Mistletoe

Mistletoe

[Raya and the Last Dragon] Raya x Female Reader

Summary: When you fail to take notice of the not-so-subtle hints Raya keeps dropping to get you under the mistletoe, she ultimately gives up on the hinting and pulls you in.

Word Count: 1.54k Content + Warnings: Oblivious reader, modern College AU, Raya pining for Reader Category: Slight Angst + Fluff || One-shot

[A/N]: Taking a short break from writing for Val. I wish I had seen this movie sooner. Raya immediately stole my heart.

Enjoy!

“Namaari, look at Raya,” Sisu whispered, jabbing Namaari in the arm with her elbow. Glancing down at her and then to where she was pointing, Namaari bit back a small laugh upon seeing her friend leaning against the wall uncomfortably, failing almost miserably at flirting with the girl she was talking to. “God, she’s hopeless.” Sisu snickered, handing Namaari one of the drinks she had swiped off the table when they showed up to the small house party. Slowly, the taller woman sipped at the drink in the cup, silently wondering to herself how long it would take Raya to get over her nerves.

Sisu leaned over to whisper again. “Do you think we should help her somehow?” A shake of the head was her response. “No, she needs to do this on her own.”

For over two hours, Raya had been trying to guide you under the mistletoe that the host had hung in the doorway of one of the halls. Whether you were deliberately avoiding it or were just genuinely oblivious to the small decoration hanging overhead, she didn’t know. All she did know was that she was starting to get a little frustrated.

She had propped herself against the wall closest to you, smirking with her best look of feigned confidence as she tried her best to flirt with you. It seemed you weren’t entirely getting anything she was hinting at, unfortunately.

All she wanted was to let you know she loved you, and if she was being honest with herself, she had for a while. After being invited to the party and learning that you were going to be there too, she promised herself she would take it as her opportunity to finally confess. It had been difficult the past few months to be around you, especially considering that you were one of her roommates, and she was tired of constantly feeling helplessly in love with you. She wanted so desperately to get rid of that feeling and finally know if you felt the same way.

And there she was, trying to shoot her shot with you, and you just didn’t seem to notice any of it. She had finally managed to get you alone after talking with your friends for the majority of your time there, but your obliviousness made it seem like she was so small – like she wasn’t even there. You weren’t ignoring her. In fact, you were actively talking with her. It just felt like you were ignoring the flirty comments and remarks she continued to send your way.

She had seen a few other couples end up under the mistletoe – which was only a foot away from where you stood – and it upset her. They seemed to wander underneath it eagerly. Was she not being convincing enough? Did you not like her the same way? She was sure you did.

After several minutes of nonstop flirting, she was tempted to just blurt out what she was wanting. ‘Wanna join me under the mistletoe?’ It seemed so easy in her head. Why was this so hard?

For a moment, she could feel eyes on her. When she turned, she found Namaari and Sisu staring back at her with smiles, laughing quietly at her expense before motioning for her to keep trying. She rolled her eyes at them before her gaze fell down to the cup in her hands. A small sigh unwillingly slipped past her lips, catching your attention.

“You okay?” You asked, and, oh, Raya nearly melted on the spot at how softly you looked over at her. The corners of her lips perked up into a small smile at your concern. She nodded, not wanting you to worry over her. “Yeah, I’m alright.”

A moment passed where nothing more was said between the two of you. Eventually, Raya’s eyes wandered across the room. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip and she quickly averted her gaze at the sight of yet another couple necking. Slowly, her eyes trailed up your body, stopping at your face, and she couldn’t resist the desire that bubbled up in her, wanting to know how your lips would feel against hers. She didn’t even know if you’d want to kiss her.

She wanted to think that you’d return her affections happily, that you’d enjoy kissing her as much as she enjoyed kissing you, that you’d pull her closer and only pull away once you were both breathless. The more rational part of her mind, however, reminded her that the opposite could become reality. Maybe you’d push her away, telling her you didn’t feel the same. What if you mocked her or thought she was gross for liking you? She knew you were into girls, but were you into her?

A hand landing on her shoulder and giving it a squeeze pulled her from her harmful thoughts. Blinking, she looked to the side to find you still studying her. Had you even looked away? “Are you sure you’re alright? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.”

With a small groan, she ran a hand down her face and nodded. “Yeah. I’m fine.” You weren’t buying it, she knew that, but you still turned with a nod of your own and let your hand fall back down to your side. She had to stop herself from snatching your hand and keeping it against her skin. “Okay,” you murmured with a frown. Her heart throbbed. Ever since she met you, she felt physical discomfort anytime she’d upset you, even if it wasn’t over anything serious. She couldn’t bring herself to say no to you. She wanted you to be happy with her, not the opposite.

Huffing out a sigh, she turned to face you fully. “I just don’t get why you’ve been ignoring my hints and advances instead of at least addressing them.” It caught her off guard to see you stare back at her with pure bewilderment. Immediately, she regretted the tone she had used.

“Hints and advances?” You echoed, brows pinched together as you tilted your head in confusion. “What do you mean?” All she could do was stare at you for a moment, just as puzzled as you were. Had you genuinely not understood her motives? She thought she was being obvious. Namaari and Sisu clearly thought so too. “Well, yeah,” she started, internally cursing at the way her voice broke. “I’ve been flirting with you all night. I thought you were just ignoring it.”

You chuckled uneasily, shaking your head and glancing away for a moment. “No, I just didn’t know that’s what you were doing.”

She let herself chuckle, ducking her head back down and covering it with one of her hands. “Oh, wow. Okay.” Almost immediately, all of her anxiety seemed to fade away, and she quickly turned to grab your hand after placing both your and her cups down on a nearby table. Before you could question what she was doing, she pulled you over under the mistletoe like she had been wanting to all night. She pointed up at it with a grin, her hands dropping to rest against your hips and pull you closer to her. “Then I’ll be upfront here. Since we’re under the mistletoe now, is it alright if I kiss you?”

To her surprise, your face went red and you giggled – a sound she had never heard from you before. You tried for a minute to give her a verbal response, though you ultimately gave up and offered her a nod instead. Now elated, her smile widened and she let one of her hands lift to cup your face. Slowly, in order to properly gauge your reaction, she tilted her head and leaned forward. As a way to get back at you for being so blind to her advances, she paused when your lips grazed hers.

She chuckled when you pouted with your eyes still closed. After waiting, she dove into the kiss upon seeing you open your eyes again, likely ready to ask her what she was doing. Every dream of having you close to her like this over the past few months finally felt fulfilled. Your lips fit just as perfectly against hers as she had hoped, and it took everything in her not to devour until your lips were blue.

She would do that some other time, she promised herself, when the two of you were somewhere far more private. For now, she was just grateful that she had you in her arms.

Once she finally pulled away, she found you staring up at her in surprise, your pupils blown. Her heart fluttered at the sight of what just one of her kisses had done to you. She smirked to herself. She couldn’t wait to get more of those reactions out of you once you both made it home. Briefly, she glanced over at Sisu and Namaari, finding them not even paying attention. Her grin widened when she turned her focus back to you.

She’d have to ask them to leave the dorm for a bit.

Possibly for the entire night.

She hummed, watching you lean toward her again for another kiss. Happily, she closed the gap.

There was only one way to find out.

Artistic S/O Headcanons

[Inside Out 2] Valentina [Val] Ortiz x Female Reader

Summary: General and romantic headcanons for Val with an artistic female S/O.

Word Count: 1.19k Content + Warnings: None Category: Fluff || Headcanons

[A/N]: This was fun to write! I included general artist stuff like sketching and painting, but I also included Reader being a musical artist and if Reader likes to write.

Enjoy!

Personally, I like to think that Val has an artistic side herself

Whenever she’s not practicing or training for hockey, she’s curled up somewhere sketching or painting whatever comes to mind

I like to think she’s a pretty decent artist too

So when she learns that her S/O is also into art, she’s thrilled

She’ll come to you most of the time for advice or ideas on a piece, especially if you’re at a higher skill level than she is

Sometimes there’ll be days where you’re hanging out alone together and just sitting close to each other while you both draw

If she isn’t in the mood to sketch or paint, or if she just doesn’t have any ideas, she’ll either lean against your shoulder to watch you work, or she’ll settle behind you and pull your back into her chest so she can hold you

When in the latter position, her arms will rest comfortably around your waist without getting in the way and her head will plant itself gently against your shoulder so she can peer over and watch you work

She’ll throw in plenty of compliments here and there about whatever it is you’re working on

If you’re looking for inspiration or encouragement, she’ll provide it for you somehow

If you like to sketch people and she sees that you’ve drawn her, she’ll get uncharacteristically sheepish, telling you that you made her look so good in your style and that she feels honored you chose her as your model

Definitely likes to do that challenge where you trade off drawings every five minutes and add something random to it until it’s a finished piece

I can either see her as having a really loose, relaxed style, or a unique abstract style where she focuses more on the angular sides of things

Regardless of her own style, she 100% likes to doodle you from time to time, especially if you’re nearby and she can use you for reference instead of going based off of memory

If she doesn’t draw or anything, then she’ll happily ask you to give her quick lessons here and there

Though, most of the time she just stares lovingly at you, adoring how passionate you are about your craft and how easily you can explain things to her (even if she’s not necessarily listening)

If you don’t have your sketchbook or anything solid to draw on, she’ll offer you one of her arms and a few pens or markers so you can doodle something random on her skin

She likes the feeling of you holding her arm so still and tracing random patterns or shapes against her skin, and she often gets lost in a daze just watching you draw on her

When you finish, she’ll keep her sleeves rolled up. Partially to let the ink dry, but mainly to show off what you’ve drawn on her

Not sure if she’d be the type to get tattoos, but if she ever did get one, she would go to you immediately to help her design one

If you ever enter your pieces into competitions or shows for school or otherwise, she’s going to be your #1 supporter the entire time. Even if you don’t get first place, she’s cheering you on and offering you every ounce of encouragement she has in her body

You’re always there to cheer her on during her hockey matches, so she likes to return the favor, even if it’s just a small competition

If you ever open commissions, she’s the first one to buy one from you, and she’ll continue to buy one from you at least once or twice a month

She’ll bring it up to her team and gladly show off your work, telling them you’re open for commissions

They all also buy a piece from you each time, wanting to support you almost as much as Val does herself

Her teammates adore you with all of their hearts, and they love how happy you make Val, so they want to return the favor and let you know that they admire and appreciate you

Val absolutely spam-likes your posts if you have an art account. That, and she’ll post each and every one on her story with compliments (as well as lowkey bragging that she has such a creative and talented girlfriend)

Will 100% pose or model for you if you want her to, though she’ll crack plenty of flirty jokes throughout your process, wanting to see you smile as you work

If you’re just wanting to have a chill session where you’re just drawing (separately or together), she’ll put on music in the background, occasionally singing along with it if she knows it

Speaking of music:

If you’re more of a musical artist, she’s absolutely wanting to listen to whatever you make, even if it’s just something as simple as a beat

If you play any instruments or sing, she’s sitting right by your side or holding you from behind as she listens to you play or sing

I can see her having a pretty voice, so if she were to ever sing with you, she’d likely make harmonies or duets sounds great

Definitely listens to any music you make and will support you all the way if you choose to try and make it into a career

There’ll definitely be mini concerts in the kitchen or while listening to music together while cleaning the place, and she always makes sure you know just how beautiful your voice is

She’ll help you come up with lyrics or melodies if you need it

To make sure you know she’s being genuine with her support, she’ll throw in specific things she likes about your art, musical or not, so it doesn’t sound like a vague, generic compliment

She’d compliment how bold your strokes are when painting or sketching, how specific features of a face or item you doodle look stunning, how captivating the color palette you chose is, etc.

She’d also compliment how smooth your voice is if you’re singing, how catchy the melody you came up with is, how the chords you chose match the tone of the song perfectly, and so on and so forth

If you like to write stories, she’s reading each one the moment you tell her she can

Writing a book? She’s there whenever you need help coming up with a scene or a plot point

Typing up a random short story to get the creative juices flowing? She’s listing out potential names for characters and describing things that could catch the reader’s attention

She’ll help you develop your own writing style over time and will celebrate every little victory with you, even if it’s something as simple as finishing a chapter or scene you were struggling with

Overall, she’s an incredibly supportive girlfriend to her artistic S/O, and she absolutely wants everyone to know just how incredibly talented you are. She joins in regardless of how good she is at drawing, painting, sculpting, singing, making music, writing, etc. because she loves making sure you know that she’s just as passionate about your interests as you are

YOUR VAL HEADCANON WA SSO GODDODO IMS FREZMINF

I'm glad you liked them!! The headcanons post for her specifically was really fun to write -- I'd definitely love to write more headcanons for her in the future!

If you don't mind me asking, do you write headcanons where the character is yandere or possessive?

Hi, hun.

I don't mind you asking at all! I am willing to write for yandere/possessive scenarios if they are specifically requested, although I will avoid themes such as SA and/or abuse of any kind (especially towards the reader). I'm perfectly alright with including darker themes, but I still would really like for my page to be a safe place for anyone who stumbles upon it.

I've written for Jinx from Arcane as a yandere-typed character before (I believe it was actually my first post on here ever), and I'm planning to rewrite it with the same themes, so it's certainly not off the table!

If you've got any ideas for specific characters to write for with either of these scenarios, feel free to send in another ask!

Thank you again for asking. I appreciate you making sure I'm comfortable with potential requests. :)

I Appreciate It

[Raya and the Last Dragon] Raya x Female Reader

Summary: You're the reason Raya's enjoying her life, and she wants to make sure you know she appreciates it.

Word Count: 6.52k Content + Warnings: Fear of rejection Category: Fluff || One-shot

[A/N]: Wrote this in one sitting and, as usual, didn't proofread it, so apologies in advance if some things don't make sense.

Enjoy!

A few steps away from her bed, a small set of hooks had been bolted in the wall to offer a supported display for Raya’s sword. She often kept it there now that serenity had been returned to Kumandra, having no practical use for it other than decoration. When she would go out training, whether she was on her own or not, she’d take it down just long enough for said occasion. Although there had been structures set after the attack of the Druun to prevent another fall into despair, thieves and bandits were still often left to their own devices, which drove them to the last resort of trying to attack or invade surrounding lands.

Heart just so happened to be one of the parts of Kumandra that drew the most attention. Raya figured it was because of the tales that had been beginning to spread about how peace was restored to the land again. Although the gem of Sisu had been broken, it was still the target of many thieves, regardless of the fact it had no proper use now that the dragons had been resurrected. “I guess I could understand why they still want it,” Raya once mumbled to you, standing by your side as she cradled the fractured orb in her hands. “It drove the Druun away for so long. It’s how Namaari and I were able to escape with our lives and rescue everyone in Fang.”

Even though attacks were taken care of easily and were slowly becoming less frequent, Raya still took it upon herself to make sure she was ready for whatever might come her way. With help from her Ba, she began to train the children who wanted to help defend Kumandra as a whole. Despite the five lands having returned to solidarity with one another, there were still the threats of the world outside of their borders. Armies were still formed over time and were placed on high alert to keep the people safe.

Raya spent three days out of each week to help train the younger generations, but she always made sure to reserve time for herself to keep her skills sharp. Though most of the reason was to ensure she would still be ready for the inevitable, part of it was to give her something to do throughout the day, something to keep herself busy. Often, she would invite you with her when she’d train solo, and as she meandered over to the makeshift shelf on her wall and lifted her sword from its pegs, that day was no different.

Slipping out of her bedroom and down the hall, she greeted each person she passed, the corners of her lips tugged upwards gleefully as her excitement to see you grew with each step. She did her best to suppress the twinge of queasiness making itself known in the pit of her stomach when recalling the entirety of her plan.

She had met you back when she was twelve, specifically right after being thrown into the river by her Ba. Wrecked with fatigue by the time she washed up close to the shore, her eyes had begun to shut against her will, the grip she had on the broken piece of the dragon gem faltering, and her arms and legs tiring of the constant battle against the frigid waves. Her vision was beginning to blur, voice breaking as she called out for help. Still, she fought to stay awake, able to feel the tips of her fingers grazing against the sand decorating the shoreline.

Her body had barely made it far enough to rest only partially against the land before it gave in beneath her. The waves once again swept her underneath, quick gasps and coughs her response as she once again began to thrash to the surface. The little bit of adrenaline she had left burned to life beneath her skin, and it only worsened when she felt something grasp roughly at her arm and pull. Once she was finally able to lift her head from under the water again, her brows furrowed together as she tried to squint through the bleariness blocking her vision.

When the figure ahead of her pulled her ashore and dragged her far enough away to avoid being stolen by the river again, it clicked in her head that she was being helped. The figure hovered over her as she laid there on her back underneath the blackening sky littered with stars. She couldn’t move any of her limbs in that moment, and ultimately she ended up passing out, her fingers finally releasing the broken gem once her eyes fell shut.

The next morning, she awoke to find herself violently coughing up the water from before. Her fingers had clutched desperately against her chest as she finally gasped for air, the pain subsiding only after the sputtering had come to an end. Groaning, she finally managed to pry open her eyes and stare down at the mixture of water and vomit beneath her on the sand. A grimace was her only reaction as she tried to recall all that had happened.

Her head turned upon remembering the shattered dragon gem, eyes trailing over the shore for the piece she had been handed before her Ba had tossed her and left her crashing through the surface of the river she used to admire. Fearful, her eyes widened when she couldn’t spot the glowing part of all that had been left behind by Sisu. With a panicked grunt, she forced herself to her feet, grasping at the side of her head in pain and hissing as she stumbled forward.

“Hey, be careful,” a sudden voice chimed in from beside her, a hand landing on her shoulder and prompting her to jolt and spin on her heel to face the owner. Instantly fixing herself into a stance of defense, Raya found herself staring ahead at a girl, no older than herself. You. You had clearly been startled by her motions as well and shakily stepped back, holding your hands up in surrender as you fought against your nerves. “Who are you?” She had asked immediately, eyes flickering across your body and finding a plethora of scratches and bruises, and when she briefly glanced down at herself, she found she was in the same state. You gave her your name in reply, then pulled at the satchel you had fixated over your shoulder until it slid off. “Here,” you murmured, arms outstretched to offer her the bag.

Curiously, she continued to glare at you. You were just a young girl like her, surely you were no threat. ‘No,’ she reminded herself. ‘Namaari’s my age too, and look at what she did.’ With a movement too quick for you to register right away, she snatched the satchel out of your hands and stepped a decent distance away to peer into it. Surprised to find the gem she had been looking for inside, she finally turned her attention back to you, expectantly waiting for you to explain yourself.

“You were holding it when I pulled you out of the water,” you started. “I just wanted to make sure it wouldn’t draw any attention, so I put it in there. It should make it easier to carry it around now, too.” Her features now riddled with confusion, she fully turned to face you again. “Why didn’t you try to steal it?” “Why would I?” She hummed, eyeing you. Maybe you were just a girl. Maybe you really weren’t a threat.

Still, she huffed and tucked the gem back inside before shutting the satchel. After lifting it over her head and slipping it over her shoulder, she turned around, glancing at her surroundings to try and understand where she was. “Where are you going?” You asked, finally gathering the courage to step up beside her. With a small hint of distrust glistening in her eyes, she glared back at you. “I have to get the rest of the pieces of Sisu’s gem back,” she replied, lifting her head to focus back on the land ahead. “But I’ll need to grab something from Fang first.”

She had only gotten to take a few steps forward before you spoke again.

“Could I come with you?”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“I don’t want to be alone.”

“What I’m going to do isn’t safe.”

“Well, staying here where the Druun could find me isn’t safe either, is it?”

You stepped forward then, planting your hands together and bowing your head as a sign of respect as you plead. “Please, take me with you. I don’t know where to go. My family was taken by the Druun, and I don’t know what else I could do.”

Silence fell between the two of you, her steps faltering before stopping as she turned to face you once more. Briefly, you could see her glance into the distance behind you before her shoulders slumped down in defeat, paired with a heavy sigh. “Okay, fine, but you’d better be good at fighting,” she mumbled. A groan slipped past her lips when you admitted you had no idea how to do so.

“Guess I’ll have to teach you.”

You followed her around for a bit. She had to spend a few weeks making her way back to Heart to gather supplies, and while she was there, she grabbed a few things she knew she would need, including her Ba’s sword. When she unsheathed it to ensure it was still intact, she couldn’t help the smile that graced her lips when she noticed you staring at it in awe. “You know how to use that?” She shrugged. “Not really, but I’ll have to learn. Come on, we’ve got to find something for you to use, too.”

Even though it was irritating at first to have to spend time training you as well as herself, as well as finding ways to feed the two of you and seek out shelter, Raya had learned to appreciate your company over the years. By the time Sisu had been brought back and everything was finally brought back to normal, she had grown to trust you with her life. And with the help of Sisu and Namaari (i.e. their relentless teasing during festivals and meetings), she realized with even more time that she had fallen for you as well.

Now that Kumandra was brought together as one again, training became more of a way for her to stay busy and to reminisce on how she helped teach you to fight. Even during the first session you had spent with her, she remembered the way you threw out compliments and words of encouragement with her fighting style and skill. It was one of the things she looked forward to most now: she wasn’t necessarily one to flaunt her talents to others, but you seemed to be the one exception.

She adored seeing the pure admiration in your eyes, prideful to know that it was caused by her. The few times when you weren’t able to join her, she’d often end up calling it quits within a relatively short amount of time. It wasn’t just the look in her eyes that she loved – it was also your praise. When you’d join in and spar against her, you’d still compliment her different tactics. She had gotten used to teasing remarks and insults when fighting Namaari as she had traveled to find the dragon gem’s missing pieces years before. It was always refreshing to have someone be so positive.

Your positivity was one of the main things that had drawn her to you. Growing up and trying to survive together over those six years brought the two of you close to each other very quickly. You had to put trust in one another, especially with how close you had to physically be in case of the attack of the Druun. Raya carried the gem rather than you, so she wanted you to stay by her side at all times to make sure she could protect you.

When the festivities had been held as Kumandra came together again the day Raya was reunited with her Ba, she had eventually ended up climbing to the top of the stone palace in Heart, needing a bit of time alone to fully solidify for herself that everyone was back. It wasn’t long after she had sat down to gaze out at the open sea before you joined her, murmuring small complaints to yourself about the dress you had chosen to wear for the event being hosted just below.

She laughed softly as you sat down beside her and plucked out stray branches and wiped away patches of dust from the skirt of your dress. “Didn’t think you’d be able to make it up here in that thing,” she blurted, eyeing the small tears she could see at the hems of your sleeves and skirt. “I nearly didn’t,” you responded, running a hand down your face before lying down on your back and trying hard to catch your breath. After a moment where she could only gaze down at you, she leaned back until she was lying by your side. With her fingers laced together and resting on her stomach, her focus landed above on the sky.

“I can’t believe it’s over now,” she mumbled, eyes closing as she delighted in the cool breeze against her skin. A hum left you in reply, combined with a small, almost unnoticeable nod. You shuffled over, similarly to how you did on the colder nights when warmth was scarce, and let your head move to rest on her shoulder, rolling onto your side to get more comfortable. “Neither can I.”

She was grateful that the light provided by the moon was so dim, too dim to see the way her face darkened with color at your closeness. It wasn’t anything new to have you by her side, but it felt so much more intimate in that moment than before. There was no threat nearby, nor were there any icy winds nipping away at your skin, and yet there you were: curled up against her side with your head leaning snugly on her shoulder. “What do you think we’ll do now?” You asked softly, letting your hand fidget with the edge of her bust-wrap poking out beneath her vest, failing to see how she tensed – almost bristled – at the contact.

“I don’t know,” she stammered. With a bit of hesitation, she slipped one of her hands into the one you had been using to toy with her clothes. “I just want you to be there with me.”

“Oh. Hey, Raya! What’re you doing here?” She blinked, finally coming out of her memories and back to her senses. Somehow, she had made it to your house without realizing it, too caught up in her thoughts. “Hey, just wanted to see if you’re ready to come with me for training.” You nodded. You had clearly been tidying up your place before she arrived, which was evident from the small basket of laundry you were carrying outside. “Yeah, just let me hang these up real quick to dry.” As you set the basket down and started to pick out different pieces of clothing, she stepped over and leaned down to grab a few herself. “Oh, you don’t have to help.”

Smiling with a shake of her head, she moved over to the clothesline and helped you pin up the few blouses you had after finishing her own. “I don’t mind.” When you grinned at her, her own smile widened. “Are you doing this out of the kindness of your heart, or are you just wanting me to hurry up?” Your words elicited a chuckle from her, making her shake her head again. “A little bit of both,” she admitted. “But it’s only because I have something planned for us after training that we have to do before the sun sets.”

Now filled with curiosity, you raise a brow at her and lean over. “Oh? What is it?” “It’s a surprise. I can’t tell you yet.” With a fake pout, you crossed your arms, watching her as she pinned your last blouse to the clothesline. “You’re no fun,” you replied, making her roll her eyes and playfully bump your shoulder. “You know that’s not true.”

“Oh, do I now?” Her fingers gently wrapped themselves around your hand as she pulled you to begin the short journey towards her usual training spot. “Yes, you do.” As you were tugged along, you eventually moved to walk beside her, shifting your hand in hers until your fingers laced together. Unlike months before, the reddening of her face was visible underneath the blazing heat of the sun. Had there not been a chill in the air, you would’ve figured it was caused by the rays casting down and conducting the dances made by the deep shadows beneath trees and behind the homes surrounding your own. She had no way to hide it now without turning away, which she didn’t want to do.

If she turned away, she wouldn’t be able to glance over at you and admire every little feature adorning your face, which she wanted nothing more than to cradle and pepper in kisses. Although she didn’t appreciate the visibility of her flustered skin, she was grateful for the sunlight at the same time. The softness of the light graced over every part of you that she could see, and for a moment she found herself staring at you rather than where she was going. You had to guide her around a few rocks and stumps until she managed to look away again.

When she did, she could see the small field ahead that she was aiming for. “We’re almost there,” she informed you, arching an eyebrow when you laughed. “Yeah, I know. I’m not the one who’s been looking everywhere but where she’s going.” This time she did turn away, only to hide the way the red dusting her cheeks brightened at your words. She cleared her throat a moment after and hummed, rubbing the tips of her fingers together on her free hand as she thought of what to say. “I just got distracted,” was all she was able to say.

“I could tell,” you replied nonchalantly. With a teasing shove, she scoffed. You laughed at her actions and she smiled, eyes softening once they met yours and tensed shoulders finally drooping back down. Once your head turned to the side to look up and over at the trees dancing almost overhead, she could feel the corners of her lips faltering. Although she would never admit it out loud, she wished you were as desperate to look her way as she was just to catch even a glimpse of you.

She admired every part of you, big or small, and silently she wondered to herself if you felt the same about her. The two of you had a bond that couldn’t be formed with any other. Being hardened by survival growing up, combined with only being able to rely on each other for years, you often found yourself leaning on her for support or even just for company, and she did the same. Just your presence alone was often enough to calm her and soothe her of her worries. Half of the time you didn’t even have to speak. Just having you near was enough.

You were a beacon of hope to her – one of internal and external beauty that she would never tire of. Even though your features had changed and matured over the course of growing up, she found herself loving each one the same. Your eyes were ones she could find herself getting lost in with ease, your nose was always her favorite place to poke or tap whenever she felt like teasing you, your lips looked perfect when they’d curve up into one of your stunning smiles she always tried to cause. She adored everything about you.

She loved you, and she wondered if you felt the same.

And although she was tense beyond belief about it, she would find out if you did later on that night.

“Hey, we’re here,” you stated suddenly, snapping her out of her small trance. Looking up and around, she nodded, realizing you were right. Centered in the empty field were a few makeshift props Raya had set up to practice her aim.

Outside of the training targets, the grass was vibrant and lively, recently trimmed specifically for an open space Raya could train in. Colorful wildflowers freckled the small plot of land. Droplets from the previous day’s rain decorated a few petals, which helped reflect the sunlight from above. From a distance, the flowers would simply look like specks of color below small sparkles. At the farthest end of the field rested a short row of large teak trees, where you often sat to watch her in the shade. On the days you weren’t there, she couldn’t help but picture you resting underneath those trees, drawing in the loose dirt or toying with one of her spare weapons like you usually did.

“Do you feel like sparring with me this time?” She asked, trying to conceal the hope in her tone. For a moment, you glanced over and eyed the small crate of extra tools and weapons she kept stationed in the field. A frown formed on her lips when you shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m kind of tired from cleaning all day. Maybe next time we can come here in the morning or something so I can join in.” Regardless of her disappointment, she nodded in response and watched as you made your way over to the trees. She trailed behind you and unfastened her cloak, which she then handed to you after sliding it from her shoulders.

Neatly, you folded it up and set it in your lap upon sitting down. When she turned and stepped away a bit to stretch, you felt the pads of your fingers softly pinching part of the fabric of her cloak between them, grinning down at the softness of it. Each time you saw it, you remembered how she’d drape it over your shoulders when you’d start to shiver, even now that you weren’t left to fend for yourselves. During those colder nights spent trying to recover the stolen pieces of Sisu’s gem, even if she was sat in front of you to lead Tuk Tuk ahead, she’d stop and take it off, turning to you and helping you wrap it comfortably around yourself.

On the rare occasion you were both able to rest for the night, she’d find an abandoned home or outhouse and pull you inside, asking Tuk Tuk to keep watch in the meantime. She’d sit down and lean against one of the walls before inviting you to sit with her. Even though you’d start off resting beside her with your head on her shoulder, you’d always wake up to find yourself seated in her lap, which she claimed she only insisted on so you could both rest under her cloak. “I don’t want to freeze to death, okay?” “Yeah, I got that, but why do I have to be in your lap?” “We need all the warmth we can get, including body heat.”

You knew that was true, but you never bought that as being the only reason she pulled you onto her each time. Regardless of how truthful she was being, you never complained, instead opting to tease her about it. After a while of this, you realized she had taken notice of your liking towards the warmth it provided either way. Each time you would so much as tremble, she’d immediately be reaching her arm towards you with the cloak in her hand, offering it to you without hesitation.

Some nights you’d find yourself keeping yourself warm with it as you slept instead of your blankets. It didn’t technically belong to you, but it quickly became one of your favorite articles of clothing.

Smiling to yourself, you finally looked up from the cloak in your lap and let your eyes land over on her already striking one of the targets with her heel, grunting and stepping back to shift her weight before lunging forward again with a similar attack.

As the blows she landed on the small target continued, you began to let out small cheers to encourage her, which she turned to you and smiled at before returning to her motions. That same smile never left her lips, even as she switched to her sword and started slashing. After cupping your hands by the sides of your mouth, you shouted a few more words of praise, watching with glee at the way her confidence in her movements visibly grew.

You must’ve sat there for an hour or two before she finally hunched over, supporting her weight by planting her hands on her knees as she panted for breath. After she straightened up again and you stood to join her, she lifted her head and checked where the sun was in the sky. When you made it to her side, she smiled at the sight of you with her cloak now draped around your shoulders. “What did you have planned for afterwards?” You asked, reminding her of the very thing that was forcing her nerves to spike in her chest.

“You’ll see soon enough, I promise. That’s where we’re headed now, but I do have to ask: are you up for a bit of a climb?”

Very briefly, Raya returned with you to her bedroom to drop off her sword and change into something more comfortable before heading back out. It didn’t take long for you to realize where you were being led. As you tilted your head back to stare up and watch Raya beginning to climb up the stone curve of the palace, you couldn’t help but sigh. Your body was already worn out and sore from cleaning and feeding the livestock all day, and while the couple of hours spent watching Raya train was a nice break, it surely didn’t take away the fatigue melting over you with each passing second.

She noticed you hadn’t started to follow her up and turned to glance down at you. “You coming?” “Yeah,” you started in reply, running your hands down your face before stationing your hands against the rocky surface, “but you’re carrying me back down.” A small laugh escaped her as she shook her head, turning back around and resuming her climb. Grunts erupted from your throat as you hoisted yourself farther up the steep structure. Your body screamed at you to stop, begging for some sort of relief. By the time you made it up, Raya had knelt down and helped pull you the rest of the way to the top.

You rolled over onto your back, arms sprawled out by your sides as you desperately tried to catch your breath, barely able to hear Raya chuckle again over the sound of your heart pounding in your ears. “Are you really gonna die on me right now from a simple climb?” She teased, sitting beside you and leaning over to look down at you. “You never had trouble like this before.” The backs of your knuckles lightly swatted at her arm in response. “It’s been three years since I’ve had to climb anything like this,” you muttered with a small roll of your eyes. “Give me a break. I’m not in shape like I used to be.”

Silence met you instead of the teasing remark you were halfway expecting. You were hesitant to open your eyes, worried you’d find her glaring down at you with disdain because of your state. Eventually, you managed to convince yourself anyway, and your eyes flitted open only to find her gazing back down at you with one of the softest expressions you’ve ever seen on her. The sight of her admiration-filled eyes and warm smile made your heart thunder even louder, hammering against your ribs almost painfully as color crept up to your cheeks.

For a moment, you only stared at each other, too enveloped in the fondness that wrapped around your hearts to tear the attention away from one another. Her lips parted as though she was going to speak, though nothing came out. A hum left her instead, and she finally turned her head to look over at the sun setting in the distance. You sat up under her gaze once it returned to you, breath hitching and trembling when her hand slid forward against the grass and took yours into her own.

“I want to show you something.”

You followed her without question as she pulled you to your feet and led you over toward the opposite edge. Upon sitting back down, Raya motioned forward, prompting you to follow her line of sight until you were met with a sight worth remembering. The late hour of the evening was bringing the sun lower to the horizon, partially hidden away already. The gentle waters surrounding Heart were littered with small boats that rocked almost hypnotically in sync.

Waves usually soaked with deep hues of blue were now painted shades of red and orange from the softening glow of the sunlight. As the ocean swallowed up the sun, the water below darkened slowly into purple before growing murky and black like the sky hovering just above, mirroring the specks of light from the stars and the moon. The sunlight almost seemed to remain above the sea as the fishermen lit their lanterns, brightening the glow dancing along the waves.

Awestruck by the sight, you failed to notice Raya now turning herself towards you. It wasn’t until her hand grazed over your forearm that you were brought back to your senses. You turned to her, letting your eyes drop down to where her fingers traced random patterns into your skin. “Raya?” It seemed she couldn’t meet your eye anymore, making you wonder to yourself if you had done something to upset her. The sight of her smile returning eased you.

“Do you like the view? I would’ve brought you here sooner, but I wanted to wait until the sky was clear.” Her voice sounded different than what you were used to. It sounded gentle – vulnerable – and almost scared. It helped very little to soothe her with a nod, but you weren’t sure what to say. Something felt different about the way she was acting.

“Is everything okay?” Was all you could come with, turning your body to face her properly as well. Her head dipped down briefly, chest rising as she sucked in a deep breath. “Yeah,” she whispered. “Just a little nervous.” You supposed the gentle chuckle she let out was an attempt to lighten the mood, though it didn’t have the same effect, instead making her seem even more worried. “You gonna kill me or something?” It was relieving to hear her finally laugh genuinely at your words and shake her head. “No, no, of course not. I could never.”

Shivers ran down your spine as she slid her hands down your forearm and across your wrist in order to cushion your hand in hers. It was easy to feel the roughness of her palms, scarred with callouses, and yet the way in which she touched your skin felt so tender. “I just wanted to be alone with you where no one could find us.” “Mm, still kind of sounds like you’re gonna kill me.” “Oh, for the love of – I’m not going to kill you,” she laughed again, jokingly swatting your shoulder. “Just relax, okay? No one is getting murdered, I swear.

“I just–” Her attention fell back down to where her hands met yours, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she fought for the right words. When nothing came from her, you followed her eyes down to find her thumb caressing the back of your hand. Slowly, almost painfully, she lifted your hand until her lips met your knuckles, sending a jolt of surprise through your veins and instantly bringing the color back to your face. When she lowered your hand and finally looked up at you, there was something in her eyes you couldn’t quite pinpoint. “There are some things I want to make sure you know.”

Too flustered by the unexpected action, you could only nod, wanting her to continue. Her eyes flickered down to the small bit of your skin she had kissed before shifting to the sea. “For starters, I want you to know that I’m glad you were with me those six years. If you hadn’t been there, Tuk Tuk and I probably would’ve taken longer to get around. That, and I wouldn’t have been as warm at night. I know I said I only held you like that on those nights to stay warm, but I’m pretty sure you saw it for what it was.”

She shrugged. “Well, that’s why I suggested sleeping like that at first, but I bet you realized that wasn’t entirely true after a while. I liked being that close to you. I still like being that close to you. I mean, you make me feel safe, and happy, and seen, and I just,” she sighed. Her words couldn’t conceal the fact that her hands had started to tremble. Ever so quietly, your name rolled off her tongue, and you met her eye once you looked back up at her. “I want you to know that I love you. I have for a long time now, but I’ve honestly just been too afraid to tell you. I don’t know if you feel the same way, and I didn’t want to make things awkward between us in case you say no, but I have to get it off my chest.

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same, but I had to let you know sooner or later.” Had your eyes not already been wide from the new feeling of her fingers tracing over your skin before, they would’ve widened at her confession. “If, by some miracle, you do feel the same, I’ll be entirely yours so long as you’ll promise to be mine.”

You watched almost helplessly as the pads of her fingers caressed where she had kissed your hand, silently hoping to yourself that she would do it again. She regained your attention by repeating your name. “Every future I see for myself, you’re in it. Even though I’ve made you my wife in most of those futures, all I really want is to make sure you know that I appreciate every little thing you do. I love everything about you, inside and out, and all I can hope for – regardless of what your answer is – is that I’ll be able to make you feel as important and loved as you’ve made me feel.”

The sound of the waves hitting the shore below, the distant cries and songs of the birds, the rustling of the leaves as they danced with the steady gusts of winds – all of it fell upon deaf ears as you focused entirely on Raya’s words. You had suspected these feelings from her before, but had always instantly told yourself it was merely just your own feelings blinding you of reality. To hear her admit that what you were hoping for was true made you dizzy.

You gawked at her, mouth agape, and stayed silent. As the seconds passed, the glimmer of anticipation began to dim in her eyes. It seemed your silence had confirmed your answer for you, even though it wasn’t at all what you had wanted to convey. Disappointed, her head lowered and her hands slid away from yours, falling to her lap and picking frantically at each other. Even still, as your brain screamed at you to say something, you couldn’t form the words. The sight of her shoulders trembling and a few drops falling from her eyes finally coerced your mind to work again.

“I’ll be yours.”

For a moment, it didn’t seem like your words registered in her mind at all. You were ready to repeat yourself, assuming she hadn’t heard you, but were stopped by her head lifting in an instant and her eyes meeting yours. “Really?” Your heart fluttered at the shakiness in her voice, and once again your thoughts were reduced into silence, resorting to a nod. It felt like all of the guilt from making her cry before instantly lifted when a smile broke back out onto her lips. Her hands once again reached forward to take yours into her own, and although the sudden motion startled you, you didn’t resist her touch.

“You’ll be mine?”

You beamed, timidly lowering your head with another nod.

“Yes.”

Using the advantage of already having you in her grasp, she pulled you forward as she shifted onto her knees, letting her head move to rest against your shoulder as she held you close. Her hands left yours, one of them grasping at your blouse and the other moving to rest against the nape of your neck. “And I’ll be yours,” she promised, ignoring every part of her that wanted to stay there and instead leaning back to look at you again. “I love you. So, so much. I can’t tell you how long I’ve been wanting to say that to you, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to know that I can tell you that whenever I want without worrying how you’ll react now.”

Your excitement mirrored hers, the smile on your face widening. “I love you, too. More than you could ever know.”

For the countless time that night, she linked your hands with hers, now grasping them firmly as the new sensation of unknown excitement flooded over all of her senses. The space between you fell silent again, though it was comfortable this time. The wonder of whether or not the other woman felt the same was finally relieved after so long, and you were now both content in just sitting together without sharing another word, reveling in the realization that you were officially together.

It took a moment for you to recall her specific choice of words. When it clicked in your head, you raised a brow and smirked to hide how giddy it made you feel, your eyes wandering up to her face again. “So,” you started, instantly catching her attention. “You plan on making me your wife in most of those futures, huh?”

She stiffened as if she had completely forgotten she had admitted those fantasies so bluntly. Still, she couldn’t deny it. “Yeah. I’ve been dreaming of those futures specifically for a while, honestly.” You chuckled, returning her sentiment from earlier and lifting one of her hands to your lips, eagerly peppering each of her knuckles with kisses.

“Well, with time, we can make those dreams a reality.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Started on: September 28th, 2024

Finished on: September 28th, 2024

Protective

[Inside Out 2] Valentina [Val] Ortiz x Female Reader

Summary: It's not common to see Val so defensive over someone, but she's growing increasingly protective of you.

Word Count: 2.63k Content + Warnings: Slightly OOC Val (I think?), Val punches someone and gets called a bitch for it, mentions of blood and a broken nose Category: Slight Angst + Heavy Fluff || One-shot

[A/N]: Like usual, this isn't proofread beyond brief skimming. Thanks to everyone who answered my poll for this story on my other account! This was really fun to write, especially because I got to write about Val punching someone lmao.

Enjoy!

Val has always been protective of her friends. The stronger the bond, the more defensive of them she could be. With her closest friends, however, she’d often lean more towards encouraging them, pushing them to stand up for themselves, knowing she can’t always be there for them. For some reason though, she had never really been that way with you. She knew you were perfectly capable of standing up for yourself, but in her eyes, she wanted to protect you at any given cost.

That feeling only grew stronger once you started dating her.

In the beginning of the relationship, her protective nature was far more subtle. She’d do things like keeping you close and wrapping her arm around your shoulders or waist whenever she could, especially when she could feel you getting uncomfortable. When things would start getting tedious in school, she’d take care of your chores around your shared apartment with her so you could relax after classes, worried you’d overwork yourself.

Even before moving in with her, she’d constantly check in with you to make sure you were okay. She would ask if you needed anything, if you wanted to get out of the house, or if you wanted to just spend some time together. You were never truly alone, she made sure.

She’d stand up for you whenever you needed it, though she’d also scold you here and there if you did something reckless, always apologizing afterwards and expressing how worried she was. She just wants to make sure you’re always safe and secure.

Over time, however, her defensiveness of you began to shine through brighter and brighter.

Occasionally, she found herself growing a little jealous of how much time you’d spend with others. She’d never voice it to you, knowing that your loyalty lies solely with her. She’d work through it on her own and quickly feel more at ease once she reminded herself that you love her and would do anything for her – and she was the same towards you.

When people would flirt with you, she’d grow more bold. Instead of just wrapping her arm around you, she’d either flirt shamelessly with you in front of whoever was doing the same to you, or she’d straight up pull you into a kiss, addressing you as one of her favorite nicknames right after and asking who’s talking to you.

Most people would get the hint and back off, though there were some people here and there who persisted, and usually she’d be just as stubborn until they left. She’d argue with them until they moved along with their day. Not once had Val’s friends seen her get physical with someone else. It’s why it was such a surprise when a boy ended up being shoved to the ground by her hands one day.

Classes had been over for a while that day, and you were waiting patiently for Val outside of the hockey stadium. Her practice would be over soon enough, but you were thankful to have one of your friends with you to kill the time and keep you company while you waited. Happily, you chatted away with her about a show you both liked, so absorbed in the conversation that you hadn’t even noticed a random boy walking your way. He was around your age, though you didn’t recognize him.

Mid-sentence, he leaned against the wall next to you and crossed his arms, a smirk toying on his lips as he eyed you up and down. “That’s my favorite show,” he blurted randomly. Startled by the sudden interruption, you turned to him quickly and furrowed your brows. “Uh,” you stammered out, “what?”

“The show you were just talking about. It’s my favorite.” Awkwardly, you gave him a forced smile and nodded, then turned back to your friend and ignored him in hopes he’d get the hint. He didn’t, unfortunately. “I didn’t know such a pretty girl would ever like what I do. You got any other shows you like?” You only nodded. “Hm, like what?” You gave a very short list of shows, your mind screaming at you to walk away. You would have, but you didn’t want to leave your friend alone with him. Something about him seemed off.

He grinned at you, nodding and stepping a bit closer, slipping his hands into his pockets once his arms uncrossed. “Maybe we should go back to my place and watch them together. You can fill me in on everything I need to know.” Shaking your head, you parted your lips, ready to tell him no. A hand slipped itself against the small of your back before moving to wrap around your waist, and you fell silent. Looking up, Val was standing beside you, glaring at the boy.

She smiled innocently, but you knew her better. You could read her like a book. Behind her forced relaxed posture and strained smile, you could both see and feel the fury and jealousy bubbling up beneath her skin and leaving behind a burning sensation. Subtly, she pulled you against her side.

“No. She and I will watch them together though,” she replied for you, tone dry and bothered. He chuckled and shook his head, pushing himself off the wall with ease and reaching forward, his fingers barely managing to graze your wrist before Val’s hand swept down and smacked his away. “C’mon,” he murmured, biting back a sneer at her actions. “You can both come back to my place with me, if you want. It’ll be fun, I promise.”

Again, his arm lurched forward to make another grab at you, This time, Val took hold of your opposite arm and tugged you behind her, shielding you with her body as she shoved him backwards. “Back off. You’re not going to lay your hands on her, and neither of us are going anywhere with you.” Now scowling, he crossed his arms. “Lay your hands on me again, I dare you,” he challenged, leaning his head back to glare down at her.

“I’d rather not. Just touching you makes me want to run my hands under boiling water.” He scoffed out a laugh, offering another shake of his head before tilting his head back down and taking a step closer. “Leave,” was the only warning Val gave. He earned another quick shove when he tried to reach over her. Visibly growing more and more furious at the denial of what he was after, he finally made a move to grab Val by the arm. Before he could pull her aside to get to you though, Val’s free hand balled itself into a fist, quickly driving up and forward until it met his nose.

He stumbled back, his hands clutching at his face and a snarl leaving his lips at the sight of blood coating his fingers. He couldn’t gain his bearings fast enough by the time Val stepped forward and shoved him yet again, this time hard enough to send him flying to the floor.

“I told you to back off,” she bellowed, wiping the backs of her knuckles against her shirt to rid them of his blood. “You bitch!” He hollered, groaning and rolling over onto his front. With one hand lifted to catch each drop of blood from his broken nose, his free hand planted itself beside his head. He propped himself up on his knees and clenched his eyes shut.

After spotting a few teachers making their way over to the scene, Val sighed and stepped back, pulling you behind her again until she was sure it was safe otherwise.

As one of the teachers moved to lift the guy up and keep him back, the other two turned to Val, immediately asking what happened. Eerily calm, she explained the situation, stressing the fact that he had repeatedly tried to lay his hands on you before ultimately grabbing her. They listened intently. Once her side was heard, they turned to the boy, ready to question him next. They both stopped, puzzled, upon seeing his face. Even though his features were distorted with pain caused by his broken nose, they could tell something wasn’t right.

“You aren’t a student here, young man. What do you think you’re doing here?” One teacher questioned. He groaned, lifting the collar of his shirt and wiping away the blood pooling down. He stuttered for a bit, unable to come up with a reasonable answer that wouldn’t throw him further into trouble.

The coach, who had grabbed the boy and helped him up, let out a heavy, tired sigh and shook his head. He yanked the boy roughly to the nearest exit, tugging him outside to scold him loudly. It seemed that, once getting a better look at his face, he recognized him. The two teachers left behind quickly thanked Val for telling them what happened, promising they’d talk more about it the next day in the counselor’s office before they rushed off to try and deescalate the bickering just outside.

Once she was sure it was safe to do so, Val turned around and gently took hold of your hands, her eyes skimming over every inch of skin she could see on your body to ensure you were okay. “Are you alright?” She asked, her voice now soft and laced with concern. You met her eye, noticing how her brows pinched themselves together and her lips pulled backwards into a worried frown. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

It took you a moment to fully process her words. You were still so shaken up and confused by the whole situation. Eventually, you managed to blink enough to focus on her gaze, a small smile painting your lips as you shook your head. “No, I’m fine. You got to me before he could do anything.” Sighing, she nodded as well. “You’d let me know if he did something, right?” “Of course.” “Okay, good.”

“Thank you, by the way,” you mumbled, squeezing her hands reassuringly in your own. “For protecting me.” She finally let herself smile, a hum sounding behind her lips as she nodded. “You don’t have to thank me. He should’ve left you alone the moment you ignored him.”

You shrugged. “Yeah, I don’t think I even want to imagine what he could’ve done if you hadn’t been here.” Shuddering, Val shook her head. “Neither do I.”

Briefly, she squeezed your shoulder, then turned away to face your friend. “Are you alright? Did he lay his hands on you or anything?” Smiling at her concern, your friend shook her head. “No, not at all. I’m okay.” Val dipped her head quickly in acknowledgement. “Do you need a ride home?” “No, but could you guys walk me to my car? I have to walk past him and the teachers out there to get to the parking lot.”

“Of course we don’t mind,” you answered immediately, motioning for her to follow as you took Val’s hand and led her down the hall towards the door. “We should go now though. I’m sure someone called the cops or security or something, and I really don’t want any of us to get caught up in that if we don’t have to.”

Once making it outside, you both led your friend over to her car, watching her get in and making sure she left without problems before sneaking around the building to Val’s own car. After slipping into your respective seats, she started the engine and shifted into drive, eagerly leaving the school grounds and having to resist the urge to speed home. Shortly after making it away, you let your hand drive over to take hold of hers, lacing your fingers together and giving a small squeeze. She beamed brightly at you and lifted your interlocked hands to press a chaste kiss to your knuckles.

Thankfully, the drive home was short, and you were soon making your way upstairs with her trailing right behind you until you ultimately made it to your door. She fished the keys out of her bag and easily unlocked it, pushing it open and holding it until you made it inside. She followed immediately after and locked the door once it clicked closed.

After dropping your bags by the entrance, you practically fell down to sit on the sofa, instantly curling up against the headrest and closing your eyes with a sigh of relief at the comfort it provided. You could feel Val sit down by your feet, and when you opened your eyes to look at her, you found her staring back with a soft smile gracing her features. “You okay?” She asked quietly. You nodded, rolling onto your back and running your hands down your face, exasperated. “Yeah, that whole thing was just draining.”

She kicked off her shoes as you spoke, laughing and humming in agreement. You lifted your hands from your face and looked down at the feeling of her head falling to rest against your chest, relaxing her weight comfortably on top of you as her arms snaked their way around your torso to ground herself in place. “Are you okay?” You asked, hands immediately dropping to toy with her hair. “Yeah, why?” “I’ve never seen you get that aggressive with someone before.”

Lifting her head, she glanced up at you. “I didn’t scare you, did I?” You chuckled, shaking your head. “No, no, not at all. Quite the opposite, actually.”

Another hum was your response. She turned her head to its original position and closed her eyes, letting a yawn roll off her tongue. “What about your hand? Is it okay?” You continued. “Why wouldn’t it be? It was just a punch. It’s been through worse.” “There was blood though.” She couldn’t help but snicker at that. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t mine.”

Lovingly, you ducked your head far enough to press a kiss against the top of her head. After doing so, you reached back to the small table standing by the couch, your hand searching momentarily for the blanket you were looking for. After finding it, you tugged it back over your head and shook it to unfold it, draping it over yours and Val’s bodies.

Your arms wrapped themselves around her and tugged her closer to you. “Wanna watch something?” You asked, already reaching back to the table for the remote. She gave a small shrug. “Sure. I might crash, though. I haven’t gotten that upset in a while.”

“I’ll just put something on as background noise.” All you were given in response was a nod, barely noticeable with how small it was. It was clear she was already dozing off, though you weren’t going to complain. There were very few instances where you were given the opportunity to protect her rather than the other way around, and oftentimes, it was those moments where her body gave out for the day and she fell asleep.

There, though, she put every single ounce of her trust in you. In your arms each night, she felt safe, like she could let her guard down. The feeling of your nails raking through her hair and your chest rising and falling beneath her head made every concern in her mind melt away. She’d zone in on your heartbeat every time, content to know it was beating away safely behind your ribs. That sound brought her the most comfort anytime she could hear it. Your heartbeat was her white noise.

She would do anything, including laying down her life, in order to make sure that heart of yours could beat safe and sound for as long as possible. You were everything to her, and she was determined to make sure everyone knew, no matter what risks she had to take. Until her dying breath, she’d protect you.