watch the throne ;

    her disdain was well-earned. growing up as a serving boy with a foul, unstoppable mouth, dark had always come close to losing his tongue or his bowels ripped out of his belly when speaking up to the draconic princesss this way. what difference does it make now? it might as well end here. no chance he’d warm up to her or she to him - that would be absurd, almost impossible - their interests in stark contrast to one another. he already found himself a family - he didn’t need this one shoved down his throat.

     “i’m grateful.” sarcasm dripped in his response, “the traitorous lord, did you say? perhaps he wanted justice. you may have heard of it.” from what he’d gathered this man was the last of his household after his dear father destroyed them all. “it’s surprising to see him walk these halls, sending his congratulations to our family.”

     he didn’t know how long he would be able to stomach this and he’d wager her patience will eventually dissipate at this rate. laughter void of humor bubbled out of his lips, “a nuisance? was that meant to insult me? i am here because i was told to be here.” he shook his head, hands up in surrender and made a show of pivoting away from the great hall and back to his chambers. “now if you’ll excuse me, i have better things to do with my time.”

          ‘ you haven’t got a clue into how to play the game, do you ? ’

     her voice was low and sardonic, eyebrows furrowed together as she looked up at the man who was only her brother in name. be damned the blood that coursed through both of their veins -- they would never truly be family. dark made that perfectly clear with every word dripping of resentment and each stoic gesture in response to her. he was clearly tainted by those goddamn wolves, adopting their cold nature in everything he did. but rhaenys ? she would always be fire. ‘ -- if you keep up with your naïveté and loose tongue, it will only serve to prove how worthless you are to our father. you will get yourself killed. your wife and children, killed. ’

     rhaenys shook her head. she would not delve any deeper into this all. it was not her role to teach dark how to smile pretty for lords who wished them dead or the right words to keep their father’s rage satiated. it was now every man ( every woman ) for themselves. 

     and yet, she still found herself trailing after him as he turned away. perhaps it was instinctively in her nature to be a nuisance to him ; that was what little sisters did, did they not ? ‘ where in the seven hells do you think you are going ? the festivities are not over ! ’

         “don’t be silly, i can pay for my own coffee.” he insisted and before she countered, he rubbed in a bit more, “it’s within budget. just - get mika something he’d like. he’d been eyeing that stuffed dragon the other day.”  although it didn’t really matter who got one for you as they’d be tallying it up altogether as one set of expenses on a monthly basis. 

    dark was quick to surround his larger fingers on mika’s wrist as they walked out the door, grinning at the boy as he took a quick check of the sky for signs of rain. he zipped up his jacket with his free hand and pulled mika’s hood above his blond head just in case. “you brought the brolly, haven’t you?” he asked ava, eyeing the bag on her shoulder. “if it gets bad, we can take the bus.”

        while waiting for the green man to appear so they can cross, he answered ava’s question, “can’t complain, really.” exhaustion became a default state and it’s amazing to see how much he could accomplish despite very little to no sleep. with kira’s arrival, he couldn’t hide the reddening of his ears and the drop of his gaze on his own grubby shoes. “she’ll be busy with her tour and all that, so i’m not holding much on to it-” this was him trying to be casual, pretending he wasn’t head over heels about her arrival, that he was gutted he won’t be spending more time with kira with her short visit in london. his alibi was quick to muster, “besides i’ve got my dissertation to finish.” then he smiled at ava as they crossed, hoping to shift the spotlight towards her instead. “but i got us free tickets to one of her concerts for next month. your favourite DJ is playing, what was his name again?”

     ava opened her mouth to protest but there was suddenly a pair of wide, excited eyes in her direction at the mention of a “stuffed dragon”. immediately, her mouth clamped back shut, knowing that it would be utterly to tell mika no now that it was phrased in such a way. ‘ we’ll see. talk about it later. ’ she piped up to the pouting toddler, giving her best friend a thanks a lot look as they trekked across the street. there was no doubt that he’d be bringing it up at least once an hour now.

          ‘ yup, i’ve got it. shouldn’t rain though so i think we’re good. ’ she answered lightly, patting her bag with her free hand. but now that she was inspecting the sky, ava couldn’t help but wonder if that was true. bloody unpredictable weather. . . with a glance down at the blonde tot who was happily skipping over the cracks in the concrete, she sent a silent prayer that it wouldn’t rain. bus fare wasn’t astronomical, but it could be better used elsewhere.

     an instinctive smile appeared on ava’s face as she looked over at dark. no matter how casually he broached the conversation, she loved seeing him this happy. growing up the way they had, happiness and meaningful connections were so fleeting, and demanded to be grasped at with an iron fist. was there any wonder how she ended up with mika ? 

          ‘ you two are really cute together, you know. she should come by for dinner one of these nights if she isn’t crazy busy. i’ll make all the favorites. ’ the young woman answered sweetly as they rounded the corner, speaking a bit louder to be heard over her baby boy’s rendition of how far i’ll go. ( moana was on repeat every night at their small abode. ) at the mention of the dj, she felt her cheeks redden, teeth sinking into her lower lip as she looked away from dark. ‘ -- bowen, you mean ? ’

“you fucking started it-” his tone was on the rise, whole six feet of him tensed and trembling in strong attempts to hold himself back from lashing out. how is this even fair? she didn’t need to toss this back at him when she was the one refusing to understand and letting her temper boil over her wits. he was only trying to do the right thing - protecting the children from this conversation, knowing it wouldn’t go well. but those oceanic eyes tempestuous with disaffection somehow washed over his own rage like cold water and his head lowered, gaze fixed on the ground like the cobblestones just suddenly became very interesting. “i was trying to be- “ he stammered, though hints of his distress remained when he blew out an exasperated sigh. “ugh, fine. i’m sorry. i just… i just wanted you to listen. i’m begging for some reason here.”

but he couldn’t blame her. the targaryens had torn her family apart -  over and over brought her nothing but anguish and death. “i couldn’t just expect you to accept this-” he tapped his own pulse on his wrist, and the bounding beat in his chest, gesturing his true origins, “just because that man is my father you now think me vile and foolish? you could be repulsed by the blood coursing through my veins all you like, and hell, that makes the two of us. but for you to forget everything that we’ve been through, for you to detest me for what - existing?”

this time, he was lost for words, his throat felt like closing up, like he was being unmade, their memories - all seven years of it - being undone before his eyes just because of one grievous truth. “i can’t stand it.” he’s been terrified to ask the question, but if not now, then when? hands balled into fists, his eyes searching hers, he quietly addressed the elephant in the room, “we can’t – we can’t carry on like this.” his heart breaking with every word. “so tell me, kira. what would you have me do now?” 

     akira used to look at dark and saw everything -- their past and future, their trials and tribulations, the essence of every single memory that clung to them for nearly a decade now. if she ever struggled for breath or stumbled through her humanity, all she had to do was take one look at him and she was provided clarity. but now ? her unforgivable rage saw nothing but pain. once the salve, now the wound itself. how the hell was she meant reconcile the drastic shift that had occurred since his lineage came to life ? she could not pretend that it meant nothing.

     by the gods, what did that mean for them ? 

           ‘ you do not understand. . . ’ the brunette finally piped up, her tone wavering despite all efforts to keep it firm. blinking back sudden tears that stung the back of her eyes, the woman looked away as if the sight of her husband suddenly pained her. for a brief moment, she was not the ferocious wolf that the realm whispered of ; that tough exterior had been stripped away in lieu of a raw, vulnerable shell underneath. ‘ -- house targaryen took everything from my family and i, dark. everything. my freedom, my brother -- things i will never get back. ’

     with a sharp exhale, she pinched her nose as if to halt the emotions that threatened to spill on her face. there seemed no point in hesitating or concerning herself with how her words sounded. dark had desired the truth from her and she would give it to him, no matter how harsh. ‘ it is not your existence i detest. it is your -- i now have to come to terms with the realization that my children, the babes that i carried for countless moons... their blood is also -- seven hells, dark. do not make me say it out loud. do not make me out to be this intolerable monster. not after what i have endured ! ’

“can you NOT give me shit for once?” he waited until they were out of earshot, “i haven’t done anything but be born, and you look at me like i’m - like i’m him.” rage coursed through him but dark knew if he gave in to his temper, they won’t get anywhere.

“and i’m not! you know EXACTLY who i am, kira! and THIS?” he tapped his vein, gesturing the blood running through him, like he’d get rid of it if he tapped hard enough, “fuck this fire and blood bullshit - this doesn’t change a thing.” stormy gaze lowered on the ground, blinking away the warmth of threatening angry tears. “i pulled you out here to TALK. if you choose to insult me thinking I CRAVED FOR THIS, then it’s pointless.”

chest heaved up and down, “please.” he shuddered, making the effort to sigh out that anger off his chest. “i couldn’t tell you until i was certain. and we were busy, you’ve just had lyanna.” which was a lovely surprise, having all that fair hair. “by the seven, i wished it wasn’t TRUE and i didn’t have to say anything at all.”

          ‘ do not talk to me like that. ’

     it definitely was not fair of akira to police his tone when her own was filled with anger and contempt that she did not care to hold back. but truthfully, she never claimed to be fair about this all. for the past nearly decade of her existence, the targaryens had been the reason for all of her reasoning. they had been in the beginning, when she was sixteen and dragged away from winterfell to the seven kingdoms to support ayana’s betrothal. they had been in the middle, barely twenty-one when she found gael’s head in that wretched box. and it was all the same now. so much time had gone by and yet those maniacal dragons were the source of it all.

      forgive her if she was not taking too well to the idea that the love of her life shared the same blood.

     teeth sunk into her inner jaw, a shot of pain coursing through her entire mouth. akira worried that if she opened her mouth then she would say something that she would sorely regret. she didn’t want this -- for her and dark to be reduced to bitterness and anger. they had been through too much, together and apart, for that.

           “i never do - i thought you’d know that by now.”

           which was basically the problem. this was his sister - his very own blood and YET they knew very little about each other. even their father that now sat on the throne earned from cruelty and tyranny remained a STRANGER to dark and it will not change anytime soon. gods, this was a nightmare. he didn’t belong here, he had a life of his own. he missed his friends, his REAL family albeit not by blood. far away from this highborn cow dung he’d been avoiding since he was little. marrying into the stark family made some difference in his status, and that was already a far reach that he almost regretted - if not for his beautiful wife and children and yet this revelation cascaded upon him unapologetically, ruining his principles in an instant.

“i’m not asking for pity,” he washed the bitter taste in his mouth with that mead, took in a deep swig with his jaw clenched. and before he said anything else, he crooked a tight smile just to quiet the gossiping lords, “the FESTIVITIES,” he added curtly, “they take a lot of getting used to.”

and as he was yanked out of the scene, he murmured to rhaenys, “you won’t appreciate me speaking for your intentions - so please next time, do not include me in your gratitude.” 

another sip and a chuckle tumbled out of his lips, “ hah, really now? apologies. i just don’t waste my intelligence in matters that i never desired to be a part of. i guess now that i’m ought to be thankful, then i should get studying.”

     rhaenys felt her upper lip curl in disdain as she looked over at the man meant to be her brother. it did not matter that the same blood ran through their veins ; he had made it perfectly clear that she was no family to him. the princess supposed she couldn’t be all that surprised by that reaction. she had always been treated as something to not be desired. especially by those who were meant to be her siblings. aerys had abused her, daemon had ignored her, elia had taunted her -- the blonde had told herself long ago that there was clearly something wrong with her.

     none of that hurt or insecurities played out on her face, however. to the innocent bystander, she was the depiction of the ice queen she had been made out to be so very long enough. who rhae wanted to be conflicted greatly with the facade that others perceived, and together, it made for a person she never thought possible. ‘ --- i was attempting to save us both from the conversation of a traitorous lord but fine. i shan’t include you in anything ever again. ’ with a petulant huff, the young woman’s gaze flitted through the crowd for her husband and children. they seemed to be the only thing that made sense to her as of late.

          ‘ no one is forcing your hand. if you do not wish to be here, then do not. but spare me your oh woe is me act. clearly, you have some ounce of care for our father or you would not be present for this entire ordeal. you are already a nuisance to me ; do not be hypocritical as well. ’

@scnsawrites // akira.

       “i don’t want to talk about it here.” words hissed out of his clenched teeth, and there was no way to hide the distress in his eyes. little wide brown eyes were perceptive, and he couldn’t bear looking at them as lynus paused his playing, recognizing that there was something different - something WRONG. lyanna was making soft, adorable noises while sleeping soundly in her cot.

guilt spiked and he quickly placed soft kisses on top of the little ones’ heads, and smiled at them, handing lynus back his wooden sword and lyanna her wooden rattle. and then he got up and made his way out of their chambers, gently calling out to akira from behind his shoulders, “not in front of the children.”

     akira’s oceanic orbs narrowed into something that was more fire than the ice that typically occupied her bones. she’d always been far more reactive than a daughter of winterfell was meant to be ; and yet -- she found it damned difficult to ever to try control her emotions. even in front of her children now, she had to physically bite her tongue to keep her anger from brewing over the surface. her head turned slightly to look over at lynus -- those wide observant eyes fixated on the two of them -- and then over to the sleepy lyanna. the sight of them was enough to make her relax. 

      slightly. until they stepped out into the hallway.

          ‘ oh, are you making commands now ? ’ the tone was dripping with icy disdain, unabashedly not lowering her tone. ‘ goodness ! should i bow ? you find out you are forged from fire and dragon blood and suddenly, you’re a tyrant. ’

even darkford FROZE at that authoritative call, and he held back his laughter, that very moment taking him back to the times when ava simply MUMMED him like mad when they were younger. it annoyed him at first when she did that, but that was ava, and it was the very charm that brought them together and made them inseperable. who else would gear him into focus when he’s allover the place, wanting to achieve all things at once?

and now that she’s a full-fledged mother, it felt almost dutiful to look after her and her little rascal.

and they’ve had all sorts of teasing, most they were oblivious about, and if dark just wasn’t extra observant and usually insecure, he wouldn’t really notice. he’d always been mistaken as mika’s father - though that little blonde head should be a total giveaway. and his protectiveness of this little family always got him in trouble - because of course, he only wanted the best of ava and mika, but he sometimes felt like he was overstepping, and there was always someone that rubbed that fact on his face. occasionally with a punch. who are you to ava anyway? a common inquiry, to which he always answered with indignation: HER BROTHER.

he watched as ava gave mika instructions that the tot would likely forget in ten minutes. then he looked offended when ava threw him a glance about SUGAR, albeit relatively guilty. “it’s sustenance, why is that a bad thing? he’ll burn it in seconds with all that running around.” he argued softly and caved, “but you have to listen to your mum, or she’ll strangle me. is that fair? you don’t want uncle dark to get hurt, do you?”

he stood up, grabbing another bag, a man on a mission, all set for the carnival. “please, it’s all fine. you made us sandwiches, that’s all i need. and maybe a strong cup of COFFEE.”

     ava took a moment to look mika over, almost a bit overwhelmed by the surge of love and affection that she could possibly feel for one person. it had been this way since his birth. the months leading up to the little one’s arrival had been some of the darkest and most terrifying. and yet, all seemed to be forgotten the moment the tiny little tot was placed in her arms for the first time. she knew right then and there that she would do anything for him.

     that joyous moment, among with countless others, had the privilege of dark being in them.

     they may not share blood but they were still brother and sister in every sense of the word. she knew she wouldn’t have been able to do this parenting without him. her best friend had stepped up more than anyone in this lifetime ever could. ‘ you’ll give him a cavity. ’ ava pointed out, shaking her head slowly to break out of her appreciative reverie. releasing her hold on mika, an amused smile donned her features at the silly giggle that slipped from the boy’s lips. as if the idea of uncle dark being strangled would actually be very funny. 

          ‘ we’ll get coffee at the carnival. on me. ’ the tiny brunette retorted as she laced her fingers within mika’s small hand, the other arm latching the large bag onto her hip. she had a special allotment of money for this day and it was planned out to the tee so they wouldn’t overspend. a coffee for the both of them was already in the budget. 

     as they headed out the door, mika eagerly held out his free hand for dark to take, far too accustomed to the game of swinging him in between them as they walked. ava took note of the weather, pleased to know they were all addressed appropriately. the last thing she wanted was for the three of them to catch a cold.

          ‘ how’s it going with you ? ’ she inquired to her best friend with a warm smile, keeping an eye on mika even as he was latched between them. ‘ things all good with akira back ? ’

“OF COURSE, i’m happy to see you. just surprised, is all.”

straight away, he kissed that pout, the sleepiness somehow made him bolder in sticking his tongue in her mouth while the door was still open to the rest of the building. heat spread across his face, gladly allowed her little frame to yank him into the small flat, his other hand reaching to push the door shut behind them.

it probably showed that he was exhausted, with his tousled appearance and the dark circles under his eyes that he barely could open. and she was the stark contrast, nearly bouncing on her heels with too much energy. he wished he could tap into that, because now that she’s here, he didn’t want to sleep anymore. whether his body would allow that, is another matter.

“it’s still good to hangout with your family though. besides your mum, of course.” a hint of fear glinted in his eyes at the simple mention of the stark matriarch - who clearly disliked him. but then she disliked most things. “she’s not your fan, but you can build an ARMY with plenty of us that root for you and whatever you’re passionate about.” he kissed her temple and the small crease between her brows when she gets so annoyed about her mother.

her soft whine was too much though, despite it being a simple complaint of his sleepiness. it’s one of those little sounds that he adored, especially when she wanted something so bad and he’s being a little cheek by not giving it to her until she’s desperate.

just when he was about to lay back on his bed, she latched on him, keeping him upright. his towering frame swayed and it was almost comical, “i know you’re here, now we can have sleepy cuddles.” arms snaked around her as he wedged himself against the wall to make room for akira on his side. “just keep talking, i’m listenin.”

          ‘ yeah, i suppose. ’

     akira’s words was dismissive as she glanced up at dark. she loved her family more than anything in this world, but as she got older, she recognized that it was best to take them in dosages. too much time together and things got far too chaotic for anyone’s good. it was such a shame that poor little cate had to serve as the mediator, even as the youngest. 

     her boyfriend’s words distracted from her thoughts, an appreciative smile forming on her face as she leaned in for another kiss. honestly, it was just so fucking nice to soak him in after months of talking through screens. her face dropped down to nuzzle against the crook of his neck, exhaling sharply as she remain latched onto to him in a way that resembled a koala bear.

     sure, she should let him rest. but where was the fun in that ?

          ‘ only sleepy cuddles ? ’ the brunette piped up with her usual mischievous glint, a soft laugh slipping from her lips as the two finally collided onto the bed. ‘ y’know, stone -- this definitely wasn’t the welcome home, i was expecting. maybe i should go back to new york. ’ 

     lazily, her fingers ran through his dark curls, clearly juxtaposing his words and showing that she wasn’t going anywhere. ‘ you look fuckin’ terrible, babe. ’ akira tacked on bluntly, legs still tangled within his as she rested her chin on his chest. she placed an absent-minded kiss there. ‘ have you been sleeping ? ’

@akirastvrks // rhaenys.

“i suppose i should be CELEBRATING.” his tone was void of jubilation, but he still did her the favour of raising his goblet. as a child he never really enjoyed such festivities, and was glad he had the excuse of dirtying in the kitchens, or hiding in the cupboards with his nose buried into a really good book, away from the high-born crowd and pretense that victory was claimed without BLOOD being shed.

he already abandoned the desire to have a family a long time ago. besides, he already found family in some significant people, ava and mika, calli and reese. and though he didn’t have a father in a long time, he fought his way out of the cobwebs of his insecurities and became a reasonably good one, for lynus, for their little lyanna. formed a beautiful family with his beloved kira.

he was SORTED. they were happy.

and he didn’t need any of THIS. not the golden robes and the fiery jewels embellishing a fancy tunic, or the festivities to celebrate legitimacy. not the lordship, not the kingdom won by fire and blood. not a FATHER. not even a SISTER. and yet he was granted all that, heaps of gifts thrown upon him like a tempest. there was no part of him that felt he deserved any of it.

“but i’ve never really been FOND of events as such. shouldn’t you be by HIS side, looking down at your future subjects once you’re crowned queen?”

          ‘ do you think before you speak, or is there a roar in your ear ? ’

     the blonde’s tone was sharp as she gripped the chalice of wine, her violent eyes piercing into the man standing next to her. her brother -- half-brother, if one was looking for specifics. but it did not matter how long she knew of dark’s existence, she was still unable to find a way to truly connect with him. ‘ now is not the time to wallow in your complaints,. it is our father’s coronation, not your pity party. ’ her words were blunt and as cold as ice, but that was to be expected from the princess. no one could ever call her warm, except perhaps her children.

     she flashed the prettiest of smiles as a lord that waltzed by, showering the two in equal amounts of congratulations for daemon and condolences for aerys. but once the topic broached over to elia and the little ones, now exiled in part to her father, rhaenys reached out to grip dark’s arm so he wouldn’t say anything he would regret.

          ‘ we are both very thankful to our father for saving us all from treacherous leadership. ’

“i’m on it,” dark nodded solemnly as he finished packing extra shirts into a backpack with an audible zip. fashioned like a medieval shield, dark got it on bargain for mika’s birthday a few months back. he then abandoned the backpack aside and charged towards the lad, all set for wrangling duty.

“c’mon now, let your mum pack us good lunch so we won’t starve to death,” he teased, chasing mika with the shirt and a pair of decent trousers. once he managed to hold the little blond hurricane still, he placed a kiss on top of his head and eventually managed to get mika into that shirt after a heavy battle of tickles. trousers next but it only took a few ticks  before mika was once again dashing into the wild - the piles of clean laundry in their living room/dining room/kitchen.

“not the LAUNDRY,” this time his voice was firm, taking a bit of authority but still couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as he lifted mika off the floor, restraining him almost - but in a playful manner. laughter echoed in the little flat, mixture of mika’s chime-like giggles and dark’s shameless guffaw.

dark sank on the couch, still had mika wrapped in his arms, trousers hanging on both of the tot’s legs. “christ almighty,” then warned ava, “you have precisely thirty seconds before he wriggles out of this, quick just shove it in.”

     a yawn slipped from ava’s lips as dark ventured past her and towards her room, swiftly turning her attention back to the sandwiches -- peanut butter and jelly for mika, turkey and swiss for the adults ( two for dark because he was more likely to get hungry ). quickly but efficiently, she finished up slathering the mustard onto the bread, tuning out mika and dark’s squeals and laughter in the background. still, a smile looped onto her features. no matter how exhausting her son could be, the brunette was so glad to see that his joy was unbreakable. it didn’t matter that they didn’t have an upper crust life, that mika didn’t have every single whim satisfied. he was still happy. and that was all that mattered.

     hearing dark calling out to her was her queue. stowing the sandwiches away in ziploc bags, the tiny woman chucked them into her tote bag just as the little boy broke away from his uncle, with all intent to wreak more havoc on the house. ‘ HEY -- ’ her voice was completely authoritative as she reached out to take his small hand. and it was clear that it showed because for once, the small blonde stayed still and looked at his mother with those big blue eyes. crouching down towards him, her warm orbs landed on him sternly as she spoke once more.

          ‘ we’re about to go out in a big crowd so it’s important that you listen to every single word that uncle dark and i say. ’ her fingers gripped her son’s shoulders gently to drive her point home. ‘ no tantrums, no talking to strangers, and no sugar -- ’ the last bit was directed more towards dark than mika. it was easy to cave into those puppy eyes and pouts, but she tried to remain strict about keeping his sugar content on the lower side. feeling the boy bounce impatiently under her hands, ava quickly finished up her spiel. ‘ don’t run off anywhere. always hold our hand. alright ? ’

     mika’s nod satisfied her and she let go. almost instantly, the boy was back to clamoring up on the couch to jump onto dark. with another tired sigh, ava turned her attention towards her best friend as she grabbed her bag from the kitchen.

         ‘ ready ? thank you for agreeing to this, by the way. i owe you a million. ’

      he wasn’t expecting anyone today. year three had proven difficult to juggle with jobs, and although he enjoyed studying more than anything - motivated with fulfilling his dreams and all that drama - balancing everything became a real struggle, even for someone as diligent and efficient as darkford stone. at least it was nearly over, just a few weeks of placements before qualification. managed to turn in his dissertation the day before, dark was now full equipped with a thick duvet and just a worn out jumper,  ready to sink deep into his bed and sleep.

best timing, because akira will be back in two weeks and it’s possible he’ll be bouncing back in full shape by then - with less dark circles under his eyes and fuller cheeks.

thankfully, ava took mika out for the day. there was some mumbling in the kitchen about what time they will be back, but he hardly even heard it. that was considerate, he thought. as much as he loved playing with mika, he can only tolerate up to five “uncle dark!!!” from the lad after days of less to no sleep.

it was times like these that he missed kira. when the flat was empty, they snuggled into his small single bed, her cocooned in one of his large shirts, wrapped in his arms as they kick the world away. two weeks, he thought. he’s about had enough with just interacting with her over chats and facetime, especially when he had limited amount of credit. they still couldn’t afford a decent wifi connection. that’s what the libraries are for.

nearly there.

stormy eyes just slid shut into slumber when he heard the rapping on the door. he was willing to fully ignore it at first, probably just the mail man dumping in some junk mail. but it grew persistent and he reluctantly rolled over, sliding off his bed, duvet in tow as he dragged himself to the main door. it was a small flat with little room to walk - and he didn’t even bother to sort himself out to appear decent.

“i’m tired, they can all fuck off-” he mumbled to himself as he carefully opened the door, only to be attacked by plenty of kisses. it took a beat later to sink in that it was kira that clung herself on to him. “kira—!!” no chance to retort, he just sagged in relief and pulled her closer in his arms, “very kind of you, but that’s complete and utter shit, i probably have drool on my cheek.” he chuckled, nuzzling his sleepy head on her neck. “i thought i still have to weeks to pull my shit together and look decent for you. maybe some warning next time?”

           ‘ i wanted to surprise you. are you saying you’re not happy to see me ? ’

     the words were occupied with a pout, alongside a few more dozen kisses that she planted any chance she got. lazily, her fingertips trailed against the back of his neck as she landed in his embrace, taking in his scent with a smile on her face. god, it had been a long two months. fuck, almost three. seeing his face through a screen or hearing his voice on a phone hadn’t been enough. akira had missed every little thing about him -- the way his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration as he studied, his calloused fingertips against her skin, him him him.

     her thin fingertips laced within his as she squeezed his hand, tugging him inside of the flat. the brunette knew he was exhausted, could detect it from his expression and slower actions. but at the moment, she was buzzing with far too much adrenaline to simply allow him to return to sleep. instead, her only wish was to drink his presence in. ‘ god, i’m so glad to see you -- my family is so fuckin’ exhausting. ’ the woman murmured, turning back to him to wrap her arms around him. it meant she had to stretch but she managed well enough.

          ‘ every damn day, it was something new with my mum. my hair, my clothes, my music. ugh. ’ 

     a whine slipped from her lips as she shook her head, deciding then that she was over talking about her trip. instead, a mischievously wolfish grin formed on her features as oceanic eyes landed on her boyfriend, drawing him in as she hopped up to latch against him. her grip tightened around his shoulders, legs looping over his torso to keep herself steady and upright. ‘ -- wake up, sleepyhead. ’ akira commanded loudly, jostling him with a shake of her hands. ‘ you can’t possibly want to sleep now. i’m here, babe. ’

           ‘ MIKA CALEB, i swear on santa claus -- if you’re not in here and dressed in two minutes, we’re not going ! ’

     such a loud voice coming from such a tiny body. but it was evident from ava’s expression that she meant business. the carnival was in town and the little boy had pleaded for weeks for the three of them to go. there were a lot of reasons why the brunette had been hesitant -- it was a big expense to splurge on, it was rare that both she and dark had time off at the same time, the list went on and on. but who could look at that beautiful little blonde with his big old eyes and tell him no ?

     certainly not her.

     detecting the giggle from the little four-year old as he shuffled around their small room, ava glanced up from packing their lunch, tiredly gripping the edge of the worn counter as she turned to look at her best friend. brother, really. it had been over two decades since they both had found themselves in the foster system and the woman knew she was better for it. with a pleading expression, she set the pb&j sandwich back on the table.

           ‘ could you please wrangle him so i can finish these ? ’

     she hadn’t planned on returning two weeks early. if her father had it his way, akira would have remained in new york for as long as possible -- but the stark industries summit was one that required all hands on deck. even hers. the brunette may have decided that the family business was not her path, but she wouldn’t be so petulant to deny them the help. still, it was a tedious process one that had to be endured with a smile every time she was roped into tech conversations or heard a passive-aggressive remark from her mother about her silly music career. for fuck’s sake, was it any surprise that she didn’t come home except for the most important occasions ?

     truth was, akira missed london. she missed dark. over the past few years, he felt far more like home than new york ever could. and maybe that impulsive desire alone was enough to wake up one day, think fuck this, and ask her father’s assistant for the next flight out.

     ten grueling hours later, the brunette bypassed the eager paparazzi and an excitable fan, ray-ban shades in place to keep all the light out of her eyes. the taxi ride over was occupied by catching up on emails and texts, pink lips blooming into the biggest smile when the familiar flat came into sight -- standing out among the dusk sky. haphazardly dropping her suitcase into the grass outside of the place, akira bypassed the key in lieu of knocking rather impatiently.

      seventeen, maybe eighteen knocks later finally caused the door to open, revealing her boyfriend to him. oh shit, had he been sleeping ? ah well. at the moment, all that mattered was lunging to place kisses on every surface she could land on. 

          ‘ -- you’re a sight for sore eyes, stone. ’

Leo had always known that the woman who had chosen to marry him was a fiery one. She was a dragon after all… but Rhaenys also had her moments of peace although those were mostly strict to when they were alone. He didn’t mind–it was what he liked about her… the fire she carried in her chest and lit something he thought had long died in him. He owed her a lot and Leo didn’t quite know if Rhaenys understood that, but sharing wasn’t his strongest suit, so he often let it be read between the lines.

With Aenya in his arms, finding something amusing on his clothes to toy with, one of the guards found Leo in order to inform him that the queen had left her bed, which earned a deep sigh from Raventree’s lord. Once he had handed Aenya to one of the maidens, he made his way to the gardens, where found Rhaenys wandering aimlessly. Her acknowledgement of his presence was met with an eye roll, before planting a kiss on his daughter’s forehead.

“How barbaric.” He replied, voice filled with sarcasm. “There will be no dragging this morning.” Leo said with a bland tone this time. “Aiden was asking for you, that’s all. Just let me know if you are going to continue being your stubborn self and risk your life and our child’s over a petty desire or if you are going back to bed soon.”

Rhae refrained another roll of her eyes, fingers locking together against her quite large belly. She was used to her husband’s sardonic approach towards all matters but that did not mean that she had to pretend to enjoy it. The two of them were quite comfortable with expressing exactly how they felt in any and al situations ; she appreciated the ease there. 

“Ah. No dragging, but use of absolute thick guilt?” The blonde inquired with a challenging raise of her eyebrow, though her expression softened at the sight of their daughter. By the Gods, she was a beauty. Everyone said so. There was something about how the little one smiled that made the princess feel like an absolute goner. Her gaze swept around for the young boy in question, hitching up her skirts to step closer to Leo. No matter how much she stamped her feet, she knew he had her best interests at heart and there seemed to be no point in rebutting that.

Sometimes, being Aenya’s friend was tiresome. The younger Blackwood women was socially active that Akira felt like she would spend half of her life waiting for her friend to show up. This time, she had allowed herself to wait in Aiden’s room, promising to be quiet as he studied–or at least, she thought he was studying. 

Distracting.

Kira didn’t think she was doing anything to distract him per se, but maybe–just maybe, that mad attraction she felt for her best friend’s brother and her brother’s best friend wasn’t one-sided after all. Granted, she wasn’t going to admit it out loud, but their banter would actually bring her joy whenever she was feeling rather sad.

Grabbing one of his pillows, Kira threw it in his direction, watching it hit the back of his head before she quickly returned to her previous position, laying on her back and looking at her phone’s screen.

“If I’m distracting, that means you’re paying too much attention to me. Which is nice, depending on how we see it…” She remarked, arching one brow as her gaze never left her phone’s screen. “Or maybe you just need a break.” Pushing herself up to a sitting position, Akira leaned back against her palms, watching Aiden for a second there. It wasn’t news that he was attractive–and he probably knew how attractive he was, but the fact that he didn’t acknowledge it often only made him sexier in her book.

Her phone buzzed in her hand and the text from Aenya saying she wouldn’t be able to come home sooner stole a sigh from the petite brunette’s lips. “Looks like I’ve got no plans anymore. How about you make us some popcorn and we watch a movie?” That seemed like a doable, friendly activity, right? Hopping out of bed, she decided to actually become distracting, so she walked to his study desk and stood close to him, resting one arm on his shoulder and looking down at the book he was reading. “C’mon… you need a break, raven boy.”

A soft chuckle slipped from the young man’s lips, though it dissipated at the feeling of a pillow clunking against the back of his head. It didn’t have enough weight to actually hurt but the expression of shock donned his face regardless. Blinking slowly, the tall raven-haired boy dropped his gaze towards the offensive object before the dark orbs settled on Akira. “Really? Did you have to do that?” He huffed out, though there wasn’t any real annoyance in his voice. It was strange. The tiny brunette used to frustrate him a lot as kids but as of late, he found himself weirdly fond of all he did. 

Get your shit together, Blackwood.

“I--I’m not paying that much attention to you.” Aiden quickly defended, insides burning at the thought of being caught by his little infatuation for the girl. But he refused to show that in his face. If he gave her an inch, she would take a mile. Averting his gaze, he turned his attention back to his textbook, teeth digging into his inner cheek as he tried to think of an appropriate response. “What I need is peace and quiet --” Still, intrigue caused him to look over towards the vibrating phone, catching a glimpse of the text from his sister before it disappeared. Instinctively, his lips curled upward at the thought of having Akira here without Aenya’s interference. When it was the three of them, she had a habit of shooting him daggers for even looking at her best friend in a certain way.

“A movie, hm?” He couldn’t help the amusement in his voice. He very nearly said Netflix and chill out loud but wouldn’t dare do that out loud in actual fear of the brunette murdering him. Still, his face said it all. “If we do this, I’m cooking the popcorn. You’ll burn the kitchen down.”