature when he pulls you even closer, to press your lips against the mask, your hands gently tugging at strands of his cosmic hair, it feels soft in your fingers. And yet also feels noncorporeal, as if it would simply vanish if you clutched at it too tightly. The massive lord lets out what you can only describe as a hum.

“Good…”

It’s the only word he utters, but to hear it, and for it to be directed at you?

It might as well have been the only word you’ve ever heard.

You feel his other hand as it begins to explore, as if the mighty lord had never actually laid hands on a mere mortal before, and you let him do as he will. You feel his fingers roam across skin and tear at your clothing, all while you grip at his hair, one of your hands eventually coming to grab at one of his horns, just seeking a more corporeal anchor point.

That is, until Lan shudders once more, dragging your body down his torso, until something slides between your thighs.

“Good….”

Taglist: @stygianoir @meimeimeirin @ainescribe @dustofthedailylife @rjssierjrie @crystalflygeo @angel-of-requiem @asoulsreverie @zomzomb1e Want to be added to the list? shoot me an ask~

#Silentmothwrites #Moth got star railed #Jing yuan star rail #Welt star rail #Lan star rail #Jing yuan x reader #Welt x reader #Lan x reader #Jing yuan x reader smut #welt x reader smut #Lan x reader smut #Jing yuan smut #welt smut #Lan smut

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kydrogendragon · 10 months

Text

Dec 11 - Baking Cookies Together

(Ao3 Link)

“Did you find the flour?” Hob asks, nabbing the butter from the fridge. The kitchen counter was spread with bowls and whisks and various cookie ingredients. The winter holiday work party was tomorrow night and the email that was sent out to the History and Literature department had requested that people bring an item to share, if they were able. They’d shared a list back and forth of what people had called dibs on. Cookies, surprisingly, had been left open for the day. Hob nabbed it up, knowing it was one of the few things he could make successfully.

Also, he wanted to try and have Morpheus make them with him.

“I believe so,” he hears Morpheus say from behind him before hearing a thud on the counter. Turning, he sees a small puff of white fluff up from the bag into Morpheus’s pitch black hair. Hob laughs, walking closer to his friend and sets the butter on the counter. Morpheus’s face is pinched tight, flour coats his face and the front of his hair, giving his skin an even paler complexion and his hair a gray coating.

Blinking slowly, trying to not let the dust of flour fall into his eyes, Morpheus turns to Hob and scowls. “You did not inform me that flour attacks when handled.”

Hob bit down on his lower lip, trying his best to stifle the laugh bubbling in his throat. “Sorry, duck,” he manages to say with just a little chuckle to his tone. “Here, let me help you.” Morpheus stands still as Hob reaches out and brushes the flour out of his hair. Christ, it was soft. He takes, perhaps, a bit longer than he should to get the little bit of flour out, but that’s for Hob and only Hob to know.

Hob pulls his sleeve down, grabbing a bundle of the fabric in his hand and cups Morpheus’s face with the other. “Gonna get this off your face now, duck. Just hold still.” His friend nods once. Gently, Hob swipes the sleeve of his jumper across his cheeks and forehead. He dusts off the flour over his eyes with the delicate touch of an artist. He works down, fluffing off the white powder from Morpheus’s pretty red lips and it takes every ounce of willpower in his body to not lean forward and press a kiss against them.

“There,” he says, dropping his hold on his friend’s face. “Flour free.”

Morpheus blinks his eyes open, lifting a hand to dust off a patch of flour just against the side of his nose as he looks up at Hob. “I will let you handle the flour. Unless the other ingredients also plan to wage war, in which case I will simply watch.”

Hob’s eyes scrunched up as he smiled. “You should be safe from the others. Here,” he says, pushing the larger bowl in front of his friend. “You can do the wet ingredients, I’ll deal with the evil dry ones.”

“That is acceptable.”

#dreamling #hob gadling #dream of the endless #the sandman #ky writes #december writing list #kydrogen's december drabbles 2023

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saltydumplings · 2 years

Text

Snippet #22

"Awww, you're a little bunny!"

The villain's left ear twitched in irritation, their face already flushed a deep red from the hero's teasing. "Shut. Up," they seethed.

The hero cooed. "Does bunny want a carrot?"

"No."

"Can bunny do a little bounce?"

"No!"

"Does bunny--"

"I'M NOT A RABBIT!" the villain cried, fists clenched firmly at their sides.

If the hero called them bunny one more time they swore they'd... Well, they didn't know what they'd do, but it wouldn't be pretty - that was for sure.

They watched as the other simply smiled, enjoying the situation far too much. "Your ears say differently," they commented.

Again, the villain blushed, bringing their hands up to their face and groaning in embarrassment: it was just a simple slip-up with a prototype. They'd intended to turn the hero into a helpless rabbit but instead the device had exploded in their face and left them them looking like a fool!

It was too early in its design - they knew they shouldn't have used it for this battle. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"So, are we still fighting or..." The hero let the question hang between them, lips still quirked upwards as they regarded the cute criminal before them.

"Yes - no! I-- Just give me a minute!" the villain snapped, turning away and all but stomping over to a desk on the other side of the room.

At least they were in their own lair. All the supplies they could possibly need to fix this were in the room around them, they just needed a second to figure it out.

Grumbling to themself, the villain sat down and started rooting through the drawers, soon pulling out a second prototype and placing it gently down in front of them: the de-bunnyfier. The villain wasn't dumb - what mastermind of crime built a weapon that could turn people into animals without building a second that could turn them back? Not the villain, that was for sure. Indeed, the answer they needed was already in fairly stable condition, they just had to charge it and--

Oh.

They didn't quite know what was happening to them all of a sudden but it was delightful.

The villain leaned back slightly as a strange sensation rushed through them, a small gasp sounding from them before a content sigh took it's place - their body practically melting within seconds. The sensation grew stronger, the villain only vaguely aware of their right foot thumping rapidly against the floor beneath them when their eyes slipped shut, tipping their head back in an attempt to get more only to jerk forwards violently when a small giggle sounded above them.

Stupid hero!

Stupid, teasing, disrespectful!

The villain ought to have them liquidised! Frozen! Burnt to a crisp - to ash; to a tiny little speck of dust that the villain could hoover up and throw away with the trash, GAH!

In their attempt to smack the hero's devilish hands away from their ears, they not only manged to hit their knees against the desk but also fell out of their chair entirely, crashing clumsily into a pile of cardboard boxes that they'd left stacked on the side - one of them falling down over their head and concealing them from sight.

Honestly? Good. The villain didn't want to see the hero anyway. And they certainly didn't want the hero to see them!

"Villain?"

They felt their left ear twitching again. "What?"

A pause.

"Should I, er--" They cut off, a small noise that sounded suspiciously like laughter escaping them. "Should I come back later, perhaps?"

The villain huffed. "If you like... See if I care."

They did care. The past ten minutes had been the most humiliating of their life and all they wanted was a few seconds alone to fix it and forget it ever happened.

Fortunately, the hero seemed to understand that.

"Okay, well, I'll be back in an hour."

"Sounds great."

Another pause.

The villain expected to hear the hero leaving then but they didn't, the other still seemingly standing just a few steps away from them. A few seconds passed and their suspicions were confirmed with the sounds of them shuffling - almost like the hero was unsure about something.

"Will you still have the ears when I get back?" they finally asked.

Even under the cover of the cardboard the villain still blushed. "Absolutely not!"

"Aww, it's a shame," the hero said. Suddenly the box was being pulled from the villain's head and they weren't quick enough to stop it - their nemesis staring down at them with a smile. "You look adorable."

The villain blinked.

Adorable?

They - the villain - looked a-adorable?!

"Oh well," the hero finished, laying the box to the side and starting to back away. "I'll see you in an hour, bunny."

And with that they leapt up into the air, putting a second hole through the villain's ceiling before the other could regain enough brain cells to snap back at them.

A minute passed. Then another. Finally, the villain managed to shake off their momentary shock, quickly pushing the boxes aside and going back to sit at their desk - glaring down at the small device that lay upon it once more.

Stupid hero and their stupid words. Adorable - the villain would show them adorable! They'd show it to them with a swift kick to the face!

With a huff, they found a cable and connected it to the device before plugging it into the wall, leaning back in their seat and crossing their arms as they waited. And waited. Their eyes wandered about the room, taking in the new damage absently before catching on a certain point on the wall and taking pause. Curiously, they stared at themself, their reflection in the small, shining surface watching them back...

When an hour passed, and the hero returned, they still had their ears.

The villain didn't know what was more embarrassing: the fact that they'd forgotten to turn the charger on or the fact that they were secretly glad they hadn't.

#writing snippet #heroxvillain snippet #hero x villain #heroxvillain #hero #villain

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kneelingshadowsalome · 1 year

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Babe pls if u listen to cute music like serani poji you wont be depressed pls i can change könig ALL THID PAIN IS NOT WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I am manipulating u)

okay but cleaning königs wounds after a rough mission, making engels tea less sweet because he knows she doesn't like too sweet thingies, stealing he underwear, have matching bracelets with her, torturing her with his horrible dad jokes, wearing her t shirts (his body convulsed bcs hes too big), he slipped and she hollered to the ground laughing, stealing her underwear (angst begone!!!!!!!!)

I'm telling you I'm so easy to manipulate

Cleaning his wounds? He would have a hard on in a second. Sorry, this was supposed to be fluff, but he would. He would be so proud and pleased if reader sank to her knees to check a wound on his thigh or hovered over him while he's sitting to clean a scratch or a scrape on his arm. If he came straight to her from a medic with a more serious injury, and reader would fuss over his health, force him to stay in bed while she treats him like a KING, he would be purring silently under that mask. (Finally, someone takes care of him ❤️) He might not be fit to make love to reader, but she could always take him in her pretty little mouth? Just to give him a warrior's welcome ease his pain.

And taking her underwear from the laundry bin again? He should be ashamed. But surprise, surprise… he's not. He never treats himself to them in front of Engel, though. Knows he would only get shocked, mousy looks. He brings them to his nose only when he's alone, to drive the smell of dry dust and acrid smoke and gunpowder and man-sweat from his system. Breathing her is like breathing the sun and honey and all things good. He's invigorated like he just downed a pint of pilsner.

The matching bracelets were her idea, and he allowed her to put it on his wrist – it looked colorful and funny, standing out against his black shirt and army olive greens, and it sort of itched and pricked, a new item that it was, pressing against his skin. But every time he looks at it he remembers her and all her cute jokes and silly little monologues. The other operators look at the new addition with their noses wrinkled and turned up. Thinking it's one of his oddities again... He doesn't give a fuck because they're stupid – they don't know it's an entire blessing he has received from his angel. That bracelet basically makes him invincible on the battlefield.

And of course he learns to prepare her tea just right in a manner of days. (It's a bit scary, how well he remembers every little detail about what she likes to eat, drink, wear, read, listen to...)

His dad jokes… Holy fuck. He tells her he was stopped at the airport for control and they asked about his occupation. He answered he's only here for work. ;( ((I can't do this lol))

Making him wear her t-shirt because surely it would look cute and funny? It nearly tears at the side seam, gets stuck in his huge head as if it was his mask now. The t-shirt is ruined by the time he forces his arms through, that little piece of clothing simply can't take those shoulders. He looks at her with a sigh – great, now it's ruined, and he looks even more stupid. What did she expect? Is this what she really wanted? Oh, she's laughing so much she bends over and has tears in her eyes. He feels warm and fuzzy, too. Perhaps it was worth it after all to entertain her like this. 💕 (But most of all he loves when she wears his shirts: she looks so small and cute inside them. Like a little pet... Not to talk of how the clothing smells after: the sweet scent of her caught on his tactical wear is yet another distraction when he's supposed to go to work.)

#answered #yandere könig #könig fluff #at first i wanted to change him #now i want to make him worse #i should be stopped

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luneariaa · 1 year

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☀︎ 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 | 𝐣𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝

❥︎ - ; ɢɴ! ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

❥︎ - 𝐭𝐰 : ɴᴏɴᴇ, ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ꜰʟᴜꜰꜰ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜱɪᴄᴋ ᴊᴏꜱʜᴜᴀ 🧡

❥︎ - 𝐚/𝐧 : ʀᴇqᴜᴇꜱᴛᴇᴅ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴡᴀᴛᴛᴘᴀᴅ,, ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴏꜱᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴡᴇʟʟ 🧡

☾︎ - 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭.

-✰-

"Joshua, you mustn't push yourself too hard. You should take a rest, as you are still sick as ever." You scolded the Dominant of Phoenix, shaking your head slightly in disapproval.

It's your task as his personal attendant, or a caregiver of some sort after all; ever since his childhood years.

Though this is like a normal occurrence for the both of you, you still couldn't help it-- always worried over his natural born sickly condition.

A soft sigh escapes from your lips as you put the leftover food and medicines away after you've made sure he has taken them.

Joshua merely smiles reassuringly at you. "You worry too much. If I were to rest almost all the time, I would never get anything done."

His tone clearly shows that he's gotten used to it, and is perfectly fine by this point.

"Besides, I got you here with me, don't I?" He lightly refers to you with no hint of anger or even annoyance whatsoever. "Even if I do push myself too hard, you'd be there to scold me back to reality."

His last sentence genuinely earned an amused look from you, at least a bit; smirking slightly with your head turned away.

"Josh, come on now," you merely chuckled, finally giving him your full attention.

"While your point is completely valid, that doesn't stop me from worrying about you."

A gentle smile adorns upon his handsome face, now holding onto the eye contact as well with a certain fondness being apparent.

And it's completely reasonable, since the both of you have basically stuck up with each other for uncountable years; ever since his childhood years alone.

While you are like, a year or two years younger than he is, you always do your tasks dutifully without a single complaint. Well, unless you needed to. But aside from that, you never did.

"You always tend to my needs even when I didn't really need them. You even brought me books to read with, or even when my Father was away."

"I don't know what I'd do without you."

His ocean-blue eyes wandered out and onto the bright afternoon sky as he spoke those words; reminiscing the old times that have surely passed.

Several birds have even landed on the windowsill of the currently open window-- their' heads tilted adorably for a few seconds, before flying away once again to join their group of friends someplace.

You turned your head to spare him a glance, now noticing that his previous smile was gone, yet still somehow distracted in his own cloud of thoughts.

You even took the opportunity to simply stare at his handsome side profile, though it only lasted for a few minutes or less as you didn't want to be seen as improper. Even more regarding to the clear difference in rankings between you both.

He did notice the stare that you've given him but decided not to say anything, or even choose to not mention anything. After all, it did not once make him feel uncomfortable in some way.

His beautiful, ocean-blue eyes found their way to your figure once more, seeing that you've now seated on one of the vacant chairs nearby while averting your gaze toward outside the window as well.

"You know," he grins a bit as he starts on. "I remember back then; when you stood inside the library, perhaps checking and dusting off some of the old books for Father, and you were so focused that you didn't notice my presence."

"It's quite funny that you screamed a little, even jumping in surprise when you finally noticed me."

An annoyed look became visible from the moment those words left his mouth. Baffled, even.

"Hey, it's not my fault that I didn't notice you that time-! Besides, I didn't even jump that high.." You muttered under your breath as your cheeks became pinkish in pure embarrassment at the old memory.

"It's adorable actually." He chuckles again, this time most likely directed at the current expression you're making.

With your cheeks being puffed out in response to his teasing, you grabbed the cushion that was settled on the sofa and threw one at him; still out of embarrassment.

The cushion did end up hitting him straight on the face, yet he only laughs it off at your actions alone.

"Just know that I could tease you all day if I could."

But you knew better-- you couldn't even stay annoyed at him no matter how hard you tried to be. And he's completely aware of it.

In the end, you've simply given up and decided to laugh along as well. All the while that it happened, Joshua just fell in love more deeply with you than he ever did in the process.

It's just a matter of time whether he admits his feelings for you or decides to go against it.

𝐞𝐧𝐝.

-✰-

@ 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚜.

#ffxvi #final fantasy xvi #ff16 #final fantasy 16 #joshua rosfield #joshua rosfield x reader #joshua rosfield x you #oneshot #fanfic #aria's post 𖥔 ݁ ˖

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genshin-scenarios · 2 years

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Adopt a Wanderer: Sick Day [Part 4]

Summary: Kuni feels a little downcast when reminded about going back to his world, however any thoughts about that are quickly washed away when you get a fever (reader is sick, but it’s nothing too serious! He gets worried, though.)

Note: This is meant to be a found-family series with Scaramouche, who you address as Kuni in this AU! Mostly meant to be interpreted as platonic.

Part 3 <-

-> Part 5

Perhaps it was because of the weather, but you noticed that Kuni finds himself lost in his thoughts quite often these days.

What you don’t know, of course (seeing as you aren’t a mind reader), is that his concerns stem from something that’s never stopped looming over the both of you; his return home. Not only is Kuni pouring his worries over the ifs and whens, but the mere idea of going back to Teyvat - waking up and not being able to find or speak to you anymore - carves a crater in his chest that is hard to ignore.

He’s happy here now, but the mystery of how he arrived remains unsolved, and neither of you know when his last day might be.

It could be tomorrow or in another year. Or he could just be overthinking and letting anxious and depressed thoughts take over, but that doesn't change the fact that this uncertainty is both a blessing and a curse in its own right.

All this becomes irrelevant once you get sick, though. It's not that bad of a fever, but you're still fighting off a headache and a horribly sluggish feeling in your limbs, so naturally Kuni ends up panicking on your behalf because of how worried he was about you.

Since this is the first time he's seen you staying in bed because of sickness, it's understandable that Kuni is alarmed. But in the back of your hazy mind you register that it's also kind of endearing how he fusses over you - not sure of how fragile human bodies are compared to his.

Ah… right. He can't get sick, can he? It's no wonder he's acting as if you could collapse any minute. You appreciate the water refills he's been giving you (courtesy of a pharmacist's advice when he rushed to get you supplies at their shop) and the easy-to-stomach foods, but it's hard not to feel bad when Kuni is treating you so carefully. Sure, you didn't ask to get sick, but this is practically monopolizing all his time!

In an attempt to return to a bit of normalcy, you trudge your way to the living room and wrap yourself up to be stationed there. Kuni is understandably confused at seeing you cocooned in a different spot, but his eyes light up when you explain you'd like to watch something with him.

"That means you're feeling better, right?" He smiles, joining you on the sofa. Before he turns on the TV, he gives you a worried look. "Your head's not going to hurt from the screen's brightness? Or should I lower the sound?"

Just what kind of articles has he been reading? Or did you look that miserable a few days before? "Nope, it's fine!" You assure him. "I got all the way here without getting dizzy, so let's just hang out like we normally do. And… I wanted to say sorry for the trouble. I didn't think I'd get this sick all of a sudden."

"Actually, taking care of you has been a good distraction." Kuni admits. "It gives me something to do, and because I want you to recover, I get to put my energy towards something useful." Not to mention, it's stopped me from brooding about going back to Teyvat.

So long as he’s still here, Kuni has decided he'll simply make the most of the present. There's nothing either of you can do to control what happens later on, and the arrival of your fever knocks him back to his senses about what's important to him.

You've looked out for him, after all. Even taught him to do the little tasks that add up to human routine (back at Shakkei Pavillion, he never had the need or awareness for things like brushing his hair or dusting the room). How could he not treasure your presence? You've become like family to him, or at the very least someone that he hopes to stay connected to.

(Nevermind the people that tease him about following you around like a puppy. They were just impressioned by his early days, is all.)

“...Besides, I think I should also apologize for panicking the other day.” Kuni glances away sheepishly. “I forgot for a second that people can get sick, since I’m not…”

“You’re human to me,” The words slip out before you can catch them. “I mean, everything that you’ve done from the first day you arrived might be considered more humane than some actual mortals.” You joke. “So for what it’s worth, I think you’re just alive as anyone else. Just missing some parts is all.”

His eyes widen, and for a moment you scramble for more reasons to try and smoothen the conversation, only to stop when Kuni lets out a laugh. “Sorry, it’s just–” He gives you a smile, equal parts soft and inexplicably mesmerizing. “I’m starting to think that it’s a good thing I’m a little bit different. That way, I can take care of you whenever you need me.” Kuni raises his pinky finger between you. “Promise to get better as soon as you can?”

You hook your own pinkie with his in agreement. “Promise. And when that happens, I’ll drag you out for a weekend trip outside the city!”

Kuni has always shown an interest in sightseeing, so you thought it’d be nice to have a change of pace and explore somewhere new. With however long you still have together, you’d like to amaze him at least one more time.

>> Part 5

#kunikuzushi genshin #genshin impact scaramouche x reader #genshin balladeer #kunikuzushi x reader #scaraomuche x reader #wanderer genshin #wanderer x reader #balladeer x reader #genshin x reader #genshin reader insert #genshin writing #traveler wishes #genshin imagines

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vittoriaisfuckingpathetic · 5 months

Text

save me from the nothing i've become ch 2

rated M | read it on ao3 | 3.9k words | prev chapter | next chapter

Reeling from the shocking information he received, John tries to go about his day as normal as he can. Plagued by his thoughts and grappling with his own feelings on the matter, he tries to get some space to think.

John felt like he was trying to inhale a lungful of water. He forced himself to exhale, the action coming out shakily.

“Marston,” John carefully repeated, voice eerily calm. “Like me?” he breathed. He stared at Jack as if the boy had three heads. In return, Jack simply stared back.

Jack Marston.

Marston.

Abigail’s son.

Her son, Jack Marston.

His son, Jack Marston.

Their son, Jack Marston.

“Maybe we should talk somewhere private.” Abigail replied evenly, trying to keep the situation under control. “We’re livin’ at the women’s home. It’s that big house up the road from the church. I… um, I was on my way to work, but we can talk after. I’m off at five o’clock, and then I’ll explain everything, I promise.” She assured him.

John swallowed hard. “I…” Really, what could he even say? He could hardly look her in the eye, let alone form full sentences. All of his thoughts seemed to form excruciatingly slow, too busy trying to process the bombshell she’d dropped on him. “Alright,” he replied weakly after a few more moments.

Abigail did not say anything else to him, but she did give him a hopeful kind of half smile. Then, she ushered the boy along. John stared at the two once their backs were turned, the gears in his head sluggishly moving along.

She had to be fucking with him. This had to be some sick joke, that’s all it was… wasn’t it?

But he knew Abigail, and he knew she wouldn’t lie to him. Not like that, not over something so major. She’d have nothing to gain from it.

Maybe she expected him to be angry. Maybe he was angry. He didn’t know. After all, how was someone supposed to feel upon discovering they had fathered a child and didn’t know for five years?

Five fucking years. And if the gang hadn’t fallen apart, he may have never known.

Yeah, maybe he was a little angry.

Angry at what, though? Himself, for not piecing together that something was wrong and running away with her all of those years ago? Angry at Abigail for not telling him? Angry at Dutch and the rest of the gang for stealing away a part of his life? Maybe a combination of the three?

When just about the sixth person had practically shoved into him, John forced himself to start walking. He moved aimlessly, ignoring all of the sights and sounds of the town. His boots kicked up sand and dust as he walked — or rather, trudged.

A son. It wasn’t the most unlikely thing that could have happened. He remembered what it was like. The two of them would be giddy after a robbery, or eager to sneak away from camp, stealing quick moments and being less-than-careful. That was when nothing in life felt truly pressing — they were young(er) and irresponsible, and neither of them was thinking of any kind of consequence.

He found himself back in front of his horse.

John sighed. “Hey there, Missy,” he greeted her softly, deciding then and there that Missy was a fine name for the horse. He’d grown quite fond for her for the short time he’d had her. Perhaps it was a bit odd, she was the closest thing to a listening ear he had.

Missy nosed at his palm in search of treats.

He chuckled lightly despite himself. “I know, I know. I’ll remember your peppermints next time, promise.” He was quiet for a moment, petting her mane thoughtlessly.

Maybe a ride would clear his head. When he was younger he used to peel out of camp, Grimshaw yelling after him, going as fast as his horse could comfortably go. He’d embrace nothing but the air flowing through his locks and impulsivity in his heart. He usually didn’t go far, especially when he was a teenager (being secretly frightened that everyone would leave camp and he’d get left behind), but it was just a way to get away from it all. After spending his developmental years in the slums of Chicago, he had become fond of the open wilderness.

Of course, he was older now, and a little significantly more jaded.

“Why don’t we go for a ride, huh? You wanna explore?” John said, earning himself a strange look from a passing stranger.

Naturally, Missy didn’t reply.

The vast sea of sand and cacti surrounding him certainly calmed his mind. It was a monotonous view, but it lacked the stressors of town.

Not to mention, it felt a little less unbearably hot with the constant movement.

It was on the open road that he could finally sort out his thoughts. He’d been wandering aimlessly for a while. It was lonely, quiet.

He hadn’t checked his pocket watch, but if he had to guess, it had probably been a little over an hour.

He clicked his tongue, slowing Missy’s pace to a walk. “Take a break, girl,” He said, not wanting to push her too hard. He slid off and hitched her to one of the only trees nearby— a joshua tree.

Sitting underneath the limited shade of a joshua tree, John tried to think of what Arthur would tell him to do.

“Don’t understand what her problem is,” a 20-year-old John muttered. The song and dance had gotten old at this point. Him and Abigail would fight over something stupid and immature, and John would go and sulk in Arthur’s tent for a while.

“You can’t just hide in my tent for the rest ‘a your life, Johnny. So you best figure out what the problem is,” Arthur replied disinterestedly, clearly more interested in scribbling something in his journal than listening to John whine.

“I don’t fuckin’ know,” he retorted, getting needlessly testy with Arthur. “She’s impossible to figure out.”

Arthur sighed and hefted himself off of his cot. He placed his hands on John’s shoulders, shaking him slightly. “Listen to me. You need to step up, be a man, and go to your woman. Talk things out with her. And for Christsakes, take some responsibility for once.”

“Hey!”

John glanced up to where a grizzled-looking man stood just a few feet away, hands on his hips in an effort to look intimidating.

John sized up the man in front of him. He was visibly disheveled, with a long, dirty beard, shirt half-tucked, and caked in mud below his knees. “You need somethin’, partner?” he asked indifferently.

“Yer trespassin’ in this here land. There’s a hefty fee for that, cowboy.”

“That so?”

The man smirked, pistol now in hand. “‘Fraid so.”

It would take more than some hillbilly with a dirty gun to scare him into handing over his money.

With lightning quick speed, he drew his revolver, aiming at the man squarely in the chest. “I don’t think you wanna do this,” John warned.

The idiot aimed his own gun.

With precise speed, John pulled the revolver’s hammer. Time seemed to slow.

Inhale….

Finger on the trigger.

One…

Two…

Three.

Pull the trigger.

…Exhale.

The bullet hit him squarely in the chest. The man crumbled to a heap on the ground, sputtering.

John sighed. He supposed he ought to be getting back to town anyway.

A few hours later, John waited anxiously on the doorstep of the women’s home, hat in hands. It was a large house, likely once an old manor, with a weathered wood exterior.

The door creaked open, an older woman with graying hair appearing behind the door. “Can I help you?”

He smoothed his hair back nervously. “I’m, uh, I’m here to see Abigail.”

She looked him up-and-down suspiciously. “Hold on a second,” she stated curtly, then closed the door in his face.

After what felt like several minutes, she came back, still with a slight scowl on her face. “Follow me,” she said, not waiting for him to follow.

He walked into the house. It was well kept, but he cared little about the finer details, his mind focused on Abigail. She led him up a spiral staircase and down a dimly lit hallway with red carpeting. She stopped in front of the final door, gesturing to the door, then turned on her heel.

John inhaled deeply and poised himself to knock.

But Abigail beat him to the punch and opened the door.

“Hi, John,” she greeted, tucking a flyaway hair behind her ear timidly. ‘I’m glad you came,” she sidestepped to let him in.

The space was small, but it was cozy. A double bed was in the corner of the room, pressed against the wall. There was a green-painted nightstand with an oil lamp atop of that. In the middle of the room lay a decently sized plush rug — some sort of animal skin, in a shade of dark brown. In the center of the left wall sat a small fireplace, which currently wasn’t burning. An empty bookshelf was to the right of that, housing trinkets, blankets, and a few of her son’s toys. On the opposite side of the room there was a small table with two chairs pulled up to it. The room was kept neat, just like how Abigail always liked her space to be.

The sun had started to set, casting the room in golden hour’s glow.

“Evenin’, Abigail,” He greeted. Internally, he winced. There was a considerable level of awkwardness between them. “Where’s the kid?”

“He’s in the next room over, there’s a woman here with a daughter about his age. She usually watches Jack while I’m at work,” She explained, shifting her weight. “I, well— I made tea.” She said, gesturing to the table, where two teacups sat, steam curling upwards into the air. “Why don’t we sit down?”

She made tea now? He distinctly remembered her being preferential to coffee.

He sat down at the table, and she sat opposite to him.

God, the last time they’d been sitting face to face like this, it was the night she’d left camp.

They were so different now.

“Did you know?” He asked. It was perhaps the question at the forefront of his mind. He had to know. “When you left, that is? Did you know?” he clarified.

She was quiet for a moment, staring down at her teacup as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. “Yes, John. I did.”

She knew. Had he done something to make her not trust him? Why didn’t she feel the need to tell him something so monumental, so life-changing?

“And, what?” He huffed out an indignant laugh. “You just conveniently forgot to tell me?”

She crossed her arms. “Will you stop? It ain’t like that.”

“Yeah? Then how is it? Because from where I’m standin’, it don’t make you look like a saint.” He bit back. It probably was harsher than he intended, but he couldn’t help feeling resentful.

“It weren’t right, I admit it.” Abigail said, sounding just a touch bitter. “But I was scared , John. And I knew you wouldn’t leave the gang. I also knew you had no interest in bein’ a father. So… I thought it was the best thing to do — I know it was wrong. But when I tried to find you, the gang was already gone.”

John was quiet as he digested this. She had looked for him, but it was too late. He knew that part wasn’t her fault.

He took a deep breath, trying to keep himself level-headed.

“...For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I should’ve told you. But like I said, I was doin’ what I thought was best for me.”

He still couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze. “You sure he’s mine?” he asked calmly, gaze directed at the wall.

She raised an eyebrow. “You really think I’d’ve bothered with all of this if he weren’t?”

John said nothing in reply, knowing she had a good point. It wasn’t the brightest question to ask, but he had blurted it out anyway out of a sense of morbid curiosity. Almost as if her confirming it would make it more real.

And make it real, it did.

There was a pregnant pause. The only thing that could be heard was the faraway noise of the cicadas outside.

“Well, I don’t know what you’re plannin’ on doin’. I know you’re on the run. But… if you want to see the boy…” she trailed off, seeming to struggle with how to finish her sentence. “We’ll be here.”

A part of him wanted nothing more. He’d spent these last five years dreaming of her, dreaming of what could have been. This could be a fresh start, a chance at normalcy. She was once again extending the olive branch. She was open to having him — a wanted criminal, back into her life, even though she had once left him for, well, being a criminal.

That was an oversimplification of things. It wasn’t just that John was a criminal, it was that she was surrounded by degenerates and wanted safety for Jack. She didn’t want her baby to be raised in a gang, and a part of him couldn’t blame her, either. Would he have wanted any child of his to be raised in the gang? They may have been his family, but that was a dangerous life. One a baby had no business being involved in. Hell, he considered himself decently scarred by growing up in a gang, and he only fell into that life when he was twelve.

He supposed he didn’t blame her. The life she was pursuing seemed fairly decent in comparison to the shitstorm he’d been in as of late.

And she was offering him a place by her side. At least, he was pretty sure that’s what she was offering.

But he had those little nagging fears, the same things that had stopped him from pursuing a life with her before. The concept of fatherhood was fucking terrifying. Even worse, he was being actively hunted by the law now. He had one of the highest bounties in the entire country, second only to Dutch.

He rose from the table, a dull headache already beginning to manifest at his temple. “I need to sleep on it,” he said tiredly. He had much more to say, but his mind was so clouded.

“I understand,” Abigail replied. She followed him to the door. “Goodnight, John.”

There was a pause between them, neither of them quite knowing how to end the interaction. She was closer to him than she’d been since that night all of those years ago. Close enough to touch. To hug. To kiss.

None of those things happened. He was torn between leaving so he could dissect his thoughts in peace and staying so he could try to understand more. He desperately wanted to understand the situation. He wanted her , wanted things back to normal, he never wanted to tear his eyes from her ever again and yet he needed some space from it all.

“You too,” he finally muttered back. He was forcing himself to walk down the hallway and not look back.

He knew if he looked back, he’d never leave.

John Marston — a father. He had a son. What a frightening thought.

John had no fond memories of his father. He was an angry, bitter, disturbed man. Sharp-tongued (when sober) with a sharper backhand. The man did the bare minimum to keep John alive, and even that seemed to be a small miracle. Some of his earliest memories were of pickpocketing and scrounging for food — in general, his early years were spent struggling to survive. In no small part, thanks to his father.

Eight-year-old John waited in a dark corner of the saloon as his father gambled what little money they had saved up.

It wasn’t like that money was going to be used for anything better. It was always used on either gambling or whoring, with the occasional bit used on food. Generally, Pa let John scrounge for his own food, saying, “There’s food everywhere, boy, you just ain’t know how to find it.”

As a result, hunger was no stranger to John. He could be crafty when necessary, sure, but finding food wasn’t always the easiest task.

Still, Pa made sure he had just enough so he didn’t keel over, and rarely ever did he allow any sort of luxury. On his birthdays — when Pa was sober enough to remember, that was — he’d get a peppermint candy tossed at him, and to John, it was special. It absolutely the bare minimum, but it was some sort of acknowledgment at the very least.

He savored those moments. It was one of few times Pa would pay any positive attention to him.

Today wasn't one of those days. John was lucky the saloon owner had taken pity on him and let him stay inside. Though maybe the sight of John shivering in the winter storm had convinced the man.

He knew that people weren’t always heartless. There was usually some sucker out there that would take pity on him enough. Enough for him to keep surviving to the next day.

Unsurprisingly, Pa’s blackjack game didn’t go very well. The cursing and yelling surprised the boy very little. He only became concerned when gunshots began to echo throughout the room. Familiar with this song and dance, John kept low to the ground, and crawled past the chaos and behind the bar. It was unlikely a bit less likely that he would catch a stray bullet there. He curled up in himself, knees pressed to his chest, as he waited for the violence to end. Pa always collected him after it was all said and done.

Only, Pa didn’t collect him this time.

That had been the last time John had seen his father alive. He had seen the aftermath: when he made his way to the gallows and saw his father’s corpse hanging from the noose, neck broken.

The apathetic crowd had already begun to dissolve, their bloodlust satiated for the time being. The sheriff had shoved his father’s meager belongings into John’s hands and left, leaving the child alone to stare at the corpse.

It was bitterly ironic, John thought. Jack could likely be in the same position as John was once. Saddled with nothing but a deadbeat criminal for a father. One who was bound to be tried and murdered just as his father before him.

There was also the entire matter with Dutch, who could be arguably viewed as his non biological father – but the damage Dutch had done to him was an entirely different beast.

Then there was Hosea who was the closest thing John had to an emotionally stable parent, but that would require him to unpack all of the painful emotions he’d shoved away when the elder man had died.

Of course, John could change the tide. He could simply vanish. He’d thought about it many times over the course of the day, of simply leaving. The kid could grow up without knowing his pathetic excuse of a father. Abigail would raise him well. She was a good person.

John was not.

But still, he desired to at least meet the boy. He felt like he owed it to both Jack and himself, in a way. One positive interaction was all it took to be better than his own father.

He’d meet Jack. Talk things out with Abigail, too. Then… well, he’d figure out to go from there.

Resigning himself to the idea, he let his eyes shut. He was weary from the day’s events; as anyone would rightfully be. It wasn’t everyday you learned that you had an illegitimate child.

Eventually, he finally drifted into a fitful, dreamless sleep.

The next morning, John woke with a splitting headache and a crick in his neck. He hadn’t even bothered undressing the night before, mind elsewhere.

He stumbled out of bed and walked to the mirror, taking in his disheveled appearance. His hair was mussed, pieces of it sticking up at unnatural angles, and there were dark circles underneath his eyes. His clothes were rumpled, too — in general, he looked like he’d seen better days. He set out to make himself look a little less like a ruffian, if for no other reason then so Abigail wouldn’t think he was a complete slob.

Abigail. What a strange thought, that she was in his life again.

He supposed he’d go and see her and the boy after she was finished with work. Besides, it gave him a bit more time to process his feelings. Or even figure out what to say to the kid, at least.

He fixed his hair, combing through the greasy locks with his fingers (part of him bitterly wondered why he even bothered with washing his hair, when it got oily the next day) until it didn’t look like a rat’s nest anymore. He took off his ridiculously wrinkly vest, tossing it uncaringly on the floor. He smoothed out his shirt, and gave himself a once-over in the mirror.

Well, it was a slight improvement. He didn’t look like scum stuck to someone’s boot anymore.

Finally, he placed Arthur’s his hat on his head, as he did every day, and made his way downstairs.

Aside from a couple of sad drunks and a bartender, it was virtually empty in the saloon. He walked over to the bar, placing a coin on the counter.

Was drinking the best way to greet the morning? No. Did he care? Also, no.

“Startin’ the day off with liquor, partner?” The bartender chuckled, in the middle of toweling off a glass. “Must be havin’ a rough time,”

That was the understatement of the century. John resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Ignoring the man’s comments completely, he instead asked, “You know where a feller can get work ‘round here?”

The bartender hummed thoughtfully as he rummaged around for whiskey. “Well,” He paused to pour the drink. “The sheriff’s lookin’ to replace a deputy. Last one got shot for foolin’ ‘round with another man’s wife. Weren’t nothin’ pretty. Think he’s lookin’ for a couple new deputies, if I recall,” He added, then slid the shot over to John.

John grimaced, the action pulling at the scars on his cheek. “Pass. Anything else?” He was reminded of Dutch’s plot back in Rhodes, posing as deputies in a hare-brained scheme that ultimately blew up in their faces.

That, and personally, he wasn’t too fond of law-enforcement types.

“There’s a ranch ‘bout ten miles north that could surely use some help. Almost all of the farmhands are indisposed, on account of part of the property catchin’ fire,”

John snorted. Him? A rancher? The idea was laughable. “Eh, don’t think that’s quite for me,”

“I’m sure you could ask in town, partner. Folks round here is always lookin’ for someone to hire. People ain’t comin from farther away no more, so there’s some jobs open.”

John tilted his head, interest mildly piqued. “Yeah? Why’s that?”

“Gang’s been terrorizin’ the area. They don’t come into town, thank the Lord, but folk are just scared to leave town, now. Ain’t too safe to go into the desert. Surprised you didn’t get robbed on your way here.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “You must be real lucky, Mister.”

John didn’t say anything at first, not feeling a need to divulge that someone had attempted to rob him yesterday. He didn’t need to draw any undue attention himself.

Instead, he finally brought the shotglass to his lips. “Hm. My brother used to always tell me I’m lucky.”

#red dead redemption fanfic #rdr fanfic #rdr2 #red dead redemption 2 #rdr #johnigail #john marston x abigail roberts #john marston #abigail roberts #john marston fanfic #jack marston #rdr fanfiction #red dead redemption fanfiction #writers on tumblr #fanfiction #vittoria.doc #smftnib

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spemtang · 7 months

Text

Everything You Do & All I Try To Do

A DrakGo Fanfic.

Artwork by: Me!

Read on AO3

Summary: Drakken loses the medal he received at the ceremony months prior. He and an annoyed Shego have to go look for it. Hopefully, nothing bad happens.

Drakken tossed aside another overturned drawer, papers scattering across the floor. He had torn through the lair for over an hour, yet still no sign of it. Stupid, foolish mistake to misplace something so important.

His eyes examined the room, taking in the varying layers of dust settling on old doomsday devices. A small part of him was relieved at his own current failure. The thought of failing at something had him reminiscing, a nostalgic feeling. When was the last time he had used any of them? Weeks? Months? He couldn't remember. Time after time he had rebounded from failure; ironically, it was success that he found himself unable to recover from.

Drakken slumped into a chair. He’d foiled himself for once.

Kim Possible, his teen archnemesis, had always been the one to put an end to his plans. But lately, though no fault of her own, nothing. No thrilling chases, no banter, no imminent sense that his adversary could burst through the door at any moment to stop his world-dominating schemes.

Though not the burst he expected, the sound of a metal door sliding open was enough to alert him that someone had come in. He could quickly tell who simply by the way she walked.

“Lose something, Dr. D?” Her ever-sardonic tone permeated the quiet room, peering around at the ransacked environment that had once been the study.

“Shego.” He acknowledged under his breath, letting out a heavy yet admittedly reverent sigh at the familiar voice. “Obviously. I can’t seem to find that medallion from a while back-” His voice trailed as he tossed another book off the shelf.

Shego watched it clatter by her feet, then snorted, “Wait, wait, wait. You mean to tell me you actually lost that thing?” She said, forcing a snarky grin. Yet, she found her cunning remarks coming less naturally than they used to. She turned her eyes away temporarily, trying to brush it off; perhaps it was the lack of recent schemes that kept her out of her prime... mockfulness?

She's pulled from her brief introspection by the sound of a grumbled response followed by his voice, “Yes, yes. Don’t remind me.” he said, turning to Shego. “Any ideas from you as to where it could be?” She paused to think, “Uhh, not that I can remember, sorry.” She said, giving a nonchalant shrug.

A small device sitting on a nearby desk caught Shego’s attention.

“What’s up with this thing?” She asked. Drakken peered over his shoulder to look before turning back.

“It’s an electronic dog whistle I’ve been making. Commodore Puddles has been tearing up the furniture lately, I figured I should focus on training him for once.”

Shego gave him a look, “Wow...What a responsible owner you are.” She mocked, “Y’know, I think that’s the most ambition I’ve seen out of you in months, Dr. D.” She added, tone a little bitter about the lack of action recently.

He didn’t reply.

With a quiet scoff, Shego made a show of plopping herself down into the nearby armchair, whipping out a magazine. Yet, she was too distracted by the whole “missing medal” ordeal to focus on its contents. Peering over the top of her magazine, she watched Drakken scramble around the lair, tossing things aside haphazardly. He was clearly obsessed with finding that medal. Seeing him so distressed stirred a hint of emotion she couldn't quite place. Concern? Sympathy? She didn’t like thinking too hard about it.

“Y’know, hate to sound like a broken record, but you’ve really turned this place upside-down, Doc.” She commented, noticing many more books lying around than she had initially observed.

“Not without reason, Shego.” He replied bluntly, shuffling through neighboring rooms, increasing and lowering his tone to match the proximity. “If I were none the wiser, I’d think someone took it! But what business would anyone have stealing that thing? There are plenty of fancy gold vaults to steal from; why me?”

“Not sure,” Shego replied, entertaining enough weak conversation to keep him going.

Drakken deactivated the study’s remote-controlled fireplace and examined behind it, “I could’ve sworn I had it just the other day. It’s my fault I hadn’t checked on it in a while.” He continued with a sigh, “I mean, it’s got to be around here somewhere...”

He halted briefly,

“Er- Well-”

Shego peered up from her magazine to look at him,

“What?”

“Let’s say...hypothetically, a few days ago, I felt a little bored and nostalgic and was taking it to a lot of our old lairs, and I may or may not have left it at one of them-”

Shego groaned loudly, “You can’t be serious...How many is ‘a lot’???”

“About 14 of them.”

She gave him a long, hard look. Then, she sighed, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose in frustration.

She stood, marching for the door.

“Whatever, let’s just get a move on.”

On their way out, Drakken nabbed the device he’d been working on. Despite his confidence, it’d be best to keep himself occupied if this–like Shego probably predicts–is a total waste of time.

Thrusters hummed smoothly beyond distant, quaint villages and ski resorts as the hovercraft rocketed over the landscape. They flew high above the valley below into the jagged, sky-piercing peaks of the range. Thick, perfectly white snow blanketed the steep mountainsides, gleaming brightly in the afternoon sun. The pair were blasted with its thin, frigid air, which held a crisp alpine scent.

“Come to think of it, this might just be the place.”

Shego glared, her hands flickering a threatening glow, “Are you telling me we didn’t have to go to the other 13!?”

Drakken tensed up and raised his hands defensively, “No, no! Your services are appreciated, Shego! It was perfectly likely for it to be at the other ones as well.”

Her palms fizzled, and she relaxed slightly before turning away, “Good. I can’t believe you revisited the wreckage of that stupid underwater lair.”

“I felt like scuba diving then, alright?”

“Yeah? I didn’t feel like scuba diving today .”

The two of them approached Drakken’s freezing lair in the Alps, still standing tall with its many pointed, almost pitchfork-like spires — yet decorated in a dense shrubbery of flowers, they looked to be two, no, three times as thick as the last time he was here. Surprisingly, they were not dead from the cold, though he supposed they were super high-pollinated . It wasn’t often he returned to old lairs; it would be the fourth time for this one in particular; it almost made him feel bad about the conditions he left them in.

As the two landed swiftly, he thought back a bit more. In truth, he was lying about being so sure only to make Shego feel more motivated; he wasn’t even sure if he went inside this one, the later details of the day having betrayed him.

“Do we really have to scout this garden of yours, Dr. D?” Shego asked with a noticeable irritation in her voice. Drakken hesitated, “Well, not particularly, no. But I’d appreciate it if-”

“Forget I asked. Let’s get in and out of here, and we’re done.” Shego remarked sourly. She was just about done with all the running around she’d been doing that day, and the freezing temperature certainly wasn’t helping his case.

Hiking up the side of the tall, icy glacier, not helped by the dense vegetation, Draken saw something in the distance.

“H-hey! Look! It’s one of those alien drone things!” He proudly announced, looking at the dismantled Lowardian machine in a distant snowy crevice. Shego sighed but didn’t look back, “Yeah, good job on saving the world, Doc. I’ve spent all day being reminded of your accomplishment.” Drakken almost opened his mouth in retaliation but decided against it, eyeing Shego as she trudged ahead. Frankly, he owed her for putting up with this wild medal chase. Hopefully, he could make it up to her once this was over.

For now, he decided keeping quiet and getting this search done quickly was probably the best course of action. Drakken hurried to catch up, the frigid wind biting through his coat. The sooner they got out of there, the better.

A faint green glimmer lit the black interior of the lair for a moment through cracks in the door. It was moments like these that Drakken was especially grateful for Shego. It’d be a real hassle getting all the vines off the handles without the use of her glow. There were... a lot of things to be grateful for when it came to Shego, actually.

The rickety door crept open, striking a small amount of light into the dark chamber, large patterns of vines and branches scaling its enclosure.

“A bit dark in here, isn’t it?” Drakken whispered, stepping across the cold floor and crunching leaves.

Shego looked around before spotting a faint light, “There,” She replied, blasting her glow at a dense gathering of vegetation, revealing the large hole the Lowardian Walkers had made in the wall. Sunlight poured in, brightening the room and showcasing a large shrub of flowers and vines.

“Much better.” Drakken acknowledged with an approving nod as he scanned the ruined lair.

His gaze wandered over the vibrant floral blooms now bathed in sunlight that beamed through the hole Shego had blasted. He watched, transfixed, as the petals seemed to perk up, stretching and unfurling as if soaking up the long-awaited rays.

A satisfied smile tugged at his lips. His, albeit mutant, plants had endured, bringing an unexpected vitality to the ruins. He admired the new growth sprouted from the weathered walls, winding through broken glass and overturned debris.

Then he looked back at his henchwoman, getting her hands dirty, and frowned a little. Stepping over to her awkwardly, he started, “Shego-”

Yet before he could start, a deafening crash drowned out his words. Shego’s head whipped over as their combined attention turned to a giant metallic claw that had formed a large crater before them — a booming, animal-like screech ruptured from the shrubbery across the room.

The ruined Lowardian Walker's limbs shuddered and jerked as if pulled by unseen strings. What once appeared as a mound of overgrowth stirred, vines cascading off metallic parts as the robot arose on rigid legs. Shambling forward awkwardly, its shattered frame moved with an awkward organic gait rather than mechanical precision.

Dull metal peeked through a living patina of roots and vines that clung to its body. Strange leafy tendrils protruded from joints like parasitic growths. It appeared much less a machine granted false life than a creature born of steel bones now overtaken by flora.

“Dr. Drakken? What is that thing?”

Drew paused in imminent fear; what was that thing?

Shego’s pupils thinned as the beast stirred, and she turned for the entryway. “Yeah, uh, I don’t think I get paid enough to deal with that so–!” She exclaimed and decided to hightail it out of there. Drakken nodded and quickly staggered to follow.

The pair burst out of the lair; their feet slipped on the snow-covered rock as they descended the icy cliff. The building effortlessly crumbled behind them as the giant mechanical monster stirring from a long slumber shook its already plant-weakened foundation. The reanimated monster smashed through the same entryway, letting out another piercing metallic shriek.

Before they could reach the Hover-car parked below, the Walker bounded past with alarming agility. Whether by cunning strategy or mere primal impulse, it pivoted sharply and kicked the Hover-car with all its might. The vehicle went sailing over the horizon, spinning end over end until it vanished.

The beast reared back on its hind legs, giving another enraged screech. Puppeting vines twist around its limbs, writhing in anticipation.

"And...there goes Plan A," Shego muttered, igniting her glowing green fists. "Guess we’ll have to go with Plan B." Her voice held an uneasy confidence. She leaped into action, hurling blasts of green energy at the lumbering monster. They sizzled against the metallic exterior but barely slowed its advance. It roared, charging at Shego. “Any plans, Doc?” she shouted his way, rolling away from a giant stomping leg.

Drakken blinked, "Right, yes, good call," Drakken said, peering around nervously for anything they could use. His scrambling was interrupted by the monster, quickly turning to rush his way. Shego hastily shot at a joint with another strong blast, knocking it off course with a squeal.

The two split up, trying to divide the creature's attention. Shego nimbly evaded each lumbering swipe, countering with bursts of plasma. Drakken ducked behind icy boulders, fumbling for any gadget in his coat that could help.

"Could really use one of your brilliant ideas anytime now!" Shego yelled over her shoulder.

“Ngyeehh, I’m working on it!” He yelled back.

To his credit, he was working on it. He dumped a variety of incomplete doodads from his coat, using little pliers and screws to put random pieces together. He had a raygun he’d constructed a while back on him as well, but knew it’d be useless against the exterior of one of those things.

“Think, Drew...you just have to come up with something.” He muttered to himself.

Then, he had it! Using parts from a magnetization ray he had been working on and a few emergency batteries he kept on him, he could construct some type of electromagnetic frequency emitter, totally frying that thing’s remaining systems! He just needed a few minutes to-

His momentary pride was shot down by the sound of a scream, followed by a loud crash. He’d be relieved if it weren’t for the fact that the scream was human, and Shego’s.

Quickly peeking around his cover, he saw only the aftermath — Shego tumbling through the snow before she lay limp against a clump of snow.

She didn’t seem to be getting up, either.

“S-Shego!” He called out in worry, the creature’s lumbering form snapped toward him the moment he chose to raise his voice.

Drakken quickly ducked back behind the cover, he needed to crunch those minutes into just seconds now. He rushed to shove the parts of his mechanism, pausing on the battery slot.

“Come on...! Which way, which way?” He muttered frantically, looking at the plus and minus symbols. “There!” He beamed, before throwing the device out into the open and taking cover.

Large, booming frequencies of electromagnetic energy pulsated from the device. The robot winced, slightly, but seemed largely unaffected. It stomped the device into oblivion before continuing its pursuit.

Drakken froze in fear. He was sure it would’ve worked! The machine’s systems should’ve been...completely fried.

Then, his eyes focused on its limbs, vines sliding and gripping. Overgrowth pulling and directing the Walker’s monstrous limbs.

Was it a machine at all?

No.

Its body was merely a husk, the shell.

It wasn’t a robot holding onto its functionality through botanical means. No, something lived inside. That something was orchestrating the remains of what was left in that place months ago.

Drakken, at his wit's end, did what he was best at: running away.

Drakken's legs pumped faster than they ever had before, fueled by sheer adrenaline as the monstrous walker bore down on him. He zig-zagged desperately, boots slipping on the icy terrain, but couldn't shake the thundering steps behind.

Just as a giant metal claw swiped at where he'd been seconds earlier, the beast suddenly halted. Drakken risked a frantic glance back. The creature swayed, vines writhing along its frame as if uncertain.

Drakken's mind raced — was it confused? Losing his trail? Or toying with him? He didn't intend to wait around to find out.

That thing was back to pursuing him a moment later, he ran into what he thought would be his saving grace, a crevice through the mountainside. Unfortunately, the monster was easily capable of turning its frame to follow him in. And, if things couldn’t get any worse, a towering wall at the end marked a dead-end for him. Regardless, he ran to it with no other option.

Coming to the path’s end, he whipped back around to see it looming over him.

Was this how he was going to go out? At the hands of the plants, he played a part in creating?

He pulled the dog whistle out of his coat as the Walker neared.

Tears of despair welled in his eyes, regardless of his feelings were meaningless to the simple beast before him. He hadn’t even fine-tuned the device he was going to make for his dog today.

Yet, as the device slipped from his shaky hands, it wasn’t Commodore Puddles that was on his mind, it was Shego.

Just as before, and just how things had always been. He was caught up in proving himself, proving his worth. It was the Bebe robots then, the medal now. All just to be in the disapproval of his peers by the end of it. It was his colleagues then, Shego now. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d let her down, of course. But it was looking to be the last.

He winced, taking a pathetic step out of the way as if to delay the inevitable. And as the Walker raised its claw for one final strike against its prey.

It stopped, it recoiled, and it writhed. Its heavy claw clattered to the ground out of the way as roots shivered along its metallic form.

Drakken almost thought it may have felt sympathy and spared him were it not for his eyes turning down and finding the cause: it was the dog whistle! He must’ve stepped on the activation button, and the creature was sensitive to the sound it made! He wasn’t sure why that was, but he took the opportunity to nab the device and dart away while it was stunned.

His feet slipped and stumbled as he fled through the deep snow. Behind him, a deafening roar shook the mountainside as the walker freed itself from the crevice, hellbent on pursuit.

Glancing back, Drakken noticed a gaping hole blown in the monster's armor from Shego's earlier attack. Green “flesh” writhed within, exposed. He just needed time to exploit that weakness!

But as Drakken turned forward again, his stomach dropped. Mere feet in front of him, the snow gave way to a sheer cliff plunging hundreds of meters down. Another dead end.

Whirling around, he came face-to-face with the monstrous Walker looming over him, escape cut off. Drakken desperately held out the screeching whistle, but if anything, it only aggravated the creature more.

Vines twisted furiously around the ruined parts of its metallic body. The monster's large flower appendages looked like two judgemental eyes staring down at him. A mass of leaves and petals shook, vibrating with something akin to rage. Time was running out.

Drakken's eyes darted around the narrow cliff edge. There had to be a way! He just needed to buy a few precious seconds against this unbridled fury...But it appeared there was no last-second idea he could pull to escape this situation.

The Walker reared back, shadowed by the sunlight as it prepared to deliver a final blow. Drakken stood with uneasy anticipation, but a flash of green exploded against the creature's back before the strike fell.

"Shego!" Drakken cried out in relief as the monster staggered.

She huffed, "Miss me, Dr. D?" Shego quipped, though looking a bit battered.

The monster whirled with a metallic roar, vines twisting furiously. As it charged Shego, Drakken seized his chance. He pulled out his raygun and fired at the damaged spot.

The creature screeched, whipping back toward Drakken. But Shego was ready, striking it again with her glow. They fell into a pattern — it would turn to attack one, only for the other to blast its weak point from behind.

With a final, piercing wail, the unbalanced Walker lurched toward Drakken. He braced himself, but Shego was faster.

"Hope you packed a parachute, you overgrown weed!"

She launched a powerful flying kick to the creature's back. And, unable to support its own weight, the monster tipped over the cliff's edge, plunging into the misty depths below with a fleeting, monstrous scream.

The two looked down into the gorge as the Walker plummeted into oblivion, equally releasing a heavy sigh.

Shego broke the exhausted silence first after catching her breath. "Glad that's over with."

Drakken turned to her, relief washing over him. "Shego..." he whispered.

He stepped closer, just needing to see her okay with his own eyes. "I was so worried about you. I'm glad you're alright."

Shego softened slightly, an uncharacteristic sincerity coming over her. "Yeah, I'm glad you're okay too, Dr. D."

She straightened, regaining some of her usual casual confidence. "That was some quick thinking with the raygun. I Didn't even know you had one of those."

"What sort of self-respecting villain wouldn't have one?" Drakken replied with a flashy grin.

Shego smiled warmly, head tilting. A moment of understanding silence fell between them.

Drakken broke it this time, voice heavy with remorse. "Shego, I'm...I'm so sorry about all this. For dragging you along over a silly medal."

Shego blinked, having nearly forgotten their reason for being there. "Hey, don’t worry about it. This wouldn’t be the first time you’ve made me do something stupid. Nor the second, or the third..." she ribbed lightly.

Drakken rolled his eyes but smiled, “No need to rub it in, Shego.”

He noticed her windswept hair.

“Let me-”

He gently brushed a loose strand behind her ear. Her eyes closed momentarily as he did so.

"There," he murmured.

Shego blinked and met his eyes, her gaze lingering. "I can make an assumption or two but," She started, “What made that thing so special to you?”

Drakken sighed lightly.

“Maybe it was pride,” He paused to think, “But, it meant a lot to me as a sign of victory, I suppose. I haven’t done a whole lot of winning in my life.” He confessed.

Shego smirked playfully, “I think I’d know that more than anyone, Doc.”

Drakken gave a weak smile, the expression vanished from her face.

“Sorry, that was-”

“No, it’s alright.” Drakken assured her, “I like your edge, Shego. You know how to keep me in check.”

Her cheeks flushed just a little, and she smiled again.

“Thanks, Dr. D.”

Drakken turned his head up and to the left, he looked over at the overgrown lair for a moment.

“I don’t think I appreciate you enough.” He admitted, “I mean, I pay you to work for me, but still. I’m not sure if I ever got around to telling you this, but I really appreciated you coming to save me from the Lowardians back then.”

Her head perked up and her cheeks grew just a smidge redder, “Oh- It was nothing, Dr. D, honest.”

“Even if it was nothing, Shego, I still appreciate that you did that for me. I owe a lot to you, a lot more than money can pay for, anyway.” He relents, “For sticking around, that is. Even when I do stupid things all the time. I’m glad you’re still here.”

Shego felt a shiver run up her spine, and it wasn’t from the cold.

“Hey, uh, sorry we couldn’t find your thing.” She muttered, trying to ease the tension.

Drakken smiled.

“I’ll be alright, Shego. I feel I...found something better anyway.”

She swallowed, and without thinking, wrapped her arms around him. A sudden need enveloped her heart.

"Dr. D," she whispered.

Drakken turned to meet her gaze, taking in every detail of her face. Her fire, her strength, her loyal persistence through it all suddenly struck him. She was incredible.

His eyes fell half-lidded as he lost himself in hers. The frigid air faded away in the warmth of her embrace. Timidly, his hands came to rest at her sides, drawn in helplessly.

"Shego."

She took a small step closer, snow softly crunching underfoot. Time seemed to slow, the space between them electrified. It felt right.

Drakken leaned in hesitantly at first, then, as was routine, surrendered himself when Shego picked up the slack, confidently sealing the gap.

In the moment, he felt as if the world had fallen away. Her kiss enveloped him in an indescribable warmth, a tingling sense of belonging spreading through him- newfound purpose excavated from the depths of his timid heart. His hands moved from her sides and delicately cupped her face as he savored the intimacy. Her lips were so soft, and inviting.

Shego drew him closer, her aggressive edge giving way to tenderness. She never wanted this moment to end.

When they eventually, reluctantly parted, Drakken kept his forehead resting against hers, noses still touching. A faint smile played on his lips. Both were resistant to leaving the other's arms. Right now, they had each other- perhaps as they’d always had each other. And for them, that was enough.

“I think I’m in love with you.” He breathed.

“Yeah, I got the impression.”

Drakken clicked his tongue, catching Puddles’ attention once more. The whistle had proven quite effective for training after just a little tweaking, working out the odd frequencies.

"Come on boy, just a few more times around the lair," Drakken encouraged, pacing backward as his pet obediently waddled after.

Shego peeked up from her magazine and watched as Drakken and his dog scurried around the corner. The corners of her lips tugged upward, though she hid her expression. She gave him a bit of crap for it just the day prior but found it sorta endearing after everything.

She stood and followed after him.

“I can’t believe you’re just now training that thing after you’ve had him for...how many years now?”

Drakken scowled, some things never changed about her.

“He’s not a thing , his name is Commodore Puddles.” He remarked, pridefully lifting his pet, “And...world domination schemes get in the way, alright?”

She laughed, “Does that imply you’re retiring from world domination?”

He froze up, “Maybe...maybe not. But don’t think I’m going soft, Shego!”

She snickered still, and he grumbled at her.

“How’s this:” He started, “I’ve scouted out a museum with quite the rare artifact. What do you say we steal it together sometime?”

Shego raised a brow, “What do you plan on using it for?”

He shrugged, “I was thinking about stealing it just for the heck of it.” He admitted.

She grinned.

“I like the sound of that.”

Notes: I don't write very often, but I made this. I hope I got their character right. IDK... Here's a concept sketch of the Lowardian Walker-plant monster thing. Maybe one day I'll make a proper drawing of it, but consider this the canon-fanon for now.

#dr drakken #shego #kim possible #drakken x shego #drakgo #drakken #fanfic #fan fiction #writing #criticism is appreciated #sorry bcbdrums... i stole how you format fanfic posts

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