Rhiannon Matthias - Blog Posts

Subtle Acts of Love

Pairing: Garrick Tavis x fem!reader

Summary: Garrick shows you he loves you in small ways

Warnings: fluff

Word Count: 5.2k(this one got away from me haha)

A/N: Been a little MIA these last couple of weeks; I was on vacation and then last week was super busy. I've been wanting to write something for Garrick for a while now so I hope everyone enjoys this fic of Garrick and his sweetheart🥺

I'd love to write more for these two so send in any requests you might have about Garrick and Princess and I'll do my best to get to them! Not gonna lie I was listening to Alex Warren's song Ordinary and I felt like it fit perfectly! Hope you guys enjoy this!💕

Let me know who you'd like to read a fic about next :)

****Beware of typos lol(my computer is acting up) and constructive criticism is always helpful!

You had been studying for days, preparing for the upcoming Battle Brief exam that hung over you like a dark cloud. Your mind was drowning in the notes you had been taking during class containing outpost information, skirmishes, and other information that you swore was swimming around on the page in front of you. Despite your best efforts, the stress had started to seep into every facet of your life. If you weren't training or going to class, you were studying or eating in the dining hall and your friends had started to take notice. You noticed the sun's rays casting a warm glow over your room and you peeked out your window to see the sun setting in the distance. You sighed and rolled your shoulders to try and get rid of the tightness from being hunched over your materials. A knock sounded at your door and you jumped, the sound pulling you from your thoughts.

You got up to open it and saw your squad standing in front of you. "We're all heading to the dining hall, want to join?" Rhiannon asked. "I don't know," You hesitated, casting a glance behind you at the open textbooks on your desk, "I feel like I should keep going over the material for battle brief," You answered. "Oh come on," Ridoc groaned playfully. "You're going to ace the exam like always. I'm sure you could take a break to feed yourself," he went on. "Alright," You gave in with a small smile and Ridoc threw his arm around your shoulders pulling you into his side, jostling you.  "You know there's more to life than studying," He teased. You sat with your squad, munching on dinner as the boisterous energy around you reached its peak. You had to admit it was nice taking a small break but the upcoming exam still nagged at you at the back of your mind. I'll go back to studying after dinner. You decided.

A shadow loomed over you and you tilted your head up to see Garrick standing behind you and you smiled. Garrick had been your best friend since first year at Basgiath last year and the two of you had practically been inseparable since. "Hey you," He said, sliding his large frame on the bench beside you. His deep, raspy voice caused your heart to flutter. Just being near him, your body seemed to loosen and let go of some of the tension it had been keeping. Garrick must have noticed because his eyebrows furrowed. "Are you alright?" He asked. You nodded. "Just a bit stressed about the exam for Battle Brief," You replied. "You'll do great, I know you will. I know your studies are important to you but try not to stress too much," He said, rubbing his thumb along the back of your hand.

You nodded and though his words were comforting, the anxiety didn't leave completely. "I really should get back though," You replied, standing up. Your friends protested but you promised to spend more time with them once the exam was over tomorrow. "I'll walk you back," Garrick offered, rising to his full height. Admittedly, he had made you uneasy the first time you saw him because of how big he was; Violet had called him "the big one" the first time your squad watched him spar with Xaden and the moniker was fitting. But after you helped him the first time in math, you realized he wasn't always as scary as he seemed and now you couldn't imagine your life without him in it. You and Garrick strolled leisurely through the corridors-or rather Garrick strolled leisurely-and chatted a bit.

"Why are you so stressed about the exam?" He finally asked. "It's an important exam. I don't want to fail," You replied, as if it was obvious. The two of you had made it to the courtyard and the smell of honeysuckle amid the fresh air tickled your nose. "You always say that you're scared to fail but you never fail and you worry yourself too much about it. So why are you so stressed about passing school all the time if you're good at what you're doing?" He asked, leaning his back against a pillar as the two of you sat on the cobblestones. "I don't know....I guess I just don't want to disappoint my family. They were so proud of me when I got accepted to join the quadrant," You admitted. The swath of daylilies growing at the edge of the courtyard a few fingers length away caught your eye. You reached down and stroked the delicate petals and a soft smile graced your face; they were your favorite flowers with their showy and vibrant colors and they never failed to make you smile. "I just feel like if I fail, even an exam, I'll be letting them down somehow," You said, letting the petal slide along your fingers. "You're one of the best students I know, Y/n. I'm sure your parents would be proud of you no matter what," He said softly, watching you look at the flowers.

The next morning you woke up and the pit in your stomach about the exam was still there. Talking with Garrick helped but the anxiety wouldn't go away until the exam was over. You finished braiding your hair, strapped your daggers to your side, and grabbed your book bag. You sighed and opened the door and almost stepped on something laying on your doorstep before gasping softly. Laying on your doorstep bound together with twine was a bouquet of daylilies, the same ones you had stopped to admire yesterday. You picked up the bundle and admired the vibrant oranges, pinks, and yellows. You brought them to your nose and inhaled the sweet scent and noticed a small piece of paper tucked into the twine. "I know they're your favorite." It read and you noticed it was unsigned. I wonder who left them. You thought to yourself. It could've been any of your friends since they all knew you liked them. You stepped back inside, placed the flowers on your desk, and left for battle brief; and of course you passed the exam. 

"Oh, come on again?" You cried out, seeing the lack of your favorite dessert on the dessert table. "They have plenty of other good desserts," Violet offered, amused. "I know but I wanted the blackberry tartlets again," you said, craving the delicate little pastry. You settled for lemon squares and while they were delicious, they certainly weren't blackberry tartlets. "Want me to bribe the bakers to get some for you?" Garrick chuckled. "I know you're only teasing, but I'd love you forever," You laughed, and you missed the way the red crept up Garrick's neck as he smiled sheepishly. The conversation quickly turned, and you forgot about the missing dessert you had wanted.

"Don't overreach y/l/n!" Emetterio shouted over the noise in the sparring gym. "You open yourself up if you keep doing that," he continued. You had been partnered with a girl from third wing and although she was small, she was infuriatingly quick. She knocked your feet out from under you before you had time to register what had happened and pinned you to the mat forcing you to yield. Emetterio sighed but class had lapsed, and the girl got up and offered you a hand, giving you a small nod before rejoining her squad. You walked over to your own, undoing the wrappings on your hands. “Getting your ass kicked by a first year?” You heard behind you. You looked over your shoulder and saw Garrick standing beside your gym bag. “Oh, please like you never lost a fight,” You snorted. “Besides I was just distracted,” you said. It was true; you were still thinking about the flowers left anonymously a few weeks ago and... Garrick looked really good sparring with Xaden during your match. Garrick opened his mouth but before he could ask about it, your squad called for you. “I’ll see you later?” You looked at Garrick before grabbing your gym bag and he gave you a nod. You and the rest of your squad headed towards the showers to wash off the sweat and stink of sparring practice. Sawyer and Ridoc split from the group heading towards the male showers while you, Rhiannon, and Violet headed towards the female showers. 

The steam hit you in the face and suddenly you desperately wanted out of your gym clothes to feel the hot water wash everything away. "So still no idea who left those flowers?" Rhiannon asked, stripping off her shirt revealing a standard issue black sports bra. "No," You shook your head, setting your gym bag on the bench and taking a seat next to it. "I guess I should give up trying because it could be anyone." You slipped off your shoes and your shirt, leaving them in your locker to grab after your shower, before opening your gym bag to pull out fresh clothes. You scrunched your eyebrows in confusion. "What is it?" Violet asked, seeing the look on your face. "Not sure but it was sitting on top of my clothes," You murmured, pulling out a small but thick package wrapped in butcher paper and tied with twine. "Well open it I want to see what it is," Rhiannon said. You gingerly untied the twine and peeled back the butcher paper to find five...blackberry tartlets. You'd recognize the little pastries anywhere. The buttery crust held together a pastry cream layer, a blackberry compote layer, and topped with fresh blackberries dusted with powdered sugar. "Did one of you guys put this in my bag?" You asked but both of the girls shook their heads. "I love you but you know how the bakers are," Violet jokes, peeking out from behind the shower curtain. It was true the bakers were known to be a bit...difficult. It was common knowledge you didn't want to piss off the bakers who felt themselves to be superior and all important. "Someone must really like you," Rhinanon smiled before stepping into the shower. Yeah. you thought. But who?

Your squad, plus Xaden and Garrick were gathered in the common room studying or otherwise pouring over old books from the Archives. "So I heard you got another present from your secret admirer," Ridoc teased, looking up from his spot on the floor where he laid on his stomach, a textbook open but discarded. Everyone's head turned to look at you and you felt your face heat up. "Pastries in my gym bag," You murmured. "Not just any pastries...I heard they were the desserts you were wanting. Blackberry tartlets perhaps?" Ridoc wiggled his eyebrows, a huge grin plastered on his face. "Yes, they were," You said, a little uncomfortable about the attention focusing solely on you. "But they're not a secret admirer. I think they're just trying to be nice," You added, the weak defense clearly doing nothing to convince your companions. You happened to glance over at Garrick who was watching with an unreadable expression. Was he upset? You wondered. Did he care at all? Your little crush had bloomed over the last year and you knew you loved Garrick even if you never had the courage to say anything and you knew you wouldn't return the feelings your "secret admirer" had. You only wanted Garrick and you wished you could tell him.

"Please anyone who gets anonymous gifts has a secret admirer. Maybe you should try to find out who it is," Rhiannon joined the conversation. "If they found out who it was that would obviously defeat the point of the secret part," Ridoc snorted derisively. "Plus everyone knows two gifts is too early to attempt to discover a secret admirer's true identity," Ridoc added seriously. "Oh yeah who said that?" Sawyer laughed. "Everyone knows that!" Ridoc whined, shoving his friend's shoulder playfully.

"I don't but I wish I did know who it was so I could thank them and let them know how much I appreciate it," You replied. Even if you wouldn't return their feelings, it was still thoughtful what they were doing. "Maybe they already know," Garrick pointed out and you looked over. His hazel eyes always made you feel weak in the knees but there was something...different in them. "Maybe," You whispered. "Well, if they ever decide to stop being anonymous, tell them to send one my way too. I wouldn't mind tarts and a love confession," Ridoc smirked from his spot. A few laughed and the tension faded but garrick's look stayed with you.

The morning bell sounded, signaling classes were beginning soon. Your first class of the day was Dragonkind with Professor Kaori, and your steps were light but brisk, not wanting to be late. You rounded the corner and there he was- Garrick stood leaning against the wall, dwarfing the first years that passed by. "Cutting it a bit close today. Are you trying to make me late?" He joked, falling in step beside you. You rolled your eyes playfully. "I'm not the one making you late, you've got your own schedule," You laughed as you and Garrick made your way to Kaori's classroom. "I guess," He said with a lazy smile. "I can't just have you roaming the halls by yourself though," He added. You blinked in surprise. "I appreciate it but you don't have to always walk me to class," you replied. "I'd be fine." Garrick gazed down at you briefly. "I know you would be but I don't mind," he told you, his voice softer. A part of you wanted to argue but the warmth in his eyes made it hard so instead you gave him a small nod, letting the moment settle in. His presence beside you was comforting; like something you didn't realize you needed until it was already there. As the two of you walked a comfortable silence spread over the both of you- that was something you always liked about being around Garrick; you never had to fill the space with small talk if it wasn't needed- and you let your mind wander. 

It struck you how often he did this, walking you to your classes. How often he waited for you even though he didn't have to, seemingly always there. Most of his classes were on the other side of the academic wing so they weren't exactly close and yet, without fail, he always made a point to walk you to yours even if it meant he'd be late to his own. The two of you approached the crowded courtyard, students milling about as they gathered for their own classes. "So what do you think?" Garrick asked, a teasing glint in his eyes. "What?" You asked, shaking your head free from your thoughts. You followed his gaze and you realized- Garrick was close to his class but you were still a good several minutes from yours. You would make your class on time as always but he'd be late. Again. "Are you sure you don't mind risking detention just to walk me to my class?" You asked, a soft smile curling at the corner of your lips.

Garrick smirked at you, not breaking his stride. "It's worth it," he said, his voice unbothered. "Besides I've been late to worse things. A class won't kill me," He added. "And this...is more important than your class?" You asked, raising an eyebrow at him in bemusement. "Always," he quickly responded as if it was the most natural response in the world. "Besides you're stuck with me now whether you like it or not," He grinned. You chuckled and shook your head, knowing there was no arguing with Garrick once he made up his mind. By the time you reached your class Garrick was already glancing at the crowded hallway with slight frustration. "I should get going," He murmured but there was no real urgency behind his words. He was clearly in no rush to leave you, regardless if it meant he'd be late to his own obligations. "Thanks," You said softly. "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you walking to my classes everyday," You joked lightly. 

“I have no doubt you’d make it on your own but I’m in no hurry to let you,” He teased, giving you a wink. “Have a good class,” He said and with that he turned and started making his way through the crowd towards his own class. You stood there for a moment and watched him leave, your heart swelling a little. Walking you to class was one of those small things that amounted to something much more significant than what it seemed on the surface. It struck you and you realized that Garrick wasn’t doing these little gestures to simply pass the time; he was showing you in the only way he knew how that he cared. As you took your seat, you thought about the anonymous gifts that had been left for you and you wondered. Was Garrick leaving them for you?

You were tucked into a quiet corner of the library, your head hunched over the textbooks in front of you as you tried to get through some of your assignments that had piled up. It was late and the rest of your squad had already said goodnight and left. Garrick sat next to you and his warm presence filled the space. He didn't have anything to study and you told him he could leave with everyone else but he refused, remaining seated beside you. Your back ached with the hunched position you had been in the last few hours and your arms and legs felt stiff from sitting. You really should have taken a break hours ago, probably left with everyone else, but there was so much to do and you didn't want to fall behind. Your eyes crossed as you furiously scribbled down notes and you closed them, stifling a yawn. "I think it's time you stopped for the night," Garrick said, half amused, half serious but you shook your head. "I'll take a break in a few minutes," You said, cursing your voice for sounding weary. "You said that hours ago princess," he murmured. You looked up and noticed the fire had dimmed significantly and all but a few mage lights had gone out; maybe time had gotten away from you more than you wanted to admit. "Just a little longer and I'll leave," You protested weakly, but Garrick wasn't having it. "You won't be able to study efficiently if you're as tired as you are," He said and he had a point. You conceded and started packing up your things, putting your papers, notes, and pens in your book bag and closing your textbooks. You stood up, your body protesting from being in the same position for so long and you stretched. 

Garrick stood beside you and without missing a beat grabbed your stack of textbooks before you could even reach for them. "What are you doing?" You asked, wincing as you remembered the weight of them even though deep down you knew the weight barely bothered him. "Helping you," He said, nonchalantly. "But I can carry my own books," You replied. "I know you can but right now you're so tired you can barely stand," he pointed out. He grabbed your book bag from the chair and slung it over his shoulder, his body language effortless, as if carrying your things was nothing to him. Truth be told it wasn't and he did it often. "Just relax," He said, his voice gentle but firm. "You've been going at this for hours, I'll handle it now," He went on. "Let's get you out of there." He placed a hand on the small of your back, guiding you out of the library. Garrick's expression seemed soft, almost...protective, as though he were willing to take on your burdens for you. And that was just it- he wasn't just carrying your things he was carrying your stress. The weight you hadn't even realized you were carrying started to dissipate with every step you took, as though by carrying your things he was telling you it was okay to let go.

"I could've just taken a break," You pointed out, Garrick letting you lean against him slightly as you walked. "You could have," He agreed. "But we both know you wouldn't have. And I'm not going to give you the option of overworking yourself," his smirk returning, but warmer. You stayed quiet and your mind returned to the possibility of Garrick being your secret admirer. Could it be him? You wondered. The way he seemed to always be there when she needed him. The way the gifts had shown up seemed a little too coincidental to when Garrick had been around. You shook your head. Why would he do any of that? It felt a little ridiculous to think Garrick would be the one to be your secret admirer. Anyone could have left the gifts and you were sure Garrick also walked the rest of his friends to class and carried their things every once in a while. But deep down you knew he didn’t. You glanced up at him, catching his eye and he smiled at you like he always did but there was something different about him. Something... vulnerable and tender and you offered him a small smile in return. No, it couldn't be. Still, as Garrick helped you with your things you couldn't shake the feeling that your secret admirer was no longer as anonymous as they used to be. 

It was the kind of day that the exhaustion wasn't evident until you flopped down on your bed with a sigh. It had been a long day with classes and flying practices and your body ached from the drills. The sun had started to dip below the horizon, softly illuminating your room. You sat up and started to peel off your flight jacket and daggers, dropping them on your desk. You turned to undo your braid to shower and noticed something peeking out from under your pillow, your breath catching. Was it another gift? You wondered. You walked over and slid the package out realizing from the shape it was a book. You removed the soft cloth that contained the book and almost gasped out loud. It was your favorite novel since you had been a young teenager; you hadn't read it in years since you hadn't been able to bring it with you to Conscription Day. It was leather bound with the letters on the cover brushed with gold.

The leather showed signs of wear and the spine had a few cracks where the book had been opened too many times to count; it wasn't stiff like a new book, but had some give to it. The book was old and out of print now, nearly impossible to find in its original form. You opened the book and ran your fingers down the page; they were soft, the edges worn and slightly frayed from countless fingers flipping them. But this book contained something even more special and rare; marginalia. You thumbed through the pages and noticed notes, comments, and annotations from the author scribbled amongst many of the pages. You didn't even want to think about how someone could have gotten this, much less what it had to have cost. But who would even go through the trouble of getting this for you? And you realized, there was only one person it could have been.

Garrick.

The book was special to you as a kid, a gift from your parents, and you had only ever told Garrick about it. The novel was about a princess and her knight who conquered dangerous quests to prove his love, always bringing her something from his many fascinating travels across the land. You were afraid your friends would tease you for liking such material and although the teasing would have been good-natured, you wanted to keep it to yourself. You had only told Garrick about the book a while back. There was romance and danger and it had made teenage you swoon and daydream about one day having your own knight. You sat there, shocked that you hadn't realized it sooner; or rather believed it sooner. Garrick was your knight. He was the one who had left you the gifts. He was your secret admirer. The pieces were falling into place now. Garrick had been there to see you admire the daylilies and the next morning they were on your doorstep. Garrick heard you wanting the blackberry tartlets and the next day there they were in your gym bag. He always walked you places. Always carried your things. He never did this for anyone else. Now, a rare edition of your favorite book had appeared under your pillow.

These gestures and gifts weren't nothing to him; in his own way, Garrick was letting you know he cared about you and listened to you. In his own way, Garrick was trying to confess that he loved you. Not with big grand gestures but in subtle and deeply meaningful ways. Tears pricked your eyes because that meant more to you than anything. That he knew you wouldn't want him to admit he loved you in a big or public way. You asked your dragon along the bond to find out from Chradh where Garrick was before rushing out the door. You had to confront Garrick even if you were wrong-and you didn't think you were- and you had to tell him how you felt. Chradh and his rider are about to land in the flight field. Your dragon said through your bond. You ran towards the flight field passing the dining hall and academic wing before finally making it to the field just in time to see Garrick and Chradh touch down. 

You waited on the edge for Chradh to leave before approaching Garrick. "Is everything okay?" Garrick asked as you walked up to him. "Chradh said you were looking for me." "I'm fine but I need to ask you something," You said, your fingers curling protectively around the weathered spine of the book. Garrick tilted his head and something in his eyes shifted, becoming cautious. "Alright," he simply said. "This... this was under my pillow when I got back from drills," You told him, holding the book up for him to see. Something flickered across his gaze but it was so quick you couldn't even register what it was, and you continued on. "I told you about this book a long time ago. About how much it means to me. How no one else knew." your gaze searched his, watching carefully and your chest became tight but you pressed on. "And now it turns up. After the flowers, the pastries, always walking me to class, carrying my things, everything." Garrick's jaw tightened but he didn't say anything. The silence pressed around you two, thick and heavy with all the words being left unsaid. "You've been the one leaving me the gifts," You said, not as a question but a statement because you knew, but you wanted him to say it. "Haven't you?" You asked him. For a long beat, Garrick stood silently looking at you, something unreadable flickering in his expression. You began to grow uneasy. What if you had been wrong? Finally, Garrick let out a faint sigh and nodded. “Yeah I have,” he stated. The breath you had been holding in your lungs escaped and you stepped closer to him. “Why didn’t you just tell me?” You asked. He smiled a soft lopsided smile at you. 

“Because you deserve a knight,” He responded, echoing your words from so long ago. 

“You deserve someone who brings you things from his travels. You deserve someone who proves how much he loves you without ever having to say anything. You deserve everything you want Y/n,” He said. “I just wasn’t sure you’d want me to be him,” he confessed, sadness tinging his words. “Garrick…” You said, your heart thudding painfully in your chest. “I thought maybe if I could show you instead of telling you outright that you’d figure it out. Or even if you didn’t you’d at least smile a little more. I would’ve been fine with that much honestly,” He went on, anxiously running a hand through his hair and looking away for a split second. “But then every time I noticed you smiling and happy after I left something for you, it felt like I could breathe easier. Like maybe I actually had a shot,” He smiled. You closed the remaining distance between the two of you and looked up at him. “Garrick you always had a shot,” You whispered. “You just didn’t know it yet.” His hazel eyes, those stupidly beautiful hazel eyes, bore into you.  “Do you mean that?” he whispered back and you nodded. “I do. You’ve always been my knight haven’t you? Always watching out for me, always there,” You smiled. “I’m not really the best at this kind of thing,” His voice was low and earnest. “But I love you with everything I have. That much I’m sure of. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that you,” he promised.

The setting sun caught his eyes, making the hazel irises look like molten honey and it made you weak; you could stare at his eyes forever.  “Then you’re already doing everything right,” you smiled and it was big and bright and all you. That was all he needed to hear and he bent down slowly, giving you every chance to pull away but you didn’t. His lips met yours, moving slowly; it wasn’t a kiss filled with urgency or heat but a confession in itself. It was quiet and complete, brimming with everything he couldn’t put into words. You leaned into the kiss without hesitation, holding your knight as if you’d never let go. Garrick finally pulled back and smiled down at you, familiar and lopsided and you gazed at his face; it was perfect, even the scar running down one side. “I’ve wanted to do that since the first moment I saw in the Archives scowling at your reading list,” he said with a husky chuckle. “You mean the time when I dropped all my books and cursed the professor under my breath for assigning so many?” You laughed. “That’s the one,” he grinned. “I knew I was done for. Took me weeks just to speak to you the first time in math,” He grinned. 

You tilted your head. “You mean all those dumb questions about the equations were just your excuse to talk to me?” You teased. “They weren’t dumb! I stand by not knowing what the hell was going on in that class,” he laughed. “You had a better grade than me!” You said, shaking your head with a smile. “Yeah but only because I started studying after you helped me. I had to impress you somehow,” He flashed a grin. “Then you’ve just been trying to impress me this whole time?” You asked softly, looking up at the man who stole your heart. “Because you never needed to,” You whispered, wrapping your arms around his waist, still clutching the precious book. “I’d still do it all over again for you,” He said, leaning down and kissing you again. This time, you held your knight and didn’t let go.