Possessive?

Possessive?

[Mean Girls 2004] Janis Ian x Female Reader

Word Count: 3.45k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Mentions of feeling possessive, language (?), implications of feeling like a burden.

[A/N]: This is based off of the movie from 2004, not the musical, but I changed a few things to help it better fit today: the characters have modern cellphones and use social media such as TikTok and Instagram.

Enjoy!

 Janis was well aware of how her mannerisms could come across to others who didn’t understand her. She knew that sometimes, even if she tried her hardest to prove otherwise, she came across as overprotective and possessive of her loved ones. When she had been friends with Regina back in middle school, things started to spiral. Regina soon started dating, only a few months shy of moving up into her first year of high school, and started to ignore Janis more and more, especially once things were official with her very first boyfriend. Janis, who had grown accustomed to spending every day with Regina, would text and call her relentlessly. The two of them would make plans, only for the blonde to cancel last minute without letting her know, essentially ghosting her each time.

After this happened a few times, Janis grew apart from the others and left the school for the rest of the year, cutting ties with Regina. When she returned to start her Freshman year of high school, she had a whole new style. Finding comfort in her new gothic aesthetic, she finally began to express herself the way she wanted, long forgetting about the bright shades of pink Regina would force her to wear in middle school. Because of this sudden change, Regina made it known she didn’t approve by convincing others to poke fun at her, progressively growing more aggressive with her bullying. After all, how would it look if she was still friends with the "weird punk girl?"

Soon after she started to become an outcast, Janis distanced herself from others, all except Damian and her fellow art lovers. She found solace in the company of her friends. She sat with them at lunch, chatting away about art projects and contests coming up in town. It was hard for her to connect with others outside of her circle, too worried there would be another repeat of what happened with the one girl she thought would be her best friend for life.

A student transferred into the school one day, however, and immediately caught Janis’s eye. She was introduced to the class, gleefully waving to everyone as she spoke her name, and was guided to sit beside the goth at the back of the classroom. Right away, Janis grew obsessed with her. From the moment they first spoke, [Y/N] was always on her mind. She was dressed similarly to Regina, although she never wore pink. Instead, she wore muted shades of yellow, green, and blue. Her style was comforting in comparison to the eyesore the Plastics wore everyday.

Even with her brighter clothes and nature, [Y/N] seemed to have more in common with Janis than either of them would’ve thought. Both were openly vocal about their opinions, not necessarily caring about anyone else’s views, albeit [Y/N] tended to take on a more open-minded approach. The two of them could also frequently be heard coming back at someone with a clever, snarky remark when insulted or teased. What drew Janis to her most, however, was her love for art. She was silently grateful that the two of them shared the same art class. Eagerly, they’d babble away about what either of them were working on. For each group project, Janis would ask if she could work with [Y/N] instead of whoever she was already paired with, to which the teacher would reluctantly agree.

Rather shortly after their first meeting together, Janis invited [Y/N] to her table, not entirely surprised to see that she got along with everyone immediately upon sitting down. Damian noticed Janis’s interest in her instantly, and once again, Janis wasn’t surprised when he started to taunt her relentlessly for it. He’d even begun to message her back and forth. Here and there, when the texts would grow too frequent too shortly, she’d block him for an hour or two before unblocking him to message him back and ask if he wanted to hang out.

One day, while mindlessly swirling her spoon around in her half full pudding cup as she curled up on the couch, Janis sheepishly admitted that he was right about her feelings for the newcomer to their group. Damian cheered triumphantly and bragged about how he knew it the whole time, laughing when he received a playful elbow jab to the arm or gut. Eventually, he set the teasing aside and asked her if she planned on confessing to her and asking her out. She shrugged, expressing her worry that [Y/N] wasn’t into girls or that she would laugh at her for taking an interest in her. Damian stared at her for a moment as if she were crazy.

“Uh, hello? Janis, are you insane? Have you not heard the way she talks about women? There’s no way in hell she isn’t as gay as you.” Janis rolled her eyes at his words, but reflected on them regardless, wondering to herself if she might have a chance with her. “Well, yeah, maybe. But what if she does say yes to dating, and then Regina or someone else finds out and makes fun of her for it? I don’t want her to deal with all of that shit. For fuck's sake, she just joined the school.” Damian shrugged. “Hey, she seems to be pretty tough. Like you.”

After a few weeks of planning, cowering, and chickening out of her plans, Janis finally managed to invite [Y/N] to her house when her parents were away for the night. The two of them watched a few movies while snacking on junk food, gossiped for a bit, and then bundled up under blankets as the mood shifted. Janis had turned in her spot on the sofa to gaze over at [Y/N], her eyelids lowered as she got lost in thought. [Y/N] noticed Janis’s staring after a while and questioned her about it, worried she had something on her face as she subconsciously swiped at her mouth. Janis chuckled at her motion and shook her head.

“No, nothing’s on your face. I just…” She sucked in a breath, unsure of how to carry out her confession. Her mind wandered back to a few hours prior when she had been talking to Damian about what she should say. She sighed, her teeth catching her bottom lip for a moment before she finally looked back up at the girl seated in front of her, who was now gazing at her with curiosity.

It took several tries, but Janis was eventually able to tell her about her feelings. There was an overwhelming wave of relief that washed over her upon learning that [Y/N] was interested in women. Uncharacteristically, the goth fell silent, too shy to ask the question burning on her tongue. Her eyes dropped down to focus on her nails picking at one another as she tried her best to steel her nerves. Finally, after swallowing the lump she hadn’t even realized formed in her throat, she managed to squeak her question out.

“Would you wanna go out with me?”

She freaked out after a soft giggle came as her reply. Her head lowered, allowing her to hide her disappointment-filled eyes behind her fringe. “Sorry,” [Y/N] murmured, gently grasping Janis’s shoulder. “I’m not laughing at you, I promise. Not about your confession anyway. I’ve just never seen you this shy before. It’s nice seeing this side of you.”

Janis sighed softly in relief at her words, smiling and finally lifting her head back up. “So, is that a yes?” [Y/N] grinned, shifted over on the couch cushion, and placed a small peck to the ravenette’s cheek. “Of course it’s a yes, you dork. How could I say no?”

After talking about a few boundaries after they started dating, Janis began to proudly show her girlfriend off, sneering at anyone who would glance at her wrong. And just as if it were clockwork, Janis was once again starting to come across as possessive. [Y/N] would record a small video or take a quick selfie to post to her Instagram or TikTok, and Janis would always be seen in the frame in one way or another. She’d do whatever she could come up with, wanting to set a reminder that [Y/N] was hers.

When taking a picture in bed to send to a friend on Snapchat or through chat, Janis was touching her in some way, whether it be an arm draped casually around her waist, stroking her hair, or just laying directly on top of her. When taking a mirror selfie, she’d stand behind her and hug her from behind, or casually be doing something in the reflection, such as untying and retying her boots or pretending to check something on her phone. She wanted it to be known that [Y/N] was taken. When they had to go their separate ways for a bit, she'd not-so-casually drape one of her trademark army jackets over [Y/N]'s shoulders, kiss her on the cheek, and tell her she'd see her in a bit. Then, when she was in classes without her, Janis would start sketching [Y/N] from memory. She'd come back to them later when [Y/N] was in front of her to clean the illustrations up.

She wasn’t overbearing with her tendencies, however. Not once did she have a problem with [Y/N] going out on her own or wearing something that showed off her body. On the contrary, she encouraged her to wear what she was comfortable with and be independent out in public. After all, she wasn’t going to be able to stay with her every second of every day, even if she wished she could. She’d compliment her on each of her outfits and even make suggestions that would help her feel more confident, such as framing certain parts of her body.

And after what happened with Regina a few years prior, she made sure not to overwhelm [Y/N] with calls and texts where she was constantly questioning her about where she was at all times. There were times when she would call back-to-back, but those instances only happened when she grew worried. Janis would ask her to let her know when she made it home safely, but if she never received that text, she would start calling to make sure she was okay.

The only time she would make it clear that she was going to go with [Y/N], no matter where she was going, was when she knew Regina or someone close to Regina would be there. The last thing she wanted was [Y/N] being cornered and made fun of without her there to stand in. She knew [Y/N] was fine on her own and that she could defend herself just fine, but she also knew Regina–she knew how brutal and manipulative she could be. She didn’t want [Y/N] to suffer with the same kind of bullying she already had to deal with herself.

During arguments with other students, including Karen and Gretchen, Janis usually blew them off with a quick, witty remark and walked away, not wanting to deal with the headache they would cause if she gave in. Whenever she saw [Y/N] being picked on, however, she would lose her cool. Insults and sarcastic comments would spill from her lips with a terrifying accuracy, never afraid to cause a scene if it meant the person picking the fight would leave [Y/N] alone. More often than not, a teacher, staff member, or even [Y/N] herself would have to pull Janis away and help her calm down. Not even Damian had ever seen her grow so aggressive towards someone–even when Regina was involved.

On more than one instance, Damian truly thought Janis was about to get into a fistfight with whoever she was arguing with.

Even when the two of them were alone, whether it be at [Y/N] or Janis’s house, the goth would get defensive over her. There had been a time towards the end of the first semester when a new dance was growing popular on TikTok, and [Y/N] hopped on the trend almost immediately. It wasn’t necessarily suggestive, but it certainly wasn’t modest either. To add onto the tone of the song, [Y/N] put on a bit of a revealing outfit to fit in with the other dancers.

She had set her phone up in the den of Janis’s home, having been there for the past couple of days to keep her company while her parents were away on a vacation that Janis didn’t want to have any part of. As the countdown timer for the video went off, Janis happened to peek over from the doorway leading into the kitchen, wondering what was going on. As soon as the dance started, that familiar feeling took over her senses. A couple of seconds in, she leaned against the doorway, watching as [Y/N] cussed to herself under her breath, stepped forward, crouched down, picked her phone up, and stopped the recording.

As she started the video over and repositioned it and herself to try again, Janis silently stepped forward into the frame. When [Y/N] shifted to let her hips move back a bit for a move, the ravenette--now standing directly behind her--moved closer and slipped her arms around the shorter girl’s waist. She tugged her firmly against her own torso and gently dropped her chin onto [Y/N]’s shoulder, glaring at the camera and lifting her hand to flip it off.

She knew Regina was likely going to watch the video if it were to be posted, so she wanted to send a “friendly” reminder that [Y/N] is off limits and she has someone with her to help her fight off any teasing she may throw her way. In the back of her mind, she knew Regina would comment on how controlling and possessive she was coming across as–a repeat of their final year in middle school–but she didn’t care at that point. It would crush her if she knew someone was making fun of her girlfriend when she could easily prevent it. Or, at the very least, lessen how aggressive it was.

[Y/N] smiled and chuckled at her actions, letting the pad of her thumb glide across Janis’s arm as she leaned back to kiss her softly on the cheek. “Hun, it’s fine. I’m yours, okay? You know that.” Hesitantly, Janis let go of her and stepped back, allowing her to stop the recording again. She typed something into the caption, then started the video over, asking Janis to let her finish the dance. Janis agreed and stood back a bit further.

She watched as [Y/N] carried out the entirety of the dance. At the end, there were still a few seconds left where the song played freely. [Y/N] improvised a few moves as she chuckled, pulling Janis towards her at the end and letting her wrap her arms around her again. She pressed another kiss to the girl’s cheek and slid forward in an attempt to end the recording. Janis caught her, however, by carefully gripping her hips and tugging them back against her own. She pressed a kiss to [Y/N]’s shoulder with a small smile before finally letting her go.

 She watched with a content grin as [Y/N] picked up her phone and twirled around to face her, smiling ear to ear as she bounced over to stand in front of her again. She tapped a few buttons on her phone before pulling the ravenette into a hug. “I honestly didn’t think I was gonna be able to figure out how to do the whole dance in one go,” she murmured as she leaned back, smirking at the feeling of Janis’s arms resting around her waist.

With a quick motion, she slipped from the goth’s embrace long enough to grab ahold of her hand and tug her towards the couch. As she did so, she snatched the remote from the coffee table and plopped herself down on the middle cushion. Janis followed suit, sitting down closer to the armrest. She watched as [Y/N] clicked the TV on and scrolled to YouTube to browse through the random videos suggested to her, asking which one they should watch first. Janis shrugged and hummed. “Whatever sounds good to you.”

After a moment or two, [Y/N] managed to settle on a video and turned it on. Before she could get comfortable, her phone began to ding and buzz repeatedly, prompting her to glance down at the several notifications popping up on her lockscreen.

She looked over at Janis, who had clearly noticed the sudden attention, and beamed at her. “It’s just people on TikTok talking about the dance. Nothing bad.” She held up her phone to reveal the likes and comments rolling in on the videos she had just posted. Surprised, Janis’s eyebrows raised as she scanned the screen. “You posted it? I figured you would’ve waited until you didn’t have to worry about me ruining it.”

“What? Why would you ruin it?” Janis shrugged and averted her gaze, glancing between the carpeted floor and the TV screen. Her arm lifted far enough for her chipped, painted nails to scratch anxiously at the back of her neck. “Ah, I don’t know. I guess I’m just worried I’m too much sometimes. I don’t want you to think I’m, like, obsessed or something. I mean, I am, but not in some kind of controlling way, y’know? At least, that’s not how I’m trying to have it come across.” She murmured on a bit longer, trailing off and sighing when [Y/N] laughed softly at her rambling. “Sorry,” she whispered much softer.

“No, no, don’t apologize. I think it’s cute when you ramble like that. And don’t worry, it’s not coming across like that at all. Not to me, anyway. In fact, I actually find it kind of attractive when you get all protective over me.” Janis’s head perked up at her words. “Really?” “Yep.”

She smiled, her tense features softening as she nodded. “I’m glad.”

She glanced back at the TV for a second before shuffling forward, sliding behind [Y/N] to hold her and let her lean into her chest. Softly, she let her head plant itself against the girl’s shoulder, hiding the lower half of her face. She peeked out from behind [Y/N]’s hair and watched her tap away randomly at different posts she scrolled past, liking and saving a few here and there. After a moment, Janis let her hand slide up [Y/N]’s torso and down her arm to link their hands together. She squeezed her hand gently.

Too shy to ask right out, Janis leaned her head to the side to nudge [Y/N]’s neck. “You, uh,” she started. “You don’t think I’m too much, do you?” Although she couldn’t see it, a wide smile cracked across [Y/N]’s lips. She clicked back onto TikTok and onto her profile, pulling up her recent video and angling it to let Janis see it from her position and read the caption.

Janis grinned upon seeing her girlfriend’s dance on the screen, humming and nodding once it was finished. [Y/N] swiped to the next video she had posted. Janis then watched the second video, cringing a bit at her own actions being played back to her, but glancing down at the caption that caught her eye.

My knight in shining armor shielding me from all the creeps.🤺❤️

She chuckled softly and swatted teasingly at [Y/N]’s arm. “You dork. You know how corny that sounds?” [Y/N] laughed with her and nodded. “Yeah, I know. That’s the point. You know I love a good cliche.” They smiled at each other, slowly leaning in to share a small, chaste kiss. [Y/N] leaned further into Janis’s touch. She sighed at the feeling of the strong, warm arms around her waist, focusing on the comfort for a moment before speaking again to finally answer the question she had been asked.

Her free hand slid down after dropping her phone, allowing her to cup the side of Janis’s face that wasn’t pressed against her neck. The tips of her fingers gingerly fiddled with the tips of her fringe that tickled her skin, brushing them away enough to let her stroke the soft skin on the ravenette’s cheek. At the feathery feeling, Janis’s eyes fluttered shut. She sighed silently and opened her eyes again when she heard [Y/N] speaking.

“But no, I don’t ever think you’re too much.”

Patient

[Resident Evil: Village] Bela Dimitrescu x Female Reader

Word Count: 10k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Angst, panic attacks, and mentions of not feeling good enough.

[A/N]: This is probably the longest story I've written for Tumblr so far, so I hope you'll enjoy it! I'm really proud of how this one turned out. Individual stories for Cassandra and Daniela will be posted soon as well!

Enjoy!

Maids all parted to the sides as they worked, worried of their safety if they got in the way of all three Dimitrescu sisters as they made their way towards the entrance of the parlor. The three women chatted amongst one another with soft smiles as they grew closer to the door. They had cleaned themselves up a moment ago, making sure their cloaks and dresses were presentable, their hair was thoroughly brushed, and the large stains of blood, that often was an accompanying, trademark feature that adorned their faces, were washed off. As they stepped into the outdoors, warm, bright sunlight beamed down against their fair skin, followed by a gentle breeze that made the leaves of the trees surrounding them rattle lightly.

Bela couldn’t help but sigh at the calm, welcoming feeling of the weather. It was early into Spring, meaning she and both of her younger sisters, Cassandra and Daniela, were finally able to leave the safety of their home without the risk of freezing to death. Three pairs of golden eyes scanned over the landscape surrounding them as they continued to make conversation with one another. The soft blades of grass, once dried and pale shades of gray and black that had died out from the heavy piles of snow and harsh, bitter cold, were now beginning to flourish into a vibrant green. Leaves that littered the floor and clung to the branches of the blossoming trees mirrored the colors of the grass, and were beginning to grow lush and more abundant.

Slowly beginning to tune her sisters out, Bela’s eyes trailed up from the land and gazed up at the sky. Once dark and gloomy with heavy clouds crowding the sky, threatening to pour rain or snow, were clearing up enough to reveal a bright, vast blue sky. The sun planted itself somewhere above, often nestled behind the thin, pale clouds. It brought a smile to the eldest daughter’s face. The scenery alone was comforting to her. She glanced back over at her sisters, who laughed at a joke shared between each other. A wider smile tugged at the corner of her lips, a feeling of contentment washing through her body.

Each year, after her mother, Alcina, was sure that the weather was nice enough to leave for a while, she’d let them head out to the village to shop around for whatever they might’ve needed. Often, Daniela and Bela went to the Duke’s shop to look for new books, although they were typically of different genres, and their sister Cassandra tended to wander around and look for better materials she could use when hand-crafting new weapons to add to her personal collection. They were each given a decent amount of Lei to purchase what they could and avoid going over-the-top. “If you splurge too much, how will you carry everything home?” She often asked when Daniela would ask for more of an allowance.

The three of them had been going there consistently any time the weather was decent enough, and although the majority of the people in the village feared them, there were a few people who didn’t mind talking to them.

One of them, a young woman who was often searching for books in the same place as her and Daniela, had caught Bela’s attention. No matter what had happened during the day, she always seemed to be so welcoming and gleeful when it came to talking to Bela. Although the eldest daughter was usually too anxious to approach her and speak to her first, it was nice to watch as she excitedly talked with Daniela about the books they would read. She couldn’t help it–the girl had certainly piqued her interest. Even just thinking about her would make her smile and cause her heart to flutter with excitement. And hearing her own name–although just being able to hear her voice in general was good enough–roll so easily off of her tongue made her internally swoon.

Yes, [Y/N] [L/N], a young woman whose family had moved into the village only a few years ago, had caught the attention of Bela, Alcina Dimitrescu’s oldest and more formal daughter, almost immediately. She couldn’t help but stare at her as her soft locks of hair gently fluttered with each gentle gust of wind. The way her cheeks turned a shade of red or pink as she laughed–the way her lips would perk up with each smile or hearty laugh. She felt like had just won or accomplished something anytime one of those grins were sent in her direction or caused by a small joke she wasn’t aware anyone had even heard.

She often found herself lying awake in bed at night, staring at the ceiling as she thought about [Y/N]. Her teeth would often bite down and hook against her bottom lip as she bit back small squeals. She had heard of the stories Daniela would read about women falling in love and acting fidgety and flustered. She used to tease her for finding those stories realistic or captivating, but after being able to talk with [Y/N] so often when she would leave the castle, she understood–she would act that way anytime [Y/N]’s name was even mentioned. Her sisters loved to tease her relentlessly for it. As much as she wanted to snap back with some clever retort, she couldn’t help but admit that she felt something for the girl. She’d smile and blush uncontrollably each night as she’d cradle one of her pillows against her chest and picture it as [Y/N]’s smaller form.

A wide smile that made it feel like her face was splitting often painted her lips whenever she so much as thought of the girl.

“Earth to Bela, are you in there?” Finally pulled from her thoughts, Bela blinked to find Cassandra’s hand waving in her face to grab her attention. She looked over at her, her bewilderment evident on her face. “O-Oh, I apologize. I didn’t realize I had started daydreaming,” she muttered with a soft tone. Knowing smirks planted themselves on Daniela and Cassandra’s faces as they snickered. “What’s so funny?” Bela could feel her face burning up, already aware of what they were thinking. She tried to force the tone of her voice to sound assertive rather than defensive, but it was to no avail. “Oh look, Cass, it seems our dear, sweet sister Bela has a crush,” Daniela cooed as she leaned against her other sister’s shoulder and pretended to whisper to her. Cassandra’s own grin seemed to mirror the youngest daughter’s as she leaned over and acted in a similar manner–whispering “secretly” about their sister’s interest.

“Oh, I agree, Daniela. I wonder, though,” she hummed, tapping her chin with her index finger and letting her eyes wander upwards to appear as though she was pondering something. She and Daniela quickly glanced at one another and giggled. They swarmed to float in front of Bela, who was desperately trying to move past them and avoid the teasing she had already been enduring since the two learned of her feelings. She groaned. “Whoever could it be?” Cassandra questioned sarcastically. “Oh yes, I would like to know as well,” Daniela added just as mockingly. She leaned down, her solid form dissolving anytime Bela attempted to pat her backwards. “Tell us, dear sister, who is it that has your attention?”

Fed up with the taunting, Bela swarmed out of her own materialized form and flew past them as quickly as she could. They cackled at her reaction and followed her. After a moment of trying to catch up to her, they shifted back into their solid forms before they crossed the gate that led to the village. They looked around, expecting to see that Bela had done the same, but they couldn’t spot her. They laughed with each other.

“I wish she would just approach the girl already,” Daniela mumbled as they walked out towards their usual places to shop. “Me too. It’s exhausting seeing her get so flustered about her, but then never do a thing about it,” Cassandra responded. “I don’t know. I find it endearing, actually! Pining after her so much, I mean. It reminds me of a book I read! It’s about–” Cassandra swarmed up and waved back at her sister. She didn’t want to get stuck listening to Daniela babble about a cheesy romance novel she had read, but she had also spotted a certain metal she had been searching for for ages. “Gotta go!” She flew off quickly before disappearing from sight.

Daniela’s bottom lip stuck out as she pouted, crossing her arms with a huff. “How rude,” she muttered. Her disappointment was very short-lived, however, upon spotting the pile of books the Duke had stacked up in front of his wagon. Her eyes lit up as she dashed towards it with excitement.

A soft sigh of relief slipped past Bela’s lips once she managed to escape her sisters. “Ah, Lady Bela! It’s a pleasure to see you, my dear!” The Duke welcomed her warmly, his free hand motioning towards a small section of books atop of a crate as his other hand pulled a cigar towards his lips. “I’ve left out the books you ordered, as well as a few I thought you might enjoy. Miss [L/N] mentioned one she figured you’d like as well. It should be the bottom book in the left stack.” A hum sounded from Bela in response as she sauntered over to the pile on the wooden crate, though her face burned a soft shade of pink as she finally processed the final part of the sentence.

Quickly, she lifted the top books from the one the Duke had spoken of, placed the stack hastily to the side, and picked it up to examine it. She flipped it over and skimmed through the summary before turning to show it to the merchant who smiled down at her. “This one?” She asked, unable to hold back her excitement. He nodded with a laugh. “Yes, she was quite adamant about paying extra for it to be sent in quickly too!” “Really? Will you let her know I want to thank her?” “Oh, there’s no need for that. She’ll be here in a moment to look through the newer selection I have! You’ll have the perfect opportunity to thank her yourself! I believe she left a note for you as well,” he pondered aloud as he dug in a satchel beside him.

“Aha, here we are!” He pulled a small, folded note from the bag and leaned forward as far as he could to hand it to her. Bela stepped forward with anticipation and slipped the paper from his hand. She tucked the book under her arm as she delicately unfolded the note and read through it.

Lady Bela,

I know I could’ve simply told you about this book instead of purchasing it with my own money, but I really wanted to surprise you! I really hope you’ll enjoy it. It’s sort of similar to the last few you read that we spoke about, although I’m sure Daniela would enjoy it as well, possibly even more!

It’s mainly about what you enjoy reading–the history of how this village came to be with insight on different points of views–but it also includes a bit of romance that was a huge deal several years ago. I’m sure your sister would love that. It would certainly give her something to chat about with you and Cassandra, even though Cass seems to find romance…dull?

Ah, I’m not sure how to phrase it, but either way, this book is a quick read, and I’m sure you’ll love it. It can even give us something to chat about the next time we bump into each other!

Yours truly,

[Y/N] [L/N]

Her face went red at the girl’s kind consideration. That, and the small doodles of hearts that lined the page. She hadn’t realized just how wide the grin on her face had gotten until she heard the Duke chuckling from his seat. Glancing up, she saw him draw a puff from his cigar with a knowing look. “Well, you’re positively glowing, my dear,” he mumbled. Bela felt her face growing warmer as she turned away to hide it, earning another hearty laugh from behind her.

“I do hope you can pull yourself together quickly though. It seems your little gift-giver is headed this way now.” The woman felt herself jolt and spin on her heel to stare behind her. Sure enough, [Y/N] was headed towards the merchant’s cart. Bela felt her breath hitch in her throat once her gaze trailed across the young woman’s features.

Wearing her usual, welcoming smile, [Y/N] was growing closer to the stand. Her ankle boots clacked softly along the dirt path. The skirt she wore was flowing with the gentle breeze that lightly blew her hair as well. She wore a thin, knitted sweater, which she kept tucked into the waistline of her shirt. Her sleeves were littered with small patches of flowers and birds that she had stitched in herself, though they were cast in a soft shadow from the sunhat that adorned her head.

Bela’s heart hammered against her ribs as her now unsteady gaze studied [Y/N]’s face: The way her delicate eyes slightly squeezed themselves shut in glee, her brows lifting and furrowing together just barely to make her nose scrunch up a bit. Her soft lips stretched upwards into a wide smile as she waved towards one of her neighbors down the path. Finally, her eyes fluttered open, and the eyes that Bela often found herself unknowingly gazing into were now peering up at her through her lashes.

She wasn’t sure if her mind was playing tricks on her, but Bela could’ve sworn [Y/N]’s smile only grew wider once they finally made eye contact with one another. “Lady Bela!” She yelled as she quickened her pace. After a moment of lightly jogging, [Y/N] stood in front of Bela, who was now trembling and screaming at herself internally to clear her throat and regain her composure. “It’s so nice to see you again!” Her eyes scanned down to find the note jittering in the flustered woman’s grasp.

“Is…everything okay?” Her expression, carefree and excited just moments ago, was now lightly dampened to appear concerned. Oh, how Bela wanted to crush that feeling. She could feel her heart throbbing uncomfortably in her chest, though she managed to squeak out a quiet, “Yes.”

[Y/N] stepped a bit closer, her hand lifting and gently planting itself on Bela’s, which jerked slightly at the contact. “It wasn’t because of my note, was it? Oh, I shouldn’t have been so weird about it. I-I’m sorry–” “No!” It was [Y/N] who jumped from surprise that time, though Bela seemed equally, if not more, shocked by her own reaction. “Ah, I mean,” she mentally slapped herself for stammering, quickly clearing her throat and running her free hand down her face.

“I-I didn’t mean to yell, I apologize. But no, it wasn’t your note, I promise. Something’s just,” she stopped herself, doing her best to ignore the silent snickering from the Duke. With a shake of her head, she managed to finally smile. “Nothing’s wrong.” [Y/N]’s head tilted a bit as she studied her expression, which she was sure was pathetic: she could feel her lip quivering, though [Y/N] didn’t comment on it. “Alright,” she mumbled cautiously.

“Anyway, are you about to head back home?” A spark zapped itself through Bela’s veins, the crimson color once again rushing to her face. “Uh,” she started, struggling horrendously to maintain eye contact.

“No, not quite yet, I,” she glanced up at the Duke, who nodded. “I actually just got here myself. I barely finished reading your note before I saw you. M-My sisters will probably be looking around for a while though, so I’ll have to find a way to occupy myself until they’re ready to leave.” [Y/N] nodded, offering that damned smile Bela couldn’t seem to get enough of. “Why–um–why do you ask?” “Oh, I was just curious. I wasn’t sure if your sisters were here with you today or not,” came [Y/N]’s reply.

A soft sigh slipped past Bela’s lips. It wasn’t until [Y/N]’s hand lifted upwards and towards her torso that she realized it was still resting on her own. She froze, though quickly felt her tensed muscles relax once she realized [Y/N] had only reached forward to slip the book out from under her arm. “Ah, I see you got the book I ordered! Did you read the summary yet? What did you think?” The same fuzzy feeling that Bela often felt making itself known in her chest was returning upon seeing how passionate [Y/N] was about the book.

The fact that she had hand-picked the book with only her interest in mind, and used her own money to pay for it, made Bela feel so special. She realized something after a moment.

“Oh, um, speaking of the book, I’d like to pay you back for it.” “Oh, you don’t have to do that!” “I-I feel like I should. I mean, I know you and the other villagers don’t have much money, and I wouldn’t want you to go broke over,” she halted, a horrified look crossing her features, “this…” Quickly, she waved her hands dismissively in front of her, desperately trying to take back her words. “N-No, wait, that’s not what I meant! Oh god, I just meant that–” An amused giggle interrupted her spewing of words. She hid her reddened face in her hands with a groan as [Y/N] seemingly laughed at her misery.

Her fingers parted to look through once a light, warm hand gently rubbed her arm. “It’s okay, I know what you were trying to say, you dork.”

Had anyone else been the one to call her that, they would’ve been ripped apart relentlessly. Hearing it come from the girl she found herself pining for, however, made it seem much more lighthearted, and more of a compliment than anything. She grinned sheepishly, letting her hands slip from her face and weave themselves together anxiously in front of her torso. “I’m glad,” was all she could say.

“But seriously, you don’t have to pay me back for it. The Duke and I worked out a bit of a deal,” [Y/N] reassured, turning her head slightly to nod to the man still glancing at them. “Oh? And what’s that?” A sudden, familiar voice questioned. Bela growled once her youngest sister made her presence known. Daniela slid to stand beside her and [Y/N], whose face lit up once again. “Dani, hey!” Her hand slid from Bela’s arm, making her frown, allowing her to throw her arms around the youngest Dimitrescu and pull her into a tight embrace.

Daniela laughed warmly and hugged her back. She eventually stepped away once she saw how hurt Bela seemed. “What deal did you work out with him, hm?” She asked, changing the tone.

“Oh, I just agreed to help him deliver most of his packages in return for a discount on the book,” [Y/N] explained. “Yes, and quite a delivery-gal she is! She must’ve taken care of over half of my stock within a day,” the Duke added. “Quite efficient.”

[Y/N] laughed bashfully, scratching at the back of her neck. “Well, I really did just want the discount, but it was also nice to help out! I got to talk to a few of my friends that I hadn’t spoken with in a while. It was a win-win situation.” Bela smiled softly at her, though she wasn’t enjoying [Y/N]’s attention being torn away from her so much. How she wished she could take her far away to a calm, secluded place where they only had each other. It was selfish, and she was aware of that, but it was so hard for her to talk to [Y/N]. And now that she finally had a relatively steady conversation going, more or less, the Duke and her own sister were stealing that from her.

Already, she could feel herself crumbling away, a feeling she was far too familiar with. She felt her arms slide up to hold herself as she watched the woman she loved seem so much happier with anyone but her. She knew it was just her insecurities eating away at her confidence and any sense of logic, but because she hadn’t known the feeling in that situation well enough, she wasn’t sure how to fight it off or ignore it.

As if the world hadn’t already been cruel enough to her sensitivity, Cassandra flew over and struck up a conversation as well.

She knew that even if she had a chance of “courting” this girl and bringing her into her home, she’d have to adjust to the fact her sisters would also be there to talk with her. The overwhelming feeling of needing to be perfect, however–something that seemed to be built into her mindset–was diminishing the logical side of things. Her mind was telling her that [Y/N] wasn’t devoting her attention solely to her because she wasn’t good enough–she wasn’t perfect enough.

Maybe if she seemed more confident and casual, then maybe, just maybe, [Y/N] would seem as interested in her as she was–maybe the feeling would be mutual. Her mind started to wander and race, rendering her hearing useless as she tuned the rest of the world out.

At length, a hand, the same hand that had grounded her into reality just moments ago, returned to her arm. She blinked once, twice, and finally a third before her focus returned. The Duke, Daniela, Cassandra, and [Y/N] were all staring at her now, and even though Cassandra always tried to seem harsh, she was visibly concerned.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

[Y/N]’s hand drove itself upwards and turned, allowing the back of her knuckles to gently come into contact with Bela’s forehead. “Are you sick? Can…” She turned to Daniela and Cassandra. “Can you even get sick?”

Bela cleared her throat, fighting to stay in the present as she took [Y/N]’s hand into her own before brushing it off of her clammy skin. “I’m fine, I promise.” Before the others had a chance to press her further, she felt her legs swarming into the flies that made up her being, allowing her to lift her weight up off the ground. “I have to go.”

With that, she raced desperately back towards the castle, her lungs tightening to a painful degree and her hand shaking harshly as she struggled to keep a grip on the note she hadn’t even realized she was still in possession of.

“Oh gosh,” Daniela murmured. Concerned, [Y/N] turned to Cassandra and Daniela, only to find them staring off at where Bela had disappeared. After a long moment, they glanced at each other, mirroring expressions of guilt and worry. “Guys?” They finally turned to her, and their faces shifted to slight sorrow. “Is she okay?”

Weakly, Daniela smiled and stepped in front of her, gently squeezing her shoulder before nodding to Cassandra, who reciprocated the motion. “She’ll…be okay. We’ll talk to you later, alright?” [Y/N] couldn’t even respond before the two women in front of her flew off, carrying the books that Bela had left behind. She was silent, her stomach turning with the fear that she had done something wrong. With great difficulty, she swallowed the lump in her throat and clutched at her knitted sweater, anxiously looking towards the Duke for an answer.

He could only muster a shrug with a look of pure sympathy, unsure how to lighten the mood.

 “Bela!” Daniela hollered out as she shoved the parlor doors open. “Bela, where’d you go?” She was well aware her eldest sister could hear her with ease, but she also knew she likely wasn’t going to get a response. There had only been a few times she had gotten this upset, and she always seemed to find a different place to hide away in, clearly not wanting to be found until she had gathered herself.

“Dani, maybe we should just give her some space this time,” Cassandra mumbled uncharacteristically. Shaking her head stubbornly, Daniela turned to her, looking at her as if she were crazy. “We can’t do that, Cass. You’ve seen how she gets when she gets too far into her own head. We have to help her snap out of it one way or another. Do you really want to see her secluding herself this way and hurting herself even more?” Cassandra could only sigh as she thought to herself. “You know I don’t, but what if she just needs to figure this out for herself?”

“Cass, do you really think she can figure something like this out in her state? You saw her back in the village: it looked like she couldn’t even hear or see anyone around her until someone spoke to her.” She sucked in a steadying breath. “And if you won’t try to help her with me, then I’ll find a way to cheer her up on my own.” Halfway through her sentence, Daniela had flown up above the cold, slick tile beneath her, and as she let out her final phrase, she dashed up the stairs to begin her search for Bela.

“Daniela, wait!” Cassandra called out after her. It was clear she wasn’t going to get through to her younger sister either way, especially with how stubborn she was with these kinds of situations. She glanced down at the ground beneath her and caught her own reflection in the polished stone. Grumbling, she found herself flying after Daniela up the stairs. “Goddammit, Dani, you’d better know what you’re doing.”

Bela knew it was only a matter of time before her sisters found her. At that moment, however, she didn’t care. The sheer panic and depression was weighing heavy upon her shoulders as she curled even further into herself. She had tucked herself away in the corner of one of the rooms just above the ballroom, wriggling herself uncomfortably in between the tight space that rested in the middle of the Labyrinth structure and the wall. She couldn’t help the weeping that wracked throughout her body.

She knew how ridiculous it was to be sobbing over something so small, but her insecurities were a demon in her mind that only seemed to grow larger with each conversation she shared with [Y/N].

Her fingers dug into the fabric of her cloak’s hood, yanking it harshly over her head to shield her face from the outside world. She could feel her entire body trembling, making it hard to breathe or think properly. Why was she so selfish? [Y/N] had every right to talk to others. After all, they weren’t together.

They never would be.

Her heart stopped beating momentarily as two sets of footsteps landed harshly in front of her. She gasped roughly, her breathing ragged as she lifted her hood up to peer at the intruders: it was none other than her two sisters, Daniela and Cassandra. She tried so desperately to scream at them for startling her so badly, but her mouth refused to form the words.

“Dani, you can’t just rush in on her like that!” Cassandra hollered. She glanced over at Bela, whose eyes were filled with pure terror. She felt herself gasp softly before tugging Daniela to the side and lowering her voice to a whisper. “Give her some space. She’s having a panic attack.” Daniela shifted her body to turn and peer at Bela from over her shoulder, finding the blonde trembling unbelievably harshly, her breathing coming out in harsh rasps.

“Shit, what do we do?” Cassandra sighed, slowly turning around to face Bela. “Just…stay here and don’t do anything stupid. I know how to deal with this.” “You do? How?” “That’s not important. Just don’t get too close to her.” “Fine, but we’re having a talk later on.”

Slowly, Cassandra trudged to plant herself a reasonable distance away from her sister, who still had tears pouring across her cheeks like rivers. She crouched down and sat on the floorboards that creaked softly underneath her. “Bela,” she started, her tone almost at a whisper. “Can you hear me?” Bela’s eyes shot over to her, seemingly landing on her but not finding the source. Her eyes flickered in a panicked manner as if she were reading a script right in front of her, yet so far into the distance as well. A subtle nod was her answer after a moment.

“I want you to try to breathe with me, okay? Just three deep breaths, that’s it. Can you do that?”

Again, a small, delayed nod was her response.

Cassandra took in her first deep breath, making sure she did so loud enough for Bela to hear. Although she struggled and her breath was staggered, Bela managed to repeat what her sister did. “Good, just two more,” Cassandra whispered.

She sucked in another breath, watching as her older sister mimicked her actions. She made sure to hold her breath for a second before letting it out just as slowly. “You’re doing great. One more, okay?” She could see Bela’s hazy eyes slowly starting to clear.

Breathe in.

Hold it.

Breathe out.

Finally, Bela blinked normally, her breathing somewhat back to where it was when she had been calm. “Good. I want you to focus on your breathing for a moment. Try to do it how we just did, alright?” She nodded, this time almost immediately. One of her hands, still clutching her hood, dropped down to her chest, allowing herself to feel it rising and falling with each breath. Finally, she could feel the tingling sensation in her limbs starting to subside ever-so-slightly.

“May I move closer?” Cassandra questioned cautiously.

Again, Bela nodded, still unable to speak.

Cassandra inched towards her slowly, making sure Bela knew she could tell her when to stop if she still needed some space. “Can you see me?” Bela nodded. “Good.” Surprisingly, Cassandra was able to sit herself down directly in front of her sister without much of a reaction. “Okay, let’s take things slow. Let me know if I need to move away,” she instructed softly. “What do you hear?” Bela seemed to focus for the first time in what felt like hours, straining her ears to hear past the ringing. “Your voice. You and Daniela’s heartbeat. T-The birds outside the window.” “Good job. Can you tell me what you can see?”

“Y-You and Dani, a-and my…my,” her eyes trailed down, a small folded sheet of paper catching her attention. Almost instantly, images flashed through her mind and her breathing started to quicken again. “Okay, okay,” Cassandra did her best to remain calm so as to not freak out her sister even more. “Hey, just look at me, alright? Everything’s okay.” She leaned forward, attempting to reach out and grab the note, but Bela was quick to shove her backwards. “Don’t touch it!”

Cassandra obliged, holding her hands up in surrender. “I won’t touch it, I promise. See? I’ll move away a bit.” She scooted backwards to increase the distance between her and Bela once again. “Let’s move on from that, alright? What do you smell?”

Bela looked at her, her eyes full of skepticism and a mix of fear and sorrow. She hesitantly managed to take in another deep breath, the scents around her greeting her. “I can smell the dust from the shelves,” she mumbled, her nose scrunching up. Daniela stepped forward slowly and sat next to Cassandra. “I guess we’ll have to make sure the maids aren’t slacking off again,” she joked in an equally soft tone. A gentle smile finally painted Bela’s lips in amusement. “I-I…suppose so.”

“What can you taste?” Bela grimaced once more. “My tears.” Daniela frowned, but looked towards Cassandra, who nodded. The two of them carefully moved closer, both holding out a hand. Shakily, Bela’s hands lifted themselves and rested on top of her sisters’. “What can you feel?” Daniela asked. Bela’s fingers stretched out far enough to wrap themselves around her sisters’ hands, squeezing them gently.

“The two of you. I can feel your hands in mine.”

Cassandra and Daniela both sighed from relief when they heard their eldest sister finally let out a small laugh. “Can you take three more deep breaths for me?” Bela nodded, and both of her sisters joined in on her breathing.  After the third, they smiled fondly at each other.

“Th-Thank you. Both of you.” “You don’t have to thank us. You’re our sister, silly. We love you.” Daniela moved forward and pulled her sister into a hug. Cassandra almost scolded her for it, but relaxed when she saw that Bela didn’t mind. She was eventually pulled into the embrace herself, though she didn’t make a fuss this time. They stayed that way until Bela finally felt calm enough to lean back.

 With a sniffle, the blonde glanced down and picked up the note from her lap. “I suppose I should go apologize to [Y/N] for acting so…weird.” “Nope,” Daniela quipped, standing and offering her hand to help her sister stand. “Nuh uh, not until we know you’re calm enough. Think about what you wanna say before you go embarrass yourself. Like usual.” Cassandra scowled and elbowed her sister in the arm, making her wince but laugh. Bela laughed with her and took her hand, letting herself be pulled up onto her feet. “You’re right about thinking it through, though. Why don’t you write down what you wanna say so you can kind of rehearse it?” Cassandra offered, watching with a grimace as Daniela’s eyes lit up.

“Ooh, that’s a lovely idea! Oh, you should write her a letter! I mean, she already wrote one for you, even though it was just about a book, but still!” “Dani, that’s–” The brunette thought for a moment. “That’s actually not a bad idea. Man, I didn’t know you could actually have a good idea in that tiny brain of yours,” she mocked, ruffling the redhead’s hair. “Hey! That’s not true! I’m plenty smart, right Bela?”

Bela looked between them before laughing. Cassandra snickered at her reaction as Daniela pouted, though she looked confused once her oldest sister’s hand planted itself gently atop her head. “Yes, you’re a bright girl, Dani. Especially when it comes to romance.”

She looked up, freezing when she saw how shocked her sisters looked. “Uh…” Daniela squealed again, bouncing up and down on her toes as she hugged Bela. “Romance? Ah, you mean you’re gonna write a letter of confession?” For the first time since the whole ordeal, Bela’s face went beet red. “N-No, I was just–! Ugh, Cass, a little help here?” There was no response. “Cass…?” She looked up to see her sister faking a tear. “Oh, they grow up so fast,” she said teasingly. “Wh–I’m older than both of you!” “Hey, that’s not official! Mother Miranda never said who was the oldest!”

Cassandra finally laughed, her expression shifting to one of sincerity. “No, but in all seriousness, Bela, I don’t think writing her a letter to confess is a bad idea at all. I mean, as long as you hand it to her and actually wait for her response instead of flying away like a wimpy man-thing from one of Dani’s novels.” “Hey!” Bela also had a look of offense written on her features, though it was clear that hers was fake. “How dare you compare me to a man-thing from Daniela’s cheesy romance novels?”

“Bela, not you too!”

A soft, almost silent sound of a pencil furiously scribbling against paper was the only sound that could be heard from Bela’s bedroom. For the past few hours, after eating a healthy dinner and spending time with her family, Bela finally had a clear mind. As the rest of her family headed off to bed, she stayed awake at the study in her room, working on writing the perfect letter of confession to hopefully give to [Y/N] before the weather got too harsh again. There were crumpled up pieces of paper strewn about the desktop and the floor surrounding her, though she could feel the growing number of them would come to a halt soon.

She could sense that she was so close to writing the perfect letter. At first, she had tried to write a longer note, though Cassandra’s sarcastic remarks about turning into a cliche, smitten poet put an end to those drafts. She tried making it as short as possible, but Daniela’s whining about it not being emotional or expressive enough had her tossing those to the side as well. She wasn’t sure how to properly write a letter in this form, it just wasn’t her. She was never good with expressing any emotion other than anger towards outsiders. Daniela was the expert when it came to flirting and being romantic about different gestures. That’s why she had her youngest sister help her out the most.

Cassandra, although she didn’t understand why she was so adamant about the letter being perfect, understood that it meant a lot to her sister that everything went smoothly, even if her confession was rejected. She put it upon herself to pretty up the garden, more specifically Bela’s favorite spot to read and just think to herself. It surprised her most of all that she hardly asked the maids to help her tidy things up, though she figured it was just because she wanted it to look perfect for her sister.

A swift knock sounded from the door, making Bela jump in her seat. “Come in,” she called out after recognizing the pattern of the knock. Daniela pushed the door open and strolled inside, Cassandra trailing after her. “How’s it coming along?” The youngest asked as she leaned against the desk. Bela looked up, ready to answer, but instead found herself snickering at Cassandra, who scowled.

“Cass, what on earth did you do? You’re covered in flowers and grass and dirt,” she questioned with a laugh. Cassandra’s eyebrows raised and she frantically started picking off stray petals and twigs that peppered her cloak. “Dani! Why didn’t you say anything?” Daniela laughed as well, making her sister fume. “I’m sorry, you just look so funny like that! I wanted Bela to see.”

“Ugh, I hate you both. But if you must know, I was out in the garden making sure your favorite spot looks nice enough for when you bring [Y/N] here to confess.” Bela blushed, the grip on her pencil tightening. “Wait, really? I…” She looked down at the letter Daniela had been helping her write the past few hours. “I really can’t thank the two of you enough. I never expected either of you to care this much about me confessing to her.”

“Hey, we’re your sisters!” Daniela chirped. “We want to see you happy! Plus, [Y/N] is really cool. Having her as a sister-in-law sounds amazing!” Cassandra smirked. “Yeah, she could listen to your banter about your stories in my place.” Daniela sneered playfully at her before looking back down at Bela. “Ah, I think you two are putting too much faith into this. There’s still the possibility that she’ll reject me after all.” “Who, [Y/N]? Nah, I can’t see her doing that. She seems to really like you,” Daniela reassured. Cassandra hummed and nodded in agreement.

“Well, yeah, but after that whole…incident in the village?” “Nuh uh uh, you’re getting in your own head again. Don’t do that. Just try to imagine everything going perfectly! I don’t think [Y/N] is–no, actually, I know she’s not the type to hold something like that against you. She was actually really, really concerned when you ran off. Well, flew off, but–” “Dani, stay on one point, oh my god.” Bela laughed at Cassandra’s remark.

“I guess you’re right.”

“‘Course I am! Now, how’s the letter coming along?” Bela sighed, signing her name at the bottom quickly. “Ooh, bold move,” Daniela murmured. “Daniela, she’s going to be standing directly in front of her when she hands it to her. I don’t see how that’s bold.”

Cassandra walked towards the desk, leaning over to be eye-level with her eldest sister, who looked nervous. “Oh, and Dani and I will be nearby to make sure you don’t fly off before she can tell you how she feels. You aren’t leaving this time.” Bela forced a smile, not wanting to comment on how creepy what her sister had just said sounded. “Right, well…what do you think?” She picked up her letter, blowing off the eraser shavings before handing it back to her youngest sister, who skimmed over it rather quickly. She was met with a squeal.

“Oh, this is so romantic! And you took my suggestion about adding the figurative language! She’s going to love this, I just know it!” Bela beamed at her sister’s reaction, pleased with what she had managed to write. “But you aren’t going to leave it in pencil, are you?” “Oh, no, I was going to go over it again with one of my pens before I get some sleep. That way it’ll have time to dry so I can erase the pencil markings underneath.” “Ah, smart.”

Daniela hummed, tilting her head as she glanced over the letter again. Bela felt her confidence falter at this, making her nervously ask what was wrong. “Oh, nothing’s wrong, I just think you could…spruce it up a bit, y’know?” She gasped, reaching towards one of the pens on the desk. “I know! You could add hearts around the edges like she did with hers!”

Bela’s face went red and she snatched the sheet of paper back before any further markings could be made. “Dani, I’m not–wait, how did you know she did that?” Daniela appeared nervous now, scratching her cheek anxiously. “Ah, well, I might’ve slipped it from your pocket while we were eating and then read it while I was in the library.” “Dani!” “I’m sorry! I just couldn’t help myself.”

Frantically, Bela searched her pockets for the note, only for her youngest sister to laugh shyly and pull it out from her own. With a relieved sigh, Bela snatched it from her hand and cradled it against her chest. “God, I hope this goes well.”

“It will! You just have to put more faith in [Y/N]! And, of course, my expertise in romance,” Daniela cooed while playfully wiggling her eyebrows. Bela couldn’t help but laugh, looking back towards the letter she had written once again resting on the desk. Hesitantly, she took a pen from its resting spot in her small metal bin and dipped it in ink. With a shaky hand, she brought the tip of the pen to land just beside her signature, slowly drawing a single heart.

It may not have been what Daniela was wanting her to do, but it was hers. It was Bela’s heart now printed on the letter she had written out of love.

Morning came sooner than Bela had wanted. The bright sunlight crept through the blinds shielding her window, caressing her face and stirring her awake. She groaned and slowly sat up, staring down silently as she watched the covers fall, internally hoping her sisters had done their part for the day already. They had told her they’d head into the village before she woke up to let [Y/N] know Bela had requested to see her in the afternoon. If they had, then she only had a few hours to prepare.

First, she went out to the garden to make sure everything was neat and clean. She was surprised to see how much more beautiful Cassandra had made it seem than before. The pearly white lattice archway that led to her most cherished spot had been washed, removing all of the mud and stray cobwebs. A series of different roses found throughout the garden now wrapped themselves nicely around the wooden frame, helping it appear more natural. Past the archway, the soft, vibrantly green grass had been neatly trimmed. The weeds that had shoved themselves in between the stones that encircled her favorite tree had been removed, and the bench nearby had been polished and thoroughly cleaned.

Secondly, she headed back upstairs to make sure the ink had dried from the night before. She was relieved to find that it had, and she quickly but gently erased the pencil markings beneath the bold strokes. Daniela had left a pristine envelope next to it with a wax stamp print in the shape of a heart. Bela carefully folded the sheet of paper and tucked it into the envelope, hesitantly melting enough wax to use the stamp and seal it shut.

Finally, she made sure she looked her best. She rummaged throughout the kitchen, much to the confusion of the maids, and fixed herself a healthier alternative to what they had prepared for breakfast. She ate it quickly before heading back upstairs.

She showered swiftly, spraying on her favorite perfume and brushing her teeth and hair. Before applying her makeup, she headed to her wardrobe to search for something to wear. Instead of opening the door to find her different assortments of clothing, she found every shirt, skirt, and pair of pants shoved to one side. All but one set–a pair of black, loose-fitted slacks, a matching pair of flats, and a striking red button-up shirt. On top of the folded pants and underneath the shoes, there was a small, square piece of paper. As Bela lifted it from the shelf, a hair clip with a plastic daisy fell to the floor. Confused, Bela skimmed over the note. Sure enough, this was Daniela’s doing.

Hey, sis! Let me explain why I did this before you come after me. [Y/N]’s only ever seen you in dark clothing, so I thought that would be a nice thing to keep. That way things wouldn’t seem so unnatural! But, I also know how much you love daisies, so I left a hair clip I found of one. I hope you’ll like it. I really think [Y/N] will.

-Your fav sister

Although she was slightly annoyed at how Daniela had chosen her outfit for such an important day, Bela couldn’t help the wide grin that made its way across her lips. Her sister had put so much effort into making sure today was perfect–both of them had. She couldn’t be more grateful for her sisters.

She gently placed the small note on her desk before taking the set of clothes into the bathroom with her to change. Once she was fully dressed, she managed to apply her makeup before someone knocked at the door. “Who is it?” “It’s Cass. Daniela said I should help you with your hair? I don’t know why.” Bela giggled and opened the door. “Uh, probably because you’re the best at braiding and styling things? If you weren’t, the garden wouldn’t look nearly as perfect as it does.”

Cassandra’s face reddened a bit at the sudden compliment, unable to bite back her smile. “Well, either way, we should hurry. [Y/N] should be here in about an hour, and you still need to rehearse what you’re going to say when she gets here.”

Bela nodded, stepping out of the bathroom after grabbing her hairbrush and a few hair ties. She and Cassandra sauntered over to her bed, where she sat on the floor so it’d be easier for her sister. After being handed the brush, Cassandra got to work, quickly weaving Bela’s blonde strands into two neat braids that pulled back a portion of her hair, stretching around the crown of her head. She pulled the remaining hair into a bun, insisting that there aren’t too many loose strands or stray hairs. Finally, she stood and moved to crouch in front of Bela to brush her bangs a bit so they framed her face nicely.

She stepped back, seemingly proud of her work. “There we go,” she declared with a sigh. Bela stood, heading over to the bathroom once more to glance at herself in the reflection. Her eyebrows raised in surprise at how beautiful she looked. Cassandra stepped in and stood beside her, smiling at her reassuringly. The daisy hair clip caught her eye. She picked it up and shook her head with a soft laugh. “Dani, huh?” Bela smiled anxiously. “Yeah, she’s also the one who chose my outfit.”

Cassandra quickly looked over her attire, impressed. “Well, she was right to choose this one. It really suits you.” She stepped forward and slid the clip against Bela’s hair, snapping it gently into place to help reveal more of her face. The two then turned back to the mirror, and Cassandra patted her sister on the shoulder. “You look amazing. I’m sure [Y/N] will agree.”

Trembling once again with fear, Bela did her best to steady her breathing as she waited patiently in the garden. A quick glance up towards the most visible window let her see both of her sisters gazing down at her with comforting smiles, both giving a thumbs up. She smiled, then let her head lean back down to stare at the envelope she held tightly against her chest.

“Bela?”

She jumped immediately. The nerves she had thought were finally settling spiked up again, making her yelp. She took in a deep breath and forced herself to regain her composure before she turned around. Once laying eyes on [Y/N], however, her ability to seem calm and collected faltered. Her breath stuttered in her throat, her face entirely red once again. “[Y/N], holy…you look,” She didn’t want to simply say “beautiful,” it seemed far too vague. She couldn’t quite think of the right word to describe how [Y/N] looked. Would beautiful have to do?

“You look so beautiful,” she finally mumbled as her eyes trailed down to study her outfit. Daniela must’ve chosen her outfit for her as well, seeing as how it had the same color scheme. She wore a black skirt with matching one-inch heels, and a red keyhole blouse, though the color was much more muted. Her hair was down like usual, though it was curled and brushed out to give it a wavy effect. Her face turned a shade of pink as Bela’s words, which complimented the color of her shirt.

“Oh, th-thank you. Daniela said you’d like this outfit, so…” Bela hummed to herself. Of course her sister was the one who chose it–it would’ve been an interesting coincidence if they had separately chosen the same pattern. She smiled.

“It looks incredible on you,” was her soft reply. [Y/N] beamed up at her and shifted her hands to find each other behind her, allowing her to fidget with them. “You look incredible as well.” The two of them smiled at each other, though they quickly looked away sheepishly. A tap at the window above caught Bela’s attention. She glanced up and watched as her sisters motioned for her to continue. Forcing herself to draw in a shaky breath, she cleared her throat and nodded, managing to look back at [Y/N], who hadn’t seemed to notice anything.

She stepped forward, catching [Y/N]’s attention. “So, Daniela said you really wanted to tell me something,” the woman said, almost as if she was asking. Bela nodded and glanced down at the envelope. Before she could let herself back down, she felt her arms thrust forward to hold it out. [Y/N] jumped at the sudden motion, but delicately slipped the offered envelope from the blonde’s trembling hands. She flipped it over, her face turning a darker shade of red as she spotted the heart-shaped stamp.

“I-I’m sure you could tell,” Bela started, wrestling with herself to keep her voice steady, “but I’m not exactly the best at expressing my feelings through verbal words, so…I-I had Dani help me write them down instead. And that’s, um…that’s what’s in this envelope.”

Again, if it were possible, [Y/N]’s face burned brighter, now matching the shade of red that painted Bela’s button-up shirt. She gulped and flimsily slid her fingernail underneath the stamp to scratch it from the thin surface, watching as it popped upwards enough for her to lift the top. She inhaled nervously and pulled the folded sheet of paper from the envelope, which she then looked around for a place to put it down. Bela held her hand out. “I can hold that for you,” she whispered.

[Y/N] nodded and handed it to her. “O-Oh, thank you,” she replied just as quietly. She tugged at the paper to unfold it, her eyes scanning over the finely printed writing that Bela had spent so much time forging.

My dearest [Y/N],

I hope this letter isn’t too forward. I’ve been wanting to express my feelings to you for so long now, ever since we first met three years ago. Do you remember that day? My sisters had bombarded you with questions after seeing us speak to one another about a book the Duke had been selling. I remember your reaction then: you were so timid around them. I can still see it in my mind how red your face had gotten as you tried to keep up with Daniela’s enthused chatter. You looked breathtaking then, just as you still do. Your smile as you laughed nervously is still as charming as it is now. And your eyes, the same ones I’ve found myself dreaming about for countless nights, secretly praying that they’d find my own gaze each time I spotted you in the village.

At first, I was too worried that if I said anything too soon, it would ruin how kindly you spoke to me–that you’d find me strange and never speak to me again. I wanted to give things time to ensure this wasn’t going to be a short-lived infatuation. I can say now that it wasn’t. I still adore you, and I would dare to say I do even more than before. You caught my attention from the moment I saw you scanning through the Duke’s selection of stories.

I may be too bold with this, but I wish I could wake up to those stunning eyes of yours every morning. There’s something in your gaze each time that shows me you don’t view me like most of the other villagers do–like a monster. You see me as a human, and I always find myself falling into a trance when you so much as glance in my direction with that same look of kindness in your eyes. I love everything about you, and although this once again may be too bold, I want you to know that I love you.

I love you inside and out. Words can’t even begin to express the way I feel about you, and if they can, then I suppose I just haven’t found them yet. I don’t expect you to return these feelings, especially considering how awkward I always am around you, but I couldn’t keep it inside of myself any longer. I want you to know how I view you and how I feel about you.

I love you, I truly do.

Forever yours,

Bela Dimitrescu 🖤

[Y/N] watched as a tear slipped from her eye and dripped onto the paper. Her hands shook as she brought the backs of them up to wipe her eyes, sniffling and clearing her throat. Bela, now alarmed at her reaction, stepped forward and gently gripped the woman’s wrists, pulling them down to look her in the eye–the same eyes she had expressed her adoration of in the letter. “Oh, what’s wrong? Was it what the letter said? I-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have–” “No, no, it’s not that,” [Y/N] interrupted with a giggle. “I mean, it is, but not in a bad way. Your letter was just…so sweet. I-I wasn’t expecting it is all.” She sniffled again, bringing the paper back up to gaze at it with a warm smile.

Bela blushed, glancing down at the letter briefly before letting her focus shift back up to the weeping girl’s face. Her hands slowly moved to hold the girl’s shoulders. “Well, what I said was true. I really do love you, [Y/N]. I’m not sure how you feel about me, but I just had to let you know how I feel about you.”

Again, [Y/N] laughed.

“I didn’t take you as the romantic type, Bela. I always got that vibe from Daniela.” Bela couldn’t help but chuckle with her. She let her hands slide down [Y/N]’s arms, though they stopped at her wrists. She looked up at her as if to ask if it was okay, and when she received a nod accompanied with a loving grin, she let her hands hold [Y/N]’s the way she had been craving to do for years. She couldn’t see it, but her lips had stretched out to a wide smile.

After giving it a moment to kick in, Bela silently cleared her throat and gave [Y/N]’s hands a soft squeeze. “I don’t know how else to ask without it sounding desperate, so I suppose I should just ask right out. Do you feel the same way about me?”

Once again, [Y/N] giggled. “I don’t think it sounds desperate at all. I figured my feelings would’ve been obvious though.” She finally lifted her head enough to gaze into Bela’s eyes like she always did, though there was pure admiration in her steady stare.

“Yes, I love you too, Bela.”

Bela’s breath hitched, tears finally springing free from her eyes. Just as it had yesterday, her heart hammered against her ribs and began to throb. As she let out a small sob, [Y/N] stepped even closer, her soft, warm arms wrapping themselves around her torso and pulling her into a comforting hug. Bela couldn’t help but return the embrace tightly, the desperation she had been showing withering away, showing that her patience had paid off.

“I love you so much,” was all she could whisper before letting the rest of her built up tears fall. “I love you too, Bela. I really do.”

The two stood there, rocking each other back and forth for what felt like hours before they finally pulled back. [Y/N]’s arm slid down to let her offer her hand to hold. Still smiling as widely as before, Bela took her hand into her own, almost whimpering as their fingers interlaced with one another. With a small laugh, [Y/N] tugged her away from the garden and up to the parlor’s entrance, where they both pushed the doors open and headed inside.

Just as she had imagined, Daniela and Cassandra were quick to greet the two. Daniela was bouncing up and down excitedly as she asked all kinds of questions, while Cassandra could only stand there with a proud grin on her lips. She patted Bela on the shoulder while [Y/N] was distracted trying to answer all of the questions the youngest sister had. “I’m proud of you. You didn’t back down this time. And it seems like it paid off, huh?”

Bela glanced over at [Y/N], who was smiling wide enough for her nose to scrunch up, the blush evident on her features as she laughed. Her brows were furrowed slightly, just like they had done the day before. The blonde hummed and beamed just as brightly, turning back to Cassandra.

“Yeah, it really did.”

Requited Love

[Resident Evil: Village] Donna Beneviento x Fem! Reader

Word Count: 3.9k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Spoilers for the game, angst, mentions of past trauma, death, anxiety.

[A/N]: This was a prompt swap with one of my friends, and I've written one more from this challenge with her for Samantha Giddings, though I don't plan to post it anytime soon. I have a masterlist in my drafts that lists all of the characters I want to write for, but I'd like to post three stories for each of those characters before I upload the masterlist--that way I can figure out which ones I will actually write for, and which ones I won't.

Enjoy!

 “C’mon, Aunt Donna! I’m telling you: if you take her out on a date like that, she’ll have to say yes!” Daniela chirped excitedly from her seat against the armrest of the sofa. Bela elbowed her gently in the arm, scoffing and shaking her head. “Dani, [Y/N] shouldn’t feel pressured to say she feels the same way. She should have every reason to feel comfortable enough to say no if she’s not interested.” She turned to Donna, who had been fidgeting with her fingers. “Of course,” the blonde said in a much softer tone, “I don’t have any doubts that she won’t reciprocate your feelings. I’ve seen just how thrilled and lively she gets whenever your name is even mentioned.” The doll-maker’s head perked up at this, her shoulders tensed as she stared with pure hope behind her veil at the eldest daughter.

Angie jumped up onto the sofa and bounced on top of Bela’s lap. “Really?” She squealed. Bela smirked knowingly at her as she side-glanced at Donna. “Yes, of course.” Daniela leaned forward. “Yeah! She really does love you, Auntie! We’ve all seen it–even Cassandra! Right, Cass?” She turned to her older sister, who was seated at the far end of the couch with her arms crossed, seemingly disinterested. She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Yeah. It’s sickening to see how oblivious the two of you are around each other,” she retorted. Bela sent her a threatening glare. “Cass, watch it. It’s not their fault they’re too nervous to confess. Rejection is a painful thing to experience.”

The brunette turned to her. “Yeah, I know, but they aren’t going to reject each other. We all know that.” “They don’t know that. Well, Donna knows now, but [Y/N] doesn’t.” She turned to her aunt with a comforting smile. “I can assure you that the love you have for [Y/N] is requited.” Donna smiled softly under her veil, looking to her lap as the three daughters turned to Angie. “Don’t worry,” the small doll spoke while waving her hand dismissively. “I’ll make sure Donna doesn’t chicken out.” Donna turned to her. “Angie,” she scolded as Daniela and Bela chuckled–Cassandra even snickered a bit to herself from the opposite end of the group

The doll-maker sighed and tugged Angie over to sit in her lap. “What if I mess something up?” She voiced softly after a moment. Daniela stood from the armrest and moved to sit next to Donna, squishing herself in between her aunt and Cassandra. “Hey, watch it!” The redhead ignored her and gently grasped one of Donna’s hands. “You won’t ruin anything,” she reassured in an uncharacteristic tone. “Bela and I can even help you set everything up so you can focus on making the food!” The veiled woman looked to Bela, who smiled back at her. “You two would be willing to do that for me?” The blonde nodded. “Of course. Since it’s warm enough outside, we should be able to stay out without much layering.”

Cassandra cleared her throat, prompting everyone to glance over at her. She stared at them expectantly. When she got no answer, she growled and planted her hand flat against her chest. “Am I just supposed to stay here on my own? Do you three really not trust me enough to contribute somehow?” Bela and Daniela looked at each other with confusion. “We thought this kind of stuff annoyed you,” the blonde responded. “It does, but I don’t like being left out of things. I hate it almost as much as I hate all of this cheesy romance shit.” Bela rolled her eyes and Daniela giggled. “I’m not really sure what you could help with. Dani and I can take care of the table and decor pretty quickly on our own.”

Cassandra growled again, but before she could speak and bicker with her sister, Donna turned to her. “Actually, Cassandra, if you’d really like to help, it might be nice for the main part of the meal to be hunted and homemade instead of being bought from the Duke. It would add a more meaningful aspect to it.” Cassandra’s eyes lit up as she smirked. “Say no more. Name the day, and I’ll be there with whatever you need.” She shifted into a swarm of flies and flew up the stairs, leaving her sisters there to finish planning with Donna.

T////////S

[Y/N] giggled as Donna led her over behind the house to the edge of the waterfall. “Donna, where are we going?” The doll-maker had covered the girl’s eyes with her hands so she’d hopefully be surprised by the setup. “Somewhere special, but not far from home. I…” She hesitated, her hands trembling against [Y/N]’s face. The [h/c] girl raised her own hands to cover Donna’s, gently caressing them with the pads of her thumbs. “Hun, just relax. I’m sure I’ll love wherever you take me.” Donna smiled warmly down at her. Her tensed hands slowly relaxed as they continued walking forward, but quickly grew rigid again as they grew closer to her desired spot.

Finally, after a long while of stumbling and trying not to trip each other, the two women came to a stop. [Y/N]’s eyes were still covered, but she was able to hear the rushing water of the nearby cliff flowing down rapidly somewhere far below them. Donna sucked in a deep breath. “I-I really hope you’ll like it,” she whispered, internally slapping herself for stuttering. Even after failing to steel her nerves, Donna managed to remove her hands and drop them down to her sides, where they only remained temporarily before finding each other in front of her torso to pick at one another. [Y/N]’s eyes slowly fluttered open. They quickly widened shortly after as a small gasp slipped past her lips. “Oh, Donna, it’s beautiful!”

Donna sighed in relief, glancing over to take in the view herself. There, a good distance away from the edge of the cliff, stood a suitably sized table with two seats placed opposite of one another. A pastel tablecloth draped itself atop the wooden surface of the table, the edges rippling with the soft breeze. Resting on top of the cloth was a small vase filled with dicentras as the centerpiece, two plates of lasagne, and a small tray of antipasto. Two wine glasses full of Barbaresco positioned themselves beside the plates, the rims of the glass shimmering underneath the moonlight. Even from where she stood, [Y/N] recognized the craftsmanship of the wood used for the table and chairs–Donna had made them quite a while ago, but she never knew why until then.

Donna stepped forward and softly placed her hand on [Y/N]’s shoulder. She squeezed it to gain her attention, prompting the girl to look up at her. “Do you really think it’s beautiful?” [Y/N] beamed brightly at her, turning to her and grabbing her hands. Donna blushed. “Of course I do,” she responded cheerfully. The ravenette sighed softly in relief. “I’m glad.” They stared at each other for a moment, not entirely sure what to say next. Finally, Angie came bounding from the opposite side of the house. “Sit down and eat before the food gets cold,” she yelled while tugging at [Y/N]’s pant leg. “Donna and the mean sister from the Tall Lady’s family spent a lot of time on it! I’ll bite your ankles if you don’t go sit down.” [Y/N] chuckled. “Okay, okay, fine.”

She and Donna walked over. Before [Y/N] had an opportunity to pull her chair out to sit down, Donna rushed over and did it for her. She thanked her with a sheepish grin and watched as the doll-maker forcefully sauntered over to her own seat. Once they were both seated, they picked up their utensils and hesitantly began to eat. [Y/N] hummed once the flavor hit her tongue. She covered her mouth as she spoke. “Oh, wow, this tastes incredible, Donna! And Angie said Cassandra helped with this?” Donna nodded and blushed. “Yes. She helped hunt for the meat in the dish, and Bela and Daniela helped me set the table, chairs, and decor up. They’re, um…they’re actually the ones who encouraged me to do this tonight.” [Y/N] smiled. “They’re all so sweet, even if they don’t like to show it.” Donna nodded in agreement.

She took a shaky breath, unsure of how to even bring up her confession. Her hand trembled as she continued to take small bites. She went to reach for her glass, but decided against it when she noticed just how badly her hand was shaking. She didn’t want to spill the wine on herself and end up embarrassing herself while ruining the moment. ‘How am I supposed to ask her? There has to be a way to bring it up in a smooth manner.’ Panicked, her mind went back to a few weeks prior when she had been discussing the plan with the Dimitrescu sisters.

F////////B

“How do I even go about asking something like that? I don’t want it to be sudden and make it even more awkward than it already will be,” Donna anxiously said aloud, surprisingly not using Angie as her voice. The three sisters all turned to her, each one carrying their own expression: Bela seemed distressed, Cassandra appeared annoyed, and Daniela looked as though she was about to burst with the ideas she had been keeping private about the date. “I don’t want to screw this up–I’m already enough of a screw-up as it is.” The sisters’ expressions all shifted into one of uniformed concern. They sat next to Donna on the bed, Bela and Daniela taking either one of her hands. “Hey, what are you talking about? You’re not a screw-up,” the redhead assured softly. Donna lowered her head in an attempt to hide the tears pricking her one good eye, even though her veil was still covering her face.

“I am. I always have been. I don’t know what [Y/N] even sees in me.” Bela tilted her head as the pad of her thumb brushed over the back of the doll-maker’s hand in a soothing manner. “What makes you think of yourself that way?” Donna sniffled and slipped both hands out of the girls’ grasp, allowing her to bring them up under her veil to wipe her tears and hide her face even further. “I’ve always been able to tell how people think of me,” she started softly. “My parents always favored both of my sisters, and once they passed, they didn’t seem to care enough about me to stay. I remember crying to myself each night–telling myself that, if I had been good enough, maybe they would’ve stayed. Maybe they would’ve loved me more.”

“Oh, Donna, you–” “And then I met Mother Miranda. I thought I could be a perfect daughter, even if I wasn’t fit to be a vessel for Eva. When she told me I was part of the family, even though I wasn’t a perfect fit, it didn’t upset me because I was happy to finally have people I could rely on. But then I read her entries about the experiments she performed on me.” She wiped her face again, her fingernails digging lightly into her scalp. “She…she said I was almost a perfect fit, but she was disappointed to learn that I’m “mentally underdeveloped.””

The three women beside her remained silent, unsure of what to say to comfort her. They listened with disheartened gazes as their aunt began to weep. She curled her legs up onto the bed and clutched them to her chest, allowing her to bury her head in between her knees. “I don’t want [Y/N] to see me as a disappointment,” she finally rasped at length. “She means way too much to me–I can’t lose her like I’ve lost everyone else.” Bela pulled her to lean against her shoulder. “Hey, I may not be able to say anything about what Mother Miranda said about you because that’s out of my control, but I can assure you with all of my heart that [Y/N] loves you. She would do anything for you, yes, but that also means she wouldn’t lie to you about how she feels. If she thought of you in a low manner, you would’ve been able to tell. Has she done anything to make you doubt how she feels?”

Donna stayed quiet for a moment, seemingly thinking back on what Bela had asked her. After a moment, she shook her head. “No, she hasn’t. She actually…does the opposite.” “She does? How so?” “She just–she makes me so happy. She always compliments everything I do, and supports me, and constantly helps out around the house so I have more time to work in the shop. She even,” she chuckled, letting her legs fall back down to hang over the side of the bed again. “She even plays the piano and sings for me while I work so I won’t be alone.” Daniela grinned beside her and gently shook her shoulder. “See? There ya go! Just focus on the positive.”

Donna giggled, and she nodded as she moved to stop leaning against the eldest daughter so she could straighten out her clothes. “I suppose you have a point. I just–I still don’t know how to confess how I feel or ask her.” Cassandra stood and stepped in front of the three, crossing her arms. “Just do it. I don’t see why you’re so anxious about this.” Bela scoffed and stood up as well. “Cass, you need to–” “No, listen to me. I may not understand why people fall in love, but I do know that Aunt Donna and [Y/N] love each other. It’s not a temporary thing–especially for them–so she doesn’t need to worry so much about what could go wrong.” She turned to Donna, who had been listening intently. “She won’t say no, I promise. Just find whatever courage you need and tell her how you feel.”

The doll-maker smiled up at her, though no one could see it, and nodded. “I’ll do my best. Thank you–all three of you.”

They all beamed at her warmly. “Of course,” Daniela responded. “So, how’re you going to confess?” Donna blushed, her shoulders growing tense. “Oh, well…I’m not entirely sure. I know you said I couldn’t–and shouldn’t–use Angie, so I’m having to find a way to rehearse what I want to say for myself.” “And what do you have so far?” “Well…”

E////F////B

Donna cleared her throat, twirling her fork around and moving bits of food across the plate. “So, [Y/N],” she mumbled barely loud enough to hear. [Y/N]’s head perked up at the sound of her name. “Yes?” “I-I, uhm…” She glanced up at the girl across the table and blushed once they made eye contact, quickly averting her gaze and staring down at her lap. She looked over to find Angie giving her a thumbs up from several feet behind the [h/c] girl. With a shaky breath, Donna’s hands dropped down to pick at themselves underneath the table. She felt her heart hammering against her ribs, silently wondering if [Y/N] could hear it as well, and she found it hard to breathe properly. She whispered a few words of encouragement to herself under her breath.

Finally, she looked back up, though she couldn’t maintain eye contact, and she felt her arm jerking its way slowly above the table. Her palm presented itself face up–a silent plea for [Y/N] to hold her hand, which she did happily. Donna felt herself sigh. Holding [Y/N]’s hand always calmed her down–she truly felt at peace with her. “Can I be honest with you about something?” [Y/N] squeezed her hand softly, a small smile painting her lips.

“Of course you can. What is it?” Her calm tone felt welcoming–like it had no judgment behind it. Donna cleared her throat again. It felt too soon into the evening to be confessing like this, but she couldn’t wait any longer. She had to know if [Y/N] felt the same. “It’s about why I brought you here tonight. I wanted it to be special because what I need to tell you is…very personal. It’s important to me.” “I’m glad you trust me enough to tell me this then.” Donna chuckled, mindlessly rubbing her face with her free hand as she felt her face heating up even more.

“I have more than trust for you, [Y/N], believe me.” [Y/N] tilted her head, suddenly growing anxious. “Is something wrong?” “No, no, nothing is wrong. I just–” She finally looked her in the eye. “You mean the world to me [Y/N]. You’ve made my life so much better from the moment you arrived. You always know what to say and do to make me feel happy. You make sure I eat enough throughout the day, that I take plenty of breaks, that I get plenty of rest. You always help with the cleaning and cooking, so I have even more time to work on my projects, but you still manage to sit in the room with me to keep me company. I’ve never felt so…loved and important to someone. I truly hope you feel the same way about me.”

[Y/N] was awestruck. Her blush was evident as she responded. “I do, Donna. I do feel the same way. You mean the world to me as well. It might be really corny for me to say this, but I just can’t imagine my life without you. I don’t want to imagine my life without you.” Donna felt the tears already trickling down her cheek and across her jawline. She felt her fears slowly easing up. This was a great sign–she shared the same feelings about how important they were to one another. She smiled, squeezing [Y/N]’s hand even tighter. “I’m so glad.”

They stared at each other for a long while, both too afraid to say anything in fear of ruining the moment. Angie, however, came bounding over and pulled on Donna’s pant leg. “Tell her how you feel already! It’s getting dark, and I’m getting tired!” Donna shooed her away silently, her head perking up when [Y/N] giggled. “Angie, don’t rush her. She shouldn’t feel uncomfortable no matter what she has to say.”

Donna felt her heart beating faster. She stared at her for a long moment, her mind racing. “Donna? You okay?” She jumped. “Y-Yes!” [Y/N]’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at her sudden urgent tone, making Donna blush as she reflected immediately on how she answered. She cleared her throat and covered her mouth. “I-I apologize. Yes, I’m alright.” “Okay, that’s good.” “But what Angie was talking about–about me telling you…how I feel?” “Yes?” “Before I tell you, could I possibly ask if you’d promise me something?” “Of course.” “Can you promise me that you won’t leave me? That nothing will change between us?”

[Y/N] laughed nervously, but quickly composed herself a bit when she saw just how terrified and expectant Donna seemed. “I promise, but what exactly are you wanting to tell me? I’m sure nothing could be bad enough to damage our relationship.” Donna nodded, wiping her tears away and gripping [Y/N]’s trembling hand in her own. “I suppose we’ll see. I just want–I want to tell you,” her voice trailed off, her confidence faltering and crumbling.

“Take your time, okay? Don’t feel like you have to rush.” Donna remembered every word of encouragement from the people who knew about that night–Bela’s, Cassandra’s, Daniela’s, and even [Y/N]’s. She needed to get this over with. The feeling of being a burden returned–she was taking too long to get it out there. She gripped her leg tightly and took three deep breaths. Steeling her nerves, she blurted it out before she could lose her courage and back out of it again–the way she had done so many times before.

“I love you.”

She felt a weight lift off of her shoulders, though it wasn’t much. She still needed to know if [Y/N] felt the same. She pried her eye open and finally darted her gaze back up to find [Y/N]’s, only to discover that the [h/c] girl was blushing profusely. They stared at each other in silence for a long moment, making Donna even more anxious. “Did…did I ruin this?” She asked softly. [Y/N] slipped her hand from Donna’s to wave them dismissively in front of her. “Oh, no! No, Donna, not at all! I’m so sorry, I just—wasn’t expecting you to be the first one to confess.” Donna’s heart fluttered at the statement. She wanted to smile, but she needed to make sure she didn’t misinterpret the last part of the sentence.

“So…do you feel the same way?” “Yes! Yes, I do.” “Say it!” A random voice suddenly called from around the corner of the house. Both women jumped and turned to find Daniela peeking around the corner while Bela and Cassandra tried to pull her back into hiding. “What the hell?” Donna muttered, turning her attention back to [Y/N] when she laughed. “Sorry, they just really scared me,” she said in between breaths. Donna smiled warmly at her and let out a small snicker of her own. “They scared me as well.”

They gazed at each other with love-stricken grins. Finally, [Y/N] brought her hands up and took Donna’s into hers, caressing them softly before bringing her left hand up to press a light kiss to her knuckles. “I love you too,” she confessed. Donna’s heart flipped as a wide smile cracked across her lips. She stood, pulling [Y/N] to her feet, and tugged her into an embrace. “I love you so much. You have no idea how long I've dreamed of saying that to you,” she whispered. The faint sound of buzzing grew louder, and soon, Daniela was beside them, pulling them into a hug of her own. “Yes! See? I told you you could do it!” Bela and Cassandra joined nearby–Bela began to try to pry Daniela off of the two while Cassandra laughed at how ridiculous her sister was being. “Dani, leave them be! You just ruined the moment!” Donna giggled and leaned back from the hug just far enough to look over at her.

“Actually, Bela, she didn’t ruin anything. It’s alright, I promise. It’s nice to see that she’s so supportive of how [Y/N] and I feel about each other.” Bela sighed. “I’m glad, but Dani, you still need to let them go. This is their moment,” she said as she finally managed to yank her sister away from the two. Donna and [Y/N] both giggled at them before turning to stare at each other again. “So what does this mean? Are you two a thing now?” Cassandra suddenly asked as she stepped closer to the group.

The two women glanced at her before returning to each other. They studied each other’s gaze for a while, seemingly communicating without saying a word, and finally turned back to the sisters. “Yes, we are,” [Y/N] announced. Donna looked back down at her, unable to wipe the grin from her face.

“I’m so happy for you both,” Bela replied, softly patting Donna’s shoulder. “I told you this was a requited love.”

Shielded Tranquility

[Resident Evil: Village] Cassandra Dimitrescu x Female Reader

Word Count: 5.07k

Proofread: Yes

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

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

Enjoy!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Taste?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

//////////

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

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

“Ah.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I love you too.”

Obsessed

[Arcane] Yandere! Jinx x Fem! Reader

Word count: 1.9k

Content Warnings: Small amount of cursing, implied violence, obsessive/toxic personality/relationship, stalking

[A/N]: This is my first time posting a story on this site, so please bear with me if the formatting is a little weird. I’ll try to edit it later to make it easier to read, lol.

Enjoy!

    Even though they were hundreds of feet above the water and bridge beneath them, that wasn't what was causing [Y/N]'s anxiety. She had been up here before, multiple times in fact, with her "friend" Jinx. They always came up here to relax and spend time together, just talking and sharing jokes or their favorite moments from their day. It had been so normal for so long, but recently Jinx had begun to make the conversation a little strange. They'd crack jokes with each other for a while, but then when they started talking about their day, Jinx would make an effort to ask about [Y/N]'s first. And when it was her turn to share, all she ever talked about was spending time with the [h/c] girl. In all honesty, it was making [Y/N] uncomfortable. Why was Jinx being so adamant about talking about her? She wasn't anything special. She was just a friend–a coworker–an assistant. Could she possibly be...? No, that was crazy. [Y/N] didn't even like her that way, why would she feel that way about her?

    And oh, how badly Jinx wanted to let her know that wasn't true. She had brought her up here to confess anyway, so she figured she could come clean about everything.

Well, not everything. Some things are better left unsaid.

    For example, she probably shouldn't tell her about how she stalked her over the past few months. Ever since she met the [h/c] girl–by total accident–she was hooked. In love. Obsessed. She just couldn't let her walk out of her life the way everyone else had done. So, in order to show her love before getting too serious (to not scare her off), she started sending gifts to [Y/N] and leaving little notes with words of pure affirmation. 'You may not know me personally quite yet, but I have to let you know that you're forever mine." "Since the day I met you, my life has never been the same." "You're my dream girl. Once we meet, you'll never be able to leave me." "I dream about you every night. I'm obsessed with you." Just short phrases that got her point across. Until one day, she sent a full letter.

    "Hey toots,

    I'd ask how you're doing today, but I already know. I've been keeping close tabs on you, but it's nothing weird, I promise. Just wanna make sure you're safe and aren't struggling. I'm sure by now you've noticed all the gifts landing on your doorstep. Some of them anyway. The blankets and stuff I left on your bed. Oh, and don't worry about how I got in. I promise I would never steal from you. I'll cut to the chase here. Silco is searching for new recruits, and I suggested you as my lab assistant! He said he's gotta meet you before he makes any big decisions or whatever, so you'd better get your cute little butt over here for an interview! Can't wait to see ya!

        -Jinx"

    [Y/N] didn't take up on her offer right away. After all, Jinx and Silco were known to be ruthless when it came to their employees. And, even though she hated living here in the undercity, she certainly didn't want to die for making a small mistake and accidentally upsetting them. Each day, Jinx came into Silco's office and asked if a certain [h/c] girl had come in for an interview, only to feel crushed when told that, no, no one had come in that matched her description. Enraged that [Y/N] hadn't listened to her, Jinx's stalking became more aggressive. Instead of only finding her in public places like The Last Drop, she followed her around almost everywhere she went. From the moment she left her house, [Y/N] had a very infatuated blue-haired girl trailing after her just a few meters behind.

    After a couple of days, Jinx even found herself watching through the window of [Y/N]'s house until she could see that she was asleep and safe. She knew what the girl was doing every day. What she ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, what time she went to work, who she talked to, everything. She made a mental list of all the men and women who even remotely appeared to be flirting with her and made sure they'd never be able to interfere with her again. To her, everyone else was competition for [Y/N]'s love. Finally, after growing tired of this, Jinx sent her another note that simply said:

    "I won't ask again. You will be my partner. Show up at Silco's office and tell him I sent you, or you'll regret ignoring me."

    Once remembering exactly what Jinx was capable of, [Y/N] finally gave in and got herself an interview at Silco's office, afraid she might not have much longer to live if she didn't. Little did she know, a certain admirer of hers was watching from the platform on the ceiling. After a while of talking–and silent, pleading glares from Jinx–Silco agreed to give [Y/N] an opportunity to work for him. But only on the condition that she follow his every order–one of which was to obey Jinx when in the lab. Over the next few weeks, Jinx managed to grow closer to the girl, seemingly not realizing–possibly due to her delusions– that [Y/N] had absolutely no interest in being friends with her. She ignored the voices warning her to back off.

    After a while of working on countless projects together, Jinx finally managed to steel her nerves and send [Y/N] yet another letter. This time, she asked her to meet her in their usual spot, which is where they were now: standing on the scaffolding above the bridge in the city. It was near midnight. Jinx figured that with how late it was, there would be a very low chance of someone ruining the moment. Not that it would matter–she'd easily take care of it, though she'd feel slightly regretful for it. In the time she had gotten to know [Y/N], she had killed plenty of people who went against her or Silco's wishes. Some of which took place in front of the [h/c] girl. When she'd look back at [Y/N] to make sure she was okay, she could see the horror in her eyes. Oh, how she hated causing that look. She wanted her to be happy! Not scared!

    "[Y/N], I gotta be honest with you. You make me so damn happy. I know we barely met a few months ago, but you're my whole world, toots. I...I love you, and I wanna make you happy. You deserve everything you've ever wanted, and with how well Silco provides for me, I can assure you I'd make you the happiest girl in the world. You're just so beautiful and kind, and...you deserve someone who will protect you at all costs. Even though you might not believe it, I will do whatever I can to keep you safe." She pauses, sucking in a deep breath. "So whaddya say? Do you love me too?"

    [Y/N] stared in slight shock, not expecting this. She had told herself it was a possibility, but shut that thought down real quick. She didn't love her back. She couldn't–not after everything she had done. She blinked, meeting Jinx's gaze again, who was staring back expectantly. Jinx was hoping, praying, that her feelings would be reciprocated. Her head was tilted to the side, a faint blush dusting her cheeks and creeping up to her ears as she nervously chewed on her bottom lip. She was very fidgety. Her hands were twitching and fiddling with her loose strands of hair, occasionally popping her knuckles, her leg bouncing. It was visibly obvious that whatever [Y/N] said in reply would control her next move.

    [Y/N]'s mouth opened and shut a few times, unsure of what to say. She couldn't form the right words. How could she let her down easily? Should she even let her down? Would other people get hurt because of her decision? She internally sighed. She couldn't risk others getting hurt for her sake, even if she knew they were horrible people. If it meant no one would get hurt for her sake, [Y/N] was willing to sacrifice her freedom. She looked down at the bridge below. Trying to give herself a moment to put on a convincing act, she watched the small, colorful dots that were people. If she didn't pull off her act successfully, anyone down there could be Jinx's next victim.

    She finally looked back up at Jinx with a smile, which made the girl's eyes light up. "Of course I do, Jinx." Jinx smiled, but it quickly dropped after a moment of faltering. "Say it." Her tone was unusually cold towards her. [Y/N] raised an eyebrow, tilting her head. "What? Say what?" "Tell me you love me. I need to hear you say it to believe it." The [h/c] girl froze, a nervous bead of cold sweat forming on the back of her neck. "I-I..." As she struggled to "admit" her feelings, Jinx's gaze hardened, her brows furrowing tightly together. "Say it." [Y/N] swallowed the lump in her throat. 'Say it, or she'll kill you.' Forcing that smile again that didn't quite reach her eyes, [Y/N] grabbed Jinx's hand and gave it a soft squeeze. "I love you, Jinx."

    Jinx didn't say anything for a moment–didn't even have the slightest visible reaction. Her eyes flickered around the girl’s face in search of any sign of a lie. Finally, as if the words barely processed in her mind, a large grin broke out across her lips in an almost menacing manner. "Oh, sweets, you make me so happy." Without any warning, she cupped the [h/c] girl's face and closed the distance between them with a kiss that was a little too rough to be considered sincere. [Y/N] didn't even have a chance to react before Jinx leaned back and pulled her in by the waist for a tight hug. Her slender hand came up, long painted nails entangling themselves into the [h/c] locks she had ached to caress for months. "I love you so much, [Y/N]. You have no idea what I'd do for you." [Y/N] swallowed. She did know. She had seen it right before her eyes more than once. She knew that Jinx wouldn't hesitate to kill for her, even if she begged her not to.

    She was brought out of her thoughts as Jinx's hold on her waist tightened to a painful degree. "Why aren't you hugging me back?" Again, her tone was cold. [Y/N] jumped slightly and quickly returned her embrace. Jinx relaxed slightly in her hold, slowly beginning to sway the two of them side to side. Her nose buried itself into the crook of [Y/N]'s neck. She drew in a deep breath, seeming to take in the [h/c] girl's scent. Oh, that intoxicating scent of hers...so comforting. So...addicting.

    How she longed for this moment–this close contact. All those weeks of spending time with her and getting to know her interests and hobbies finally paid off. Here she was–holding her after finding that her feelings were mutual. This was the girl she wanted to spend the rest of her days with. She wanted to marry her and keep her happy until the day they died. And never again would Jinx tolerate anyone flirting with [Y/N]--not that she ever did. [Y/N] was hers.

Her heart fluttered at that thought. It repeated itself over and over again in her mind, drowning out the other voices swarming her brain and satisfying her obsessive tendencies. ‘She’s all mine. No one will ever take her from me. She won’t leave–she can’t. I won’t let her.’ Her smile grew. “You’re mine, toots. Don’t ever forget that.”

Playing Minecraft with Boscha

[Just a few general headcanons on how I think playing Minecraft with Boscha would go if she were ever introduced to it. It's been a while since I've just written preferences instead of a full short story, so I hope it's up to par.]

Enjoy!

-Okay, so–

-At first, when you introduced Boscha to Minecraft, she didn’t really care for it.

-She thought it was just some random game for little kids.

-It wasn’t until you finally convinced her to join your game while you played with Luz, Amity, and Willow that she gave in and decided to see why it was so popular in the human realm.

-After figuring out the controls, she was HOOKED.

-A game where you can control pretty much everything you want? Sign her up!

-She’d definitely prefer to play on creative so she could fly around and not worry about having to constantly type in cheats to get the materials she needs, but she’s not upset about playing on survival either.

-Defintelyyyy loves being one to farm for XP. It gives her the chance to kill enemies in the game and even get creative with it. She LOVES it without a doubt.

-For a while, she didn’t want to play alone. She had been introduced to the game with other friends, meaning she could kind of rely on them to help her gather resources and fight tougher enemies. She started playing on her own, however, upon realizing she could impress you and the others with her newest designs for her skin and builds (which she totally didn’t look up multiple online tutorials for at all).

-After a while, she really started to enjoy just being able to hop online and play with only you.

-It was really fun getting to spend time with you alone on such an intriguing game. She got to vent about her day and absolutely loved being able to crack jokes with you and just laugh and talk until the early hours of the morning when the two of you would finally log off and go to bed.

-Definitely expect her to spam you with requests to join her game whenever she isn’t busy.

-”Boscha, hun, you’ve gotta stop spamming me.”

-”But look at this thing I just found out about! If lightning strikes a creeper, it supercharges it and–”

-Will absolutely find a way into the Nether before she even has any of the gear remotely needed to survive.

-She doesn’t even know how Nether portals work, she was just messing around with lava and water, or somehow stumbled upon an abandoned portal and managed to ignite it.

-Speaking of ignition, you’d better hope she turned “fire spread” off because once she gets her hands on Flint and Steel, she’ll be setting everything ablaze.

-Will 100% go spelunking without any torches or backup pickaxes/shovels, and then complain when she finds out that she has to have a certain kind of tool to mine up diamond ore.

-Will also be the one who tries to take on multiple creepers, skeletons, or even the Enderdragon at once without a proper weapon. “I’ll beat your ass with my bare hands! Or–eh–whatever the hell these square-looking things are…”

-*QueenBoscha was slain by an arrow*

-"No fair! How'd you kill me, you bony bitch?"

-If, for some reason, she can’t play on her own console, she’ll invite herself to your house and either play split-screen with you on yours, or slide up behind you and hold you, resting her head against your shoulder while she watches you play. She’d definitely be interested in watching you play since you’ve played it much longer than her. She can learn different building techniques, ways to get around different terrains without boats and similar transportation, and hey, maybe she’ll actually learn how important it is to cRaFT A TOOL.

-Playing with her is always fun because she’s so quick to act snarky towards the fictional enemies in the game. Sure, she’ll jokingly yell at a zombie if it smacks her, but she gets so defensive if something attacks you.

-Sometimes it seems like she forgets that the game is entirely fictional and you aren’t actually being hurt. After a while of you teasing her about it, she starts to make fun of herself in a way. She’ll use the voice she had when mockingly reading one of the Azura books aloud. “I shall avenge thee!”

-For sure has pink-themed “equipment,” as she calls it. I’m talking pink controllers/keyboard + mouse, pink (probably LED) headphones, pink wrap for the console itself, etc. And not, like, pastel pink. Neon pink or a really bright shade of magenta.

-Her voice actress (Eden Riegel) said she’d absolutely be one to set trends in the human realm, but I think one of the trends she’d follow herself is trying to start a gaming channel.

-She’d definitely expect you to fully support her and even create a channel of your own so you could collaborate on the game.

-Eden also said Boscha’s favorite human snack would be Takis, so I can picture her snacking on those while she’s playing anything online.

-Overall, Boscha would absolutely love playing Minecraft, especially with you, and would kinda grow a little too obsessed with it for a while before moving on to a new game, though she'd always come back to Minecraft if she needed to relax.