Scarred

Scarred

[Arcane] Jinx x Fem! Reader

Word count: 1.9k

Content Warnings: Cursing, mentions of guns/gunfire, blood, fatal wounds, brief mentions of past trauma, death

[A/N]: This was heavily inspired by another post I read somewhere, but I’m not sure which site it was on. If I find it again, I’ll definitely leave a link! I did add my own twist, so it’s not the same thing, but the general idea is shared.

Enjoy!

“Piss off, you douchebags! I don’t have time to deal with you!” None of this was supposed to happen. [Y/N] wasn’t even supposed to be on this mission with Jinx, but she was, and now they were separated. No matter where she looked, Jinx just couldn’t seem to find her anywhere. She had to be around here somewhere, right? There’s no way she got that far from her. Each time she turned a corner, there were more thugs waiting to pick a fight, never once answering her when she asked where the [h/c] girl was. It was causing her anxiety to spike more and more. If she didn’t find her soon, she’d end up killing everyone in sight, which ran the risk of killing her beloved as well. Just as she finished taking down a small group of men with her shock pistol, a scream rang out–one that she recognized instantly.

“[Y/N]? [Y/N], where are you?!” She looked around, only having the sound reverberate long enough to get the general direction. “[Y/N]!” She took a few steps towards the cross-section of two buildings. Was it from the left or right? Thankfully, another scream sounded out from her left, seemingly from the fifth or sixth floor of the building closest to her. “Jinx, help! Please!” Her heart raced in her chest as she bolted as fast as she could up the stairs and into the room she could hear movement in. A group of around fifteen thugs surrounded someone on the floor, and as she realized who was on the ground, Jinx’s heart dropped. She froze momentarily. She wanted to doubt herself, hoping that it was someone else in front of the crowd. But a small glimpse of [h/c] locks and fearful [e/c] eyes confirmed her worst nightmare. “[Y/N]! GET AWAY FROM HER!” She pushed her shock pistol back into its holster before pulling her minigun out from behind her.

She made sure to aim higher than where [Y/N] was resting before firing, not wanting to accidentally hit the girl. Bullets rang out at a rapid speed, each one causing a member of the thugs to drop like flies. She cried out angrily until realizing everyone standing was dead. Taking a shaky breath to ground herself into reality, she lowered the barrel of her gun and panted heavily. Slowly, her gaze dropped down to find [Y/N]. Once again, her racing heart skipped a beat upon seeing her state. She ran over after tossing her gun to the side. Without taking her wounds into account, Jinx cradled [Y/N]’s head against her chest and let out a sigh. “I-I’m so glad you’re alive, toots. I-I thought–I thought…” She finally looked down.

Her pained smile faltered and quickly fell. The love of her life, still cradled in her arms, was in so much pain. A deep cut had been made from the top of her left collarbone all the way down to her right breast. Multiple stab wounds scattered themselves around the girl’s abdomen, each one seemingly worse than the last. Because of all of the wounds on her torso, [Y/N] had blood dripping down from her nose and lips to her chin, where it dripped off even more into a small stain on both the floor and Jinx’s shirt. Still, even in her state of distressing pain, [Y/N] was smiling. She lifted her hand shakily and brought it up to Jinx’s face to cup it. “Y-You’re…here.” Jinx quickly grasped the girl’s hand in her own as she softly shushed her.

“Hey, d-don’t talk right now, okay? Y-You need to save your strength. I can’t lose you.” [Y/N] chuckled, which quickly shifted into fits of coughing up blood. Jinx could only watch in horror. Finally, when she calmed down, the wounded girl leaned back into Jinx’s chest and smiled. “I’m not…going to make it, Jinx.” Both of them felt then, at those words, just how cold the room had become, and–more importantly–how warm the other girl was. God, how badly Jinx wanted to preserve that feeling. She never wanted to wake up without feeling that warmth next to her–cradled into her chest the way she was now.

And what a horrid way to go. So many wounds, all of which were likely fatal. Sure, Jinx had known pain in her life, but nothing like what [Y/N] was going through. If only she could take away that pain. She had always sworn she would do whatever she could in her power to ensure [Y/N] was happy and healthy. She certainly didn’t want things to end up this way. But here she was, supporting the girl’s weight against her own as she bled out, the light slowly beginning to dim in her eyes. That beautiful light that she had always adored. It always seemed to shine brightest when she looked at Jinx, or even when her name was just mentioned. Jinx chuckled dejectedly. [Y/N] had always seen her in such a positive light. She could never understand how, but she sort of understood because she felt the same way.

Jinx gently laid [Y/N] back down onto the ground, earning a hiss of pain. “I know, toots, I know. But I need to start treating these wounds before it’s too late.” “Jinx, it’s already–” “Don’t say it’s too late. I-I can fix this! You just need to trust me, okay? I promise I’ll fix this.” Ignoring the desperate tugs on her shirt (and the voices telling her she messed everything up), Jinx ripped the bottom part of the leg of her pants off to form a makeshift bandage. She tied it around the girl’s waist, cursing under her breath when she realized the cloth wasn’t long enough. She thought about using her belt for a moment to cut off the bleeding, but then remembered that it’s not safe to use a tourniquet of any kind on the torso. “Damn it!” She rolled the cloth into a tight ball before placing it over one of the deeper wounds on [Y/N]’s stomach and applying as much pressure as possible in an attempt to stop some of the bleeding.

[Y/N] groaned out in pain again, drawing another apology from Jinx’s lips. She stayed there for a moment. As she held the cloth in place, she thought about other ways she could treat her wounds. And, as much as she tried to dismiss the thought, she did–for a moment–consider experimenting with Shimmer. She was terrified at the thought of how badly [Y/N]’s body might react to it, but even more so at the thought of losing her completely. Silco would have to understand. Anything to keep her alive.

Drawn out of her thoughts by another round of coughing, Jinx finally glared back over at [Y/N], who looked even more disheveled than before. Her face was devoid of any color. Skin clammy and cold, shivers coursing through her body. Panicked, Jinx dropped the cloth and moved back over to hold the girl’s head against her chest again. “Shh, hey, hey…listen, toots. Can you–can you hear me?” The smallest nod of her head gave Jinx a slight sense of hope. “You can’t die on me. You just can’t, okay? You gotta keep living for me. I-I can’t lose you. You’re too damn important to me. We gotta keep going so we can get married and rule the undercity together, remember? Y-You know I can’t keep living without you. Just…just keep your eyes open until we can get help, alright? That’s all you gotta do. Keep breathing, and don’t go to sleep.”

A sad chuckle passed weakly through [Y/N]’s lips. “Can I…be honest with you, Jinx?” Jinx forced a smile as convincingly as she could. “Of course, sweets. You know I always want you to be honest with me.” [Y/N] smiled, but Jinx quickly frowned again as tears poured down the [h/c] girl’s cheeks like rivers. “I’m…I’m scared, Jinx. I’m so scared. I don’t–” She coughed again–harder this time. “I don’t want to die. Not…not like this.” With each passing word, Jinx’s heart was shattering into more and more pieces. “No, toots, you’re not going to die. I promise.” Again, [Y/N] shook her head. “Yes, I am.” “No, you–you can’t. I won’t let you.” “Jinx, I’m…I’m going to die.” She quieted her voice to speak with less strain. “We both know it.” Jinx shook her head harshly, pulling [Y/N]’s head further against her.

The girl, now barely hanging on by a thread, could hear her lover’s heartbeat racing faster than ever before. They stayed there as sobs racked through Jinx’s body. She trembled and jolted as she continuously begged and pleaded for [Y/N] not to leave her. Finally, [Y/N] gripped her shirt to gain her attention. Terrified that she’d see the light leaving her eyes, Jinx hesitated before looking down. [Y/N] still had that smile–the one she fell in love with all those years ago. “I don’t want to be alone, Jinx,” she whispered as her own tears began to flow. That fear–oh, that fear in her eyes–Jinx wanted to crush it. If she had to go, she didn’t want her to be afraid. But what could she say that would make this more comforting? She couldn’t say the pain would go away because it clearly wouldn’t. And she couldn’t promise an afterlife because no one knew for sure if that even existed.

She thought of all she could possibly say before finally whispering a soft, “You’re not alone, toots. I’m here, okay? I’m right here.” She leaned down and pressed her forehead against [Y/N]’s as gently as she could. “You’re not alone.” [Y/N]’s smile grew for a moment as they stayed there. When Jinx pulled back, however, that smile was gone, and her eyes were now closed. Jinx’s heart stopped this time. “[Y/N]...?” She shook her gently. “[Y/N], hey, no. [Y/N], please wake up. Please…? I-I can’t…please don’t leave me. Stay with me. I can’t lose you, dammit! Come back to me!” A few more violent shakes with no response finally grounded Jinx into reality. [Y/N] was really gone.

She clutched the girl’s head and shoulders and drove them even further against her–as close as she physically could–as she let out a scream of agony and sorrow. She heaved with every sob as she rocked back and forth. Her hands shook violently as she brought them down after several moments to cradle [Y/N]’s pale, lifeless face in them. This couldn’t be reality. She had already lost so much at such a young age–she didn’t deserve to experience this all over again! She was supposed to live out a happy life with [Y/N] and find ways to cope with her trauma in a healthy way. But now it was all in vain. Without [Y/N] by her side, she’d never be able to stay sane again–even with Silco there to support her. Could she have prevented this?

Of course she could’ve–she told herself. If she had found the girl sooner, she wouldn’t have been attacked. Or if she had just never let them get separated, she would’ve been able to keep a better eye on her. Or–better yet–if [Y/N] had just never come on this mission with her at all, there never would’ve been a risk.

But of course–she knew–there always would’ve been a risk. After all, [Y/N] was the lover of the most feared and hated girl in the undercity. This meant, in turn, she was also hated and feared. It was almost destiny.

A Place to Go

[The Owl House] Amity Blight x Female Reader

Word Count: 3.02k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Yelling, crying, general angst, Odalia being Odalia, and talk of an unsafe home environment.

[A/N]: Here's story 1/3 for Amity!

P.S. the reader / [Y/N] / you essentially replace Luz in the story. It doesn't change how anything plays out, I just figured I should mention it to explain the relationship.

Enjoy!

“Amity, I don’t care about whatever it is you think is more important than your schoolwork, but this is unacceptable! You’re hardly trying anymore, for Titan’s sake. Are you trying to make me look bad?” Odalia sneered down at her youngest daughter, waving Amity’s report card in front of her face to show her recent grades. “Mom, I still have almost all A’s! I don’t see why that’s such a bad thing to you,” she hollered in return, glancing to the side to find Edric and Emira peering in anxiously from the doorway. “Almost isn’t good enough, dear. You know that. You’re doing so much worse than you ever have. I feel like you’re doing this intentionally,” came her mother’s retort.

Amity sighed and ran her hands down her face, already beginning to feel the anger boiling and bubbling up to the surface. “Mom, I’m not intentionally doing anything. I’ve just been…distracted is all.” Odalia scoffed and rolled her eyes. Her free hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose. “So I’ve noticed.” Her mother then grumbled something underneath her breath, glancing back over the sheet of paper in her hand before handing it over to one of the Abominations that stood in place of a servant. “Ever since that human came to the Isles, it seems you’ve been distracted every day. Honestly, I don’t see what interests you so much about her. She’s beneath us, Amity. You know that.”

The twins winced at the statement, watching as their younger sister tensed up and visibly grew irritated. They glanced at each other, silently wondering how they could step in without escalating the situation even further. “How dare you talk about her that way?” Amity yelled in return, stepping forward. “You know nothing about her! She’s actually the one who’s been listening to me and making me genuinely happy!” Odalia’s eyebrow perked up as she thought for a moment. She hummed with a knowing smirk.

“Is that so? So she’s the one who has been distracting you from your responsibilities? I suppose your father and I will just have to do something about her in that case.”

Amity’s body froze, her blood running cold as she stammered. “Y-You wouldn’t. You can’t! She’s all I have!” “All you have? Amity, have you forgotten all I’ve done for you? I gave you a name, a title, a reason for others to fear you. I gave you power and status! You’d be nothing without me, and you know it. [Y/N] is nothing but a pest who needs to be squashed. If that’s what it takes for you to return to normal, then so be it.”

Trembling harshly, Amity stepped back and tangled her hands together in an attempt to steady them and ground herself. “But…I don’t want to be feared,” she whispered. “I-I don’t want to have power and status if it means I can only use it for something bad.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and sucked in a shuttered breath. “[Y/N] treats me with the respect you never have,” she started again after a moment of silence, finally looking back up to her mother to look her in the eye as she forced her confidence once more.

“[Y/N] is a better person than you’ll ever be.”

Odalia gasped at that, her features contorting as she grew infuriated with her youngest daughter’s attempt to fight back. “Amity, you have no right to speak to me that way. And how would you even know that? It’s not like she means anything to you.”

“She means everything to me! She’s my girlfriend!”

Her hands came up to clasp themselves over her mouth as she gasped. She didn’t want to tell her mother about her relationship with [Y/N]--she knew she’d be disowned for being involved with someone her mother saw as inferior. Had she ruined everything? What if she had to break up with her? She let her gaze drop down to the floor. If that’s what she had to do to make sure [Y/N] was safe, she would, but she knew how painful it would be. There had to be a way to avoid her getting hurt.

“Girlfriend? Oh, no, Amity. You’re mistaken. You can’t date someone so far beneath us. We’ll find you a new girlfriend–one who’s better suited to be with you.” Amity’s jaw clenched, her teeth grinding painfully against each other as her arms dropped back down to her side. “And how do you know who would be suited to be my girlfriend? You don’t know what I need.” Odalia faked a laugh. “Oh, but I do, dear. You need someone who will benefit your place in the world. Someone who will better our reputation.”

Finally, Amity lunged forward and snatched her report card from the servant, glancing over it before holding it back up to show her mother. “If your reputation is all you care about, and you don’t care about me being happy, then I don’t want any part of it.” In a swift movement, she tore the paper in two, then let it fall to the ground beneath her feet. Her eyes never left her mother’s, however, which narrowed. They stared at each other for a moment, the tension in the air growing thicker with each passing second.

At length, Odalia sighed and crossed her arms. “Very well. I can always find a better replacement. Feel free to stay here if you’d like, but don’t bother taking any pride in your little stunt. Either way, [Y/N] will be punished for ruining your future.” Amity growled in frustration. “She didn’t ruin my future, she is my future! All you do is cause problems! I hate that I have to live here with you! You’re the only reason I don’t enjoy having the name Blight,” she hollered as loudly as she could, then spinning around on her heel to turn and storm off.

After she made it to the front parlor, she heard her mother start to bicker again. She picked up her pace quickly before sprinting out the door. She had no plan on where to go–she had never tried to run away before. She knew it was only a matter of time before someone found her and forced her to go back to living at the Blight Manor–she knew that–but she just wanted to get away for enough time to clear her head.

Tears blurred her vision, making it almost impossible to see where she was going as they spilled from her eyes in thick masses. She wiped furiously at her eyes, sniffling and hiccuping. The late hour certainly wasn’t helping: the sun hadn’t quite set all the way yet, but with every passing minute, the world around her grew darker.

In an attempt to calm herself down, she thought of where she could go. Her first thought was her hideout at the library, though that idea was quickly shut down. She knew that was one of the first places her family would look.

There had to be somewhere else she could go.

There was no way she was going to run to Boscha’s house, or any of her old friends for that matter. None of them would comfort her the way she needed. Her family would also look there anyway, so there was no point. In the midst of her thinking and weeping, she had sent a text through her scroll at some point, though she couldn’t quite make out whatever it was she had typed.

After several minutes of running in a random direction, Amity came to a halt, huffing and panting heavily as she hunched over to rest her hands on her knees. Her eyes closed, already growing weary from the tears that had barely dried while streaking against her face. Where could she go?

Where would her mother not look for a while?

Where could she go to feel understood and safe?

Her eyes shot open after a moment, her mind screaming at her feet to start moving again. She managed to pace herself in a light jog, eventually realizing it wouldn’t get her where she needed to be for a long while. She brought her hands up to cup the sides of her mouth as she hollered out. “Ghost! I need a ride,” she called out. Her palisman took a moment, but finally made it. Amity summoned her staff and quickly hopped on, flying off as quickly as possible.

She didn’t know how she hadn’t thought of it immediately: The Owl House was definitely a place she could go to whenever she needed, and unless her siblings ratted her out for it, Odalia would never think to even check that place for a while. She’d have at least a few days to recollect herself.

Another round of sniffles sounded from her as she mumbled where she wanted to go to Ghost, who flew even faster in that direction. It had only taken a few minutes for them to make it, though it felt like hours had passed to Amity. She hopped off of her staff and managed to run to the door, ignoring Hooty’s greetings and heading inside. Eda and King both asked what was going on, though all Amity could hear was ringing. Her body felt like it was going to collapse at any moment, and all she wanted to do was hold [Y/N] before that happened.

Racing up the stairs, Amity stumbled hurriedly to [Y/N]’s bedroom door, shoving it open and struggling to catch her balance as her eyes searched the room frantically. She sighed once her gaze met [Y/N]’s. A choked sob quickly forced its way through her lips as she walked forward and fell into the girl’s embrace. There were so many things on her mind that she wanted to talk about, but none of them came out coherently.

[Y/N] gently shushed her and told her to take her time. “Just breathe for me right now, okay?” Amity nodded and sniffled, squeezing [Y/N] in return as she struggled to steady her breath again. The feeling of her girlfriend’s arms around her torso was the only thing keeping her grounded to reality. That, and the sound of [Y/N] whispering soft words of reassurance beside her ear while she rocked her back and forth in a soothing manner.

Eventually, Amity managed to calm herself enough to start talking about what had happened. [Y/N] listened intently as she ranted, only speaking here and there to show that she was listening. After a good half hour of speaking, Amity crumbled into herself once the two of them sat on the bed. “I-I just don’t understand why her name is more important to her than her actual children. Why does she think her reputation matters more than me?”

[Y/N] could feel her heart shattering at her words. She pulled Amity into another hug. “I…I don’t know, Amity. I really don’t. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: every child deserves a parent who will love them and keep only their best interest in mind, but not every parent deserves a child, especially if they aren’t willing to put in the effort it takes to help them feel loved.” She leaned back to look Amity in the eye. Her hands came up to gently cup her face, and she could feel her heart throbbing again as the girl in front of her could only close her eyes and lean into the touch.

“You deserve so much more, Amity. You deserve everything you want. I hope one day your mom realizes that.” Amity hiccuped and began to cry again. Her head lowered, allowing her to bury her face in her hands. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry again.” Gently, [Y/N] lifted Amity’s head and moved her hands. She cupped her face once more before letting the pads of her thumbs stroke her face to wipe her tears away.

Another sniffle came from Amity before she opened her eyes. She glanced up at [Y/N] and smiled weakly. “No, it’s not you. I just…you have no idea how badly I’ve needed to hear someone who isn’t my family say that. Thank you.”

The two shared a smile. After a moment or two, [Y/N] leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Amity’s forehead before speaking. “You look exhausted. Why don’t we get some sleep? There’ll be plenty of time to figure things out in the morning, okay?” A small nod was her response. The two of them then shuffled around for a bit to get the room more comfortable. The lights were turned off, and multiple blankets and pillows were brought in to provide a larger sense of comfort.

They laid down on the floor, bundling up underneath the blankets and facing one another. [Y/N] grabbed ahold of Amity’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, whispering a few more words before letting her eyes flutter shut. Several moments passed, but Amity was struggling to fall asleep peacefully. Every time her eyes closed, she thought of what would possibly happen to [Y/N] if her mother ever got ahold of her.

After gathering a small amount of courage, she scooted forward towards [Y/N] and rested her head against the girl’s chest. [Y/N] tensed at the feeling, looking down at her. She never asked why she moved closer, almost instantly understanding what was happening. Amity finally managed to fall asleep after focusing on the sound of her girlfriend’s heart beating behind her ribs. She counted the beating until she crashed. Considering all that had happened that night, she managed to have a relatively decent dream, her mind finally processing that she was safe at the Owl House.

She wished she could call this place her home instead of Blight Manor.

Maybe she could talk to [Y/N] about it when they woke up. She knew her girlfriend would be on board with her living there for the time being, but she would also need to make sure that Eda and King would be okay with it as well.

She’d have to wait until she woke up the next morning.

“Alright, that’s all for today. Remember there’s an extra credit assignment that’ll be due next week if anyone chooses to do it.” After the teacher made final announcements for the day, the students in class began to pack their things back up. Amity smiled at the thought of going home. She gathered her belongings and waited patiently for the bell to go off. Her eyes shut as her palm supported the weight of her head, propping her arm up against the table as she remained in her seat.

“Hey, Amity! Think you could help us with the extra credit this weekend?” Skara suddenly quipped, making Amity jump and look over at her as she and Boscha made their way over. With a dismissive wave of her hand, she smiled. “Ah, no, sorry. I’m not gonna do it this time. I just want to stay home and relax for a while.” Boscha’s eyebrows raised before a look of confusion crossed her face. “You aren’t doing the extra credit?”

Amity’s eyes squinted a bit at her. “Why? Is that such a bad thing?” Her tone came across a little more aggressive than she intended, but she didn’t have a visible reaction to it. Boscha shrugged. “No, I just don’t remember the last time you skipped doing anything for extra credit. Can’t blame you though,” she waved her hand with an exasperated expression. “The assignments are always boring anyway.” Amity only hummed, not contributing to the conversation any further.

Finally, the bell screamed throughout each class, echoing down the hallways. Amity beamed brightly and stood up, ignoring the surprised and confused glances from the others as she rushed out the door.

She made her way out the main doors of Hexide, summoning Ghost at her side before flying off to the Owl House. She landed relatively swiftly before jogging inside, finding that [Y/N] had already made it home before her and set up her phone to binge watch the shows she had been begging Amity to try watching for weeks. Amity smiled wider and laughed, gently discarding her school supplies before joining her girlfriend on the sofa.

They bundled up together under the blankets that had been set out, snuggling against each other before [Y/N] started the show. Amity grinned as [Y/N] laughed at a joke here and there, sighing contentedly as she leaned further against her girlfriend. She didn’t entirely understand what was happening in the show–and she definitely didn’t get any of the references made–but she was enjoying it anyway.

Something about the way [Y/N] held her and talked so passionately about what was playing on her phone made Amity feel safe and wouldn’t let her stop smiling. She had never felt this happy at the Manor. And although she knew she wouldn’t be able to stay here forever, she was glad her mother agreed to let her live there until the Day of Unity, though she didn’t appreciate the way she had explained why she was allowing it.

She ignored that though, and instead found herself falling even more in love with [Y/N] than ever before. Being able to spend every day together meant they could do everything together: go on dates, walk around town, crack bad jokes about what had been happening at school. Eda treated her like her mother never did, always making sure she was taken care of and keeping her best interests in mind. And King, although it wasn’t much of a surprise, became like a younger sibling to Amity. Anytime she was feeling upset and [Y/N] wasn’t there to make her smile, King found a way to make her laugh.

She loved every part of it, and she loved [Y/N], the girl who saved her from her lowest point in life and welcomed her into her new home with loving arms.

Caught My Attention

[Mean Girls 2004] Janis Ian x Female Reader

Word Count: 3.41k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Hints of homophobia/slurs, language (?).

[A/N]: None.

Enjoy!

 “Janis, calm down, for god’s sake. You’re gonna pace a literal trench into the ground,” Damian voiced from the kitchen table, chuckling at seeing how uncharacteristically nervous his best friend was. The ravenette jutted her chin over to face him with a scowl at his comment, though concern still riddled her features, creasing her brows as she scoffed. “How am I supposed to calm down? You know damn well how long I’ve liked this girl, and you know I’ve wanted to ask her out for years now. If this doesn’t go right, and she doesn’t feel the same way, I-I don’t know what I’ll do.”

Cady, who had no idea who the two were talking about, watched the scene before her as she stood behind the island in the kitchen, her nails tapping anxiously at her plastic cup that she hadn’t taken a sip from since Janis left her seat. “Well,” the redhead started with a stutter, unsure of what to say. She hadn’t known Damian or Janis for very long, but even she was visibly surprised at how worried the goth seemed to be. “Maybe you should just focus on the positive?” Before Janis could bite back with a snarky retort, Damian chimed in again to agree. “Yeah, that’s what a lot of the group has to do for theater. It’s supposed to help with the nerves or something.”

An annoyed groan slipped through Janis’s lips as she ran her hands down her face. “Look, I know I shouldn’t be overthinking things, but it’s hard not to, okay? She just…she means so much to me. I don’t wanna make things awkward between us and lose her as a friend. I’ve known her longer than I’ve known you,” she said, lifting her hand to wave it in Damian’s direction, “and I just can’t lose all of that because of some stupid crush.”

At that statement, Cady left her spot behind the counter, setting her cup to the side to step closer to Janis and place a gentle hand to her shoulder. She had no idea how to comfort other people–she was still getting used to it–but she had seen girls in the hallway at school do similar things when talking, so she figured it was worth a shot. “Hey, look, I don’t know this girl, but if she caught your eye and makes you happy, then I don’t think that’s stupid. Do you really think that?” A moment passed with Janis glancing between the girl beside her and the hand still on her shoulder.

She let out a small sigh after a while, a defeated look forming on her face. “No, I guess not, but still. What if–” “Don’t focus on what ifs, okay? That’s what’s making you so nervous right now.” Again, Janis seemed at war with herself, though more confused about Cady’s sudden comfort. She chuckled quietly and nudged the redhead’s hand from her shoulder. “Since when did you know how to comfort people like that?” Cady laughed at herself with a shrug. “Honestly? Most of it is from what I’ve seen from those weird teen romance movies people told me to watch.”

The two of them shared a smile before Janis turned away, thinking silently to herself. Before Damian or Cady could ask if she was alright, she turned back to them, a genuine grin finally painting her lips. “Okay, okay, I’ll try to stay positive. But I’ve never confessed to anyone before, so–as much as I hate to say it–I’m gonna need the two of you to help.”

Somewhere along the way, while multiple suggestions were being thrown out for Janis’s confession, someone in the trio mentioned asking her to the prom, which was right around the corner. Janis was hesitant, voicing her concern about people making fun of her and [Y/N] for being “gay in public” like they often did to her alone–thanks to Regina. It took a little convincing, but she ultimately agreed.

Although she agreed to go to the prom with [Y/N], if she accepted, she managed to persuade Damian and Cady into letting her confess and ask her privately to avoid everything being ruined by one of her bullies.

She hated cheesy romance, and she especially hated cliches, but she was willing to step outside of her comfort zone if it meant she could be with the girl she loved. Over the weekend, they threw together a messy plan. Damian brought [Y/N] to a seemingly random field after school one day, which made [Y/N] genuinely wonder if she had said her final goodbyes ahead of time. Janis, who had managed to get the day off from work after classes, was waiting there for her, which instantly eased her spiked nerves. She led her to a more remote location after Damian drove off. After a couple minutes of walking, Janis finally stepped to the side to reveal a small setup that was mainly put together by Cady.

Underneath a large oak tree rested a thin checkered blanket, topped with a basket packed full with pastries, drinks, and small sandwiches. To the side, a large sign was strung up between one of the branches of the tree and an adjacent metal rod that was once a tetherball pole. In large letters, decorated with doodles and drawings that were very clearly made by Janis, was the question she hadn’t even known she would ever ask.

Will you go to prom with me?

The two of them sat down after [Y/N]’s initial shock wore off. Janis began unpacking the woven basket to avoid eye contact as she asked what her answer was, hinting that she was wanting to take their relationship to the next level. [Y/N] chuckled at her, prompting her small amount of confidence to begin crumbling. “Janis, I’m gonna be honest, I already thought we were dating, so I thought going to the prom together was a given.”

Never in her life had Janis grinned so wide.

They spent the rest of the day together, ending it with Janis sketching [Y/N] still sitting beside her and talking about their plans for the dance before Damian finally pulled back up to drive the two of them home. [Y/N] was first to be dropped off, leaving Damian and Cady, who was invited in case the confession went either way, to bombard the goth with endless questions about how it went. Completely lovestruck and excited, Janis held no irritation or annoyance in her tone at the questions she would’ve usually greeted with venom.

Upon seeing his best friend so thrilled about the events that had happened only a couple of hours prior, Damian seemed far more excited about the two getting together than Janis did. He not-so-jokingly started planning what songs they should play at their wedding and what kind of suit Janis should wear. The ravenette brushed him off with a playful shake of her head and shove, though the smile never left her face. The rest of the ride to drop her and Cady off separately, all she could think about is what [Y/N] would look like in a wedding dress, walking down the aisle towards her--how she would look wearing a band she gave her. Then she got to thinking of prom.

What kind of dress would she wear then?

Shortly after the confession, Janis and [Y/N] started to hang out far more often than they already did. There was a small tension between them, both too awkward to know what to do, though it was far from unbearable. Whenever there would be a long, outstretched period of silence, they’d usually bring up random memories they had made together, unsure of what else to speak of.

Three days before prom, the two of them managed to find a random movie neither of them had seen before. They bundled up together in [Y/N]’s bed as they watched it, snacking on a large bowl of popcorn that was washed down with the soda they had bought when they met up. Halfway through the film, which struggled to keep their attention anyway, [Y/N] turned to her girlfriend and tapped her shoulder. Janis turned to her and hummed curiously.

“I’ve been thinking about what to wear for prom, but I really don’t know what I should. I mean, I’ve never gone to a school dance before, so…never had to shop for a dress for one, y’know?” The goth nodded at her. “Yeah, I know. I’ve never been to one either–not with someone else anyway. But I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing some fancy-ass dress. Skirt? Maybe, but only if it’s long enough to cover my legs all the way. Don’t wanna be mistaken for the Plastics after all. By the way, have you noticed that Karen’s skirts are getting, like, half an inch shorter every single week?”

[Y/N] chuckled at her comment, making her smile without realizing it. “Hey, don’t speak too soon. Next thing you know, she’s gonna be walking around in bikini underwear.” Janis shrugged with a laugh of her own. “I don’t know, she kinda already is. I wouldn’t put it past her.”

They snickered at the remark. When she quieted down again, [Y/N] shuffled over to let her head rest on top of Janis’s shoulder, making the girl tense lightly and blush at the sudden contact. “But anyway, I was thinking. Now that I know that neither of us has ever really done this before, maybe we could try to surprise each other? Make it that much more memorable.” The goth hummed, finally letting her own head drop down to rest on top of [Y/N]’s.

“Yeah, that’d be cool. Not entirely sure if I’d be able to find something that would make me look as good as you will.” Playfully, [Y/N] let her hand gently smack Janis’s abdomen. “Hey, don’t sell yourself short. You’re beautiful–always have been.” Janis turned away shyly at that, her free arm coming up far enough to let her scratch the back of her neck. “Oh, I don’t know about that.” They argued back and forth for a bit about who’s prettier, and eventually stopped when they yawned. “I'm pretty sure I’m gonna crash, but don’t think this is over,” Janis teased, scooting up further on the bed to allow herself to lay her head down properly on her pillow. “It is. I win. You’re prettier,” [Y/N] replied, mirroring her motions.

They murmured to each other as they slowly fell asleep, still telling the other that they were prettier.

Days passed, and it was finally the day of the prom. Janis had chosen a suit in shades of black and purple, tying her hair up in a more formal fashion. She had planned on heading home before the prom to have time to get changed and steel her nerves, though she and Damian ended up sitting on one of the stairwells towards the main rear entrance to the school. The cool tile beneath them made Janis shiver and move to tuck her skirt further underneath her legs.

The two of them seemed to talk mindlessly about anything and everything. Neither of them realized what time it was until Damian finally looked up at one of the clocks hanging up towards the ceiling. “Oh shit,” he mumbled, looking down at his watch to confirm. Janis checked the clock as well, cursing under her breath as she moved to stand. A hand gripped her wrist firmly and tugged her back down. She looked over at her friend in confusion. “What the hell, man? I’ve gotta get back to my house to get changed.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about that. I actually brought your suit here in my car because I knew we were gonna stay late.” Now completely puzzled, Janis tilted her head. “You knew? What the fuck is this?” Damian smirked. “Yeah, [Y/N] and I planned a surprise. I wanted you to see her ahead of time. Her dress?” He pinched his fingers together and pressed them to his lips, kissing the tips of them before pulling his hand away and spreading his fingers wide. “Incredible. You’re gonna love it.” “You mean you’ve already seen it?” “Yeah, but only by itself. I haven’t seen her wear it yet. I know you’re gonna be blown away though. It’s pretty simple, but it’s definitely your style.”

“And that’s how you know I’m gonna like it, huh?” Damian nodded and grinned pridefully, crossing his arms and glancing back up at the time. “Yep. And she should be here any minute now.”

As if on cue, [Y/N]’s form emerged from the nearest hallway. With how Janis was angled, she couldn’t see her yet, but Damian could. His smile widened at the sight of her. “Holy shit,” he mumbled. “Yeah, you’re definitely gonna love it.” He could already picture his best friend’s reaction before she had it.

With now spiked nerves, Janis slowly turned her head at the sound of footsteps. Her mouth hung slightly agape as more and more of her girlfriend came into view, a deep shade of crimson dusting her cheeks as she froze. As the two of them made eye contact, [Y/N] shyly pulled her arm from behind her back to wave. “Hey,” she managed to whisper. Slowly, Janis rose to her feet to be closer to eye-level. Her green eyes traveled down [Y/N]’s figure, admiring the dress. As Damian had said, it was a fairly simple design: a black lace dress with extra fringe on the hem, which draped down to end about an inch or two above her knees. To match, she wore black dress shoes with small heels built in, basic floral designs etched into the toes.

A small chuckle managed to snap Janis out of whatever trance she stayed in for what felt like forever. She didn’t glance over to look, but she knew that it was Damian once she felt an elbow gently nudge her arm. “Damn, Janis. I’ve never seen you speechless like this before,” he teased, snickering when the ravenette could only blink in response, her gaze never leaving [Y/N].

“Holy shit, you look…” She managed to step forward and gently take [Y/N]’s hands into her own, her eyes once again studying her outfit and figure. “You look amazing. That dress looks perfect on you.” Shyly, [Y/N] smiled wider and lowered her head to hide the growing shade of red across her face. “Oh, thanks. I tried to think of what you might like, and this was pretty much all I could find on such short notice. I’m glad you like it.”

As Janis struggled to wrack her brain for something else to say to break the silence, Damian slipped away to his car, snatching the goth’s suit from the backseat and bringing it back inside. When he found the two of them again, he gently poked Janis’s arm, smirking as he watched her struggle to tear her eyes away to glance over at him. “I don’t know if you plan on going in that outfit or not, but the dance is supposed to start in fifteen minutes, so I’d suggest you suit up.”

Finally, Janis managed to nod and properly turn away to grab ahold of the suit. She murmured a quick, “be right back,” to [Y/N] before dashing to the nearest restroom to get changed. She had to mentally scream at herself to slow down so she wouldn’t accidentally tear or wrinkle the freshly pressed suit. Before leaving to find the two again, she checked herself in the mirror, quickly readjusting her hair into the neater bun it had been in all day. Her hands slid down her blazer to smooth it out even further. She sucked in a quick breath, glanced at her appearance once more, and finally left.

She met [Y/N], now alone, in front of the entrance to the auditorium, which had barely been opened within the past few minutes. A handful of students and staff had already made their way inside and started fixing themselves cups of the provided punch that centered itself in a bowl on a large table towards the side.

Before stepping inside, Janis gently took [Y/N]’s hand into her own and tugged her aside. In a whisper, she finally asked what she had been stressing about the entire time. “Are you sure you’re okay being seen with me? I mean, being seen together like this? I can understand if you don’t wanna deal with people treating you like shit because of it.” A confused tilt of the head was her response at first. “What do you mean?”

Janis sighed and glanced down at the floor beneath her. “You know. Like how Regina told everyone I like girls and how people call me–” she sucked in a breath to stop herself. “Certain names.” [Y/N] gently squeezed her hand in a reassuring motion. “Oh, I don’t care about all that. They can all fuck themselves, honestly. It’s none of their business.” Janis blinked, slightly caught off guard by the sudden use of language. [Y/N] hardly cussed so easily. It was usually hilarious to her when she did, but this time it felt strangely comforting.

She grinned softly. “So you really aren’t afraid to do this with me?” [Y/N] returned her smile. “No, not at all. I’d be proud to be seen with you.” Janis’s heart fluttered, a feeling she had long forgotten until the recent months when she finally realized just how serious her feelings were for this girl.

“Yeah,” she murmured. Her hand shifted a bit to allow her to interlock her fingers with [Y/N]’s. She squeezed her hand softly against her own palm, finally making eye contact again, accompanied with a far more confident smirk.

“I’d be proud to be seen with you too.”

Just as the two of them had expected, there were several students who glanced at them with disapproving looks. It bothered Janis for a while when the dances began, but after [Y/N] managed to find a way to keep her attention on her, she was able to completely ignore her insecurities. A few fast-paced songs blared through the large speakers at the end of the room, leaving [Y/N] and Janis laughing as they struggled to keep up with the beat. Finally, the music began to slow, and Janis found herself pulling [Y/N] closer.

With her sheepishness left at the door, [Y/N] beamed up at the ravenette gleefully. She hummed and glanced down at the suit she was wearing. “I wasn’t able to say it earlier since we were trying to get in before everyone else, but you look so damn good in that suit,” she managed to say over the music. Even with its much slower pace, the song still reverberated loudly throughout the large room.

Janis couldn’t help but blush at the sudden bluntness of the compliment. She chuckled, glancing down for only a moment. “Thanks,” she mouthed, her suddenly shy tone too soft to be heard over the noise buzzing from the speakers the two of them had accidentally drifted too close to. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, wanting so desperately to free the outpour of compliments bubbling up in her throat. She finally gave up after realizing she wasn’t able to project loud enough in the moment, instead laughing and tugging [Y/N] even closer.

The two of them settled against each other as they swayed side to side. After glancing up at her to confirm that it was okay, [Y/N] gently lowered her head to rest against Janis’s shoulder, the tip of her nose barely grazing over the skin of the ravenette’s neck. A muffled shudder was her only response for a moment, though Janis’s head soon moved to lean against her own. The two closed their eyes just as Janis realized she could now speak audibly into [Y/N]’s ear. There, her lips parted to finally speak again.

“You know, I’m not one for surprises, but… I really am glad that we agreed to surprise each other tonight. You were right about it being more memorable.”

[Y/N] giggled and nodded. “Told you so.”

Janis playfully scoffed and rolled her eyes, though she still moved to press her lips gently against the girl’s temple. “Yeah, I guess you did.”

Shielded Tranquility

[Resident Evil: Village] Cassandra Dimitrescu x Female Reader

Word Count: 5.07k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Blood, threats, handling a small panic attack, mentions of torture, suggestive dialogue, language, soft angst, and fluff.

[A/N]: Here's Cassandra's part for the continuation of Shielded! I'm working on the story for Daniela, so expect that sometime soon! Bela's part can be found here.

Enjoy!

//////////

Faint laughter rolled down the crumbling hallways of the dungeon linked to the kitchen, softly rumbling its way past cracked bricks and snapped planks that littered the cold and rugged stone floor. Having noticed just how overwhelmed and stressed the majority of her fellow maids were, [Y/N] offered to assist them with the most anxiety-inducing task: cleaning out the remains and partially-dried bloodstains in each cage. After working with House Dimitrescu for so long, most maids and visitors–who later became victims–grew accustomed to these scenes.

The reason so many of the maids grew frail and hesitant with every action they took while on the lowest floor of the manor was because they were never sure if their predators would join them, taunt them, and ultimately torture them relentlessly, laughing at them and mocking them heartlessly as they took their final, strained breath. No matter how many times they were reassured by the head matriarch of the castle known for the bloodshed and lack of mercy, each maid felt their heart sink to their stomach each time they heard they were being assigned to work downstairs.

Knowing this, and wanting to help her coworkers feel at ease while working, [Y/N] made sure to crack jokes at every given opportunity. She kept a smile on at all times and forced herself to appear as though she had no concern for the potential punishment or death any one of them could receive at any given moment.

The maids, even those among them who had been fortunate enough to survive and work under one of the Four Lords for years, found themselves astonished at her carefree attitude. Although they weren’t sure how genuine she was being towards them, they couldn’t help but feel their own anxiety flicker away with each grin and pun sent their way. Within an hour, they had all begun to share jokes and laugh. They convinced each other to stay as silent as possible, but after a decent amount of time that lacked scolding from one of their employers, it was becoming much harder to stifle their giggles.

Each woman had grown comfortable enough to let their guard down, though one by one, they grew tense again and gasped as a familiar figure prowled past them, accompanied by the overwhelmingly strong smell of blood, sweat, and something rotten. Confusion riddled each maid’s face as the middle child, Cassandra Dimitrescu, paid no mind to them, not even gracing them with a single glance in their direction. Instead, she lurked forward with a smirk on her face. She had clearly just gotten finished with a hunt, which was evident from the way warm, wet, fresh blood had been splattered over her lips and gradually trickled down her jawline and throat. It seeped into her cloak, though it didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest. Likely the same blood that enhanced her wicked grin also drenched her tattered gloves and sleeves. Wherever she was going seemed to be more important than cleaning up after herself.

Then again, she tended to prefer keeping a wild appearance. She was thrilled when others feared her and viewed her as unhinged. It helped accomplish her desire to be intimidating and in control, which satisfied her even further each time she toyed with her prey. Knowing that her wicked, sadistic glare would be the final thing so many of her victims saw was addictive. Being feared was one of the most important, exhilarating things to her.

Her sickle dangled loosely from her belt, rocking and thumping against her hip with each sauntered movement. Strangely enough, it didn’t seem it was what she had used. The silver still gleamed effortlessly under the dim lighting from the candles burning punily against the walls. It seemed as though the blade had been sharpened recently, which only added to the bewilderment pouring throughout the entire level.

Pure terror and a feeling of helplessness riddled through the women’s bodies as they managed to shuffle closer to the wall and watch from the corners of their eyes as Cassandra continued to glide towards her target–which they quickly realized was the woman providing them with their only sense of comfort: [Y/N].

The maids closest to [Y/N] noticed her presence far too late to warn her. They instinctively stepped away and bowed their heads to both show obedience and to avoid potentially making eye contact with the cruelest daughter of Alcina. [Y/N] noticed their sudden change in behavior and tilted her head in confusion, never once twisting around far enough to see the woman mere inches behind her. Cassandra’s emergence from the stairs instantly became known to her, however, as cold, damp, strong arms encircled her waist and pulled her backwards far enough to lean against the partially-solid body of the taller woman now standing directly behind her. She yelped, puzzled at how she hadn’t heard the buzzing growing louder or noticed the tension returning to the room. A shiver crept through her body upon feeling the blood begin to seep into her uniform, once warm in the body of the victim, now frigid against her skin.

Before she could turn to face her, Cassandra’s strong jawline and chin, doused in thick blood, planted themselves into the crook of [Y/N]’s neck. Her voice hitched as the woman’s hot, staggered breath caressed her ear. She could feel everyone’s eyes on the two of them, as well as the sensation of a slick, crimson red substance instantly bleeding through her white cotton shirt-collar and streaming across her shoulder, all the way down to the skin just above her right breast.

She could feel her heart hammering against her ribs so violently, and given how enhanced Alcina’s daughters’ senses became after the experiment they unwillingly participated in, she was sure Cassandra could hear it as well. Her anxiety spiked immediately once she realized neither Bela nor Daniela were down here with her. She never had to fear what would happen around Cassandra as long as they were around to keep her in check, but now she was down here on her own. Thinking as quickly as she could, she did her best to remain calm and prevent the other women in the room from getting hurt. She took a sharp breath in and turned her head to peer at Cassandra through the corner of her eye.

“Lady C-Cassandra, what are you–” “Hello, [Y/N]. I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Why’re you down here wasting your precious time with these pathetic maids? You weren’t assigned to work in here.” [Y/N] swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She didn’t mind having to stand up for herself, but as a child, she had been forced to learn how to defend others after learning of the other kids in the village bullying her younger sister. She knew the other women who worked here were too terrified of the heads of the house to put their foot down, but she wouldn’t allow herself to stand aside and let them be thrown around and treated like they were worthless. In her mind, it would feel like she was letting her sister get hurt–like she would let her down. “Lady Cassandra, please. I’m no better than the other women here, and you know it. I’m a maid just like the rest of them, and none of them are in any way inferior to you or your family.”

A dark, forced cackle erupted from Cassandra’s lips as her fingertips dug into [Y/N]’s clothed skin. “Oh, you really do amuse me, my little maid. You know very well these pathetic, shoddy women mean nothing outside of their work. And even then, they can all be replaced.” She lowered her voice so only [Y/N] could hear her and tugged her closer. “All except you,” she husked with an impish smirk. A shudder jolted down [Y/N]’s spine. Before she had a chance to send back a retort of her own, Cassandra continued, instantly changing the subject.

“Aside from that, you still haven’t given me a reason as to why you’re down here. You weren’t assigned to clean out the cells, so why have you gone against orders? Don’t make me repeat myself again.” She turned her head, allowing her bloodstained, needle-like fangs to graze against [Y/N]’s soft, warm, tempting skin. “You know exactly what will happen.”

[Y/N] found herself suppressing the urge to roll her eyes. Cassandra was one who tended to put on a facade around others–especially those she deems to be lower than her–but her mask would periodically falter long enough to show her more sensitive nature, in which she always seemed ashamed of. “I didn’t go against any orders, Lady Cassandra. I was told–by your mother–to take the day off and do as I please, so long as I don’t interfere with her work. That’s why I’m down here: I’m doing as I please, which is helping the other women down here so they don’t overwhelm themselves with such a daunting task. I’m in no way interrupting your mother’s work. I hope that answers your question.”

The maids pinned to the sides of the, now dead-silent, halls held their breaths, mortified at how bold [Y/N] had been as she spoke to Cassandra–the sister known to be the most sadistic, aggressive, and short-tempered of the three. They feared they’d watch their friend be torn apart right in front of them, limb by limb. Rigid as boards, they shared silent looks with each other before a mocking laugh bellowed deep from inside Cassandra’s gut. Their eyes shot back to the two women secluded from the rest.

Cassandra cackled once more at [Y/N]’s remark, audibly growing annoyed with how confidently she was biting back. She sighed, gripping the smaller woman tightly by her right bicep and twirling her around to look her in the eye. “I suppose it does, maid. I just hope you haven’t made any other plans. You’re coming with me,” she sneered as she yanked her back towards the staircase leading up to the kitchen. She glared daggers at each maid this time as she passed them. Her footsteps echoed loudly as she stormed up in a swift movement fueled by her wavering pride. “Let this be a warning to all of you. No one speaks to me this way. If you’d like to be drawn to the most horrendous pain you’ve ever experienced, then by all means, be my guest and follow her example.”

Mortified gazes trailed after the two as they vanished through the arched doorway and up the stairs. The maid closest to where they left strained her ears in an attempt to hear anything further.

Once she knew they were both out of earshot and sight, Cassandra softened her grip on [Y/N]’s arm as she led her up the stairs in the main den. “Lady Cassandra, where are you taking me?” The brunette sighed and waited until she found a secluded room where there were no other maids stationed. She tugged her forward before practically slamming the door shut and locking it, flying over to the other entrance leading to the adjacent room and doing the same. At length, she spun around on her heel and glared down at [Y/N] with furrowed brows. “Why the hell would you speak to me that way in front of them? Do you know how humiliating that is for me? How difficult it makes it to maintain some sense of intimidation and control?” She scoffed, rolling her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. “No, of course you don’t.”

[Y/N] sucked in a shaky breath to steel her nerves. She stood up straight, strained her features to mirror neutrality, and steadied her voice to appear confident in herself. “Lady Cassandra, it wasn’t my intention to upset you. I just don’t enjoy watching how ashamed you and your sisters make my coworkers feel each time you speak to them. I’m sure they’d do much better while working if you treated them with the respect they deserve.” Cassandra laughed again. “Respect? You really think those lowly maids deserve respect? Even with how worthless they are?” Irritation overwhelmed [Y/N]’s senses. She stepped forward with a look in her eye that Cassandra had never seen before. It enticed her. “Listen. I don’t care what you say about me, or even what you say about your sisters. You know very well that they’ll have the courage to fight back, and so will I. But I will not stand by and watch while you degrade those women who are too terrified to speak up for themselves. They may not have your respect, but you sure as hell have theirs.

“I may be speaking out of place here, and you may very well have my head for it, Lady Cassandra, but it seems to me that I’m the only one here who will stand up for what’s right, and I won’t apologize for it. If you showed any decency towards the people who worked day and night for you, you would know better than to constantly berate them at every given moment. Any child who was taught basic proper manners knows that.”

Stunned, Cassandra only stared silently at the fuming woman in front of her, her mouth slightly agape as she blinked. After a moment of the two women staring awkwardly at each other, [Y/N] sighed heavily and took a step back, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her head down to gawk at the floor beneath her as if it were suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. She cleared her throat.

“I apologize, Lady Cassandra. I didn’t mean to go that far. I’m just so sick of seeing you hurt others like that. I care about those women so much, and I don’t want someone else I care about to be the reason behind their suffering.” Another sigh slipped through her parted lips. “I suppose I should’ve expected this, though. After all, your family is known for being merciless towards those deemed even less valuable than the dust on the bodies of those you toy with and torture. Those that are unwillingly brought into this world with dreams and ambitions of their own, only for it to be taken away over several grueling hours that you seem to enjoy.”

The seconds that followed felt like hours, both women at a loss for words. [Y/N] continued to avert her gaze and stare at different objects decorating the same room that grew heavier with tension. Cassandra, however, couldn’t tear her eyes away from [Y/N]. She had always known the woman wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she believed in, but she had never heard her grow so aggressive and insulting. It piqued her interest. Aside from her sisters, Cassandra wasn’t used to anyone talking back, even to defend themself. She felt herself going to war inside her mind, desperately racking her brain for something to say.

“Just…” she started in a hushed tone. “Just call me Cassandra, for god’s sake. I think you’re already aware that you’ve earned my trust. You know I don’t have it in myself to hurt you, especially after you defended my sisters and I when that disgusting man-thing broke in a couple of weeks ago.” It was [Y/N]’s turn to be surprised. She had never heard Cassandra speak so calmly, even when she had rested against her after the invasion a few weeks prior. She cleared her throat. “But that’s…that goes against everything I was taught. I mean, you know I don’t think of anyone as superior or inferior, but I do know how important it is to show respect. It’d feel so improper to address you that way.” Cassandra sighed, though it shifted more into a low growl that rumbled in the back of her throat.

She stepped forward. “Oh my god, why are you–ugh! You’re so damn annoying!” “What…?” She stepped closer, prompting [Y/N] to cower back a bit and begin to trail backward. “You heard what I said, god dammit! You’re annoying! God, this is disgusting. I’m disgusting. I never wanted to feel this way–especially about you!” “Lady Cassandra, wh-what are you talking ab–”

“I hate you, okay?” She finally shouted. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, the hue beginning to flush her face matching the blood still dripping down her chin. She began to pace back and forth in a panicked manner, her gloved fingernails digging into her scalp. “I hate the way you make me feel, I hate the fuzzy feeling I get when I so much as think of you, I hate how beautiful and selfless you are, I hate how you’re afraid to address me casually, and I hate how you always make me feel so good about myself!”

Processing the words and replaying them over and over again in her mind like a record player, [Y/N] could only watch in a daze as Cassandra continued to walk around in frantic steps. At length, the troubled woman halted her movements and buried her face in her trembling hands. She heaved, wishing she could shrivel away at that moment. She had never imagined she’d be so vulnerable around anyone. In her mind, any emotion aside from anger or sadistic pleasure was weakness. How had this young maid managed to break down her walls in such a short amount of time? Surely saving her wasn’t enough to make her fall into such shameful vulnerability.

Oh, how desperate she was to drown away in her own puddle of shame, far away from everyone and everything that could see how pathetic she felt.

“But, Cassandra, why does that seem like it’s such a bad thing in your mind?” Unwillingly, a pained sob tore through Cassandra’s lips as she once again clawed at her hair. Her lips curled up as a rough laugh followed soon after. “Because I don’t deserve it! Any of it, dammit! You should be afraid of me!” Her eyes screwed themselves tightly shut as another cry erupted from her throat, which was growing raw from the hysteric weeping.

She couldn’t hear anything over the sound of her own sniffling and sharp gasps for air. The feeling of two warm, gentle hands firmly taking her own made her visibly jump, recoiling back and nearly spiraling into the nearest wall out of shock. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” [Y/N] whispered reassuringly, holding her hands up in front of her shoulders, palms facing towards the terrified woman. “I need you to breathe, alright? Just breathe. Here, give me your hands. If it’s alright for me to hold them, of course.”

Cassandra looked down as she panted fearfully, wrestling with her conscience to come back to her senses. Her golden eyes flickered back and forth between [Y/N]’s hands offering themselves to let her hold and the girl’s soft, yet stern, steadied gaze. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.”

Hesitantly, Cassandra found herself stepping forward at a painfully slow pace before outstretching her arms far enough to rest her hands in [Y/N]’s. She looked back up at the one trying to calm her down.

“Breathe, okay? Take three deep breaths, and then we’ll go from there.” She had to take a moment to understand the words, but Cassandra eventually nodded. She attempted to take the first one, though it came out in a strangled manner. “Hey, just look at me. Breathe with me, alright? We’re going to breathe in for three seconds, hold for three seconds, and then take the same amount of time to breathe back out. Got it? In three, hold three, out three.”

Too puzzled about what she was feeling, Cassandra nodded again and did as she was told. She watched as [Y/N] began to breathe in slowly and held up her left hand to count to three. Shakily, she followed her example, and after a few attempts, she had finally managed to take three deep breaths. “Good,” [Y/N] whispered. She began to kneel down into a sitting position, gently tugging the trembling woman with her. Once seated, [Y/N] squeezed Cassandra’s hands in her own.

“I want you to focus on your five senses, alright? We’ll take it one at a time. First, tell me what you can feel.” Cassandra’s hands twitched uncomfortably, tingling from being numb. After taking a second to muster her strength, she curled her fingers far enough to grip [Y/N]’s hands. She blinked, eventually closed her eyes, and let herself focus. “Y-Your hands. I f-feel your hands in mine.” “Try to describe them for me.”

She stammered, struggling to properly form the correct descriptive words. “Uh, s-soft, warm, and…” She squeezed her grip again. “They’re smaller th-than mine.” “Good, you’re doing great. Now tell me what you can hear.”

Her brows furrowed together tightly as she strained her ears, trying urgently to push past the rushing sound of ringing. “I–I can hear my v-voice, and our heartb-beats.” “Good. What can you smell?” She inhaled deeply, failing to notice that her breathing had already returned to normal. “Your scent, and, um…the ashes in the hearth. I-I think there was a fire going recently.”

“Taste?”

“Blood. I, well, you can see why. I forgot to wipe it off on the way up here.” Cassandra felt herself smile tiredly as [Y/N] chuckled in response. “Yeah, I know. You’re almost done. Now you just need to tell me what you can see. You might want to open your eyes for that, though.” Cassandra let out a snicker of her own before she let her eyes flutter open. Having to take a moment for her vision to adjust from being blurred from her tears, eventually her eyes focused on [Y/N]’s. She couldn’t see it herself, but her pupils–which tended to slit themselves as if she were constantly preying on something–were blown.

“I can see you. I see your gaze, your smile, and–” she paused and nervously glanced down. “And the bloodstains I accidentally left on your waist.” [Y/N]’s smile grew wider. “You did great. Do you feel any better?” Too uncharacteristically bashful, Cassandra could only nod as she stared at the ground beneath them.

“I’m glad. Now, why don’t we get you to bed? You look exhausted.” As if on cue, Cassandra felt herself yawn, her hands slipping from [Y/N]’s and rising above her head to stretch. “Actually,” she murmured while rubbing her eyes, “could we just sleep in here? Kind of like how we slept that night, but just you and I?”

[Y/N] froze for a moment. “Are you sure? I don’t want to overwhelm you. I mean, I’m sure you’d like some space and privacy while you rest.” Cassandra didn’t seem embarrassed in the slightest about keeping each other company, which was very out of the ordinary for her. “I’m sure. We’d just need to get the fire going again and gather up some pillows and blankets. I could go grab those if you wouldn’t mind getting some of the spare driftwood and lighting it up in the hearth.”

The two women, although they experienced different reactions to the proposal, both internally felt the mutual urge to be near one another. Neither one of them were sure what their relationship was, but they both craved a more intimate, romantic connection, though both were too afraid to make the first move. Cassandra’s fear was her pride being crushed because of her phobia of dealing with rejection. [Y/N]’s fear was the thought of ruining what it was they already had established, feeding on her linked dread of being despised and abandoned.

After realizing that Cassandra was already half-asleep, [Y/N] could feel her hesitation begin to fade. She sighed at length and nodded. “Alright, I can do that. I’ll be right back. I’m not sure how many pillows or blankets are up here though.” Cassandra shrugged and stumbled onto her feet. “I don’t know either, but I’ll see what I can find. Hurry up though. I’m about to collapse, and I don’t want to do that in this cold-ass room.” Finally, [Y/N] giggled again. “Alright, alright. Fair enough.” She hoisted herself back onto her feet as well and headed towards the door leading out into the main hallway, unlocking it and beginning to head out.

“Oh, and [Y/N]?” She halted her steps and peered back into the room. “Yes?” Cassandra gazed at her gently. “If you so much as breathe a word about any of this to anyone, especially my sisters, I’ll have your head,” she threatened emptily with a smile. [Y/N] paused before laughing. “I was honestly waiting for a wink or something with that last part.” Cassandra couldn’t help but roll her eyes as [Y/N] left, though she also couldn’t bite back her smirk. “Yeah, that’ll come later on,” she mumbled under her breath. She turned to the sofas lining the far wall, drifting towards them to retrieve the throw pillows propped up against the armrests and the soft, red cotton-weaved blankets folded neatly in the center of every other cushion.

//////////

Flames began to crackle loudly as they grew in the hearth. A soft light illuminated the room, casting wavering shadows throughout the room, which brought attention to the only highlighted spot shielded from the darkness. A few feet in front of the base of the fire, [Y/N] and Cassandra had bundled themselves together under layers of blankets and on top of piles of pillows. Similar to what she had done two weeks prior when recovering from the attack, Cassandra had huddled against [Y/N] as closely as she could. Her nose had nuzzled itself into the girl’s neck, allowing her to effortlessly breathe in her scent as she rested.

They had both stayed quiet for a while, watching the fire grow larger, though [Y/N] eventually broke the silence. “Hey, Cassandra?” The fatigued woman leaning against her, clinging to her for warmth, hummed almost inaudibly in response. The lack of clarity in the noise was caused by the lower half of her face being buried underneath the covers–as well as how she had positioned her head to bask in [Y/N]’s aroma. “Hm?” “If you don’t mind me asking, why did you come looking for me earlier when I was downstairs?” Cassandra huffed and yawned. “Because I was originally going to ask if we could come upstairs and do exactly what we’re doing right now. I just lost my temper, so things kind of took…a turn,” she slurred out sleepily.

“Ah.”

Silence fell upon them again. Several minutes passed before either one of them spoke. This time, it was Cassandra who broke the hushedness. “I cannot tell you how tempted I am to bury my face underneath your shirt.” [Y/N] coughed, attempting to stifle the sudden choking on her spit. “I-I’m sorry?” Playfully, yet tiredly, Cassandra smacked her shoulder. “Not like that, you dork. Well, not yet anyway.” Again, [Y/N] had to prevent herself from choking. “I meant because you’re really warm, and having your shirt over me would keep the heat in. I’d probably fall asleep there and never come out.”

“C-Cassandra, what the hell are you even talking about?”

“Honestly? I don’t even know anymore. I’m exhausted. I probably won’t remember half of the things I’ve already said once I wake up. It’s a nice thought though–I’d get to be close to you, I’d be warm, and your shirt would block out the sunlight so I can actually sleep in.” [Y/N] smirked, playing along. “Yeah, but then you’d have to hear all the weird noises my stomach makes 24/7.” Cassandra hummed out a small laugh, already on the verge of falling asleep. “Ah, I’d say it’s worth it.”

The two smiled, the tranquil setting returning comfortably this time. As Cassandra began to dream, [Y/N] reflected on all that had happened so far. Although she knew it wasn’t necessarily a permanent issue, her mind kept wandering back to the arguments and insults. It began to eat away at her consciousness.

Afraid Cassandra was still upset from her unintentional outburst earlier, [Y/N] desperately grasped at ideas on what she could possibly say to lighten the mood. She squeezed Cassandra’s shoulders to pull her closer. “Y’know, next time you get angry and I can tell you’re about to have a completely different mood or reaction, I’m going to yell “plot twist!” like I’m solving some kind of crime in one of Daniela’s corny mystery books, and then carry on. You think your sisters will be confused?” Cassandra, although she didn’t understand why she was asking, chuckled breathily. “Oh, definitely, but I will be too.”

[Y/N] grinned. “Yeah, but then that means I win.” Cassandra’s head perked up a bit to face the woman holding her. Her eyebrow raised as the gears visibly turned in her brain. “Huh?” [Y/N] beamed down at her. “I win because I managed to switch your attention to something else. That way you’re not entirely upset anymore.”

Finally, after a long moment of thinking her exhaustion was rendering [Y/N] as incoherent, Cassandra laughed and yawned. She let her head fall back gently to return to its resting spot on [Y/N]’s chest. She sighed as the familiar heartbeat behind the girl’s ribs filled her ears.

“You’re so stupid. I love you so much.”

[Y/N] froze, surprised that Cassandra was the first one to say it. Eventually, she felt herself smile in a tired, smitten way, before leaning her head back against one of the many pillows they were both propped against. Her head then tilted far enough for her ear to come into contact with Cassandra’s soft brunette locks. Her fingertips dug lightly into the blankets they shared and pulled them further around themselves, then driving further up and finding themselves scratching softly at Cassandra’s scalp, prompting her to purr in response. Pure bliss flooded both women’s senses. [Y/N] could feel her eyelids beginning to droop from exhaustion. Listening to the way her body begged her to rest, she finally closed her eyes and let her tensed muscles relax.

“I love you too.”

Pay Attention

[Resident Evil: Village] Daniela Dimitrescu x Female Reader

Word Count: 7.05k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Mentions of Daniela feeling like a burden, general angst-to-fluff, crying, soft pining, worries of delusions, and skipping a meal.

[A/N]: I was wanting to post this a week apart from Cassandra’s, but the WiFi went out and took a few days to fix, so I wasn’t able to work on her part. On top of that, I'm not entirely sure how to write for her character since I only recently started to come up with stories for her.

I had much more planned for this one, but I wanted to keep the word count in between what I had written for Bela and Cassandra, so I shortened a few things.

Also, this will be the last story for the Dimitrescu sisters for a while. Please check my bio for an explanation on that. I'll likely be writing for Amity Blight and Boscha from The Owl House next! Check the poll at the end of this story.

Enjoy!

 “Love can exert the same strain on the body as experienced intense fear. In a person in love, the same physiological reactions are observed: dilated pupils, sweaty palms, an increase in heart rate.” Pure intrigue and fascination sparked its way through Daniela’s body, her molten golden eyes skimming over the lines on the page that seemed to pull her in further with each passing word. A few weeks prior, when she had made her usual trip to the Village to visit the Duke and see what stories he had to offer, he had mentioned a book about facts relating to the human body’s anatomy and physiology–a book of “fun facts,” as he called it. Daniela had taken interest in this immediately and ordered it. During the time that she waited, she pondered about what kind of facts it could contain: whether or not it would mention how the body works when a human is in love.

Although she wasn’t entirely aware of it, there was a part of her mind that always brought her attention back to a certain maid that worked for her family. Anytime she thought of how the body might react to being in love with someone, her mind wandered to [Y/N] [L/N]. She would think of how soft her stare always seemed to be, how relaxed she appeared in the youngest Dimitrescu daughter’s presence. It made her feel as though she trusted her the way she was yearning for.

Subconsciously, she would begin to daydream. At first, it only started at night when she was getting ready to fall asleep after a long day. Over a–rather short–amount of time, however, she found herself staring into the distance at random times, completely in a blissful daze. The smitten woman would think constantly of [Y/N]’s steady gaze, and almost immediately fight to suppress a squeal once remembering how flustered she had gotten each time the two of them made eye contact.

After calming down, she’d dream of [Y/N]’s soft locks of hair that always seemed to frame her face so perfectly, cupping the outlining structure of her cheeks and jaw that she wished she could caress with her own hands. How she envied the way any other maid, or even one of her sisters, would so easily rip her attention away from her. She wished she could find a way to keep [Y/N]’s attention on her, find a way to make her pay attention, in other words.

To ease her growing frustrations, she’d turn her attention to [Y/N]’s lips. Although the young woman hadn’t worked for her family for very long–likely only two years–it didn’t take Daniela long to begin falling for her. Often, she would feel her eyes fluttering shut as she tried to vividly picture herself gaining the privilege to kiss her. She wondered how soft her lips would feel against her own. How warm they would be. Would they welcome her with the same spark of enthusiasm? Or would they freeze against her own before roughly removing themselves from one another?

She was often made fun of for being delusional when it came to romance, always falling back to rely on the romance novels she could be found burying her nose into on multiple occasions every single day. As much as she hoped her love would be reciprocated, she could feel the doubts and insecurities creeping in, wishing she didn’t have to consider the fact that her sisters may be right: she may be delusional about this romance.

Maybe she was making this out to be something so much more in her head.

Blending together and jumbling up her mind only made her daydreaming grow more frequent and harder to tear away from. She found herself retreating to her fantasies out of fear of it being the only way she would be able to hear [Y/N] tell her she feels the same way.

Her sisters would snap her out of it and, of course, tease her for it. It would always leave her flustered as she tried to act as though she wasn’t just fantasizing about her favorite maid, which she had personally requested serve the family for each meal.

She’d hastily make her way through her meal, ignoring the taunting of her older siblings, before excusing herself to fly back up to her room for some kind of privacy. She knew Bela and Cassandra would expect to find her in the library first–if they were to search for her–so she would hide away in her bedroom and distract herself with the stack of books she had stashed away in her wardrobe for such an occasion. Time and time again, she’d think about the book she ordered, increasingly growing fearful that it would only worsen her possibly deluded dreams.

After a while of waiting anxiously to learn more about the human body that always captivated her in more ways than one, the book finally arrived at the Duke’s cart. She paid him as promised and quickly fled back to the castle to read in the comfort of her favorite space, the library, leaving her sisters to continue their shopping on their own.

Thankfully, she had managed to keep her inattentiveness to a minimum. Because of this, she felt it was okay to go back to her sanctum to read, rather than secluding herself in her bedroom.

Brushing past the maids that worked deftly throughout the front parlor and all the way out to the opposite sides of the sturdy structure, Daniela finally made it to the library, where she shut the doors behind her and huddled up on the sofa closest to the center, allowing the large skylight above to provide light for her to read under.

She had curled up against the armrest, tucking one of the throw pillows against her chest and propping her legs up to press it further against her torso. Quickly, she flipped the front cover open and thumbed eagerly at the pages as she began to read the introduction–which opened by explaining how different events trigger different emotions and hormones throughout the brain and body. It was hard for her to suppress a yawn. The way the paragraphs were phrased, including the diction used, seemed more like something her eldest sister Bela would be interested in.

Seemingly countless words filled each pale, thin page, all of which added up to share different messages and facts about the physiological side of emotions. When the Duke had been talking of the book a few weeks prior, he made it seem far more interesting than what she was reading at the beginning. She had pictured interesting facts put together with very few words, short sections of small lists decorating the page with each bulleted point. She did enjoy lengthy novels using flowery language, which often used far more detail than this book had so far, but those had a story building up throughout each turn of a page.

The way the facts were laid out before her made her feel like she was being lectured by Bela.

The paragraphs seemed to stretch on and on. Her eyelids drooped upon feeling heavy, her boredom growing more and more evident across her features.

She sighed, swiftly flipping through the pages using the pad of her thumb, desperately searching for where the more interesting part of the book was. Finally, with a small cheer of triumph, she discovered what she was seeking out for. She smiled gleefully and nuzzled up against the sofa and the pillow. Her body sunk down into the cushions as she finally took interest in the words that rested underneath a large, bold title that read “Facts of the Brain.”

It had started off sharing facts about the brain connected to the nervous, digestive, and integumentary systems, though what truly caught her interest was when it started speaking of how love and romance affected the body. Finally, she found the part of the book she had been fantasizing about for weeks. Each fact drew her deeper and deeper into the pages, her senses tuning out the rest of the world. Her smile cracked wider and wider across her face, and just like she had done before she had even gotten her hands on the book, she pictured the effects taking place in her and [Y/N]’s bodies while dreaming of one day learning that her love was mutual.

Laughter is associated with the positive sides of love that partners share.

The initial stress of a relationship can cause physical symptoms similar to a heart attack, known as Broken Heart syndrome.

Different stages of love exist, with different reactions at the start of a relationship that are different from the ones that they feel when it is a long-term romantic attachment.

Being in love alters our personality and perception of things. We can become more open to things that our lover is into, or we may even become more optimistic about things.

Love leads to the deactivation of the amygdala in the brain, which regulates fear. Thus, you are less scared of outcomes and consequences when in love. You experience a fearlessness and bravery that you wouldn’t usually feel.

Gleefully, Daniela squealed in excitement over all of the new information greeting her. She continued reading, wondering if [Y/N] had ever felt any of these things while around her. She had certainly felt the intensity of her feelings anytime she so much as thought of the girl. Had [Y/N] felt the same?

The urge to share these interesting facts with her family grew stronger in her body. Maybe if she brought it up with her sisters and told them of how she wanted to use the information to finally confess to [Y/N], they would encourage her and help her do so.

Quickly, she stood from her spot on the small sofa. She spun on her heel and practically skipped towards the doors, softly closing the book and tucking it under her arm after folding the corner of the last page she had read. She flung the doors open in front of her, then tugged them shut before letting the lower half of her body swarm back into the flies that made up her being, allowing her to float above the ground and travel quickly down the hall. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to find Bela or Cassandra first. She had heard them come back home a while before, though she wasn’t aware of where they were.

Bela was likely in her study going over the paperwork her mother had given to her, and Cassandra was without a doubt in the armory crafting her newest weapon with the metals she had purchased from the Duke back in the Village. It would be far easier to visit Cassandra first, seen as how she was the closest.

Daniela made her way through the doorway that led to the hallway connecting the main hall’s stairway to the Wine Room. She slid past the balcony, brushing past the maids that seemed to cower back a bit at her presence. She then hooked a right at the end of the walkway, then a left, and went through a few more doors before finally reaching the armory. Just as she had assumed, Cassandra was in there, working away at designing a new dagger she would be able to add to her personal collection. She sat atop the crates stacked against the main pillar in the center of the room. A pen in hand, she sketched out her idea onto a sheet of paper that sat propped up in her lap. She used a thin sheet of wood as a surface to draw on.

She seemed not to have noticed her younger sister walk into the room, and Daniela smiled to herself. She lurked forward silently and hid behind the crates, peering out over the top. With a silent chuckle, she moved to float just behind her sister, sucking in a small breath and readying herself to yell in an attempt to startle her sister.

“Don’t even think about it, Dani,” Cassandra warned without glancing in her direction, continuing to focus on her newest blueprint in front of her instead. Daniela let out the breath she had been holding through a loud sigh, pouting as she crossed her arms and flew to stand in front of her sister. “You’re no fun,” she murmured. “I am so. I’m just working on something. Plus, I don’t think you realize that I was able to hear the door open and close when you came in.”

“It could’ve been Bela or a maid that came in! Why would you assume it was me?”

“Well, Bela wouldn’t have tried to creep up on me, she would’ve waited at the doorway and said my name or cleared her throat to catch my attention. And the maids know they aren’t allowed in here, especially if I’m already here, unless I ask them to polish the armor. I knew it was you. And either way, I could smell you coming from down the hall.”

“H-Huh?”

“Your perfume, Daniela. It’s so strong all the time. Makes me wanna pinch my nose shut every time so I don’t have to smell it. God, are you trying to cover up the smell of all the blood and death on you? Because if you are, it’s not working.”

Daniela could feel her face burning, the blush that had already begun to form on her cheeks out of embarrassment now creeping up onto the tips of her ears. She felt her shoulders tensing up, the grip on both her book and her arm tightening to a painful degree. “Th-That’s not true! I’m not trying to hide anything with my perfume!” She scowled and stared at Cassandra for a moment, although her gaze was not met. Her sister continued to stare down at her sketches, though there was a cocky grin plastered on her face. Daniela scoffed and shook her head.

“That doesn’t matter,” she started again, tugging the book out from under her arm as she once again looked up at her sister. “I wanted to show you this book! It’s full of all kinds of facts about the human body and mind, and I finally got to the part about how love affects the body, and I wanted to–” “I’m not interested, Daniela. I’m busy. And besides, you’re the only one who cares about all of this romance stuff this much. The rest of us are perfectly fine with keeping it to ourselves.”

Daniela frowned, her enthusiasm beginning to crumble in a very visible way. She thought for a moment about what she could say to capture her sister’s attention. “W-Well, I know you don’t really care for my interest in romance novels, b-but I think you’d like the rest of the book! It’s–”

“Daniela, I’m not interested. I don’t care what the rest of the book is about, I don’t want to hear it. If you’re only going to pester me with this when you know I’m busy, then just leave.”

Daniela’s frown only deepened, her gaze dropping down to the floor. “I-I’m…not meaning to bother you, Cass. I’m sorry. I just wanted to share it with someone, and you were the closest one to me, so…” She turned her attention to the book still waiting to be opened again in her trembling hands. She absolutely hated the feeling of being a burden to anyone. Before she could get too deep into her head, however, she began heading towards the door again. Perhaps Bela would be more accepting of her excitement.

She retraced the trail she had taken to find the armory, though she flew downstairs into the main parlor instead. Her arms tugged the book closer to her chest as she soared all the way to Bela’s personal study. There, she made sure to knock before entering.

“Who is it?” Bela asked softly from the other side of the door. “It’s just me,” Daniela replied. Bela sighed. “Come in.” After the confirmation that she could come in, Daniela opened the door and headed inside before closing it behind her. She spun around and walked over to Bela’s desk, where her eldest sister was working away, already buried in paperwork again. “What do you need, Dani? Is something wrong?” Bela briefly glanced up at her before shuffling a few papers, letting out a small sigh when she found the paper she was seemingly looking for.

The youngest daughter stood next to the desk and stared at Bela patiently. “N-No, nothing is wrong. I just…wanted to know if I could share something with you.” The blonde grumbled something under her breath and pinched the bridge of her nose as she leaned back against her chair. “As long as it’s made brief, yes.” Daniela’s frown returned. “Oh, well…” She tapped the front cover of her book, catching Bela’s attention. “Not exactly something brief, but I thought you might like to hear about it. You know…just in case you decide you want something to read later on down the line.”

Bela sighed again, running both of her hands down her face. “Dani, you know I would usually have no issue with you talking to me about your stories, but,” she was cut off as Daniela leaned forward and interrupted her. “But it’s not a story this time! It’s a whole book filled with fun facts about the human body! I think you’ll really like it.”

“Look, that sounds interesting, I suppose. But I’m really busy, and I need to get all of this finished before the end of the week. Which is in three days, mind you, in case you weren’t already aware.” Bela slid forward again and picked up a smaller stack of documents tucked away in files. She thumbed through them, checking the labels for what she was searching for. “If you really must share it with someone, go find Cassandra instead.”

“I already did though. She said I was just irritating her and that I needed to leave while she works on her new weapon. I figured maybe you’d be more interested in it.” Daniela grimaced at a thought that made itself known in the front of her mind. “I’m not…bothering you, am I?” Bela looked up at her finally. “Listen, you know I don’t enjoy being blunt with you, but quite frankly, yes, you’re bothering me. These papers are very important, Dani. I have to focus on them right now.”

Again, Daniela’s confidence began to crumble. Even more so when her sister once again turned back to her work as if it were far more important than her. “Oh, I-I’m…I’m sorry.” She began to back away, unable to tear her eyes away from her feet as they led her backwards. “I didn’t mean to,” she whispered, her voice cracking.

She twirled back to face the door, slipping through it and leaving abruptly. She could feel her insecurities eating away at her self esteem. Tears began to form and prick the corners of her eyes. She let out a small sniffle and began to head out towards the courtyard. “Perhaps mother will listen to me.”

She traveled all the way through the large, open space, grateful that the weather permitted her to do so peacefully. She made it to the structure connected to the space just across the dining room, floating up the stairs, through the doorway, and then turning to go up yet another set of stairs. She then took a few more turns before finally making it to her mother’s chambers. She pressed her ear to the door, smiling weakly when she heard her mother moving around on the other side.

Swiftly, Daniela knocked on the door. “Yes?” Her mother questioned, her tone professional in case it was a maid. “It’s just me, mother. May I come in?” “Of course, dear. Just try to keep your voice down.” Daniela was confused by the last part of her mother’s statement, but she still turned the door’s handle and pushed it forward, allowing her to step inside. She smiled, though it quickly dropped once she saw that Alcina was on the phone, likely with Mother Miranda again.

“O-Oh, I’m sorry, mother. Is this a bad time?” Alcina glanced over at her softly for a moment, though quickly sighed and furrowed her brow. “No, Daniela, it’s not–ah, yes, Mother Miranda. I’m aware. I can assure you that everything will go accordingly.” Daniela made no move to step further, already sensing that she was becoming a burden to yet another one of her loved ones. “I’ll leave you be. I-I’ll see you during dinner,” she mumbled just loud enough for her mother to hear.

She turned and left the room just as Alcina looked back over at her again. “Daniela, wait.” Another sigh. “Mother Miranda, I understand. Yes, I know how important this is to you.”

The entire time she had tried to share her interest in this new book she found, Daniela had been fighting back tears. With each way of saying that she was only being a nuisance, her confidence faltered before shattering into pieces. Now, after bottling it up for so long in hopes of being able to change her attitude, she couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. They streamed down her face as she rushed back up to her room, locking her door and crawling up against the pillows on her bed.

Until she managed to think things through and calm down, Daniela intended to hide away in the comfort of her bedroom. She wiped at her face, scolding herself for being so emotional for such a ridiculous reason. Her family was simply busy doing their own things–they didn’t owe her the time of day.

But she wanted so badly to share something she was so passionate about with someone. Her excitement had blinded her to the fact that she truly was burdening the others as they tried to work. They were all doing important things, and she was curled up on her bed, sobbing because she wasn’t able to keep the attention on her?

How pathetic.

How selfish.

She sucked in a shaky breath, trying desperately to bring her crying to a halt. It failed, however, as another sob wracked through her body. She whimpered, feeling as though she truly was weak since she wasn’t even able to keep a straight face. She shifted and turned on the bed, burying her face in her pillow as she tossed the book onto the floor. Maybe the plush surface beneath her would muffle the sounds of her vulnerability.

“Lady Daniela? Will you be joining your family for dinner anytime soon? They’ve asked me to see if you’ll come down.” “No, I’m not going to eat dinner tonight. I-I, um…Just really want to finish my book. Tell them I’ll find something to eat later, will you?” “Of course.”

It had been a few hours since Daniela’s meltdown. She had finally managed to stop crying within the first hour of hiding away, though she still felt too depressed to leave her room. Dinner had been ready for over half an hour at that point, yet she was the only one not to have joined her family downstairs to eat. It surprised her mother, as she was usually the first one seated, always eager to see what the kitchen staff had prepared for their meal that night. She had sent a maid up to her youngest daughter’s room four times, asking them to encourage her to come down and join them, even though Bela and Cassandra were already finished eating.

The two waited patiently at the table per their mother’s request, although they also wanted to use the time spent at dinner to apologize to Daniela for the way they treated her. They both felt guilty for it and spoke to each other about how they could make it up to her. When she didn’t join them at the table, however, they could feel their regret growing stronger. They often poked fun at her for different things, but Daniela knew it was all in good fun. She knew they didn’t really mean anything by it.

They were sisters, after all, and they even mocked each other at different points. Most of the time she would laugh at their jokes aimed in her direction. They must’ve really hurt her for her not to at least come downstairs long enough to eat dinner with them.

After waiting another half hour, they decided that it was best to give her a bit of space before they tried to properly apologize for what they had done. They left the dining room. Alcina, however, continued to wait there for her youngest to show up. She never did, and after yet another hour, Alcina headed upstairs to her own room to retire for the night. She knew her daughter likely needed time to herself, especially after Bela and Cassandra explained what had happened. In the morning, she’d make sure to check in on her daughter personally and apologize to her herself.

All the while, Daniela remained in bed, staring blankly at the wall the side of her bed was pressed up against. Her eyes were dull, straining as she fought to stay awake. She wasn’t sure why she wasn’t letting herself fall asleep. She knew she’d feel better if she got a bit of rest, but for some reason she just wouldn’t let her eyes stay closed.

Her mind was swarming with all kinds of negative thoughts, none of which managed to do anything but dampen her mood even further. She must’ve lied there for hours in absolute silence. Everyone else, including the maids, had already gone to bed, which is why it was such a surprise when a knock sounded from her door. She nearly jumped out of her own skin. A loud yelp slipped past her lips as she jolted upright and felt her head whip towards the direction of the door.

Who could that possibly be? Surely her sisters weren’t up at this hour. It was long past midnight, and although she knew the two of them were more insomniatic than she was, she could tell from the way that silence followed the knock that it wasn’t them. Still, her heart hammered in her chest as she tried to decipher the scent.

“Wh-Who is it?” She asked shakily.

“It’s me, Daniela,” [Y/N] responded from the other side of the door. “Is it alright if I come in?” Daniela’s heart began to race even faster, though it was for a different reason now. Why was [Y/N] the only one who came to check in on her herself? Perhaps she cared more for Daniela than her own family did. She hesitated, her mind telling her she’ll only be a burden to the woman she loved so dearly. Ignoring those cruel thoughts, she wiped her face and straightened out her dress. “Yes, come on in,” she finally said at length.

Slowly, the door creaked open to reveal [Y/N], who peered in through the dim lighting the candles from the hallway managed to provide. “What’s up?” Daniela asked softly, watching as the young woman closed her bedroom door and walked over to her bed. She sat on the edge of it and gazed over at her. Even with how dark her room was, Daniela was able to see the concerned look on [Y/N]’s face. “I heard about what happened today. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

Daniela smiled weakly, her heart pounding against her ribs once more. She glanced down at her lap, tugging her gloves off and tossing them to the side to pick at her nails. Her palms flipped downwards to desperately try to wipe the sweat onto the fabric of her dress. “I-I’m fine,” she mumbled in reply, her voice almost inaudible. [Y/N] shifted on the bed, the mattress suddenly sinking down next to Daniela as she sat beside her. “C’mon, you and I both know that’s not true. I can see it on your face. And in your body language. You’re upset. You don’t have to hide it. You don’t have to tell me about anything, but I can promise you I won’t judge you for whatever it is you’re upset about.”

Now, as her lip began to quiver for the first time in hours, Daniela managed to peer over at her from the corner of her eye. She tried to maintain her composure, though it was quick to falter as [Y/N] held out her arms and gazed at her with those damned eyes. “C’mere.”

Without meaning to, Daniela whimpered and practically seemed to lunge forward as she dove into [Y/N]’s embrace, letting her face bury itself into the smaller woman’s shoulder as she let out a small sob. She wasn’t entirely sure what it was about this girl that made her feel so safe, other than her love for her. Something about the way [Y/N]’s eyes always seemed to show a sign of trust and never held any judgment made Daniela feel as though she could confide in her about anything.

[Y/N] was quick to rock her back and forth, her fingers gently stroking the unshaven side of the redhead’s messy hair and scratching soothingly at her scalp. “Everything is going to be okay, Dani. And they didn’t tell me to say anything, but your sisters and mother are very sorry for whatever it was that they did to you. Believe me. I was able to see it on their faces during dinner.” Daniela sniffled softly and tilted her head to peer up at [Y/N].

“You were there during dinner?” [Y/N] nodded down at her with a soft grin. “Yes. I was also…” She seemed to hesitate, worried about something. Daniela straightened up at this to look her in the eye. “What is it?” “Ah, I just–I was also there in the room with Bela earlier when you tried to show her your book. I heard what happened.” A soft shade of crimson dusted Daniela’s cheeks as she turned her head away in embarrassment. “Oh, I didn’t even realize. I-I’m sorry you had to see me act that way.” “What way?” “Like a spoiled brat. I-I sounded like I just wanted attention, didn’t I?”

Gently, [Y/N]’s hand came to rest on her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. “No, not at all. I can understand being upset about not being able to share something you’re passionate about, and I could clearly tell you were passionate about the book you were carrying.”

Daniela looked back up at her again, slightly surprised. “You don’t think I was being pathetic?” “No, not at all! I’d probably react the same way, honestly.”

Daniela smiled and hummed after a moment. She crossed her legs and returned to where she had originally been sitting on her bed, staring down at her lap. “Th-Thank you for not judging me,” she murmured quietly at length. “It really does mean a lot.” Her head lifted so she could once again look [Y/N] in the eyes, her smile never faltering, and instead growing. “Anytime, Dani,” came the smaller woman’s reply. They gazed at each other for a while, not realizing it.

Suddenly, a look of pure confusion riddled Daniela’s face. “Wait, if you were in the room with Bela when I came in earlier, then how did you not know what I was upset about? And…why did it seem like you didn’t know about any of it until my family “told you?””

Again, a look of anxiousness crossed [Y/N]’s features. She averted her gaze and began to fidget with her fingers. “A-Ah, well, I just didn’t want you to know I had listened to what happened. I thought you might be mad at me for it.” Daniela stared at her, bewildered, but quickly smiled and chuckled. “I could never be mad at you. Especially not over something like that.” She took [Y/N]’s hand into her own and gently caressed the back of it with her thumb.

Daniela sighed in relief. The noises pounding in her mind began to soften, finally feeling at ease for the first time in hours.

“Oh!”

She jumped at that, her heart stuttering in surprise as she quickly turned her attention back to [Y/N], who looked excited now.

“Speaking of that book, I was actually going to ask if you could show me some of the facts you were trying to talk about!” An unusually wide smile cracked across Daniela’s lips, almost to a painful degree. “You’d really be interested in that? And you’d pay attention?” [Y/N] nodded with a look of pure intrigue. “Yeah, of course! I managed to spot the cover of the book while you were in the room. It’s about the human body, right?”

Daniela nodded, quickly flying over to where she had tossed the book to pick it up before returning to the bed. “Yep! The first half is really really boring, but the rest of it is really cool! I love the part about how love and romance affects the body so far.” [Y/N] giggled at her and reached over to the nightstand to light a candle. “I figured as much. That’s very in-character for you,” she replied softly, making Daniela blush.

“Is that a bad thing?” She questioned sheepishly. “No, of course not. It’s actually one of the things I love most about you.” Daniela’s face burned even brighter, and she secretly scolded herself, trying to force the blush to die down before the candle lit up the small space next to them.

“Oh, Daniela. Did that new book you were talking about finally make it in?” Bela asked from the sofa in the front parlor, Cassandra’s head perking up at this. The youngest of the three beamed brightly over at them and chuckled. “Yeah, it did.” Her two older sisters smiled back at her. “Would you want us to read it with you?”

Daniela eyed them for a moment, though her expression quickly changed before they could notice. “Oh, no, it’s fine. I was actually planning on reading it with [Y/N] first! She’s in the library right now: I told her to wait there for me while I grabbed the book from the Duke’s shop.” She hummed and swarmed up, flying all the way across the property to the library, where she found [Y/N] waiting for her on her favorite sofa.

Similar to the way she had been doing almost all day everyday, Daniela smiled wide, squealing from excitement and catching [Y/N]’s attention, who turned to her and grinned in return, waving at her. “Dani, hey! Did you get the book?”

With an enthusiastic nod, Daniela soared over to the sofa and plopped herself down next to [Y/N], leaning against the armrest. “Sure did! Volume two of fun facts over the human body.” She pulled the book from underneath her arm and swayed it back and forth with a teasing smirk. She then set it up against her lap and flipped open the front cover. Bringing her closed hand up to cover her mouth, she cleared her throat, then began to read the story aloud.

As she spoke, she got lost in the words. She hardly noticed as [Y/N] shifted on the cushion in front of her. She was made aware of her movement, however, once the smaller woman leaned against her shoulder to read the words on the pages as well.

Her voice shook and cracked in surprise, her confidence in the words she spoke beginning to waver as she stared down at [Y/N]. “U-Um, are you alright?” She looked up at Daniela in confusion. “Yeah, of course,” was her soft reply. “Just wanted to get cozy, y’know?” Uncharacteristically, Daniela grew sheepish. She was often the one who made a bold move to fluster others–she wasn’t used to someone else doing it to her, let alone the woman she loved.

“Y-Yeah,” was all she could mutter, forcing herself to tear her gaze away and focus back on the words decorating the pages. She continued to read it aloud, though she wasn’t able to comprehend anything she read. This continued for a long while, and finally she was able to get back into a more confident headspace. Her attention to the facts returned.

A gentle yawn sounded from Daniela’s shoulder, prompting her to look down at the source. [Y/N] rubbed her eyes before letting them flutter shut. She sighed as she nuzzled back up further into Daniela’s shoulder. Her nose gently bumped against her neck. The redhead shuttered, causing her breath to halt for a moment. How long had they been reading together? Surely it couldn’t have been that long.

She turned her head to glance up at the skylight, finding that the sky above was growing darker, almost pitch black. “Oh, I hadn’t even realized we’d been here all day. Sorry about that, [Y/N]. Should I carry you back to your room?” [Y/N] shook her head after a moment, seemingly already halfway asleep. “No, I’m fine. This is really comfortable. You can keep reading if you’d like.” Daniela smiled softly down at her and nodded. She shifted her arm to tuck it underneath [Y/N]’s torso and pull her closer, using her free hand to flip the pages of the book as she read silently to herself.

Another hour must’ve passed before Daniela finally finished the book. “Man, it’s much faster to read something in my head than out loud,” she whispered to herself, closing the cover and gently placing the book on the ground next to the sofa. She yawned and sighed, glancing back over at [Y/N]. Her eyes were shut, her breathing and heartbeat slow and steady. Daniela grinned and absentmindedly pressed a gentle kiss to the top of the woman’s head. She couldn’t see it, but her pupils were blown from the love and admiration traveling throughout her body.

“I’m glad you’re asleep,” she started. “I-I promise I’ll tell you this to your face when you’re actually…y’know, conscious–when I can find the courage–but…I love you, [Y/N]. You’ve cheered me up countless times, especially these past few weeks. You’ve always made me laugh and made sure I knew that you were actually paying attention to me. You make sure I know you’re actually interested in what I have to say, and that really does mean the world to me.

“I hope I can help you feel the same way. There are so many things I never want you to have to experience, but feeling useless, or ignored, or…like you’re a burden is definitely one of the major ones. If you ever feel like you have no one else to go to, I just want you to know that I’m here.”

She giggled to herself, running a hand through her hair and then down her face. “I want to keep telling you about how much I love you and why I do, but I feel like I should save all of it for when you’re actually awake to hear all of it. I want you to know just how much you mean to me. Though, that’ll be hard to explain since you mean the world–no, more than the world to me.”

Finally, she let herself relax, leaning back against the armrest and closing her eyes with a heavy sigh. She couldn’t wipe the smile from her face if she tried. Again, just like she had done multiple times over the past few weeks, Daniela jumped. [Y/N] seemed to be unnaturally good at catching her off guard. She wasn’t sure if she was proud of that or not.

“Aww, Dani, that’s so sweet,” she mumbled. Daniela’s eyes shot down to her still resting against her shoulder, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead. “H-How much of that did you hear?”

“All of it.”

Daniela whined in embarrassment. She used her free hand to hide her reddened face, mumbling things under her breath. [Y/N] giggled at her reaction, one arm moving to wrap around the redhead’s torso and pull her closer. Her face nuzzled against Daniela’s collarbone as she smiled and sighed. “But…I love you too. I want you to know that.”

For what must’ve been the fifth time that evening alone, Daniela’s head whipped back around to let her stare at [Y/N]. “You do…?” She whispered, her voice once again cracking as tears unwillingly began to prick her eyes.

“Of course I do. How could I not?” [Y/N] said it like it was the most obvious thing on earth. She really found it odd that Daniela was surprised about her feelings being mutual?

Daniela’s lip quivered. Slowly, she shifted onto her side to fully face [Y/N], who finally opened her eyes to gaze up at her. The smile that caressed her lips so beautifully only made Daniela’s heart flutter. “Could…you say that again?” [Y/N] smiled.

“Yes. I’ll say it to you as many times as you’d like. I love you, Dani.”

She leaned up and began to pepper the woman’s face and head with kisses, whispering a faint “I love you” with each one.

Daniela finally let out a small laugh mixed with a sob. She leaned forward and pulled [Y/N] closer. [Y/N] smiled down at her, shifting up a bit further to comfortably pull the weeping girl into her chest. Her fingers raked through the red locks that rested against the armrest, lulling Daniela further into a sense of security and bliss. “I’ll always be here for you, okay? Anything you need, I’m here: I’ll be here to listen, pay attention, make you laugh, and love you. Just like you said to me, if you ever feel like no one else is there, just know I’ll be waiting for you with open arms.”

Tears soaked through [Y/N]’s shirt, though she didn’t mind. She could feel Daniela smiling broadly against her clothed skin, and that made everything feel like it was worth it.

Chores

[The Owl House] Amity Blight x Female Reader

Word Count: 4.05k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Mentions of overworking, but that's pretty much it.

[A/N]: Story 3/3 for Amity! I'll be writing for Boscha next.

At the time I’ve finished this and proofread it before scheduling, we’re at 110 followers, so I just wanted to quickly say thank you! I hope you’ll enjoy my content as much as I enjoy creating it.

Enjoy!

 An occasional strained grunt filled the small space in between the idle chatter of citizens and workers. Lilith turned from her conversation with Steve, her gaze landing over to the source of the grunting. Amity, just a few feet away, was tugging at a rope in an attempt to lift a large wall skillfully tied to the other end. She seemed to struggle too much for a moment, but before anyone could step in to help her, her hand lifted enough for her to cast a spell circle and summon an Abomination. Two much larger hands joined hers on the rope and gave a hefty tug, finally allowing the wall to lift with ease. Once it was set in place, Amity sighed in relief, shrugging and rolling her shoulders back to ease the already growing tension.

She stared up at the work that had been done so far: three of four walls had been lifted, two of which were set in place against their designated pillars. Just one more left to go, then the Construction Coven would finish it off by tidying the design for the roof and building it on their shift. Hands on her hips, Amity smiled. They certainly had made a good amount of progress on the newest sets of households for those who’d had their previous home destroyed during the Collector’s reign of terror and Belos’s eventual defeat.

Thinking of all of the citizens who would once again be able to call somewhere home brought an even wider grin to her lips. Her mind wandered back to her own home–which she shared with her girlfriend [Y/N]. The mere thought of the girl made Amity feel warm and relaxed. She wished she was home with her in that moment. She knew, however, that she had to play her part in the reconstruction of the Isles. It had been months since she had been able to convince herself to take a day off. She was upset by it, but her guilt for not helping the others certainly combatted those feelings. It was a battle everyday about whether or not she should just stay home.

A quick yelp unwillingly slipped past her lips as a hand dropped onto her shoulder and squeezed. She turned, startled, but settled again when she saw her former mentor Lilith standing there. Her eyebrows were creased in concern. “Amity, you look exhausted. Why don’t you take a break for today? We’ve got it from here.” Amity smiled softly up at her and waved it off, gently lifting Lilith’s hand from her shoulder and letting it drop back down to her side. “No, it’s alright. I can keep working.” A frown crossed the Clawthorne’s features.

“I understand that you feel as though you have to help out all day everyday, but I can assure you it’s alright to take breaks here and there. I haven’t seen this many bags under your eyes since your mother had you competing for grades and status in school.” Again, Amity waved, this time shaking her head. “I promise I’m good to work like this. I feel guilty anytime I take a break anyway. I’d much rather be here.”

“You’d rather be here than at home with [Y/N]?”

Now silent, Amity glanced down at her feet and let her gloved fingertips scratch lightly at the back of her neck. “Well, no, but–” “Then go spend time with her. I’m sure she misses you. I mean, you’re gone so much. Please just take the rest of the week off, alright? No one will be upset with you for it. They’ll understand. And besides, you’ve done plenty already. It’s not as if you haven’t been efficient in your work.” The younger woman seemed unsure at the mention of taking the week off. It had been so long since she had taken even half of a day as a break–and that alone had her guilt eating away at her conscience–how would she survive an entire week?

“I couldn’t,” came her reply after a moment.

“Amity, at this point, it’s not a question anymore. It’s a request–an order. Not only am I worried about how little time you spend at home, I’m also worried about your health. When’s the last time you sat down to eat a proper meal and just relax?”

Amity wracked her brain to find the example, though she couldn’t, and ultimately sighed. “I guess you’re right. I’ll take tomorrow off, but could I at least finish up my work here for the day?” Lilith’s glare sharpened. “Only if you take the rest of the week off. Not just tomorrow. Deal?” Another sigh of defeat. She truly didn’t want to feel as though she was letting these people down. “Deal.”

The rest of the day had gone by rather quickly, much to Amity’s dismay. She wasn’t looking forward to the rest of the week. She felt as though she constantly had to be helping out in some way, always searching for approval and praise. After all that had happened, she thought she had moved past feeling like she needed to prove herself for merely existing, but it was hard to break a habit she had been in her entire life. It seemed to be getting better though–at least, when it didn’t come to reconstruction.

As everyone wrapped up for the night and began to disperse towards their own homes, Amity found herself fastening her tool belt more sluggishly than normal. Her eyebrow raised at this, though her silent question of, “why is it so hard to move?” was answered as she yawned. After wiping her watery eyes from the yawn, she grumbled under her breath about feeling horrible. Just as she turned to head home with her staff underneath her, Lilith called out to her. “Amity, remember to take the rest of the week off! If I find you working somewhere aside from home, I’ll be sure to tell [Y/N], and you know she won’t let you leave until you rest.”

Amity nodded and waved in acknowledgment before signaling for Ghost to float up and head home.

By the time she made it home, Amity was almost too fatigued to even make it up to the doorstep. She managed to force herself to push the door open and shut before trudging to her shared bedroom. The moment she stepped into the room, she smiled at the sight of [Y/N] curled up against the headboard, huddled in between pillows and under blankets as she silently read her book.

She looked up at Amity once she heard the doorknob twist, a wide smirk gracing her lips. “You’re home. How was work?” At the mention of what had made her so tired, Amity groaned and walked forward, collapsing onto the bed and murmuring something unintelligible into the pillow. A small chuckle made her turn her head. “What’d you say?” “I said good but tiring. Lilith–you remember her, right? My old mentor? She’s pretty much my boss for our projects, and she told me I had to take the rest of the week off.”

“Why do you seem upset about that? I mean, we’d be able to spend more time together.” “Yeah, I know. Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to spend time with you, you know I do. I just feel guilty for not being able to help them out at the same time, you know?” [Y/N] nodded softly before letting out a small sigh. She shuffled in her spot on the bed, and when Amity looked up to see what she was doing, she found her huddled up further in the blankets, already reading to distract herself again.

With a bit more effort than she thought she’d need, Amity picked herself up into a sitting position. She then shifted over to lean against [Y/N]’s shoulder and rest her head against it. “What’s wrong?” She questioned gently as she peered up at her. “Nothing’s wrong,” was the only response. Amity wouldn’t accept that, however. She nudged at her shoulder until they made eye contact again. “C’mon, you can tell me. Is it because of me? I won’t be upset.”

It took a few moments before [Y/N] finally answered, visibly hesitating. “It’s not necessarily because of you. I know you, Amity, and you know me. We’re both the same when it comes to wanting to help people. I just wish you would spend more time with me here instead–I want to help them out as much as possible too, don’t get me wrong, but it’s better to take breaks. If you’re exhausted all the time, then you won’t have the energy to keep working everyday. I’m really starting to worry that one day I’ll be called to one of the sites because you’ve collapsed.”

Amity’s heart ached at the thought of [Y/N] being so concerned for her. She knew she was likely overworking herself the same way she used to during school, but she had never really paid attention to how long she was away from the house for that work. [Y/N] had offered to help out more often as well a while back so she and Amity could alternate during shifts and not work for too long. She had denied the suggestion, but now, as she looked at the way her girlfriend’s eyebrows furrowed upward together while her eyes glinted with an accompanying distress, she regretted it.

Maybe Lilith was right–maybe spending so much time at work was doing more harm than good. Surely, after spending over ten to twelve hours a day doing near-constant labor, she was too fatigued to actually be helping out all that much. She thought she was doing most of the work, but looking back on it, the others did come in after her shift to correct some of the things she had messed up. And those errors were growing more and more frequent.

With a small sigh, she nodded and shifted up further to let her face burrow into the crook of [Y/N]’s neck. “I know. I’m really sorry. I had no idea I was concerning you that much. I’ll listen to Lilith and take the rest of the week off, but I’ll also start reminding myself to take more breaks and spend more time here at home with you, okay?”

At this, [Y/N] looked up at her again, having turned away to stare mindlessly at the thin pages of her book to avoid eye contact. “You promise?” Amity smiled and nodded reassuringly. She lifted her arm and let it wrap around the smaller girl’s shoulders, allowing her to pull her closer for a hug. “I promise.”

A few hours had passed since Amity made her promise, and she was finding it harder and harder to stay awake with each passing second. She had slumped down further into the sheets, eventually letting her head fall to rest partially against [Y/N]’s hip and thigh as she continued to sit up and read her book. She glanced up, occasionally managing to read a few words off of the pages of the story. The feeling of [Y/N]’s fingertips lightly scratching at her scalp in a soothing manner, combined with the comforting motion of those same fingers raking through her lavender locks, finally lulled her into a deep sleep after a while.

Moments later, at the sound of soft snoring, [Y/N] pulled her attention away from her book and glanced down at Amity. She beamed warmly at the sight and sighed. Her free hand left the book long enough to slip her bookmark from its place on her nightstand and tuck it in between the pages before letting the cover fall shut. As silently as she could, [Y/N] placed her book to the side–essentially replacing where the bookmark was just a moment ago–tugged the small cord on the lamp to turn it off, then wriggled her way beneath the sheets. She turned over onto her side and pulled Amity into her chest.

Her lips made contact with the top of Amity’s head in the form of a gentle kiss. “Night, Amity,” she slurred out softly as her eyes fluttered shut. She was dragged into slumber as well shortly after.

The sun’s morning light poked its way through the partially shut blinds and gently blanketed the room in a comforting glow. [Y/N] stirred once it reached her eyes, squinting and murmuring to herself as she managed to pry her eyes open and look around. With a yawn, she looked down to find Amity still tucked away against her chest. She smiled, getting caught in a daze at how she looked in the lighting. After the long hours of the week, the bags under the youngest Blight’s eyes were very visible, though she still looked managed to look so beautiful in her peaceful slumber.

[Y/N] leaned down far enough to press a small kiss to her forehead before she slipped her arms out from around her and snuck out of the bed and into the kitchen. There, she quickly prepared Amity’s favorite breakfast and placed it on one of the table trays they had gotten recently so they could eat in bed without worrying about crumbs. She crept back into the bedroom, set the tray down on Amity’s nightstand, got dressed for the day, and headed out, sending a message to Lilith in the process.

By the time Amity finally woke back up, mainly due to the lack of warmth and the smell of her favorite dish, [Y/N] had been gone for a while. She sat up in bed and looked around, confused. Quickly, she pulled out her scroll and messaged [Y/N], asking where she was. Soon enough, she got a reply, which explained she was taking care of a few of Amity’s daily chores so she didn’t have to worry about them that day, as well as letting Lilith and the crew know she would get a few things done throughout the week so they both didn’t completely disappear in the meantime.

Amity couldn’t help but smile widely at the message. [Y/N] knew she was feeling guilty for not being able to constantly help out, and that she also felt guilty for not spending more time together, so she was trying to find a way to compromise and make both of them work.

She turned over to the tray and lifted it. She set it on the mattress to rest over her lap and dug in, clicking over on her scroll for a bit to find a good video or movie to watch at the same time. Working for so long the previous day had built up her appetite, and she hadn’t eaten before she practically passed out the night before, meaning her stomach was roaring from hunger. She scarfed down the dish quicker than she meant to and slipped out from under the covers after picking the tray up. She brought it out to the kitchen, and while headed there, she noticed that the entire house–save for the bedroom, which hadn’t been cleaned in order to not wake Amity up–was spotless.

A sigh passed from her lips as she grinned. She rinsed her plate and glass and placed them in the sink, as well as her fork, and wiped off the bedside tray before folding it and tucking it away again in the pantry. “I’ll have to find a good way to thank her. Maybe I could make some kind of bot that could take care of the cleaning for her,” she mumbled to herself out loud. At the thought of this, she headed out to her laboratory and clicked on the light.

Her molten golden eyes shimmered as she noticed that her entire workspace had also been polished and reorganized. All of the discarded bolts and mixed puddles of Abomination slime had been wiped from the floor, every tool was in its designated spot, and every countertop was completely spotless. How long had it taken [Y/N] to do all of this? She thought back to her food, and within a few moments of reflection, realized that she had been asleep far longer than she thought. Her food had been cold when she ate it, but she must’ve been too hungry to notice.

Her hand moved back and slipped her scroll from her pocket once more. She sent another message off to [Y/N], asking what time she had left the room that morning. She made a mental note of the current time after her eyes flickered up to the digital clock at the top of her screen. Her response was quick. “I think I left around 4:30 AM. Why?” It was nearly 2:00 PM when the message was sent. Amity sighed and smiled again. “Just wondering. Thank you for cleaning everything.”

She sauntered over to her chair in front of the desk space she usually used to sketch out blueprints and got to work once she was seated. She’d find a way to repay [Y/N] for helping her out so much. If her idea worked out, she realized she could also design one similar to help clean the construction sites when she was back to work later on.

Picking up a pencil from its original spot in a small cup on the corner of the desk, she pulled out a sheet of sketching paper and began scribbling down different designs and the pieces that would be required for each part. It didn’t take long for her to get lost in her work.

“Thanks so much, Matt! I’ll make sure Amity gets them,” [Y/N] called out with a smile and a wave, a basket full of baked goods tucked away in her arm. Matt waved back. “No problem! It’s from the whole crew, as a way to thank the two of you for all you’ve done!”

[Y/N]’s smile grew wider at this, and she nodded as she headed back to the house. She yawned, exhausted from both the work throughout the day and the early hour she had chosen to wake up at. On the way, she ran into Lilith, who recognized her immediately and turned from the conversation she was having with her sister. Eda turned as well, grinning. “Ah, if it isn’t Miss Bossy Boots’s girlfriend! Lily told me about what happened yesterday. Is she finally resting up?”

A nod and a chuckle was her response. “Yeah, she’s at home. She’s awake and she’s eaten, but there isn’t much to do at the house except–” She froze, her realization kicking in. A groan erupted from her before she could realize it, and she ran her free hand down her face. “What’s wrong, kiddo?” “Well, I completely forgot to lock up her lab, so she’s probably still working, just not out here. I gotta get back and make sure she’s resting.”

Lilith stepped forward and squeezed [Y/N]’s shoulder with a smile. “Thank you for looking after her. I’ve been worried for a while now.” Her eyes flickered down to the basket, and her grin widened. “I see Matt gave you our appreciation basket. Make sure to eat them fairly soon. They don’t spoil quickly, but they’re best when they’re fresh. I’m sure Amity will appreciate it as much as you because, well, it is for both of you, after all.”

[Y/N] nodded again. “Thank you for everything, Lilith. Could you let the crew know that Amity and I want to thank them as well?” “Of course.” Eda grinned and stepped forward. “Why don’t you get home now and make sure she isn’t wasting away like her pops in that lab?” She cackled as Lilith elbowed her gently in the arm. “Edalyn, please.”

“Ah, I’m just messing with her. Seriously though, make sure she actually rests. "Working hard is important, but feeling good is important too," to quote a show Hunter got Hooty hooked on.” [Y/N] smiled and nodded once again before turning on her heel to continue heading home. She waved to the Clawthorne sisters.

Once she finally made it, she unlocked the door with a bit of a struggle, and headed inside. “Amity?” She called out, placing the basket of goods on the kitchen table as she wandered to her shared bedroom. She peeked in, but it wasn’t necessarily a surprise to find that Amity wasn’t in there. She sighed, then headed to the entrance of the lab, where she finally spotted the lavender-headed woman already crafting something new on her experiment table.

Even behind the dark purple-shaded lenses of her goggles, Amity could see the door swing open to reveal her girlfriend standing there, completely exasperated. She lifted her goggles and planted them up on her head to see her clearly. With a smile and a wave, she greeted her. “Hey, welcome home. How was your day?” [Y/N] stepped in once being acknowledged. “It was good, but why are you in here working? You’re supposed to be relaxing.”

“Well, inventing stuff helps me relax. And besides, this machine I’m making will actually help both of us relax more often–if it works properly, that is.” Now curious, [Y/N] stepped closer, peering over at what was being built. “What is it supposed to do?”

Amity smiled, happy to talk about her current work in progress. “It’s a cleaning bot. It’ll help us clean up around the house and the lab. If it works the way I want it to, then I was thinking I could help cut down the amount of time we spend at the worksites by making one specifically for construction cleanup.” [Y/N] cringed at a memory that she triggered. “Amity, I don’t know…don’t you remember what happened last time you tried to do something like this?” “Oh, believe me, I remember that. I remember the broken plates and frames–""--and chairs.” “And chairs, yes, but that’s why I’m going to set up a small practice area to test it out in. And I won’t use anything fragile.

“I promise I won’t try it out in the house until it’s perfected.” [Y/N] sighed, already anxious, but she smiled at how enthusiastic Amity was at her newest idea. She stepped closer again and pulled the taller woman into a tight hug, which was returned just as eagerly. “I’m proud of you, Amity.” At this, Amity couldn’t help but tear up just a little bit as she pressed a small kiss to the top of [Y/N]’s head.

“I’m proud of you too.”

After leaning away from the hug, [Y/N] grabbed Amity’s hand and led her out of the lab and into the kitchen, receiving very little resistance. She revealed the basket still resting on the table, pulling the small cloth on the top off to reveal the rest of the baked goods.

Amity tilted her head, confused. “What’s all of this for?” [Y/N] beamed up at her and picked a random treat out. “The construction crew, including Lilith, wanted to thank you and I both for all the work we’ve done recently–especially you.”

She grew warm at the thought of all of her work being appreciated, grinning uncontrollably as she plucked one of her favorites from the small woven basket. She unwrapped it and turned it in her hold before biting down into it, humming at the flavor. “It’s amazing. Hopefully my bot will be a good enough way to thank them for it.” [Y/N] nodded and bit into her own snack. “Maybe, but remember: this is to thank you for everything you’ve already done.”

“I know,” Amity started. “I’m excited to see them all again next week, even though I plan to spend less than half of the amount of time there.” At the sound of this statement, [Y/N]’s head perked up, her glee evident on her features. “Well, I’m excited to spend that time with you.” Amity smiled down at her and pulled her closer. “You know what else I’m excited for?”

“Hm?”

“I’m excited to eat all of these treats.” [Y/N] laughed at that, prompting Amity’s smirk to grow. The smaller woman stood on her toes to press a small kiss to Amity's cheek, already thinking of ways to spend time together during the next several days.

“So am I.”