Sorry about the long wait but heres pt.4, and I loved writing this part please share your thoughts. Thank you for your patience 💗.
2,148 words
Monday arrived quickly and as you all made your way into AMMO headquarters everyone seemed to be in a good mood.
“So how was it?” Rita asked.
“Eventful.” You replied while making your way to your desk.
“Damm no details, you don’t even want to elaborate?” Rita said.
“No or at least not right now, maybe during lunch.” You commented.
“Fine but you better keep your word.” She said before picking up some files.
As the day went by, you luckily hadn’t encountered Armando. You saw him walk by a few times and then get called upstairs for something. Everyone watched as he got up and left. Kelly looked towards you, raising her eyebrows, you simply shrugged your shoulders and went back to your station.
“Okay, guys, Y/N and I are going out for lunch. We will see you all shortly,” Rita said, grabbing her keys.
You grabbed your bag and headed towards the door.
“Rita, Y/n where y’all going?” Asked Mike.
“To run some errands,” Rita responded.
“Okay, whatever. Y/N, we start training today at 6, don't forget.” He reminded you before walking off.
Skip to lunch
"Wait, so you guys kissed on the same night he disappeared from the house?” Rita asked, trying to understand.
“Yes, that's exactly what happened and now I’m not sure what to do. I can either ask him what’s wrong which I feel will make me look obsessive, or I can just pretend it never happened.” You say before taking a sip of your lemonade.
“It’s weird but if you like him ask him if you don’t then treat this as a small one-time hookup.” She added while staring out into the street.
“Rita, are you ok you keep staring off?” You state while trying to get her attention.
“I don’t know, do you ever get the feeling you’re being watched, I feel like that right now and my intuition usually doesn’t lie?” Rita explained.
“We can go if you want, just give me a second while I get Kelly’s order. I’ll meet you at the car.” You said before getting up.
You walked towards the register and waited in line while they finished the order. Some girl walked past you and dropped her card holder.
You tried to get her attention but she didn’t turn around, you ended up losing her in a crowd so you looked through the cards trying to find some sort of identification.
Her name was Rosanne Cabral, you admired her picture for a second and then looked for any useful information. You then found her address on her driver's license, and decided that you would go drop it off at her mailbox.
You picked up Kelly’s order and made your way to the car.
“What took so long?” Rita asked.
“They were understaffed.” You replied lying.
You didn’t want to lie to Rita but she was on edge and you didn’t want her to worry more. It was an act of kindness nothing bad could come from it.
——————————————————————
You arrived at the gym a little bit earlier than Mike and started stretching before warming up. Once Mike got there you both got started.
“Okay today we are going to train a little easy for the test so let’s start with push-ups until failure, then we’ll move into the 1.5-mile run practice and we’ll finish up with some pull-ups,” Mike said with an enthusiastic clap.
“Mike, I thought you were preparing me for the test, not war.” You said dramatically.
“Your test is in like 3 weeks. By the end of next week, I’ll have you ready but you need to follow my plan and stick to the routine.” He replies.
“Plus everything you do I’ll be doing along with you.” He said trying to motivate you.
You started up well but by your 30th push, you gave up. Mike just kept going, then during the 1.5 mile run Mike stayed behind you pushing you to go faster which made you hit your time for your mile.
For the pull-ups, you only got to 15 as you were exhausted by then. Mike looked at you as you laid on the floor.
“Girl that was nothing, you being dramatic.” He said while taking a sip from his water.
“Mike, I'm more of a yoga girl, I'm not a gym rat.” You explain while taking a sip from your water.
“Y/n I’m just messing with you, but your mile timing is good, and we will work on the rest. That’s what I’m here for.” He noted trying to encourage you.
“Thank you Mike but I’m debating about taking that test, we have enough people I don’t need to be out there.” You explained.
“What if one day the whole team is in danger, you’re going to have to go out there eventually.” He remarked trying to talk some sense into you.
“You’re right but that’s a what-if thing, I don’t think you all will ever let that happen.” You said.
You both started walking out towards the parking lot. You noticed Armando’s motorcycle still parked at the other end of the parking lot.
“Christine is making dinner tonight. Do you want to come over for dinner?” Mike asked while placing his bag in his trunk.
“Mike you know I never turn down dinner but…” He cut you off before you could finish.
“Great, we will see you there shortly,” he said before getting in his car and driving off.
You decided to just go in your gym outfit since you didn’t plan to stay for long. And you still had to go drop off the wallet too.You made it there 10 minutes after Mike got there, and by then they had set the table and were waiting on you.
“Hi Christine I’m sorry for dropping in your plans at the last minute, but Mike insisted I come for dinner.” You said before hugging her.
“Y/n you’re such a sweetheart, of course I don’t mind you coming for dinner.” She replied while leading you to a seat.
“Did you want to wait until Armando gets here?” Christine asked Mike before setting him up a plate on the table.
“He’s coming late, we can start without him.” He replied.
You felt relieved to hear that, your goal right was to leave before Armando got there.
Dinner flowed well and you all conversed about day-to-day life, your family, and other things. As you all finished Christine started clearing all the plates from the table, and before you went over to help Mike asked you something.
“So Y/n… still no boyfriend?” Mike asked in a curious tone.
You wiped your mouth and responded, “Sometimes our job makes it hard to settle down.”
“Come on Y/n be real with me. You and I know some people in the AMMO squad have had their eye on you, and not only just there.” Mike said.
“The only thing I know you might be referring to is the Louis thing, and honestly that was embarrassing.” You replied denying most things he implied.
“As far as I can see you have some good options. You have Rafe who’d do anything for you, Louis who just happens to be the mayor’s son, and a little somebody I know.” He said with a smile.
“Rafe and I are more platonic than anything, Louis has his head too far up his ass because his dad is mayor, and I don’t know who else you might be referring to. Now if you’ll excuse i’ll go help clean up.” You said before getting up to help Christine clear the dishes.
You helped her clear the dishes and wipe down the table. After that, you started getting ready to leave, and as you said goodbye to Christine and made your way over to Mike he offered to walk you out.
“My bad if I was being too nosy, and overstepped some boundaries Y/n.” He said apologetically.
“Mike it’s ok you have been like a father figure to me ever since I started this job, so I understand where you are coming from.” You clarified.
“Father figure..me? I’m honored. But just remember you’re always welcome to come by.” He said.
You hugged him and made your way to your car. As you walked closer to your car you noticed that Armando had just arrived. He took his helmet off and got off the bike, still not noticing you there.
You gathered your courage and went up to him.
“Hey, Armando.” You said trying to get his attention.
“Y/n” He replied, still not looking at you.
“How have you been?” You asked, trying to ease up into what you wanted to ask.
“Busy.” He replied now, finally turning to face you.
“Umm yeah definitely, I was wondering why did you leave Saturday night?” You asked.
“Had something I needed to take care of.” He replied dryly.
“Oh ok I was just wondering, but I do have something else to ask. I don't know how to say this but I’ll just try to spit it out. “ You explained while trying to put your words together.
He simply stared at you implying for you to talk.
“I just wanted to know where we stood after last weekend.” You asked trying to keep yourself together, and not let your nerves show.
“It was a kiss and we will both get over it. You should just go on and forget that anything ever happened, " he replied, seeming annoyed by the question.
Your throat felt dry and your eyes started to string with the feeling of tears you were holding back.
You managed to keep yourself together and respond,” Oh ok Yeah maybe it is for the best.”
After that, you both stared at each other for a few seconds. But then just you made your way into your car, and he walked up the driveway and into Mike’s house.
Once he was out of sight, you started to lightly cry and started driving away. After a few minutes of driving, you pulled over on the side of the road and wiped your face. You sat and thought about it all, but what bothered you the most was how it just changed all of a sudden
How one day you were both trying to open up to each other and he’s just saying it’s best if you both forget everything.You took a deep breath out and tried to calm yourself down, but then you remembered that you still had the cardholder.You decided to drop it off before going home. The drive would help you clear your head and would also keep you from going home and sulking in your bed.
The drive took around 20 minutes from the side of town you were on. By the time you arrived, it was a little over 9:30 and the street was a empty.
It was a nice apartment building, but because the mailbox access was private you had to go to the apartment itself.
You walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, a girl opened the door.
“Hi, can I help you?” She asked.
“Hi you dropped this earlier today and I saw it on the floor but when I tried to get your attention I don‘t think you heard me. I did have to look at your license to get here so I hope you don’t mind.” You explained.
“Oh my god thank you so much you’re a lifesaver, but it’s all good at least you got it back to me.” She said, expressing her thanks to you.
“No problem.” You responded before almost turning around to leave.
“How can I repay you?” She asked before you could leave the front of her door.
“No, there's no need.” You said trying to kindly deny her generous offer.
“No, I insist I’m new here in Miami and it’s been a rough start. Please let me at least invite you to brunch or something.” She said insistently .
“I’ll accept your invitation but only because I know how hard it can be to make new friends here in Miami. But this is not you repaying me because it is not necessary.” You said finally accepting.
You then gave her your number, and before you left you realized you hadn’t gotten her name.
“I’m sorry but I never got your name?” You asked before leaving.
“It’s Rosanne but I go by Rose.” She replied.
“Ok then just let me know for brunch and I’ll get back to you.” You said.
“Ok, I will thank you so much.” She said before going back in.
You walked back to your car and got in. It was only monday but the week had just started off strong.
a/n: anddddd we've got a part two. damn. I'm really down bad.
this takes place six months after the first part. still following then fix-it Fanon I've got going on: Armando didn't kill the chief, he's working on reducing his jail time, his and Mike are trying to get their father/son shit together.
SIX MONTHS LATER
The bullets whizzed past you at the speed of light. You were never scared when dealing with things like this. Being shot at, having slim chances, the odds probably being stacked against you at this very moment.
But this feels different.
All those other times you didn't have anything to lose.
Even though, you don't have anything to lose now. At least you don't think so.
You reach over your shoulder at the open wound. You wince as quietly as you can with all the pain you're feeling. The blood wasn't coming out as strong as before but you still needed to get out of here and get treated.
One of the guards shooting at you tells his men to halt. The bullets stop and you can hear the casings rolling onto the floor. You hear them reload their guns. You close your eyes.
"If you tell us everything you know, we can make this less painful for you." the guard yells out.
You hardly believed that. And even if you did, it didn't secure your freedom. You weren't about to turn on anyone to save your own ass. You never done it before, why start now?
"Come out with your hands up." the guard shouts at you.
Not gonna happen.
You quietly check the gun in your hand. You have about half a clip left. You'd have to be wise. Get a couple shots in, grab another gun from one of them. Mark an exit. Get the hell out of dodge.
"You asked for this. Light her up-" the guard yells.
"Wait hold on, are we seriously not gonna try to get the information?" another voice asks.
You know that voice. You'd know that voice anywhere. That's Marcus.
"Can you shut the hell up?" another voice says.
Mike. That was Mike.
You let out a shaky breath. Right then you start smiling to yourself. You reach up to touch your lips in disbelief.
"The two of you done?" the guard from before asks.
There's a long beat before they answer quickly.
"I'm done. You good?" Marcus asks.
"I'm good. Let's light it up." Mike says.
And all at once you hear gunfire again. You know it's them. You can hear the grunts and groans of the other guards. And you can hear the bodies falling to the ground.
The guard in charge yells that the two of them are traitors and to fire on them. You jump up and try to assess the situation. Mike and Marcus have their masks off. Great that would make it easier for you to know who not to shoot.
You take out four men quickly and duck back down. Your arm roaring in pain.
The adrenaline is wearing off. The gun fire is still going off when you hear a loud sound. You turn around to find the source. The locked gate behind you, no longer locked.
There he stood in all his glory. Armando.
In his own version of a tactical suit. His arms are out and he's not wearing a mask. You can't believe how happy you are to see him. You hold onto your wounded arm and get off the floor.
It happens quickly.
As soon as you're standing with your back straight, you feel another shot go through your shoulder. It almost knocks you off your feet.
You watch Armando's eyes go wide. His hand was already on his gun. So the next thing you see is him line up a shot behind you and take it.
Then he's right in front of you. His hands on your hips. You think to yourself that this is the first time he's touched you. With intention. You hold onto his arms as you steady yourself.
"There's a car waiting, come on." he says.
You nod your head and walk in lock step with him. Well, you try your best.
As soon as you reach outside, the hot sun and the humidity of it all hits you. And you don't feel your feet walking anymore. How could you?
Armando sweeps you off your feet, right into his arms. The switching of positions for your arm hurts. You muffle a groan and hold onto him with your good arm.
He jogs over to the Jeep, and opens the door without having to move you. Then he's laying you out in the backseat. He's quick to shut the door and get into the driver's seat.
That's when things get blurry. You don't quite remember what happened after that.
Armando does. He drove like a bat out of hell. Weaving bullets and other cars. Trying his best not to get you hurt in the process.
He could see your eyes drooping in and out. He had adjusted the mirror as soon as he got into the car to keep an eye on you. He tried talking to you, to keep you awake.
You barely answered him. Only in half mumbles and soft hums.
Once he was in the clear he headed to the safe site the feds had provided. There was a medical team waiting on him when he got there. Mike or Marcus no doubt called it in.
He got out of the car as the medical team opened the backseat and started working on you. One of them lifted you out of the car as another readied a stretcher.
There was a mask over your face. A needle being injected into your wrist with an IV bag attached to the other side.
Armando made sure to keep up with the team rolling you inside but not get in their way. His heart skipped beat when you got shot. He saw it happen but he should have prepared for it.
Why didn't he think of it?
The medical team rolls you into a makeshift room. One of the federal officers keeps Armando out. He can see though the plastic tent though. So he stands there, with his arms crossed over his chest.
Hoping he had brought you here in time. Hoping that he didn't just watch your last moments.
-
2 WEEKS LATER
You adjust the sling on your shoulder as the prison guard tells you the visitor rules. You're half wanting to just tell him it's a conjugal visit to get him off your back.
But you nod and verbal agree to follow the rules.
The guard opens the door with several keys. Which you think is pretty excessive, but you say nothing about. You watch as he opens the door and parts to let you in.
You thank him and walk inside.
He's in his cell, on the floor. He's doing push-ups. You could laugh. Mike said that you'd probably catch him during his work out. Apparently it's one of the only things he likes to do in his cell.
He no doubt heard the door open. Why he didn't stop was beyond you.
You clear your throat and he stops mid-way. He pushes off the floor and faces you. He stops in his tracks, almost like he wasn't expecting you.
Well, it's not like you called ahead to let him know you'd be here.
"Hi." he says.
You're taken back. You weren't really expecting him to just say hi to you. He did after all save your life. You thought he'd rub it in your face, or make some quick remark about you owing him a favor.
You don't know why just one word from him is making you nervous. With a quick swallow down of the lump in your throat you walk a little closer to his cell.
"Hey." you say back.
"How's the arm?" he asks.
You look over at the sling that currently resides on your arm. You roll your eyes.
"I could've done without being shot and this totally ruins all my outfits but I'll live." you joke.
You can see the start of a smile on his face. You take another step closer. He leans against the gate of the cell, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I'm glad. But what exactly brings you here?"
You clear your throat, "I never got to thank you. For saving my life. I woke up in the hospital and you weren't there."
"I'm sorry. I had somewhere to be." he points around the cell.
You snicker a little, "I know. Which is why I figured I would do you a favor."
"You don't have to-" he starts.
"I want to."
He smiles fully now, looking you up and down. On purpose. You have no doubt that Armando can look at you fully without making it look obvious. But then again, it wouldn't be him.
"What'd you got in mind, querida?"
-
THE NEXT NIGHT
Armando is sitting in the booth all the way in the back of the cafe. You, with your sling over your leather jacket, walk all the way to the back. Your good hand carrying the file folder.
You slide into the booth, trying you best not to let out a wince at the move. Some things were still hard for you. Even though physical therapy was going well.
"Shit I didn't think about your arm, we can sit somewhere else." Armando says, already trying to get up from his seat without asking.
"Oh sit the hell down. I'm already sitting." you say.
He sits back in his seat without another remark. Which makes you wonder why but you rationalize that it's because your injured that he's going easy on you. You guess the sling isn't that bad.
"I've got a way for you to finish off the rest of your sentence." you say.
You slide the folder over the table to him. He look at you then the folder. Then he takes the folder and opens it. His fingers flip the pages, his eyes scanning them rapidly.
"coches, armas, drogas...this won't be easy." he says.
You tilt your head, "I didn't think you'd back down from this. Well, if you want maybe I can snag a few lower tier cases. Might take us a while to get you out but..."
He looks right at you then In your eyes.
"Us?" he asks.
You give him a credulous look, "That's what I said."
He hums. His eyes return to the file.
"You're still in a sling. How's that going to work?" he asks.
"You'll be muscle and I'll be brains." you answer.
The corner of his lip curls upward into a smirk. You can't help but smile at him. To stop yourself from smiling too much you reach for the glass of water.
You bring it to your lips and take a few gulps.
"This party that the target is going to be at is tonight. Who's doing recon?" he asks.
"You and me. My contacts are a bit hesitant to work with me in public." you comment.
Armando rolls his eyes, "That's not loyalty."
You shrug your shoulders and wince at the pain in your shoulder. Yes you got shot, no you weren't used to remembering that you couldn't use your shoulder like normal.
"Careful." Armando says.
"I understand why they don't wanna stick their necks out. I mean German let everyone know who I was." you reply.
Armando puts the file down. Completely. And he looks directly at you then.
"You should have gotten your way. I'm sorry about that."
"Not your fault. Just the way things happened. Besides there's always a chance I could." you say as you look out the dinner window.
The cars driving past on the local expressway. You had chosen this place to meet because of the distance from your target. Far enough to not draw any suspicion but close enough to get the job done.
"Still wanna killl him?"
You sigh, "thinking about it."
-
You don't know how you find yourself in these types of situations. Fresh off an injury and here you are, facing gunfire again.
The shattering of glass from the bar makes your heart race.
And that's when it happens. Everything around you goes in slow motion. The thousands of pieces of glass falling to the floor from the divider between you and the gunmen.
The strobe lights over head that cut between the dark. Flashes of pink and blue and green and yellow litter your body in different styles. You raise your hands over your head to protect it from the glass.
Not even a second later, Armando is grabbing you. He's tugging you down onto the ground, underneath a table. What he doesn't anticipate is how much weight he has to him. The both of you go tumbling to the floor.
He's laying on top of you. He cradles your head in his arms as the shots keep ringing out. You feel like you're in a movie or something. It can't be real.
You cannot be on the floor in the middle of a shootout and the only thing on your mind is Armando. Yes you found him attractive before but this is something different. Something a bit stronger.
He's pulling you up by your good arm and hauling ass out of the club.
The two of you work without saying anything to each other. You send some shots back to keep the two of you covered while Armando works on getting the two of you to a safe spot.
That's when you finally say something.
"The van. Make a right!" you shout.
Armando takes a sharp turn. The two of you run all the way to the middle of the street where the van is parked. You left it unlocked just incase things went south. How thankful you are for your contingency plan.
You and Armando let go of each other. You flank left tot he driver's side and he goes to the passenger side. Both of you open and close the doors at the same time.
With a quickness you grab the keys from the overhead compartment and put them in the ignition. As soon as you hear the engine turn over you punch the gas.
-
You hear Armando close the motel door behind you. You let out a sigh of relief as you fluff up your hair, trying to get the pieces of glass out.
"You got hurt." you hear him say.
You turn around confused as hell. You look down at the front of your body but you find nothing. Sure the mini dress you're wearing is torn at the sides but there's no blood. And you don't feel any pain.
Armando softly grabs your arm and maneuvers you to the bathroom. Not that you needed to be maneuvered any more tonight by him. Your brain couldn't handle his hands on you so much like this.
He flicks the light on and positions you in front of the mirror. He turns you to the side and holds your arm out so you can see it.
You can see the three small shards of glass sticking out of the back of your arm. You didn't even feel it. Huh. Must be all the adrenaline.
Before you can make some smart joke, Armando is checking you for any other injuries. Like actually checking you. He scans you with his eyes and lightly pats you down.
In your head you wonder how that worked for him. Was he going to feel the injury or see the blood on his hands?
"Get on the counter." he says.
But he's really not saying it like it's a request. It's an order. And you don't feel like disobeying at the moment. Your voice might betray you.
So you slide onto the counter.
He reaches underneath you into the counter. He pulls out a red box. First aid kit.
Armando opens the box and takes out all the supplies. He curses in spanish at the lack of them. Three alcohol pads. Two bandaids .An aspirin.
He motions for you to offer you arm. In order to do so, you have to turn a bit to the side. He crowds your space then. Turning the sink on and washing his hands. His face just a few inches from yours.
The sink turns off and then he looks right at you. Like in the eyes.
"I'm gonna take the glass out. No tweezers so bare with me." he warns you.
You can only nod. He gets the alcohol pads and bandaids ready, passes them to you so you can give it to him when he's done.
His thumb and pinter finger dig out the first piece of glass. Which isn't that bad. It's a small chunk, not that much damage. He drops it into the sink.
When he goes for the second chunk, you wince. It makes him stop.
"Lo siento, espera." he says.
He goes again. You shut your eyes and happen to lean your head down on the only surface in front of you and that happens to be his shoulder. He digs and gets the piece in between his fingers.
"Perdon, Perdon, just a little more." he whispers.
He pulls it out and you let out a groan. You can hear the chunk land into the sink. You don't have to see it to know it's big.
"Last one?" you ask.
"Si, estas haciendo bien." he answers.
You wince again when he nicks the piece with his fingers instead of grabbing it. But he grabs it after the first try.
"Respira," he says.
You take a deep breath in. And when you exhale he takes the piece of glass out in one pull. You ram your head even further into his shoulder.
He throws the final chunk into the sink. You open your eyes and move your head so that you can look at him. You're out of breath from the pain.
But you're still lucid enough to hand him the alcohol pad. He warns you in advance that it's going to burn but you don't really know how much until you feel it. The sting makes your body go rigid.
He has to hold onto your waist with his free hand to keep you still. He wipes down the cuts.
"Dame la tirita." he says.
You grab the bandaids and hand them over to him. He chuckles to himself at something. You're not sure what. But you can feel the warmth from his hand on your waist. It's making you more woozy than anything else.
You pick your head up from his shoulder.
"I didn't think I'd end up out of breath in a bathroom with you, but que sera right?" you joke.
He looks at you then, with a smile. The bandaids still in his hand. He doesn't say anything. He just smiles at you and then shakes his head. Like you never even said anything he goes back to placing the bandaid.
"This is the third time you've saved my life." you say.
He shrugs his shoulders like it's a normal thing. His fingers press the sticky sides of the bandaid down into your skin. You can feel his thumb brushing over it.
"Nothing smart to say?" you ask.
He shakes his head, "I know when to shut up."
"Yeah like when you were in the hospital with me after I got shot?" you ask.
He looks at you a bit taken back. You remember how he was only able to spend two nights there. After that he had to be brought back to his cell.
But oh how fun it was to hearts voice talk about meaningless things just to keep you company. Like how you may have gotten shot but one time his mom was cooking with oil on the stove and the pop of oil against his skin hurt worse.
"You remember that?" he asks you this time.
"Most of it. I was pretty loopy. But I got bits and pieces. Before you had to leave." you answer.
He hangs his head then. You wonder why for a moment. but he doesn't let you wonder for too long when he answers your unspoken question.
"So you heard my stupid schoolboy confession." he says.
Which was not what you were expecting. Because you definitely did not hear him confess anything while he sat by your bedside. On one hand you feel bad about letting him reveal it to you now when you didn't know.
But on the other hand... it does feel good to know that whatever your feeling isn't one-sided.
"You never said anything." he adds on.
You snap out of your thoughts. Okay, you couldn't let him think that you knew before this. His head is hung low like he's ready for rejection.
"That's because I didn't know." you answer honestly.
His head picks back up. He looks you in the eyes now. You can feel it in your belly.
"mi gran boca estúpido..." he mumbles under his breath. But because the two of you are the only ones in the small bathroom.
Deciding to take the man out of his misery you reach up slowly with your closest hand. You can feel the stumble growing on his cheeks and the sharp line of his jaw.
"I like your big stupid mouth." you say.
A smile creeps onto his lips. And you can't help the way that you end up smiling.
"Yeah?" he asks.
You nod your head slowly, staring to close the space between you two. You can feel his breath on your lips. The way his eyes flutter down to look at your lips drives you crazy.
"Yeah."
Armando closes the space between the two of you fully. Your lips meet in the middle. It's not a clash or a crash. It's gentle. Something you weren't expecting from him.
Then again, he defies you're every expectation.
You bring your arm up to wrap around his neck but you wince. Finally remembering that your arm was supposed to be in a sling. He pulls away from you all too quickly. You don't like it.
"Stop pouting, you're hurt." he says.
"I'll just take the aspirin. You can go back to what you were doing." you tease.
He hums a response to you. His lips chasing yours once again. His hand that was on your arm travels to your hip, where his other hand never left. You lean back against the bathroom mirror, and when he pushes against you to kiss you deeper you feel the heat in your chest.
You're really glad he decided to be a smart ass the first time you met him.
a/n: anddd he strikes again. when I said I was down bad for this man I really meant it. it's bad. anyways this isn't gonna be a two parter (I know I said that last time but this time I mean it!! mostly)
for the sake of this fic: Armando and Mike are still working on their relationship but they are close enough to have each other's phone numbers, Armando is out of prison, he didn't kill the chief, Armando is in some form of therapy.
also based on this song which I've had in my playlist forever.
Armando knows things about life. Like how to aim a gun to kill and how to aim a gun to send a warning. He knows the difference between a friend and an enemy. He knows that life isn't fair, that it's messy and takes no prisoners.
Of course in therapy he's learning to see the positives. He gets to wake up every day in a bed, under a roof, with food to eat and a family (of sorts) to talk to.
And all of those things do him just fine. He just feels like there should be more. Like there is something missing.
This is why, and the only reason why, he pulls out his phone and calls Mike. It takes three rings, and on the third Armando is ready to hand up and text him saying it was a butt dial. But Mike picks up.
They both greet each other. Mike asks how Armando is doing. Armando should say okay, or fine. But he doesn't really want to lie. So he tells the truth which is still a bit rare for him at this point in his life.
He tells Mike about this feeling he has in his chest. How quiet his apartment is and how boring it looks. How when he's done with work, he hangs out with the only co-worker he can stand and then shuffles home.
Mike jokes with Armando that he's missing a love life. Which Armando doesn't take seriously at all. He's a good looking man in Miami, he's not missing out on anything.
Then Mike tells him that there's a difference between whatever one-night stands he's had and the real thing. Mike goes on a tangent about his former ways and how he's glad he wrapped it up and fell in love with his now-wife.
They end the call joking around with each other, Mike tells him to stay out of trouble, and Armando tells him to not hold his breath.
But as Armando falls asleep that night, or tried to, Mike's words hit him. All the meaning less hook ups, hook-ups that he might've wanted to be more. He was searching for something and he didn't even know it.
-------
THREE WEEKS LATER
There are boxes in the hallway up to his apartment. It makes him do a double take. It made him highly suspicious but it's still something he's working on getting used to. Not exactly trusting other people out right but not thinking the worst without having evidence to do so.
Armando hears the elevator ding. He took the stairs up, because it was coming down from the forth floor. From his floor. Whoever it is could be his new neighbor.
He turns around, wanting to see who it is.
Seeing you isn't like how they describe it in the movies. It's not like he's instantly in love with you or something. This is real life, that's not how it works.
But he sees you, with a box in your hands. In a short sleeve pink shirt and a pair of jean overalls. And you come walking his way, with a smile on your face. And he doesn't smile at people. Never to be polite, never to ease tension or awkwardness.
He smiles when you stop just a foot in front of him.
"You must be my neighbor. I'm sorry for all the boxes." you say.
"Don't worry about it. Do you need help?" he asks.
He never offers to help people. But it just came tumbling out of his mouth before he could think any better. He didn't know you, he doesn't know if he can trust you, but here he is offering to move your stuff in.
You ramble about how he doesn't have to, but he just takes one of the boxes that line the hallway floor into his arms. You lead the way to the apartment across from his and key open the door.
When he puts down the box inside your apartment you offer him a bottle of water. He jokes that it was only box and there are a few more he wants to help you with before he can earn a water from you.
So as you head back down stairs to get more boxes, he moves the ones in the hallway inside your apartment. Most of them pretty heavy. He can see why you were just lining them up instead of bringing them in one by one.
The two of you talk friendly, which his also something he doesn't usually do. Armando? Friendly? Either he says nothing or he says something that would get him smacked. Or at least that's what his mother always said.
It takes about an hour and change to get all the boxes inside your apartment.
When you finally get the last one inside, you exhale in relief. Then you go over to the fridge which only has a carton of eggs, milk, a measly half opened package of bread and a case of hard seltzer. You offer him one now.
He takes it, leaning against the wall. None of your furniture is ready to sit on.
You talk casually about what you do for a living, why you moved to Miami, where home is, etc. He learns things about you then and wonders if this will be a one off.
He's the one to cut it short. Armando says he's got early hours tomorrow so he's going to go. Which isn't true per say. Yes he has work but he doesn't need to leave because of that. It's not like he's going to go to bed right at this moment.
But he also doesn't want to take up your time. You obviously have somethings to unpack. He doesn't want to keep you any longer. So the two of you say goodbye.
-
A MONTH LATER
He's starting to think he's weird. He's weird, he has to be, for noticing these things about you. Like what time you get up in the morning because he can smell your breakfast through his apartment. Or which days you happen to have off because he can smell your cleaning products.
He's weird. Definitely.
Mike said he has a crush.
Out of all the things Armando was expecting Mike to say, it wasn't that. He's a grown man! He doesn't have a crush on you! That's stupid. He likes running into you, and when you two have time to talk you do.
But he doesn't have your number. He hasn't been in your apartment since he helped you move in. And you've never stepped foot inside of his.
He doesn't have a crush on you. He doesn't really even know you.
Well he knows that you moved to Miami because of a better job opportunity and to be closer to your family. While you liked the east coast you didn't really think of staying there your whole life.
Okay he knows a little bit about you. But only what you've told him. It's not like what Mike said over the phone. There aren't little things he notices you do.
A knock comes from his door. Armando isn't expecting someone so at first he doesn't answer.
There's another knock. Then he can hear your voice calling out his name. He gets up from the couch quickly. Quicker that he likes.
He unlocks then opens the door.
There you stand, a case of coronas in your hand.
He notices right away that you look good. He always thought you were good looking but you look really good right now. You're in a little black dress, and your hair isn't in it's usual state.
Damn. He might have a crush on you.
"Had a bad date, wanted to hang out with someone that doesn't make me want to throw myself off a very tall building." you say.
He opens the door wider, and invites you in. And he feels like a dog for closing the door after you and taking in your full figure. He'll punish himself later, when you're gone.
You take a seat on his couch like you've been here before. You sit all comfortable like, against one of his pillows. You take out one of the glass bottles.
Armando thinks to himself he doesn't know where he put the bottle opener. But then he sees you take out your keys and bend the cap open. He laughs to himself.
He joints you on the couch. Taking a beer for himself and sitting across from you. He opens the bottle on the end of the coffee table. And you laugh at him.
"You know the date wasn't that bad." you speak.
Armando's eyebrows raise, "So what did it?"
"When he started talking about how he wants to get back into stocks. How he misses the rush and feeling like he's on top of the world." you answer.
Armando makes a face. He knows guys like that. Guys that wear the cleanest suits and do the 'finest' drugs. Only to be the worst men walking earth because of how they treat others as objects.
"What made you go out on the date with this loser anyways?" he asks.
You shrug your shoulders and take a swig of beer.
"Thought I would try the dating scene in Miami. I've been proven wrong." you reply honestly.
Armando takes you in for a moment. You were looking for something too. He doesn't know why that thought makes him a little bit happier than before. That you could possibly be in the same boat as him, looking for something a bit more.
You seem to notice him not answering so you wave your hand in his face. But he's not dozing off, he's looking right at you. So when your hand goes left to right his eyes follow your movements.
"I suppose you have no complaints in the dating department." you say.
Armando shrugs his shoulders this time, "I don't."
There's a silence. He watches your face scrunch in confusion. You're too smart. Armando has a way of answering sometimes that is truthful, if you read between the lines.
You're reading between the lines very quickly. Like you see through him.
"As in you don't have complaints, or you don't date?" you ask.
He chuckles and leans back into the couch.
"There are no complains because I don't date." he answers.
"Oh. Wow I just thought because you're good looking and you seem kind-"
"You think I'm good looking?" he cuts you off.
There's a smile on his face. The front row of his teeth showing. He's happy that you find him good looking. He's not saying anything is going to happen between the two of you. But the prospect of it seems, fun.
You laugh, "Of course I mean come on. That's like not even subjective, that's pure fact."
"Wow. Did you have a drink before this? You're bold tonight." he replies.
With that you take the glass bottle and raise it up to you lips. You finish off the beer and set the empty glass back down on the table to your side.
"Don't lie, you like it."
-
A WEEK LATER
He thinks you're doing this on purpose. Yes, when you showed up in that dress the other night that was an accident. A happy accident. But ever since then it's like you've been on his radar.
Just doing things that pique his interest. More than usual.
Like when you were re-painting your front door in that short sleeve and overall combo. He doesn't know what it was about that outfit but he'll never forget it.
Or that time when you asked if you could use his shower. Your was down. Which, he knew about because the landlord had said that whole line was down for the day. You came over in the cutest robe and all your shower products.
He's losing his mind. At least he thinks so.
Thats's the only reason why he's waiting up for you. He got home five minutes ago but he's leaning against his door and playing on his phone.
Because he's losing his mind over you.
He hears the elevator ding. He doesn't look up from his phone yet. Not yet.
"Armando?" you ask.
He looks up.
You've got a bit of a pout on your face. He can't help the smile on his face. You walk up to him, your feet shuffling against the hallway floor. Your bag is slung over your shoulder.
"Hey." he says.
"Are you locked out or something?" you ask him again.
He thinks, there's an idea. Should he though? It wouldn't be very honest of him. But he isn't really feeling like being honest will get his mind off you.
"Forgot my keys at work." he says.
You move over to your own door. He watches as you unlock it and open it wide, gesturing him inside. He peels himself off his door and walks into your apartment.
He feels you behind him, you close the door.
"If you want a drink you're shit outta luck. Forgot to get some this weekend." you say.
He chuckles, "That's alright. I'm just waiting for my coworker to drop my keys off."
"Oh yeah, how far out are they?"
Armando knows how to lie. He's been lying his whole life. Doing those jobs for his mother, being a part of the world he was in. Lying was like breathing. If you didn't do it, you didn't last an hour.
But remember he's losing his mind.
So he comes up with the only answer that he can think of.
He watches you take off your shoes and take a seat on the couch.
"An hour."
You tilt your head at his answer. He had said before that his job was only twenty minutes away. So of course an hour seems like an unreasonable answer.
"I thought-"
He cuts you off, "someone else closed up. so he has to come from his place, which is about twenty minutes in the other direction."
In his head that makes perfect sense. It's just confusing enough to not be pondered for too long. You nod your head, and shed the blazer off of your body.
He joins you on the couch, resting his bag on the floor. His bag which as his keys inside. He'll be sure to not kick it so you don't hear the jingle of the metal.
"How was your day?" you ask, an emphasis on your which means your day sucked.
If he couldn't already tell by the pout you had when you strolled off the elevator.
"Nothing new. But I think I wanna hear about what has you so stressed." he answers.
You sigh, "I'm just bring passed grunt work. I hate it. But I'm new so I can't really say no."
"You want me to come down there and knock some skulls?" he jokes.
You laugh.
"No, I promise. Thanks for the offer though Hercules." you tease.
You see, that right there. That right there is what gets him. You do these things, you say these things and he doesn't know if you possibly feel the same way he does.
You suddenly get up, heading for the kitchen. You do it with a smile. He watches you in pure amusement. He doesn't know why.
When you come back, you have two beers in your hand. It confuses him for a moment. You seem to be able to read his face.
"Well, I figure if I stopped lying, you would too." you say.
You put his beer on the coffee table in front of you. Then you open yours and take a sip. His eyebrows raise on his forehead.
"Okay. I have my keys." he says.
You nod, "So why were you waiting outside of your door?"
"I was waiting for you."
You sit up at that answer, "because..."
He lightly chuckles.
"Because I think I'm going crazy." he answers.
"Crazy about what?" you ask.
"Crazy about you."
You smile wildly, "You just made my day so much better."
-
THREE MONTHS LATER
Armando knows you have an affect on him. But he didn't notice quite the affect he has on you. How could he? He doesn't really put it together like that.
Yes, he knows you like him. You like teasing him. You like riling him up a bit. You also like hearing him talk. Whenever he decided to say more than four sentences you were always so ready to listen.
Which is why he didn't notice that affect he had on you when he said those words a few moments ago. You asked him to repeat it.
You're standing in between his legs as he sits on the couch. His hands are comforting you, rubbing up and down ont he back off your thighs. Your hands are around his neck.
"I said I want to go to bed with you." he repeats.
You look around the room. Which makes him laugh. Of course there is no one else around. Even if there were he would only be talking to you.
He brings you in by the waist, looking you right in the eyes.
"You heard me querida." he says softly.
You smile widely, "I know but I just can't believe you would say something like that. I mean you're making me melt."
He kisses your stomach though the button up shirt you're wearing. You run your hands through his short hair as he does.
He looks up at you.
It's been three months of dates, late night texts, and dropping by each other's places. He didn't think he'd get here. To this point in his life. Asking for something so mundane. To go to bed with you.
But right now that's all he wants.
After a long day of work, he just wants to change his clothes and have you sleeping next to him. He wants to see your nose twitch in your sleep like it usually does. During a movie night at his place you fell asleep and he saw it for the first time. Couldn't get it out of his mind for days.
"Do you have a change of clothes for me?" you ask quietly.
He nods his head, "I have everything. All you have to do is say yes."
You smile.
"Take me to bed, 'Mando."
He wastes no time. With no other words he lifts you up from the back of your thighs and carries you to his room. You latch onto him and nestle your face into the crook of his neck.
Armando wants to remember this feeling forever. It's not love. Not yet. It's the possibility of falling in love.
a/n: I just can't leave him alone can I? damn. Might have to go re watch the movies to see his funny ass again. always, y'all probably know the drill. tis' a one parter until it ain't (up to you). Armando didn't kill the chief, is working on time served by working with Miami PD, is working on his relationship with his father. lets goooo.
Armando aretas x fem!reader
This whole mission, if he could even call it that, was just pure torture. Not only did he have to sit through a boring four hour mission lecture, and have to wear these horrible clothes, but he had to see you.
He lived a life before he knew Mike. A life than even his mother didn't know anything about. A life that involved you.
He had enough money back then. He threw it away on things that didn't matter. Things that wouldn't satisfy him, or make him happy. He'd buy a car. Then he's fuck it up. He'd buy a case of liquor and then he'd empty it.
There always seemed to be something missing. The cars, the girls, the clubs, the guns, the money, the drugs and the power. All of theses things weren't enough. They weren't satiable.
When he walked into Las Estrellas, he found what he was looking for. Not what. Who.
You.
You had just started out dancing. You danced like you were professionally trained but still a little shy. Not used to the ogling customers and the raining of bills. But you put on a show nonetheless.
A show that Armando quite enjoyed. He visited one or twice a week. Always in the back, so as not to draw attention to himself. And he left without a word.
This went on for about a year. He's sit in the back of the club, watch you dance, then leave. Sober. He payed attention to the little details. The different outfits you'd wear, the music choices, the way you smiled as the dance closed out.
He can feel the anticipation in his chest.
Mike had told him to switch with Dorn inside of the club. Dorn stood out like a school boy in a strip club. Which, wasn't what he was per say. He'd talk to him a handful of times and knows some deep shit about him. That man can lay someone out in less than seven seconds.
And while that look was good for certain missions, this one needed to be more covert. Undercover. Whatever the hell that meant.
Well, he knows what it means now. He's sitting in the back of the club and the announcer has just said your stage name. It's like he's taken back to those years ago.
He watches as the lights dim. The spotlight follows you onto the stage.
You look more confident. The sway of your hips. The smile plastered on your face. Not shy anymore, he thinks to himself. He settles into his seat. The mission could wait five to six minutes, right?
The music starts slow as you make your way to the pole. You spin around a couple of times. A couple of patrons throw their cash at you. You smile and wink, wave at them too. That's new.
As the music builds you start climbing up. The beat drops and you start spinning down in an intricate pose. Armando almost lets his jaw drop to the damn floor. You weren't doing this a couple of years ago. You got good.
The bills starts to fly more heavily. Armando watches as you concentrate on the dance. You don't even seem out of breath, you seem in your element.
The music comes to an end and you strike a pose. Armando is at his wit's end. You're on your back with your legs in the air. He doesn't know why he gets up out of his seat at that. But he is. He is standing and he is looking right at you.
You get up with a laugh and start to thank the patrons. You collect a few bills from the stage, the other bills being collected by the clubs employees. When you gather a plentiful stack in your hand you look up for a moment.
Armando looks eyes with you.
You blink once. The twice. He doesn't know why all the air feels like it's being sucked out of his lungs. He's in the back like he used to be. He always made sure to be tucked far away.
But it is possible.
If he could see you, you could see him.
There's this feeling he gets. Like static in his veins. He'd been watching you for almost a year. And maybe you had been watching him. No, that's crazy, right?
You look away and walk off stage. Armando sits back down. He adjust the tech in his ear. If anyone had been talking to him this whole time he didn't catch a word of it.
He looks around the club. At the bar is Mike. he's standing there with his mouth open. Armando shakes his head, silently telling him to let it go. Mike raises his drink to him, a smirk on his face.
Just as Armando is about to take another look at the stage, a body blocks his view. A bare stomach with the remnants of body shimmer on it. His eye trail up, up, up, up and then his eye find yours.
You smile at him. And he thinks he might have just died right then and there. You hold out your hand.
"Haven't seen you in a while." you say.
Armando smiles at that. Yes he watched you. And now he knows you watched him.
pairing: Armando Aretas x Reader
word count: 1,045
notes: I apologize for any typos. There are mentions of weapons (guns, knife). This kind of takes place in Bad Boys, it's a specific scene, but then it veers from that. Enjoy the read!
“Zwwaaayy- Looooo,” you sauntered up to him with an arm wrapping around his shoulder. His body tensed at the sudden contact. “I heard that Taglin is about to come into a lot of money, and I want in,” you whispered softly in his ear.
Zway-Lo nods his head slowly, before slowly looking at you. You pat his shoulders before you take a few steps, without looking back you take your knife from its holster around your thigh and throw it precisely in between his legs. “You know how to contact me” was all you said as you walked out of the building.
Zway-Lo: time:00:00 location: Miami Harbor
You made it to Miami Harbor, an hour before the scheduled meeting time, scouting the place out, learning the entrances, exits, and any security. As you were scouting the loading dock, the click of a gun grabs your attention, you slowly turn your head and there he is Lee Taglin himself. “y/n hands where I can see them, I’ve heard all about you”
Your hands slowly make their way up “Good things I hope” you say with a cheeky smile. One that he didn’t take lightly to, he grabbed both your wrists placing them behind your back and zip tied them together, his gun never leaving you, as he looked away to his men giving them silent orders.
You turned your head counting the men, clearly outnumbered you knew you’d have to wait for your opportunity to escape. Taglin turned back to you, a hand grabbing a fistful of your hair “You y/n are just what I needed to sweeten the deal, come on” he says before letting your hair go and pushing you forward.
His gun stayed hovering behind your back, as you all walked onto the loading zone of the harbor “on your knees” he says, “and don’t do anything stupid.” Taglin left, and another man replaced him with a gun hovering behind your head. You knelt there for 20 minutes before everyone had come, you watched as people piled in, you saw Zway-Lo look at you and the men behind him,
But one man had you enticed, he walked in carrying himself with a predator-like demeanor, intimidating to most but intriguing to you. As you analyzed him your head slowly tilted to the side, he was around 5 '10 maybe taller, his skin a deep bronze, and when you realized his physique was strong, muscular, and intense, your eyebrows raised ever so slightly. You could tell just from his haircut and the way he dressed he kept things efficient and he himself was just intimidating.
You watched the clattering of the metal falling, and the money falling to the ground, the exchange from him and Taglin.
“This is what you get to keep” tagline said pointing at the man
“What did you say, we had a deal”
“Renegotiating, oops” Tagline said as he shrugged his shoulders and pulled out a gun pointing it at the man. Taglin’s men shifted all their guns to that one man.
“I’ll even throw in the girl,” Taglin said, as one of the men pulled you up off the ground and shoved you into the man. Your shoulder pressed against the man’s chest, his hand instinctively wrapping around your waist lightly helping you as you regained your balance. Your eyes glancing at him and then to the men behind him. Just as quickly as you high kicked one of Taglin’s men in the head, he pulled his karambit knife and finished the rest of them. “Oops” was all he said.
As Taglin was choking on his blood, the man grabbed his head “come here, look at me” the man pressed the gun to Taglin’s head and boom “ I don’t renegotiate” he said before he dropped the body and stood up. He looked at you, his eyes scanning you. He whistled to one of his men, he whispered something into his ear. His henchmen then lightly guided you to the empty space outside of the loading zone.
You stood there with his henchmen, overhearing the mumbles from the others, you stared up at the stars awaiting his return. You heard his boots as they clunked against the pavement “leave us” he said to the henchmen. You looked at the man, a gulp falling down your throat, up close he was even more handsome, his facial features are sharp, symmetrical, and his strong jawline framed with his groomed goatee, and his freshly cut hair.
He watches you analyze him and says nothing, he walks behind you, and you feel the heat of his body radiating against yours, his height overbearing you. “Relax” was all he said “What’s your name?” you ask ,as he cut the zip ties that bound your wrists together. “Armando Aretas” he says, placing his knife back into his holster.
You turn around facing him, eyebrows furrowed. “Aretas? Isabel never told me she had a son” You look up at him, his eyes returning the confusion, neither of you says anything just looking at each other, gauging the other.
“How do you know my mother?” He breaks the silence. The wind from the sea breezes against your skin, goosebumps forming on your arms.
“She does business with my father, I’m Y/N Ramirez" you say shivering, using your hands you run your arms, hoping the friction warms you up. He notices, and starts guiding you back into the harbor building. “Stay here,” he says. He leaves you instructing each of his henchmen. You watched as a few more of his men appeared and disappeared as they carried the bodies out.
The clunking of Armando’s boots catches your attention as he approaches you. “Come with me” was all he said to you before walking past you expecting you to follow him.
And you did, you stayed a few steps behind him, the gravel crunching against each step you both took. He stopped in front of a motorcycle, and he grabbed his jacket, holding it open for you. You slid your arms through. “Where are we going? You asked. “Somewhere we can talk in private,” he says as he zips you up, he places his helmet on you, before grabbing a spare and placing that one on himself.
to be continued...
a/n: I've had a story about Armando sitting in my drafts for months now, this isn't the one, but every time I reread it, something is missing. So I wrote this instead, which is essentially the first part of it. We need more Armando fanfics, Jacob Scipio is so underrated .a
I honestly got writer's block, and stopped writing mainly because of that, and life got busy for me too. I write for fun, so I will upload when I can. I usually hyper-fixate on a character and try to write all my ideas for them, but once that hyper-fixation has moved on, it's hard to write with the same motivation/passion.
pairing: Armando Aretas x Reader
word count: 1.2 K
notes: I watched Bad Boys Ride or Die recently and Armando Aretas now has me in a chokehold. Jacob Scipio is so fine, I want to see him in more movies.
“Gunshot wound upper chest!”
“We need medical!”
Mike’s voice was heard, and you came rushing in taking control of the situation. You took his shirt off, applied pressure to his wound with one hand as the other grabbed the materials necessary. Once he was stable you quickly tended to Marcus and Mike.
You were a part of AMMO’s very own special medical team. You were generally close to Mike and Marcus, you’ve tended to their wounds before and you’ve heard stories about them through Rita.
You were picked mainly because you had extensive undercover work and especially because of your efficiency during stressful situations, always making the best call and saving everyone because of it. You’d seen Armando once when you were undercover in passing, never spoke to him, never got the chance to before they pulled you out.
You were closest to Kelly, and by extension Dorn. You knew they were going to be together before they did. You were trained as any ammo officer needed to be and although you rarely used it you always trained with Kelly whenever she needed someone to spar with.
You went to the hospital to check on everyone, bring in flowers, and get well soon balloons. You even got Armando a small stuffed bear to keep him company.
When you entered his hospital room, he was handcuffed to the bed, asleep.
“Hey Armando, it’s me again Y/N just checking in on you.”
You whispered, you took a seat in the chair that was left near his bed.
“I got you this little stuffed bear, I’ve named him Mr. Grumpy, kind of fitting I think, you’ll see when you wake up”
You just sat there talking to him about your day, eventually you pulled out a small book and began reading to him softly. Once visiting hours ended you made sure Armando had his blanket tucked in and rearranged the gifts you brought in.
“Goodbye Arman I’ll see you again tomorrow”
You never got to see Armando after that day. You were called onto a mission with Rafe, it went south and you were the one in the hospital. You were there for a few weeks possibly months, you jumped in front of Rafe and got sliced right in the back, and an explosion from who knows where knocked you both unconscious.
Everyone from AMMO visited you, and Mike was the last to leave you.
“In case you were wondering, he’s in prison now.”
You just smiled before closing your eyes and dosing off to sleep.
By the time you made a full recovery you had a gnarly scar down the side of your back, and were cleared to go back to AMMO. Which also happened to be the exact time that Captain Howard was being framed.
You’ve heard lingering opinions on the situation at hand but you would back up Mike and Marcus no matter what. When you found out that Armando had been attacked you decided that it would be best to use your undercover work to the best of your abilities.
You disguised yourself in a wig, sunglasses and trench coat. Soft heels clicking against the cement. You pulled your glasses down the nose of your bridge.
“I have a conjugal visit with Aretas”
You said to the guards. They looked at each other and back at you.
“Aretas isn’t authorized for that”
“I have clearance”
And suddenly they buzzed you in. To your surprise they didn’t check you, they just placed you in a room with a singular bed against a wall. You sat down at the edge of the bed, legs crossed waiting. You noticed they had a small chair and a clock above it and at just the right angle you can see the red dot shine from it. They had a camera to make sure you were going to do your job. When they brought Armando in, you immediately got up, throwing your arms around his neck.
“Arman I’ve missed you”
You brought yourself as close to his ear as possible and said very faintly
“I’m with Mike, play along, camera in clock that doesn’t tick.”
Just like that his arms were wrapped tightly around your lower back, and he placed his head into your neck. You glanced up over his shoulder to the two security guards, who gave you a hand signal towards the bed, before they closed the door.
As soon as that door shut you slid your hands from around his neck, down to his chest before giving him a small peck on his cheek. You grabbed his hand and walked him to the edge of the bed, you playfully pushed him onto the bed and he sat there looking up at you.
“It’s been too long Mando, I need you now” you say aloud
“Mi reina, you know better than to test me”
He placed his hands on the back of your thighs, and you leaned down to his ear.
“Mike sent me, we’re transferring you to Miami, they think I’m here to kill you, take my coat off”
He slid his hands from the back of your thighs to your stomach and untied the knot to your trench coat, and to your surprise when he slid it off your body he kept eye contact with you. You wore a deep red lace lingerie corset, with a matching garter and socks.
“All of this for me mami”
He says before he shuffles his way up the head of the bed, leaning against the pillow. And you slowly crawled your way on top of him. You straddled his hips as you bent down to his ear once more.
“Trust no one, only Mike and Marcus. We've got 10 minutes, make it look real.”
And that’s what he did. He flipped you two over and arranged the blanket on top of the both of you. From the camera's perspective it just looked like you two were having an aggressively great time. Your hands were up against the wall as the motion from the blanket on top of you two was moving with each “thrust”
If they were watching the security footage, and listening in, all they would hear is your moans, and his groans.
“Just like that Mando!”
“Right there Arman! Right there!”
The banging of the door meant that you had a few minutes left. You sat at the edge of the bed as he picked your coat off the ground and draped it over you. You felt under the pillow and grabbed the shiv that the security guards had placed for you, putting it in your pocket.
You fixed your hair and coat. And the security guards swung the door open.
“ Sorry boys, we got carried away”
You gave Armando a kiss on the lips before giving him one last embrace and whispering in his ear
“I’ll see you in Miami”
You gave him a wink, before one of the security guards went to pat him down. As you were escorted out, you looked at that security guard
“I got caught up in the moment, I’ll be back tomorrow to finish the job”
You grabbed the security guard's hand and placed the shiv in his palm before he wrapped his fingers around it and hid it.
read That boy is Mine next ~
a/n: Let me know if I should do a part 2, or if you want more armando aretas. I feel like I've read all of his x readers on tumblr already pls send me more to read! or if any writers are taking requests for him send them my way
- love anisa <3
pairing: Armando Aretas x Reader
word count: 3.2 K
notes: This follows the events of Bad Boys Ride or Die, a few things I changed but generally that's the idea of this. Can be considered the part 2 of this. can be read separately. I apologize for any typos! Enjoy!
“Waaiiittt!” You yelled as you lightly jogged onto the helicopter. You bent over, hands on your knees as you tried to catch your breath. Mike was standing in front of Armando’s miniature cell, and Marcus was seated. They all looked over at you, as you made your way to them.
“Y/N to what do we owe the pleasure, coming to see your husband get to Miami safely” Marcus says to you chuckling to himself as he gets up and gives you a slight hug.
“Very funny, but Lockwood said I needed to be here, I cleared it with Rita, she has me making sure no funny business happens” you say as you move to give Mike a slight hug.
“Hi Armando, It’s nice to officially meet you. I'm Y/N I’m sorry I never introduced myself to you properly.”
He didn’t say anything, just looked you up and down and gave you a slight smile and a little wave of his hand. He watched you as you took a seat next to Marcus and clicked your belt together. After what seemed to be 20 minutes Marcus had gotten out of his seat.
“What’s up” Mike said, and when Marcus didn’t respond Mike looked at you. You just shrugged your shoulders and started to follow Marcus towards the cockpit.
“Everything alright?” you asked. Just as you were about to tap on his shoulder, the door flung open, knocking you and Marcus to the side. As you got up you heard gunshots and crouched down, arms over your head as you made your way behind the door.
As the plane started going down Mike and Marcus were busy fighting off the people shooting, and you looked back at Armando walking towards him. The helicopter jolted, knocking you off your feet.
“Argh fuck, Mando are you okay?”
Just as you were about to get up your body jolted again and you were being thrown around the helicopter somehow your body made its way into the cockpit.
Everything happened so fast suddenly Armando's prison transport was released and Mike and Marcus were holding on to the rope trying to prevent him from falling out of the helicopter.
You stayed in the cockpit looking back at them. “Fuck I don’t know how to fly a helicopter”
The pilot was dead so you moved his body to the back, and tried to gain control. Just as you were looking around, pressing buttons and flipping switches, Armando appeared in the seat next to you, Mike and Marcus standing behind you two.
“Grab the stick!” Armando tells you.
Marcus looks at him and says “Where the hell you learn how to fly”
“I’m a drug dealer, man. To the Right!” Armando says.
You do as he says and grab the stick going to the right. You both “land” the helicopter into a swamp. By the time you made it to the surface, you saw the lingering ripples of where they ended up.
You weren’t the best swimmer and by the time you made it to them it was very tense. Armando saw you in his peripherals as you made it out of the water and as you slowly approached them he said
“Lose your phones, you keep up with me, or I leave you in the dirt. You’re in my world now.”
Armando walks away from the two men and moves towards you offering you a hand as helps you up the mounds of dirt.
“Toss your phone,” he says to you. You immediately grabbed your phone out of your pocket and threw it into the water. He looked down at you with a faint smile, impressed with how quickly you listened to him, just as he looked over you he quickly looked back up into your eyes, eyebrows slightly raised.
You squint your eyes at him “What?” you say confused. He says nothing, before he grabs the zipper of your jacket, attaching it to the other side and zipping it up just above your chest. “I can tell you’re cold” he smirked
“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before” You say tilting your head, keeping eye contact with him as you squint your eyes.
He chuckles softly and says “and It won’t be the last time either mami”
Meanwhile with Mike and Marcus, the two men looking over at this exchange with you and Armando.
“Did you just see that Mike?” Marcus says, hitting him in the arm.
“Yea I saw that Marcus I’m standing right next to you”
“You see that, you see that look on his face”
“He’s smilin, got that first crush look in his eyes”
“Your boy used to stab people in the neck, shoot them in the face and now look at him zipping up her jacket it like he some kinda gentleman”
“We gotta stop them Mike, before he goes and breaks y/n heart”
“Nah, y/n got him wrapped around her finger, look at her. They both exactly where they want to be”
Armando’s hand brushes against yours, his fingers hooking gently around yours “come on,” he says softly, already moving forward “we gotta go.” Armando looks over his shoulder, at Mike and Marcus, a sharp tilt of his chin, and the two men start jogging their way to you two.
Armando had taken the lead, making sure you were always by his side or right behind him. The speed walking turned into jogging and before you knew it the sun started to go down. Armando was quick to get a fire started while there was some daylight.
With the sun completely set, you, Mike and Marcus sat around the fire as Armando had walked away to collect more logs. Your gaze lingered on him as he walked away.
Marcus was grinning before he even said a word “ I can’t believe it, you can’t even keep your eyes off him, can you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about” You say, rolling your eyes, looking back at the fire.
Marcus mockingly gasps and says “Oh really? You look at him like he the only man left on earth."
“Marcus, leave her alone…” Mike mutters to Marcus nudging him with his elbow.
“But uh what is going on between you and my son? Mike asks.
“You two really want to have that conversation right now? When were fugitives on the run?” you looked between the two men in disbelief.
Just before either Mike or Marcus could respond to you, Armando drops a few logs by the fire.
“Conversation about what” he asks.
You, Mike and Marcus all freeze for a second, looking at each other.
“Oh, you know, we was talking about the stars, they look very starry tonight.” Marcus says as everyone looks up at the the stars
“Yea. The stars, very starry” Mike says as he narrows his eyes at Marcus.
Armando looks at the stars briefly “ Right. The stars” and his gaze lowers straight down to you, as he moves to sit beside you. The crickets and the crackling of the fire, dozed you into a short slumber.
You heard the murmurs of the three men talking, and then you heard their bodies move. By the time you were fully conscious Armando said “ Ya’ll are some terrible fucking fugitives” and you finally opened your eyes, squinting up at all three men, Marcus was grinning and Mike was staring at him in disbelief.
Armando looked down at you nudging your foot with his gently, directing your attention to him. “You coming mami, we gotta get moving” he says as he holds out his hand. You placed your hand in his as he tugged lightly, helping you off the ground and back on your feet.
The four of you continued on your way during the night, and as the sun rose you stumbled upon
a small trailer park. All of you knelt down to hide behind the metal sheet fence. Armando’s hand found yours, and without a word he guided you behind him through the trailer park. His steps were careful and deliberate as you two crouched behind a truck. He scanned the area before grabbing a change of clothes for the two of you, as he kept watch, you changed. Now wearing jean shorts, and a haltered flannel.
You two watched as Mike and Marcus were confronted by two other men, Marcus claiming those clothes are his.
You and Armando quietly got into the truck and crouched down as much as possible, on the seat there was a cowboy hat that you placed on your head. He glanced up from the wires smirking at you.
“What you don’t like,” you say as you glance from him back to where Mike and Marcus are.
“That’s cute mami…you care what I think” he says as he continues to work on lighting the ignition. You take the hat off your head and place it onto his, your eyes locked on him as you watch him tap the two wires together.
“You look good as a cowboy” you say tilting your head to the side getting a better look at him. His eyes meet yours and he says.
“Oh yea? I can teach you how to ride”
“You think I don’t know how?”
“Always full of surprises, aren’t you mamita” he gives the wires one last tap, and the engine roared. He looked at you before tapping the seat next to him "But if I remember correctly, I was the one doing all the work last time, no?"and before you could respond he slammed on the gas barreling straight toward Mike and Marcus.
With their perfect timing, they jumped into the back of the truck, and before the two other men could react, Armando was already pulling out of the trailer park.
There wasn’t a lot of space inside the truck, all four of you squeezing together shoulder to shoulder. Armando had one hand on the steering wheel and the other was resting behind you along the seat. mid-drive he had hoisted your legs to rest on top of his thighs.
You didn’t say anything, just looked up at him, and he didn’t say anything either, just kept driving. This small interaction didn’t go unnoticed by Mike and Marcus of course, as Marcus kept nudging Mike as his eyes widened.
“You see that shit Mike” Marcus whispered to him. “ Stop talking Marcus,” Mike said with a strained voice.
The long drive lulled you to sleep and your head naturally fell onto Armando’s shoulder.
You felt the vibration of his voice when he started talking. Asking Mike questions about his mother. Instead of interjecting you decided that sleeping or pretending to be asleep was the best decision during this situation so that’s what you did.
The eventual halt of the truck woke you up as you opened your eyes and saw the steam come from under the hood. You picked your head off of his shoulder and looked around.
“The Pony’s about two miles from here.” Mike said, and off you all went walking to The Pony.
The Pony was lively, the strippers were dancing, money was being thrown, and the music was beating throughout the building. As you all made it through to the back of the club, Tabitha was there with her girls giving them a rundown.
A few of the girls left as Mike and Marcus sat next to her. You leaned against the back of the chair that Armando sat on, watching the exchange between Mike, Marcus and Tabitha.
To your right you noticed a stripper taking interest in Armando, as she waved at him. As you were about to move to the other side, his hand slid around your waist, guiding you down onto his lap. He tilted his head toward the seat, and you settled against him. You felt the warmth of his body and how he draped his arm loosely around your waist.
The exchange between them didn’t go well as Mike and Marcus stood up to leave, Tabitha pulled her gun out pointing it at Mike.
“There’s a $5 million bounty on your head. I need that money. I was just stalling” she said
Just then three men entered the room, guns in their hands “Get the fuck up, the bounty is dead or alive don’t be stupid” one of them said.
As you and Armando stood up, he kept an arm around your waist, putting you in front of him as you both walked through. You four followed behind the men, and made your way to a van.
A car suddenly pulled up, windows down and people started shooting. You all were quick and took cover on the side of the van. Armando opening the door as you all kept low and got into the back.
Mike and Marcus made their way into the front seats of the van as you and Armando laid down in the back leaning against the empty cardboard boxes. As Marcus drove away, The van caught fire from the outside and made its way in, Armando caught fire first, and you were quick to pat the flames off of him, as the heat rose you both quickly realized that the boxes had caught fire as well.
“Mando the door!” You yell, he slams his boots against the back doors of the van, forcing them open, and kicks the flaming boxes out. The van swayed as it took a sharp turn, slamming the doors shut, but the fire continued to consume the van and that’s when Marcus yelled “Everybody out!”
As the van continued to roll, Armando slid the side door open, and everyone jumped out landing on the sidewalk. As the van exploded, you all ran as fast as you could away from the scene.
Finally making it to Dorn’s houseboat. Mike pulled Armando aside telling him to “Just wait out here for a second, let me talk to them first.”
Marcus laughed as he added in “Don’t worry your little girlfriend here can keep you company" and so Mike and Marcus made their way to the front door banging on it like they owned the place.
"I can’t wait to go inside, finally take a shower" you say as you stretch your body. You turn to look over at Armando as he looked out to the water.
"Hey are you okay? Your forehead.” You say as you reach up pushing his hat up slightly grazing over the cut on his head.
“I’m fine,” he says, moving his head away from you. You grabbed his chin, turning his face back towards you.
“Let me see it Arman, it’s bleeding”
“You like calling me everything but my actual name” he says as he chuckles under his breath standing there as you check out the cut.
“I'm sorry, are the nicknames okay with you? Your hand dropped from his forehead grazing his face down to his jaw.
He leans in slightly, hands grazing near your waist and says “call me anything you like mi reina. It sounds better coming from you anyways.”
“Is that so? Then how about stubborn because you won't stop moving your head” you say as your hands made their way behind his neck, his hands now firm around your waist. You both stare into each other's eyes, trying to read the other. You take one hand and graze over the cut on his forehead again.
“I’ll get it cleaned up when we get inside. Let me see what's taking them so long” you said softly almost like you were talking to yourself.
“Always taking care of me mami, thank you” he leans in and gives you a soft kiss on the cheek, he grabs your hand leading you both to the door. He grabs the handle for you and you entered the house boat.
You noticed that Dorn was shirtless and right next to him was Kelly, in a silk robe. Two and two clicked together suddenly you were shouting
"Ha! I knew you two were together!"
"Wait you knew?" Dorn asked, hands on his hips in disbelief.
"Of course I knew, I’ve worked with you both for way too long. To not notice" you say
Just then Armando barges inside. Kelly immediately pulls out her gun pointing it at him. You and Mike quickly place yourselves in front of Armando.
“Hey Kelly, he’s with us, this is my son Armando ” Mike Says
"I know who he is, that's why he can't be here." Kelly states.
“Put the gun down Kelly, I trust him.” You say placing your hand on top of her gun slowly pressing it down.
“Hey, how about- can I have a second with her please” Dorn says before pulling kelly to the other side of the house boat.
You turn towards Armando, pulling him inside the kitchen area, you place a hand on Mikes shoulder “Let me talk to him”
Mike put his hand up in defense and said “alright, you go handle your man”
Mike and Marcus sat on the couch watching as Dorn and Kelly, and you and Armando talk to each other.
“What’s her problem, pulling a gun on me” Armando said pointing at Kelly, his eyes sharp.
“I was going back outside to get you, if you just waited for me” you said, opening the fridge, grabbing a beer and twisting it open.
“Sorry mami, waiting isn’t my style” he says as leans against the counter.
“Not even for me” you teased, holding the beer out to him. He took it, hands lingering on yours for a moment longer than it needed to be.
“For you…I might just make an exception.” he says, his gaze locking on you as you crouched down to grab the first aid kit from under the sink.
“Might? Then I might as well see if Rafe is around, he’s a guarantee" you say arching an eyebrow at him.
“I’m not the jealous type mi amor you’re gonna have to do better than that” he said, somehow his voice got deeper, confident.
“Maybe not jealous Mando, but you are possessive…Now sit down so I can clean up the cut on your head” and he sat down with no hesitation, never breaking eye contact.
One of your hands held the back of his head, while the other cleaned the cut. His gaze drifted from your concentrated face slowly down to your chest, and you raised a finger under his chin, forcing him to look back up at you.
“Don’t move.” you said, and he sat there a smirk plastered on his face as he looked up at you.
Meanwhile with Mike and Marcus…
Mike’s jaw dropped slightly, as he nudged Marcus with his elbow “iI told you Marcus, she got him wrapped around her finger, look at them”
Marcus leaned back against the couch shaking his head with a smirk. “Uh huh I see it, now that’s definitely not just first aid.”
“Well that explains why she was so quick to defend him” Kelly said, arms crossed, raising an eyebrow.
“Since when did they become a thing?” Dorn asked, tilting his head as he watched you two.
“They’ve been doing this the whole time, like it’s completely normal” Marcus said.
a/n: The way this took me about 4 days to write, insane but I got it out to yall. Please enjoy and give me more ideas of what to write for him. Next post will be the next part of Recon is what we're calling. Check back on Wednesday or join the discord for updates, etc.
- Love Anisa <3
Hii! I'm so incredibly grateful to have read your Bloodhounds drabbles. I hope my request finds you well 🫶
Could you come up with the Reader being hurt after S1E6's incident. Like they are heavily injured and Woojin and them share the same hospital room too?
I hope that was comprehensive. 😭
hellooo!! thanks so much for your requesttt, the theme is really nice and creative! i hope this aligns with what you requested and i hope you enjoy, my lovelyyy 😋😋🩷🩷
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ────
love is always red ꨄ︎ H. Woo-jin || Bloodhounds Season 1
❦ pairings: Woojin x gn!reader
❦ genre: (comfort) fluff
❦ context: injuries will never get in the way of his affection for you ˚⟡˖ ࣪
❦ warning(s): mentions of blood/injuries/wounds
❦a/n: hihi!! im really excited to share another bloodhounds post requested from a lovely person 💕 our main man in this little story is silly little Woojin 🤭🩷 once again, i had a blast making thisss and i hope you guys will love it tooo! enjoyyy 😋😋 (thanks again for request anon<3)
𑣲Your eyes finally fluttered open, your vision blurry and distorted. The sound of monotone beeping filled your ears. You squinted at the bright, white light of the hospital room where you laid on the bed helplessly. Your body felt numb, like a heavy weight completely crushed your lower body into pieces. What even happened..?
𑣲 Consciousness seemed to hit your brain at that very moment... Woo-jin’s face as the fire consumed the house. The slashes you received from several knives at once. Your body giving out as you laid in your own blood. The feeling of Woo-jin's arms carrying you as he made a desperate, but unsuccessful attempt at escaping. Those horrific memories flooded your brain, making you feel a sudden and intense rush of emotions through your numb body. Tears spilt out from your eyes before you could even process it. The sound of your quiet sobs filled the room, so quiet that it couldn't even be heard over the beeping monitor.. But he heard it.
𑣲 "Y/n.." The tears stopped. You immediately turned your head toward the voice—your eyes widening as you recognized who it was.
Woo-jin.
..But how? The last time you fully saw his face, he looked pale as a ghost, as if all life had been sucked out of him. Now, he was here. Standing in front of you weakly, with a faint smile, holding his IV drip stand. "Y/n.. why are you crying?" Woo-jin asked softly, gently grasping your cold hand. Words couldn't not explain how you felt—how much you wanted to just get up and hug him tightly, how much you wanted him to reassure you that the others were okay, how much you wanted him to hold you..
𑣲 "Woo-jin.." You replied quietly, your tears getting a hold of your words. "Woo-jin, everything hurts.. I can't move my body at all.." You managed to say weakly, it hurt even to speak. Woo-jin's face immediately contorted into a worried expression as he heard your pained words. Despite his own pain, he moved to delicately wrap his arms around you and rest your head on his chest, where your tears soaked his hospital gown. Nothing would stop him. He wanted to shield you from any type of danger from this point forward, he's been kicking himself about this since he became conscious a few hours before you did.
𑣲 His callous, slender thumb gently caressed your cheek. "Shh.. it's okay, you'll be okay. Don't think about it, just relax yourself." He was never good with his words, but now they sounded ever so gentle and tender which instantly made you feel better. He continued caressing his cheek and letting you sob for as long as you needed. The best thing you both had to do now was stick together, since everyone was dispersed. You only had each other.
𑣲 After a few moments, Woo-jin pulled away and cupped your face with his bruised hands. He quietly admired you—even in your injured state, you were still just as gorgeous and beautiful.. but he'd never admit that, obviously. He was scared that you wouldn't take his confession well and be weirded out by it. Despite that, he suddenly realized what he was doing and carefully put quickly pulled away. Hopefully you hadn't noticed..right? Well, little does he know, that his feelings match yours perfectly—but that's another story for another day..
𑣲 A few hours later, you opened your eyes once again and was met by the same bright light. The only difference was that your body felt a little looser and better but still very weak. You were able to move your neck at least, and you looked around the room for Woo-jin. He wasn't there. Weird. You looked at the small gap in between the curtains of the window and saw that the sun was just starting to set, meaning that you probably fell asleep in his arms. Like you always did in the past. There was something about his natural scent that drove you insane, you always so drawn to it since the day you both met.
Oh, how great it would be to just grab him, and—
Your thoughts got disturbed as Woo-jin suddenly appeared in front of you, with a tray of warm food in his hands. "Hey, sleepyhead. Had a good nap? You slept like a baby." He chuckled softly as he gently placed the tray on your lap. You scoffed lightly and nodded in response, "Yeah.. I feel a bit better. I can't seem to move my hands freely, though." You said. Woo-jin nodded as well, picking up a spoon with his unharmed hand. "Mhm, I figured. That's why I'm going to feed you." Your eyes widened. Feed you? You weren't a baby.. You opened your mouth to protest, just to be met with the warm feeling of miso soup on your tongue. The taste sent shivers down your spine, making you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
𑣲 "Good, right?" Woo-jin grinned, "They gave me some of this earlier, made me feel like I could run 10 laps around this hospital." You couldn't help but chuckle at his words, he really was funny in any situation. He grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the tray and picked up a piece of salmon from the plate, holding it up to your mouth afterwards. "Salmon, it's good for your blood. Especially since you've lost so much." He sighed, "Anyway, say 'aaaa'!" You smiled, "Aaa.." He then fed you the piece of salmon, which was very tasty since he could see the adorable look on your face that really said it.
𑣲 Eventually, you finished your food and felt way better than you did when you first opened your eyes. You let out a soft yawn, ready to take your 50th nap of the day. Woo-jin smiled, he stayed by your side for the whole day despite several nurses telling him to return back to his bed—which was right next to yours. However, he felt that he shouldn't let you go without a little dessert..
𑣲 Just as you were about to doze off, he grabbed your chin and gently shook you awake. "Hey.. I need to give you something." He whispered. You straightened up, opening your eyes. "H-huh..? What do you need to—" Your words got cut short by his lips crashing onto yours. The kiss was slow, but passionate—despite your half slumbering state, you kissed him back and savored the moment you always wanted to experience.
𑣲 ..Well, the moment didn't last long, since a nurse had entered the room. She cleared her throat at the both of you, causing Woo-jin to break the kiss and look at the nurse playfully, "Oh, sorry.. I'll get back to my bed." He laughed softly and the nurse just left. Woo-jin turned back to you and saw that you were completely knocked out—snoring and all. He sighed fondly and made his way to his own bed..
Summary when the witchfinder accuses you of having magic you must convince Arthur that your feelings for the boy have never been disingenuous. And Merlin must race against the clock to save you but can you be saved? Can your relationship with Arthur? Can love truly conquer Arthur’s prejudice?
Italics mean flashbacks
Word count: about 8k
Warning: torture, mention of execution, feeling betrayed, readers anxious, reader accepts death, canon divergence (but same overarching plot), Arthur may be a bit ooc sorry!
A/n: who’s back with the bbc Merlin fics? Me!!!!!!! Two fics in *almost* the same month-WHO is she? But seriously I’ve been writing more and I’m so glad I have I really enjoy writing these fics for you guys and to everyone who has supported me thank you so much!! We hit 900 followers a few weeks ago and it was such a milestone thank you all for enjoying my fics enough to follow!
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
The witch finders arrival had you and Merlin in shambles he had already been pointing fingers and he had been in Camelot for nearly a day and already had been accusing people of having magic.
What was worse, he had witnesses. Three girls from the lower town who had been seeing traces of magic a man coughing up a frog from his throat, to a goblin dancing in the flames of a dying fire. To faces of the drowned in the well. with every confession you sent an angry glare to Merlin beside you, since he was the reason this witch finder had been called in the first place.
Fear bubbled in your throat when the witchfinder said he already had suspects. and who the witchfinder had accused happened to be yourself, Merlin, and the lady morgana.
It was day three when he found “proof” you were a witch. (Of course you were but the proof was bogus. It wasn’t yours.)
It wasn’t Merlin’s either, it was an amulet poorly hidden in a pot. Neither yourself nor Merlin were skilled with charming jewellery, and you couldnt wear bracelets whilst being the court physicians apprentice, besides when would you even have the time to charm jewellery? Between saving Arthur, being gauis’s apprentice, and watching over Merlin you never had a second to breathe.
But despite having never seen the amulet in your life you knew the witchfinder would see no sense. Men like that never would, and what was worse the witchfinder happened to be an old friend of gauis, with a reputation based on brutality and hatred. He despised magic with a passion if he suspected you, you were already as good as dead.
But you couldn’t let Merlin die by the hands of the witchfinder, Merlin had far too much life ahead of him.
He had to protect Arthur. He had to unite Albion. he had to live long enough to see Arthur’s rule And believe me There was nothing you wanted more than to see Arthur unite Albion and bring magic to the land But you weren’t the one destined to unite Albion, you were however destined to protect those you loved and some part of you was okay with dying for the cause of keeping your family safe.
and if you were asked if you regretted taking the fall for Merlin or gauis, of course you’d say no. He was your best friend and gauis was like a grandfather to you. You’d let them sentence you to death a thousand times over if it meant Merlin was safe. If gauis was safe.
“Search through that cupboard and under the bed!” The witch finders commanding voice called out to the guards as they tore apart gauis’s chambers you were aware by now that the moment he walked in he’d already deemed you guilty.
By the way His eyes narrowed like a predator to prey, the atmosphere was tense like he’d been preparing to go for the kill for awhile now. and disgust permeated from his figure in waves this man watched you like you were the dirt on his shoe, some small disgusting insect that deserved to die if he even thought you had magic.
Sharing a nervous glance at gauis your hands wringing nervously in your lap as you watched these knights destroy your home your gaze asked gauis the same question he’d been dreading, where was Merlin’s spell book?
If you were going to go down for magic paraphernalia you fully thought it would be because of Merlin’s spell book not some poorly disguised amulet that wasn’t yours in the first place.
Leon had been the one to find the amulet a haunted look in his eyes you could tell Leon did not want to do this, but honour bounded the knights more than kinship. More than years spent with each other from childhood sparring, to treating his wounds when Leon grew from a bashful baby faced boy into a lean young man practicing to become a knight.
He was honour bound to tell this monster what he found And you’d hate to see Leon burned beside you under the guise of solidarity. It was better for one to burn than two.
“An. enchanted. amulet.” The witchfinder spoke slowly as he inspected the Jewlery, every word sealing your fate “whose is this? Perhaps the boy Merlin Or the girls? Or even yours, old friend.” The witch finder sneered pointing his finger in your face as he circled gauis and yourself like you were prey
Your horror filled eyes flickered to gauis and you watched as his mouth opened and his eyes flashed with familiar selflessness it was clear, what the old man was going to do, he loved his little family as much as you did and you’d hate to see the old man take the blame for you or Merlin again.
living with gauis has already been enough of a burden you couldn’t let him die for something he had no part in (not that you did either but you were nothing if not loyal.) your heart constricted in your chest, your stomach dropping
One of you would surely be executed for this but you would not let it be Merlin, or gauis. It would be you before it ever was them.
Taking a shaky breath you stepped forward your hand out to block gauis front from stopping you “it’s mine.”
And the beat of your heart deafened you the room went deadly silent guards hands went to their swords ready for anything, in the corner of your eye gauis’s face went ghostly pale filled with horror as he watched his youngest apprentice, the girl he practically raised as if his own stare down this false god with cold eyes the sent fear shooting through gauis, you were capable you like Merlin had the ability to destroy your enemies without lifting a finger but gauis knew you better than for you to defend yourself. But you would be brave braver than anyone else.
You steeled yourself infront of the witchfinder your eyes narrowed dangerously. You did not take kindly to those attempting to ruin your family.
“Guards.” With one word the witch finder sealed your fate, looking to gauis behind you, your eyes only let your guard slip for a moment and the old man saw the burning fear that filled your gaze. As Leon’s hands restrained you with hesitation.
“you can’t!” Gauis called pointedly to the witchfinder “it’s not hers! she doesn’t know what she’s saying.” Gauis pleaded desperately after you seething from where he stood, he would not watch another child die.
you felt your heart break for the man who was like your father. “Leon, please.” You pleaded to Leon to release your hands for just a moment and the man you’ve known since childhood released his grip for only a second it was enough for you to break his hold and sprint to take gauis in a hug
Crashing into his arms you closed your eyes blinking away tears And you muttered the one phrase that could save you, that could reverse this fatal mistake, the one thing that stopped the panic in gauis for only a moment “It’s not mine.”
Before Leon’s hands had pulled you from gauis’s comforting arms, your tearful eyes met gauis and you expected to be met with fear but a newfound determination in gauis’s face calmed you, hope filled your heart Merlin would find a way to save you he always did.
Leon bent your hands behind your back and lead you down the halls of the castle
The witchfinder leading you through the halls, your Druid communication had been the most useful in situations like this, situations where Merlin was nowhere to be found
“Merlin, if you can hear this please find a way to get me out of this. The witchfinder has accused us of using magic be careful. Help me Merlin, Please find Arthur.” You didn’t get a response despite the fact You had never begged and you never had sounded quite as hopeless as you did then, even when you were behind enemy lines, in enemy dungeons it was different.
They weren’t your friends, weren’t your family sentencing you to die this was.
As you were dragged through the halls Camelot knights walked all around you, their billowing red capes with the golden dragon crest that once brought you so much comfort now brought only dread, the burning memory being wrapped up in Arthur’s cape on a hunting trip once dearly reminisced now just felt cruel.
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
The braying of horses and the taps of hooves on the ground as you, the knights, Arthur and Merlin set off on a hunt you found it silly to be hunting for game for fun but you couldn’t refuse the invite considering you were arthurs personal physician recommended by gauis (and Merlin babysitter) and atleast you were with your closest friends who are the loyalist of loyal.
As opposed to being stuck in gauis’s chambers mulling over books like you do almost daily you’d take any possible time with Arthur especially away from prying eyes.
The sun was starting to go down and you were too far away from Camelot to head home so Arthur called it and you’d be camping in the woods tonight, you didn’t mind. It was nice to camp under the stars with your friends away from all the expectations, The watchful eyes. Camelot was home but it was growing increasingly more dangerous.
Here, in the forest with Arthur and Merlin and the knights you were more than just a physician you were equal. You were more then just lower class, you were free and here under the constant cover of trees and the darkening blanket of the setting sun you could be more than some backup physician, you were just y/n. And Prince Arthur was just Arthur.
And if you could have just cupped this moment in your hands and held it tightly to your chest you would have.
Camped by a large oak tree in Arthur’s arms his red cape with the golden pendragon sigil covered your body from the elements keeping you safe and warm and in the light of the fire there was no fear, no worry about expectations. Or watching eyes all that mattered was being truly yourself with the man you love in his arms unashamed.
When sleep finally stole you away from Arthur Merlin couldn’t stop the question that was brewing for months “do you love her?” The young man asked scouring the ground with a stick his arms rested on his knees as he watched the couple together Merlin knew this would turn out badly his best friend, a physician with no title dating the crowned prince of Camelot? A recipe for disaster
He knew what his destiny foretold, he knew the perils and he knew that your role in destiny would surely not let this freedom, this unabashed love stay happy. There could be no room for happiness when you had magic.
“Of course I love her.” The prince found himself telling Merlin hesitation in his voice fear rolling from him in waves, by now it was the late hours of the night, the knights and yourself long since asleep and Merlin and Arthur the only ones still awake
“You know your father would never approve?” Merlin spoke assured that if uther found out you’d most likely be executed
“I know that Merlin, but one day it will be different my father will have no say and I will be king when I am king I want her- to be my queen.” Arthur’s fingers run through your hair softly a promise Arthur swore to himself he would keep his arms wrapping tightly around your waist the soft sound of your breathing calming Arthur’s pounding heart he knew this was reckless and senseless but this was love. And love has no logic.
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
Now a bitter taste of betrayal sat heavily on your shoulders as you were flanked by those you call friends as they lead you to your death you couldn’t blame them it’s not their fault they have to follow uther but it leaves a horrible taste in your mouth
How things had changed.
It was sad to feel Leon’s grip firm but not brutish still trying not to hurt you as if he wasn’t leading you to what would be your death. You were aware from the moment Arthur managed to steal your heart you’d end up on the gallows or burnt at the stake or you’d face death in battle intentionally scheduled by uther. He hated anyone who was not of noble blood for Arthur.
And No good ever came from destiny, and if it was your destiny to die in place of your loved ones you’d die a valiant death. But it didn’t stop the shake in your hands.
You could mask your fear you would not give the witchfinder what he wants. He would not break you.
But leon could feel the shake in your hand and feel the erratic beat of your heart from the pulse point on your wrist and he wanted nothing more than to damn the consequences and save you but he couldn’t. you could only rely on Merlin to prove the witchfinder a fraud and you to be innocent you could only pray for Arthur’s forgiveness. After your innocence is proven.
But the horrible feeling of dread that was building in your stomach as they were leading you into the dungeons a cell- no doubt already made up- And down every step you felt like throwing up when you finally made it to the bottom of the stair case the scent of wet earth and straw filled your nose the bricks that lined the dungeon and its torches that burned steadily along the side of the stairs made you feel ill.
The witch finder swung open the first vacant cell and Leon was forced to keep you there walking you the the center of the room, the suns rays that slipped through the cracks of the small window warmed your face but it didn’t comfort you, soon the sun would be your clock, your tally mark for your final night alive if Merlin failed.
Leon’s hands left yours and still the ache in your shoulders stayed “I’m sorry” he spoke lowly in your ear before he stepped away you turned to finally face your friend
“Leon, let Arthur know I’m sorry” You called to the man who grew up beside you who had been growing up pledging to die for Camelot even if that meant dying young he never expected the young girl with so much light in her eyes, and gentleness that always managed to calm her patients, he never thought she’d be the one on deaths door before him.
Before the man could reply the witch finger slammed the cell door shut and sneered through the bars “not to worry he’ll find out soon enough.”
Your heart constricted in your chest as you watched them all walk away the iron in the Camelot dungeons nullifying your powers and your connection with Merlin you couldn’t hear his reply to your plea you were well and truly alone you could of course break out from the cells the iron didn’t make you powerless only dulling your connection with the earth, the place your power comes from. But you couldn’t put your friends at risk.
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
It was hours later when guards came to haul you away to your sentencing, heavy iron handcuffs clicked into place over your hands large chains weighing you down & tight enough to make the skin on your wrists rub painfully.
As Guards lead you through the castle to the throne room, there you stood at the large mahogany double doors two guards on either side as they flung the doors open all your friends and family, all your previous patients were standing there watching as the witchfinder lead you in as the number one suspect, the guilty witch. two guards gripped your arms and threw you to the ground in front of the king, a man who you’ve spent countless hours mending, and stitching up alongside gauis.
Your hands shook as your knees took the brunt of the force, your chains rattling from where you were you couldn’t see Merlin, or gauis. But You could feel Merlin’s energy over the crowd
“I’m going to get you out of this y/n, I swear.” Merlin promises to you through your Druid telepathy and you bit back the tears as You scowled at the sight of the ground. you couldn’t bare look up at the sight of morgana in front of you, of Arthur infront of you fear that you’ll see nothing but disgust, embarrassment and regret on his face.
“Here is the first witch I’ve uncovered in my short time here in Camelot. The court physicians apprentice. The princes! Physician!” Every word the witch finder spoke booms over the crowd as he exclaims to the counsel shock no doubt painted their faces you’ve treated every single person in this room and you’ve used magic on quite a few to save them. Why was that a bad thing? If you have the power to save someone was that not the right thing to do? Magic is not bad but people are.
“WHO can imagine what she could have used on the prince unsupervised! What magic she could have used and at what cost to the prince!” By the gasps of those standing around the room the witchfinders words seemed to make them angry, seemed to make the king angry he loved Arthur in his own way so for the witchfinder to use Arthur to sentence you, god. You were surely going to die.
“No.” Arthur’s words were quiet this was the first time he had said anything “y/n a witch? I mean come on we’d know! She’s lived in Camelot since she was five. And she wouldn’t harm a fly!” Arthur called like it was laughable resting his hand on his hip like it was obvious but by the look in his eye the look of realisation but you couldn’t find disgust you didn’t have time to search for it.
But It made you turn your gaze to the floor Arthur knows. he knows. you have magic. You’ve healed him countless times. no stab wound, or arrow wound could be healed as quickly as his has or all the time he’s been injured in battle only moments before, before the searing pain has been replaced with a dull ache. Or the times as a child where any scrape or scuffed knee had been eased by a soft kiss over the wound. The look of betrayal passing over his face when you gained the courage to finally look at him made you shrink into yourself
“That’s exactly what someone under her spell would say. I fear, uther that the prince is too close to her to see clearly.” The witchfinder spoke with a voice like acid and you couldn’t stand making yourself small if he was going to do you for magic you would not be ashamed. You would not hide from his gaze.
Your chained hands pushed you from your slumped position on the ground your hair messily falling over your face you stood on shaky legs looking at the people in the throne room, all your friends watching you with pity filled faces you couldn’t stand it.
It made you feel sick, especially the fearful teary eyed look from morgana like she was seeing her future you hated this.
Uthers response felt like it took years, “y/n l/n I sentence you to death.” The room fell eerily silent before a scream filled your head, it was Merlin you whirled around to spot him in the crowd tears in his eyes and anger flashing across his face you wouldn’t be surprised if the next attempt on uthers life would be from Merlin.
“No! Father you can’t. What evidence do you have?!” Arthur pleaded with his father quietly by his throne anger glaring in arthurs eyes pointed not at you, it gave you hope that he didn’t hate you enough to want you dead.
“My word is final.” The king sneered and your hope filled heart broke. Swallowing hard your eyes searched for Merlin the fear in your eyes hit him hard as he watched
you be carted out of the court room your eyes locking with Merlin’s anger and tears filled his eyes before your eyes swept to Arthur’s & the sheen of betrayal sat heavy in his eyes and before you could stop yourself you called out for him one last time. As the guards dragged you to the doors.
“Arthur!”
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
The cells in camelots dungeons were always your most hated place to be from the horrid stench to the chill that cooled your bones to the straw that littered the floor In wet mangled clumps. To the extent it weakened your connection to your magic. Your magic was your strength the very essence of you to have it be weakened by the iron felt wrong.
The dungeons were perhaps the scariest place in Camelot there you’d sit, forced to rot as they’re building a funeral pyre for you and your execution is due in a day.
But you’d been there for now two days, and Day by day you were becoming more and more sure that this was the one situation Merlin could not save you from.
by the betrayed look on Arthur’s face when you were lead through the large doors infront of the entire court for your sentencing and the cold look in uthers eyes you were a dead woman walking.
And maybe you deserved it by the look on Arthur’s face as the pieces fell into place and he realised all the times his wounds eased that were not with the help of adrenaline, but magic. it made you wonder did he believe you had enchanted him? Bewitched him to love you? It pained you greatly to even think that Arthur may be in his chambers rethinking every kiss you’ve shared with one another. Would your love ever truly be enough for him to forgive you for magic? Of course he didn’t like magic that was to be expected but he liked you. At least you thought he liked you…
And He liked Merlin, he’d shown countless times indifference to magic, magic that had saved his life countless times, and still the look of betrayal in his eyes made you wonder Were all your secret picnics and stolen kisses in corridors just something to occupy him?
Were you nothing more than Arthur’s dirty little secret, a silly little romance that would have only ended in tragedy?
was it all for nothing?
Were you nothing to him?
No you were not nothing. You were everything you were his in private. the only place he didn’t have to perform. He didn’t have to agree with his father’s actions he could just be Arthur pendragon not the prince.
besides It’s better to have loved Arthur and to die for it than to have never had him at all. You may never be his queen but you were for a fleeting moment, for a fleeting moment you were his and he was yours.
And now you would burn because you loved your family too much to watch them die, you half wondered as you sat in that cell if uther knew.
If he had known you and Arthur were courting in secret and if he called the witchfinder to get rid of more than one the little scandal waiting to happen and you wouldn’t put it past uther to condemn you to death so long as Arthur is still under his control.
The longer you sat in your cell the more you stewed, a slue of emotions crashing over you, from sadness to anger, to acceptance.
You would accept the fate of burning for your loved ones but you would not accept the fate of losing Arthur. Not like this.
You would not be separated by death, if Arthur didn’t want you after knowing the truth you would live with it, but you would not live with not knowing.
Your love for the boy had been too strong you were going to marry Arthur in the future, it wasn’t to far away having a family with the prince, having a life.
That could have been your future. If you were not awaiting execution.
You sat there in drenching sadness that crashed like waves, what was worse was the sound of key’s jiggling. Did you misjudge the days? Was this going to be the end? already?
“You and me are going to have a little talk.” The witch finder sneered unlocking your cell and looking down at you with hatred still you didn’t gaze in his eyes. You watched the floor with intensity as he hauled you off to a different cell leading you through the halls past the staircase you caught sight of a shaky morgana your eyes found hers and suddenly you felt a lot more scared than before.
In the cell there was a chair and a table and a small cart of various medical and surgical weapons ‘oh shit’ your mind screamed as the witch finder forced you to the chair “So we can do this two ways. It’s up to you confess why you’re in Camelot and who else has magic. and maybe I’ll let you live. Don’t tell me and I’ll find out myself.” The cruelty in his tone made you rear back subconsciously eyes narrowing at the witchfinders gaze
“Then” you sighed shakily looking at him through your lashes coldly“you’re going to have to find out yourself.” You summoned every inch of anger and willed it in your tone. Trying to be brave despite the frantic beats of your heart.
But It was hours spent in that damp Camelot cell hidden from the other prisoners clamped to a chair and the witch finder inches from your face and array of striking weapons on a small cart made your breathing hitch.
But you’ve had worse, you’ve had to fight wilderin in hengists kingdom for sport. Both yourself and Gwen had been kidnapped under the guise of being morgana and her physician and so yourself and Gwen were forced to masquerade as morgana and yourself and you were stuck in different cells both damp and smelling of blood and wet earth.
And then there was Lancelot who happened to be hengists champion, and a champion who only days later you’d be thrown into the pit with a wilderin with no weapons with a tied up Gwen and Lancelot. Both yourself and Lancelot had stayed behind to give Gwen time to escape and ultimately were the first to be thrown in the cage again you didn’t mind as long as Gwen escaped you’d be fine.
But Truth be told the odds were very against you, but magic was always going to save you, but using it would doom you especially in front of everyone in hengists court. With the use of magic and a bloodied broken bone from the wilderins last meal made for a convenient way to murder the beast. Until another one came and Merlin and Arthur had saved you just in time From its hideous rat jaws the huge bleeding scar of its teeth in your arm made you detest the stench of blood and earth.
That was probably the worst experience of your life until now. And the scar from the wilderins teeth was still healing but the physical scars meant nothing the torture of being in a cell that smells the same as this dungeon was the worst that and the feeling of knowing your life is going to end were probably the most humbling experiences.
But, the only saving grace was that night in camp where Arthur had taken it upon himself to patch up your wilderin wound (poorly might you add as a physician it was odd to let the only man with very little experience patching someone up, patch you up.)
But you let him anyway and Arthur’s hands held your arm with feather light touches the needle threaded through your flesh with clumsy fingers the stiching off centre and rough around the edges but it was Arthur’s way of telling you he cared, the silk thread slid easily through your flesh but it pained you every stitch Arthur was no physician but he was trying.
“I’m glad you’re okay. And Gwen told me when they questioned you about any secrets of Camelot you never cracked.”
“never Camelot is my home.” You smiled at the prince but your attempt at reassurance failed miserably and he ducked his head
“I wish you, cracked. Then they wouldn’t have given you that.” Arthur pointed to the growing black eye rapidly swelling over your left eye a bruise you got for refusing to rat out any information on when guards were on duty, the way to the Camelot armory or anything you overheard as a physician from any loose lipped clients.
“I am not weak Arthur. I can deal with a black eye and brutish men. I’ve been sparring with you and the knights for years” Your eyes pointed angrily at the boy crossing your arms over your chest despite the half finished stitching feeling the half sewn wound twist painful as you did so but you hid the pain to appear strong something you’ve done since you were young
“I never said that! But you- you aren’t weak. I can’t stand seeing you in pain.” Arthur’s blue eyes bore into yours with such an intensity his eyes flashing from your lips to your eyes his hand cupping your jaw as he pressed his lips softly against yours shock prevented you from kissing back as the blonde went to pull away you chased his lips kissing him back with feverish passion.
“I love you Arthur.” You rested your head against his the exhaustion of the day catching up to you he didn’t say it back but you didn’t care he just had to know.
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
The memory of Arthur made you feel loved it kept you strong, hit after hit, once against your ribs twice against your face, four times against your legs and once more against your face with enough force to split your lip licking the blood that dripped from your lip your bruised body heaved in pain and still you never cracked.
“Come on miss l/n, just tell me two little names and all this can stop”
“You’re deluded.” You sneered before spitting a wad of blood into the witchfinders face smiling gleefully when your blood tinged spit stained his face but the glee was short lived when the man had sent a quick hit to your chest stealing the air from your lungs.
Before he grabbed a tool with a screw and roughly pulled your thumb into it “you will tell me miss y/n what your intentions are with the prince and with Camelot or I will force it out of you.”
The witchfinder shredded his coat as he leaned over you tightening the screw into your thumb the pressure of the screw against your finger had you squirming in your seat as he tightened the contraption more and more
“All you need to do is confess your accomplices. And this will stop.” His voice echoed the room but the feeling of a sharp screw drilling into your finger tighter and tighter puncturing the nail and skin the pain otherworldly and unbearable you tried to hold your scream back but when the man still did not relent and instead tightened the thumb screw you let out your blood curdling scream.
“WHO! Are! Your! Accomplices!” His voice yelled now as he tightened more and more gut wrenching screams ripped from your throat you would let yourself scream, let yourself cry but you would not tell him a thing.
The crushing feeling of your thumb bones breaking made your heart beat incredibly fast your other ironed hand gripped the table with force your nails digging into the wood
He still tightened the screw and by the loud haunting screams that ripped from you and the smile on the witchfinders face he enjoyed your pain you couldn’t help the salty tears and horrible screams the pain unbearable and overcoming your sense but still your mouth locked on any information like a vault.
“Come on!” His voice boomed as his hands squeezed your bicep his eyes crazed as he watched you
“Fuck you!” You screamed eyes red with tears and fighting the approaching darkness in the corner of your vision
“Aredian, sir. The king has called a meeting and requires your presence.” The servant at the cell door had spoken quietly to the witchfinder nervous in his presence
The witchfinder sighed straightening his posture rolled his eyes and moved close to your ear “no matter, miss l/n. The lady morgana, and Merlin will burn with you soon”
Your heart dropped and you struggled against the restraints the excruciating pain from your finger and the rest of your beaten body the pain in your ribs alluded you to the potential broken bones it caused your panicked shouts to echoed through the dungeon and the witchfinders laugh filled the room
“No! Aredian stop.” You cried to his retreating figure “I’ll confess to the use of sorcery if. And only if, you spare Merlin and morgana.” Your eyes close in defeat
“Good choice, miss y/n. take her to her cell.”
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
And there you were again cut off from anyone and anything unsure if Merlin would be able to prove you innocent, or if he’d burn with you, or if Arthur still even cared the woman he was courting was about to be executed and had just withstood torture. Hengist was bad but he never had broken your bones or tortured you only tried to feed you to wilderin.
The pain in your thumb had dulled but the bleeding hole had still gushed the measly bandage that consider of your dress did barely anything to stop the bleeding and the iron cells mixed with the torture made your magic virtually ineffective making you unable to fully heal your wounds only dulling the pain of your thumb.
your time was running out and you were truly alone in the cells your connection to Merlin via your druid telepathy was proving useless he wouldn’t respond you couldn’t warn him of the witch finder and by the shine of the moon in your cell you only had hours left.
There is already a funeral pyre with your name on it in the court yard. You couldn’t help the tears that slipped down your cheeks you didn’t want to die not like this and a prison break wasn’t even on your mind they’d just kill Merlin and gaius in your absence there was no way out. and the crushing guilt of something you cannot change began to pound against your skull. Were you born wrong?
Was it wrong to have this magic? This power that has saved those you’ve loved for years why was it seen as inherently evil? Why were you seen as inherently evil? All you wanted was your friends to be safe.
And between the pain that debilitated you from the physical blows to the broken bones in your thumb and the emotional pain of Arthur most likely hating you made you want to just give up.
You pulled your knees to your chest as you cried the stupid scent of blood, earth, and straw polluted your nose. And you found yourself thinking about how lucky Gwen had been to have Lancelot visit her cell in hengists kingdom determined to break her and by extension yourself out.
You had Merlin in your court but you still wished you had someone to hold your hand through the vent even if it was the last thing you’d ever do you didn’t want to die alone.
“Y/n” you heard whispered from the doors of your cell “Arthur?” You called confusion lacing your voice as your red rimmed eyes met Arthur’s and you couldn’t help but run to the cell door resting your head on the bars sobbing in relief at the sight of him the pain from your body put on the back burner for a moment.
“What happened?” Guilt filled Arthur’s heart at the sight of you, your eye healing from your previous beating and now the sight of your bloodied broken thumb and bruised body Arthur saw red.
He felt betrayed at the revelation of your magic of course but he understood why you had kept it a secret and if Arthur had been paying more attention he would have seen it plain as day when you were kids.
Your magic was obvious since childhood Arthur was too blind to see it.
“I know” was all he said eyes stoney and voice unwavering “I know you have magic the witch finder is right.”
Any hope that bubbles in your chest died with his words “Arthur I- i can explain” You tried shaking your head lacing your uninjured hand in his through the cell pleased when he didn’t pull away
“Shhh Merlin told me everything, everything you’ve ever done to save me. Save everyone. I understand why you did what you did.” Arthur spoke lowly his eyes staring into yours trying to convey his apology
“Merlin has come up with a plan to save you, he’s doing it right now but I couldn’t go another day without telling you I’m sorry you had to keep this a secret. I can’t stay for long but- but y/n I love you.” Arthur spoke with all the love he could muster placing a chaste kiss on your lips through the cell
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before I was afraid of my father I am supposed to be king one day to marry someone of noble blood, but I don’t want that. I want you.” Arthur’s voice is quiet as he confesses he wants to spend the rest of your lives together
“I want nothing more.” You felt like crying he still wanted you, magic and all.
“Arthur, I was so scared.” You felt so exhausted from the torture to the ticking clock you couldn’t help but cry
“Shh” Arthur’s fingers ghosted over the skin of your cheeks wiping your tears. “We will prove your innocence, I’ll keep your secret. I promise you.”
Arthur placed a kiss on your lips once more pressing a necklace with his ring into your hand before promising Merlin has everything under control.
With your heart a bit lighter you finally sat down on the hard cell bed clutching Arthur’s ring in your hand you let sleep overtake your body trusting that Merlin will save you.
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
When the bright light of the sun shines through your cell window today is the day you are supposed to die, and part of your questioned if you dreamt Arthur’s presence to save your sanity but by the slight pressure of his ring on a chain in your hand reassured your beating heart.
You were not dreaming, Arthur loves you and Merlin just spent last night trying to save you but there’s still a ticking time bomb of the noon execution and by the switch shift of the guards it was almost 12
Time was ticking and still there was no sign of Merlin you felt sick like your heart was going to fall out of your stomach
You prayed to whatever god or deity was out there that you would not burn today but by the size of the growing crowd outside the cell window your prayers would go unanswered there was nothing you could do but just sit there in anxiety
The rattling of keys and heavy sound of chainmail made you accept the fact that Merlin would be too late to save you and Arthur would watch you burn
When the knight reached your cell his keys turned the lock and he walked towards you slowly your eyes met the floor the pain in your thumb still debilitating but you held Arthur’s ring in your hands tightly if you were to burn your burn knowing you were loved.
To your surprise when the knight takes you by the wrist silver key in hand as he unlocks your handcuffs
Confusion takes over your face as you watch the knight with intensity “what?” You can’t help but ask rubbing your now freed wrist nervous when he takes your injured hand but this knight grips your hand with gentleness that’s beyond you
“You’re free to go miss” the knight smiles he looked to be a newer knight of Camelot one you didn’t grow up with but he is kind
“Thank you” you nod to the knight as you stumble from your cell gauis is standing at the end of the hallway white as a ghost but pleased to see you freed from your cell
“Y/n!” Gauis smiles opening his arms and you can’t help but fall into them holding onto gauis tightly your sobs wet his shirt shoulder
“Gauis how did you do it? How did you prove me to be innocent?” You cry your hands shaking and body weak from days spent eating little food and dealing with aredians torture.
“It was all Merlin and Arthur.” The old man smiles his arms supporting you as you walk up the stairs from the dungeons to your chambers
“Tell me everything.”you smile at the old man walking side by side down the corridor gauis’s laugh fills the empty hallway
“Not here, let’s get your wounds treated.” His eyes glance at the bruises littering your body, and the bloodied thumb
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
You had never been so happy to see your chambers in your life, the comforting smell of herbs and bread the familiar scent of old books and the sound of your boots against the stone floor sounded like music to your ears
There’s no scent of wet earth, or blood aside from the metallic smell emanating from your finger you could almost forget the pain of the cells now that you’re back.
But there’s still very obviously signs of damage done by the witch finders raid broken pots, damaged shelves potions and poisons leaving residue on the floor
But still it is your home. gauis filled a pitcher of water and fills a cup for you and once the water passes your lips you come to realise just how parched you were gulping down glass after glass
gauis busied himself with fixing his work station pulling ointment after ointment and an array of bandages from his kit.
“Sit please” gauis pointed to the table and you sat yourself on the wooden bench gauis had begun to take your makeshift bandage from your wound the gaping hole in your thumb and the blood that spurted from your wound made gauis’s breathing hitch
As he gentle distributed ointment over the wound to fight off growing infections and bandaging up the wound with a fresh bandage Merlin would work on reconstructing your thumb when he gets back
Gauis had felt over your ribs and when he had found another break Merlin would be healing that too for now gauis would sit beside you on the dining room table fresh food would be laid out gauis knew what it was like in the Camelot dungeons and the lack of food
So he didn’t comment on how much you ate when approaching footsteps made your heart beat faster and your eyes flicker to gauis his hand rested on top of yours to reassure you, gauis and Merlin would always reassure you you were safe here you weren’t trapped in the cells of your own home.
When Merlin’s figure found himself in the doorway you could see the relief on his face that you were okay aside from the bruises and bandaged thumb you were alive.
“Oh y/n” Merlin’s soft voice cried and before you knew it you were pushing up off of the table and running into Merlin’s arms
“Hi Merlin” you held him tightly you owed Merlin your life and so being in his hold meant being safe, he would never hurt you.
“God I’m so glad you’re back” his hold tightened and he could feel your magic strong and your connection to eachother he wasn’t cut off from you anymore
“I’m so sorry it took me so long.” Merlin’s guilt ate him alive as he pulled away the black eye and split lip made him see red if he didn’t already kill aredian by accident he would have and he would have made him go through what you did.
Merlin’s eyes flashed yellow and the unbearable ache in your thumb and pulsing pain all over ebbed into nothingness.
You could feel your bones reassembling in your thumb and your broken rib fuse back together the pain and bruises once a bright purple colour would dissipate into a light blue and then would turn into the colour of your skin again.
“Thank you, Merlin.” You squeezed his hand tightly he nodded his head and held you tightly in his arms
Before a smile broke out on his face “do you want to hear how I proved aredian to be a fraud?” Merlin helped you sit beside him and poured another glass of water for you
“Of course!”
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
After Merlin had recounted the entire night from convincing Arthur of everything, that despite your magic you loved him with no enchantment and even if you had enchanted him Merlin asked Arthur point blank if what he told him that day you were cuddled in Arthur’s arms if it was still true, if he still loved you.
Arthur told Merlin he would always love you but he couldn’t trust you now with magic Merlin felt like slapping the prince.
How could you trust Arthur? He’s the prince of Camelot. A kingdom that tried to burn a woman at the stake the first day he arrived and you had grown up here watching that and still you treated its citizens and royalty with no malice?
Merlin understood why you couldn’t trust Arthur he can’t. Not because Arthur was a bad friend but he’s the prince.
No one can help how they are born, but you can put yourself in their shoes and Merlin spent hours convincing Arthur and then more hours enchanting aredian.
From the tincture of belladonna, to the bracelet, to even the frog from aredians throat! Merlin would not fail.
You loved Merlin a lot no one would go as far as he did to save you and you only knew him for a year and a half.
When three knocks sounded on the door Merlin had tried to hide his smile as gauis opened the door to Arthur, in a white shirt freshly showered hair and a Bouquet of wildflowers you felt your heart melt at his kindness
His blue eyes were filled with worry and fear his gaze flicking to gauis and Merlin before he lowered his voice “how are you?”
“Much better now I’m out of that god forsaken cell.” You felt your throat close up at the mention of the cell you spent so long in
Arthur felt guilty about his actions about not saving you or stopping his father. He tried but he could have tried harder
You could see Arthur was drowning in his guilt placing your hand on his shoulder you lead him past gauis and Merlin to your room and sat on your small bed
“You tried your hardest Arthur, it’s not your fault I was thrown in the dungeons.”
“I should have stopped them y/n. I should have broken you out I should have done anything!” Arthur blinked through tears
His hand holding yours in your lap, “Arthur I love you with my whole heart I do not blame you, so please do not blame yourself.”
“I love you and I promise I will spend the rest of my life proving to you how much I love you.” Arthur confessed his eyes full of sincere love
You couldn’t help yourself but to kiss him your lips meshing against one another’s felt like home, it felt like love and warmth and like an apology all in one.
It wasn’t until your lungs burnt for air did you pull back. “I should go I don’t want anyone to become suspicious, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Arthur asked tentatively a part of him afraid of rejection.
“Of course” you placed another kiss on his lip before pulling open your chamber door to reveal Merlin and gauis on the other side ears pressed against the wood looking guilty.
“Merlin…gauis what do you think you’re doing?” You chastise at the pair you expected this of Merlin but of gauis? That was surprising
“Gauis i expected better of you” Arthur laughed from where he stood wrapping an arm around your shoulder
The first time I saw Merlin, he was carrying more things than any one person had the right to. A pile of folded tunics, a basket of leeches, three scrolls, and a loaf of bread were stacked in his arms like some precarious tower. He nudged Gaius’s door open with his hip, misjudged the angle, and the entire collection slid sideways.
I dropped the bundle of herbs I’d been sorting and lunged forward, catching the basket before it bounced off the floor. A few leeches wriggled over the edge and made a bid for freedom.
Merlin made a strangled noise. “No, no, no—Gaius will have my head—”
I pinched one between two fingers and dropped it back into the basket. “Honestly, is this a healer’s chambers or a menagerie?”
He stared at me, wide-eyed, as if I’d materialised out of thin air. “You’re… new.”
“YN,” I said, straightening up, brushing dust off my skirts with my free hand. “Gwaine’s sister. My brother had sent me word that Gaius said he could use some help. I’m starting to see why.”
His ears went a little pink. It was strangely endearing. “I’m Merlin.” He shifted the tunics onto the table, then looked back at me with a crooked smile. “And for what it’s worth, you have excellent reflexes. Most people would’ve let the leeches take their chances.”
“Most people don’t have a brother who jumps off tavern roofs for fun,” I said. “You learn to move quickly.”
Right on cue, Gwaine’s voice floated down the outer stairs. “Oi! Little sister! Have you given out to the medicinal air or are you going me for some ale?”
Merlin snorted. I just shook my head with a smile.
That was how it started—Gaius’s cluttered chambers, the smell of herbs and smoke, Merlin’s awkward smile and the way he always seemed to be rushing, as if he was forever three steps behind a world that moved too fast.
It didn’t take long for me to realise he was usually three steps ahead of everyone else.
We rode out of Camelot at dawn three weeks later.
A band of raiders had been attacking villages along the eastern road, and Arthur, ever the noble King, insisted on dealing with it personally. The knights saddled up with practised efficiency, armour gleaming in the first pale light. Gwaine clapped me on the shoulder as I checked my saddlebags.
“You’re sure about this?” he asked. “Could stay here. Let Merlin handle all the….” He gestured vaguely. “Bleeding and groaning.”
“I heard that,” Merlin said, leading his own horse toward us. “And I’ll have you know, my bandaging has been called ‘adequate’ by Gaius himself.”
“That’s high praise,” I said, swinging into the saddle. “Besides, Arthur requested a healer, didn’t he?”
“He requested Gaius,” Gwaine said.
“And Gaius sent me.” I raised a brow. “Unless you suddenly don’t trust me?”
Gwaine’s expression softened in that way he thought I didn’t notice. “It’s not that. I just—”
“I’ll look out for her,” Merlin cut in quietly, glancing up at me as he adjusted his reins. He smiled, small but earnest. “Promise.”
My chest did an odd, fluttering thing that I firmly ignored.
Gwaine eyed him, then me, then sighed as if fate itself had personally offended him. “Fine. But if anything happens to her, Merlin, I’ll pluck every hair from your head one by one.”
Merlin winced. “You say the sweetest things.”
I rolled my eyes. “Both of you mount up before Arthur starts lecturing the both of you again.”
As we rode out, Camelot’s walls shrinking behind us, I fell in beside Merlin. The morning air was crisp, fields washed in gold. The world looked deceptively peaceful.
“Do you go out on these trips often?” I asked.
“More than Gaius would like,” Merlin said. “Less than Arthur would prefer. He thinks I enjoy getting nearly killed as much as he does.”
“I’ve known men like that,” I said dryly. “They’re exhausting.”
Merlin laughed, sudden and bright. It warmed something in me I hadn’t realised was cold.
The attack came two days later, just before dusk.
We’d made camp in a clearing, the knights scattered around the fire, armour loosened, voices low and content. I sat on a fallen log near Gwaine, sorting through my satchel—ointments, bandages, vials—Merlin beside me, peeling an apple with a knife that looked a little too sharp for the task.
“I still say I should’ve brought ale,” Gwaine muttered. “Raider-hunting is thirsty work.”
“Everything is thirsty work to you,” I said.
“Exactly.” He grinned at me, then nodded toward Merlin. “What about you, mate? Don’t you think the king’s healer deserves a drink or two?”
Merlin glanced up, catching my eye for just a moment longer than necessary. “I think she deserves to not have to stitch you up while you’re drunk.”
Elyan snorted. “He has a point.”
Before Gwaine could reply, there was a sharp crack in the trees—a snapped branch, too heavy to be an animal. Arthur’s head snapped up.
“Did you hear—”
The arrow thudded into the log by my knee.
Chaos erupted.
“Down!” Gwaine shouted, grabbing my shoulder and hauling me off the log. I hit the ground hard, breath whooshing out of me as knights scrambled for swords and shields. More arrows whistled through the air, embedding themselves in tree trunks and packs.
Someone screamed. Horses reared. The forest exploded into shouting and steel.
I scrambled behind the log, heart pounding, fingers fumbling for the little dagger at my belt. Gwaine drew his sword with a gleeful shout and charged toward the treeline. Typical.
“Stay here,” Merlin said, crouching beside me. His eyes were wide but steady in the flickering firelight. “I mean it, YN.”
“You’re going out there,” I shot back, hearing the edge in my own voice. “Don’t tell me to stay and hide.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“Because—”
An attacker burst through the undergrowth behind him, knife raised. I barely had time to shout before Merlin twisted, bringing up his forearm to block, the blade grazing his sleeve. I saw the man’s eyes—hard, desperate. Saw the knife rising again.
Something inside me surged.
“Merlin!” I lunged forward without thinking, grabbing at the raider’s arm. We grappled clumsily, his breath hot and sour in my face. The dagger slipped in his grip, carving fire along my forearm. Pain flared, sharp and bright.
Then the man’s feet went out from under him as if someone had kicked them, though there was no one behind him.
He hit the ground with a grunt, wind knocked out of him. Just then the blade flew from his hand just to come back towards him, the hilt hit directly on his temple. The man went limp.
I staggered back, clutching my bleeding arm. “What—”
Merlin grabbed my wrist, eyes darting from my cut to my face. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” I lied, though my skin felt clammy and the forest spun around the edges. “What just happened?”
He glanced at the fallen man, then the clearing, knights still locked in combat but pushing the raiders back. “You should get behind the fire. I’ll—”
“No,” I said sharply. “Merlin, he fell. Like… like someone tripped him, but there was no one there. What did you do?”
His gaze snapped back to mine. For a heartbeat, something flickered there—fear, perhaps. Or guilt. He opened his mouth, closed it again.
“YN, please,” he said, softer. “We’ll talk about it later. I promise. Just… go. Now.”
I wanted to argue. I wanted to demand an explanation that made sense. But another arrow hissed past, close enough that I felt it tug at my hair.
Later, then.
I nodded once and scrambled around the fire, pressing my back to one of the packs. I tore a strip from the hem of my skirt and wrapped it around my arm, hands shaking more than I wanted to admit.
From my vantage point, I could see Merlin darting through the chaos—not a knight, not a warrior, but somehow always where he was most needed. Shoving Elyan out of the path of a swinging sword. Tossing Arthur a spare spear. Tripping a raider just as he lunged for Percival’s unprotected side.
Always a second too lucky. Always just in time.
Pieces that had never quite fit started to slide together in my mind.
We won, in the end.
The raiders broke and fled into the forest, leaving their dead and injured behind. Arthur ordered a perimeter search, Leon and Elyan fanning out with a few others. Gwaine helped me tend to the wounded of our lot, jaw tight in a way that meant he was angry and trying not to show it.
Merlin moved among the men, checking on them, fetching water, too quiet.
Later, when the immediate rush of work eased, Merlin and I were sitting on a fallen log at the edge of camp, unwinding the blood-stained cloth from my arm. Gwaine had gone to help Percival drag corpses away from the firelight, Arthur was conferring with Leon. For a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.
The cut stung as Merlin dabbed it with salve. His fingers were gentle, his brow furrowed.
“You’re lucky it wasn’t deeper,” he murmured.
“I’ve had worse,” I said, then softened. “Thank you. For… whatever you did.”
He went still.
“I told you,” he said after a heartbeat. “It was just—he tripped. Got his feet tangled.”
“In what?” I asked quietly. “Invisible roots?”
He glanced up. Our eyes met, and I saw it again—that flash of fear behind the easy smiles and clumsy charm. It twisted something in my chest.
“Merlin,” I said, voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not stupid.”
A muscle jumped in his cheek. He looked down again, focusing on tying the bandage, his fingers moving a little too precisely for someone supposedly flustered.
“You should be more careful,” he said finally. “Running at armed men with nothing but a tiny knife? You could’ve been killed.”
“And what, I should’ve stayed behind and wrung my hands?” I shook my head. “You’re one to talk. You act like you’re made of stone and steel, but you bleed just as easily as the rest of us.”
He finished the knot, but his hand lingered around my wrist. Warm. Steady.
“I worry about you,” I said, the words escaping before I could think better of them.
There. Out in the open, trembling between us.
Merlin’s fingers tightened ever so slightly. He swallowed, throat working. “You… you do?”
“Of course I do,” I said, heat rising in my cheeks. “Just from the short time I’ve known you, I know you throw yourself into danger for Arthur without a second thought. You rush off alone. You appear out of nowhere just in time, like today. Like a dozen times before. It’s not normal, Merlin. And whatever you’re hiding, it’s going to get you killed if you’re not careful.”
He looked at me as if he wanted to say something terribly important and terribly dangerous all at once. Then Gaius’s voice echoed in my memory: the laws against magic, the burn scars on the city’s stones, the stories of pyres and screams.
I suddenly didn’t want to push him. Not here, not now. Not when raider bodies still cooled at the edge of camp.
Merlin wet his lips, glanced toward the others, then back at me. “I…” He trailed off, shook his head. “I’ll try to be more careful.”
It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t an answer.
But for tonight, it had to do.
I didn’t sleep much.
Dreams—if they came at all—were full of arrows and invisible hands, of Merlin’s eyes when I’d said I worried about him.
By the time dawn filtered through the trees, a damp grey light, the men were already stirring. We broke camp quickly, the king eager to reach the nearest village before nightfall. I found Merlin by the horses, stuffing bedrolls into packs with more force than necessary.
“Morning,” I said.
He jumped slightly. “YN. Hi.” His smile was too sharp around the edges. “Did you, um, sleep?”
“A little,” I lied. “You?”
“Barely.” He shrugged, glancing toward Arthur. “We should reach Hillford by midday if we keep a good pace.”
Hillford.
My stomach tensed. I’d heard the reports—houses burned, livestock taken, a child missing. The raiders hadn’t just been hungry. They’d been cruel.
“I’ll get my things,” I murmured.
We rode in uneasy silence, the air heavy with the remnants of yesterday’s violence. The forest thinned as the road wound upward, giving way to scrubby hills. Smoke stained the sky long before we saw the village.
Most of Hillford still stood, but barely. A few houses were burned down shells, others hastily patched. People emerged as we approached—tired, wary faces, hope flickering when they saw Arthur’s crest.
While Arthur spoke with the village elder, the knights fanned out to help where they could. I followed Merlin to the little cluster of injured villagers, my satchel banging against my hip.
We had our hands full.
By late afternoon, my back ached, my fingers were sticky with dried blood and salve, and my head throbbed. Merlin moved tirelessly between patients, fetching water, holding hands, murmuring reassurances that actually seemed to soothe.
It wasn’t until a panicked shout went up from the far edge of the village that I realised I hadn’t seen Gwaine in over an hour.
“Arthur!” someone yelled. “They’re back!”
My heart seized.
Raider horns sounded from the ridge, followed by the thunder of hooves. Arthur’s orders snapped through the air as the knights scrambled to form a defensive line.
Merlin’s eyes met mine. In that moment, I knew.
“Stay with the villagers,” he said, already backing away. “Gaius would kill me if I let you get trampled.”
“Merlin—”
But he was gone, slipping through the chaos with that too-quick, too-lucky grace.
I ignored his order and followed.
I kept to the shadows of the buildings, the edges of fences, my breath loud in my ears. The raiders crashed against Camelot’s line, steel ringing on steel. I glimpsed Gwaine’s dark head, Arthur’s blond one, Leon’s red cloak.
And then I saw Merlin.
He stopped behind a half-collapsed cart, hidden from the knights’ view. He lifted a hand, fingers spreading, eyes sharp and focused in a way I’d never seen when we were in Gaius’.
Words slipped from his lips, too low for me to catch but crackling with power all the same.
The world seemed to hold its breath.
Wind roared down from the ridge, sudden and fierce. It slammed into the raiders’ horses, sending them rearing, hooves flailing. Men toppled from saddles like dolls. Behind Arthur, Gwaine stumbled back as if pushed away from a descending blade that never struck him.
Merlin’s eyes glowed gold.
I froze.
Magic.
Not the wild tales whispered in taverns. Not the cruel, destructive force I had heard Uther railed against from his throne and I guess, now in turn Arthur. This was something else—terrifying, yes, but controlled. Directed. Protective.
Merlin’s shoulders shook. The wind died as quickly as it had risen. The raiders, scattered and dazed, found themselves facing a wall of very angry knights and a very, very angry prince. The battle ended swiftly after that.
Merlin sagged against the cart, breathing hard.
I don’t remember deciding to move. One moment I was rooted to the spot, the next I was crossing the distance between us, skirts catching on broken wood, heart hammering.
“Merlin.”
He flinched as if I’d struck him. Slowly, he turned.
Gold faded from his eyes, leaving them the familiar blue I’d come to know. But the fear there was new. Raw.
“YN,” he said, voice hoarse. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Apparently, like my brother, I’m very bad at doing what I’m told,” I said, coming to a stop a few feet away. The ground between us felt like the edge of a cliff. “You didn’t trip that man by luck. You didn’t save Gwaine today by being in the right place.”
He swallowed. “You… you saw.”
I laughed, a short, breathless sound with no humour in it. “Hard to miss the glowing eyes when I’m looking straight at your face.”
He shut his, just for a moment, as if bracing for a blow. When he opened them again, I saw resignation there. And something like sorrow.
“You know what this means,” he said quietly. “If anyone finds out—”
“Shut it,” I commanded. “I know.”
Silence fell between us. The shouts of victory from the village seemed distant, muffled, as if we were underwater.
“How long?” I asked, because some part of me still needed to make sense of it. “How long have you been…?”
“Since I was born,” he said. “I came to Camelot to learn to control it. To help. Gaius took me in. The rest just… happened.”
“The rest,” I repeated faintly. “Being best friends with the King who like his father would have you executed if he knew. Doing everything you can to keep him alive while he rides around picking fights with destiny.”
A corner of his mouth twitched. “Something like that.”
“Does Gaius know?”
“Yes.”
“Does my brother?”
“No.” He hesitated. “And… I’d like to keep it that way. At least for now.”
Anger flared in me, hot and sharp, surprising us both. “You trust Gaius with this. You trust Arthur with your life every time you throw yourself in front of him. But you didn’t trust me enough to tell me? Not even when I saw things that didn’t make sense, when I started to suspect?”
His expression crumpled. “It’s not about trust. It’s… YN, you just got here. If anyone even hints that you knew and didn’t report me—”
“I don’t care about the stupid laws, Merlin,” I snapped. “I care about you. I care that you’re out here carrying a secret that could get you killed, and you think you have to do it all by yourself.”
The wind stirred my hair, gentle this time. Merlin looked at me as if he were seeing me properly for the first time.
“I didn’t want to put you in danger,” he said softly. “You’re already risking enough, being Gwaine’s sister.”
I huffed out a watery laugh. “You don’t even know just how true that statement is.”
He took a step closer. Just one. It felt like the ground tilted beneath my feet.
“When you said you worry about me,” he asked, voice barely audible over the distant cheers, “did you mean…?”
“Merlin,” I said, and suddenly, all the things I hadn’t let myself think crystallised into clarity. The way I watched him at council tables, tired but determined. The way my heart stuttered when he smiled at me, like I’d just been handed something fragile and precious.
“Yes,” I said. “I meant all of it.”
His breath hitched. “YN—”
“I worry about you because you matter to me,” I went on, because if I stopped now I might never find the courage again. “Because you’re kind and stubborn and you care more than is good for you. Because you’re out here saving everyone and letting no one save you. Because I—”
My voice cracked. I swallowed.
“Because I think I started falling for you the moment you dropped leeches on my feet.”
A startled laugh escaped him, half-sob. The tension in his shoulders eased, just a little.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “For not telling you. For making you worry. For dragging you into this.”
“You didn’t drag me into anything,” I said. “I walked. I’m very capable of making poor decisions all on my own.”
He smiled at that, small and crooked. “You really are Gwaine’s sister.”
“Unfortunately.”
We stood there, the space between us charged with fear and something else—something fragile and shimmering.
Merlin’s hand twitched at his side, as if fighting some internal battle. Finally, he took the last step and reached out, his fingers brushing mine. “Tell me this is too much, that I’m selfish for wanting more when my life is already tied up in secrets and lies and prophecies. I’ll walk away. I swear.”
I looked down at our hands—his, calloused and ink-stained, mine, smudged with blood and salve. They fit together as if they’d been made to.
“I’m not going to tell you to go,” I said, threading my fingers through his. “I’m going to tell you that if you’re going to risk your life for Arthur’s destiny, you don’t get to shut me out while you do it.”
His eyes shone, suspiciously bright. “You’d stay? Even knowing what I am?”
“What you are,” I said firmly, “is Merlin. The man who trips raiders without touching them, yes, but also the one who holds old women’s hands while I set their bones and sneaks extra bread to children when he thinks no one’s looking. Magic or no magic, that’s who you are.”
He made a soft, broken sound, then cupped my face in both hands, careful, as if I might shatter.
“Can I…?” he whispered.
Instead of answering, I leaned up and kissed him.
His lips were warm and tentative at first, as if he still thought I might change my mind. When I didn’t, when I pressed closer, sliding my arms around his neck, he deepened the kiss, one hand sliding into my hair. For a moment, the world narrowed to the taste of him, the feel of him, the way something inside me that had been restless and aching suddenly clicked into place.
When we finally broke apart, we were both breathless, foreheads resting together.
“This is a terrible idea,” I murmured, though I was smiling.
“The worst,” he agreed, smiling back.
“I’m in.”
“Thank the gods.” He laughed, the sound light and unbelieving, and pulled me into a quick, fierce hug before reluctantly stepping back. Voices were drawing closer—the knights, the villagers.
Gwaine’s shout cut through the air. “YN! Merlin! Where in the nine hells did you wander off to?”
We exchanged a look.
“Ready?” Merlin asked.
“Eh,” I said, squeezing his hand once before letting go. “Come on.”
We walked back toward the noise together, not quite touching, but the space between us felt different now. Alive like.
Gwaine spotted us and immediately strode over, eyes scanning me for injuries. “You all right, little sister?”
“I’m fine,” I said, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “Merlin was with me.”
Gwaine clapped a hand on Merlin’s shoulder, nearly knocking him sideways. “Good man. Knew I could count on you.”
Merlin shot me a quick, secret smile.
As the knights gathered, as Arthur spoke of rebuilding and justice and promises kept, I stood beside Merlin. The world was still dangerous, still uncertain, still full of secrets that could burn us both.
But my hand brushed his, just once, and he curled his fingers around mine for the briefest of moments, hidden between us.
Synopsis: Gwaine needs a distraction, and you know just what to do
Tags/Warnings: Gwaine/GN!Reader, unspecified reader genitals, smut, penetrative sex, teasing, making out, riding, mating press, rough sex, creampie
Word Count: 2024
Sneaking around with Gwaine wasn’t the most intelligent idea you’d ever had, but then between the two of you, intelligent ideas weren’t the most common. Besides, it was so much fun, and if there was anything that the two of you wanted it was to have a good time.
You gasped softly as Gwaine pushed you up against the castle wall, tucked away in a quiet, dim hallway leading to who knew where. His lips were on yours almost instantly, and you didn’t hesitate to reciprocate, one arm winding around his neck while the other reached to grip his hip, while his arm pinned you in, with the hand other firmly gripping your ass. It was messy, it always was, the clashing of teeth and grasping of greedy hands against clothed skin. You could have time alone of an evening if you really wanted it, both of you knew that, but where was the fun in that?
“You do something different today? I can’t seem to resist you.” Gwaine said when he briefly parted from you, parted lips slowly descending against the skin of your neck, wet kisses placed along the trail.
“You never can.” You replied with a laugh, slowly grinding one of your thighs against his crotch just to hear him groan.
“You might be right there.” He said, returning his lips to yours, eager tongue and teeth meeting yours.
“I always am.” You told him, but happily leaned into his embrace, allowing his tongue into your mouth.
You’d only been caught once, by Lancelot, who was thankfully the easiest person to be caught by. He assured you both that he wouldn’t tell anyone if that was what you wanted, but he reserved the right to tease both of you when it was safe to do so. You wouldn’t have it either way, and somehow you’d managed to become quite close friends with Lancelot because of it. When Gwaine’s hand ghosted over your crotch, you were surprised back into the present, a breathy moan escaping you unexpectedly.
“Oh sweetheart you can’t tease me like that.” Gwaine groaned, pressing his face against your shoulder, fingers still tracing your thigh, just short of where you wanted him to be.
“You can’t complain about teasing when you’re touching me like that.” You retorted, and he chuckled, then nipped the skin of your collarbone that was exposed before he reluctantly stepped back.
The two of you had only been there for a few minutes at most, and yet Gwaine looked utterly wrecked, more than normal. You took a second to absorb his appearance, noting how distant his gaze was, how distracted he seemed, and he was typically more talkative. More prepared to laugh together before you parted with a lingering kiss. A frown worked its way onto your face, and you reached out to gently cup Gwaine’s face, noting how he leaned into your palm. You pulled him back in, all the lust fading away in favour of care for the man before you. There was no label on the relationship that you had, but it was more than friends for certain. With your other hand, you took his and laced your fingers together.
“What’s wrong?” You asked softly, thumb swiping slowly over his cheekbone back and forth, a move you hoped was at least slightly soothing.
“Ah, it’s nothing really.” He replied, only making your frown deepen. You sighed and pulled Gwaine into a kiss so different from the others you’d shared, soft and sweet, a promise that you were here for him.
“Would you tell me if it was something?”
“Probably not.” He admitted.
“At least you’re honest. What do you need from me then?” You asked, watching as his eyes slowly dragged across your face, taking in each of your features one by one.
“A distraction.”
“That I can do. Come on, nobody is looking for us right? Come back to my rooms.” You said, tugging on his hand as if to pull him along.
“What if someone does come looking?”
“If you’re thinking about that, then you’re not distracted enough. Come on, Sir Gwaine. Let me fill your mind with something sweeter.”
“You’re speaking my language sweetheart.”
It was easy to lose yourself in Gwaine, and you were quickly discovering that he found it just as easy to get lost in you. All your encounters tended to follow the same formula, vaguely. He’d find you, or you’d find him, and you’d pull yourself down into a dark space for mindless indulgence, taking your pleasure from each other without descrimination, usually with hurry. Not this time. This time you pressed Gwaine down into your bed and climbed on top of him, determined to allow him to simply sit back and enjoy. You’d said you could distract him, and you planned to.
You leaned down to kiss him, wet and messy the way you knew he liked, grinding your hips into his to make him hard and aching. But you wouldn’t touch it, not yet. You kissed your way down his jaw and neck, always careful not to leave marks behind, but still content to gently nip and lick his skin to mark it as yours if only for the time you were together. He leaned upward to allow you to tug off his tunic, tossing it aside without care. If he were a more proper man, you’d be eager to mark his stomach and chest, but you knew how prone Gwaine was to stripping around the other knights, so again you contented yourself with licking. Not that Gwaine seemed to mind that at all. You slowly dragged your tongue over his nipple, gently nipping it before you continued downward, basking in the groan that escaped him in response. You worked further downward still, descending his body as you worked his belt, tossing that aside with his tunic, and then his trousers too, tossing it all aside in favour of having a full view of his bare body.
You continued your treatment on his thighs, blowing softly over the damp flesh to make him shiver, goosebumps rising over his skin. He was achingly hard, you could see it clearly, with a wet spot forming at his tip where he was leaking precum into his underwear. You kissed his cock through the fabric just to feel it twitch, then made your way back upward to kiss Gwaine again, happily accepting his tongue into your mouth when it was offered to you, your fingers tangling in his hair to keep him close.
“C’mon sweetheart, you’re killing me here.” Gwaine groaned when you parted, your hips rocking against his.
“Well you’re not going to stop worrying if we’re done in five minutes.” You retorted, nipping his lip playfully. He chuckled, a sound that resonated deep in his chest, leaving you able to feel it in yours where you were pressed together.
“Come on now. I last for at least seven minutes.” He replied, but when you took his cock in hand through his underwear, all thought seemed to quickly leave him.
“And if I do my job right, you’ll last for ten or more.” You teased in response. You dragged your finger over the tip of his cock through that damp spot. Gwaine shivered, eyes rolling back, biting down on his lip hard. He said nothing more, just letting you work your magic. You fully wrapped your hand around his covered length, stroking slowly from base to tip, then back again, your other hand pressed down on his hip so he couldn’t buck up into your grip for more. Not that Gwaine would - as much as he complained, he was happy to let you be in control for the time being. To let you take his mind off everything.
It was when your mouth gently pressed against his clothed cock that his hips jumped, chasing the warmth of your mouth that he knew so well. You chuckled softly, the vibration of your throat against him only serving to make him groan again, fisting the sheets beneath him. You licked slowly up the length of his covered dick, just to tease before you finally removed his underwear, tossing that aside with everything else. You gently sucked at the tip of his cock, cleaning away the precum there, the taste salty on your tongue. You took your time deliberately, slowly working your way down his length to swallow him down, then back up again slowly, dragging off with a soft pop.
“Would you like to feel me?” You asked softly, your air ghosting over his wet length.
“You know the answer to that is always yes.” Gwaine replied, eyes glossed over for an entirely new reason, but still when he looked down at you it was with nothing but love in his eyes. You smiled back, suddenly overwhelmed with adoration for the man beneath you, the man who you weren’t technically in a relationship with, because neither of you were quite proper enough for that. You removed your clothes slowly, letting him watch as each inch of your skin was revealed part by part, until they were all discarded alongside his.
It took little effort to line him up with your hole, and only a little more to sink down slowly onto his length, letting it stretch you open. You moaned together as you seated yourself fully on his cock, feeling every inch inside you. It was far from the first time, and yet each time felt just as good as the last. You could only restrain yourself for so long, the temptation beginning to get to you just as much as Gwaine. You bounced slowly, careful to rise until just the tip remained inside before you sank down again, a torturously slow pace for both of you, trapping you both in pleasure that wasn’t quite what you were craving.
“Come on, love. You’re torturing us both now.” Gwaine groaned, gripping your hips tighter, but he never pushed you to move faster, to take more, just holding into you like a lifeline.
“You love it.” You replied with a small smirk, pressing your lips to his, allowing him to enter you at a new angle that made you moan into his mouth. But there was only so long either of you could accept such agony, only so long Gwaine would let you remain in charge. He flipped the two of you over, bending your legs back so your heels rested on his back, then began to pound into you. You tangled your fingers in his hair, moaning against his lips like a trained whore - which wasn’t so far from the truth considering how well Gwaine himself had trained you to take him - the slapping of skin against skin echoing off the walls of your room, covered only by the soft sounds that escaped you both.
“There you go, sweetheart. Isn’t that much better?” He murmured against your neck, tongue slowly dragging up the length of it, til he gently took the lobe of your ear between his teeth.
“Come on, Gwaine. Take me properly.” You encouraged, and there was nothing more he needed than that. He pressed you further double, taking both of your ankles in one hand while he held your hip with the other, and he fucked into you like a wild animal, a man possessed slamming into you without restraint, grunting and practically growling as you changed your releases together. It didn’t take long at all, a few well placed thrusts against that spot inside you as he grunted above you, hair starting to stick to his forehead from sweat and you were gone, and he wasn’t far behind.
When he pulled out to collapse beside you, you immediately pulled him into your embrace to kiss him deeply, the salty taste of sweat on his lips. You lay there together exchanging slow, lazy kisses for a few long minutes, just basking in the afterglow together.
“So, how did I do?” You asked innocently when you parted, and Gwaine laughed warmly.
“I’d say I was quite distracted, not a thought about anything except you the entire time.”
Tag List: @claryeverlarkf @uselessboots @cainnoable @hyperfixationthingss @queenmimi2817 @fanaticsnail @villainousace
If you'd like to tip me you can head over to my Kofi
Summary ⟅ You give Gunwoo a little incentive to win his upcoming match with the promise of an enticing reward.
Requested: @lilylily123
Kim Gunwoo x reader / ⟣ SMUT / 1.9k ⟢
WARNINGS: Sub!Gunwoo, dry humping, grinding, pillow princess!gunwoo, a bit of praise, dirty talk
Lily's note — 🪷 Genuinely Gunwoo is the blueprint for hot strong but subby men and I will go crazy if I can never have that okay bye
“Hey pretty boy, how are you—mpfh!” All the air leaves your lungs in a pained gasp when Gunwoo falls on you, his entire body lying flat against yours. Your breaths choke out as you try to speak and slap his arm in an effort to to save yourself until he eventually rolls over on his back as you suck in a fresh breath of air.
“You almost killed me!” You shout at him, though he’s clearly unbothered by the way he reaches for your hand and intertwines your fingers.
“I’m so tired… I had a really long day. Just wanna lay with you.”
He latches onto your side and slides his thigh over your hips. You run a hand through his hair and scratch at his scalp, his body relaxing fully against you, ridding itself of the tension from his earlier training session.
“You’ve been training extra hard for your match in a few days right?”
He nods against your neck and when he speaks, his lips brush your skin. “He’s undefeated so I’m a little nervous.”
He adjusts his leg slightly to get more comfortable (is what you assume), as you whisper words of encouragement into his ear—how strong he is, how skilled, how no one could ever compare to him.
With every praise, his hips shift against yours until he’s pressing his erection insistently against your thigh, and you realize what he really needs.
He fully rolls his hips against you and his breath comes in short, uneven gasps against your neck.
“I thought you’re tired, baby?”
He's already so worked up, and you've barely touched him.
"I am but..." He stutters through another shaky breath. "Need you."
The desperate whine in his voice sends hot pulses straight to your clit. You run your hands down his muscular back, feeling the still swollen muscles from his workout bulging, and you decide he's done enough work that day.
You roll him onto his back and swing a leg over to straddle his hips. The surprised little gasp he lets out makes you grin as you settle against him, his hands finding your waist.
You lean down to capture his lips in a slow, deep kiss. His mouth opens for you at the first touch of contact, so pliant and eager, and you slide your tongue against his. You roll and press them together as his grip on you tightens, then you pull back, a thin strand of saliva connects you for just a moment before breaking.
"Let me take care of you," you murmur against his lips. "Since you're so exhausted."
His eyes flutter, soft blush dusting his cheeks as his chin lowers into a tiny nod that gives you all the permission you need.
You sit up and pull your shirt over your head, tossing it behind you while his gaze drops, lips parting as he takes you in. You reach for the hem of his shirt next, and he lifts his arms obediently, letting you peel the damp fabric away from his skin and discard it.
The sight of him laid out beneath you—broad shoulders, toned chest rising and falling with eager pants—makes your mouth water with a thirst only he could ever pull from you.
You run your palms flat over his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin and the faint tremble that runs through him at your touch until you reach his nipples. You circle them with your thumbs, feeling them tighten under your attention.
His fingers dig into your hips, gripping hard as you pinch the buds into stiff peaks. A high-pitched moan escapes him, his hips bucking up instinctively.
"Ah—"
You lean down and flick your tongue over one nipple, his small, wrecked noises egging you on further. His hips grind up against you harder, his hands dragging you down harder onto the rigid length straining against his sweats. He's so responsive, every touch pulling another desperate sound from his throat.
But you have other plans.
You pull away off his chest and grab his wrists, prying his hands from your hips and pressing them into the mattress forcefully above his head. He blinks up at you, dazed and confused, his chest heaving.
"I don't want you to do anything," you purr. "Don't want you to tire yourself out any more than you already are. Just lay there take what I give you. Can you do that for me?"
He's nodding before you even finish the sentence, head bobbing frantically against the pillow.
"Good boy."
His wrists go limp in your grip and you carefully release them, smiling satisfactorily when they stay right where you left them, fingers curling loosely into fists.
You sit back, letting him watch as you slide your hands up your stomach to cup your breasts. You knead them slowly, fingers pinching your nipples as his eyes remain glued to you, dark and glassy with want.
You start to move, rolling your hips in a slow grind against his clothed cock that causes you both to gasp in tandem. You repeat the action until you find a steady rhythm.
Gunwoo's jaw hangs open, his gaze heated and awestruck as he watches you move above him. His tongue looks so pink and inviting, resting just behind his teeth, that you can't resist and you slip your thumb between his parted lips.
His lips close amd suck without thought, his tongue curling around it, desperate to feel as much of you as possible. You press down gently, massaging the wet heat until he’s bobbing his head and drool is leaking from the corner of his lips.
"Think of this as a little incentive," you say, your voice taking on a teasing edge. "If you win your match... I'll reward you. But if you lose..."
You laugh softly, shaking your head when you see the way his eyes roll back at the warning.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Might even lose on purpose just to get punished."
The way he avoids your eyes tells you everything you need to know.
"But for now," you continue, pulling your thumb from his mouth with a wet pop, "this is all you get."
You climb off him just long enough to shimmy out of your shorts and underwear, kicking them off the edge of the bed. Then your fingers hook into the waistband of his sweats, and you tug them down just enough to free his cock.
If his face wasn't so pretty his cock would take the cake—flushed a bright red and leaking, curving up and pulsing on his stomach, so hard and impatient for you. You swing a leg back over his hips and slowly sink down, positioning him so his length is buried between your slick folds. He lifts his head to watch, propping himself up on his elbows, his eyes almost closing as your wetness coats every inch of him.
The first drag of your hips has both of you groaning. You slide along his shaft, your slick folds hugging the ridge of his tip before gliding back down to the base. The sensation is maddening—so close to what you both really want, but not quite there.
He falls back against the mattress with a shattered gasp, arms splayed out to the sides, completely surrendered.
You reach down and wrap your hand around his throat—squeezing just enough to draw his attention and his eyes fly open, meeting yours as you continue to grind against him.
"Do you feel good?"
"Yes," he manages through the fog in his brain. "Thank you—thank you—"
He can barely look at you. Every time his gaze drops to where your bodies meet—where his cock slides through your wetness and where your tits bounce with every roll of your hips—his face flushes darker and his eyes skitter away. It was cute, how he still got so embarrassed and shy even after seeing you naked hundreds of times. You grab his chin and force him to look at you.
"I can feel how close you are." You tighten your grip slightly, feeling him throb between your folds. "Are you gonna come? Want me to milk your cock?"
He doesn't answer. His mouth opens and closes, but no sound comes out—too fucked out, too overwhelmed to form words.
You slow your hips and lift them until you're only grazing each other.
"Or do you not want to?"
"No!" He gasps hurriedly, his hands fly up but stop short of touching you, hovering in the air when he remembers at the last second that he's supposed to be still. "No, please—I wanna come, I wanna come so bad—please let me, please—"
You smirk as he begs for exactly what you wanted to hear.
You brace your hands on his abs, nails scratching lightly down the defined muscle as you pick up the pace. You grind on him harder, faster, chasing his pleasure until his back is bowing off the bed.
He lets out a strangled cry as his orgasm slams into him, and you watch in fascination as his cum spurts out from his tip—thick ropes painting his skin white all the way up to his chest. You keep grinding, keep milking him through every pulse, drawing out every last drop until he's trembling beneath you.
You're always impressed by how much cum he’s able to let out. Always surprised by how beautiful he looks when he does.
When the last tremor subsides, you don't stop. You're still chasing your own high with his cum-slick cock still nestled perfectly between your folds. When nothing else leaks from his tip, his hands shoot to your waist, trying to still you as the pleasure fades to pain from the overstimulation.
You take his hands in yours and pull them away, interlacing your fingers as you pin them back to the mattress on either side of his head. He writhes beneath you and whimpers helplessly, but he doesn't try to pull away.
You angle your hips just right, finding the perfect position for your clit to grind directly against the silky skin of his shaft. The pressure builds quickly with him babbling uselessly in your ear, and when it finally breaks, your back arches and your body finally stills.
You collapse forward onto his chest, your pussy still hovering right on his tip, your body trembling with the aftershocks of pleasure.
His hands, now free, guide you forward until your dripping folds settle on his abs instead, apologizing softly when you whine at the loss of contact.
You gather the strength to push back upright, straddling his stomach now. The mess on his chest smears against your stomach and breast as you look down at the state of you both marked with his cum, smiling at the red scratches your nails left behind on his abs that will still be visible during his match.
You smirk, tracing one of the scratches with your fingertip.
"How about I run a bath for us?" you ask. "Hm?"
He nods, boneless and utterly spent beneath you, eyes half-lidded and still looking at you like you're the most incredible thing he's ever seen.
You lean down to press a soft kiss to his forehead before climbing off him, already planning how you'll take care of him in the bath too.
when paul first realizes just how clingy you are, he thinks it's temporary.
maybe you're having a rough week.
maybe you're tired.
maybe you're just in an unusually affectionate mood.
except it never stops.
you reach for his hand without thinking. lean against his shoulder whenever he's nearby. curl up beside him on couches, on logs during pack gatherings, in the passenger seat of his truck. if paul is within arm's reach, somehow you always end up touching him in some way.
at first, he acts annoyed about it.
not actually annoyed, but paul is paul.
he'll grumble when you drape yourself across him while he's trying to watch something. he'll complain when you're practically attached to his side while he's talking to someone else.
all while making absolutely no effort whatsoever to move away.
because the truth is, paul gets used to it embarrassingly fast.
faster than he wants to admit.
eventually it becomes so normal that the absence of it feels strange.
if you're sitting across the room instead of next to him, paul notices.
if you don't immediately reach for his hand while walking somewhere, paul notices.
if you're having a bad day and become quieter, less affectionate, less likely to seek him out, paul notices that too.
and suddenly he's the one looking for you.
he'll drop onto the couch beside you instead of taking the empty chair. he'll pull your legs into his lap without a word. he'll casually hook an arm around your waist when you're standing nearby as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
which is honestly hilarious considering how much he pretended to complain in the beginning.
the thing about paul is that he runs hot—literally and emotionally.
his body temperature is always warmer than normal, making him the perfect person to cuddle with whether he'd admit it or not. over time, you start seeking him out automatically whenever you're cold, and paul secretly loves it.
there's something deeply satisfying to him about being the person you instinctively look for.
the person you want close.
the person you trust enough to relax around completely.
he won't say that out loud, obviously.
instead he'll roll his eyes when you crawl into his lap.
then immediately tighten his arms around you before anyone else can see.
and while he acts like you're the clingy one, the pack starts noticing something interesting.
paul is rarely the one initiating affection in public.
but he's always the one keeping it going.
you'll rest your head against his shoulder for a few minutes, and somehow an hour later he's still holding you there.
you'll reach for his hand, and suddenly he's the one refusing to let go.
you'll lean against him during a bonfire, and before long paul has an arm wrapped around your shoulders like he forgot there was ever another way to sit.
eventually, everyone realizes the truth before paul does.
he likes your clinginess because it gives him an excuse to be just as affectionate back.
because beneath all the sharp edges, quick tempers, and sarcastic remarks is someone who loves feeling wanted.
someone who loves knowing you're choosing him.
and on the nights when it's just the two of you, curled up together in the quiet, paul's favorite moments are the ones where you're practically wrapped around him.
your head tucked beneath his chin.
your arms around his middle.
your legs tangled together.
safe.
close.
his.
he'll never admit how much those moments mean to him.
but the way his arms automatically tighten around you whenever you settle against him says more than words ever could.
warnings: stalking. kind of obsessive. Second-Person Limited POV
The first time Alan saw you, it was an accident. Or at least, that was the lie he repeated to himself whenever the memory resurfaced. He had been deployed to monitor a high-risk transaction near an old internet café, in between a neon-lit convenience store and a narrow, grime-slicked alleyway. It was nothing glamorous, just another normal, data-driven errand for the IKFC. Another day spent rotting behind encrypted networks, drowning in blue light and code.
Then you collided with him.
Books scattered across the wet pavement, the loud thud echoing in the quiet air. A leather-bound notebook slid across the concrete, coming to a dead stop beneath his shoe.
"Oh—I'm so sorry!"
Your voice was soft. Too soft for a neighborhood that basically ran on illegal businesses. You immediately dropped to your knees, gathering your things with frantic, hurried movements. Strands of hair fell loose, covering your face as you tried desperately to collect the mess before causing any more trouble.
Alan just stared. Not because you were beautiful—though, you were. But mostly because you looked entirely different to the world he lived in. There was no blood on your collar. No smell of cordite or desperation clinging to your skin. You didn’t look like you belonged to the underground fights, the heavy hush of syndicates, or the web of systemic lies he spun for a living. You were just a girl carrying books.
When you finally stood, clutching the heavy stack tightly against your chest like a shield, you bowed your head slightly.
"Sorry again," you murmured. Then you turned and left.
Somehow, Alan found himself rooted to the spot, watching your shadows shrink and disappear down the length of the gray alley.
A week later, he knew where you bought your coffee. Two weeks later, he knew which bookstore you visited every Thursday. Three weeks later, he knew the exact layout of the apartment building you lived in.
It wasn't difficult. Digital tracking wasn't just a skillset for Alan; it was practically second nature. It took a few security cameras, a handful of hacked traffic feeds, and a light skim through poorly secured public databases. Nothing complicated. No masterclass required.
The terrifying part wasn't how effortless it was. The terrifying part was how often he found himself doing it.
Every single day became another excuse to slip into your life. Just one more look, he’d tell himself. Just one more byte of data. Just one more confirmation that you are exactly what you appear to be.
Kind. Quiet. Normal. Everything Alan wasn't.
Sometimes, when the compulsion grew too heavy to fight, he would park his sedan across the street from your building. With his laptop balanced precariously on his knees, he would sit in the stifling dark, watching the amber lights flicker on and off behind your sheer curtains. He never approached you. He never spoke to you again. He just watched, observed, and compiled. Like you were another target. Another file to be closed. Another asset to neutralize.
Yet, for some reason, the air in his lungs always felt different when your name was on his screen.
But then the rhythm of his obsession began to crack.
Whenever Alan followed you through crowded subway stations or open places, you would glance over your shoulder. Not once. Not twice. Every single time. Sometimes you would stop abruptly in front of a storefront window, your eyes tracking the reflection of the crowd. Sometimes you would turn your head directly toward the shadow where he was.
Every single time, Alan’s rational mind convinced him it was mere coincidence. Human paranoia. A fluke.
Until he noticed the most unsettling detail of all. You never looked scared. You only looked... aware. As if you didn't just feel a pair of eyes on your back—you were measuring the distance between them.
One rainy evening, the discipline Alan prided himself on finally snapped under the weight of temptation.
He sat deep in the driver's seat of his car beneath a flickering, broken streetlamp. The windshield was a smeared canvas of rain and distorted neon. Across the asphalt, your apartment building loomed, casting long, fractured shadows.
His laptop screen flared to life, a stark, pale glow against the interior darkness. A few calculated keystrokes. A few custom scripts. A few backdoors bypassed. Within seconds, your home Wi-Fi network materialized on his scanner.
Alan’s lips curved into a cold, arrogant smirk. "Let's see who you really are."
His fingers danced across the mechanical keyboard, a fluid, lethal rhythm. Within three minutes, he had breached the router’s first firewall layer. Then the second. Then—
ACCESS DENIED.
His smirk disappeared.
A second warning aggressively hijacked the terminal window.
UNAUTHORIZED CONNECTION DETECTED.
Alan's jaw tightened. His fingers blurred across the keyboard, moving faster, harder. He punched in a zero-day exploit, trying another route. Another script. Another bypass.
Nothing worked.
Instead, the terminal window violently collapsed, and his entire screen suddenly flashed a hostile, blinding red.
UNKNOWN USER TRACING CONNECTION.
"What?" Alan muttered under his breath, his eyes widening.
This was impossible. No one should have noticed. Especially not you.
The trace bar on the bottom of his monitor began to load, bleeding across the screen. It was fast. Ridiculously fast. Whoever was operating on the other side of that civilian network wasn't just defending their home turf; they knew exactly what they were doing, executing a reverse-handshake protocol with terrifying efficiency.
His pulse quickened, a heavy drumming in his ears.
Before he could even attempt to hard-kill the power to his machine, a brand-new command prompt forced its way to the foreground of his monitor. The crimson warnings vanished, replaced by a pitch-black window and a single, solitary line of clean, white text.
Stop snooping.
Absolute, suffocating silence filled the car.
Alan stared at the two words, his chest completely frozen. His eyes widened as the realization crashed down on him.
Upstairs, you sat cross-legged on your bed, your face illuminated by the soft, pale glow of your laptop screen.
You had known someone was there for weeks. You had felt the heavy weight of a gaze in the crowds, noticed the faint, repetitive flicker of a gray sedan parked just a little too perfectly in the shadows of the broken streetlamp. You weren’t helpless. You weren’t some fragile girl oblivious to the wolves. You had just been waiting for him to make his move.
Suddenly, a localized alert pinged on your hidden monitor.
ALERT: INBOUND PACKET INJECTION DETECTED.
Your lips curved slightly. Finally.
You watched your custom firewalls take the hit. Whoever this was, he was clean. He bypassed the first layer like it was tissue paper, sliding through the second with a terrifying, military-grade efficiency that would have panicked anyone else. But you had built this honey-pot network specifically to catch someone exactly like him.
Your fingers met the keyboard, moving with absolute, unhurried precision. You didn't scramble; you orchestrated.
With a single command, you locked down the core directory.
ACCESS DENIED.
You watched his IP scramble, executing an advanced zero-day exploit to force another entry. He was fast. Lethal, even. But you were already ten steps ahead, trapping his connection in a digital mirror maze. You executed a reverse-handshake protocol, forcing his terminal to feed its data straight back to you.
INITIATING REVERSE TRACE.
Lines of green and crimson code flooded your screen, mapping his exact location, his machine specs, his signature. You watched his digital panic manifest in the erratic stutter of his keystrokes as he realized his ghost story was tracing him back.
You opened his terminal remotely. You didn't steal his files. You didn't fry his hard drive. You just let out a slow, quiet sigh, typed a short sentence, and hit enter.
"There you are."
You didn't write another line of code. You didn't need to. The point had been made.
Slowly, you stood from your bed, leaving your laptop open on the mattress. The room remained dark, save for the rhythmic, heavy patter of the rain lashing against the glass panes. You walked toward your bedroom window and looked outside.
Directly at his car.
Not vaguely toward the street. Not accidentally scanning the block. Directly.
Your gaze locked entirely onto the dark, tinted windshield of his sedan. You stood unmoving. Certain. Knowing.
Inside the car, Alan felt his stomach violently tighten into a knot of ice. There was absolutely no logical way you could see him. The parking spot had been meticulously chosen—angled perfectly to blend into the parking lot, close enough to observe.
Yet you were staring straight through the glass, straight into his chest. As if you’d known the make and model of his vehicle from day one. As if you’d been waiting for him to finally knock on your digital door.
Slowly, almost mechanically, Alan lowered his laptop. The distant amber glow from your bedroom window reflected perfectly in his dilated pupils.
And for the first time since you had collided on that rainy pavement... He wasn't the one in control.
High above, you tilted her head slightly. It was a silent, mocking challenge. No fear. No panic. No confusion. Just a piercing, calculated look that stripped him bare across the distance.
I know you're there.
Alan couldn't breathe. He couldn't look away. Because in that suffocating, rain-drenched moment, a dangerous realization settled into his bones.
The girl he’d been quietly studying for weeks... Had been studying him too.
AN - I'm nervous guys, this is like my FIRST fanfic everrrr. I just finished bloodhounds and I have been thinking of writing fics and this idea just came to mind soooo, I hope you guys like it! Comments are so so so appreciated, I wanna know your thoughts too!
hi hi!! new anon :) can i request a black cat! reader x either woojin or gun woo? smth where reader is quiet & introverted!
just figured out how these requests work 😭 sorry for the late reply anon!
i wrote this one a little differently than usual so you can imagine either gun-woo or woo-jin as the love interest while reading. i purposely kept it as “he” throughout the story because honestly… i could see both of them reacting this way in their own ways, so feel free to insert whichever bloodhound has your heart 🩵
enjoy!
𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Bloodhounds Male Character (Gun-Woo or Woo-jin) x Reader (f)
The first thing he noticed about you was that you never asked for anything.
Rides home after missions? Help carrying equipment? Never. Not even for something as simple as a charger when your laptop died halfway through a briefing.
You would rather spend three hours finding another solution than inconvenience someone for thirty seconds.
At first, he thought it was independence. You’re picky and liked to do things your own way. Then he realized it was something else.
Because every time somebody offered help, your shoulders tensed slightly.
Was it kindness that made you uncomfortable?
The second thing he noticed was that you never complained, which, in his opinion, was significantly worse.
The team often joked that you were part ghost. You spent most of your days tucked behind multiple monitors in the operations room, fingers flying across keyboards while surveillance footage, financial records, and security feeds reflected in your glasses.
You rarely spoke unless someone asked you a direct question. Even then, your answers were usually short.
Yes. No. Maybe. Okay.
Meanwhile, everyone else filled the silence for you. Especially him. Sometimes he wasn’t even sure why he kept talking to you.
Most of the time, you only responded with a nod. Occasionally, a hum.
Yet somehow, he kept finding reasons to stand beside your desk. One day he brought you coffee. Another day he started asking questions he already knew the answers to. He wanted to linger.
And every single time, you looked equally confused by it, which he found strangely adorable.
-
The mission had gone slightly off plan before noon. As discussed (or as he had strictly directed) you were supposed to stay inside the surveillance van.
Monitor cameras, track movement, feed information through the earpieces, and please stay safe.
Instead, the sound of shouting exploded through the comms, then gunfire, then silence.
You watched through a security camera feed as one of the team’s men got cornered in an alley with three attackers closing in.
Before anybody could stop you, you left the van.
Every few minutes previously, he checked in about your safety and location through the earpiece, to which you fed him your usual one-word responses.
“Yes.”
But by the nth time he checked in, he didn’t receive a reply from you. His anxiety immediately began to rise.
After making sure the rest of the team had the situation under control, he rushed back toward the area where the van was stationed.
By the time he arrived, two men were unconscious on the pavement, and a third was groaning beside a dumpster, while you stood nearby, breathing heavily.
You hadn’t even noticed he was standing behind you, stunned.
Instead, you were staring with disgust at the man sprawled on the ground who had tried choking you seconds earlier.
“Fucking asshole,” you muttered, wiping your bloodied knuckles against your jacket.
That was the first complete sentence he had ever heard from you, and to his surprise, it was a curse.
Surprise aside, he had been furious, because you had just thrown yourself into a fight you had no business being in.
When he looked at you afterward, he noticed something wasn’t right. Your movements were slower. But every time he asked if you were okay, you answered the same way.
“Yes.”
—
Three hours later, everyone returned to headquarters, and the mood was surprisingly good since the mission’s objective had been completed.
The rest of the team gathered together, debating what food and drinks to order, while you had silently removed yourself from the discussion and disappeared into the kitchen.
From the corner of the room, he watched you go, and something bothered him. Till he saw it.
A dark stain slowly spreading across the sleeve of your jacket. Blood.
His stomach dropped.
Without thinking, he excused himself from his conversation with the undercover policeman and followed you immediately.
You were reaching for a bottled drink when a hand suddenly wrapped around your wrist. The touch startled you, but before you could react, he was already pulling you down the hallway.
“Wha-”
“Come here.” His voice left absolutely no room for discussion.
You blinked in confusion as he guided you toward one of the spare bathrooms connected to his room, and the door shut behind you, then he finally turned around.
“What happened?”
You stared at him. “What?”
His jaw tightened. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Pretend you don’t know.” Only then did his gaze drop toward your arm. You followed it.
The blood had soaked through the fabric completely now. “Oh.”
Oh. Like that was all it deserved.
His expression darkened immediately. “Take the jacket off.”
“It’s fine.”
“No.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“No.” The firmness in his voice surprised even you.
Slowly and reluctantly, you removed the jacket. The second it slid off your shoulder, both of you froze.
The cut running across your side was far deeper than either of you had expected, not life-threatening, but certainly not something a normal person would ignore for hours.
He stared at it. then stared at you, then back at the injury. “You’ve been walking around like this all afternoon?”
You shifted awkwardly, which was an enough answer.
Something hurt flashed across his face. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
You looked away. The question should have been easy. Instead, your throat tightened unexpectedly.
“I don’t know.”
“That’s not true.” He crouched in front of the first-aid cabinet and began gathering supplies.
Eventually, he asked again, softer this time. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
You swallowed, then told the truth. “I didn’t think anyone would want to.”
The words slipped out before you could stop them, and the room went completely silent. Immediately, you wished you could take them back.
When you finally looked at him, his expression had changed completely. He didn’t say anything for several seconds. Then, quietly, “Don’t say that.”
Your eyes dropped to the floor. His voice broke your heart a little. Not because it was loud, because it wasn’t. He sounded devastated instead, and it hurt you to think you had disappointed him.
The rest of the treatment happened in silence, surrounded only by warm hands, antiseptic, bandages, and his careful movements.
Every now and then, he would ask if something hurt, and you always answered no. Every time, he gave you a look that clearly said he didn’t believe you.
Eventually, the wound was cleaned and wrapped, yet neither of you moved.
“You know,” he said eventually, “you’re allowed to need people.” You stared at your hands and gave no response.
“You don’t have to do everything alone.”
Something inside your chest cracked, and your vision blurred unexpectedly. One tear slipped down your cheek before you couldn’t hold it in anymore.
You hated crying. Especially in front of people. And you certainly hated it more that you were crying in front of him now.
But suddenly, you felt so open, and so small.
You immediately tried turning away, but he noticed and gently repositioned you to face him again.
You tried covering your face, desperate to hide the embarrassment, and he quickly removed your hands.
Helpless, your head eventually dropped forward against his chest as you continued crying, and slowly, you wrapped your arms around him.
Your first hug. The first contact you had ever willingly initiated.
For a moment, he froze. He understood exactly how much it had cost you, and slowly and carefully, his arms came around you.
Neither of you spoke. Eventually, one of his hands came to rest on your head as he pulled you closer, giving you all the space you needed to let it out until your breathing finally steadied.
And for the first time in a very long time, you allowed yourself to stop carrying everything alone.
Just for a little while, it was okay to let someone else hold the weight.
Oh how quickly I fell in love with your writing...
If you're up for a request, I think this idea might interest you: Simeon.
Ok so, we all know he's an angel, a sweetheart. But falling for a human may have it's fair share of challenges, I mean it's only natural that some of the human instincts rub off on him (idk why but I like to headcanon the he, just like the brothers, can sense/smell when MC is horny.
Basically before I ramble on too long, Simeon corruption + longing + guilt (and if you're feeling nice, what it would be like once he finally gets a "taste" of MC)
Totally cool if you don't wanna do it<3
Also cake by the ocean was so fun omg
a/n: i feel like i have a dog-shit grasp on Simeon's character sorry if this sucks💔
cw: smut, implied fem! reader, oral sex (f!receiving), veryy minor teasing on reader's part, religious themes i guess?
The glow of the lamps in the Purgatory Hall common room cast long shadows across the room as you hunched over your textbook. You had been studying late again, or at least pretending to. The real reason you lingered here night after night was him - Simeon, the angel who had taken up residence among demons, his presence a constant temptation wrapped in celestial grace.
He sat next to you on the couch, quill scratching elegantly over parchment as he worked on his latest manuscript. His eyes flicked to yours every so often, head turning almost imperceptibly. Every time he did, your pulse quickened.
Simeon could sense it. He always could.
The first time it happened, weeks ago, you had spent the night in his room (courtesy of Beel destroying your door again). You had laid next to him, thinking about nothing but him - his gentle smile, the way his bodysuit hugged his frame, the forbidden fantasy of what lay beneath that angelic composure. You weren’t trying to get turned on, it just sort of happened - as it usually does when Simeon was on your mind.
He had asked you moments later if you needed anything. When you looked over to nod a ‘no’, his body was strained, nostrils flaring subtly, hands twisted into fists. You had just brushed it off as him being uncomfortable with you in his bed, choosing to spend the rest of the night as close to the edge as possible.
Ever since then, his demeanor around you shifted. You noticed the way he tensed when you got close, how he sniffed the air when you felt yourself getting wet. It had turned into something of a game for you when you caught on to his reactions, looking to see how flustered you could make him.
You shifted in your seat, crossing your legs as heat pooled low in your belly. The book in front of you might as well have been blank. Your mind wandered to darker places; Simeon’s mouth on your skin, his tongue tracing paths no angel should explore. A quiet sigh escaped you.
Simeon’s quill stilled. His gaze lifted slowly, locking onto yours. There it was - that flicker in his eyes, a storm of longing and conflict. His fingers tightened around the feather.
“You…” His voice was soft, almost a whisper, laced with something deeper, “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?” you asked innocently, though the corner of your lips curved upward. This was the game now. You, the human who had somehow become the serpent in his garden, whispering temptations that chipped away at his divine resolve.
He inhaled sharply, eyes half-closing for a brief moment, “Your scent. It’s… overwhelming tonight.” His cheeks colored with shame, but he didn’t look away, “Sweet and heady, like forbidden fruit. You know I can sense these things.”
He narrowed his eyes slightly, “You’ve been messing with me.” It wasn’t stated as an accusation, simply a fact.
You turned to face him fully, resting your chin on your hand. “And what does that do to you, Simeon?”
He swallowed hard, setting the quill down with deliberate care. The guilt was etched into every line of his perfect face - the slight furrow of his brow, the way his lips pressed into a thin line, “It torments me. I long for you in ways I shouldn’t. I pray for strength, but every time you look at me like that, I feel myself slipping. Corrupted by a human’s touch… by your thoughts alone.” His voice dropped lower. “It’s wrong. I’m supposed to guide, to remain above such earthly urges. Yet here I am, aching for the very sin you’re offering.”
Your heart raced at his admission. You stood slowly, moving to stand in between his legs. He didn’t move away. Instead, his hand reached out almost unconsciously, fingers brushing the fabric of your skirt.
“Can I corrupt you a little more?” you whispered, placing your hand over his, “You’ve been holding back for so long. Let me show you how good it feels to fall.”
Simeon’s breath hitched as he squeezed his eyes shut. The longing in his veins was almost visible now - a deep, yearning hunger that warred with centuries of celestial duty, “You don’t understand what you’re asking. If I give in… if I taste you…” He trailed off, but his hand slid lower, gripping your thigh with surprising strength. Guilt flashed across his features again, but it was fading, drowned by desire. “Father forgive me,” he murmured, more to himself than you as his eyes flicked down to your waist.
You guided his hand further down, under your skirt, until his fingers brushed the damp fabric of your panties. He let out a soft, broken sound - half moan, half prayer.
“Here?” he asked, voice trembling. “Anyone could-”
“No one will,” you assured him, your own voice husky, “Just us. Just you and me.” Solomon had picked up on the growing tension days ago, and was kind enough to evacuate himself and Luke from the Hall when you arrived.
He rose from his chair with fluid grace, towering over you. His hands framed your face for a moment, thumbs stroking your cheeks with reverence, “You’re leading me astray, my dear. And I… I cannot find the will to resist any longer.” The confession carried both surrender and relief.
Simeon laid you down effortlessly on the couch, his movements gentle yet urgent as he knelt before you, pushing your skirt up to your waist. His eyes darkened as he took in the sight of your arousal-soaked underwear, inhaling deeply. “Intoxicating. You call to something primal in me that I thought was long buried.”
You spread your legs wider, one hand threading through his soft brown hair, “Then answer it, Simeon. Taste me. Corrupt yourself on me.”
Guilt flickered one last time in his gaze as he hooked his fingers into your panties and slid them down your legs, pocketing them almost absently - like a trophy of his fall. Then his hands parted your thighs further, exposing you completely. He leaned in, breath hot against your sensitive flesh.
The first touch of his tongue was tentative, a slow, exploratory lick along your slit that made you gasp. Simeon groaned deeply, the sound vibrating against you. “So sweet,” he whispered, voice muffled. “Sweeter than any fruit in the Celestial Realm. Forgive me… but I need more.”
His guilt seemed to fuel him now, turning into fervent devotion. He licked again, firmer this time, dragging the flat of his tongue from your entrance up to your clit. He circled the swollen bud with precise, angelic patience, learning your reactions with every flick. You moaned, hips bucking slightly, and he pressed a hand to your stomach to hold you steady.
“Stay still for me,” he murmured, eyes glancing up at you. The sight of him - kneeling between your legs, silver hair disheveled, lips glistening with your wetness - was almost too much. “Let me worship you properly. Let me drown in this sin you’ve awakened.”
He delved deeper, his tongue pushing inside you, thrusting in shallow strokes that mimicked what you both knew he truly craved. The wet sounds filled the quiet library, obscene and beautiful. Simeon lost himself in it, long licks alternating with focused suction on your clit. His free hand slid up your thigh, two fingers teasing your entrance before sliding in slowly, curling to find that perfect spot.
“Oh- Simeon,” you breathed, tugging his hair. The pleasure built in waves, your body responding eagerly to his devoted attention.
He pulled back just enough to speak, lips brushing your folds. “Say my name again. Please,” His voice was rough with lust, all traces of hesitation burned away in the heat of the moment.
Yet beneath it, you could still sense the undercurrent of guilt - the knowledge that he, a being of light, was defiling himself so eagerly on a human’s body. It made him more intense, more desperate.
“Simeon,” you moaned louder as he returned to his task, fingers pumping steadily while his tongue worked your clit in tight, relentless circles. He sucked gently, then harder, responding to every twitch and gasp you gave him. His senses were overwhelmed; you could tell by the way he ground his own hips against nothing, seeking friction for his evident arousal.
The pressure coiled tighter inside you, “I’m close - don’t stop.”
“I won’t,” he promised fervently, voice vibrating through you. “I couldn’t even if the heavens demanded it. You’ve ruined me for anything else,” His fingers curled again, hitting that spot perfectly as his tongue flattened and lapped with renewed vigor.
Your orgasm crashed over you suddenly, thighs clamping around his head as waves of pleasure pulsed through your core. Simeon didn’t pull away; he drank it all in, tongue slowing but never stopping, prolonging every aftershock until you were trembling and oversensitive.
Only then did he rise, face flushed and shining with evidence of your release. He pulled you into a deep kiss, letting you taste yourself on his tongue. The guilt returned in his eyes as the haze of lust cleared slightly, but so did the longing - deeper now, more permanent.
“What have you done to me?” he whispered against your lips, forehead resting against yours. His hands cradled you tenderly, as if afraid you’d vanish. “I crave you constantly. Your scent haunts my prayers. You’ve corrupted an angel, and… part of me rejoices in it.”
You smiled, kissing him again, slower this time, “Then fall a little more with me next time.”
Simeon chuckled softly, a mix of despair and delight in the sound, “Next time? There will be many next times, I’m afraid. You’ve ensured that.” He helped you up from the couch, adjusting your skirt with careful hands, though he kept your panties in his pocket like a secret sin.
As you both gathered the scattered papers, his arm slipped around your waist, pulling you close. The room felt smaller, more intimate. In his embrace, you felt the weight of his internal battle - and the sweetness of his surrender. An angel’s longing, heavy with guilt, now bound to your touch.
And you knew this was only the beginning of his delicious descent.
Synopsis: Gwaine has no shortage of callers. How could you compete?
Today was the day. You were finally going to do it. You were going to tell him. You and Gwaine were already close, but you had been hiding your feelings for so long. It was getting exhausting, and you honestly couldn't take the secrets anymore. You were going to do it, but you still needed a confidence boost.
Which is where your best friend came in. When you arrived at her cottage, she was admiring herself in front of her mirror. You noted she was wearing one of her nicer gowns, and a flower crown was perched on top of her head.
"Wow!" You exclaimed. "What's the occasion?" You asked. She spun around.
"Y/N! You think it looks nice?"
"Of course it does, why are you all dressed up?" You asked again.
"I'm going to make my move today." She proclaimed. "I'm going to tell my crush I like him!" She suddenly looked nervous. "I hope he accepts it."
"Dressed like that? Of course he will!" You assured her. "Who is it? I don't think you've told me about any boys you fancy."
"He's a knight," She said, fiddling with her skirts. You were a handmaid for Queen Guinevere, so you probably knew him. You told your friend as such. "Maybe you do! He's a member of the Round Table. His name is Gwaine.”
Fuck.
"Oh!" You said cheerily, plastering a fake smile on your face. "No, I don't think I recognize that name," You lied. The bell tower chimed.
"Is that the time?! I better get going. Wish me luck!" She breezed by you and out the door.
"Good luck." You whispered to the empty room. You quietly left your friend's house, blowing out the candle and locking the door, knowing she had a habit of being forgetful. As you slowly made your way back to the castle you continued to think about what you had been planning. You scoffed to yourself. You may be a little biased, but your friend was gorgeous. And you were... you. If you had told your friend about what you wanted to do, you know she would've been gracious and stepped aside. Which wasn't fair to her. And after all, she had a better chance than you did. Why would you bother sharing your feelings when you were almost certain the response would be negative?
"Hey Y/N!" You turned around to see Gwaine jogging to catch up to you. Speak of the devil.
"Hey Gwaine," You smiled. "Have you seen F/N yet? She's looking for you."
"That's actually why I'm here." You raised an eyebrow. "I know she's going to ask me to court her, and I was wondering if you could let her down for me?"
"Oh yeah?" You said, trying to keep your tone light and teasing. "Need a break from making constant rejections?"
"Yeah," Gwaine said, missing the sarcasm in your tone. "Yesterday I had to turn someone down and it didn't go well. I just need a break." You schooled your expression into remaining neutral.
"Okay, I'll let her know."
"You're a peach!" He kissed your cheek, causing you to freeze. He ran off, waving to you over his shoulder. While the kiss made you feel all warm and fuzzy, his words quickly pulled you back down to earth. If Gwaine was constantly rejecting people desperate to court him, how could you ever think you would be successful? You noticed your friend in the courtyard, looking around for her would-be beau. As her face fell as you delivered the news, it strengthened your resolve.
You were never going to tell Gwaine your feelings.
...
A few weeks had passed and the pain in your heart had dulled to nothing more than an ache.
A constant ache.
That was always there.
You had told your friend what Gwaine had relayed to you. She had been disappointed, but had bounced back relatively quickly.
Unlike you.
You sighed to yourself as you finished setting the head table for the banquet. As you turned, you bumped into a serving boy. You both let out a grunt. He managed to steady the pile of plates, but you landed on your backside.
"Sorry about that!" He apologized, setting the plates on the table and offering you his hand.
"It's okay, I should've been watching where I was going." You looked at the massive pile of plates. "I can help you if you'd like."
"Sure, that would be great." He split the pile of plates ad handed you half. "You start on that side of the table and I'll do this side." He thought for a moment. "My name is Jonathan, by the way."
"Y/N. Nice to meet you," You smiled. You made light conversation as you both worked your ways down the table. He was funnier than you expected, and you found your sides hurting by the time you made it to the other end of the table.
"I can't believe I haven't met you before. Where do you work?"
"I'm a lady in waiting for the Queen." You explained.
"That would make sense. I work in the kitchens." You nodded. A brief moment of silence passed.
"Well, I should probably see if Her Majesty needs me for anything. It was nice to meet you." You turned to leave.
"Wait!" You turned back to Jonathan. "...Are you free tomorrow?" He asked.
"Yeah," You said. He rubbed the back of his neck bashfully.
"Well, chef wants me to go into the woods and gather some berries. And I was wondering if you wanted to come?"
Maybe this was just what you needed to get over Gwaine. Any time you weren't working was spent at home by yourself. And Jonathan seemed like a nice guy. You weren't going to stay young forever either. You made up your mind.
"I'd love to," You smiled.
"Love to what?" A new voice asked. You turned to see Gwaine striding towards the two of you with a peculiar look on his face.
"Oh, hi Gwaine." You greeted him, trying to stay neutral. "I was just telling Jonathan here I would love to go and gather berries with him tomorrow." Gwaine looked between the two of you and nodded.
"Sounds fun." You let out the breath you didn't realize you were holding. "When are we leaving."
"What?"
"Berry picking. What time are we leaving?"
"We?" Jonathan asked.
"Of course, the Queen's lady in waiting needs an escort. One with," He looked Jonathan up and down. "Combat experience."
"What are you talking about, Gwaine?" You asked. "I go into town alone all the time."
"This is different," He insisted.
"How in the hell—"
"Y/N it's fine." Jonathan interrupted you. "We can still have fun, and we'll be able to collect more fruit with three of us."
"If you're okay with it, then fine." You told him.
"We'll leave at nine tomorrow morning," Jonathan told the both of you. "I need to get back to the kitchen. I'll see you later." He grinned, and you found yourself smiling in return. You turned to speak to Gwaine, who was glaring in the direction Jonathan had gone.
"Since when do I need an escort?" You questioned, putting your hands on your hips.
"New policy." He said simply.
"Since when?"
"Since you decided to go off into the woods with some guy you just met."
"I'm a big girl Gwaine. I can look after myself. And he's not like that," You added. "You know as well as I do the screening processes for servants. God knows how many close calls we've had before we had them."
"...Well still." Gwaine persisted. "I'd rather come along. Just to be sure."
"Fine." You said. "Just this once."
"Hopefully this only happens once." Gwaine grumbled as you turned to walk away.
"What was that?" You said.
"Nothing!"
...
"This is nice," Jonathan said as you walked along the forest. "You, me, and your escort."
"I know, I'm sorry about this. I tried to talk him out of it but he insisted." You said.
"It's fine Y/N, I can understand wanting to look out for your friends. Hopefully this puts his mind at rest." He assured you as you stopped by a bush to gather some berries.
"Hey Y/N!" Gwaine shouted. You and Jonathan shared a look, before you straightened up and turned around.
Gwaine was up in the branches of an apple tree, straining to reach a few fruits. "What the hell are you doing?" You shrieked. "Get down before you hurt yourself!"
"I'm a knight, Y/N! I can take care of myself!" The grin was quickly wiped off this face as the branch below him began to creak. "Oh shi—" The branch broke and he plummeted to the ground. You and Jonathan raced to where Gwaine lay crumpled on the ground. He sat up, brushing twigs and leaves off of him.
"Are you alright?" You asked. He smiled, and held out his hand.
Sitting in the palm of his hand was a shiny red apple. "For you, my lady," He said in a posh accent.
"...Are you serious right now?" You asked, dumbfounded. "You almost broke your neck for an apple?"
"...Yes?"
"...I'm only taking this so your near death experience wasn't for nothing." You grumbled, swiping the apple and pocketing it. Jonathan offered a hand to help Gwaine up, which he ignored. The three of you walked back to your baskets and picked the back up. The clock tower chimed in the distance.
"That's our cue." Jonathan said. Gwaine snatched your basket out of your hand, ignoring your demands to return it and insisting he would carry it for you. You and Jonathan shared a glance, but said nothing as you made your way back to the castle. After dropping the berries off in the kitchen with Jonathan, you began making your way up to Queen Guinevere's room to help her get ready for the banquet. As you climbed the winding stairs, you heard footsteps rushing up behind you. You turned to see Gwaine jogging towards you.
"Today was fun, wasn't it?" He remarked as he fell into step beside you.
"Yeah," You answered, not trusting yourself to say more than what was strictly necessary.
"Will you be coming to the banquet tonight?"
"No," Gwaine stopped and grasped your arm lightly.
"Hey." He began. "Did I do something?" He asked you.
"Of course not, I just won't have time to attend tonight." A total lie, Gwen had encouraged you to attend, but you didn't want to spend the night watching Gwaine work the room.
"Why not?" He asked.
"I'm sorry?" You asked.
"What do you need to get done? I can help you." He offered.
"Oh no, that's not necessary." You waved him off. "You have a much harder job than mine, you should take this time to relax." Realizing he wasn't going to budge, you sighed. "I'll try and get things done quickly so I can at least make it for part of it." You conceded. Gwaine visibly brightened.
"Deal. He squeezed your arm before releasing you and heading back in the direction you both came from.
Well shit. Now you had to find things to do so you weren't a total liar. You thought for a moment, but then you remembered.
Jonathan probably needed help cleaning the berries you gathered. You changed course and headed to the kitchen.
You ducked under the arm of one of the chefs a he carried a large tray of buns and found Jonathan at a table near the back of the room. He was surrounded by bowls of fruit, and was painstakingly washing them. "Need some help?" He looked up and smiled.
"Y/N!" He scooted over on the bench. "Sure, that'd be great." You sat down next to him and began washing the fruits.
"So has Gwaine asked you out yet?" Jonathan suddenly asked. You nearly dropped the fruit.
"What?!" You all but shrieked.
"Well, after today's display, I thought he was, I dunno, staking a claim?" Jonathan continued.
"Gwaine? And me?" You said. "Absolutely not." You laughed it off, ignoring the pang of sadness.
"Really?"
"Really." You confirmed.
"Well, then would it be to forward of me if I asked you out?" Jonathan asked hopefully. "I was thinking when I'm done my chores we could go to the banquet."
In all honesty, you weren't sure if you were emotionally ready, but perhaps you needed to force yourself to take that next step. After all, you couldn't spend your entire life pining after someone who didn't feel the same. You deserved someone who truly wanted you.
"I'd love to," You said with a soft smile, wondering if you made the right choice.
...
You were standing in front of your mirror a couple hours later, adjusting the floral crown perched on top of your head. Just as you decided you were satisfied with your appearance, you heard a knock. You opened the door, expecting to see Jonathan on the other side.
"Oh. Hi, Gwaine." You said awkwardly. "Wow," Gwaine answered with a grin. "You look amazing. I was coming to ask if you'd be able to make it tonight." He offered his arm. "Shall we?"
"Um, yeah, Jonathan and I decided to go after we finished our chores." You explained, trying to be subtle. With the mention of Jonathan, Gwaine's face visibly darkened.
"Listen, Y/N. I know he's your friend, but I am too. I don't think he's good for you." You stared at him incredulously.
"I beg your pardon?”
"He won't be the person you deserve!"
"How do you know what I deserve, Gwaine?" You said, wanting to be over with the conversation. When he didn't answer right away, you shouldered past him. A hand on your wrist stopped you.
"Because I want to be the one you turn to!" He suddenly shouted. "I want to be the one you track down when you get good news, and the one you run to when you just need a break. I want to be the person you can trust, and I want to be the one to protect you. I want you to be on my arm at every ball, and I want to be babied by you when I do something stupid. Don't you see? He's not the man for you, because I want it to be me!" He was out of breath after his outburst.
The only response you could come up with was, "Why?"
"What?"
"Why me?" You repeated. Gwaine just stared at you. "Come on Gwaine, it's no secret that you're popular. And your callers are stunning. How can I compete with that?" You looked down at your slippers. A hand cupped your cheek and tilted your face up. A pair of lips delicately covered yours. You found yourself melting into it, fingers coming to rest on Gwaine's chest. When you pulled apart, Gwaine's lips ghosted over your cheek and made their way to your ear.
"Because you see me for me. Because all I could think of when you were with him is how much I wanted to be the one you smiled at. Because this is all I've wanted to do since we got back from the forest." He pressed a kiss to your earlobe. "I've felt this way for so long, but when I saw the two of you getting close I couldn't take it anymore. Please, tell me you feel the same." He all but begged.
"Of course I do," Gwaine's face lit up and he tugged you even closer. "I've felt this way for a long time too. I just never thought I was worthy."
"Oh, Y/N." Gwaine chuckled as he kissed the side of your head. "I'm the one who needs to be worthy of you.