(Terence x reader)

Distress

Days passed since the battle, and Pixie Hollow was recovering. Homes were rebuilt, gardens were replanted, and fairies worked tirelessly to restore what had been lost. But things weren't as they used to be.

Yvette had been imprisoned deep within the Hollow under constant watch, and Ash was nowhere to be found. Despite our victory, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over.

Terence, as always, had been my rock, staying by my side through it all. His presence was my comfort—until the night he disappeared.

I woke up to an eerie silence. The usual hum of the Hollow at night—the soft rustling of leaves, the distant chirping of insects—was gone. My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced around my small, newly built home.

Then, I saw it.

A note pinned to the wall with a thorn.

My hands shook as I tore it off, my stomach twisting at the words scrawled across the parchment.

"Come alone if you ever want to see him again."

Beneath the message, in dark ink, was Yvette's signature.

A cold dread settled in my chest.

She had taken him.

Terence was gone...

There was no time to waste. I grabbed my satchel, stuffing it with a few vials of enchanted pixie dust and a small dagger Rosetta had given me for emergencies. My wings fluttered as I launched into the air, heading toward the only place Yvette could have taken him—the abandoned caverns beyond the Hollow.

Vidia caught me mid-flight. "Where are you going in the dead of night?" she demanded, eyeing the determination on my face.

I hesitated. I couldn't risk anyone else getting hurt.

She saw right through me. "Oh no, you're not going alone. If this is about Yvette, you need backup."

"I have to go alone," I insisted. "If she sees anyone else, she might hurt him."

Vidia clenched her jaw but nodded. "Fine. But if you're not back by dawn, I'm coming after you."

With that, I turned and sped toward the caverns.

The cavern loomed before me, jagged and foreboding. The air was thick with dark energy, making my wings twitch uncomfortably.

I stepped inside cautiously, the dim glow of enchanted crystals casting eerie shadows against the walls.

"Ah, you actually came," Yvette's voice echoed through the chamber.

I turned sharply, my heart hammering.

She stood on a ledge above me, looking as smug as ever, her dark wings flickering with corrupt magic. And beside her, bound in thick vines, was Terence.

His wings twitched as he struggled against the restraints. "Don't listen to her, (Y/N)!" he shouted. "It's a trap—!"

Yvette flicked her wrist, and the vines tightened around him, cutting him off mid-sentence.

I gritted my teeth, stepping forward. "Let him go, Yvette. This has gone too far."

She laughed, a cold, bitter sound. "Oh, NOW it's gone too far? Was it 'too far' when you humiliated me? When you stole everything from me?" Her eyes burned with fury. "No, (Y/N). You don't get to win this time."

The ground rumbled beneath me, and from the shadows emerged Ash.

"It was a drag getting Yvette out, you better make this worth my while" he snickered "You didn't really think I'd let you waltz in here without a fight, did you?" he sneered, cracking his knuckles.

I barely had time to react before Ash lunged.

I dodged, rolling across the cavern floor as his dark magic struck where I had stood seconds ago. With a flick of my wrist, I pulled out one of the vials of enchanted pixie dust and hurled it toward him. The dust exploded in a bright, golden flash, forcing him to recoil.

Terence was still trapped. I had to get to him.

Yvette swooped down, aiming a bolt of dark energy at me. I countered, summoning vines of my own to intercept the blast. The cavern shook with the force of our magic clashing.

"Why are you doing this?" I shouted, dodging another attack.

"Because you took *everything* from me!" she screamed, her power surging. "If I can't have happiness, neither can you!"

She was unhinged.

I needed to end this—now.

Summoning all the energy within me, I slammed my hands onto the cavern floor. Golden roots burst from the ground, wrapping around Yvette's arms and wings, pinning her in place. She shrieked in rage, struggling against them.

Meanwhile, Ash recovered and lunged again—but this time, a sudden blur of motion knocked him off course.

Vidia.

She zipped into the cavern like a whirlwind, slamming into Ash at full speed. "Didn't I tell you I'd come after you?" she smirked, throwing a punch.

With Ash occupied, I rushed toward Terence, using my dagger to cut through the vines restraining him.

He coughed, his arms weak, but as soon as he was free, he grabbed my hand. "I knew you'd come for me," he murmured.

I squeezed his fingers. "Always."

Yvette screamed in frustration, but the roots held firm. Ash, seeing the tide turning, snarled. "This isn't over," he spat before vanishing into the shadows.

I turned to Yvette, her fury fading into exhaustion. "It's over, Yvette. Just stop."

Tears welled in her eyes. But before she could say another word, Queen Clarion and a group of elite fairies arrived, taking her into custody once and for all.

Back in Pixie Hollow, Terence and I sat by the river, the moon reflecting off the water.

"That was reckless," he muttered, shaking his head. "But... thank you."

I turned to him, a small smile playing on my lips. "You'd do the same for me."

He chuckled. "Yeah. I would."

His fingers brushed against mine, and before I could react, he leaned in, capturing my lips in a deep, lingering kiss. My heart melted, and for the first time in days, I felt truly safe.

As we pulled apart, he smirked. "So, when's that bakery opening?"

I laughed, resting my head against his shoulder.

For now, we could finally breathe.