summary the more she looks at you the more she falls and the worst part is she doesnt even realize
tags slowburn enemies to lovers curse words you are getting on her nerves like always
Tara didn’t understand how or when she got in this position. It's like it slipped through her fingers, as she wasn’t herself anymore. The brunette felt nauseous. How come someone like you caught her attention? And all of a sudden, right now.
Now, all Tara was thinking about was your new friend, who was everywhere she looked. Was she walking to school? Her. Was she hanging out with the group? Her. Was she on her phone? (totally not stalking you) Her.
The short girl´s temperature rose every time Demitra was close. And the worst part? She didn’t do anything, or maybe she did everything. She was too sweet, too friendly, too talkative, too smiley, too smart. And that was something Tara hated.
It was Sunday night, and it felt like forever since your group had a hangout together for a movie night. Tara loved those days because sometimes you just didn't have time to meet and talk or text to one another, but Sunday nights reminded Tara that even though your group chat was dry or you hadn't seen each other in some time, nothing changed. Tara loved her friends, and she would give them first and last.
It will also be the first time since the short girl sees you again, after her realization. She wonders why she didn’t see that before, and would something change if she did? She doubts that.
So Tara was now standing before her wardrobe, looking at all of her clothes, trying to find something she would feel comfortable in, but also some outfit that would catch some eyes, your eyes especially.
Gosh, your eyes, that was one of the features that Tara caught first. She always had a soft spot for your eyes, they were so expressive. The first thing that changed on your face when your mood switched was your eyes; they were like a mirror to your soul. Of course, she never mentioned it, and with the highest possibility she never will, but Tara could look at them for whole days. Not your stupid face, only your eyes.
She let out a huff as she put on her outfit and put on a small amount of makeup. Today you were hanging out in your apartment, the meeting was at 7 pm, and because you and the brunette were neighbours, there wasn’t a reason for her to hurry up.
,,Hey.“ The younger girl sat herself on the couch beside Sam.
„Hey.“ Sam looked at her sister from her phone. „Where will you guys be today?“
Tara leaned against the backrest. „At Y/Ns.“ She said as she looked at the TV that played softly to fill the silence of the apartment.
„I haven't heard of her in a long time.“ The older sister said while putting her phone down. „How's she?“
Tara shrugged her shoulders. „Good, I guess, same old Y/N.“ She answered softly while playing with the hem of her shirt. Sam liked you, just like she liked your entire group, but there was always something more about you. Maybe the fact that Sam knew you the longest?
A smile slipped from the younger sister's lips as she remembered how every time you did something bad, like breaking Sam´s vase that was on the table, or Tara came home later than she was supposed to be. If in the story it was mentioned Y/N, suddenly everything was fine. Or more like: Okay, this time I´ll let it slide, but make sure there won't be a second time.
See? Totally soft spot.
„What are you smiling about?“ Sam asked with a teasing smile.
„I didn't smile.“ Tara shook her head. „You are seeing things.“
Her sister just kept looking at her, studying her expression. „If you say so.“
The silence filled the room, while the only sound was coming from the TV and the open window that reminded them of the world outside. Sam looked at the television before grabbing the remote.
„You know, I always thought there was something between the two of you.“ She said gently while looking through the programs.
Tara turned her head to her sister with wide eyes. „What do you mean?“
Sam just shrugged her shoulders, looking back at her sister. „I dunno, I just felt like you would end up together or something.“ The older sister looked back at the TV. „I always wondered how your friendship lasted that long because of how often you fought. How did that even happen? You were like this back when you were kids.“
The short brunette kept looking at her sister, as if she was looking through her head. Her fingers stopped playing with her shirt as she looked at the wall in front of her. „Well, Y/N and I have the same friends, of course, we would be with each other's presence.“
Her sister shook her head. „If you truly hated each other, you would not.“ Sam kept looking at Tara. „Why do you hate Y/N?“
„I don't hate her, she just... irritates me sometimes. But hate? Gosh, no, of course not.“ Tara said with a soft voice at the end. She bit her lower lip like it would make her concentrate on something else. „Do you think she hates me?“ the younger sister asked in a small voice while looking at Sam.
„Y/N?“ Sam smiled as she asked. „Do you think she is capable of hating something? Maybe like school or bus drivers.“ Sam said while Tara joined in the laugh. „I'm sure she doesn't hate you. I'm not even sure where that idea came from.“ Sam finished while smiling.
The younger sister looked at her lap, feeling some kind of realization in her chest. She breathed softly as flashbacks of you played in her head. Like that time where she had an asthma attack, and before she even got a chance to ask you for an inhaler your already gave it to her. Or a time when you got drunk and said her right dimple is deeper than the one on her left cheek. And how softly you looked at Demitra as she started walking away from your table the last time.
Tara also wanted that look, but on her. The look that was only meant for her.
„I like her Sam.“
„I know.“
-
Your whole living room was a mess. But not the kind of mess you would imagine. There were blankets and pillow everywehere, sweets, snacks, and bowls with popcorn. There were lit candles by your TV and shelfs that hung on the wall witch created a cozy mood.
„So what are we watching?“ Chad asked as he threw himself on the couch. Everyone was already there, and some were still in the kitchen preparing the drinks.
You were lying down on one of your sofas by the couch, scrolling on your phone. Ethan was sitting down with a bowl in his lap, slowly chewing the salted popcorn. With a remote in his hand, Chad was looking through the various movies to watch.
„We can watch some comedy, it has been a long time since we watched any.“ Mindy joined as she sat down beside Ethan.
„Well, it has been a long time since we hung out like this.“ Chad said back while his eyes were running across the TV.
„Exactly.“ Tara said while sitting on the other sofa, right opposite you. You were lying across the whole sofa, making it look smaller than it actually was. Across your lap was thrown a soft blanket, and your face was lit up from the light that came from your phone. „That's why it's a perfect time to start with Babadook.“ Tara said with a big, teasing smile.
But there was no reaction from you because of how interested you were in typing on your phone. Taras smile fell, that wasn't something she expected, she was waiting for your reaction to be strongly disagreeing with her suggestion. Every time she played the movie, you got grumpy, and the brunette enjoyed that.
„We hang out after such a long time, and we play Babadook? Definitely not, let's watch something we didn't watch yet.“ Chad said as his other hand grabbed a handful of popcorn from Ethan's lap.
„Yeah, like comedy!“ Mindy joined.
„No let’s watch a horror!“ Chad said back.
„Horror? I'm not in the mood for that.“ Ethan replied softly.
„What, are you afraid?“ Chad laughed as Ethan just rolled his eyes, not saying anything.
Tara watched the whole interation not feeling like interrupting them, she just sat comfortably down in her seat while scanning your quiet form.
„What do you wanna watch?“ With that question, the loudness of the three other people died down. At that change, you looked up from your phone to your friends.
„Oh, play whatever you want, I don't mind.“ You replied while looking back at your phone. But Tara minded.
„I thought we were hanging out, not just being in the same room on the phone.“ The brunette said back while leaning against the back of the sofa with crossed arms.
With that, you looked at her before quickly typing on your phone last time. You put it down on the table in the middle with a display without a word from your mouth.
The group scanned you.
„What?“ You shot back as you looked at them.
„Nothing, you just seem off.“ Chad said with a squinted eye.
Your eyebrow raised. „Off? What does that even mean?“
„You seem calmer. I dunno if it's because you are not overstimulated yet or because someone has calmed you down.“ Mindy said after chewing on some snacks.
You shook your head. „You are crazy, and if this is about Demitra again, you are mistaken; there is nothing between us.“
Those words made Tara's lungs breathe better.
„Nobody said that, buddy-“
„Great, then let's watch something finally.“ You motioned Chad to hand you the remote before playing some action film.
Throughout the whole time the movie played, Tara’s eyes were switching from the TV to you. The brunette couldn’t help herself, it was like her eyes were just finding the ways to always end up on you. She scanned your soft features that were seen from the small amount of light in the room. You were tucked in a blanket while your eyes closed a bit more every hour. With the end of the movie, some of you stood up from your spot and headed to the bathroom.
Mindy lit up the room and sat herself back while eating what was left on the table. Chad played some music in the background as your friends talked.
„Do you wanna pizza or something?“ you came back into the living room while waiting for an answer.
„Oh, yes, please!“
You nod with your head while taking some trash from the ground and table before heading to the kitchen. Tara stood up from her spot, taking a dirty dish to the kitchen. You were already standing by the kitchen sink, and she placed it beside you while leaning her back against the kitchen counter with crossed arms.
„What's up?“ you asked.
„Nothing?“
„Okay?“
Tara looked at you with a weird expression.
„What's with that face?“ You shot.
„Are you trying to create something?“ Tara barked back.
„What? I didn't even do anything! Gosh.” you huff as you dry your hand into the towel before grabbing the phone from the pocket of your pants.
„Oh, but you did, instead of thanking me for helping you, you judged.“
You just looked at her with a confused expression. „Judged what exactly?“
„Me? With your stupid face?“
You throw your head back in a groan. Taras eyes scanned your throat and the bones that were seen through your soft skin. Her eyes went down your body. You looked so warm with your hoodie and loose pants. You didn't even try, and you didn't need to, it was your energy that made you this way.
„Okay, thank you, my sweet little midget, for your big help.“ Taras expression fell, and the veins started to form on her forehead. „I ask myself... where would I be without you?“ You said with a sweet voice while smiling at her.
Tara wanted to throw something at you, like a knife. Or herself.
You smiled at her before heading to the living room.
„Dick.“ The brunette said under her breath.
„I heard you!“
Tara closed her eyes and let out a long breath. She needed to let these feelings go; it was stupid, and you were stupid. She would never want to be in a relationship with someone like you.
Summary: It took some time, but eventually you came to realize only Wednesday Addams could look at the raging storm of chaos and destruction and make a home out of it. Only she could listen to the cacophony of the roaring thunder and hear a melody.
Masterlist / Part 2
Word Count: 5.5k
-I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form-
This year’s Harvest Festival was particularly tense, to the point where the police and the teachers were on constant alert, keeping an eye for any potential conflict between outcasts and normies. The first hour while everyone was gathering was charged with animosity, and a few normies and outcasts were told to leave the festival, but other than that there weren’t any noteworthy incidents.
“Things are getting really tense,” Rebecca whispered, the two of you met up at the edges of the festival, drinking soda and sharing a pizza from her dad’s pizzeria. “Feels like one wrong word might escalate everything,” she nervously looked around.
“All the more reason why we shouldn’t have met up in public,” you said, knowing well enough that her father despised outcasts. He even prohibited any outcast from coming into the pizzeria, that didn’t mean outcasts couldn’t order an overpriced delivery though, and with Jericho as small as it was there weren’t that many options. But nothing infuriated him more than knowing his precious daughter was friends with you.
It didn’t matter that you weren’t dressed in Nevermore uniform, in places as small as Jericho where everyone knew everyone there was no way to hide if you were an outcast. The way things were going there wouldn’t be an Outreach Day this year, which, if you were being honest, didn’t really bother you.
It did however mean that, despite her best efforts, not even Weems could completely lower the tensions this time.
Rebecca huffed, placing her hands on her hips like she always did when you brought that up. “You’re my friend, I’m not about to let what some assholes think get in the way of that,” she stated firmly, so firmly you believed her, no matter how hard it was to imagine a world where your friendship wouldn’t be seen as a betrayal. On both sides.
You nodded, finishing the final few bites of the pizza she brought and ripped the box apart before, splitting the parts of the box that could be recycled and the ones that had to be thrown away. “Wednesday is leaving tonight, I should probably go and say goodbye,” you said apologetically and Rebecca patted your arm.
“Go on, I’ll see you next week,” she grinned, as supportive as always. You smiled, pulling her into a quick hug which she eagerly returned, and then you were on your way, quickly finding Enid and Wednesday in the crowd.
Enid already stood out in her colorful clothes, but combined with Wednesday’s dark clothes it was the exact opposite of finding a needle in a haystack.
As you approached them you noticed Rowan on the side, looking conflicted. “Shit,” you muttered to yourself, hoping he wouldn’t do anything reckless and attack Wednesday. You just hoped being in a crowd as large as this one would deter him long enough for Wednesday to escape.
“So, what’s the escape plan?” you asked as you joined Enid and Wednesday.
Wednesday just subtly nodded ahead and you couldn’t help but look at her with the most unimpressed look in your eyes that you could muster. There Galpin was, talking with his father. “Seriously?” you had to ask.
Of all the people she chose Tyler Galpin, the former bully that apparently turned a new leaf. Yeah, like that happened.
"I don't see how it concerns you," Wednesday replied in that even tone you got used to, you’d miss it, you’d miss her, no matter how briefly she stayed in the room with you and Enid. She certainly left a mark, whether she wanted to or not.
“Right,” you sighed, choosing to set aside your opinion on the younger Galpin. Besides, Wednesday wasn't helpless, and who she interacted with definitely didn't have anything to do with you.
"Obvious dislike aside, are you sure you can trust that normie?" Enid asked, though she did send you a bit of a teasing smile.
"I trust that I can handle myself," Wednesday replied. Considering what she did against Bianca, you found it difficult to disagree.
"Well, good luck and safe travels," Enid stepped toward her with her arms spread wide, only for Wednesday to decisively take a step back. "Still not a hugger. Got it," Enid shrugged, smiling at the girl.
You were smart enough to not even try to initiate physical contact. "If you change your mind a third of that room is going to stay yours," you promised with a slight grin on your face.
"Until Weems puts someone else in," Wednesday wasn’t even remotely amused by your promise, but at least she still entertained it.
Your grin turned into a smirk as you lifted your hand up and allowed a few red sparks to appear around it. Just for a moment you thought you saw a spark of interest in Wednesday's eyes as she observed the sparks. "Nope, I'll personally make them ask for another room." you promised, your red eyes meeting Wednesday’s black eyes.
Enid coughed and elbowed your side a bit harder than necessary, but you should have expected as much from the werewolf, she didn’t always pay as much attention to her strength as she should have.
You winced. She sometimes forgot her strength. "Nicely, of course, I'll keep my lightning to myself," you grunted, rubbing the spot where Enid elbowed you.
Wednesday tilted her head to the side by less than an inch. "Pity," she said.
You leaned to the side, shifting most of your weight to your right foot, you weren't sure how to take those words. "Since I won't be seeing you again, I, uh, I think you're great with the cello," there, a compliment to end the brief time together. That shouldn't make Wednesday uncomfortable, right?
Her eyes met yours once more and you felt a shiver run down your spine at the intensity of her stare. "Thank you," she eventually spoke up and the three of you parted ways soon after.
The moment Wednesday was out of sight Enid clasped your shoulder and smiled sympathetically. "I'm so sorry, Y/N."
"Huh?" you stared at her, confused. What was she talking about? Sorry for what?
"You don't have to pretend, I don't get what you see in her, but you don't have to hide it from me," somehow Enid got the wrong idea, and you knew there would be absolutely nothing you could do about it.
You sighed. This was your life now. Enid thought you had unrequited feelings for Wednesday. "Look, I know I can't change your mind," she enthusiastically nodded at that. "So, I’ll take a page out of Wednesday's book, somewhat. If you gossip about those feelings you claim I have, I'll fry your stuffed unicorn collection," you were actually serious. You didn’t need the entire school reading about some ridiculous love story Enid could concoct.
Enid squealed and bounced excitedly. "O-M-G! You do have feelings for her!" she wasn't going to let this go and you didn't even know how she came to that conclusion! Her eyes widened suddenly. "Go after her! Go!" in less than a second she was behind you and pushing you in the direction Wednesday went. "At least find a way to exchange letters with her if you can't convince her to stay!"
"Enid," you groaned, facepalming as you dug your feet into the ground to try and keep her from pushing you. All that achieved was two rows of dug up ground behind you. Damn her werewolf strength! From the corner of your eye you saw Rowan, even more agitated and anxious than he was back when you confronted him in his and Xavier's room getting away, and you couldn’t be sure he wasn’t going after Wednesday. "I have to go," you said, moving so abruptly Enid stumbled and almost fell to the ground.
“Go get her!” Enid cheered, misunderstanding your actions.
You groaned, realizing she wouldn’t let this go anytime soon. Either way, you had to make sure Rowan didn’t attack Wednesday.
~X~
She most certainly didn’t trust Tyler, but she didn’t have much of a choice here, since the town lacked any public transportation and there was no telling when she’d have another opportunity to leave again. She met up with Tyler after ditching Weems.
“You’re friends with the raiju girl?” Tyler asked as they were making their way to his car.
“Roommates,” she corrected, despising the idea of being considered anyone’s friend.
“That makes more sense,” he agreed, sounding unusually accepting of her personality. “You okay?” he asked, and she realized he was a lot more perceptive than she gave him credit.
“I'm not used to people engaging with me. Most see me coming and cross the street,” she said, finding herself quite willing to talk to him.
“You're not scary. You're just kinda kooky,” he shrugged with a sickeningly sweet smile on his face.
She tilted her head slightly as she looked at him. “I prefer spooky,” and his smile widened. “Now my train leaves in an hour. We're burning moonlight.”
“Right, right,” he agreed, but just as they were nearing his car the three pilgrims she beat up when she first went to town came back. They were an annoyance, mostly because dealing with them might draw attention to her and allow Weems to find her, which she couldn’t allow.
“Shit,” Tyler cursed, pulling her back. She only let him because that was a practical thing to do. “Come on, Wednesday. We can lose them in the crowd,” he urged and she followed him.
And just as they were putting some distance between them and the pilgrims someone bumped into her.
Her head snapped back and suddenly she was having a vision. She saw flashes, glimpses of what was to come, unclear, cryptic, flashes of future so brief no one would be able to make sense of them. She saw an old black book, Codex Umbrarüm, bees dropping to the ground, red eyes turning orange, the tree in the quad breaking into pieces, the raven surrounded by lightning, She saw a glimpse of a blonde woman drenching the runes in blood, herself surrounded by cloud of dust and smoke with a huge beast surrounded by lightning standing over her trapping her. Her vision slowed down, becoming more focused and she saw Rowan screaming as he was being torn apart by claws. And then the vision stopped as abruptly as it began, leaving her lightheaded.
She steadied herself, moving away from Tyler’s grip and began running. “Rowan, come back!” she yelled as she ran after him, ignoring Tyler calling after her. She didn't understand why she was running, why she wished to prevent the last vision from coming true. Perhaps she just wanted to see if everything she saw was true, or if it somehow could be changed.
"Rowan, wait!" she shouted as she followed him deeper into the woods, the only signs of the festival that remained were occasional flashes of firework and the sounds they made.
Rowan stopped and turned toward her, furious and looking unhinged. "Argh! What do you want? Why are you following me?!" he demanded, clearly on the verge of a mental breakdown.
"I don't have time to explain, but you're in danger," she wouldn't tell him about the vision, she didn't know how much time she had.
"I think you've got it backwards," he lifted his hand and suddenly Wednesday felt an invisible force lifting her up and slamming her back into a tree.
Even with her pain tolerance she still grunted, feeling the trunk digging into her back uncomfortably.
"You're the one who's in danger!" Rowan exclaimed.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, and though she struggled it was futile. She couldn't get free. And she despised it, she understood what his power was now, and she understood she couldn’t really do anything. She couldn’t attack him, she couldn’t set herself free, he’d turn her body into a ragdoll, and she didn’t hate that on its own, she hated how helpless she would be.
"Saving everyone from you," he grunted, straining to keep her pinned to the tree. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to keep this up for long, maybe she’d get an opening and use it. "You’re a curse, you’ll only bring disaster to this school, so I have to kill you."
She’d be lying if she said no one ever wanted to kill her, or thought of her as a disaster, but Rowan was the first to actually try to kill her. That was a new one. That's when she pieced it together. "The gargoyle, that was you?"
"Yeah," he even smiled a bit, as if relieved he no longer had to hide it. “I would have tried again if Y/N didn’t threaten me. It’s kind of difficult to kill someone when they have a lightning beast at their disposal. It doesn’t matter, she’s not here now,” he explained and Wednesday paused for a moment. You threatened Rowan? Why?
Was you being a raiju really that big of a deal? She couldn’t dwell on that any longer though. She had to focus on the situation at hand. "It's always the quiet ones," Wednesday commented, gasping as he applied more pressure.
It didn’t matter why he was doing it, and it didn’t look like he was going to stop to explain himself. His powers were choking her and the pressure on her throat kept getting stronger, to the point where she wondered if he was trying to choke or slowly snap her neck. Either way, she admired the sadism. This was what she got for trying to help.
“I don’t need anyone to acknowledge it, I know I’m about to be the hero who saved the school,” he said as she stopped breathing.
"Rowan! Let her go!" she heard your voice and though her vision was getting blurry, she looked to the side, just as you threw a knife toward Rowan. Your aim was awful. He didn't even need to move and it would miss him by at least two feet, but Rowan was alarmed, as if he knew something she didn’t.
And then she saw it, just as the knife was about to reach Rowan, your body was engulfed in red lightning and you disappeared, your entire body shifting into lightning and bursting forth toward the knife. Wednesday watched, speechless as your body regained form right in front of Rowan, the knife in your left hand, and you, too fast for him to react.
You slammed your fist into his guts, sending him flying back, though she couldn't help but notice you didn't use lightning for the punch, just the natural momentum and strength you had. It still sent Rowan flying.
It also broke his hold on Wednesday and you threw the knife toward the tree, zapping toward it just in time to catch her before she fell to the ground. Wednesday blinked, still dazed by what just happened as you set her down and knelt in front of her. you weren't touching her, but she could clearly see the concern in your eyes.
"Are you hurt?" you asked, looking for any visible signs of injuries, Wednesday saw your red eyes before, but now she really got a chance to look at them. She’s never seen eyes that red before.
"I'm fine," she denied having any injuries. What were you thinking? That she'd show vulnerability to you just like that?
"Y/N!" Rowan, enraged, bellowed as he got up to his knees and raised his arm. Your eyes widened as you were pulled into the air.
"Wait, Rowan!" Wednesday found herself shouting as she tried to get up, but she was still shaken up by Rowan’s attack.
"Shut it! I'll kill you after I'm done with Y/N!" he had lost his mind completely, the madness in his eyes made that clear.
"Bring it! I'll show you exactly why Weems and the staff dread the storms!" you thundered, lightning gathered around you and began concentrating in a ball above your head. It was already one foot wide, and it was only growing larger, though slowly. "Give up or I'll drop this on you! Forget all this madness!" you yelled at him,
You never got a chance to do so, as a monster emerged from the shadows and grabbed Rowan, slicing and tearing him apart with its claws.
You dropped to the ground, landing on one knee, the ball of lightning vanishing as you stared in shock at what was happening in front of you.
The monster turned to look at you two, with its bulging eyes, hunched back, sharp claws and greyish skin it was unlike anything Wednesday saw in her life.
"That's an," did you recognize the monster? "...oversized Gollum?" she expected too much from you.
~X~
The oversized Gollum fled and you and Wednesday were left with Rowan's corpse. You rushed to his side and instinctively checked his pulse. A ridiculous action, really. You didn't need to be an expert to see he was ripped open by those claw and dead. You slumped back, still not quite realizing what happened, what you just witnessed.
You stared at his corpse, at blood staining the grass, wondering if there was anything you could have done. You had your lightning ready, but you just couldn't react in time. Were you going to hurt Rowan? Yeah, you were, but you weren't going to kill him, as strong as the lightning you gathered looked. You were going to aim for the ground in front of him, close enough to knock him out from the shock, but not nearly close enough to kill him, or even seriously injure him. At worst he would have had to spend a day or two in bed.
Wednesday approaching you reminded you you weren’t alone, which reminded you that the monster could still be around. You were frantically looking around, searching for any signs of the monster coming back, but it looked like it really left.
"We need to get someone," there was an urgency in Wednesday's voice you didn't quite expect, but you could see her legs shaking slightly. Shock from Rowan's death? No. She didn't look shaken. Was it the hit she took when he tossed her into the tree?
“Right. That’s. yeah, let’s go,” you got up, doing your best to suppress the sight of Rowan’s body from your mind. At least until you knew you did everything you could and that you were both safe. You followed closely behind her, just in case she couldn't keep standing. If only you found them sooner, if only you were a minute quicker, maybe this would have ended differently.
The first person you came across was Bianca and you noticed Wednesday faltering just for a split second. "Rowan was killed by a monster, I don't have time to explain, just get someone," Wednesday opened straight with that. No easing Bianca into it, just straight to the point, mercilessly direct.
And it had the predictable outcome as Bianca stood there, like Wednesday’s words didn’t make any sense. Slowly, as she fully processed what Wednesday said, Bianca's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? What are you talking about?" she asked incredulously, not believing her.
But before Wednesday could reply she began falling forward. "Wednesday," you caught her and turned her around in your arms. She was unconscious. "Bianca we both saw him get killed. Get someone, I need to take Wednesday back to the dorm," you knew you were putting your life at risk by doing so, and that Wednesday probably knew roughly a thousand different ways to inflict pain, give or take a few hundred, and that she'd be more than eager to put you through them. You still picked her up. "Please don't wake up," you pleaded, but your gaze softened. Wednesday looked peaceful and you couldn't help but notice how light and small she actually was. "I got you, I know you can't hear me, but I got you."
~X~
You reached your room feeling like your arms would fall off. There were so many stairs and even with your stamina going up while carrying someone wasn’t fun. At least Wednesday didn’t wake up. You opened the doors with your elbow and took Wednesday to her bed before setting her down.
She was still unconscious, but she seemed fine. “What the hell was that?” you asked no one in particular as Thing hopped onto Wednesday’s bed. He bowed slightly, as if thanking you for coming to Wednesday’s aid. You smiled, offering a fist bump to the severed hand, which he accepted.
And it was as if this unexpected expression of gratitude drained all the adrenaline from your body as you rushed to the bathroom and vomited the pizza you ate with Rebecca. You heaved as you remembered all the blood and torn flesh, and Rowan’s lifeless eyes. You knelt there, drenched in cold sweat and shaking. Thing tossed a wet towel at you, hitting you right in the side of the head with it and you absent-mindedly used it to wipe your lips. Somehow you managed to get up and reach the sink to wash your face, but that seemed to be the limit for you as you dropped to your knees once again and leaned your forehead on the edge of the sink.
“I expected more resilience from a lightning beast,” Wednesday’s dry voice should have comforted you, but it only showed you how much time you spent kneeling there, empty and feeling nauseous.
And there was a part of you that was irritated by her indifference. “Rowan was murdered, what do you expect me to do? Laugh it off?” your voice came out much harsher than you intended as you turned to look at her. She changed into her uniform before coming to find you. “I knew him, Wednesday, we weren’t close, but I watched him die and couldn’t do anything,” you looked at your reflection in the mirror, realizing that nothing would be the same after this. You looked down, noticing small blood stains on your sleeves, just another reminder that Rowan was dead and you did nothing.
Yet she was indifferent to it, to his murder, the state you were in; hell, she looked more intrigued by the monster that did it than anything else. “He was eager to murder me as well, thought it would make him a hero,” she pointed out, coldly stating the fact.
Your eyes widened at the revelation, but you still tried to argue against it, to convince yourself she didn’t know him. “He wouldn’t have done it. Wouldn’t have had the guts to go through with it face to face,” the gargoyle was a whole different thing, he wouldn’t have to watch her die directly at his hand. He could excuse it to himself, at least long enough to go through with it. But tonight? No, he wouldn’t be able to do it.
“He said you threatened him into not trying again,” Wednesday argued against your logic, convinced that if you or the monster didn’t interfere, he would have genuinely tried to kill her.
“He was lying to himself,” you weren’t exactly best friends, but you knew him enough to guarantee that. You looked at Wednesday, as usual you were unable to read her, not that you were in the right mental state to try and read her anyway.
She sighed and stepped away from the bathroom doors. “I am going to see Weems,” it wasn’t an explanation, it was an invitation. One you’d gladly reject this time.
“Sure,” you just stayed there, hoping you could get up and at least try to fall asleep. Who were you trying to fool? You wouldn’t be able to fall asleep tonight. You’d be haunted by the corpse of a classmate you couldn’t save.
Wednesday left without a word, but the sound of the doors closing echoed louder than any word she could have spoken.
And you were left there, wondering if you were wrong about him. Maybe he really went mad, maybe he really would have gone through with it. “Damn it,” you whispered to yourself, wrecked by confusion and helplessness, the question if you could have done more plagued your mind as you looked outside the bathroom at the runes meant to keep your powers contained.
You managed to get up, stumbling to the main circle and dropping to your knees, your fingers pressing into the stone floor. Lightning buzzed around you, only to be absorbed into the runes, harmless. “What raiju? What beast? I couldn’t even save one classmate’s life,” your room flashed red with your lightning, but the lightning was drained of all of its power, harmless.
Thing approaching you proved it yet again as he patted your hand to comfort you, despite lightning around you.
“Y/N!” you heard Enid’s voice and looked up, seeing her rushing to your side. “I heard from Divina something happened,” she said, kneeling next to you as you.
“Yeah, Rowan got murdered,” you said hoarsely, looking at Enid as her hands flew up to her mouth.
“What?” she asked in a muffled whisper. She knelt there, shell-shocked, horrified. “This isn’t funny, Y/N,” she pleaded, in denial, demanding that you tell her you weren’t telling the truth, that Rowan was alive and well, back in his room or wherever.
Yet you couldn’t give her that, no matter how hard you wished you could. “I saw it, Enid, both me and Wednesdays did,” you said, hating how weak and shaky your voice was.
Enid sobbed as she realized you were actually serious. Like you she wasn’t close to Rowan, no one really was. Xavier, maybe, they were roommates, after all, but he was still her classmate. The shock of how sudden it was and the violence made it impossible to just brush it off.
~X~
“God, what did this?” Larissa gasped in shock as she saw the state Rowan’s body was left in. Gawan was down on one knee next to the boy, checking the injuries.
“One of the shifter outcasts, if I had to guess. Could be an older werewolf, maybe a chimera, I’d rule out a raiju or a hyde, those are too rare to just be walking around unnoticed,” Gawan said, lifting his blood stained fingertips above his shoulder as a spectral hound appeared by his side, sniffing the blood. “Do we leave this to the police?” he asked.
Larissa looked at the boy, lifeless, his body mauled by a merciless attacker. The police wouldn’t give a damn about his death, not with the relationship between normies and outcasts being as complicated as it was at the moment. All it would inevitably do is encourage the demands for Nevermore to be closed. “No, we can’t let them get involved,” yet there was a body right in front of her that couldn’t be ignored.
And Gawan knew that as well. He got up, looking into her eyes seriously. “Larissa, you can’t actually be serious,” he spoke in a grave tone, realizing where this was heading. “I taught this kid for years, we all did,” he reminded her, leaning forward, his arms clutching at his chest. “And now you’re considering covering this up? What justice is that?!”
“Do not raise your tone like I don’t understand the gravity of what I’m asking, Gawan,” she hissed through gritted teeth. “I know exactly how the death of a student affects a school like Nevermore,” she saw it firsthand when she was still a student, still naively believing things would get better. They never did, they never would. “So, spare me the discussion of morality, can you do it or can you not?” she demanded.
He stood there for a long moment until he finally pet the astral hound. “Go, boy, find everything,” he ordered, reluctantly beginning the cover up.
There was no other choice. “We can’t let this go unpunished, Larissa,” he added as he followed his hound.
“We’ll investigate on our own,” she promised him, fully intending to fulfill that promise.
“And what of Y/N and Wednesday?” he asked and she had no answer for once.
It only took you and Wednesday a week to be close enough to get tangled up in this, whether she pulled you in or it was the other way around it hardly mattered. The end result was the same. Nevermore once again had an Addams getting close to a raiju, she just hoped this wouldn’t end the same way. “Let’s hope it doesn’t get out of control,” she said grimly.
~X~
They missed a body in the middle of forest, despite her giving them precise location. She thought they’d be capable of at least that, if nothing else, but she was clearly proven wrong. “How could you miss a dead body?” she demanded. She had been called into Weems’ office, she expected to give a statement, give a more detailed explanation of what she saw, not to be told an entire search party somehow missed a body.
“Because it wasn't there. No footprints, no blood, no sign of a struggle. Nothing, nada. My search party looked all night,” the sheriff, clearly annoyed by her sharp tone, answered.
“Well, your search party must have left their seeing-eye dogs at home. I saw that monster kill Rowan right in front of me,” she stood her ground, realizing quickly that someone was trying to cover this up. And she had a really good guess as to who that could be.
“My guess is Rowan ran away. State troopers have put out an alert, and I've contacted his family, but they haven't heard from him either,” Weems said in that sickly sweet tone of hers.
“Dead people are notoriously bad at returning calls,” she remarked sharply.
“What were you doing out in the woods with him, Ms. Addams?” the sheriff asked curiously.
“I heard a noise in the forest and went to investigate. That's when I stumbled upon the attack,” she replied, giving him a story she already went over with you, just to make sure your stories would match. You nodded, not arguing against it. For a lightning beast you were quite shaken by this.
“And where does Ms. L/N fit into this?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“She came looking for me, considering the tensions between normies and outcasts, she deemed it necessary,” she replied evenly, a perfect lie, without a hint of hesitation or nervousness.
The sheriff nodded, writing something down. “And just to be clear, this monster wasn't a bear or some other wild animal?”
“I've hibernated with grizzlies. I know the difference,” the nerve of him to think she’d make such a mistake.
“Thank you, Sheriff. I think Miss Addams is done now,” Weems decided, clearly hiding something, but even without the body the police should keep investigating, so she was merely delaying them.
“Actually, I would like to speak to Sheriff Galpin. Alone,” she requested, in part due to her own curiosity and need to understand what kind of monster killed Rowan, but mostly out of spite. Weems was trying to keep her away from the truth.
“I'm not sure I can allow that,” Weems simply said
“I'm sure I could take her to the station and get a formal statement,” the sheriff countered and for a moment him and Weems were caught in a staring contest.
“You have five minutes, and everything is off the record,” Weems said, walking outside. “Play nice or I will call the mayor,” she added over her shoulder, just as a warning to him.
“Someone is trying to cover up Rowan's murder. That's the only reason to scrub the crime scene,” she told him immediately.
He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Let’s say I entertain your theory, can you prove it? In a more substantial way than crying wolf,” he asked.
She glared at him, though it didn’t make him back away. Every fiber in her body demanded that she answers him with a sharp remark, but getting her point across was more important at the moment. “When did you receive the call?”
He tilted his head slightly. “At two in the morning,” it was just as she assumed.
“The monster attacked Rowan around half past ten, Y/N can confirm this,” she told him and could see gears turning in his head. “The Harvest Festival was over by midnight, wasn’t it? Someone is covering Rowan’s murder up,” she stated firmly.
“We’ll do another search,” he relented, seeing reason in her arguments, at least enough to search the woods again.
And just then the doors opened and one of his officers came in. “Sheriff? You're gonna want to see this,” she said and in the most bizarre turn of events Rowan, alive and well, walked in.
The only thing that crossed her mind was Edgar Allan Poe’s proverb, believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see. Apparently, he picked it at Nevermore.
hii i have some demon slayer fanart. i got my hashira oc being all flustered n stuff + rengoatku and shingoatbu!! hope everyone has a awesome day. kudos and comments r always appreciated
pairing: wednesday addams | reader
warnings: mdni! ooc wednesday/soft wednesday, established relationship, implied sex at the very end, no pronouns used but the word 'girlfriend' is used once.
word count: 1521
a/n: i'm late for wdw, i know, but i couldn't let y'all and @wesstars down... better late than never, right?
masterlist
When you moved to the small town of Jericho and started working at the only coffee shop around, you didn’t expect to get anyone’s attentions, especially from the local “freaky”. Wednesday Addams was full of surprises and secrets and, apparently, everyone here knew a bit about her.
Gossips followed you around like fog in the morning after a raining night, the eccentric Addams always being the subject that echoed inside the brownish walls of the café.
“I’ve heard she eats raw meat,” a high school student dressed in black and blue uniform said to her friend, no caring enough to at least whisper.
The other just nodded, not paying attentions to her surrenders, not even when the little bell above the entrance door jingled.
“My father told me her dad killed someone in Nevermore when he was a student… imagine being the daughter of a killer.”
“Imagine being the daughter of a former police officer who was expelled from the police force for not being able to solve a simple case that happened more than 20 years ago.” The tranquil voice caught your attention, causing you to turn on your heels behind the counter.
Wednesday was standing next to the table where the two students sat, arms crossed and a deadly shine in her eyes. You smiled.
“Miss Addams, please stop terrorizing the small girls, they know nothing about life,” you spoke once you saw the reddish color in the girls’ cheeks.
“They better learn fast; life is not gentle.” She turned her head to you. “And neither am I.”
“Oh, should I fear for my life?”
You tilted your head, trying to get Wednesday’s attention in order for the girls to go back to the other students of Nevermore. The raven girl redirected her body towards you, taking steps until she was standing in front of the cashier.
“You most definitely should.”
Head motioning for the girls to leave, you placed both of your hands on the icy, black marble that covered the top of the counter.
“If I die, who’s going to make you your favorite cherry muffin?”
“Before I met you, I survived just fine without the sweetness of it in my daily life, I’m positive I can do it again once you’re gone.” She lifted her chin. “Now stop staling and bring me a double espresso, no sugar and a cherry muffin before I start terrorizing you instead.”
You chuckled, rolling your eyes as she turned to sit on the costumery table.
Putting the cherry muffin in a plate, you turned to the Italian coffee machine with an empty white mug in hand and freshly brewed coffee in the other.
As the bitter liquid slowly filled the porcelain, flashes of the first time you were face to face with Wednesday took over your memory. She was so small in her black and white Nevermore uniform, looking like an old school cartoon, disappearing behind the other students as she patiently and quietly waited in line to order. She stared at you, taking two steps ahead when the last person in front of her moved away with their order in hands, taking a seat with the others, black eyes that didn’t blink and looked dead, the pale white skin didn’t help either. Not a single mark on it, you noticed, except for the adorable freckles that spread over her small nose bridge and covered the surrounding area of her cheek bones.
She was polite and calm, unlike the others, speaking in a monotone voice that actually surprised you.
Wednesday ordered a small size espresso with no sugar. You offered her a muffin, freshly out of the oven and still warm. She was reluctant in saying ‘yes’ at first, but something in you convinced her.
Once the mug was filled, you placed it side by side with the muffin, smiling and murmuring a small ‘I hope you like it’, to which she replied with: “Thank you,” extending her hands to take the plate and mug of the counter.
She looked at the red-blood muffin before looking at you, giving you a small nod of her head before walking to an empty table.
You watched as she sat herself down and stared at the small cake in front of her, you licked your lips, curious to know if she would like it or not; it was your favorite, after all.
Wednesday tilted her head to the side, analyzing the sweet in front of her, internally admiring the color of it and how the powdered sugar on top of it reminded her of snow covered in blood.
Taking the wrap of it, she hesitantly took a bite of it, slowly chewing it. You bet your lips, anxiously standing behind the counter. She then took another bite, and another one, and another one, rapidly finishing the muffin.
You smiled to yourself, finally changing the focus of your attention.
Now, almost 7 years of the first interaction, you still secretly admired Wednesday as you waited for the coffee to fill the small sized mug. But now was different, she started drinking a double espresso to maintain her brain awake and cherry muffins became a part of her daily life.
But only if it was made by your hands.
Once the porcelain turned bitter black, you left your place from behind the corner and sat them down in front of the goth, taking the empty seat in front of her.
“Thank you,” Wednesday said simple, eyes focused on the yellowish pages that had all her attention.
“A new case?” You asked, curious, taking a look around the nearly empty coffee shop.
“A runner found two dead bodies in the woods on Saturday, the captain assumed I’d be interested and gave me the case this morning.”
You pursed your lips, a tight knot in your stomach as your eyes analyzed the super graphic images that decorated the table. Pushing the images away from your point of view, you wondered how Wednesday could eat the red-blooded muffin while looking at actual blood.
As if she could read your mind, black painted nails reached for the small cake, her eyebrows sewing together once she saw what you did, “Care to explain what this is?”
You pursed your lips, containing a smile. On top of the sweet, a white skeleton’s head was drawn, black, deep-hollowed eyes filled with dark chocolate chips with a sewed-like smile under and dark red blood dripping from its eyes.
“I made it for you, Halloween is near, and I figured you’d like it.”
“I can see that. What I want you to explain is why there’s blood coming from its eyes. Bones can’t bleed, there’s no tissue that can carry blood vessels or veins, it's just bones.”
You rolled your eyes, “It’s a cupcake, Wens. Just eat it.”
“Fine.”
When she took the first bite, dark red filling dripped onto her hands. It was a mix between the sweetness of sugar and the sourness of cherry combined that only you could do it perfectly.
“So… did you like it?”
Wednesday chewed and swallowed everything, licking her lips to capture the remained syrup, missing a small drop on the corner of her mouth. The tip of her fingers covered in the cherry liquid.
“It’s too sweet, next time don’t add any sugar to it. It’s not healthy. And it’s also too sticky and messy. I need a napkin.”
Reaching out for her hand, you sucked the tip of her fingers, closing your eyes at the sweetness that filled your mouth.
“You don’t need a napkin, you have a girlfriend to clean it for you.”
Wednesday widened her eyes at your action, looking around to make sure nobody saw that. The coffee shop was empty as it was almost noon and everyone was either at work or at school, only the two of you occupying a space inside.
“That was unnecessary.” She said with an affected tone.
“It was very necessary, I needed to see if it was too sweet.” You stood up, taking the empty plate in hands. Before returning to the kitchen, you leaned into her personal space, noses touching and the smell of her perfume filling your senses, that small drop being the only thing you saw in front of you. “You have some here too.”
The moment the tip of your tongue licked the red syrup, so close to her lips, Wednesday grabbed the mug near her hands, squeezing it hard enough to break if it was made of fragile material.
Before standing up properly, you pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, tasting the sourness in it.
“I’ll make sure the next ones aren’t too sweet for you, cara mia.” You winked, rapidly walking back to the counter to start preparing the muffins for the afternoon clients. And for your bitter girlfriend that cursed you under her breath for fogging up her brain with your tongue, taking away all the concentration she needed to solve this murder case. One that would need to wait after she locked the door, turned the open sign to ‘closed’, and dragged you by the hand to the supply closet.
For those interested. I posted the first chapter of the wlw book I am writing. This has been something I have been working on for over a year now. So here we go…join the ride with me if you want 😊
Emma Wheatly never asked for an adventure.
A simple farmer in the kingdom of Brightmere, she was content with her quiet life, tending to the land her family has cherished for generations. When she craved excitement, she'd curl up in her favorite chair and lose herself in stories of far-off realms, knights, and magic. It was safer that way-adventure stayed on the page, and Emma's world remained peaceful.
But when a mysterious woman washes up on the riverbank near her farm, wounded and draped in battle armor, everything changes. Against her better judgment, Emma saves the stranger-unaware that the woman she's rescued is Circe Grimshaw, a legendary mage-warrior, feared throughout the land and hunted by Emma's own kingdom.
Now, Emma is thrust into a world of magic and danger, bound by a soul-link to the most powerful woman in Eldoria. As enemies close in and her quiet life becomes a distant memory, Emma begins to unravel not only the secrets of her own heart but also a destiny that could change the fate of kingdoms.
Emma Wheatly never asked for an adventure.
A simple farmer in the kingdom of Brightmere, she was content with her quiet...
Miss Poppy Min-Sinclair, the lonesome heiress to the Min-Sinclair fortune, has become quite close to someone who she used to despise with every fiber of her being: Bea Hughes.
Bored out of her mind after graduation, she decides to invite the peculiar Ms. Hughes to her vineyard manor. Only God knows what awaits them.
Rating Mature
Status On-going (July 3rd, 2024)
Tags Friends with benefits, family secrets, angst, light bdsm
Warnings: Angsty themes ahead! Takes place after the canonical events of Demon Slayer but in an au where the characters who died survive! Reader is crippled in a few of these ( Kyojuro's s/o especially has been through hell and is heavily implied to be paralyzed from the waist down. There are also implications that she's been burned, cut up, etc. ) so read at your own risk!
Summary: It's the night before their marked!s/o's 25th birthday! How do they spend it with them? 🤔
A/N: I wrote this scenario over on Wattpad for a special and I really liked how it came out so I wanted to share some of my favorite parts over here on Tumblr! Hope you enjoy it! 😁
"Do you think we'll meet each other in every life?" The question was whispered out in the dead of night as you sat on the engawa of your estate. Obanai sat next to you, being used for both support and a source of comfort. You watched the stars twinkle in the sky, a forgone look in your eyes that he's never seen before. It was unnerving to him since it felt like he was staring at a breathing corpse..
"Of course. If that's what you want, I'll find you in every life," He answered to which you hummed, your expression unchanging from the one of unsettling contentment.
"What if something happens to prevent us from being together?" You muttered grimly despite the smile painted on your face. Obanai was quicker answering this time around, "Nothing would prevent me from being with you. Nothing."
"Even if I'm a total jerk?" You questioned. He answers, "Even if you're a total jerk."
"Even if we're on opposite sides of the world?" You continued. He answers, "Even if we're on opposite sides of the world."
"Even if I turned into a man-eating demon and tried to eat you?" And then he pauses. You giggle at him despite the bad taste the lack of answer gives you and mutter out a soft, "Sorry. That was mean of me to ask. Forget—"
"Even.." This time, you pause. Your head bobbing back to look up at him and those marvelous mismatched eyes of his. He's already looking at you by that time. He's been doing so the entire time, never once glancing at the night sky since the two of you sat down.
He continues, "..Even if you turned into a man-eating demon and tried to eat me," He says, "I can't promise that we would be together in that life, but in the afterlife, I'd do everything in my power to make you the happiest person in the world."
You hadn't realized it until he moved his hand from your waist and started rubbing at your cheeks that you had started crying. Even when you did realize it, you didn't do anything besides let the tears fall because even if you wanted to wipe away the tears, you had long lost feeling in your arms to do so.
In the end, you smother your face into his haori, not caring that you suddenly felt the cool scales of Kaburamaru as he wrapped himself snugly—but not too tightly—around your neck.
"Thank you.." You sniveled as your tears wet his shoulder, "Thank you so much for loving me, Obanai.."
"Thank you for allowing me to love you, Y/n," He said back as he let you stain his shoulder with your tears.
"Awh, don't cry, pretty girl.. Not over me," You cooed as your fingers ran through the pink of Mitsuri's hair. She was hunched over on the bedside, face in your lap and her fat, wet tears dripping down her stained cheeks—passing the moles under her eyes that you love to kiss—and splashing onto your kimono.
She had worked so hard trying to mentally prepare herself for tonight, but when she entered the room and saw your tired, smiling face staring back at her, she broke down.
There was still so much she wanted to do with you! So many dates she wanted to take you on! So many foods she wanted to cook and try with you! So many firsts she still hasn't been able to take from you and so many firsts you haven't had the time to take from her! So many memories she still wanted to make with you!
Why can't she be given just a little more time with her sweetheart? She gets that this sacrifice was a necessary one and she wouldn't be here otherwise if it weren't for you pushing yourself the extra mile and saving her, but she can't help the sinking feeling of regret that drags her heart down to her stomach by a chain of sorrow at the thought of you leaving..
"I- I'm..so sorry.." She managed to say between sobs, "I'm.. I'm sorry...I.."
"Sorry for what, honey?' You asked her in a tender tone, "You haven't done anything wrong."
"I.. I.." She takes a moment, unable to form a proper sentence without choking on her own sobs, "I'm sorry for being such a horrible wife!" Now, you certainly weren't expecting that out of all things..
Your brows furrow as your hand stills in her hair, "You aren't a bad wife, honey," You said, trying your best to sound firm despite the slight tremor in your voice from exhaustion.
"Yes, I am!" She wailed, "I haven't been able to do anything for you! You.. You were always the one caring for me and I haven't been able to fulfill any of your needs or do anything you should be proud of!"
"Hey, hey, hey," You shushed, "Look at me..please," And she listens immediately like a puppy at your beck and call. She lifts her head, her big green eyes puffy and filled to the brim with tears despite the constant stream that flows down her pink, warmed cheeks.
"You are an amazing wife, alright? Marrying you was the best thing to ever happen to me," You told her, putting a slight pause between each word to better emphasize your statement. You used your fingers to urge her to come closer and she complies, inching closer until she's close enough so that you could cup her face.
"You simply waking up and smiling at me everyday is enough for me. Seeing you happy and healthy is enough for me, do you understand me?" You asked, the shake in your voice getting worse, "You've done everything to satisfy me. If anything, I should apologize to you for not granting your wishes."
What are you talking about? There's no way you seriously think that, right?
"No! Don't apologize!" Suddenly pushing herself up with her arms, her face suddenly got so close to yours that you had to move your had back so that you two didn't accidentally bump heads, "My wish was to marry someone who'd love me for me.. Wh-.. Who'd love my freakish strength and my weird hair color and my abnormal appetite and you've done that better than anyone ever could!" As she talks, her cool tears drip onto your warm hands and scatter upon contact, "You've made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world and you've spoiled me at every turn! You've made my life feel like it was worth living, so please—!" She moves forward, wrapping her arms around your neck and putting her tearful face into your shoulder, "Don't downplay your hard work! I can't bear you doing that after you've given me so much to me!"
And with that, she crumbles all over again on your shoulder, and to your surprise, you do too. As her grip loosens and she slides down your body, ending with her head at your lap once again and bawling into it, you felt your eyes welling up with tears.
"Mitsuri.." Your throat began to ache from trying to keep your voice steady as your bottom lip began tremble. You tried to control yourself further by slapping your hand over your mouth to muffle a sob that threatened to slip from your lips, but your tears rolled from your eyes without your permission and down your hand, dripping onto your beloved before you could catch them with your other hand..
In the end, a particularly loud hiccup sounded your defeat and you bowed your head. Your hands sliding over your face as you cried with the former Love Hashira who you are grateful to call your spouse in this life.
"It's been a while since I've seen that expression on your face," You said as you gazed up at the prettiest woman you've ever laid your eyes on. Her thin brows dipped and wrinkling her smooth, porcelain-like skin just like the thin line she made with her lips, which you notice twitch just a tad at your comment.
She doesn't say anything to retort what you said. Not a witty remark or sarcastic, irritated utterance or a flowery deflection leaving her pink-painted lips. She simply gazes down in silence, her polished thumb rubbing lines into the back skin of your hand in a steady motion. It causes your eyes to frown and otherwise droop as you realize that your simple attempt at relieving the tense atmosphere in the room has failed.
"Shinobu," You call, "Can you smile for me?" And she listens, her brows lifting just like her lips as they form into that perfect smile that took her years to perfect. Just the sight of it makes you frown.
"Not like that. I want to see a genuine smile.." You mutter and just like that, her smile drops and her brows knit together once again. This time, though, it's all brought together by the vein flexing on her forehead.
"How am I suppose to do that when my wife is dying in front of me?" She asks, voice quiet and complimented by a vexed tone. In the past, you always hated when she got mad at you. Seeing her so visibly irked was frightening, even more so when it was directed at you..
But right now, hearing her angry tone and seeing her infuriated expression brought you nothing but comfort and caused your smile to return. She notices it and it pushes her to ask you in an exasperated tone, "How can you do that?"
You blink, confused "Do what?"
"Smile," She tells you, "You of all people know what's about to happen, but you still smile at me.."
"What's wrong with that? Can't I smile at the woman I fell head over heels for until I stop breathing?" You egg on and that little nudge is all she needs to be pushed over the edge and for her to explode and for tears of pure frustration to fill her eyes.
"Stop joking around!" Her voice comes out raised and aggressive, like an angry dog ready to attack someone. She must've realized that, because she grits her teeth and sucks in a breath. Taking a few seconds to collect herself a little before continuing. Her voice was still brimming with anger, but sounding more controlled.
"You're going to die any minute now. Don't you understand that? You're going to pass away and leave everything behind..you're going to leave me alone here.. You know all of that, yet you still smile at me without a hint of regret or sadness, and I'm sorry, but I can't stand looking at you like that!"
"Why would I have regrets?" You ask, "I achieved all my goals and did everything I wanted to do in this lifetime. Kibutsuji is dead. There are no more demons terrorizing the innocent. And, I was able to live the rest of my years surrounded by the ones I love and cherish. I even got the bonus of becoming a Kocho and marrying the woman of my dreams," You say, rubbing at your finger as the ring on it flashes in the moonlight that shines down through the singular window in the room, "What's there to regret?"
"What about the fact that everything is coming to an end? You won't be here to make memories with me or any of your friends or family?" As the tears fall down her cheeks, Shinobu finds herself balling her hands into fists. She despised crying, especially when in the presence of others, but she couldn't control herself. Like an immature little kid, she couldn't control her emotions and her boiled blood all the more because of it.
"I'll always be here, even if it's not physically," You told her softly and she starts matching your tone, although the agitation in hers is still so apparent.
"Be serious for one second, Y/n," She snapped, only for you to follow up with, "I've been serious this entire time, love."
Then her tone raises again, "No, you haven't!" And then it falls again as she lets out an embarrassing choke, "T- There's..no way you have. How could you possibly be fine with this?"
"Because I know that as long as the people I love are still here to remember me and value that time I spent with them, I'll never truly die.. At least..not in their eyes," You tell her, ignoring the fact that Shinobu is starting to become harder and harder to see by the second.
Shinobu sobs and chokes die down after a while. By that time, your eyelids started feeling like paper weights; unbearably heavy. You tried to play it off by blinking slowly, but your wife caught on quickly. She could tell you were hitting your limit and you thought that'd it make her anger spike again or cause her another breakdown, but neither happened. Instead she surprised you by curling her lips upwards. Her eyes were red from crying and you couldn't see it well, but the corner of her brows twitched. Her cheeks was also stained pink, likely from embarrassment of having broke down in front of someone, even if that someone was her own wife.
To put it frankly, she was a mess with a smile painted over it. But it was genuine and from the heart and that was enough to satisfy you.
The afternoon glow of the sky shone down on you as you stuck your hand, which had a handful of rice in it, out to a dog. Sanemi watched, looking like a little kid experiencing their first crush, as the dog barely hesitated to come closer and begin liking at your hand.
The scene was like a painting come to life. You were all dressed up in an expensive kimono he bought you. Your hair was styled in a way to match your attire and to frame your face, which was powdered in elegant, nice-looking makeup. And, you had a smile on your face as you gave the dog a similar look a mother would give her child while rocking them to sleep in her arms.
That thought reminded him of how he could never bring himself to make you a mother. How he feared that he wouldn't be able to bear the sight of your child, who'd undoubtedly resemble you in some kind of way, after your passing. Or, how he feared he'd accidentally end up just like his monstrous, asshole of a father and you'd stare at him with the same fright in your eyes as his mother did to his father.
He's not cut out to be a dad. Never was. And it's a shame because Sanemi knows you'd make an excellent mother. Thinking about it puts a bad taste in his mouth and in an attempt to rid himself of those thoughts, he huffs out a sigh and runs his fingers through his hair. He can't risk thinking of something so disheartening and make himself sad. You proposed taking a walk around to clear his head of such thoughts after all and he doesn't want your efforts to go to waste.
"Sanemi," He blinks. How long were you calling his name? He stares at you once again and this time, you're turned and staring over your shoulder at him, who's sat on the steps, your hand now running through the dog's fur. Your smile is still there, but your eyes are dimmed with concern. The sight makes him feel guilty as it dawns on him that he probably worried you.
"Are you alright?" You asked and he responds to you quickly, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Maybe it was because of how fast he answered you, but you didn't seem convinced. You kept staring at him with a woeful, skeptical look and it broke him, so he rephrases his previous statement, "I was just..thinking about stuff."
"What kind of stuff?" You asked, your hand leaving the dog's at last and getting up from your crouched position in front of the dog, "Want to talk about it?"
"No," He replied, but you walked up to him and sat beside him on the steps anyways and he sighs and says, "I promise it's nothing. Today is your day, so let's do something that focuses on you."
He sees your smile widen, and he finds himself unable to keep eye contact with a work of art such as yourself. He looks away from you, the tips of his ears beginning to burn. He then hears that addicting laugh of yours and he feels his heart thrumming in his chest. Gosh, you were going to be the death of him..
"You're such a sweetheart," No he isn't, was what he wanted to say but decided against it to spare both of you an unnecessary argument. It's a known fact that he's the farthest thing from sweet. That said, when he's in your presence, he can't help but be overly gentle with you. He can't help but touch and caress you as if you were made of priceless gemstones. He can't help but pamper you like you're some kind of princess. That's probably why your perception of him is so skewed compared to others.
You are the only person alive who has that perception of him. You are the only person alive who can set his skin ablaze with something as simple as a poke of your finger. You are the only person alive who'd devote your limited time on making him feel the way you have. You are the only person alive who still saw him a kind light while whispering endearments and kissing him and feeling him years ago when many people around him saw him as a monster.
..And someone so kind, so caring, so compassionate..will no longer be in this world soon. You, who always looked at him like he was the most precious thing in the world will soon perish because you disregarded your own wellbeing during the war and gave your all to bring an end to that abomination named Muzan Kibutsuji.
"Y/n.." He calls, still not looking at you. You hum, waiting on him to continue. Certainly not expecting him to ask, "Would you be willing to waste another lifetime loving me?"
A silence grew between you two and Sanemi would be lying if he said that it didn't hurt not hearing a response from you. He expected it though.
"I don't have much to offer you in this life and I wouldn't be surprised if the same goes for the next. I also can't promise I'll act any better. ..Tch, there's a better chance that I'll be more of a prick in my next life—"
"I would," He grows silent, finally turning his head towards you so that he could look you in the eyes. So that he could scan your facial expression. So that he could find proof that you were lying in your statement just now. But, he doesn't find anything of the sorts and it makes him feel sick—repulsed—at how giddy he feels at the realization that you're dead serious.
"Although, I don't think it'd be a waste of a life," You continued as an afterthought, taking mind to the way he wraps his fingers around the hand that you are leaning on and being as delicate as always as he peels it away from the ground so that he could hold it in his hand.
"If you act even a little like you do now in your next life, I wouldn't mind spend all of eternity with you," He brings your hand up to his face, planting a kiss to the back of your hand before he presses the back of your hand to his forehead and tells you..
"..Thank you for being kind enough..to choose me again."
"You look radiating," He told you. It didn't make your frown turn upside down or even budge as you stared at yourself, sat in a wheelchair; a thick, flowery blanket draped over your legs to keep them warm—not that you could really feel the warmth. Sometime after your 23rd birthday, you stopped feeling the lower half of your body.
"I used to look radiating," You muttered dryly, your only functional eye moving to scrutinize every little scar and wrinkle that ruined your skin. Looking at them made your frown deepened as well as huff out a loud, long, breathy sigh; one that sounded just as tired as you looked in the mirror..
"I don't know why you still wanted me after the war. Look at me.."
"Okay!" Kyojuro said from behind you and just like he's told, his golden, fiery eyes give you a good, long look through the mirror. As the seconds turn into minutes, you find your face heating up. You were ashamed of yourself. Your once smooth skin was littered in painfully permanent cracks, bruises, and blemishes that were caused by mistakes against powerful demons. Your face had more wrinkles than a grandmother despite the fact that you were only in your mid-twenties. Your lips had scars so deep and dark that even the brightest-colored lipstick couldn't hide them.
To put it in simple terms, the sight of yourself made you want to barf.
"I've did what you wanted," He finally says, "Do you know what I see?"
"An ugly, disgusting hag?" You finish for him and you hear a gentle, warm laugh from behind you. It makes a wave of embarrassment ride through the ocean of your stomach. You were being laughed at by your husband. It was humiliating, but you didn't blame him. I mean, you were hideous in your eyes. You probably looked a thousand times worse to other people..
"I see a woman with beautiful eyes that shine like the sun whenever she's happy or proud or upset. A woman who's personality makes me laugh and feel loved and proud. A woman with lips softer than the clouds in the sky even though the words that come out of them usually aren't nearly as fluffy. A woman who's body I always fantasize holding and protecting no matter the attire that covers it. The woman who'd kick me on my butt during a spar and then fret for hours over me getting a tiny cut from chopping vegetables.."
"Y/n, I know that we don't see the same thing, but if I could give you my sight, I know that even you would grow flush from how absolutely breathtaking you are in my eyes."
"Stop," You snap, your head hung low, "Stop," You repeat, but your voice sounds more fragile; like glass cracking bit by bit.
"Stop what?" He crouches down and then slides over so that he's on his knees by your side. His smile is as bright as it was when you first met him all those years ago, "Stop praising my wife?"
"Yes because your wife looks like a freak of nature! A- A demon! A—!"
"—A woman who worked hard and gave her all and pushed past her limits so that me, my family, my friends, and the rest of the world could live in peace," He finishes and then continues, "A woman who sacrificed so much to make sure that no one has to suffer by the hands of a demon ever again.." As he spoke, admiration drips into his voice like sweet honey, "A woman I am honored to call my wife; you."
"Shut up!" You said as you shattered completely, tears filling your eyes without your permission, "Shut up.. Shut up.." You wept.
"I.. I'm not.." And in that moment, something else broke inside of you and you couldn't utter another word. Tears, snot—everything rolled violently down your face and in a pathetic attempt to hide that sight from the world, both of your hands come up to cover your face. And without missing a beat, Kyojuro, smiling from ear to ear, wraps his big, warm arms around you and encases your frail, upper half..
"I love you, Y/n. It truly was, and is, an honor to be your husband."
"What am I going to do, Y/n?" He found himself asking as he gazed up at you from where he laid in your lap. He had been, understandably, anxious and upset all day and to prevent him from wallowing in that sadness until your inevitable demise, you asked him to lay his head down in your lap and allow you to stroke his hair.
"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. My life was a pathetic mess before I met you.." He shamelessly admits, "I'm nothing without you.."
"I'm positive that you'll be okay," You reassure, or at least, you try to. The look he gives you after you say that makes it clear that your words didn't make him feel better at all.
"Zenitsu, you may find it hard to believe, but you're a strong person. Why else do you think I'm so calm right now?" You ask, and he doesn't say anything as he's unable to find the right words to refute you. It's a step in the right direction, you think.
"I think my husband is more than able to fill my place when I'm gone. I know whatever decision he'll make without me will be from the best intentions. He'll be able to keep our family afloat, protected, and feeling loved and that's all I wish for," You continued, hoping to really drive your words into his head and ease his spirit. Alas, you should've known that Zenitsu will always find a way to be pessimistic whenever it came to himself.
"You overestimate me. I could never replace you," He mumbles, "Compared to you, I'm- Ow!" He sucks in a sharp wince through his teeth and his hand comes up to cover the top of his head which was now in pain. You had landed a firm flick to the center top of his head and to say that it hurt like a bitch would be an understatement.
"You underestimate yourself," You retort. Your hands peeling his away so that you could gently comb your fingers through that area of his scalp as if to nonverbally apologize. He accepts the apology quickly and his hands go back to fiddling with each other atop his stomach.
"I just..don't get what you see in me.." He finally confesses, "I'm overjoyed that you were willing to marry me and even have my kids. It's just..I don't see why you'd do that.." And you sigh at him and he sees you shake your head.
"Hopefully you will eventually.." You say as you lean down. Zenitsu eyes fall close involuntarily and after a moment, he feels you brush aside his hair and press your lips to his forehead. Even when you part from him, he could still feel tingles..
As you straighten your position and gaze down at your husband once again, you can't help but chuckle at the sight of him looking up at you with his face sparkling in a strawberry blush and his pupils glowing with his love for you. There's also the silly look of his bangs being pushed away to reveal the big red kiss-shaped stain in the center that really pulls the sight together.
He looked like an idiot in love, which I guess isn't too far from the truth.
"My wish is that one day, you'll be able to look in the mirror and see what I've seen for almost an entire decade; a tough, talented, stunning man with a personality like no one I've ever seen and a heart of gold to boot."
"How are you feeling?" Kanae asked, sitting at your bedside. The question earns a grin from you.
"However one is supposed to feel when they're about to die," You replied and you notice your girlfriend's expression change to one of realization to a more abashed look.
"I'm sorry, that was a pointless question.." She mumbled and your shoulders shook a little from you trying to control your laughter.
"No, no. It's okay, love. You were just trying to make sure I was comfortable," You said before patting the bed, "Now, c'mon. I wanna lay with you one last time."
Her smile drops completely at that. One last time..right. This will be the last time you two will be able to do this..or do anything together. Her teeth grits behind her lips at the thought. She won't be able to spend anymore time with you. No more dates or little walks or tending to the garden together. When you're gone, that'll be the end of all of that..
It's hard to accept, but not accepting it would be immature and that's the last thing she is. And so, although reluctant, she gets up, crawls into bed, and lays by your side. You waste no time in pulling her closer until her chest hits yours and you're able to lean your head into her shoulder.
There's a silence for a while as you simply take the time to breathe in her scent. She always smelled so nice, like the flowers she grows in the garden. It's light, not too potent, but addictively sweet.
"Man, this sucks," You murmur, "Dying just before the big battle.. How unlucky is that?" She seriously couldn't believe you and she couldn't help but show it on her face for a moment. You were about to die and what you're upset about..is not being able to fight against Kibutsuji? It leaves a bad taste in her mouth knowing that in the end, you're thinking of someone like him instead of..
No. Perish the thought, Kanae. Thoughts like that are selfish and infantile. As a demon slayer, you of all people should understand that feeling of discontentment.
"Forgive me for saying this, but I'm actually glad that you'll have to opt out of this fight," She says and you hum as your interest is peaked, "And why is that? Because you don't want me to get hurt?" You ask and she nods against you.
"Of course," She says and you huff at how dumb your question was. You then mumble out, "Right.."
Silence envelopes the room once again like an awkward hug. Neither of you knew what to say. There were things you could say, but since you were both trying to avoid sobbing into each others' arms for the rest of the night, neither of you said them aloud. On the other hand, trying to force this half-assed casual conversation doesn't feel the best..
And so, you let out a shaky breath in an attempt to quell your nerves as you whisper to her, "I'm scared, Kanae.. I don't want to die.."
And her grip around you tightens as she whispers back, "I'm scared too. But, it's okay if we're both scared because that means we can comfort each other for the rest of the night,"
You can feel her hands trembling on your thigh and you crane your neck so that you can get a full glance at her smile which poorly covered her nervous expression in the darkness. Seeing it kind of felt like a breath of fresh air..
"I'd like that.." You said in the end, "I'd like that a lot.."
Dividers were made by me, pictures used are from Pinterest, post formatting is inspired by @xxsabitoxx
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