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odyssean-flower · 9 months ago

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The Winding Path of Fate Chapter 11 - The Honeymoon (Part 3)

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Pairing: Neuvillette x Female Reader Summary: You and Neuvillette have a fun time in Merusea Village Warnings: None except for the fact that this story is 50% written based on vibes Note: This chapter is 13k words long so yeah, strap in Note 2: If you want to be on the taglist for this fic, please make a reply to this post, send a message or send a private ask

Have a pic of Neuvillette hanging out in Merusea Village

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“Madame, are you feeling alright? Please let me know if we need to stop the boat somewhere for a short rest.”

“I assure you, I’m fine. I stopped feeling nauseous a long time ago. The boat has been moving very smoothly so far.”

Despite your repeated assurances, Neuvillette still looked slightly doubtful. He was probably going to ask this question again later.

After lunch, Neuvillette took you to a small dock to the south of the willow tree, where there was a small, inconspicuous boat waiting to take you two to Elynas, where Merusea Village was located. The vishap had followed you and saw you off.

Queasiness took hold of you once you got onto this boat. It was probably because you just had lunch. Luckily, the boat wasn’t going too fast. You suspected that it was on purpose.

You glanced up at Neuvillette. Like the rowboat at the tree, this boat was smoothly cutting through the water of its own accord. You didn’t hear a motor, nor was there anyone at the wheel.

Leaning back against the cushions of the seat that Neuvillette made you sit on after you first mentioned your dizziness, you closed your eyes. The warm sunlight felt like a comforting blanket despite being filtered through clouds, and the refreshing sea breeze stroked the hair at your nape like gentle fingers. The boat’s steady rocking was soothing, almost hypnotic. Ah, this is heaven. I’ve been missing out.

The cry of a seabird near your ear caused you to open your eyes. You saw Neuvillette standing at the bow. His long snow-white hair was fluttering in the wind, along with his coat tails. He had his cup in his hand, no doubt filled with water. You couldn’t see his expression from here, but judging from the relaxed set of his shoulders, he was also enjoying himself.

In another life, Neuvillette would make a fine ship captain, you idly thought as you observed his stately, erect figure. He certainly had the bearing of one. Or what you imagined a captain would be like from the various novels and books you read.

Your fingers itched to paint him. You were already thinking about the composition and colors. This was strange. Usually, you didn’t really enjoy painting people. You didn’t even like doing self-portraits. Landscapes and buildings were more to your taste.

As though sensing your gaze, Neuvillette turned around and looked at you. “We will be reaching Elynas in about an hour or so. Please, relax until then, Madame. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?”

“I am. Please stop asking,” you said firmly and resolutely fixed your gaze ahead. The sharp peaks of Elynas were still just a faint dot in the distance. You could see the shadows of ships gliding on the water. What would their passengers think if they saw the Chief Justice standing in this small, inconspicuous boat?

You turned your head back in the direction of Erinnyes. All you could see now was the shoreline and verdant trees. It was as though that giant willow tree and vishap never existed in the first place. Like it was all a dream.

The seat next to you sank down with Neuvillette’s weight. “Did you have fun at Erinnyes?”

“Oh, I did!” you turned to him with a broad smile. Perhaps it was just your imagination, but you thought his pupils dilated slightly. “It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to. It’s so… so mystical. I wish we could have stayed longer.”

Neuvillette let out a little chuckle. He put his hand to his mouth, as though to hide his expression. “I’m very glad to hear that. I hope the vishap didn’t spoil your mood.”

“Not at all,” you shook your head. “I was a little scared at first, sure, but she was actually very gentle. I did assume there would be more vishaps around, though.”

“Most of them live underwater to hide from the sunlight and humans. I considered summoning them aboveground to introduce you to them, but I didn’t want to overwhelm you.”

The thought of those large vishaps dwelling beneath the ground was somewhat disconcerting but thrilling at the same time. Erinnyes was supposed to have a complicated network of underground caverns. You supposed they lived there.

Another thought occurred to you just then. “You can speak their language,” you turned to him. “Are you related to them in some way? Like…their overseer or something?”

“Overseer…? Interesting choice of words,” Neuvillette stroked his chin, thinking your question over. “I would not call myself that, but I do watch over them, and they depend on me.”

“I see,” you said. It didn’t escape your notice that he didn’t answer your question about whether or not he was related to them. You stared at his slitted eyes again. They did resemble vishaps’ eyes quite a lot. Could Neuvillette turn into a vishap? You couldn’t quite imagine it. If he could transform into something, you’d imagine that it would be something more majestic and graceful, like…

Neuvillette cleared his throat. That was when you realized that you had been staring into his eyes for far too long. Hastily, you looked away, your gaze landing on the sparkling water.

“I…I didn’t know that the Chief Justice’s duties also extend to looking after the wild creatures of the land,” you said. You hoped that you didn’t sound too flustered. “I don’t know how you manage it.”

“Well, those wild creatures, as you called them, are also citizens of Fontaine, so they are under my purview in that sense. And also, the role of Chief Justice isn’t the only role I play.”

You didn’t quite understand what he was talking about, and he didn’t seem to have any intention of elaborating. For a while, the two of you watched the neighboring shoreline move past you.

Eventually, the back of the Opera Epiclese came into view. And in the distance, the Court of Fontaine loomed over the waters. Looking at it from here, you once again appreciated just how big it was. When you first moved there, it had taken you weeks to find your way around without getting lost.

“What a great view of the city,” you said. “I’d love to take some pictures of it.”

“Why don’t you, then?”

“I’m afraid I’ll run out of film since I took so many pictures back at Erinnyes, so I want to save it for Merusea Village.”

“There’s no need to worry about that. I’ve brought several rolls of film with me,” Neuvillette patted his pocket.

“Oh, really! Don’t mind if I do, then.”

You went to the cabin to get the Kamera, then proceeded to take pictures of the city from several angles. It certainly looked imposing, with its tall ramparts and the lofty Mont Esus looming in the background, but it was simply too gaudy and contemporary for your liking. Maybe it’ll look better in a few hundred years, when it’s all ruins. You found yourself focusing on the half-sunken beams and pillars poking out from beneath the water instead. Are those from the last flood period? I wonder what used to be there?

You closed your eyes as you tried to recall what you read in The Divers’ Guide to Underwater Ruins. It had belonged to your old art teacher, a former adventurer, and you used to beg her to lend it to you after every lesson. I think that’s where the old Institute of Natural Philosophy used to be. How sad it is to think that so much research is forever lost.

Although, you also felt a bubbling excitement in the pit of your stomach, as you always did whenever you thought about old, crumbling, forgotten ruins.

“Madame, are you feeling ill?” Neuvillette’s voice snapped you out of your reverie. You opened your eyes and was met with lilac orbs filled with concern. You stepped back a little in surprise, not expecting his face to be so close to yours. You could smell the crisp scent of his cologne, although you weren’t expert enough to identify the ingredients. It was different from the one he wore at your wedding. It smells nice, though. Maybe I should start wearing perfume too.

“I apologize for startling you,” Neuvillette said as he saw the look of alarm on your face. “You closed your eyes and had an odd expression on your face, so I was worried.”

“Oh, it was nothing. I was simply lost in thought,” you waved your hands dismissively as you felt your heartbeat settle down to a normal rate. It wasn’t that you were uncomfortable with being in close quarters with a man or anything. Neuvillette was still your husband, after all, so you should probably get used to it. It was simply that you were still coming to grips with the fact that you were on this little boat in the middle of the sea with the Chief Justice (who really did look quite resplendent. You should ask to take a picture of him. As a souvenir of this day, of course), and you couldn’t forget how different and warm and comforting it felt to be in his arms. That was all.

“What were you thinking about?” he asked. He stepped a little bit closer, like he was actually curious.

About old, crumbling, unexplored ruins and how the Court of Fontaine would look much better as a pile of rocks, you thought, but didn’t say it aloud. It was hardly a conversation topic for a date. And you were pretty sure you would be taken to the Fortress of Meropide for that second part.

“I was just spacing out. It’s really nothing,” you said dismissively.

Neuvillette nodded slowly and turned away. A shadow passed over him. It was cast by the aquabus railing, marking the halfway point of this journey.

By the time the boat emerged from the other side, gray clouds were gathering in the sky. Neuvillette was still turned away from you. You bit your lip, regretting your tone. You hadn’t meant for it to come off so bluntly. Your mother often criticized you for not speaking softly and gently enough for a lady. You wished you had Neuvillette’s quiet, soothing voice. It never failed to calm you.

Instead of researching honeymoon spots, I should have read more books on how to behave on a date, you inwardly lamented. You were not a charming, talkative person by nature. It took work on your part to pretend to be one. Probably because of this, your romantic history was non-existent.

If only you were your sister…she seemed to have a way of lighting up any situation.

It was funny. Mutually agreeing to be just friends was supposed to be make everything easier. Friendship was supposed to be easy and natural. There was no pretense between friends. Though you didn’t exactly have a large social circle back home, you did have a few close friends. But Neuvillette was nothing like your school friends or your old art teacher, by virtue of his position and status. And that wasn’t even mentioning the fact that you two were in a marriage of convenience.

If only Lady Furina hadn’t gotten involved, we could have lived together quietly and peacefully as just friends until the year’s end. You felt a stab of resentment towards the Archon. Because of her, Neuvillette—and you, by extension—was forced into this awkward situation. She must have really riled him up. Why can’t she just be happy that Neuvillette is getting a “taste of matrimonial happiness” or whatever and leave it at that? …Then again, we haven’t exactly acted like a proper married couple until now. And even now...

“Madame, here you are,” Neuvillette’s voice broke through your thoughts. He was holding a cup of water out to you. “Drinking water can ease seasickness.”

You haven’t been feeling sick for some time now. What sort of look did I have on my face? You wondered, but accepted the cup anyways. The water was crisp and refreshing. It cleared your mind.

There’s really no use in overthinking this, you concluded. The best thing I can do for Neuvillette is to go along with whatever he has planned for us and help keep the mood light and pleasant. I have no idea if Lady Furina is watching us or not, but one can never be sure.

You considered for a moment what you could do, then stood up with the Kamera.

Neuvillette’s eyes were fixed on the sea ahead. You remembered a story that Muirne, a Melusine who worked at the Palais Mermonia, told you about Neuvillette staring out at sea and causing a crowd of people to wonder if there was something going on out there. Looking at him now, you could understand how that happened. There was a magnetic intensity in his gaze that drew you to him. You had never seen that expression for yourself, though. Perhaps it was reserved for the sea.

There were many things you didn’t know about him. He was fathomless like the ocean itself. What you saw now was only the surface. You couldn’t hope to catch even a glimpse of his depths. The thought gave you a strange restlessness.

Just stop thinking, you told yourself firmly. Easy, casual. Remember that!

“Monsieur Neuvillette,” you addressed him. “May I take a few pictures of you?”

To your surprise, he readily agreed. You were under the impression that he didn’t like being photographed, considering the scarcity of his photos in the papers and his avoidance of being in public.

“Should I pose or, ah, smile?” he asked, fiddling with his fingers. Maybe he was like you, uncomfortable with being photographed.

“No. All you have to do is to stand and look as you usually do,” you said, even as you find yourself curious about what sorts of poses Neuvillette would make. “Just stand against the railing and look out at sea. That would be perfect.”

As you aimed the lens at Neuvillette and looked at him through the viewfinder, it struck you then that from an outsider’s point of view, you looked like a real couple, on a real date.

Embarrassingly, the thought made your heart flutter.

Except it wasn’t, really. It was a sham, all for show. It was like a play, almost, performed for an invisible audience. A farce for no one except the two of you (and the Hydro Archon).

But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re happy right now, a voice whispered in your mind. How long had it been since your heart felt so light?

You weren’t sure if that made you more pathetic or not.

You took a deep breath, clearing your mind of these errant thoughts, and concentrated on taking pictures of Neuvillette. He really is very photogenic, you thought. Though he does a look a bit stiff. You put on what you thought was an encouraging smile to help him relax, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. Whoops?

After you were done, Neuvillette said, “I do hope the pictures will turn out well.”

“I’m sure they will,” you said, putting the Kamera back down and flopping back down onto the bench. “There is no finer pairing than a handsome man and beautiful scenery.”

Neuvillette made a choked noise. He blinked rapidly and shook his head, like he couldn’t believe what he just heard. “Pardon me?”

“‘There’s no finer pairing than a handsome man and beautiful scenery’?” you repeated your words, confused. Neuvillette still looked a bit stunned. You began to wonder if you had said something wrong. You meant it as an innocuous comment, but it could be taken the wrong way in the context of your relationship. Perhaps Neuvillette thought you meant something more by it. You should rectify things before a misunderstanding occurred.

Just as you opened your mouth to speak, Neuvillette beat you to the punch.

“You…consider me handsome?”

Now it was your turn to stare at him. “Of course I do?”

“I-I see,” Neuvillette said in a low voice. He seemed awfully caught off guard by your words. That was strange. Surely he was used to receiving compliments on his looks? Whenever he made a rare public appearance, the papers always made sure to describe his looks in loving detail, and it was well known that he had a legion of fangirls, some of whom had even been sent to the Fortress of Meropide for their extreme behavior.

“I mean, I consider you handsome in the same way that most Fontainians do, in an aesthetic sort of way. I don’t mean anything untoward, sir. Did you find what I said offensive?”

“No,” Neuvillette said, then cleared his throat. He was looking at anywhere but you. You could have sworn that the tips of his ears turned red. He almost seemed embarrassed. “No, I was simply…simply surprised, that’s all.”

“Surprised? Why?”

“Because you…ah, never acted in a way that suggested that you did…” Neuvillette struggled to find the words to finish his sentence. Poor man, you were embarrassing him to death. “Admire my looks, so I assumed that you…did not think of me in that way.”

You stared at him with your mouth agape, only to hastily close your mouth when you saw how flustered you were making him. So Neuvillette was aware of the effect that his looks had on people. “Wait, what about that time when I kept staring at you? That counts, right?”

“No, it was different. It felt more as though you were trying to analyze me,” he said. He must be so used to the amorous stares of his admirers that he was able to differentiate between the different types of gazes. His brow wrinkled, as though recalling unpleasant memories. Most likely related to the more extreme side of his fans. Poor man , you thought again.

“I see,” you nodded. “I am sorry if I caused any offence by never saying anything.”

“It isn’t something I care a whit about,” Neuvillette said quickly. If you didn’t know him, you would have thought he was trying to convince himself. “I find the fixation on appearances quite baffling and needless, honestly.”

“Really?” you gave him a once-over. He wasn’t wearing his usual judge’s garb, but he was still dressed much too formally for a casual outing like this. The afternoon sun gilded the edges of his white hair, which looked soft and silky to the touch. His hair care regimen must be intensive .

“Yes, really,” he nodded. “I only put up with such standards because of the demands of my position.”

Easy for someone as stunning as him to say, you thought, but felt no bitterness. Maybe it was because he sounded truly sincere.

Perhaps it was that sincerity that spurred you on to say what you said next.

“Even so, I think there’s nothing wrong with complimenting someone on their looks, especially when they look as radiant as you,” you struggled to find the right words. You were never much of a writer. “Looking at you…reminds me of the mountains near my home. I liked seeing them every day. They never fail to take my breath away.”

A thought popped into your head. Wait, a comparison to the sea would have been more apt here. But truth be told, you didn’t have any strong connection to the sea. Mountains, on the other hand, have been the constant backdrop for your childhood, so that was why they were the first thing that popped into your mind.

A thrill of elation shot through your heart. Back in your old ball-attending days, your family would advise you to compliment potential partners on their appearance and dress. You tried, but somehow it always seemed to not land correctly. Perhaps it was your tone or the way you spoke. With Neuvillette, you had put all your sincerity and goodwill into your words, and it seemed to have worked.

Neuvillette had always been nothing but courteous and gentlemanly towards you. It was time that you repaid the favor.

The loud cry of a sea bird at the front of the boat drew your attention, and you spun around, your back facing him. Elynas was just up ahead.

As you admired the white ridges of the mountains in your jubilation, you were completely ignorant of your husband’s intense, heated gaze aimed at the back of your head and the rapidly clearing clouds.

“Welcome to Merusea Village, Monsieur and Madame Neuvillette!”

A high-pitched chorus greeted you at the entrance of the underwater village.

You surveyed the crowd of Melusines before you, still reeling from the journey here and what happened on the boat. Your hand was still tingling.

The Melusines immediately surrounded the two of you, talking over each other.

“Your wife is so pretty, Monsieur Neuvillette!”

“I wish you invited us to the wedding!”

“Does this mean you’re our new mother?”

“When are you going to have a baby?”

The last two questions took by complete surprise. “P-Pardon me??” you spluttered.

Neuvillette, noticing how flustered you were, cleared his throat. “Everyone, I understand that you’re all excited to meet Madame Neuvillette, but you’re overwhelming her by coming up to her all at once.”

The Melusines looked sheepish. “Sorry, Madame,” they said in unison.

“There’s no need to apologize,” you said, although you were still not over the whole “mother” thing (your mind had automatically blocked out the baby question. You were still trying to wrap your head around the whole “being married” thing). You knew that the Melusines saw Neuvillette as their father and that he treated them as though they were his own daughters, but you hadn’t thought about how you factored into these relationships. I mean, in that sense, I guess I’m their stepmother…?

Having spent much time with the Melusines recently, you had begun to think of them as your little sisters.

A blue Melusine with brown hair stepped forward. “Monsieur Neuvillette is right, everyone,” she said in a tone that you immediately recognized to be that of a big sister. “We should all introduce ourselves to Madame one by one. I’ll go first. I’m Serene.”

The others followed her example and introduced themselves. You tried your best to remember them all. Cosanzeana, Iara, Sedile, Virda…

“Madame,” Sedene said. “Shall we give you a tour of the village?”

“Yes, please do,” you said. The Melusines happily grabbed your hands and led you to the opening of the cave.

You couldn’t help but let out a gasp as you laid eyes on the enchanting sight before you. The contrast between the gloomy and dangerous Elynas above and this cozy and adorable underwater village was incredible. You had seen pictures of the village, but they failed to completely capture its charm, from the cupcake-shaped stone houses to their bubbling chimneys. The gentle light cascading down from above bequeathed a mysterious air to the village that made your heart leap. It looked just like the fairy villages in the picture books you loved as a child.

You wasted no time in taking pictures. The Melusines were delighted by the presence of your Kamera and asked if you could take photos of them as well, which you happily agreed to. So, the tour became a rather sluggish one as the Melusines led you around the village, taking turns to point out which house belonged to who, pointing out all the interesting spots and showing you their little knickknacks. You dutifully complied with their picture-taking requests. It was an absorbing process. You almost fancied yourself as an anthropologist, documenting the culture of an unknown civilization.

Neuvillette seemed content to hang back and let the Melusines take over. He, like you, was also surrounded by a gaggle of the little creatures. Whenever you glanced back, he was always in the midst of patting their heads or picking them up in his arms. You could hear him inquiring about them and their eager answers.

The party made its way past a basin. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a passageway, since it appeared to be bottomless. “This is how we go to the underwater part of the village,” a pink Melusine named Xana explained.

You peered down. You could just make out the blurry gray shapes of houses. It reminded you of the small pool that you arrived here from. Neuvillette told you that it was a secret shortcut that not many people knew about. It certainly lived up to its status as a shortcut, since you ended up at the bottom of the water in the blink of an eye, before you could even register the fact that Neuvillette had wrapped his arms around your waist and asked you to close your eyes and hold your breath for a few seconds as he dove into the water with you.

You felt your face turn slightly warm as you recalled the feeling of his arms around you and being pressed against his chest. He was more muscular than he looked, under all that loose-flowing fabric.

You stole another glance at him. He was in the middle of examining Xana’s collection of shiny things that she was proudly holding out to him. Sensing your gaze, he looked up and met your eyes.

Before you could look away, he walked up to you. “What is it, Madame?”

“Um…” you fumbled for something to say, something that wasn’t related to Neuvillette’s strong, comforting arms or his broad chest. “I was wondering if we could go visit the underwater part of the village.”

“Underwater?” Neuvillette repeated. The corners of his lips turned downward. “I would dearly love to, but I don’t believe you can hold your breath for that long.”

“Oh, I see,” you felt a little disappointed, but there was nothing you could do. You’ve always had a fascination with underwater structures and ruins and the like, but it seemed that you could only see them in pictures.

“Can you swim, Madame?” Xana asked.

“Yes, but not very well. I can only stick to shallow water,” you said. “Monsieur Neuvillette is a very good swimmer, though. We got all the way down here in seconds. It’s like he was born for it.”

The Melusines looked at each other and giggled, like they were sharing a secret.

The tour made its final stop at the entrance of a conjoining cavern. You spotted a small house some distance away. “That’s where Mamere lives,” Serene pointed at it. “She’s out of the village getting materials for her paints right now, though.”

“I was wondering where she was,” Neuvillette mused. “Is she still keeping to herself most of the time?”

“Yeah, I told her that she needed to stay in the village since today’s a special day, but you know how it is with that kid…” Serene let out a long-suffering sigh that you emphasized with as a fellow older sister. “She does whatever she wants.”

“Who’s Mamere?” you asked.

It was a Melusine named Topyas who answered. “She’s a painter like you, Madame! I don’t really get her paintings, though.”

“Yeah, what’s the word humans use again—abstract? Her paintings are very different from yours. Madame’s paintings are much easier to understand,” Xana said.

“Oh?” That surprised you. You never thought that the drawings you did for practice for make it this far across the nation. “You’ve seen my paintings? Did the Melusines from the city show them to you?”

“No, it was Monsieur Neuvillette. He showed them to us when he came here before.”

“He did?” you looked at him. He nodded. You thought he looked a bit bashful.

“I hope that is okay with you,” he said. “I wanted all the Melusines to see them.”

“Well…um, I have no problem with it,” you looked down at your feet. It was funny. You never had much attachment to your paintings and considered them to be adequate enough to be part of your portfolio, but having them shown around like this almost made you wonder if there was something in them Neuvillette and the Melusines saw that you didn’t see. “I’m just worried that they’re too boring for your tastes. They’re just landscapes of my hometown, after all.”

The Melusines disagreed vehemently. “But they’re so pretty. It feels like I’m right there when I’m looking at them,” Iara said, clapping her hands together.

“I really love the sunflowers,” Cosanzeana said wistfully. “I wish I could grow them down here, but they need the sun. You’re so lucky that you get to live in a place with so many flowers.”

“Is that so? I think you’re the lucky ones, getting to live in this beautiful village,” you gestured around. If you had the chance to live near the skeleton of a giant beast, you’d never leave. Of course, you did not say that out loud.

“Monsieur Neuvillette also said that you’re very modest, Madame,” Serene said.

“Oh, really?” you looked at Neuvillette again. He avoided your gaze this time. “What else did he say about me?”

“He told us that you’re—"

Neuvillette cleared his throat a bit too loudly. “Oh, that reminds me, we prepared a feast for you!” Serene said quickly. You could hear amusement in her voice. “Are you two hungry?”

“I’m not,” you said.

“Nor am I. Your sandwiches were very filling, Madame,” Neuvillette said.

“Madame made sandwiches for you, Monsieur?” a Melusine asked.

“She did, and they were delicious,” Neuvillette said, smiling at you. Really, this man… “I only wish she made more so we can share them with all of you.”

The Melusines looked at you with expectant eyes. Looks like you’ve just been volunteered for more sandwich-making duties in the near future. “How about this? Why don’t you all come to Monsieur Neuvillette’s house when the sunflowers are in full bloom? I’ll make plenty of sandwiches for all of you then. And Monsieur Neuvillette can entertain all of you while you’re there,” you gave him your sweetest smile. “If it’s okay with you, of course.”

Neuvillette looked a bit dazed as he stared at your face. Perhaps you had gone a bit too far. There were a lot of Melusines here, after all. But then he blinked and shook his head slightly, like he was awakened from a trance. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. We’ll send the invitations here when the time comes.”

Overjoyed by the invitation, the Melusines quickly began to chat amongst themselves over what to wear and what to bring. As it was still mid-afternoon and neither you nor Neuvillette were hungry yet, it was decided that you would spend your time leisurely until evening arrived.

So for the next few hours, you played and chatted with the Melusines. You had expected them to ask you endless questions about your marriage, but they didn’t. Perhaps Neuvillette had told them something beforehand, saving you the trouble of coming up with answers. Playing with the Melusines brought back fun memories of your days assisting at the schoolhouse back home. For some reason, they were infinitely fascinated by your life and hometown up above. You told them about the fields of wildflowers, the majestic mountains you played in when you were a child, and even a bit about your life in the city. They stroked their mitten-like hands along the fabric of your skirt and exclaimed over it like it was made of spun gold. They admired the flower in your hair and squealed over the fact that Neuvillette had a matching one in his hair.

Up until now, you had always considered your life to be drab and hopeless. It wasn’t even tragic, just lackluster. At home, you were overlooked in favor of your sister, and in high society, you were invisible. It wasn’t lost on you that your life could be much worse. However, as destined as you were for a life of quiet spinsterhood, it could still be amended. You could still have shreds of your childhood aspirations, molded into adult reality.

That was why you adopted an attitude of always looking forward and never dwelling on the past for too long. Staying too long in one spot would only trap you there forever. You’ve read all sorts of stories about old gods and heroes who met their downfall by clinging too much to the past. You were nowhere near their level, of course, but your old art teacher told you that all the most valuable lessons were learned from history, and you trusted her with all your heart.

But being with the Melusines—being with Neuvillette—was starting to make you see the color in your black-and-white life. You were beginning to see that there was something beyond the constrained life you were born into and destined for.

Don’t lose sight of your goal. Don’t forget who you are. The little voice in your head warned you. Thinking of your future plans always managed to clear your heart and refresh your mind. But now, it sounded strangely muffled compared to before.

Speaking of Neuvillette, you looked around for him. Currently, you were resting on a bench. He had wanted to stay with you, but you encouraged him to play with the Melusines. This was one of his rare visits, after all. You spotted him with some Melusines by the waterfall. Laume—the Melusine who wanted to be a journalist, if you remembered correctly—was holding the Kamera and instructing him to pose. You watched as he placed his hand on his hip and held up his hand in a peace sign. He really does indulge them. You knew that he had a soft, paternal side he showed only to the Melusines, but having it displayed before you like this was something else.

More Melusines came up to him, wanting to take pictures with him. He patted their heads with a fond smile. A lucky few even got the chance to ride on his shoulders. His affection for the Melusines was evident in his every expression and gesture. And it was clear that the Melusines reciprocated that love just as much.

“I hope you aren’t too tired out by the kids,” Serene said, sitting next to you. “They can be a handful.”

“It’s all right, I’ve done this kind of thing before,” you waved your hand. “I’m more worried about you. Shouldn’t you be playing with Monsieur Neuvillette like the others instead of running around taking care of everyone?”

You’ve learned that Serene was indeed the big sister of the Melusines here, the one who looked after everyone and sent reports to Neuvillette about the goings-on of the village. She really was a big sister.

“That’s my job, after all. I’ve got to take it seriously, just like how Monsieur Neuvillette always takes his job seriously,” Serene said matter-of-factly, but you could hear the admiration in her voice.

“But it’s good to take breaks sometimes. Even Monsieur Neuvillette does, like today.”

“Today…” Serene mused. Then she smiled. “You know, Madame, when we learned that he was bringing you with him to the village, we were so happy. We thought, ‘Finally, Monsieur Neuvillette has someone by his side.’”

“Someone by his side?” you repeated. “But he has all of you, doesn’t he?”

But even as you say it, you thought that you understood what Serene meant. You had the same thoughts before.

“What I mean is, someone who can share his worries and burdens. Someone he can be himself with. I don’t know much about how human marriages work, but I think that’s what it’s supposed to be, right? I’m so happy that Monsieur Neuvillette has finally found someone like that. You must be really special.”

You looked away from the Melusine, biting your lip. Serene didn’t know the circumstances surrounding this marriage, of course. She didn’t know that it was based on pity and self-interest. She didn’t know that you and him were simply wading in shallow water, never intending to go deeper than that. She didn’t know that even for this trip, it was an obligation handed down to him by the Archon, not something he did because he wanted to, or that there was something he was refusing to tell you for reasons you didn’t understand.

You didn’t say any of this out loud. Instead, you forced a smile. “I’m really not all that special,” you said.

“But Monsieur Neuvillette thinks you are, Madame! You should have heard how he talked about you. And his face! I’ve never seen him look like that before.”

“What did he say about me?” you asked, curious. You couldn’t imagine it.

“Oh…I shouldn’t. I don’t want to embarrass him,” Serene giggled. “But trust me, they were all good things. And he was right, you’re as wonderful and lovely as he described!”

Wonderful and lovely? Those were two words that better described your sister, not you. You almost wondered if Neuvillette had been talking about someone else.

Just then, a Melusine ran up to you. “Madame! Come take a picture with us!”

“Okay, I’m coming,” you answered, then took Serene’s hand. “Come on, let’s go take some pictures.”

The crowd of Melusines immediately made room for you to stand next to Neuvillette. You glanced up at him. Despite having to keep up with the Melusines’ seemingly boundless energy for so long, he didn’t look the slightest bit fatigued.

“Are you feeling more rested, Madame?” he whispered as you positioned yourself next to him. “Hungry yet?”

“Yes to the first question, and no, I’m not hungry yet,” you whispered back. “Are you?”

“I also am not hungry,” he answered. There was a short pause before he asked another question. “…Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Of course I am,” you said in surprise, for he sounded genuinely troubled. “Why do you ask?”

“It is just that…” Neuvillette trailed off, as though searching for the right words. “I couldn’t help but notice that you had a rather grave expression on your face when you were chatting with Serene.”

He could see your expression from all the way over here? You looked at the other side of the village, where the bench you had been sitting. His eyesight must be incredible.

“Oh, there’s nothing to worry about,” you said airily. “We were just chatting. And that’s how my face always looks. But why were you looking over at us, anyways, when you have all these charming young ladies around you?”

One of the Melusines in front of you giggled and turned around. “That’s because he was feeling lonely without you, Madame!” she chirped.

“Yeah, that’s why he keeps looking in your direction!” Another Melusine chimed in.

“Is that true, Monsieur Neuvillette?” you looked back at him. His face was kept carefully smooth and expressionless, but you could see spots of color in his cheeks. “Can you really not bear a single minute away from me?”

“I…” Neuvillette looked as though he wanted to take off and leave right there and then. But he ended up being saved from having to come up with an answer by Laume.

“Okay, everyone! I finally figured out how to use the timer!” she announced. “Now, we can all take a group picture together!”

Wow, I didn’t know Kameras from back then had timers, you thought as Laume directed the Melusines to cluster together as closely as possible so that they could all be captured by the Kamera’s lens. You and Neuvillette eventually ended up in a position where you were basically pressed against each other.

“Madame,” you heard him whisper into your ear. Despite this not even being the first time, your heart never failed to beat just a little faster. “May I put my arm around you?”

You looked up at him. His lilac eyes bored into your own, exerting an invisible force. You nodded, and he wrapped his arm around your waist, his hand resting just above your hip. You could feel the warmth of his hand seeping through the fabric and into your skin. The weight of it made you feel twitchy and lightheaded. It felt like every nerve in your body was concentrated there in that one spot.

“Get ready, everyone! The Kamera’s about to go off in five seconds! Smile!” Laume shouted. She proceeded to run back to the crowd. Just then, you felt him tighten his grip imperceptibly, drawing you towards him. Your head brushed against his shoulder.

The Kamera flashed, capturing this moment in time forever. With that, the crowd dispersed, and Neuvillette let go of your waist. You could still feel the shadow of his touch. You stared after him, wanting to say something, but didn’t know what.

A pink Melusine called out to him. “Oh, Monsieur Neuvillette, could we please play with your hair now?”

“Why, certainly,” Neuvillette said. The Melusines cheered.

“Madame, have you ever played with Monsieur Neuvillette’s hair before?” one of them asked.

“I haven’t,” you said, causing them to gasp in surprise.

They insisted that you be granted the honor of touching Neuvillette’s hair first, despite your protestations. As for the man in question, he had no problem with it, although his mind seemed to be somewhere else. And so was yours, for that matter. You just couldn’t figure him out, and it bothered you greatly. Were friendships supposed to be this complicated? You thought that once you and Neuvillette agreed to be friends, things would be so much easier between the two of you now. In some ways, it was, but it also wasn’t, as it was in this case.

Why am I feeling so strangely about this? You wondered to yourself. He just put his arm around me, that’s all. Why, just today, he carried me in his arms when we came down here and kissed the back of my hand because I complimented him (an overreaction, but I can understand the logic behind it). And I did run into his arms and cling to him (only because I was startled by the vishap)…I suppose the difference is that I can’t think of any conceivable reason that he would put his arm around me back there.

Stop overthinking, you told yourself once again. It’ll just give you a headache. Remember, easy and casual!

“Madame…Madame!” High-pitched voices pierced through your thoughts. Before you knew it, you were sitting on the stone bench again. Neuvillette was perched on the end, his back facing you. The ends of his tied hair were resting on the stone surface. His pure white locks reminded you of untrodden snow, too pristine to touch. You uneasily wondered if you should wash your hands first.

“I brought the hair things!” Cosanzeana announced, bringing over a box. It contained combs, brushes, ribbons, and various other hair ornaments. It seemed that this was a favorite activity of the Melusines. Neuvillette was evidently used to it as well, for he was sitting quietly with his back erect and his hands clasped in his lap.

It was somewhat unnerving to have an audience of bright, inhuman eyes watch you, but you got on with it. You slowly undid the black ribbon at the end of his hair and placed it by your side, then leaned forward to remove the feathered hairclip and Lamplight Lily tucked near his temple. You tried your best not to touch his skin, but he probably didn’t feel it.

His hair was even more stunning unbound. You couldn’t help but smile as you ran your fingers through the silky strands. You couldn’t lie to yourself—there were times when you were tempted to touch his beautiful hair, and now one of your secret dreams had come true.

“Monsieur Neuvillette’s hair is so lovely, isn’t it?” Serene said, beaming.

“It sure is,” you said. His hair had an awful tendency to get tangled and snagged in the smallest cracks and crevices, so you’ve always wondered why he didn’t cut it short for practicality’s sake. But honestly, if you had his hair, you would let it grow freely and run through the forest like a woodland creature, feeling your hair stream in the wind behind you. “I hope he never cuts it. It would be a tragedy for Fontaine when that happens.”

Your comment caused a horrified gasp to rise from the Melusines. “Oh, Monsieur Neuvillette, promise us that you’ll keep your hair as it is!” a few of them pleaded.

“I will not,” he assured them. “I prefer my hair the way it is as well.”

“They should pass a law that forbids scissors from being within three meters of Monsieur Neuvillette’s hair,” you said as you began to run the seashell comb through his hair.

“An interesting idea, though frivolous,” Neuvillette said. “I hardly think an edict like that would be much accepted among the people.”

“I think you’d be surprised at how many people are invested in your hair,” you said as you worked through a knot, trying to be as gentle as you could. You were thinking about an old classmate of yours who was obsessed with Neuvillette’s “luscious, pearlescent locks of moonlight” (the girl who coined that phrase would go on to write for the Steambird) and wondered what she would say if she saw you now. “And I don’t see how this law is any more frivolous than not being allowed to place fruit tarts on unheated trays or put unfinished Fonta in the middle of the road.”

“You’ve been reading up on the laws of Fontaine, Madame?” Neuvillette sounded genuinely surprised. “You never shown much interest in judicial affairs.”

“I am your wife, after all,” you said. And there’s not much else besides legal codices to read in your house, you added silently. A trip to the library was due. “It’s perfectly normal for a wife to take a little interest in her husband’s work, isn’t it? Some of it is actually quite interesting.”

You weren’t sure how much the Melusines knew about the truth of your marriage, but you thought you should at least put on the façade. Neuvillette didn’t say anything in response.

You tried to be as gentle as you could as you untangled the knots and snarls. Inwardly, you marvelled at how healthy and well-maintained his hair was. What is his haircare regimen? You once again wondered as you idly twirled a lock around your index finger. It even smelled nice. You had the urge to bury your face in his hair. I bet he’s the type who only uses soap to wash his hair. It must be a pain to brush it in the morning, though.

The long, blue ornaments were getting in the way. You grabbed them at the ends and pressed them down, but they bounced back up. Thinking that you should take them out, you looked for the place where they were clipped into his hair, only to find to your amazement that they were attached to his head.

You rubbed the ornaments between your fingers. They didn’t feel like they were made of synthetic materials. Were they…?

You heard a low grunt. “M-Madame…w-what are you doing?” Neuvillette sounded different. His voice was breathy, strained-sounding. Did you pull on his hair too hard?

“I wanted to move these blue hair ornaments, but…these aren’t ornaments, are they?”

“They are not.”

“Are they antennae, then? Or feelers?”

There was a brief silence. “They are horns ,” Neuvillette said at last. He sounded offended.

“Oh…” you looked at them again. What sort of creature would have such floppy horns, you thought, remembering how they fluttered about in the wind. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“You’ve never asked.”

“I see,” you said. “I’m sorry if I caused you pain.”

“You did not. It’s just that my horns are very…sensitive to touch, so please tell me beforehand if you are going to touch them.”

“Oh…okay,” You didn’t know what else to say. You hadn’t expected the conversation to go this way, and you were very glad that Neuvillette couldn’t see your face right now.

“Madame’s face is red!” a Melusine yelled. You turned and found a crowd of wide eyes flitting between you and Neuvillette.

You cleared your throat. “Who wants to help me braid Monsieur Neuvillette’s hair?” you said in an overly cheerful voice.

“Ooh, me, me!” the Melusines pressed forward eagerly. You inwardly let out a sigh of relief for diffusing the awkward situation, completely failing to notice the rosy flush that appeared on Neuvillette’s pale cheeks and the tensing of his neck.

With Neuvillette’s hair as the medium, you demonstrated various hairstyles—braids, ponytails, twin tails, and so on. It brought back fond memories of doing your sister’s hair. The Melusines happily helped with gathering flowers and ribbons to adorn Neuvillette’s hair. Much fun was had, and many pictures were taken. Neuvillette remained admirably composed upon seeing the monstrosities done to his hair in the mirror, but fortunately for him, no one else would ever see these sights.

Eventually, you felt hungry, and it was decided that dinner would be served shortly. As you were letting down Neuvillette’s hair, Topyas asked you a question. “Madame, why don’t you call Monsieur Neuvillette by just his name?”

“Well…” you had to think about it. Neuvillette, who had been shifting slightly, stilled. “It just feels a bit odd to not call him by his title. He’s such a great, accomplished man after all.”

“But aren’t you two married? I thought married couples call each other by their nicknames.”

“Everyone’s different,” you said, brushing Neuvillette’s hair. “Monsieur Neuvillette has always been Monsieur Neuvillette to me. He never calls me by my name either.”

“Huh, now that I think about it…” Topyas said, putting her hand on her chin. “That does make sense. It does feel a bit too formal, though.”

“Madame can call me whatever she feels most comfortable with,” Neuvillette said. “As I do with her.”

You tied the black ribbon to the end of his hair and returned the hair accessories to their original positions. You felt a complicated mix of emotions swirling within you.

Melusine cuisine was not what you expected. When the dishes were first served to you, you wondered if you were being poisoned. The meat was green and purple, and the dead eyes of the fish sticking out of the pie—it was called Poissonchant Pie, if you remembered correctly—briefly made you consider swearing off fish and pies for the rest of your life. And the scent was...stimulating, to say the least. Was this even edible , you wondered. You looked over at Neuvillette to see what he was going to eat.

“Why, this all looks delicious,” he said, surveying the dishes and smiling at the expectant crowd. “Thank you all for this wonderful meal.”

“Um...yes. Thank you, everyone,” you said.

Then, he elegantly brought a forkful of meat to his mouth, his eyes closed. In pleasure or resignation, you couldn’t tell. It didn’t seem to have any ill effects on him, but then again, he was not human, so it stood to reason that he had a stronger stomach than you.

Unfortunately, the sandwiches were all finished, and the Melusines were looking at you with their expectant bright eyes. You steeled yourself (and your stomach) and took a bite out of the oddly colored meat. Well, if I do get violently sick, at least Neuvillette is here. He can take me to the best doctors.

You forced yourself to chew and swallow. Surprisingly, the meat didn’t taste spoiled. In fact, it was quite good. You took another bite.

“Do you like my food, Madame?” the chef, Lutine, asked.

“Yes. It’s very good. You’re an excellent cook,” you said.

“Oh, I’m so happy to hear that!” she said with a sigh of relief. “Humans are put off by our dishes because of their appearances, so most of them don’t know how delicious our food actually is!”

“They’re definitely missing out,” you assured her, then sampled the pie. It was also very good, despite the eerie feeling that the fish were about to break into song. “There’s a lot of food here, though. I hope I can finish it all.”

“Monsieur Neuvillette only visits us here a few times a year, including his birthday,” Lutine explained. “So I make as many dishes as I could whenever he comes, so he can taste them all.”

“He only visits you a few times a year?” you repeated incredulously, looking at him. “Is he so busy?”

“Yes, he is. He almost never takes vacations,” it was Sedile, a Marechausee Phantom agent, who answered this time. “But now that he has you, Madame, maybe you can convince him to rest more.”

“Maybe,” you said vaguely, but you doubted you had that much influence on him. Next to you, Neuvillette continued to eat, not saying anything.

After the meal, you decided to take a private stroll in the side cavern where Mamere’s house was located. Neuvillette was being detained by the Melusines, so you slipped out when they weren’t looking.

Watching him and the Melusines made you feel a mix of emotions. It was gladdening to see him being surrounded by creatures who adored him so openly and unconditionally, but it also made you feel a bit lonely, like you were a star orbiting a sun on the outskirts of its gravitational field. He was much more relaxed with them as well, compared to when he was with you. It was almost as though you were seeing his real self.

It’s only natural, you thought to yourself. He and the Melusines have a long history together, and you’re just an outsider he didn’t even know existed until a few months ago. Besides, it’s hard to be so serious and formal with them.

There was no point in feeling gloomy. The sights here were far more interesting. You didn't have the Kamera with you, but that didn’t matter. You took enough pictures for one day. You just wanted to be alone with your thoughts and get some respite from all the bustle.

“Madame,” Neuvillette chose that moment to join you. “My apologies for leaving you all alone. But you mustn’t go off on your own like this. You can easily get lost in these caverns.”

“Don't worry about me,” you said. “I’ll stay close to the village. Please, feel free to go be with the Melusines. You’re their father, after all. I’ll join you later.”

“But we are on a date. It's highly ill-mannered of me to leave you alone.”

"Oh, Monsieur Neuvillette, there’s no need to keep up this pretense of a date. I do appreciate everything you’re doing and how seriously you’re taking this, but you should be concerned about your own relaxation more. You don’t visit Merusea Village as often as you would like, do you? You should make the most of your time here before we go back. I’ll be fine on my own. I’m used to it.”

You thought you sounded dependable and logical, but the look in Neuvillette’s eyes spoke otherwise. They were filled with alarm. His mouth moved, as though he wanted to say something, but no words came out. It was then that you knew that you had definitely said something wrong.

But before you could say anything, Neuvillette seemed to have finally found his words. “...Have I done something wrong?” His voice was a low whisper, but every word was transmitted to your ears clearly. It raised the hair on the back of your neck.

“W-What do you mean?” you frowned. “Of course not. You’ve been nothing but a perfect gentleman to me today.”

“What is it, then? Is this place not to your liking? Do you wish to go home now?” He took a step towards you, and you reflexively backed up. Neuvillette was looking down at you, his eyes piercing into your own. It didn’t strike you until then just how tall he was, and how intimidating he could be when he wanted to. Is this what criminals see? You thought even as your heartbeat hammered in your ears.

“No, not at all. I love this place and everyone here!” you shook your head vigorously. “I wish we could stay longer.”

“Then why are you pushing me away?” The usual silkiness in his voice was gone, replaced by something rougher and unfamiliar. You felt your heart beginning to beat quickly, your hands becoming slick with sweat. He took another step towards you. You stepped backwards once again and found yourself backed up against a pink wall.

“I-I’m not pushing you away! It’s just that I need a little bit of alone time to recover my energy after socializing with so many people, and there is no need for you to stick with me. It has nothing to do with you and the Melusines, and everything to do with me. I’m sure you understand that, don’t you, sir?”

“I do,” he said. “Indeed, I understand. But what I don’t understand is your insistence on there being no ‘need’ for me to stay by your side. If you ask it of me, I would be happy to accompany you in silence.”

“But I would not be,” you said. “Like I said before, this isn’t a real date, and we...aren’t a real couple. You don’t have to always be with me, especially since you don’t take a lot of personal holidays. I would rather you spend the free time you have with someone who isn’t as boring as me.”

You stated the last part matter-of-factly. It was simply the truth.

However, it seemed to have been the wrong thing to say.

Neuvillette stepped even closer to you. He bent down, his face so close to yours that your noses were practically touching.

“…Did Furina approach you?” he said, his voice as low as the bottom of the sea.

You stared at him blankly for a moment. Why was he bringing up Furina all of a sudden?

“She hasn’t,” you said after a pause.

Neuvillette’s intense gaze roved your face, as though to search for any signs of lying. You did your best to stare back at him. At last, he let out a breath and nodded slowly.

“Now,” you gritted out, putting all the force you could muster in your voice. “Could you please step away from me?”

At last, he seemed to realize that he was practically pinning you against the wall and quickly stepped back. A look of shame flashed across his face.

“My apologies,” he said at last. “I did not know what came over me.”

“Me neither,” you said curtly. “It’s very unlike you. Why did you ask me if Lady Furina approached me, anyways?”

Neuvillette did not answer, though you saw his jaw tense. His gaze flitted away from you. He seemed to have said something he shouldn’t have.

You pondered over it all. His question, his behavior over this past week, his fixation on being boring...it all clicked into place.

“Oh, it all makes sense now,” you said. Neuvillette’s face snapped back to yours. “Lady Furina called me boring and dull, didn’t she?”

Neuvillette’s silence was all the confirmation you needed.

“Is that all she said about me?”

“...Yes.”

“I see,” you nodded. It all made sense now. How ridiculous this whole situation was. It felt like a heavy load had been lightened. “So it was nothing, really.”

“You’re not offended?” Neuvillette looked so confused that you couldn’t help but let out a laugh. He flinched.

“Why would I be offended by the truth? It’s impressive how she was able to figure out my personality despite never meeting me. I suppose that’s to be expected of an Archon.”

“It is not true at all. She has no right to falsely disparage someone she has never met. You have every right to be angry. I will ask her to apologize to you.”

“There’s no need to go that far,” you exclaimed in shock. Furina was his superior, so you didn’t want to be the cause of conflict between the two of them, even though you doubted she would ever fire him. “Look, Monsieur Neuvillette, I know I’m not a very interesting person. Lady Furina isn’t the first person to call me boring. Plenty of others have before her as well. I’m used to it. It’s not the worst thing in the world, you know, to be called that. And—”

You broke off your sentence there, upon seeing the expression on his face. There was a deep furrow between his brows, and his jaw was clenched tightly. He looked...angry.

“Others have insulted you as well?” he said slowly. You found yourself suddenly fearing for the lives of those young ladies and gentlemen from so long ago.

“Well, I-I wouldn’t call it being insulted, e-exactly,” you stammered. Neuvillette’s eyes seemed to pin you in place. Grabbing onto whatever came to mind and vocalizing it was the only way to break the spell. “I-It’s just that my interests and hobbies aren’t what you call ‘in vogue,’ and you know, at balls, what most people want to talk about is the latest gossip and plays and fashion and things like that, all of which I’m woefully ignorant about. And, you know, I’m not beautiful, witty, or fashionable enough to make up for that, so really, it’s only natural for people to find me uninteresting. I don’t have much to offer.”

Oh, how wonderful. You hadn’t expected that your date would end up with you unearthing all your long-buried insecurities. A feeling of despair welled up within you. So much for maintaining a pleasant atmosphere. Of course, you would be the one to ruin this day.

“I don’t care anymore, though,” you hurriedly added, trying to salvage this in any way you could. “It’s all in the past now, when I was a teenager. In fact, I think having a plain personality is a benefit for the line of work I’ve chosen, so it all works out in the end. Like I said before, sir, being boring isn’t a crime and—”

“But you were hurt before,” Neuvillette interrupted. His eyes reminded you of rippling pools of water. You wanted to run away, but it was as though your legs had turned into stone. “And you are still hurt.”

“No, I told you, I’m completely over it! It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s nothing but petty teenage angst.”

“If you are over it, as you say, then why are you fixated on the idea that I would be bored with you. Even if it is in the past, it still occurred, and you continue to be affected by it. You have every right to be angry, to hold a grudge against those people.”

Now you recognized that additional emotion in his eyes. It was sadness. His eyes were rippling with unshed tears, and his lips were pressed tightly together.

He looked like he was about to cry.

You were utterly baffled. Why did he seem more upset than you about this? You had told him the truth. Those feelings of sadness, inferiority, and self-loathing were buried deep inside you long ago. You had made sure of it. Compared to the teenaged you from so long ago, you now felt lighter, as free as a bird.

“I...I don’t understand,” you whispered. Your voice came out a rasp. “Why do you care so much, sir? I’m sure you’ve seen people who suffered far worse than me."

“Why would I not care?” Neuvillette said. He placed his large, gloved hands on your shoulders. The gentle but firm weight of them made something within you unfurl. “You are someone dear to me. I cannot forgive anyone who has hurt you, even if they are the Archon herself. It does not matter how minor a slight it may be. Your feelings should be valued as much as anyone else’s. And...it pains me deeply when I hear you talk about yourself in such a way, that you believe them.”

Long buried memories resurrected themselves and flashed through your mind.

Of disinterested eyes sizing you up, then passing over you like you weren’t even there, landing on girls much more beautiful, girls you could never hope to be.

Of barely concealed bored looks, looking past you to someone much more interesting.

Of incredulous sneers and raised eyebrows upon hearing of your interest in pressing flowers and Remurian history, and quick switches to far worldlier topics, like overseas vacations or the latest plays at the Opera Epiclese. Conversations you couldn’t even hope to partake in, because you came from a family that could only afford to go to the opera house once a year. You didn’t even have the confidence to bluff your way through these things.

Balls, you had quickly learned, were like plays. You were either in a starring role, or you were a background actor without even a name.

It wasn’t as though anyone had ever publicly humiliated you or ganged up on you like something out of a cheap romance novel. You were too insignificant for that.

Eventually, you had learned to endure these little jabs, hardening your mind and heart. You were a poor baron’s daughter, someone with very little standing in the grand scheme of things. You couldn’t afford to offend your betters, anyways. There was nothing you could do except to shrug it off, to polish and improve yourself, and to make yourself worthy of being seen and chosen. Your parents had told you so as well. You couldn’t--shouldn’t--rely on them in such matters. They had their hands tied as well.

The only one you could rely on was yourself. If no one else was there to pick up the pieces, then you would have to be the one to do it. That was a philosophy you had lived by, and it worked out for you so far.

But now...

You stared at the distraught man in front of you. A man with too much empathy for someone who didn’t deserve it, especially compared to those who had gone through actual suffering.

You wanted to push him away again, to reassure him that there was nothing to be sad about, that it was wasted on you. You wanted to tell him to go be with someone happier, more cheerful, and to leave you be in your misery until you could recover yourself once more and go back to him with a smile.

But then you remembered that young girl crying into her pillow after a particularly difficult ball where she didn’t get asked to dance even once. The herbarium (as you had insisted on calling it) that you diligently maintained since you were a child, thrown away in the trash.

Even boring, dull girls had feelings to hurt.

You stepped towards him and wrapped your arms tightly around his waist, burrowing your face into his jacket.

“Madame...?” you heard his stunned voice above your head. But his arms wrapped around you tightly, bringing you deeper into his embrace. Hot tears prickled the back of your eyelids, but you let them flow. You could pay for his dry cleaning later.

“Thank you,” you mumbled into his clothes, then raised your head to look straight into his eyes. “Neuvillette. For always thinking of my feelings, far more than I do myself. It makes me...very happy.”

You really were a terrible friend. You thought you were putting him at ease by maintaining a respectable distance between the two of you, by dismissing his worries. But that had the opposite effect.

He coddled you, something you hated, but maybe it was okay to sink and give in sometimes.

“There is no need to thank me,” Neuvillette said. “I am only doing what I ought to do.”

“I know. And that’s what I love about you.”

Neuvillette’s eyes widened. You made no explanation for your words. He placed his hand on the back of your head and gently stroked it. You closed your eyes, wanting to engrave this warmth into your memories.

Suddenly, you heard gasps and giggles coming from the cavern’s entrance. Both you and Neuvillette whipped your heads in that direction. Small, colorful heads squealed and quickly hid behind a rock.

“It looks like we got an audience,” you said.

“Indeed. How troublesome,” Neuvillette said. Neither of you let go of each other.

One little Melusine poked her head out from the rock. “Kiss!” she shouted.

Several of her sisters joined her. “Monsieur Neuvillette, kiss her!”

The two of you looked at each other. Neuvillette’s face was a mixture of awkwardness, embarrassment, and affection. Your face mirrored his, you were sure.

"Neuvillette, can you bend down for me?” you whispered, then changed your mind and stood up on your tiptoes, then pressed your lips against his smooth, marble cheek. But unlike marble, it was soft and warm.

You heard a sharp inhalation from Neuvillette, which was quickly followed by a chorus of high-pitched squeals and cheers.

As you watched Neuvillette’s cheeks turn red and felt your own burn, you couldn’t help but think that Furina had been on the right track with this whole marriage business, even if you disagreed with the way she went about it.

Neuvillette deserved to have someone who loved him wholeheartedly and without hesitation. Someone who can serve as a comforting shelter for him, just like he did for you.

“Do you really have to leave so soon?”

You and Neuvillette were standing at the entrance to Merusea Village once more. The Melusines were gathered there to see you off.

“It is almost dusk. I must bring Madame home before it gets dark,” Neuvillette told them. The Melusines let out “Awws” of disappointment.

“I had a wonderful time with all of you. I’ll never forget it,” you assured them, patting your purse. As a parting gift, they had given you a heap of shiny components, which you gratefully accepted, although you wondered where you were going to put it all.

“Thank you all for being such good hosts for us,” Neuvillette said, patting their heads. You did the same.

As you looked at the rows of smiling faces, you thought that those who were loved by Neuvillette were the luckiest people in the world.

“Madame, when you visit us for Monsieur Neuvillette’s birthday, I’ll play a song I composed for you!” Topyas said.

“Neuvillette's birthday?” you repeated quizzically.

“That’s right! He visits us every year on his birthday. Lutine bakes a really tasty cake for him, too. You will come with him as well, right?”

Neuvillette’s birthday was at the end of the year, if you remembered correctly. Would you even be married to him by then?

But faced with such a shining, hopeful visage, you could do nothing except smile and nod.

“Madame, we’re above water now.”

Neuvillette said into your ear. He watched as your eyes opened slowly, the fluttering of your eyelashes reminding him of a butterfly’s wings. You let out your held breath, which caused the strands of his hair to flutter. His arm was under your knees, and your arms were circled around his neck. Your head was resting on his shoulder. A small part of him wished he delayed in telling you that you had emerged from the water.

He carefully set you down on the ground, steadying you by holding your elbow. You smiled up at him gratefully, then turned your head to the scenery in front of you.

“Oh, did it rain?” you looked around. Indeed, there were shallow puddles on the dirt path that led to this pool, and the grass was glistening with water droplets. The air had that pure, refreshing quality of a passed storm. “It’s good that we missed it.”

Neuvillette could only nod. There was something different here. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Shall we head back to the boat now? Oh, I hope it hasn’t gotten too drenched by the rain.”

The two of you began to walk back to the beach. Neuvillette offered his elbow to you, worried that you might slip on the wet, muddy ground, and you linked your arm through it, thanking him. As you strolled down the path, your arms brushing against each other, it hit him, suddenly, what was different.

The small space that you maintained between you and him had disappeared.

The sky was painted in hues of orange and pink. Little birds chirped in the trees. As you neared the beach, Neuvillette saw ships of all sizes, either sailing back to Fontaine or setting off to distant harbors.

Neither of you spoke much. Neuvillette was reminded of the calm and quiet after a storm, when everything was newly refreshed and washed clean.

The tension he had sensed from you ever since he met you remained, but it seemed to have been chipped away a little bit. He still wasn’t sure what happened, but he was glad of it.

All he knew was that he was a terrible judge of character.

He had assumed that being a quiet, mild-mannered woman, he wouldn’t have the issue of having to deal with being overwhelmed by extreme emotions, but he was wrong.

When he was with you, every emotion within him, from joy to sadness to anger, seemed magnified tenfold.

The boat was there, right where he had docked it. Neuvillette did not have many chances to go boating, and he always preferred to swim anyways. However, recalling how your hair blew in the wind and how your eyes sparkled as you gazed out at sea, he was beginning to see its charms.

“What a beautiful sunset!” he heard you exclaim. The orange sun was near the horizon, gilding the waves gold.

For a moment, the two of you simply stared at the sight. Had a sunset ever been this mesmerizing before?

“Neuvillette, let’s take a picture together with the sunset in the background. We never took a picture of just us together, have we?” you turned to him suddenly.

For a moment, Neuvillette didn’t register your words. His mind was too preoccupied with the sunset, trying to figure out what made this one so different from the thousands he viewed before. And then, it struck him lightning.

"You’re...calling my name without my title now.” That was the first thing that came out of his mouth. He inwardly cringed at his forwardness.

“Um...yes,” you said, looking a little bashful. “To be honest, it is a little silly of me to keep calling you Monsieur for so long, since we’re friends. Do you hate it?”

“No, not at all,” he shook his head vigorously. Hearing you call him by simply his name, even if it wasn’t his real name, sparked something in him. He felt like he was hearing his name for the first time when it came from your lips. “And yes, let us take a picture together.”

You fiddled with the Kamera and walked around to get the right position and to figure out the timer function. Once that was done, you ran back to him, having placed the device on a nearby tree stump. There was five seconds before the Kamera would go off. Before this moment would be captured forever.

“May I put my arm around your shoulders, Madame?” he asked. It felt wrong to just stand side by side.

“Yes,” you nodded, and just as he did so, the Kamera’s flash went off.

I hope I had a good expression on my face, he thought. Smiling on command was not an ability he possessed.

“Shall we go now?” you said after you retrieved the Kamera. “It’ll be getting dark soon.”

“Wait, there is one more thing I need,” he said. It was something he had been waiting for all day.

“What is it?” You looked up at him.

“Madame, do you remember how you said that you will give me feedback for the date? Would you allow me to receive it now?”

“Feedback?” you repeated, your expression incredulous. “Wait, you actually want it?”

“Yes, of course I do,” he said. “Your opinion means a great deal to me.”

“If that's the case...” you tilted your head slightly, frowning. “I must admit that I have very little experience with dates and other romantic things of that nature. I’m not sure if my opinion would be very valuable.”

“It does not matter. I want to know what you think.”

"Alright then, if you insist,” you cleared your throat dramatically. Neuvillette leaned forward a little unconsciously. “In all my days of existence, I have never enjoyed myself more than today. If I were to suddenly drop dead right now, then at least I’m dying happy.”

“Surely you exaggerate.” Neuvillette was never quite able to grasp your sense of humor.

“Maybe a little,” you admitted, letting out a small laugh. There was something bright in it that made his heart beat just a little faster. “It’s definitely in my top ten, though. After all, I was able to go to places I’ve never been before, meet new people, and experience new things. And best of all, I had a delightful companion by my side. What more can I ask for?”

“You truly think I’m a delightful companion?” It was rare for anyone to describe him that way.

“I do,” you said, conviction in your voice. “Better than I deserve, really.”

Neuvillette looked at you, taking you in. He felt a small amount of guilt upon hearing your words.

Truthfully, he had chosen the locations for today’s outing—the Weeping Willow of Erinnyes and Merusea Village—not only because he wished to take you to his favorite places.

He was driven by a selfish, vain desire to show himself in the best light to you by taking you to the places where he was most comfortable.

Entertaining guests was not his strong suit. Taking a young lady out on a date was even less so. He lacked ideas as to where to take you, so he defaulted to these remote locations, far from the human world that he had little interest in.

But as he looked at your content face, he felt something like a chasm within him. It was ever-widening, an inexplicable need to be filled.

Self-indulgence was dangerous. He was well-aware of that. It would be difficult to escape such a trap, no matter how sweetly it beckoned.

Perhaps his time in the human world had weakened his resolve.

“Let me take you to a restaurant next time,” the words came out of his mouth before he knew what he was saying. “I am no expert on cuisine, but...”

“I’ll choose for us, then,” you said. “There are a few places I’ve been dying to try out.”

Neuvillette nodded. He silently pledged to savor whatever was served to him, no matter how dry it may be.

He reached out his hand to help you onto the boat, but you didn’t take it. Instead, you asked him a question.

“Did you have a good time today, Neuvillette?”

He was startled. “Why do you ask?”

“Because this is a date. It’s a collaboration between two people. It's not a good date if only one of us enjoyed ourselves.”

Neuvillette pondered your question. He thought of your look of wonder upon seeing the willow tree and Merusea Village, the sight of you playing and chatting with the dear Melusines, the little smiles you’d give him, the feel of you in his arms, the sensation of your hands in his hair and around his horns, the kiss...

How could one day feel so long and yet so short at the same time?

A rush of warmth surged through his body. He took your hand in his and raised it to his mouth. Then, before your astonished eyes, he brushed his lips against the back of your hand.

“This day will be engraved into my memories until the end of time,” he said solemnly, looking directly into your eyes. “I have no complaints about anything. You were absolutely perfect.”

He saw your cheeks becoming rosy. You looked away, but he didn’t miss the way your lips turned up in a smile. “And you say I exaggerate,” he heard you mumble.

The two of you went onboard the boat and sailed back home.

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Taglist:@just-simping-over-genshin, @xalphafox, @jqnehr, @favficdump, @thetwinkims, @cielclassy, @the-mxs-of-many, @mxyarylla, @lynettezz, @rosedpetal, @blue-sapphire-ink

#genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #neuvillette x reader #neuvillette x female reader #genshin fluff #the winding path of fate #my works

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parasiticstars · 5 months ago

Text

To Teach an Old Dog: #1

re re re re re re uploaded bc tumblr keeps fucking it up

TW: BBU/pet whump, casual mentions of dehumanization, institutionalized slavery, and suicide idealization, and me being very pretentious

Kavan’s back hurts. Of the numerous things wrong with his situation, this is what he decided to focus on in an attempt to stave off the impeding sensory overload— and this is the only familiar, non-Pet-fuckery problem he has.

The bit was fastened too tight and digs in the corners of his mouth. He can feel drool starting to crust his beard. He’s disused to the shoddy buzzcut his masters captors gave him in an attempt to make him presentable before auction; he'll certainly never take the feeling of hair on his ears for granted again. The ear tag is pulling on already mutilated earlobes, adding to a budding headache just behind his eyes. The concrete floors look and feel like they haven’t been cleaned ever. The auctioneer’s voice is solidly the fourth most irritating sound he’s ever heard in his life.

Alas, nothing Kavan attempts to focus on staves off the visceral, skin-crawling feeling of too much. No matter how many times the man gets shuttled in and out of auctions and captors like a head of livestock, he’ll never truly get used to the non-personhood, the sheer objectification of it all. Nor will he get used to an audience leering and inspecting him and the other Pets people around him like the products they’re advertised and sold as.

Nobody seems to be interested in him, thank god. Kavan’s getting too old for most people’s tastes— even as a labor Pet, being above thirty is automatically considered a liability, as if he’d crumple into dust the second he set foot onto a construction site or a plantation or wherever the hell else. Has he felt close to it? Definitely. But that didn’t mean he would; even though some places, water and breaks weren’t a given.

(Why would they be? Employers and contractors who use Pets rather than workers don’t need to abide by silly things such as OSHA and basic human decency.)

But regardless.

With the slowly increasing amount of times he’s talked about like his expiry date has run out, Kavan wonders when he’s going to just be taken out behind the shed.

He wonders if he’ll do it himself one of these days.

A prod to the small of his back forces him to straighten, making him nearly drop his sign in the process. His attention snaps back to the crowd, all crammed together in this dingy-ass building in those dingy-ass folding chairs betting on dingy-ass people.

Long had Kavan lost the naïvety that Pet owners were this special type of evil, so impossibly cruel and uncaring that they simply couldn’t be human. Regardless, the fact that everyone here is so unassuming still screws with him. He could hypothetically see any one of them, say, at a Starbucks bitching at the barista about their overpriced order, or shopping at Trader Joe’s, or working in their cubicle, or at a PTA meeting. That in particular jars him.

Nobody around them would know that said person was willingly participating in legalized slavery, lacking even the flimsy pretense of “rescuing” their aunt’s-grandma’s-brother’s-husband’s-neighbor’s-girlfriend’s-niece’s Pet or whatever else they’d want to virtue signal on their Facebook wall or status or whatever else.

(Are Facebook statuses still a thing? God, Kavan’s been out of the loop too long. He doesn’t even know how long.)

One woman in particular has set sights on him. Judging by the fine cut yet plain color of her coat, the disgusted-holier-than-thou glances she’d occasionally give whoever she was seated near whenever they did anything particular crude, the brand name Ceilos, she’s probably fuck-off rich trying not to look fuck-off rich. What would someone like her want at a low scale labor pet auction like this? Why is she eyeing him in particular? Why are her irises barely darker than #FFFFF?

Catastrophizing is, it seems, a very time consuming activity. It muffles the rest of the auction, the auctioneer’s droning that would soon settle the man’s fate, the assistant taking away the sign Kavan was holding and tugging at the rope attached to his collar.

He stumbles as he’s led off the platform and into the pen for inspection. Through the buzzing of his ears, the sound of heels clicking follows.

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hyunsvngs · 1 year ago

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if ur comfortable with it,

A STEP BRO CHAN DRABBLE, IVE BEEN THINKING ABT THAT FOR SOOOO LONG OMFG

"hey, you okay?" chan asked, poking his head around your bedroom door. "dad said you called in sick to work today?"

"yeah, i'm okay," you assured him. "to be honest, i'm just feeling a bit burned out and needed to take a me day."

he nodded in understanding, sitting on the edge of your bed. "i get that. do you..." he cleared his throat. "do you want me to help take your mind off things?"

you sighed. god, that was fucking tempting. you'd never tasted any cock like your step-brother's cock. "i don't know if we should be doing this any more, chan... if our parents find out, we're fucked."

"c'mon," he urged you, leaning across to tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear. his voice was quiet, low, husky. "nobody's home - nobody's gonna be home all day. it's just you and me, baby. and i know you want this as bad as i do."

you attempted to give him a stern look.

he smiled at you. "just a quickie?"

you certainly couldn't deny that. "fuck. fine, come here."

chan grinned, ear-to-ear, pulling back your blankets and climbing atop you. "god, i love it when you were skimpy little pyjamas like this. drives me fucking crazy. almost popped a boner in front of your mom last night when i saw you."

you couldn't help but giggle. you were only chatting to your mom while getting a glass of water before bed, you obviously weren't intentionally trying to affect chan in any way. but your ass was slightly hanging out of your pyjama shorts, and you'd definitely noticed his panicked expression when he walked in and saw you.

chan, wasting no time, leaned down and begun kissing your neck. you moaned, tangling your hands in his hair and bucking your hips upwards. he slipped his hand into your shorts, letting out a gasp when he met your heat.

"babe, you're fucking dripping wet already," he breathed into your neck. "did this on purpose, hm? stayed home 'cause you knew i'd fuck you?"

"mm.. maybe." your words were nothing more than a whimper. you weren't in the mood for any teasing, not today. you needed him, now. you pushed him back, stripping off your clothes at lightning speed. chan followed suit with a smirk.

he was evidently as desperate as you were, cock already hard as he tugged on it harshly. "look at you," he remarked. "can't fucking wait for your big brother to dick you down."

you scoffed. "like you can talk. obsessed with your little sister's pussy."

he lined his cock up with your hole, pushing himself inside you, swiftly shutting you up. he slid in far too easily, though it made sense as he always had you spilling waterfalls.

"fuck, there we go," chan hissed as he bottomed out. his palms gripped your ass cheeks, angling you up for the most pleasurable angle. "you like that?"

"yes," you whined. "shut up and fuck me."

chan laughed, but followed your directions. his hips snapped against your frame with each thrust, slapping loudly. you rubbed your clit in time with his motions. the room was filled with moans from the both of you, crying out in pleasure.

"you're so fucking wet," chan groaned. "perfect pussy."

you pulled him down to you, capturing his lips against your own, kissing him with fervour. he kissed you back just as hard, if not harder, slipping his tongue past your lips and into your mouth.

your orgasm crept up on you far too fast, and you were clenching around his dick before you knew it.

"oh, fuck," chan grunted, burying his head in your neck and pounding into you even harder. "fuck, i'm gonna-"

"not inside me again!" you squeaked.

he gave one last extra-deep thrust, and looked up at you with a mischievous grin. "sorry. i'll buy you plan b."

you rolled your eyes, but couldn't truly get that annoyed, not when you looked down and saw his cum oozing out of you beautifully.

he got up right away, pulling on his joggers. "right. i'm gonna make you some breakfast. and then round two?"

"fuck, yes."

#billy's asks ☆#asks: channie #sweet baby anon

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writingescapades · 10 months ago

Text

Senses

Geppetto once told his puppet, “You were designed for your role”.

It was true.

Taste. Geppetto had not invested in developing tastebuds for Pinocchio. What use would his special puppet have for a tongue? When designing Pinocchio, he was half tempted to do without a tongue altogether. But it would have hindered Pinocchio’s ability to speak should he require it. And to Geppetto, the master craftsman, it just wouldn’t have made the puppet seem complete. So, Pinocchio was permitted a tongue.

Nose. Pinocchio had fewer smell receptors compared to humans. Krat was a shithole of smells. Certainly not a sense that would benefit being enhanced for a puppet warrior, Geppetto surmised. So Pinocchio was designed to only detect elements that could possibly harm him like the battery leakage of a puppet that was about to explode.

Ears. Pinocchio’s ears were as finely tuned as a rabbit. Though they did not move, they could pick up the subtle ticking of puppets miles away. He always knew where his enemy came from and could fight blindfolded. Understanding the decibels machinery could reach too, Geppetto ensured his puppet would be able to stand the sound of metal against metal. It would not do for his puppet to become deaf to his father’s voice.

Hands. Pinocchio’s hands were large, and they were supported by arms that could lift swords and cleavers the length of his height. His hands could rip open metal bars and swing open closed doors. They had sensors to detect and disperse heat, acid, water, ice, and electricity. They could withstand pressures that could crush most human hands. They were designed to tear puppets apart without causing their bearer any harm.

Eyes. Geppetto designed Pinocchio’s eyes to encompass the advantages of every living creature. His eyes could detect the slightest of movements from a distance and keenly observe his opponents up close, looking for weak points. He could split his vision or rotate his pupils, and had both thermal and hydro vision. The final touch was a thin protective layer wrapped around the eyeball, preventing it to take any damage. Pinocchio’s eyes no doubt cost a fortune, yet Geppetto knew the investment was a wise one as the puppet made lightning quick movements based on what he observed. They missed nothing.

Yes indeed. Pinocchio was a master craft. The magnum opus of a god-like artist. His entrance into Hotel Krat brought the change everyone was waiting for. They were endlessly thankful to the puppet and indulged his curiosity. Geppetto expected curiosity in his puppet. It was merely a side effect of ergo. What he did not expect was that Pinocchio’s curiosity was unsatiable.

Though Pinocchio could not taste anything, that did not stop you from including him during your meals. You noticed he was the only one without a plate. Though it made sense why, you couldn’t help but feel bad at the puppet who sat at the end of the table, doing nothing but watching the others eat. So you sat near him and placed your plate in front of him. Pinocchio glanced at you momentarily before his attention shifted down. He could see different textures and colours and the faint steam that rose above. You would point out all the items and show him how to cut or scoop the food to your mouth. Then you would eat, taking time to explain the taste and texture to him. Though he never ate the food, he would watch you, transfixed on what you were saying. Sometimes he even mimicked the way your jaws would move as you ate.

Though Pinocchio’s nose could only detect a few scents, that did not stop him from the act of smelling objects. He once saw you inhale a cloud of dust from some books and heard the sharp sound that came from you, a sneeze. This sneeze excited him, and he took to smelling things, wondering if such a sound would come out of him one day. Some days this sneeze would turn your nose red and made your voice sound funny. He didn’t like those days. You weren’t yourself on those days and it made him wonder if this sneeze could cause deaths. But it seemed your nose was capable of bringing you both misery and joy as you would bring items like flowers, clothes, and food to your nose and smile. It left him wondering what other smells existed out there.

Though no one could pity Pinocchio’s ears, Pinocchio himself was very dissatisfied. Such ears could not follow with the music he heard. He could not tell what he was playing or whether it was correct. Sometimes he would tug you to the piano and wait for you to explain how the dots on the paper related to the keys on the piano. You would try to explain things, but he would never quite get it. But when he discovered the records and heard how sounds got put together, he was unstoppable. At first, he pressed keys with an oddity that had you running out of the room. But soon, soft notes echoed throughout the hotel and sounded similar to the records Pinocchio brought home. Though he still didn’t quite understand what he was doing, judging by your smile and closed eyes as you listened, he knew he did something right.

Though Pinocchio’s hands could be equated to the might of the gods, his hands had never dared to touch anything that wasn’t intended for destruction. He would watch you play with Spring and was fascinated by the sounds the cat made – a sound very akin to the noises that came from his own build. He wanted to bring out that same noise, but Spring would hiss every time he came close. He would follow you around the Hotel as you worked, carrying whatever items you had recently collected for your library and archives. Then one day he accidentally broke a stained-glass piece you managed to salvage from the ruins of a house. He saw you cover your face and duck as the shards flew. By the time you lifted your face, the glass was cleaned up and he was gone. He stayed away and apart. So imagine his surprise when one day you reached for his hand. You noticed Pinocchio tracing the spines of the books you collected. You noticed the immobile hand he left out for Spring to approach. You saw the numerous attempts he made to fix the things he broke. And now you could see the surprise in his eyes as you reached for his hand. A natural adjustment to the surrounding light, Geppetto would explain.

It was possible that everything you did with Pinocchio was nothing more than engaging with a statue, but what was wrong in taking delight in the behaviour of another creature? So you watched him as he watched you. Though Pinocchio never denied his father’s explanations, sitting near you, holding a piece of twine for Spring play with, feeling her sheathed paws graze his fingers, and hearing your laughter made him doubt his father’s words for the first time.

#writing #fanfic #lies of p #lies of p fanfic #lies of p p #pinocchio #lies of p pinocchio x reader #pinocchio x reader #gender neutral reader

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mashiraostail · 11 months ago

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Hi there, I was wondering if you would write some vlad, Kugo, and hound dog x fem reader with nipple piercings and how you think the guys would feel abt them, if they like them or not and if they play with their nipples more because of it I love your writing btw 🖤

I'm gonna start going through old asks but feel free to send new ones! I have mine done and they certainly slay. I did also spend the past two years getting crazy body mods and making myself unemployable hehehe idk what this phD is even for because I'm big time tatted up.

I wanted to start with my best boys (esp Kugo :3) and some headcanons. I've been rewatching the show which is what made me think abt and miss the blog a little. Idk if the demand for MHA content is still there so I'll probably make an updated post with other shows and media I enjoy (big Bauldr's gate rn!!! yall already KNOW who it is.) NSFW under the cut!

Vlad: *I think he would be the least surprised upon noticing them. He's maybe seen them on other partners, or just is familiar with the concept. *the first time he notices them through your shirt probably went something like this: You're fresh out of the shower, pajamas sticking to your still damp skin as you pop into the kitchen for a drink. The relationship is new, and he's still in awe of you. He's always eyeing you in an appreciative way, especially when you're freshly showered, his eyes climb up your exposed legs shimmering from your body lotion, to your stomach and waist, and of course to your chest. Usually they'll slide up to your shoulders and linger on your neck and the cut of your jaw, but today they stop. Your shirt was smaller than usual, and of course it complimented your chest but there was something else. "What?" You pull the bottle of water away from your lips, "do I have toothpaste on me?" "No." He shakes his head, "no you don't." You cap the bottle and shrug, starting to walk by him, "I'm gonna go watch the-" Before you can get by him he grabs you by your arm, "what is that?" He's looking at your chest again. "My boobs-" "No I know." He looks up at your face, "are those your-" "Oh yea. I guess you've never seen them like this before huh? You can see them through a tight shirt." He's blinking, he's taking it in. All you can do is laugh, "go ahead." "No I'm an adult. I don't need to squeeze-" "It's fine, go ahead." You bridge the short gap between your lips and kiss him, holding him by his jaw and pressing the full weight of your body against his. After the fact he might be slightly apologetic for getting worked up so easily. *H's probably the most delighted by them too. I feel like he's just a horny guy, he's easily worked up, his brain always goes right to the wrong place. *Wearing a baby tee with no bra underneath so he can see them prominently will drive him up a wall. *He might get used to it with time, but all you have to do to hook him in is lean over the table at him, get him to look a little too long and he'll be bent at your will. *He loves them, he loves when you change the jewelry, colorful rhinestones, short chains, or captive hoops are all equally enticing to him. Red is his favorite on you though. *He'll lavish them with attention in bed, especially when he's going down on you, one of his hands is always occupied. If you're especially sensitive you'll need to tell him. *He likes to use his mouth too, the metallic taste on his tongue paired with the taste of your skin is a huge turn on for him.

_________

Kugo: *Most perplexed. He's probably not encountered them before. Show him the ropes, let him know they help rather than hurt and he'll be good. The first time he sees them he's going to have a lot of questions: Honestly, getting into a car and going home with Gang Orca was not necessarily in your plans for the evening. If anyone asked Kugo, taking home a random reporter was also not like him at all, in fact he had never done it. Maybe it wasn't fair to call you random, he had your phone number, you'd met before, you even had a friendly and slightly flirtatious banter. Maybe you had been sending him signals all along, maybe he had failed to pick them up, until now. He doesn't even get the chance to ask you if you're sure about this, if you want to sleep with him, if you'd been hinting at that this whole time, because you're straight to business as soon as his front door closes, climbing him like a tree. He guesses you were sure. Your excitement was contagious, you were handsy and giggly tugging him further into his home. You end up ontop of him, stopping your assault of kisses to sit up around his waist, "hey are you sure you want to..." You trail off, hands at the hem of your shirt, "I won't be offended, I was probably coming on so strong this whole time." You laugh a little but Kugo shakes his head, "take off your shirt." Your sweater flys off, something about the fact you've been bare skinned under that sweater all night makes his stomach warm with arousal. His eyes catch two shiny, metallic adornments. He reaches up instinctively to touch them. One hand still holding your waist. Your gasp makes him pull back. "Sorry does it-" "No it doesn't hurt." You catch his hand before he can pull it away any more, "the opposite." He spends most of your first sexual encounter fixated on them, licking, brushing his fingers over them, squeezing and so on, but you don't mind. *That being said he'll grow to love them as well. *Especially enjoys seeing you touch them in bed. *If you're riding him he won't be able to keep his hands off though. *Doesn't have a preference for jewelry, but if you ask him to pick you out something he'd secretly be delighted, he'd probably pick a barbell with some small charms on the ends, maybe hearts. *Lowkey already a huge boob guy so they just draw more attention to what he likes!

______

Hound Dog: *Mostly indifferent, doesn't get the point. *Until you're fucking, then he gets the point, then he likes them. A lot. *He doesn't avoid them during sex but he doesn't give them special attention either until one specific night: You're in missionary below him, his hands are holding onto your waist as his pace increases from dizzying to bruising. He likes to watch your face, your furrowed brows and the way you draw your lips between your teeth drive him nuts, it's almost impossible to get his eyes off. He'll let his gazy flicker downwards though, he likes your body almost as much as he likes your face, seeing the bounce of your stomach or the way your thighs shake is also rewarding for him. Today he stops on your chest though, bouncing to his almost abusive pace the dim light in the room catches on the jewelry, it's tantalizing, begging to be touched. When he ducks his head down to roll his tongue over one the moan you let out and the way you say his name would have probably made him cream his pants honestly, and the cherry on top is the way you hold the back of his head, practically burying him in your chest. Safe to say he gets the appeal after. *Lowkey likes rings better than barbells, he'll start to gently tug them, enjoying the way it makes you buzz. *Likes to pick jewelry out for you, for all your piercings, wants them all to match!

#bnha hc #bnha x reader #kugo sakamata #kugo sakamata x reader #vlad king hc #vlad king x reader #kan sekijiro x reader #ryo inui x reader #ryo inui

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niningtori · 11 months ago

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see me | chapter one: distance

summary: after another failed relationship, you're ready to give up once and for all. your best friend's little brother, beomgyu, has other plans.

genre: angst, angst with a happy ending, romance, fluff

word count: 3k-ish idk

your eyes watered as the bitter taste of vodka seared the back of your throat, settling uncomfortably in a pool of heat churning in your stomach.

"slow down! you're gonna make yourself sick," your best friend, jia, chastises.

"let her have her fun," beomgyu, her little brother, quietly interjects before you can even finish flushing down the alcoholic aftertaste with your chaser. "she's going through a lot right now."

you nod half-heartedly while sloppily sliding your elbows onto the table, smushing your tear-stained face into your hands and sighing. jia winces at the action before relenting.

"fine. let loose tonight, but this is the last time you're getting this drunk over a piece of shit guy." maybe if she were anyone else you'd resent the harshness of her words, but even in your drunken state you register the softness in her tone.

"wait here, i'll get you some water," and with that she rises and reveals her plain outfit, sticking out like a sore thumb in the strobe neon lights of the flashy bar you're in. you're not looking any better, both of you having come here after having a seemingly normal saturday of running your respective errands and nothing more. that is, until you ended up a few blocks away from your boyfriend of 9 months' apartment and decided to pop in, only to find him absolutely drilling into his girl best friend. the one he claimed you had "nothing to worry about" because "she was just a childhood friend" and you were always so "irrationally jealous" to the point of "borderline paranoia." needless to say, you called jia while booking it to your car. which led you to where you are now: severely underdressed with makeup smudged and eyes swollen.

"are you okay?" beomgyu asks tentatively. you know he knows the answer and he's just trying to comfort you, so your gaze redirects to him and he shifts somewhat uncomfortably under your surveying eye. you and jia may look underdressed, but he certainly doesn't. he blends right in with his band tee and distressed jeans. sitting alone with him probably makes you look even more ridiculous, and though you shouldn't care, you can't help but imagine what others were most likely thinking when they saw you wiping your snot in between shots.

"i'm not," you mumble, and he relaxes a bit now that you're talking again. "i'm sorry, beomie. i'm sorry you got stuck with," you gesture to yourself, "this." and you really were. jia had been with him when you called and once he heard what happened, he insisted on tagging along and scrapping whatever plans he had for the rest of the night.

"do you want to talk about it?" he asks softly. "you don't have to if you don't want to, but i think it would make you feel better."

to that, you smile. despite the age difference, you two had grown quite close in the 8 years you had been friends with jia. In fact, in college it had become a tradition for you to accompany her to her family's once she found out you wouldn't be going home for your first thanksgiving break.

there was nothing worth going to your own home for, you had told her, so she demanded you come to her place instead. as stubborn as she was, you eventually relented after she promised her family was actually excited to meet her dorm mate and new best friend. there you met her parents and beomgyu, and from then on they had accepted you into their family so warmly it had become a given that you would always stay there for any time away from school. that is, until you met your first boyfriend. but you were hellbent on ignoring that part.

"i don't think there's that much to talk about," you sigh. he raises his eyebrows, so you continue. "i thought that maybe there was something going on between him and his best friend, but he convinced me that i was just being controlling. i felt really guilty about it so i dropped it, but i guess i shouldn't have. i just feel so fucking stupid," you choke out.

"it's not your fault. he manipulated you, of course you would want to trust him after he guilted you like that," he says while pushing your hair behind your ear as fresh tears rolled down your face. had you been sober, you might have questioned the intimacy of this, but at present all you could do was revel in it. your phone buzzes again and you immediately reject the call. he had called at least a dozen times and left twice as many text messages. at your rejection, he sends another one, and you read it aloud — more for your own comprehension than beomgyu's —missing the way his stare darkens for just a second.

"baby can we please just talk? i'm so so so sorry it was a mistake. i feel like shit for hurting you. please can you just answer so we can fix this? i love you." you dig your head in your hands before meeting beomgyu's gaze.

"are you gonna answer him?" he asks.

"i don't know, beomie. i just — i kind of feel like at this point i might have to just accept it."

"what do you mean you just have to accept it?" if he's trying to hide his disgust, he doesn't do it well.

"what i mean is that maybe there's a reason 3 out of my 4 boyfriends have cheated on me. maybe it's me? i dunno," you sigh, "i think i might just have to accept the fact that he cheated and forgive him."

"that's bullshit," beomgyu bites out. "you don't deserve any of this shit. not every guy is gonna treat you like that." you smile sadly at his insistence. what he's saying is so sweet, but you're sincerely beginning to think maybe you're cursed to have an unfaithful boyfriend.

"i really think it's just not in the cards for me. is there something so bad about me that this keeps happening to me? actually, don't answer that. i don't think i want to know."

"i'm serious," he insists. "no guy in his right mind would treat you like that."

you want to smile at that, but you physically can't.

"that's easy for you to say, beomie, but you don't exactly treat girls the nicest, either." he balks at this.

"that... that's because i—"

"here. drink this, now." jia cuts in, back with some water. you don't take note of beomgyu's crestfallen appearance.

"thanks jiji," you say with a smile.

"anything for you," she replies.

beomgyu still looks like he's trying to fish words out from the bottom of a barrel, but you leave him be. you're still thinking about your ex's texts and what they mean. he said it's his first, and only, time fucking her, but the betrayal is unbearable. you'd think that after this happened with the third boyfriend in a row, you'd be used to it, but it still feels as fresh as the first time. and this one seems to hurt even more because you really thought this one was going somewhere. he had hinted at moving in together and you were so, so ready to take the next step. so much for that, you guess.

he was 14 when he first met you. his sister had told him her new roommate was tagging along and warned him not to be too awkward around her — a pointless warning, really. at 14 he was still a stuttering mess in front of girls his age, let alone someone 4 years his senior, but he promised he'd do his best nonetheless. when his mother told him to be ready because you two were nearly there his palms were already sweating, but when you walked in, face tired from the long drive but eyes remaining bright, his mind went into full panic-mode and his throat went dry. "hi, beomgyu. it's nice to meet you," you said with the softest of smiles and his heart stuttered with every syllable.

your first night at the choi's was fun; jia's family was determined to make you feel welcome and you spent most of the night laughing and learning more about your new friend. after dinner, mr. choi busted out the boardgames and when you saw just how seriously they all took it, you realized where jia got her competitiveness from. she made a particularly callous move in monopoly, earning complaints from her parents and you had to stifle a giggle as the previously silent beomgyu pouted with a "jiaaaa, how could you do this to me?!?" he quickly came out of his shell after that, and needless to say, you were a little shocked at just how loud the boy could be.

as much fun as you had, you were a little emotionally fatigued after such an eventful night. you had never known families could get along as well as jia's did, and in between smiles and questions about yourself, you couldn't stop your heart from aching just a little. how nice would it be if you had a home like this to come back to? how did it feel to have a family who was truly interested in how you're feeling?

as everyone headed to bed, jia noticed your uneasiness and asked if you wanted to talk about it, but you declined. you could tell she was tired and you didn't want to worry her. in a rare moment of vulnerability, she thanked you for coming and told you her parents were so happy you were friends. you smiled as you watched her fall asleep, making sure her breathing was heavy and slow before tiptoeing out of her room, closing the door, and heading out to the back porch.

the stars looked so much brighter here, you noticed. your hometown was pretty big, so the pollution made it impossible to enjoy the sky like this. you wondered what things were like back home. you had been alone with these thoughts for 15 minutes or so before you heard shuffling from inside the house. when you heard the backdoor open you began to say "I'll be back inside in like 2 min—" before you turned and saw beomgyu there, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. his limbs were awkward and gangly but his slightly rounded face and doe eyes made him absolutely adorable to you.

"oh, hi. is everything okay?" you asked slightly worriedly as he stood frozen, mouth agape.

"i-i... you're cold outside?"

you couldn't stop your giggling that time. "i'm sorry, what was that?" you said between laughs. he blushed and you felt a little guilty.

"i'm- it's cold outside. you're probably freezing. wait here," he said before scrambling back inside. he returned with a blanket and your heart warmed.

"take this. it's freezing and that jacket you're wearing isn't enough. look, your nose is red!" he said worriedly.

"wow beomie," you teased, using his family's nickname for him. "i had no idea you were this thoughtful." and just like your nose, his face flushed a deep red.

"hey, I'm just kidding," you softened. "do you want me to head back inside so you can hang out here?" his eyes widened again and you began to fidget to leave your spot on the porch steps.

"n-no. you can stay here, i'll just go back inside."

"you don't have to do that. why don't you just hang out with me for a bit?" there it was. your breezy attitude that left him stumped. you had been so laidback and charming through every interaction with his family, and with himself even, as painfully awkward as he was. but as unbothered as you seemed, he could see the anxiety in your expressions when you thought no one was looking. a shaky breath here, a bitten fingernail there. you hid it from the others masterfully, but his eyes had been trained on you from the moment you stepped into his house, and even you couldn't avoid the occasional slip up. he desperately wanted to comfort you,

"uh, i-if you're okay with me being with you —i mean like being out here while you are also here — then i'll sit too." he knew you had to have noticed his anxiety, but you made no mention of it and instead smiled and patted the open space next to you.

"so. what brings you out here?" you asked.

"i, uh, like to come out here a lot when i can't sleep. it helps me clear my head, i guess." you nodded and didn't ask any more questions, for which he was thankful. he didn't want to have to lie instead of explaining that you were the focal point of his mind back then, and he wanted to come out there to calm himself down.

"it's nice out here. i can see why you come out so often."

"what about you?" he asked tentatively.

"me? i guess i'm just like you. i'm trying to," you paused to find the words "clear my head and recenter right now."

"oh. why?" you locked eyes with him and noticed that his eyes twinkle even more than usual under the starry sky. he didn't balk at the sudden eye contact, just looked at you earnestly as if he was afraid of missing a single word. to both of your surprise, you actually answered, delving into some of the details of your home life. nothing major, but still personal enough to matter. he nodded when appropriate and asked a question every now and then. after your little venting session, you looked at him and gave him the brightest smile yet.

"thanks beomie, you're a great listener and i really like talking to you. i hope i get to do it more often." i really like talking to you. i really like talking to you. you really like talking to him. you wanted to talk to him again. in fact, you hoped you did. his heart skipped a beat and he gulped in a way he only hoped to god was discreet.

"any time, i swear," and he meant it.

you had just turned 20 when you met him. doyoon was everything you could have ever wanted (or needed) from a man at any point in time, let alone at 20 years old. he was a TA for one of your lectures and from the moment he accidentally spilled his coffee on his laptop when he tried to ask you out, you were smitten. he was 1 year your senior, set to graduate that academic year, but who can stop love once it starts?

beomgyu was 16 when he felt like the world was crashing down around him. he pinched his arm (just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating) and asked jia not once, but twice to repeat herself. still, the words remained the same: "she won't be coming home for thanksgiving because she'll be with her boyfriend."

his stomach ached and his complexion turned pallid. jia watched him with worry. "beomie, are you okay?"

"so she's staying at his family's?" he ignored her question so pointedly that she somewhat doubted if she ever asked it in the first place. "isn't that too fast? and what about us?" about me? if you met him in august, that meant you had only been dating for 3 months. meanwhile, you had known him for 2 whole years!

"i mean, in my opinion, yeah. but there's nothing i can do about it besides support her and hope for the best," she mused. "he actually seems like a nice enough guy," she added off-handedly. if only she knew how her words decimated him. she spread the unfortunate (for him) news to her parents and while slightly disappointed that you wouldn't be joining, they were happy you seemed to be in a healthy relationship.

that evening, he happened to hear a call between you and his sister through the shared wall between their rooms. he didn't happen to press his ear on it, that part was completely intentional.

"did you tell everyone that i'm sorry i couldn't be there this year? i miss them all," and he could hear how much you meant it.

"yeah, they were battering me with questions about doyoon. you'd better be prepared for an onslaught of questions next time you come home." you snorted and whined in response but he can almost see the upturn of your lips at the choi's house being referred to as "home", even through a wall and a phone. "how's doyoon's family?"

"they're so so nice," you sigh contentedly. "i was afraid it might be awkward since our relationship is so new, but they've been nothing but kind and inclusive." beomgyu can't help but feel indignant at the idea that a family could be more welcoming to you than his.

"i'm glad they're treating you well, i was afraid i was gonna have to come rescue you myself. how's doyoon?"

"i've got a really good feeling about him, jia. he's just so... mature? and experienced? " with that, beomgyu's heart sunk to his feet.

"first of all, ew. i don't need to know that," jia teased. beomgyu decided he didn't need to know that either, so he moved away from the wall dejectedly. if he had continued to listen he'd have heard you feverishly denying that you were implying anything sexual, but he already felt like he was being punished for eavesdropping. he knew he was too young for you at present, but in 2 years he'd be 18 and it wouldn't matter anymore. somewhere in the back of his mind he had hoped you would wait for him, unconsciously or not. you could be each other's first everything.

that dream is dashed after 2 whole years of pining, but he'd remember your words for the rest of his life. if you wanted a guy who's mature, he'd be more mature. if you wanted a guy with more experience, he'd get more experience. all you ever have to do is ask once, and maybe not even that much.

"just tell her you like her, man," yeonjun says with a sigh.

"he doesn't like her, he loves her," taehyun cuts in.

"well, tell her you love her then!"

"i can't do that," beomgyu argues defensively. "she still sees me as a 14 year old kid."

"that's tough," kai nods.

"then put it down on her and stop complaining," yeonjun says with a roll of his eyes.

"don't be gross," beomgyu says, smacking the back of his head.

"i'm not! i'm serious."

"he has a point, gyu," taehyun chimes in.

"oh god, not you too," beomgyu groans.

"we're just saying she wouldn't think of you as a kid anymore if you would just act like a man and not a lovesick puppy," yeonjun reasons.

"yeah man, you don't act like this with any other girl. just be normal," taehyun says.

"she's not just any other girl to him, she's the girl," soobin argues out of seemingly nowhere and beomgyu blushes. he's not wrong, though. if he cared less about you, it'd be easier to get with you.

he always said he'd wait until you were single to make a move, but you were with doyoon for three whole years. then joonwoo for 6 months. then seoyun for 8 months. then donghyun for 9 months. at 26, you're nothing short of a serial monogamist, and he was always just on the precipice of gathering his courage to ask you out when you enter another relationship.

jia said you were coping with your breakup with doyoon in your own sick little way, but that didn't really make beomgyu feel any better. to him, that just meant you were still stuck on the man he felt so inferior to. but after seeing how fucked up you were after your last relationship, he was just about done with waiting for you to look at him.

#niningtori #see me #beomgyu #choi beomgyu #txt beomgyu #txt #txt fanfic #beomgyu fanfic #beomgyu x reader #choi beomgyu x reader #tomorrow x together #txt angst #best friend's brother au #this is my first post #i'm sorry if i'm doing something wrong idk how to work tumblr LOL #help me #also #i'm on mobile soooo that should explain everything

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viridescent-lance · 13 days ago

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🍪 Oh, Azama can't not.

"Why, hello there Sir Forsyth the True!"

Monk smiles innocently.

"You've heard about today's festivities, yes? I hear it's something of a test of wills."

The monk produces an offering - half biscuit, half chocolate. Their would-be game piece.

"You'll indulge me in a game, will you not?"

Azama's singsong voice immediately raises Forsyth's hackles, and he braces himself for whatever inane request or comment the monk has up his sleeve. He knows this tone too well, by now.

"Ah, yes. The Pocky Game." Oh, no. Forsyth has heard about it as something the students are partaking in, excuses to get close to your crush and potentially even get a kiss. It's silly, juvenile, and something Forsyth absolutely would not ever dream of doing with Azama.

...is what he would say, but he's not one to back down from a challenge, and the one issued in the monk's tone stands taller than one explicitly stated.

"Are you so eager to lose your dignity?" Forsyth steels himself. He will not give Azama the satisfaction of seeing him falter. "I won't retreat."

Forsyth swallows, taking the chocolate-coated end into his mouth. Even this close to Azama's face, he can't see his eyes, though he can see wisps of stubble starting to form and that infuriating smile framed by curls, thick and woolly almost like a sheep. He takes the other end, and the battle begins.

Forsyth starts off strong, biting off pieces of delicious chocolate and biscuit. If he closes his eyes, it's almost fine. Just a fun treat at an odd angle. But Azama advances, slowly and steadily, a looming threat at the end of a short horizon.

It's just a game. He can pull away, and no one would fault him.

But his pride won't, and surely not against this man, who wants to look upon him with that empty cheshire grin after he retreats, to hold such a victory over his head. No, he will not give him the satisfaction.

They are close, so very close at this point. Is Azama surprised? Did he expect Forsyth to lose his cool, at this point? Well, he should be more surprised, because with one final surge forward, Forsyth is certain he can clear the last bit of biscuit, and--

Oh. Oh. In his elation at an imminent victory, Forsyth seems to have forgotten one of the most important parts of the game. If the two people meet in the middle, there's no winner.

Also, they kiss. Their mouths meet. And his is certainly on Azama's right now. It tastes rather sweet, thanks to the Pocky they've consumed, and the two of them linger for a second too long before Forsyth jerks his head backward.

"Y-you...!" His heart is racing, from fury and the adrenaline of the challenge. He wipes his mouth with his sleeve, scrubbing extra, but he can't quite get rid of the taste. Which is the biscuit, not Azama, so it should be okay that it feels pleasant on his tongue. "I told you! I wouldn't back down!"

Turning and running in an undignified fashion in the direction of the nearest source of water doesn't count. It doesn't! He can't bear to hear that infuriating laugh any longer, is all.

#[ ic ]#[ ask meme ]#carefreemonk #//WHAT DO YOU FUCKING MEAN I GOT THE SAME NUMBER TWICE IN A ROW WHICH WAS THE ONLY WAY I WAS WRITING FORSYTH ACTUALLY MEETING IN THE MIDDLE #//LIKE WHOLE HOG ACCIDENTAL KISS. CRYING #//unless u would not like for this to happen but. lord #//also this was asked last year but dont even worry about it

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seelestars · 1 year ago

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christmas with neuvillette ! (+ fontaine characters making appearances)

this is just a small drabble of my pure brainrot so if it sucks.. um!

neuvillette was quite skeptical at first when you introduced him to this holiday humans celebrated called.. christmas. he has trouble understanding the purpose between certain celebrations, but tries his best to engage in the celebrations just for you. you were hosting a christmas party, making sure to invite many of your fontanian acquaintances. neuvillette helped you set it up like the gentleman he was, despite your protests of “I can do it myself just fine!”

you were currently decorating the tree, struggling a little with putting the star on top. suddenly, neuvillette came up from behind you, your bodies close enough to touch as he kindly helped you place the star on the tip of the tree. the proximity left you flustered, while neuvillette was confused on why you were so red. it was as if he had no idea about how close he just was to you, his expression nonchalant as he asked if you were alright with a look of concern.

“look neuvillette! it’s a mistletoe, you know what that means~” you giggle, pointing at a mistletoe you totally didn’t purposefully set up earlier. you knew he was absolute clueless as to what you were hinting at from the way his eyebrows furrowed slightly. “I in fact do not know what you may be implying, an explanation would be appreciated.” he assumed it was another mischievous trick of yours until you gladly explained to him the meaning behind a mistletoe. you found it endearing the way his cheeks immediately tinted pink at your explanation as well as the tips of his ears. before he could mull it over any further, you pulled him in for an affectionate kiss; one that he reciprocated with some shyness. (sigewinne was taking photos of you two kissing, causing her to be scolded gently by wriothesley… seeing you two kiss, an excited navia got the idea of doing the same thing with a reluctant clorinde)

lastly, everyone was receiving their secret santa gifts. lyney received a shirt saying lynette is better than me from lynette, causing the two of them to start playfully bantering. freminet received a stuffed penguin from lyney, a grateful yet bashful smile on his lips. (“now pers will have a friend!” it was quite hard for lyney to refrain from teasing freminet about penguin town, and freminet knew that too as he put on his helmet to shut lyney out.) wriothesley received an assortment of tea blends from sigewinne, he was happy until.. he found out she had made the blends herself. it was hard to keep track of the gifts everyone was giving and receiving amidst the conversations the gifts had started, though their reactions were all priceless. but then, it was time for neuvillette to open his. somehow, you had gotten him while choosing someone random; though you weren’t complaining. you knew about his love for tasting water, so you decided on getting him water from natlan. it was entertaining (for everyone) for you to watch him taste the water in front of you all. most of you couldn’t tell the difference between water from different nations, so it was amusing witnessing him to into detail about its exquisite taste. what you didn’t expect though, was for neuvillette to be the one giving you a gift. he had gotten you a ring, deciding to propose at such a moment. it was sudden, shocking everyone attending the party as he got on one knee and proposed. you would consider today to be one of the best days of your life, but being able to tackle him to the floor while crying “yes!” with tears of happiness rolling down your cheeks certainly made it even better.

had so many ideas for secret santa but had to stop myself from dumping a whole essay for it

#✷ . nova’s brainrot !#genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #neuvillette x reader

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xxrainshadowsxx · 4 months ago

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New Elite Chapter 12

God, I'm sorry this took forever. In my defense, this was by far the hardest chapter to write. The language of the time period coupled with smut was a CHALLENGE. But yeah, smut ahead.

Nellie takes you inside, knowing her way around from the few times she’d been here to help prepare for your arrival. You barely have any time to take in the expansive interior of the dark house before Nellie shows you into a room, getting lights on for you and having you sit at a large vanity.

As Nellie prepares, you look around the room that now belonged to you. There was a bed taking up most of the space, and it was outfitted with extra blankets for the winter. A closet there was also, stuffed to the brim with clothes, most of them unfamiliar. There were a couple new jewelry boxes on the vanity, but what surprised you most of all was a small bookshelf containing all of your favorites. He’d even procured a copy of Shakespeare’s entire works for you.

“How did he know what I like?” you ask as Nellie drifts back over to you, the lights now bathing the room in a warm yellow glow. “The books, I mean. I’m shocked he went to the trouble of getting all these.”

“He asked me,” Nellie responds mildly as she looks around for a brush. “When he was first bringing me to work from your mother’s, he asked me a lot of things about you. I daresay you’ll find your closet full of styles and colors you prefer, and that he’ll have his cook prepare plenty of your favorite foods.”

You blink a few times. You certainly never expected him to go to the lengths of discussing those things with Nellie to make a more comfortable environment for you. Even Mrs. Ryan had not done that, though you supposed that stay was always meant to be temporary.

But even those small comforts, lovely as they are, can’t cure the anxiety that the night still brings. You suspect Nellie senses this, for she gently turns your attention away from everything and back to the vanity. “Let’s get all of this out of your hair,” she murmurs as she starts carefully removing pins.

There’s no hope of getting the curls out of your hair without another bath, which you definitely do not have time for. Therefore, all Nellie does is brush them out slightly, arranging them in a less messy order. You liked having your hair down, though it did seem a little unusual now. Nellie also helps you out of your bridal gown and into a luxurious white robe your new husband had provided for you.

“What am I supposed to do afterwards? Am I supposed to come back here?” you ask as Nellie drips a tiny bit more perfume on your wrists.

“I’m sure he’ll let you know. He won’t let you get lost,” she says as soothingly as she can, right as there’s a knock on the door. You blanche, but Nellie’s already standing to answer it.

She barely cracks the door so you don’t see the speaker, but you do hear an unfamiliar male voice. “My master is requesting the presence of his wife.”

“Tell him I shall bring her posthaste. She’s just finishing getting ready,” Nellie answers in a low voice before closing the door and turning back to you. “You know I can’t stall any longer,” she apologizes. “But don’t fret much. He’ll be gentle with you, you know that.”

“I know,” you sigh, running your fingers through your hair once. “I’ve just been taught my whole life to fear this. That won’t go away, no matter what assurances he or anyone else gives me. But give me the tincture, will you?”

Nellie takes the fertility tincture and puts a couple drops under your tongue, then you take a sip of water to wash the bitter taste out. Now you truly can’t put this off. “You’ll be fine,” Nellie insists before she creaks the door open again, waiting for you out in the hall. You allow yourself one deep breath before following her.

The mysterious man is gone, and you encounter no one as you follow Nellie down the hall. You’re surprised that his own bedroom isn’t far from yours; you’d assume he’d want a bit more privacy. But Nellie points out the correct door herself, and based on the small bit of light you see escaping from the bottom, you’re sure it’s the right one.

She gives you a brief hug before disappearing into the darkness. You watch her go, then lift your hand to rap your knuckles against the wood.

Almost instantly, he opens the door for you, smiling slightly before stepping aside to let you through. You walk in rubbing your arms, feeling decidedly self-conscious. “You look lovely,” he starts, capturing one of your curls in between his fingers. “You should wear your hair down more often. It suits you.”

“It’s not considered proper for a woman to wear her hair down in public, especially a married one,” you state baldly, giving him the bog standard answer that had been drilled into you since birth.

“Well, I’m not going to force those rules on you in the house,” he says in that same soft voice. “You can dress and wear your hair how you like when it’s just the two of us.” You refrain from saying anything. You didn’t think he meant to come off like this, but his talk of what he “allowed” you to do sounded a lot like he was making you his property. You wouldn’t say anything about it this time, but you didn’t like it.

He plays with your curl for a moment more before letting it fall. “Look,” he says with a heavy sigh. “I’m not blind. I can tell you’re scared. We… don’t have to do this if you don’t want. I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”

You look up at him in near disbelief. Now that you were married, it was his right to get what he wanted from you, whenever he liked. You’d always been told you’d have no say in it, and that it was your duty as a wife to always be available to him. But here he was, offering you an out, and you believed him to be perfectly sincere.

And even more surprisingly, you didn’t want to take it.

“I think the longer we put this off, the more nervous I’ll become,” you try to explain. “I don’t want to do that. And I’m not scared because it’s you. Nervous, yes, I think I’d feel that with anyone… but out of everyone, I’m glad it’s you.”

He takes one step closer to you. “So, just to be clear, I have permission to do this?” he double-checks.

“Yes,” you breathe.

He closes the rest of the distance between the two of you in two long strides and puts one of his hands on the side of your face. He pauses to look you in the eyes, like he can’t believe this is happening, before his other hand goes behind your neck and he pulls you into a kiss.

Inadvertently, a sigh escapes the back of your throat. Unlike at your wedding, this kiss is a bit faster, almost primal. Yet it still fills you with the same butterflies, the same yearning for more. Your hands come to rest on his chest, and you do your best to kiss him back despite your inexperience.

“Dear God,” he growls against your mouth before threading his hand into your hair, pulling you closer. He opens his mouth slightly and you feel his tongue glide across your lower lip. You gasp, and he slips his tongue into your mouth, and a sound you’ve never heard yourself make before is wrenched from your throat. In all the stories you’ve heard about wedding nights, from Mrs. Ryan gently giving you a reminder the week prior, to the flippant remarks by Alice’s mother scattered throughout your youth, to your mother’s constant lessons about a wife’s duty, none of them had mentioned that it would feel so good.

Eventually, you have to pull away. “Can’t breathe,” you manage to get out since he’s giving you a quizzical look. In response, he instead moves his lips to your neck, gently kissing along the skin he finds and works his way to your clavicle. Your knees nearly give out when he does this, and a sound that you can only describe as a moan is wrenched from your throat.

After a moment, his mouth comes back up, capturing your lips again. You do your best to move your lips along with his as your arms snake around his neck. You’re not sure exactly what to do with them, but having them around him just feels right, especially since he seems to be pulling you even closer. You just don’t want to be doing the wrong thing and disappoint him, especially not with how unbelievably good he’s made you feel so far.

Without warning, while he’s still kissing you, he hooks his arms around your thighs and picks you up, securing your legs around his waist for more stability. You squeak slightly in surprise, but don’t care to break the kiss with him.

He’s the one to pull away from you a moment later as he deposits you on his bed. You desperately try to reorient yourself from how lightheaded he’s made you feel, but he isn’t doing anything to help matters. Instead, he’s unbuttoning his white shirt with impatient fingers before veritably ripping the thing off, leaving you even more disoriented.

You’d never before in your life seen a man without his shirt on. And though you had nothing to compare it to, you couldn’t say at all you were disappointed in what you saw. His torso was much harder than your soft, feminine form. And while he wasn’t quite as well-defined as an ancient Greek or Roman statue, you found his natural look even more mesmerizing.

He pauses with undressing himself once his shirt is off to extinguish a few of the lamps in the room, leaving only one on in the end. Though the room is significantly darkened, you could still see him well enough, which you liked. Satisfied, he joins you on the bed and crawls on top of you to kiss you again.

It’s almost too much to have him this close while he’s wearing so little. Without meaning to, your hands come to rest on his chest again, very much of their own accord. He hisses and shoves himself away from you, making you wince.

“I’m sorry!” you squeak instantly. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what I’m doing, I didn’t mean to mess up–”

“You’re not,” he cuts you off in a voice that sounds oddly strangled. “God, sweetheart, trust me, you’re not doing anything wrong. I’m just trying to take my time, alright? I want you to enjoy this too, but if you keep doing what you’re doing, I’m not going to have a lot of self-control left.”

His words confuse more than reassure you. It sounded like he both wanted you to stop and keep going at the same time, and you weren’t sure which he wanted more. And he wanted you to enjoy it? By all accounts you’d heard, this was going to hurt, not be enjoyable.

Although you couldn’t deny that you had liked it so far. The physical sensations were almost too much, but they were definitely good.

“So… what exactly do you want me to do?” you ask demurely. You wanted complete clarification before proceeding. You’d heard the old adage that it was better to ask forgiveness rather than permission, but in this circumstance, you didn’t think that rule applied.

“You can keep doing what you’re doing, just take it easy when it comes to touching me?” he requests. “It’s not that I dislike it, it’s just that… well… maybe it’s best to let me take the lead tonight?” You nod in assent, resolving to try and keep your hands under control, no matter how curious you were to explore him.

He leans over you to kiss you again, and this time, you rest your hands lightly on either side of his face. He seems to be okay with this–he doesn’t stop you in any case–and you’re slowly starting to feel more comfortable again when you feel him try and tug at the tie holding your robe closed.

You inhale sharply, causing him to immediately pull back. “We can stop,” he mutters, still sounding oddly strangled. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to, I promise.”

“Why are you so determined to stop?” you ask, suddenly feeling quite as humiliated when he nearly kissed you in the hall of Mrs. Ryan’s house before backing out at the last second. “I feel like it’s you who doesn’t want me.”

“Darling, nothing could be further from the truth,” he insists. “I want you very badly, believe me, but I also know this is entirely new for you. I don’t want to scare you or make you uncomfortable.”

You look him dead in the eyes, finding no hint of a lie. Slowly and very deliberately, you reach down to the tie of your robe and pull it undone in one motion. Still looking at him, you shrug the garment off your shoulders, still mostly covered, but the invitation is there. “I want this, and I want it to be you,” you repeat in a whisper.

He gives you a look that you can’t quite identify before leaning down to place a tender kiss to your lips. “If you’re sure,” he murmurs before pushing the robe further down your arms, helping you remove the limbs entirely. You hadn’t bothered with a chemise, so all of the sudden, you were bare before him.

He pulls back from you again and just looks at you, his expression akin to if he had just been struck over the head. “Lord, have mercy,” he groans, almost to himself before one of his hands trails from your side up to your breast, drawing a long whine out of you, one that you barely recognize as your own voice.

“Does that feel good?” he whispers. You can only nod desperately, words completely lost to you. Emboldened, he covers your breast with his palm, kneading gently. Something you don’t have a name for is pooling in you, coming to settle in between your legs. It was mortifying, and you’d never admit it out loud, but you wanted him to touch you there next.

He can’t read your mind, so of course he doesn’t listen to your unspoken plea. Instead, he trails his lips down to your neck, leaving small kisses along the way until he reaches your collarbone. Then, without any warning, he takes your skin between his teeth and begins to suck.

“Oh, God!” you cry out arching your back so your body is pressed further into his. The sensations he’s giving to you are some that you’ve never experienced before, and you had no idea anything could ever feel this good. His mouth moved over you expertly, though you didn’t want to acknowledge the likely reason he was so good at this. You push those intrusive thoughts away; all you wanted to focus on right now was your husband and how deliciously he was working you up.

He releases your skin with a wet pop, and you look down and and just catch the edge of what looks like a dark purple mark in the line of your vision. You don’t have long to dwell on it though; his mouth has moved again, and now his lips have wrapped themselves around your nipple.

“God… f–” you start but just barely stop yourself from cursing. You’d never felt any inclination to do so before, but his ministrations were taking your manners and throwing them to the wayside.

He releases you after a moment, a brazen smile on his face; clearly, he believes himself to be doing an exemplary job. He was, but you didn’t want to admit that to his face. So before he can say anything, you pull him back down to you for another searing kiss.

You can tell you’ve surprised him, but he recovers quickly and kisses you back enthusiastically. As he’s doing so, perhaps to get you back for catching him off guard, he gets his still-clothed leg in between yours and his thigh creates a gentle, yet steady and unyielding pressure against your core.

At this point, you let out a mewl so loud it can probably be heard by the whole house. You’ll most likely be ashamed of that tomorrow, but at the moment you couldn’t find the capacity to care. All you wanted was for him to relieve the building pressure in your core.

He pulls away a moment later, and his weight leaves you entirely as he gets off the bed and tears off the remainder of his clothes with impatience. And as much as it makes your face flame red, you can’t help but look.

Your first thought was panic. Seeing his erection, all you can think is that there’s no chance that it’s going to fit inside you. You didn’t see how anything at all would fit, but certainly not something that big. You suddenly understood why everyone had warned you it was going to hurt, because that would undoubtedly cause pain if he tried to put it anywhere inside you.

Thankfully, the moment doesn’t seem to be upon you quite yet, for when he gets back on top of you, it’s just to kiss you again. That doesn’t last long, however; his erection pokes your thigh, and while that doesn’t hurt, it’s much more firm than you had anticipated.

“Sorry,” he winces. “I’m trying to make sure you’re ready for it, but I realize it gets in the way, and that you’re not exactly used to this.”

“Does it hurt?” you blurt out before you can stop yourself. You don’t see how it couldn’t hurt, being swollen like that.

“No, it doesn’t,” he says with a small chuckle. “However, I’m more concerned with not hurting you, so, with your permission, can I get you ready?” You have no idea what he means by that, but with how incredible he’d already made you feel tonight, you were eager to experience more of that. Moreover, you trusted him. So you do your best to relax into the mattress and nod for him to continue.

He kisses you once before balancing his weight on his calves as he sits up. Watching you closely to gauge your reaction, he reaches down and swipes a single finger through your center.

“Oh, God!” you cry out, tossing your head back. All of the sensations so far had been nothing, nothing, compared to this. This was heavenly, and you wanted nothing more than for him to continue plucking you like a harp.

He swears under his breath when his finger makes contact. “Damn, darling, you’re so wet,” he purrs. While that should have been mortifying beyond belief, the way he says it makes you swell with pride, like you’re finally getting something right.

He continues to move his fingers around your folds, paying particular attention to your sighs to let him know when he finds a sweet spot. When he makes contact with one little bud near the center, you feel like you’re going to combust after only a few seconds of him massaging it.

You’re doing your best to keep from outright screaming, but your frequent moans and sighs seem to spur him on, and he often responds to your sounds by cursing in a low tone. He looks up at you, and you’re quite sure your face is red and not at all attractive, but he mutters “So beautiful,” before slowly sinking one finger into you.

You’re expecting pain. You tense, preparing yourself for it, but it never comes. You can definitely feel that there’s something there, but it doesn’t hurt in the slightest. “Is this okay?” he murmurs, to which you can only nod. “Tell me if anything feels uncomfortable,” he instructs before he slowly starts moving his finger in and out of you, building up at a deliciously, tantalizingly glacial pace. It’s heavenly.

You feel a bit more pressure than before, but it still doesn’t hurt, and it would take an act of the divine for you to want to stop now, so you let him keep going. Without you even realizing it, your hips start to rock against his hand, matching his movements with your own.

Then he brings his hand up to massage that little bud he’d found earlier, and for the second time that night, you only just manage to bite back a curse.

“It’s alright darling,” he whispers, his breath hot on your ear. “Let it out for me.”

You’re not quite sure what “it” is, but by God, “it” does exactly as he says. You curl up, letting out a near scream, clawing at his back, desperate for something to hold onto. Whatever happened was almost too much to comprehend, and indeed, the sheer euphoria of it all but shuts your brain completely down for a couple minutes as you attempt to recover.

You don’t notice him removing his fingers from you, but he must have at some point or another; he’s sitting on his thighs, hands at his sides. He waits patiently for your breathing to return to normal, with just a hint of a smug aura about him.

Calming down takes several minutes, and after he deems you’ve finally returned from whatever high he’d taken you to, he asks, “Do you want to keep going?” You nod, words still not something you’re capable of. You don’t care if it hurts now, you’d do just about anything to feel that high once more.

He positions himself on top of you, most of his weight on his arms, but you can still feel his chest pressed against yours. “Tell me if it hurts. I’ll go slow, I promise,” he reiterates before gingerly inserting himself into you, making you gasp as you anticipate pain that never makes an appearance.

There’s certainly more pressure than before, and it’s growing as he pushes more of himself into you, but it’s nothing that could even remotely be considered painful. You relax the muscles in your face as you get used to the intrusion, and after a moment he starts to pull back, slowly starting to create a steady rhythm of in and out.

It's like nothing you've ever experienced before. Even his hand a moment ago hadn't created sensations like this. Your breathing gets heavy again, and even he's starting to make noises as he buries his head in your neck. His hips start moving faster, and subconsciously, almost by instinct, your legs come up to wrap around his waist, while your own hips rise to meet his.

You feel that same crest start to rise in you again, even more intense than it was last time. Your nails dig into the skin of his back, but he either doesn't notice or doesn't care. Instead, he just speeds up his movements, letting out a string of expletives into your neck now.

His faster motions only serve to help bring you to the top of that crest faster, and within minutes he sends you over with a long, high-pitched something coming out of your mouth as each of your limbs presses his body even closer to yours. He initially doesn't slow down, prolonging the feeling for you for a few moments before he goes limp, panting heavily.

For a while, it seems all either of you can do is stay still, focusing on catching your breath. He's the first one to move, and he does nothing more than roll off of you, leaving you feeling strangely empty and with some sort of sticky residue in between your legs.

You're suddenly very self-conscious of the fact that you're wearing nothing, but you don't have the strength to sit up and look for a blanket. Instead, your hand blindly searches for one until he throws a sheet over you. “That's what you were looking for, right? Don't know why you want the blasted thing but…” he trails off as he needs to catch his breath again, eyes still closed.

You give him a few moments before daring to use your own voice. “Was that… I mean, were you… satisfied?” You'd been told that men would finish and spill themselves inside a woman, but you were far too embarrassed to actually say those words aloud.

He lets out a short, barking laugh. “Don't worry yourself on that front. I am well beyond satisfied.” You let out an inaudible sigh of relief. At least you weren't a total failure in this particular aspect of being a wife.

You're also acutely aware of the fact that, now that he's spent, you were to redress yourself and make your way back to your own room, though you had no idea how to do that without Nellie to guide you. But before you can even get out of the bed to put your robe back on, he rolls over, throwing an arm around your waist. “Stay?” he asks simply. His tone makes it clear that this is a request, not a demand. As always with him, you could decline if you so chose.

“Okay,” you whisper instead, to which he smiles sleepily at you. He moves only to turn off the remaining light before he's back in the bed, holding you close.

You expect it to take a while to fall asleep, what with the unfamiliar bed, as well as a whole other person there with you. But you're so worn out that sleep comes quickly and you sink into it, comforted by your husband's arms around you.

#fanfiction #onceler fanfiction #the onceler #onceler x reader #the lorax #also on ao3 #onceler

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snakes-and-fluff · 1 year ago

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Project Voltage Mikus ranked by my personal taste from most to least favourite:

-Ghost. Glitchy ghost Miku. GLITCHY GHOST MIKU!! When I saw this one I gasped, it's so so good That fact that her tie is a little glowing ghost-wisp? The muted and simplistic colour palette? The "01" badge being a wisp floating next to her arm? I cannot stop screaming about it. It's. Perfect.

-Ground. Honestly it doesn't really look like Miku but I don't care it's a baller design and I love it, it was made to appeal directly to me with the adventuring themes and the tattered cloak. Her hair does remind me of thorns more than ground tbh but she still deserves her spot here

-Fighting. Of course she's paired with Sirfetch'd for the leek! I had no idea what direction Fighting-type was gonna be and while I am a little sad we don't get ripped Miku I can't deny that this design is great! The dark brown accents really help make the rest of the outfit pop and her hair is leeks you can't get much more on-brand for Miku than this

-Dragon. The mini-cloak worn over one shoulder, the claw hairclips, the sword that doubles as a mic?? Fantastic. I also think this is the design that fits her partner Pokémon best - she really does embody Miraidon

-Fire. This one is fun! Her hair is insane and I'm not entirely sure what's going on with those leggings (are those just patches of bare skin? how would you even wear those), but I love her eyes and her jacket. This is the one I want most as a module in a Project Diva game

-Psychic. I love it so much, she's so cute! It's a pretty understated design but I feel like it really works, ya know?

-Ice. I really, really like this one... mostly. The bright green gloves take a bit of the appeal away imo - on her eyes and earrings and tiny dots throughout her outfit the green accent colour is fine but the gloves take up too much space to be fully green. Her ice-heels are incredible though, no notes

-Steel. I don't what I expected for Steel-type, but it certainly wasn't a samurai! A pokéflute being worn as a sword?? Inspired. Her hat looks like it can double as a cymbal in case she needs to make some impromptu music

-Bug. Tiny little Miku! The bangs over her front resembling antennae and the multiple wing motifs on her outfit are next-level adorable. She fits in the palm of my hand

-Dark. I love her umbrella-mic, 20/10 that's the best accessory of the lot easily. And I like the rest of the outfit , but I don't like what they did with the pigtails - I understand that one's crescent-moon shaped but the fact that they are so wildly different in length and volume is really throwing me off

-Flying. This is the epitome of a Flying-type trainer's design. She's soft and flowy and looks like she belongs in the clouds. I don't know what's up with that single dark blue glove though

-Normal. The vibes are impeccable; she's just having a chill time. I really like all the colours that are going on and can rest easy knowing that this Miku definitely smokes weed

-Fairy. This one is very, very close to overtaking Normal but the face keeps throwing me off. Her skirt is very cute and I love her puffy socks. I get what they were trying to do with the hair but it just looks like she got strawberry bubblegum stuck in there

-Water. I like that the pigtails join together at the end - absolutely insane design, 10/10 - but it just. Doesn't look like Miku. I can certainly believe this as a water trainer design in one of the games tho

-Electric. You just took a regular electric trainer, gave her pigtails and called her Miku. It's an okay design overall, even if I feel like it's more on the bland side

-Grass. I flip-flop on this one, but my feelings are generally neutral. It doesn't really look like Miku imo but it does kinda look like Miku's cousin so I'll let it slide

-Rock. For one thing, I keep looking at that design and thinking it's ice. And I'm just not a huge fan of the flowy bridal-dress look (I know there's an alternate version and I do prefer that one... but only slightly, so it stays here)

-Poison. The epitome of overdesigned. Also why did you choose mustard yellow accents? On the goggles and gasmask it looks okay but in the hair?? Awful.

DISCLAIMER: this was in progress as the designs were being revealed and after I've had to chance to let my feelings on them digest for a while my opinions might change but this is how I feel about them all currently. Overall, pretty great!

And in case you have no idea what I'm talking about: https://www.serebii.net/music/projectvoltage/

#vocaloid #hatsune miku #miku hatsune #project voltage #pokemon

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odyssean-flower · 9 months ago

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the winding path of fate ch 10 (scrapped version)

the chapter is coming along nicely. this is the scrapped version of the first half. the final version will be something like this. constructive criticism is welcome

“Madame, are you feeling alright? Please let me know if we need to stop the boat somewhere for a short rest.”

“I assure you, I’m fine. I stopped feeling nauseous a long time ago. The boat has been moving very smoothly so far.”

Despite your repeated assurances, Neuvillette still looked slightly doubtful. He was probably going to ask this question again later.

The rowboat had been fine, but queasiness took hold of you once you got onto this boat. It was probably because you just had lunch. Luckily, the boat wasn’t going too fast. You suspected that it was on purpose.

You glanced up at Neuvillette. Like the rowboat at the tree, this boat was smoothly cutting through the water of its own accord. You didn’t hear the sound of the motor, nor was there anyone at the wheel.

Leaning back against the cushions of the seat that Neuvillette made you sit on after you first mentioned your dizziness, you closed your eyes. The warm sunlight felt like a comforting blanket, and the refreshing sea breeze stroked the hair at your nape like gentle fingers. The boat’s steady rocking was soothing, almost hypnotic. Ah, this is heaven. I’ve been missing out.

The seat next to you sank down with Neuvillette’s weight. “Did you enjoy our time at Erinnyes?”

“Oh, I did!” you turned to him with a broad smile. Perhaps it was just a trick of the light, but you thought his eyes widened slightly. “It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to. It’s so…so mystical. I wish we could have stayed longer.”

Neuvillette let out a little chuckle. He put his hand to his mouth, as though to hide his expression. “I’m very glad to hear that. I hope the vishap didn’t spoil your mood.”

“Not at all,” you shook your head. “I was a little scared at first, sure, but she was actually very gentle. I did assume there would be more vishaps around, though.”

“Most of them live underwater to hide from the sunlight and humans. I considered summoning them aboveground to introduce you to them, but I didn’t want to overwhelm you.”

The thought of those large vishaps dwelling beneath the ground was somewhat disconcerting, but thrilling at the same time. Erinnyes was supposed to have a complicated network of underground caverns. You supposed they lived there.

Another thought occurred to you just then. “You can speak their language,” you turned to him. “Are you related to them in some way? Like…their overseer or something?”

“Overseer…? Interesting choice of words,” Neuvillette stroked his chin, thinking your question over. “I would not call myself that, but I do watch over them, and they depend on me.”

Neuvillette cleared his throat. That was when you realized that you had been staring into his eyes for far too long. Hastily, you looked away, your gaze landing on the sparkling water.

“Well, those wild creatures, as you called them, are also citizens of Fontaine, so they are under my purview in that sense. And also, the role of Chief Justice isn’t the only role I play.”

You didn’t quite understand what he was talking about, and he didn’t seem to have any intention of elaborating. For a while, the two of you watched the neighboring shoreline move past you.

“What a great view of the city,” you said. “I’d love to take some pictures of it.”

“Why don’t you, then?”

“I’m afraid I’ll run out of film since I took so many pictures back at Erinnyes, so I want to save it for Merusea Village.”

“There’s no need to worry about that. I’ve brought several rolls of film with me,” Neuvillette patted his pocket.

“Oh, really! Don’t mind if I do, then.”

You went to the cabin to get the Kamera, then proceeded to take pictures of the city from several angles. It certainly looked imposing, with its tall ramparts and the lofty Mont Esus looming in the background, but it was simply too gaudy and new-looking for your liking. You found yourself focusing on the sunken ramparts poking out from beneath the water instead. Are those from the last flood period? I wonder what used to be there…?

“You stopped taking pictures all of a sudden,” At some point, Neuvillette had come up next to you, sipping from his cup. “Is something the matter?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” you said quickly. He’s standing kind of close, isn’t he? His sleeve was brushing against yours. “I just got a little lost in my thoughts.”

“Oh? What sort of thoughts?” Neuvillette leaned in closer. Strands of his hair brushed the top of your shoulder. You could smell his cologne. It smelled good, although you couldn’t identify the scent. Maybe I should start wearing perfume…?

“Uh…I-I was thinking about architecture,” you gave a vague answer. He really was standing too close, wasn’t he? Perhaps you should move away a little after all.

It wasn’t that you were uncomfortable with being in close quarters with a man or anything. He was your husband, after all, so you should probably get used to it. It was simply that you were still coming to grips with the fact that you were on this little boat in the middle of the sea with the Chief Justice (who really did look quite resplendent. You should ask to take a picture of him. As a souvenir of this day, of course), and you couldn’t forget how different and warm and comforting it felt to be in his arms. That was all.

“You’re interested in architecture, Madame? Indeed, the Court of Fontaine is awe-inspiring when seen from the water. I’ve heard many people liken it to a fortified castle. What caught your eye?”

“Nothing in particular,” you said. “I was just thinking about how, um, modern it looks.”

“You don’t sound very impressed,” Neuvillette sounded amused.

“I wouldn’t say that…” you said, struggling to figure out how to bring this topic to an end. “I simply have different aesthetic preferences

You felt Neuvillette’s heavy, questioning gaze upon you, but didn’t turn to meet it.

The shadow of the aquabus rail passed over you, marking the halfway point of your journey.

You offered to give the Kamera to Neuvillette so he could take pictures as well, but he declined, stating that he brought it for your sake and that you should take pictures to your heart’s content.

With Elynas gradually coming closer and closer, the skies seemed to darken as well. Elynas was reputed to be dangerous, so in that sense, you supposed that it was appropriate lighting for the setting. Rain wasn’t in the weather forecast today, but as you were quickly learning, the weather worked on its own terms.

Glistening colors in the water caught your eye. A school of fish was swimming past the boat. You managed to get some good pictures. Here, the water was exceptionally clear, enough that you could see all the way to the white sandy bottom.

In between shots of brightly colored sea plants and what looked like old sunken buildings (you hoped), you looked up at the sky. The clouds were gray and heavy-looking. Would it really rain? Hopefully, you would be in Merusea Village before that happened.

“Worried about the weather?” Neuvillette asked, his eyes fixed on the sea ahead. You remembered a story that Muirne, a Melusine who worked at the Palais Mermonia, told you about Neuvillette staring out at sea and causing a crowd of people to wonder if there was something going on out there. Looking at him now, you could understand how that happened. There was a magnetic intensity in his gaze that drew you to him. You had never seen that expression for yourself, though. Perhaps it was reserved for the sea.

There were many things you didn’t know about him, even though you lived with him for months now. The thought gave you a strange restlessness.

“A little bit. Do you think it will clear up?” Neuvillette always seemed to be more intuned with the weather than regular people.

“Hmm…” Neuvillette closed his eyes for a moment. “Perhaps, or perhaps not. It remains to be seen.”

You frowned. His tone retained his usual smoothness, but there was something else in it that you couldn’t quite put your finger on. It was vaguely familiar.

“How annoying,” you remarked. “I’ve always hated it when the sky can’t make up its mind as to whether or not it will rain. It should just stay clear if it can’t decide.”

Neuvillette chuckled. You looked at him questioningly. “…My apologies,” he said. “I wasn’t making fun of you. I simply…found your response to be very much you.”

“Huh?” you tilted your head to the side. Neuvillette was smiling, and his eyes glittered. He was in an exceedingly good mood for some reason. You didn’t grasp the reason, but as long as he was happy…

You asked to take a few pictures of him, and was somewhat surprised when he agreed easily. You were under the impression that he didn’t like being photographed, considering the scarcity of his photos in the papers and his avoidance of being in public.

“Should I pose or, ah, smile?” he asked, fiddling with his fingers. Maybe he was like you, uncomfortable with being photographed.

As you aimed the lens at Neuvillette and looked at him through the viewfinder, it struck you then that from an outsider’s point of view, you looked like a real couple, on a real date.

Embarrassingly, the thought made your heart flutter.

The boys back in your hometown had never interested you (not that your mother would have approved of you getting with anyone who wasn’t wealthy), and the less said about your experiences after debuting, the better.

So, this was truly your first, real, actual date.

Except it wasn’t, really. It was a sham, all for show. It was like a play, almost, performed for an invisible audience. A farce for no one except the two of you (and the Hydro Archon).

But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re happy right now, a voice whispered in your mind. How long had it been since your heart felt so light?

You weren’t sure if that made you more pathetic or not.

After you were done, Neuvillette said, “I do hope the pictures will turn out well.”

“I’m sure they will,” you said, putting the Kamera back down and flopping back down onto the bench. “There is no finer pairing than a handsome man and beautiful scenery.”

Neuvillette made a choked noise. He blinked rapidly and shook his head, like he couldn’t believe what he just heard. “Pardon me?”

Just as you opened your mouth to speak, Neuvillette beat you to the punch.

“You…consider me handsome?”

Now it was your turn to stare at him. “Of course I do?”

“I-I see,” Neuvillette said in a low voice. He seemed awfully caught off guard by your words. That was strange. Surely he was used to receiving compliments on his looks? The papers always made sure to describe his looks in loving detail whenever he made a rare public appearance, and it was well known that he had a legion of fangirls, some of whom had even been sent to the Fortress of Meropide for their extreme behavior.

“I mean, I consider you handsome in the same way that most Fontainians do. I don’t mean anything untoward, sir. Did you find what I said offensive?”

“Surprised? Why?”

“I see,” you nodded. “I am sorry if I caused any offence by never saying anything.”

“Yes, really,” he nodded. “I only put up with such standards because of the demands of my position.”

Easy for someone as stunning as him to say, you thought, but felt no bitterness. Maybe it was because he sounded truly sincere.

Perhaps it was that sincerity that spurred you on to say what you said next.

Neuvillette, who had been looking at you with an unreadable expression on his face during this whole ordeal, remained as expressionless as ever. His cheek seemed to twitch a little, and his lips were pressed together tightly.

“I’m sure that you received far more flattering remarks,” you said, looking at your feet. You felt your cheeks beginning to burn. “But I do mean what I said.”

A nearby seabird’s cry made you turn. Elynas was right before your eyes. Just a little stretch of water between the boat and the island.

You heard a rustle of clothing near you. Neuvillette had taken his cup out again and was sipping from it. He seemed to gripping the stem rather tightly, though it was hard to tell because of his gloves. When he noticed your gaze, he lowered his cup.

He then took your hand in his and raised it to his mouth. Before your astonished eyes, he pressed lips against the back of your hand. The kiss was feather-light; you barely felt it.

“Perhaps I have received more eloquent compliments,” he said, his voice low. Lower than you had ever heard it. “But for some inexplicable reason, I cannot seem to recall them right now.”

There wasn’t a cloud in sight in the skies above your head.

#the winding path of fate #neuvillette x reader #neuvillette x female reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #my works #pulling my hair out over this chapter fr

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