Coi's MCGA fics

Seeing What The Heart Signs (Hearthstone) ღ ✨

Is it weird to say I miss a fictional character, even when I can consume the media at any point?
Pairing: Hearthstone x gn!reader
Request: Hi! Love all your writing :D I was hoping it was ok to request? Feel free to ignore if not obviously lol. A oneshot where Hearthstone first realizes he's in love? No need for anything specific, whatever you think would work! Thanks :D
Word count: 1k
Warnings: none!
-Asnyox

It wasn't a moment, or something specific. It was rather that Hearthstone had not realized yet that maybe he cares about you differently than how he cared about his other friends. You had always been close together, and supported each other. On days where his magic practice was going too slow for his liking, you always had his back, and when you were feeling unwell Hearthstone tended to drop what he was doing in favor of making you feel better.

He didn't realize he was in love when you randomly showed up with a gift for him- endearingly so, handing it over, signing "I thought of you," and making him literally speechless as he carefully unwrapped the present. It was silly, a goose wearing a scarf that resembled his, but even so you had thought of him, and he carefully pocketed the goose. He thanked you, and whenever he felt nervous he noticed he would seek out his silly goose, and think of you and your comfort.

He didn't realize he was in love when he was crying because you almost died in a fight defending him. He hadn't yet realized he was crying either, it had been a stupid moment- his runes were scattered on the floor, and you were fighting off the wolves in front of him, trying to give him a chance to grab the runes off the floor. In hindsight, saying 'almost died' was a bit of an overstatement, but you were battered, and bleeding, and smiling at him. You put away your weapons, and signed "are you okay?" as if he was the one with gashes on his arms. But ultimately you were okay, and Hearthstone knew that it meant that he would be okay. His tears dried, and his heart beated.

He didn't realize he was in love when it was just you and him on a walk together. It had been winter, and the loss of sunshine had been taking a toll on Hearthstone. So, you took it upon yourself to drag him out on a walk whenever it was supposed to be a sunny day. The sun still wouldn't be strong, but it would be natural. You were just walking in the park, side by side, looking for a spot to simply stand or sit in the sun for a bit. He had noticed you had packed a blanket- perhaps to sit on, or under, as the weather was rather cold. He wondered whether you had brought snacks, you probably had, as to prolong the time out, and he wondered what it would feel like to be the sun on your smiling face. To be the warmth that embraced you, to be the reason for your little contend smile. These thoughts should've caught him off guard, if it wasn't for the fact that they seemed to be recurring ones. More often he found himself to be in a more poetic mood with you around, and more often he found himself reaching for your essence.

He almost realized he was in love when you were studying together. He was practicing rune magic, and you had asked if you could do your own thing within the same room. He kept getting distracted by your presence, even if you weren't moving much at all. On the contrary, you were sitting perfectly still, engrossed in your work, and every so often Hearthstone just wished you would look at him like that. Like he's all you're thinking about, working on. But then he shook his head, and went back to his own work. He had after all a goal in mind, and that goal wasn't yet dating you.

He should have realized it whenever his mood soured and he hadn't seen you in a few days. He never could pinpoint the correlation between the two, not that it was too obvious to his friends. It always started with the day seemingly more tedious than before, although not bad, and perhaps a bit more gloom at the corners of his thoughts. Yet, he never knew you were the fix for it, because to him it was obvious that spending time with those you love simply make you happier, and love you he did. Although, admittedly, the label platonic wasn't one he could relate with anymore.

So, when did he realize he was in love with you? Was it when you smiled at him for the hundredth time, or when you carefully cupped his face when he got a bruise on it from a fight? Perhaps, it was that one time you simply hosted a get together for all your friends, and hours later everyone found out you hosted it because of your birthday. You explained that being with them was the only present you needed, but in the coming week most of your friends still gave you a little something, and Hearthstone's first idea for a gift was a kiss. Maybe he had realized it late at night, laying in his sunbed at Blitzen's, eyes closed but thoughts running, unable to get you out of his mind, unable to let go and fall asleep. He might realize it tomorrow, when Magnus jokingly says that it's almost like he's in love with you, and Hearthstone will deny it, while also denying his feelings. But he knows one thing, he would never want to be without you.