#… than the chiefs did which can only lead me to assume that the chiefs would go to the White House if they won

[juliet-ohara]

have made the extremely tough but noble decision to root for the eagles this weekend. I hope taylor understands

[easy-there-leftovers]

Doctor

Summary: Spencer's been there when you had been feeling rather inadequate, for lack of a better term. It's about time that you return the favor. (Written with early s2! Spencer in mind)

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem! (mentored by Hotch!) reader| cw: Spencer being unsure (is that a warning? lol), touchy reader, non canon case, vague timeline, reader and Spence being sapiosexual dumbasses, as per usual (weirdos) | word count: 2.3k

Budget cuts suck, especially if that meant doubling up and sharing a room with one of your colleagues. Or worse— your boss.

It's been a few months since your last GSW, and things haven't been much different. Or maybe it only was because you had been so out of the loop for a while that you hadn't noticed if it was. You hadn't changed up your routine nor your demeanor, so perhaps the others were just following your lead and brushing it off as nothing.

You still feel the occasional stares of literally anyone from your workplace, but you've learned to ignore it since dwelling on it never did you any good.

But you suppose something had changed.

Your relationship with your contemporary.

To be more specific, Dr. Reid had become more accustomed to seeking you out. Engaging in conversation with you more than the previous usual. It wasn't extremely unlike him to do so before, but his persistence has surely increased since your conversation at the hospital. Keeping to his intentions of having more dialogue between you two.

The same couldn't be said about the past week or two, however. While it didn't seem like he was completely avoiding you, you've noticed that you've had more opportunities to talk to Elle, JJ, and Morgan more than you have him. As if the overall frequency of his exchanges with everyone had somehow diminished.

You were going to find out why.

"Looks like we're doubling up." Your unit chief had briefed when you made it the shitty motel.

And your plan starts now.

Spencer feels an arm snake around his waist which makes him look up from his notes, and he's not surprised to see that it's yours. If anyone had to be making decisive contact with him, it would've been you.

"What is it?" He whispers carefully since Hotch is still talking. Used to your touch it at this point.

"Would you like to sleep with me, Dr. Reid?" He clears his throat instinctively.

Your indelicate remarks however, most likely never.

Since your little incident, he's discovered that you're less careful with your diction outside of work and it has certainly thrown him off but he knows that's just how you are. You and your forever unreadable expressions and contrasting sentiments.

Before he can answer however, Morgan's voice cuts through.

"I'm not sleeping with Reid." Everyone looks to him, except Garcia who immediately calls dibs on Derek, and he feels your arm slowly pull away.

Aaron looks from you to Spencer with that usual expression of his before exhaling deeply with crossed arms.

"I assume you're rooming with her?"

Seeing that you're no longer facing him, Spencer can only give your mentor a meek nod. Feeling the same wariness one would feel in the presence of someone's father.

The rest then picked their respective roommates and disband. Reminding one another to meet at the entrance tomorrow bright and early.

———————————————

Lately, Reid has become aware of a lot of things. Things that he never had to worry about before, but ever since Morgan had told him how you felt about the team, he had started questioning his place too.

He has never been ashamed of his intelligence. Far from it, actually. It's the one thing that he's ever been confident in and it's lead him to places that, he thinks, bettered him. Like coaching his high school basketball team, graduating with three PhD's, or getting into the BAU.

But he also fears that part of him alienates him from the others. That his intellect might be the very reason that will, or already, keep him from forming lasting and meaningful relationships. Even more troubling, that he might never live up to the expectations that everyone has of him.

Both as a colleague, and as a friend.

It's worse when the only person on the team that might not feel this way about him is you. Which then comes with its own set of problems.

You had been nothing but well-intentioned since the very start, practically shadowing him throughout everything. Being there to reinforce his confidence with your keen insight, your reflective encouragement, and your comforting presence—all things that made him feel seen.

But with the few times that you weren't there, it unnerved him. As if something was missing. Like it became an unshakeable habit to look over his shoulder and he would find you right there. So when you weren't there, it jus didn't seem right.

And he felt bad about it.

By the time that you had finished showering, you see Spencer with his hair still lightly damp from the one before yours. Head resting on his hand with a lone finger covering his mouth as if thinking deeply while sitting on the bedside's edge.

You take the opportunity to sit on the floor adjacent his tucked legs and he blinks out of his trance when he sees you lay your head on them. He doesn't mind, but he still feels a little bad.

And it's not about the shared single bed.

He felt as if he was taking advantage of your kindness. That by allowing himself to indulge in your brand of 'friendship,' he was effectively isolating you from the others. That for whatever reason, he just got lucky that you seemed to prefer him over them when he was arguably the most difficult to be with

That if you ever caught wind of his feelings towards you, it would ruin the current dynamic you had. He wasn't the type to catastrophize, he of all people should know the dangers of entertaining such thoughts, but lately your presence has had quite the influence on him.

Which is why he's been trying to make himself scarce until he found out how to deal with it.

You wait patiently by his legs. Gauging when he would finish his line of thought before asking, plainly and simply,

"How are you feeling, Spencer?"

In this room where it's just you and him, he's called 'Spencer.' No titles, no niceties, just his name. A luxury that no one else from the team has yet to earn from you.

He breathes out slowly when the pressure in his chest finally feels like too much, but he still can't seem to say what's on his mind. Worried that by telling you any of this, it would only add more weight onto your already abundant plate.

You trace your fingers on the skin that you can reach and he laughs a bit when it tickles. That seems to make you smile, and the sight makes his own grow ever so slightly before you continue,

"I'm not a doctor, nor do I have a doctorate like you—,"

"Three doctorates." He corrects and you roll your eyes playfully at that.

"Three doctorates. Fact of the matter is; I'm not a doctor but— I think I might be able to help."

You motion for him to lend you his hand, the one no longer holding his head, and he gives it to you willingly. Still feeling somewhat guilty when just that amount of contact does actually help him.

You know that you shouldn't profile your friends, but there's a reason why you're in the BAU and not anywhere else.

"So what are your symptoms?" You sense that this is a case that must be handled with a bit of humor, so you make that evident in your delivery.

He clears his throat and furrows his eyes, as if actually treating pretending that he was your patient before ultimately shaking his head with a tight-lipped smile.

"Actually, the symptoms aren't that simple." You hum at that, and get up to stand in front of him.

When he sees you get up though, he feels his hand instinctively tighten over yours. Worried that you were closing the conversation because he was being inarticulate, he goes to apologize but he feels yours squeeze him back before he can.

You notice a few stray strands of hair from your new vantage point. You carefully free both of your hands to tuck them behind his ears, and let one rest gently on the side of his face. Holding it in place, and allowing you to see his expression more clearly.

He feels a bit shy at the attention, but he finds himself leaning onto your hand with a confused expression. You breathe out in mirth and that only seems to confuse him even more.

"You better stop looking at me like that before I do something terrible."

He furrows his brows at that. Hand coming up to rest on top of yours. "Like what?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, pretty boy." You continue to observe him, much to his chagrin. Assessing the situation before sighing out.

His hesitance from earlier told you everything you needed to know.

"Do you want to try telling me again, or would you like a diagnosis now?"

He looks into your eyes and sees that you're serious so he just nods slowly. Not really sure what to expect since there's no way that you could've gotten anything from him.

"My diagnosis says that you have 'intellectual schism syndrome.' Common to manifest in young geniuses like you. Characterized by a dependence on one's intelligence as their source of fulfillment, and yet simultaneously fear it as the root of their social isolation and relational difficulties."

You pause to gauge his expression once more before continuing.

"You may have been born with all the wonderful things that help you with this job, but you need to remember that's not the reason why people care about you. You can ask for help. Your worth as an individual isn't dependent on your perceived use."

You let the words hang in the air a bit before correcting yourself, "I mean, that's only when it comes to personal relationships. This job? Well—maybe we'll think about it before kicking you to the curb."

He lifts his face from your hold, still grasping your hand, before shaking his head. As if still not understanding something but he eventually finds the words the words to express that.

"That—That's not an actual syndrome; it's not recognized nor documented in any psychological or medical literature."

You scoff at that. "Yeah, I sure it hope it's not. I'm not a doctor, remember?"

He searches your face for an answer before breathing out incredulously. "Did you know that you have an incredible knack for saying the most terrible things?"

You smile at that. "Was I wrong?"

He think about the answer to that, before shaking his head 'no.' Because you're partially right, but he'd rather not correct you on what you're missing.

He looks down at your still intertwined hands, god he's been holding onto it for a while now, before quietly asking,

"Uh, how did you—?" He trails off. Not really knowing what he's asking.

You shrug. "You forget who you're working with. I notice these things, I notice you."

He flexes his eyebrows and thinks for a moment. "So what's your prognosis?"

You look to the corner of the small motel room to think before eventually settling on an answer.

"Only you can really find that out, Spencer."

You look back to see him already looking at you. "Your intelligence is an integral part of who you are, and that's why you're here. Your intellect isn't a barrier—it's a strength. So do what you will with that information."

"What if I can't find the answer?"

"Hm,"

Your legs are starting to get tired, so you move to get on the bed with him. Making sure that there's enough space for the both of you as you settle in. "You always have friends that can help you. Miss Jareau, Sir Morgan, Sir Hotchner, Miss—“

"Even you?"

The face he's making makes your chest feel tight, like there's a pressure building there and yet you don't know why. With his unusually shy behavior, and rounder eyes, it makes your usually impassive expression (to everyone else on the team, at least) soften.

"Especially me."

You pat the spot next to you as you recognize that you should've been asleep an hour ago. Telling Reid that you two should probably sleep so that you can make it tomorrow without being tired and he does just that.

"You don't think I rely on you too much?" You furrow your brows at that. Now looking at him from down on the bed.

"Not any more than you do sir Morgan."

He tries to see the point you're making but fails. So he turns to look at you.

"I don't really...rely on him."

"Exactly."

"...So I don't?"

"How about this," you can tell that being roundabout your answer isn't going to cut it, so you're going to have to switch gears.

"I don't think you do. But even if you did, I wouldn't mind. So if you find yourself ever needing, or wanting," you punctuate this with an earnest look into his eyes, "help from me specifically, in any way, at any time, just come to me—and ask for help. Say something like um, I don't know, uh—" you shake your head as you try to think.

'I need your help,' is too vague, you hear it all the time during cases. 'Could you do me a favor,' won't work either since it doesn't really excuse the both of you so—

"Can we look at this?", "I need you?"

You laugh. Actually laugh out loud at what you just heard. The words you just said practically blended into one another to the point where you don't even know who said what anymore, but that didn't really matter.

Spencer feels his face flush, and his volume increases due to his embarrassment. "Hey, I was just trying to—"

A loud knock is heard from the room's wall, followed by Morgan's voice.

"Newsflash, kids. Some of us are actually trying to sleep. Go argue about your theories later."

The boy-genius and you make eye contact before trying to stifle your laughter, you having a much harder time than the former before revisiting the conversation.

"You know what to tell me when you need me, yeah?"

He nods.

"Let's go to sleep."

You say goodnight, before turning your back to him so you can process what's going on. You wonder if the buzzing feeling you have would go away in time for an actual restful sleep.

You could use one on this case because it seems like the more you uncover, the more you're confused. Theories of all kinds swim in your head, ready to occupy your thoughts for a little while longer before hopefully sending you to a peaceful slumber.

Hotch is going to need you two ready and working.

And because of your nerves, you don't even notice Spencer turning his back to you too. Wondering if you had been feeling the same thing he was from the situation, from the contact, from the conversation, from everything.

Unlike you, he's for sure not getting any sleep.

[a/n] Every time I write for Spencer with this reader, he just can't catch a break-- Send in some ideas for the next part of the anthology if you'd like!! Like certain character interactions, dynamics, etc. I'd like to see what you're interested in seeing :DD

taglist: @crazychaoticizzy

Like my work? Consider tipping me!!

[oklotea]

I was rewatching eah season one, and I got to the Maddie-in-chief episode. And OH MY GOD did this single episode hold so much potential as a full-fledged special.

Just imagine with me for a second, before EAH asks huge questions about autonomy, the true reality of Ever Afterian society, or what secrets lie in Milton Grimm's head, they make a point to truly bring your attention to the underlying classism and favoritism in ever after.

It could have been the first crack that would eventually lead to them questioning Milton Grimm even further, and finding Giles, and eventually finding out the storybook of legends had been a fake.

AND OTHER SUCH IDEAS, I DON'T KNOW!!!!!!!!

We could have gotten the chance to develop Maddie's character further. They had strongly implied that Maddie was much more smarter than what you may first assume, what is it with that? How do those skills properly show themselves? Not just in debate, but on a daily basis? How is Maddie intellectual in a way only the wonderlandians can see? And better yet, how has the people in ever after high chose to neglect her and her skills?

THIS HYPOTHETICAL SPECIAL COULD HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING TIME TO ESTABLISH THE WONDERLAND CURSE AND HOW KITTY, MADDIE, AND LIZZIE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FOR A GOOD HALF OF THEIR LIFE!!!!!!!

It could have been such a great moment to make the audience care about Maddie, and possibly the wonderlandians, even further.

We could have gotten Apple's first bit of character development, found in her earnestly looking at the non-royal characters as people equal to her, because let's be real, if we looked at the way she saw non-royals/commoners in the first book as something to build off of, it obviously comes off as disingenuous.

Maybe at the first half of the story, Apple is very sweetly and discreetly underestimating Maddie. Maybe going on behind her back about how, even though she admires Maddie's bravery, she doubts there'll even be any competition.

Only for as the special goes on, Apple watches how Maddie is actually a very talented, formidable and driven opponent

How will they show this?????? UHHHHH I HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT OUT YET

BUT COMPETENT, AND GENUINELY DEPENDABLE STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANDIDATE MADDIE IS A CONCEPT THAT COULD BE SOOOO SO JUICY

Like.... She's the kind of person who could be handed over an entire pile of student council work, the likes of which even sends a shiver down Apple White's spine, but thanks to the effects of wonderland, and wonderlandian photographic memory (I have no idea if that's a thing that only Lizzie has in wonderlandiful world but...... BUT LET ME COOK!!!! AGRHEGRGSVD) MADDIE IS DEPENDABLE, SHE HAS SKILLS THAT SHOW HER POTENTIAL AS A STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT!!!!! And not only that, she's got a big heart, and she cares about her friends and fellow non-royals very deeply, and just, having a non-royal as a student council president would be a huge step forward before all the crazy shit that would eventually happen in the future webisodes and specials.

EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE OG WEBISODE WOULD HAPPEN ONLY WITH THE STAKES MUCH MORE HIGHER, AND A MUCH MORE SERIOUS TONE

And Maddie decides herself that she wants to work alongside Apple, because she can see just how genuinely dedicated and talented Apple is, and with that, Apple's character development for the special is wrapped into a neat bow, and from then on her and Maddie being student council presidents is an IMPORTANT THING that gets BROUGHT UP

Like in Dragon Games, we could have hypothetically gotten Maddie walking up to Apple, sadly asking her how she could allow the dragon games to happen, and better yet how her mom can allow the evil queen to walk free!

Maddie requests that, since she doesn't have as much leverage over Snow White, how about Apple takes some action to stop the games and convince her mom to take the evil queen hostage once again?

Only for Apple to visibly be racking her brain, and snapping at Maddie, telling her she can't do that, and the games must go on.

It would have really sucked and it would have hurt and it would have been amazing.

That's just ONE example I've got on Apple and Maddie being co-presidents being acknowledged.

Apple and Maddie could have had a more defined dynamic.... It would have been interesting seeing two characters who are so drastically different in how they function being in such close proximity to one another, and having to work closely with each other!

Alright, my final point in proving to you maddie-in-chief should have been it's own special issss.......

JUST IMAGINE THE DOLLS

Here's what I have in mind,

Pin striped suit Madeline Hatter

Pillbox hat, pencil skirt Apple White

VERY MUCH PRESIDENT ELECTION CODED

I jotted down some scrappy sketches to show you what I mean

It's not the best, I spent like, 5 minutes on it, but YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYINH

YOU DO

I TRUST THAT YOU DO

THEY'RE BOTH WEARING SASHES THAT HAVE EACH OF THEIR SLOGANS ON

Maddie obviously wearing a sash that says, "Hats over Crowns" Cause that's iconic

And Apple wears something more, idk royally conservative???!???? Something with the sentiment that, the Royal way is the better way, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU GET IT.

And we're not stopping with just Maddie and Apple! Even though they are both the crown jewels of this student council president election doll line (someone come up with a better name, god bless), the rest of the line consists of a handful of Apple supporters, and a hatful of Maddie supporters. Their groupies, per se.

All of them in dresses or suits, whatever it is, very much business formal, or business casual, they all look quite prim!

That's all I got so far on the maddie-in-chief special concepts.

If anyone wants to build upon them, by all means do so!!!! I would love to see what you people come up with!!! :D

Alrighth, take care everyone. Thanks for making it this far

[iviarellereads]

The Shadow Rising, Chapter 21 - Into the Heart

(THIS PROJECT IS SPOILER FREE! No spoilers past the chapter you click on. Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Wheel of Time, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

(Dragon icon) In which, ah, yes, the prophecy debate again.

PERSPECTIVE: Moiraine watches the Tairen nobility filling the Heart of the Stone chamber. Only the High Lords have ever been allowed in here before, so it's a real uneasy treat for the lesser nobles. Rand is breaking customs, per the prophecies.

Moiraine is irritated at Lan's absence. She isn't quite jealous of Lan's relationship with Nynaeve, but for twenty years and some, he's been her sword arm, her shield, and her truest companion.

She's standing next to Egwene, and they discuss Rand, what he might be preparing to say here. Moiraine suggests Egg should persuade Rand to confide in her, but Egg knows it wouldn't work. After a side thought to El and Nyn, who are hopefully on the ship by now and will be able to confirm Mo’s suspicions about Windfinders,(1) Moiraine asks if Egg still intends to go into the Waste, and she does. Moiraine thinks Egg should be at the Tower, training, but maybe the Wise Ones really can teach her about Dreaming, and that would be pretty valuable too. Mo spends some time musing about the various plots between and against the various nobles.(2)

Mat is here, too, and Moiraine thinks he's an exhausting young man to keep track of. Egg wonders where Perrin is, but even Moiraine can't see him. They talk about Faile trying to convince Perrin to leave, and how she's good for him and cares for him deeply. Egg is a little naive about things, though, and Moiraine is about to tell her off when Rand arrives, carrying Callandor, tailed by Aiel in their black veils.

Rand announces that High Lord Sunamon has made a treaty with Mayene, so ships will be available to carry Tairen grain west, find new markets. But more than that, the armies of Tear are to march. The nobles all rejoice at this, chanting "Illian shall fall!" until Rand raises his hand for silence. He names seven High Lords, who Moiraine notes mentally were the remaining thrust against Rand's leadership, who will lead the armies north into Cairhien to assist in quelling the civil war.

Mo assumes this must be because of something Lanfear told Rand, but she can't figure out what it might have been. Rand continues on with a few other appointments and announcements, then says he's going away for a while. He says the Heart of the Stone held Callandor before he came, and the Stone should hold it until he returns, and he drives the sword into the ground with some weaving of Power that makes the Stone rumble.(3) He tells them to remember that he's coming back, and if anyone wants to replace him, all they have to do is pull it out. But, remember the price of failure.

With that, he marches out of the chamber. Moiraine and Egg run after him, intending to find out if he's truly gone mad. Rand is surprised that Egg didn't leave with Nyn and El, and asks why. Egg says she's going to study with the Wise Ones.

Mo asks why Rand did what he did, and he gives reasons for his actions with the High Lords, and as for Callandor, it's a weight off his shoulder. And, it was part of the Prophecies:

“Into the heart he thrusts his sword, into the heart, to hold their hearts. Who draws it out shall follow after, What hand can grasp that fearful blade?

Mo says he forgot that when he drew Callandor, he undid the protections that had stood on it for three thousand years. Any of the Forsaken could take it now. Rand says he half hopes one will try. He's put his own protection on it, a surprise if they use it outside of the Stone. She asks where he's going, then, and he says he's also going to Rhuidean. Moiraine says he's not a clan chief, his struggles are on this side of the Dragonwall. Is this because of his answers in the redstone doorframe? She told him those answers are cryptic, he could be misunderstanding them.

Rand says Moiraine has to trust him, as he's so often had to trust her. She can't read anything further in his face, but says she will trust him for now, but asks him not to wait until it's too late to seek her guidance. She swears in her thoughts that she will not let him go to the Shadow.

=====

(1) So, at least a few at the Tower suspect. (2) It's great stuff if you like political thrillers that may or may not ever come back to any given subplot. I recommend giving it a deep read and see if you can make sense of it and guess where any thread might go, in context of Rand's choices here as well. (3) The cause of the upset in the harbour, no doubt.

[multifandomme]

♡ Wip List ♡

Requests can be sent via ask, keep in mind that I only write smut and am currently writing for the current characters: ♡ Emily Prentiss ♡ Olivia Benson ♡ Casey Novak ♡ Natasha Romanoff

Requests: OPEN

Current wips:

♡ Emily Prentiss x Olivia Benson x Reader - mommy kink, bottom!reader, 'no prompt, just go wild' [in progress]

♡ a dom Olivia x sub reader please - degradation but in a sweet/loving way? So like, instead of mean names it's cute ones but said in a mocking way, if that makes sense?

also maybe a little bit of Olivia using her strength against reader, maybe holding them down? Cause I know that woman could crush me (and I'd let her)

also! Sorry not sorry but I'm obsessed with her boobs I think it could be really fun to include some boob stuff, or maybe even some thigh stuff?

♡ top grey hair Emily x reader - filthy smut reader is stress from work when she comes home, and mommy emily is her stress reliever and gets her puppy to warm her strap.. choking kink too?

♡ emily prentiss catches fem!reader masturbating and makes her finish before she shows her who’s boss

♡ (Red-eye pt2) so I do have some suggestions: )! They could be in prentiss office, for setting let’s say, maybe earlier in that morning they had an argument about work, or something at home that was just bugging the hell outta both of em’. So the female reader (being the more dom/top) wtv gets Emily flowers & and while she’s stuck on this file the female reader walks in causing another argument bc Emily is like overwhelmed w all sorts of emotions, which that could lead to having real kinky hate fucking 🤗🤗🤭. (Slapping, spitting in each others mouth, slight bleeding, dry humping,

♡ BAU reader x unit chief prentiss - have been a casual thing for months without the team knowing. Despite not making things official (yet), they act exclusive. Garcia sensing Emily is stressed/needs relief….encourages her to find a hook up while they are out at a bar & plays matchmaker. The woman chosen comes to sit at the table with them and is very flirty towards Emily who plays into it for appearances so the girls don’t question anything.

R obviously upset by what she sees gets up to get another drink. while at the bar she runs into an old friend. it’s a friendly interaction but from the table it looks to be more. when she comes back, the girls are teasing and r decides to play into it to make Emily just as jealous as she is. Goes as far as to text the friend about it who gladly plays along and r leaves the bar early to clearly hook up. When Emily is able to come up with an excuse to leave (without Garcia’s match), she checks reader’s location. Seeing she’s at home, she rushes over there. (R, home alone no hook up) opens the door to an angry emily.

Emily angrily confesses her feelings and says “you have to know, i never would have taken her home right?” (Assuming she’s just hooked up with someone) becomes slightly possessive and pushes r inside against the wall and asks sexually charged questions. It is revealed to have been nothing more than a trick and Emily laughs and says “see. you’re mine. you know it. maybe you need to be punished for such a cruel joke?” to which r quickly takes control of the situation (opposite of their usual dynamic) and tops Emily.

Absolutely filthy, possessive yet loving smut. After a few rounds, they have an honest conversation (no anger) and decide to be exclusive and officially together. Emily jokingly says “now don’t get used to being the one on top all the time now” and reader clocks that with a “all the time? so you did enjoy it.” and a final cuddle before they sleep.

[universalzones]

"I can only suggest you talk to Jewel and see if she needs any help. At the very least you can offer to find someone to assist her. I never hear anything coming bad out of your department so I can only assume you'd be best suited to finding someone to assist Jewel." Belle could also understand not wanting to be in the spotlight, though Gold certainly seemed qualified to finding a good fit to help Jewel.

"Maybe, it's just... no it's not important. I don't want to bring down the mood more than I already have." Belle just used to do so much with her father, and doing it without him just felt wrong. The tinkerer knew it wasn't, and was sure her father would want to move on and go forward with her life, though it wasn't that easy. Not when she misses him so very much.

"Though you're right, I do have such good friends. One's who've helped me more than they'll ever know." Belle couldn't ask for a better group of friends if she was honest. "Lanolin is leading a first response team against Eggman now, which only adds to her stress. Whisper is really nice when you get to know her, even if she can seem a bit scary and intimidating when you first meet her." Whisper nearly scared the screws off her joints when they first met.

"Ah, yes, I've only heard about that. Happened after I joined, though the Chief is still sore about it. Guess Tangle did more than just mildly upset him." Belle had thought about asking, though honestly didn't want to know what Tangle did to make the Chief so mad at her that she's STILL banned from the workshop. That lemur sure knew how to get herself into all kinds of trouble.

If she was honest with herself, she would probably be a major asset to Jewel in the office. She spent most of her childhood and adult life working in Onyx City offices. Managing a whole city was likely far more complicated then this operation. Then again, maybe not Restoration had there toes dipped in alot of areas all at once. Still it was doing good, something she couldn't say the same for herself. She did alot of terrible things for the Council, and that guilt still ate her up inside.

" Maybe, she's already done so much for me... If not for Restoration i'd probably be living under a bridge or who knows where else. Besides, someone has to manage the archive... its an important department even if its a bit lonely. "

Listening to belle lament about those hurt by Eggman did make her heart yearn to do more. But she didn't belong here, and she had no idea what would happen if she did something like that. Would the universe rebel? or worse what if it weakened the temporal walls? IT could get through and she couldn't risk that. Still she tried to keep the mood uplifting, the less they both thought about that the better.

" Well, It's always good to try new things! But maybe you should be asking what YOU would enjoy doing when not working. I have found i rather enjoy reading! i'm a sucker for those cheesy romance novels! Are lots of little things you could enjoy, you just need to keep trying things! until you find that one little task you find joy in! "

She munched away on her Curry while enjoying Belle's company. She still had no idea who built her, but they were a genius. She was so expressive, and joyful! yet showed such powerful empathy! That range of emotion was unheard of even in her timeline. Even Robians seemed to struggle with emotions at times, she wondered what she would evolve into 100 or 200 years from now.

" Sounds like you have made some wonderful friends. Miss Lanolin sometimes comes to the archive for documents. Less now then before but it's always nice to see her. Though less so recently, I wonder if she switched departments... I've heard of Whisper though i suppose who hasn't. The Rumors are silly though... i wonder what she's really like though... and Tangle... why do i remember that name? "

" Wait--- I remember now, was an old report i came across i had to reverify it with the Chief. Something about some ball Barings ... that's not the same Tangle is it? ..."

[killian-whump]

Obligatory Health Post

Some of you might remember my right ear from such happenings as “What the fuck is this noise in my right ear?” “Why won’t this noise go away?” and, my personal favorite, me likening the noise to this:

At some point, I stopped bitching about it. It didn’t go away, mind you, but I just got sick of talking about it and - I assume - everyone else probably got sick of hearing about it. I did, however, continue seeing doctors and trying to figure out what the fuck was wrong with the damn thing. Well, long story short, my ear is perfectly fine - but I got a CT Scan a few months back that showed, and I quote, “a constellation of abnormalities” inside my motherfucking head.

Chief of which is “severe” venous sinus stenosis - fancy medical words that basically mean the main vein that moves blood (and cerebral spinal fluid) out of my head and into the rest of my body is functioning about as well as JJ Sneed’s knees at this point. The noise I’m hearing is the blood (and CSF) literally having to force its way through the vein.

Allegedly, I can somehow continue being not-dead with this shitty hardware malfunction going on, but it’s causing a back-up of cerebral spinal fluid inside my skull, as it’s not able to drain properly. So my head is, right now, literally full of shit you guys. There’s so much shit in there, and the situation’s been building up for so long, it’s actually changing the shape of my skull. Fascinating.

Pictured Here: a slightly less alarming way to reshape one’s skull.

Aside from remodeling my brain cavity, the fluid also causes headaches and dizziness and nausea and coordination problems and visual disturbances... that eventually lead to blindness. The condition’s called Pseudotumor Cerebri, because the symptoms basically mimic those of a brain tumor. Or, as my sister puts it, “All the fun of a tumor without the cancer.” I mean, I guess.

Thankfully, I only have some headaches and the infernal noise from hell inside my right ear. However, I have an appointment with a new doctor on Friday - who is going to give me some kind of massive eye-and-head exam that’s supposed to take 3-6 fucking hours. He’s gonna tell me how bad the fluid issue is and what I might have to do about it (could be nothing, could be meds, depending mostly on whether or not he thinks I’m in danger of losing my sight). I’m hoping he can determine that through the eye exam and the scans I’ve already had done - otherwise, he might order a spinal tap to measure the pressure on my brain. The only way that’s gonna happen is if he gets me so motherfucking high I have no clue where the fuck I am or what’s going on - which would be like any other day for me, really, aside from the ginormous needle in my fucking back.

The doctor’s also going to tell me what we’re going to do about the stenosis itself. That’s likely going to be “do nothing and keep an eye on it” or “put in a stent” - depending on which route the doctor feels poses less of a stroke risk. If he does nothing, then I’ll probably need to be on meds (reportedly unpleasant ones, yay) to control the fluid in my head and keep getting CT scans to keep an eye on the stenosis’s development. If he opts for the stent, it should fix everything all in one quick shot, but it means 24 hours in the ICU and fucking brain surgery. If I need to be higher than a kite to even consider getting a spinal tap, just imagine the kind of carnival of insanity I’m gonna need to survive that.

However, the stent is metal, so maybe I’ll set off metal detectors? Also, I might be able to get away with calling myself a cyborg afterwards. I mean, it’s not a pacemaker or anything, but it’s metal in my body, right? If I can’t be a cyborg I just don’t see the point of any of this at all.

Anyway... Despite my attempts at humor here, I am scared to death. Humor’s just my way of dealing with... Well, everything. The only alternative is not dealing with it at all, which... Well, let’s just say that there’s at least a 50% chance that on the day of whatever procedure I have to get that I’ll just be here posting Colin pics and talking about his butt like nothing’s going on at all - because I’ll be hiding in the fucking coat closet of the medical clinic, praying the wifi signal holds because Colin’s butt is magical and might be the only thing that can save me 😭

Pictured Here: Magical Leather-Clad Butt of Wonder

So that’s your update! Friday’s the day. Please send me good vibes, positivity, prayers, Colin shower GIFs, butts, or whatever it is you feel comfortable doing. I could really use the help. I’m (probably not really, but maybe) dying here 😭

[uncpanda]

The Ties that Bind: Gideon Finds Out

 AN: This takes place after the chapter  unplanned in season 6! Huge SHOUT OUT to the following people who helped brainstorm and edit this chapter @hotforhotchner11 @originalsoulduck and @ladyofsnark Y’all were lifesavers when it came to figuring this thing out.

Warnings: mentions of emotional trauma 

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x fem!reader

Master List

“Are you sure I can’t help? Contrary to what you think, I do know my way around a kitchen.” 

“The last time I let you help, I ended up with stitches.” 

You gape, “That wasn’t my fault!” 

“You handed me the knife blade first.” He waves you away, “You’re worse than Stephen. And I didn’t think that was possible.” 

You steal a carrot and laugh, as Jason rolls his eyes. “So cooking skills aren’t genetic?” 

“Apparently not. I’ve been trying to teach him, and we’re making progress.” 

You pour a glass of wine, “That’s good.” 

“Yeah. He no longer burns the water.” 

Silence lapse between the two of you. Dinners at Gideon’s cabin are a fairly common thing. Right up there with the coffee shop the two of you visit. They usually happen when the team is on a case, and lately they haven’t happened regularly because you’ve been spending most of your time with Aaron and Jack and Spencer. 

You still haven’t found a way to tell Gideon you and Aaron are a thing now. It shouldn’t be weird but it is. It almost feels like you’re telling your dad. It’s been nearly six months - you should really just get it over with. 

“I can almost see the steam coming out of your ears. What are you thinking about?” 

“Nothing much.” 

He levels a look at you, “Nothing wouldn’t happen to be a unit chief in a suit, who rarely smiles, would it?” 

Your mouth drops open, “How did you know?” 

He moves the pan off the heat, “I called this years ago, when you told me you’d become friends with him. Plus when we had coffee about two months ago you had a hickey on the back of your neck. Who knew Hotch liked to leave marks?” 

You shiver, “Please. Please. Please. Change the subject.” 

“We can’t talk about your love life? You question me about mine all the time.” 

You laugh, “No. I don’t. You tell me about your flings, and ask for my advice, which I don’t get because it’s not like I have much experience.”

He rolls his eyes, “Joel was a dick. How are you and Hotch doing?” 

He’s not going to let up on this. He reminds you of a bulldog who won’t let go of a bone. “We’re good. We spend every spare moment together. And Jack is adorable and so sweet.” 

Gideon starts dishing up the plates and then leads you to the table. You grab the wine and settle down across from him. “How’s he been about work?” You can see the hesitation in his eyes. 

“He stayed behind on a case so he wouldn’t have to cancel our first date.” 

“Hotch?” 

You smile, “Yeah.” 

Gideon rests his forearms on the table, “I’m glad he’s learning quicker than I did.” 

You suppose you’re doing this, “He calls me every night when he’s on a case, and he’ll text throughout the day. When he’s home, he makes sure he isn’t working. And he knows if he stays too late that I’ll go down there and drag him home. It’s good. We’re good.”  

There’s several seconds of cutlery hitting plates and chewing before Gideon asks, “Then why do you sound like you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop?” 

The food in your mouth suddenly loses its taste, “What do you mean?” 

“You’re smiling, you’re telling me that everything is good. You’re telling me that Hotch, who I’m going to assume has entered therapy because you wouldn’t let him get away with unresolved trauma, is putting you and your relationship first, but you look scared out of your freaking mind.” 

You bristle, “I don’t look scared.” 

He scoops another bite of food onto his fork, “You hide it well. You hide it very well. You’ve had to over the years. You were the mature one. You were the only one you had to rely on. Your parents were next to useless, not that I can claim the moral high ground there, and Spencer was too young, your boyfriend Bryan was a delusional idiot, and Joel . . .there was a part of you that knew you couldn’t rely on him. 

“And now there’s Aaron. You’ve found a partner. Someone to carry part of the load, to support you when you’re not feeling great, and you’re terrified.”

You stare at Jason. You’re not quite sure how he does it. How he breaks down walls your therapist can only chip away at. 

“I’m scared he’ll leave . . . like everyone else.” 

THAT gets his attention, “What?”  

“I never knew my bio dad and according to Diana it was no loss. I don’t even know if he knew about me. Then there was William. Well, you know what happened there. And Mom? She checked out too. She won’t even see me, since I had her hospitalized. Spencer left for the FBI. And it’s not fair of me to think that way, but it feels like he left. And sometimes it feels like he only let me back in because he was drowning.

“And Joel . . .” you let out a breath, “You know what happened there.” 

His eyes narrow, “Not all of it. What else is there?” 

“How do you  . . .?” 

“You have tells when you’re holding something back and no, I’m not going to tell you.” 

“After I ended up in the emergency room with my foot last year, I saw him again. Saw his mistress, too. Had a panic attack. Aaron and the others swarmed in to protect me. And after a few days I was fine.  I was on my way to my car when SHE showed up. 

“And I’m in a cast. I can’t get away. I didn’t have the balance to punch her. I highly considered clawing her eyes out. Not because I missed Joel, but because she just added on to trauma I already had. I mean Aaron’s a lawyer he probably could have gotten me off with community service.” 

The joke falls flat, and Gideon nudges you, “What did she want?” 

“She wanted to apologize. She said it wasn’t fair that she and Joel had carried around behind my back for over a year. They had tried to stop it but they couldn’t. They loved each other and could I please withdraw my complaint because it was going to affect his career at the hospital and they have TWO kids now.

“I never filed a complaint. I certainly didn’t know that Joel was cheating on me for half our relationship, while asking me to consider giving him a baby. I should have been the bigger person . . .” 

“Screw that. They made their bed, now let them lie in it. It’s a great lesson of cause and effect.” 

You let out a bark of laughter, “I went to the hospital to see who had filed the complaint. It had been Aaron. Not on my behalf just as himself. Apparently his word carried a lot of weight when they realized he was not only a lawyer but with the FBI. I’ve never asked him about it.” 

“Why?” 

“Because I know what he’ll say. He did it to defend me, and that’s true. But I also think he did it because he hates Joel. He hates that Joel hurt me.” 

Jason smiles, “Because he loves you. Loved you even back then and you two were just too stupid to see it.” 

“Thanks.” 

“Just speaking the truth. But back to the issue at hand. What is scaring you about this?” 

Your tongue darts out to wet your lips, “I’m scared Aaron will leave too, and I don’t think I’d survive it. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. And that terrifies me. And each day we get deeper and deeper. I’m moving in with them next week. And Jack has started calling me mommy, and I know I didn’t give birth to him, and I KNOW how much Haley loved him and that I won’t measure up, but I’m already thinking of him like my own. And Spencer fits in so well, and Jess does too, and if I lose that . . . I don’t think I’ll be able to pick myself up again. I’ll shatter, Jason.” The tears come. You can’t help it. 

You bury your face in your hands and let them come. You hear his chair scrape against the floor and then his arm wraps around you. 

Quietly, his mouth right near your ear, he whispers, “Aaron isn’t going anywhere. He doesn’t leave people behind. Especially when he loves someone. And he loves you. It’s okay for you to be happy. It’s okay to trust yourself and him. It’s okay to love him and the family the two of you are making. You are allowed to have this. You are allowed to be happy.” 

You look up at him, “If this goes bad. . .” 

“It won’t. And you know that or you wouldn’t be moving in with him. You would have kept Spencer at a distance like you did with Joel. You wouldn’t have allowed yourself to get this far. And if. . . by some chance he hurts you, you’ll  be okay.” 

“I’m all out of tape and glue, Jason.” 

“I’ve got some you can borrow and I’m good at putting things back together. And I’ll help you, after I kill Hotch. I can be your safety net.” 

Gideon reaches out and pushes a tear off your cheek and smiles. “You’re okay.”

And you believe him.

[biggest-stupidhead]

Can I ask for an request where Levi is a soldier who is pointed to protect a royal person. Then he fell in love with her active attitude, smart brain and support to the scout

AN: This took me so long. I deleted it like three times on accident so this is as good as its going to get 😂. do let me know though if I misspelled anything I didn't skim over it sooooo YOLO.

Summary: Levi is asked to attend the summer gala with !princess reader.

Word Count: 2.8 K

Warnings: mentions of Levi's scarring, some cussing? I think? that's about it

__________

Levi's hand trembled as he ran the fine toothed comb through his damp hair. He scowled back at his own reflection, eyes avoiding the pink scars that marred his skin. It had been nearly a year since he had been discharged from the military due to his injuries. At first he had struggled to find a routine, having been in the military for more than half of his life, it was a huge loss.

His hand jerked unexpectedly and the comb pulled through a knot in his hair painfully. He clicked his tongue and dropped the comb, gripping the edges of the sink to steady himself.

How pathetic.

There was a time when he could complete these tasks with no problem. But now his body seemed to be failing him, if he stood for too long his joints protested, he struggled to hold a pen due to his lack of fingers. He also wore an eyepatch to cover his milky right eye and some of the scars that covered the right side of his face.

Normally Hange would help him get ready, they were the only person he could stomach seeing him this way. But Hange was busy, they had meetings all morning. So Levi was left on his own, and he managed as well as he could. Although it took him double the amount of time it usually took, he still did it.

He grabbed his cane on his way out of his humble apartment, the carriage was waiting for him outside. In the carriage was the last person he wished to see, Zeke Jaeger. His glasses glinted in the sunlight as the coachman held the door for Levi who sat as far away from the war chief as possible.

Zeke blew out a puff of smoke, which swirled around in the small space. Levi's lip curled into a sneer, and Zeke smirked pleased to rouse a reaction from the retired Captain.

"Big day today eh Levi?" He spoke around his cigarette and Levi rolled his eyes.

"I suppose." He agreed, eyes never leaving the man.

That was about the only words exchanged between the two, the ride was thankfully short. The carriage arrived to the castle just after noon, the coachmen opened the door for Levi and Zeke. The sunlight was bright and made Levi squint, it didn't help that the castle seemed to glow as the sun bounced off of it.

"This way old friend." Zeke instructed and Levi followed begrudgingly, Zeke led Levi through the halls and into a large ball room. The castle staff was scurrying about, carrying massive bouquets of flowers and other decorations in preparation for the summer gala. Levi had attended this very event many times over his career, but he had not intended on joining in this year. Zeke paused a few feet away from Erwin, who was standing before a young woman Levi had met a handful of times. You had aged in the past two years that he hadn't seen you, although you weren't any taller, he could see the age on your face. Much as he assumed you could see in his, you also carried yourself more confidently, shoulders back, chin up.

Erwin paused and turned to greet the two men, who both saluted him and you.

"Captain, how nice to see you." You hummed, a pleased glint in your eyes as you curtsied, much to his surprise.

"You as well Zeke." You seemed less excited to see the war chief.

"Princess, you look lovely." Zeke closed the distance between the two of you, taking your hand a bit too eagerly and bringing it to his lips. You smiled a bit tersely, but allowed it.

"Ah, and you look...as hairy as the last time we met." Your jab threw Levi off, but Erwin seemed to have expected the exchange. Zeke laughed heartily and pulled back.

"Such a sharp tongue on you princess." He chuckled and you shrugged, a smug grin on those lips of yours.

"You make it easy."

"Princess, you are aware that Levi is to accompany you to this year's gala yes?" Erwin steered the conversation in a more relevant direction and you nodded.

"Mhm, and I'm very excited to be escorted by Eldia's most eligible bachelor." Levi wasn't sure if you meant it sincerely, or if it was his turn to face the wrath of your sharp words.

"I'm sure you are." Erwin chuckled, his hand falling on the back of your tricep. You gathered your skirts and took a few steps closer to Levi.

"The last time we met, you weren't keen on dancing, I do hope that's changed." You smirked at him and Levi barely fought the flush off of his cheeks as you pushed past him.

"We can go in the drawing room and discuss logistics, the gala is a mere week away after all-" Levi tuned out whatever it was Erwin was babbling about, too focused on watching you saunter out of the room.

__

Levi spent the next week trailing behind Erwin, attending meetings and luncheons with other high ranking military members. It was boring, but nothing that he hadn't done before. The day of the gala, Hange arrived with the remaining of the 104th cadet corps. Levi felt great relief at seeing the familiar faces, Hange had eagerly came to hug him, and he pretended to hate it. Mikasa even came and gave him the briefest of embraces, Connie had been the most excited, throwing his arms around his former captain and squeezing him tightly. Armin had grinned sheepishly, and offered a small wave. Jean just nodded respectively in Levi's direction. Gabby and Falco had tagged along as well, wearing their best uniforms, decorated with their medals.

"I can't believe we get to come to the summer gala!" Connie gushed, his hazel eyes wide as he soaked in the castle in all of its glory.

"We won a war." Jean huffed, eyes sharp, hand fidgeting with his medal on his lapel.

"We lost more than we won." Mikasa murmured, her own shaky hands reaching for a scarf that was no longer wrapped around her neck. The cheery mood quickly dissipated at Mikasa's statement, Hange cleared their throat and clapped their hands in an attempt to drag everyone from their thoughts.

"Let's go meet Erwin then." They said, and Levi nodded.

"Let's." The group walked through the halls, Hange in the lead and Levi at their side, it felt like old times. The kids, well they weren't really kids anymore, were beginning to return to their annoying selves.

"-will we be able to eat the food?" Gabby asked, and Levi nearly flinched, the statement reminded him all too much of Sasha. Connie seemed less phased, he sighed and brought his arms behind his neck as they walked.

"I sure hope so."

"We're here on business." Mikasa reminded them and Jean hummed in agreement.

"We're here as representatives." Armin added, and Hange chuckled.

"Use this as an opportunity children." Hange cooed, pausing in front of the doors to the drawing room.

"Have some fun, get drunk, you've earned it." Hange then pushed the doors open, revealing the cozy drawing room, Erwin sat with his legs crossed in one of the arm chairs, a book in his lap. He closed the book and stood, his sleeve hanging limply where his arm once was.

"Cadets, erm or should I say captains." Erwin chuckled awkwardly as the kids all jumped to salute him, fists clenched over their hearts.

"Commander." They all greeted in unison.

"Sit, we have much to discuss."

__

The discussion was rather tame, a short bit of it had been relevant. Where the kids were to stand, what they were to say and how they were expected to act. The rest of the afternoon had been spent catching up and enjoying each other's company. Just a few hours before the guests were to arrive, Erwin sent the group off to find their spots.

Levi found himself waiting outside of your room, his watch gripped tightly in his fist, watching the minutes tick by. You emerged about fifteen minutes after him arriving, your dress was a deep emerald green, elegantly hugging your frame in all of the right places. You smoothed the silk gown skirts and smiled at him, the red lipstick on your lips making your teeth seem extra white.

"You look ravishing Captain." You complimented, accepting his arm before walking slowly down the hall, careful to keep his pace.

"...as do you." He choked out, a blush tickling his ears.

"Did you get all done up for me?" You pressed, hand tightening around his bicep.

"No." He answered, although he was partially lying, the truth was all he could think about as he dressed, was you. How would you be dressed? Was he to match you? Or was he expected to wear his usual military dress? He had opted for the latter, and it seemed to work well, the inky black dress coat and the gold medals that decorated his lapels seemed to compliment the emerald in your dress.

"Well, I sure hope that you will at least dance with me." You pouted, shooting him a hopeful look.

"Tch." He clicked his tongue, truthfully it was all that he could mange, he was nervous enough about joining you this evening. But you asking him to dance? He had never danced in his life, and with his legs in the state they were in now?

The two of you stopped, overlooking the ball room which was already filled with guests, milling about with flutes of champagne. You snuck a glance at Levi, who was looking down at the crowd with a bored glaze over his eyes.

"Ready?" You asked, squeezing his bicep once and he nodded, chin held high as the two of you slowly made your way down the staircase. Levi's eyes scanned the crowd, searching for familiar faces, which he found in their designated spots. He knew that the king had asked him to accompany his daughter largely as a political move, not for protection as he had in the past. But old habits die hard, he double checked exits and kept an eye out for shady people, it was easier than looking at you after all. Not because you were ugly, rather the opposite, you were stunning and that intimidated him.

After at least forty five minutes of socializing, the dancing began and you tugged impatiently on his arm, which you had yet to let go of.

"Please Levi, just this once." You whispered so only he could hear, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end at your closeness.

"Princess." He said sternly, although his voice did shake a tad, and you grinned, knowing that you had nearly convinced him.

"Captain." You countered, taking a step towards the dance floor.

"Just one." he said after a moment's hesitation before falling back in step with you.

"Just one." You affirmed with a wicked grin as you led him into the mass of bodies.

Levi felt his pulse race, his anxiety was roaring he had absolutely no clue how to dance, especially with his legs in the state that they were. You seemed to sense this, carefully taking his hand and resting it on your hip as you stepped ever so closely to him. Your chest was pressed against his, and he was sure that you could feel the pounding of his heart as it threatened to escape his ribcage.

"You just follow my lead." You whispered as he brought his other hand to rest naturally in the palm of yours. He nodded, eyes wandering down to glance at his feet, which were partially concealed by your skirts.

"It goes something like this, step-" You took a step towards him and he took one back.

"Then to the left," You instructed softly and he obliged, the two of you moving slightly out of sync.

"Then forwards again." You nodded as he stepped forwards and you stepped back, skirt swaying.

"Then to the right," You chuckled as his brows remained fixed in a tight knot as he tried to focus.

"Then we do it again." You seemed satisfied, and he nodded it was simple enough, although he could already feel the strain of the activity in his joints.

"Easy." He huffed, taking the lead and you giggled and fell into step with him.

"Tell me Levi, when you went across the ocean and fought those men, who were you fighting for?" The question caught him off guard and he nearly forgot the next step.

"That's an odd question." Levi shot you a mean look and you shrugged.

"I want to know what pushed Humanities strongest to be so strong." You answered, unfazed by his sour look.

"I fight for the people." He replied curtly and you sighed.

"That's a boring answer, I want to know what really drives you." You pressed and Levi frowned.

"Its the truth."

"Then tell me a lie." You raised a brow, challenging him and he screwed his nose up in distaste.

"Why would you want me to lie to you?" He asked out of genuine curiosity, no one had ever given him such a request.

"To spice some things up I guess." You hummed nonchalantly and squeezed your hand that held his.

"Then I would tell you I fought that war for you." He regretted the words, but you seemed to be pleased by them.

"Aw so you did think of me while we were apart." You cooed and Levi nearly broke away from you, but he only gripped your hand harder.

"You were the last thing on my mind." he huffed and you let out a throaty laugh. A lie, he thought of you often.

"You really are funny." You let your head fall affectionately into the crook of his neck and he swallowed thickly, as your scent washed over him.

"I didn't mean to be."

"I know, that's what makes it funny." Your breath tickled his neck as you spoke, you seemed to be in no hurry to pull away.

"Hmph." He hummed stupidly, unable to form words with you so close.

The song ended and you lifted your head, one of those wide grins sprawled across your lips.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" You whispered cheekily and he scoffed as the two of you exited the dance floor. You both found a seat at one of the tables set on the outskirts of the room, taking a break to drink and enjoy each others company.

Levi rubbed his knee under the table, the dance had truly taken a toll on him and he barely suppressed a groan. You noticed, shooting him a concerned look.

"Does it bother you often?" You asked, dragging your chair closer to his. He rolled his eye and pulled his hand slowly away from his leg.

"No."

"You're lying, just tell me the truth."

"I thought you wanted me to lie to you." He snapped back and you scoffed.

"Not about this." You reasoned and he sighed deeply.

"Yes, it hurts like a bitch." He turned to face you, his knee knocking yours and you frowned.

"You should've told me, I wouldn't have made you dance."

"I-" He paused, catching himself before the words left his mouth. But after one look at your open and concerned face he couldn't not say what he had been wanting to say.

"I wanted to." He admitted and your eyes widened a fraction.

"You...really wanted to?" Your words were raw and clearly Levi had caught you, the witty young princess off guard.

"I did."

"Would you do it again?"

"Yes."

"Hm." A smug look crossed your face and Levi scowled at you, not liking the way you seemed to be plotting something unbeknownst to him.

"What?" He snapped and you let out a short burst of laughter.

"I knew that you weren't lying when you said that you thought about me." You teased and he growled lowly under his breath.

"Maybe that was your last dance with me."

"Easy now, let's not be hasty, we have the whole night after all darling." You patted his shoulder, standing slowly and walking around the back of his chair to squeeze his shoulders before slipping off into the crowd.

He hoped that you meant it, that you would come back even if he could not dance with you again. He hoped that you had thought of him too, that his fighting had all been worth it. To spend the rest of his life by your side, even if he was just your guard or even a political ploy. He would do it for you, and he would do so happily.

[useyernamesteven]

(Needed some goofy fluff to distract myself from the angst im writing so buckle up, its long. Based on that one post I cannot find so if anyone can help a homie out, much appreciated)

Raya/Namaari Accidental Marriage Proposal

Its not a far stretch to assume that the different tribes have different practices and rituals. And given the 500 year gap in communication its also easy enough to assume that the tribes don't know about each others differing customs.

For example: marriage proposals. In Tail its as cut-and-dry as asking. Talon people propose with rings and jade coin. When you propose in Spine you chop down a tree to show your commitment and strength.

The Fang propose with blades. Fang people love their knives, daggers, spears, and other pointy weapons, so if you want to ask someone to marry you, you do it with a blade.

I like to imagine it'd be because offering a blade to someone- who isn't family -is the equivalent of trusting your life to that person. I like to think the Fang value not only a person's strength and honour, but their ability to care and protect their people. So giving a blade to your chosen love is like saying, "I'm giving you this weapon because I trust you with my heart, literally and metaphorically".

But again, 500 year old divide means others have no clue what giving a knife to someone from Fang entails...

So maybe its been a few months or so after the Druun have been vanquished. Raya is still re-learning how to be a 'princess' while playing liaison between the tribes, with Sisu as her partner in crime. She likes it because she still gets to travel and she gets to see her new friends from the other tribes: Boun's business is booming, Noi has started talking, and Tong has become the new Chief of Spine.

Then there's Namaari.

Six years of playing cat-and-mouse together (or rather angry kitten and homeless puppy) can be hard to overcome. At first it was a struggle. And incredibly awkward. Namaari, too guilt ridden over what she'd done, and Raya, still angry and socially stunted, could barely hold a conversation together.

Eventually Raya, fed up with the weird awkward talk, dragged Namaari to Fang's training grounds and challenged her to a sparring match. And only when it was over, the both of them exhausted and laying on the ground, did they start talking, actually talking. About what happened with the gem, with Sisu, what they can't let go of, not yet, but what they hope they can move past one day.

It made things after easier because it was familiar ground for them, but it also opened up new paths too. Now in the months since they saved the world and having spent that time working together, Raya would like to consider Namaari a close friend.

Which is probably why she's so surprised when Namaari off-handedly mentions her birthday is next week. Namaari, who's less than thrilled about her mother's plans for a big celebration, doesn't even notice how much Raya's caught off guard. Namaari doesn't really care for her birthday, much less when her mother makes a big deal about it, but she still brushes her hair behind her ear when she asks Raya if she's going to attend.

Raya recovers, nudging Namaari saying that she's obviously going, and boasting about the amazing gift she's going to bring.

Which then leads to her dragging Sisu to Talon in search of the perfect gift (Sisu being the only 'person' she knows who can help being that she's a master gift giver... Sisu's words, not Raya's, but still). They run around Talon for ages, with Sisu practically buying everything in sight (with the Heart Palace Credit of course) but Raya can't find a single thing she thinks Namaari would actually like.

And then she spots a Fang vendor selling blades.

The woman is nice and she asks Raya if she's looking for something in particular. Raya says she wants to get a dagger for 'someone special' from Fang (not wanting to rack up the price if the woman knew who it was for, but also completely unaware to what she's just implied).

The vendor seems a little surprised but she easily walks Raya through picking out the perfect dagger for her 'someone special'. Raya ends up buying a pretty, yet functional dagger with a dragon engraved in the blade and an ornate box to keep it in. As Raya's leaving the woman gives her a pat on the shoulder and says, "All the best for the both of you and I'm sure she'll say yes," which Raya can't really make sense of so she shrugs and leaves to go find Sisu and her mountain of trinkets.

So now its the party, and when Namaari said Virana was making a big deal about it, she really meant it. People from all the tribes are attending and Sisu's brought her brothers and sisters and there's music and food and fireworks...

And Namaari stands beside her mother in a beautiful dress that makes Raya's heart thud erratically (it's totally platonic). Her and her Ba walk up to them and start making small talk before her Ba and Virana break off to chat with other dignitaries, leaving Raya and Namaari together.

Raya likes how Namaari relaxes around her when its just them, despite the room full of people. They talk and banter and tease and laugh, but more than anything Raya just likes being with Namaari. And when Namaari mentions how much she hates formal wear, how dresses don't suit her, Raya makes it a game to see how many times she can mention how beautiful Namaari looks while they're talking, just because it makes Namaari flush and do the hair thing she does when she's shy. No other heart-related reason.

Its not until much later when Raya suddenly remembers the gift she brought and she runs off to fetch it. When she returns she hands Namaari the sleek box with a smile and a sheepish "Happy Birthday dep'la".

And Namaari's blushing and smiling as she takes the box, telling Raya she didn't have to as she opens the box-

And immediately slams it shut. Her face turns bright red and she whorls on Raya with wide eyes and a panicked, hissed "whatareyoudoing?!" And poor Raya's totally thrown, so sure she'd picked out the perfect gift. "You don't like it?" But Namaari shoves the box back into her hands, with another frenzied whisper "thatsnotit!"

Well now Raya's a little miffed because "You didn't even look at it" and before Namaari can stop her she's pulling the dagger from the box and offering it back to Namaari.

Meanwhile the room goes incredibly quiet as everyone from Fang suddenly notices what's happening between the princesses. Virana nearly spits out her drink. Everyone else carries on like normal, but a few people watch their new Fang friends with curious looks, completely out of the loop.

So now Raya's essentially down on one knee without realizing it, Namaari's about to have a heart attack, everyone from Fang is on the edge of their seat, and the dragons are having a rousing drinking contest with people from Spine.

So the party is going great.

Raya (oblivious to the world save for Namaari) is giving Namaari her strongest puppy dog eyes because she'd spent so long looking for the perfect gift dep'la, and "You're pretty special Namaari, special to me, and you deserve it."

Namaari, as red faced as she is, softens at Raya's admission, smiling a little to herself before she takes the dagger from Raya with a soft "it's lovely dep'la".

And suddenly the room's loud again as people from Fang start clapping and whistling. Everyone else is lost but soon they join in as well, despite having no clue as to what they're cheering for. Namaari's back to being flustered and she grabs Raya's hand and hauls her toward Virana and Benja. Raya, finally taking in the room around them, is confused as to why people are congratulating her and Namaari.

Virana has recovered by the time the two approach and if no one knew better it might've also appeared she was trying hard not to smile. Namaari hisses something to her mother Raya doesn't hear, and she shoots her Ba a questioning look. Benja looks a little pensive but he's got a quirk in his lips that Raya knows means mischief.

Virana gently pats her daughter's shoulder before turning to address the room, excusing the four of them. They turn to leave but not before Virana calls out to the crowd, "And it goes without saying you're all invited to the wedding as well," and then ushers her horrified daughter, her baffled betrothed, and Benja out the door.

Instantly Namaari's in hysterics, asking her mother why she'd say that when Raya obviously didn't know what she was doing. Virana, quite obviously playing ignorance, asks why Namaari accepted the blade if she knew what she was doing. And poor Namaari can only gape, red faced and no come back.

Raya has finally caught on to what she's done and yeah, okay now it all makes sense. The vendor, Namaari's (gay) panic, the congratulations... she just proposed to Namaari. She just proposed to Namaari. In front of most of Kumandra. Oh toi!

Benja, still smirking to himself, ruffles Raya's hair before turning to Namaari and Virana and saying, "To be fair... Namaari did propose first."

Marriage proposals in Heart are an exchange of necklaces. So when Namaari had given Raya the Sisu pendant back when they were kids, they'd essentially gotten engaged and since Raya kept it, they've technically been engaged for the past six years.

(Too) Long story short, Raya and Namaari get engaged, get married, fall in love, and live sapphically ever after.

End.

(Okay, I'm done. Back to angst.)

[rhosinthorn]

Rings of Power: Episode 1

So I watched Rings of Power (ROP) Ep 1 yesterday and have some thoughts. YMMV, but I’m dropping spoilers, so you’re forewarned if you read below the cut.

SPOILERS AHEAD

So. Visually stunning. Absolutely agreed. It does have some of the feel of Middle Earth, and the writing isn’t terrible. I think everything that’s bothering me (so far) can be summed up in a single word: Galadriel.

(hang tight, I have lore reasons- this is not a “ofc they had to have a Strong Independent Female Woman” complaint, this is a “what did they do to her timeline???” complaint)

TLDR: Several important facts/facets of Galadriel’s history are ignored or left out, particularly her HUSBAND and DAUGHTER.

Let’s get this clear, I am all for warrior badass Galadriel, because canon supports this. She was proud, arrogant, and agitating for a fight, the only maiden standing with the sons of Feanor.

Her timeline does not make sense to me.

They haven’t named which brother Galadriel is basing her revenge on. She has three. Finrod, I assume, since Sauron was involved with his death & she’s mentioned more with him than the other two. Slight poetic license with his death, but considering I don’t believe they had the rights to Silmarillion material, I suppose that makes sense.

So, First Age: born in Valinor, stood with the sons of Feanor, crossed the Helcaraxe, stayed in Doriath and Nargothrond before moving over the mountains.

At the end of the First Age, she is explicitly told that she is not allowed to return west to Tol Eressea (not Valinor itself) with the other exiles, and her response is that she did not wish to return anyway. 

Second age: starts out in Lindon, moves almost immediately to Evendim/Lake Nenuial, moves south to Eregion, travels through Khazad-dum to Lorien. 

Early on in the Second Age or at the end of the First Age, she and Celeborn marry. Tolkien Gateway, my usual lore quick reference, puts Celebrian’s birth at somewhere around year 300 of the Second Age.

Sauron starts to move around year 500. Celebrian would have been considered an adult at this time (assuming the S.A. 300 birthdate is accurate). Galadriel sense this, which triggers the move to Eregion. Why? Two reasons:

1. Allies (Khazad-dum and Lorien)

2. Noldorian propensity to like crafting (the dwarves of Khazad-dum would be her kindred spirits)

Celebrimbor was Lord of Eregion, and the city of Ost-en-Edhil was built starting around 750.

Now, I have not seen the second episode, so I don’t know what Celebrimbor’s “project” is that Elrond is being pulled into. It could either be the Rings, or it could be Ost-en-Edil. Either way.

The Galadriel storyline we are given is blatant Celeborn/Celebrian erasure. This is the chief problem I have with it. Neither is mentioned, even though between 500 and 750 they both should have been present. Galadriel’s search for Sauron makes sense- she canonically knows he’s out there, but not where. And if she’s got an axe to grind over Finrod’s death, that also makes sense as to why she’d get personally invested. Her tension with Gil-galad is understandable if he’s pushing for peace to continue- the hasty departure from Lindon when he becomes king there might even point to some tension? But it makes no sense to me to send her back to Valinor.

1. She’s banned

2. She’s married AND has a daughter (who admittedly is an adult by 500)

How I would have written it (from my soapbox lol):

Galadriel has been leading a squad/command to search out signs of Sauron, stopping him before he can regain power. Gil-galad pressures her into stopping the searches, but she won’t give up and picks up her family and moves south to Eregion to fight the “war” on the political front- allies, shoring up arms/supplies, etc.. Let us see this elf who has been through war and devastation, who is one of the oldest remaining elves even in the “height” of elvish power during the Second Age feeling alone as she tries to stop a war from even beginning by any means possible. Let’s see the tension between her and Celeborn over the move to Eregion, let us see Celebrian. Is there tension between her and Celebrimbor, both linked with the Feanorians? We know that Sauron drives a wedge between them, ultimately driving her out of Eregion and into Lorien.

Her relationship with Elrond also feels a bit...weird to me. Perfectly fine with them being friendly, but she’s going to be his mother-in-law and she’s thousands of years older. I tend to see her more as a mentor-figure to him than a close friend. Celebrian and Elrond don’t meet until after the Rings are forged, in 1701, so clearly she’s not inviting him to dinner with the family. Nor are Celeborn or Celebrian visiting Gil-galad’s court, which Elrond is mostly based out of until he founds Rivendell as Sauron ravages Eregion.

Hopefully the second episode will allow me to orient myself in the timeline a bit better because right now we’re probably anywhere between 500-1200 of the Second Age. No real comments on the other two storylines from me yet (hobbits & the men/elves on the borders of Mordor???) but they’re...fine, I guess? We’ll see how they play. I also haven’t seen Numenor yet.

Oh, in general I hated the trip to Valinor. That’s not how it WORKS. At this point in time, you can sail directly to Tol Eressea/Valinor, no mystical heavens parting whatnot. The “Straight Road” doesn’t exist until the downfall of Numenor.

So far I’m not inclined to drop RoP. The Galadriel lore-inconsistencies are irritating like a stone in my shoe, but we’ll see if they stay that way. My promise to myself is to try the first three episodes before making a decision, and I’m not regretting that yet.

For those of you who stuck around for the entire rant- what do you think? Serious question though: why make a show about the Second Age if you don’t have access to The Silmarillion???

[chernobog13]

HAPPY STAR TREK DAY!

(although if you live in Canada, “Star Trek” day was two days ago, because the show was broadcast there first)

Today marks the 55th anniversary of the Star Trek franchise.  Premiering on the NBC network at 8:30 pm, the country encountered most of the crew of the USS Enterprise for the first time in the episode The Man Trap.

Although it was the first episode broadcast, The Man Trap was actually the sixth episode produces.  However, it was a good choice as a premier because it  included most of the main cast as well as many of the elements that would become staples of the series.

First and foremost being the USS Enterprise, a ship unlike any other ever seen.

Ah, the old NCC-1701!  She is a thing of beauty!

The episode, of course, opens with the familiar voice over “Captain’s log,” which was a wonderful storytelling device for setting the narrative.  But even though we hear Captain Kirk’s voice first (although we don’t know his name yet), Spock is the first major character we see.  The log entry informs us that Spock has been left in charge onboard the Enterprise.

We also get our first glimpse of Lt. Uhura, seated at the navigator’s station.  It won’t be until a little later that we learn that she is the communications officer for the ship.  But this quick scene establishes that the Enterprise’s crew is very diverse (an alien and a Black female both on the bridge), which raised more than a few eyebrows back in 1966.

Next we get our first view of the transporter effect.  There is no explanation given as to what is happening, other than Kirk’s voiceover stating that he and Dr. McCoy are “beaming down” to the planet’s surface.  Star Trek, especially in the early days, decided the audience would be able to figure out what was happening.

Then we get out first look at Captain James Kirk and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy.  The scene immediately establishes the friendship between the two, with Kirk’s gentle teasing of his ship’s doctor.  Also note, this is the shortest you’ll see Kirk’s hair in the entire series.  He’s got a proper military cut here; by the end of the third season he almost looks like a hippie.

There’s also a great bit later on, when Kirk and McCoy are speaking to each other on the ship via viewscreen.  McCoy tells Kirk he’s having trouble sleeping.  Kirk’s reply: “Try taking one of those red pills you gave me last week.  You’ll sleep!”

Throughout the episode we’ve seen Kirk as the tough, no-nonsense, by-the-book captain who commands the respect of the people he leads.  But these bits with McCoy show his humorous, human side that makes him a great character.  I truly miss first season Kirk, especially the first part of the season, because that’s my favorite version of him. 

Peppered throughout the episode are shots establishing many of the other characters  who will become regulars on the series.    Here we have Yeoman Janice Rand, who we learn is the captain’s yeoman and quite popular among the male crew members.

Unfortunately, Yeoman Rand only appeared in eight episodes spread across the first half of the season.  

Rand delivers the tray of food at the botany lab, where we meet Sulu for the first time.

Since this is the first time the audience see Lieutenant Sulu, it would be understandable if it was assumed that he was just a botanist.  Actually, Sulu had a few different positions in the first season (he was a physicist in the second pilot Where No man Has Gone Before, which would be broadcast 2 weeks after The Man Trap).

Surprisingly, Lieutenant Uhura seemed to get the most screen time of all the secondary characters. (not that I’m complaining; Nichelle Nichols is absolutely gorgeous!).  Earlier on the bridge she was flirting with Spock (with Spock subtly tugging on his shirt collar, indicating his discomfort), and then chastising him for his apparent lack of concern when he learned that a member of the landing party is dead.  Here she is being the queen that she is, teaching two other crew members proper turbolift etiquette: you let the person in the lift get out before you get in (same goes for elevators, just in case you didn’t know).

Two other recurring characters, Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott and Nurse Christine Chapel, are the only two not seen in this episode.  Scotty’s voice, though is heard on the communicator responding to Kirk from the transporter room. As for Nurse Chapel, she was not introduced until The Naked Time, which was the next episode (#7) produced, but the fourth to air.

One thing which I didn’t notice until I rewatched this episode just now (or maybe I did notice, but just forgot) is that Kirk is carrying a phaser almost the whole show, even while on the bridge.

Sharp-eyed viewers may also spot various crew members in older uniforms, like those worn in the two pilots, The Cage and Where No Man Has Gone Before.

Some people may call these continuity errors, or chalk it up to the wardrobe department recycling costumes for the extras.  But anyone who’s been in the military knows there’s always a transition period when new uniforms are introduced.  For example, my Basic Training class was the absolute last in the Army to be issued the old olive drab green fatigues.  The next class was issued the new woodland camouflage BDUs that became the standard for the next ten years.  I was given six months to purchase a full set of BDUs (you read that right: I had to buy them with my own money).  However, unless BDUs were specifically designated as the uniform of the day I was able to wear the o.d.green fatigues for another two years until they were phased out completely. I imagine these crew members are in a similar situation.

A few more Star Trek “firsts” from The Man Trap:

Kirk (or any crew member) using the communicator.  Kirk is on his communicator a lot this episode.

The Enterprise on red alert.

A gun - or, more correctly, phaser - battle.  Here we see Professor Crater armed with an “old style” phaser, but really just them same type that was used in the two pilots.

The very first phaser shot, as Professor Crater snipes at Kirk and Spock.

Kirk firing his phaser.  Don’t worry, it’s set on “stun.”

Professor Crater getting struck by phaser fire.  Don’t worry, it was set on “stun.”  He’s going to talk like he’s drunk for the next few minutes.

Kirk and Spock planetside, establishing that the two highest ranking officers will beam down alone to handle a dangerous situation.  It’s not like they have an entire Security Department on board the ship.

The very first meeting in the Briefing Room.

The crew at various stations on the bridge, although Uhura and Sulu are not at their usual posts, which just shows that this crew is highly competent and can handle multiple duties.  Oh, and two of them happen to be women, and tow are people of color.

Sulu chiming in on the meeting via viewscreen.

And then, because it was a science fiction television show in the 1960s, the network insisted there be a monster.  So we got the salt vampire, the shape-changing creature that had been killing all sorts of people by sucking the salt out of their bodies.  Not too scary by today’s standards, but I wouldn’t want to run into it in a dark alley.

The first time we get to see Kirk make that face as he screams in pain.

And the first time we see a dead monster/alien on the Enterprise.

The, finally, the what will become familiar denouement with everyone on the bridge as Kirk gives the order for the Enterprise to break orbit and proceed to its next assignment.  Notice that Sulu has finally managed to make it to the helmsman’s station.

Headed off into space for another adventure next week!

1966 was a great year.  It gave us Ultra Q. Ultraman, Ambassador Magma (aka The Space Giants), The New Adventures of Superman animated series, the Slurpee and, of course, Star Trek.

55 years later Star Trek is more popular than ever, with several new television series available, and another feature film in the works.  Here’s hoping for another 55 years of exploring the galaxy!

[no--envies]

The destruction of the Tiger Seal and Wei Wuxian’s death

A really popular theory in the fandom is that WWX died destroying the Tiger Seal, either because of an explosion of all the energy it had accumulated or because trying to destroy it affected him to the point that he couldn’t control the resentful energies anymore. This theory often implies the destruction of the Tiger Seal was a relatively fast process and that WWX started to destroy it when the sects besieged the Burial Mounds, because he didn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands.

However, the novel explicitly contradicts this theory:

It wasn’t as though Wei Wuxian, after forging such calamity, had refused to destroy it. However, creating the thing had been difficult enough; destroying it was every bit as difficult, and demanded an incredible amount of his time and energy. Moreover, by then, he already vaguely sensed that his own situation was precarious, and sooner or later, everyone would turn on him. The immense power of the Yin Tiger Tally meant that no one dared touch him while he was wielding it—thus, Wei Wuxian kept it, for the time being. He only split the tally into two, so that anyone attempting to use it would first have to put both pieces together. Furthermore, he decided never to use it without thinking carefully through the consequences.

In all, he only ever used it two times, and both times, it shed rivers of blood. The first was during the Sunshot Campaign, and after the second time, he finally found the determination to destroy it. One half, he completely obliterated. But before he was able to finish disposing of the other, the Siege of the Burial Mounds descended upon him. He had no control over the events that followed.

(Chapter 30, Fan Yiyi translation)

This passage is very clear: WWX had completely destroyed the first half of the Tiger Seal before the siege happened. At the time, he was in the process of destroying the second half, but then he died and couldn’t do anything about it anymore. It’s also stated that destroying the Tiger Seal required an incredible amount of time and energy, which was one of the reasons he hadn’t decided to destroy it earlier.

Given the amount of resentful energy the Tiger Seal contained, it’s not surprising that both creating it and destroying it were such difficult processes. Even a much less powerful object like the bell WWX had made for JL took a long time to create:

Wen Ning, “Young Master, is this what you’ve been making for the past month or so, when you were shutting yourself in the Cave on days upon end?”

Wei WuXian, “That’s right. As long as that nephew of mine carries this bell around, not a single creature whose level is just a bit too low can even think about getting close to him. You can’t touch it. It’ll probably leave you affected for some time as well if you do.”

(Chapter 76, ExR translation)

If a bell that could only protect a person from the weakest creatures took a whole month to create (I assume because a lot of energy needed to be stored in it), how much longer would it take to destroy an immensely powerful artifact like the Tiger Seal, which could even surpass the power of its creator and didn’t recognize a master? We’re talking about something that was forged from a piece of metal that had accumulated resentful energies for centuries and WWX himself admits making it into a usable tool was a long and difficult process. Even destroying just a half probably required a lot of time to gradually dissipate all the resentful energy that was stored in it. Since we know the siege happened three months after the bloodbath of Nightless City - and considering WWX probably had other things to do in the meantime, like strengthening the defenses of the Burial Mounds for the attack he knew would come sooner or later - he had enough time to successfully obliterate one half of the Seal and start destroying the other one. Before he could completely destroy the second half, the sects arrived to besiege him and he had to focus on protecting himself and the Wen remnants.

Moreover, the process of destroying the Tiger Seal didn’t only require a lot of time, but an incredible amount of energy as well. By the time the siege happened, he was probably already exhausted. This would explain why he received a backlash and lost control of his army of corpses, since we know demonic cultivation is affected by the mental state of the one practicing it. Besides, seeing JC - the person who was once like a brother to him - lead the siege meant to kill him and destroy everything he was fighting for didn’t help his mental state at all. All of WWX’s guilt and grief at the time were already a lot to bear, but knowing that his former shidi hated him so much that he took part in the siege as the leader must have shaken him quite a bit. We don't see him sad often, but one of the few times we do is when he gets reminded of JC's role in his death while he's watching a group of kids impersonating them in a game based on the Sunshot Campaign (chapter 32).

I think WWX did what he could to protect the Wen remnants, but his exhaustion combined with his unstable mental state made him lose control of his demonic cultivation and receive a backlash, which led to him being torn to pieces by his own ghost army and dying in a really gruesome way.

The fact that he died because his cultivation method backfired and he was torn to pieces by the corpses he could no longer control is stated in the novel multiple times:

“Rejoice, rejoice! Say, which hero dealt the finishing blow to the Yiling Laozu?”

“Who else could it be? His disciple-brother, Chief Jiang Cheng of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect! [...] Sect Chief Jiang killed his own disciple-brother and destroyed his lair for the good of us all. The Burial Mounds are gone!”

[...]

“But that’s not what I heard. I thought one of his evil tricks backfired and he was shredded to pieces by those ghosts of his. Some say that they bit and tore at him so viciously that by the end of it, his body was no more than a slurry of flesh and bone dust.”

(Chapter 1, Fan Yiyi translation)

After a moment of silence, Wei Wuxian said, “What else have you heard?”

“Jiang Cheng, Clan Chief Jiang, brought people to encircle and besiege the Burial Mounds. He killed you, sir.”

“I have to clarify this. He didn’t kill me. I died because one of my techniques backfired.”

Wen Ning finally lifted his eyes and looked at him directly. “But, Clan Chief Jiang, he clearly—“

“It’s impossible for someone to walk on a lonely, single-log bridge safely and soundly for an entire lifetime. It couldn’t be helped.”

(Chapter 43, Fan Yiyi translation)

Jin GuangYao, “It is true that body sacrifice cannot be proven, but whether or not he is the YiLing Patriarch can. Ever since the YiLing Patriarch had received the cultivation backlash and been torn to dust by his ghouls on the top of the Burial Mounds, his sword was collected by the LanlingJin Sect. But, not long afterwards, the sword sealed itself.”

(Chapter 50, ExR translation)

Some of the things that were said about the first siege - like that JC had dealt the fatal blow to WWX - were untrue, but since the backlash is something WWX himself confirms we can safely take it as a fact. Also, a lot of people were present during WWX’s death and witnessed it with their own eyes, so they knew how he died. JGY, who described WWX’s death as him being “torn to dust by his ghouls”, was probably one of them since the Jin Sect was on the frontline as one of the main forces.

In my opinion, WWX started destroying the Tiger Seal not long after returning to the Burial Mounds. What finally made him decide to eliminate such a dangerous artifact from the world was the bloodbath it had caused at Nightless City. He had originally resolved not to use it unless it was really necessary, but he ended up activating it when he wasn’t clear-headed at all, in a moment of extreme desperation and grief after his whole world had crumbled, his beloved shijie had died and everyone condemned him and blamed him for everything that had happened. He wasn’t proud of all the people he had killed and didn’t want something like that to happen ever again, so he finally resolved to destroy the most powerful weapon he had, which until then he had kept as a deterrent to discourage others from attacking him, since he sensed that sooner or later the cultivation world would turn against him.

He knew perfectly well that destroying the Tiger Seal would leave him in a more vulnerable position (though he still had his demonic cultivation to protect himself and the Wen remnants), but he chose to do it anyway because he knew it was the right thing to do. Such a terrible artifact couldn’t be allowed to fall into the wrong hands under any circumstances, and he knew his own fate was sealed since the sects had already labeled him as the scourge of the cultivation world and sooner or later they would come to besiege him. Instead of perpetuating the cycle of violence, WWX chose to willingly put himself in a more precarious position, but it wasn’t the destruction of the Tiger Seal itself that killed him. It was a series of circumstances that his decision partially contributed to.

[bex-la-get]

I love the new prompt! Can I request 5 and 6 for Ethan and Natalie, thank you!

NONNY! You put together the BEST combo! Yes, I love this, let's go!

Note: This takes place in an AU where Nat and Ethan confessed their love for each other, but Nat decided to leave Edenbrook after her residency.

And fair warning: this is gonna be long.

From this ask list.

5) “...you look like you just saw a ghost.”

6) “I... I can’t believe it’s really you. I thought I’d never see you again.”

Five years. Five long years since Natalie had left Edenbrook.

In those five years, she had thrived. After taking a position in the Internal Medicine Department at LAC + USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, Natalie had revamped the medical industry. From fighting Big Pharma companies-- such as Panacea-- on overcharging for basic life-saving medicines and winning to using her experience of saving Naveen's life to revolutionize patient care and saving countless lives, Natalie had become a household name in the medical community and the world.

Ethan had watched from afar via social media and the occasional television interview she had done. He couldn't be prouder of Nat; she had far surpassed anyone's expectations and was reaching new heights every day. But as proud as he was, he couldn't help but feel a bit sad.

He still loved her. He always would. And while he was thrilled Natalie was succeeding in her career-- and he would never ask her to stop doing what she loved-- he silently hoped one day she would come home. That one day, she would come back to him.

He knew it was unlikely. Still, if there was anything Natalie had taught him, it was to never give up on the person you knew you were meant to be with. And he knew Nat was that person for him. So, until he was proven otherwise, he'd hold out hope for her. Always.

------------------

Ethan was walking the halls of Edenbrook, mentally checking off the to-do list for the Board Meeting he had that afternoon, when he saw a familiar head of bright red hair. He almost brushed it off until he heard that all-to-familiar laugh and his heart nearly stopped.

Natalie.

He turned to find the source and saw Nat talking to Sienna and Jackie, looking every bit the successful doctor she had become. What she was doing here, he didn't know; but he didn't very much care. She was here, she was back. But for how long?

Without realizing it, Ethan's feet carried him towards her. He had to see her in person; had to hear her voice and to see her smile.

As he got closer, Sienna spotted him first and she smiled. "Oh, hi Ethan!"

He smiled at Sienna but was quickly distracted by the blue-green eyes he'd missed so much. The moment Natalie spotted him, she grinned and his heart began to pound in his chest. If it were possible, she was more beautiful now than ever; and yet barely anything had changed. Her hair was longer, her face a little more mature and she held herself with all the confidence in the world. But she was still Natalie. She was still his Rookie.

"Ethan!" Natalie said, making her way towards him.

He outstretched his arms and relished in the hug she gave him, enjoying this brief moment where she was back in his arms. "It's good to see you, Rookie," he said, as she pulled away.

She smiled. "I don't know if I'm much of a rookie anymore."

He returned her smile. "You'll always be Rookie to me." There was such fondness in his words that Nat's eyes shined with admiration for a brief moment. His heart was pounding so hard right now, it was a miracle it hadn't burst out of his chest yet.

"What are you doing here? Just visiting?"

"Actually, I was hoping to meet with you, Chief," she replied. "I'd like to talk to you about something."

He raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "Well, you caught me at a good time. I have some time before my next meeting if right now works for you?"

She nodded and waved goodbye to Sienna and Jackie, promising to meet up with them later, and followed Ethan to his office. He closed the door behind them, ensuring their conversation would be private and turned to face her again, sucking in a breath as he met her eyes.

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I-- I just can't believe it's really you. I thought I'd never see you again."

She smiled sheepishly. "I did do a pretty bad job of staying in touch, didn't I?"

He shook his head. "You've been busy saving the world," he said. "You have no reason to be sorry for that. But, if I may, I've been following your career, Nat. And I'm very proud of the work you've accomplished. You've become quite the doctor."

She blushed. "Thank you; you know I couldn't have done it without your guidance. You taught me everything I know."

"Now that certainly can't be true; you know far more now than I could have ever taught you."

She chuckled. "Well, maybe a little."

He smiled and fought every urge he had to take her into his arms and kiss her senseless. Keep it together, Ethan. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, you said you had something you wanted to talk to me about. Please, take a seat." He sat behind his desk as she sat across from him and pulled out a black folder from her bag.

"Yes, well," she began, "I've enjoyed my time in LA and I'm proud of the work I've accomplished. But Boston will always be home to me-- though don't tell my mom that, she's still hoping I'll move back to Philly." Ethan chuckled and nodded as Nat continued. "I-- I miss home. I miss Edenbrook. I miss y-- my friends. And... I may or may not have seen that the DT has an opening for the lead position and I thought I'd throw my name in the ring. For the job."

She placed the folder on his desk. "Everything you need to know about the work I've done over the last five years is in this folder and I have several character references, including one from the Chief at LAC. I've also included my notes that I'll be referencing for my book that will be coming out early next year and--"

"Nat," Ethan cut her off. "There's no need for all this. The job is yours."

She looked at him wide-eyed. "What? Just like that? Don't you want to field questions? Ask me about how I'd handle certain situations?"

"I don't need to; I told you, I've been following your career. I know of the work you've done and I've seen first hand how good of a doctor you are. I don't need to field questions, Nat. If you want the job, it's yours."

She smiled. "Thank you, Ethan. I can't describe how grateful I am. I know the team means a lot to you; I'll do you proud."

"You already do."

She blushed. "So, what's next?"

"I'll get the paperwork filled out and sent to HR. Assuming everything goes smoothly and HR doesn't drag their feet, we can have you start as early as next week," Ethan said. "Unless you need more time to settle in?"

Nat shook her head. "No, I already have a place lined up. I'm just crashing with Sienna and Bryce for a couple nights while the movers bring everything up."

Ethan nodded. "Alright; well, I'll get the paperwork set up shortly." He extended his hand out to her. "Welcome back to Edenbrook, Dr. Cusack."

"It's good to be back," she said, shaking his hand. They smiled at each other for a long moment, neither wanting to let go of each other's hand. Natalie seemed to be searching Ethan's eyes for something before she spoke again. "Ethan-- er, I'm going to Donahue's this evening with everyone to celebrate my return to Boston. You're welcome to join us, if you'd like."

He smiled and nodded. "I might stop by for a bit."

Her face lit up. "Okay; then I'll see you there." She slowly-- almost reluctantly-- slid her hand out of Ethan's and grabbed her bag. "See you later then, boss."

He walked her to the door, smiling. "It's really good to see you, Nat," he said. "I-- I'm glad you're back."

The look she gave him nearly took his breath away. If he were mistaken-- and he rarely ever was-- he'd say she looked at him the same way he looked at her: madly in love. "Me too," she said. They looked at each other for another long moment before she looked down at her shoes and cleared her throat. "I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah, see you tonight," he said. He watched as she left and took a deep breath in an attempt to slow his pounding heart. She was back. She was home. It was as if all his hopes and dreams from the last five years were finally coming true. But there was one big question that still needed answering: Did she still want him the way he wanted her?

Only one way to find out.

---------------------------

Donahue's was packed. Ethan had forgotten it was Wednesday, which meant half-off drinks for all EB employees. It was something Reggie had implemented a few years ago in order to get more weekday business. It had worked a little too well and Reggie had to hire more people to keep up with the demand; but business was booming as a result so it wasn't like anyone could complain.

He'd found Nat and her friends easily; they had commandeered one of the biggest booths in the place and were currently taking tequila shots, courtesy of Jackie.

"Jacks, we're not in our twenties anymore," Natalie reasoned as she pushed a tequila shot away from her. "I can't do several shots in a row and still be a human being the next morning!"

"That's quitters talk!" Jackie argued but relented when Nat gave her the unwanted tequila shot. "More fun for me!"

Natalie laughed and shook her head in disbelief, when she spotted Ethan. Her smile grew and she excused herself from the table, getting up to greet him. He returned her smile and welcomed the hug she gave him, once again relishing in the feeling of having her in his arms. "I was wondering when you were going to show," she said, as she pulled away.

He chuckled. "Sorry; being Chief means I have a lot of extra paperwork that needs to be taken care of."

She shook her head. "You're here now. Come on, we're due for another round, anyway, so you came at a good time."

"Actually," he grabbed her hand, stopping her from walking away. "Could-- could we talk for a moment? Privately?"

She nodded, curiosity evident on her face, and followed him outside to the patio which was, surprisingly, empty. Not that Ethan minded; having the patio to themselves meant less prying eyes and ears. He sat at one of the tables and smiled to himself when Nat sat next to him.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah; I just... Nat, I realize this might not be very professional of me but I need to know." He turned to face her and took a deep breath. "Before you left, you told me you loved me. Do-- do you still feel that way?"

She rolled her lips together in anticipation to answer and he braced himself for rejection. Instead, she took his hand in hers and said the word he desperately needed to hear. "Yes."

"Really?" He almost couldn't believe what he was hearing.

She nodded. "If I'm being honest, Ethan, part of the reason I moved back to Boston was because I missed you, desperately. I still love you. I always will."

He fought back tears and caressed her cheek with his free hand. "I never stopped loving you, either, Nat. I always hoped you'd come home; come back to me. But I couldn't have asked that of you, especially as your career began to thrive."

She smiled. "I know you wouldn't; it's not in your nature." She scooted closer to him on the bench. "But as happy as I've been in my career, I've always been missing one thing: you." She sighed. "I wouldn't take back the success I've had over the years; I wouldn't give up the career I've built for myself because I'm extremely proud of it. But... I can't help but wonder what could've been if I hadn't left. Where would we be? Maybe running the DT together; maybe we would've gotten married, had a couple kids, maybe got a house in the suburbs. I feel like there's a whole life we could've had if I didn't leave."

"We can't sit here and wonder what could have happened, Nat," he reasoned. "You needed to leave to find your footing, spread your wings, and flourish into the incredible doctor you are today. Don't sell yourself short; the things you've accomplished are nothing to sneeze at." He looked at their joined hands and ran his thumb along her knuckles. "I would never ask you to give up your dreams or put your career on hold for me. It killed me to watch you leave but to see you thrive was more than I could have ever asked for."

"Thank you," she said, quietly. She took a deep breath. "But, since I'm home now, and I plan on staying here... maybe we can pick up where we left off? Try the whole dating thing again? And everyone knows I've made a name for myself on my own so you don't have to worry about anyone saying I slept my way to the DT position."

He chuckled and nodded. "Good point." He squeezed her hand. "I would love to pick up where we left off; if that's what you want?" She nodded and he smiled. "Good; because that's all I want too."

Moving faster than he could process, Natalie cupped his face in her hands and kissed him soundly. He melted into the kiss immediately and kissed her back feverishly, his hands gripping themselves tightly around her hips as he pulled her impossibly closer.

Though it had been years, kissing her was so familiar and natural that it was as if no time had passed between them. Her lips fit perfectly with his, full of unspoken words of love and passion. Five years had passed since he last held her in his arms or kissed her, but in an instant, those five years were gone. The only thing that was left was the two of them, making up for lost time with forever spread out ahead of them.

Tag List below the cut:

Tag List (let me know if you want to be added/removed):  @genevievemd @jamespotterthefirst @paulfwesley @ethansdique @openheartfanfics @perriewinklenerdie @little-flowers-on-heaven @stateofgracious @coffeeheartaddict @liaromancewriter @potionsprefect @mm2305 @gryffindordaughterofathena @actuallybored @writer-ish @queencarb @takeharryandgo @lsvdw-blog @itsjustwinter @imaneditorthankyouverymuch-deac @chaoticchopshopheart @ohchoices @maurine07 @oldminniemcg @parisa-kh @shanzay44 @uberamsey @izzyourresidentlawyer @adiehardfan @custaroonie @mia143 @a-crepusculo @takemyopenheart @toadfrog26 @quixoticdreamer16 @barbean @headoverheelsforramsey @natureblooms24 @choicesaddict5

[eclipsedpascal]

Lavender Bruises

Older!Duncan x Female reader

A meeting with you and your father’s company’s buyers, leads to the shocking realisation that you had unknowingly slept with it’s new owner, Duncan Shepherd, just the night before. You needed to hide this sinful secret from your father, which left you stuck between wanting to make him proud and the unsatisfied craving you couldn’t ignore for Duncan to claim you as his personal toy. But you could manage both. Right?

Warnings: mentions of work (ew), alcohol, one night stands, large age gap, daddy kink, size kink, unprotected sex, public sex, fingering, oral (female receiving), intercourse, spit kink, slapping, spanking, hickeys, bruising, degrading/teasing, mouth fucking with fingers? is that a thing?, hair pulling and a ring kink ig:)

Notes: I've been writing this for fkn MONTHS now bcs I kept loosing inspiration, so this is actually the first thing I ever properly wrote! it's kinda complicated ig? idk like the parts in bold are a time skip to the night before and the fic goes in-between the meeting the reader is at and the previous night, meaning there’s two separate smut scenes so!!! but yeah i'm a whore lmao. Also ik hickeys don’t show up the same on certain skin tones and i’m sorry for that. i tried my best to be as inclusive as possible nd didn’t mention anything to do with the skin tone. Also!! if you're interested, I was listening to Cherry lips by garbage most the time I was writing this nd I feel like it fits it pretty well😌

Word count: 8.4k

●●●●●●●●

Going over the logistics of a content deal with the conglomerate that had recently bought your fathers newspaper wasn't the most preferable way for you to spend your lunch, but unfortunately it was necessary.

You know how these “lunches” go; business meetings disguised as casual discussions. They’re exactly the same if taken place in a conference room. Disagreeing and having to come to compromises you’d rather not, with the only differences being there's more chatter and cluttered noise of dinnerware coming from the restaurant around you.

You much preferred being in the office for these kind of things, but it was at the request of the new owners that you meet here, meaning you didn’t really have choice.

As you arrived at the restaurant you saw your father inside, waiting for your arrival just past the main entrances oversized, glass doors. You were almost 10 minutes late now and you knew he would be pissed. Honestly, you couldn't blame him.

Having to rush through a traffic riddled DC to get home at 10 in the morning because you had spent the previous night in a strangers hotel bed wasn't your proudest moment. Was it worth it? Yes, but it didn’t exactly leave you with much time to prepare for the lunch only two hours later.

You payed the driver and stepped out of the cab onto the drowning, wet sidewalk, desperately trying to shield yourself from the relentless rain that had been pouring down on the city all morning.

Looking up at the grand building on front of you, you could tell the place was going to be expensive. The entrances steps were 12ft wide and made of a pearly white marble that was now soaked with cascading rain water, making them even harder for you to run up in your heels as you tried escape the cold.

“Y/N, where have you been? You're 10 minutes late and these people don't like to be kept waiting." The people your father was referring to? the owners of Gardner Analytics. they had bought what seemed like hundreds of press company's over the past few years, especially those in the DC area. Their most recent purchase being the Washington herald, of which your father was the Editor-in-chief. You had been working there for a few months as your fathers assistant and helping out at these meetings had become routine.

“I'm so so sorry, my alarm didn't wake me and I-“

"It's fine" He interrupted "It's fine, just please tell me you have the documents I asked you to bring?" You could tell he was stressed out from the way his voice was wavering and how often he was stumbling over his words, so instead of trying to explain yourself any further you stayed quiet and did your best to take in as much of the information he was relaying onto you as you possibly could.

As he led you through the dinning room he explained to you who else was there, telling you that the others from the herald who were attending the lunch had already began talks with Gardener Analytics at the table ten minutes prior.

The closer you got to the table the more your fathers voice faltered, trying to round off the conversation so he could properly introduce himself when the time came. "Now Bill Shepherd had to cancel last minute, said it was something to do with his health unfortunately. But not to worry! I've spoken with him over the phone and he's informed me his nephew is filling in for him, okay?”

Before you even had a chance to reply he turned from you, reaching over the table to shake hands with a man you recognised as Seth Grayson; their director of communications, and an older woman who you assumed was Annette Shepherd. She and her brother Bill were the owner's of Gardner Analytics and your father had said it was important he got on their good side.

As your father greeted the others, you began retrieving the documents out of your bag, knowing they would be needed by Seth right away.

"..So sorry for the delay Mr Shepherd, you know how DC traffic can be" Your father chuckled slightly as he shook the man’s hand, making some light small talk. Mr Shepherd? that must be bill’s nephew, you thought.

You felt even more unprepared now; you didn’t even know the man’s name.

"This is my daughter and assistant, Y/N" Upon hearing your father introduce you to the mystery Shepherd, you slotted the documents under one arm and reached out to shake his hand with your other.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Shepherd" But as you shifted your gaze up to his own, you realised that there was no need for introductions.

He smiled gently, a kind of smug delight obvious in his eyes as he looked you up and down, taking you all in. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Y/L/N"

He released your hand from his grasp, moving to clasp his own behind his back. “But please, call me Duncan.”

Duncan fucking Shepherd. how could you be so oblivious? The two of you had spent hours together last night. How hadn't you figured out who he was? As panic ripped through you like a wildfire, you wondered if Duncan was feeling the same way; but from the look on his face, he was enjoying this.

●●●●●●●●

11:34pm previous night

It was getting pretty late now, and meeting someone who could fuck the stress out of you was becoming less and less likely by the minute. so deciding to finish your drink and leave, you took in the room one last time; making sure you hadn’t missed anyone interesting.

The fluorescent red and blue lighting of the expensive hotel bar was just bright enough for you to spot an older man you hadn’t noticed before. He must have been at least 40. He was sat in a booth with five or six others, all drinking, laughing and joking, yet he was staring at you.

Taking the seat next to you, he called out to the bartender. “Bourbon. Neat.”

You'd been waiting for him to come over ever since you saw him. It had been 20 minutes or so of quick glances and smiles to each other before the group of men he had been with dissipated. You had heard one of the men he was with refer to him as ‘Duncan’ when he had said his goodbyes, but other than that all you could assume about the man was that he was rich; judging by the all black LV suit he was wearing.

"Can I buy you a drink?” Turning to face at him when you heard him speak, you were practically stupefied by how attractive he was. His hair was full of shiny grey streaks that aged him. His stubble complimented his cheekbones perfectly and the speckles of grey throughout it helped bring out the brightness of his piercing blue eyes. His lips were full, and you couldn't help but notice how soft they looked.

“Vodka and coke” You smiled, trying your best to be confidant, but they way he was looking at you was giving you butterfly's you couldn’t swat away.

“I.D?” The bartender asked. You grabbed it out of your purse, proving your age to the bartender before watching him walk away to make your drink.

There was a brief silence before the man spoke again. “I hope my staring didn’t bother you, I just couldn’t take my eyes off you.” His flattery almost made you blush, but he wasn’t going to get you with a line that bad.

“Didn’t bother me at all, though i’m sure your friends there must have been envious” You chose to ignore his cheesy line, knowing that as much as you wanted him to take you there and then, you would much prefer making him work for it.

He chuckled slightly, knowing the game you had chosen to play. he looked away from you and down into his glass before taking a swig of the golden-brown liquor that occupied it. “Well I’m known to be quite a busy man, so I’m sure they understood.” He turned to face you slightly, waiting for some kind of reaction from you.

“Busy enough of a man to be drinking on a Tuesday night?” You questioned him teasingly, Ignoring that you yourself had the most important meeting of your young career in just over twelve hours.

“Is that really such a surprise? Most times being so busy is the main reason for drinking” He joked with you as he flirted, making it hard for you to keep eye contact without going red at the thought of such a beautiful man seeking your attention.

Duncan could see how nervous you were under the confident demeanour you had put on, I mean you were practically screaming it out to him at this point. The way you were fidgeting with the chain of your silver earring as you leaned against the bar and the fact you couldn’t even look at him for longer than 3 seconds without blushing was evidence enough for him.

“Well, that’s true.” You giggled a little as you spoke in your anxious state.

Taking a hold of your drink, you wrapped your lips around the paper straw and moved your gaze over to the bartender who was now serving someone a few seats down, attempting to distract and ground yourself from the situation at hand.

You were gripped back into reality quickly when you heard him speak again.

“There’s no need to be so nervous, I’m not going to eat you.” You found his use of the phrase quite ironic, being that’s exactly how it seemed. His eyes were piercing into you in an almost questioning manner, but when he gazed over your body, taking in your satin, black slip dress covered curves, the swipe of his tongue against his plump bottom lip gave you a very different impression; an impression he wanted to devour you. It was as if he thought you were that sweet snack he had been craving all week.

“No? That's a shame” You faked a frown, pouting as you moved to rest your chin on your hand.

“Well I think we should at least be aware of each others names before making such wild propositions, don’t you…?” His smirk never seemed to leave his face as he spoke.

He was good at this game, better than you at least. Of course It was obvious he was going to have had more experience with his age and all, but the way he was charming you so easily with just plain old conversation and confidence was getting harder and harder to match.

“Y/N, my name’s Y/N.” You batted your eyelashes at him a little, for some reason feeling smaller upon revealing your name to him. You felt as if you had lost the upper hand in the conversation suddenly.

“Hm, Y/N. That’s beautiful.” You rolled your eyes. Of course it is. Thats what they all say. You thought.

“Aren't you going to ask mine?” His ego now showing, you decided to make a bolder move.

“You rather fancy yourself, don’t you, Duncan?”

He finished his drink and moved closer to you. “Oh, so you already know my name?”

He was close enough to you now that you could make out the many beauty marks which decorated his cheekbones and hear the rasp of his voice even better than before. It was thick as honey and just as sweet too.

“I heard your friend call you it.” You quickly replied.

He scoffed a little, finding amusement in what he was about to say. He brought his face down closer to yours and began to run his fingers through your hair. “Hm, well he’s an old friend sweetheart. Most people would call me Mr Shepherd.”

You felt yourself grow hot, Duncans words casting a haze of complete lust over your mind.

You did your best to stay confidant, doing everything you could to ensure you didn't loose this game the two of you were playing. “Really? Is that what you like? Mr Shepherd.”

Your faces were so close to each others now that you could smell the bourbon on his breath when he let out a loud chuckle. His pearly whites showing as he did so. You even felt him graze his stubble against your cheek.

“Mhmm.” He ran his finger over your lips as he spoke slowly. "So tell me, what is it that does it for you Y/N? Hm? I mean a girl your age doesn’t decide to stare at a man like me all night just for the hell of it. So what is it? The power? The money? Or is it the age gap so big I could be your father?”

You squeeze your legs together as his sentence finishes, letting out a hushed whimper. Of course you were attracted to older men, that was obvious, but hearing him say it out loud in public whilst being so close to you turned you on even more than you thought previously possible.

He chuckled a little, “So it’s the age then, is it sweetheart? The idea of having a man more.. experienced pleasure you, instead of a man who would leave you to fend for yourself after finishing in less than five minutes. You want someone who can make you cum so hard you’d be begging him to make it stop, don’t you?” Every move Duncan made, every word he spoke was calculated, and it was all in pursuit of teasing you just because he knew he could.

You made a mental note of his nickname for you as you looked up at him. You felt his fingers run across your cheek and then push some stray hairs back behind your ear as you desperately tried to think of something smart to say, anything to say; but he had won. He knew what you wanted and he wanted it just as bad. You didn’t even care anymore. You were more than ready to give what little of a resolve you still had up to him.

He whispered to you as he moved his spare hand up the small of your back. “Now little one, I have the presidential suite of this hotel under my name tonight. So what do you say we go on up? Since now we're just so well aquatinted."

●●●●●●●●

Having to take part in a meeting with your father and the man double your age that you had fucked for hours the night before was NOT what you had planned for today.

“Mr Shepherd, I apologise that I didn’t make it here on time. I had a pretty hectic morning.” You did your best to keep your chill in your now shocked state, but with everyone watching the two of you it wasn’t easy.

“No don’t worry, I know how DC traffic can be, especially in this weather. As long as you're here now.” A wide smile was planted on his face as he spoke. The same as last night. He never broke eye contact with you, and you found yourself wondering how he could do it so easily.

“Please, sit.” He gestured you over to take a seat as he pulled out the chair next to his own. You thanked him politely and sat down, your mind racing and spiralling out of control at the thought of your father discovering the sinful deeds you and his new boss had taken part in just hours prior.

You felt him tuck you into the table before sitting down next to you. You could hear the voices of the restaurant that surrounded you and the others at the table coming at you. Every noise was muffled, as if your head was suddenly underwater.

“Y/N?” You were quickly brought back to reality when you heard Seth question you.

“From my understating you have the merger documents in your belonging, yes?” He looked at your father for reassurance this was definitely case as he spoke. So with everyone at the table’s eyes on you, you slid the documents over to him.

“Yes! And uhm the specifications for the more politically based content changes are detailed on page 25. I was told that was of high interest today?” You got yourself back on track, trying to stay as professional as possible whilst ignoring Duncan and the predicament you had found yourself in.

“We were briefly discussing the more major changes before you arrived Mr Y/L/N, but I believe you’ve already been made aware of most them?” Duncan addressed your father, kicking the meeting off. But you couldn’t concentrate. You were listening to the conversation, you really were! It was just that you were so wrapped up in Duncan’s voice you couldn’t actually understand what the fuck they were all talking about.

Seeing him so invested in the crucial conversation he was having with your father and the many other associates at the table was just doing something to you.

Observing the way his hands were moving when he spoke, you noticed how he would often clasp them together when he was explaining things, and how he would tilt his head slightly as he listened. His bronzed curls were combed to perfection, resting delicately on the right side of his face and when he licked his bottom lip, it sent a shiver down through your spine all the way to your cunt. You were entirely captivated by him.

Hearing your Father ask for your opinion on the subject being discussed, you shook off the spell Duncan’s attractiveness had casted onto you and responded, giving your perspective on the subject.

Duncan relaxed into his seat a little more as he watched you talking. He knew you had been staring at him, but it was cute, he thought. Almost endearing seeing you get so flustered at just the sight of him. He had seen you squirming around in your seat whilst you watched him and decided the accidental teasing wasn’t enough; he wanted to toy with you more. As much as he possibly could.

“You know, if you’re trying hide what’s happened between us then you might consider making your staring a little less obvious, sweetheart.” He was speaking quietly enough for nobody else to hear and not looking in your direction, pretending to still partake in the tables back-and-forth. Still the fear of your father, who was sat just across the table, overhearing Duncans remarks was petrifying.

You knew you couldn’t let your craving for him and the confusion from not knowing who he was last night effect the meeting, but there he was with that nickname again, stirring your desire even further.

“How are you even here?” You let your frustrations out onto him as you talked back, his cocky attitude getting to you too easily with the stress you were under. “I’m trying so hard not to ruin today and this situation isn’t helping! They’ll fire me if I mess this up and I’ll be fucked! Which surprisingly, I’d prefer not to be!” Your whispering was pretty aggressive, but could you really blame yourself?! This kind of coincidence was rare, so you had every right to be mad at the universe for letting it occur on today of all days.

His ego not faltering for even a second, he chuckled. “Oh you don’t wanna get fucked? Funny, because I remember you saying the exact opposite last night.”

He grazed his hand across your inner thigh, massaging it gently before diving underneath the little black pencil skirt you were wearing to grip onto your flushed skin.

You scoffed at his words and looked up at him, shocked at how bold he was being and expecting some kind of response from him, but he didn’t even look your way. You assumed this was so no attention was brought to the two of you and so you followed his lead, turning away from him just as fast as you had looked.

With the heat of your cunt having grown far too intense to bear, any friction that wasn’t your own thighs pressing up against each other was to be welcomed. So you decided not to stop him. In fact you did the exact opposite, spreading your thighs wider for him, not having the self control or restraint to keep yourself from him any longer.

His hand moved closer to where you needed him most, diving under the crotch of your underwear to swipe his fingers over your slick folds and immediately begin rubbing circles onto your neglected clit.

You stifled a moan, leaning onto the table on front of you to keep yourself steady as he touched you. Finally, he moved his gaze to rest on you, watching you as you struggled to stay silent. He whispered once more, “Always so wet for me, aren't you princess?”

●●●●●●●●

As soon as you entered the suite, Duncan gripped onto your waist, pushing you up against the door and cradling your cheek with his spare hand before smashing his lips into yours.

His tongue slipped past your lips, dancing with yours whilst he moved his hands all over your body, clutching onto your breasts and then moving them down to explore the rest of you.

He lifted your dress up just enough so he could grip your ass. Pulling you closer to him and making you feel his bulge against your hips, you were too short in comparison to him to feel him where you wanted to most.

He spoke to you in kisses, telling you of how ravenous he was for you and that he was going to savour every moment. He moved his lips down, trailing open mouthed kisses from your neck to your collarbones and to the top of your breasts.

“This fucking dress” He took ahold of the bottom of your dress, pulling it up above your head with urgency as you lifted your arms to better help him strip you. Throwing the dress down onto the floor and hearing it land somewhere behind him, he admired your body and it’s curves.

“The perfect wrapping for such an enticing present.” He finished his sentence. Immediately grabbing at your breasts, sucking and kissing them.

You couldn’t speak, too enthralled with the technique of his tongue swirling around your nipple to do anything but moan in response to him.

You threw your head back against the door, staring up that the beautifully patterned ceiling in pure ecstasy. You felt him drag a callused hand down to the waistband of your Lacy white panties, tickling the sensitive skin of your stomach as he traced his fingers over it. His finger tips running across the little white bow that centred the waistband.

He collapsed down to his knees, yanking the delicate lingerie as he fell, leaving it to puddle around your ankles.

He teased your heat, moving from kissing the skin of your thighs to your folds, but not yet reaching the lengths you wanted him to, only adding fuel to the fire in between your legs.

“Please Duncan-” you begged him, desperately needing some kind of release from the binds of lust he had managed to wrap you in over the past 45 minutes.

“Ah ah, don't you remember? You don’t get to call me that.” He spoke.

“I’m sorry, Mr Shepherd.” You corrected yourself, recalling the conversation you had with him prior to coming upstairs.

“Mhmm, now as magnificent as that name sounds coming from you, I know that there’s something else you’d rather call me.” He hummed in disapproval, calmly redirecting your choice of name for him and reassuringly pressing his lips onto your clit.

You let out a stuttered gasp, you did want to call him that, but now you felt nervous due to the build up he had created.

“Com’n, sweetheart. Do you think I don't know why you’re here in the first place? Why else would you be sat all alone in the bar of a hotel you weren’t even staying at? You’re just another slut with daddy issues, sneaking down to an expensive hotel to scavenge for any man good enough to fuck you into submission. Isn’t that right?”

Mildly insulted at his all too accurate observation of you, but enjoying the effect his degrading words have on you none the less, you gave him what he wanted. “Mm yes daddy!” You whimpered out, admitting your ploy to him.

A low rumble emitted from his chest, your words setting off some kind of animal inside him. He dove his face down into your pussy, starting by sucking on your clit gently, flicking his tongue over it and applying more and more pressure as you writhed above him.

His mouth was closed around you now, his grey, speckled stubble scratching your already inflamed skin. You were taken aback by his skills, intwining your fingers through the curls in his hair and tugging on them with every wave of pleasure that hit you.

He snaked his large hand around your thigh, lifting it up to rest on his shoulder while he ate you out. Enjoying the new angle he was utilising, he hummed, sending vibrations through your nerves up to the pit of your stomach, bringing you closer to your climax.

“Mmh.. fuck daddy, i’m gonna cum!” He didn’t let off, his tongue perhaps fucking into you even faster since you told him how close you were. You locked stares as your orgasm took over your body, your lips forming an o as you screwed your eyebrows together in rapture.

He came back up, letting you taste yourself and he placed his lips on yours again. You eased into the kiss, a relaxed haze having taken over your body in your post-orgasm state. Feeling a slight breeze flow up the side of your form, you realised that Duncan still had all his clothes on whilst you had none. Deciding you needed to change this as soon as possible, you began unbuttoning his suit’s matching black blazer and shirt, rushing to feel his skin on yours.

He helped you, shrugging the shirt off his shoulders as you began to unthread his leather belt from the loops of his trousers. “You’re so impatient, little one.” He spoke.

“I think I’ve waited long enough, daddy.” You smirked, dropping the belt at his feet.

As soon as his shirt hit the floor you reached up, gliding your hands across the expanse of his bear chest, taking notice of how small your hands appeared in comparison to him. He watched you, relishing in the glimmer of entrancement that shone through your eyes as you ingested him.

He lifted you, his strong arms carrying you bridal style towards the king sized bed and throwing you down onto its crisp, satin sheets. Grabbing your ankles, he dragged you down the bed towards him and finished taking his pants off. His cock sprung free from the confines of his boxers, smacking against his stomach.

He clambered onto the bed, resting on his knees as he jerked himself in his hand, reluctantly groaning out at the first contact his neglected cock had received all night. His pressing cock had made it unfathomably hard not to just fuck you up against the door when he saw that sweet little way in which your face scrunched up as you came.

You were practically drooling, watching him fuck himself into his fist as his eyes scanned across your naked body. Not being able to wait any longer and wanting to finally feel his cock on your skin, you sat up slightly and reached out to touch him. But before you got the chance, he shoved you back down. leaning over you, he held your wrists down against the pillows with one hand and wrapped his other around your delicate throat.

“So greedy, baby” he stoked his thumb over the skin of your neck as he made his observation, watching you struggle underneath him.

“I just know what I want.” You toyed, your voiced coming out slightly muffled with the pressure of his large hand covering your voice box.

“Such an attitude, too.” His cock brushes over your cunt as he sways his head from side to side in disappointment and disproval. “Now sweetheart, you’re gonna stay exactly where you are and daddy’s gonna fuck you just like this, okay? So he can see that pretty little face of yours.”

You gulp at his words, anticipating the feeling of having him inside you. “Please just fuck me. Please.” You knew you sounded absolutely pathetic, but you didn’t care. Just needing him plummeting in and out of you as soon as possible.

He chuckled at your neediness. Taking his hands back from your wrists and grasping his cock, lining it up with your entrance and slowly pushing in, he let you adjust to his size.

Moaning out, you dug your nails into the bed sheets, watching his head drop down to yours as he closed his eyes in pleasure.

“Fuck, you take me so well.”

●●●●●●●●

He slipped his ringed finger into you, pushing against your spongy walls whilst you made a desperate attempt to suppress your moans. You bite down onto your nails, your elbow resting on the table as you put all your weight onto it for some kind of crutch.

He began with a slow pace, making sure you would feel every little movement he made. You heard him join into the conversation once again, mentioning something about an article he had seen from the Herald last month which had impressed him. You weren't even sure. You couldn't think for the pulsing beat of your own heart that filled your ears.

“You all right there, Y/N?” Your heavy breathing must have been a dead give away for something being up, being your father was now questioning you.

You felt Duncan stop his movements momentarily, joining the rest of the table in their standstill, staring at you as they awaited a reply, but his little act of sincerity didn't last too long.

“Yeah, uhm-“ you felt him slide a 2nd figure in, making you fake a cough as to stop the cry desperately trying to escape your throat from doing so.

“Yeah, I’m uh, just thirsty.” Hoping this would ward off the worried looks you were receiving, you were shocked when you heard Duncan chime in. “Oh don’t worry, we can get you something.”

He called the waiter over, asking him for a pitcher of lemonade and thanking him as he walked away, back towards the kitchen. You would have preferred some water, you thought, but you were far too focused on what was going on underneath the table to say anything.

“Now, where were we?” Seth began talking once more, bringing the attention back to where it should be. But Duncan? No. His attention stayed on you. Even more focused on fucking his fingers into than before, he sped up and began going even deeper now, curling them upwards until you were twitching.

You looked up at him pleadingly. You were getting too close to cumming for your own liking, so you grabbed onto his thigh and dug your nails into his expensive black dress pants, warning him. He shot you a devious grin, scissoring his fingers inside you and pressing his thumb down to rub sweet circles on your hooded clit, letting you know he didn’t intend on stopping.

He looked behind you suddenly. Following his gaze, you snapped your head to the side, trying to get a good look at what had grabbed his attention so abruptly.

It was the waiter. He had arrived with the pitcher of lemonade in hand and yet Duncan was still plummeting his hand into your pussy with such a speed you began to wonder if someone had actually noticed what was truly going on. I mean the waiter must know.

At this point you had let far too many questionable gasps leave your mouth, your breathing had become even more erratic as you grew closer to your orgasm. He knew you were about to break before he swiftly pulled his fingers out of you, wiping the juices that coated them back and front onto your skirt so he could pick up the glass on front of you, leaving you unsatisfied.

You scrambled to collect your thoughts and breath as he picked up the pitcher, pouring the ice cooled lemonade into your glass.

“Here.” He spoke. You lifted a shaky hand up to take the glass from him when the grasp he had on it ‘slipped’, spilling the contents of it the onto your lap.

“Oh!’ You jumped up, making the sweet, sticky liquid run off your skirt to your thighs, dripping down your legs and eventually onto the floor. The now empty glass falling with it.

“I am so sorry, Miss Y/L/N.” He picked up the glass, sitting it on the table before joining you in standing. Now he was stood, you could clearly see the dark tint of his cock straining against the constrictive fabric that was his dress pants. It sent a pulse of lust through your cunt.

“Duncan!” Hearing Annette voice her annoyance at her son for being so clumsy almost made you laugh. It was quite amusing seeing his mother reprimand him, being he was a grown man in his 40s.

“It’s okay, don’t worry. I-I’ll just go clean myself up in the bathroom. I don’t want to distract the meeting anymore than I already have.” You made eye contact with your father as he rubbed his temples.

He was annoyed at the scene you and Duncan had caused. You gave him an apologetic look, feeling bad for stressing him out even more than you already had with being late, but knowing it was technically Duncan’s fault and not yours.

“Please, let me help you clean up.” Duncan pushed his chair in, quickly grabbing some napkins off the table and resting his hand on your back to guide you towards the nearest bathroom, walking as fast as your weak legs would let him.

His hand stayed delicately placed on the small of your back, until you were out of the tables sight, at which point he took hold of your arm, clutching it like a vice as he dragged you through the bathroom door.

He locked the door behind him in preparation for what was to come. He needed to make sure nobody would be walking in on what he was about to do to you.

Looking back towards you, satisfied as ever now he had you alone, he waltzed on over, pinning you up against the counter with force. You could smell him on you again, same cologne from the night before. Dior, you guessed.

“You’re not very good at staying quiet, are you, Sweetheart?” He mused, hoisting you up onto the counter and forcefully cradling your face with both hands as he moved to kiss you deeply. His tongue ravenously re-familiarising itself with your mouth.

“You almost got us caught back there.” He spoke in between kisses. “Your poor, naive father, watching you. He was probably wondering why you kept squirming.” He voiced a dark giggle, moving down to suckle on your neck and push your skirt up your thighs.

“I almost got us caught? No. Y-you almost got us caught when you decided putting a second f-FUCK, finger into me whilst I was talking to him was a good idea!” You choked out, doing your best to fight through the pleasure of his lips finally grazing your skin as you watched him pull your panties down and slot them into his pants pocket.

“Awh poor baby. Did you not want your daddy knowing that you’re a greedy little slut for his new boss? Hm?” He admired the blossoming lavender and cherry bruises now forming on your neck as he teased, marvelling at the idea they could be noticed by your father once you finished.

He quickly opened his fly, pulling his dress pants and boxers down just enough that he could pump his cock in his hand. Gripping onto your hips for purchase, his fingers dug into you so viciously you could feel the marks he had left the night before. You knew after this, there would surely be more.

He thrust himself into you, earning a loud wail to fall from your lips. You arched your spine at the feeling of him pounding into you, making your head fall back against the mirror behind you. His hand shot up to the it as he gathered more speed, his pace growing far faster than you had anticipated.

“Was it too much for you? Taking my fingers in your cunt whilst you were trying oh so hard to concentrate? I almost made you cum on front of everyone.” You moaned out at his grotesque words, pulling your head up to rest your forehead on his shoulder.

“Answer me.” He pulled your chin up back to look at him, still pounding into you. The sound of your skin slapping against one another’s felt even louder in the small, tiled bathroom.

“Yes daddy! It was too much for me - AHH!!” You let yourself go limp against the mirror, giving yourself up to him entirely and wanting nothing more than for him to use you like his personal rag doll.

●●●●●●●●

Your throat was growing hoarser with every squeal you made. Duncan had been fucking you ruthlessly for what felt like hours now, constantly changing his pace from calm to aggressive and back again. His lips were mouthing over your peaked nipples, tongue slathering trails of saliva across your skin and teeth scrapping over dozens of tiny goosebumps.

“Such a filthy, fucking whore for me.” Squeezing down on your neck with one hand he uses his other to slap you. His ringed hand coming down across your fleshy cheek with a loud crack.

You gasped out, shocked at this move and feeling reinvigorated by the suddenness of it. His abuse only made you more attracted to him, causing your cunt to puddle its juices around his cock.

Slowing his thrusts down to an almost complete halt, he grabbed your jaw, yanking your mouth open just enough that when he dripped his spit down you could catch it. You moaned at the filth of his actions, tasting the bourbon he had drank earlier at the bar.

Following the thick thread of salvia that connected the two of you to each other, he brought his face back down to yours, bringing your sloppy lips together. Never giving you the chance to close your mouth before he slid his tongue into it.

Your lips part, foreheads leaning on each other with eyes locked as you scream and moan at his brutal fucking. “Such a good girl.” He praised you.

“Thank you daddy!!” You cry out, feeling tears brimming in your eyes at the deepness of his cock. You knew he was going to be good when he first pushed you up again that door, but this was insane. You had never felt his turned on before. Loving being completely at his mercy, but receiving none.

He pulled out suddenly, wrapping his hands around your stomach and flipping you over to your front. You got the just of what he wanted and clambered onto your hands and knees for him. He pushed his cock back into your folds, hips ricocheting off your ass immediately.

He pulled at your hair, lifting you up to his chest as he gruffed and groaned. He was much larger than you, making it easy for him to pull your head back enough that he could see the expression on your lust enthralled face.

“Tell me what you want, baby.” He demands, spanking your ass cheek and twisting your hair around in his hand. His other hand moved to your gaping mouth, pushing two fingers inside so you taste the metallic bite of his silver band.

You gag as he fucks your mouth, mumbling around his fingers in a desperate attempt at begging him to allow you to cum. You were getting so close now. You guys had been going for so long and your impending release wasn’t going to wait much longer.

“Fuckk, don’t worry sweetheart. Daddy’s close too.” He took his fingers out of your mouth, bringing them down to your clit and swiping at it furiously. You could feel your own spit on his fingers as the coil in your stomach tightened.

“Ohh Daddy’s gonna come so deep inside you, little one.. would you like that?” His breathes were uneven. Thrusts uncontrolled and sloppy.

“Yes!! Fuck, fuck, FUCK Daddy I’m cumming!!” Your cunt pulsated around his shaft, squeezing his own orgasm out of him even sooner than he expected as you screamed. You could taste the saltiness of your own tears, them having run down your cheekbones and into your agape mouth.

His cum flooded your walls, filling you up with his hips pressed against yours as he enveloped you in an embrace from behind. He uttered out a shudder against your temple, his breathe feeling hot and damp on your skin.

He set you back down on the bed and pulled his softening shaft out of you, moving his large hands back to your hips as your own gave out and fell underneath you, pressing your face into the sheets. You eventually rolled over to lay on your back, wanting to let your aftershocks roll through your quivering limbs more comfortably.

He fell down onto the duvet next to you, propping himself up on his side slightly and pulling you closer to him so he could plant a kiss on your swollen lips. “You alright? I didn't hurt too bad now, did I?” He stroked your face, words alluring as ever now your resting bare bodies were tangled up together in a complete stand still.

“Nothing that I didn't enjoy, no.” You joked, lightly drawing intricate shapes on his arm with your fingertips, still harnessing the blemishing sting his ring had left under your cheekbone. “I’d say we're pretty well aquatinted now; wouldn’t you, Daddy?”

●●●●●●●

You could feel cool drips of perspiration slipping down your heated skin from your forehead to your collar bones and all you could do was hope they hadn't taken any of the concealer you had applied earlier this morning with them. You had needed to cover the bruise Duncan’s ring had so easily left on your cheek the night before, since you really didn't want your father or anyone else from work seeing it.

Duncan’s cock was curving in all the right places as he hammered into you. His pace and brutality showing you stars. He seemed even more confident than he did yesterday. Having had experience with you, he knew that you could take his most heinous savagery with delight and didn’t hold off one bit.

His huffs and groans were tantalising, growing louder and more uncontrolled as he fucked you into oblivion. His hand squeaked as it fell down the steamed mirror he leant on, leaving the glass behind you and finding its way to your jaw. He brought your face to his own and kissed you, loudly moaning into your open mouth.

You giggled through your mewls. “Mmm.. I thought I was the loud one, daddy.” You were amused that he had been teasing you so adamantly about the volume of your pleasure, when he was now the one making all the noise.

He paused, quirking an eyebrow at you before slamming his hips into you with a thrust so strong it made you practically scream out. “Oh, my apologises, sweetheart.” He smirked as he picked up his pace once more.

You wrapped your hands in his perfectly styled hair. You no longer cared who knew what was really happening in here, the thought didn’t even cross your mind. All you cared for was chasing your high. You rutted your hips on his and took his length entirely, feeling dangerously close to cumming.

“Fuckkk baby, daddy’s gonna cum okay?. Cum with me princess. Fall apart on my cock.” His unfocused thrusts had you coming undone in seconds. You held onto him tight, digging your nails into his shoulders and pulling at his curls as you cried out in ecstasy.

He shot his seed into you, feeling all his pent up frustrations from earlier at the table leave him as he pushed himself deep into your abused cunt. He didn’t even attempt to stifle his moans, too invested in finally receiving his release to realise just how loud he was being.

He rested his forehead on yours, your sweaty skin pressed against each other as you both attempted to catch your breathes after such a quick, ruthless fuck. You started laughing, finding it utterly ridiculous that you had spent the majority of a meeting you had been terrified for, getting fucked by your new boss (and the man you had fucked the night before) in a restaurant bathroom.

He joined in laughing, clearly finding humour within this strange situation too. Interrupting your laugh, he pushed his lips into yours, kissing you as if your lips were some kind of prize. You felt his cock slip from your cunt, his seed immediately spilling from it as you were left with a sudden, empty sensation.

He made quick work of zipping his pants back up and fastening his belt. You tugged your skirt back down to your thighs, being reminded of how Duncan had snatched your panties and stashed them in his pants pocket. You guessed you wouldn’t be getting them back anytime soon, which you were okay with, you just hoped nobody saw his remnants leaving you left the bathroom.

You flattened out your skirt and felt the wet sticky lemonade that still coated it. You had completely forgotten to clean it. “Fuck, my skirt's still sticky! Why would you order lemonade?” You whined; still mad he hadn’t just ordered some water.

Awaiting a reply, you turned to check your make up in the mirror. Luckily it was pretty light today, so it still looked good other than the bruise on your cheek now being slightly more obvious than before. What really concerned you was your neck. It was covered in every shade of purple and red you were aware existed. If your father and coworkers didn’t know what was going on from how weird you were being at the table before, or how long it had taken the two of you to finish in the bathroom, or the noises that were emitting from it, they would definitely know after seeing all the claims he had left on your skin.

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t think that spilt water would have been a good enough excuse to get you all alone in here.” He chuckled to himself, leaning over to rest his chin on your head and wrapping his arms around your waist as he joked over his mischievousness.

“But we should probably head back out there. I’m sure your father’s going to apprentice the beautiful mosaic I’ve painted across your neck” he kissed the bruises he spoke of as he watched you through the mirror.

You scoffed at him, gifting yourself one last look before completely giving up on finding a way you could make your face and neck appear more presentable for heading back to the table.

Duncan opened the bathroom door, nodding his head towards the hallway and waiting for you to hurry up and join him.

The two of you started walking back, your legs struggling to take your weight with how weak they had become. Your heels clicked along the floor, making you far more aware of how soon you would be sitting back down with everyone from work. Like a clock counting down to all the judgmental stares you would surly be receiving.

You kept your eyes trained on the floor as you took your seat at the table. Seths voice trailed off upon seeing the two of you sit down, leaving you both in the middle of an uncomfortable silence that felt near suffocating.

“What took so long!” You could hear the anger and perhaps embarrassment in Annettes voice as she whispered to Duncan. She looked towards you, glaring and scowling before retiring her vision back to him. She was probably hoping that what she assumed to have occurred hadn’t, but from the marks clearly decorating your neck, she would have known it to be true.

“Oh, we just couldn’t get the lemonade out of her skirt.” He tut as he spoke to his mother, smiling and playing off any obvious suspicions. “I’m sorry, really.” He placed a hand on her shoulder, dripping with a sincerity you knew to be false.

“So what was it we were discussing?” he speaks louder now, addressing the rest of the table.

“Uhh actually, I think we have a deal.” Seth replied, looking over at him and then the rest of the table. You heard your father mutter something in agreement, but it was meek. Quiet. He must have felt the awkward tension too. It was ripe in the air, like a shiver you couldn’t shake off. You didn't even want to look at him, knowing If anyone there felt most uncomfortable, it was him.

Saying their goodbyes and finishing up with any last details, everyone stood to shake hands and bid their farewells. You felt your fathers scowl as he came and stood beside you, but you didn't dare look at him. You were too ashamed to face him whilst still with your coworkers.

Duncan walked over to your father, looking more satisfied than ever with his eyes still focused on you as he thanked him for meeting and shook his hand firmly.

“It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Mr Y/L/N.” He let go of your fathers hand only to take a hold of yours. He grasped it delicately, a touch more gentle than he had ever shown you previously. Assuming he was trying you shake it, you were more than surprised when he raised it to his lips, kissing your rosey knuckles; still red from the tight grip you had, had on his hair earlier.

“I look forward to working with you in the future, Y/N.” He graced you with once last signature smirk as he walked away, leaving you with your father who was waiting for an explanation and apology for your disgusting and foolish behaviour.

Maybe it hadn’t been the worst way to spend lunch.

Tags: @sojournmichael @dark-mei-rose @ntxoza @angelicmichael @jimmason @michaellangdonstanaccount @blakescoven @7-wonders @ghostangels @fernfiction @brattylovee @melodylangdon @brooklinn13 @instincts-baby

[rocksandrobots]

Phantoms of the Past Chapter 18 - Pranks, Dates, and Automobiles Part 2

Honey Lemon sank further down in her chair. Her cheeks burned red and she wanted nothing more than to disappear into the ground. She spared a quick glance at Varian, who sat next her, munching on popcorn and seemingly not noticing her discomfort. 

They were at the movie theater watching what was supposed to be a generic romantic comedy. She had even been the one to pick the movie out, as per usual. It had great reviews on social media and starred an actor that she really liked. Only she had failed to notice the movie's rating.

Currently the two leads up on the screen were engaged in ripping each others clothes off before hopping in bed together, and Honey Lemon felt like she was back in junior high all over again, daring her school buddies to sneak into the movies underneath her mother's disapproving nose, afraid at any moment that she might be caught and lectured at for watching such 'filth'. Which was silly, she knew. She was in college now! What did it matter if she went to see a rated R film?

However, this knowledge only embarrassed her further. Especially since Varian didn't seem to care about what was going on onscreen one way or the other. He wasn't embarrassed nor put off, but neither was he particularly engaged with the film's romance. But she had come to expect such polite disinterest from him whenever he took her out to the movies.

Varian, if given the choice, would rather watch a documentary or some foreign art film in a language that only he understood, and even a few that he didn't. To him films were mild scientific curiosities that he tended to view with bemused but detached interest; preferring live theater and sports, or the longer storytelling devoted to television. As such he tended to treat movie going as a social function and typically let his friends choose the entertainment.

Honey Lemon had taken advantage of this affable quirk to drag him to rom coms that no one else in their little group wanted to sit through. While for his part, Varian seemed more than happy to go along, Honey Lemon knew it was only for her benefit. Though for what reason Varian kept going out of his way just to please her was a topic of discussion that Honey Lemon didn't like to think too much about. 

A lot of people already assumed they were dating, which only made Honey Lemon feel awkward. They were just friends. Why did people have to over complicate things? 

Yet here she was complicating things herself! Who took their guy friend out to a raunchy rom com? 

That's when Varian finally noticed her. She looked up at him as he gave her a quizzical look; one eyebrow raised in that snarky manner that she had come to expect from him. She froze, until one of the actors on the screen muttered a curse word and, if it was at all possible, her face became even redder. 

Varian tried his best to hold back his laughter. He failed as he cupped his mouth and silently snickered into it. 

Oh Shoot! Oh no, no, no ! Honey Lemon held her head in her hands in embarrassment. Varian was never going to let her live this down!

                                                    ---------------------

"Thanks for the lift." Hiro awkwardly said as he got out of the police car.

"Oh no problem." Chief Cruz said. "I'll just be over at the juice bar if you need me."

"Daaad, we don't need you to chaperone us." Megan whined.

"Who's chaperoning? I'm just getting pizza." Cruz unconventionally lied.

"Sure dad." Megan rolled her eyes before motioning for Hiro to follow her as the three of them walked from the parking lot to the arcade.

Once inside the two teens tried to make as much distance as they could between themselves and the police officer as Cruz took up a seat at the eating area.

"Hey, bet I can beat you at Mansion of the Undead." Megan challenged as she picked up the toy gun that doubled as a controller. Up on the screen zombies stalked forwards and she picked them off one by one.

Hiro put a game token into the slot next to hers and picked up his own controller. "Sorry about not finding us a better ride." He apologized.

"It's okay. What else were you going to do? Fly around on Baymax in full superhero gear?" Megan snorted. "Dad really would have flipped out then."

Hiro shot down another zombie on the screen. "I know, it's just that both Tadashi and Varian have their own rides, now. It's a little annoying having to be the only one in the house without one."

"Yeah, well that's what happens when you're the baby of the family." Megan snickered.

"I'm not a baby." Hiro whined. Which only elected more giggles from the girl.

"Well look on the bright side, only seven more months to go till you get your license. I still have to wait a whole year for mine." She fired the last volley of of fake bullets into the digital mutant monster on screen. It exploded in gory detail and Player One Wins flashed on screen, looking like it was written blood. She put the game controller down. "At least your aunt doesn't hover over you constantly. Dad refuses to let me be left alone, especially if I'm hanging out with a guy."

Hiro cast another wary glance towards the chief of police who gave him a stern glare from across the noisy arcade. "And here I thought your dad just didn't like me."

"Well, he likes you better than most of the other guys I know?"

Hiro stopped short. "O-other guys?"

"Yeah, uh, Jason and Eric from school. They're cool. We should all get together and hang out sometime. Oooh, if we invite Megan and Karmi along we could play three on three in laser tag!"

"Yeah, sounds great." Hiro gave a tight smile. Having both of his crushes teaming up with his ex, who tried to kill him only a few months ago, to beat him in a high adrenaline game of cat and mouse sounded like a disaster waiting to happen.

If Megan noticed his reluctance she didn't react. "Hey, one of the dance machines opened up." Was all she said.

"You're only picking that one because you know you can beat me at it." Hiro complained.

Megan's face broke into a wide smile. "Yeah, I know. Okay, what game do you want to play?"

"How about air hockey?"

"You're on."

                                                   ---------------------

"Well that was a fun movie." Varian said with a sly grin as they exited the theatre.

Honey Lemon didn't answer. She shuffled behind him, completely mortified.

He looked back at her over his shoulder and laughed when she saw her pout. "Oh, come on. It wasn't that bad."

Honey Lemon didn't answer, instead she decided to reclaim whatever dignity she could muster and sailed past him with a peeved expression on her face.

Varian watched her go with amusement.

"You know, I don't get it." He said as he fished his keys out of his pocket. "Americans will run around half naked half of the time but act like nature procreation is something to be ashamed of."

Honey Lemon turned to look at him aghast. "We do not run around 'half naked."

Varian laughed. "Have ya been to the beach lately?"

They walked to where the car was parked and Honey Lemon stopped to cross her arms defensively.

"That's different." She insisted.

"Oh sure it is, and that's why over half of your music is about butts." He pulled out his phone to show her his playlist.

"Since when are you into rap?" She asked, expecting to find his usual combination of show tunes and classical music.

"It's my new riding music for when I'm driving around, besides who doesn't appreciate a nice looking ass?"

Honey Lemon's eyes went wide at the casual foul language and then noticed Varian's wickedly smug grin as he watched her reaction. Honey Lemon glared at him disapprovingly.

"What's the matter? You don't appreciate my backside?" He teased as he showed her the back of his jeans.

Honey Lemon half heartedly tried to slap him on his shoulder but he only moved out the way, laughing the entire time.

"Not everyone thinks about... about that stuff." Honey Lemon rolled her eyes before getting into the car.

"You do, you just don't like to admit it." Varian argued as he slid into the driver seat next to her.

Honey Lemon huffed. She didn't like how close to the truth he actually was.

"So where do you want to go next?" He asked, changing the subject as he cranked the car and they began to drive away.

"Home." Honey Lemon pouted.

"Home?" Varian asked, confused. "Is everything okay?"

"No, it's not. You won't stop teasing me." She finally blurted out, exasperated.

Varian looked at her with genuine surprise as she sulked.

"Well, I.. I didn't mean anything by it. I thought we were having fun."

"No, you were making fun. I wasn't having any."

"And you don't think you might be over acting just a little, here? I'm not the one who picked out the movie."

"This isn't about the dumb movie." she muttered.

"Then what is it?"

She didn't answer and Varian had a hard time keeping his eyes on the road as he kept looking back at her with worry.

"Listen," He said as they came to a red light. "I'm sorry. I honestly didn't intend to upset you... It's just, you look so adorable when you're angry. Especially when it's over something so silly."

"There! You see!? Right there!" She snapped. "Don't you hear how condescending that sounds?"

Now Varian was even more taken aback. "Condescending? No.. oh no... I.."

Honey Lemon ignored his stuttering and huffed again.

"Oh Honey," He softly said as he leaned closer to her, placing an arm around the back of her seat as they stopped at the light. "Noooo, no, you're one of the most brilliant, amazing people I've ever met. I was just kidding around. I promise, I won't tease you over your taste in movies anymore."

Honey Lemon sided eyed him. He seemed earnest and she found her previous annoyance dissipating quickly the further they got away from the theater. Not to mention, if she was being completely honest with herself, the flattery didn't hurt either.

"Weeeelll.... I suppose I did over react... just a little." She admitted.

Varian smiled at that and moved even closer. For the briefest of moments she thought he was going to kiss her, only for him to move his arm off of the seat and wrap her in a hug instead; nuzzling his head against her own. Honey Lemon couldn't decide if she was disappointed or relieved by that, but either way the hug was welcomed.

That's when the light turned green and he pulled away to steer once more.

"So where to next?" He asked again, as if the fight had never happened. "I got my license , Gogo and I just fixed the car, and we have all weekend long. We can go anywhere you want. The beach, the mountains... Hey, Reno's only three hours away."

"Reno?" Honey Lemon laughed. "What on earth is there to do in Reno?"

"Well, it's like Vegas but closer."

"I know, but there's no reason for us to go to Vegas either."  She could hardly contain her giggles.

"There's tons of things to do in Nevada." Varian insisted. "Sightseeing, stage shows, we can hit up the casinos..."

Honey Lemon snorted with even more laughter as she protested. "They won't let you gamble and we're both too young to drink."

"But you can gamble." Varian said with a sly smile. "We make our way to the blackjack tables and I'll stand behind you and count the cards. We split the money fifty, fifty."

"You're impossible." She sighed, but her snickers gave lie to her mock frustration.

"Oh is Blackjack not your thing? I know how to play poker too."

"Where did you learn to play poker?"

Varian shrugged. "Eh.. Dewayne had a pack of cards stashed on him when he was arrested. He used to deal me in.... until Sideburns figured out that I could count the cards. Thaaat... didn't end too well. Fortunately there were, you know, bars between us."

Honey Lemon stopped laughing and blinked at him in surprise. The casual way he talked about such things and people gave her whiplash.

"Sideburns?" she echoed dumbly.

"Oh, Bernie 'Sideburns' Stabbington. Part of the Stabbington Brothers. They're wanted in all seven kingdoms for theft, murder, and being the toughest guys around. At least that's what he would brag anyways."

He was flippant about it, but the reminder of Varian's time in prison came crashing through Honey Lemon's reality with all of the subtlety of a sledgehammer smashing through a pillow fort.

"He- he was in there for murder?"

"No, he and his brother were in there for stealing the princess's crown. Theft of royal property is considered treason in Corona."

He was more somber with this last revelation and the parallel wasn't lost on Honey Lemon. She decided to steer the conversation away from such unpleasant subject matter, for both their sakes.

"Well, you know what I would really like to do?"

"No, what?"

"Let's go for a picnic!"

Varian flashed her a huge grin. "Really? Where at?"

"Hmmm…Mauntenreiku Park isn't far, they got a cute little pond and plenty of picnic tables."

"Okay, how about we swing through Noddle Bugger for the food and we'll have dinner in the park."

"Oooh, I want to try the new barbecue tofu burger." She agreed.

"Your wish is my command, my lady." Varian joked and Honey Lemon smiled despite herself as she leaned back and enjoyed the wind in her hair as they rode with the top down.

                                                   ---------------------

"Well, I guess we can agree that this date was a bust." Tadashi awkwardly said as he let his crumpled napkin fall on top of his uneaten plate of food and leaned back.

"Yup." Gogo agreed as she sat across from him, arms folded over her chest.

They were at the restaurant waiting on their checks for 'dinner'; if you could even call it that. The food had arrived burnt and their replacement order was completely wrong. By the time they got the correct meal, it was cold! In fact the whole date had just been nothing but one complete disaster after another.

First the movie they had gone to see had technical issues during the middle of the screening. One moment they had been watching the masked killer chase down some dumb teenagers with a chainsaw, and then the next moment the screen cut off and the lights went back on. The announcement on the intercom said that they movie would be back up in 15 minutes, and they were going to wait, until some idiot in the front row spoiled the movie for everyone by relieving the plot twist that it was the Grandma who was the killer all along.

Then they got a speeding ticket on the way to the restaurant, then there was the awful dinner itself, and to top it all off, his hair was still dyed pink thanks to Varian's prank. Tadashi tried to play it off cool, but he desperately hoped that Gogo didn't find it as stupid looking as he thought it was.

But the final indignity was when they left the restaurant and found that the motorcycle had a flat tire.

"Grrrahhh!" Gogo kicked the bike in frustration.

Tadashi scooted back, surprised by her unusual, but understandable outburst.

"How about I just call us lift and we call it a day?" He offered.

"Yeah..." Gogo sighed as she cradled the back of her neck and looked up at the sky.

"Okay, I called for a Super Driver. They should be here in about ten minutes. Sorry about how today went... maybe... next time we'll have better luck?" Tadashi hopefully asked.

Gogo dropped her hands suddenly and turned to look at him. She studied his face with a pout and for a moment Tadashi feared he had spoken too soon.

"You know what?" She asked. "Let's just head back to my place and order a pizza or something."

"Y-yeah!?' Tadashi felt a hopeful smile spread across his face. "Maybe we can stream something off of FlixPlus or play a video game?"

"Yeah..." She nodded her head and came closer, a small timid smile of her own. "Or we could just.. hang out and do... whatever?"

She looked up at him hopefully and Tadashi's grin grew even wider as he nervously rocked back on his heels.

"I'm down for 'whatever'." He agreed and they both knew that they wouldn't be playing any video games when they got back to the apartment.

                                                   ---------------------

Varian parked his new car next to the boathouse near the pond. He was immensely proud of the vehicle, even if it looked like a Frankenstein monstrosity of an automobile. He had cobbled together the frame from pieces of a junked old model A, a beat up dune buggy, and what was left of a wrecked race car. To add to the oddness of the mishmashed convertible, Varian had inexplicably decided to paint the car bright yellow.

It was an eyesore, but Honey Lemon found it charming nonetheless. Everything about it just screamed 'Varian', from its cobbled together antique look to its wholly unnecessary 'upgrades' like his 'state of the art' sound speaker system, and impractically large tires. Best of all was that he had converted the engine to run on vegetable oil rather than gas. It not only had cleaner emissions than your average automobile, but was cheaper to keep refueled and allowed him to recycle the used grease that they fried the donuts in at the Lucky Cat.

Yes, the car suited him perfectly. Honey Lemon thought.

They sat at a picnic table overlooking the small dock as the afternoon sun shone brightly on the sparkling water. The scene was as picturesque as a postcard.

"Wouldn't it be dreamy to go out on a lake in a rowboat?" Honey Lemon sighed wistfully as she finished the last of her french fries.

"Do you wanna go now?" Varian casually asked before taking a sip of his soda.

Honey Lemon looked at him in surprise and he gestured to the little paddle boats tied up at the end of the dock.

"Oh, no... we can't... Can we?"

"I mean this is a public park and they're here for a reason. Why not?"

Honey Lemon had to agree that this made sense. So after throwing away their trash, they walked to the end of the dock and found a small rowboat tied to the pier. Varian stepped in and untied the boat with practiced ease. Then he held his hand out to her.

She took it and gingerly stepped into the boat herself.

It wobbled as she entered and she started to fall forward. Varian caught her with one arm and helped to steady her, all while still holding onto the rope tied to the pier so as not to drift away.

'Careful,' He laughed as held her close, and Honey Lemon felt her stomach do a little flip flop as their eyes met. He smiled at her blithely, unaware of her fluster, and then helped her to find her seat.

"Soooo... What should I do?" Honey Lemon asked; willfully shooing away the butterflies in her chest.

"Just enjoy yourself." Varian replied as he sat down opposite of her and took up one of the paddles. "I got this." With that he pushed them away from the dock with said paddle and they were off.

                                                   ---------------------

Tadashi had barely walked through the front door of the apartment before Gogo grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him down into a kiss. 

It was the best damn kiss Tadashi ever had. He didn't want it to end. Though eventually they had to come up for air. 

"Maybe I should keep the pink hair. I think it's working for me." He joked, breathless.  

Gogo rolled her eyes. "Shut up." She gently whispered before planting another kiss on his lips. 

When they finally broke apart for a second time, he smiled and wrapped her into a hug, pulling her closer. Though when he went in for a third kiss, he paused.

Gogo was crying. 

"Is… is something wrong?" He asked. 

"No… no." She said firmly, even as her tears glisten to the light. "Nothing's wrong. Everything is great." 

"Uhhh…you sure about that?" 

Gogo sighed and lowered her head. Then she looked back up at him with a sad smile. "It's just… I missed you. That's all." 

The rawness and vulnerability in her voice hit him like a freight train, and his stomach dropped as he was reminded yet again how much time had really passed. 

"I'm… I'm sor-" 

His apology was cut short by another kiss. 

"Don't say it." She whispered as the kids ended. "You're here now. That's all that matters." 

"Yeah… I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere." He agreed as he caressed her cheek, and he sealed this promise with another kiss.

                                                   ---------------------

Honey Lemon lazily dangled one hand into the water as she lounged in the boat. The early October sun was warm on her face as she closed her eyes, though occasionally a dark cloud would roll by. One particular cloud cast it's shadow for longer than expected and a cool wind lightly blew. She warped her sweater around herself tighter and opened one eye.

She saw Varian seated in front of her rowing the boat; his slender muscles belying their strength as the little boat glided on with ease. He flashed her a grin when he caught her looking at him and Honey Lemon suddenly felt self conscious.

"Are you sure you don't want me to row some?" She asked. "I feel guilty leaving you to do all the work."

Varian chuckled at that. "Nah, this ain't work." He grunted as he dipped the two paddles into the water once more. "I used to row all the way from Old Corona to the capitol. Sometimes even out to sea. Though that was rarer. At least in a pond like this there's no current to fight. Try rowing upriver to Vardaros. Now that's a chore."

"I... I don't know where Vardaros is." Honey Lemon apologized.

"It's the closest city to Corona. In Koto... Uh, about a week away, Though by boat you can cut that time in half. They're a river port. I only made the trip twice, but Dad used to take a whole barge full of men and goods up the river to trade once a year and then floated it back down."

Honey Lemon didn't know what to do with this information. It sounded all so exotic and alien to her. "Oh... Was.. was it fun?"

"I thought so, at the time anyway. I was the youngest so I didn't have to row much. And of course, coming back down stream you didn't have to row at all, so I got to spend a lot of time with my dad. He taught me how to navigate using the stars and how to haggle at the marketplace." He stopped rowing and gave a far off wistful smile. "We fished the whole trip and he'd tell me folk stories... and it was just one of the few times where we really got to spend time together. Usually he was too busy running an entire village to do anything else. It's funny, back then I thought heading to the big city just a few miles away was some grand adventure. Now look where I'm at?"

He laughed good naturedly and started rowing once more. Honey Lemon had nothing to add to that but only smiled encouragingly. She couldn't relate to Varian's story at all. Not only was the idea of traveling on a barge for a week just to sell stuff in the next town over completely foreign to her, but she also couldn't relate to Varian bonding with his father. She hadn't seen her own dad since she was five, and the string of step fathers that followed after, while nice enough, never stuck around for long. Indeed the closest thing to a father figure she had was her Abuelo. Though, while she loved him dearly, it wasn't exactly the same type of relationship.

Honey Lemon turned away from Varian to stare at the pond once more; head rested on one hand as she contemplated. Everything about this moment seemed so romantic, as if she was living a rom com herself. But then so had Paris, so had the museum, and so had prom night with Andre... And each and every time reality had managed to come crashing down around her, eventually. Whether it was from bad luck, Varian accidentally running the moment with his cynicism, or just simply getting her heart broken.  

Maybe her mother was right. Maybe romance, and dreaming of 'the one' to come sweep her off her feet was a waste of time. After all, she should know, the woman had been divorced three times now! 

Yet, Honey Lemon hated to admit that her mother was right about anything. It was her life. She wasn't her mom. Why couldn't she have a successful relationship? Why did she have to be ashamed of romance and fairytales? Why did she constantly have to be the good little girl who never got into trouble over anything?

She spared a glance at Varian again. He had stopped rowing now and was letting the boat drift in the middle of the pond. He didn't notice her looking this time as he cradled the back of his head and leaned back, eyes closed as he relaxed. In a way, Honey Lemon envied him.

Varian was never embarrassed. He didn't care what people thought of him, or what society expected of him. He did what he wanted and he never let anything hold him back; always confident that he would succeed, never giving up on anything, no matter how impossible the goal nor how disastrous the potential consequences. In fact, Honey Lemon wasn't even sure if Varian was afraid of anything and she wished she could be as free and determined as he was.

Oh, she tried to be. She flung herself into her experiments, her art, her hobbies and her dreams with much the same gusto, but inevitably she would shrink away when faced with the possibility of rejection or the disapproval of someone she cared about.

"Varian?" She asked timidly, after a moment.

"Hmm?" Came the reply.

"Wer.. were you dating anyone in Corona?"

Varian opened his eyes in surprise, though he failed to look at her directly.

"No. I mean.... there was this one girl I had a crush on, b-but turns out she didn't feel the same way."

"The princess?" Honey Lemon asked.

"Noooooo." Varian practically burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of the suggestion, "Oh, nooooo."

Honey Lemon was confused. "I just... I thought the two of you had a 'falling out'?"

"Well, we did, but it wasn't over romance." Varian finally sat up to look at her and tilted his head. "Why do you ask?"

"Well... it- it's just I was thinking about what you said earlier... when we were leaving the theater..." Honey Lemon fumbled.

Varian screwed up his face in confusion as he tried to recall their earlier conversation in order to piece together what she was getting at.

"Are.. are you asking me if-if I think Cassandra has a nice butt! ?" He finally blurted out incredulously.

Honey Lemon blinked rapidly in surprise, and blushed. "No.. I- I didn't mean it that way. I just... I thought..."

Varian ignored her stuttering and shrugged. "I mean... I won't lie. Cassie does indeed have a nice figure, but that's not why I found her attractive.... Well, not the only reason anyways."

Honey Lemon tilted her head questioningly, clearly expecting more of an answer, and Varian sighed as he debated on what he should give away or not.

"She was one of the few... 'friends' I had in Corona. She was super cool, and heroic... and she would actually talk to me..... I guess... I just thought that meant more than what it actually did...."

He looked up at her sadly and Honey Lemon slowly nodded her head. "Yeah... I thought Andre and I had something deeper too.... I guess it's easy to get caught up in the moment when you're young."

Varian snickered. "We're still young."

"Well, true, but... younger... You know what I mean."

This only caused Varian to laugh harder. Honey Lemon huffed and hugged her sweater around herself tighter.

"Soooo... What did you find attractive about Andre?" He asked as he choked back his snickers.

"I don't know... he was sweet and we also talked a lot... and it didn't hurt that he was one of the few guys in school who was actually taller than me."

"You... only date people that are taller than you?"

"Well not necessarily... I mean there's this one girl at the gym that's also really cute, but I think she's already seeing someone else...." Honey Lemon trailed off as she realized she had admitted to one of her longest kept secrets. She looked at Varian wide eyed and he just stared at her in surprise.

"You mean the girl with the pigtails that teaches the cardio class or the buff chick that you're always playing racquetball with?" He finally asked.

"The girl with the p-pigtails." She mumbled. "Though they're both nice...."

Varian nodded his head, "You right, they're both cute, and I do think 'pigtail girl' is engaged to one of the other guys in my boxing class. I believe his name is Kevin?"

Honey Lemon nodded along but avoided eye contact with him. Though she knew should have trusted Varian and the rest of friends sooner, she was still self conscious. It didn't surprise her at all that he was being nice about her revelation. What did surprise her however, was what he said next.

"You know who else is cute? That guy with the goatee who teaches the fencing class."

Honey Lemon did a double take, before finally looking back at him.

"Carl's friend, Daniel?"

Varian's grin grew wider. "Yeah! I have half a mind to take up fencing lessons next just for him!"

Honey Lemon paused as it dawned on her that Varian was being one hundred percent serious. Then she couldn't help herself as she snorted with laughter, not that Varian minded at all. He knew it wasn't at his expense.

"Yeah, I kind of wanna take fencing too for the same reason." She wheezed. "Ooohhh you know who else is cute? Guys who wear those tight skinny jeans..."

Varian laughed, "True, true... but I'll do you one even better. Girl's who wear tuxedos."

"Yeeeesss!" Honey Lemon blurted out.

They both doubled over with laughter at that.

Only for their mirth to be interrupted by the first few raindrops from overhead. Varian paused and looked up as one splashed on his cheek. Then he took up rowing once again as more began to rain down upon them.

By the time they made it back to the dock it was raining heavily and they were both soaked through. Honey Lemon held her sweater over her head vainly as Varian lashed the boat up and got out first. Her hair still got wet. He then helped her back out of the little rowboat and they ran towards the boat house and ducked inside.

Once there they burst out laughing again, breathless from their escape. When their giggles finally subsided they shared a smile. No other words were needed.

Honey Lemon felt her cheeks grow hot as they stared at each other. Though that might have just been from running inside from the cold rain; not that boat house was actually heated but it was warmer than outside. She shrugged this off however and wrapped her sweater around her, as if she was still cold and not burning up. Not that the wet jacket would have done any good to remedy that either.

She turned to look out the window and Varian followed her. The rain was now just a sheet of water and the small pond rippled from the onslaught; raindrops sparkling dimly in the gray dull light of the now swiftly fading afternoon. Honey Lemon had to admit it was just as beautiful a sight as the sunny scene from earlier. 

"Cold?" Varian asked from behind her, and without waiting for an answer he wrapped his arms around hers in a hug. He pulled her closer to him gently, till her back was pressed against his chest, and he was just tall enough now to rest his chin on her shoulder as he nuzzled his head next to hers.

Honey Lemon stiffened at the action. What was happening? What was she supposed to do? Surely this was just a normal hug, like the million of other normal hugs they had shared before. Then why was her heart suddenly beating fast? What made this hug any different? Why was she overthinking this?

She didn't have time to respond though before Varian lifted his head up as realization struck him.

"Shoot! I left the top up on the car!"

He let go of her and ran outside to rescue his brand new leather seats; ridiculously fumbling with the cloth hood as he got even more wet. His damp hair clung to his face and his long bangs covered his eyes as he sputtered water while muttering curses.

It was a very comical sight to behold and Honey Lemon couldn't help but laugh as she watched him from the doorway of the boat house. Her brief panic from before all but forgotten in an instant.

                                                   ---------------------

Honey Lemon and Varian made their way up the stairs of the apartment building snickering. The rain had stopped outside but their clothes and hair were still halfway wet.

"So do you think I'd look good in those skinny jeans you were talking about?" Varian joked. "Or maybe I should grow my own goatee."

Honey Lemon tried to suppress her smile at the thought of Varian with a goatee. She failed. "I'm... sure you'd look nice in anything. What matters if you like it."

They stopped at her door.

"That's the cowards' way out." Varian teased, calling her bluff. "Though, for the record, I think you'd look splendid in a tux."

"Oh why thank you, kind sir" Honey Lemon gave an exaggerated curtsy. "But where would I wear just fine garments?"

"Oh I can think of a few places." Varian mussed, and then gave a sly smile. "What if we went dancing?"

Honey Lemon clasped her hands and gave an audible gasp. "You mean as in fancy ballroom dancing?" She hopefully asked, before noting Varian's smile and getting annoyed at him one more. "Oh you're teasing me again."

"Noooo. No, I'm not." Varian laughed. "I mean it. In a city as big as this one, there's got to be someplace around here to go dancing at. One that'll actually, you know, let me in."

Honey Lemon rolled her eyes at that but still the smile still wouldn't leave her face. "Well if you can find that place and get us in... legally... then I'd love to go dancing." She childishly swung back and forth; her hands clasped behind her back as her short dress swished around her thighs; as if she was a school girl trying to contain her excitement at it being promised a new toy or a piece of candy.

Varian's smile grew wider. "Well, I'll get to looking then. À bientôt, mademoiselle." He gave a little bow with a flourish and Honey Lemon giggled. It was all so silly, but that's what she loved bout it.

Varian turned and walked back down stairs. He stopped at the bottom of the stairwell and waved goodbye. Honey Lemon returned the farewell.

Once he was gone she went to unlock her front door. Only to pause as soon as she opened it. She heard the unfamiliar and very strange sound of Gogo giggling . 

This was followed by the deeper laugh of a man. Honey Lemon looked up towards the loft where the sound was coming from and saw the top of Tadashi's pink hair. 

She immediately turned around and quickly slammed the door behind her closed. She'll just have to find something else to do until he left. Maybe, she'd see what Globby was up to? As she walked back down stairs to the apartment below, thoroughly embarrassed, she realized that she and her roommate will need to have a very uncomfortable discussion about bringing boyfriends to the apartment in the near future, and she absolutely dreaded it.

                                                   ---------------------

"Bye, Megan. Bye, Chief Cruz." Hiro called out as he exited the police vehicle. He waved goodbye, and ran inside the Lucky Cat. It had stopped raining, but it remained cloudy and it looked like it could start again at any moment. He didn't want to be stuck outside when it did.

He made it back right as twilight began to fade and flipped on the light switch in the foyer at the foot of stairs. His phone vibrated, indicating he had gotten a message. It was from Karmi, asking about his day.

A roller coaster of emotions ran through him; first excitement that his crush had contacted him, then worry over how she would react when she found out that he had spent the day with his other crush. Then came indignation, because he wasn't actually dating either of them so what did it matter? Which was then followed by the fear that neither girl would care because neither actually liked him in that way.

Hiro sighed. Why did love have to be so confusing?

He made his way up the stairs, debating on what he should tell Karmi, when he found Tadashi and Varian in the kitchen chatting.

Hiro paused and raised an eyebrow. They were being awfully friendly for two guys who were trying to kill one another just this morning.

"Whaaaat's going on?" he interrupted.

Both guys stopped laughing and looked at him.

"We're talking about how our dates went." Varian explained.

"Oh, how did that go then?" Hiro asked.

Varian and Tadashi shared a couple of sly smiles between them, before Tadashi smugly answered, "I'll tell you when you're older."

Varian broke into snickers at the annoyed face Hiro gave them.

"Ha! Ha! Laugh it up. I may be the youngest, but I'm still the most mature person here. At least I don't kiss and tell."

"Oooh, kissing." Tadashi teased. "Well it sounds like you had a nice date yourself."

"It wasn't... that's not what happened... shut up!"

His protests were interrupted however by his phone going off as Karmi sent him a new message.

"Oh and is that your girlfriend texting you?" Varian joined in on the teasing and snatched the phone out of Hiro's hand.

"Hey, give it back!" Hiro hopped up and down trying to reach the cellphone while Varian held it aloft. 

"Awe, how sweet! Karmi says she was thinking about you all day!" Varian read out loud. 

Hiro paused for half a second, "She did? Wait! No! Don't read that!" 

He jumped up to grab Varian into a head lock and force him to let go of the phone, only for Tadashi to intervene and snag the cell away as he was busy wrestling with the other boy. 

"Karmi? I thought he went on a date with that Megan girl? Tadashi asked, confused, as he read the text.

"It wasn't a date." Hiro said, letting go of Varian. 

"He's been trying to string both girls along." Varian explained as he rubbed his now free shoulder. 

"I have not!"

Tadashi gave a mock gasp and in the fakest 'concerned' voice he could muster said, "Why Hiro, you mean to tell me you've been playing both sides? For shame little bro. You know cheaters never win." 

Hiro didn't even dignify this taunt with a response, he just made a dash for his phone again. Only for Tadashi to toss it back to Varian. 

"Are you guys seriously going to play keep away with my phone!?" Hiro shouted.

"Maaaybe." Varian shrugged before throwing it back to Tadashi. 

He caught it with ease. "Perhaps we should do the chivalrous thing and inform the two girls about what's going on. What do you say, Varian?" 

He flung the phone back to Varian as Hiro made another dive for it. 

"I would say it's the gentlemanly thing to do?" He answered as he caught the cell. 

Hiro was so mad he could barely see straight. Then he realized that was precisely the reaction his brothers were hoping for. 

He stopped chasing after the phone, stuck his chin out, and straightened up to his full height, even though it did little good as both of the other teens still towered over him. 

"That's fine. Go ahead and tell them. It's not like I've done anything wrong." He shrugged and walked over to the fridge, pretending he didn't care. 

"Well now what?" Varian asked as he joined Tadashi. "It's no fun if he doesn't care." 

"He's bluffing." Tadashi said. 

"I'm not bluffing." Hiro said as he pulled out the jug of milk, and cup of overnight oats. "You guys can do what you want." He then turned back around to face them as he kicked the door to the fridge close. 

This proved to be a mistake. 

Something fell off the top of the fridge from the force of the door slamming. Something red, scaly, vaguely fishy smelling, and with claws; and it landed right on top of Hiro's head. 

Hiro screamed at the sight of the lobster and dropped both the milk and oatmeal as he flailed about. Both Varian and Tadashi laughed uncontrollably at the sight. 

"Ahhh! Get it off! Get it off!" 

Tadashi finally came to his rescue and grabbed the crustacean off of his head. 

"Good boy, Lorenzo! You're such a good boy!" He cooed at the thing like it was puppy dog before placing it back into a cooler full of water that he had hid behind the cabinet. 

"Aaand it's sent!" Varian announced as he held up Hiro's phone. 

"Wait!? You two planned this!?" Hiro screamed. 

"Yeah we did!" Varian crowed, and he and Tadashi shared a high five. 

Hiro snatched the phone away as they congratulated each other. There on the screen was a ridiculous picture of him standing there with a lobster on his head. And Varian didn't just send it to Karmi; he had sent it to everyone . 

Hiro's phone started blowing up with texts ranging from confusion to mockery, as his brothers just stood there and snickered at his reaction. 

"See, we talked about it," Tadashi said as he rested his elbow on Varian's shoulder, "and Varian I came to the very important revelation that you were playing both sides of this prank war. So we decided to bury the hatchet in order to level the playing field." 

Hiro was too stunned to respond. He had been defeated and he knew it.