#young royals is heartache

[misfithive]

Okay you know that one heartbreaking scene in heartstopper ep8 where Nick steps towards charlie looking 🥺 with his face all bruised and asks Charlie if he wants to eat lunch together and Charlie says he can’t but he sounds like he is gonna cry 🥹? Imagine 6 episodes of that level of sandess, pining, trying to do the right thing/move on while being heartbroken. That is how young royals s2 felt to me 💔

[longtallglasses]

as someone who’s had their school shut down TWICE right before i graduated that scene in the last episode of young royals was incredibly triggering

[tanktop-lou]

xxx

[fluffyfantasticducky]

How to Cure Pains and Heartaches

☆ Pairing: Loki x Reader

☆ Synopsis: After such a bitter end, Loki has no choice but to fade away. To his surprise he awakens in bed where he will be taken care of. Why? What do they want of him? Who's that lovely mortal?

☆ Word Count: 6,266

☆ Notes: Loki being a swooning darling, he's recovering from injuries in a fix it AU where he survives the attack on the Statesman and he gets to live on earth.

☆ Warnings: Mention of Loki's trauma and torture courtesy of the Mad Titan, fuck you Thanos. Mention of gaining weight (but it isn't given a negative conotation).

No one could deny Loki had gone through a lot of stuff, simply his Asgardian nature and the amount of exposure he had had with war from a young age would (rightfully) horrify most Midgardians, plus the pressure of being royalty and the responsibility it demanded with him.

In retrospect, Loki always knew his amount of responsibility were no way near as high as Thor’s, which allowed Loki to get some relief by following his nature as God of Mischief. But still: meetings, war council, royal balls, and in general trying to keep an image of perfection to most of Asgard other than Thor’s group and his parents who truly knew of Loki’s more playful nature, it was quite draining.

And that was before the true horrors.

That one trip to Jotunheim had been the source of over a decade of disgrace. Knowing all that battle would cause, he never would’ve let those three other Jotuns into the vaults of Valaskjalf.

After that, it was tragedy after tragedy. And the worst of them happened in the Sanctuary II.

At first, he thought some bounty hunters had recognized him, given they seem to know who he was, and the only reason they spared his life was because it would be about a matter of time until they’d bargain his life with Odin.

But after several months where he was starved, and his only contact was to be tortured, where the Black Order tore his body apart bit by bit, breaking bones, tearing skin only to throw him back into an isolation cell, where all that kept him together was his pride and the thought that Heimdall could see him and start a rescue mission, thing he learned years later couldn’t be done.

And when he didn’t cave in, they shattered his mind as well, using the Mind Stone on his scepter, giving him no choice but to submit. Everything bad in his life prior to that point seemed to be blissful field trip.

And for many years later he thought he would spend the rest of his life suffering to atone to the horrors he unleashed onto Jotunheim and New York. And by the time the Sanctuary II intercepted the Asgardian escape ship on its way to Earth, and he felt himself fading from reality… nothing had proved him otherwise.

At least he had protected his brother…

…

Who would’ve thought that the next time he opened his eyes he would be laying in a hospital bed, flowers by his ankles and a cervical collar? He had a thousand questions. Where was he? Who brought him there? Why had he been saved? Why couldn’t they let him just die?

Just when he thought it was another round of the same type of torture the Black Order inflicted on him, the door opened… Only about a few hours after waking up, and just in time when his stomach started growling.

The first time he saw you, you felt like a vision. Beautiful and most of it all, kind.

“Loki how are you feeling?” you smiled at him, as you stepped inside the room with a tray of warm food. The smell made his mouth water. “Were you waiting for long? Sorry, I didn’t hear you wake up.”

Loki was quietly staring at you. Not only because his throat was dry, but because he had no idea who you were or what were your intentions.

But you didn’t seem bothered by his silence. You just let out a little chuckle.

“You seem more active today” you smiled, “Usually you can only stay awake for a few seconds. Are you hungry?”

Loki wanted to be proud and say nothing, but his body’s needs were stronger, and a rather loud growl of his stomach gave it away how hungry he was, making his cheeks flare up in embarrassment.

“Don’t worry, I would be hungry too if I hadn’t eaten anything in 5 years” you spoke compassionately, but with a hint of humor.

5 years?!?

“How long have I been here?” he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse beyond recognition, and it hurt to speak.

“Oh, you poor thing, you must be thirsty” you said as you reached his food tray and grabbed a cup of water with a straw and placed it just before his lips. “About your question, a few weeks, a Stark satellite detected a faint life signal and Thor went to find you.”

You spoke in such a humane manner that Loki couldn’t help but lower his guard a bit, and he opened his mouth as you helped him drink.

The water was cold and fresh, it felt so relieving that he couldn’t hold back a sigh when he finished drinking, that only happened when the cup was empty.

You let out a soft giggle at the sight of him. It was then that he recognized you, sort of.

He vaguely remembered your laugh, it was faint, but if he pushed himself to think about it, it was there. He never saw your face, but the sound was familiar, so he concluded it must have been previous visits while he was still unconscious.

It was a pretty sound… innocent, pure.

“You mentioned my brother…” Loki asked. “Is he…?”

As he made his question, you set a table before him and the tray on top of it. It was a huge bowl of soup, and one of mashed potatoes. His stomach growled once again.

“Thor has been visiting you every day practically without exception” you told him. “He talks to you, keeps you updated about his life. Last week he came with Doctor Foster, it seems they started seeing each other again. But we’ve notified him you’re finally awake.”

You sat beside him on the edge of the bed and grabbed the spoon on the tray and started feeding him the soup. It was so warm, and the flavor was rich, that his eyes started watering. What cruel trick was all this kindness? When would this all go South?

His forming tears didn’t go unnoticed, and you cupped his face, your soft fingers caressing his cheeks to clean his tears.

“You don’t have a fever, does it hurt anywhere?” you asked.

“No… I feel per—” he choked on his words, “I feel perfectly fine… all things considered.”

“I’ll monitor your reflex later, but first focus on eating” you said gently. “You need to regain your strength.”

You didn’t have to tell him twice, he was so hungry that if he had had more strength, he would just hold the bowl and chug it all down. By the time he was onto the mashed potatoes he was a lot stronger, the second meal was just as tasty, seasoned just right to make him want to keep eating until his stomach popped.

He even let out a soft little breathy burp, which made you giggle again.

“Don’t eat so fast!” you scolded him with a happy tone.

He found it in himself to laugh softly along with you.

“5 years without food, I remind you” he joked back. “I’ll eat as fast as I can.”

“You were blipped 5 years... you didn’t age a day.”

“Blipped?”

You spent the next few minutes filling him in what had happened. Thanos won, and half of the universal population vanished, for them it was only a few minutes at most… while the rest of the universe aged 5 years. Five years, where everyone thought he was dead, where he was dead.

Now, Loki wanted to cry. The amount of relief that washed over him made him rest back.

“Finally… I’m free…” he sighed. “It’s over… he’s gone…”

He tried covering his eyes when he noticed the sting coming from his left arm, he noticed a cast neatly wrapped around it.

“Your neck injury was the most concerning, but your arm and ankle were badly wounded as well” you explained, and he noticed another cast covering his foot from arch to his ankle. “Although your foot is mostly healed by now.”

He put some attention to his bandaged foot and wiggled his toes, which thank the gods responded perfectly.

“It’s a bit itchy” Loki pointed out.

“I’m pretty sure that’s normal” you chuckled and grabbed a pencil from your pocket, and sneaked it in his cast, and scratched his sole. “Here.”

But the touch, while it somewhat alleviated the itch, it had an unexpected tickly feeling that caused Loki to yelp and jerked his foot back.

“Hehe-hey!” he giggled.

“I’m sorry” you apologized with a soft chuckle.

“You’re lucky I’m too weakened to put a dagger to your throat” Loki spoke, but he noticed he couldn’t get rid of the amusement in his voice.

“Perhaps I should take the chance to really make you laugh then.” You smiled, twirling the pencil on your fingers. “Given you can’t do anything to stop me.”

“Don’t even think about it!” Loki blurted out, “If you even dare to… to…”

He felt his cheeks flush. It had been so long since he had been tickled, it felt silly, plus he was quite vulnerable right now.

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to upset you” you assured him, “…yet.”

You let out another soft laugh at the indignation in his face.

“Do you not know the consequences of crossing me?” Loki asked, “Are you that ignorant of the capabilities of the God of Mischief? I have terrorized this realm, Midgard bows before my power! I could finish you with a single hand.”

“What would you get out of it?” you asked bluntly. “You live here now; you would only lose.”

He looked at you and opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it again. Not only was he too weak right now to even keep that threat, but truly besides that little tickle you had been nothing to but kind to him, and even that had been with the intention to help him.

“Do you truly not fear me?” Loki asked after another moment of silence.

“Should I?” you asked with a happy smile.

Perhaps he found that little grin of yours to be too charming, it could be the fact that you had his food and water at your mercy, or it could be the fact that you were a purely friendly presence, which he hadn’t had in… he couldn’t remember for how long. But he truly didn’t want you to be scared of him.

“I suppose not” he finally said.

“Predictable.”

Loki let out a laugh.

“You’re a funny little one” Loki smiled.

Just then a loud noise came in as if something huge was stomping their way through the hall. Which proved to be not far off because soon a large blond figure tumbled onto the door frame.

“Brother…” both Asgardians said in unison.

The older brother’s eyes filled with tears as he rushed to the bed, and with the last self-control he possessed, Thor didn’t tackle the raven haired into a bear hug. Just… collapsed on his knees by the side of his bed.

“You’re awake…” the God of Thunder burst into messy sobs. “…Alive.”

In other times, Loki would’ve found Thor’s reaction ridiculous, mockable, or annoying… but after all they had been through and seeing the streak of his own hair tangled in one of Thor’s braids… he let out a soft sob as he gently reached to place his hand on Thor’s head.

“Ahem!” you cleared your throat to make yourself present. “As long as you’re careful with his neck, you two can hug.”

You smiled and left the room to give them space. Both brothers let out a laugh and Thor cradled his little brother in his arms, supporting his head as if he was a baby as his other hand was squeezing Loki.

“I told you the sun would shine on us again” Loki spoke softly.

“You idiotic, insincere, irresponsible, impulsive, inconsiderate fool!” Thor scolded him, sounding more relieved than anything.

“Oh, good, you ran out of insults that started with an I” Loki laughed.

“I beg you, brother. Never give me a scare like that again” Thor begged.

“In my defense, I didn’t fake it this time” he whispered.

There was an awkward silence as none of the princes knew what to say to each other, there was so much to say, but… where to start?

“I… heard you started seeing Doctor Foster again.”

That made Thor smile as started telling Loki what he had done with his life, how Asgard was doing, which was what finally broke Loki, hearing Asgard managed to live on was that finally burst into tears as he hugged his brother again.

The two brothers talked for hours, and for the first time in years, if not ever, Loki felt the conversation with his brother be purely lighthearted. He was so lost in the chat that it took him hours to notice…

“You’ve gained weight” Loki pointed out.

“Quiet, you imp…” Thor snorted. “It’s been tough these last 5 years.”

“I… did not mean to be judgmental” Loki assured him. “It just… I’ve been out for so long…”

“Well, don’t get used to this, I’m already exercising again, and I’m renouncing to beer… aside from social events” Thor said happily.

“Oh? I didn’t know you drank” Loki tilted his head. “But… good for you.”

Thor’s face darkened, making Loki immediately regret his comment.

“It was… Very rough five years…” Thor said again. “I suppose time wasn’t kind on me.”

Loki felt a pang of guilt settle on his chest, after Ragnarök he truly had no intention to pull another stunt like that. For once, he had every intention to stick by Thor’s side.

But at the time the Sanctuary II intercepted their ship, all Loki could think was protecting Thor. Because he knew that if anything happened to his brother, no one else would’ve had a fighting chance against the Mad Titan. But he had been reckless.

“I— I’m sorry brother…” Loki apologized, and Thor smiled at him. “How’s Asgard?”

“It’s been difficult as you may imagine… but, you know… us Asgardians are stubborn, we’ve managed.” Thor smile. “Little Asgard is thriving!”

“Oh, I’m painfully aware, you’re all a nightmare” Loki joked, making Thor laugh again.

Despite his sarcasm, something in the way Thor said us Asgardians made Loki smile, by now Thor knew very well his true nature, and yet he still treated him as one of his own, like his brother, maybe not bound by blood, but by something stronger.

The conversation kept going until Loki’s stomach growled in hunger, but by then the sun had set a while ago. And it didn’t take long after when you had stepped in the room with a tray of food and Thor excused himself for the night.

The meals were simple and soft for a good while, porridge, broths and soups, sauce-less pastas, yogurts, Jello, but having a pretty mortal such as yourself literally feeding him and tending to his every whim made his recovery quite pleasant. Especially when he started eating solid foods again and the meals were a lot tastier.

“You’re healing quite fast,” you told him as you checked monitored his ribs for any soreness. “I’ve heard injuries usually take maybe 3 or 4 times longer to heal. …In the best of circumstances, but Stephen said your bones are practically all healed now.”

“If someone can pull out a miracle like that, a god should be the right place to go” he joked as he kept holding his shirt up so you could.

“That’s fair, also having the best doctors and technology at our disposal helps, doesn’t it?” you quipped.

“Do not underestimate my divinity, mortal” he said dramatically.

“Oh, yes, forgive me, your godly-ness…” you bowed just as dramatically.

“You’ve been gaining weight” you said as you prodded your stomach.

He let out a yelp.

“Rude” he said cheekily.

“No, I mean, you were practically nothing but skin and bones when we found you” you assured him, “I mean you seem healthier now. You must be in your healthy weight again by now.”

“Do not flatter me” Loki smirked.

“Flatter you?” you gasped out a laugh. “Nonsense, it’s been my care the reason you no longer look like a malnourished cat!”

He did not expect you to start prodding and squeezing his belly, instantly causing him to burst out laughing. Curse his gut for being this vulnerable to your playful fingers.

“Nohohohoho! Don’t!” he whined between cackles. “Stohohohop!”

“Oh my god!” you laughed and gave him a small breather “I didn’t even have to do anything… But if you insist…”

“W-What…? Insist…?”

“I won’t stop…”

“W-What? N-No! PLEHEHEHEASE! NO! STOP!” Loki begged despite his pride, but the way you kept squeezing his belly, giving his skin soft pinches made him wheeze out shaky laughter was too much. “NOT MY— NOHOHOHOHOHO!”

You started focusing on the patch of skin around his belly button, which surprisingly enough was even more ticklish than his navel itself. He started digging his heels onto the mattress as he arched and squirmed on the bed.

“Okay, okay!” you squeaked out as you grabbed his ankle, forgetting your playful attack, to settle him back on bed. “Easy there… you’ll hurt your foot again.”

He was more focused on catching breath, but he still felt you helping him stretch and move his ankle to check if he hadn’t hurt himself in the middle of his squirming.

“You’re… huff… huff… the worst nurse…” he groaned.

“Ask for another nurse who can deal with you” you chuckled as you gently tickled his sole making him let out a giggle.

You weren’t exactly part of the medical team, but after everything that had happened, the Avengers were understaffed, and every task that Tony’s technology couldn’t fill in were done by the Avengers themselves, his brother and Maximoff twins helped with cleaning, Bruce and Clint cooked, Tony handled the finances (in more than just been the Compound’s sponsor), and so and so.

You were a lab assistant, although, not in the medical field. Yet, given your friendly nature and bond with the God of Thunder, Thor himself had entrusted you to look after his most precious thing, his little brother. But under normal circumstances, you’d be working with chemicals or mechanics by the side of your mentors and the Spiderling.

Although now, you had been tasked solely to look after Loki, given no one else was capacitated to deal with him and you seemed to understand each other, and Loki even had friendly interactions with you. Or well, friendly for Loki.

“Get up!” you whined pulling him by his healthy arm.

“I don’t want to” Loki protested.

“Why not?” you huffed defeatedly as you let go of him.

“I don’t exactly feel excited to be sat on a cold table to be prodded and squeezed and all to get stabbed.”

“Injections aren’t the same as getting stabbed, you big baby” you laughed, as you poked his sides, causing Loki to jump and swat your hand away.

“It’s a sharp metal piercing my skin, isn’t it?” he defended himself as he crossed his arm across his chest. “Call me a baby if you please, but it doesn’t excite me being pierced by your tiny blades.”

“L-Loki… are you afraid of needles?” you asked with an amused smile, he could tell by your tone that you were holding back laughter.

“I am not!” he scoffed.

“Oh! You are!” you smiled immensely.

“Is this funny to you?”

“N-No… Don’t worry, it’s cute. I used to fear needles too, you know, when I was five.” You grinned.

Loki’s ears perked up.

“That was a lie” he smiled cockily.

“What?”

“That’s a lie” he repeated himself. “You either still fear them or just recently stopped doing so.”

“Wha— that’s…” your cheeks turning pink were the last tell.

“God of Lies, don’t bother denying it. I can tell when some lies to me” he grinned triumphantly. “Don’t worry, it’s cute.”

You huffed as you smacked the back of his hand.

“And here I was going to tell you my trick to control my nerves” you huffed.

“Which is…?” Loki asked, partly to tease you, but deep down actually wanting to know.

You shuffled through your bag and pull-out headphones and handed them to him. Loki forced himself to ignore the way your hand brushed against his when you handed them to him.

“Just close your eyes and listen to some music” you smiled, “it helps with a lot of things. But if you need to you can hold my hand and squeeze it if you get scared.”

He smiled at you. “Thank you.”

“Tell you what, if you’re brave, I’ll make sure you have your favorite ice cream for dessert today. How does that sound?” you offered.

“I’m not a child you can’t bribe like that” Loki rolled his eyes, “… Two bowls.”

You nodded and helped him get up and walk to get his check up and vaccine. Given how long he had been in bed, he was still doing some rehab and needed help to walk longer distances.

And he did take your word and held your hand all the time, although he did notice it was you who squeezed his hand when the needle came out. He had even forgotten to put on the headphones by the time the needle was out. And you did keep your word of spoiling him with his favorite ice cream.

“The second bowl is gonna melt, so you might as well eat it with me…” he mumbled between bites.

In a few months Loki was practically fully recovered and soon he was starting his rehab trainings. And of course, he had already picked a sparring partner.

“Do not go easy on me” Loki stated the first time.

“Oh, you like it rough then?” you grinned as you two circled around each other on the sparring mat. “Duly noted.”

He was not one new to flirtatious exchanges. He had been alive for over a millennium, and he had had plenty lovers before. But for some reason your banter made him flustered and tied his tongue into a knot.

“If I wanted it rough, I’d pick literally anyone else, agent” Loki excused himself. “You couldn’t take me if you tried.”

“Couldn’t I?” you grinned, noticing his cheeks flare up.

Damn you, you tenacious and annoyingly perceptive little thing.

“In a fight, you pest” Loki huffed.

“Ah, bummer” you smiled cheekily.

And while it was true that your human strength wasn’t a match for his regular god-like standards, you actually provided an interesting challenge. Besides, he was still recovering so using his full strength wasn’t an option anyway. You were fast, and you jumped around him like a rabbit and landed the softest blows as he spun around you trying to follow or even read your patterns.

“What’s wrong, is the mighty God of Mischief unable to catch up?” you smiled as you poked his ribs lightly before sneaking away.

You didn’t expect Loki to yelp.

“D-Don’t!”

Your face was puzzled for just a second, but as soon as it had happened, you had put two and two together and grinned in an almost cartoonish way.

“I think this training just became more fun” you smile as you poked him again.

“Do not even think about it!” he huffed, as a nervous smile twitched its way into his lips.

“What happened to not go easy on you? I’m just obeying.” you grinned and started chasing him after.

The way you wiggled your fingers with a mischievous in his direction awoke something primally playful. And as a bright smile appeared on his face, he started running away from you.

“You will never catch me!” he called as he ran.

You laughed and ran after him.

He would never admit it out loud, but the way he felt in that moment was rejuvenating, he hadn’t done something so silly and non-transcendent purely for the sake that it was fun. But you were ditching training to chase him around under the threat of tickling him if you caught him. All for the sake of playing with him like a kid despite both of you being young adults. And even more surprising is that Loki found himself eager to play along, even if the idea of getting tickled made him nervous.

Which… eventually did happen, curse his weakened stamina and aching ankle. That day he also learned to fear when you threatened him with tickles, you were devastating when you wanted to be.

“Nohohoho!” he laughed as your fingers dug onto his stomach. “This is ehehehe cruel!”

By the time you had caught up with him you had already reached the living room and he had tumbled onto the couch.

“Oh my gosh, you’re so ticklish!” you giggle, your finger swirling around his navel.

“Ehehehehe! Get away from there!” he laughed.  “Oh Norns! Stop it!”

“C’mon, Loki, you’re a big guy, you can take it!” you giggled and kneaded his belly sides with your fingers with terrifying skill.

But you were kind enough to give him a break.

“Gods abohohohohove, I’m begging you, dove!” he whined. “Don’t torturehehehehe me like this!”

But it somehow served to strengthen your bond. Loki already had a good concept of you, you were a kind and generous person. You were one of the few people he could’ve called a friend. But seeing you weren’t completely disciplined and were willing to break schedule to have mindless fun was relieving. He feared that living in a S.H.I.E.L.D. building would mean they expected him to become a soldier.

So, he started looking for you out of the designated times you had together. He had come to really like to come and annoy you when you were working, playing with your pencils, hiding your stuff, and of course tickling you to distract you when he was craving your attention… which happened pretty often.

“Lohohohoki!” you whined. “I’m wohohorking!”

“I’m not saying you should stop” he grinned as he skittered his fingers along your ribs and sides, just gently scratching over your thin shirt. “Take this as a test of your focus.”

“Nohohohoho, Loki!” you wheezed. “Ihihihit’s so bahahahad! Stohohohop ihihit!”

“Mm~ I’m not sure” he purred in your ear, knowing damn well how much it made you curl up in a ball. “I kinda like hearing the noises you make, they’re… what’s the word? Cute~”

You screeched as you hid your face with your hands, muffling your laughter. Norns, you were so precious. He may have been teasing you when he said you were cute, but he meant it.

You were a lovely company, helping him heal by doing his routines and rehabilitation regimes, while he reviewed the files regarding New Asgard. You massaged his healing ankle while Loki read the documents that were handed to him.

“This is absolutely atrocious!” Loki scoffed smacking the files. “What is this, Infinity Conez? Who approved this? Look at this! Thanos getting the Infinity Stones is a universal tragedy, but to my people more than anyone!”

“Well, that’s why Thor created the New Asgard Council” you reminded him. “He gets help ruling Asgard, and Asgard gets a group of capable people leading them. You have voice and vote.”

“They will hear about this” Loki said firmly. “I will not allow my people to see that when they go to the market! That’s just disrespectful and heartless!”

“I agree with that” you nodded. “I’d be hurt to see something that traumatic turned into an attraction, there must be a better way to make an ice cream store. What about B-Ice Frost?”

“B-Ice Frost?” Loki asked.

“Yeah! A rainbow bridge themed ice cream store that actually gives a nod to your culture” you suggested. “The logo could an ice cream cone with rainbow sprinkles.”

“Hmm, I’ll notify that suggestion,” Loki nodded as he wrote it down. “Thank you.”

Months into knowing each other and spending a ridiculous amount of time together, and Loki started noticing how being around you boosted his mood, he couldn’t stop thinking about certain details about you, like the way you played with your hands when you were nervous, or how you scrunched up your nose slightly when you smiled at him, how your eyes sparkled when you were assigned a new project you had been excited for, the butterflies in his belly when you placed your hands on him even to greet him or help him stretch before training. And…

Oh Gods… he was falling in love with you.

For a while he didn’t know what to do with himself. He tried carrying himself normally. But it was overwhelming the way he felt about you, it took one look in your direction, and he felt his heart racing. Trying to avoid you didn’t work either, because his entire being craved being around you, so that didn’t last too long. So, at some point, he stopped fighting it. He knew there was no way a being as good as you would even look in his direction, he was a monster, who had done unforgivable things to your planet.

Surely, your kindness had a limit. Surely, once he was fully healed, you’d forget about him. In fact, Loki feared the day he’d be considered fully recovered and you’d abandon him.

“C’mon, lazybones. We’re late for training” you grinned as you pulled him from the couch.

“I do not feel like training today” Loki yawned as he stretched out his arms to you as an invitation to hug him. “Why don’t we watch a movie? You can choose.”

The way your resolve faltered was beyond endearing. Even if you two weren’t anything, it was common knowledge you were what they called a cuddle bug.

“Loki… it’s important you do your rehab exercises” you said softly.

“I am not in the mood for training” Loki repeated.

“Oh, is that how it is?” you said in a playful yet menacing tone. “I’ll have to persuade you then.”

“What? N-No! D-dohohon’t!” Loki burst out laughing when he felt your fingers over his belly. “Nohohoho! Not thehehehehere!”

“Get up!” you teased him as your fingers pinched the sides of his stomach.

“I don’t wahahahant to!” Loki laughed as he kicked the cushions with his heels. “I’m comfortable hehehehere!”

“It’s important you do your exercises, it’s part of your rehab!” you insisted. “C’mon, doctor’s orders.”

“I dohohohon’t follow a mortal’s— ahaha orders!” he wheezed when you found that damned spot below his navel.

“Then I’m not stopping, you’ll spend the evening as a giggly wiggly worm.”

He had to give you something, you knew exactly how to make him squirm. His hips were bucking trying to stop you and his hands were pushing your wrist, but he wasn’t used to dealing with a normal human’s strength, so he didn’t want to risk hurting you.

“Pleahahahase! Cut it— OW!”

Immediately you jolted and stop everything you were doing, cupping your hands over your mouth and looking at him horrified.

“Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” you asked.

“Yes, I’m quite alright. My back aches… that is all.” He assured you as he sat back up.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve been more careful, you’re still recovering.”

“Oh no, the back pain has been with me for quite a few years already” he said, wanting to ease your conscious.

“What…?”

“Well, yes. The Black Order aren’t exactly kind when they force you into their lines.” Loki said simply. “The pain comes back every so often.”

“I’m sorry…” you look at him. “Can I help?”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing you could d—”  

You surprised him by sitting behind him and started rubbing his shoulders, softly at first, feeling him.

“No wonder you are sore, you’re stiff like a board” you said feeling around his spine, soon starting to add more pressure.

He let out a few groans, it hurt a bit at first as you undid the knots of stress of his shoulders. He sighed as he soon felt himself slipping away.

“C’mere” you spoke with utmost softness, as you helped Loki rest on his stomach just to keep massaging his back. “Hehe, you take up most of the couch, I kinda forget how tall you are sometimes.”

“Sorry…” he yawned no even filtering his thoughts.

“It’s okay” you said amusedly, “it’s not a bad thing.”

Your hands rubbed his back with gentle and caring touch. You were so kind and meticulous. Your skill might be up for debate, you were good, but someone much pickier could argue there were professional masseuse that were much better. Perhaps that was true, but no one else had touched him so lovingly, so selflessly. You took your time, and he even noticed every so often you stopped to stretch your fingers that grew tired, but you didn’t complain, you didn’t stop.

He didn’t know when or for how long, but when he woke up you were still massaging your back.

“You snore when you sleep” you spoke in the softest voice, he didn’t want to get his hopes up, but you seemed endeared. “Had a nice nap?”

“Probably the best nap I’ve had since I was maybe 150 years old.” He said, letting out a chuckle at your confusion. “I was still a toddler by then.”

“I’m glad… you really seemed like you needed it” you said softly. “Do you feel better?”

He let out a yawn and stretch, rolling over on his back to look at you.

“Much better, thank you” he smiled politely.

“No problem…” you said with a shyness that was unfamiliar for him, he even got to see the pleasure to see a lovely blush adorning your cheeks. “Um… w-well… I’ll go to… you know…”

“Ah, of course…” he muttered as he saw you run off.

He was a little bit disappointed, but he tried not to think too much about your attitude for the sake of his sanity. Of course, he failed. It was the only thing he could think about

It made him build up the courage to go out for town and buy a bouquet. He thought about red roses, but he saw a bouquet of violets and purple sweet peas and white roses, he just knew that was the one.

He even used his phone for a change to ask you to meet him in the compounds garden, he hated using his cellphone. He had asked Banner to let him use his therapy flower greenhouse. He calculated the hour for the prettiest sky colors to ensure a romantic setting for his love declarations.

Minutes earlier his heart was thumping so loud it was drumming in his ears. He felt his mouth dry, and he was sweaty.

“Loki?” he finally heard your voice as you walked in.

“Over here!” he called as he set his bouquet, behind him, barely hiding it behind himself. “H-Hi… Thanks for coming.”

“No problem” you smiled. “I didn’t know you wanted to try Bruce’s gardening therapy. That’s really good.”

“N-No… I— Uh… I just wanted to… have some privacy.”

“Oh?” you asked as you sat behind him.

“I just… wanted to uh, give you this… as a thank you” Loki said, handing you the bouquet. “You’ve been exceedingly kind to me for months, helping me heal, keeping me in check, and that massage the other day… it really helped me feel better.”

“It’s been my pleasure. You’ve been a lovely patient” you said sweetly as you smelled the flowers.

“T-That’s not the only reason why I wanted to… see you here…” Loki barely spoke out, his mouth felt dry, and he felt lightheaded. “You’ve been a delightful company and a wonderful friend… I can’t say that about a lot of people, and probably even less can say the same thing about myself…”

“That’s not true.” You cut him off. “You’re funny, well-mannered, smart, educated, charmingly stubborn, and a stimulating company. There’s not a boring moment with you around.”

Loki’s cheeks flushed at your sweet words, you weren’t even trying to, but his heart fluttered.

“T-That’s why I mean, you are… a— uh… this is ah— not easy to say… but you… um… I appreciate you.”

“I like you too, you’re a lovely friend” you said sweetly.

“N-No… I am not trying to be friendly” Loki said in a quick gasp of courage. “I-I would like to f-formally court you.”

“Court me…?”

“I think here on Midgard it’s addressed as dating…” Loki said, bracing himself for rejection.

“I’d love to.”

“What…?” Loki asked.

“I’d love to go out with you” you said, gently kissing his cheek.

Loki grinned happily.

“Tomorrow at 8?” Loki offered, “I— we could go to a nice restaurant, I’ll take you there. I could ask for a chauffeur to take us… we— we could…”

You surprised him with a little poke on the ribs, that cut him off with the urge to giggle.

“8 is perfect, I’ll drive us to wherever you like” you smiled, “Just pick a restaurant. But, how about tonight I take you for a nice dinner inside and a movie on the lounge room?”

“I’d like that, very much” Loki smiled softly as he pressed his forehead against yours.

He saw you intertwine your fingers with his own, causing him to smile. You lovely thing. It was a lovely sensation. As you pulled him up to his feet, so he’d follow you inside. Which he did with a bright smile.

What a lovely life he had found on Earth.

| MASTERPOST |

[starrysaturdays]

28th may fic rec!

here are some fics i really enjoyed this month in no particular order!

Shadows Come With The Pain That You're Running From (Love Was Something You've Never Heard Enough) (51K) by yrsacd

a Band AU in which Harry isn't allowed to be who he really is and the North American Tour might bring some unexpected truths into the web of lies and also a bit of heat that has very little to do with the summer in the US.

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Help me (298K) by louxhazxx

Harry is innocent. Louis is not. Louis is a dom and a part of the BDSM community. Harry is not.

When Harry meets Louis and finds out about his lifestyle he wants him to teach him everything. Louis is hesitant at first, but what happens when he eventually agrees and they start a special kind of BDSM relationship without a contract? Will everything go well, or will there be complications?

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a crown of heartache (70K) by WordsInBloom28

The Royal Tail: an alpha den, a strip club, a place where secrets are concealed and consent is medicated. It’s also the place Harry has been trapped for the last three years.

Through luck or fate, Harry finds his way to Louis, a kind alpha who offers safety and comfort. After being freed from the confines of the den, Harry struggles to shake the darkness from his past.

He has a choice to make. Live in a mental prison of his own making or find the strength within himself to face his demons head on with Louis at his side.

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Could Be A Catastrophe (29K) by hazzahtomlinson | @itsnotreal

Louis is one of the two veterinarians in town and somehow gets lucky enough for Harry’s three cats to be his clients.

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giving you all you want and more (giving you every piece of me) (2.5K) by lousdelicatepointofview (starryhaze) | @starryhaze28

“Wanna feel pretty.” Harry whispers, looking up at the ceiling. His face is painted in a soft yellow hue that’s coming from the fairy lights Louis has hung all over his loft. His features look soft, cherubic even.

He’s so young, so young and broken and Louis always patches him up but never fixes him.

“You are my love.” Louis replies his finger tracing over the right laurel tattoo. And Louis knows by the way Harry grimaces that he doesn’t believe him.

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Together unfold (71K) by marcythesassykitten | @marcythesassykitten

the one where Louis is determined to be insecure and stubbornly lonely forever, until Harry comes along to mess up that particular plan.

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Written In The Stars? (50K) by unscattered_horizons

Niall is a writer. Well, technically he's a bar tender who's working towards the day when he pays the bills with his poetry. But for now, he works late and writes in the afternoon before his shifts, and shares a flat with his friend, Shawn. They were strangers before they lived together, but now they're inseparable.

His other friends from uni don't live far, and Louis and H have a kid now. Niall's in no rush to follow in their footsteps. He's happy with his life.

But he has a side job writing horoscopes for an online magazine, because London is expensive and he needs the cash. Niall may not realise it, but some of the horoscopes reveal more about his heart than he's ready to acknowledge. Niall's side gig might prove to be a catalyst for an entirely new life, one he didn't even know he wanted until it was staring right back at him, waiting for him to take a chance and trust his instincts.

OR

What I've been calling the horoscope fic. Inspired by a Tumblr post

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Maybe It's Heaven (81K) by therogueskimo | @bravetemptation

When Harry Styles finds himself forced to go home for Christmas, the last thing he expects is to fall in love.

But then he meets Louis Tomlinson … again.

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May You Enjoy Your New Life (264K) by aimmyarrowshigh

It begins for them all at the bungalow –

'Alright, time to lay out the cards. We’re in this together and hopefully, for the long haul, yeah? So I think – you know, we should just be honest. It’s deal-breakers time. That thing that like, if we’re gonna hate you or something, just tell us all now.'

When One Direction begins, Harry Styles is a sixteen-year-old boy foundering under the pressure of impending fatherhood. His ability to balance the sobering responsibility of caring for his tiny daughter, Millie, and the exhilaration of seeing his own dreams coming to fruition affects not only his future, but those of Liam, Zayn, Niall, and Louis, who never expected fealty to be the key to their success. But Liam is the first to show him how to grow up without growing old, and Zayn is the first to defend from the public what is private and precious. Louis -- Louis is the first for a lot of things; for most of the moments of Millie's life and for the moments of Harry's that matter. And Niall is the first to toast when Millie is born: Go maire sibh bhur saol nua -- 'may you enjoy your new life.'

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Allegiance to your burning heart (82K) by driveinbingo | @joekavaliers

“Have you written any more new songs?”

“I have, yeah. Lately they’re just…coming out of me.”

“Are there any more about me?”

He places a hand on the back of Louis’s neck, carding his fingers through the hair there. It’s getting long again, almost the length it was when Harry left. “They’re all about you.”

*

In the ten years since he last saw his ex-boyfriend, Harry has become very rich and very famous and everything's just great, thank you very much. He definitely doesn't even think about Louis anymore. And he's certainly not going to let a ghost from his past haunt him as he embarks on the biggest tour of his career.

Except Louis always did find a way to crawl underneath his skin, didn't he?

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Secrets in Winter (82K)by softfonds | @softfonds

If Harry Styles thought he was going to have a peaceful winter while staying far away from the rake who lived across the street, he was sorely wrong on two fronts. A Victorian AU.

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the very last drops of an ink pen (47K) by staybeautiful | @harruandlou

 just after midnight on Harry's 30th birthday, he realizes he can't do another year without change. So, he forces it. Breaking up with Louis might have hurt less if they weren't co-owners of Studio 28, living within walking distance of each other, and if he wasn't the thing Harry was most afraid of losing. Secluding themselves on their shared estate in an attempt to save their working relationship may shed a light on where everything else started going wrong. And perhaps give them a chance to fix it.

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Give Me Truths (110K) by iwillpaintasongforlou (The Rainbow Cookie series) | @canonlarry

the one in which Louis falls in love with a fragile boy and tells him every beautiful truth in the world, as long as it makes him happy.

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I Like to Watch (9K) by larry_hiatus | @larry-hiatus

If there’s one thing Harry loves, it’s watching his husband Louis get fucked by other men. After picking up a lad called Zayn who is baffled by this concept, the three men are in for a wild night.

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If you made it this far, here are some stats and a cupcake!

I read 37 fics and a total of 1,657,404 words (yes thats a lot but i love reading and also a fast reader)

×͜× 🧁🌼

[heliza24]

Simon doesn't repress his emotions, actually

There seems to be a widely held fanon understanding of Simon that goes something like this: Simon hides and represses his emotions, and his relationship with Wilhelm is what opens him up. I disagree with this characterization. In fact, I think Simon is actually very in touch with his emotions, and expresses them openly to his family and friends. Wilhelm and August are much better examples of emotional repression than Simon is, and if anything, the show is commenting on how the restrictive class system that raised Wilhelm and August fosters emotional repression. 

I can think of lots of examples where Simon is very open with people he loves and trusts, even when that openness might lead to conflict. I think he is really pretty open with Sara in a lot of ways. Their argument towards the end of season 1 is such a perfect encapsulation of this. He expresses how much he loves Sara and wants a good relationship with her, and also how frustrated he is by how she is pulling away from the family. 

He is also consistently open and unguarded with Rosh and Ayub. He tells them about how he’s feeling about his relationship with Wilhelm in season 1, about how he feels during the fallout from the sex tape, about his changing feelings about Marcus in season 2, and about the prospect of getting back together with Wilhelm.  The scene where Simon falls asleep on the phone with Ayub is one of the most tender, emotionally open scenes I’ve ever seen on television. 

Simon also channels his emotions into his music, which is a healthy and appropriate way to deal with the heartache he’s experiencing. We see him slowly crafting his song over the course of season 2, and returning to the keyboard when he’s feeling especially distraught. Creation of art like this requires self introspection, and I think Simon has that in spades.

What Simon doesn’t do, especially in season 2, is confide in Wilhelm. But this isn’t because Simon is afraid to talk about his feelings at all. He’s making the conscious decision to withdraw from Wilhelm, because Wilhelm deeply hurt Simon and betrayed his confidence at the end of Season 1. Drawing conscious boundaries like that also requires self introspection; working to keep yourself emotionally safe is not the same thing as repressing your emotions.

I think it’s easy to interpret Simon not talking to Wilhelm as Simon squashing his emotions because Wilhelm is the protagonist of the show, so we naturally see the world of Young Royals through his eyes. So when Simon doesn’t share with Wilhelm, it feels like he is also refusing to share with us, the viewer. But that’s why Lisa and the writers chose to create Rosh and Ayub, so that Simon would have confidants that he trusted, that were outside of the hostile class system of Hillerska. They are great characters, but they’re also devices that allow Simon to show the audience how he is truly feeling. 

In my post about Simon and radical acceptance, I talked about how I see Simon’s arc in season 2 being about accepting that he is still in love with Wilhelm. I should maybe make it clear that I don’t think that he doesn’t understand or express how he’s feeling at the beginning of season 2. He tells Rosh and Ayub that he is still stuck on Wilhelm, and he starts writing his song to express his heartbreak. But at the beginning of season 2 he is trying to move on from those feelings, and leave the drama with Wilhelm behind.  The change comes in the way that he accepts that he is in love with Wilhelm by the end of season 2, and decides that it is worth walking towards their relationship, even if it could lead to him getting hurt.  I think as a fandom we need to be careful not to reduce all of Simon’s emotions to whether or not he is actively pursuing Wilhelm. He is a complete character who expresses his emotions whether or not he’s with Wilhelm.

It kind of baffles me that Simon gets brought up when we talk about emotional repression, but Wilhelm and August are never mentioned. Both were raised in families where stoicism is valued above all else. (This is especially true in the Royal Family). Both are grieving (Wilhelm for Erik, and August for Erik and his dad), but we hardly hear them talk about this after the initial loss, even as it continues to motivate their actions. Both have physical manifestations of the emotions they are trying to repress (Wilhelm has physical symptoms of anxiety; August punishes his body through disordered eating in an attempt to maintain control of his emotions.)  Wilhelm is eventually able to open up to Boris, but it takes a lot of coaxing over several sessions. August flat out refuses to be honest with Boris at all.  

When @bluedalahorse and I were discussing this idea of emotional repression, the male characters’ relationship to anger came up a lot. I think the stereotype of emotional repression in men is that they are pressured to appear perfectly still and stoic at all times. But in reality, anger in men is often viewed as neutral or logical, and is therefore the socially acceptable method for engaging with any and all emotions. 

I think a large part of Simon’s character is a sense of righteous anger. We see this come up in different ways for him. He gets angry at the class system of Hillerska, at his dad, at August, at Marcus, and at Wilhelm. He often manages to translate that anger into an assertion of boundaries, which is a healthy way to use those feelings. He manages to set up boundaries with Wilhelm and with Marcus, for instance. And even when he does explode in a way that is unhelpful or dangerous, he has Rosh and Ayub to call him out and reel him back in, like when he jumps on August in season 1. I’m not saying Simon has a perfect relationship with anger; he definitely doesn’t. But I think he has a much healthier relationship with it than August or even Wilhelm, who uses anger as a substitute for sadness and grief.

August spends most of season 1 translating his distress into being a bully to the boys in Forest Ridge and shitty boyfriend to Felice. Shooting and posting the video also feels like a way to channel his sadness through anger to me. He records Wilhelm the same night that he admits that his dad’s suicide made him feel guilty. This is the only time that we hear him talk about his dad at all, and he immediately covers up this moment of emotional vulnerability with an act of aggression against the person he shared it with.

Wilhelm has a really hard time dealing with the sadness he feels at the loss of Simon in season 2. Wilhelm spent so long repressing his emotions, and finally felt like he could confide in someone when he met Simon. But in season 2, that one emotional outlet is taken away from him (with good reason from Simon’s point of view), so instead he lashes out, first at his mom and then at August, neither of whom are directly responsible for the breakup in the same way that Wilhelm is. 

So if we’re going to talk about emotional repression and growth towards openness and vulnerability in Young Royals, I think we should be talking mainly about Wilhelm and August. A big question of the show is if these two characters are going to arrive at a place where they no longer repress their emotions. Right now Wilhelm is moving in the right direction, and August is backsliding. But it will be really interesting to track how they evolve in season 3. 

[thehyacinthsgirl]

Young Royals analytical thoughts pt. 2

From minute 7:18 to minute 8:20 in S2E2, there is this masterful either acting choice or directorial move, but it honestly floored me when I watched it again tonight.

There are no seats left in class, and so Wille is forced to sit next to Simon. Wille makes some smartass remark about how he thought Simon might want that space he likes so much. Simon comes back with the most honest, badass rejoinder: “I was just trying to be honest about my feelings. Maybe you should try it sometime.” And in the moments after this, as they stand up, salute the teacher, and sit back down, we get three very distinctive glances passed back and forth between Wille and Simon — each conveying something distinct about the circumstances and the characters. Wille and Simon can’t take their eyes off each other, but they each go about it a different way.

Wille wears his heart on his sleeve. You can see every thought on his face before he says it out loud. He is an open book, and so his glances are filled with unreserved longing, as well a lot of hope and sorrow (mourning as though he has already lost Simon). One thing, though, that is very telling is in the distinct lack of anxiety Wille has over being caught staring. He will move his eyes away, yes, but he is typically too slow to really do so effectively. So, Simon is privy to the knowledge that Wille is always looking at him, pining for him, missing him. It’s very expressive of who Wille is as a person. He hasn’t faced wanting someone this badly, hasn’t ever really thought of loving anyone like this: because he’s never had the opportunity to get close to someone in this way before.

Simon, on the other hand, keeps his face impassive. You can’t really read every emotion, except perhaps when he is smiling or laughing. He has his guard up, especially around Wille right now. So, he doesn’t meet Wille’s glances or stares, but in the off chance he does, he looks away as quickly as is humanly possible and avoids any further confrontation.

But.

Sometimes, Simon will determine he is in the clear and risk a look back at Wille when the stakes have lowered or the discourse in the room takes precedence. And it is quick, quicker than Wille’s woeful looks, but it shows that Simon is no stranger to weakening under the impulse desire to see Wille’s face.

And this is so indicative of both their characters.

Wille’s never had to learn to hide away the heartbreak and longing from others, especially not from the person who is the subject of it all, because he was never allowed this. The instinct to shield what he is feeling from Simon does not really exist for Wille, because it is not something that has ever been in the cards for him. And this results in unabashed stares of yearning that Wille can’t help sending Simon’s way at every available opportunity.

Simon has adopted a closed off countenance: not just romantically, but in situations he feels warrant it and kind of in general. Simon has grown up with a great deal more adversity and heartache than Wille, through not only growing up a working class person of color in Bjärstad, but also because of his addict father and the responsibility of being a primary protector/caretaker of his mother and sister.

A comment that has stuck out to me while rewatching this week was in S1E1 when August, Vincent and Nils are brainstorming how to get alcohol for Wille’s initiation. One of them suggests the “nonboarder,” Simon. Nils and Vincent then have this moment where they mock and jest about how Simon, when he first started at Hillerska, had tried to approach them for a conversation — potentially to make friends. From day one at the school he started attending for the sake of his sister, Simon is ridiculed and treated as less. That’s why when August first speaks to Simon in a friendly manner, Simon’s response is to ask whether it was a prank. And with Wille, Simon had finally let his guard down and was met with betrayal and heartbreak. So, of course his walls are raised, right? But even with his walls as high as they are, Simon cannot help but glance over once more at the boy he loves, the one he can’t seem to stop loving — try as he might.

I love these subtle things, the ways in which we can glean even more detail from the body language, as well as the dialogue or storyline themselves. It’s just poetic cinema, god I love this show.

[dearlexies]

MY FAVORITES SHIPPS AS ROMANCE : UNTOLD SONGS (4/7)

pls look at the lyrics of the songs, if someone knows how to edit pls do i would love to see this!! and if it's possible pls stream Romance : Untold, it's a great album you won't regret

Hundred Broken Hearts

Percy & Annabeth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Julie & Luke (Julie and the phantoms)

Wilhelm & Simon (Young Royals)

pat & pran (Bad Buddy)

Keith & Lance (Voltron)

Eun gyeol and Eun yu (Twinkling Watermelon)

Solangelo (pjo)

Thoru & Kyou (Fruits basket)

Evelyn & Celia (The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo)

Firstprince (red white and royal blue)

A hundred broken hearts, a hundred broken hearts It's not our destiny In your chest, in your chest, no heartache Without me, without me, don't cry I'll dedicate eternity to protect you

[raccoonfallsharder]

petra quill ⋆˙⟡★⋆⭒˚₊⊹

☆ let me love your OCs masterlist

petra. quill. petra. quill. cannot get her out of my head.

(lingerie images below so scroll at your own risk)

created by the remarkable, incredible, talented, lovely @hibatasblog, petra is hypothetically the curvier counterpart to peter quill (but imo so much better). if you have not read Entanglement (the main petra quill timeline), you MUST. it is one of my comfort fics. baby rocket, fleeing from counterearth, essentially stows away on the eclector and meets young petra and they grow up together. and it’s just. so reparative. these babies. i love them.

and then there’s Casino Royale, which is another petra q timeline. and it is HOT. every chapter is steamy & spicy & droolworthy. rocket and petra meet as adults and get it on and then there’s betrayal and heartache and mystery and regret and im fucken in love. IN LOVE

sidenote id a thousand percent date petra quill.

anyway this is inspired by chapter two of Casino Royale (her skin and hair are dyed since she’s in disguise) but there’s so much that’s golden there so like. please read. give so many kudos and kind comments. (this story has a criminally-low number of kudos seriously)

anyway petra is a delight. she’s sassy and mouthy (just like peter) but she’s very kind, thoughtful, and tender, and i just fuckin love her to be honest. i had so much fun making the sparkly rhinestone-studded lace and the burn discoloration on her boots (jets not currently attached) and honestly i just love her so much

anyway go read both fics & give @hibatasblog some love!!!

(more iterations & close-ups behind the cut)

[sayafics]

Soul-bonds & Heartaches - Chapter I

A.N.// Please enjoy Part I of a series I had alot of fun starting! This was inspired by my fanfiction on Wattpad @theangelradio - The Hunter & The Wolf - which includes the same characters and a very similar storyline. Let me know your thoughts!

Synopsis: Andromeda was a runaway elf taken in by the Royal Family of Cintra at a young age, and with every sign of her elven heritage scrubbed and torn off of her by her father in an attempt to make her pass as human, she was left feeling more alone than ever. Andromeda had thought she would never find a person who would accept her for who she was until the night of Pavetta's banquet, where a Witcher had made two claims as a reward for his bravery. Now the two were tied together by Fate - but if there's one thing everyone knew about Geralt, it was that he did not believe in destiny.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Masterlist

Geralt made two claims many years ago. One he did not believe he would ever have to face. And the other he spent years running from. It seemed that fate had made it so he could avoid neither.

Accepting Cirilia's presence in his life has been easy enough, but her? She was too much. A burden.

Andromeda was Cirilia's aunt, although not biological - taken in at a young age by Queen Calanthe she grew up alongside Pavetta, her youth seemingly never fading. See what most of Cintra did not know was Andromeda was an elf, her scarred ears from where her own father hacked off the abominations were proof enough of that. Hoping the pain was worth the safety his daughter would get in return as he sent her towards villages and kingdoms.

It was.

That is until the night of Pavetta's banquet. Geralt made a claim, a claim he hoped with all his heart would not bind itself to another - Pavetta was bound to another so surely claiming the one dearest to Calanthe's heart would result in nothing.

Except it seemed Andromeda had weaseled her way into the heart of the woman who had taken her in, had found comfort in her arms and love in her heart. If destiny would not give him Pavetta, they could give him Andromeda.

Calanthe, Pavetta and Andromeda knew the consequences of his words, as he spoke his claims - their fears worsening as Pavetta's pregant state became public knowledge. They would now face the consequences of their gratitude it seemed.

***

Andromeda had escaped Geralt's existence for almost thirteen years, as far as Geralt was concerned his second claim had no effect and Fate had given him a pass. The only surprise he had to worry about was his Child Surprise. A secret vow, bounding him to the person Calanathe held close to her heart and considered a daughter? That was not his concern at all.

And so, Geralt remained oblivious of her existence until it became too hard to deny.

When Geralt had bedded Yennefer, Andromeda felt it, how it tore at her heart and how her soul roiled and burned in its place inside her. The betrayal to the bond and vow he made tying them together punished her for the actions of a man she wanted nothing to do with.

But she was used to it. It would not be the first time she had experienced such pain. So she sat, with Cirilla on one side and Jaskier on the other, her heart sinking in her chest as she forced herself to keep up her cheery charade knowing what was happening behind the closed doors of the inn they were resting at.

Geralt was betraying a woman he had no clue he belonged to.

The pain had subsided, but the feeling of misery only strengthened as she watched Geralt come down the inn stairs with Yennefer at his tail. The two looked perfect together, both warriors in their own image - strong and brave, nothing like she was. She could feel jealousy begin to claw at her throat, the tears slowly beginning to burn her eyes.

Andromeda composed herself, turning away from the duo to face Cirilla instead - "I think I'm going to head to bed."

Cirilla looked up at her in curiosity, knowing Andromeda rarely slept at all, especially during the night. Her fears of the dark outweighed her need to sleep, but as she looked over her shoulders towards Yennefer and Geralt - the two leaning on eachother, engaged in a bout of flirtatious commentary- she nodded her acceptance before agreeing to join her soon. Her aunt needed a moment to herself, and so Cirilla would give her atleast that.

Andromeda pushed herself to her feet, stood there for a moment as she took in a deep breath from her nose, careful to not change her expression. She avoided Jaskier's questioning eyes and breezed passed the distracted duo, unaware of Geralt's trailing eyes and flared nostrils as he scented her - he could hear her heartbeat, it was fast and harsh, but she smelt of the sky when it was about to rain.

As Andromeda made her way up the stairs she made eye contact with a rather slender man who was walking in the opposite direction, he had blue eyes and ginger hair that reached his shoulders, a thick beard decorated his face and scars lined his eyes - one blind and one seeing. But most of all, what caught her attention was the gentle aura about him, his clothes were simple tunics and despite his lumbering size he seemed to be a humble man - everything Geralt was not.

She found herself slowing down in front of him - after all the pain Geralt has caused her seeking his own pleasure, why can she not grant herself this one moment of gratification. Why wait, why save herself for a man who had no care of his own purity or sanctity. Why should she reserve herself, when she could be free like he acted. When she could cause him the pain he had been feeding her for years since he had made his proclamation.

"Hello there," Andromeda's voice had dipped, taking on a sultry tone as she looked up at him through her eyelashes. The coy expression that slid across her face had immediately caught the man's attention, his face heating to match the colour of his hair as he turned to face her - Andromeda's attention only bolstered his confidence as he leaned towards her unconsciously.

"Now who might you be, little lady."

"The best thing that may happen to you tonight," Andromeda laid her hand on his arm, her fingers unconsciously tightening around it as she felt the the muscle that outlined his lean figure. She felt her heart race for a reason that was completely different to jealousy - this was the first time she had given into her desires, and Fortunes did it feel good.

The two continued to flirt, exchanging subtle brushes of skin-on-skin, the man - who she now knew as Elias - tucked hair hair back for her, his fingers trailing her jawline. Until finally, his hand dragged down her shoulder, down her arm until he intertwined his fingers with her own - his head jutted in the direction of the stairs and just like that Andromeda followed his lead.

Unbeknownst to her, and much to the dislike of Yennefer, Geralt had been watching the two ever since she had approached the man, his heart began to thump harshly in agony and anger at the sight of her with another man, at the sound of their hearts whispering to one another, of the smell of his arousal and her excitement. But why?

It did not matter, Geralt gave into Yennefer's pestering and turned her way - accepting the fretted petting and flirtations that came along with it, trying to force his mind off the giggling pair who had escaped to the confines of an inn room.

***

Elias pressed Andromeda against the door the moment they had walked into the room, his lips crashing against her's as his arms pushed her hands above her head and held it there. Andromeda held her breath for a moment - she had never kissed anyone before, and now here she was - she found excitement sizzling at the pit of her stomach, butterflies racing up her spine and down her limbs as she pushed forward to reciprocate.

Elias laughed slightly at her enthusiasm, her lack of experience making her clumsy but endearing, and pressed closer towards her. Andromeda pulled her hands from his, trailing them down the front of his tunic her nails dragging against the fabric slowly. She had never touched a man before, not like this.

I mean, sure she had helped Geralt with the worst of his injuries but even then he wouldn't look at her. Not the way Elias was as she pushed her hands underneath his tunic, fingers grazing against his skin. She rubbed her palms up across the plane of his narrow torso, feeling the coarse hair that decorated his chest and the smooth skin of his body- nothing like Geralt. Good.

Elias stood back for a moment before leaning his forehead against her own, his eyes twinkled in anticipation as his hands moved to her waist to pull her forward. "Do you want to do this? With me?"

Andromeda thought of Geralt, of all the times he had seeked his own pleasure in others despite it causing her pain. Then she thought of his obliviousness and denial to the bond - the times where he would look at her like he was finally seeing her, only to turn around and bed the first woman he saw.

"Yes."

The two leaned forward, their lips touching as Elias slowly made his way backwards towards the bed, their body language more nervous and hesitant before. They broke apart as Elias sat down at the edge of the bed, his hands against her hips slowly pulling her onto his lap as he leaned back against the bed - he was giving her all the control of this situation she may want.

Andromeda leaned down to kiss him once more, her hands brushing against his chest as she moved them into his hair. This was it, she thought, this was where she would get her revenge but finally get to have something for herself too. She smiled in relief as their noses brushed against one another.

***

It was only one moment of pure silence, one moment and just like that everything changed. The door of the room they were in burst open, the handle crashing into the wall behind it creating a hole and causing the hinges to creak under the force.

Geralt.

Andromeda straightened in fear as she turned to look at him, still on top of Elias, she took him in. Geralt was seething, his eyes full of envy and murder, his jaw was clenched and his hands fisted at his side.

Neither her or Elias had enough time to say a word as Geralt launched in their direction, his hand made it onto her wrist as he pulled her off of Elias and into his own embrace.

Andromeda stared at him in incredulity, confused about why he was so angry and why, even now, even after doing this, he would not even look at her. Instead he stood there, glaring into Elias' soul pouring every ounce of hatred he felt into him and making his eyes widen in fear and haste as he stood up from his previous position.

Geralt did not waste his time with Elias, simply looked him over in disgust, as though he was questioning why Andromeda would pick him of all people. 'Because he isn't you,' the incessant voice in her mind whispered and she found herself stiffening at the sound.

As though he felt the thoughts racing through her mind, Geralt's arms tightened around her waist anchoring her back against his front as he sneered in Elias' direction.

"Mine."

Andromeda's heart skipped a beat, then began to race and pound in her chest as she took those words in, she craned her head to look at his face, but he held her tightly - his own heart soaring in relief at the sound of her racing one.

Elias could not look at either of them anymore, and she felt her heart sink as the surprise finally faded. Instead anger now took its place.

How dare he. After everything he has done to her, how dare he stop her from taking the one thing she wanted for herself. She found herself wriggling in his grasp, pushing against his arms in an attempt to escape but he barely moved, so she found herself seething towards him and spewing out hateful words, "let me go, you bastard. You have no right to do this, to stop me."

Geralt said nothing, instead he loosened his grip and reached for her wrist before she could escape his reach. He began dragging her out the room, passed the worried faces of Jaskier and Cirilla and the hateful expression Yennefer had gained.

Despite all her angry words and profanities, he did not stop, not until they had reached his room. He threw her into the room with so much force she fell at the edge of the bed, her hands being the only thing to steady her.

Her arms shook in anger and she shook her head with pained laughter, "how could you do that? Embarass me like that?"

Geralt stared at her mutely, his eyes still holding that look.

"What? You don't feel like talking now? Seriously Geralt? One time. One time I wanted to have something for myself and you take that, and don't even want to tell me why?"

"I did tell you why. You're mine."

"If I was your's, if I was truly your's, you wouldn't have fucked other women when I was right here."

Geralt did not know what to say to that, but she was right. He did sleep with other women. He looked away for a moment, and that was enough to make Andromeda scoff and she pulled herself straight and tried to get put of the room. Only it seemed Geralt was not done, so he grasped her shoulders to hold her in place, his eyes looking into her's as he fumbled with words.

And then finally, "I'm a monster."

Andromeda's struggles died down, she looked up at him in surprise, "what?"

"I didn't say anything, do anything because I thought you deserved better than me. Because you do deserve better than me, more than what I can offer. But seeing you with him... I was going to let you be happy, but I couldn't."

"I let you be happy."

"I know."

"For years."

Geralt looked resigned, "I wasn't."

"But why? You had everything Geralt, you took everything you wanted for yourself regardless of who it hurt."

"I didn't take you. I couldn't."

"And you still hurt me anyway. That stupid prize you claimed hurt me more than anyone else. Do you know what happens to me when you bed other women Geralt, do you know what I feel? The agony? The pain? I could feel nothing but hatred towards you, but you've bound us together so I can't avoid the pain even if I try."

"Prize?" Geralt's expression contorted in confusion, his brows furrowing in question as his lips pulled straight.

"I'm your prize, Geralt. I am your Law of Treasure. We're blood-bound, you bastard." Andromeda's voice came out weak and defeated, as though it hurt her to even have to speak the words aloud, to show that their connection was nothing but the work of Fate and Geralt's arrogance all those years ago.

Geralt felt as though he couldn't breathe. All these years and he assumed his claim was not set in stone, but now it all made sense. The way his blood burned next to her, the way his mind whispered all the things he should do to her, the way he always gravitated towards her. It was those reasons that made him draw back from her, push her away and replace the void with other women. Geralt didn't deserve her, but it seemed Fate had already decided otherwise.

His eyes then widened in guilt, his heart clenching as he realised she knew. This whole time she knew they were bound and she let him do as he wished freely because she didn't want to be a burden to him, even if it caused her pain and heartache. Even if it was him that was the true burden. What has he done?

He reached out towards her, but Andromeda decided to use his hesitance to her advantage as she ducked under his reaching grasp and stumbled through the door. Her face burned in embarassment as she realised how truly clueless he was, and how if it wasn't for the Fate tying them together he would not look at her twice.

Tears began to stream down her face - even when she tried to be happy on her own he couldn't let her have that, and now she had nothing.

She pushed through the crowded faces, looking down at her in pity as she rushed to her own inn-chambers, shutting the door behind her and leaning on it. Her breaths came out in shallow pants as her tears became heavier, but she did not dare make a sound in case Geralt heard her. Instead she slid to the bottom of the door, pulling her knees into her chest and crying silently into them - cursing the day Geralt had taken her as a prize and given her a life of pain and misery instead of the joyous life she was promised by Calanthe before her sister's marriage.

[honeyglz]

Deal me in.

A/N - This is going to be a series because I said so ALSO CHECK OUT MY OTHER SERIES 'New light' !!! (Update) P2 is up!

Reader - Fem (she/Her)

Pairing - Bakugou x reader

P2- Amaryllis's ball

Au - Royal Au

Disclaimer- I do not own any of these character aside form Y/N / The reader

Warnings!!- Angsty stuff guys, Arranged marriage. Pls lmk if I missed any !!

-♡-

The rules were simple. Once your in pay up, you can't let your partner know you are participating and you can not under any circumstances allow yourself to be caught. What were all these rules for?

Simple. A bet to see who could survive marriage the longest.

Now of course marriage is supposed to be the tie between lovers. A symbol of commitment and admiration. But her's, to put it plainly, was an power move. A stepping stool for everyone but her it seemed.

The hallowed halls of the stone castle she called home were silent. Most nights were. She sat on her vanity, skin dripping in fine silks as she stared dully into the mirror. Bags sat under her eyes still scanning the letter in front of her. An invitation to play for her freedom. The crisp white paper crumbled under her grasp, waxy red seal glistening under the warm hues of the candle light. She stayed with her thoughts until a soft voice pulled her out of her trance. "Sorry to interrupt ma'am, but I thought I'd inform you of his majesty's arrival, him and his troops have made it back from battle." A young maid announced leaving swiftly, sending her alone once again. Her hands ran over the letter once more before slipping it behind the mirror, a place she hid most things away. Just as she anticipated heavy footsteps rang through the hall way, quickly she stood, a small hopeful smile gracing her lips as her heart pounded. The wooden floor creaked as he entered, messy blonde hair tangled with dirt and grime, skin covered just as much. His pale skin was beaten and bruised, small wounds littering his skin as his heavy boots hit the floor, armour clanking loudly as he dropped the metal on the floor. He didn't say anything as he began to rip of his armour, layer by layer he worked swiftly, tried grunts emitting every now and then. She gulped slightly as her mouth dried looking for the right words, any words really. Slowly she began walking over to him. "Don't." She was taken aback abit before he spoke again. "Just leave me. Whatever you thinking about doing, just don't." This time she spoke up. "I'm just trying to help." "Well don't. I barely wanted you around before I left, what makes you possibly think now is any different" his voice was cold, words sharper than any blade he could have wielded, far more swift than any blow. She felt her heart sting as she swallowed any growing heartache as she turned back to vanity. "Well I'm sorry for trying to make this marriage even abit more bearable." "Tch, see that's where you'er wrong, this, this thing we're stuck in-" She didn't respond as he continued. "-It's not marriage. It's a fucking arrangement alright? Nothing more, nothing less. We're not together, we're not inlove and we sure as hell aren't fucking married." He stood, dropping the last of his armour before leaving, the cold chill of the night cooling down her heated face. A tear ran down her face, then another, more and more they fell gently. She cursed silently as she wiped them to no avail. Her heart aching she grabbed a quill, snatching whatever paper she could grasp she began writing. The letter was short, accompanied with a bag full of gold as the messenger ran to deliver it. The paper stated in coal black ink- 'Deal me in.'

-♡-

A/N - Short little intro to a new series. Im vry sorry for my lack of posts I was camping :). As always enjoy <3 (also. If u wanna be on the tag list pls state so !!)

[theroyalhouseofwindenburg]

At the Castle of Amorosa, nestled within the idyllic realm of Tartosa, the dowager Queen Margaery occupied her chambers, engaged in the solemn task of perusing documents that had arrived that very morning. Among the collection, a letter bore the seal of Windenburg, and Margaery's heart quickened with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. As her eyes scanned the content penned by Lady Dorthea, Margaery's expression transformed from curiosity to sheer disbelief. The contents painted a grim tableau—a vivid account of the execution of Advorton's royal family, an unthinkable act orchestrated by none other than her own son, King Wilhelm V.

Shocked to her core, Margaery's trembling hand released the letter, letting it flutter to the floor like a leaf cast adrift by the wind. A guttural cry of agony and frustration tore from her lips, echoing the turmoil that churned within her. How could her own flesh and blood, her own son, commit such an unfathomable atrocity against his own family?

In the courtyard below, Empress Mary reveled in a precious moment of maternal respite, watching with a fond smile as her young son Fernando honed his swordsmanship skills. The peaceful scene shattered when Margaery, her countenance contorted with distress, burst through the doors with an urgency that left no room for pretense.

Margaery, her voice strained and quivering, recounted the grim tale to her daughter. The weight of the revelation bore down upon them both, a heavy burden they now shared. Empress Mary's radiant expression dimmed as the news settled upon her heart like a leaden weight. Margaery's sobs intertwined with the sorrow that enveloped them, for this was not merely the loss of a royal family, but the shattering of bonds that once held the promise of unity and shared blood.

In the hallowed chambers of Emperor Alonzo, a somber ambiance hung in the air as he busied himself with official matters of state. The sudden intrusion of his wife and mother-in-law, their faces etched with desperation and heartache, momentarily caught his attention. As Empress Mary conveyed the dire circumstances, Alonzo's gaze shifted from his work to meet hers, his own eyes reflecting a deep empathy.

Mary's plea was impassioned, a plea for aid in rescuing Princess Fiona from the clutches of her ruthless brother. But Alonzo's response was one laced with sorrowful realism. He met his wife's eyes with a mixture of regret and compassion, explaining that the window for intervention had long since closed. The impending wedding and its binding implications seemed insurmountable from their distant vantage point, a harsh reality that weighed heavily upon them all.

With a sorrowful gaze, Empress Mary withdrew from her husband's private quarters. Margaery found herself collapsing into her daughter's embrace, her heart heavy with guilt and regret. In this poignant moment, mother and daughter clung to one another, two souls united by sorrow, grappling with the harsh truth that their actions had perhaps set in motion a tragic series of events they could scarcely have foreseen.

[sylusjinwoon]

{ 90 }

the dark king and his treasure.

barnabas tharmr x fem.reader

warnings: unedited; soft depictions of physical intimacy - minors don't interact.

by choosing to interact with this 18+ content, you have consented to viewing something n-fw despite the warnings.

once upon a time, a lonely king traveled the world, searching for treasure. as of late, king barnabas tharmr of waloed felt as though there were something missing in his life; something that he needed to feel whole again. it was during his travels that he is led to a quaint village. whilst riding on his loyal steed, he takes note of all the whispers that surround him, almost feeling a sense of pride coursing through him.

"i cannot believe my eyes, is this king barnabas?"

"whatever is such a fearful man doing here in our village?"

"oh dear eikons, the man is utterly gorgeous."

a smug expression paints his features, for he was all too aware of the effect he had on women. upon seeing him at first sight, they salivate like a dog in heat, clawing at his clothes while hoping to get a mere taste of him.

and while he continues riding through the village, he became aware of young woman with a worn bucket in her hands. her clothes were ragged, with her hair a tangled mess. her gaze was unreadable and, dare he even think it, filled with disinterest at the mere sight of him.

which was what made him feel so intrigued with her to begin with.

he gets of his noble mount, telling one of the awed villagers to bring his steed some water and some oats before making his way toward the disinterested maiden. he had never seen such a contradicting sight before, for the maiden was in rags and had such an awful nest of hair-

but her face held such a soft and natural beauty. she was so different from the usual women he has bedded in his life, all of whom had ulterior motives and hoped to gain something from him due to his high status of a king.

yet this maiden- she seemed like the loyal type. one who would fall in love merely once in her lifetime as she remains by her beloved's side for all of eternity.

and barnabas found himself wanting to be the only man in her life.

so he follows her, as if bewitched by her when she leads him to an old and torn down hut, with its wood chipped in several places along with a door that barely hung on its hinges.

"a woman like you should not be living in such abhorrent conditions."

she gasps, finally facing him while keeping the wooden bucket clutched closely to her chest. she was about to question who he was, but immediately felt her words die from within her throat upon seeing waloed's insignia stitched on to the fabric of his deep royal blue cape.

"king tharmr...!" the maiden lets out a gasp of his name, dropping the bucket as she bows down to him. finally recognizing the seal, she felt nervous and unsure why such a dark king had followed her to begin with.

he felt his heart quicken just then. was this fair maiden making it this easy for him? based on her living conditions, it was safe for him to assume that she had no one.

"what is thy maiden's name?"

the young woman could feel her face burn in response to the deep and sensual quality of his voice, answering back with her name in a soft whisper.

"and where are your family?"

"ah...i have none. i was orphaned as a child, with only the orphanage's nun having raised me. i left the orphanage the moment i was of age."

"and how old are you now?"

"i cannot say for sure, but i feel like i may be 26 or 27 in age. i am far too old to be wed and have been alone ever since."

barnabas had to fight to keep his breathing steady. remaining silent, he takes a hold of her hand, keeping his hold on her, "then you have no one who will miss you."

such blunt words escaping from the dark king's lips was enough to send a fresh wave of heartache over her, forcing her to relive those painful childhood years when she was abandoned by her own parents. barnabas, against his usual aloof nature, takes note of the crestfallen expression on her face and reaches out to her, capturing her tears with his hands as he wipes the crystalline droplets away.

"if you have no one, then you have no choice but to come with me."

the poor maiden was given little choice, for the moment he leads her back to his noble steed and places her dirtied form on top, she knew that her fate had been sealed-

but for better, or for worse, she couldn't say for sure.

as the story goes, the maiden is taken to live with king barnabas in the midst of his travels. although he doesn't realize what he was feeling is true affection for the beloved woman, he convinces her to come with him to his kingdom. the moment he brings her back to his castle was when he truly cleanses her. despite how he knew his servants could have done the deed for him, the thought of some other man or woman witnessing her nakedness made him angry-

and he had never felt such a strong emotion before.

so he spends his time cleaning her, allowing her to bathe within the luscious bath while cleansing her hair and face free of any dirt. when she was finally cleaned, and he could see the smoothness of her skin for the first time-

barnabas felt something shift from within him.

the maiden was doing something strange to him, filling him with such a strange yearning-

yes, that's how he should describe such feelings. it was so foreign to him, yet filled him with a desire to have her and call her as his own. his gaze kept burning into her form, even when he dons her in a dress that showed his kingdom's colors. his fair maiden was so lovely, he couldn't help but call out her name.

but a part of him felt undeserving when it came to taking her, bedding her as he had done so numerous times with other women. something about her was different, and he was afraid of tainting her.

so he keeps her at a distance, but still treats her with all the riches he could give her. he feeds her luxurious foods filled with baked breads and roasted meats, ensuring that she will never go hungry so long as she was under his care.

as the seasons pass, they slowly fall in love with one another. the dark king finally feeling at peace while in the presence of his maiden, while she felt utterly protected by his mere presence alone. despite their feelings for each other, they couldn't seem to get over their hesitance when it came to becoming physically intimate.

his maiden is still filled with such purity, not being touched by any man in such a manner. and barnabas, who still feels so undeserving of her due to his past of experiencing such pleasure with other women before he ever met his darling maiden, all while she felt so insecure because of her belief that she isn't beautiful nor experienced enough to be loved by him

it's like they are both waltzing around the thought of being intimate, with barnabas trying to hold back his desires for the woman he is steadily falling for, while his maiden is filled with uncertainty because she feels as though she is beneath all of the other women he has been with.

but oh, if only his maiden could truly know the depths of his heart. how much he basks in the way she gazes at him with such an unconditional love within her eyes. whereas barnabas keeps his emotions hidden behind a mask, his beloved was truly the exact opposite of him, always wearing her heart on her sleeve. barnabas was always able to read the pure emotion in her eyes and swore that he lived for such loving glances.

infuriatingly enough, the lovers were aware for their feelings, yet were both too afraid to do anything about it-

but it all comes to a boiling point one late summer's evening.

the air was thick with its humidity, making the maiden's nightgown clung almost uncomfortably against her, acting like a second skin. she kept tossing and turning in her sleep, making the sheets tangle almost uncomfortably from beneath her legs.

knowing that she could not sleep while surrounded by such heat, she carefully inches out of bed in hopes of not disturbing her beloved king.

she looks back at her love to see that he was still sleeping, his broad chest bare as his ruggedly handsome features appeared tranquil whilst in a deep slumber. her hands ached with a need to reach out and touch him, to trace at his dark hair and get lost in his dark eyes.

but she convinces herself to leave her love be and take a dip in the tiny lake just outside her beloved's castle. she just couldn't bare the heat any longer as she tiptoes her way out of her shared chamber with barnabas.

not a single soul was awake at the moment, and she almost dances with glee at the sight. finally, she could have some form of peace and not have to worry about causing any of barnabas' maids or servants any trouble.

they were always so nervous around her, unsure of what to do to ensure her happiness due to how she held such a special place within their kings heart. this often made them act stiff and strained around the young maiden, something that she never wanted them to feel to begin with.

but now that they were all still sleeping, she leaves the castle walls, ready to escape to the sanctuary of the lake had it not been for a deep voice calling out for her to stop.

"halt, you do not have-"

it was one of the guards, meant to serve and protect king barnabas himself. she sees the way his armor hugs the entirety of his form, feeling guilty for how heated he must feel.

the guard was ready to reach out and stop her, yet when he catches a glimpse of her, he immediately bows down to her. "lady tharmr, i apologize for my rudeness, but you cannot be out so late. king barnabas will have my head on a silver platter if anything were to happen to you!"

she tries to reason with him, seeing how his own brow had become wet with sweat due to him making rounds against the unbearable heat. "please, i beg of you, let me take a dip within the lake. perhaps i shall fetch some water for you as well?"

"n-no, that is not necessary, lady tharmr! however, i cannot- lady tharmr!"

she ignores the guard's cry of her name, choosing to walk around him with her destination clear in her mind.

"i just wish to go for a simple swim, and you dare try to keep me away from the lake? i know i will be safe, since the lake is a part of barnabas' own castle."

"yes, i-indeed, but i worry if anything were to happen to you, my lady. so perhaps, i should stand guard just in case?"

she looks over at him while biting down on her bottom lip, "if barnabas knows that you have seen me naked, that might make him even more upset."

upon realizing the truth within her words, the guard stops his movements, seemingly frozen on the spot upon realizing how terrifying it would be to be at the end of barnabas' blade due to his jealous rage. "y-you are right, my lady."

"i promise you, i'll be fine. our beloved king is still resting, so just let me have some peace- a chance to take a brief reprieve from this heat."

"y-yes, of course my lady." giving her one last bow, she could feel her heart jump with anticipation at the thought of immersing herself within the cool waters. now that she was finally free, she runs toward the direction of the lake, not stopping until she saw her sanctuary with the full moon reflected against its calm waters.

with a sigh, she takes off her gossamer nightgown, tossing it to the side before dipping her toes within the waters. giggling slightly, the fair maiden dives into the depths, allowing the cool and refreshing water to wash away the sweat that had cling to her form.

she was certainly in heaven, with the way the cool water staves off the uncomfortable heat she once felt due to the stifling summer air. in fact, she was feeling so refreshed that she quite literally lost track of time.

and it wouldn't be long until she would find herself no longer alone while in her sanctuary.

the sounds of a horse's beating hooves was what makes her stiffen, standing up to her full height while against the shallow bank of the lake. her heart pounds with fear, but when a dark stallion appears, seeming to blend into the night, did the maiden finally relax her stance.

for standing just a few feet away was barnabas himself.

and oh, what a lovely sight he was to behold. just seeing him dressed up in his armor filled her with daydreams of him rescuing her, protecting her from anyone and anything without hesitation. barnabas seems to be lost in his own world as well, finally seeing the way the moon hit his maiden's soft skin. as if in a trance, he gets off his horse and beckons it to wait for him off to the side.

at first, the maiden was afraid that he might scold her before forcing her back into the castle. however, barnabas does none of those things when he takes off his set of armor, tossing them aside until he was just as bare.

her mouth turns dry at the sight of him and his godly physique, heart pounding in anticipation when he steps even closer to her form. "i have tried everything i could to avoid taking you like a damn stallion as it mounts its mare. but you are making it quite difficult- you are unreal, my love. absolutely ethereal with your beauty."

he brings her into his arms, giving her a searing kiss as she felt his manhood come to life. with him holding her so intimately close, she can feel the way his powerful shaft kept poking at the treasure between her thighs, making her moan in response.

not sure what had come over her, she ends up balancing herself against barnabas' shoulder, rubbing her precious flower against his shaft, coating it with the evidence of her arousal. the guttural moans and grunts barnabas elicits were like music to her ears as she continues her ministrations against him.

"you feel so good, my love, so powerful, i just know that only you can fill me so well- ah!"

unable to handle such wanton behaviors, barnabas picks up his beloved maiden and carries her out of the lake. she was driving him insane, for barnabas was certain he had never felt so hard before in his life.

"you are going to be the death of me, my lady." he admits to her in a grunt, taking a hold of his cape that had been discarded with his armor as he tosses it across the grass still kissed with dew.

allowing her to lay across the expensive fabric, barnabas slowly kisses his way down her form, licking away the droplets of water left over from her swimming in the lake.

and oh how desperate the maiden became for her king! the ache she had once felt before came back with such a powerful force that she felt as though she were going to die if he didn't fill her up so swiftly with his pulsating length.

once he had his fill of licking away at her soft skin did he finally settle himself between her legs. his dark eyes watches with a fascination, seeing her pretty flower clench around air in desperation.

with a sigh of her name, he inserts his middle finger inside her slick walls, groaning at how well it was trying to suck him in. "m-my king...!"

he was quickly becoming enamored with her moans when he thrusts his finger in and out of her. once he introduces another one, barnabas had every intention of trying to stretch her flower so that she may find it easier to accommodate him once he finally sunk into her core.

"you smell delicious my love." he supposes he could treat her to her very first release in hopes of easing her pain, which was what further prompted him to open up her slickness with his fingers before completely engulfing her sex with his mouth.

it was all too much for the fair maiden, now truly feeling like she had finally become his lady tharmr with barnabas' mouth engulfed entirely over her most sensitive part.

the feeling of his coarse beard against her soft skin was sinful, and she was delirious at the thought of receiving such pleasure with his tongue and fingers complete and utter domination on her sex. unable to do anything but grip at his dark hair and ride her sex against his face, the maiden finally came with a shout of his name.

"mmph, that's it, my woman. give me all of your sweetness. give it to me." she shivers, hearing his guttural whisper against her sex as her arousal kept flowing out of her in waves.

it felt as though he were sucking the very life out of her, with his tongue tracing at the edge of her womanhood, collecting every bit of her release with his mouth alone.

the sheer intensity of her release was what makes her slump back against the cape settled below her, eyes appeared hazy once barnabas lifts himself away from the spot between her thighs.

she could feel her cheeks burn with embarrassment at how shiny barnabas' lips had appeared, still wet from the evidence of her release as he wipes it away with the back of his hand.

using his large hands, he brings her form even closer to him by gripping on to her thighs, spreading her legs even further for him as he teased her flower with the tip of his erection.

"are you sure you want to continue?" it was obvious barnabas was trying to hold back for her sake. he was just too big, and despite his maiden's slender and healthy form, it might be too much for her.

usually, he was all about taking all he could get from the women he beds. he didn't care about their pain at all-

but his lady was different. he genuinely loved her and couldn't bare the thought of ever harming her. so if she were to tell him to stop now, then he would.

with a gasp of his name, his maiden ends up surprising him, taking a hold of his cock before perfectly lining it up with her precious flower, managing to place the tip of his erection inside of her gummy walls.

"fucking goddamn it...!" he curses, feeling like he was a teenager all over again who just had his first taste of a woman. "don't you dare stop barnabas!"

despite her pants, his maiden seemed to have a hidden naughty streak. unable to take how he wasn't moving, she seemed determined to take him all in herself had it not been for the way his large hands kept her hips still.

"barnabas please, why aren't you moving?! i need to feel what it's like to truly be a woman, to be your woman!"

"i know, but fuck, dear eikons, it's taking every ounce of me to not come inside of you like a cursed virgin...!" barnabas confessed to her, making her head spin.

this absolute beast of a man, who could have any woman fall to their knees for him, was acting in such a manner because he felt so good whilst inside of her?

the epiphany was mesmerizing, and it was enough to make her still her hips and stop her naughty movements.

instead, she takes this chance to admire her dear king, seeing something so adorable in the way his eyes remained closed and scrunched up in concentration. with a maddeningly slow pace, he finally manages to fully sheathe himself inside of her walls, allowing her to feel every pulse and throb of his cock.

she ends up giggling at him, delving her fingers into his dark hair while telling him, "i love you so much."

the fair maiden could suddenly feel him twitch from inside of her, listening as he let out a list of curses before fully spreading her legs as he thrust like a madman in and out of her. "i won't last a full minute inside of you. i need you to come before i embarrass myself by losing myself in you...!"

the sudden pace was making her head spin, and she found that she did not feel any sharp pain from losing her virginity to such a powerful man.

why was it? was it because she trusted him wholeheartedly? or was it because the strength of her love was truly that strong?

whatever the case was, she felt so much pleasure, with her breasts bouncing with each powerful thrusts as her nails raked themselves down his back. she was addicted to the velvety feel of him, the power of his thrusts being enough to have her seeing stars.

the fair maiden couldn't count the number of times she had reached completion while barnabas was still tucked so tightly deep inside of her, pumping his manhood into her at such a rapid pace that she found it hard to even breathe.

and truly, what a beast her dark king was.

"barnabas...barnabas! i feel....i feel so full of you. i don't think i can last much longer, my darling king...!" she kept clinging to him, hanging on for dear life against his biceps as she could feel her entire form drowning in pleasure.

he lets out a roar of her name, "come then my queen. soak my cock in your sweet arousal, become mine and mine alone as we reach heaven together this time!" with one final thrust, she could feel her walls clamp down on him, as if urging him to release his seed deep inside of her. "eikons yes, milk me, milk me for all i am worth...!"

barnabas watches in fascination the way his cock pumps itself into her, shooting his seed deep inside of his maiden as their respective releases mix and escape out of her flower. the sheer amount of it was enough to make barnabas' eyes darken with lust.

despite how much he wanted to give her another round, he knew that his woman was surely exhausted now. he could feel the way she fell against him, a tired but dreamy look caught in her gaze as she cuddled herself even closer to his bare chest.

"i'm tired, my king."

he lets out a rich chuckle, "i know you are, my queen. but first, let me wash you."

keeping her in his arms, he pulls himself out of her, earning a whine from her as he makes his way toward the lake. due to his sheer height, he was still able to stand in the midst of the lake while gingerly placing his maiden within the waters.

she sighs, still clinging to his naked chest as he allows the water to wash away their respective releases. taking her in his arms, he sits back against the lake while keeping her in his lap, wanting to bask and bathe within the waters for a few more minutes before he takes her back within the castle.

"you know, i was ready to kill a man and head to war for you if you had been taken from me."

she lets out a sigh of his name all while gently hitting at his shoulder. "barnabas, don't be such a brute. i am perfectly fine...truly, you needn't even bother with donning your armor. you just need to trust me."

"i do trust you, it's the other men that i don't trust."

she replays his confession back within her mind, feeling a sense of warmth fill her at the thought of her latest epiphany.

"you would have started a war for me?"

barnabas scoffs, "i would burn through hell for you."

she smiles, lifting up her tired gaze to meet with his dark eyes. she frames at his face, gently tracing at his beard before leaning in to kiss him on his gorgeously crafted lips.

"i love you. thank you, for showing me the depths of your love- ah!!"

barnabas truly couldn't help himself when he thrust himself back inside of her, allowing her legs to rest against either sides of his waist as he continues pumping himself into her heat, allowing her to cling on to his broad shoulder for support as he made love to her within the lakes waters.

"you have turned me into an insatiable man, my love. let me show you how much i love you by bringing you pleasure all morning long?"

he keeps thrusting himself in and out of her walls, quickly becoming addicted to the way she clung to him so tightly. barnabas knew that he was a man of few words, but dammit to hell if he wasn't willing to try for the young maiden in his arms.

he knew that his love language would be simply to bring his maiden pleasure as they lost themselves in each other. and he was willing to gift her with all the pleasure in the world. it takes every ounce of his willpower to not release so quickly, willing himself to keep making passionate love to his maiden until she came once more. with a cry of his name, she kept holding on to his shoulders, telling him over and over again how much she loved him-

how much she was so grateful for being wanted by someone-

by being wanted by him.

"aye, you are my greatest love. i have never been subject to such a pure love before." he chuckles darkly, continuing his fast pace as he continues pounding himself deep inside of his love.

"i bet you would follow me to the depths of hell. i bet you would do anything for me." he finishes his sentence with a few more powerful thrusts from within her core, making her cry out once more as her walls convulse, milking him for all he was worth.

as barnabas empties his seed deep inside of his lady- his queen, he keeps his lips pressed against the side of her face damp with sweat and tears caused from the sheer amount of pleasure she felt. "but not to worry, for i would follow you through hell as well. i'll do anything for you, even if it meant i had to kill."

"b-barnabas..." his maiden lets out a dreamy sigh of his name, finally succumbing to her exhaustion while remaining slumped within his strong arms. with a grunt of her name, barnabas slides out of her, finally allowing his woman to rest as she fell asleep in his arms.

finally coming out of the depths of the lake, he keeps his lover pressed close to him all while taking a hold of his cape and draping it over her naked form. later, he will send his servants for his armor and her gossamer nightgown,

but for now, all he wanted to do was take this chance and rest with her back in his chambers, all while thanking fate for giving this dark king his greatest treasure.

all stories are written by rei; reposts, translations, and plagiarism are not allowed.

[canyousonicme]

FIRST LOOK: Alex Kingston as Prospero in Stratford-upon-Avon in the Royal Shakespeare Company's "The Tempest" [Book Tickets]

The world is out of kilter. Political unrest and an unsettled climate make for troubled times. People are out of kilter, too. Sibling rivalry and family rifts cause heartache and uneasy souls.

On an island full of strange sounds and wondrous sights, a mother and daughter struggle to survive.

Then one day, their long-lost enemies sail into view on the horizon. Surrounded by a furious sea, the reunited foes are forced to confront their pasts and themselves.

The Tempest asks us to examine the delicate balance in our personal relationships as well as with the fragile ecosystems around us. What damage do we do to each other – and to the natural world? In the end, young love brings hope for a better life: perhaps healing ourselves and mending the planet are one and the same thing.

Alex Kingston returns to the RSC to play Prospero in Shakespeare’s elemental tale of survival and forgiveness. Elizabeth Freestone (former Artistic Director of Pentabus Theatre Company; The Rape of Lucrece, Swan Theatre; Crooked Dances, The Other Place) makes her Royal Shakespeare Theatre debut.

[xmarziex]

》ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪᴛᴄʜᴇɴ《

Mabel x fem!reader

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Song: In the Kitchen – Reneé Rapp Summary: R reminisces in the apartment, regretting what she had lost. Warnings: I'm a terrible person. Merry Christmas. I'm sorry about the ending, but angst. Flashback fluff. Requested by: Requested Words: 4.7k

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The burgundy scarf around your neck felt suffocating as your hand reached up to loosen it, a relieved sigh escaping your lips as you twisted the key into the lock, clicking the door to your apartment open mindlessly. The only sound coming from inside as you made it past the threshold and the door clicked closed behind you, was an unbearable amount of absolute silence, nothing to distract you from the cold feeling of emptiness that took its usual hold on you as you stood stock still in the entryway.

It was the feeling of loneliness, clawing its way through you, the isolation of the apartment feeling wrong to the touch, your keys absently being discarded onto the hooks beside the door, rendered useless, the door now locked. Your tired eyes surveyed the bare apartment, your fingers trailing along the empty walls, your free hand undoing the scarf around your neck completely, its woollen fabric all too familiar.

A few brown boxes littered the apartment floor, packed was everything you owned, the proof that someone lived here, each box stacked neatly against the wall of the living room, ready for the moment they would move. Your fingers finally stopped their trail as your eyes caught sight of the one place you wanted to avoid, swallowing the lump forming in your throat as you took leisurely steps forward.

When you walked into the kitchen your heart hit the floor, your feet taking you slowly forward as you pulled the burgundy scarf off, resting it on the back of one of the kitchen island chairs, your fingers lingering on it for only a moment, before they trailed across the cheap quartz countertop. Your hands captured the edges of the bench as you paused your movements, eyes drawn to a barely noticeable red stain, that no matter how many times you had tried before, you could never remove.

You couldn’t stop yourself as one of your hands reached out, a soft touch as you gently caressed it. A soft smile playing on your lips, a great contrast to the heartache you felt looking at it, the scenery around you a blur, changing within a blink of an eye, the ghostly warmth of arms wrapping around you from behind, a soft melody of music invading the nearly impenetrable silence.

Mabel placed the glass of red wine down in front of you, her arms circling you from behind, her chin resting on your shoulder as you tried your best to cut the vegetables, your tongue poking out the side of your mouth in concentration. A stutter occurred in your movements as your heart rate picked up, her warm breath against your neck sending a shiver down your spine, the tips of your ears turning red, “Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” Mabel gave a cheeky grin, placing a kiss behind your ear, moving her lips down to your throat, the action causing the knife in your hand to slam against the cutting board, narrowly missing your fingers in the process. Mabel chuckled, “Please be careful, the knife is so big, and we can’t have another ER trip.” We’re too young, too dumb, too in love to afford it.

“Then stop distracting me,” you felt her smile against your neck, her hands digging into the suede fabric of the short royal blue dress you wore, moving to caress your stomach. You tried your best to ignore her antics, her lips warm and soft against your neck, her hands making you shudder before you placed the knife down carefully. You turned in her hold, bearing witness to the devilish smile on her lips, the sparkle in her pretty brown eyes, as your hands moved to grip her waist, “You’re a real troublemaker. Do you know that, belle?”

She smirked as she looked into your eyes, her hands sliding up your sides, never ceasing in their movements, “You know I can’t help myself when it comes to you, pretty girl,” she bit her lip.

You groaned at the action, “Fuck,” moving a hand up to cup her chin, only to use your thumb to pull her bottom lip out from between her teeth, “Don’t do that.” Your thumb lingered on her lips.

She gave a cheeky smile, the dimples you loved so much on display, “Or what?” she chuckled teasingly, “What are you going to do about it?” she bit her lip again, your eyes drawn to it as you tried your best to hold back a moan.

You couldn’t help but smile at her in return, your hand moving up to brush against her bangs, before moving to grasp the back of her neck, a small gasp leaving her lips, causing her teeth to release their hold on her lips as you moved yours closer to hers. Mabel let out a small groan as your lips ghosted over hers teasingly, but never touched. “What,” you whispered with a chuckle, a smirk adorning your lips.

Her hands squeezed your waist, nails digging through the fabric of your dress, hands bleeding through as if they were touching your skin directly, “Stop being such a tease,” she pouted.

You rolled your eyes with a grin, wrapping your arms around her waist as you teased her with your lips for a second longer, before swallowing any demands that were about to leave her mouth, as you captured them in a passionate kiss. A needy moan left Mabel as she made a show of pushing you roughly against the counter, her hands moving up your body, only causing you to elicit one of your own in return.

It felt like her nails had you enraptured as they scraped against your dress indirectly scraping against your skin, a shiver running through your body as you pulled her against you, slipping your tongue into her waiting mouth, feeling pleasure as she tangled hers with your own.

She moved her hands away, carefully pushing the cutting board back, being mindful of the knife, as she lifted you onto the counter, her mouth remaining attached to yours as she moved in between your thighs, her nails scraping along them from under the hem of your dress. Your eyebrows only furrowed as you felt her touch suddenly disappear from your burning skin.

It didn’t last long, your lips detaching from hers as you felt the woollen material around the back of your neck, her dimples on display as she gave you an affectionate smile, her lips swollen from the kiss. A look of confusion adorned your face as you looked down at the burgundy scarf, your fingers fiddling with the edges, as you looked back up at her, “Call it an early Christmas present,” she grinned.

“But it’s only October,” she rolled her eyes at your whispered reply, situating the scarf evenly on both sides, grabbing hold of your hand in the process.

Her brown eyes met yours, “I know,” she licked her lips nervously, “I just wanted an excuse to give you something.”

You brought her hand up to your lips, kissing her knuckles softly, “You never need an excuse to do anything,” you smiled against her knuckles, “But next time it’s my turn.”

Mabel chuckled with a nod, her cheeks slightly tinted, as she pulled your hands down, nuzzling her nose against yours, “It’s only been two weeks,” she kissed the corner of your mouth, pulling her hand away to fiddle with the burgundy scarf that now rested on your neck, “And yet I feel like I’ve known you my entire life.”

You gulped, watching as she grew slightly nervous, her breath stuttering for a moment, the music in the background a low hum. Mabel looked up into your eyes, from under her lashes, pulling you closer by the scarf, “Feels like I’ve known you for an eternity,” you smiled softly, licking your lips.

She smiled, your hand moving up to cup her cheek, as your thumb caressed it softly. She pulled you in, placing a delicate kiss onto your lips, before trailing them across your cheek. You didn’t know what to expect once she reached your ear, her warm breath fanning against it filling your stomach with butterflies as her lips ghost against your ear, “I love you.” It was only a whisper and yet it still sent your mind into a slight panic.

Your breathing stuttered as you struggled to understand, not knowing if you had heard her right, or if your mind was just playing tricks on you. It was the sound of glass cracking that broke the tense moment, as your elbow knocked the glass of wine down, staining the cheap quartz kitchen bench in red. “What?” it was a mere whispered breath, one that you had hoped Mabel hadn’t heard, but with her not having moved since she said it, you could only assume she had as she pulled away from you.

Neither of you moved, your first instinct being to avoid eye contact, the only sound entering the vicinity being the low hum of the melody that was playing. It wasn’t until you felt her move away, your hand reaching out for her before watching as she grabbed the tea towel that lay by the kitchen sink. You hadn’t noticed the wetness of the wine, red and blue making purple as it stained your once clean dress, you hadn’t noticed anything other than her, wondering if you’d fucked up every chance you had with her by your reaction.

She didn’t look up at you, avoiding eye contact as she placed the tea towel into the ever-growing stain, you moving hesitantly closer despite the inner turmoil you felt. You’d never heard the words ‘I love you’ before, it wasn’t something you’ve ever said to another nor received in return. It was new to you, it wasn’t like you didn’t know how you felt as you placed your hand over hers, stopping the movement of the towel, and moving her hand slightly away from the small pieces of broken glass.

You were urging her to look at you, disliking the unbearable tense silence, your free hand moving to cup her chin, your only instinct causing you to turn her to face you, your thumb stroking her bottom lip absently. She avoided your eyes, her expression downcast, a great contrast to how she looked earlier. “Hey,” you whispered, “Please look at me.” You couldn’t bear it, her silence pulling at your heartstrings in indescribable ways.

Her movements were hesitant, her eyes finally meeting yours as you captured her lips in a tender kiss; you did know how you felt. You weren’t oblivious to the feelings inside you, it scared you more than anything the hold she had on your heart, the power she held. You were terrified that one day she’d find better and the heart that was built just for her, could crumble into a billion pieces with a flick of her fingers. But in the end, you knew that you would fall for her over and over, and you believed with your entire being that nothing would ever get in the way of that.

You took a deep breath as you pulled back to look into her beautiful brown eyes, only to see them close as you cupped her cheek, watching as she nuzzled into the palm of your hand, “You don’t have to say it back,” there was a slight tremble in her voice as if she was just as scared as you, scared of the rejection, a deep fear that replicated yours, that one day you would also find better and have no use for her, but in all honesty, no one would ever come close to the perfection that was Mabel.

“I know,” you whispered, your stained dress the last thing on your mind as you grabbed her hand and placed it against your heart, her pretty brown eyes coming into view as she opened them, “But I'd be lying if I said I didn’t.” you allowed her to feel the beat of your racing heart, gulping down the nerves you felt, “I love you, belle.” You nuzzled your nose against hers, “More than anything in this world.”

You pulled her against your chest, a tear slipping from her eye as you held her close, kissing the crown of her head tenderly as you rocked her back and forth in tune with the song, her in your arms like it was always meant to be, “Are we stupid for moving this fast?”

A soft smile played on your lips as you laughed lightly, “You could never be stupid,” a hand moved up to brush her bangs, your thumb wiping away the few tears that fell down her cheek, “I was the one being stupid,” you rested your lips against her cheek, “I just never thought someone as undeniably perfect as you, could ever love someone like me.”

She moved back, her hands moving to cup your cheeks as she looked you straight in the eyes, “To me,” she pushed the loose pieces of hair behind your ears, “You are perfect.”

You moved your head slightly as you kissed her palm, leaning over her as you turned up the stereo, the song playing becoming louder as you pulled her closer, dancing with her slowly, “If this is a dream,” you whispered with your forehead against hers, “I hope I never wake up.”

She grinned with a small laugh, “If this is a dream,” she whispered in return, “I hope it doesn’t become lost and you remember it forever.”

“I could never forget anything when it comes to you,” She laughed a bit louder, as you picked her up and spun her around, dipping her once her feet hit the ground, your lips capturing hers for a moment, before normalising your stance, “I almost forgot about the mess,” you glance over at the table then down at your dress.

She smiled softly as she reached for her favourite grey zip-up hoodie that hung on the back of one of the kitchen island stools, before placing it around your shoulders, “It can wait,” she chuckled, loving the way you looked in something that was hers, “Live a little,” her arms moved around your neck, resting along the scarf you wore as she swayed back and forth to the song.

You hummed, along to the tune as you slowly danced with her, spilled wine and dinner the last thing on your mind, as you led her to the living room. Your eyes never left her for even a moment, mesmerised by all that was Mabel, the carefree nature she felt as she danced with you, the laugh she let out as you spun her in circles. The sigh of satisfaction she let out when the next song came on and you held her against your chest.

She was warm, her ear against your beating heart as she listened to her favourite sound, the unique pattern of beating only she could cause.

You closed your eyes, as your head rested against hers, the song coming to an end as you stayed locked in an embrace, one you wanted to last forever.

You took a deep breath, music only a distant sound as you opened your eyes to the sight of the empty living room. Your arms captured nothing but an empty space, in the cold air of the dark apartment. It had felt so real, finding the burgundy scarf and her grey hoodie wrapped around you just like it had been in the memory, your hands moving to rub your eyes as you sighed, the two items of clothing finding themselves in your lap as you sat on the floor, against the wall.

You couldn't help but hold them to your chest, wishing she’d come back for her favourite hoodie, hoping that maybe she would change her mind and come with you to LA. You were selfish, selfish in thinking that she would do everything you asked, selfish in thinking that she would drop what life she had to follow you. You knew that you were selfish.

If only she’d realised that you hadn’t just wanted her to come with you, you had just wanted her to stop you from taking the job that awaited you there, the job you had run away from taking many years ago. Except a part of you just wanted her to stop you from going 3,000 miles away from her. You just wanted her to tell you to stay. You were selfish, an idiot and you knew that as you let the tears fall, your back against the wall. You knew you were the biggest idiot of them all.

They wouldn’t stop, as your heart felt the pain of her absence, the snow falling without a care by the window on this lonely Christmas Eve. The few boxes left in the apartment waiting for tomorrow, until when the apartment would be empty.

You waited until morning, as you packed the rest of the boxes that lay in the apartment into the car. You took one last look inside the apartment, the final box under your arm, as you closed the door on the life you were leaving behind, a sigh leaving your lips.

Strangers, to lovers, to enemies.

You took one last look at the road after loading the final box into your car, some part of you wanted her to be here. Some part of you secretly wanted to stay, to give up this big opportunity you‘d declined from your father once, and just be with her. Cars came and went, none being her as you resigned yourself to hopping in the car and driving away.

The car started and disappeared as fast as it came.

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Her car swerved to a stop in front of your apartment, she had no idea whether or not it was too late, her heart dropping when she didn’t see your car anywhere. Her car door slammed closed behind her, the coat she wore too big on her small frame as she looked around the snow-covered streets on Christmas, a single lily in her hand, the call going to your voice mail as she tried for what felt like the millionth time.

The dark-haired woman was in a hurry as she ran into the apartment complex, not paying attention to the receptionist, taking the stairs two at a time despite the warnings to be careful. There was a slight tremor to her hands as she made it to your floor, her hands finding warmth in her pocket as the nerves she felt built up, making her way closer and closer.

Deep down maybe she knew she wouldn’t make it in time, that fate was working against you both, the speed in which she drove not fast enough to beat the traffic of Christmas. The moment she had made it to your door any hope that she had, of getting you to stay was meaningless, her hands shaking as they reached for the door handle, only to find it unlocked.

She opened the apartment, it all too bare to the eye, a sting at the heart to its emptiness as she made her way inside. Her steps were slow as she closed the door behind her, her fingers running across the bare walls, before making it to the kitchen.

Her heart hit the floor, as she went in, her hands trembling as she caressed the barely noticeable stain on the kitchen counter. She closed her eyes after a shaky breath, her eyes catching the letter, seeing a royal blue scarf and her grey zip-up hoodie folded under it.

 She took a deep breath placing the single lily she held beside the items on the bench as she took hold of the letter before opening it,

Dear belle,

I’d hate to think that this will probably be the last time I call you that, but even now I can’t seem to find it in myself to stop, because its meaning has always been true when it comes to you. You are and forever will be beautiful.

It feels weird writing a letter, I’ve never done it before, but when everything I own is in boxes and all I have is a pen and paper, it felt much more personal to do. I don’t even know if you’re ever going to see this, some part of me hopes you don’t but a big part of me hopes you find yourself at the apartment on Christmas, some part of me will regret not at least saying goodbye to you.

Do you ever think about the moment in the kitchen, the night you told me ‘I love you’ for the first time. What had been running through my mind when the words had left your lips, I’d never heard the words in my life, the only time through a screen when an overly cliche romance film was playing. But you said them so easily, only a whisper that set me into a panic, it was a moment where I thought I had deluded myself with the fact you said it, that maybe the words that had left your lips were all in my head.

It was beyond me, that someone like you could ever love someone like me, especially with my every flaw.

Sometimes I go back to that night in my mind, the night that felt like a dream, the night under the starry sky that made me feel like we were impossible, and a part of me hopes somewhere, in another reality we are. (Maybe I’m not so much of a coward in that reality.)

But sometimes during these moments, when I find myself alone in my empty apartment, I miss your scent, I miss the warmth you made me feel, the love only you could ever show me, and it almost tempts me into staying. But then reality sets in, and I get this feeling that the timing just wasn’t right, that the only one keeping me in this place, was you.

Don’t ever forget that I will always love you, no matter where I find myself, a piece of you will always be with me, and I hope that fate will let us meet again, under a starry sky.

Forever yours,

Your pretty girl

P.S. I said next time it was my turn, Merry Christmas.

Mabel wiped her cheeks, the ink on the paper smudged by her tears as they fell. Her fingers stroked the fabric of the royal blue scarf, holding it to her chest with her letter as she closed her eyes.

She opened them back up, full of determination as she collected the grey hoodie next, running out the door and out of the apartment complex to her car. She tried to phone again as she drove, the call ringing on before getting disconnected. She turned on the GPS quickly, going the way she knew you went as she tried again to call you.

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Your phone rang beside you, the car stopped at a red traffic light, your teeth releasing your fingernail from their grip as you reached over to answer it, brushing against the burgundy scarf in the passenger seat, accidentally knocking the phone off the chair in the process. You sighed, as you reached down, undoing your seatbelt so you could reach it, pulling it up as you grabbed hold of it, settling back in your seat, the call ending as you went to check your phone for who it was.

The car behind you honked its horn, distracting you from your current task as your eyes removed themselves from the phone in your hand, causing you to glance their way before looking back at the now green light. Your foot switched quickly, settling off the brake as you moved to the accelerator, your phone clutched in your hand as you held the steering wheel, beginning your long journey once again.

It happened within a blink of an eye, something flashing in the corner of your vision, the sound of tires skidding invading your very senses, just as the side of your car was suddenly struck. Your phone fell from your grip as it began ringing again, your mind not being able to process it as your ears began to ring, glass flying all around you, your head slamming hard against the door, your vision fading almost instantly, airbags failing to deploy. “Mabel,” it was the last thing to leave your lips a shallow breath as you tried your hardest to breathe, the blaring sound of the car alarm all around you, and the ringing of the phone that would forever be left unanswered.

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Mabel felt something inside her snap, like a piece of her was missing, like she had lost something as she began to drive slower. The flashing of red and blue lights distracted her for a moment, the traffic feeling more like a bad omen than anything. She had this bad feeling, a chill running down her back and yet she couldn’t understand it, her heart beating slightly faster than usual as she looked at the lights.

Fragments of metal and glass shards scattered across the partially snowy road in the middle of the intersection at the traffic lights, skid marks joining the already undesirable mess. She nearly didn’t have time to park her car, breath catching in her throat as her car door was slammed open, her eyes catching sight of a now barely recognisable but familiar car in the fresh rubble.

She was stumbling forward, converse sneakers crunching in the snow, almost tripping in her steps as she looked at the smashed pieces, the remnants of blood splattering crimson on the road making her sick to her stomach. Mabel couldn’t pay attention to anything else, her eyes catching the familiar burgundy scarf on the ground as the wind blew it against her feet. Its all too memorable material was frayed, seeming to have rips and tears in it, very unlike how it was when she last saw it. Her fingers ran against the fabric as her throat closed up, paramedics and police surrounded the scene, the bystanders only bearing witness to the tragedy that had become of the drivers.

 She felt an unnatural warmth on her back, tears falling from her eyes as she watched them place the white sheet over you, unmoving and unnaturally pale, blood seeming to cover your very being. And for the first time after reading the letter, she thought of it, of that night in the kitchen, wishing she could go back to that night. Wishing she had made it in time to stop you from leaving. She didn’t pay any mind to the shards of glass that dug into her knees as she fell to the ground, the snow like blades, a soundless scream leaving her lips as she cried in unbearable pain.

She never wanted to believe that this was the reality. That she would never hear your laugh again, the memory of your smile now deluded with the image of your pale bloody figure.

To her and to you, life had been cruel, fate had been even crueller and reality in every sense of the word was the cruellest of them all. Because all three had worked against her to create a world she never wanted to live in, one where you didn’t exist.

So she wept, glass and asphalt digging into her skin, the pain in her knees numb and frozen from the snow being nothing in comparison to the knife that had been thrust into her heart, as it clawed itself out and fell right into your lifeless hands.

If only she’d made it in time.

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Jamie Speaks:

R wasn't meant to die... I don't know how that happened.

When the lyric "But now you're dead to me" becomes a reality...

[burninggladiatorprincess]

My bad, I went to sleep and forgot to upload the chapter. After this, I will post the first character and bio so you get an image. Also, the app finally let me in to see if my story is still uploaded and it is, so I will be uploading on both platforms.

The Chronicles of Calais: Echoes From the Veil

High Imperial Empress Cahya has never liked early rises, and yet just before another rise of the sun shines over the mountains, she is up before everyone. Her mornings are mostly, if not all of the day, spent in the throne room. Talking to subjects, holding meetings with other nobles, and arguing with one of her siblings. Many are small inconveniences to her empire, but it is never exciting, so day after day, Cahya takes great care of her duties just like always. However, she walks down the same halls as she has always had since she was young. She is slower today. The Eclipse of the Veil Memorial is coming up.

She hates that day, as it marks a day of pain and terror. While many people died that day, she can only remember one face among the dead, former High Imperial Empress Amaris. Her mother was an amazing ruler and an even greater mother. Cahya could not think much as the thought of her deceased mother clouded her mind. Her hand glided across rigged skin near her neck, claw marks, given by a Voidrend, a creature that resides in the Veil. Cahya has never forgotten that day, and while she is no longer plagued by nightmares of that dreadful day, her heart always yearns to her questions dancing in her head. What if it never happened?

As Cahya reaches the hall to the throne room, Cahya's eyes fill with tears. It is not often when the High Imperial Empress of Calais shows emotions, but her pain and sorrow were a little too much for her today. Many times her mother scolded her for those shown emotions. Today started like every other day, but now she stands in the hall silently, weeping away a painful heartache from long ago. In front of the meeting room, the door hangs a painting. It is the lineage of the Vampirean people of Calais. Cahya's family was the first to settle in Calais and broadcast that it was a haven for all alien species and supernatural folks alike. A new hope for the strange and damned.

Cahya's eyes found what she was looking for and let out a deep sigh. Wiping away the foreign tears from her eyes, Cahya motioned for the doors to be opened. The life of a royal is a tedious one, but the life of the highest ruling member of the court is downright lonesome.

Her mother married young and soon after she was born.

While it is completely up to her when deciding on her marriage, sometimes she wonders how her life would be. Days would look entirely different. Maids running after little bodies would bring a smile to her

face. Her thoughts were interrupted,

"You are late, sister." Darius barritone voice echoed through the room. Darius Delaric, the 13th heir to the throne and a thorn in her side. As a boy, Darius loved Canya with extreme admiration, but as he grew older with his mother in his ear, Darius began to hate his stepsister. Cayha silently chuckled, "An Empress is never late. You, dear brother, arrive extremely early. You even make the High Imperial Enchantress look late, and they study punctuality to become an enchantor." Cahya countered slyly. Darius dramatically rolled his brown eyes.

"Are the two of you finished, or do you want to fight this out like last time?"

Our father, former High Imperial Emperor Alden, stated, that it seemed today's meeting wasn't a joyous own by the tone of the old man's voice. Simple nods given by each sibling were all that was necessary for the former emperor to start the meeting. Alden cleared his throat and turned his chair slightly," Are you going to stand in the corner, or are you going to greet your siblings?"

Cahya's siblings, with many folks, possess power. While some are genetic, few can possess power through bloodline and the rave of passing abilities through turning like Cahya's family as they and most of their folks former High imperial Emperor Alden stated. It seems today's meeting isn't a joyous own by the tone of the old man's voice. Simple nods given by each sibling were all that was necessary for the former emperor to start the meeting. Alden cleared his throat and turned his chair slightly," Are you going to stand in the corner, or are you going to greet your siblings?"

Cahya's siblings, with many folks, possess power. While some are genetic, few can possess power through bloodline and the rave of passing abilities through turning like Canya's family as they and most of their folks are vampiric in geneo. Cahya and Darius are rare cases of possessing more than one power besides the vampiric abilities that are given if birth into the category. Dante, among four other siblings, has unique gifts. The dark corner started to shrink, and everyone knew who it was. A man walked toward the Empire military uniform. Metals decorating his chest with nothing out of place Dante Thalais is a man of honor, and dedication, and commander of the Solarian Imperial Army.

"Dante!" everyone shouted as they got up to hug their brother. While Cahya and Dante may not be blood-related, Cahya views Dante as such. Growing up together and collectively being pushed aside for every newborn child, the former High Imperial Empress Consort Elara, their bond grew ever closer.

"Wait, what are you doing at home. I thought you and your group were going on a mission to Yamara." Liora exclaimed.

"Yamara?" The group stopped and looked at their sister,

"Why was there a mission to Yamara!" Cahya exclaimed, angry.

" I asked for this mission and to keep it away from you due to the location. I knew you would disapprove of the mission."

Cahya may be a poised woman, especially due to her leadership, but sometimes her emotions become too much even for her to handle. Her eyes tell anyone whether or not to stay clear of the High Imperial Empress.

"Cahya, calm down. There was a reason for the secrecy," the lights start to dim," a rift has opened on the Isle, little one."

Canya's expression changed to confusion," What do you mean, a rift in the Veil has opened? That is ... "

Screams bled in her mind, and memory took over.

Cahya was only a young girl when the veil ripped open. Utter chaos descended upon Calais. The balance between the realm of their world and the Veil collided, making unnatural things appear. While there are creatures of the Veil, and many of them are harmless. Some creatures can even make the Goddess of Creation scream. Canya's mother fought many of them to protect her and herself.

"Cahya!"

Cahya looked over to see her youngest sister, Iry, on her side. As she looked up, her eyes stared back in worry. Iry hasn't released

her grip, either.

" I think it's best to sit down. The map is needed in this meeting." Their father motioned Dante to continue. As Cahya took a seat, Iry stood by her side, and knowing how stubborn that young girl, Cahya, allowed her to stand.

"Father informed me that an alert from one of our relay stations coming from Yamara.  We know they have alarms to alert us when a rift occurs or the veil is collapsing. Well, we got an alert from the Isle of

Yamara and well... just look..,"

As Dante typed away, Cahya was thinking about her mother.

The relay station was their father's idea after Amaris and many

others perished during the first one. The Eclipse of the Veil caused more than chaos. The planet was on the brink of death, and with communication towers destroyed, requesting aid from our allies and even outsiders, we were not accessible. Our world would have died, and our culture withered away if a Yautja mothership wasn't in the solar system.

A beeping sound began to fill Canya's ears as she looked up. Colors of lights ranging from the spectrum caused gasps from everyone.

Some things live in the Veil. Creatures that can cause chaos and rain havoc on this planet. A black-light or spot hasn't appeared" I came home early due to a narrow escape from a horror that we have not encountered yet," as Dante shifted his attention to a recording, the globe continued to fill Yamara's landmass except near the

coastline. Cahya noted that.

A second screen appeared above the table, and as static faded, the group of royals watched in horror as a rift larger than the castle they currently reside in split open. By drones, creatures that reside in the Veil poured out. Many creatures that filtered out, canya recognized from the first time she encountered them. However, three new creatures caused Cahya to lean forward.

No knowledge or text states the veil can have creatures evolve, but that should not be a surprise. When Cahya's mother, Amaris, became curious about the veil, many scholars and volunteers were. tried to cross over to study inside the veil itself.

Many people died due to their curiosity while inside the veil itself, and the few that came back died within hours to days of their return to our realm. Much isn't known about the veil or its creatures, but we do not know what resides there or so Cahya thought. As Canna was preparing to ask Dante a question, something blurred ran out of the rift.

" What was that?"

Everyone looked to Cahya in confusion and did no one see what

she saw.

" Rewind the video. I saw something go past. Slow the video down. I know I saw something."

As the tape was rewound and slowed, Cahya saw it again, as did everyone else.

"Is that what I think it is?" Giselle spoke up. Dante started on enhancing the image. As the blurring dissipated, Cahya's fears started to become a reality.

"I thought you said they weren't real? " Cahya looked to her father.

" You were screaming in the middle of the night and wouldn't sleep for days at a time. What was I supposed to tell you,  hmm? That I can not protect from a place I can not visit, nor a creature I can not see.  You have a right to be angry,  little one,  but I did my best. I will be in my studies if anyone needs me."

Giselle turned to her sister," You have seen one of these creatures? Iris said a few paintings were found in a corner of the library that depicts them. They look horrific."

Cahya's memory from her childhood is blurry. She will never forget what it looked like as it dragged her mother down to her knees. Her mother blocked the creature's access to her. Her mother's cries as the creature, and her fight in the hall still echo in her mind.

"Well, Cahya, you seem to have run off the old man. Again?"

Cahya sneered at her brother before getting up from her chair," Brother, please refrain from making me send you flying out of a window. I do care not about your well-being today. Your words are as empty as promises of a fading moon, futile, and lost in the shadow of your illusions."

"You know, Cahya, Father has always believed in us, even when others doubted. It's a shame you can't see beyond your ambitions." Darius stated.

"Your sentimentality blinds you, Darius, much like a flickering candle in a storm. But remember, even shadows are cast by the light."

Cahya walked out of the meeting and to her own office. Throwing herself into the chair, she looked out the window at the forest behind her home. Cahya gazed pensively at the forest beyond, and her thoughts swirled with the weight of responsibility.

The news of the rift in the Veil weighed heavily on her mind, casting a shadow over the tranquility of the scene outside. With a determined resolve, she knew that her journey to save Calais had only just begun. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, steeling herself for the challenges that lay ahead. With the fate of her world hanging in the balance, Cahya knew that she must act swiftly and decisively.

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Author's Note: Each chapter is not long, and I do like to write like that. However, if you prefer longer chapters, let me know, and I can make them longer.

The images are characters, places, and deities that make the story more connected and complex. As the story progresses, you will see more characters added. This story picks up quickly as I am not for a slow story.

Lastly, let me know how you guys feel about this chapter. It's going to be some questions many people were to ask, but I promise that when the story continues and picks up, the question will be answered.

I hope you guys like this first chapter. It took me 4 rewrites to be content with this one, and honestly, I want to rewrite it, but I digress. I believe we can set a schedule every 3 or 4 days, and I will upload a new chapter. If that becomes a hassle for me, I'll update you on here.

Each chapter is around 2000 words, and it may be longer in some chapters, though.

That's all for now, I hope you like it, until next time, bye 👋🏾 😘 😊