I would love more of BrennanXreader. Anything honestly. Especially something sweet and spicy.

My Tears Ricochet

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Pairing(s): Brennan x reader

Warning(s): light angst, sexual relations lightly described (18+)

Summary: As you work through all of the new changes in your life, you lean on the man there to support you through them all.

SR’s Note: Part 2 to A Family Reunion! This one is a little emo at points, but combines the sweet actions with a little spicy scene near the end. I know many people wanted another development, so I got right on it! Lol. I hope you all enjoy!

Tags: @mellowmusings @rcarbo1 @lilah-asteria @kitsunetori @velarisdusk @nctsawrus @asteria-wood @mellowmusings @freyagallileaevans @desprrssooo-espresssooooo @emoravenwolf (inbox me or comment if you'd like to be added!)

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It was pure chaos when they found out the truth.

At first, everyone was silent; no one so much as breathed.

But then, Tairn roared -- and utter chaos ensued.

"Where did you find a midnight dragon like this?"

"What is a dragon doing living here in Aretia?"

"Is it yours? Is this another thing you've been hiding from me?"

"When did you bond with him?"

I want to get out of here.

The last words you heard were Azar's, running through your mind as panic set in. I want to get out of here.

Your eyes met his large ones of midnight navy, and you geave him a sympathetic look despite the weariness threading through your veins. The shouting continued, Violet yelling at Brennan, Xaden turning all of his pointed questions to you. Somewhere in the middle, Violet began shouting at Xaden too, which only made things worse.

"Everybody, QUIET!"

The hollering halted at the sharp tone in Brennan's shout. You flinched, never hearing him take such a tone like this -- but, as you caught his wrung-out expression, your shoulders relaxed.

Your brother crossed his arms, frowning at the general before him.

Brennan sighed before running a hand through his hair, glancing at the ground before looking up again.

"I know, this is a lot to take in," he said sympathetically, his gaze switching from his friend to his sister. "And, it's nearly unbelieveable. But, it's true."

Violet shook her head slowly, her shocked eyes faltering from her brother to focus on you.

"It is true then. This dragon, its..." she trails off, glancing behind her where Tairn lurks. "Its yours?"

Tairn chuffs, and Violet flinches.

"Its, theirs?" She corrects.

You nod quietly, and Xaden looks away.

"I... yes, his name is Azar." You begin to explain, catching your brother's attention again. "And, yes. He is born of both Tairn and Sgael."

Brennan studies you as he chews on his bottom lip, his sister mirroring the action. You turn to face Azar, and your heart breaks at the defeated stance he's taken. He huddles close to the cave opening, his gaze low. Turning back to face your brother, you speak again.

"I know... I know this is a lot to take in, but-"

"But, you thought it would be best to keep something like this from me," he cuts in, his voice razor-sharp. "From all of us."

Your face falls as you watch his harden, and it feels as though all teh air is expensed from your lungs. You take a step forward, trying again to explain.

"Xaden, you know dragons choose-"

"I don't care, Y/N! You also chose to train, work to develop yourself as a rider when you were supposed to be staying safe," he gripes, and Violet furrows her brow at him.

"Xaden, she couldn't have known this one was-"

"She does know!" He shouted, and Violet huffed in frustration. He turned his focus on you again, his jaw tense.

"It's like I don't even know who this is anymore," he says lowly. "Like I don't even know who you are, Y/N."

Your heart shatters, and fresh tears spring to your eyes. The impending storm rages in the distance, thunder rumbling as the gray clouds draw nearer. Violet looks to the sky in intrigue, then studies her focus on you for only a moment longer.

You only stare as your brother sulks off, brooding and angry in the way he always does. Violet spares you one last apologetic glance before chasing after him, following him to the nearby treeline.

A splatter of a raindrop graces your shoulder. Then, another. You look to the sky, hoping to find something that will drag your broken heart up off the floor where it lay, shattered. You supposed the only upside was that maybe, the falling drops would conceal the tears beginning to trickle down your cheeks.

The warm, familiar hand that you'd come to know and love rests on your shoulder. You turn, your watery eyes meeting the soft brown ones of Brennan -- and his face softens when he takes in your emotional state.

"Sweetheart," he whispers, pulling you to him as the rain begins to fall harder. You let him wrap you in his arms, holding the back of your head in his hand as you sob into his chest. You try to focus on the rise and fall of his chest against your cheek, and match your breaths to his to calm yourself down. The two of you stand for only a few minutes longer in the downpour before Brennan takes a small step toward Riorson House.

"C'mon," he suggests, pulling you along with him. "Let's get you inside."

* ✧･ﾟ: *

The cracking fire is the only sound filling the room, other than the soft splatters of rainwater dripping from the tips of your hair. You sit huddled in front of it, staring at the raging flames, wondering how in the Hell you'd gotten into this mess.

The soft click of the door unlatching doesn't distract you -- you already know who it is. A few soft footsteps later and sure enough, you were right.

"I brought you some... tea," your brother rasps, standing still beside you. You don't move, or even look up at him; the fire is the only thing bringing you any comfort right now.

He must get the hint because he sets down the mug next to you, sighing as he takes a seat on the floor. You gaze still doesn't waver.

"It's ginger," he continues, inching closer to you. "Mother used to make it for you all the time."

Your heart seizes, remembering your long-lost mother and the memories you used to share. So many nights of storytelling, family dinners, and laugher filled these very halls. Recollection of you and your big brother, all of the pretend sword fights and times he'd let you win-

"I'm surprised you remembered," you said coldly. "Since, you don't even know me anymore."

Your brother sighed, dropping his head. You continued to look at the fire, the flames working to cool down the ice filling you up from the inside. When Xaden looked sidelong at you again, his tone was filled with sorrow.

"I didn't mean that, Y/N. I..." another sigh. "It's just been so long since I'd seen you, and I thought I was doing the right thing leaving you here to protect you."

You sighed, a million thoughts clouding your brain but none of them wanting to come out.

"And, when I do come back, I find my sister has been training, and," he stutters. "You have bonded with a dragon, and it's the son of my dragon, of all things -- wait, does that mean you have a signet?" He pauses, his eyes wide. "Because those can be very dangerous, depending on the nature and severity-"

You glare at him, rage filling your vision. He stops mid-sentence, and presses his lips together.

"I ... nevermind. About that." He coughs once, bringing his knees up to rest his forearms on. He too focuses on the fire, the direction of where this conversation is going being too much to look you in the eye for.

It's a few long beats of silence before he speaks again.

"Y/N... I guess it's just hard to come back and see how much you've changed," he says, softer this time. A lump lodges itself in your throat as he continues.

"You're no longer my baby sister, I mean... you're a woman. A rider." He chuckles. The air in the room feels too thick, your tongue lays too heavy inside your dry mouth, and every bead of sweat makes itself known across your forehead.

You reach for the tea, drawing in a long sip.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Y/N. For how I acted when I got here, how I spoke to you out there today," he continues, emotion clogging his voice as well.

"I'm especially sorry for doubting you, in anything. I shouldn't be so surprised you bonded with a dragon, and I know better than to think you incapable of riding one." He admits, his gaze sliding to yours again. "You were always fearless, even when we were mere kids. It's silly of me to think that'd ever change."

You smiled softly into your teacup, taking in your brother's words. Glancing sidelong at him, your gaze met his, and he chuckled.

"Now, the irony of your dragon and mine being related, that's-"

"Something we can get into another day," you finish, sharing in his soft chuckle. You drink the rest of the sweet beverage, sitting the cup behind you and pulling the blanket tighter around your shoulders.

"It's so odd, being in here now." Xaden says, his eyes tracing the lines of the fireplace. "This... room, it was once our parents." He says, and you stiffen. "It's weird that now you and Brennan are the ones sharing it."

You catch the hint of playfulness in his tone, and you nudge his shoulder with your own. He grins, reveling in the way you roll your eyes at him.

"It's not so bad," you elaborate. "We really fixed the place up."

He huffs a laugh. "Yeah, and hopefully replaced the bedsheets before the two of you-"

"Eww! Xaden," this time you smack his shoulder, and he lets out a real laugh. "Disgusting." You shake your head, trying to get the mental image of your brother talking about you and Brennan out of your head. He soon makes to stand anyway, holding out a hand ot help you up.

"Violet said dinner is almost ready," he offers, and you take his hand in your own. He pulls you up, then into a quick hug when you stand. The earlier tension in your shoulders fades as he hugs you, and you reel in the rare placid moment.

"Brennan is a good man, Y/N. So as long as he doesn't do anything to hurt you," he whispers into your hair. "He's good in my book."

* ✧･ﾟ: *

The dining hall was filled with various patrons -- riders, Aretian guard, and groundskeepers alike. You made your way into the great room, following your brother to a table with a few empty seats. As you sat, your heart swelled at the sight of Brennan and his sister laughing over something, his eyes alight with the change of tone from earlier.

They've made up. They seemed... happy.

So you sat beside your boyfriend, and let the feeling of calm overtake you.

* ✧･ﾟ: *

You'd excused yourself from dinner, rising from the table and heading outside as the moon crept higher in the night sky. The air was cool as you stepped out, only a thin hazy mist covering the grass from the earlier rainstorm. It billowed and twirled as you stepped out into it and onto the moonlit lawn.

The cave was only a few feet from the back of the house, and you crept quietly toward the opening. You knew better than to bother Azar, especially when he was feeling emotional -- so, you reached out to him mentally before approaching.

Are you alright?

The questioned faded into the moonlight bliss of the bond you shared, and glimmered with a response moments later.

I don't think I've ever felt better.

You contemplated if he was being sarcastic or not, taking a few steps closer to the caves opening. Stopping short of entering, you peered into the dark abyss of the opening, your eyes catching on the moonlit scales inside.

Not only one set -- three.

A smile spread across your face, and you stooped to pick up a small rock lying nearby. You turned it over a few times in your hands before dropping it once more. Knowing your dragon and his family would appreciate the privacy, you turned after a few minutes, making way toward the house once more.

* ✧･ﾟ: *

When you reached the master bedroom and opened the door, you were surprised to find Brennan inside already. He lied on your shared bed, reading over a leaflet before his attention caught on you.

"My darling girl," he cooed, instantly droping the page and rising to greet you. You smiled, closing the door softly behind you as he approached. Pulling you to him once more, you allowed him to wrap you in his embrace, enjoying the scent and comfort that came with him.

"I figured you'd stay to chat with Violet," you inquired, and he pulled back from you slightly.

"It's been a long day -- I think we both needed the rest." He shrugged, placing a kiss atop your head. You made way toward your side of the bed, pulling your nightgown from beneath the pillow to change.

"I can agree with that," you said, sliding off your leather top and beginning to unbutton your pants. Your cheeks heated as you felt Brennan's gaze on you -- per usual -- but you continued kicking off your pants and shoes until you were only in your undergarments.

"Please," he whispered, his voice raw. He'd sat on your side, leaning into the mattress as he stared in awe at you once again. "Please come to bed like that?"

You chuckled, dropping the lacy dress to the floor in favor of obeying your boyfriend's request. His arms reached for you, tuggin you onto his lap with ease as though you'd done this a million times before. In all the time you'd been together -- you had done this before.

His sweatpants did nothing to restrain him as you perched atop his lap, stradding his waist as his hands held you in place. You grinned down at him, leaning in to finally kiss his lips once more. He hummed in approval, his hands sliding up and down the skin of your back.

You pulled back for a moment, and one of his hands reached to gently brush a piece of hair behind your ear. You smiled softly, and he kissed your cheek quickly before his eyes found yours.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Your heartbeat faltered a bit as you remembered the prior events from the day. The way your brother had looked at you upon knowing the truth; how he'd apologized later, but the words still stung. How Azar was so defeated at first, only to be followed by his parent's support later this evening.

You sighed, and Brennan cupped your cheek with his hand.

"I... it hurt, you know. What Xaden said." You chewed the inside of your cheek. "But, he was right -- with every stone he hurled at me, some of them stuck true. I am different, and I have changed." You explained, and Brennan gazed lovingly up at you.

"Yes, you have -- but you're still you, Y/N. You're still the girl with enough grit to keep going, keep getting back up each day, and keep getting back on your dragon." He smiled, in turn making you smile.

"You're still the woman I fell in love with to begin with," he continues, and your breath catches in your throat. "And I'll continue loving you, no matter how many stones I must take for you, or how many I pick out myself." Your brow furrowed, and he ran his thumb across your cheek.

"Stones can also be used for diamond rings, you know."

Your heart lurched as fresh tears brimmed your eyes. Brennan smiled bashfully up at you, his gaze of pure love and nothing more. The insinuation alone was enough.

You pulled him to you, your lips crashing against his. He kissed you, hard and meaningful as your mind wandered to what was to come. With Azar and his family reunited, Violet and Xaden knowing the full truth... you supposed Brennan's allusion would perhaps be coming sooner than you thought.

You pulled back and he groaned, the friction of your hips on his crotch getting him excited.

"Is that... does that have anything to do with why they came back in the first place?"

Brennan chewed the inside of his cheek, a cute blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now."

You grinned, knowing full well the conversation that must have been had between your boyfriend and brother. You kissed him again, running your fingers through his hair as he gripped your hips tighter. Your hips danced atop his, and his excitement only grew.

You gasped when he flipped you over, pinning you to the bed and threading his fingers through yours above your head. He leaned in again, kissing you passionately and speakaing inbetween breaths.

"Maybe... I like to imagine... what this will look like, with a ring on your finger," he panted, his hardening member rutting against your panties. You blushed, the thought of this impending truth feeling more like reality with every second.

"And maybe... I don't want to just imagine it anymore."

He kissed down your neck as he unclothed himself; the sight of him atop you one close to Godlike in the moonlight. Your fingers gripped his when he entered you, slow and languid. The breath drew from your lungs, each delicious thrust like liquid honey over ice.

"I love you," Brennan gasped, the words still giving you the same feeling as the time he first said them. Your heart warmed as you nodded.

"I love you too," you responded, sucking in a breath as he drove himself inside of you again. His movements were slow, not as fast and hard as you were used to. One hand let go of your fingers to caress your cheek again, his longing stare gazing down upon you.

"You're the most beautiful woman I know," he whispered as he made love to you, and your cheeks warmed. He never failed to give you butterflies, and especially now as you were sure of the future you both shared a vision for.

"Oh... Brennan," you sighed, and he picked up the pace ever so slightly. When you both had finally finished, he moved to hold you close to his chest, running his fingers through your hair as he whispered sweet nothings into your ear.

Your eyes grew heavy as he spoke, the warmth in your heart propelling you into a deep, peaceful sleep in his arms.

* ✧･ﾟ: *

Could I request a fourth wing xaden x reader where she gets hurt on a mission and xaden just goes bat shit protecting her injured/dying body “nobody touches her” style?

Nobody Touches Whats Mine

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Pairing(s): Xaden x reader

Warning(s): posessive Xaden, light description of injury

Summary: When you are hurt on a mission and Garrick is the one that brings you back to safely, your boyfriend doesn't take the gesture so kindly.

SR’s Note: Ooh we love a posessive, dark shadow daddy don't we? The girlies that get it, get it. Enjoy nonetheless! <3

Tags: @mellowmusings @rcarbo1 @lilah-asteria @kitsunetori @velarisdusk @nctsawrus @freakishfandomfiend (inbox me or comment if you'd like to be added!)

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It throbbed. Throbbed.

"How much longer?"

Your question came out so breathless, you throught Garrick may not have heard you. Reguardless, he glances worriedly down at you.

"Ten minutes."

His response is short, and the way his grip around your waist tightens reconfirms his worry. You'd never been particularly close to your boyfriend's best friend, however he was the only one able and available to help you today when you got hurt.

Xaden would loose it when he saw you.

You knew it, Tairn knew it -- and you were sure Garrick knew it, too.

His hold tightened on you again as Chradh prepared for the final descent, and your muscles strained as the winged dragon dipped lower among the clouds. The drop in altitude made you see stars, and you began seeing black spots at the corner of your vision.

"Hold on!" Garrick shouted, despite holding you practically in his lap. "Just a few minutes, Y/N. Please Gods -- hold on."

You tried, really you did -- but the effort was nearly more than you could handle. Between the pain spreading from your lower leg up through your thigh, and the throbbing in your head -- you were tempted to let unconsciousness overtake you.

Surprise had your eyes winking open once more as the brown scorpiontail landed, the gesture much softer than you were used to with Tairn. Loathing gripped your gut as you realized he probably did it out of pity -- at you, your situation, your injuries.

Garrick quickly unstrapped from the harness behind you, making quick work of unhooking your security straps before sliding down his dragon's foreleg. He gripped you tight to his chest, and you seethed in pain at the movements. In minutes though, his feet hit the ground and you were repositioned once more; this time, lying limply in his arms.

You gazed half-lidded up at the afternoon sky, gray with the incoming storm. The light breeze brushed the wisps of loose hair across your forehead, but you were in too much pain to bother brushing them away.

The moment of peaceful bliss, however, dissipated as your boyfriend cleared the entrance of Riorson house.

"What in the Hell happened, Garrick!"

His usually calm tone was gone, replaced with what could only be described as pure fury. You craned your neck to search for him, you sight catching on his large approaching form.

"Xaden I did the best I could-"

You felt a niggling sense of guilt as you felt Garrick's heartbeat pick up speed. This was, truthfully your fault -- if you hadn't left to search the isle in the first place, this wouldn't have happened, and another cadet would not be being blamed for your injuries.

"You didn't try fucking hard enough," he roared, his voice now hovering over you. Your eyes met his, and your brows knit at the absence of his mask of cool calm.

Garrick quickly lifted you into Brennan's grasp -- you hadn't even registered his approach -- as he continued shouting with his best friend. Brennan stared sadly at you, turning to bring you inside and get to work.

"She needs attention on her leg, and probably her head-" Garrick called, and your brother only nodded. You peered around his arm, looking back at the grizzly scene you retreated from.

Xaden shoved Garrick, his rage more palpable by the second.

"You should have been the one paying attention to her to begin with!" He raged, and Garrick glared at him.

"I fucking was, Riorson! Why the fuck do you think we came back so quickly? I did everything I could-"

Xaden growled, grabbing his friend by the jacket collar and snarling in his face.

"You didn't do enough."

It was the last thing your brain could process before your eyes closed, your brain spiraling into unconsciousness.

✧･ﾟ: *

When your eyes opened once more, the sun had set and the light that filled the room came from overhead. You squinted, raising a hand to shield some of it from your vision. The room was quiet, smelled of saline, and seemed too bright for midnight — despite the moon hung high in the sky outside.

You made to sit up, wincing in pain as your leg muscles defied you. Glancing down, you took in the sight; your leg, bandaged around the knee with stitches peeking out from beneath it.

Great.

Recollections of what happened earlier begin coming back to you, all the way from arriving at the isle early in the morning to the wyvern battle to Garrick, unstrapping you from Tairn in an attempt to fly you back to safety.

Tairn.

You reach out mentally, your chest heaving as your breathing became shallow. He'd been conscious enough to fly himself back to Aretia -- at least, that's what he had communicated before Garrick had swept you away on Chradh's back.

You try again, unable to get any kind of response from him. Your train of thought is interrupted when the door slowly swings open, your favorite person appearing in the doorway.

Xaden.

"Xaden..." you whimper, your eyes filling with tears. He strides over to you, sitting on the edge of the bed and immediately wrapping his arms around you. Shadows brush lightly across your legs, tickling lightly as they made their way up to your arms. Breathing in his familiar minty scent, you relax a little, the world's problems fading ever so slightly.

He pulls back, gazing straight into your eyes when he speaks.

"Brennan said you'd be awake soon." You nod, and he pulls you into his chest once more. His strong arms hold you so close, and you have to practically pry yourself from his grip to look up at him again.

"Xaden... today, I-"

"I know," he interrupts, his gaze roving over you in an assessing manner. "Garrick filled me in."

His calm tone was so at odds with the way he absolutely lost his shit earlier, and you level him with a look.

"So, you know it wasn't all his fault, then." You state, and Xaden sighs.

"Yes -- don't worry, I apologized. We made up," he assures, but you only fold your arms over your chest.

"You really shouldn't have yelled at him like that, Xaden. Going on the mission today was a choice I made," you reiterate. "A choice I made, knowing full well that Wyvern would likely come for us."

His brows pinch, his eyes loosing their warmth. "Right -- a rediculous choice, at that. Why would you think going into unknown territory, unarmed, without me was a good-"

"Oh my Gods, Xaden," you sigh exasperatedly. "Just because you weren't there doesn't mean it would have gone differently if you were."

He huffs, his hand gently caressing your cheek.

"It might have." He says quietly. "I could've prevented... this, maybe." He gestures to your leg. "And if not, I could have been the one to carry you home."

His voice cracking on the last word sent a wave of fresh tears gathering in your waterline, but you grinned nonetheless.

"You didn't like that Garrick was touching me, did you."

It came out as more of a statement than a question. Xaden's dark eyes met yours again, and he leaned in to press a kiss to your lips.

"I never want anyone else touching what's mine. Whether it be a wyvern, a darkweilder, fellow rider or even my best friend. You are mine."

✧･ﾟ: *

Heyyy how are you???? Crazy idea what about if xaden had a sister who stayed in aretia, never went to Basgiath, but she still bounded with a dragon (how to train your dragon style) only brennan knows ( brennan X reader) the dragon is son of Tairn and Sgaeyl

A Family Reunion

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Pairing(s): Brennan x reader

Warning(s): none

Summary: You'd stayed in Aretia when your brother left for Basgiath -- but, that had been years ago. After falling in love with the capital's general, the impending family reunion was... well, not what you expected. Especially when your brother learns of what you'd been doing the entire time he'd been away.

SR’s Note: This was actually so fun to write, and I'm grateful for the request! It was a nice break from all the smut I've been writing lately, LOL. Between requests and Kinktober prep... well, you get the idea. I hope you enjoy!

Tags: @mellowmusings @rcarbo1 @lilah-asteria @kitsunetori @velarisdusk @nctsawrus (inbox me or comment if you'd like to be added!)

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"Good morning, my love."

You smiled sleepily as your boyfriend pressed a tander kiss to your lips, your eyelids opening slowly as the early-morning sunlight welcomed you back into consciousness. His brown eyes gazed down at you as he hovered just above you, and your smile faltered a bit when you realized his attire.

"B-Bren... why are you..." You made to sit up in bed, arching your spine and releasing a big yawn. His hands helped guide you into a sitting position, and he knelt beside the bed.

"They're arriving today." He said simply, and your eyes widened.

"They... it's the 12th?" You ask, your mind beginning to race. Sure, you were briefed on the arrival a few weeks ago -- but you must have miscounted the days. Your eyes flickered toward his flight jacket, the "Aseraigh" patch sewn on the right side.

His fingers gently caressed your cheek as he nodded, and you kicked the blankets off in a rush.

"W-Well why didn't you wake me up sooner?" You exclaimed, swinging your legs over the edge of the bed. Before you could stand, your boyfriend wedged his way between your knees, placing his palms on the bare skin of your thighs. You sighed, looking down at him impatiently.

"You appear so peaceful when you rest," he offered lightly. His admission had a small smile pulling your lips upward, and he reached in to kiss you again. Slower this time, his mouth molding to yours as though the two were made to be connected.

You slid your fingers over his, giving them a small squeeze before he pulled back from you.

"You know I'd give anything to just stay here with you, all day." The raw emotion in his voice had your heart swelling, and you wrapped your arms around his neck.

"Me too Bren, me too."

But unfortunately, you had to prepare for your brother's arrival instead.

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

The sun sank lower and lower on the horizon, and with each passing minute, your heart raced faster.

There's no use in being nervous -- it's a waste of time.

Azar's voice rang clearly inside of your head, and you instinctively looked toward the cave opening. You half expected to see his blue-black scales glinting in the sun, but he had already retreated further into the covering.

Surely, in preparation.

I'm allowed to be nervous, you replied. I haven't seen my brother in years, let alone been able to explain our... situation.

When Xaden had left for Basgiath, he left more than just his memory behind -- he left you. In a brotherly attempt to protect you, of course. Little had he known, you'd shared more than a last name; you posessed the same courage, grit, and intelligence as your older counterpart.

He also had no knowledge of your ability to bond with a dragon, especially outside of the war college. But, here we are.

You could practically feel Azar's eye roll in your mind.

Give me a break -- you and I, are most certainly not in the same situation.

Very true.

Azar had it hard; his parents surely didn't believe he was alive. Taken as a mere hatchling, Tairn and Sgael lost their only true offspring years ago; they'd adopted Andarna, sure. But if you could guess, they'd believed Azar to be deceased.

Before you could fire back a reply, you turned at the sound of Brennan's voice.

"Right, and the rooms are prepped? All the medical supplies stationed around the campus?"

He spoke with Iseul, the head of the Aretian Guard as they stalked closer to you. His eyes met yours and he smiled, severing his conversation with the general.

"All ready, sir. We have soldiers stationed around the city to assist in the arrival," he explained, and Brennan clapped him on the shoulder.

"Excellent," he responded, nodding as Iseul made his departure. He turned to you, a long breath exhaling from him as he glanced toward the sky.

"Now, we just prepare for their arrival." He muttered. You nodded, stepping into his embrace. He held you close as the two of you watched, simply waiting for the incoming fleet to make themselves seen.

"I'm sure it'll go... great," you attempted to sound hopeful. Brennan chewed on the inside of his cheek, still gazing at the clouds.

"Yeah... like one, big, happy family reunion."

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

The reunion was not happy. Nor was it big.

It was nearly eight in the afternoon when the largest of the dragons made an appearance through the coulds; large, dark, and intimidating. It had to be Tairn, surely. Your heart sunk when you glanced to Azar -- he'd temporarily lied outside the cave's opening in an attempt to sun his midnight scales, but upon hearing the chaos of the fleet's arrival, he quickly retreated into the cave mouth once more.

You focused more on clearing the groundspace as many Aretian soldiers and dwellers gathered near the entrance to Riorson House. The large, winged creatures flew lower and lower overhead -- riders appearing on many of their backs.

That was, except the black dragon's.

"Clear the way!" Brennan shouted, waving his hands as his army obeyed. Instantaneously, the ground shook below your feet as dragon after dragon landed in the land's capital.

You instinctively lifted your arms, the wind generated from the massive wingbeats before you pulling a few strands free from your high bun. Chaos ensued around you -- soldier pulled rider after rider from their creatures, many of them injured and in need of medical attention.

Heat blazed beneath your skin, the darkening sky calling to you in a way that you could not suffice right now.

Now is not the time for a lightning storm, Azar.

Again, the eye roll could be felt from a mile away.

Maybe not, but it would make for a dramatic entrance.

You shook your head, wondering if Azar's parents were as insufferable as he was.

Making your way through soldiers and riders rushing by, you halted when a humongous blue dragon landed just before your boyfriend. You watched as he reached toward the rider dismounting, exchanged panic shared between the two.

The taller, darker rider quickly transferred the limp girl he'd been holding in his arms to rest in Brennan's, explaining in a rushed, loud tone that she needed his immediate medical attention.

You stepped closer, bile rising in your throat as you clocked her silver hair. That, along with the dripping, veiny gash to her right side.

His sister.

The bile threatened to make an appearance. The girl looked nearly dead, but the silver hair was enough indication that she was in fact, Violet Sorrengail.

Brennan rushed toward the house, a few soldies and Iseul flanking his sides in an attempt to assist. You debated following him inside, that was before your lungs seized of air as you were pulled into a bone-crushing hug.

You breathed deeply in an attempt to regain oxygen, the smell of smoke and mint infultrating your senses. In your panic, you registered the familiar scent; and instantly relaxed.

Xaden.

"Oh my Gods, Y/N -- I can't tell you how many times I'll thank Malek for not taking you from me, not yet anyway."

He released you, pulling back to stare down at you. You couldn't help the stinging behind your eyes, the immediate rush of emotion almost too much to contain.

"Xaden I..." You pulled him in again, hugging him with intent this time. His hands wrapped around your waist and held the back of your head, as though you were sacred and precious all at the same time. You hated the tears that spilled over, running down your cheeks and dampening his flight jacket.

He loosened his grip, releasing you once more as you wiped at your nose with your own jacket. His brow raised as he took in your appearance, his gaze running quizzically over you.

"Your own jacket, huh?" He questions, and your breath catches in your throat. Shit. You were going to take it off before he arrived.

You chuckled, trying to find an explaination.

"Yeah! I uh... I liked the one that um," you coughed. "General Aseraigh wears, so I asked for one of my own."

His assessing gaze hardened.

"Is that so."

You nodded, your eyes catching on the chaos still ensuing around you.

"And, you seem... well, like you've been busy, here." His gaze flickers to your legs, the noticeable amount of muscle you'd packed onto them while training. You had to -- Brennan ensured you were ready and fit to handle Azar.

You scowled. "What, you expected me to do nothing around here while you've been gone?"

His jaw ticked.

"No, I'm simply noticing the... changes, in you. Since I saw you last."

Your fury burned hotter at his usual, calm tone.

"I've been training, so what?" You threw your hands up. "It's not like I have a dragon-school with dragon-school-teachers to go to."

The punch hit exactly where it should of.

"Oh, so Brennan's been doing it instead?"

Well, maybe not exactly where it should have.

Before you could fire another retort, your brother's attention is snagged on the front entrance to your childhood home. Someone is shouting for him to come, and he lets out a long sigh before departing.

"This conversation is not over."

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

Your foot tapped impatiently outside the door.

Brennan had gone in hours ago, and you hadn't seen him since. Not to mention, your brother joining him soon after. With Azar still hidden away, you only had yourself and your thoughts to occupy your time.

Another half an hour longer, and the door creaked open. Your face lit up as Brennan squeezed through, closing it softly behind him. You took his face in your hands, and he immediately melted into you.

"How is she?" You couldn't help but ask. He drew his head up from off your shoulder to look at you, and your brows knit as you take in his exhausted expression.

"She's... well, she'll recover." He offerred, laying his head back down on your shoulder. "She hasn't woken up yet."

Your hands run comfortingly over his back, one tangling in his hair and scratching lightly. He lets out a sound of contentment, his voice muffled against your jacket.

Continuing to whisper your encouraging words, you let your eyes fall shut as well. It'd been a long day, a tiring one at that -- especially for someone like Brennan, who spent a lot of it preparing and mending and doing so much you couldn't even begin to imagine.

The door behind him opened slightly, but you were too lost in the moment to notice. It shut a few minutes after, and you began guiding Brennan to the living room to lie down.

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Your eyes blinked open a few hours later, the early morning dawn peeking through the living room curtains. You stretched out, yawning and looking across the couch.

Brennan wasn't there.

You look around the room quickly, not finding him anywhere. You made to stand, when a soft voice spoke from the shadows across the room.

"I sent him off to bed a few hours ago."

You paused, squinting through the darkness. Shadows lazily floated toward you, tickling below your chin and threading through the ruined mess of a bun on your head.

The quiet stretched on for a few moments, before you opened your mouth to explain.

"I think he may have just fallen asleep out here-"

"You really love him, don't you."

The chilling calm with which he spoke halted your hasty explaination. You leaned back against the couch, wiping a hand down your face. You sighed -- no point in lying now.

"I... yes."

Your brother looked at you in silence, his face a mask of unreadable calm. He breathed deeply, looking down at the floor before speaking again.

"Violet and I... we're..." he struggles to find the words. "I can't lose her."

Your face falls, and you stand to cross the room and sit by your brother. You wrap a comforting arm around his shoulders, the action feeling a lot like the way your mom once did it. He looks sidelong at you, the fear making itself known in his eyes.

"Xaden, I think Violet will be just fine," you say softly. "Brennan... he's good at what he does, and for his sister?" You shrug. "I feel like he'd do anything."

Xaden chuckles, leaning his head on your shoulder.

"You can remind her of that when she wakes up," he says, his tone suggesting that the reunion of the siblings might not go so well. "But, I'd do anything for my sister, too. So, I get it."

You share the quiet calm that follows, sitting beside eachother as a million unspoken words hang in the air between the two of you. It isn't too long before Brennan rushes in, his hair a sleepy mess on his head.

"She's waking up," he says, and Xaden stiffens. He rises with grace, crossing the room in a few small strides. He approaches Brennan and pauses before heading down the hallway, looking first at Brennan and then to you once more.

"You better never, ever do anything stupid to her, Aseraigh."

Brennan puts his hands up in surrender, and watches as his friend continues down the hallway. He looks to you with a raised eyebrow, and you shrug.

"I had to tell him-"

He sighs, taking the seat next to you on the couch and resting his head in your lap. He rubs at his eyes sleepily, another yawn escaping from him before he gazes up at you.

"It's way too early for this shit."

･ﾟ: *✧

Just as your brother predicted, the sibling reunion was... well, less than ideal.

"You really thought that hiding out here, letting your whole family believe you were dead-" her words are sharp as she follows Brennan out the front entrance, walking quickly toward where you and Xaden stood on the front pasture.

"...was the best idea? What the Hell, Brennan!"

Brennan huffed, stopping before the two of you and spinning on his heel to face his sister.

"Yes, Vi, I did. And, you know what? I'm glad I did." He admits, glancing toward you. His sister scoffs, folding her arms over her chest.

"Right, because changing your last name and forging a secret army in a secret, fucking, place, Brennan, is a terrific idea," she punctuates each word. "So glad you did it! Yep. So glad I had to watch our parents mourn you, Mira mourn you," she continues. He only shakes his head.

"This was all coming to a head," he interjects. "Had I not been here, where would you have gone last night? Had I not been here, where would your fellow cadets find refuge? Huh?" He continues. Xaden steps forward, hoping to ease some of the tension.

"It's not all his fault, Vi. I could have-"

"You could have told me the truth, instead of lying your way out of things. As you always do." She glared at him. "I'm not talking to you right now anyway."

Thunder rumbled in the distance, but it was not your doing this time -- though the sensation, the action was so similar to your own. Violet's hard gaze turned to you, and her face softened only an inch.

"You're Y/N, right?"

You nod silently, and she purses her lips.

"Great. I'm glad you at least kept my brother in line -- as much as you could, while he was lying to his family." She threw a withering glare to her brother. "It seems like we're in the same position, of sorts. A brother that lies, and..." she trails off, looking at Xaden. "Whatever, this is. Bottom line is, you lied too."

Your brother's face falls, and your heart hurts only a little. You could understand her frustration, and recognized your brothers usual avoidance of the hard situation by always taking the easy way out.

"Well... if I'm being honest-"

"Oh, some honesty is more than appreciated right now."

You winced as you looked at her, then looking to Brennan who only nodded. Xaden's gaze flickered between the two of you, his anger rising.

"Don't tell me you're..." he trails off. You give him a confused look, immediately after widening your eyes in shock.

"Oh! Oh Gods, no, Xaden. Nothing like that." You reassure. Even with that assurance, your brother glares hard at Brennan.

"No, seriously -- it's not like that. I mean, it's like that, but not like... that." He chuckles nervously, and Violet finally makes the connection.

"Wait -- the two of you are, together?" She whispers. Your gaze drops, and Brennan nods before Violet lets out a sarcastic laugh.

"Oh, my, Gods! This literally just keeps getting better and better." She throws her hands up incredulously, resting her palms atop her head. "Tairn is gonna get a load of this, and Sgael... Gods, I wonder how truthful you are with her." She glares sidelong at Xaden again, who only sighs and rubs a hand over his face.

"Violet, please-"

"Well, speaking of um, Tairn, and Sgael," you announce, and both Xaden and Violet refocus on you at the mention of their dragon's names.

"What about them?" Xaden asks, his tone questioning.

"Well... there's, one more thing I needed to tell you about." You say nervously, backing away slowly toward the opening of the cave. As if on cue, both Tairn and Sgael emerge from the treeline, stalking closer as the group follows you toward the enclosure. You take a deep breath, preparing to tell them -- when suddenly, all of their eyes widen, focusing on something just over your shoulder.

You turn, your face apologetic as you take in the prideful expression before you.

Azar emerges from the cave mouth, chin high, as his scales gleam in the early morning sun.

You only turn at the sound of your brother's voice once more.

"You, Riorson, have some explaining to do."

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: