hi!! idk if im doing this right lol but i just read your werner x reader fic oh my gosh that was so unbelievably fire🥹
i think i would cry and absolutely LOVE some sort of werner x reader fic to do with some sort of celebration at the grand hub?? imagine a confession as the fireworks go up and the diva reaches her final notes omigosh itd be so peak ,, but yeah that's sort of the general idea LOL do what you'd like with it!!
Thank you!!! Oh for sure! I hope you like this! Apologies for the long wait❤️
When My Heart Learned Your Name
The Grand Hub is alive with music, lanterns, and celebration. Werner insists he only came to observe. Unfortunately for him, observation becomes increasingly difficult when you’re standing too close, smiling too brightly, and making him feel things he cannot neatly categorize. Somewhere between the Diva’s final song and fireworks, Werner realizes there may never be a perfect time to say what he feels—so perhaps imperfect will have to do.
Werner x GN! Reader
Werner hated crowds.
Objectively speaking, they were inefficient. And annoying.
Too much noise. Too much unpredictability. Too many variables packed into one place, all moving in contradictory directions with little regard for structure or personal space. The Grand Hub celebration had somehow multiplied those problems tenfold.
Lanterns swayed overhead in warm golds and blues. Hunters laughed too loudly after one too many drinks, music drifted from every corner, and the smell of grilled food clung stubbornly to the air.
It was overstimulating.
Erik or Olivia would sometimes enrich his mind with tales from the Grand Hub as Werner himself preferred to stay as far away as possible from all the noise. However, with each story they told him, Werner grew more interested in how each festival was so quickly and efficiently prepared. He came to watch and see how it was done due to an ask from you but was starting to regret.
“I knew it.”
Werner startled just enough to be annoyed at himself for startling.
You stood beside him with an expression far too amused for someone who had just snuck up on him.
“You’re people-watching,” you said.
“I am simply observing,” Werner stated while crossing his arms.
“You’ve been standing here for twenty minutes,” you fired back at him.
“There's a reason,” he replied stiffly, gesturing vaguely toward the elaborate stage lighting near the center of the Hub. “The lantern system is moderately impressive.”
Your grin widened, “Mhm.”
“You’re mocking me. I can tell,” Werner frowned at you while recrossing his arms.
“Maybe a little,” you responded with a shrug.
He sighed.
You had developed an unfortunate habit of doing that—smiling at him like he was saying something charming instead of practical. It was deeply distracting.
Worse, you always stood too close.
Not close enough to be inappropriate. Just close enough that he noticed, which was a feat in itself.
The warmth of your shoulder near his arm. The way you leaned in whenever he muttered something under his breath. The faint scent of soap and smoke and trees from earlier hunts.
Annoyingly noticeable things. He disliked how noticeable they were.
“You didn’t have to come, you know,” you said gently. “I’m honestly surprised you agreed.”
“I didn’t agree,” Werner corrected. “You insisted.”
You laughed, “You could’ve said no.”
“I attempted to, but you already took off,” he countered.
“You sighed dramatically and followed me anyway,” you grinned at him.
He frowned and tightened the hold on his arms, his fingers turning white from the pressure.
“…Whatever you say,” he eventually muttered while turning his head away from your gaze.
You laughed harder. An angelic sound that seemed to block out all the other festival noise.
It did something deeply inconvenient to his chest. His heart fluttered wildly like one of Erik's jarred butterflies. Beating so quickly but unable to escape.
He still hadn’t figured out what to do about that.
The celebration stretched on around both of you.
At some point, you dragged him between food stalls despite his insistence that he was perfectly capable of feeding himself. You even tried to convince him to have a drink. Stating something like, "it would loosen him up". He was thankful to have avoided that.
At another point, you somehow convinced him to try one of the festival sweets. He regretted admitting he liked it. You had looked unbearably pleased.
Now the two of you stood near the edge of the Hub overlooking the water, away from the thickest part of the crowd.
The Diva’s voice drifted through the evening air. She had come up to her stage without the two of you noticing.
Her voice soft and powerful. Beautiful enough that even Werner had stopped pretending not to listen.
You leaned against the wooden railing beside him.
“This is nice,” you said quietly.
“Hm.”
“You’re having fun. It's nice to see you enjoy yourself outside of work,” you mentioned, sparing him a glance.
“I never said I was having fun,” he turned to look at you, uncrossing his arms to place his hands on his hips.
“You don’t have to,” you murmured, e/c eyes peering into his own.
Your shoulder bumped his lightly. Werner looked away far too quickly.
An unpleasant warmth crawled up the back of his neck. He was certain that if the lighting were clearer in this area, you could see the red on his face. Werner was grateful for the darkness.
He has dealt with the shenanigans that came with being a part of the Astrum Unit. He's seen a lot of monsters during that time to that would send many people in a panic.
But you were just standing there. Being kind. Looking at him like he mattered. Entirely unreasonable behavior in his eyes.
“…You should be with the others,” he said after a moment.
You blinked, “What?”
“The celebration,” he said, voice awkwardly measured, “You could spend it with… people more entertaining. Like Alma or Olivia. Or even Erik.”
You stared.
Then your expression softened in a way that immediately made him nervous. He started to fidget in place a little.
“Werner,” you said quietly, “I wanted to spend it with you.”
Ah.
There it was again.
That horrible sensation in his chest. The one that made coherent thought increasingly difficult. His heart once again pounding and trying to escape as a heat stronger than any forge crept up his neck.
“…I see,” Werner whispered more to himself than to you.
You huffed out a laugh, “That’s all you’ve got?”
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
What exactly was he supposed to say to that?
No blueprint existed for this. No procedure. No predictable outcome. There was a reason that Werner tried to keep his feelings at bay. Feelings were unpredictable and therefore dangerous to deal with.
You looked almost embarrassed now, fiddling absently with your sleeve.
“I just…” you paused. “I like being around you.”.
Oh, that was complicating. Severely complicating.
Because Werner liked being around you too. Far more than was reasonable. He found himself looking for you without meaning to. Saving things he thought you’d find interesting. Remembering details you mentioned offhand.
Allowing interruptions to his work if they came from you, which should have alarmed him far more than it did. He only focused on things that he considered of importance, and apparently—to him—
—you mattered. A dangerous amount.
The Diva’s voice swelled in the distance, the final song reaching its peak.
People nearby began gathering closer in the crowd. You could pick out Erik and Alma, watching in awe just as everyone else was. Hunters paused from their drinking and Palicos paused from their mischief.
Fireworks then began.
Right. He had intended to leave before then to avoid the excess noise.
Instead, somehow, he was still here and standing beside you.
Heart behaving strangely. Mind entirely unhelpful. It was the first time that Werner felt his brain malfunctioning.
You shifted awkwardly.
“Sorry,” you said with a sheepish laugh, “That probably sounded weird.”
“No,” Werner said immediately.
Too quickly. You blinked.
He exhaled slowly, moving to run his hands over his face. Werner attempted organization. Attempted composure.
Failed somewhat.
“…You are,” he started, then frowned, brow furrowed, “inconvenient.”
Your face fell, lips parted, eyes widening at his words. He could practically see tears before they fell.
He internally panicked.
“No,” he said quickly. “That was—incorrect phrasing.”
“Wow,” you muttered, turning away, “You really know how to sweep someone off their feet.”
“This is difficult for me, Y/N.”
That made you pause and slowly turn to look back at him.
Your name.
He just said your name.
Every other time you've had a conversation with this man, he would ask what your name was. Saying how he didn't clutter his mind with things of unimportance and the like. Remember you from the "bird" unit and that was about it.
But he just said your name.
“…Oh?”
The first firework burst overhead.
Gold scattered across the sky.
Light reflected across the entire area.
The Diva reached her final notes.
Werner barely registered any of it. Because somehow, impossibly, this felt more terrifying than anything he's faced.
“You occupy a concerning amount of my attention,” he said carefully.
You stared, heart hammering.
“I think about things I normally would not,” He pulled at his sleeve for the fourth time in a minute. “I notice when you are absent. I… prefer when you are nearby.”
Another firework bloomed overhead.
Blue this time.
You looked completely frozen.
Werner forged onward through sheer determination.
“You are distracting,” he admitted quietly. “But not unpleasantly so.”
A pause, and then he muttered, “…Actually, very pleasantly.”
You made the tiniest strangled sound.
His ears felt hot.
“You said you like being around me,” he continued, voice quieter now. “I find that feeling appears to be…mutual.”
The silence stretched.
“Are you trying to say you...like me?” you asked softly.
“I think so. Did I say something wrong?” Werner worried a little that he said the wrong thing again, but you just smiled.
A laugh burst out of you. Warm and bright.
Fond enough to make his stomach flip unpleasantly.
Pleasantly. Whatever.
“You are such a disaster,” you said, smiling so hard it looked like you might burst.
Werner sighed, annoyed at himself.
“Calling me inconvenient? I thought you were more composed than this,” you giggled, crossing your arms with an amused mirth in your eyes.
“I corrected myself,” he muttered while rubbing the back of his neck.
“Barely!”
“…I am not particularly skilled at this. Feelings and such,” Werner seemed a little ashamed at this. He thought of Erik's bubbly personality. The biologist would've been smoother at this than he was.
Something softened in your expression.
“You’re doing okay,” you told him fondly.
The fireworks continued overhead, brilliant and loud.
Then, quietly—
“I like you too, Werner.”
Everything stopped.
Not literally.
The music still played. The fireworks still crackled overhead. The crowd still cheered.
But for a moment, Werner could only stare at you.
“…You do?”
You laughed softly.
“Yes, genius.”
That strange warmth in his chest expanded into something almost unbearable. He thought a heart attack was in his future due to the fact he could barely count a pulse at this point.
You stepped closer.
Close enough that your shoulder pressed lightly against his.
“You know,” you said, voice teasing, “most people say something romantic during fireworks.”
Werner considered that outcome. He glanced at you to see you looking at him, the fireworks reflecting in the pools of your e/c eyes.
Then awkwardly reached for your hand.
Like he wasn’t entirely sure he was allowed.
When you immediately squeezed back, something inside him quietly unraveled.
“…I dislike crowds,” he then confessed, looking at the mass of people below and trying to distract himself from the warmth of your hand.
You snorted, “I know.”
“But,” he paused, glancing at you, a hint of a smile, “I don't mind it if it means being around you.”
Your face went impossibly soft.
“You really mean that?”
He hesitated. Then slowly nodded.
You beamed.
“Oh my gosh,” you giggled. “Willing to brave a horde of people for me? That’s basically a love confession from you.”
“I already confessed enough,” Werner muttered, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
“Yeah, but now I get bonus emotional vulnerability from you,” you laughed, squeezing his hand.
“I regret speaking,” he stated firmly.
“No you don’t.”
You were right. Unfortunately.
As another burst of light painted the sky, you leaned against him fully this time. In a feat of bravery, you leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It lasted literally one second.
But given how frozen in place he became afterwards, you actually thought you stopped his heart. You simply leaned back into him in order to give some life back.
And after only a brief moment of hesitation—
Werner returned the loving gesture, leaning into the warmth of your side as the festival came to a bright and shining end.
Synopsis: As the new research assistant to the Astrum Unit, you have a rather embarrassing secret. You're a superfan of the renowned team now based in the Forbidden Lands.
About to come face to face with your idols, it's up to you to prove your worth (before Athos sniffs out your Olivia figurine collection or Erik drags you straight into the jaws of a monster). [GN Reader character]
Genres: Humour, fluff, crack.
Dividers by: @saradika-graphics
(Wrote this silly little fic in between getting work done. Have some Astrum Unit shenanigans!)
PART 1
The airship arrived during the season of Plenty.
Feet planted on the deck, overalls dampened by the light showers that blew in periodically from the coast, your grip on the handrails grew white-knuckled.
You were here, finally!
Below you, the desert vista brushed edges with sweeping grasslands, the majestic arch of the Wind's Gasp growing more visible through the haze.
The airship was heading for the Base Camp of the Windward Plains, where you would be tasked to assist the research team of the Astrum Unit.
Recent events, including connections with various settlements throughout the area, and the appearance of stronger tempered monsters, had allowed for the researchers here to sink greater footholds into understanding the complex ecosystems and fine balances maintained in the Forbidden Lands.
As such, a greater workforce was needed to handle the growing influx of samples, the cataloguing, to bolster the field teams and to process the huge amounts of data.
Your own specialty was scientific illustration. It had been something of a risk, choosing to hone your skills in this area. Back home, the ecological research centre prized analytics and novel scientific methods. Your illustrations were the kind more favoured in the field, and those selected to pioneer such efforts in unchartered lands were the best of the best.
In spite of it all, you'd been selected for this expedition. You had lived for this moment, for being here, on the deck of this airship, shifting your weight from one foot to the other in anticipation so severe you thought you'd felt a wave of nausea coming on.
There was something else driving your burning ambition, you see.
You were, undeniably, an absolute fan of the fabled Astrum Unit and their exploits, which had traveled back to you in your dusty little loft at the academy.
You'd spent the last few years poring over the monthly gazettes, the new research breakthroughs that came from the Forbidden Lands, the engineering marvels and innovations, the brand new materials and animal parts, the plethora of new data that your colleagues fluttered over like excited hummingbirds.
But you'd known about the Astrum Unit's members from before the expedition. You'd seen brilliant, eccentric Erik's star rise, the illustrious (and thrilling) career of Captain Olivia and her palico, Athos, the steady path that Werner forged for himself, an engineering attack dog set upon each new puzzle with unerring focus.
You had a collection of all of their exploits pasted across one of your walls, along with the small figurines you'd custom carved from ironwood, each with their own distinctive set of clothing or armour.
You had managed to dig through the academy archives to find prototypes of Werner's earliest projects, Erik's masterful bound presentations of endemic life and pieces of Olivia's favoured training dummy (which was more scrap metal than monster-shaped, as expected of something that had been repeatedly smacked with a huge hammer).
Of course, little of that cherished collection of items had made it onto the airship with you. They were safely locked away with the rest of your possessions back home (except for your precious figurines which had made the journey in your backpack).
Besides, you had so many new memories to make (and the fact that you wouldn't want your new comrades to think you too weird or obsessive, haha).
A shout from up on the prow caught your attention, and you rushed forward, eager for your first glimpse of the camp you'd been longing to see.
The airship pulled slowly into the dock, sinking until the deck was on level with a sloping gang plank. You gawped at the sheer scale of the camp, which had been steadily expanding over the past few years. It was certainly a lot larger than you seen in those early (amateurishly) sketched illustrations.
You got behind a large barrel and started to help push it out, availing yourself to the crew members and palico teams offloading the cargo into the waiting area.
Once the airship had been fully divested of its cargo, and your belongings were safely carried off deck, you tugged on the straps of your backpack and started to make your way towards the most nerve-wracking objective thus far; meeting the rest of your team.
You had no aspirations of making the acquaintances of the revered leaders today. They'd probably be out on important missions and business. You'd settle for meeting the rest of the research team. Hopefully, there'd be others as green as you clearly were.
You soon found yourself outside the Astrum main tent, which was simple in design and feature. Looking around, you couldn't spot anyone of note.
There was a research station set up nearby, devoid of personnel, and you decided to pitch your belongings there and wait for direction.
You really were itching to get to work, so out came your art supplies, the stack of sketchbooks with custom-made stain-proof and water-proof covers, the grids for proportion, the various tools for preparing your drawing implements. You'd also brought along several scientific journals and reference books as a guideline for your future work.
Scattered over the research table were various objects, small jars of preserved specimens, plants growing in small wooden troughs, larger bones and what appeared to be an interesting collection of animal teeth.
Among them was a Quematrice feather, the outstanding quality of the specimen immediately catching your eye.
What colour! And what form!
You just had to make a sketch. Maybe add more details later.
Occupied as you became with your current task, it did come as something of a surprise when a voice spoke up behind you.
"Wow! You're really skilled! And so quick at getting down the basics too."
Smiling sheepishly, you added a last touch before setting aside the sketchbook.
"Oh, I've had a lot of practice. Spent the last few years - "
Your voice died in your throat.
Standing before you, in a worn coat with pockets that could probably contain an entire ecosystem, was none other than THE Erik of the Astrum Unit.
Silvery hair cascaded forward over one eye, his elfish visage gave him a deceptively boyish charm, one that you knew all too well hid a razor sharp intellect and an analytic ability far beyond the norm.
Seeing your dumbfounded expression, his eyes curved upward cheerfully and he gave a small wave.
"Oh, don't worry. I'm from the Astrum Unit."
He leaned towards you conspiratorially.
"I don't know why, but sometimes the newer teams coming in think I'm some kind of weirdo trying to sell them insect repellent."
He spread his hands and shrugged.
"I mean, I'd sell you something, sure. But you can bet it would attract every bug in the area so I can observe their mating habits!"
With that ... concerning pronouncement, accompanied by a small giggle, he promptly turned and bustled over to the research station, exclaiming in delight when he saw that you'd set up already.
Re-discovering your ability to move, you followed him in a half-daze.
Erik! Erik? It was him! It was really him!
You couldn't lose this opportunity to actually unstick your tongue from the roof of your mouth and make a good impression -
Erik was still rambling.
" - and I was just telling Olivia that I need to get out in the field soon to observe more of the Doshaguma herd, because they're already showing signs of competing for the alpha position, and - "
Just name-dropping Olivia so casually!
You nearly choked on your own saliva. Mind scrambling to piece together the information he'd just provided you with, you interjected hesitantly.
"Ah ... you're going into the field soon? For observation?"
"Yeah! If Olivia allows me."
He turned hurriedly and ... was he stuttering? Was he trying to explain himself to you?
"I mean ... not that I need Olivia's explicit permission or anything, haha. It's just a formality. There are other hunters who could accompany me. You know. For safety. And - "
"What's this about other hunters, Erik?"
Erik glanced past you and blanched a little, ruffling his hair with a nervous hand.
"Ah, Olivia! Didn't expect you so soon! I was just telling - "
His words were rapidly vanishing into the depths of the cosmos as you took a moment to absorb what he'd just uttered.
Olivia? Olivia? Was he -
No. No, it couldn't be. If you turned around now -
And doing exactly that, you came face to face with an imposing pair of buckles over white and green armour, those particular shades ingrained in your mind from the sheer number of times you'd re-painted your dozen small Olivia figurines.
Your eyes tracked upward and -
Holy mother of Khezu, what a woman.
Tall, statuesque, blonde hair flicked out in signature rakish style above the simple silver hoops in each ear, Olivia was every bit the charismatic figure you'd imagined, and more.
Her pale, sea-green gaze flicked over you with curiosity, sharp, observant, assessing. She offered a small nod of greeting which you, somehow, shakily returned.
And now she was holding out her hand for you to shake!
No. No, you couldn't let yourself be reduced to a quivering spectator between the two collosi of your dreaming world.
Straightening your back, you took her hand, some unacknowledged part of your brain screaming that you'd never wash that particular appendage again.
Her grip was powerful enough to fling you across the breadth of the camp. Probably.
"Olivia, of the Astrum Unit. That there's Erik, our Head Researcher."
Oh boy, if only they knew how much you knew. Best not to speculate.
You cleared your throat, voice emerging slightly hoarse.
"Um, I do know who you are, Captain. The honour's all mine."
She waved you off, seemingly unconcerned with the title.
"Just Olivia will do. And you are?"
You introduced yourself, internally cringing at how stilted your speech emerged.
" ... and I'm here to assist the Astrum Unit with my particular skill set, scientific illustration."
Erik danced into your view, shaking something in front of Olivia's face. She leaned back and squinted at it and -
Wait, was that your sketch? WHEN DID HE -
He shot you a sunny smile.
"Oh, your drawing was so great that I just decided to borrow it. That's not a problem, right? Look, Olivia! This is the kind of detail I've been looking for!"
She took the sketch from his hand and - oh goodness, was Olivia looking over your work and nodding in approval?
Glancing up at you, she offered a small smile which punched the breath right out of your chest harder than a Gravios blast.
"I guess it is as Erik says. You're certainly talented, and I'm sure his research team will benefit from your skills."
She rolled up the paper and whacked him smartly over the head with it, ignoring his plaintive protest.
"Just keep an eye on him. He tends to run off at times and if he does, just report to me and Athos."
Erik huffed ruefully.
"They don't even know who Athos is!"
"Oh, of course I know who Athos is!" you blurted out, "That's Captain Olivia's most trusted partner."
Panic immediately rose in your chest as they both stared at you.
Oh no. Now you'd gone and done it. They'd think you were some kind of crazy-
Olivia's expression suddenly morphed to something much warmer, and she looked you over as if re-forming an opinion.
"You're absolutely right. Not everyone refers to Athos as my partner, but once they see her in action, it's usually a wake-up call."
You had somehow managed to make a good impression with that statement, but you were aware that it all came down to how well you knew Astrum Unit. Olivia had met with Athos in the early days of her career and they'd been inseparable ever since.
Olivia paused and looked around, brow furrowing.
"Speaking of which, where's - "
"There she is!"
Erik pointed in the direction of the research station. Near your belongings was none other than Athos the palico, resplendent white fur gleaming in the dim lamplight within the cavern, nose glued to ... your backpack?
And ... oh Raving Rathalos, was she focusing on the pocket where you'd kept the only portable items in your collection, the small figurines of Erik, Olivia, Werner and Athos herself?
Hurrying over, you stopped before her, bowing awkwardly in greeting. She stopped her examination, clear, curious eyes taking in your form. You felt sweat break out along your brow. There was something about her gaze that felt like she could plumb the depths of your soul.
After a few moments, she bowed slightly back, responding in the muted mewl of Lynian.
"Well met, mew recruit."
She left your backpack alone, scampering over to Olivia's side.
You breathed a sigh of relief.
Olivia smiled down at Athos before turning briskly to you.
"How do you feel about hitting the ground running? We've got a survey in the plains tomorrow. There've been sightings of a tempered Rathian. Erik, you should be able to observe the Doshaguma herd while I observe you."
She shot him a look that reminded you of a hawk pinning a rabbit to an empty mountainside. Erik grinned in return.
"It's not like I'd run off on you or anything!"
He tugged at your sleeve eagerly.
"Now's your chance to join us. Bring your special sketchpad. Who knows how much more could be accurately recorded if we have you along as illustrator!"
You let out a shaky breath.
"Of course I'll be there! You can count on me!"
Olivia nodded.
"Excellent. We'll re-group at the main entrance at first light tomorrow. Erik, get our newest recruit oriented. Get Fritz to set them up with a seikret and field pouch for their supplies, and brief them on researcher safety protocols in the - "
She cut off abruptly, eyes narrowing as Erik blinked innocently back at her.
"Actually, forget that. I'll get someone else to brief them on safety protocols in the field."
"I'm perfectly capable of that, you know!"
Ignoring him, Olivia placed her hands on her hips and addressed you again.
"We watch each other's backs out there, so look out for your teammates and mind their signals. Welcome to the Astrum Unit, new recruit."
If there was a backing track to your simple academic life, it was at this moment that it swelled to a deafening anthem of heroic exploits.
Here comes adventure! Here come the accolades! Here comes the chance to prove yourself to the very members you've idolized for goodness knows how long and -
A soft tap to your forehead brought you back to focus as Olivia lowered her hand, her expression a combination of amused and concerned.
"Hey, you okay? Looked like you were forgetting to breathe for a minute there."
Erik gave an enthusiastic nod.
"It's exciting, isn't it?"
Athos held out a furry paw.
"Hunting is like catnip, but don't get confused and try to catch your own tail, mewbie."
Of course Rue has Tiercel. We know this. He’s the largest of the bunch, as well as the fluffiest. I think I’ve described him as hoary/grizzled before because he’s just GREY. Big and mean but respects Rue too much to be that big of a nuisance.
Alma has Maris, who is the most teal/blue of the bunch. Like, noticeably so. She’s very often seen with Tiercel and Vega.
Gemma has Titan, who is only slightly smaller than Tiercel, but he’s far more polite. The boys butt heads on a semi-regular basis. He has the shortest horns.
Olivia’s got Vega. She has the shortest tail feathers of the Avis/Astrum Seikrets, and her eyes are slightly lower set than others.
Erik has Myra/Myriad, and she has the brightest colors as a result of her diet in the Scarlet Forest. She’s all pretty greens and golds and orange.
Werner has Ori. Ori doesn’t do much. Ori doesn’t like people. She’s the scruffiest of the bunch, and has the most stripes.
