Welcome To Faerie Land: A Guide To Holly Black’s Extended Faerie Universe

Cupids in Converses

Pairing: Luke Castellan x Reader

Summary: Valentine's was rolling up. You and Luke played Cupid on Percy and Annabeth. But what if playing matchmakers gave both you guys and your unspoken feelings the nudge that you guys have always needed? (Fluff, friends to lovers, happy ending)

Warning: sort of cliché, but it's Valentines so.

Note: Valentines got me in the mood of writing something rom-com-ish. Let's just assume Luke wears red converses that looks like Maia in the show. Also, I've been incredibly busy so I kinda rushed through this one to post it on time for Valentines.

Word count: 4.1k (whoops)

February has always filled the air with some sort of sugary chemical. Everything seemed sweeter like a pink filter had been put over the world. Some may dislike the upcoming February holiday, but it was perhaps one of your favorite times of the year. 

Why? You were somehow blessed with the skills of getting people together and nudging them just enough to cross the line they needed to. So far, you have managed to help six couples get together. With Valentine’s right around the corner, the urge to play cupid grew to the point it was itching your hands.

“Well, compared to the Chimera on Monday, Medusa on Sunday, could have been a lot worse,” Percy was quickly interrupted by Annabeth. 

“Medusa was Saturday.”

“I thought Sunday?”

“No monsters on Sunday. Monday, you died in a river.” You squint your eyes at the conversation that Percy and Annabeth were having. The familiar bells rang in your head; you could practically hear them roaring at you.

“Right, so Medusa on Saturday…” 

“Woah, guys, what’s this?” Luke interrupted. “When did you turn into an old married couple?” Percy and Annabeth both grew slightly flustered at the Hermes counselor’s words. Muttering a few things here and there, the two kids quickly excused themselves and walked off from you and Luke just to avoid the topic in general. You slowly turned towards Luke and peered up at him.

“Surely…” you spoke cryptically.

“Surely what?”

“Them!” you gestured to the direction that Percy and Annabeth had headed off to. You kicked a small rock with your Converse and watched it tumble away. “Surely we can give a little nudge?” you trailed off, bumping into Luke’s shoulder.

“You’re not seriously gonna play Cupid on them, right?”

“No, I’m not…because we are,” Luke let out a loud breath, hands on his hips as he peered down at you. However, you could see a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. 

“Sweet girl, I adore you, but why not let things run their course?” you hope he did not see the physical reaction over that nickname because, internally, your heart skipped a beat.

“Oh? And you’re telling me those six couples from before would have gotten together without me? You know I’m right about this kind of stuff. I can usually sense it. Besides, it’ll be fun, I promise.”

“What’s in it for me?”

“Uhm…you get to spend time with me?” you decided to answer, grinning up at Luke when he gave you a feigned unimpressed look. “Please, besides, you and Percy are close, so it would help a lot. I already have a plan and I need your help for it.”

One look into your eyes, and Luke knew he was doomed. For some reason, you just can make him do anything you ask. Luke could feel the hands on his hips slowly slipping as he looked into your eyes.

“Fine.”

Stage 1: Get Percy to realize his feelings cause he’s blind as hell

It was midnight and everybody else was asleep except for you and Luke. The two of you were in the kitchen, trying to be as quiet as possible.

The two of you were making some fortune cookies for your plan. However, there was a tiny twist to the treat you two were making. You had personally printed out a couple of prompts that you wrote yourself in hopes they would nudge Percy into realizing his feelings. 

“Really?’“Romance is in the air. What you’re looking for is right in front of you’?” Luke read out the small piece of paper that you printed. You pulled the cookies out of the oven when they were ready.

“It’s cliche and sort of obvious, but hey! It’ll work because it’s Percy I’m working with,” you quickly pulled the paper out of his hand to put it in the fortune cookie before folding it into shape and letting it cool down.

“Mhm. He’s gonna realize you’re trying to play cupid.”

“Are we talking about the same person? I doubt Percy would realize. Annabeth would, hence why I’m not trying this on her.”

Luke helped you out with a couple of other spare fortune cookies that you two intended to keep for yourselves.

“Alright, finally done,” you muttered, washing your hands. However, you were caught off guard when Luke dipped his hand in the bag of flour on the counter and smeared some on your cheek. Your mouth hung slightly at this, and you looked up at him challengingly. You wiped your hands with a hand towel, “Oh? Is that how we’re playing it?”

“...No…” Luke sheepishly replied, a grin growing on his face when he saw the look of mischief creeping on your face.

“Game on, Castellan,” with that, you dipped both of your hands in flour and chased after the tall boy, who was sprinting around the counter. You caught up with Luke and compromised by smearing flour onto the back of his shirt first. At your attack, he turned around and smeared some more across your face from your other cheek to the top of your nose. You immediately did it back to him.

“Ok, ok, I surrender,” he coughed in between quiet waves of laughter after you smeared some from his cheek down his neck, marking your last attack.

For a moment, Luke and you stood in silence, but when you two let the state of one another sink in, laughs echoed throughout the room again. Luke was able to stop his laughter first, though he was still wearing a wide grin. He washed the flour off his face and dried it with kitchen tissues as you muttered: “Oh, I wish I had a camera. I could practically blackmail you with that photo.”

“I have no doubt you would have never let me live that down,” while replying, Luke also approached you and started wiping the flour off your nose before moving to your cheeks. Your laughter slowly faded as your cheeks heated at the feeling of his hand on your skin. He was looking at you so tentatively. Callous hands - a reflection of his remarkable title as best swordsman - delicately holding your face as if you were the rarest diamond to exist.

Something about this moment felt so domestic. Luke allowed himself to indulge in the fantasy that this is how it would feel like to be with you and share cute moments like these together. Luke unbeknownstly let out a breath he didn’t know he was keeping in as he made eye contact with you. 

However, the moment was interrupted by another camper who yelped upon seeing you two in the kitchen. The presence of another person caused you two to spring apart. “I’m so sorry, I’ll leave,” the camper muttered, clearly abandoning their plan of stealing food and sweets in the middle of the night. Luke coughed to break the silence.

“So what’s the plan after giving it to Percy?” Luke asked, looking down at the fortune cookies before picking one up and munching on it.

“Hopefully, he’ll finally realize his feelings, and when he does…Percy will come to you, for sure.”

Stage 2: Romantic gesture

You were right, Percy came to Luke for dating advice. As you planned, Luke suggested that Percy make a flower crown for Annabeth. Hence, here the Hermes counselor was - with Percy as he picked out flowers for Annabeth.

"I'm gonna need you to guide me on this 'cause I've never made flower crowns before," Percy muttered as he picked out California Poppins, Annabeth's favorite. Luke grinned at this. He found it interesting how the young boy already knew. "Maybe you could make one for someone special too?" Percy said, his voice somewhat unsure. 

At the young boy's words, Luke froze. The first person that seemed to pop into his mind when Percy said that was you.

"I mean, might as well, right? It's for Valentine's. Maybe you could give it to someone who means a lot to you and makes you happy?" Percy spoke, though there was something instigative about his tone.

Happy. The word bounced in between the walls of Luke's mind. Once again, the first thing that flashed in his head was you. Then, a surge of images came running from memories of you two. He almost could not remember happiness before you. A warm feeling embedded in his chest as he pictured your smile. Just seeing you happy seemed to do it for him, like you could spread happiness to him by just looking at him. You were like the first glimmer of daylight after a cold night. He subconsciously smiled at that thought.

You have always made him feel loved, even though he knew you were probably doing it platonically. However, he would gladly take any form of love that he could receive from you. Every day, waking up and knowing he had you in his life was good enough for him. Maybe he should try giving you more hints. Maybe you'll finally see it. Perhaps Percy was right with the flower crown idea. 

“Uhm, sure,” with that, Luke decided to take some of your favorite flowers into his hand and went to a nearby table, where he started guiding Percy on how to make a flower crown. However, ever so often, his mind would trail to its own thoughts whenever he focused on making this flower crown for you.

Percy watched Luke as the older boy started intensely working on his own flower crown, crafting it with so much care as if it was an artwork intended for a national museum. If Percy didn’t know better, he would think Luke was a perfectionist.

Meanwhile, you were sitting with Annabeth near the ocean where she had previously pushed Percy into the waters, leading to Poseidon claiming him. You asked, “Any plans for Valentine’s Day?” 

“No, you?”

“Nope.”

“Oh?” she replied, though you tilted your head at the tone of her voice. “I’m just surprised,” Annabeth explained as she looked out at the ocean instead of at you. “I mean…I thought you and Luke…”

“Huh?—”

“Well, I mean, you two are together all the time, and there seems to be something going on —”

“What do you mea—”

“It always seems like you two would gravitate to one another. I just assumed you two were together already—”

“We’re…just friends,” you settled on saying, though you could hear your heart beating loudly, seemingly echoing near your chest and neck. Of course, you knew you had feelings for Luke. However, you have always ruled it as a silly little crush.

“...You sure? You sound really unsure,” Annabeth challenged, making you sigh. 

“I mean, he’s really sweet, and nice…”

“Uh-huh”

“And he makes me laugh all the time…”

“That’s good,” Annabeth’s words echoed as you sunk into silence and started reflecting on who Luke was to you. He has always made you feel cared for. Out of everybody at camp, perhaps he was the one you were most comfortable with, never having to be afraid of being yourself. Almost all of your favorite memories at camp included him in them. 

You remember the night you told him about your minor fear of the darkness and how he promised to always protect you in it. In a way, since then, he has become your light. You always felt lit up when he made his way to you. Your eyes are always drawn to him like a moth to its flame. Then, it finally dawned on you how serious your feelings were. You realized how most of the time you seemed to be mindless about the existence of your heart until Luke was around because it was only then that your heart would tug or race to run you breathless. You gulped as your eyes darted around slightly. 

“I mean…maybe…” you started but snapped out of your thoughts when you heard Luke’s voice. And there it was again, the silly familiar tug your heart was doing just from his voice. “Hey…” you greeted Luke and Percy before noticing Percy with a flower crown in his hand. 

“Annabeth, can I speak to you privately?” Annabeth stood up and gestured for Percy to lead the way, presumably somewhere, so the young boy could give her the flower crown and ask her out on Valentine’s Day. You remained seated, still pondering at your feelings and wondering when they had exponentially grown that much. 

“I actually have something for you as well,” you finally looked up at Luke when he said this. You noticed he had his hands behind his back. Something about the way he looked now seemed so shy and timid, which was unlike the outgoing and confident boy you always knew.

Your mouth fell agape when he pulled out a flower crown made of your favorite flower. “Luke…” you said his name and stood up when you saw the item.

However, because your eyes were on his gift, you didn’t notice the way Luke’s breath hitched at the sound of your voice calling out his name. He never thought it was anything special until November two years ago when you said his name while laughing at one of his jokes by the campfire. It was probably a moment you did not remember, but ever since then, he felt so sure that he was named so because the name sounded like it was born just for the sole purpose of being sounded from your lips. 

“I made this for you,” he muttered, though it sounded almost like a whisper. His eyes shifted to both of your Converses instead of at you. Something about this made him so nervous as if he was handing you his heart instead of a simple gift. He almost scowled at himself for acting like a boy in kindergarten, confessing to his crush.

If only Luke was looking at you because you were looking at him and the item in awe. Your cheeks flushed from his gesture. Though, you were somewhat glad he was not looking at you because you were sure one look at you right now would tell Luke exactly everything about your feelings. You were a blushing mess. “Luke, thank you so much. This is beautiful. I can’t believe you made one for me.”

You touched Luke’s hand that was holding the crown, and he almost grew an even deeper shade of red. “Put it on my head,” you instructed, and he obliged just like everything else you would ask. He was sure he must have caught a sickness or something for wanting to follow you this blindly. But you were perhaps the only one with the power to get him to do absolutely anything. Just as the crown touched your hair, you peered up at him, and the sight alone made Luke swallow nervously. 

You looked breathtaking.

And he meant this literally because Luke felt like he stopped breathing for a second. He could not look away. That was until you wrapped your arms around his waist and hugged him. His arms wrapped around your neck almost immediately to return the hug as if they existed to only hold you. 

However, unlike the hundreds of hugs before, this one felt different. It was as if something had shifted and was bound to unfold.

Final Stage: Valentine’s Day

Annabeth had said yes.

You were ecstatic to learn that the young girl had agreed to go on a Valentine’s date with Percy. Even though you didn’t want to intrude, you and Luke decided to just have a peep to see what Percy had planned. You were not planning to stay long. It was just a sort of reward or a way to see your plan grow into fruition. You smiled when you spot the cute picnic date near the shore.

“See, I told you the plan was going to work,” you muttered as you tiptoed up in your converses to peer at the kids through the tall bushes nearby. You almost lost balance and step onto Luke's shoes that were similar to yours, except his was red.

The boy quickly steadied you with his hand on your waist. You muttered a quick thank you before turning back to the kids, trying to ignore the blush that was slowly decorating your cheeks. But you were quickly caught off guard at the sight of Percy and Annabeth pushing a small boat off the shore and hopping on it.

“Uhm…that is not what I expected. Where are they going?” Luke looked over your shoulder when you said that. Your eyes fluttered at his warm breath hitting your neck. 

However, you noticed the two kids looking like they were in trouble and panicking as they quickly started rowing away. You turned your head towards Luke, forgetting he was very close to you. Your voice faltered as you were about to utter your next sentence. Noticing this, Luke turned to you, only causing the two of you to come face to face with little distance in between. You gulped and forced yourself not to glance down at his lips, “Do you think they’re okay? Should we follow them? I mean…what if they’re in trouble?”

Seeing the worried look on your face, Luke frowned. He deeply disliked anything that caused that kind of expression on your face. Hence, he decided to go over to the second boat there and started pushing it towards the water. “Come on,” you hopped onto the small boat with him and started rowing after Percy and Annabeth, hoping to help them from whatever trouble they were seeming to have.

After a few minutes of rowing behind them, you saw Percy and Annabeth rowing into a small tunnel. Luke and you quickly followed in, rowing your boat, only to be engulfed by darkness upon entering the tunnel.

The wind blew much harder in there, causing goosebumps on your arm as your hand gripped your oar tightly. To make matters worse, it was your most hated type of darkness - utter pitch black. Even with your eyes adjusted to the darkness, you could see nothing, not even Luke. 

You were fine with darkness in familiar places like your cabin, where you knew at least there were other campers around and you were safe. You were also mostly fine with darkness where you could see as your eyes adjusted to it. But here, you were in a tunnel you’ve never been in, where there were possibly monsters that could attack you at any moment. 

You were slightly startled by the hand that softly touched yours that, unbeknownst to you, was crushing the wooden oar. You immediately recognize it was Luke’s hand from the warmth and familiar touch. He soothingly ran his thumb across your hand. His actions were proven effective at calming you down when you could feel your grip loosen around the tool.

“Breathe, sweet girl,” his words somehow made you release the breath you were subconsciously holding.

A few seconds later, the lights were turned on. You were met with one of the most beautiful sights you’ve ever seen. Lights were decorating the path throughout the tunnel. There were also plants and trees with extended branches and leaves that softly brushed past the boat Luke and you were on. 

Suddenly, you both heard a tune start playing quietly in the background, almost quiet enough to make you two think you were imagining it:

“There you see her, sitting there across the way.

She don’t got a lot to say, but there’s something about her”

His thumb hasn’t stopped rubbing over your knuckles even though the darkness was no longer casting over the both of you. His eyes were absorbing how you looked at that moment, embracing it. You were absolutely stunning and he was hopelessly infatuated with you. 

“And you don’t know why, but you’re dying to try

You wanna kiss the girl.”

The lyrics made Luke subconsciously lick his lips as he pictured himself kissing you. Gods, he wondered if his heart would even survive doing so and whether anything would ever surpass getting to kiss you. Your eyes flickered to Luke's lips, and he noticed it. He also noticed how your cheeks flushed as you gulped at his actions.

“Luke.”

“Y/N,” you almost melted at the way Luke was saying your name as if it was an honor or privilege to do so. The tone he used was sweeter than any dessert you have ever had. Gods, it was as if your name was a sacred passage he lived by.

“Yes, you want her

Look at her, you know you do”

Indeed he was looking at you, and it felt almost like he was spellbound because he could not take his eyes off you. Right then, you could see it all - he was utterly smitten. He was giving you a soft smile. The lights decorating the tunnel shimmered in his eyes, illuminating just enough to display his pupils and how they almost completely overtook the usual dark brown color that you love. Before you knew it, he was leaning closer to you on the small boat and you mirrored his action.

“Possible she wants you too, there is one way to ask her…”

Just when Luke was inches from your face, he stopped. His eyes longingly stare at your lips like a long-awaited dream that was within his grasp but not quite within his grip yet. You noticed how he took a deep breath as if mustering all the drops of courage he had. His eyes fluttered shut for a second before he opened them again. 

“Can I?” he uttered only two words, but somehow, his voice conveyed enough the yearning coursing through every inch of his body. Luke gulped as he restrained himself from closing the distance and waited for your consent. 

You nodded wordlessly.

“It don’t take a word, not a single word

Go on and kiss the girl.”

Almost instantly, he caressed both sides of your face and sealed the deal.

All the glory Luke has gained throughout the years seemed trivial compared to kissing you. It almost convinced him that everything he had gone through to get here today was worth it. He hummed against your lips as you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. Kissing you felt like the best gift he had ever gotten in his entire life. Luke knew he was forever screwed from the way it felt. He could not fathom the idea of his lips ever touching anyone else’s. Maybe they were made for you, but his heart and mind do not seem to oppose that idea.

You slowly slid your arms down, allowing your hands to caress his jawline and the sides of his face. However, your hands slightly jolted at the pace of his heartbeat along the side of his neck. It was as if his heart was trying to break out of his body. Your own heart started replicating the same rhythm. It had you flustered that you had such an effect on him. 

Luke broke away from the kiss breathlessly. For a second, he hated the idea of needing air to live because if he could, he would not have stopped showing you how much his lips belonged to you. His forehead leaned against yours while his hands rested on your hips. He looked at you endearingly as if he could not fathom that he just got to kiss you. You smiled at the sight of him.

“I know I’m a tad bit late, but will you be my Valentine?” he sweetly asked. 

“Of course, Luke.” Luke grinned at your answer. He drew you in for another kiss as giggles escaped your lips and echoed through the tunnel that now marked an important memory for the two of you.

You truly must be Cupid because your plan not only worked for Percy and Annabeth, but somehow also indirectly gave Luke and you the nudge you both needed.

14th February marked the day when two Cupids wearing Converses got their happy ending. 

Bonus:

“I told you that would work,” Annabeth whispered to Percy as the two hopped back onto their boat with a speaker in hand, rowing away hastily to be out of sight from the older couple.

Little did you know, Annabeth had orchestrated the whole thing, including the conversation between her and Percy about their mission in front of Luke and you. Annabeth’s plan of getting Luke and you together through playing cupid together had seemingly worked just like she had planned.

Who said you were the only cupid at Camp Half-Blood?

----------------------

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This is your daily reminder that Luka Couffaine deserves the world

Does anybody know where I can find a 6'1 ft tall, brown haired, smart, respectable, witty, sarcastic, romance book reader, cat lover boy who is very good in making deductions?

I believe in Dark World Loki

supremacy

Gwen Stacy: "It's easy to feel hopeful on a beautiful day like today, but there will be dark days ahead of us too. There will be days where you feel all alone, and that's when hope is needed most. No matter how buried it gets, or how lost you feel, you must promise me that you will hold on to hope. Keep it alive. We have to be greater than what we suffer. My wish for you is to become hope; people need that. And even if we fail, what better way is there to live? As we look around here today, at all of the people who helped make us who we are, I know it feels like we're saying goodbye, but we will carry a piece of each other into everything that we do next, to remind us of who we are, and of who we're meant to be."

Loki: I know what you’re going to say. Hela is our sister and we should be trying to get along with her.

Thor: No, she’s crazy, she needs to go down.

Things only maladaptive daydreamers know

Spending literal days in certain situations in your own reality. Nights even.

Making faces and moving lips when imagining stuff, then realising and hoping no one saw it

Having heated arguments by yourself in your room.

Spicing up everything you do with your imagination. Learning? Your suddenly a professor and have to explain that stuff to your students. Cleaning? Your comfort character is watching you while you hum songs while doing it.

h o r n y

Either not being able to watch the show/movie your reality is based of without stopping every five minutes and acting out a scene or obsessively watching this and nothing else.

Trauma

Creating whole musicals and music videos to your favourite songs in your mind

Watching something from the show/movie your reality is based on and thinking "this is so wrong. This happend differently. I live here, I should know"

Either sleeping in with your comfort character next to you every night or just imagining scenes.

Sudden conversations that make no sense to anyone but you

Weird or really violent imagination (torture, being captured and abused ect.)

Not often dreaming about your own reality even though you practically live there every day (or is it just me?)

Googling "imaginary friends at age [...] normal?" in your teenage years

Thinking they be gone soon but here you are, maladaptivly daydreaming your problems away.

Improving your character and your story so often that it's now so detailed you could write literally about ten to twelve books about it. Fuck.

serendipitous salvation | peter parker

Summary: After everything he’s been through, Peter finds himself coming back to the one constant in his life: you

Pairing: tasm!peter parker x fem!reader

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: mentions of violence, wounds, fighting, etc…

A/n: I don’t know where y’all have been hiding, but I’ve been an Andrew!Spidey whore for a decade now and I’m so happy to see him finally getting the love he deserves! Anyway, I hope this isn’t so bad and that you enjoy :)

It was an accident, a complete and utter accident. But it’s one that no matter how hard he tried to fight, he couldn’t stop it from happening.

Peter Parker never meant to fall in love with you. He never wanted to need another person again, never wanted to put his heart in a position where it could be shattered again.

And yet he did. Because as soon as Peter’s eyes met yours, he fell in love.

He likes to think it wasn’t an instant thing, because when he met you for the first time, you were in high school. He was with Gwen, and she was his everything. But looking back, he knows that’s not the truth. It fills him with guilt to think that even when she was alive, there was a part of him that was in love with you. And he didn’t even realize it.

It took him years to figure it out, even after Gwen was gone. He didn’t want to admit to himself that he had fallen in love with his best friend, especially knowing the danger that knowledge could put you in. Because in the end, it mattered less that you knew of Peter’s love for you, and more that his enemies didn’t.

Holding the heart of Spider Man was, and is a dangerous game to play, whether you knew you were his heart’s keeper or not. And Peter tried his damnedest to keep it from you, with every cell in his body.

Until he couldn’t anymore.

He thinks about that moment with both sorrow and joy, the moment he allowed himself to feel something, allowed himself to tell you how he felt. He didn’t go into it expecting anything from you, only hoping that maybe you felt the same, while in the back of his mind praying that you didn’t. Because that way, you couldn’t get hurt. And yet, you did. You felt the same.

When Gwen died, he was broken, a shell of his former self.

“It’s all my fault. I couldn’t save her.” He had said to you in tears. The night he lost her was the night he realized he couldn’t live without you. It was also the night he realized he needed to push you away, to save you from him…but he couldn’t.

The only person who could bring him out of his grief, was you. And Peter knew that. You let him cry, let him be angry, and allowed him the chance to process everything he was feeling. You gave him all of you, every ounce of life you had, to help him find himself again.

“Because if there’s a breath left in your body, then life is worth living.” You had told him. Peter takes that with him everywhere he goes. When things get tough, that’s what he remembers, repeating it like a mantra.

As the years past and you both got older, Peter’s crime fighting days felt behind him. He continued to wear the suit and do what he could to protect those in need, but it came to a point where he no longer felt he could do all the things he used to. The one thing that remained a constant though, was his nightly patrols.

Each night he’d sling through the city for a few hours, watching as the city slept. And every night when he felt it safe, he’d slip through the window of your apartment unit, landing gracefully in your bedroom.

You’d gotten used to it by now, staying up into the early hours of the morning, the sky still dark and motionless. You’d wait for him each night like clockwork, as if it were a routine you had held for a lifetime. And it felt like it was.

So when you hear the click and slide of your bedroom window, you’re less than surprised. It’s a sound you’ve come to welcome, an indication that Peter has made it home safely.

“Long night?” You question with a tilt of your head.

Peter pulls his mask off, a smile adorning his face as soon as he sees yours. He flashes you his teeth awkwardly, his smile slanted.

You recognize the look of pain immediately, a grimace overtaking his features. Waving your hand, you motion for him to sit on your bed as you pull your first aid kit out of the bedside dresser. He complies rather easily, pulling down his suit to reveal a rather large gash on his chest.

Your eyes widen at the sight. It’s not something you’ve seen in a while, since Peter decided to limit his duties to midnight patrols. But you’re still used to it, from all those nights in your teens and early twenties when he was off fighting the worst of the worst. You were always the one to patch him up. Before Gwen, and after.

You lean down slowly, examining the wound carefully. “What was it this time?”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” He starts. But when you give him a disapproving look, he sighs, “Just some guy with a knife.”

“Looks to be more than just some guy with a knife.”

Your words aren’t callous or laced with anger. You’re simply stating a fact. And while woven in your tone is a heck of a lot of concern, Peter can find no judgment. It doesn’t surprise him, you’ve never been one to make him feel judged, but it does make his heart race just a little faster.

“Maybe.” He says, as you begin treating his wound, hissing lightly at the burning sensation the alcohol is causing.

“It’s going to hurt.”

“Mhm.” He nods. “Like hell I imagine.”

You let out a light chuckle at his response. You don’t blame him for trying to find the humour in the situation, you’re sure if you were in his position, you’d do the same.

When you’ve finished, Peter’s breath is short and ragged. He watches wordlessly as you dress his chest with gauze, observing just how delicate you’re being with him.

It’s always been like that though, you taking care of him. You saving him from himself.

“You’re really beautiful you know that?” He breaks the silence.

Your eyes meet his briefly, your bodies facing one another. You quickly realize just how intimate this seems and it makes you collapse in on yourself. You cannot allow yourself to feel this kind of hope. Maybe he feels the same.

“How am I supposed to respond to that?”

This time your tone is far off, almost like you’re trying to detach yourself from reality. And Peter begins to wonder how and why his question could catch you so off guard. You had to know how beautiful you are…

“You don’t have to.” He states, bringing one hand to rest on your cheek. He gently turns your face towards his, allowing his eyes to reach into your soul. As you gaze into them, you find yourself getting lost. They’re like pools of embers, like a warm fire, like home.

“I love you.” He says like it’s not the most important thing he’s ever said to you.

“You can’t-” You pull away from him, letting his hand drop. “Peter, you can’t say things like that.”

“Why not?” He asks so softly, it almost breaks your heart.

Your eyes search his for an answer, desperately trying to figure out what to say next without breaking down. “Peter-“ You can only manage to whisper his name. And it’s never sounded so wrong coming out of your mouth before.

He looks at you again, seeing the tears that are threatening to fall, and he can feel his heart shattering all over again. He’s lost Gwen, and now he’s losing you.

“I’ve been in love with you for so long.” You finally say, your voice hoarse. “I can’t let myself believe you feel the same, because if you don’t…”

Your words trail off as Peter’s hands reach up to cup your face. He hums lightly, a soft smile growing on his face. “There is no universe that exists where I’m not so in love with you, that’d I do anything to make you mine.”

A joyful laugh bubbles from your throat. “I’m already yours.” Your thumb grazes his cheek with a tenderness you’ve never expressed before. “I always have been.”

“Can I kiss you now (Y/n) (L/n)?” He asks, his heart beating in time with yours.

You smile, leaning forward and placing your lips on his. “Now, and whenever you like Peter Parker.” You place your lips on his again, a feeling you’ll never get used to.

Your kiss is one that takes his breath away, one that makes him feel deliriously at peace. And as he kisses you, he remembers your words that became his mantra: you are Peter Parker’s breath, you make his life worth living.

vilf (villain I'd like to fuck)

Title : I’ll Always Want You

Pairing : Loki x Reader

Summary : Sigyn returned many many years later after Loki and her broke up. She is unconscious and Loki wants to put an end to this chapter with her and share how much he loves Y/N with her. What Loki didn’t realize was how long he had been spending at Sigyn’s bedside and how much he was hurting Y/N, his fiancé until she takes a life threatening mission.

————

It's been months since Sigyn came back. She remained unconscious but Y/N's fiancé, Loki, would constantly come home in all hours of the night. She rarely saw Loki anymore let alone felt his arms around her in something as simple as a hug. Sigyn was Loki's first love and his first fiancé. But when she left him, Loki was devastated, Y/N was the one who brought him out of the darkness. So she decided to start bringing her brother, Heimdall, his meals every night so that way she wouldn't be alone. She had held off on taking missions for a while just to be present for Loki but that all changed recently. She decided to take a risk.

"You are going on this mission alone little sister?" Heimdall asked as she had brought food to him every evening during his watch. "I know it's hard between you and the prince but..."

"I need a break alright? He's either with her unconscious form or fighting with me. At this point, I would be fine if I never came back..." Before he could respond to his little sister she teleported away to Loki and her's chambers.

"And where exactly have you been?" Loki snarled. She jumped, she had grown used to having the place all to herself and Loki had grown used to her always being home when he arrived. When she made eye contact with Loki, he looked angry and hurt. She scoffed and went to their room to pack her things. Loki went wide eyed at the cold response. Y/N had always been kind and caring towards him, not once has she ever been cold to him, even when they were fighting. His eyes practically jumped out of his skull when she replied to him coldly.

"You don't see the irony in your statement, 'my dear fiancé'?" The sarcastic tone on the last part stung him. She was his dear fiancé. He loved her with everything he had. He had just been waiting to close on that miserable chapter that is Sigyn for years. How could she not be understanding of that? How could she keep fighting with him on this? And now she was leaving on a hugely dangerous mission alone? Where she could die? Over his dead body! He followed Y/N as their fight continued.

"What irony is there?! You know where I am at all times!" Loki shouted. "Unlike you, I never know where you go!"

"And whose fault is that?! And you're right, I do know where you are, with your unconscious ex-fiancé!" She was surprised that she had tears left at all. "So what do you care where I have been?! You haven't cared in months!" She threw her stuff haphazardly into a bag. Refusing to look at him because in her mind, he no longer deserved to see her cry. She no longer trusted him with her vulnerability.

"You know I'm waiting on closure! You accepted it at the beginning!"

"YEAH 6 FUCKING MONTHS AGO!" She roared. She closed her bag and flung it over her shoulder. He was frozen in their bedroom's door frame. Had it really been that long? Had he been really so blind? She laughed coldly when she saw his face. "What? Didn't realize how long it had been since you have really been home and spent time with me? Time must really fly with your oh so precious Sigyn!" Loki's face paled. He then quickly hardened his face and stalked over to her. She stood her ground.

"SHE IS NOT MINE!" Loki roared. "YOU ARE MINE AND I REFUSE TO LET YOU GO ON THIS MISSION!"

"AM I YOUR'S LOKI?! HOW AM I YOUR'S?! AM I YOUR TOY?! YOUR POSSESSION?! OR YOUR FUTURE WIFE?!" Loki just stared in her cold, angry eyes for a long time. He studied her face and he grew to hate himself more and more as he stared at her. She then teleported away to the barracks to get her weapons and to not hear what she deemed already to be a lie, leaving a completely stunned and heart broken Loki who was also enraged. Enraged that Y/N was willing to risk her life rather than spend a moment with him to talk it out. Enraged with himself for doing this to the only woman who stuck by him through it all and she was supportive of Loki with getting closure. But he didn't have to wait in Sigyn's room. He could have been home, enjoying the life he now had with Y/N. He teleported to the bifrost but Heimdall said he was too late. She had already left and he explained the events he had missed over the past 6 months.

——

A couple days when by and Loki had not been to see Sigyn once. In fact, he never left their bedroom. Clinging to her pillow that still smelled like her. He messed up. When he first lifted the pillow he saw one of his favorite shirts and his heart shattered. The shirt was stained with tears. Her tears. How long had she been crying and Loki wasn’t here to comfort her? Loki now was wearing the shirt and crying himself to sleep, clinging to her pillow. He prayed to the Norns that she would return to him safely.

——

"Damn it..." Y/N muttered as she stumbled into their chambers. She clung to her side that still has a giant tooth sticking out of it. She was bloody and scratched up but refused to go to the healers ward. The mission itself was successful, if not for the difficulties. "FUCK!" She shouted as she fell face first to the floor, knocking over a stand by the couch as she did so. She groaned in pain as she rolled over onto her back. Her blood staining her clothes and now for sure the carpet.

"Darling?!" Loki rushed out of the bedroom to see her on the ground, blood all over her. She looked at him wide eyed, she didn't expect him to be home. "No... no no no NO! Where are you hurt?! I’ll help you." Loki shouted quickly running to her as he grabbed her first aid kit. He saw the huge tooth in her side as he lifted her onto his lap.

"I'm fine... just let me..." She started as she reached for her kit and Loki moved it just out of her reach as he interrupted her.

"Absolutely not! I know you are a grand warrior who has stitched herself up thousands of times, but you need help this time!" Loki looked at her with tear filled eyes. Pleading with her to let him help her. "Please... I can't let you die..."

"Ok..." She let Loki take the tooth out and stitch her up. She didn't say a word. She was sitting up and leaning against the couch. Loki was beginning to clean her wounds as she stared blankly at the wall ahead of her. "Why are you thinner? Didn't you eat the food I left you?"

"I... I haven't left our bedroom..." Loki said as he looked up at her. She was so hurt by him and she still made sure he would have been taken care of.

"Except to see Sigyn right?" Her voice cracked as she asked. More tears escaped her eyes and Loki couldn't help but gently pull her to his lap. If she weren't so tired and sore, she would have fought back but she also missed him. Even if he was most likely about to break her heart more. "Loki I..."

"I never left the bedroom... not once... I didn't want to see anyone..." he held her protectively and she went wide eyed. She wasn't expecting that answer. "Darling... I'm so so so sorry... I... I have neglected you for so long and just expected you to be there to support me. I have hurt you in a way that I promised myself I wouldn't. And I..."

"What happens when she wakes up Loki?" Loki was stunned when she held up the surprisingly clean engagement ring. She had slipped it off, which she only did to do dishes, mop, or clean the ring itself. Loki could tell by its state that she cleaned it before she returned home and must have every night she was gone. "Are you going to want this back? Might as well just tell me now." Her voice was broken.

"How could I have let this go so far?" Loki waived his hand then scooped her up bridal style. He took her to their bathroom and helped her stand. With one arm around her waist, pulling her close, Loki slipped the ring back on her finger. "There is no one else in the nine realms that I want more than you. I promise that I will never want this ring back. I was being selfish all these months and I promise to make it up to you for the rest of my life." Her tears fell freely and as she cried Loki helped her gently undress and into the hot bath he used his magic to draw. She winced though the temperature was perfect, it was all her cuts that stung. Her eyes were still spilling tears as Loki gently took care of her wounds and the blood caked in her hair. She melted into his touch, wishing that he truly would choose her over Sigyn, the girl that left him.

"L-Loki?" He smiled sadly at her. Even though she was calling for him in such a broken state, hearing her call his name sounded so sweet. He grabbed a towel and helped her out of the tub, carrying her bridal style to their bedroom. When he went to stand, she grabbed his hand and he bent back down to kiss her forehead.

"I'm just grabbing your night wear and your hair brush my love. I'm not going anywhere." She nodded and reluctantly let go of his hand. Even if his time with her was temporary, she wanted to cling to him while she had him. She didn't realize that Loki was being true. He had no feelings for Sigyn, he had feelings on how it was left. He didn't get closure because she ran away without so much as a word to him. Sure she left a note, telling him she no longer wanted to be with him but he needed to really close it on his end. He needed to tell her about the most amazing woman in the world and how Sigyn leaving brought her to him. But with that in his mind, he souly focused on that and in turn he had practically abandoned the love of his life. Leaving her in a touch starved state where she doubted her self worth and his love for her.

"Here Darling." Loki helped her get dressed, Y/N could do that much but the sentiment behind Loki's actions brought tears to her eyes again. Once dressed, Loki sat behind her and began to brush her hair. Gods she missed him so much and the weight of all the pain she was feeling was finally being lifted from her shoulders in tiny sobs that escaped her lips. She hated herself for crying so much, she tried so hard to not cry in front of him. "Oh Love..." Loki pulled her close to him after using his magic to change his blood stained shirt.

"I missed you..." She sniffled out. She buried her face into his chest and Loki felt his heart ache. He didn't realize how starved from her he truly was.

"I missed you too my love..." Loki began to cry himself. How could he be so stupid? Why did Sigyn matter at all? Why did he do this? He pulled her closer and feathered kisses all over the top of her head. She giggled a little and Loki's heart fluttered. "Oh it's been way too long since I have heard that sound." Loki gently placed her on her back and hovered over her. Feathering more kisses all over her face as she blushed brightly.

"H-Hey..." Loki stopped looking at her puzzled. "You keep missing..." She suddenly felt very shy like when they were first dating. Loki smirked knowing exactly what she wanted. He captured her lips slowly, savoring her taste. Y/N cried yet again as she wrapped her arms around Loki to pull him closer. It grew needier and their hands began to roam up each other. The kiss broke when Y/N winced. She pouted when Loki chuckled and left a lingering kiss on her forehead.

"When you are better Darling I promise to take excellent care of you."

——

A couple weeks went by and Loki never left Y/N's side. Anywhere she went, he went. He saw what she had been up to for 6 months and he was shocked. She had kept up with Frigga's garden after she died last year and he absolutely had no idea that it was her. He thought maybe Frigga's servants were doing it but no, it was his fiancé. They then went to help train the royal guard. Of course Loki didn't allow her to do so but he followed her instructions to the letter. Then she told him she would take tiny missions but she went silent when he asked why the tiny ones. He felt it best to just drop it since he figured it was because she wanted to be back the same day in hopes to see him. And finally he went to take Heimdall's meal to him and gaze out at the universe.

"How long... does she stay out here?" Loki reluctantly asked Heimdall. He chuckled and sighed at the prince's question.

"She usually stays to talk to Mother and the Queen, asking for guidance on what to do and to avoid going home alone." Loki just stared at Y/N who clearly was enjoying the view. "I hope the troubles are over."

"They are. I promise." Heimdall was about to say something when a healer ran into the bifrost.

"My prince... she is awake and asking for you." Loki's eyes widen and Y/N's figure stiffens. She looks down at her ring and plays with it with her thumb.

"Darling I..."

"It's ok..." Y/N turns to him with a sad smile and tears brimming her eyes. "Go." Her tone was kind and heart breaking all at once. Loki rushed to Y/N and captured her lips with his.

"I promise you on my own life, I'm not leaving you. I won't leave you... In fact..." Loki pulled her close to him and teleported to Sigyn's room. Sigyn doesn't jump like Y/N does when Loki teleports in surprise. Immediately comparing herself, she bows her head down.

"It appears I am too late." Sigyn simply states. Loki turns around to face his ex.

"You came back because you were lonely. Your lover died so you quickly abandon your new home to come crawling back. You didn't think I would find someone else." Loki takes Y/N's hand and her eyes wide in shock. "This is the real love of my life. She has never once left my side and I have done more heinous things than when I was with you. She stood by me and catered to me. She isn't afraid to call me out on my crap. Y/N isn't just along for the ride to fill some void. She truly loves me and I truly love. So I demand that you leave us be."

"How can I argue with that when you haven't looked at me once since your arrival here." Y/N looks up at Sigyn in shock at her words then turns her attention to Loki, whose eyes were watching Y/N intently. Y/N opened her mouth to say something but Loki smiled at her silencing her immediately. He really was choosing her and not Sigyn. Tears fell from her eyes as she sniffled.

"Damn it... I keep crying..." Loki chuckled, kissing his fiancé's head.

"I told you that there truly is no one else? Do you believe me now?" She nodded as she sniffles.

"Not that I don't find this moment touching and not that I don't find it interesting to see a decorated warrior cry so much, but if you two could do this somewhere else?" Sigyn stated. Loki didn't respond to Sigyn, he just teleported the two of them to their chambers. Loki refused to let go of Y/N.

"Mine." Y/N giggled at Loki and nodded her head.

"Yes, yours." Y/N smiled up at him. "As long as you want me."

"I'll always want you."