Masquerade | Lyutsifer Safin X Fem!Reader (Smut)

Sunrise | Twilight J.H

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Chapter 2. Jasper

Mitsuko had spent most of the weekend at home, both comforting and receiving comfort from her family. She’d also spent time with Riley’s parents, doing the same as she did for Charlie only a couple months ago. She even helped them with the missing posters.

Her friends had messaged to check on her after she’d left school early; she’d decided to be honest with them. In their friend group chat, she’d informed them about Riley and was thankful for the support they showed her. They also told her about how Edward had taken Bella out of town, explaining her lack of response in the chat.

By Sunday, she’d given herself enough time to comprehend the situation. Yet her dreams grew worse night by night. It was the same every time: blood was everywhere, upturned or smashed cars covered the car park, and people kept screaming. She saw figures clawing at each other, tearing them apart before throwing them into fires.

A particular shriek always shocked her awake, the same pitch every time, and Monday was no different. Her eyes flashed open in fear, and she quickly sat up, her pink floral duvet gathering by her legs. Bringing her hands to her face, she wiped the sleep from her eyes and moved the hair from her face.

‘Shit’ she thought as she looked to her bedside alarm clock; she’d woken up late. She scrambled out of bed to her vanity table, quickly putting on her everyday makeup and brushing her hair out.

After she was dressed in a simple white skirt and floral blouse, she made her way downstairs. She greeted her mom brightly and graciously accepted the piece of toast offered to her. Hoshiko was already sitting at the table eating a bowl of porridge, lifting her head to smile as her sister took the seat opposite.

They ate breakfast quickly and made sure to clear up their dishes after they ate. Hoshiko raced out of the house with a simple “Hurry up, we’re already late” before hopping into the passenger seat of the Mitsuko’s Mini. The drive to school was full of simple chatter and a mixture of pop and alternative music, a demand made by Hoshiko last year.

Hoshiko was busy telling Mitsuko about her classes for next year when they’d pulled up to school. The sisters parked next to Ben’s car, stepping out to greet their friends.

“Yo Suki, who do you think would win?” Mike immediately asked her instead of a greeting.

“What are you talking about?” She asked confusedly before turning towards where Mike then pointed, “Is that?“

“Edward and Jacob Black? Yep, I don’t know what they’re fighting about, but it seems pretty tense.” Jessica interrupted before she could finish.

Jacob's voice began to elevate as he got angrier, alarmed that her friend was close to a possible fight. Mitsuko stepped forward to try and intervene but was stopped by a strong grip on her wrist. Gasping at the sudden touch, she turned around, only to come face to face with Jasper Hale.

His face was stern and almost worried; brows furrowed, and he stared at her before speaking, "Don't; they know better than to get physical.”

“How do you know that?” She replied back, feeling confused again.

“Just trust me.” He smirked at her, causing a blush to spread across her cheeks.

“If you say so,” she conceded, pausing before continuing. “You have English first, don’t you?”

He didn’t speak, only nodding in reply. “Do you think I could walk with you? We’re in that class together.”

“I know.” Jasper spoke up. “And I don’t mind.” She smiled shyly at his response before gesturing for him to take the lead. It was only as they began walking that she realised Jasper hadn’t let go of her wrist the whole time they were talking, only letting go once she turned away from Edward and Jacob.

His touch returned as she walked up the front steps, a single hand placed on the small of her back to steady her as she walked. Jasper held the main doors open, which allowed her to step inside. It was then Mitsuko built up the courage to say what she’d been wanting to say to him since Friday. “Thank you, by the way.”

His steps faulted slightly as he turned to her, “What for?”

“It’s stupid,” she shook her head, “but on Friday you really helped me ground me, so thank you.”

“It’s not stupid, but you don’t need to thank me.” Jasper looked at Mitsuko deeply as he spoke. She had seen the Cullens eyes before, but Jasper’s seemed so much more intense than the others. It was like she could stare into the pools of amber all day.

‘You barely know him,’ she remained herself, unsure where these sudden feelings came from. Ever since Friday she’d felt a subtle itch under her skin as if her body was craving something; it only faded when she’d seen Jasper’s face.

Ignoring her rapid thoughts, she continued to walk next to Jasper down the corridor. Eventually, the pair arrived outside her English class. Stepping in, she noticed that her seat partner was absent today. Sighing, she sat down and prepared herself for a quiet class.

When she crouched to place her bag under her chair, she nearly jumped when she stood and found Jasper now sitting in the chair next to hers.

“You don’t mind if I sit here, do you?” He asked, looking intently.

“Not at all.” Mitsuko replied, smiling softly at him. They sat quietly next to each other while their teacher loaded up the movie on the monitor. As soon as he hit play, Jasper turned to her and whispered softly.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better than Friday, but I’ve been struggling with those episodes for a while, so I’m used to it.” There was something about Jasper that put her at ease; she couldn’t help but tell the truth.

“What exactly happened to you, if you don’t mind me asking?” He continued to whisper; neither was even attempting to watch the movie. Mitsuko hesitated slightly before answering.

“I get these... hallucinations sometimes,” she explained. “It’s not often, but when they happen, they tend to overwhelm me.”

“How do you deal with them?” Jasper asked, genuinely curious.

“Mostly medication, but it doesn’t work as well as it used to.” Mitsuko answered truthfully, and Jasper listened intently, his face full of concern. “I’ve kind of had a hard week.”

"Oh, do you want to… talk about it?”

“It’s…” She paused as a shot of grief ran through her. “My friend Riley Biers went missing in Seattle almost a year ago, and I’ve only just found out.”

“I’m sorry that happened.”

“I just wish I’d known sooner, you know?” Mitsuko explained, to which Jasper nodded in understanding, “Maybe I could’ve done something.”

Jasper lent towards her, cautiously placing his hands on her. She shivered under his cold touch but didn’t pull away. “Don’t do that to yourself; you have nothing to feel guilty about.”

“I don’t feel guilty.” She tried to state it firmly, but she knew it was a lie.

He smiled slightly. “Hate to break it to you, darling, but you wear your heart on your sleeve.”

She blushed and looked down at their hands were connected, noticing how he was softly stroking the back of her right hand. They sat there in silence for the rest of the lesson, just enjoying the comfort they felt from each other.

When the bell rang and the rest of the class began to stand, their hands finally separated. Jasper stood first, grabbing Mitsuko’s bag before grabbing his things as well. She smiled brightly as he helped her put the bag on her right shoulder before following him out of the room.

They walked side by side down the corridor, earning some strange looks from the other students. Yet the dark-haired girl paid them no mind and simply kept walking. 

"You know," Jasper started, "people are staring at us."

Mitsuko simply smiled at him before replying, “Just ignore them; they have nothing better to do.”

He glanced over to her again, studying her profile as they walked. "You never get bothered by people watching you?"

“Of course I do, but if I let it affect me all the time, I'd never go anywhere.” She explained matter of factly before continuing, “You know they’re probably only staring at you.”

“Me?”

The dark-haired girl looked at him with an amused expression. "Yeah, we’ve never hung out before, and now here you are escorting me down the hallways like a boyfriend does.” but before he could respond, she continued, "Not that I mind."

"Well, my apologies," he replied with a smirk, his southern twang coming out slightly. "Maybe I just realised you were someone worth paying attention to."

“Thank you.” She blushed slightly but played it off once she realised that they’d arrived outside my classroom. "Well, this is my class; thanks for escorting me here.”

“Anytime Ma’am.” The blonde replied, dipping his head slightly in a small bow.

With a bright smile, she made her way into the class, but not before giving Jasper a small wave goodbye. For the rest of the day, Mitsuko had an extra pep in her step but also couldn’t stop thinking about Jasper.

As much as she enjoyed his company, she was confused. Ever since the Cullens returned from wherever they had disappeared, Jasper had suddenly become very interested in her, and she’d definitely noticed.

At lunch it was the same as always, the group laughing together except with a new addition. Jasper had taken the seat next to Mitsuko again, listening intently as she joked with her friends, and gently placed his hand on her back again, following the same circle motions he used yesterday. She couldn’t help but lean into the touch, feeling wave after wave of comfort and contentment.

“So Jasper,” Jessica spoke up, causing him to finally look away from the girl next to him. “Will you be there at the graduation party?”

“Um, yeah, I’m sure Alice will find a way to make me come,” he answered a little awkwardly.

Angela looked at Jessica with a bemused expression. “You know it’s happening at his house, right?”

“Well, yeah, I was just wondering; he usually keeps to himself,” she responded before trying to Jasper, “no offence though.”

“None taken.” He replied politely with a small nod.

Hoping to diffuse the tension, Mitsuko turned to the blonde and smiled at him, “It’ll be nice to see you there.”

Jasper relaxed visibly when Mitsuko spoke up. It was clear he had been feeling a bit tense from the conversation with Jessica, but her words put him at ease.

"Yeah," he agreed with a small smile. "It will be nice to see you too.”

After Jasper spoke, the bell rung, so everyone began making their way out of the cafeteria and to the next classes. Jasper again took on the duty of escorting Mitsuko to her next class. The pair walked in silence until they stopped in front of her classroom.

“We probably won’t see each other after this.” She began, “I have a committee meeting after school, but I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, of course.” He nodded, “I will see you tomorrow.”

The two shared a smile, both excited for tomorrow but especially the party next week.

Sunrise | Twilight J.H

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Chapter 5. Minor Complications

Mitsuko had been in the hospital for three more days before Dr. Cullen finally came in with the good news: she was going home.

Yet when Charlie walked through the door to collect her instead of her mom, her relief quickly turned into an uncertain sense of fear. As they walked down the hallway together, several nurses stopped what they were doing and looked at her in sympathy.

Surely nurses would look more relieved than sympathetic when a patient has been deemed healthy enough to leave? At least that's what Mitsuko thought.

It was worse when she got home. Her mom was home; her car was in the driveway, which meant she could've come to get her, but for some reason she didn't.

Charlie guided her into her house and straight into the living room, where her mother was sitting, but she wasn't alone. In the room, sitting on the opposite couch from where her mom was sitting, were two other officers. One of them had a notebook open with several lines of writing on its pages, but Mitsuko was too far away to see clearly what it said.

Her steps slowed until she halted just at the entryway of the living room; she looked around cautiously as she spoke, "What's going on?"

As she spoke, all heads moved to where she was standing; Charlie moved past her before turning back to her with a strange expression on his face, "Why don't you take a seat, kid?"

"No," she refused. "Just tell me what's going on!"

It was at this moment her mom stood and took a step towards her: "It's Hoshi."

The pit in her stomach grew. "What about Hoshi?"

"She left three days ago, said she was having a sleepover," her mom explained, choking up slightly as she spoke, "but she hasn't come home, and the girl she said she was staying with hasn't seen Hoshi since Monday last week."

The room grew silent as they awaited Mitsuko's reaction to the news, but she found herself frozen, unable to speak or even move her face. Concerned, her mom stepped forward and grabbed onto her arm, shaking her slightly to get her attention. "Miko, honey, do you understand what I told you?"

She shook herself slightly before finally responding, "Hoshi's gone missing?"

"I'm afraid so, kid," Charlie chimed in. "We've got officers canvassing the area, and we're also in touch with Seattle police in case she's ended up there."

Seattle. Of course.

At the mention of the city, Mitsuko's eyes shined with recognition. She thought back to the conversation she had those three days ago in the hospital room. Hoshi had promised she wouldn't do anything without her sister, but Mitsuko had forgotten how stubborn her little sister could be.

All she could do in that moment was slowly nod her head before speaking with a slight tremble, "I'm... going to head to my room."

She began walking away, only turning around when her mom called after her, "I just need some time to process... this."

Turning back around, she climbed the stairs and made her way into her room. Where she stayed for nearly two full days. After the second day, Angela and Jess had come to visit her, having heard the news and wanting to check on her.

Instead of seeing the usual smiling face, the two were greeted by the sight of Mitsuko staring intently at a map of Seattle she'd pulled up on her computer.

"Suki?" Angela had called in an attempt to get her attention, "Everyone's really worried about you; your mom says you haven't come out in two days."

When that didn't get a response, Jessica sighed and stomped over and yanked the computer's power cord from the wall. "Seriously, Suki, this isn't going to help anyone!"

That seemed to have gotten a reaction from Mitsuko, who twisted her head to face her friends with a dark expression.

"What do you want me to do, Jess?" Her eyes quickly filling with tears as her face crumbled. "I can't act like nothing has happened; she's gone!"

"We're not asking you to do that!" Jess argued back, "But we both know Hoshi wouldn't want you torturing yourself over trying to find her."

"I'm just so afraid she'll end up like..." She couldn't finish that sentence, but it was clear her friends understood at least to some degree. Yet they'd never understand just how much she didn't want Riley and Hoshiko to share the same fate.

"You shouldn't think like that." Jess chastised her again, "The investigation is still ongoing; for all we know, she's run off to watch one of those bands she likes so much on tour."

It was so like Jess to think that way; there was always a best-case scenario that she would remind people of. Maybe it was because she hadn't experienced much hardship, or maybe that was the only way Jess knew how to comfort her friends.

"Maybe you're right," Mitusko finally admitted, "I just can't stand the thought of her being alone and hurt somewhere."

Angela stepped forward again, pulling her friend into a tight hug. "We know, but we, as your friends, have a responsibility to make sure you're okay."

All she could do was nod before burying her face into her friend's shoulder. They stayed like that for a few minutes, with Jess eventually joining in and making it a group hug. After a while they pulled away, and Angela gently reached out to wipe away her friend's tears.

"How about we have a nice night in and watch a cheesy chick flick?" She suggested, to which Mitsuko smiled softly and nodded.

The three of them spent the night curled up on Mitsuko's bed as Legally Blonde played on the small TV in her room. When the movie had finished, it was already dark, so Angela and Jess bid their friend goodbye and left.

With her friends gone, the silence became suffocating once again, but the presence of her friends had helped heal at least a little bit of the damage in Mitsuko's heart.

She'd finally crawled out of bed to have a quick shower, groan in pleasure from finally feeling clean again. With her hair still wet, she'd then thrown her pyjamas on and shuffled back under the covers. After only a few minutes, she felt herself drifting off in a deep slumber.

Knock knock knock

Mitsuko's eyes flew open at the sound of the furious banging against her bedroom window. Disoriented, she glanced at the clock on her bedside table to see it read 3:46 am.

Thinking it was just the branches of the tree outside hitting against the glass, she simply pulled the cover over her tighter and closed her eyes. Thankfully she was tired enough that it didn't take long for her to begin drifting again.

Knock knock knock

The banging continued, but it seemed to be getting louder and more frequent. This time she sat up and reached over to flick on her bedside lamp. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust before she could stand and slowly approach her window. It was too dark for her to see what was outside, so all she could do was unlatch it and swing it open.

The moment she did, she was almost knocked to the ground when a large body jumped in through the now open window. Before she could shout in alarm, a cold hand covered a mouth, followed by a harsh hiss.

"Shhh," The voice whispered, "It's me, Suki. It's just me."

Her eyes focused on the face in front of her, and her breath hitched in surprise. She tried to speak but was muffled under the hand on her mouth. "Hoshi?"

"If I move my hand away, you're not going to scream, are you?" Her sister asked, to which all she could do was nod.

The hand was slowly removed from her mouth as Hoshiko took a step away, keeping what she deemed a safe distance from her older sister. The distance also allowed Mitsuko to fully take in her sister's appearance.

Although she looked similar to how she did only a few days ago, she was also somehow completely unrecognisable. Yet the thing that stuck out the most, the thing that made the pit settle back in Mitsuko's stomach, was her eyes. The once dark brown, almost pitch black, was gone, replaced by a startling crimson red. Just like Riley's.

"What happened to you?" Was all she could say, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

"I don't know..." Hoshiko muttered, even her voice was different, "It's all just like a blur; one moment I'm talking to you in the hospital, and the next I'm... burning."

She bit her lip from her nerves before speaking again, "Hoshi, your eyes are..."

"I know..." her sister spoke, "I saw them in a mirror, not long after I woke up."

The expression of absolute confusion and defeat on her sister's face made Mitsuko's heart ache once more. Without thinking, she took several rapid steps forward before pulling her little sister into her arms.

"Fuck..." She couldn't help but cry out when the rock-hard body slammed into her, "Sorry, you're like a boulder."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Her sister rested her head on her shoulder but kept her hands at her side, not trusting her newfound strength. "Turns out I'm like super strong or something now."

Mitsuko pulled back from the hug to look at her sister once more. "How did you even get back here?"

"I ran." Was all Hoshiko willing to say at the moment, "I think I have super speed too."

"Are you saying you've turned into some kind of superhero or something?"

"I think mutant might be a more accurate description." Hoshiko joked, a small smile on her face.

"Shit." The oldest said, looking down with a stressed expression, her hands going to rest on her hips.

"Yeah, I know." She sighed, running her hand through her hair. "But I think with some practice, I can learn to control it.

Instead of agreeing, Mitsuko shook her head before speaking again, "No, I mean how are we gonna tell Mom about this?"

Pause.

"Shit."

White Fur Trim | Le Chiffre x Reader

Masterlist Y/N plans a very special Christmas surprise for her boyfriend, which of course leads to a very passionate Christmas morning.

Warnings: Smut, Oral Sex (male receiving), AFAB! Reader, Multiple Orgasms, Unprotected Sex, Slight Dom/Sub Dynamics, Pet Names.

AN: According to the Quantum of Solace video game Le Chiffre's real name is Jean so Y/N does use that instead.

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

Y/N had been dating Jean for a little over a year now, having met last November during the most interesting twenty-four hours of her life. At first it was strange dating someone with such an expensive lifestyle, but Y/N quickly found herself acclimatising to it all.

Although she now had a new problem, with Christmas fast approaching, she had no idea what to get her boyfriend. 

He was known as Le Chiffre, and any man with a name like that wouldn’t have anything less than an expensive taste. Which wasn’t exactly something she could afford, at least not with her current salary. 

So, after wandering around the mall for nearly two hours, she decided to follow her instincts and walk into one of the lingerie stores. Y/N had been inside one before, but this was the first time she’d ever bought anything risqué. The set she had chosen was almost fully red, but it also came with a sheer babydoll cover-up that had white fur trimmings.

After she’d bought it, Y/N made sure to hide it deep within her wardrobe, knowing Jean wouldn’t look that deep. She’d tried it on a few times to build her confidence, but only when she knew her boyfriend wasn’t home. As the days passed, her confidence grew, as did her excitement for Christmas.

When Christmas came, she happily woke up in Jean’s arms, who woke up not long after her and greeted her with a soft kiss. “Merry Christmas, my darling.” He said softly once they parted. 

“Merry Christmas, my love.” She said before jumping out of his grasp and out of bed. “Shall we go open our presents?”

He chuckled as she bounced out of bed; he sat up, resting his back up against the headboard. He watched her, with a soft smile on his face, as she pranced out of the room and into the living room.

"Yes, let's go, darling." He replied, watching her every move.

Jean followed her into the living room, where the gifts were all neatly tucked away under the tree. Y/N turned towards him and picked up a square box before handing it to him. “Open this first.”

Jean accepted the box, studying it for a moment. The wrapping paper was a silvery colour, and it had a bow on the top. He looked up at her with a small smile before carefully opening it. He took his time, not wanting to accidentally damage anything.

"Darling, you shouldn't have." He said gently as he removed the paper and lifted the lid of the box.

Inside was a small box of his favourite aftershave; he’d mentioned he was running out, so Y/N had bought a small bottle of it with what she had left over from her main gift.

“There is another gift, but that can wait until later.” She said simply as he pulled the aftershave from the box.

"Thank you, my love. You never fail to surprise me." He said, admiring the bottle, before leaning in and giving her a kiss.

"I can't wait until later, darling." He added, before setting the bottle down on a nearby table.

“Fine,” she gave in far too easily, “But can I have my present first?”

He chuckled; he knew she was too eager to wait. With a playful grin, he nodded his head and moved towards the Christmas tree. "Of course, my darling. I have something for you as well."

He picked up a long, thin, rectangular box from under the tree. The wrapping paper was a deep red, with a gold bow on top. 

With an excited smile, Y/N opened the box and gasped in delight at what she saw. Inside was a long golden chain with an elegant diamond hanging from the chain. “Oh Jean, it’s beautiful; thank you so much.” 

He smiled, watching her open the box with an excited smile on her face. He watched her eyes widen when she saw the necklace inside. He chuckled when she gasped; that's exactly how he thought she would react.

"I'm glad you like it, darling. I saw it, and I knew I had to buy it for you."

He took the necklace from the box and carefully placed it around her neck, gently fastening it. He then let his hand rest on her hip, his thumb gently rubbing her side. They stood together for a moment before Y/N stepped away with a smile.

“Let me go get your other present,” she said as she walked back towards the bedroom. “Give me five minutes!”

It didn’t take long for her to quickly undress from her pjs before stepping into the ruby red lingerie set. Stepping back into the living room, she leaned against the door as she spoke, “What do you think?”

When his lover returned from the bedroom, Jean was sitting on the couch, waiting patiently. When he saw her appear, he went completely still, taking in the sight before him. His eyes slowly roamed over her body, taking in every detail. The deep red of the lingerie looked perfect on her body; the white fur of the babydoll only added to the elegant sensuality.

Jean watched her for a moment, completely speechless. After a moment he finally managed to find his voice, his gaze never leaving her.

"You... look... stunning."

“Well,” she pushed away from the door and walked to where he was sitting, stepping between his legs, “I hope you enjoy your present, my love.”

Jean's eyes darkened with desire as she sauntered over to him. He let out a soft exhale as she stepped between his legs. He looked up at her, his gaze roaming over her body again. He reached out and placed his hands on her hips, his fingers gently caressing her skin.

"Darling... you are the best gift I could ever ask for."

He pulled her closer, his hands moving to the small of her back. Following his lead, Y/N manoeuvred herself so that she was now straddling his lap. She leaned in close before whispering, “And how do you plan to unwrap your present?”

Jean's breath hitched at the feeling of her straddling his lap. His grip on her hips tightened slightly, his eyes darkening with desire.

"Oh darling... you know how I like to open my presents." He growled, his voice low, his hot breath brushing against her neck. He began to trail a path of kisses along her jawline.

As his lips trailed down her jawline to her neck, Y/N couldn’t help but arch her back as she leaned into his touch. She bit her lip as she mewled from his sensual touch, slowly grinding against his lap.

He continued to kiss, nibble, and bite at her neck, working his way down to the space between her collarbone. Her mewling and arching back, only fuelling his need for her. He could feel her grinding against his lap, and he couldn't help but let out a low growl against her skin.

"Darling... you are making this very difficult," he groaned, his voice rough, his hands beginning to wander over her body, exploring every curve, every dip, every inch of her.

“Good.” Was all she mumbled before lifting his head so she could lean in and passionately kiss him.

Jean responded to her passion in kind, his hands moving up her body, trailing over her skin, and tangling in her hair. The kiss was intense and desperate, full of need and desire. He pulled her closer, crushing her body against his, his lips and tongue claiming hers.

He slowly pulled back, breaking the kiss, and gently biting her lower lip before speaking, his voice low and hoarse.

"You are such a tease."

“I’m sorry, my love; let me beg for forgiveness,” she replied, before sliding from his lap to kneel down on the floor in front of him.

Jean's breathing hitched as she slid from his lap and onto the floor in front of him. He watched as she knelt before him, his eyes dark with desire, his body taut with anticipation. He leaned back against the couch, his legs slightly spread.

"Go ahead, my dear,” he said, his voice thick and rough. "Beg for forgiveness."

Without speaking, her hands slowly moved up to toy with the waistline of his pyjama bottoms, looking up to ask for permission.

Jean's breath hitched as her hands went to toy with the waistband of his pyjama pants. He stared down at her, his gaze intense and scorching. He watched her, his muscles tensing slightly, all his senses focused on her.

After a moment he nodded, giving her permission. "Go on," he said, his voice gravelly. "Be a good girl and beg."

Obediently, she pulled his trousers down, letting them pool at his ankles as his cock sprang free. Immediately she grasped it and began to gently stroke it with her right hand, enjoying the grunts he produced in pleasure.

The feel of her hand wrapped around him and the sound of his own guttural moans was enough to send a shiver down his spine. He leaned back more, his hands grasping at the cushions.

"Good girl," he groaned, watching her movements, biting his lip to hold back a louder moan.

“Shh, baby, let me show you how much of a good girl I can be…” She whispered as she released her grip on him, leaning in close to kiss his thigh.

Jean's breath hitched as she whispered to him, barely containing the gasp that left his lips at the feel of her soft lips on his thigh. He watched as she continued, his body tensing in anticipation of what was to come.

"Darling... you're doing so well..." He groaned, his voice thick and rough, his hand moving to her hair.

Pleased with his praise, Y/N continued moving her kiss upwards until she eventually planted a soft kiss on the tip of his cock. She gripped his manhood again before slowly parting her lips and moving her head down.

Jean couldn't help but let out a guttural moan, low and deep. His eyes darkening as he watched her, his hand in her hair gripping a little tighter.

"So good... such a good girl for me..." he panted, his voice thick and raspy, his body completely at her mercy. The sight of her was almost too much for him to take; he could feel his control slipping. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep still or quiet for long, not as she pleasured him so expertly.

Y/N continued to bob her head slowly, finding her rhythm, pulling away every so often to gently swirl her tongue around his head. She let out a moan as the grip on her hair got tighter, almost pushing her down onto his cock.

As she felt him move his hips towards her, Y/N knew he was close. Wanting to prolong his pleasure, she pulled away from him but remained kneeling on the floor. Propping herself up on his knees, she spoke, “Should I take this off, or do you want to do the honours?”

He groaned as she pulled away, his body feeling the loss of her touch. When she spoke, he took a moment to catch his breath and regain some semblance of control. He looked down at her, his eyes roamed over her body, his gaze dark and clouded with desire.

"Take it off. Now," he commanded, his voice rough, his body tense.

With a smile, she stood from the floor and carefully stepped backwards as her boyfriend stayed sitting on the couch watching intently. Slowly she undid the front ties of the sheer cover-up before letting it drop to the floor, leaving her in the lace bra and panties.

Jean's gaze never left her as she moved back, his eyes hungrily taking in every inch of her body. He couldn’t tear his gaze away; he was completely entranced, watching every movement, every little detail. He sat on the edge of the couch, his body tense, his hands grasping the edge of the couch, needing to hold onto something, anything, to keep himself from pouncing on her right then and there.

"Darling... you are absolutely stunning..." he growled out, his voice deep and rough.

Without looking away, Y/N carefully reached behind her, unhooking her bra with one swift movement before letting it drop in front of her. She reached down to her panties, but instead of taking them off, she simply played with the waistband.

Jean's eyes were completely fixated on her as she removed her bra. He could feel his pulse quicken at the sight of her, his body practically shaking with desire. When she began to play with the waistband of her panties, his own breath hitched, his hands clenched the edge of the couch, his knuckles turning white.

"Tease..." he growled, his eyes dark and filled with burning desire.

“Impatient…” she teased back.

A low growl escaped him, a mix of desire and possessiveness. He couldn’t take much more of her teasing. He pushed himself up to his feet, his body taut, his hands clenching into fists by his sides.

"Darling, if you don’t stop teasing me, I will punish you." he said, his voice low and firm, a warning.

Y/N giggled slightly as she stepped towards his, grabbing his hand before placing them on the sides of her hips, resting on her panties’ straps. “But I’m a good girl, aren’t I?”

He leaned in, his body pressing against hers, his grip on her hips firm and possessive. He could feel the heat radiating from her, her skin warm against his. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his lips brushing against her skin as he spoke.

"You’re a good girl... my good girl... but you’re being such a goddamn tease right now." He growled, his voice rough and low.

She let out a gasp in shock when her back hit the wall, but still she stared into his eyes. Arousal completely overtaking her and clouding her mind. Lifting her head up, she began to place kisses along his jaw, trying desperately to reach his lips.

"Beg me..." he commanded, his voice rough and low. "Beg me to kiss you..."

“Kiss me… Please just kiss me….” She whined, his commanding tone making her completely obedient.

"Good girl..." he murmured, his voice still low and rough, "You're being such a good girl for me now…"

With that, he leaned in and claimed her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. His body pressed tightly against hers, his hands gripping her hips firmly. Y/N completely melted into the kiss, allowing the control he loved so much, gasping when the grip on her waist tightened.

The gasp only fuelled his need. He deepened the kiss, his tongue delving into her mouth, claiming it possessively, his body pressed even tighter against hers. His hands continued to grip her hips, his fingers digging into her skin, a silent message that she was his and his alone.

As they continued to kiss, Y/N slowly moved her hand down, gripping his cock firmly as she began to gently stroke him.

A low groan escaped him as her hand wrapped around him, her touch sending a jolt of pleasure through his body. He broke the kiss, his head falling back as he leaned against the wall, his breathing ragged and heavy. He could feel his body tensing in response to her touch, a shudder running down his spine.

She leaned into his ear to whisper gently, “I need you...”

Her words went straight to his core, igniting a fire within him. He panted heavily, his body tense, aching for her, needing her just as much as she needed him.

"Darling... I need you too... so badly..." he whispered back, his voice a low, guttural growl, filled with desire and need, "Tell me you're mine... tell me you belong to me."

“I’m yours,” she spoke quickly without hesitation. “I’m yours my love, please take me.”

Her words, her declaration of belonging to him, made his heart race and heightened his desire. A low, possessive growl escaped his lips, and in one swift movement, he lifted her up, her legs wrapping around him. 

Turning away from the wall, he gently placed her down on the plush rug in the centre of the sitting room. He took a moment to admire her before moving his hands to her panties and slowly pulling them down, exposing her soaked pussy to him.

Unable to take much more, Jean placed himself in between her thighs as he hovered above. His cock just teasing her entrance, causing another gasp to escape her lips.

"Darling... you are so beautiful... so perfect..." he murmured, his voice thick with need. "I... I need...”

“It’s okay,” she said, pulling his face close to her to gently kiss him. “Take it…”

With her permission, Jean adjusted himself and sunk into her wet heat. Their moans harmonising as the pleasure overwhelmed them. 

“So tight... so perfect..." he panted, his voice ragged with pleasure, his hands gripping the fur of the rug. He had paused in his movements once he was fully inside her, allowing her time to adjust to his size.

After a minute or so, Y/N gently tapped his shoulder before speaking, “You can move… please.”

Jean panted for a moment, taking a breath, trying to keep control and not give in to his urges too quickly. But when she gently tapped his shoulder and told him to move, he couldn't hold back any longer. He pulled out of her almost completely before slowly pushing back in, his breathing ragged.

As his thrusts continued, Y/N began to grind against his movements, allowing them to quickly find a strong rhythm. She let out several loud moans and whines, and she felt the pleasure continuously build inside her; she was quickly reaching her peak.

“Please,” was all she could mutter, “Please…”

Jean continued to thrust into her, picking up the pace and adjusting his position. His breathing was ragged and heavy, grunts and groans leaving his lips with almost every thrust. He could feel her pleasure building, her moans and whimpers driving him closer to the edge.

“It’s okay, darling... come for me..." he panted, his voice thick and ragged, his body taut with pleasure and need.

Somehow her body was able to obey his command as she quickly hit her peak, causing her to almost scream out his name. He slowed his movements, letting her ride out her orgasm, his body trembling with need and desire. He leaned down to whisper sweet nothings into her ear, his voice soft and gentle, his body still pressed against hers, every inch of him aching for release.

"Good girl... so good for me... you're so beautiful when you come for me... you're amazing, darling..." he panted, his hands caressing her body.

“K-keep going.” She stuttered as she came down from the high. “Fuck me, Jean.”

He could feel a wave of heat wash over him at her words, her voice breathless and desperate. He growled deep in his chest, his desire flaring to new heights at her command.

"Anything for you, my darling..." he panted back, his voice thick with need and lust. He pulled out of her slowly and gently, before flipping her onto her stomach in one swift move, pulling her up onto her hands and knees.

Y/N only whined at the empties for a few seconds before he re-entered her. This time he fucked into her faster, harder, and it completely overwhelmed her. Her whines had now increased into loud moans. 

“Fuck!” She cried out after a particularly hard thrust, “Keep fucking me.”

The sound of her cry only fuelled his desire, and he could feel his control slipping. He leaned down, his body pressed against hers, his hands gripping her hips tightly, his thrusts deep and powerful.

One of his hands became tangled in her hair, pulling her head back to expose her neck to him. He leaned forward, burying his face in the crook of her neck, his lips grazing her skin, his thrusts becoming harder and harder.

“Jean…” She whined as her breaths became heavier, “I—I’m gonna…”

He was at the edge, his control hanging by a thread. He could feel his own peak coming, his movements becoming more erratic and desperate. He panted heavily, his breath hot against her neck, his voice low and hoarse but filled with need and desire.

"Me too..." he panted back, his voice a low, ragged whisper, "Come for me, darling... come with me..."

Her eyes clenched shut as she came with a loud scream, her pussy clenching against his cock. Jean was not far behind the pressure from her walls, causing him to come, his hips stuttering as he shot his spend deep inside her womb. 

When he pulled out of her, Jean made sure to gently manoeuvre her weak body, turning her so she lay on her back again. He looked down at her on his knees, admiring how gorgeous she looked, flustered, sweaty, and completely spent.

“Thank you, my dear.” He spoke as he leaned over her, pulling her close to kiss her gently, “For such a special present.”

All she could do was smile at him softly in reply. Y/N had never felt this complete in her life until this very moment.

He lay down beside her, pulling her close to him, getting a blanket from off the couch to cover the both of them. He smiled down at her, affection and tenderness in his eyes as he gently stroked her hair. The aftershocks of pleasure still coursing through him, his breathing slowly returning to normal.

"Merry Christmas, darling," he said, his voice soft and low, his lips gently brushing against her forehead. "Thank you for being mine."

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MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE <3

Fireworks | Y/N x Ahkmenrah

Masterlist British!Reader is feeling homesick without celebrating Bonfire night. After confiding in Ahkmenrah, he seeks help from the others to make sure they don't miss out on their favourite holiday (WC: 2334) AN: I wrote this in basically a day so apologies if it's not super polished.

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Y/N had been working as a night guard for the museum of natural history for a little over six months now. They’d moved to New York from the UK a year ago to attend NYU studying archeology. So when they were desperate for money and they found out the local museum had an open position, they happily took it.

The job did take some adjusting, especially when on their first night they came face to face with a moving t-rex skeleton, but thankfully, with the help of Larry and the other exhibits, they slowly became apart of their mismatched family.

It was notable that over the last six months Y/N had grown closest to Ahkmenrah. Not only due to their closeness in age but also their shared interest in history. Most nights Y/N could be found walking with Ahkmenrah, either listening to his stories or catching him up on recent history.

It was now November, Halloween had just passed, and Y/N was feeling unusually more homesick than usual. Instead of listening emotively to Ahkmenrah’s stories, they simply hummed in acknowledgement. They’re so caught up in their homesick melancholy that they fails to notice that he’s stopped speaking.

"Y/N, are you alright?” He nudged them gently as he asked. “You seem distant this evening?”

"Sorry, it’s silly, really.”

"Are you sure? You don't seem alright," he says quietly, his crystal eyes watching them. "You never ignore me."

“Oh Ahkmen, I’m so sorry!” Their face suddenly filled with emotion. “I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

He shook his head at their apologies and stepped forward to hold their hand. "No, it’s fine, Y/N, but what’s wrong?”

“I’m just missing the UK this time of year.”

Ahkmenrah's eyes soften as he takes their hand. "I understand. It is okay to miss your home." He says quietly. He looks up at them, and he can tell that the homesickness that they’re feeling is a very heavy thing.

He gently squeezes their hand. "Do you talk to your family back in England?" He gives a thoughtful glance before looking back up at them.

“It’s not that; I spoke to them just this morning, but..." Y/N pauses for a moment before continuing, “I kinda miss the fireworks.”

His brows furrow slightly in confusion. “Fireworks?”

“Every year in the UK we set off fireworks and make bonfires on the Fifth of November.” They begin to explain, “We call it Bonfire or Guy Fawkes night.”

The confusion is now replaced with wide-eyed curiosity; his eyes sparkle with interest as he speaks, “That sounds wonderful, so you celebrate with fireworks?”

Y/N nodded, happy with Akhmenrah’s genuine interest. “Um yeah, it’s a way to commemorate when Guy Fawkes failed to blow up parliament in 1605.”

Ahkmenrah raises his eyebrows. He seems more intrigued than ever at this point. "A failed attack on a government.. so you celebrate?" he says, almost in awe at the idea. "How exciting!"

“Yeah, although like most holidays we mainly use it as an excuse to get stinking drunk.” They laughed quietly at their own joke, “But my parents and I used to always go see a fireworks show every year.”

“Did you do anything else?” He asked, still curious, to which Y/N’s asked sparkled before they spoke. The two then spent the rest of the night talking about different traditions and foods that bonfire night often had. They also discussed different holidays Akhmenrah would celebrate during his life in Ancient Egypt.

Eventually, the sun began to rise and the two had to part, but not before Y/N escorted him back to his tomb. “I’ll see you tonight, Akhmen.”

“See you tonight, Y/N.” He replied, but he looked as if he wanted to keep talking, making Y/N confused, but they didn’t have time to reply as the sarcophagus closed and the tablet glowed once more.

Y/N sighed before gently tapping on the sarcophagus and whispered the one thing they could never say during the night, “I love you...” before stepping away and heading back home.

The next night, Larry greeted them with a favour: "Listen, could you just keep an eye on the minis tonight? They’ve been whispering, and I got a feeling they're planning something.”

“Sure, no worries.” They ended up spending their whole night with Jedediah and Octavius. Y/N took them to the projection room and let them pick any movies to watch; they ended up picking The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

By the time Sunrise was close, they had only just finished the second film, and with a promise to watch the third movie, the two let Y/N carry them back to their exhibits. Once they had finished closing their assigned exhibits, Y/N made their way to the museum lobby.

As they walked down the stairs, Y/N paused as they spotted Ahkmenrah and Larry talking in hushed tones and looked at something on Larry’s laptop. The two hadn’t noticed Y/N as they slowly walked closer to the two.

“What are you boys whispering about?” They asked, causing the two men to jump slightly at the sudden voice. Larry quickly shut the laptop, looking incredibly awkward at being caught.

“Ah, Y/N. We were just... discussing some work stuff. Nothing important.” The older nightguard spoke rapidly, not sounding convincing at all. He glanced at the young pharaoh to back him up, who proceeded to nod while smiling a bit too widely.

“Uh Huh…” Y/N spoke with their arms crossed, clearly not believing them. “You guys are keeping something from me, and I’m gonna find out, but it’s close to sunrise, so it can wait.” 

Ahkmenrah squirms a little under thier scrutinising gaze. Larry, still looking sheepish, scratches the back of his neck. "Right. Yes. Sunrise." He agrees quickly. "Everything can wait." After a moment, he nudges Ahkmenrah, who hasn't spoken yet.

The Egyptian Pharaoh coughs and composes himself quickly. "Yes, yes. Sunrise," he said as his face went back to the usual cool and calm look.

Y/N smiled at the Ahkmenrah fondly before gently grabbing his arm and saying, “Come on, I’ll get you settled back in your room.”

Ahkmenrah doesn't look so tense anymore after seeing their smile. Once they grab his arm, he lets out a quiet breath and relaxes a little. "Thank you," he mumbles under his breath and lets Y/N lead him back to his exhibit.

As they led him, Y/N started to talk. There's no specific topic to their rambling, but it helps distract Akhmenrah from the inevitability that soon he’ll be in the sarcophagus once again. When they arrive in front of his exhibit, Y/N feels him tense next to them and gently guides him towards the sarcophagus.

“It’s okay, we’ll be right here for you when you wake up,” they try to comfort him as he lowers himself into his tomb.

He lays down in his sarcophagus and gives them a small nod, a silent thank you. "I trust that you will," he murmurs as his chest rises and falls with calm breaths.

As Y/N looks at him, their mind runs on autopilot and, without thinking, reaches down and places a soft kiss on his forehead. Realising what they’ve done, Y/N pulls away wide-eyed, "Sorry, I don’t know why I did that.”

Ahkmenrah is still stunned for a moment, his face red. "I-" he stutters slightly, trying to organise his thoughts. "No, it's alright," he manages, his voice trembling a little from the unexpected gesture.

Before they could reply, they spotted the tablet begin to slowly glow. With a sigh, they turned back to Ahkmenrah and said, "Sorry, it’s sunrise; I need to close this.”

Ahkmenrah reluctantly nods, his face still a little flustered from the kiss. The tablet's glow grows brighter as the sun rises. "Yes, of course," he mumbles, his voice slightly hushed.

He takes a deep breath before speaking again, trying to hide the hint of disappointment in his voice. "I'll see you tonight then."

“See you tonight.” With that, Y/N pushed the sarcophagus closed and waited until the glowing ended before heading home. As they walked down New York Street, Y/N couldn’t help but wonder exactly what Larry and Ahkmenrah were whispering about; they made a mental note to ask on their next shift.

Yet when they arrived the next evening, Y/N was confused to find the main lobby entirely empty, even despite the fact they’d arrived over thirty minutes late.

“Hello?” They called out as their voice echoed around the museum, “Where is everyone?”

Still no response, causing Y/N to sigh slightly. Suddenly the sounds of footsteps approaching caused them to tense as possibility spread through their head, What if there thrives in the museum? What if they’d stolen the tablet?

As the footsteps grew closer, Y/N hid behind the desk while clutching their torch like a weapon, ready to strike. They heard the person stop in front of the desk, causing Y/N to jump up and swing. Only to be stopped by an outstretched hand and a loud voice yelling their name.

“Atilla?” Y/N’s eyes were wide as they realised who they’d nearly attacked. “I’m sorry, I thought you were an intruder.”

He replied in Hun and a small pat on their left shoulder to indicate no harm was done before holding his hand out. Y/N took his hand and allowed him to take them to the new planetarium that had been built a month ago. They stood outside for a moment before the doors swung open.

Y/N gasped as they saw how the room was decorated with various streamers and balloons and spotted the rest of the museum happily partying with each other.  Everyone is having a great time, and the room is filled with music and laughter. Larry, among the others, is near the centre holding up a drink. He sees you and waves.

"Ah, Y/N!" Larry calls out. "There you are! Was starting to worry you weren't coming." He gestures to the surroundings. "What do you think? Pretty neat, huh?”

They approach him slowly, still taking in the surroundings. “Larry? What on earth is going on?”

“We’re celebrating bonfire night!” He exclaimed excitedly while handing them a drink, “I think we got most of it right but added our own American twist, you know?”

“How did you even know about this?” Y/N asked, to which Larry simply pointed to a corner where they could see Ahkmenrah talking to Sacagawea and Teddy.

They left Larry at the bar with a polite wave and made their way over to the trio. Ahkmenrah’s eyes instantly locked onto them when he saw them approaching. “Y/N! You finally made it!”

“Did you do all this for me?” They asked while smiling brightly.

"Yes! Yes, I did," he replies enthusiastically. "Larry and the others helped, of course. But I wanted tonight to be special for you."

His eyes sparkle as he looks at you, happy to see your reaction to his efforts. "Do you like it?"

“Like it?” Y/N began while looking around again in wonder, "Ahkmen, I love it!”

“You do?” He asked, to which Y/N nodded, "Well, there’s more to come still; in fact, it should be starting in just a minute.”

“What’s starting?”

Instead, he grabbed their hand and led them to a specific spot. “It’s a surprise, but follow me; I know the perfect spot to watch.”

Before Y/N could ask another question, the main lights dimmed, leaving them in darkness. They looked up as the constellations began to move, gently dancing for a moment before one of them exploded into a dazzling display of colours.

Y/N’s eyes widened in recognition before they looked at Ahkmenrah and whispered, “Fireworks...”

“Larry said we couldn’t get real ones, but I thought this would be a good alternative.” He explained, watching as they smiled brightly, their face illuminated by the beautiful light show.

Feeling incredibly proud, he takes Y/N’s hand and stands beside them, watching the animated sky with them. "I'm glad you're enjoying it." He mumbled quietly and squeezed their hand.

Y/N continued to watch the fireworks, but as the display neared its end, they turned toward the young pharaoh. “Could I do something a little crazy?”

Ahkmenrah tilts his head a little and smiles, intrigued and curious about their question. "Of course, Y/N, what is it?"

Instead of answering, Y/N slowly reached a hand out to caress his cheek. They looked into his eyes for a moment before reaching forward and gently placing their lips on his. Ahkmenrah freezes for a moment, stunned by their action, but then he slowly blinks and closes his eyes.

In the dim light of the planetarium, he gently returns the kiss, his lips moving gently against theirs. After a moment, he hesitantly wraps his arms around them to pull them closer, his fingers lightly tracing along their back.

The two only pull away once a cacophony of cheers and clapping surrounds them. Y/N quickly hides their blushing face in Ahkmenrah's chest when they turn and see all their friends congratulating them for finally taking the next step.

Y/N feels his chest move as he chuckles softly before pulling them closer. “Thank you, my friends, but I think we should get back to the party.”

With his kind but commanding words, the rest of them quickly began to party once more, but not without a suggestive whistle from a certain cowboy.

They pull away from his chest slightly before speaking, “Thank you, Ahkmen, for all of this.”

"I wanted to make this special for you, and it was worth the wait," he says softly and gives their forehead a light kiss. “Shall we get back to the party?”

“Lead the way.” Y/N replied, allowing him to lead them by the waist to join their friends on the dance floor.

In that moment, finally being with the person they cared about most as their friends danced around them, Y/N realised they hadn’t thought of home once. Even if for a moment, Akhmenrah had healed their homesickness, and they couldn’t be happioer.

When Snow Falls | Masterlist

Valeria Snow is the 'Princess of the Capitol', as the oldest granddaughter of the infamous President Snow she's lived her entire life trying to make a reputation of her own. After she's assigned as the newest escort for District 4, she finds her life shifting completely off course especially after she becomes closer to the famous Finnick Odair.

Playlist || Concept Board

Chapter 1. Opening Ball

Chapter 2. Unwanted Attention

Also read on: AO3 or Wattpad

Did you account for the things I am good at?

Hana: I learned some very valuable lessons from this. Hotch: I’m guessing they are all horrible distortions on the lessons you actually should’ve taken away. Hana: Death isn’t real, and I’m basically God.

Ancient Princess | The Witcher

Chapter 1. The Awakening

Back to Masterlist.

Sulking along the path, Jaskier stumbles something he thought he'd never find.

Jaskier had been travelling alone for the past few months, he was unaware how far Oxenfurt actually was from Caingorn yet he was all to happy to leave it behind.

'If life could give me one blessing'

The memory still stung Jaskier, and he tried to cope the only way a bard knows how. At first his writing was sad, full of self pity and loneliness, until one day it shifted. Soon Jaksier's writing turned angry as it he realised; nothing was his fault. Geralt was the one who made the fucking wish to the Djinn, he was the one who thought the law of surprise was a good fucking idea. Who was he to blame Jaskier for his own stupid ideas.

He tried to put Geralt behind him but like an itch, the more he tried to ignore, the stronger the thoughts and memories returned. Somehow that emotionally constipated 'White Wolf' has burrowed his way deep into Jaskier's heart, not that he'd ever know.

So, as he spent his days repeating this vicious cycle of anger and misery he blindly followed the path, having lost his map days before. He didn't recognise where he was and the never ending forest didn't help his already poor sense of direction. He knew he was near the coast, the smell of sea salt lingered in the air around him. If he was by the coast, Jaskier thought, Then surely he was near at least a small fishing village. Maybe the locals will be welcoming enough. He walked for the next few hours hoping for any sign of civilisation and yet; the forest never ended. By the third hour Jaskier was half convinced he was walking in circles and ready to simply accept his fate of dying in the woods either from starvation or of whatever creatures lurked just as hungry as he was. However, Just as he was ready to give up his eyes caught something in the near distance.

A grand white marble arch, it stood tall over the path Jaskier was following, as he approached he noticed how it was covered from the top to the bottom in vines and leaves with bright coloured flowers growing in between. The path continued beyond this arch, leading towards a larger arch this time connected between two equally towering walls slightly hidden behind the bushes and trees of the forest. As Jaskier walked closer towards the second arch he was able to see what was beyond it; a city.

The city was larger, perhaps even larger than some of the continents major cities like Cintra. Furthermore, despite being at least a few centuries old this abandoned city showed no sign of damage to any of its marble buildings or sculptures. In fact the only indication of a long passage of time was the vast amount of vines and shrubbery that grown to cover majority of this city. Flowers had begun to grow between the cracks of the paths, creating a ethereal atmosphere to the entire city. Jaskier wandered around the city in awe, based on his previous studies he could deduce that this place was likely an ancient elven kingdom, but this confused him. Surely if this was in fact an elven kingdom especially of this size, the humans would have long since taken claim during their conquest of the continent. He was even further confused by the signs he saw, although he knew elder speech there were words inscribed that seemed completely alien to him. Perhaps this city predated even the elves.

As the sun began to set Jaskier had eventually made his way to the centre of the city, in which at the top of a tall staircase a grand castle stood tall above the entirety of the city. It was the most beautiful castle he had ever laid his eyes on. Similar the other structures of the city, the castle was made of pure white marble yet it had also been decorated with gold decals and several striking stain glass windows that displayed stunning landscapes and creatures unknown to Jaskier. Once he stepped inside he no less in awe, the marble floor was covered in beautiful dark blue rug that throughout every hallway of the castle. Artwork and Statues lined these hallways both also ingrained with small golden decals, Jaskier noticed several portraits which he presumed displayed the royal family and other aristocrats of the kingdom. Their ears in every painting were clearly elven, confirming Jaskier's theory of the cities origin.

The most breath-taking rooms, however were definitely the Entrance hall and Throne room.

The entrance hall had tall ceilings embellished with a stain glass dome as the roof supported by several engraved marble arches. There were two elegant marble staircases engraved with different depictions of animals and flowers. Like outside the vines had grown inside the castle as well and was wrapped around the bannister and draped down from the balconies on the higher floor.

Climbing the stairs towards the throne room, Jaskier continued to gaze in awe at paintings and tapestries that hung along the wall depicting ancient battles and scenes that were likely lost to history. He wondered if the library and the books within also remained intact, what lost knowledge was likely contained within those pages. Perhaps he could retell the stories one day through song.

The throne room was located in the centre of the castle and was a large expansive hall that echoed even the smallest of sound. Golden suits of armour lined the walls between the engraved marble columns that stretched from floor to ceiling. Banners that matched the dark blue rugs hung from arches and displayed a golden crest that appeared to be a stag with flowers hanging from its antlers. In the centre of the back wall, the throne was placed on a small platform that allowed whomever sat there to tower over those below them. It was made of pure gold and was cushioned with blue fabric. The golden frame had carvings of flowers and vines and several depictions of various woodland animals. Above the seat, on the throne's headboard was a detailed engraving of a stag's head with a stone in the centre of it forehead that reflected light and appeared to change colours.

There was a moment where Jaskier had a small temptation to take a seat on the throne, however he quickly removed the thought from his mind. If it was an elven city its final day could not have been a pretty sight and the people didn't need another human forced themselves on their throne.

Instead Jaskier made his way down from the throne room towards the servants quarters, he figured there would be a suitable bed he could spend at least spend the night on.

The servants quarters were also in impossibly well preserved condition, no rats scurried along the floor and there was of the cold chill that most servant quarters had. The kitchen was as beautiful as the rest of the castle, the counters made from the same white marble with flecks of gold mixed throughout the hard surface. Dried herbs and flowers hung across the ceilings ready to added whatever would be cooked. With increased curiosity, Jaskier opened a cupboard door to find a whole storage room filled with breads and vegetables in perfect condition. The preservation was still remarkable to Jaskier even after searching the entirety of this kingdom.

Soon Jaskier made his way out of the kitchen to find a long corridor aligned with several different doors that each led to a different room. Yet instead he chose to make his way further down the corridor where he spotted an ornate silver door, standing out amount the other plain wooden doors. It took around five minutes for Jaskier to reach the mysterious door at the end of the corridor, at which point he was able to fully appreciate its details. Engravings of flowers surrounding a single stag echoed that of the throne's own engraving. Gently, he pushed on the door and discovered it to be unlocked as it slowly creaked open. He made his way through the now open door to discover that behind it was some kind of mausoleum.

Unlike the rest of the elven kingdom this hidden mausoleum showed signs of erosion and aging. The once porcelain white marble had become a dull grey, and along the eastern wall the detailed etchings had become blurred and whatever image was once there could no longer be clearly seen.

In the centre of the room was a glass case, it was incredibly ornate with gold lining the edges of the box. The glass was almost crystal clear which allowed Jaskier to see exactly what was inside the case, shocking him greatly. Lying softly on a plush green cushion was a young elven girl. She was dressed in a simple white gown that draped against her figure, her brow hair had been carefully brushed free of any knots and imperfections and was braided in parts to delicately frame her soft features, and finally placed atop her head was small and delicate golden crown. Additionally across her most of her body except her face, were several white tattoos which appeared to join together as whole. Jaskier had never seen designs like this before and presumed it must have cultural significance for the ancient elves.

Despite this, what shocked Jaskier most all was, as he approached the case he noticed that her chest was rising and falling. Meaning she was still breathing; she was alive.

Jaskier continued to slowly approaches the glass case containing the mysterious young elf. As he reached closer and closer he felt compelled to reach his hand forward and touch the glass casing. When he placed his hand on the case he noticed his hand began feeling a rapid warmth that spread from his palm to throughout his body. When he look down he noticed that his hands had begun to glow, he tried to pull his hand away but found he couldn't.

Suddenly the glass case shattered around him, and after a moment the young elf's eyes opened.

Next Chapter

When Snow Falls | F.O

Back to Masterlist | Next Chapter Chapter 1. The Opening Ball

Summery: Valeria is forced to attend the 73rd Hunger Games' Opening Ball, maybe a certain blue eyed victor will make her a little happier she came.

TW: Attempted SA, Threats, Referenced SA

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It was the beginning of the 73rd Hunger Games, which also meant that today was the annual opening ball held before the Reapings occur. The highest in Capitol society attended, as did many previous victors; and by requirement, so did Valeria Snow.

As she walked through the ballroom doors, she immediately felt out of depth. She didn't normally attend these events; as a result, she had no idea what to do at them. She wasn't interested in the gossip of the Capitol's upper class, and she had nothing in common with any in attendance.

For quite some time she stood to the side of the grand room, close to the corner. She observed those around her and noticed that despite their extreme dresses and makeup, none of them actually stood out. They all just blended together as a kaleidoscope of fabrics and powder.

As Valeria stood there, she remembered the words her father had spoken to her during her dress fitting.

"I want you to actually speak to people tonight," he'd said firmly, "It's about time you made friends with people of your own stature."

Except, despite being a member of such a high-born family, she never enjoyed the company of her peers. Growing up, she always hated the attention she got just from her name being read out in every class she ever took.

Now she was of age; however, the attention now came from men who wanted the fame that came from marrying into the Snow family. It was why she avoided these events like the plague; those types of people practically filled the entire room.

She glanced hopefully over at the victor's table, only for her expression to fall when she realised Wattson wasn't in attendance. Without him there, she wouldn't dare approach them; the last time she attempted to speak with the others, they'd been polite, but it was clear they didn't want her near them. Her surname likely drew them away, although she wouldn't be surprised if her grandfather had warned them to stay away.

"What's a girl dressed like that doing without a line of men?" She turned to see Cinna; he'd designed the dress she was wearing. The older stylist had been working closely with Valeria since she was eighteen, but she knew deep down his true desire was to style for the games, to be able to make a real statement.

He'd done a phenomenal job. She was dressed in an elegant peach ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and draping sleeves, but the most unique feature was the waterfall of pink and white roses that cascaded down from the bodice to the skirt.

"Cinna, oh, I am so glad to see you!" She embraced him, careful not to cause any damage to the dress. "I'm sorry; I'm just not great at these things."

"Oh, don't worry, darling; I know this isn't your kind of scene."

"You're right about that. God, how do people do this?"

Cinna simply laughed in response before whispering, "I guess some people are better at pretending than others are."

"You could say that again."

"If you ever want to escape, I'll cover for you; just don't hurt the dress," he whispered before winking and walking away.

Valeria smiled to herself as she watched Cinna stroll away to speak to a group of stylists that had gathered to inspect each attendee's dresses. She let out a sigh as her eyes continued to wander from the stylists around the room inspecting each group to find a fit somewhere. Her friends didn't go to these events, and her grandfather had told her that she couldn't just rely on those she already knew; he wanted her to make connections.

She took a breath before walking further into the ballroom and moving towards a small group of women, their bodies covered in bright fabrics, several even covered their faces in various equally vibrant masks. One of the women noticed her moving towards them and whispered to the others before standing straighter than a flagpole and turning towards Valeria.

"Oh my dear, it's so lovely you could join us tonight."

Valeria remembered the girl in her academy, Slykie Moss, or 'Killy', as her friends liked to call her. She spoke like she knew Valeria personally, yet they'd never so much as glanced at each other before. Nevertheless, she replied as politely as she could, "Oh, well, it's my pleasure. Whoever planned this has done a wonderful job. It's beautiful."

"Oh, Alicia planned it!" She exclaimed, reaching behind her to pull the girl with midnight black hair forward. "This is Alicia Crane; you may have heard of her. Her brother's the head gamemaker this year. Can you believe it?"

"It's definitely incredible for them. You must be very proud of your brother."

"Ah yes, he's the pride of the family now," Alicia stated with her chin raised in the air before leaning and whispering to the group. "Now I'm not supposed to say this, but he's got some positively nefarious tricks for this year's games."

Excited giggles spread through the group while Valeria simply smiled awkwardly. She never understood why, but she never got the same excitement from the games others in the Capitol did. At least not after becoming close to Wattson.

Wattson Stein was the victor of the 64th Hunger Games, and four years ago on Valeria's eighteenth birthday, she had saved his life. Feeling a sense of duty for the victor, Valeria checked on him almost every day for three months afterwards. They'd become close friends ever since, although only in secret.

Now every time she watched the games, she couldn't help but picture her friend's sixteen-year-old self taking each tribute's place. So young and thrust into a game of death and fear.

"Oh Valeria, my dear, you must tell me, are the rumours true? You're District Four's newest escort?" Ophelia asked, breaking Valeria from her thoughts.

"Um... yes, it's true." She replied, "I'm very excited; I've never had the chance to visit Four before."

A woman with neon green hair scrunched her face in disgust before speaking, "Eugh, I imagine it smells like nothing but fish."

"Oh goodness, yes," Sylkie agreed with her friend. "Plus, I've heard the sea air is absolutely terrible for your hair."

"Well, I'm not so bad," Valeria tried to advocate on District 4's behalf. "After all, Finnick Odair is from there."

"Are you ladies gossiping about me?" A voice from behind her called, causing her to turn around. There was Finnick, the 'Capitol Darling', in all his glory. His stylist had surprisingly dressed him this time; instead of something outrageously revealing, he wore a suit similar to that of other capital attendees. It was a dark blue with intricate silver embroidery of waves crashing against a rockside, and the buttons were in the shape of silver seashells.

Behind her she heard the women whisper rapidly to one another, followed swiftly by high-pitched giggles. Ignoring them, Valeria took the initiative, and after a deep breath, stepped forward and greeted the victor, "Hello, Finnick, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm-"

"Valeria Snow," he interrupted, "Believe me, I'm aware of who you are."

Stepping in front of Finnick's view, almost blocking Valeria entirely, Sylkie excitedly asked Finance, "Are you aware she's District 4's newest escort for this year?"

"Well, what an honour it will be to have the Capitol princess visit my district." Finnick replied, a smirk spreading widely across his face; he then stepped around Sylkie carefully so he was facing Valerie once more.

In that moment as her golden brown eyes connected with Finnick's own ocean blue, Valeira couldn't help but inhale sharply. She'd never been this close to District 4's youngest victor before, and he was certainly striking.

His sandy blonde hair had been left reasonably untouched, allowing for his soft curls to frame his lightly tanned face. If Valeria could describe him, it would be the ocean personified.

As she continued to take in his appearance, Valeria's eyes moved back to focus on his face, more specifically his expression. His left eyebrow was raised slightly in a way that showed he was expecting something. It was only then that she realised he had spoken to her again, and she hadn't heard a single thing he said.

"Sorry?" She asked, cursing the heat in her cheeks, and a blush spread across her face.

Finnick chuckled slightly at her before repeating himself, "I said you look very pretty this evening."

Valeria knew he was simply being polite and his usual flirtatious self, but she still uttered a simple "Thank you" and smiled brightly. She was happy someone thought she looked good, especially since it was Cinna that had styled her.

"I suppose it would be wrong to compliment a lady and not ask her to dance."

The blonde raised her head to look at him in surprise to find his hand outstretched towards her. "You want to dance with me?" She couldn't help but ask; after all, she and Finnick had attended many of the same parties, and never before had he so much as spoken to her.

"Well, we will be getting to know each other a lot over the next few months; it seems only right," Finnick reasoned before tilting his head in a teasing expression, "You do know how to dance, right?"

"Yes, of course I know how to dance."

"Good," he said before grabbing her hand and leading her to the centre of the room. "So long as you don't step on my feet, we'll be just fine."

Finnick placed his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. In turn, Valeria moved her hand upwards towards his shoulder. They began a slow and gentle waltz to music softly playing; they glided across the floor and between the other couples. Valeria found it difficult to look anywhere but at Finnick; they were close enough to feel the breath of the other on their skin.

"Are you really excited to see four?" Finnick said so after a few minutes of them dancing in silence.

Valeria narrowed her eyes in suspicion, "How long were you eavesdropping on the conversation?"

"Long enough," he responded simply before pulling away and raising his left arm to gently twirl her around. Valeria couldn't help but giggle as her hair swished around her face before Finnick pulled her close once more. "Now are you going to answer my question?"

"Well, I've never seen the sea or even a beach, at least not a real one."

Finnick laughed before speaking, "So you became my district's escort because you wanted to see the beach?"

"No!" Valeria exclaimed, "I just... actually, can you keep a secret?"

"Princess, that's exactly what I deal in."

"Really?" She leaned back slightly to look up at him more clearly. "Seems like a bad business model."

"You'd be surprised at how much secrets are worth." Finnick answered vaguely with an air of mystery, as if he knew more than even Valeria about the underbelly of the Capitol.

"Capitol has lots of those," she couldn't help but murmur under her breath.

"Huh," Finnick laughed.

"What?"

"You're just..." he paused as he thought on what to say, "not exactly what I expected."

Valeria hummed in response before looking directly in his eyes, "And what did you expect?"

"Well, I don't think I should really tell you the truth." Finnick, he responded after a long minute of thought; it was clear on his face that he was being genuine.

Leaning slightly closer, Valeria whispered into his ear, "I thought we were sharing secrets, Odair."

He winked before continuing, "You've yet to tell me this big secret of yours."

"Oh right, I became an escort becau-" Valeria was able to continue as she was suddenly pulled away from Finnick, only to be faced with a clearly angry Johanna.

"Just what the fuck do you think you are doing?" She refused to release Valeria's wrist, holding her in place.

"I'm sorry, we were just dancing..." She was confused; why was it such an issue to dance with Finnick? She'd seen him dance many times before at other events with several women.

"Don't play dumb with me; you know exactly what I'm talking about."

"Johanna, stop." Finnick began to step in to try to pull her away. "You know who she is; this is only going to end badly—"

"No Finnick, who she is, is exactly my problem." She was continuously glaring at the girl opposite her. "They're all the same."

While Johanna and Finnick continued their exchange, the latter now whispering harshly to the District 7 victor, Valeria looked around and realised that all eyes were on her. The women she had spoken to just minutes before were smirking at her embarrassment and had begun to whisper to each other. Another glance, and she found the other victors looking at her with the same hatred she saw in Johanna's eyes. She continued to look around as her breath slowly left her, as the sound began to fade out until there was only a dull buzzing.

This feeling was building and building, and it was only when she felt the tears begin to well that she suddenly moved into action. With a strength completely unknown to her, Valeria wrenched her hand from the victor's grasp and sprinted out the ballroom's door.

She ran from the ballroom, needing peace to think after the accusation from Johanna, the glares of the other tributes, and the whispers of the crowds. She still didn't understand what had occurred or even why.

She moved quickly to the other side of the manor she was in, finding a sitting room that was empty. She closed the door behind her before moving to the glass doors on the opposite side of the room; it led to one of the smaller balconies that looked out onto the manor's extravagant gardens. Despite being one of the most famous people attending tonight, she couldn't have been more alone as she leaned over the small balcony. No one would bother her here, and she was far enough from the ballroom that she could no longer hear the music.

God, she hated the Capitol; if she could, she'd move far away. As she stared into the night sky, the stars barely visible from the various lights throughout the Capitol, she thought of her childhood dream of moving from Panem to have a peaceful life for her and her siblings and never having to attend a ball like this again.

Behind her the door to the balcony creaked open, and Valeria quickly turned to see who it was; it was an older man, likely a friend of her father's. His bright pink hair was gelled back, and his equally pink moustache was finely groomed; the only thing out of place was the opened and half-empty bottle in his hand. He stumbled onto the balcony, squinting as he looked around; it didn't seem he had noticed she was there, and Valeria was planning to quickly move away until he suddenly locked his eyes onto her.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes? What is a fine lady like yourself doing so far from the party?"

"I'm sorry?" She exclaimed in disgust, Not only was this man drunk enough that Valeria could smell him from across the balcony, but he was clearly over double her age, possibly even older than her father.

"Oh, don't be like that, dear." He smiled widely before approaching her. "A girl dressed like that is asking for at least a little attention."

Whether he didn't recognise who she was or simply didn't care, this strange man made his intention very clear through that one sentence, and Valeria instantly felt a sense of fear wash over her. Trying to diffuse the situation, she simply smiled politely and responded, "Well, apologies, but it's not the kind of attention I think you're offering."

"Hmm, I like them feisty; please keep talking."

"Sorry, but I think someone is looking for me, so we're done here." Valeria tried to move around the man to exit the balcony, but he suddenly grabbed her arm and pushed her against the balcony rail.

"What do you think you're doing?" She tried to push him away, but he held her firmly in place.

"Now I wouldn't fight too hard if I were you." He moved his hand towards her neck to hold her in place, forcing her to look at him. "See, I was a peacekeeper back in my prime, and I've seen plenty of pretty girls like you out in the districts, so I know what to do when a pretty little thing puts up a fight."

"My grandfather is President Snow... Touch me and... you'll regret it..."

He just laughed into her face; the smell of alcohol was making her feel sick. His other hand was wrapped around her waist, squeezing her tightly. She couldn't breathe, and her mind was starting to shut down. There didn't seem to be a way out of this. As he leaned in to whisper in her ear, his hand on her neck was slowly moving down. "Don't worry; it won't hurt after a while."

He grabbed her dress by the front and pulled, ripping her bodice down the middle and revealing her undergarments. She never felt more naked as the cold air chilled her exposed body and tears streamed down her face. She moved her hand in front of her and tried to push him away, but he was stronger than she was and moved to restrain her arms. With her hands restrained behind her, she decided to close her eyes, afraid to see what would happen to her.

It was then Valeria felt a rush of air as the pressure against her body was pulled away from her; she heard a scuffle before she opened her eyes. It was Finnick who had pulled that man away from her and had seemingly knocked him out with the lamp he still held in his hand.

"Finnick?" She spoke in a hoarse voice, her throat still sore from being gripped so hard.

He turned to look at her before placing the lamp back down on the small table. He began to walk towards her but quickly stopped. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"H-how did you..." She began to question, looking back down at the pink-haired man now laid prone on the floor. "W-hat?"

"Valeria," he spoke firmly, making her eyes focus on him once again, "I need to know if you're okay."

"Yeah... I'm okay," Valeria responded, stunned hearing him say her name, "Thank you for... doing that."

"It's fine." They were both out of breath from the surge of adrenaline. Valeria quickly realised her chest was still exposed and moved her arms in front of her. Finnick slowly moved his way towards her.

"Do you want my jacket?" He had already taken it off and was holding it towards her. She took it from his grasp slowly before pushing her arms in and holding it tight to cover her chest.

"Thank you so much." She smiled at him softly before looking down at her dress, and her lips moved to frown.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.

"He ruined Cinna's dress, and I thought it was so beautiful. What am I going to tell him?" Her voice was high-pitched, almost a whine, and she desperately tried to bring the fabric of her corset back together again.

For a moment Finnick was silent as a stunned expression crossed his face before it fell into a look of genuine kindness. "I'm sure he'll be more than understanding."

"You think?"

He smiled softly and nodded, "Yeah, I think so?"

Valeria smiled before looking to her left and seeing that man still unconscious on the floor; her anxiety began to creep up again, afraid that he may wake up suddenly.

"Do you want to come with me?" Finnick spoke up as if sensing her growing anxiety. Turning back to him, Valeria noticed he was watching her carefully.

"Where?" She sniffed out before wiping tears from her eyes.

He took another step closer, holding his hand out for her to take. "Just away from here, we can find another empty room to sit in."

"But you'll miss the party."

"Believe me, that'll be a blessing." He smiled softly at her, which she returned in kind. She took the hand that he held out towards her and allowed him to lead her out of the room.

They moved further down the hall until what they both agreed was a long enough distance and opened the door closest, which, luckily, led to an empty room. It was a simple sitting room similar to the one before, only this one didn't have any balcony attached. Two ornate sofas faced each other, which Finnick and Valeria chose to sit on. As they faced each other, they began to relax, and they sat contently in the other's presence.

"Why did..." She trailed off, thinking carefully about her question.

"Why did I help you?" Finnick finished her thought for her.

"Yes"

"I'm not a monster, Valeria," he muttered to her, "and you don't deserve that... no one does."

"Well, thank you; I think you probably saved my life."

"Don't mention it." He smiled softly before changing to a look of mock sternness. "Where were your guards, anyway?"

"My what?"

"Guards. Would've thought the president's precious grandchild would have some kind of protection."

"I requested not to have any tonight. I find it a bit suffocating, having someone breathing down your neck the whole night," Valeria responded before looking down in embarrassment, "Although I can see now that was a bad idea."

Finnick couldn't help but let out a sarcastic chuckle, "You might be right about that." And then his face suddenly grew serious, "Don't do that again."

Caught off guard by his intensity, Valeria struggled to form a sentence before blurting out, "Why do you care what I do?"

He seemed genuinely stunned by her impulsive question, as if he didn't understand why she asked it in the first place. Shaking his head, Finnick schooled his expression and shrugged, "You're better than Four's last escort; if anything happens to you, who knows who I'd be stuck with next?"

"Careful," she responded sarcastically, "someone might think you actually like me."

"Oh, we don't have to worry about that, Miss Snow." He replied equally as sarcastic as the blonde sitting in front of him.

"Just call me Valeria." She responded quickly, looking him dead in his bright blue eyes.

Instead of looking away from her intense eye contact, Finnick leant forward, bringing their faces closer together, his eyes never moving from hers. "Alright, Valeria, you can call me Finnick."

"I was already doing that."

"Well, now you have my permission." After he spoke, he smiled again, but it wasn't a bright smile like all the others he made that night; this was different. Valeria would even dare to think it seemed genuine.

It was that moment Valeria realised that the Finnick she knew was never real; like most things in the Capitol, it was perfectly crafted to appease a specific audience. She also realised that she liked the version of Finnick she was seeing; he seemed brighter. If she thought he shone on cameras before, he was like the sun now.

A few moments later the spell was broken when the doors to the room Finnick had hidden her away in slammed open. The Victor stood at the loud sound and instinctively moved so he stood in front of Valeria, who was still sitting on the couch, staring wide-eyed at the now open door.

"Where in God's name have you been?" The man said immediately as he stepped further into the room.

Breaking out of her shock, Valeria quickly stood from her seat and moved around Finnick. The Victor began to move again to block her movements, causing her to speak up, "It's fine, Finnick; this is Blaze, one of my family's bodyguards."

"You were told to stay inside the ballroom." Blaze began to rant at Valeria furiously, "How is it your younger siblings can follow instructions but you evidently can't?"

She spluttered slightly at his words, trying to figure out what to say before deciding to be defensive. "Are you allowed to speak to me that way?"

"I've known you since you were still in diapers and shuffling around on your butt; I've put up with your antics far too long to care about how I should speak to you." His face remained serious, but the left corner of his mouth twitched slightly, which was as close to a smile as Valeria would ever get.

"You make a good point." Valeria sighed, "Are we leaving now? Is that why you came for me?"

"Yeah, the car's waiting outside for us, and it's getting pretty late."

She turned to her left where Finnick was standing. "You need a lift home at all?"

"Oh" He seemed surprised at her offer, breaking his eye focus on analysing the stranger in front of him. "I'm alright, but thank you."

"Are you sure? I can ask them to stop by your apartment or wherever you're staying." She pressed further, feeling a sense of responsibility for the man who'd saved her less than an hour earlier.

Finnick smiled gratefully at her before nodding, "Yeah, don't worry; I have an appointment to go to anyway."

That made Valeria's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "It's almost ten o'clock; isn't that a bit late to have an appointment?"

Instead of answering her question, Finnick swallowed nervously as his expression darkened for a fraction of a second before softening again. "You should get home; you must be tired."

She tried to protest as Finnick stepped away from her, allowing for Blaze to grasp her arm and escort her out of the room. Turning back around as she crossed the doorway, her eyes focused on his own for as long as she could.

As Blaze led Valeria down the halls and into the sleek white car waiting in front of the front steps, her thoughts raced as she played back her entire interaction with Finnick, from their first dance to sitting next to each other in a small side room.

Back in that small side room, Finnick was still standing where Valeria had left him. It seemed that his mind was still catching up to what had just happened. Did he really just spend a night with President Snow's granddaughter?

Not only did he spend a night with her, but somehow within that one night Valeria had managed to shift his entire perception of her on its head. His mind then focused on her golden curls, how they gently fell from her shoulder in a waterfall, and how they faintly smelt of roses. In fact, Valeria smelt entirely of roses.

This time a knock on the door broke him from his thoughts, and he glanced up to find Alicia Crane leaning against it, looking at him with deep desire.

"I've been looking for you, Odair." She said in a sickly sultry tone, "You promised me a night of passion, so let's not waste any more time."

With a subtle resigned sigh, he plastered his trademark dazzling smile on and followed her out of the room.

Back outside, Valeria was fully settled in the car and was now staring out the window as it set off. Yet, even as they went separate ways, both knew that this night was the most memorable night they'd ever lived in the Capitol.