He's a smoker, and that's a fact. If you're against smoking, he'll try to do it less around you, but if he's stressed or tired, expect him to be lighting a cigarette at least once every 20-30 minutes. If you're also a smoker, he'll definitely blow the smoke into your mouth before kissing you.
He is so protective of you. If anyone shouts at you, nudges you, or god forbid hurts you, they're dead. One time, a Gryfindor in the year below called you a stupid bitch, and he must have been hospitalised for almost a week. Good thing Dumbledore likes Theo.
You are the only person in the world allowed to touch his hair. When you first got together, he would push your hands away if you tried to play with it because it reminded him of when his mother would do his hair before school. However, once he got comfortable with you, he could never get enough of it.
He is definitely the type of guy to get your full legal name tattooed on him just to show everyone how much you are a part of him. He would get it somewhere on his arm so that when he rolls up his sleeves, he wears it with pride.
When the holidays start, and school is over, it's a ritual that he goes over to your house for the first night at least. Sometimes he stays there for the entire break, especially in the summer. Your parents love him, and the first time he met your mum, he almost started crying because of how sweet she was to him and how he felt so included.
His favourite thing to do with you is cuddle before bed. He loves the feeling of your head on his chest and the way you make shakes with your fingertips on his arms or stomach. If he's extra lucky, you'll wrap one arm around his neck and play with the hair on the bottom of his neck.
When the two of you argue, he can never sleep until you sort it out with him, especially if he's done something wrong. He hates the idea of him making you upset or angry.
This man will spoil you rotten, and by spoil, I mean SPOIL. You want something, he'll buy it. He catches you looking at something for a little too long, and he's already tapped his card. He sees something that reminds him of you, it's in the bag.
Theo is so in love with you that it makes the boys feel sick, but despite all of that, they're just glad to see him happy and finally being treated right.
That’s the first thing you notice as you settle deeper into your blankets, the soft glow of enchanted candles flickering lazily against the walls. Being Head Girl meant space—your own room, your own quiet—and you’d made it yours in every way that mattered.
A knitted throw draped over the end of your bed.
A small stack of books on your nightstand, organized but well-loved. A teacup, still warm, resting beside you. The dancing flame of lit candle fills the room with a vanilla scent.
Outside, the castle hums faintly with distant life—laughter echoing far away, music muffled through thick stone walls.
The Slug Club party.
You imagine the glittering dresses, the clinking of glasses, the smoke curling through the air, the loudness.
And then you look back down at your book.
You turn the page. You chose this.
-
The knock startles you more than it should. Not loud. Just… wrong.
Out of place in the quiet you’ve carefully built.
Three uneven taps. A pause. Then two more, heavier this time.
You blink toward the door, heart giving a small, confused thud.
No one visits you this late.
Another, impatient, knock.
“Now who could that be?” You whispered to yourself, as you slowly uncovered your bare legs from the soft blanket, your sock covered feet carried you to your door.
You hesitate for half a second before opening the door.
And then you’re face-to-face with your fellow head boy, Tom Riddle.
Composed, as always. Dark eyes sharp with quiet amusement, like he already knows how this is going to go.
“Good evening,” he says smoothly.
Your brows knit together.
“It’s nearly midnight, Tom.”
“I’m aware.”
There’s something in his tone—too calm, too certain—that immediately puts you on edge.
“What do you want?”
He doesn’t answer right away.
Instead, he steps slightly to the side.
And the world shifts, because suddenly you see him.
Theodore Nott is leaning against the stone wall just behind Tom, like it’s the only thing keeping him upright.
He looks… softer.
That’s the only word your brain can settle on, even as everything else about him suggests the opposite.
His tie is loosened, collar slightly open, sleeves rolled just enough to reveal his wrists. His hair—normally neat in that careless, Slytherin way—is more disheveled now, like someone’s run their hands through it one too many times.
And his eyes—
They’re unfocused.
There’s a faint flush across his cheeks, and even from where you stand, you can smell it—smoke, alcohol, something bitter lingering in the air around him.
Your chest tightens.
“He’s drunk,” you say quietly.
“Yes,” Tom says. “And you’re helpful.”
Your eyes flicker towards tom, your brown eyes squinting at him.
“I declined for a reason.”
“And yet,” he gestures lightly toward Theo, “here we are.”
Your gaze flickers back to Theo.
He shifts slightly, like standing upright is becoming optional.
And then his eyes lift to find yours.
And something in your chest pulls tight.
“…you didn’t come,” he murmurs, his eyes made him look like a sad puppy.
Your chest tightens.
You hadn’t realized he’d notice. You hadn’t realized he’d care.
Tom clears his throat lightly.
“I’ll leave him with you.”
“Wait—”
But Tom is already moving down the stairs towards his dorm.
And just like that, it’s only you and him.
—
Your eyes travel back at Theo. He hasn’t looked away from you.
“…Unbelievable,” you whisper, though there’s no real bite to it.
There’s something unguarded in his expression now. Something loose and uncertain, like whatever usually holds him together has slipped just enough for you to see underneath.
“Can you walk?” you ask gently.
He blinks slowly, then moves his head to glance down at his feet before trailing back to your eyes.
“…probably.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
Still, you step closer. Carefully. Gentle.
When you reach for him, he doesn’t resist. If anything—he leans into your touch.
His arm drapes over your shoulders, heavier than you expect, and for a second you have to adjust your footing just to stay steady.
“Okay,” you murmur, tightening your grip around his waist. “Careful—don’t fall, please, I’m not equipped for that.”
A soft huff of laughter brushes past your ear.
“You worry a lot.”
“I have to,” you say. “Someone has to.”
-
You guide him sit on the edge of your bed, steadying him as he sways slightly.
“There,” you say softly. “Stay.”
“Bossy,” he murmurs.
“Drunk,” you counter.
He doesn’t argue.
You move away just long enough to grab a glass of water, your fingers brushing the rim of your teacup as you pass it. The warmth has faded slightly, but it’s still comforting.
When you turn back, he’s watching you.
Not in the usual distant way. Not guarded or annoyed. Just… watching.
You hand him the glass.
“Drink it Theo.”
He takes it, slower than usual, fingers brushing yours for the briefest second. He looks down at the glass before taking a slow sip.
“You didn’t come,” he says again.
Your chest tightens slightly.
“I know.”
“Slughorn invited you.”
“I’m aware, Theo.”
“…why not?”
There’s no judgment in it. Just quiet curiosity from the taller boy.
You hesitate for a moment, then shrug slightly.
“I don’t like those kinds of things.”
He looks up.
“How come?”
“They’re loud. And crowded. And…” you pause, searching for the right word. “Too much.”
His gaze lingers on you.
“I think you would’ve looked nice.”
Your heart skips.
“…Theo.”
“What?” he mumbles, like he doesn’t even realize what he said.
You shake your head, but there’s a small smile tugging at your lips despite yourself.
“You’re impossible.”
“And you’re—” He pauses, his eyes looking you up and down before they find your eyes once more, “You’re beautiful.”
The room stills.
Your breath catches, fingers tightening slightly in the fabric of your pajama sleeve.
“Theo—”
“And I’m insane.”
The words fall quieter.
He leans back against your pillows, gaze drifting but still fixed on you like you’re the only thing keeping him anchored.
“You read,” he continues, voice softer now, slower. “You stay here. You don’t… do any of that.”
His hand lifts vaguely, gesturing to everything he came from.
“And I do all of it.”
You step closer to your bed, “You’re not—”
“I ruin things y/n,” he murmurs, cutting you off, voice barely above a whisper. “People. Nights. Whatever I touch just—” he exhales shakily. “It doesn’t stay good.”
You’re right in front of him now.
Close enough to see the way his eyes flicker, the way something vulnerable cracks through the surface.
He goes quiet. His eyes lift to yours, and for once—there’s no distance, no walls, just something fragile. Something real.
“You’re not insane,” you say gently.
He frowns slightly, like he doesn’t believe you.
“I am.” He responds in a whisper, shaking his head at himself.
“You’re drunk,” you correct, softer this time. “And you’re overwhelmed.”
He doesn’t argue again.
“Lie down,” you murmur.
You don’t expect him to listen but he does.
You help him shift properly, guiding him back against the pillows, pulling the blanket over him and tucking it carefully around his shoulders without even thinking about it.
He watches you the whole time.
“…stay,” he murmurs.
“I’m right here Theodore,” you whisper.
And you are.
You sit beside him, just for a moment.
Your hand hesitates before brushing a stray curl away from his forehead.
You expect him to pull back but he doesn’t.
Instead—he leans into it, into your comforting touch.
Just barely.
But enough to make your breath catch.
And slowly he falls asleep, while you’re stuck sitting there wondering where you relationship with Theo will head.
Summary: After forgetting your warm clothes during a chilly winter, Theo makes it his mission to bring his own to keep you warm while also teasing you at the same time.
Word Count: 1.5k
Requested by anon
Note: Requests are open! Click here for more information <3
The winter season was always the hardest for you. The snowstorms weren’t pleasant in the slightest either. Whenever you could see your breath in the cold, chilly air, you wanted to go back to the dorms and climb under your covers.
So of course your mood instantly dimmed and every happy feeling you felt went downhill when you looked out the window and saw snow on the school grounds. The sad discovery also caused you to slow your movements when getting ready for the day.
At the rate you were going for this season, you were going to need an extra wardrobe. You’ve been busy with school work and constantly wore gloves and jackets everyday of this week. So naturally, you didn’t have any more to wear this morning.
There was one from a couple of years ago pushed towards the bottom of your trunk for emergencies, but due to rushing today, you had forgotten all about it until you left your dorm and went outside.
Your robe seemed so thin and glancing around at all of the ice and snow had you blowing warm air into the palms of your hands.
When Theo walked around the corner and caught sight of you, he frowned. You usually had on a thick jacket with your arms crossed tightly to the front of your body.
Today you seemed frantic. Which was understandable considering your attire.
While your brunette best friend started making his way over to you, he was pulling his arms out of the sleeves of his thick coat.
You smiled his way, noticing his actions and accepted the coat he held out to you with appreciation shown all over your face. “You are a lifesaver, Thee.”
His cheeks immediately flushed at your words but he covered it up gracefully with a shrug. “Of course, I don’t know what you’d do without me.”
He smirked and wrapped an arm around your shoulder to pull you close to him. “Probably freeze.” You laughed while leaning into his chest.
The height difference was noticeable when the two of you walked side by side. Draco always joked that you two were secretly dating and it was just because neither of you wanted to make a big deal out of it, that you nor Theo broadcasted the relationship.
“Well, now you can keep me warm today.” While responding with a smug tone in his voice, he tried to pull you even closer if it were possible.
Luckily, Theo kept you upright because you were somewhat clumsy when limbs were involved and tangled together, like right now for instance.
“Deal.” You humored him and put your arm around his waist while you tried to walk through the snow.
A few days later, you found yourself forgetting your scarf. It was quite colder with the degrees dropping even more now that it was closer to Christmas Eve.
“Soon enough you’re going to have to move into the dorm with me so I can dress you everyday.” Theo joked while also announcing his arrival when he was a few steps away from you.
“Ha ha. You’re so funny Thee.” You rolled your eyes playfully in his direction.
He smiled and unraveled the scarf from his neck. “C’mere.” He suggested with a twinkle in his eyes.
You let out a small sigh when you moved closer to Theo and looked up at him. He raised the scarf and put it around the back of your neck so the ends of it were at the front of your body. He then looped around your neck once more before tying it into a knot.
Theo’s face was just inches from yours now.
When he was fixing and spreading out the material around your neck, he was nibbling and biting down on his lower lip in concentration. You couldn’t help but stare and the nerves in your body were skyrocketing so much that your breath hitched at the sight of him.
“Almost ready.” He mumbled, using the extra moment to touch up any creases. You nodded in response, not wanting to open your mouth in case you whimpered or whispered with a hoarse voice.
His hand instantly stopped moving but you continued to look down.
What you didn’t know is that the small innocent, obedient movement you just showed him caused his pupils to dilate in amusement. His fingers wrapped around your neck, touching the skin that wasn’t covered in the scarf.
Ironically it was right below your chin, where your pulse was and all of a sudden, it seemed intimate.
A small noise vibrated through your body and the coldness surrounding you and Theo, well, it didn’t matter. Warmth spread through your veins and the shiver that ran down your spine wasn’t from the cold, but from the guy currently standing in front of you.
The one that has been there for you, comforting and protecting you since the very moment you started your schooling at Hogwarts. He watched you from a distance when everyone first arrived.
“…And then I was like ‘Father! Why can’t I?’” Draco exclaimed. “Wait, are you even listening to me?” He added in a complaining matter.
He waved his hand in front of Theo’s face with a raised brow and tried to figure out what he was so zoned out on until he grinned and realized it was a who.
Theo’s neck turned crimson in unease and he shook his head sheepishly when Draco couldn’t stop laughing. “If you tell a soul–“
His closest friend, the blonde, stopped and reassured him before Theo could even finish his sentence. “–Relax. I wouldn’t. But… I am finding out her name for you.”
Theo let out a relieved sigh and was grateful for him. In return, he ended the conversation by turning his body so he was facing Draco and gave his undivided attention so his friend could retell the story for the rest of the journey on the boats as they made their way to the castle.
You were sitting with another Slytherin girl that you had just met, she seemed kind enough and that was exactly what you needed with the nervous jitters that were currently taking control of your body.
When you glanced around at your surroundings, you noticed how many other boats there were and realized that there were a bunch of students attending as well this year.
“Wow there’s so many other students.” You muttered in astonishment and she nodded in agreement. “Yeah, at least we aren’t the only ones.” She chuckled.
You grinned at her and looked around once more to see a brunette boy sitting by another that was blonde. “Do you know who that is?” You asked and nodded in that direction.
“The blonde? That’s Draco Malfoy. His father is very well known in the wizard community. The brunette? His name is Theodore. I’m not sure what his last name is but I think it starts with an N.” You processed the information she gave you slowly while taking in his features as best as you could with the little light that the boats provided.
“Huh. Theo’s kinda cute.” You whispered and she nudged your shoulder with a smirk. “Theo, huh?”
Your friend to this day has been dating Draco. Shortly after they met, the two set you and Theo up. Despite just being close friends, they knew you and Theo would eventually get together.
Just not that it would be later today.
You were standing nervously, toeing the snow with the front of your snow boots when finally, Theo slightly leaned back. He glanced at the scarf once more to acknowledge his work and when he was satisfied, he looked at you with a smile.
Knowing exactly what he did to you, he rubbed the cold skin of your neck that he left untouched by the scarf and you couldn’t help but lean into his touch just enough for him to notice.
“Good girl.” Theo said in an affectionate tone. You almost rolled your eyes back in comfort and he pulled you closer to him again. This time though, he flexed his fingertips around your neck.
You almost whined out loud at that and he kissed the top of your head before letting go. “If you’re a good girl today during potions, I’ll give you a reward.” Theo teased in a rasp and interlaced his fingers with yours.
When he started to walk, you found your feet stuck and frozen to the ground. When he reached the limit and felt your arm pulling him back, he turned back around to see your issue and laughed out loud into the cold air.
“You’re so cute. Come on sweetie.” He gestured with his other arm and kissed the back of your hand afterwards.
After walking for a few moments, you made it to the door for class and before the two of you walked in, Theo ran a finger along his scarf that was on your neck once more with a smirk and had you yearning for his touch even more.
𝐷𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 - theodore nott and my profession would be owning a little potion shop
Okayy, so sorry I/m responding to this so late, here's your request sunny!
Potions was a subject that you were interested in, not a skill that everyone possessed. And you were really skilled at it. So, after Hogwarts, you decided to open your own Potions shop, selling anything from liquid luck to the draught of living death in little vials. Your business was booming because you had two shops: one in Hogsmeade, where many students from Hogwarts and other towns came to buy advanced potions, and the other in Diagon Alley, where new students, wizards, and witches came to buy potions costing more than 2,000 galleons.
On this particular day, you were working in your Diagon Alley shop when a tall brunette with curly locks walked in, his eyes darting over the shop as he looked for the potion he needed, and you couldn't keep your gaze away from him. "How much for these?" he questioned as he pulled out his purse, "umm, 2,500 galleons," you concluded after glancing at the potions he had on the counter, he yawned and took out the money and placed it on the table, "Have a good day sir-" before you could finish, the guy shut the door, dismissing your remark.
"Wow, rude," you thought to yourself as you closed the shop after an hour or so. The next day, the same man came in to buy more potions, but this time at your Hogsmeade shop, you refused to acknowledge him because of his previous rude behavior. "Uh, how much for these?" he inquired as he placed a potion on the counter; you looked at the label and read "I'm sorry about earlier," which made you smile; you glanced at him and responded "It's alright," to which he grinned.
"Can we meet after your shop closes?" As he turned to leave, he added, "I'd love to know such a beauty" "What's your name?"" you yelled out, and he turned around and said, "Theodore Nott, but Theo for you, love," blushing at the nickname. You couldn't wait to know more about this attractive man as he closed the door and left your shop.
The celebration is over, but I 'm still answering your asks!
Hello! I love your work! And I can understand being a full time student... It sucks. Anyway, I was wondering if you could write some headcanons of the M9 with a reader who has been holding back their power for fear of the rest of the group hating/fearing them? Then it like comes out during a battle or something? Go wild! Romanic or platonic which ever one you prefer!!! Hope this isn't too long....
Hello! Sorry for the wait. Things have been... a mess of late but here it is so I hope it was worth it and lives up to your expectations. 😘
-
(Caleb)
From the moment Caleb met you, the two of you instantly bonded over your fondness for the arcane but for that very same reason he held you at arm’s length for the longest of times. Caleb has a difficult past with magic users like him, like you and trust does not come easily despite the fact he genuinely likes you. So when he told you his former master had the annoying habit to poke around in people’s minds, you simply vowed to keep your ability to do the same a secret, never using it again.
You may have lost self control when faced with his former master and the lowkey threats Trent made, the way Caleb responded, and froze did not sit well with you. You let go of that barrier by accident, allowing your own mind to pierce through the archmage’s and see some of the dirty little secrets he keeps, and made him aware of that fact, in doing so as well as the rest of the Mighty Nein. Caleb did not share in the confusion of the others of how you attained this knowledge as he recognised the look of his former master, one he’d seen many times. Once the immediate threat was dealt with and you were alone again Caleb refused to acknowledge your presence.
Confrontation is unavoidable, Caleb knows. He just needed time to process. In doing so, and blocking you out entirely he’d lost sight of how it affected you until he was ready to face you. He saw the hurt he caused and hated every second of it, regretted it. He worked with Beau to make the discovery of your ability a talking point, in the hopes you were willing to answer questions and when you revealed your motives for keeping this secret, he just felt sorry for you. He’ll help you gain an understanding of your affinity to pierce minds if you wish and little by little will become more comfortable with this power simply because of who you are and how you wield it.
(Beau)
Hating nothing more than hypocrites and people that try to control others Beau does not hold back from letting those people know exactly what she thinks of them. You can gather that the ability to sometimes make people do your bidding with a few carefully picked words falls into the same category and if your chosen target is unable to resist your charm, they’ll be at your mercy. It’s a terrible thing to have and more a curse you desperately want to be rid of than a divine blessing.
Having lost the upper hand entirely and the situation spinning out of control you resorted to the final measure, in the hopes to avoid bloodshed, and quite possibly the death. The effects of your charm are entirely visible when it takes hold and when you got the ringleader of your opponents along with some of their lackeys to suddenly stand down, it became clear it was you, no questions were asked as you urged everyone to leave, but Beau refused to lose grip on your arm throughout your escape.
Beau dropped into a rant about what’s up, what happened and how you did it, barely giving you a moment to answer her questions and explain yourself between your own panting from the energy you just drained by using your charm. Beau explains she doesn’t hate you for keeping it a secret nor for having this power in the first place. If anything she understands being born with a burden you’re forced to bear and no way out. If you want to get rid of this power she will read every book available to the Cobalt Soul and exhaust their resources for you. Though, it’s quite hot when you speak in that tone you do when charming people… Might have other consensual uses too…
(Fjord)
It’s no secret to Fjord you come from a controlling family who’s expectations you were unable to live up to. If anything he applauds you for fighting free and leaving those people behind. Though, the more time you spent with him and the more he learns about you the more questions pop up and the more pieces seem to be missing. Not even his suave talking can get you to spill the secrets there and if he’s honest, it’s a little frustrating.
Another argument arises and worse than the ones before. You’re siding with Caleb and Jester. He sides with Beau while the others remain neutral and at one point Fjord strikes a chord. How are you able to make this decision when you’re always the one to shy away from conflicting emotions? That’s enough. Conflicting emotions indeed. Fjord watched you lose control for the first time and found out exactly why you try to avoid the things you do. He still can’t help his curiosity though. When the others step away distancing themselves, he steps forward.
The fur growing, teeth sharpening and eyes changing to a golden yellow, halfway through turning into something monstrous. That is your curse to bear. You try and fight off the lycanthropic transition, letting the pain run through and where you thought you’d be shunned, it’s Fjord rubbing your back, whispering all will be alright and you’re still you that makes you actually believe him. If anything, to him it’s pretty awesome you’re a werewolf and he’d love to learn more about lycanthropy if you’d let him.
(Veth)
Veth doesn’t know about your life before you joined the Nein. Some questions were asked of course but the subject seemed too touchy to approach, which despite curiosity, can be respected due to the implied severity. That doesn’t mean she hasn’t rifled through your things because what if you’d be a danger to her boy? She just couldn’t help herself. She found a letter addressed to you, from your mother it seemed; asking if you were enjoying your adventures. Veth seemed to miss the sarcasm in these words, as well as the implied threat demanding your return to your home.
Turns out Veth wrote a letter on your behalf, telling your ‘mother’ you’re doing well and where your adventures have taken you, will take you and maybe you’d pass by soon. Turns out that was a terrible terrible idea and came back to haunt everyone because now you’re fighting your ‘siblings’. Nothing worse than a coven of witches with a magic beyond the understanding of anyone in this group beyond yourself. So you tapped into your teaching, in that horrid dark power and used it to banish your siblings back where they came from. You hated every second of it, feeling that darkness spread and urging you to use more power.
Retreated and resigned you distanced yourself, crying yourself to sleep whenever no one was watching at the resurfaced memories, knowing you’d now be a risk to your friends-your new family and fearing they might ditch you just for that. Veth noticed though. She heard your sniffles in the night and came to check up. She didn’t say anything but gave you this sad smile as she put your head in her lap and stroked your hair until tears stopped. She keeps doing so until you feel safe and comfortable once more. You’re her family too. She’ll kick some witch ass any day for you.
(Jester)
Magical and divine patrons are not always like Jester’s. If anything Jester was lucky to end up charming the one she did. You envy her for it. Questions about your patron were asked left and right by the others and the blue tiefling of course. Who is your deity? Are they cool like the Traveler? Or are they more lame and only speak to you in winds and lightning? Your deity whispers alright. You’ve ran far and wide to get away from her but she’s relentless and you’d rather spare the Nein her wrath or be forced to turn them into some sacrifice for her. You’d die before you’d let that happen. You’d never use your abilities granted to you by her. Not if you can help it.
Of course it had to be the overbearing archfey himself to ruin everything. He’d been iffy about you and when he questioned Jester about you and your ‘deity’ in the hopes of possibly converting another lost soul to his cult, he quickly came to regret it when he put two and two together. Next thing you know you’re in the middle of a fight and invoke a death by a thousand cuts on your enemies. Your mistress relishes in this bloodshed and you’re so afraid of the aftermath of that power.
Jester doesn’t understand why you’re so panicked and paranoid in the aftermath of something so awesome. Sure, maybe a little much but you absolutely obliterated that monster carving it to shreds without even touching it! You have to come clean and swear over her shoulder you can see the green and red glare threatening you not to harm the girl and keep your shit to yourself but you decide fuck it. He created this mess. So you spill all the beans about being favoured by the Bloody Siren herself who now haunts your life. Maybe the Traveler can be your new patron. Let’s see how Vesh likes that one. Let’s see how long he lasts against her…
(Caduceus)
Caduceus doesn’t know a single thing about arcane magic. He’ll be the first to admit. That’s more your expertise and he’s glad to let you take the lead when it comes to the subject. But that doesn’t explain your vast knowledge of death. Everything from anatomy to preserving the remains of the departed. You even know a thing or two about healing it seems but your touch is rougher and not always as considerate of your patient as his own when it comes to it. At first he chalked it up to you having learned from books rather than people but that image seems unlikely at this point. Nevertheless, it’s not his place to dig in your personal business.
You’re trapped, outnumbered, low on spells and surrounded by the bones of the dead you’ll soon join at this rate. You can’t get out without getting into the line of fire and don’t know where the fire is coming from. They’ll smoke you out. You’ll have to come out some point. The Nein is making plans but to no avail. Caduceus overhears you whispering prayers to the Wild Mother, and the Raven Queen asking for their forgiveness. It’s then he notices you carving arcane symbols into a skull and watch a skeleton come to life, and you repeat the process.
Having distanced yourself from the friendly firbolg who’s grown a bit more resigned since your grand and skeletal escape, you’ve been spending your time leaving offerings to the Wild Mother. It’s there he faces you. The conversation is a bit awkward and rough but Caduceus understands why you’ve hidden this ability and he can sympathise with your feelings. He doesn’t hate you for doing what you did but agrees with your sentiment this indeed is a curse best left to the dark and forgotten places.
(Yasha)
Your taste for your meals, specifically meat on the rarer side of things went very well along with Yasha’s own tastes as you two bonded over the culinary discoveries and delecacies, though for meat, still bloody seemed your preference. Any other types would leave a bit on edge and moody but that’s nothing a walk into the forest, fields or wherever else couldn’t fix. You just needed some time to yourself, right? Yasha understands certain foods not being as satisfying as others but the way you eyed that rat in the cage once… that was something else.
In a bit of a pickle your weapons knocked away from you, grappled and restrained you felt a knife plunge into your stomach and the spots dancing in front of your eyes did not do you well. So you took your chances when your attacker’s arm crossed near your face, right within biting range. You saw Yasha cutting through another enemy but you couldn’t take another hit before she got to you or you’d be done for so you bit down, tore through the flesh of your attacker, meeting the eyes of the barbarian who despite her rage, still looked shocked.
You hadn’t tasted humanoid blood in a while and your hunger set in strong. You couldn’t contain your bloodlust and instead revelled in it. But once you came down from that high you had half the mind to run and never look back. Yasha didn’t let you. She told you you look a badass warrior, clawing your enemies apart, tearing them to bits with your teeth. She’d never seen anything like it but that power, that’s something to be admired. Maybe you can both work on finding ways how to wield your strengths together?
(Mollymauk)
Molly doesn’t really comprehend why one would diminish their potential or hide gods-given abilities and gifts. They were given for a reason and now they’re yours, so why not use them? If someone hands you fifty gold, are you just supposed to not spend it? He had a hard time believing you when you told him you’re not remarkable and gifted like him. He’d make a point just to show you how remarkable you are at every opportunity and don’t you argue because you’re amazing. He’ll make you smile and laugh and make a fool out of himself if he has to.
Not all fights are physical. Sometimes a battle is one of wits. The Nein had been failing, not able to offer something to satisfy your enemy. Molly is not unfamiliar with the concept of infernal dealmakers but he never considered you to be one to possess that ability. When your eyes went fiery orange and your smile changed to a twisted one, it didn’t take long to have a devilish contract signed in blood to seal the deal with this enemy. The sheer amount of loopholes and clauses you managed to turn into your favour is astonishing.
But upon completion your smile did not return, and your fingers remained twitchy. Never had you thought to find yourself to giving into what you and your family had spend generations repressing. You know the risks and dangers that come with it but before you had any opportunity for the fight or flight instincts to kick in when facing the Nein, Molly had an arm wrapped around your shoulders, guiding you along, seeing how much this pained you. For the first time he truly understood why you wouldn’t use something like this. He’d do anything to make you more at ease and feel comfortable in your own skin again.
(Essek)
Time is something so delicate. So many things undiscovered and simply impossible to figure out. Essek doesn’t like the implication of that word; impossible, in the context of time. His study of dunamancy is just testament to that. You might not be a prodigy in the fields he is but you have a reasonable understanding of it given your field of expertise is divination. It’s all patterns and numbers in the end and both you and Essek know that in the past creatures have been able to affect time to an extend. The possibilities are endless, just not studied deeply enough. You’ve been Essek’s voice of reason in the past, when he loses sight of the bigger picture at hand.
Aeor has been a place of many secrets, some regarding or connected to dunamancy. It’s been an interesting place of research for the both of you but holds many dangers. You faced plenty of these horrid creatures left to roam. And when one was about to take a big chunk out of Essek, you stepped in. You saw it happen. Saw the drow bleeding out, in pain, saw him meeting his end, so you stepped in. You called upon the endless void within yourself, and changed just a single thing, moving in between the cracks of linearity and suddenly the creature overshot, allowing you to get Essek out of the way just in time.
Essek is no fool. He knows when larger magics are at play and the guilty look in your eyes is enough to say you know what’s up. He appreciates you at least still had the mind to get both of you out of the maws of that beast and to safety before you explained what happened. You were practically shaking. Essek went over the many possibilities and potentials of that kind of time manipulation. Though, when you told him the price was years off of your own life to do so, those plans fell to shreds. He’d not sacrifice your life for this. He cares too much about you.
summary: nott is not very kind to herself. you love her, but you know that she has someone that she sends package after package to. you won't get in the way of that but you will be kind to her in a way that she understands. (part 7/13 of the kindness series, a thematically connected series of c2/exu imagines)
word count: 1.7k
warnings: mentions of discrimination because nott is a goblin, insecurity
masterlist - request - support my work? - ao3
Loving Nott takes a special kind of person. You are that kind of person.
When Mighty Nein first formed, you had kept yourself back and just observed everyone. The ways they acted, how they spoke, different intergroup interactions. You like to know who you’re traveling with and, somewhere along the way of getting to know everyone, Nott wormed her way into your heart. You don’t care that she’s a goblin, don’t care that she’s threatened to kill everyone except Caleb several times over seriously at least half of those times. You don’t care what she could have done to be thrown in jail. (Half because you know she’s a good person, and half because you know that it’s most likely just because she’s a goblin.)
Mostly, you don’t care for the way that Fjord looks down on her for stealing. You’d watched her seal everything she stole up once, and mail it away, so you know it’s not for you. She’s stealing for someone else until she has enough to justify spending the mailing cost to ship it to them. The night you realized this, you cried yourself to sleep. The force of her love for this unknown person had hit you fully in the chest, and you cried for hours. Over the months of getting to know the Mighty Nein, you’d also come to know how they loved.
It was at that moment, crying yourself to sleep, that you realized that Nott loved with her entire body and soul but didn’t know how to show it any other way than stealing things, baring her teeth, and sinking into her flask. Most of that probably came from being a goblin in a place that looked down upon them, like they were vermin rather than people. How long had she gone without kindness? How many times had she flinched away from casual touch since you’d known her? Your heart aches for her because you know that she hates herself, hates the body that she’s stuck in, and hates the way the world sees her.
By the Gods, you realize one day, she’s not even kind to herself. The Mighty Nein might be the first group of people that were wholly nice to her, and even then there was still tension because of her habits. You wonder if Caleb was the first person to be kind to her ever and have to turn your head away from your friends at breakfast to hide the way that you’re beginning to cry at the thought. But you’re lucky because it’s a shopping day. Shopping days were becoming more and more common the more money you guys got for your mercenary work - more coin to spend, more upgrades to your weapons.
For you, today, it meant more time alone. That’s exactly what you needed to put your plan into place. After breakfast you take off on your own, fumbling with your bag so that Caleb and Nott don’t notice that you’re following them to the shops they go to. The plan is last minute, a way to show Nott kindness and appreciation in a way that she’ll not only understand but hopefully appreciate.
You hum a jaunty tune as you follow them, staying about a shop back, and watch Nott as she flitters around Caleb while he shops. Every now and then, she’ll pick something up and observe it. A jar of mismatched buttons, a children’s book, a doll that is missing one arm but has a funny little top hat. You know she thinks about taking each of them and, every time Caleb stops her from doing so, she counts out her coin to see if she can afford it. Nott cannot afford any of them - last night she’d been determined to buy everyone a round in the bar and had burnt through most of the last payment you all had received. You had watched her do that, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to buy anything.
That’s why the plan had fallen into place as well as it could for a plan made over breakfast in your head while you were juggling conversations.
Nott deserves nice things. She deserves kindness - she deserves kindness in a way that she will understand and not be able to misinterpret. Her life has been so hard and she has been so unhappy in the past. You just want to make her happy. Want to be the one to give her that kindness, the ability to send her packages filled with love without burning through all of her cash. You want to love her without telling her how you love her because you’re definitely not ready to tell her that.
Besides, who’s to say the packages aren’t going to a lover?
So instead of pulling her into your arms, instead of telling her all of these things and being upfront with her, you use your shopping day to inadvertently show her and tell her all of these things.
Once Caleb and Nott leave the shop they’re in, you duck into it. You snatch up the buttons, the children’s book, the doll with the funny little hat and you buy them. They’re pricey for a consignment shop, but you hand over most of your coin and put your treasures into your bag before heading back to the street. You’re not too worried about being essentially out of money because, well, it takes a certain kind of person to love Nott. You are that kind of person. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have money, because you’re not above stealing to make her happy. You would do anything to make her happy.
The day continues and you amass a lot of things to give to Nott. When you get back to the tavern and retire to your room, you’re still on the fence about whether or not you want to give them to her in person or in secret. When you think about the pressure receiving so many gifts will put on her, you decide to give them to her in secret. Of course, it’ll be too obvious if you stretch out the gifts over weeks or months. She’ll eventually be able to figure out that it’s someone in the group and, eventually, she’ll figure out that it’s you. Nott is very smart., no matter how much she would like to pretend she is not. You empty your bag and pack everything into it, another plan falling into place as the sun goes down.
Jester comes to announce that they are going to go downtown for dinner and you brush her off. “I have a headache,” You say, scrunching up your face to make it believable as you stand by the door, “I think I’m going to take a nap and eat something here before bed.”
She worries for you, offers a spell to make you feel better, but you brush her off. “Not when you’re going downtown,” Is your excuse, “I want you guys to be prepared always. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you wasted a spell on me and then something happened.”
“Makes sense,” Jester nods. Her eyes are wide and trusting and, honestly, you almost feel bad for lying to her. “I will come and check in on you when we arrive home!” She kisses your cheek and is off. You stand at the door for a minute more, turning to shut yourself back into your room when Caleb and Nott pass you. The bag heavy on your hip burns like she’s going to be able to look at you and see what you have for her.
“Are you not joining us?” Caleb asks, brows furrowing. Nott looks up at you with almost the same expression and you almost give in. Almost join them for dinner, just so the worry on Nott’s face goes away. You hold your ground.
“No, I have a headache,” You repeat your lie, “I’m just going to bunk down for the night after I get a snack downstairs.”
Nott reaches for your hand. “Well, Jester can heal you.” She says, “So that you’re not in any pain.” You smile at Nott and hope you’re not blushing at her care for you.
“Ja, or perhaps I could try.” Caleb shrugs. “Healing magic is complicated, sicher, but I can figure it out.”
“I’m okay,” You squeeze Nott’s hand, and she squeezes back. “It’s nothing big and, besides, we wouldn’t want to make our little cleric jealous when you learn how to heal, ja?”
“But you are hurting,” Nott shakes her head, “You shouldn’t just let yourself hurt when there’s a way to fix it.” Her words carry more weight than maybe she intends them to and you find yourself almost crying again.
“Nott, I promise you it’s not that bad,” You smile and squeeze her hand again, hoping that your hand isn’t becoming clammy, “I’ll get something small and then sleep it off.”
“I will come check on you when we get home.” She says, finally taking her hand back only to wring it nervously in front of her. “And Caleb didn’t put the string spell on our room, so if you want to go lay down in there, you can. We’re sharing with each other and I’m sure that Beau is going to challenge Fjord to another drinking contest. She’ll be loud when she comes back to your room.” Caleb sniffs and you know that she hasn’t run that past him.
“Thank you, Nott,” Your throat is clogged with emotion but you decline. “I hope that by the time you come back I’ll be better.” You feel sort of bad lying to your friends, but it’s for a good cause. (Also you reason with yourself that if you don’t feel bad about stealing those things for Nott, you shouldn’t feel bad about lying so that you can sneak into her room and hide the treasures amongst her things for her to find.) So you lie. You let them leave. You sneak to Caleb and Nott’s room and hide the trinkets and treasures among their things for them to find in a few minutes, a few hours. a few days, a few weeks.
Hopefully, it won’t make her suspicious. Hopefully, you’ve hidden them well enough. Hopefully, they are kind enough and they make her feel loved.
Hello! I am in the market for some critical role fic requests, especially characters x reader. If you have any, please let me know! Just nothing too nsfw please ;)
