canto 9 MASSIVE spoilers !!
A Certain Sinclair x gn! present! reader
scenario lacks canon backing and depends on reader's imagination as his circumstances of existence are special and impossible for this. No dialogue (P.S. present reader means past reader for him).
He doesn’t quite look like Sinclair. Well, he does, but not your Sinclair. He’s definitely older. Like he went through a massive growth spurt, which somehow feels like the most unbelievable part of all this. His hair is longer too. You don’t notice at first since the front looks almost the same. His clothes stand out the most. They look worn and unfamiliar, like he was pulled straight from a battlefield.
When you first met, there was something menacing about him. It’s embarrassing to admit, but his presence genuinely frightened you. The way he stood felt heavy and unyielding. His gaze wasn’t even on you, yet you could still feel the weight of it, sharp and unsettling. Then his eyes found you, and everything shifted. It was instant. His expression softened, like a switch had been flipped. He looked almost as stunned as you felt. Seeing someone from your past is no less overwhelming than meeting someone from the future. That brief moment of gentleness was enough to tell you the truth. He really was your Sinclair after all.
You reach for him without thinking. It feels like the only right thing to do. He doesn’t move right away, as if holding himself back, like someone keeping a careful distance from a flame to avoid getting burned. You step closer anyway and wrap your arms around him. His clothes smell of smoke and things best left unnamed. It hurts to realize the future he comes from hasn’t been kind to him. For a moment, his hands hover awkwardly, unsure of where to go. Then one settles on your head, gently patting it. You used to be the one always messing up his hair...
You slowly look up, finally meeting his face properly. Your eyes trace every detail, as if trying to commit them all to memory. A thin scar cuts across his left cheek. You lift your hands and gently cradle his face, your thumb brushing over the mark with care. He looks confused for a moment, then a small smile tugs at his lips. His gloved hands come up to hold yours in place, a quiet sign that he’s finally letting himself give in. He leans into your touch and presses a soft kiss to your palm, never breaking eye contact. Heat rushes to your face. You can’t help but wonder if the age gap makes him feel bolder, or if he’s truly changed this much.
You can’t help but wonder what kind of relationship you’ll have in the future. Maybe the moment he appeared here today changed everything, and you’ll never see him again. Even if he vanishes when he returns, even if his only purpose was to show up here just this once, you’re glad you could be a place of comfort for him at the end. And if nothing has changed at all, you hope that you’re still there for him when the time comes.
A/N : literally had to take a 10 minute pause and just stare at him. Kjh, give me a heads up next time, I almost had a heart attack
















