💌 = Fluff I 📭 = Angst I 📬 = Hurt/comfort I 📜 = Smut I 🪧 = Humour

Second to None

summary : you may be Percy's girlfriend, but not his first choice.

word count : 0.9k

type : imagines

pairing/s : Percy Jackson x Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson x Daughter of Hades! Reader.

warning/s: angst lol, and a little cliche. never settle for fucking less, guys.

here's my masterlist!

Note : I'm not against Percabeth, just so you know. Or Annabeth, I think she's a badass. I just thought of this and I was like "Damn, did I just hurt myself?" Blue aesthetic since the color represents sadness. It will have a Part 2.

You knew what you were signing up for when Percy Jackson asked you out.

You fell in love with him despite knowing the risks.

The constant danger, the relentless quests, the whispered rumors, the pointed stares whenever you were together— none of it was enough to scare you away. He was the great hero of Olympus, the son of Poseidon who had saved the world twice and continued to do so. Of course, people talked.

And you could handle all of it.

All of it— except one thing.

Annabeth Chase.

You were new to Camp Half-Blood, but not naïve.

You knew, the moment you agreed to be his, that you were stepping into a love story written long before you came along. You weren’t a new chapter. You were just a footnote, scribbled in the margins, fighting for space in a tale that was never yours to begin with.

Even your own brother, Nico di Angelo, had warned you. Everyone did.

They had seen Percy and Annabeth’s story unfold— the rivals turned partners, the friends turned lovers, the two who walked through literal hell together and survived. The kind of love even the gods envied.

"It will only end in heartbreak."

But you ignored them all. Because when Percy pulled you into a fierce kiss after winning a game, when he whispered sweet nothings as you lay beside him, when he held you like you were the most precious thing in the world— it was easy to pretend.

Pretend you didn’t notice the silver owl pendant he kept hidden under his shirt.

Pretend you didn’t see the way his sea-green eyes softened at the mere mention of her name.

Pretend you didn’t feel the hesitation in his touch whenever she was near, or the way he always seemed to be waiting— for something, or someone.

Forget that you were never meant to be his forever. That you were just the one keeping his heart warm until she wanted it back.

And yet, you knew Percy loved you. Maybe not in the way he loves her, maybe not in the way you deserve, but in the only way he knew how.

You never doubted your own worth before. You were the daughter of Hades, powerful in your own right, admired, desired. But with Percy, doubt bloomed inside you like a slow-growing poison.

And you loathed it.

Loving Percy Jackson is your greatest blessing. And your greatest curse.

Annabeth never tried to take him back— not outright.

She didn’t need to.

She moved like the strategist she was— calculated, deliberate, patient. Weaving herself into his life in ways you couldn’t contest.

Inside jokes only they understood.

Touches that lingered just a second too long.

Shared memories and unfinished dreams that whispered, This isn’t over.

She never crossed a line.

She never had to.

Because she was Annabeth Chase. His first love. His best friend. The one who had built a world with him long before you ever arrived.

You were the outsider.

Because Annabeth never really lost Percy.

She had simply let go.

And Percy? He had never truly moved on.

So, you waited for the inevitable. Like an inmate on death row, counting down the days.

Maybe you were still hoping. Hoping he’d look at you and finally see you, not her shadow. Hoping he’d realize that you were the one here, standing beside him, loving him— not better, but differently.

Or maybe you were just a fool who enjoyed her own suffering.

Or an addict who couldn’t let go of her drug, even as it destroyed her.

Then one night, walking through the woods, finding solace in the quiet and darkness, you heard them.

Percy and Annabeth. Sitting on a log beneath the stars, wrapped in the weight of a history you could never rewrite.

"Do you ever think of what could’ve been?" She whispered.

Your breath caught in your throat.

"All the time." Percy admitted, after a long silence. "Annabeth, you know I’ll always—"

She moved closer. Too close. Her fingers brushed against his wrist, and you felt the chill of inevitability run down your spine.

"If I asked for a second chance..." She breathed. "Would you give it?"

You braced for the pain of hearing him say yes, for the final dagger to be driven into your heart.

But he hesitated.

Perseus Jackson, who never think twice in the face of death, hesitated.

But Annabeth didn’t.

Before he could answer, she leaned in, claiming a kiss that had always been hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck like they belonged there.

"Choose me, Percy." She whispered against his lips. "You know it’s always been me. Be with me again."

You turned away before he could kiss her back.

You didn’t need to hear his answer.

You already knew it.

Shadow-traveling to your cabin, you threw a few things into a bag. Nico wasn’t there— probably off with Will— and you were grateful. You weren’t in the mood for questions.

You couldn’t stay long enough for Percy to look at you with guilt-ridden eyes and tell you what you already know.

So you left a note on his nightstand.

"I wish you and Annabeth the best. Don’t let her go this time."

Some might call you a coward for walking away.

But you didn’t care.

Percy had made his choice.

And now, you had made yours.

BEST SERIES EVER GO GIVE IT A READ !!!

You’re Losing Me Part 13

𝖲𝗎𝗆𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗒: 𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖩𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝖯𝗈𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖺 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗇𝗈 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋, 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗎𝗇𝖻𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗄𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝖻𝗈𝗇𝖽…𝗈𝗋 𝗌𝗈 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍. 𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖺𝗁𝖺𝗄𝗂, 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗉𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖩𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗇𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖽 𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌, 𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗇’𝗍 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗆 𝗍𝗈 𝖽𝗈 𝖺𝗇𝗒𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍. 𝖶𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗉𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗎𝗅𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝖾𝗌𝗍, 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄 𝗍𝗈 𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋? 𝖮𝗋 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖩𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝗅𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽?

A/N: this is a hanahaki au. WC: 4k This is like 80% James w/ a little Remus sprinkled in there but I promise the next part will have more Moony content!

“Moony!”

Remus jolts when a pillow hits him right in the face, opening his eyes with a tired groan.

“What the fuck?” He complains, sitting up in bed.

“It’s time to get up, mate.” Sirius says, snickering at the unamused glare Remus gives him.

“Did you have to be so aggressive?” Remus sighs, whacking Sirius with the pillow when his back is turned.

“Oi! Watch the hair!” Sirius shouts. “I’ve just done it! And you slept right through your alarm! It woke us all up and you were still snoring, so yeah, I did have to be aggressive.”

“I didn’t hear my alarm go off?” Remus mumbles to himself before giving his friends a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Sirius assures. “None of us had set an alarm anyway. If it weren’t for you, we’d all be fucked.”

“What were you dreaming about?” Peter asks curiously as he tries to get the wrinkles out of his shirt.

“What?” Remus asks.

“For the first time, possibly ever, you slept through your alarm.” Peter reminds him. “It must’ve been a good dream.”

“Yeah.” Remus says, mind once again going back to the kiss you shared the night of the Yule Ball. “Yeah, it was.”

“So what was it about?” Peter presses.

“Are you guys seriously standing around talking about your dreams right now?” James asks in an annoyed huff as he exits the bathroom. “We have far more important things to discuss.”

“Like?” Peter asks cluelessly, fastening the final button on his shirt.

“Y/N! Obviously!” James shouts.

Peter flinches at the loud outburst before getting back to adjusting his tie, sharing an amused smile with Sirius as he does. Across the room, Remus sighs in annoyance. This is all James talked about during dinner last night, and when they got back to their dorm. Remus thought the conversation was over. Clearly he was wrong.

“Prongs,” Sirius groans as the boys finally start to make their way to the great hall. “This again?”

“Yes!” James insists. “Yes, this again! I’m telling you, something is wrong!”

“Why?” Sirius asks, clearly having had enough of James’ theatrics. “Because she didn’t immediately fall into your arms? Because she pushed you away when you kissed her?”

Remus stumbles on his feet and looks at James with wide eyes.

“Kissed her?” He repeats. “You…you kissed her?”

“Yeah?” James says, giving Remus a funny look. “Didn’t I tell you?”

“No!” Remus denies. “When I got here, all you guys kept talking about was how cold Y/N was to Prongs. None of you said he kissed her!”

“Oh.” All three boys say in unison before they start talking over each other.

“Well I did.” James confirms.

“That’s what happens when you don’t ride the Hogwarts Express with us, Moony.” Sirius chastises. “You miss things.”

“It completely slipped my mind.” Peter says honestly, giving Remus his typical clueless smile.

“Prongs, you’re my best mate; but you’re driving me crazy with this.” Sirius admits.

“I can’t help it!” James groans, running a hand through his hair. “I just don’t understand. I-I love her... How could she be so cruel? It was like she didn’t even recognize me…”

Remus turns away at the confession while Peter and Sirius share a concerned look.

“Mm-mm.” Peter shrugs, frowning in discomfort when Sirius elbows him.

“Maybe she was messing with you?” Sirius offers.

“You think?” James asks softly.

“She had to be.” He insists. “You know, like…payback for all you put her through-“

“I didn’t know!” James defends before sighing. “You really think it’s a prank?”

“Come on, Prongs. This is Y/N. Your friend. Your best friend. She’d never purposely be cruel to you. I’ll bet that the next time she sees you, you guys laugh about this whole thing.”

“Yeah.” James nods hopefully, smiling at Sirius. “Yeah, you’re right!”

With that, the marauders finally make their way into the Great Hall. Remus does a quick scan of the room; and when he doesn’t see you, he takes a step back.

“Aren’t you coming, Moony?” Peter asks, having noticed his friend no longer beside him.

Remus does a pathetic attempt of digging through his bag before pointing over his shoulder.

“I actually forgot my…something.” He lies. “You go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

Peter nods his head before running off to join Sirius and James. Remus immediately turns around and starts heading back to the common room, turning his head this way and that every time he passes a corridor, desperately trying to find you. He has so many questions.

Why did you kiss him on the night of the Yule Ball? Why did you leave him without so much as a goodbye? Why didn’t he hear from you once during holiday? What’s going on with you and James?

Upon reaching the portrait hole, Remus considers waiting in the common room before changing his mind and choosing to wait outside, lest you think he’s trying to ambush you. Remus, lost in thought, doesn’t even realize you’ve arrived until you literally appear right in front of him.

“Morning!” You shout with a beaming smile, coming to a stop right in front of him.

Remus, who had previously been digging through his bag, if only to give himself something to do, looks up at the sound of your voice and immediately has the wind knocked out of him. This is the first time he’s seen you in weeks and you look amazing. Gone is the weak, frail girl he spent the previous term taking care of. The girl standing in front of him now is beautiful; with shiny, bouncy hair, full cheeks, and a radiant smile. There’s a warmth to you now, a twinkle in your eye, a skip in your step. You’ve changed- for the better, of course. It’s like you were…reborn during holiday. Remus doesn’t even realize how long he’d been staring until you anxiously tuck a lock of hair behind your ear.

“Are-are you not happy to see me?” You ask timidly.

“No…I mean yes!” Remus corrects, shaking his head at himself. “Of course I’m happy to see you! Are you kidding me? Come’ere”

Remus grasps your wrist and pulls you into his chest before wrapping his arms tightly around you. You let out a surprised squeal before hugging him back. Remus’ hold on you gets the tiniest bit tighter, and he presses a kiss to your head before pulling back. He cups your face and smiles fondly at you.

“How have you been? Are you doing okay?” He asks softly, eyes roaming over your features, as if it’s the first time he’s seen you. Perhaps it is.

You nod, bringing a hand up and placing it over his.

“You sure?” He presses, causing you to squeeze his hand affectionately and giggle.

“Moony, I’m fine.” You assure, smiling up at him. “Missed you.”

Remus huffs at that, though he can’t lie that his heart flipped at the confession.

“I missed you too, love.” He replies, “More than you know.” He adds softly. He doesn’t mean to, but it slips out. His eyes widen the tiniest bit, registering what he’s just said; but he changes the topic before you’re able to comment on the slip up. “Come on. Breakfast is waiting.”

You nod excitedly, turning around and falling into step beside Remus. He wants to ask you about the kiss. He wants to ask you about James, but now isn’t the right time; so he simply lets it be, content to be by your side once more. For the first time in weeks, he feels whole.

Reaching the great hall, Remus looks over at you and smiles softly. You’ve been going on and on about some action movie you went to see during the break. Apparently you loved it so much you went to the cinema a total of six times, dragging your poor parents along for most of them.

“Oh my god! And then he does this super cool move, where he does a sharp U-turn? But when he does the turn- for fucks sake.” You cut yourself off.

“What? What’s wrong?” Remus asks.

“Why is he here?” You ask with a frown, nodding your head at the table. Remus follows your gaze and looks back to you with a confused frown.

“Who? James?” He clarifies.

“Don’t tell me you’re friends with that creep.” You whisper as you both look at the table. Sirius and Peter wave at you, and you smile and wave in return. However, when James looks at you, you look away, frowning at Remus.

“It was a misunderstanding.” Remus tries to reason, even though he himself doesn’t know the full story.

“Misunderstanding or not, I don’t want to sit next to him.”

“What about Padfoot and Wormtail? Don’t you wanna sit with them?”

“Yeah.” You groan. “I guess I can be in his general vicinity for a few minutes. But sit next to me!”

Remus nods his head and you let out a grateful squeal, grabbing onto him as he leads you to the table. Remus looks at your hand placed on his arm, before looking at you with a bashful smile.

“There she is!” Sirius exclaims when you finally join your friends.

“Hello gentlemen.” You greet, sitting down with a smile.

“Hi Y/N.” James says softly, shifting nervously in his seat.

You look at James and nod your head with a forced smile before immediately looking away, finding your plate of food much more interesting than it actually is. James looks at Sirius with a frown and he shakes his head, silently telling James to let it go for now. Which he does! For a while. He’s able to make it fifteen whole minutes before he starts, effectively interrupting the conversation you and Peter were having.

“So where were you during holiday?” James asks, causing you to look up from your pancakes.

“Mm?” You hum while you finish the bite you just took.

“Holiday.” James repeats. “Where were you? I wrote to you every day…I thought you’d write back at least once but I never heard from you…”

“Why would I write back?” You ask with a confused laugh.

With that simple question the table goes quiet. All four boys share a concerned look before turning to you.

“Y/N.” Sirius laughs, because surely you must be joking. “That’s James.”

“Right… Well I’m gonna start heading to Charms. You coming?” You ask, standing from your seat and grabbing your backpack. James starts to gather his things before you stop him in his tracks with a single word.

“Moony?”

Remus chokes on his tea before quickly setting his cup down and looking at you.

“Are you coming or not?” You ask, staring down at him with a smile.

Remus shares a confused look with the boys before nodding his head at you.

“Yeah.” He agrees, grabbing his bag as well. “Yeah, let’s go.”

He shares one last confused look with Sirius, Peter, and James before following after you.

“Still think she’s just messing with me?” James asks Sirius, watching with sad eyes as you and Remus exit the great hall and turn left, disappearing from his line of sight.

“Nah.” Sirius shakes his head as they all start to gather their belongings. “You’re right, mate. There’s something going on.”

“Yeah, but what?” Peter asks, taking a large, final sip of his juice.

“I don’t know.” James shrugs helplessly as they start to make their way out of the great hall. “But I’m gonna find out.”

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

You walk into charms and follow Remus to his seat. He sits down and starts rummaging through his bag while you squat, resting your head on his desk as he gets all his supplies out.

“Hey,” you whisper at him. “What’s your last class today?”

“Ancient runes. Why?”

You bite your lower lip before smiling mischievously at him and Remus is once again taken back to that night- that kiss.

“Do you wanna skip and go to Hogsmeade?” You ask.

“Sure.” Remus nods. The first day would most likely just be a review of what they went over before break, so it’s not like he’d be missing anything important. “I’ll tell the boys to meet us at the usual spot.”

“Actually, I was hoping it could be just us?” You clarify.

“Oh?” Remus says, brows furrowed.

“Just this once?” You plead with a pout before smiling at him. “I missed my Moony.”

Remus feels his heart stutter in his chest when you refer to him as yours. He can’t fight the goofy smile on his face as he nods.

“Okay. Sure.”

“Yeah?” You ask with hopeful eyes.

“Yeah.” He confirms.

“Okay, cool.” You smile at him. “It’s a date.”

Remus’ eyes widen at the word. You smile at Peter as he takes his seat next to Remus. You stand up, prepared to take your own seat only to groan when you see James sitting in the row in front of you.

“Oh, you gotta be kidding. Wormtail, switch seats with me.”

“No.” Peter refuses, sinking further into his seat.

“Come on.” You plead.

“Why?” Peter asks skeptically.

“Look who’s sitting in front of me!” You whine, jerking your head to the side. “I don’t wanna sit with him. He’s weird.”

“Good morning, class!” Professor Flitwick greets as he enters the room. “I trust you all had a good holiday. If you could all settle down so I can start taking attendance.”

“Y/N, please.” Remus begs. “Just for today. We’ll talk about this later.”

“Ugh, fine.” You concede with a roll of your eyes. “But if he tries to kiss me again, I’m drawing my wand.”

Remus nods his head.

“And getting a restraining order.” You add, causing Peter to snicker.

“Fair enough.” Remus agrees with a chuckle.

You begrudgingly walk to your desk, dropping your backpack on the table before falling into your seat. You start pulling your supplies out, only to groan when your parchment rolls off your desk. James, having heard it hit the ground, picks it up and hands it back to you.

“Thanks, Jeremy.” You nod at him.

“It’s James.” He corrects with a frown.

“Whatever.” You shrug.

Sighing, James turns around and faces the front once more. He doesn’t try to talk to you again, no matter how badly he wants to. It’s near the end of the lesson when James, and just about everyone else, gets the shock of a lifetime.

Professor Flitwick, having wrapped up the lesson a bit earlier than expected, decided to let everyone talk amongst themselves until class was over. You’re doodling on the margins of your notes when someone comes to a stop beside your desk. You look up and smile when you see Lori, a girl you had tutored the previous year, standing in front of you.

“Y/N!” She greets excitedly. “Look at you! You’re glowing!”

“I am?” You ask with a confused smile. Sure you feel different, but you didn’t think you looked any different.

“Yes!” She confirms with an enthusiastic nod of her head. “You look so happy and healthy and- and full of life!”

“That’s because I am!” You tell her with a smile of your own. “I’m all better now.”

You’re so absorbed with the person standing in front of you that you don’t even realize nearly everyone in the room has stopped talking, desperately trying to eavesdrop on your conversation.

“Really?” Lori gasps, eyes widening. “Does that mean the guy…he loves you back?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” You reply with a careless shrug of your shoulders. “But even if he did, it’s too late.”

That sentence causes the marauders to share a concerned look.

“I got the surgery done during holiday!” You exclaim, biting your lip in an attempt to hide your smile.

James’ heart drops at the announcement.

“You did?” Someone sitting behind you asks.

“Uh-huh.” You nod, turning around in your seat to face them. “I’ve got a big ol’ scar going down my chest to prove it. It’s very hot.” You joke, causing a few classmates to laugh.

Sitting in front of you, James finds it difficult to breathe.

“Were you scared?” Lori asks softly.

“Well sure,” you nod, giving her a kind smile. “But I didn’t wanna die. I mean…you saw me… I was getting worse and worse. At the end of the day, he just wasn’t worth it.”

“Prongs…are you alright?” Sirius asks softly, whispering so as to not draw attention to his friend.

“Fine.” James nods, smiling tensely at his friend, desperately trying to keep it together.

“Are you su-“

James stands abruptly from his seat, grabbing his backpack before rushing out of the room. Sirius stands, prepared to go after him, only to stop when Remus shakes his head.

“Give him some space.” He mouths from his seat a few rows away.

Sighing, Sirius nods, sitting back down and rubbing his temples.

“I thought seventh year was supposed to be easy.” He grumbles to himself. “This whole situation’s fucked.”

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

After Defense Against the Dark Arts, the marauders all convened in their dormitory for an emergency meeting. Well, the marauders minus Remus, convened in their dormitory. But to be fair, they didn’t have time to track him down in a time like this! They trusted him to find his way eventually. And sure enough, he comes rushing in only a few minutes after them.

“What’s all this?” He asks, breathlessly, clearly not expecting to run into anyone. “What are you all doing here?”

“Waiting for you!” Peter exclaims. “Sit down, we were just about to get started.”

“With?” Remus presses, still completely lost as to what he’s just walked into.

“With our meeting!” James stresses. “To talk about Y/N. Figure out what’s going on and you know…set up a game plan of some sort.”

“Now?” Remus asks, glancing at his watch before heading to his trunk, trying to find something acceptable to wear. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I have plans.”

“You have plans?” James repeats incredulously.

“Cancel them.” Sirius says simply.

“I can’t.” Remus repeats.

“Why not?” He fires back.

“Because they’re with Y/N!” Remus admits, releasing a shaky breath before turning to face his friends.

“You have plans…with Y/N?” James asks softly.

“What plans?” Sirius interrogates, crossing his arms as he stares at Remus.

“She wants me to go to Hogsmeade with her…”

“Just you?” Sirius asks, to which Remus nods.

“Just me.”

“Why?” Peter finally asks.

“I-I don’t know.” Remus shrugs.

“This is great.” James says, getting everyone’s attention.

“It is?” Remus and Sirius ask at the same time.

“Yes!” James assures them. “Brilliant actually. Think about it, guys! Who was by her side the whole time she was sick?”

“Moony?” Peter guesses.

“Right.” James nods, “So who do you think she trusts the most right now? Who would she spill everything to? Who would she let pick her brain?”

“Moony!” Peter repeats, more confidently this time.

“Moony, you could be our man on the inside.” James tells him eagerly. “Go to Hogsmeade. Find out what happened. What really happened. Then come back and fill us in.”

“I don’t think this is such a good idea…” Remus trails off unsurely, toying with the jumper in his hands.

“Don’t think, just go!” James insists, pushing Remus out the door before throwing himself onto his bed.

He groans in discomfort when he feels something jabbing him in the neck. James pulls it out and sits up when he sees it’s a letter from his mum. He rips it open, wondering what’s so important that it had to be delivered straight to his dorm instead of the owlery.

“Hello love.” James reads out loud. “I found this tucked into the back gate while tending to the garden. I think it might be that letter you were waiting on this whole time. I’m sure by now you’ve probably already discussed whatever was written inside, but I figured I’d send it to you anyway! Love, mum.”

“What is it?” Peter asks curiously, sitting down on his bed as well.

“It’s a letter from Y/N…” James says, taking in the weathered envelope. He rips it open and pulls out the parchment inside, unfolding it gently before holding it up.

“Well?” Peter presses. “What’s it say?”

“I don’t know.” James sighs, shaking his head as he puts the letter down. “I can’t read it. I’m scared.”

Sighing, Sirius stands and holds his arm out. James gives him a grateful smile before handing him the letter. Sirius clears his throat before reading.

James,

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, it’s you. It’s you I’m in love with. I’m sure that right about now you’re hating yourself for not realizing sooner, and blaming yourself for everything I went through… Don’t. It wasn’t your fault. I don’t blame you for any of it. And you shouldn’t either.

I knew what I was getting myself into when I fell in love with you, and I don’t regret it. I don’t regret any of it. It was worth it. You were worth it. And I would have happily died loving you…if only I loved you a little more.

The thing is, the thought of dying terrifies me, Jamie. The thought of leaving you behind, of never seeing you, or Peter or Sirius or Remus, it keeps me up at night. You guys are my best friends, the most important people in my life. I can’t leave you. Which is why I’ve decided to get the surgery.

“Fuck.” James sighs. “Y/N, why didn’t you wait for me?”

Sirius gives him a sympathetic smile before continuing to read the letter.

I’m afraid you’ll get the short end of the stick. I’ll come back in January and I won’t love you anymore. Hell, I won’t even remember you. But I’ll be alive. That’s enough for me. I hope it’s enough for you.

I’ll apologize now for whatever the new Y/N does. I imagine she won’t particularly be nice to you. She'll probably tell you off and roll her eyes whenever you look in her direction. She’ll make her disdain for you apparent. She might even raise her wand against you. Don’t take it personally. That’s only because she doesn’t remember you. She doesn’t remember loving you, or being loved by you. Go easy on her, yeah?

From where I’m standing you have two options. If you don’t love me back, then you have nothing to worry about. You can carry on loving Lily and you won’t have to think twice about me. I don’t remember you, remember? Don’t feel bad and please, in the name of Godric, don’t feel guilty. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy; even if that wasn’t with me.

If, however, by some stroke of luck you do happen to return my feelings, I am so sorry. I’m sorry because what I’m about to ask you to do is going to be incredibly difficult… Jamie, you need to let me go.

“No.” James says immediately, angrily shaking his head. “Fuck that. I won’t do it.”

Sirius huffs in amusement. James and Peter look at him questioningly before he points to where he left off in the letter and continues.

I’ve known you my whole life, James. I know what you’re thinking. You’re probably reading this letter, shaking your head defiantly, saying you won’t do it. So that leaves you with one last option…

Somehow, you have to get me to fall in love with you again. And you’ll have to be quick about it; because if you do love me, when I come back in January you’ll be the one with unrequited love. And wherever unrequited love is, hanahaki is not far behind.

I don’t know how, but I’m sure you’ll be able to pull it off. After all, you already managed to make me fall in love with you once before- and you weren’t even trying that time! This time around should be easier, right?

I know it doesn’t feel like it right now, but I’m still here. Don’t give up on me, Jamie. I’m still here…somewhere.

Sirius carefully folds the letter back up and hands it to James.

“So….” Peter trails off.

“What are you gonna do?” Sirius asks, leaning against the wall.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m gonna get her back.” James says with a determined nod.

REMUS LUPIN

╰┈➤ 18+ none of these stories belong to me! this is a masterlist of all remus lupin stories i’ve read and reblogged! just thought it would be nice to have them all in one spot! (if your fic is on here and you wish not to be, please let me know!) <3

MASTERLIST • THE MARAUDERS • 07/23/24

@luveline ✰ shy!reader

@angelfic ✰ calm after the storm the 4 times you hate each other, and the one time you don’t. alternatively, remus lupin is a pain in your arse and yours alone. ✰ furry little secret you find out remus has been keeping a huge secret from you, and only you.

@lupinlongbottom ✰ singed memories Harry finds a photo of Remus and a mysterious girl. He finds that the girl’s name is (Y/N), she was dead. Harry, letting his curiosity get the better of him, asks Remus for the whole story. ✰ babysitting blues Remus and (Y/N) are asked to babysit Harry while Lily and James go away for the weekend. 

@siriuslovebot ✰ mouse the reader has always had a huge crush on remus. the girls find out and marlene accidentally lets it get back to remus. 

@solemnarration ✰ the girl with the books james and sirius notice that it’s not the books that keep remus in the library, and are determined to know whether you – the object of remus’s affection – return his feelings.

@curseofaphrodite ✰ pomegranates fake dating takes a whole new meaning when the two of you realize you'd rather have it be real. ✰ the gold dress At the gryffindor party, Remus finds himself on the verge of jealousy. ✰ the order of phoenix Y/N was in her 7th year when Lupin became DADA professor. Three years later, they meet again in Grimmauld Place, and he was more annoyed than happy to see her. 

@mangomonk ✰ i thought that i was dreaming when you said you loved me part 2

@in-between-thighs ✰ kiss me really nicely Remus Lupin is worried he doesn’t know how to properly kiss you, you might have to teach him.

@strawberry-fields-things ✰ amortentia Just when Remus thought he was overcoming his crush for you, you wind up drinking a potion that makes you fall in love with him.

@theemporium ✰ angsty ✰ reader left out part 2

@kquil ✰ not so secret admirer part 2 part 3 you can't hide your adoration for remus lupin and often end up staring at him, good thing he thinks you're really cute ✰ baby fever you and remus meet an adorable baby while grocery shopping

@amiableness ✰ drabble ✰ promises Reader and Remus get glimpses of their past life every time they touch ✰ one of us Fed up with your constant bickering, your friends dare you to spend a night together, hoping it will finally resolve the tension between you both.

@ddejavvu ✰ bff!remus ✰ animagus!reader ✰ animagus!reader

@wolfmoonmusic ✰ secrecy You love James Potter and would do anything for him, including keeping your relationship an absolute secret. However, he may not feel the same.

@cosmal ✰ pillow you fall asleep on remus at a party. ✰ lovers rock you and remus lupin have become really good at stealing each other away from parties.

@ellecdc ✰ a man with a plan part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8 Remus planned to never fall in love. Moony had other plans.

@rainydayathogwarts ✰ extrovert!reader

@empress-simps ✰ missed hints Remus Lupin wanted to make his feelings known; he is trying numerous ways to tell you, but you are simply quite oblivious to the poor boy’s advances. ✰ beyond the surface ✰ loving yellow and black ✰ letter to my lupin Remus decided to find out who’s behind giving him little notes and chocolates ever since his fourth year at Hogwarts that made him fall in love.

@jamespottersdaisy ✰ red

@wasteddmoondust ✰ little family

@mrsbrookemunson ✰ misunderstanding part 2 The rumor of Y/N–James sister–liking Sirius.

@moonstruckme ✰ doctor!remus ✰ remus is mean

@flusteredmoonn ✰ foolish one "stop checking your mailbox for confessions of love, that ain't never gonna come," in which his friends are the last people he would entrust with the truth of his feelings toward a particular classmate.

@pasukiyo ✰ left unspoken she wakes in the middle of the night and knows only two things are for certain: remus is not sleeping, and something is wrong.

@writesowhatnext ✰ if it wasn’t for you meddling kids the boys are suspicious when Remus keeps disappearing… where is he going? Who’s he meeting?

@starstruckmoony ✰ you are in love sirius and marlene (and lily) play matchmaker to get you and remus together because you're slightly failing at picking up on very obvious stuff.

@inkdrinkerworld ✰ terrified An oblivious boy that you've been trying to get away from for a week corners you at a party. Luckily, Remus is there to help.

@opalesquegirl ✰ his girl An oblivious boy that you've been trying to get away from for a week corners you at a party. Luckily, Remus is there to help.

@g1rld1ary ✰ the way i see you you're an artist, but you never let any of your friends see your work. they finally attend one of your exhibits and see your feelings on paper

@justagirlwholikesadam ✰ their favorite show Sirius and James have a secret. They love watching Remus fucking his girlfriend, you. Without both of you knowing.

@ahqkas ✰ starman during a snowy holiday at the potter residence, remus finds himself caught between the matchmaking ideas of his two best friends and his growing feelings for you

@moonlightspencie ✰ you should see the things we do, baby Remus and Reader decide to take advantage of teasing Sirius, and it leads to a lot more than a dirty dream.

@whenlilyfallsinlove ✰ jolene part 2 part 3 james potter —> remus lupin

@fishley ✰ sirius the matchmaker sirius has a field day when he figures out remus has a crush on his slytherin best friend.

@patrophthia ✰ bad habit

@moonpascal ✰ lessons in humility Remus can’t help but embarrass himself time and time again in front of the twins teacher.

@astonishment ✰ you’re losing me you and james potter have a friendship like no other, with the most unbreakable bond…or so everyone thought. when you get hanahaki, you start pulling away from james and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t see, to do anything right. with your friendship being put to the ultimate test, will you find your way back to each other? or will james lose you for good?

@enviedear ✰ ivy in which remus confesses that he loves you while on a date with another girl.

dearest gentle readers | introduction

pairing(s): marauders (undetermined) x reader

warning(s): eventually 18+, bridgerton au, mentions of marriage, slight cursing?, i’m not british so just pretend i know what i’m talking about, mentions of scandal and incest, not proofread/edited so forgive me

word count: 818

masterlist

Sponsored by Lady Minerva McGonagall and desperate to find a match before you’re truly considered a spinster, you find yourself caught up in the whirlwind that is The Season. Will you be able to find a husband by August? Or is fortune just as fickle as the ton?

Swathes of fabric lined with lace, ruffles, and beads filled the great expanse of the room.

Yellows as pale as cream and blues as deep as midnight thrown over chase and chair. London’s dreary gloom seemed brighter the longer such a vibrant array of colors decorated the space. Lady Minerva McGonagall wasted no expense on the three debutantes she’d chosen to sponsor again this season.

Beside you, Mary eyed the fabrics with rapt attention.

You fingered the expensive satin silk of the dress nearest to you. Simple in silk, but a striking royal purple, it truly was a marvel of craftsmanship.

“I can’t believe how many dresses there are.” Mary’s Scottish accent appeared to be far less pronounced than what you might’ve imagined, but you three were sure to be an odd bunch. Lady McGonagall had sponsored you lot for two years already. A favor welcomed by your not-so-noble families. Or rather, your not-so-wealthy families.

“I’ve decided on new wardrobes for you this season. You will be married by the end of it, if I have any say. Mary’s are by the window and Lily’s are by the bed.”

Minerva’s sharp gaze turned to you. You’d had either the luck or misfortune (which one it was, you weren’t quite sure) to additionally spend the last few years as Minerva’s ward. Her rough edges were thorns you’d grown accustomed to, especially in her times attempting to make you a reputable lady.

“Your’s are by the chest of drawers.”

She’d certainly paid attention to detail. Mary’s dresses consisted almost entirely of her favorites: warm pinks and oranges. Brilliantly cut to showcase her clavicle, each dress appeared as if it would cover her breasts modestly but still draw attention to her long, slender neck. The simplicity of their silhouettes showcased the utterly perfect embroidery that decorated each bodice and skirt.

Lily’s were a myriad of greens, sprinkled with the occasional peach or yellow. Her soft, drapey dresses contrasted beautifully with the sleek lines of Mary’s attire.

Your own clothes appeared to be a quite suitable mixture of the two.

In moody shades of blue and violet, with the odd periwinkle and silver, you were honestly looking forward to donning the impressive garments. Any jewelry you wore would be borrowed from Lady McGonagall’s extensive collection. A collection, you were afraid to say, you’d miss dearly once you wed.

It was Lily that surged forward to examine her pieces, a chorus of thank yous from each of your lips as you did the same. Minerva smiled knowingly. Your dresses last year and the year before were beautiful, yes, but these actually suited you in a way those hadn’t. Three years of sponsoring the same girls had gone from a favour to fondness. She leaned onto her cane as her gaze flicked between you all. Still, she would be lying if she said she wasn’t eager to find you husbands.

“This is beautiful,” Lily breathed. In her hands, an elegant ensemble of a cream colored fabric hung. You grinned. If this was any indication of how this year’s season would go, you were more than ready. Jill, Minerva’s favorite maid, entered the room holding four sheets of familiar pale paper. Your eyes narrowed in delight. Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers were a joy every season. Mary reached for the pamphlet first. She knew better than anyone how gossip could be wielded as a weapon, and her eagerness to uncover the secrets of this year’s marriage mart was palpable. You felt the same.

Dearest Gentle Readers,

How lovely it is to greet you again. Our time away from Society has proven wonderfully refreshing indeed, though I would be quite the liar if I claimed to not miss you. Our extraordinary ton has now returned from our glorious reprieve, and it seems there are a many anxious mamas hoping to prey on the unsuspecting wiles of this Season’s eligible bachelors.

Last year, scandal swept through the ton when none other than Miss Narcissa Black married Duke Lucius Malfoy in secret after a supposedly whirlwind love affair. Hopefully, Mr. Sirius Black is as unbothered as he appears.

Regardless of the nearly disastrous ending to last year’s entertaining exploits, the new batch of debutantes seem sparkling indeed.

There is fierce Lady Charity Burbage, who proves to be a bold wonder amongst a meek crowd. Or perhaps one might find interest in Lady Aurora Sinistra, who I dare say is more brilliant and sharp than ever. Even Lady Pandora Rosier seems dreamier of late.

There is one thing for certain, reader: this season will be one to remember.

Keep your wits about you. Scandal lurks in every corner, as tricky as a hungry fox and more than ready to sink its claws into an unknowing victim. Guard your hearts, gentle ton, for I fear what I will write this season will be quite damning indeed.

Yours Truly,

Lady Whistledown

𝑫𝒚𝒏𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒚: 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓

♡︎ 𝑷𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝒀𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆!𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓!𝑴𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝑶'𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝒙 𝑭𝒆𝒎!𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

♡︎ 𝑪𝑾: 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚, 𝒂 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒂𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈/𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

♡︎ "__" 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆

♡︎ 𝑨/𝑵: 𝑯𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒚'𝒂𝒍𝒍! 𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯, 𝑾𝑬'𝑽𝑬 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑫 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑬𝑵𝑫 𝑶𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀! 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚'𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚'𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕! 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑰 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓'𝒔 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑶𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒆, 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒅𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕/𝒖𝒑𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒇 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒆. 𝑨𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓'𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒘.🙃 𝑨𝑳𝑺𝑶 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐, 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚. 𝑨𝒏𝒚𝒘𝒂𝒚, 𝑰 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚'𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚! 👋🏾

♡︎ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 1 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆    𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 2 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆    𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 3 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆    𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 4 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆

♡︎ 𝑻𝒂𝒈 𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕: @pinkrose1422 @freeingrebels @lollipoppersposts @brown-eyed-thang @winwin70 @khaylin27 @afro-hispwriter @sleepyamaya @bittersw33t-lotus @pix-stuff @twentysomethingwereyote @steveoscousin @jollystrawberrydaze @shibble @baker-and-fangirl @miggyoharaswife @decaffeinatedplaidwinnersoul @iseizeyourmom @jenniferdixon05207 @newearth5s @risinglightmoon @mimooyi @d1nne @robinastro @ella-janehaven @vvitcxen @sparklyphantom @chessecakelover @alexiris @kxszy @fabhoesmadness @darkfairy102190 @lickmytoesgirl @trullyitrymybest @shinyunknownninja @liz67900 @sydneyyyya @akosuathegreat-pretender @kittiowolf210 @ngadasansblog @luna4mnoon @kamivq @nataliahemsworth @rheeves @sikrettt @bittercyder @1lyyff @rheannajrs @nunezr99 @beebreezus @msvanillabean @harpy-space @her-majesty-theking @yourgurlbri

@sunnybyeol @lo-veyuji @xxadengoldysxx @literalawkwardsimp @m0rganit3 @bootyjerky @881mikidx188 @rin-matsuoka345-blog @boo8008 @yuuuumii @love4lacey @villainarc-2 @eerievixen @yamekocatt @cyi4zi @strawberrymiguel @neteyamsluvts @novaamz @delkirasuzu @rynaliasafara @nuo0n @syarblu @poopoobuttsy @dollstarr @raeisthebae @mariabd @kocherry @thepanwiccan @deepinballs @blkmysteryy @y4nn4t0 @bruhhvv @gecko290 @yourofficialgrimreaper6060 @elysia-lover @doggyteam2028 @hardlystrictlystarwars @fried-milkfish @trashlanterfish360 @artie-g @evezzzz @br0oke @mymoonmeow @sarahjohnb @mydarlingelena @amplsblog @cherry-cristal @hoshithinker @artie-g @silassinclair @averagefloydlover @thee-horny-thicky @randomhoex @holywaterisneeded @narwhal-swimmingintheocean @iytatsworld

Idle hands are the Devil’s playground. 

In this case, it’s more like an idle mind. 

The first week or so of the month passed by smoothly for __. She was given plenty of entertainment by Miguel, even access to the internet, though it was closely monitored. 

She hadn’t expected him to agree to leaving her search history and website access unobserved, so she’d decided against mentioning it in her stipulations. 

__ was allowed to watch all her favorite films and television shows, and there were plenty of books and puzzles . 

Simple pleasures, but ones __ had quickly learned not to take for granted. 

__’s room was very comfortable, and stayed at a pleasant temperature all the time. Since she was (presumably) underground, there were no cold air drafts to worry about, and the heat could be controlled at all times.

The bathroom adjacent to the bedroom was fully stocked with all the essentials and plenty of additional luxuries that __ needed to always feel refreshed and pampered.

Her meals, which were personally delivered and presumably also made by Miguel, were always delicious, and he seemed to have remembered all her favorite dishes. 

All in all, it really wasn’t so bad being…

Wait……what?

__ sat upright in bed, eyes wide and breathing heavily. 

‘Where did those thoughts come from,’ she wondered silently, bottom lip clutched between her teeth. 

Ok, to be completely fair and honest, __’s situation could have been much, much worse. And for what it was, Miguel did treat her well. 

‘Almost better than he did while we were married.’ The thought leaves a sour taste in the back of __’s throat, causing her mouth to curl up unpleasantly. 

But, it’s thoughts like that that ultimately keep her focused. No matter how good the treatment, __ had to remember that she was still being held against her will, by her cheating, lying, murderer of a husband.

Taking several deep, steady breaths, __ slowly lays back down, eyes fixed on the ceiling and eventually drifting over to the intercom. 

Despite having tried to harden her resolve, __’s mind couldn’t help but wonder. 

For all the provisions she had in her prison, she was lacking something major. 

Human. Interaction. 

Quality human interaction. 

Talking to Miguel the predetermined three times a day when she ate and sporadically through the intercom when/if she needed something was not sufficient. Besides, if __ had a choice in the matter, she wouldn’t talk to him at all.

Yes, he was very last on her list of people she wanted to interact with. 

But…seeing as she didn’t have a choice, the prospect of forgiving him and ending this isolation was a tempting one. 

“Ugh, what am I doing?”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧

The middle of the second week arrived swiftly, and __ was beginning to feel slightly antsy. 

Miguel, to her surprise, hadn’t done anything major yet, and had instead been asking for simple things, like sharing drinks (non-alcoholic of course) and holding in-person conversation. 

You had to admit, the time you’d spent with him had been pleasant, and you hadn’t detected anything subliminal or suggestive in anything he said or did.

It was all very suspicious. 

__ wanted to think that he was being genuine, but something in her gut just wouldn’t let her. Call it a woman’s intuition, or her own unique sort of spidey-sense. 

Now she sat, quietly sipping a cup of tea, brewed to seeming perfection. __ wasn’t an idiot, and she definitely took into account that Miguel could possibly be poisoning (tainting?) her through her food and drinks, and he swore he wasn’t when she grilled him about the possibility, but she ultimately figured that it couldn’t be helped either way, seeing as she needed to eat. 

Miguel sat nearby, his nose buried in a tablet. He appeared to be focusing intently on something, and although __ was slightly curious as to what it was, she decided against bothering him. 

That didn’t stop her from studying Miguel’s face though. 

He’d looked much healthier as of late, and he was still as handsome as ever. It pained __ to say, but had the circumstances been different, she might have contemplated giving him another chance. 

Which, she realized, sounded very shallow given that she’d only just been talking about his looks. 

The thought exasperated __, who sighed, sitting her teacup down on the side table next to her. 

“Something the matter?” Miguel speaks, his eyes still surveying the smaller screen before him. 

“It’s…nothing.” __ sighs again, reclining further in her seat and closing her eyes. 

“You know, if something’s bothering you, or you’re displeased with something, you can tell me. I’m all ears.”

“Aside from the obvious, you mean?” __ can’t help the snarky reply. Miguel seems unbothered, so focused he is on whatever he’s looking at. 

“Yes, aside from the obvious.”

It’s quiet between the two of you for some minutes after that, until eventually you reopen your eyes, staring at the ceiling as you speak. 

“You know Miguel, I’ve been thinking…”

At this, he quickly turns his attention away from his tablet, looking at you expectantly. 

“This past couple of weeks have been very pleasant. I could say almost suspiciously so, but…,” you shrug, eyes surveying the space around you. “You could have done all this before kidnapping me, and perhaps even killing Layla could have been avoided had you just…taken things more into consideration.”

You finally meet his eyes. “So, why didn’t you?”

The silence returns, this time loaded, the air thick with tension. You and Miguel hold eye contact for its duration, until finally he sighs, setting down his tablet and folding his arms. 

“I…I’m not sure. I suppose I was, I was…”

“You were afraid. That would also explain why you had my room set up even before I found out that you’d cheated. You were afraid I’d eventually discover your unfaithfulness, and you took measures to ensure you wouldn’t lose me if and when I did.”

Miguel doesn’t respond for a few moments, before eventually nodding. 

“Tell me Miguel, had I not found out, would you ever have been honest about your affair?”

He stills, sighing dejectedly before uttering a quiet “no.”

You nod, having expected that answer. 

“And if I’d never found out…would you ever have stopped seeing Layla?”

…

“It was never my intention to hurt you, __.”

“That doesn’t answer my question, Miguel.”

The man winces at your tone, harsh and scornful. 

“...I don’t know.”

With that, you stand, turning away from him and towards the door. 

“I’m ready to go back.”

Without another word, Miguel stands, escorting you back to your room. 

In that moment, it feels more like a prison than it ever has. 

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You don’t talk to Miguel again until nearly a week has passed. 

He still delivers your meals and fulfills your requests when you have them, but you don’t hold real conversation again for a long while after. 

As much as you’d thought you were completely over Miguel, and had made peace with the situation for yourself, you couldn’t lie that hearing him answer your questions the week before hadn't stung. 

Bad.

Miraculously, you hadn’t cried, but you had definitely felt your chest burn and ache for some time after. 

Initially, you’d been sincere in agreeing to give Miguel a month to try and win you over, even though you both knew that truly healing and reparation would take much, much longer. But now, armed with this new information and doubting that Miguel would uphold his end of the bargain, you knew you’d need to formulate a plan if you wanted to make it out of this thing. 

You immediately figured that you may have to play the long game, but a win is a win, no matter how long the match. 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧

Miguel was beyond agitated. He hasn’t been sleeping, and being away from you for so long has driven him nearly insane. 

He completely understood why you would be upset at him for what he’d said, but you’d said you wanted the truth. 

“We were making such good progress,” he growls, having ceased pacing momentarily. He sits at his desk, hands folded under his chin as he thinks. 

“Fuck!” He screams, fists denting the metal beneath him. 

Now standing, he takes several deep breaths, trying to rein in his temper. 

“No, I can’t lose focus now. All is not lost.”

The thought helps calm him further, and he makes his way over to the bench across the room. 

On the bench lies a single vial, one which Miguel lifts, studying its contents in the dim light of the lab. 

“It’ll be alright, __. I didn’t want it to come to this, but it seems I’ve no choice.”

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You’re expecting Miguel when he knocks on your door, having just exited the shower. You’re still wrapped in your Egyptian cotton towel, body still damp with water. 

“Come in.”

He enters, eyes downcast before he lifts them, nearly dropping the tray he holds as his eyes land on you. 

Miguel can immediately feel his pants begin to tighten, and he struggles between feeling ashamed and casting that same shame into a deep dark well. 

Little does he know, that’s the effect you intended to have. 

“__! I uh, I brought you y-your…”

“Thank you, Gigi.” You smile at him, and to his lust and desperation addled mind, it looks genuine. 

“You can sit it on the dresser.” 

Swallowing,  Miguel nods, doing as you instruct. 

“Here, sit with me.” You gesture to the bed, taking a seat on it yourself. Miguel follows suit, looking very conflicted. 

You grin internally, knowing that so far, everything is going just as you intended. 

“Oh Gigi, I’ve been so tired recently.” You stretch exaggeratedly, more of your skin being exposed as your towel slips slightly. 

“Mm, how have you been? We haven’t…talked in a while. Not after…,” you trail off, “you know.”

Miguel’s mouth is slightly agape as he watches you pout, and his fangs itch at his gums. 

“I know. I’m sorry __, truly I am. I meant it when I said it was never my intention to hurt you. I just…you said you wanted me to be honest, and I didn’t want to lie to you anymore and-”

“Hey, hey! Sssshhh, it’s ok Gigi, I understand.” You lift a hand to caress his cheek, satisfied with the way he leans heavily into the touch, eyes slipping closed. 

Studying his face, you notice that he’s got noticeable dark circles, and the lines of his face are more defined, both signs that he hasn’t been getting enough sleep. 

‘Good,’ you think. ‘This should work out smoother than I originally thought.’

You stroke his cheek with your thumb, and watch as Miguel lifts his own hand, wrapping it around yours and moaning lowly. 

“__,” he breathes, eyes opening just in time to watch as you surge forward, placing a tentative kiss on his lips. 

Miguel immediately leans in, trying desperately to deepen the kiss. Both hands come up to cup your cheeks, his tongue fighting for entrance into your mouth. 

Before things can get too heated, you pull back, Miguel following you with his lips. 

“G-Gigi! Slow down baby.” You swear you hear him whimper at the nickname. “Let’s slow down a little, yeah?”

Miguel somewhat dazedly nods, beginning to ramble quietly. 

“Té amó mucho, mí amor, mí vída. I’m so, so sorry, I love you. I love you. I’ll make it right, té prométo. Please just let me touch you. I missed you. I need you. Té deseó." 

Miguel’s speaking so quickly you can only make out bits of what he’s saying, but you get the gist. He’s speaking right against your lips, and you can feel yourself becoming aroused despite the circumstance. 

“I-I missed you too Gigi. I missed you so much. But I was so hurt. You hurt me Gigi. I love you and you hurt me.” Here you turn on the waterworks, beginning to break down into genuine tears. 

Miguel is instantly beside himself with panic, shushing you and cradling you into his chest. 

“Ssshh, sssshhh, mi amor. It’s ok. I know, I know I hurt you. And I will spend the rest of my days atoning for my sins. You don’t ever have to worry,” he pulls you back, making eye contact with you. His irises have turned a smoldering scarlet, a clear indicator of his arousal. 

“I’ll always be here for you from now on.” 

With that, you both surge forward, lips clashing intensely. 

Tainted tea left forgotten on the dresser, and food having long since gone cold, Miguel spends the rest of the evening well into the night showing you just how sorry he truly is. 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧

In the weeks that follow you and Miguel’s carnal connection, you find that so far, everything has been going according to plan. 

Miguel has granted you more freedom to roam about without supervision, and now you’re even able to surf the web without being so closely monitored. 

You realize that in order for things to go off without a hitch, you must pace yourself, and not try to rush into things too fast. 

Although, given Miguel’s enthusiasm, you may not need to worry about that after all. 

You take the test right after you miss your period. 

When you mention that you’ve missed your period to Miguel, he’s ecstatic, already talking about how excited he is that you’re pregnant. 

“Well, we don’t know that for sure,” you laugh lightly, secretly hoping your first try needed to be your only try. 

“Oh no, I’m sure of it. You’re definitely pregnant with my baby.”

And lo and behold, he’s right. Both tests you take come back positive, and it’s amusing to see Miguel nearly jump with joy. 

You’re admittedly very excited as well, but you try not to get too caught up, knowing you have to stay focused. 

“I’m so happy,” he says, thumbs rubbing circles into your waist. He’s beaming widely, and an old, mostly dead part of you stirs at the sight. Now, you just plaster on a smile of your own, trying not to let your distaste be known. 

“As am I. Oh! I can’t wait to begin shopping for the baby. And setting up his room. I know it’s still so early, but I’m just so excited.” You lay the enthusiasm on thick, even though you are genuinely elated. 

Miguel shakes his head, still smiling, though not as widely. 

“Nonsense, you’re right. It doesn’t matter how far along you are, we should begin making all the necessary preparations. There’s doctor’s visits and vitamins, and we’ll have to start watching your diet…” Miguel trails off, turning away from you as he begins pacing. 

You watch momentarily, before a thought strikes you. You can’t gauge whether or not it’s too early to attempt this, but you figure it couldn’t hurt to try. 

“Gigi love?”

The man immediately pauses, walking towards you with outstretched hands. His glow is visible from hearing you address him in such a way. 

“Yes my love? What is it?”

‘Alright, here goes.’ You pout, looking down and to the side, appearing shy. 

“I was thinking. With me being pregnant and all the work that needs to be done, and for as lovely as my room is, don’t you think I’ll need a little more space? I don’t mean to sound demanding, I just worry that being cooped up won’t be good for me and our baby.” You place your hand on your tummy, grinning to yourself as Miguel’s eyes closely watch the movement. 

“And I,” you begin, intending to hammer the final nail into the coffin. “I want to be with you. It’s so lonely in my room without you, and the baby needs his daddy.” You give him a bashful smile, and you can almost physically see when Miguel’s already fragile resolve shatters. 

“Of course, absolutely. Anything you need, anything you want. Daddy will take care of it for you.” You accept his kiss and casually return it, one thought sounding in your head. 

‘Checkmate.’

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Miguel can’t believe things worked out better than he ever could have imagined. 

Layla is gone and the society still doesn’t know she even existed, you have seemingly forgiven him and now you’re even pregnant with his baby. 

He knows he made a huge mistake in his affair with the Spiderwoman, and he truly, truly wants to earn the right to call himself your husband again. He now fully intends to be the best husband and father in a way he wasn’t before. 

He’s so caught up in his newly acquired perfect, happy ending, that he doesn’t notice himself becoming much more lenient with you. He figures that you’re trustworthy enough, and that you can’t possibly want to leave him now- you’re pregnant with his son after all! 

He’s especially willing now to give you anything you want, and he easily bends to your will- so long as you’re pleased, he is as well. 

Everything is perfect. 

And that’s exactly what you would have him believe.

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It’s been a few months now, and you’ve finally begun to show. 

Miguel waits on you hand and foot now, answering to your every beck and call. 

Having to grin and bear it hasn’t been quite as terrible as you thought, and Miguel’s made it surprisingly easy to get what you want. 

You feel a little bad about essentially abusing his already fragile psyche for your benefit, and you definitely never wanted to have to use your beloved baby boy as a manipulation tool, but you figured that once you were finally free of Miguel and he was, hopefully, locked away getting the help he clearly needed, it would all be worth it. 

Now it’s the evening time, and you sit in your familiar swinging chair, on a perch overlooking the city, hands cradling your swollen tummy. You sent Miguel to fetch you something to drink, all while you contemplate your next move. 

You figure it’s been long enough, and now you can enact the final stages of your plan.

“Don’t worry my love,” you speak to your belly, “mommy’s gonna keep you safe. She promises.”

You hear Miguel return just as you finish speaking, in his hands yet another tray. You must admit, you’ve become quite fond of his tea; you’re not sure how he makes it, but it’s always delicious. 

“Thank you, my love,” you smile at Miguel as he hands you your drink, watching as his eyes soften even further. 

“Fue mi placer,” he speaks in a low tone, kneeling down to place kisses across the taut skin of your stomach.

“Hello, my son. I hope you’ve been treating mommy nicely. Don’t kick too hard now.” You both chuckle at that. 

“How are you feeling, mi vida?” Miguel takes a seat next to you, scooting closer and resting a hand on your tummy. 

“I’m fine,” you breathe out through a sigh, casually resting your hand over Miguel’s. You swear you can hear the man purr at the action. 

“Our little one has been behaving well. He’s only kicked once or twice in the last few hours and not too hard, so it’s been manageable. I’ve been feeling a little tired though.” You yawn this time, and Miguel stands. 

“Then let me carry you to bed. You should be getting plenty of rest.” He offers you his hand, which you take and carefully stand. 

“Before my midday nap though, I’ve been wondering,” you tilt your head, laughing internally as Miguel subconsciously follows the motion. “You’ve never really shown me around the complex, not the upper portion anyway. Baby and I are curious as to what you spend all your time doing around here.”

At your words, Miguel looks hesitant, and you worry you may have pushed too far, before he perks back up, and you relax. 

“Well, why don’t I show you? Come with me.” 

He leads you to his lab, showing you all the different projects and experiments he’s currently working on. He also shows you his surveillance station, and you’re amazed by all the different things you see on the numerous screens. 

“Are..are these different universes?” 

Miguel nods, expression hardening as he watches events play out on a few of the screens. 

“Yes. I mostly spend my time here monitoring these different timelines, making sure there are no anomalies or abnormal happenings. If and when there are, I and the other members of the Spider Society rectify the issue swiftly and cautiously.” 

You continue studying the screens as he speaks, watching in amazement as people move and go about their lives. 

“Wow,” you whisper, turning to Miguel. Walking up to him, you place a hand on his cheek, smiling as he leans into the touch. 

“I understand now. You truly are a hero. I just know our baby boy already finds you so amazing.” You lean up and forward, placing a sweet kiss on Miguel’s lips which he, of course, readily returns. “Just like I do.” 

Miguel’s eyes shoot scarlet, and you chuckle. 

“Not so fast papi, mama is still tired. Which, speaking of,” you turn, taking a seat on the chair nearest the surveillance station. 

“Would you be a dear and run me a bath please love? I think I’m about ready to call it a day.”

Miguel nods, beginning to turn before addressing you. “You coming?”

You shake your head, eyes fixated on the screens. “Come for me when you’re done, yeah? This is so fascinating,” you gesture to the screens, “I kind of want to stay here and continue observing.” You pause, giving him a shy look. “If…that’s alright with you?”

Miguel pauses for only a moment, before nodding.

“Ningún problema, mi amor. I’ll fetch you once the water’s done.” 

“Thank you, love. You’ll join me as well, right?” You bat your eyelashes at him, and you can see his irises tinge scarlet before he nods and hurries off. 

You wait until you can no longer hear his footsteps, before quickly and quietly standing and making your way over to the surveillance station. You search around the different buttons and knobs on the panel before you find a row of buttons, each having a different name printed above it. 

They appear to be the names of different members of the Spider Society, and seeing as there’s only a few, you figure that these must be some of the most important characters. 

You check the door again just to be sure, before pressing the button for Peter B. You hope his morality will override his allegiance to Miguel and that ultimately, he can help you. 

The button blinks red rhythmically, and initially you’re afraid he won’t answer, until you hear what sounds like ruffling, and then a man’s voice say, “Hello?”

You’re a little taken aback, and unable to speak for a few seconds before he repeats himself. 

“Uh, h-hello?” 

There’s silence, before Peter speaks again. 

“Oh my God, __? Is that you?”

You breathe a sigh of relief, hand subconsciously coming up to rub your belly. 

“Yes Peter, it’s me.”

“Long time no speak, __. I’ve wondered where you’ve been. And not just me, but the others as well. Miguel told us you had gone to visit family but-...”

You hate to cut him off, but you know your time is limited. 

“Sorry Peter, but Miguel was lying. Look, I don’t have time to explain the full story but I need your help.”

There’s a pause, and you pray he can hear the sincerity and desperation in your voice. 

Apparently he can, because he sounds much more stern when he speaks next. 

“Let me know what I need to do.” 

You smile widely, on the verge of tears. 

‘Finally!’ You think. ‘We’re almost safe, baby boy.’

You regale Peter with a very condensed version of your tale, thankful that he listens quietly the entire time. You also give him a brief rundown of your plan, hoping that he can fulfill his part.

“I sent him to run a bath for me but he’ll be back any second. Do you think you can do it?”

“Of course. Just hang tight __, we’re gonna get you out of there.” 

Tears freely fall now, and you thank him before the call ends. 

And just in time too, as not a minute later Miguel rounds the corner, looking none the wiser. 

You’ve just made it back to your seat in time, and wiped away any remaining tears. 

“Mi amor, the bath is ready. I’ve even got a little surprise for you waiting.” 

You smile, standing when Miguel reaches for your hand. 

“Sounds lovely. Lead the way?” 

Miguel grins, taking your hand and pulling you along behind him. 

‘I’m counting on you Peter,’ you think as you are led away from the lab. 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧

Buy Me a Kofi?

2022 really do be the year of pretty Hispanic men in everything and I’m living for it

Samuel L Jackson: I only work with highly competent individuals. All of the-

Tom Holland: *runs in* SAM!

Brie Larson: *also runs in* We tried to make ramen in the coffee pot, and we broke everything!

Samuel L Jackson: ...

WAIT WHAT!!!