Aspec!reader who has been soaps roomate for...far too long at this point.
Literally the first thing he did when he met you was warn about his insatiable libido. During the little meeting you both held in the kitchen surrounded by unopened boxes, he asked bluntly "can I wank off out here, or nah?" To which you shrugged and pointed to rule three clean up your own messes.
Which is to say, you've probably seen Johnny's cock more than his lovers have, with the way he seems allergic to pants the second he's inside.
You're pretty sure he gets off on you not caring, going out of his way to shove a vibe up his ass in the living room when his own bedroom is two feet away. You don't really care, it's kind of fun to grab his cock for a stroke or two as you walk by just to hear him whine.
The first time he brought a guy home, you kind of forgot that most people expect some privacy, and walked into soaps room mid-fuck to grab the mug you left there. Yeah. It didn't end well, and the new no entering rooms when strangers are over was added to your rules, alongside only fuck guys in the kitchen if they're cool with a third party.
...wait. why is this new guy soap brought home kind of cute? Pretty doe eyes, dark skin, a nice jawline.
You make sure to grab his number while he and soap are cuddling on the couch, and invite him back for dinner next week.
They watched. Observed and notated their findings. Kyle, Simon, and Johnny seethed for months as they watched Nikolai attempt to woo John’s wife. Any time she would come to base they could be found laughing together in his helicopter or sharing a meal in the mess, always without John.
How the hell did Nikolai think he could get away with this?
John, for his part, seemed to be happier than ever before. He yelled less and moved with a renewed vigor on and off jobs. He would spend time with Nik behind a closed door in his office and then meet his wife for dinner with a kiss.
They talked about it off base, all tucked into a bed. Simon lay in the center, arm curled around Kyle and Johnny as they rested their heads on his chest.
“I can’t handle to much more of Nikolai making moves on Mrs. Price. That woman is too sweet to fall for his charms,” Simon murmured.
“If she needed more love, I wouldn’t be opposed to inviting her into what we have going,” Kyle offered.
Johnny hummed, voice distracted as he voiced his thoughts.
“What if…what if John knows? And is okay with it?”
Blinking back into existence Johnny recoiled from the two disbelieving looks pointed at him.
“What?” He asked defensively, “We know it’s possible to have an unconventional relationship and be happy.”
Kyle and Simon had shared a look before changing the subject.
The final straw for Simon was Mrs. Prince waving John goodbye in a robe and welcoming Nikolai less than two minutes later.
Neither Johnny nor Kyle could talk him down from his chosen path. Gathering up all the documentation, photos, and timelines they had collected Simon marched for war. Kyle and Johnny kept pace and passed looks of concern back and forth. Simon didn’t knock when he arrived at John’s door. The door creaked under the weight of his anger.
Looking up from his computer John lifted a brow at his men.
Without giving him a moment Simon slapped the folder of evidence on the desk. Kyle shut the door, no need for witnesses to this breakdown.
“Well, that was dramatic.” His eyes flicked from the photo peeking out to Simon, “Wanna tell me what this is about?”
“Nikolai is trying to steal your wife from under you,” Simon’s fists clenched, shoulders as wide as they could go.
John lifts the cover, paper resting against his nail. Upon opening it all three men watch his face, his posture for any signs of distress. There are none. A picture of Nik and Mrs. Price laughing at a small cafe is the first thing in the folder. Setting the photo aside John leans back in his chair as he reads the comings and goings of each person.
That paper scanned he flips through each piece of information the guys had pain painstakingly gathered over the last four months. The longer John looked everything over and failed to react, the lower Simon’s shoulder fell. Only when all three men stood with neutral stances did John look up from his desk.
His eyes scanned Johnny’s face, then Simon’s, and finally Kyle’s. Taking a deep breath John brought his hands up, palms flat together to rest his fingers against his lips. The snorting laugh that erupted out of him surprised them all. He quickly settled his mouth back behind his hands.
“Now,” John hummed, fighting back more laughter. “While I appreciate…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence, breaking down into gales of laughter as he covered his face with his hands. The three men were now more concerned for their captain than they were before this whole intervention started.
When the laughter finally trailed off and John sat straight again he found himself besieged with searching, deeply concerned looks. Neatly stacking each of the pictures and papers back into the file folder he cleared his throat his started again.
“Now, while I appreciate you three looking out for me,” he snapped the folder closed and lifted it to point at each of them in turn. “I don’t ask questions about your boyfriends. I ask that you leave mine and my wife be. They like having dates and laughing about me.”
Johnny understood first. He snapped an accusatory and triumphant gaze to his lovers and broke out in full Gaelic as he pointed from Simon to Kyle. Without breaking his stream of incomprehensible words he fired off two middle fingers and let himself from the room.
Kyle bit his tongue, nodded twice as he kept his eyes from connecting with John’s, and followed in Johnny’s footsteps out the door.
“Nothing to say, Simon?”
Lieutenant and Captain clash gazes, the latter waiting for the former to fold and follow the others.
“Not sorry we pried.”
John’s chair creaked as he leaned back in it, folder still pinched in his grip.
“Don’t be sorry for it, son. Don’t do it again though.”
Simon turned on his heel, grateful beyond words for his mask to hide the pink tint to his fair skin.
“Hey.”
Looking over his shoulder at John, he lifted a brow.
“I don’t poke for answers I know, but I don’t make them my business either. You and the sergeants have nothing to worry about from me.”
Nodding, heat from his cheeks attempting to burn his mask off his face Simon left his captain’s office.
John laughed on and off all day thinking about the ‘intervention’ his men staged. Unlocking the front door to the flat he shared with you and Nik, John couldn’t keep a grin from his face.
You had claimed one corner of the couch, a book in your hand, and a blanket over your lap. Nik sat on the other, headphones over his ears plugged into a CD player. Both look at him with a smile when they notice his arrival as they set aside their activities.
“Well Mrs. Price, you won the bet.”
The bright look that breaks across your face has John laughing. Sitting up you high-five Nik.
“Let’s fucking go! It was Nik arriving with coffee this morning, wasn’t it? I knew that would get them.”
“Is that what you left for Nik?” John looked up from untying his boots.
Nik lifted one shoulder before dropping it.
“Coffee sounded good this morning.”
John shook his head, smile tucked into his beard at finding the best of friends for a lover and a wife. No man could be as lucky as he.
Summary: You find yourself with Jack Abbot for the first time off of Hospital grounds, and it opens the door to more.
Warning: no use of y/n, slow-burn, she/her pronouns for reader (I try to avoid them when I can), medical inaccuracies, angst! Reader is insecure about being asexual and the impact it may have on potential relationships.
wc: 2942
Pairing: Jack Abbot x ace!muralist!reader (part one) (part two) (part three)
You’re so deep asleep that you feel your arm being shaken in your dream for just a second before your body catches up and your eyes fly open, body lurching quickly to sit up. Heart pounding hard in your chest, all you can hear for a moment is the thrum of blood rushing through your ears. Your brain is sluggishly trying to remember where and when you are.
“Shit, sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Jack says, crouched by the side of the bed, looking amused with his hands held up in front of him like he’s dealing with a spooked animal.
“Fuck,” You murmur, still needing a moment to get your wits about you. Voice thick with sleep and eyes blinking rapidly to try to clear the drowsiness. “You’re fine, I was just really deep asleep.”
God, you feel like you could fall back asleep in less than a second if he let you lie back down again. But then Jack straightens, turns, and flicks on the lights, ruining any idea of sleep. You groan at the sudden burst of light.
“What time is it?” You yawn, hands reaching up to scrub at your face, like you can wake yourself up through sheer force of will.
“0630-” He starts, before you cut him off.
“Gross. Please note I am not a morning person.”
“I’m just about to hand off my cases to day shift. Thought you might want me to wake you before I have to drag you out of here for breakfast. Ya know, they kind of frown on bringing unconscious people into restaurants. Or have you changed your mind already?” He sinks down to a squat beside the bed, maintaining eye contact with you the whole time, hands clasped and elbows resting on his knees as he leans forward.
“Don’t make me reassure your ego at this ungodly hour, Jack. How many brain cells do you think I knocked out of my skull last night? I guarantee it wasn’t enough to turn down complimentary breakfast.” You snark. Being overtired really brings out your mean-teasing side.
“Geez, you know just what to say to make a guy feel special. All right, Salvador Fall-í keep that up, and you’re getting hospital jello for breakfast.” He snarks back, his eyes narrowed teasingly at you.
“Wooah hold your horses there cowboy, let's not be too hasty.” You say, shaking your head. You know he’s bluffing, but you're too grossed out with hospital food to call him on it.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought, knew you were all talk.” He jokes.
A cold bloom of fear takes root in your chest.
You’re all talk, I never should have wasted my time.
You push the echo of old memories away.
He doesn’t seem to notice your lapse, continuing on. “Take some time to get ready and meet me by the nurses’ station around 0700, and then we can head out. K” His hand reaches out to give your knee a reassuring squeeze.
“Ok, see you in a bit.” You manage, suddenly far too deep in your head to give much thought to a real response. He dips out of the room, leaving you to your overthinking.
You try to avoid the heaviness taking over your chest by pulling out your phone to text your boss that you need to take a sick day.
But your text is sent all too quickly, and you’re left with silence again, thinking about where this dance with Abbot is going. You don’t want to assume anything from his side of things, but you’re starting to feel things for the man that you haven’t felt in a long fucking time.
Your last relationships, not that you count any of your brief experiences with dating as real relationships, flood your mind. Back when, with each new person, you thought it might just be different this time, if you just had enough time to get to know them. When you thought things hadn’t worked out in the past because they were moving too fast, that when you had feelings for someone new, they would be different! only to feel nothing when things got physical, no matter how long you waited or got to know them. Things would always go belly up when you put boundaries in place, and they realised you meant it when you said you never wanted to have sex.
You need to get a grip. Jack is a friend, just a friend, and breakfast with him is just breakfast, nothing more. You’re getting ahead of yourself all over again, worrying about things that aren’t going to happen.
Maybe you’ll try to slip into conversation that you're asexual. Which scares you, you never know how someone is going to react. How it will change how he sees you, how he talks to you. You really like how easy things are with Jack right now; you don’t want to ruin that.
But you also think about how you don’t want anyone in your life, who doesn’t understand you, or who has an issue with your sexuality.
Fuck you’re too sore and tired for this.
You’ve wasted enough time, you need to go brush your teeth and try to straighten up before you meet back up with Jack.
You’re chatting with Dana again at the nurses’ hub while you wait for Jack, when a tall doctor wanders over, swiping his badge to log into one of the station computers.
Dana begins updating him on patient statuses, but all the words go right over your head. Lots of medical terms and patient names. It’s fascinating to watch them interact, rapid-fire questions and answers, a relationship that must have been built over years of long hours together.
“Oh, and before you rush off, this right here-” She says, stopping to gesture over to you “Is our muralist.”
Taken off guard from your comfortable post watching them from the side of the hub, you quickly raise a hand to wave at him, letting out a surprised. “Hi!”
He levels you with a warm smile and an evaluating gaze.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Dr. Robby, but you can just call me Robby… or Michael if you’d like.” His voice is soft, he reminds you of a big, sad teddy bear.
“It’s nice to meet you as well. I’m the one who’s been working on the mural, I’m sure you’ve already heard plenty about me, especially after last night.” That earns a laugh from him and Dana.
“Ya, I heard you took a nasty spill. How’re you feeling?”
“A little sore, but fine. Everyone’s been really nice, making sure I didn’t give myself brain damage and everything.”
“That’s good to hear-” Before he can continue Dana interrupts him with a smirk. “Mhmm, Dr. Abbot made sure she was well taken care of.”
Dr. Robby perks up at that, his eyes crinkling in delight, making his crow’s feet stand out.
“Is that so?”
Bewildered at the way Dana makes it sound far more scandalous than the reality of last night. You glance between the two of them.
“Um, if by well taken care of you mean he gave me a granola bar and let me sleep in the on-call room, then yeah.” They give each other a look at your response. “What?”
Before either of them can respond, they both look over your shoulder. You turn your head to see Jack approaching.
“Speak of the devil.” Robby says.
“Cap’n, I see you’ve met our artist in residence.” Jack says, looking the same as when you saw him just half an hour ago, but now sporting a camo backpack.
“Yeah, I was just hearing about how you did such a thorough job looking after her injuries.” Robby notes, eyes flicking between you and Abbot.
“Brother, don’t even get me started. This troublemaker has been keeping my hands full most of the night.” Jack looks you up and down out of his periphery while he talks. Now that sounded scandalous in a whole new way.
“Of course, I’m sure none of the nurses could have handled such a difficult case.” Robby teases.
You feel a little out of your depth with the two of them chatting like you aren't standing right there. Can't help but butt in, interrupting their easy banter. “Actually, I threatened to leave a zero-star Yelp review if I didn’t receive the best care possible. Really, his hands were tied.”
Robby's smile spreads wide at your comment. “Oh, I’m sure he just hated being tied up by you.”
Jack’s hand reaches out whip-fast to smack at the back of Robby’s head, the taller man laughing as he dances away.
Your face flames at the implication.
“Alright, let's get you out of here before Dr. Robby can make me regret the two of you meeting even more. You ready to go?” Jack asks, eyeing you over again.
Still trying to get your burning face under control, you mumble out, “Yeah, yeah, um, it was nice meeting you Robby, and I’ll see you later Dana.”
“Adiós Compadres.” Jack says, his hand reaching out to lay a palm flat on the middle of your back, prompting you forward towards the exit.
As you’re leaving, you manage to hear Robby telling Dana.
“You know, on second thought, you and Princess are right, I might have to throw a fifty into the betting pool.”
Jack walks you to a cafe a few blocks from the hospital, it’s cozy without being too cramped. It smells like freshly baked bread, and there are plants scattered all over the place. Warm orange lighting surrounds the place, helping keep out the harsh darkness of the morning.
It’s so early that most of the tables are empty, and you’re happy to see an open spot right by the window. The waiter nods in approval when you questioningly point to said table. And as you make your way to grab a seat, Jack surprises you by pulling out your chair for you.
Nerves take hold once more, as your doubts over this just being a friendly hangout creep in again. Conflicted with your desire for this to turn into something more, and the fear that he’ll run once you tell him the truth about yourself.
“So how close am I to being pardoned of my concussion accusation?” You ask, disrupting the quiet that’s settled over you both as you look over the menu.
“Consider yourself clear of all charges as long as you feel fine by the time you go to bed tonight.” He rumbles, his strong voice reassuring you.
When you lapse back into silence, the waiter comes over and takes your orders; black coffee and an omelette for Jack, and a chai latte and french toast for yourself.
“So, how long have you and Robby known each other?” You ask once the waiter leaves. “You seem close.”
“Geez, feels like just about forever,” He says, leaning back in his chair and scratching along the back of his neck. “Robby and I met when I started at PTMC. We used to be pretty competitive back in the day, had a bit of an unspoken rivalry.” He laughs, and you can see the competitive nature that’s still there, but with age has lost some of its edge.
“Pushed each other in all kinds of ways, made us both better doctors. Eventually, that turned into what we are now. This job can send you to the brink sometimes, but he’s the only one I trust to bring me back from it.”
“Mmm, like a platonic soulmate. My best friend and I are similar. Well, no competitive rivalry, but nothing is secret or off limits between us.” A small smile on your lips, hoping your friendship with her will also last the test of time.
“You're best friend, one of the people you didn't want to bother with a medical emergency?” He tilts his head as he says it, tone just on the edge of mocking.
“Yes.” You say adamantly. “Because I know she would have shown up and wasted her night over what turned out to be nothing!”
Your drinks arrive then, breaking you out of your rehearsed rant.
“You consider that she might have wanted to be there for you?” He asks.
And that takes all the wind out of your sails.
“Yeah, maybe… ok, so I concede that if she had a middle-of-the-night emergency that her family or fiancé couldn't be there for, that I would want her to call me. And I might be kinda pissed if she didn't call me to help. But! I had you and Dana there to make sure I was fine, and it really wasn't a big deal!” You know he’s right, but you feel the need to defend yourself anyway.
In fact, there have been times when your best friend has been dealing with heavy life stuff, and she hasn’t reached out to you. She explains it afterwards, as just needing space and not wanting the mental load of having to talk it through or explain it with another person. Despite that, you still want to be the one she goes to for help or a shoulder to lean on.
“Ok ok, I'm not trying to make you feel bad, just reminding you people are involved in your life for a reason, and they want to be there for you, even through the annoying things.” He says, eyes locked on yours. Intense but kind.
“You’re right, I will try to keep that in mind during future emergencies.” You say, letting yourself be emotionally open for a moment.
“Or don't, if it means I get to hang out with you outside of the Hospital again.” He winks, honest to god winks.
Flustered, you let his sentence hang in the air for a moment, suspended in time between the two of you.
“You know, you don't have to wait for emergencies for that, right?” You say softly.
His pinky brushes yours where your hand is loosely holding your mug on the table. The line of his left leg pressing against your left knee.
“I don't?” His voice is low, and he's leaning close to you in a way that makes your stomach clench with fear and excitement, skin flushing hot for a moment.
“Of course not, actually I wa-” Your food arrives, interrupting you and sending your hands skittering apart to make room on the table.
You both thank your waiter, and before you can try to recover the moment, Jack is asking about where your parents have gone off to.
Letting yourself be distracted, you fall into the familiar back and forth of your conversations with Jack, only this time, you're left feeling very much like you're on a date.
As promised, Jack pays for your breakfast and even takes the time to walk you back to your car at the Hospital. Making sure you have his number and that you promise to text him later to confirm you're feeling fine.
You arrive home to your quiet apartment, happy to finally decompress with your creature comforts after what felt like the day that would never end.
Your mind is even more fixated on Jack after your charged moment in the Cafe.
However, your body is ready to go through the motions of showering and changing into comfortable clothes. After undressing, you take a moment to appreciate the nasty purple-blue bruise that's bloomed along your outer thigh and hip.
Call yourself sick, but you’ve always liked being bruised; you don't always feel tethered to your body, and bruises have a way of making you feel grounded and connected to it again. You’re prone to dissociating, not a lot and not often, but enough to be annoying. Feeling so in your head that you feel like a camera stuck onto a mannequin body. There’s nothing quite like pain to make your brain stop feeling like something trapped inside your skull.
You’re planning on taking advantage of your sick day to clean your apartment and work on the other projects you've been too busy to touch. Instead, after your shower, you find yourself sitting on your couch staring at the wall while you spiral. Replaying thoughts of the inevitable piece of you that will be too much for Jack to handle and will send him running away.
You give yourself ten minutes to wallow and think of all the worst-case scenarios. Once your time is up, you pull yourself together and force your brain to imagine the best-case scenario.
You’ve gotten accustomed to seeing Jack nearly every day now, you look forward to seeing him, and you want to keep seeing him. Maybe there is a world where you’re enough for someone like him.
Jack Abbot texts exactly like you expect him to, like an old man.
Part five
A/N: Robby is still day shift, which is why this is his first time meeting reader. I was so excited for them to meet lol, I genuinely had a mental battle about turning this into a Rabbot x reader fic. But not to worry, this is just about Abbot x reader.
Maybe I'll have to write another series just for a Rabbot x reader universe. (Seriously thinking about Aro Robby and Ace reader with Abbot, so many cool layers to something like that)
Also sorry I had to do their text messages like that, Tumblr did not want to let me format it nicely, so if you want to see it written out check out my AO3!
🌿 I would love to hear from you! Please comment <3 I’m also totally open to requests!~
Summary: When Aemond and (Y/n) are told that they should get married, a world collapses for both of them.
Only time reveals that the two have a lot in common... Even if it's just the absence of carnal desires. (ace!Aemond x ace!reader)
Word count: 7.792
Authors note: I thought why not leave something for my fellow aces here? Ace!Aemond and ace!Reader.
There is a description of the (not so happy) wedding night, so if you feel uncomfortable with reading about that, feel free to scip that part. The scene starts and ends with this little guy here: 🐲. The scene, where Aegon finds Aemond in the brothel is marked with this one:🐉
Apart from that: enjoy.
"You want me to marry one of those bastards?", Aemond blurted out.
His mother stood before him with sympathetic eyes. "Your father has decided it. You're marrying Rhaenyra's daughter."
Aemond's jaw ground. "I'm marrying a Strong. We both know it, and so would Father, if he weren't so blind."
"Aemond...",she sighed, "You have a duty to fulfil to stabilise what little peace there is at the moment."
She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I know you'd rather be married to Helaena, but I've tried everything. He won't be swayed."
Aemond's heart raced with anger. He breathed in and out in a controlled manner. He pressed his lips together, letting his anger travel into his heart to freeze it.
"Aemond?", asked (Y/n) in shock?
Her mum nodded. "I know it's not ideal, but-"
"Not ideal? He hates us!"
Rhaenyra sighed. Daemon sat back in his chair, not exactly thrilled. "She's not wrong."
"We have our duty to fulfil. A wedding is the best way, to avert a lot of future disaster."
(Y/n) sat down next to her stepfather and looked at the tabletop. Resignedly, she exhaled. "What if he refuses?"
"My brother himself has decided. He can't refus.", Daemon explained calmly.
She buried her face in her hands.
Daemon slapped her shoulder encouragingly. "It could be worse."
"How could it be worse, please?"
He shrugged. "It could have been Aegon... Aemond was the one with the eye patch, wasn't he?"
Rhaenyra sighed. "Yes. Aemond wears the eye patch."
"Which is another reason to hate us.", (Y/n) explained, flustered.
Daemon nodded. "Better to be a prude than a drunk. Trust me."
Rhaenyra rolled her eyes. "The gods be with us."
Rhaenyra stat next to her old friend.
"How did she take it?", enquired Alicent.
"The way you take such news... Quite defiantly.", replied Rhaenyra.
"Then she seems to be taking after her mother.", muttered Alicent.
Rhaenyra didn't respond, but had to admit that she wasn't entirely wrong. "And Aemond?"
Alicent pressed his lips together. "He's not happy... But he's dutiful enough."
She nodded. "I'm sorry about what happened then."
"I'd like to say he's gotten over it, but I don't think, that will ever happen."
They both looked at the candles in front of them. The sept was empty.
"When is she coming here?", asked Alicent.
Rhaenyra smirked. "As soon as Daemon can squeeze her into a dress that hasn't already lost all its colour. He thought he could convince her better than I could."
Alicent gave her head a thoughtful twitch. "Aemond doesn't usually try to stand out. He's not much good with splendour anyway."
"Not the worst trait to have."
"It is."
"A picture for the gods.", Viserys smiled at his son and granddaughter.
Both stood stiffly next to each other. As much distance as the situation allowed between them.
"Grandfather.", (Y/n) curtseyed slightly.
Viserys smiled at Rhaenyra. "More exemplary than you ever were."
She smirked. "Give her two days."
Viserys looked at the future couple again. Daemon stood beside him, watching the silent spectacle with amusement. Both seemed to want to jump out of the window. Especially (Y/n), who detested the stiffness of her dress, glared at him with eyes filled with rage.
"We're having a party!", announced Viserys. "To the engagement."
Aemond showed no emotion. (Y/n) has the feeling of standing next to a stature.
"A celebration is good. It gets the blood pumping. Just what those two sculptures need", Daemon grinned.
Three very angry eyes fixed on him.
The sun shone relentlessly down on them as they walked through the gardens, urged on by the family, to get to know each other better. But neither of them said anything.
He killed her with looks. She stubbornly looked straight ahead.
"You're not fooling anyone.", he hissed quitely. "Everyone knows what you are."
She felt the familiar rage inside her, but tried to control it. "You know... You're no more Targaryen than I am." she said with the intention to hurt. "How much fire runs through your mother's veins?", she hissed. "Your blood is just as washed out as mine. Your hair won't change that."
Aemond made a hasty grab for her throat. Such were the waves of rage coursing through his veins. "Don't you dare compare us again, you bastard.", he hissed before he was torn away by Daemon.
He said nothing. He merely raised an eyebrow and wordlessly put his nephew back on track.
He brought Aemond back next to them, but barely kept his distance. "On with you two.", he said, nudging them both.
Rhaenyra and Alicent watched the spectacle with worried eyes.
"Well that's a good start.", sighed Rhaenyra.
Alicent closed his eyes in surrender. "All we can do is pray."
"Or bring the two of them closer somehow."
"And how do you envisage that?"
Rhaenyra sighed. "They must have something in common."
Alicent sighed as well. "Aemond is studying, practising fighting or flying out with his dragon. I don't want to know what happens, when Aegon does manage to drag him out of his chamber."
Rhaenyra nodded. "Sending them off with the dragon is probably not the best idea with that temperament."
"Not if you want them both to come back alive."
"Maybe prayer is truly the only thing that will help."
She sat to his right to make sure he could see her without any problems. The meal was good. Memories were shared. Aegon teased Jacaerys. Helaene talked about a spider, that had made it into her collection and Rhaenyra and Alicent practised approximate conversation.
Alicent cleared his throat. "Your mother says you speak High Valyrian."
(Y/n) nodded. Grateful to be snatched from her silent bubble with Aemond. "I suppose it's passable."
"No false modesty. She's almost better than me.", Daemon interjected. The word almost carried the most weight.
"Ivestragī īlva ūndegon skorkydoso bōsa ao kostagon nykeēdrosa vestragon bona." (Let us see how long you can still say that.), she said with a teasing grin on her face.
"īlon jāhor ūndegon byka zaldrīzes." (We will see little dragon.)
Aemond just snorted. That he really called her dragon.
"What about you?" Daemon turned to his nephew.
"Nyke ȳzaldrīzes ziry olvie sȳrī nyke pendagon." (I speak it very well, I think.)
All eyes were on them again.
"Your pronunciation is sloppy.", was all she said.
"And yours is far too stilted.", he replied grimly.
They both took a sip of wine, so as not to have to continue the conversation. Silence returned immediately.
Daemon raised his wine goblet. "To my brother. Your marriage market skills are unrivalled."
"Daemon.", Rhaenyra warned him calmly.
"Even you have to admit that an heir with these two must have to happen by magic. Don't worry about it, youngster. I never touched my first wife either. But do the world a favour and oil your sword more often. It's almost impossible to accumulate as much pressure as you do."
The glass in Aemond's hand broke so forcefully that shards ate into his skin. His fist did not open, however. His blood dripped onto the tabletop unflustered. Despite this, Aemond's gaze was blank. Withdrawn into himself, he sat there. Aegon laughed, already half drunk, but the others just looked at Aemond. Except for (Y/n). She stood up, curtsying to her grandfather. "I'd like to say goodbye. The day has been quite eventfull."
"Of course, child. But you owe me a trip tobthe dragonpit in the morning in return."
She nodded politely and left the room quickly and stiffly.
Heirs with that pompous brat. She couldn't imagine letting someone like him get that close to her. When she thought about it, she couldn't imagine enjoying that kind of touch with any man. Not a man who actually existed in any case.
Aemond, meanwhile, was still sitting at the table, looking stubbornly at the table in front of him. He put on his mask and tried to ignore the screams of rage in his head. Tried not to feel the humiliation. Especially in front of his brother. The one who made him do it the first time. Brought him to her. "Can I say goodbye as well, father?", asked Aemond.
"But you owe me a trip to the dragonpit in the morning for that.", he replied again.
Aemond nodded and tried to ignore the fact that his next meeting with her was already fixed.
Later, he lay in her arms, his hand wrapped in a bandage, his mouth sucking on her breast and letting his head be stroked soothingly. What kind of husband would he be? He had no desire for the normal needs. If he did, it was for purely physical reasons. He only needed one heir. Just one. Then they wouldn't have to see each other anymore.
"Shhh.", she purred, brushing a tear from his cheek.
"You cheated!", Aemond was furious.
(Y/n) just smiled. "I used the size of my dragon. How can I help it, if Vagahr can't fit through the lip?"
Aemond rolled his eyes.
"It's marvellous weather. Don't you think?" Viserys interjected.
"Yes, father.", Aemond nodded.
"A very beautiful sunrise.", (Y/n) replied.
"Aemond usually goes training in the morning. Why don't you watch?"
Aemond's eye twinkled in amusement. (Y/n) rolled her eyes. "I was hoping to take a look at the library."
"You'll have plenty of time for that, once you're living here. You should spend as much time together as possible together for now."
(Y/n) sulked, annoyed. "Fine."
"Ah." Viserys laughed. "Now I finally see your mother in you."
On the training ground, (Y/n) leaned bored against the railing and looked down at Aemond, who was fighting with Ser Kriston. He was skilful, she had to admit. Elegantly and skilfully, he dodged and attacked.
"Niece!", she heard and turned round in surprise at the shouting.
As soon as she saw Aegon coming towards her, she heard a stifled cry from the square. Aemond was holding his upper arm with an annoyed look on his face. Ser Kriston held a sword under his throat.
"You must not be distracted."
Aemond looked angrily at his brother, then got back into position.
"Who made you do this boring observation?", her uncle grinned at her.
"The king", she replied simply.
Aegon was still grinning. "How about I kidnap you tonight?"
She raised an eyebrow. "You want to infiltrate this marriage before it even started?"
Aegon laughed. "No, no, no. We'll sneak outside. You should know the town you're about to make your home in."
She listened up. "And what do you have in mind?"
"There's a squire who will... let's say..."
"Oil his sword?"
Aegon grinned enthusiastically. "Exactly. So there will be guards. No worries. One less evening in his presence, isn't it?"
"Very true."
"Then be ready."
Aegon dragged the overwhelmed boy through the brothel and (Y/n) reconsidered all the decisions in her life. Especially the one to just follow Aegon.
🐉
"Did I tell you I came here as a lad? It’s a little tame, but a good place as any to get it wet. I know just the tutor for you, my boy."
He simply ripped open one of the curtains and exposed the people inside. Aegon grimaced and quickly turned away again. "No. She’s woth three timest he price… Don't worry niece, one only does that to whores, not wives." He walked to the next curtain. "No." And to the next "No here neither. Her name is Sylvi or Selyse, or... I don’t know, something like that."
He tore open the last curtain. A slightly older lady was lying on the silk-covered bed and holding a man. He turned round in surprise. Aemond?
Aegon began to laugh hysterically. Aemond immediately sat up, knowing the rest of the pack was at his back.
The scene didn't seem like the others. It didn't seem harsh or crude or animalistic. It seemed... calm.
"Aemond the fierce!", Aegon exclaimed, still laughing. None of the others let an emotion flit across their faces. "You've come so far and yet you still lie with your very first. What a fine, sweet thing."
Aegon settled down on the edge of the bed. "Did you fuck her like a hound?" He barked loudly. The lady on the bed, who had now put on a robe, winced slightly. "You see. I did not exaggerate. Such is the madam’s prowess, that even my brother will not sample another. Hard luck for your squire, though. As you can see, she… she’s now very much occipied." He looked at (Y/n). "Perhaps you can be shown how to please your husband in the future, (Y/n)."
Aemond's eyes shot to her. Disbelief settled on his face. "You brought her here?", Aemond hissed at his brother. Aegon only continued to laugh.
🐉
Aemond stood up, naked as he was, and left the niche. "Your squire is welcome to her."
With that, he grabbed his niece's arm, pulled his clothes to him and dragged her behind him. She was still processing the sight of his naked body when he pushed her into one of the free niches closer to the entrance. He closed the curtains and began to dress frantically. "What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?", she simply repeated.
He breathed in and out deeply. "I have every right to be here. You, on the other hand, have come to a fucking whorehouse completely defenceless! What if someone sees you? What if someone does something to you? Rape you? Kill you?", he reproached her as if she were a small child.
She looked past him defiantly. "There were guards with us." She pouted slightly. "Apart from that, you'd be rid of me. That's what you want."
Aemond snorted in annoyance. "Now don't be so dramatic" He pulled his cloak over himself, covering his hair. "Now come on."
She didn't react immediately. Still sorting through the images of the evening. "(Y/n) come now!"
"You didn't sleep with her.", she realised.
Aemond faltered. "What?"
She was in a daze. "Well... It didn't seem like the other nooks and crannies... Why did you come here when you didn't-"
Aemond simply threw her over his shoulder. "Come now!", he said emphatically and dragged her out of the brothel. On the street, he set her back on her feet and pushed her in front of him. "Obey and I'll answer some of your questions."
She allowed herself to be pushed towards the red keep. "Good."
The next morning, they both sat at the table with the rest of the family for their morning meal.
Aegon was still hunched over his plate, but laughed with amusement every time he looked at his brother.
That one tried to ignore him, but couldn't really suppress the nausea, that had taken hold of him. How much had he seen? How much had he recognised? How much would he humiliate him knowing that he had sucked on her breast like a newborn?
"What are you up to today?", asked Rhaenyra (Y/n).
She was just swallowing her bite when Aemond answered for her. "I promised to show her round... To answer a few questions."
All eyes shot to him. The silence was stifling for the next three seconds before Aegon let out a loud snort. "Don't get too explicit. You'll scare her away."
Aemond said nothing, just continued eating the egg and ham in front of him.
Later, they walked quite randomly through the corridors. "I decide which questions I answer.", he stated first to break the silence.
She nodded. "Good, so did you sleep with her?"
"No."
"Then why are you going to her?"
"To relax."
She faltered. "Why? Isn't your bed comfortable enough?"
Aemond wanted to erase the memory from her mind. It was too intimate. Too secret... His biggest secret. "Comfortable... and sometimes... A little lonely.", he pressed out, as if it would cause him pain to admit it.
(Y/n) drew her eyebrows together in surprise. "I didn't think, you were someone who would be bothered by that."
"I only seek her out occasionally... In stressful times."
She nodded acceptingly. "How wrong one can be... But... I mean you go halfway across town, just so you don't sleep alone? She must be... well doing something."
Aemond faltered. Yes, she was doing something. Held him. Mothered him since his mother had stopped. "She... She listens to me."
(Y/n) furrowed her eyebrows again in irritation. She remembered the brief image of the disturbed meeting. How he had lain there. How she had held him. His face against her chest. "It almost looked like you-"
He quickly pressed his hand over her mouth. She looked up at him with wide eyes.
"Don't say it.", he interrupted her with a firmness in his voice. Then he quickly turned away and walked down the corridor. "The library is this way. You wanted to see it.
(Y/n) wandered along the rows of books, but didn't see a single one. Too absorbed in the questions, her mind was asking her. Aemond was cold, arrogant and mean. Aemond would not lie down with a woman to suckle her breast. Aemond would... He would humiliate and hurt a woman... Wouldn't he?
Aemond Targaryen... A warrior, or a little boy, who had been played too many tricks? She remembered the day, her brothers presented him with the pig. She remembered, how he had run past her and to his mother with tears in his eyes. The way Aegon had humiliated him, seemed to have determined his whole life.
Siblings fought, but Aegon had always enjoyed taunting others.
It made no sense. This image and the Aemond she knew. The image of discipline and ambition. She sighed and leaned against the shelf.
(Y/n) strangely felt no desire, to judge him for it. He went there ‘to relax’. He found peace in it. Perhaps even a safe place.
She brushed a strand of brown hair from her forehead.
She pushed herself off the shelf and wandered through the rows to find Aemond.
She found him at one of the tables, bent over a book, that he didn't really seem to be reading.
She sat down next to him, on the side of his good eye. "I don't judge it.", she merely whispered.
Aemond looked at her as if he was just waiting for the mockery.
"I don't really understand it, but...", she pressed her lips together, thinking. "There are far worse things you could do."
Aemond snorted dismissively. "There are also far less humiliating things.", He flipped the book shut. "If you lose even a stray word-"
"What would I do that for?"
He looked at her.
"Aemond, I'll be honest.", she began. He signalled to her that he was listening. "We can't avoid this marriage, so we should get along somehow. All we need is a male heir. Maybe just one child, if that's enough for you. After that, you're free to do what you want, as long as I have my peace."
"And you'll keep your mouth shut?"
She nodded.
He nodded.
"How long have you known her?", she asked.
Aemond looked at the book. "Since I was thirteen. Aegon paid for it. My first. As you've heard. I didn't want to... We both couldn't stop it."
He looked at her thoughtfully. "How is it that you're so open about this?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "My mother wanted me to know what to expect. Besides, Daemon never made a hel about the daughters being in the room, when he told my brothers about his youth."
Aemond nodded with a sigh. "One child is enough."
"Good."
"Good."
"What's wrong with you?", (Y/n) asked, bored, when she had been joined by Aemond in one of the rooms to make conversation.
"What do you mean?", he returned tensely.
(Y/n) just raised an eyebrow. "You look like Vagahr chewed you up once and spat you out again. And if you sit there any stiffer, your back will break."
Aemond's jaw ground. "Stress", he simply replied and turned back to his studies.
"Why don't you go and see her?"
Aemond's gaze shot to her. She just shrugged her shoulders. "It relaxes you. You're definitely not relaxed. It's an easy solution."
"No. Not an easy solution. Aegon will be back. This place isn't safe anymore."
He tried to ignore the twinge in his chest. He felt like a child having his favourite toy snatched from him, only to watch it burn in front of him. Aegon had seen him. He didn't know, what conclusions his clouded mind had drawn. It kept him awake all night and the only thing, that would help him find peace, was now destroyed forever.
He slammed the book shut and was about to get up, but got stuck in the intention and sat back down on the chair.
"Aemond?"
He took a deep breath. "I don't know how much Aegon has seen. I don't know what stories he's spreading. I can't sleep. I've built up a reputation over the years only to be caught by my drunken brother at the only moment I allowed myself to..." He broke off.
"In which you allowed yourself to be... weak?", she asked hesitantly. Aware of the delicate subject.
Aemond snorted. His brother had always just fallen to the top. Aemond had to work hard for everything. And now this fool probably knew everything, to ruin him.
"Aegon.", (Y/n) said politely and stood next to him. The garden was beautiful and in full bloom. Aegon, on the other hand, seemed to be avoiding the spirit of life today. He sat leaning against a tree in the garden and gazed glassily into nothingness.
"Niece.", he mumbled, making a choking noise for a moment, then collected himself.
She put on her most innocent face. The fact that he was probably still drunk enough, not to remember this conversation in its entirety, was definitely an advantage. "How long have you been travelling?"
Aegon narrowed his eyes. "Until... Now. I haven't made it to bed yet."
"Want some help?"
Aegon immediately threw his weight onto one of her shoulders and staggered off.
"Can I ask you something?"
Aegon just grumbled. "If you have to."
She smiled. "The night you took me with you."
Aegon grinned stupidly. "I told you not to worry. That's what you do with whores, not wives."
She banished the image that flashed in her mind. "Yes, that's what you said... I'm more worried, that your brother might expect more, well... Than I can give."
Aegon grinned wider. "Why? Because he was lying with a whore. Always the same one. I don't think you need to worry... He truly is a loyal dog." He laughed.
"She seemed... more experienced."
"You'd expect that with her expertise and age."
(Y/n) tried further. "Sure there was nothing... Strange going on in that nook, I mean?"
Aegon laughed again, but then gulped slightly and immediately refrained. "Oh little niece. He was fucking. You can do that too. I just think it's a shame, they were already done. I'd love to see my brother fully human for once. He's such a prude. Well, never mind. Wait a minute.", He leaned to one side, bored, and threw up. Half of it landed on his trousers. "Okay. Go on."
(Y/n) grimaced. Daemon had been right. It could have been worse.
She slammed the book down on the table in his study and sat down. "He doesn't know anything.", she said simply. "And you owe me a new dress."
Aemond looked up in confusion.
"Aegon", she explained, "I found him drunk in the garden this morning. He thinks you fucked a whore and nothing else. So relax and get some sleep. With your dark circles, you'll lose the other eye too."
Aemond looked at her, perplexed. "You questioned him?"
"I danced around the subject, but your brother tends to have conversations like that with his head through the wall."
"What did you ask?", he asked immediately, unsettled. Anger resonated in his voice.
"Whether I should be worried that you might have special wishes for me when you value her experience."
Aemond leant back in his chair. He exhaled in surrender. "And he knows nothing?"
(Y/n) shook his head. "Nothing special, it seems."
"That's good.", he stated simply.
(Y/n) nodded. "It is." She flipped open her book. "I wasn't joking about the dress, by the way."
He let his eye wander over her. "I'm sorry.", he muttered.
"Tell that to the maids. It took me three tubs before I felt clean again."
"What exactly happened?"
"He threw up in the wrong direction."
Aemond pressed his lips together and looked at his book again. His stomach felt strangely light at the thought that she had gone through this ordeal for him. He couldn't really place it, but decided it made him too vulnerable and pushed it aside.
"(Y/n) sit down.", said her mum, pointing to the chair next to her.
She complied with the request. "What is it?"
Rhaenyra smiled gently at her. "So the wedding is coming up.", she began.
"Yes... I know."
She nodded again. "Good, you remember the conversations we had, regarding the wedding night?"
"In great detail."
"But if you still have questions-"
"Don't worry.", she interrupted her immediately.
Rhaenyra seemed to be struggling for words. Something that never actually happened. "Aegon came to me.", she said bluntly.
"Aegon?... Argh." She let her back slam against the back of the chair. "Believe me, there were other reasons, why I went to see him."
"And what reasons would those be? Did you notice something, when you snuck out that made you feel insecure?", she smirked.
"He told you?"
Rhaenyra smiled. "Told me. Shouted it at me with laughter. Take your pick."
"I'm going to scalp him."
Rhaenyra laughed in amusement. "At least everyone knows now that you are truly my daughter."
"You giving birth to me wasn't proof enough?"
Aemond came to her table in the library. She looked at him for a moment with a tense mouth. "You look more rested."
"One less burden.", he explained simply.
She nodded and looked back down at her book.
"What's wrong?", he simply asked.
"My mother has called me in, because your brother is now worried about my knowledge of the marriage bed., She looked at him venomously. "You owe me far more than a bloody dress."
He just nodded and looked back down at his book. He did owe her something.
The dress hung heavily on her. The embroidery and embellishments in red and black stretched across the fabric. Her hair was plaited and pinned up. Necklaces and bracelets were put on her.
She allowed herself to be led to the throne room and placed before the king, where Aemond was already standing, dressed in black as usual. His clothes were also more ornate than usual.
They took their hands. It was only then that (Y/n) realised that they had never really touched before, apart from the day in the brothel, when he had dragged her with him.
They recited their vows. They were celebrated. They danced and drank. And neither of them really knew, what to make of it.
(Y/n) because she still wasn't really sure, what to expect from this marriage and Aemond, because he just couldn't shake this strange feeling in his stomach.
It was only when they were pushed into his room, that (Y/n) really realised what was about to happen. She felt involuntarily tense. She looked at him uncertainly. However, he went into his room. "I'm paying my debts today.", he said simply.
Her brows drew together. :Aemond, I was jesting."
But he only reached into a true and pulled out a dress and laid it across the bed.
She walked towards it. "Green?"
He twitched his eyebrow. "You just said a dress. Nothing else."
She smirked devotedly. "All right... It's still pretty."
Aemond reached for a small tin on the table next to the bed. "And the other... Gift, if you will."
She took the tin and opened it hesitantly. Irritated, she looked inside, then at Aemond.
"A fish bladder filled with blood. I'll stage the bed and drain the bladder. You can choose, when you come to me. Or we can do our duty. I'll give you the choice."
She looked at the little ball. "You'd really give it up?"
He nodded. "It's more duty than anything else.", he confessed.
She allowed herself to be surprised, that anyone else felt that way als well. She closed the tin. "What would your plan be... For an heir?"
"I'll come round once a week."
She nodded and placed the tin on the bed. "Then we shouldn't put it off too long." She reached for the cloak on her shoulders and put it down. As she reached for the lacing at her back, she realised, that her hands were shaking slightly. Aemond removed his jacket and shirt.
He was slim but muscular. He had a certain attractiveness. But a hard one. An unyielding one. She had seen him like this before, she reminded herself consciously. She let her dress slide off her and now stood before him in just her undergarment. Aemond simply brushed off his trousers and stood in front of her like in the brothel. His posture said that he didn't mind being seen like this. But his eye betrayed him.
"Aren't you going to take the patch off?"
Aemond's stature crumbled slightly. "Most people don't like the sight of it."
"Only if you want to. You don't have to."
He nodded, tidied away the can and dress, then motioned for her to lie down.
She adjusted the pillows at her back, when she saw him reach for his eye patch.
With a practised grip, he undid the laces and put the piece aside.
He turned towards her. She scrutinised him closely. A sapphire shone in the eye socket.
She had also seen this in the brothel, but she had been distracted by his nakedness then.
"A beautiful stone.", was all she said.
Aemond merely sat down on the bed. Relief rippled through his muscles. That it didn't disgust her seemed to mean more to him than he had realised.
🐲
(Y/n) took a deep breath as he lay on top of her. He reached for a small vial and oiled his hand.
"What are you doing?"
"It makes the whole thing easier. It'll probably still hurt, though."
She nodded. "I know."
He grabbed himself with his oily hand. Quickly and purposefully, he ran his hand over himself. He didn't look at her. Looked stubbornly at her shoulder. His ears were red. His gaze revealed, how uncomfortable he was.
All observations fizzled out of her mind as he pushed her legs further apart and pushed her underdress high enough to expose her most intimate part.
He pressed himself against her. She felt him.
"Can I?" he asked tensely.
She nodded. "Yes."
He pushed himself into her. It was literally burning. She felt like she was going to tear up, but she blinked away the tears. Everyone had told her it hurt at first.
She gripped the pillow beneath her for support and breathed in and out in a controlled manner until he had sunk himself completely into her.
Aemond held still for a moment and waited. "Say when I can mive.", he pressed out.
She wiped the tears from her face as unobtrusively as possible and tried to force her body to relax. Aemond's hand slipped between them. His thumb placed itself on her and drew circles. She exhaled in surprise. "Better?", he asked.
"A little."
He nodded and thrust lightly.
It was a surreal experience for both of them.
Aemond was uncomfortable with the closeness and yet he felt the strange feeling in his stomach again, when he was able to take away some of her pain. He should start like this next time. He sounded an idiot. He should have thought of that earlier.
(Y/n) was torn between pain and the pleasant feeling that Aemond gave her with his thumb.
Aemond tried to keep it as short as possible. As soon as he felt the sensation, he let himself fall over the cliff and jerked haphazardly above her. He carefully, but quickly extracted himself and brought himself back next to her.
🐲
(Y/n) was quite glad, that it was over. She merely closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry.", Aemond whispered.
(Y/n) shook his head. "It had to be." She hoped her suppressed tears didn't show completely.
Aemond felt as if his chest was being pierced.
He saw himself when he was thirteen. How he had tried with all his might not to let the tears fall. How he hadn't wanted to be touched for weeks afterwards.
And now he was doing the same to her.
She took a deep breath in and out and then reached for the cloak next to the bed. Aemond understood, got dressed again and opened the door for the maid, who was waiting in front of it with her eyes downcast. The small figure went into the room, pulled the bedding down and up again and disappeared.
The proof of the marriage in her hand. Aemond looked at (Y/n).
"You can stay here if you want."
She considered. "I don't really know, what I want."
Aemond put himself to bed. He lifted the covers slightly. "You can leave any time you like."
(Y/n) nodded, but first looked to the bowl of water the maid had provided.
Aemond nodded understandingly and turned his back to her.
The night was restless for both of them. Aemond was woken by one nightmare after another. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that night before him.
(Y/n) just wanted to take a bath and not feel like she did now. She waited forever, before the burning between her legs stopped and she finally fell asleep.
She didn't dream.
In the morning they both stood tired in front of their family. (Y/n) said goodbye to her mother, who was flying to Dragonstone, and suppressed the feeling of loneliness, she was experiencing. She would stay here now. Her family would leave. Her mum, her brothers. Even Daemon she would miss somehow.
Aegon grinned stupidly at the sight of the tired figures and teased them. (Y/n), who was already at the edge of her strength, simply tripped him and watched him fall into one of the rose beds.
The corners of Aemond's mouth twitched slightly. He left for training and (Y/n) just stood in her chambers for quite some time, until she decided to go back to sleep.
And she carried out this decision for three days in a row. Aemond did not notice her absence. Apart from the maids, no one was looking for her.
So she really did have all the freedom she wanted. Even to simply cease to exist.
It wasn't until the fifth day, that there was a knock at her door.
To her surprise, Alicent stepped through the door. (Y/n) rose quickly and bowed.
"What happened between you and Aemond?", she asked bluntly.
(Y/n) faltered. "I don't understand?"
Alicent sighed. "I understand that... It's been five days and no one can testify, that you've seen each other again. What happened?"
(Y/n) looked at her hands in irritation. "Only what was expected of us."
"An heir is expected and one doesn't just show up like that."
"Aemond... has a plan", she muttered.
Alicent scratched her thumb along her finger. "I know it's not the best experience in the world, but it gets better. You'll get used to it."
"That's good to know."
Alicent nodded. "This marriage has to work. For the safety of us all."
"I'm aware of that."
"Then try harder.", she concluded and left the room.
On the seventh day after the wedding, Aemond went to see her. He had stayed away from her the whole time. He could feel the monster inside him moving too much. As if it had been stabbed with a spear. Normally a very proud creature, it now seemed unable to reconcile, what it had experienced with itself.
He had been thinking about it. All this time, he had been thinking about how he could make it easier. But now that he was standing in front of her, it all seemed somehow laughable. He had hurt her. He had hurt his wife. He was no better than Aegon.
(Y/n) saw Aemond for the first time in a week. He looked tired. Agitated.
Silently, he sat on the bed, but did nothing else.
(Y/n) let him take the time to compose himself.
"I don't want to hurt you any more.", he confessed.
She looked down at her lap. Only now did she realise, how tense her body had been since he had entered the room.
She smiled slightly, but her eyes didn't really join in. "I was told it would get better. With time."
Aemond nodded. "I can't yet.", he said despite himself.
"And what are we going to do now?"
"How about a flight?"
"That little lizard is far too sneaky.", Aemond complained.
"This little lizard is the fastest dragon in the Seven Kingdoms.", grinned (Y/n).
Aemond looked at her dragon. One of Syrrax's boys. Vilar. Aemond stayed with 'little lizard'. Just big enough to carry (Y/n), but unfortunately really the nimblest creature he had ever seen.
"That felt good.", she confessed.
Aemond nodded. "Nothing better to clear your head." He stroked Vagahr's neck lightly.
(Y/n) looked up at the stars. How unimportant they all were. Even a creature like Vagahr. Who could care about a white haired child more or less? She sighed.
"Long week?", asked Aemond.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I slept through most of it", she admitted.
Aemond stood next to her and looked at the moon. "I didn't sleep a wink for that."
They spent half the night together in silence.
"It's been four months, Aemond!", his mother made him understand.
"I know.", he just said.
"Aemond, this is important!"
Aemond didn't move. "I'm aware of that."
"Then go, find her and do something!"
He stood in front of her and looked at her. "I do what I can. But I have other obligations than just having sexual intercourse with my wife."
Alicent rolled his eyes. "What your brother has too much of, you lack entirely. The gods are punishing me."
Aemond's chest hardened. Wrong again. Not right. Broken. A disappointment. "Is that all?", he asked.
Alicent waved him away.
He went straight to (y/n). In her room, he found her embroidering something. A rare picture.
"You're embroidering?", he asked, irritated.
She threw the fabric on the table. "To call it that would be blasphemous. Helaena has this new beetle she likes and I wanted to embroider it on a cushion for her, but it looks more like a crushed beetle." She looked at him. "What is it?"
"My mother.", he explained and sat down next to her. He picked up a goblet of wine and took a sip. (Y/n) looked regretfully at the table. "So she came to you, too."
He just nodded. She reached for her embroidery again, looked at it begrudgingly and put it away. "Can you bring me some books from the library?", she asked him.
He raised an eyebrow. "And the fine lady isn't going herself because?"
She pursed her lips in annoyance. "Because your mother told the maesters to keep me here, until I finally have an heir under my heart. They say I'm too stressed and dragon riding... What did they call it?... Dragon riding is withering my womb."
Aegon furrowed his eyebrows in irritation.
"I couldn't say we aren't doing anything to change that. That would probably only make her more nervous." She stroked the rim of her wine goblet. Maybe they should just get it over with.
"We're flying out. Right now." Aemond suddenly decided and stood up.
(Y/n) looked at him in astonishment. "Are you sure?"
"Very sure.", Aemond said. He folded his arms behind his back, as he so often did. "We are married... The marriage is consummated... No one can dissolve it. How we conduct it is now up to us." He seemed to be thinking out loud more, than actually talking to (Y/n). His head was spinning.
"We'll just spend every night in the marriage chambers from now on." He looked directly at her. "If they think we're trying long enough, eventually the question will come up, that it just won't work. Then they'll leave us alone.", he explained.
(Y/n) looked at him closely. That fate put together the two of them of all people.
When Aemond noticed her gaze, he faltered. "What?"
She shook her head. "That's a good plan.", she admitted simply.
Aemond nodded. "Come on, then. Vilar will already be restless."
Rhaenyra and Alicent walked through the garden, letting the warm summer air brush against their skin.
"I'm thinking of having Aegon organise Daeron's name day feast.", Raehnyra said.
Alicent's eyebrows drew together. "Why that?"
"Maybe it'll teach him to take responsibility. After all... this is his expertise... And passion."
Alicent rolled his eyes. "If you want to bankrupt the realm so soon after your coronation."
Rhaenyra smiled. "Don't worry. He'll get a fixed budget."
They walked on in silence. "Aemond and (Y/n) seem to have... well, they really have grown closer."
Alicent sighed. "Yes, and yet... Over a year of marriage Rhaenyra. And nothing." She ran her fingers over a flower as she walked past.
"They avoided each other at first. I would have understood then, but now they spend every night together. By the gods, they've become almost inseparable. They study together, fly out and she watches him train."
"Maybe it's just not meant to be", Rhaenyra pondered. "But if their bond is so strong... What more could we want for them?"
"Heirs.", Alicent replied simply.
Rhaenyra could only laugh at her friend's dry delivery. Even Alicent joined in.
"Rhaena and Gwayne seem to be in contact at the moment.", Rhaenyra grinned.
Alicant raised her eyebrows in surprise.
They both looked intently at the pitch. Cyvasse had become both of their favourite pastime over the last few months. There was something teasing and playful about it. She often caught Aemond grinning during the game.
As if for the first time he was a child, who had finally found someone to play with.
Their relationship had become more intimate. By now, they both appreciated the bond that had been formed. They could spend whole evenings in silence. Each engrossed in their own book. They could amuse themselves with games. (Y/n) had suggested it. She had played a lot with her brothers until they decided, they were too old for it. Aemond had also been sceptical at first, but now he himself was often the first to move the pieces around the board.
It was a strange marriage. It didn't have the physical passion that was required of them.
They only exchanged light caresses. Aemond's everyday life was characterised by stress. Stress that he mostly caused himself. Since he no longer attended the silk street, he lacked a fundamental counterbalance to that very stress. He had become increasingly tense.
One day (Y/n) had simply started stroking his hair. He had watched her at first, like a hawk, but then he had melted like butter on hot meat. She often held him. Sometimes he buried himself against her breasts. They talked. Hidden in their little save world. They even kissed. Chaste and yet loving.
Their marriage worked. It was healthy. It was... happy.
The court had stopped asking questions about an heir. Meagor himself hadn't been able to have a child. The world assumed it was the same with them.
Aemond's hand settled on a figurine. He playfully shifted an elephant. (Y/n) took in the new image. "Not bad.", she murmured with a grin.
Aemond looked smugly at the board. "Not bad for real."
She reached for her dragon and let it eat the elephant. "Not bad for me.", she teased.
Aemond pursed his lips. "Touche."
"Aegon is to organise Daeron's name day celebration", (Y/n) told him.
Aemond looked at her with appraising disbelief. "Your mother wants to bankrupt the realm so quickly?"
She smirked. "He's on a fixed budget."
Aemond shook his head with a grin. "Well, if she thinks that will stop him." He reshaped his stones. "Has my mother visited you lately?"
She shook her head. "The last visit was... Three months ago, I'd say."
Aemond nodded in satisfaction. "Do you really think they will leave us alone now?"
"I hope so.", she sipped her wine. She struggled to find the next words. "Do you think we're broken?"
Aemond didn't show any surprise. He let the question sink in. "Even if we were, we've found each other... Haven't we?" He looked into her violet eyes.
She smiled slightly. But quickly became serious again. "And... You really don't want it? You're not giving it up just because of me?"
He shook his head. "I just don't like it.", he realised. His fingers ran delicately over the dragon figure carved from onyx in front of him. "And you?"
She paused. "I never had a desire for it... I think I could have got used to it... But I don't want it if I don't have to."
He nodded. "How fate can play into your hands like that."
She laughed lightly. "Hm. A year ago, you were at my throat."
He smirked slightly. "Don't pretend, you didn't want to do the same to me."
She allowed herself to smirk, then looked down at his hands, still caressing the little dragon. "Have you ever been with her again?", she asked.
He immediately shook his head. "I sent her a generous settlement two months after our wedding and a letter, letting her know that I no longer require her services." He looked at his wife's calm face. "Why do you ask? Jealousy?", he smirked teasingly.
She smiled sheepishly. "I want to know what would keep you here."
"What do you mean?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "We're not going to have an heir. Good. But... There would be plenty of dragonlings to care for on Dragonstone. We could go there. Jacaerys will soon succeed to the throne and be trained. Dragonstone would be free." She grinned. "And we both know that Aegon will do everything he can to avoid having to leave the red keep. So he's hardly an option as a Dragonstone heir."
"His disappearance would drive three whorehouses into bankruptcy and cause the economy to go awry."
She laughed. He smiled as well.
They looked at each other.
"So? Dragonstone?", she asked.
He nodded. "Dragonstone."
Both Eddie and Reader are around twenty-five years old. Non-canon compliant (Eddie is alive and twenty-five years old). They're two pining idiots who need an excuse. Dustin is a meddling idiot who creates one. He's also a good friend. Possibly (he can be bought).
A/N: I haven't written for Eddie in a really long time!! I missed him so much. I started having a hard time writting for him because (I think) I finally got my degree, and it made me feel old (even though I'm only twenty-three), especially in relation to characters I love, like Eddie. When I met him, we were the same age. But now he's still a kid and I'm not, and it's ridiculous. So I made him grow up.
On another note, it's pride month: HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!!! Take this as a reminder that everyone, no matter what their sexual/romantic/gender identity may be, is welcome here. The fight is still going, and it will be for a long time. I wrote this and then I realized that, in my mind, this Reader not only has no idea how to flirt- she has also zero experience, probably because she never felt like it. As a reminder, asexuality is an umbrella term that includes multiple identities with varying degrees of attraction and different conditions for that attraction (if you want to know more, I'd love to answer any questions through my askbox!). Anyway, sometimes life just keeps moving and we stay in the same place, and sometimes that means that we have no experience at twenty-something and that's okay.
Anyway, I hope whenever you're reading this that you have a good day. I love to read comments, so let me know what you think! Enjoy!!
Hellfire Club is full of nerds. Outcasts, weirdos, freaks. The very outer circle of Hawkins’ social life. But, as of lately, it is also a well-connected group of nerds.
That means, of course, the title of personal guests to the very infamous, very loud, Steve Harrington’s big ass parties. Now that the “kids” are old enough to drink, it’s almost an obligation to attend.
Even though they get excited, get ready and drink as most of the other guests, it’s almost impossible for them to be part of the crowd.
Right now, for example, they’ve convinced you, Steve, Robin and Nancy to play Truth or Dare. Fair enough, it’d be a game typical of their age… If their truths and dares were actually daring or hard to admit.
So far, you’ve had the absolute thrill of discovering Steve’s first love was Nancy, El’s worst fear is Vecna possessing Mike and Dustin’s favorite Lord of the Rings book isn’t the Fellowship of the Ring. You’ve also been lucky enough to see Lucas do a handstand right at the edge of the pool and Nancy and Robin perform a full minute of the closest thing to tango they could manage.
It’s not like you’re bored, of course, they’re your friends, after all. But parties have never been your thing, even when you were younger. Now that you’re twenty-six, though, staying up this late and pretending to drink is more exhausting than entertaining.
Or it would be, if it wasn’t for Eddie.
The only real reason you’ve put on makeup, a short dress and heels on a Saturday night. Which was, in the first place, something stupid and unrequited. And, second, something with no effect whatsoever, seeing as Eddie is off to a corner chatting with Argyle. Since Eddie stopped smoking, you suspect he likes hanging around him because of the usual cloud of weed smoke that follows Argyle everywhere.
Whatever the case, clearly the pizza guy is more interesting than you.
And Truth or Dare, since Robin has to nudge you twice before you look back at her.
“It’s your turn!”
You wince- the music is loud, but not loud enough to grant her tone.
“Dare.”
If you’re going to waste a night like this, at the very least you’ll do your best to be entertained. Or to be the entertainment.
“I got it!”
Dustin also has difficulties to speak at a normal volume, apparently.
The kid- twenty-one-year-old kid, but still- is grinning at you. The years yere kind to him, and his once toothy smile is now charming, but not enough to fool you. The glint in his eye is pure evil, and the speed at which he yelled leads you to fear his next words.
Words that he speaks at an okey volume, actually.
“I dare you to flirt with Eddie.”
There it is, his true face: smug smile, look of victory. You’re sure he can smell your hesitation.
The thing is, maybe you are here for Eddie… But you would never tell anyone that. In fact, you have never, in all your years of friendship, admitted to have a single feeling towards anyone. Much less Eddie Munson.
Your friend, confidant, emergency contact and shoulder to cry on.
You’ve daydreamed about falling into his arms, playing with his hair, wearing his clothes. You’ve stared at him, starstruck, every time he played a guitar solo. You’ve hugged him through panic attacks, dragged him half dead across the Other Side and cried in the hospital waiting for him to wake up.
But never, not once, have you dared put all that at risk.
For what? Eddie is so much for you now. The tiny chance of winning against the very real possibility of losing everything you have is, simply put, not worth it.
On the other hand, Eddie is your confidant.
And you really, really like winning.
Also, this party is boring as hell.
“That’s it?”, you shrug theatrically and smirk, “Just flirting? Come on, man. That’s easy.”
Dustin blinks, “What, you’re looking for a challenge?”
It can’t be said that your defiance isn’t convincing. Maybe you’re doing a little too much.
“Okay, sure. I dare you to go flirt with him. And I bet you a whole tub of ice cream you don’t have the balls to kiss him as well.”
For an objectively loud party, it feels suddenly quiet.
Dustin is staring at you with his chin up. Your legs feel less stable now. Why do you always have to take things this far?
Eddie will understand, right?
You certainly hope so.
Saving as much face as you can, you offer your hand for Dustin to shake. Robin looks somewhere between worried and shocked, enough to observe silently as you walk away from the group. As you look away, straight towards Eddie, you think you see Steve smack the back of Dustin’s head. Good. You hope it hurt half as much as doing this is about to hurt you.
You try your very best not to look ridiculous walking towards him in heels. You certainly feel out of place. But it’s just Eddie, you tell yourself. He’s seen you in pajamas.
By the time you get to him, you made yourself thoroughly nervous. You look up, seeing his usual warm smile. What is it you’re supposed to be doing right now?
You glance behind you, Dustin’s winner grin snapping you back to reality. Game on.
Turning again, you face Eddie.
“Hi, princess. Everything okay?”
Yeah, that’s one of your problems: Eddie and his need to call everyone by nicknames. You’re nothing like a princess, with your messy hair and your need to do everything by yourself. Actually, there’s not one single person, besides Eddie, who has ever treated you like a princess. That’s one of the things you like the most about your current relationship with Munson.
That same relationship you hope survives what you’re about to do.
Have some faith, woman.
You smile warmly and hold onto his arm, feigning difficulty standing on your heels. The same heels you’ve been wearing for the last two hours with no problem. Still, he holds you by the waist with a worried look.
“Yeah! Everything’s a-okay! I just…”
Now that you’re doing it, in front of everyone, it’s harder than you’d like it to be. Your eyes drift to Argyle, who has a front row seat to your disaster. At least, he’s enough of a gentleman to mutter a hurried oh! before pointing to his empty glass and heading towards the kitchen.
“Really, are you okay?”
Eddie’s eyes are warm and focused on you, and it reminds you why you trust him so much. You’d trust him with your life.
Trusting him with this will be easy, you realize. You clear your throat, but make no move to step away from him.
“Yeah. Don’t look, but Dustin is being a little shit. He dared me to flirt with you.”
“Oh.”
Is that amusement in his eyes? He holds your waist tighter.
“Is that so?”
It feels weirdly thrilling, his tone. At least, Eddie is doing as you said and staring straight into your eyes, instead of acknowledging Dustin. Or anyone else at the party.
Right. The bet.
“Uh-huh. There might be a small, tiny, other detail.”
“Don’t you say,” he nods, as if confirming his suspicions, “and what might that be?”
“Oh, just, you know…”
You wave your hand. His eyes follow the motion. His mouth curves upwards. Why is his mouth so close?
Based on his wince, you think you may have yelled. Robin must be contagious. To your dismay, he understood every word.
“A whole tub, huh?”
You nod, staring at your shoes. You’re beginning to think heels are stupid.
“And how do you suggest we split it?”
Your face snaps up.
“Are you…? Are you suggesting we do it?”
Is he implying he’d kiss you? For a meek half of an ice cream tub? Kiss you? Eddie?
He shrugs, and maybe if it wasn’t so hard to think straight, you’d see the nervousness behind his confident façade.
“I mean, it’s free ice cream, right? It’s fine by me, you know? Only if you’re down.”
The end of the sentence sounds more like a question. You straighten up. When are you going to have this chance, if ever again? Of kissing him, of being this close, of being with him in the only way you’re not already, without fucking shit up?
This is your one chance.
You nod.
“Yeah, sure, why not? The little scoundrel deserves it. We’ll wipe that stupid defiant smile from his chubby little face.”
Eddie snickers and dares a quick look behind you.
“His face hasn’t been cubby in years. He’s grown quite a lot, the kid. Not in ways that matter, I see. He’s just as immature and meddlesome as usual.”
That earns a little laugh from you.
“Right? Oh, I hate when he gets all mighty and knowing.”
“Yeah, you always end up falling for it, don’t you?”
The look in his eyes is pure endearment. You blink up at him. His fingers brush your waist, and suddenly you remember the way you’re standing.
Eddie clears his throat.
“Right. Flirt with me, huh?”
You nod.
“That’s the first half of it, yeah. But, I… Well, you know I don’t flirt.”
He nods.
“No, you don’t.”
“So, if it’s fine by you, we could just pretend that bit as well-”
Eddie shakes his head, playful smile widening.
“Oh, no, no, I’m so sorry. But that would be irresponsible, you see. What if someone asks what you said to me? We’d be in a tight spot, wouldn’t we?”
He tsks, and you think you already are in a tight spot. You hope the low lights stop him from seeing your blush.
“I mean, yeah, but… Eddie, I have no idea how to do that.”
You’re staring at your shoes again.
“What do you mean, princess?”
“You know what I mean. Flirting. I don’t know how to do that. I don’t flirt with anyone because I don’t know how. I don’t even know how it looks like. It’s so obvious for other people, I know, but I just- can’t. It’s like everyone else is in another frequency, and I’m-”
His hand on your chin stops you in your tracks and forces you to stare at him. Eddie isn’t smiling anymore, but his expression is soft.
“Like this.”
You stare at him.
“This… is what flirting looks like...”
He nods as he speaks, looking down.
“Me putting my arm around you…”
His hand curves around your waist, his head tilting.
“… looking at you like I’m yours…”
Eddie’s voice isn’t usually this raspy.
“Now everyone can tell I’m flirting.”
You stay like that for a moment. Logically, you know you’ve been way closer to him many times. But this feels different. Like he’s about to say something else.
Except he doesn’t, he pulls back and grins.
“See? It’s not that hard.”
You force yourself to nod, trying to recover from the whiplash.
“I… don’t know if I can do that.”
“You don’t?”
One of his eyebrows rises. Here it is. The feeling that kept you from trying anything in all these years: Eddie makes you feel comfortable, safe, and you can’t imagine losing this. Not when you know you can be honest with him. Not when you know he understands you. Not when he’s right there, always by your side- even if it means doing stupid crap like putting on a show for your friends.
You’d never put this at risk.
Not when you can just take a deep breath and talk to him, easy and comfortable.
“I don’t know how to do that… I can’t come up with things to do.”
You shake your head, frustrated.
“It seems so easy for everybody else, but it just doesn’t occur to me. I’ve resigned to not knowing how to flirt. It’s not like I’d need it anyway.”
Eddie smirks.
“Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll need to know how to flirt to win a bet. Then, with the right motivation, you should be able to do it. Come on, Princess. I know you can. Just use your words. You’re good with those, remember? And your imagination! You’ve made me cry dozens of times with your campaigns. This is a piece of cake.”
You sigh. One thing about Eddie is that he won’t ever give up. Not on you, anyway. Who even cares? If you embarrass yourself, he’ll probably be kind enough to laugh only a little.
“…okay.”
You take a second to think. Then you nod, that’s it.
You got all the way here, might as well give it a try. The seductive smile is forced only for a second, but after that you’re fully in character.
“Can I see your hands?”
Eddie eyes you, curious to see where this is going, but he doesn’t say a thing. He just lets go of your waist and offers you his hands, palms up.
You grab them carefully, looking pensive. You turn them around, studying his elegant fingers and his knuckles. Eddie has a lot of scars, but you’ve always thought his hands are beautiful. There’s something about the way he moves them that reminds you of a magician. The light catches on one of his rings, blinks, and you can’t help but caress the back of his hand with your thumb.
Eddie is still looking at you, which proves to be a mistake when you raise your eyes to meet his.
“Your hands are so pretty, Eds! Where did you get them? I’ve been meaning to get new lingerie, and these are right mi size!”
Your tone was light, playful even, but Eddie’s smile is frozen on his face. In fact, you think he stopped breathing. You’d swear you can see his eyes drop to his hands and up to your eyes again, doing a brief stop on your chest, as if it was impossible to avoid picturing the scene. Suddenly, you realize he’s blushing.
You laugh awkwardly, trying to fill Eddie’s stunned silence.
“That was bad, huh? Too weird? Maybe I should have stuck with the classics, something like “come here often, handsome?” or some other nonsense. God, I’m glad Dustin didn’t hear that. I’d never hear the end of it. I’m kind of mortified right now, you know? Would you say something, please? Before I die of shame. It’d ruin Steve’s party.”
By the time you finish your rambling, Eddie is chuckling again and shaking his head.
“No, no, I think it was okay. More than okay, actually. You just caught me off guard- I knew you had it in you.”
You see him bite the tip of his tongue, the pink hue on his cheeks soft under the low lights.
“Now, let’s see if you’re as good an actress as you’re with words, princess. We’ll need a kiss good enough to fool the little troublemaker.”
For a second, your heart stops. You’d forgotten where this was leading to. The nerves are back, this time mixed with excitement. Eddie must see it on your face, because he leans in and whispers so only you can hear him- as if anyone was close enough to know what he said.
“Are you sure about this, princess? I won’t mind if you’d rather not do it. I can always take you out for ice cream, free of charge.”
Eddie’s voice is soft, genuine concern mixed with something else. You shake your head.
“A bet is a bet. Also, I don’t think I can face defeat so easily. Plus, I’ve made it this far. I’m in… If you’re game, that is.”
It suddenly occurs to you that maybe he doesn’t feel like smooching his friend. It opens a pit in your stomach. But he’d say so, if he wasn’t comfortable with this, wouldn’t he?
“Are you serious? I have the chance to kiss the coolest girl in the world and have my loser friends witness it. Thank God, they wouldn’t believe me otherwise.”
You laugh, insecurities crumbling away under his charm. You can’t help but swat his chest. Eddie grabs your hand before you can pull it away and holds it against him. Isn’t his heartbeat a little too fast?
“Come on then, princess. Claim your prize.”
Finally, you’re thankful you’re wearing heels tonight. Up until now, you were a little too aware of your friend’s eyes on your back. But, as you stand on the tip of your toes, your hand on Eddie’s shoulder, you forget about everything.
There’s only Eddie, warm in front of you, tall and stable and soft enough to hold onto. He smells so nice and familiar that you find it easy to close your eyes. Slowly, you lean in and touch his lips with yours. His hand lets go of yours, grabbing your waist softly, holding you closer. Eddie’s breath comes out shaky as you slide your fingers to the side of his neck. He tilts his head down, moving to kiss you without hurry. When you bite softly his lower lip, a noise makes his way up his chest, and you don’t know if it’s a whine or a moan or a gasp, but you couldn’t care less about the right words when you’re finally, after so many years, kissing him.
Your body sticks to his, his hands keeping you upright against the traitorous gravity. Your fingers find his hair. It’s soft and it curls against your skin, as if it wants to trap you there. You can feel Eddie’s nails through the fabric of your dress, a contained need to squeeze you impossibly closer. You take it as a sign to scratch his chest, his body answering immediately by bowing towards your touch.
His kiss is gentle, slow, precise. It feels as if he’d done it a hundred times, kissing you. You sigh and Eddie licks, you leave it up to him to hold the weigh of your body and he compels. In exchange, you pull his hair and he moans quietly.
When he pulls away, a new song is playing, and you realize you don’t know how long you were kissing him. Eddie loos thoroughly disheveled, his shirt is wrinkled and all the skin in sight is a deep shade of red. His hands still cling onto your waist, a hug as intimate as out of place in Steve’s living room.
The realization comes rushing, you’re at a party. You just kissed Eddie. You kissed him and it was wonderful and you feel so tingly and it was a bet.
Eddie smiles, the sort of face one does after three full bottles of tequila, the sort of look you’ve not seen in years, the same time he’s been sober. Then he nods and steps back. His hands are still on your waist, and you can’t tell if he forgot about them or if he’s doing you the favor of helping you stand straight. Either way, you’re thankful.
“Way to go, princess.”
Eddie’s voice is weak. After you manage to pull a dry laugh from the back of your throat and gather enough focus to remember how to use your legs, you take a step back. His smile falters as his arms drop to his sides, and you do a decent job at stopping yourself from saying “Thanks for kissing me, Munson”. You suspect he wouldn’t like to hear that. Instead, you give him a soft look.
“I think we make a rather good team, huh? Maybe we should quit our jobs and just scam Dustin for a living.”
“Sounds good to me. As long as I get half of your tub of ice cream…”
“Hey, a deal is a deal. As soon as the little demon pays up, I’ll be knocking at your door.”
“I can’t wait.”
You convince yourself it’s not running away if all you can do is stumble on your high heels back to the group. Ignoring Robin’s wide eyes and Steve’s worried look, you grin at Dustin and let him know that it’s always a pleasure to make business with him, and that you expect him to pay up soon. You do an excellent job of not looking back at Eddie.
Or that is what you tell yourself.
°°°°°°°
Three days later
Eddie steps out of his van with a plastic bag in hand. He struts up to the door, little smirk impossible to hide. He knocks, fingers tapping onto his thigh a song he can’t take out of his mind. If it was the one that played when you were kissing him, well, it’s no one’s business.
Dustin opens the door and leans onto the doorframe. Eddie’s smile widens as he high fives him.
“Here, as promised. I took the liberty of adding a couple more sweets, I like to compensate work well done.”
The kid shakes his head.
“You know I would’ve done it anyway. You didn’t even have to ask. We’re all sick of seeing you dance around each other.”
Still, he takes the bag with greedy hands. Eddie pretends his cheeks aren’t bright pink and lets go.
“Put that on the fridge right away. You can’t be paying her with melted ice cream. And be sure to let me know as soon as it’s done, I was promised half of that tub. I paid for it and I intend to eat it.”
Dustin salutes before closing the door.
“Sir, yes sir! It’s always a pleasure to make business with you.”
Simon "ghost" riley with ED (erectile dysfunction) and PE (premature ejaculation) due to his past.
Is extremely frustrated and embarrassed every time he fails to perfom. Can't stand the feeling of not having something, his own body, under control. Will tell you how you deserve better and won't be able to meet your eye afterwards.
Sometimes you find him in your shared room aggresivly jerking off as if force would fix him. You need to cautiously make him stop with soft words of reassurance so he doesn't hurt himself.
Will act as if it doesn't bother him and hold his stoic face on everytime you see him struggle with it. If you try to speak to him about it he will get defensive and slightly angry that you would even suggest such a thing. But you can see right through him and small parts of those feelings crack throught his wall once you hold him after a nightmare at the break of dawn.
Talked once with johnny about it when they were a bit tipsy and it was never brought up again. Simon kept the most straight face as if they were talking about the weather.
Simon riley, who wants you to touch him with your soft hands all over. Making him feel strong and grounded. But tries to cover up his private area afraid that you'll be dissapointed and will love him less. Even though he wants you to touch him there so badly. It's the most comforting touch to him.
Simon riley, who apologieses nonchalantly when he ejaculates too fast. And tries to please you in any way he can which made you stop him on multiple occasians.
He can't go throught with any treatment because he is to often away and can't continue it consistently.
It wouldn't work much anyways since he doesn't allow himself to heal from his ptsd even though he gets better at letting you help him throught time and trust.
Simon riley with a ace partner, making him feel comfortable when he can't perform. Touching him dispite his inconsistency on his wish and not needing anything else from him in return.
At the beginning he thought you only said that you didn't want sex to make him feel better and was adamant on finding out what you wanted/liked without talking about it. Because let's face it: he's not good at talking about his feelings at all.
When you react badly to his suggestions/advances he has the biggest shock and will literally not dare to put a finger on you again in case he makes you uncomfortable. Will deny it when you want to talk to him about it.
Once you did tell him everything, when you figured out how it burdned him, he would ALWAYS ask before doing literally anything. "Is this okay?" "Can I touch you?" "Are you uncomfortable?" Are constant murmurs throught his deep throat around you.
Was afraid a long time every time he did the first step at touching you that he is doing something wrong. And battled with those thoughts at night when he wanted, no, needed to touch you so he felt grounded and sure that you were safe.
When you two figure it out together after a long time you are literally the perfect sexual match.
Simon riley not being the sex beast he is often described as.
oh please can you write something with ace jimmy olsen 🙏 maybe something where he and reader are both ace and reader helps jimmy realise he is, or one where he’s worried about not being enough only for the reader to also be ace 💜
Relationship(s): asexual!Jimmy Olsen x gn!asexual!reader (romantic)
Summary: You and Jimmy have been on a few dates now. He decides it's time to tell you something important. Based on past experiences, he's afraid that it's a dealbreaker.
Warnings: Referenced acephobia; internalised acephobia; ace-related dating struggles; food/eating. (Let me know if I need to add any)
Word count: 1.2k
(A/N: As I've mentioned in a previous post, I love the interpretation of Jimmy being on the ace spectrum. He's what I like to call a 'Jessica Rabbit asexual', in that he is canonically very attractive to other people, but that sexuality is imposed upon him more than it's something he experiences for himself. It's one of my favourite ace character types. Also, this isn't me saying that you have to interpret Jimmy as being ace or that I think that he is or should be canonically ace. But, as an ace person, I think it's a neat way to think about his character. And, on that note, I have to add the disclaimer that this is very much from my own experiences and feelings around my own asexuality. Apologies if you're an ace reader and you don't like my portrayal of asexuality. I do admit, the few ace!reader fics I've written are centred around insecurity and/or coming out, so apologies if you're tired of that kind of fic. Of course, if you have any requests, ace-based, Jimmy-based or not, my inbox is always open!)
Jimmy couldn’t help but think something was wrong with him. He attracted women so effortlessly – an everyday superpower that most men would give a whole arm for. And, as sweet and pretty as most of these women were, he couldn’t bring himself to do what he was expected to do with their attention. Whether they knew it or not, he tried so hard to make it work, but ultimately he couldn’t. Some of them were patient and understanding. Some of them thought he’d messed around with their feelings. If he wasn’t so confused and so in his own head about what the hell was the matter with him, he might have felt even guiltier about it.
Was he even attracted to women? The question had popped up in his mind a few times. Maybe if he got propositioned by someone who wasn’t a woman, that would be that. He’d be fully into it. He’d just be one of those gay dudes who women couldn’t help but fall for. But, he wasn’t gay, either. That's not to say he was straight. When he thought about it, he liked the idea of dating anyone, no matter what their gender was. His problem – the thing he couldn’t get over – was the whole thing of him not being all too eager about sex, contrary to what people might assume given his strange magnetism.
Sex was this vital aspect of relationships – Jimmy knew that. And, he knew, if he didn’t feel sexual attraction to anyone, and if sex wasn’t part of any ideal future relationship he might have, it’d be a dealbreaker for a lot of people. It had been. So, to stick himself with a label that could potentially doom him and his prospects at finding a relationship… well, as much as the label resonated with him, and as much comfort as he found in knowing that he wasn’t alone, he was a little scared, truth be told.
This worry loomed over him as he started to fall for you. It was why he held off on asking you out, because it seemed unfair to be the one to initiate anything with you if he knew full well that he wouldn’t be able to give you what all of his past partners had wanted. But, as always, he only had to wait for you to ask him. You were so nervous that he’d have felt cruel turning you down – not to mention, of course, he really did want to go out with you. And, so he did. He was so charmed by you that, after a few dates, he almost— almost— forgot about the issue of sex. But, the more he felt himself falling for you, the guiltier he felt. There wasn’t any reason for him to feel guilty, of course.
Regardless, that guilt is why he found himself sitting across from you at a quaint little diner – his suggestion, his treat. As he’d hoped, it was pretty much deserted, besides a group of four teenagers sitting on the opposite side of the diner and the two waitresses who were busying themselves by cleaning tables. The pair of you sat in silence as you ate. It would have been comfortable if Jimmy wasn’t agonising over the idea of telling you about the thing that had ended so many promising relationships. Even though he was close to full, he wished he had another burger or another serving of fries to keep his mouth out of action. But, he knew that it’d be better for the both of you if he just got this over with. Delaying the inevitable would only make things worse.
“So, uh—” He cleared his throat. “I think I’d better tell you something before things get too serious.”
“Sure.” You covered your mouth as you spoke, the last bite of food still mushed up in your mouth. “Is everything okay?”
He scratched his eyebrow and let out a nervous chuckle.
“Yeah. No. I mean, I don’t know.”
You grabbed your napkin and scrubbed the corners of your mouth and your fingers, conscious of the fact that you didn’t want to have shit all over your face when Jimmy was talking about something serious.
“What’s up?”
“I… I don’t know how to explain it all that well. But, I, uh, I guess… people assume I’m, like, some ladies man and that I sleep around. Maybe you do too. But, actually, I’m not into… sex.”
You nodded.
“Okay.”
“I like you – I really like you,” he added, panic in his tone. “But, not in a way that involves sex… And… if that’s a dealbreaker for you, that’s okay. I just… I figured I should tell you now, before things go too far.”
As he awaited his fate, he looked anywhere but at you. Though, the second you spoke, his eyes darted straight to you.
“I don’t wanna put words in your mouth or make you label yourself or anything but… are you asexual?”
“Probably. Yeah.”
“What about aromantic?”
He shook his head.
“No. Just—just… asexual.”
You noticed his hesitation to use the word and you offered him a small, reassuring smile. He’d barely said the word aloud before – about himself, anyway. It’d cycled through his head plenty of times but it still scared him with how definitive it felt, no matter how accurate it was to his experience. Every time he’d tested it out, it filled him with nerves as much as it relieved him, in the way that only the truth could.
He knew there was nothing wrong with him or any other ace person. Not everyone agreed with that, and even those who were accepting of asexuality weren’t always open to dating ace people. The people he attracted tended to fall in that latter camp. At the very least, it was nice to be met with support even when it was, more often than not, the end of things, like with any incompatibility in a relationship. He couldn’t begrudge anyone for their needs in a relationship, in the same way he hoped they didn’t begrudge him for his, but he couldn’t deny that it hurt.
“Well,” you said. “I don’t want to take away from your moment or anything, but this is probably a good time to tell you that I’m asexual.”
Jimmy stared at you for a moment before replying.
“You’re asexual?”
“Yep.”
“So…”
“So, you don’t have to worry about sex with me, okay? The feeling’s mutual. No offence. Your charms only work so much on me.”
At that, Jimmy let out a much needed laugh. His posture relaxed as all that built-up tension left his body. A wobbly smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Tears brimmed his eyes. You reached across the table and grabbed his hand; you knew exactly how he felt, having been in his position plenty of times. It broke your heart that he’d been so nervous, no doubt from rejection after rejection. It wasn’t all doom and gloom for ace people, of course – this moment was evidence of that – but it sure felt like that sometimes. You’d be lying if you denied getting a little choked up as well.
