The suitors are gone. The palace has fallen silent.
Odysseus stands there, covered in red from head to toe. The emptiness in his chest had only grown deeper with each released arrow, each scream of the victims.
He lifts his head, and his gaze falls upon the stone owl he had built long ago. An altar for his guardian, his mentor. He steps forward, staring emptily at the statue, and suddenly he feels her.
She stands to his right, her energy and presence unmistakable.
Athena looks down upon him, almost through him, a certain sadness in her eyes. They say nothing.
The goddess can't help but wonder whether all of this could have been avoided, had they not fought all those years ago. She can't help but wonder if she could prevent the same thing from happening again.
Maybe they could do that together.
Yes, she concluded. Together sounds nice.
THIS MAN .....
Makes everyone's standards sky rocket and high and then makes reality hard .... đđ
Man why u gotta be so perfect
my shaylaaaaa
pairings: sylus x reader, zayne x reader, rafayel x reader, xavier x reader, caleb x reader
A/N: A series of headcanons about the LIs as your gym instructor. Requests are very much open.
SYLUS
⢠Sylus isnât just a gym instructorâheâs an executioner. He doesnât train people; he breaks them. Every session is a test of survival, and he watches your suffering with just enough amusement to make you question if he enjoys this. âIf you collapse, Iâm leaving you here,â he deadpans as you struggle to get off the mat.
⢠He has absolutely no patience for whining. The moment you start complaining, he doubles the intensity of your workout.
âI think my legs are going to give outââ
âPerfect. Letâs add weights.â
⢠Heâs unnervingly quiet when you struggle. No words of encouragement, no sympathyâjust the piercing gaze of a man who expects results. You groan, dropping the dumbbells. He just stares. ââŚSay something.â
He blinks. âPathetic.â
⢠He refuses to let you lift with bad form. He will physically adjust you without hesitation. Hand on your back, fingers pressing into your shoulders, grip firm against your waist. Heâs indifferent to the proximityâyou, however, are not. âRelax,â he murmurs, voice just above your ear. âYouâre tense.â
⢠His personal space boundaries donât existâespecially when spotting you. Youâre struggling under a barbell, and suddenly, heâs there. Arms bracketing yours, voice smooth and unbothered. âPush,â he orders. You try, but all you can focus on is the way his breath fans against your cheek.
⢠He subtly tests your endurance just to see how much you can handle. He calls it training. Itâs actually just entertainment. âYou can take more,â he muses, adding another plate to the bar.
⢠Flirts without technically flirting. Everything he says could be taken as platonicâbut the way he says it? Absolutely not. âYouâre improving,â he muses.
You blink. âWait⌠was that a compliment?â
He shrugs. âTake it or leave it.â
⢠Refuses to admit he cares, but itâs obvious in subtle ways. Heâll shove a water bottle at you without comment. Drag you to a bench when you look exhausted. You pant, wiping sweat from your forehead. âIâm dying.â
He clicks his tongue, tossing you a towel.
⢠Competitive to an unhealthy degree. You mention beating him at anything, and suddenly, heâs taking it personally. âI ran five miles today,â you say, stretching.
He glances over. âMake it ten next time.â
⢠When he does praise you, itâs rareâbut devastatingly effective. Itâs not often, but when it happens, it lingers. âNot bad,â he murmurs, watching you finish your set.
Your brain malfunctions. âWaitâwhat?â
He smirks. âNothing.â
SCENARIO
Youâre on the ground. Not sitting. Not crouching. Collapsed.
Sylus stands over you, arms crossed, entirely unimpressed. âPathetic.â
You groan. âI literally canât move...â
He tilts his head. âYou have another set.â
Your glare could burn through steel. âSylus. My legs are gone.â
He crouches beside you, gaze unreadable. âYouâre fine.â
âIâmââ You gesture weakly. âânot fine.â
Thereâs a pause. Thenâwithout warningâhe hooks an arm around your waist and pulls you up like itâs nothing.
Your hands instinctively grab onto his shoulders, and for a second, the world tilts. His grip is steady. His voice, lower than usual.
âSee?â he murmurs. âYouâre still standing.â
You blink up at him, heart hammering. âIââ
He smirks, releasing you. You immediately stumble.
âAlright,â he says, stepping back, tone casual. âNext set.â
You hate him. You really do.
ZAYNE
⢠Zayne is a gym instructor with the patience of a saint and the intensity of a drill sergeant. Heâs not the type to yell or get overly aggressive, but his expectations are high. If you slack off, he doesnât scold youâhe just looks at you. And somehow, thatâs worse. âAgain.â His voice is calm, almost indifferent, as you struggle through push-ups. âDonât stop until you get it right.â
⢠He never sugarcoats anything. If your form is bad, heâll tell you. If youâre being dramatic, heâll call you out. But if you actually push yourself, he will acknowledge it.
⢠You pant, struggling to finish your reps. Zayne watches. âYouâre stronger than that. Keep going.â
⢠The kind of instructor who gives subtle but sharp praise. He wonât shower you with encouragement, but when he does give a rare compliment, it sticks. âWell done,â he murmurs after you break your personal record.
⢠Prefers efficiency over flashy workouts. He doesnât waste time with trends or gimmicks. Heâll give you a program that works, but you will definitely suffer. âNo shortcuts,â he says, handing you a heavier weight than you expected. âDo it right, or donât do it at all.â
⢠Not overly physical unless necessary. Heâs not the type to adjust you constantly, but if your form is off, he will fix itâwithout hesitation. One hand at your lower back, the other guiding your grip. âHere,â he murmurs, voice close to your ear. âStraighten up.â
⢠Expects discipline, but isnât completely heartless. He wonât let you quit, but he does notice when youâre genuinely struggling. His version of kindness? A short water break instead of immediate death.
⢠You groan. âZayne, I think Iâm dying.â
He hands you a water bottle. âThen hydrate first.â
⢠Completely unbothered by whining. Complain all you wantâhe wonât react. In fact, the more you complain, the more weight he adds.
⢠âMy legs feel like jellyââ
âThen weâll strengthen them.â He hands you a resistance band.
⢠Is meticulous about post-workout recovery. He doesnât just push youâhe makes sure you recover properly. That means stretching, hydration, and making sure youâre not being an idiot. âYou better not skip your cooldown,â he warns.
You smirk. âWhy? Will you carry me home if I collapse?â
His gaze flickers to you. âNo, but Iâll make sure your next session is worse.â
⢠Doesnât like distractions. If you come to the gym to chat or mess around, heâll shut it down fast. âFocus,â he says when you start rambling between sets. âOr leave.â
⢠Gives zero reaction when people try to flirt with him. Other gym-goers have tried. He never takes the bait. You watch a girl giggle as she asks him for âhelpâ adjusting her form. Zayne corrects her stance in under five seconds, completely unfazed. âDone.â
She pouts. âThatâs all?â
He turns to you instead. âYouâre up.â
SCENARIO
Youâre wheezing. Absolutely dying.
Zayne watches from the side, arms crossed. âYou have five minutes left.â
You groan, gripping the treadmillâs handles. âIâmâgonna pass out.â
He tilts his head, unimpressed. âYou said that ten minutes ago.â
âI meant it this timeââ
The treadmill suddenly increases speed. You yelp.
âZAYNEââ
He doesnât react. âYouâll survive.â
You stumble, barely catching yourself. âYouâre evil.â
Thereâs a flicker of amusement in his eyes. âKeep running.â
RAFAYEL
⢠Rafayel is the worst and best trainer you could have. Heâs the type to look like heâs taking this seriouslyâclipboard in hand, stopwatch tickingâonly to throw in something completely ridiculous halfway through your session.
⢠âAlright, time for squats. And if you mess up, Iâll make you do them while balancing a book on your head. Gotta work on that grace, cutie.â
⢠He is not a role model. Skips warm-ups, ignores cooldowns, and somehow never follows his own advice. Heâll sit there drinking an iced coffee while watching you struggle. âPush through the pain,â he says lazily, sipping his caramel macchiato.
⢠Absolutely makes things harder just to mess with you. If he sees you struggling, does he help? No. He makes it worse. âOh, youâre having trouble with those weights? Here, let me fix that.â âand suddenly he adds more.
⢠Zero professionalism. If you start flirting, he will flirt back, and itâs a dangerous game. âYouâre lucky Iâm here to watch you suffer.â
You smirk. âOr maybe you just like watching me.â
He leans in. âAnd what if I do?â
⢠Overly dramatic when he works out himself. If you ever catch him actually exercising, he acts like itâs a life-altering event. âGod, this is agony. Why do people do this?â âas if heâs not a personal trainer.
⢠Pretends he doesnât care, but actually keeps a close eye on you. Heâll tease you for whining, but the second you actually look like you might faint, heâs already there, handing you a water bottle. âTsk. You look pathetic.â A pause. ââŚDrink.â
⢠Loves making up fake âtraining techniques.â Half the time, you donât know if heâs being serious or just making things up for fun. âThis exercise is called âsuffering but make it aesthetic.â Perfect for you.â
⢠Will absolutely let you take breaks if you bribe him. You want to sit down and do nothing? Cool. Just bring him a snack, and heâll mysteriously forget how many reps you had left. âFifty push-ups? Nah, I think it was⌠ten. Maybe five, if youâre cute enough.â
⢠Gets jealous if you take fitness advice from someone else. If you ever listen to another trainer, expect Rafayel to sabotage them in the pettiest way possible. âOh, he told you to stretch like that? Ridiculous."
⢠The type to bet against youâthen get personally invested when you prove him wrong. He wants you to fail, just so he can be smug about it. But when you actually push through? Yeah, now heâs impressed. ââŚGoos job,â he mutters when you finish a brutal set. Then, a smirk. âDo it again.â
SCENARIO
Rafayel leans against the squat rack, watching you struggle with your set.
âI swearâthis feels heavier than last time,â you grunt, barely holding the bar steady.
He smiles innocently. âHmm. Weird.â
You narrow your eyes. âYou did something.â
âMoi?â He places a hand on his chest, mock-offended. âDarling, I would never sabotage my favorite student.â
You pause. âIâm your only student.â
âExactly.â
It takes you a second before realization hits. âYou added weight when I wasnât looking, didnât you?â
He hums. âGuess youâll have to finish the set to find out.â
ââŚI hate you.â
He grins. âI love you too.â
XAVIER
⢠Xavier is terrifyingly efficient as a trainer. He doesnât yell, doesnât mock, doesnât even look particularly invested. But somehow, he always gets you to push past your limits. âYou said you were done? No. You have three more in you. Keep going.â
⢠His neutral expression makes him unreadable. You can be dying in the middle of a workout, and heâll just watch with the same blank stare.
âIs this⌠supposed to be this hard?â
He blinks. âYes.â
⢠Zero tolerance for excuses. You tell him youâre tired? He tilts his head slightly. âAnd?â Say your muscles hurt? âThatâs the point.â Try to leave early? He will appear behind you.
⢠But he has an unexpected soft spot. The moment you actually canât keep going, heâs already handing you water, fixing your form, making sure you donât push past your limit. He wonât say it, but heâs watching closely.
⢠Deadpan humor that makes you question if heâs serious. âXavier, I think Iâm dying.â
He nods. âYes. That is what training feels like.â
⢠Heâs weirdly encouraging in a clinical way. He wonât shower you with praise, but when he does compliment you, it hits. âYour endurance has improved,â he murmurs, as if itâs just an observation. âŚBut somehow, that makes you want to try even harder.
⢠Almost never raises his voice, but when he does? You listen. The one time you nearly drop a weight on yourself, his usual monotone disappears. âStop.â You freeze, more from shock than anything. When you glance up, his eyes are sharpâfocused entirely on you.
Then, just as quickly, heâs back to normal. âFix your grip.â
⢠He doesnât do âsmall talkââbut he remembers everything you say. You mention your favorite protein shake once, and a week later, he hands you one without a word. âDrink this. Youâll need it.â
⢠One time, when you were gasping for air on the mat, you look up to glance at your instructor for an approval, only to see him snoring on the floor.
⢠Stares at you a bit too intensely. You didn't want to assume, but you swore you caught him staring into your lower half when you were doing squats.
⢠He has a quiet but very possessive streak. If another trainer tries to offer you advice, Xavier is right there, staring them down. âSheâs my student,â he says, and thatâs the end of the conversation.
SCENARIO
Youâre gasping for air, bent over after another brutal round of circuits.
âI canâtââ you wheeze. âThatâs it. Iâm done.â
Xavier watches you for a moment, then nods. âAlright.â
Wait. Thatâs it? No cold stare? No sarcastic remark?
You frown. âYouâre not going to force me to keep going?â
He hums. âNo. If you want to stop, you can stop.â
âŚYou donât trust him. ââŚBut?â
He tilts his head, like heâs considering something. Then, his voice drops, just barely: âI just thought you were stronger than this.â
Your eye twitches. Oh. Oh, that bastard.
You grit your teeth, straightening up. âFine. One more set.â
For the first time that day, he almost looks amused. âGood choice.â
CALEB
⢠Caleb is the ultimate âsupportive but slightly terrifyingâ trainer. Heâs always smiling, always energeticâbut somehow, that makes him even scarier. âCâmon, pip-squeak! Just one more set! You got this!â
âŚYouâve been doing âone more setâ for the last 20 minutes.
⢠Heâs the type to bet against you just to make you work harder. âYou? Finishing a full workout without whining? Nah, I donât see it happening.â
âŚYou push yourself just to prove him wrong.
⢠Runs next to you on the treadmillâeffortlessly keeping up. Youâre dying, but heâs jogging beside you, chatting like this is a casual stroll. âYou hear that? Thatâs the sound of progress, babe.â
âŚThe only sound you hear is your own wheezing.
⢠Looks like heâs playing around, but heâs actually analyzing every move. Heâs laughing, teasing, but if your form is even slightly off? Heâs immediately fixing it. âTsk. You keep that up, and youâll wreck your knees. Hereââ He steps behind you, hands ghosting over your waist to adjust your stance. Too close.
⢠Not afraid to use distractions as motivation. If he catches you slacking? He leans in, voice dropping into something softer. âWhatâs wrong? Getting tired already? You know, if you do five more reps, I might have a reward for you.â
âŚYou never ask what he means. You donât want to know.
⢠Has no sense of personal space. He will absolutely drape himself over you if he thinks youâre resting too long. âOh, donât mind me, Iâm just waiting for you to stop being lazy.â
⢠If you ever try to beat him at anything, he makes it a whole event. You challenge him to a sprint? He smirks. âOh? You think you can keep up with me?âSuddenly, the entire gym is watching.
⢠He absolutely loves reveling in the thought that he's physically stronger than you, sometimes even asking for you to sit on him as he do push-ups. You never agreed.
⢠He gets way too proud when you start improving. The first time you lift heavier weight than before, he whoopsâloudly. âHell yeah, thatâs my girl!â
âŚYou pretend it doesnât make you feel weirdly warm.
⢠If anyone else so much as glances at you? He notices. And suddenly, heâs all over youâgrinning, slinging an arm around your shoulder. âSo, sunshine. How about we grab a smoothie after this? My treat.â âŚHeâs not asking. Heâs staking a claim.
⢠Will not let you leave without stretchingâand if you refuse? He personally helps you. âFine. Weâll do it together.â Then heâs behind you, hands guiding your arms, breath way too close to your ear. âDeep breath. Good girl." Youâre never skipping cooldowns again.
SCENARIO
You collapse onto the mat, sweat dripping down your face. âI canât anymore.â
Caleb squats down beside you, grinning. âOh yeah?â
You glare up at him. âIâm done.â
He tilts his head, considering. âHmm. Shame.â
ââŚShame?â
He leans in, smirking. Too close. âWell, I was gonna sayâif you did ten more reps, maybe Iâd let you pick where we grab food after.â
You stare. âThatâsââ
ââOr,â he interrupts, voice dropping, âI could just pick for you. And you know I have awful taste.â
You groan. Heâs the type to drag you to some all-protein, no-flavor nightmare.
He grins wider. âSo. Whatâs it gonna be, pip-squeak?â
You sigh, grabbing the weights. âI hate you.â
He laughs, standing back up. âNo, you donât.â
In honor of the Ithaca Saga and Epic the Musical in generalđŤĄđŤĄ
Ody and Penelope have my heartđ¤đ¤
He can't imagine arguing with us, stawp- (it reminded me of this fic actually). The fact that his "biggest concern" is that we send him to sleep on the couch seems so sweet to me... ( ;´ ᾠ`;)
It doesn't cross his mind that an argument could break up his relationship with the MC. I mean like, he's so secure that you'll always be together that the thought of a fight doesn't cause him to have the thought of "we'd break up if that happens."
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GET WHAT I MEAN- I hope you do-.
This is my first fanfic in years, so please be nice T^T I'll be doing ones with a similar concept for the rest of the boys too Concept: Xavier has a nightmare, you comfort him CW: hurt/comfort, spoilers for his anecdote, death of character (in dream), blood, nightmares, bit of fluff at the end, she/her pronouns for reader Masterlist
He swayed on his feet with every step he took, he had to keep moving, yet every step he took made burning pain shoot up his side. The cuts on his face sting in the cold air, blood long dried and flaking on his skin.
He has to make it back. Sheâs waiting for him.Â
Itâs been so long since he last saw her, her bright eyes, a smile that lit up his heart. Itâs been so long since he felt her warmth, her hand in his, fitting perfectly like two pieces in a puzzle.Â
He looked down, the protocore in his hand held firmly. He was going to save you if itâs the last thing he did.
He kept walking, one step after another, each step closer to her, to the place he knew sheâd be, the place they first saw the stars together, a wish placed upon each star that shot through the sky above them.Â
He finally spots her, on that trestle bridge.
And then heâs running, running, running, pain long forgotten, until sheâs right there, right in front of him.Â
She looks pale, bags under her eyes, cheeks hollow with the weight that she lost.Â
She was beautiful. In his eyes, he could only see the girl he fell in love with.Â
The girl who seems to be withering away in front of his very eyes.
A sense of urgency, of desperation, overcame him. He holds out his hand, still trying to catch his breath, the shining protocore cradled carefully in his palm.Â
They exchange a few words, and she reaches out a hand, resting on his cheek, wiping away the blood that clung to his skin. He nuzzles into her cold palm, eyes never leaving her but his sight getting more blurry by the second, tears threatening to spill down his face, sorrow and love painted across his face.Â
âItâs too late.â
Her eyes water, streaks of tears spilling down her own cheeks as he cradles her right back. Before he knows it, theyâre sitting side by side, her weak body leaning against him, arm around her back holding her close, the other hand holding hers, lights, like fireflies, floating around them.Â
âI wish to meet you in my next life⌠I wonder if that will come trueâŚâ
âIt will.â
Her eyes fall closed for the last time, and panic takes hold in his heart. He calls her name, over and over, until the final breath leaves her lungs.
Sheâs gone.
⌠Sheâs gone.
Sob after sob spill from his lips, her name falling from his lips like a mantra between broken breaths, arms holding her fragile body close, not wanting to let go, never wanting to let go.
With a pained whimper, Xavierâs eyes fly open, sitting up as dread settles into his very core. The stabbing pain in his pounding heart seemed like it would never stop, his eyes flying around the room searching for you. Finally they settled on your form, nestled in the sheets next to him, unmoving. His stomach dropped, fear seized him, his breaths coming out sharp as a shaking hand moved over to your form, quickly settling on your hand, his fingers searching desperately for a pulse.Â
You had to be okay, please be okay.
Your eyes fluttered open with the sensation of your wrist being held tightly in someoneâs warm grip.Â
âXavier?â You muttered softly, the fog of sleepiness still clouding your senses. His blue eyes snap to yours, hazy and unfocused, and all you can focus on is the terror reflected in them. With that you were very much awake, calling his name more firmly, âXavier? What happened?â You sit up quickly and reach your free hand out towards his face, stroking the still flowing tears away.
â... Youâre okayâŚâ He breaths out, relief flooding his features, more tears spilling down his face. Without a second thought, you pull him in, resting his head on your chest, arms wrapping around him. And the moment he hears the steady thud thud thud of your heartbeat, a choked sob escapes his throat, his arms pulling you closer than ever, holding you tightly like you are his last lifeline.Â
With a steady breath, you whisper softly, âShhhh⌠youâre okay⌠Iâm right here, Iâm not going anywhere.â You try to sooth him, your hands running through his silky blonde hair. You donât know what happened, but you can put two and two together for now, it mustâve been a nightmare, a bad one at that. You donât think youâve ever seen him look like he does now. Lost. Frightened. Terrified.Â
Some time passes, the sobs dying down, arms still clinging to you tightly.
âIâm sorry for waking you up.â His voice is soft, still rough, raw with emotion, his head burying itself deeper in your neck.
âDonât apologise sweetheart. Iâm here, always. Iâm always going to be here. Donât hesitate to wake me up next time, okay?â You murmur into his ear, fingers running along his back in soothing motions, âDo you want to talk about it?âÂ
He shakes his head, drawing in an unsteady breath, âNo. Not yet at least. Just⌠let me hold you, please.â His voice breaks slightly at the end.
âOkay. But When youâre ready, Iâm here okay?âÂ
â... Thank you.â He mutters softly, as the two of you move to lay down, still entwined in each otherâs embrace, his face still buried in your neck, feeling and hearing your pulse beating continuously and reassuringly.
xavier rafayel sylus zayne caleb
cw; self harm, razor blades, hurt comfort, angst, fluffy ending, reader/mc is slightly hinted at being chubby (body dysmorphia + negative body image), self-isolation (reader/mc), dddne (proceed with caution).
authors note: this is a mere work of fiction and i do not condone or am encouraging people to inflict bodily harm upon themselves. if the contents in this ff will trigger you in any sort of way, please do not read it!! as a person that is/was going through similar situations shown in this ff, i want to raise awareness and help support others in need.
this rough patch in our lives will soon pass <3
ps: the sh in this ff is very vague and up for interpretation. there is no exact place mentioned for where the sh is taking place on the body, nor where the scars are. i tried to make everything very vague so it's easier for everyone to relate to. it is HINTED!!! at that reader/mc in this ff is slightly âchubbyâ and/or has body dysmorphia. this can be interpreted however you like :)
also, in this ff the boys havenât had any major sexual intimacy with reader/mc due to the scars, it's explained further in the fic.
xavier: 2.2k wrds
stress ridden, you frantically fled through the hallways of the hunterâs association, your mind in shambles.
there was a rapid influx of wanderers flooding into Linkon, thus causing mass chaos among the citizens.
this led to more and more being added onto your plate, more missions, which led to more paperwork, more unorganized files, ect, ect.
and most importantly, as the days went on your mental health slowly deteriorated. eyes constantly wandering to that tucked away box within your cabinet that would give you temporary relief.
it wasn't until a particular day until you caved into your cravings, your desire to feel the rush of blood, the rush of adrenaline, your little secret, your little safe haven.
the feeling you ravaged at like a man starved, the place you resided as the blade cut through the awfully abused skin, the sensation of the bathroomâs cool hard-tiles contrasted the pounding of your head.
the feeling of shame after. the feeling while cleaning up. the feeling of shame as you stood under the shower head and blood pooled.
the stinging sensation as the water trickled down your skin, the signs of your voluntary abuse was permanently etched onto your skin.
the hot tears that pooled down your face as you looked at your own reflection. the image of your body frightened you no matter what anyone told you. the newfound scars only heightened your insecurities.
and since that box was opened the cycle would repeat, over and over again.
rot, repent, repeat.
over and over again.
when will it be over?
the next day at work was the same, wanderers were relentless and your coworkers were restless.
ânew missionsâ
ânew paperworkâ
ânew deadlinesâ
when will this stop?
it was truly suffocating, and painful. the talking of your subordinates that filled the room, half assed conversations on your end, all while the fabric pulled and tugged on your raw skin.
a battle where a wanderer ripped your uniform, the scars barely visible but it was enough to put you on edge for the rest of the day.
walking back to the dreary office building that was filled with a vast amount of high tech, you hurriedly maneuvered past people, avoiding conversation at all costs.
your little plan was going well until you saw him.
the person you considered your lover, the one that always knew how you were feeling solely based upon observational skills was standing right infront of you.
you couldnât bear to meet his eyes. it was so obvious with your demeanor that something was off with you the entire week.
your phone has been shut off for days on end. sometimes, if someone sent you a somewhat important message, youâd send them a quick thumbs up to show that you're acknowledging their presence.
xavierâs gentle voice called out for you as you hurriedly scurried away from his gaze, exiting the building in the same fashion you entered it.
it wasnât until you got home you had realized a good 75% of your belongings had been left behind at the office building.
you shuddered at the thought of willingly walking into that horrid building again, not on your one day off.
your phone was left at the building, but it wasnât like you had much use for it anymore.
you fled into the bathroom before freshening up, replacing the haphazardly placed bandages over your fresh wound.
the bathroom was dark. you didnât want to see any of it, you didnât want to see yourself.
the thought of doing more damage crossed your mind, before you quickly dropped the thought, and the box. shame slowly creeped up your shoulder, reminding you of the feeling of cleaning up after yourself, and basking in the sadness of your own mistakes.
finishing up bandaging your wound, you simply put the box of your tools on the bathroom counter, before moving back into your disarranged room.
clothes were askew on the floor, the lighting was dark, the windows only opened enough to see what was in front of you.
moving under the bed covers, you began to close your eyes, basking in the silence.
however, that silence was quickly broken after a series of knocks cascaded at your door.
you tried to ignore it, but loud knocking every 2 minutes was a horrendous sound to sleep too.
groggily getting up from your bed, you exited the room and made your way to the door.
you slightly cracked open the door to see xavier in all his glory standing there.
his soft blue eyed gaze landed directly on your face, his eyes held a warmth that was hidden for you soley. your bag from work was hung over his shoulder, all of your belongings resided within the bag.
a sense of adoration fluttered in your heart as you looked at him, his face slightly flushed due to the weather, his serene complexion that contrasted the pink dusting his cheeks.
it wasn't until a few moments after xavier basked in your presence he spoke.
âhave you been okay? you left in a rush today, and your phone has been offâ xavierâs voice came out hesitant as he asked you, his brows furrowing as he attempted at asking without sounding too brash.
âno i've been fine, thanks for getting my stuff xaviâ you rushed out the words before hastily grabbing the bag that xavier had extended out to you.
you attempted to shut the door before xavierâs hand grabbed a hold of the door.
âcan i..stay? just for a bit i promise. just want to make sure your okayâ xavier spoke to you softly as his eyes raked over your figure, your eyebags had become darker as the days went on, the skin around your eyes looked slightly irritated as if you had been rubbing it.
you looked at him blankly before nodding and walking away from the door.
âsorry its a little messy in here, just havenât had enough time to clean up, you know?â your attempt at enthusiasm didnât go well, your voice slightly shaking as you spoke.
you were uncovered, the bandages covering up your fresh wounds did little to hide the rest of the scars you had accumulated over the years.
you felt xavierâs gaze on your skin. hurriedly you began to make your way back into your own bedroom before saying,
âi'll be right backâjust stay put for a while. I need to get changedâ your voice came out more harshly then you had intended, your shaky hand lifting to open the door before closing it shut.
xavierâs eyes widened in shock, a pang of sadness reverberated throughout his heart as he saw the marks upon your skin. what had been going on that you didnât want to tell him?
fumbling through your dressers, you immediately found something that covered up the scars on your body, your mind was in a haze, your body moving on autopilot as you changed.
when you exited the bedroom, xavier was nowhere to be seen, that was until you saw the bathroom light shining, the light from underneath the door casting a glow onto the living room floor.
you began to move onto the couch, pulling one of the many blankets that littered the couch over yourself.
a slow click resounded throughout the room as xavier exited your bathroom, the atmosphere was tense and dreary as he sat next to you on the couch.
xavier called out your name before speaking,
âhave i done anything wrong? recently?â xavierâs question rang out in your ears as your eyes blankly met his.
âno xavi you didnât do anything, i've just been a bit busy latelyâ your voice sounded hesitant, as if you were lying. your eyes avoided his gaze as you began to look away to another part of the room.
you knew xavier well, he craved your presence, a few days without you and he was better off dead. it had been a week before the two of you had sat down and had a conversation, a week since you simply sat in each other's company.
well enough time had passed for you to fall into your bad habits again.
âi went into the bathroom, i saw everything, the gauze, the razors, your scars. how long were you planning to let this go on for?â xavierâs voice stated this gently, with a firm undertone to it.
xavierâs body moved closer to yours, his body heat burned your skin. but you still felt yourself subconsciously moving closer to him, his comforting scent filling your nose, making you feel more at ease.
âxavier, it's really not a big deal. it's just skin, it will eventually heal.â you responded with a half-assed lie. with every mark you made on your body, a scar always remained.
your insecurities just grew and grew as the days went on. you began to question if you really deserved xavier, he was handsome and strong willed. while here you were, a person with a fragile heart that shattered at every moment and every situation.
âit's a big deal to me. i donât want to see you like this, you donât have to suffer alone.â xavier responded sincerely, he cupped your face, moving your gaze back to his eyes. his eyes were gentle as he held your face with care, as if you were fragile porcelain that would break at any given moment.
hot tears pooled down your cheeks as you heard his words. the sincerity in his voice, the soft touches, everything warmed your heart.
xavierâs thumbs wiped away your tears before he leaned in close to your face, before giving a soft kiss on your cheek, where the tears once resided.
everything made sense to him now, why you always turned down his advances, your nights together that always ended at a few kisses down your neck, it all made sense.
âmy star, donât feel forced to do anything. iâm sorry i didnât notice this this soonerâ xavierâs arms wrapped around you as his neck craned down to your shoulder
âxavi it's okay, itâs not your fault, donât blame yourself for my mistakeâ you responded to him, your voice coming out nasally due to the tears prior.
the word mistake rang through xavierâs ears. his head bolted up from your shoulder to look you in the eyes once more.
ânoâit's not a mistake, these scars just make you more beautiful. there is nothing wrong with them. as long as if it's you iâm with, no marks will define who you are to meâ xavier said sincerely, beginning to move his face closer to yours
âmay i?â xavier inquired, his gaze flickering from your eyes down to your lips
you nodded, before melting into the kiss. it was different from the ones you usually shared, it was soft and gentle. xavierâs hand made its way through your hair, gently brushing his hands through it as the kiss slightly deepened.
your lips disconnected as xavierâs mouth left soft kisses down your body, whispering praises onto your skin each time his lips disconnected.
his lips hovered over the area where your scarred skin was, lifting the fabric of your clothing and pressing his lips on the scars, a glint of adoration filled his features as he basked in the sensation of your skin.
âperfect, my perfect pretty girl.â xavierâs lips left a warm sensation over your scarred skin, it was like the pain and shame went away in an instant. it felt as if a weight was lifted from your shoulders as he whispered multiple praises against the area.
xavierâs negative thoughts were soothed when you didnât jerk away from him, your hands simply ran through his hair as you looked down at him with the same admiration he had given you.
he eventually stopped, resting his head on your lap, his arms wrapped tightly around your waist as his eyes looked up at you.
your hands ran through his lightly colored hair, playing with the strands as xavier began to leave kisses along your stomach.
âxavi stop that tickles!â your giggles echoed throughout the dimly lit living room, as xavier simply just smiled at you.
he eventually stopped, getting up from his lying position, freeing your lower body from his torment of kisses.
when he returned to his sitting position, he was suddenly shoved back onto the couch. his back was pressed against the cushiony material as your lips crashed onto his. a sudden abrupt movement that caused his eyes to widen, and his cheeks to flush even more.
as you pulled away from the kiss, his normally pale complexion was a rosey shade of pink, his ears were also shaded a dark red.
xavier pulled you down onto him, suddenly crashing into his arms. he left an array of kisses on the top of your head, and your face.
âdonât leave me again please. nothing physical will make me want to separate from you. i just want it to be you, your most authentic self is all i want.â xavierâs words were said softly as he whispered them into your ear, leaving a few soft kisses along your neck before pulling you into another soft kiss.
the rest of the afternoon was filled with love, and acceptance as you stayed in xavierâs soft embrace, his hands tracing along the scars, his body enveloping you in his sweet, secure, embrace.
xavier parenting au
A/n: rounding up the parenting au before all the fics and silly stuff, we got papa xavier and his 2, almost 3 children. (lumi was being a brat and demanded their release so you should thank little lumi) also Xavier's debut post! istg, i have a love-hate relationship with him because he keeps blocking zayne from coming home >:(
Primarily inspired by @tbaluver @starmocha and every xavier girl and boy dad thing I've seen since
Obligatory tag for Aly bc she's the kids godmother: @deusfoundry
cw/tw: family content, fluff, babies! very cute babies, pregnancy
wc: 732 words
Now now, papa xavier huh? This man sleeps more than your the children combined.
Xavier has collected all their plushies from the arcade, each child has a collection of plushies they sleep with.
He tries his best to cook meals for the kids but that didn't turn out good (He's gonna peel fruit from now on becuse cielo told him himself that he shouldn't cook, ever)
Anyways, Xavier is a father of 2 children . Well to put it accurately, 2 almost 3 children.
Cielo is the eldest child. He is 6 years old. His name means sky in Spanish, and you named him.
Looks like you but got Xavier's bright blue eyes and very relaxed personality.
As a baby, he was very quiet and sleepy, with the occasional fuss. Both you and Xavier had to constantly check on him to make sure he was breathing back then (he is don't worry).
When he's awake, he's a lively and smiley child. a little bit shy at first but he's cute
he's a little shit sometimes but that's okay his parents love him
hes a bit of an airhead sometimes
LOVES ALIENS (how do you feel about being part alien Cielo?)
He loves to read his father's comic book collection and sometimes copies the drawings
Reading his father's comic book collection had inspired him to write and draw things.
he loves his baby brother so muchhhh. he adores him since you had told him that he'll be a big brother
he read to altair (his little brother) as a baby
he's classmates with lumi, calebs middle child
he sometimes naps in class lol but is an all rounder
Is Lumi's secret-not so secret crush
Has the BIGGEST, FATTEST, CRUSH on Lumi but hes shy to tell her how he feels (maybe when theyre older)
wants to learn how to fight with a sword to protect his siblings too
meanwhile, his baby brother altair was named by xavier. He is currently 2 years old, thoughts and prayers to your both.
acts a lot like you, looks like xavier
the world's most fuzziest and crying baby
can not be left alone or he'll cry for mommy and daddy or cielo
he's very talkative and emotional
gets jealous when he sees lumi play with his big brotherâ always tries to sabotage it â well, as best as 2 year old can do
is the reason why you're pregnant, again. with a 3rd child. (hes jealous that his big brother is playing with lumi more than HIM). he basically demanded her into existence.
he's very cute like his brother too ! very respectful and gentle
likes being held
likes people reading to him, especially big brother Cielo
He loves animals! Really or stuffed toy otherwise
As mentioned, there is an upcoming child for Xavier, but it's still in the making.
it's a baby girl
whoops your having another baby again because your husband can't keep his hands off you, and baby altair is jealous that his big brother is playing with a girl instead him
The kids were with auntie Tara or Uncle Caleb and his kids when you got knocked up oopsies (you couldn't remember when because he fucked you STUPID and the sex was so good 10/10)
And now here we are :)
You're 5 months now Goodluck sweets
And this little miss is very active.
adores her father and brothersâ voice and touch
You have a name in mind, keeping how with the starry/constellation names
But for now? She's okay being a growing fetus.
Despite being a hunter, Xavier tries his best to come home uninjured or with injuries he can hide so that the kids won't worry too much.
On his days off, he spends most if not all of his time with the kids: playing, afternoon naps, going outside to enjoy hotpot dinners (cielo is an absolute fan of them), catching plushies, etc.
At the end of the day, he comes home from working, and sees them try their best to stay up, waiting for him. It brings a smile to his face. He puts his sword down, changes his boots into comfortable slippers, picks up Cielo and Altair in each arm and brings them to their beds for the night. After, he would enter your shared room to kiss you and the growing baby a simple goodnight before sleeping with you.
A/N: sigh. all of the introduction posts are done! everyone, please thank xia lumi for forcing me to post xavier and the kids (Shes playing with cielo now) i hope youre enjoying the au so far, feel free to request and ask more about this lovely au! i would love to yap more about the families and the little kids too! hope you like this one!
anyway, before illusio ends... let me... just... leave this... here...
Xavier x Reader
Sweet nights, him holding your hand, the world didnât matter. You were both on the ground staring up at the stars, your boyfriend, Xavier, gently rubbed small circles on your hand. Everything was perfect, he loved telling you about the different stars and constellations, you've never seen your boyfriend so happy.Â
âLook! There, the constellation of Leo,â Xavier said happily as he pointed at the stars. You tried to see it, but you only saw many stars. He didnât have to know that, though; he was having the time of his life, and that was the only thing that mattered to you currently.  Â
âDid you know that Leo was one of the earliest recognized constellations in the sky? Back then, the summer solstice was observed exactly in this constellation. Which means it begins the flood of the Nile in Egypt.â  He said as he looked at you, as he was so eager to show you his knowledge.Â
You nodded, showing that you were listening to his talk as he yapped about the stars. âIs that so?â You responded, looking into his eyes. He nodded eagerly as he smiled again, you saw the little sparks of light of his evol dancing around you guys. He was telling you random facts or just amazing things about space and different exoplanets that exist. Â
âThere's a theory of a 9th planet, yet they say that this planet is far away and it is bigger than Jupiter. This theory was started due to you needing things on two sides to balance something out. Which would be the same as the solar system.â He explained, looking far into the distance. Silence grew between both of you only the wind was heard. Then he turned around to look at you.Â
âMy starâŚâ He said, looking at you, his eyes showed a soft look at you. âThere are billions of different stars out there..Yet I found the only star that really matters to me.â He spoke gently, his words with deep affection as he gently put a strand of hair behind your ear.Â
vampire: My darling, my eternal flame, my heart's joy taken human form... you simply must drink water your blood tastes like shit.
loyal to my man ~Xavier .... Life is delulu at this point and other fixations
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