Welcome to the Sanctuary, where I collect fanfiction about Pedro Pascal characters published on Tumblr & Ao3, and also drawings dedicated to this sweetheart of a man.
what we have here:
Sanctuary DB - fanfiction database made in Notion, a main hub of sorts. It has nice filters.
random fics of the day - a feature page of Sanctuary, which shows five random stories, refreshes every day.
Keeper - my Telegram bot. He can quickly fetch you a random story from Sanctuary DB, free of charge.
Months ago, my friend @beefrobeefcal gave me this gave me this wonderful prompt, "An Edible Arrangement gone wrong." My mind immediately started concocting this one-shot for Pero, but it has taken me a while to write it. It's a new glimpse of my couple from Maple and Ambrosia, but it can be read as a stand-alone. I'm still writing her as a reader, in third POV, keeping her as blank as possible, but I feel like she's becoming an OFC. This part happens around six months after Maple. I hope you will like it!
Thank you, @schnarfer, for your support and insight, and for checking my words. And to my friends @thundermartini, @milla-frenchy, @thedilfdiaries, and @encasedinobsidian, for listening to my rambles and fueling my love for this man. I'm also tagging @whocaresstillthelouvre (with no pressure, of course!) because your moodboard started all this! 🤭 Love you all!♥️♥️
Maple// Ambrosia// Masterlist// AO3
pairing: Pero Tovar x fem!able bodied reader
summary: Pero tried his best, but he failed. Or did he?
word count: 2500
tags/warnings: some angst, fluff, love, Pero being an irresistible mess, no body description, no use Y/N
Dividers by @saradika-graphics
Her mind is a whirlwind of questions. An upheaval of thoughts as fear and anger fuse, overriding her exhaustion to fuel her anxiety as she sits, clutching her phone between her hands, shaky and unable to stay still, her body taut, ready to jump, worrying about Pero; dreading what might have happened to him.
The car windows, looking through them to observe the buildings come and go, become a blurry image as the taxi traverses the streets and drives her home, holds no appeal to her. Nor does the steady buzz of voices from the radio, soaked in humor, trading jabs to make the audience laugh, distract her from her inner turmoil. She's not listening to them. She keeps staring at the phone screen, silently begging it to change, to start ringing, for Pero to call her back, and to know he's ok.
Pero hadn't been at the airport to pick her up as he had promised, as he had vowed on his last text, moments before her plane took off, worrying her. Skyrocketing her fears, planting more and more horrible scenarios in her mind with each call, he hadn't answered. For, in the six incredible months since they have known each other, since their paths crossed and Pero offered to pick her up for what would end up being their first date, he has never broken a promise.
Her trip, her time at the wildlife conference she had attended, had been fantastic. A learning experience she won't forget. A place to make new friendships. A chance that had thrilled and scared her in equal amounts to prove her knowledge in front of her colleagues, after accepting the offer of being one of the speakers, thanks to Pero's encouragement.
However, Pero's absence had infused these five days with a bittersweet taste, an ache born from the distance between them. Being away from him had been much harder than she had expected.
They had navigated the distance together. Texting constantly, calling each other every evening to soothe their longing, laughing together as they shared their days, stealing as many minutes as possible before their exhaustion was too much to keep at bay, and sleep overcame them. A comforting routine, turned passionate on her last night away, with the moon high in her throne within the stars, powerless to quiet the craving, to appease the hunger for each other.
Pero's tone had shifted, lowering, becoming husky. Heady. Whispering lewd words, whispering fantasies, and commands, encouraging her to pleasure herself, capturing her with his lust, heating her core to sing for him, wrecking her. She had surrendered to him, keen on his game, enraptured by his deep groans as he touched himself, bewitched by his praises, pleading to him between her moans and whimpers, her clit throbbing as she played with her folds, squirming as the tension built in her muscles till the pleasure exploded, chasing him, waves cascading over her body, ignited by the sounds of his release.
The taxi stops, having reached its destination, squashing down her plan to call Pero one more time. She had instinctively given the driver her address, hopeful that Pero would be there since her apartment was their usual choice for spending the night when they were together. She’s about to ask how much it is, but the lights catch her attention. Red and yellow. They are blazing, scintillating against the building walls, impossible to ignore, to be oblivious to their meaning, who brings them.
The sight of the firefighters' truck spurs her to move, encouraging her spiralling thoughts as the panic curls in her throat, making it hard to breathe. She gives the taxi driver enough money to pay, grabs her bags, and rushes out of the vehicle.
Time feels sluggish as she moves, thick and heavy, as her blood pulsates in her ears with every step, and she tries to find a familiar face, comprehend what is happening.
She doesn't need to walk far to find a tether, rooting her where she's standing. The sight of Pero, the image of him alive and well, expands her lungs and infuses them with air, allowing her to breathe as relief washes over her like a wave, erasing her despair, and a sob of happiness breaks from her ribs.
He’s talking with a firefighter, tall and confident, with his hair tousled, dressed in his ratty black sweatpants, boots, and one of his old, faded t-shirts covering his broad shoulders. Handsome and strong. Cradling a red-striped ball of fur, Romeo, the neighbour's cat, like a baby across his chest with one arm, while his right hand caresses the cat's back in a constant rhythm. Soothing them both as Romeo has his head tucked under Pero's jaw.
The cat hadn't tolerated Pero on their first meeting. Loudly acclaiming his displeasure, hissing and yowling at Pero every time he saw him, the new man that had begun to occasionally inhabit the same floor he lived on, daring to invade his territory. Reluctant, the same as his owner, Luisa, to give Pero's rough looks a chance. Until one of Romeo's adventures had landed him in a tough spot, unable to come down from the tree he had climbed, needing to trust Pero to help him land safely on the ground. Pero had done it without any ulterior motive; his care for animals had fuelled his actions, accidentally charming both cat and owner with this single act of pure, genuine kindness.
Since then, Pero and Romeo have been best friends, chilling together in her apartment when the cat decides to visit. The mystery of how Romeo manages to sneak from his home to theirs, though, is one they have yet to solve.
A feminine voice calling for her draws her gaze from Pero. It’s Luisa, wearing her floral gown and slippers.
“Luisa? I… Are you ok? What’s going on?” She asks, impatient, eager for an explanation of the scene she's witnessing.
"I’m ok," Lucia rushes to reassure her, holding her forearm. "Everyone is ok. We just had a little adventure." She looks amused despite the situation, as if endeared regardless of the trouble. "Don’t be too harsh on Pero, though. That sweet man was trying to bake you bread.”
“What?” She asks, turning her eyes to Pero once more, bewildered at what is going on.
“Yes, because your special bakery is closed?”
Luisa's explanation sparks a memory, an instant amid the calls they had shared, of Pero apprising her of the new status of her favorite gluten-free bakery: closed until further notice due to some plumbing problems.
She nods unconsciously as Lucia keeps talking. “I went to see if Romeo had sneaked into your apartment again. Pero started to look for him, and I don’t know what happened; the smoke came out of nowhere. It flooded us as the fire alarms started to ring. And suddenly, we were in the middle of the street with the firefighters running inside the building. Thankfully, Pero found Romeo just in time to leave the building."
Pero has many talents; his competence is a trait that always arouses her, making her sigh and blush, making her core pulsate with desire when she beholds his skills. His proficiency as a forest ranger, his capable hands, broad palms, and thick fingers, fixing things around the house, cooking simple but tasty, and filling dishes he loves to prepare for her, taking care of her, worshipping her body, carving his mark on every inch of her skin till the pleasure conquers her.
But baking, the inherent idiosyncrasies of the process, is a whole different story; his Achilles heel. Even the most basic recipes elude him. She has seen him destroy a batch of chocolate muffins from a box.
She had tried her best to teach him, refusing to accept defeat at first, but ultimately compelled to surrender after he burned himself enough to end up in the ER, shooing him from the kitchen since then, unless he agreed to just sit and keep her company.
“I asked him to hold Romeo,” Lucia murmurs as they look at them. "They were both really anxious.”
She observes Pero, captivated by him, by who he is. The contrast between his facade, the semblance he unconsciously portrays -dangerous and aloof- and the gentleness and generosity he harbours, the softness that is so inherent in him, glowing in the way with which he's holding Romeo.
The realization strikes her like lightning. Bringing forward the conviction her heart was already aware of, making her shiver.
Pero has been different from the very beginning. From the first glimpse she got of him, striding towards her, armed and angry. Fitting perfectly with her, destined for each other, soulmates, showing her a freedom to be herself she had never found in a relationship before. A love, patient and kind, ardent, that encourages and treasures, eternal.
She’s going to marry him. The question is when, not if. She knows it. She's sure, completely. He could ask her right now, and she would say yes without any ounce of doubt.
As soon as the firefighter goes away, Pero's eyes wander, crossing paths with hers quickly, as if her existence steered him to her.
Even from a distance, she can sense the apprehension in his gaze, see the heavy layer of regret hovering over and clawing at his shoulders as he slowly approaches them, checking with every step if his company is accepted.
“The firefighter said it’s safe to go inside now,” Pero tells them, keeping his gaze low, focused on Romeo, petting him one last time as he returns the cat to Luisa.
"Thank you, Pero. I’ll leave you two to talk." Luisa accepts Romeo, taking his weight as she raises her palm to Pero's face, gently slapping his cheek before leaving. “Don’t beat yourself too much. Accidents happen, my boy.”
She's mute, her tongue-tied as the silence spans between them, curious but unsure of what to express. It's not for long, a couple of seconds at most, a wink that feels like an age, expanding the gap between them till Pero's voice cracks it.
“I’m so sorry,” Pero says, shifting from foot to foot, huffing, lifting his palm before she can say anything. “Don’t. I already know, but-,” he grunts, “look, I just wanted you to have fresh bread tonight.” His voice is gruff, almost cross, as if enraged. But she knows better; she knows him, recognizing the shield he hides behind to protect himself, to conceal his bashfulness as he stares at her shoulder, unable to meet her eyes.
“Move in with me,” she blurts, covering her mouth with her fingers the moment she realizes what she has said, astonished.
As the weeks turned into months, and they began to spend almost every night together, she had started to abhor the ones he spent in his place. Hating the quietness of her apartment, how big and cold the bed is without him, squeezing her between his arms, calming her with his body, soft and firm, cuddled behind hers, and the way he always buries his nose in her neck when he falls asleep. Despising the idea of Pero alone in his dreadful place, the studio he had moved into, small and dark, the first option he had found, not wanting to overstay his welcome at Will and his wife's spare bedroom.
She knows it's too soon.
Her past relationships had taught her that six months isn't enough time to truly know a person, to fully understand what lies hidden in their nature. But with Pero, it feels right. She's absolutely confident about him, about their relationship being the kind that can last a lifetime.
“I forgot to pick you up,” he mutters as a rosy hue dyes his cheeks, and a joyful glint, a spark of wonderment and devotion for her shimmers in his irises. She doesn’t need him to say the words, to declare his love; she knows it’s there, beating at tempo with his heart, caressing, and adoring her.
She giggles, biting her lip as she shrugs her shoulders, thrilled by the idea, desirous of living with him, giving him an excuse, forgiving him for his absence at the airport, “You were a bit busy."
“I almost burned your kitchen," he exclaims, opening his arms to highlight the chaos he caused, the disaster he is, that she shouldn't pick him. "I- Fuck. I almost burned the whole building.”
“It was just the oven.” Her lips curl, grinning so hard it hurts. Yes, he's a a bit of a disaster, but he's yours. “Do you know how many people have tried to bake me bread since my intestines decided to be picky about what I eat?” She starts to count with one hand, only needing two fingers for her short list, while the other rests on his chest, sensing his heartbeat behind his ribs. “My mom. And now you. I’d say this warrants you some privileges.”
Pero moves, closing the last inches between them. He cradles her jaw, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs as his lips brush her brow, bestowing a kiss. Light and sweet, reverent. Bumping his nose against hers as his forehead presses hers, swaying with her as he sighs, “I love you.”
“Love you too.” Her hands travel up to his neck, hugging him to bring him closer to her, pressing his chest to hers. And his palms lower, grabbing her sides, fingers spread, possessive.
“You sure? It’s not too soon?” He begs, aware of her past, avid to accept her proposal, but ready to wait as much as she needs, needing her to be certain.
“Pero." It's her turn to sigh how cherished he makes her feel. "I’ve never been so seen and understood by anyone before. So safe. I’m sure," she soothes him, whispering against his lips. "This feels right. I want it. But don’t try to bake again without supervision, please. I don’t want the neighbours to kick me out. I really like living here," sassing him as she pecks him on the lips.
He growls, pressing his lips to hers, biting them, deepening her kiss. Sucking her lower lip between his, scratching it with his teeth, swallowing her moan as his hands grab her butt, squeezing it. His attack is relentless, molten lust, igniting her. She's as gone as he, surrounded by his musk, hints of sweat, and the earthy scent he always carries, drowning in it, licking his lips, mewling at his taste. Scratching his shoulders with her nails, relishing in the way he purrs and his hold tightens, bruising.
The passion still soaks every touch as the kiss slows down, unhurried as it ends, and the bliss curls their mouths, sketching twin grins in their faces.
“Home?”
“Home,” Pero agrees, a vow, his pledge, diving for one more kiss.
Npt! (Tagging those who showed interest in my WIP Wednesday and some who liked the other two stories of these two!) @thatcorporategirlie @bergamote-catsandbooks @aurorawritestoescape @604to647 @baronessvonglitter @maggiemayhemnj @burntheedges
I hate to write posts because well, I am bad with words. And language. But I know that I was complaining about authors leaving, but I also know I used to consume fanfiction every single day and make weekly updates, and also draw and dream.
But now it is Kinktober and I can't lift a finger to dive for new works like I did before. That applies to drawing and everything else I used to do as a hobby. I am tired and I hate being that. I try to keep up with what I already have, I sometimes add new works, I hone and tweak my bots, both of them. Heartbeat does a great job helping me find broken links, btw, should have built her long ago. Sometimes I wonder what else I could automate or make better here, but it can't replace real involvement.
What I am trying to say is that I don't have motivation and energy to do all this anymore sure as hell wanna get back, I still love you and love Pedro and love my Sanctuary and I admire you all for keeping writing, doing challenges and bringing new stories to life. I am sorry I can't keep up. And when I have more energy, I probably spend it to life matters. Shit got real and I miss those times when I had nothing to worry about. But I highly value the power of inspiration that this place brings to me and I don't wanna lose the vibe.
