#(writing a fic i chose to write for fun)

[stellewriites]

PART ONE

summary: by chance you and your emotionally unavailable husband meet a friendly couple that invite you stay at their farmhouse in scotland. however the time spent there with johnny & kyle has you questioning if there's a dark side to them you didn't see before.

a speak no evil au - masterlist

notes: manipulative johnny & kyle, piv, noncon, somno, never explicitly acknowledged abusive relationship between reader and her husband (financial, physical, emotional, coercive control), drinking, murder, it's dead dove horror people!! heed the warnings

you picked at the buttery croissant on the plate in front of you, trying your best to block out the sound of your husband’s voice as it grew more frustrated by the minute. you pitied the poor soul he was berating on the other end of the line, but you couldn’t bring yourself to feel bad enough to try and stop him, to turn his ire against you instead.

he wouldn’t listen to you anyway, hadn’t the first few times you’d asked when you’d first arrived on your honeymoon.

you scoffed quietly and shoved a bite into your mouth, chewing obstinately. two years late, but sure. your honeymoon.

elliot sighed heavily, and threw his phone down onto the table, rattling your coffee and gaining the attention of nearby hotel staff. “i work with fucking idiots, christ. how hard is it to follow instructions?”

“it’s why they keep you around, smartest one on your team,” you said appeasingly, the same rote answer you always gave him when he got in his moods.

“smartest one at the whole fucking firm more like,” he scoffed. you cringed at the scornful looks sent your way from the other couples on the retreat. “useless. the lot of them.”

the french riviera had been a dream destination for you for years, one elliot had known about from early in your dating days. the holiday he’d booked was all inclusive; tailored to honeymooners specifically with romantic activities on and off site and transport easily accessible in order to explore the area.

you felt as though you should’ve been having the time of your life as you sat eating breakfast looking over the beautiful beach view, but you’d never felt emptier. the sight of happy couples around you day after day had only highlighted your husband’s distance.

elliot had promised this trip would change things for you both, for your relationship, but the last six days had proven the opposite. if he wasn’t busy and distracted on his phone, elliot was complaining about the quality of the food, the amenities, even the bloody people.

it was too much and just the morning before you’d been tempted to ask him to cut the fortnight away short when he’d gotten an urgent email and then a frantic call from his boss.

you’d sighed in relief when he’d left you to wander the local area by yourself for the day; happy to escape his negativity for an hour even as you felt guilty for thinking so. you knew he worked hard, you knew his job was important, and his work meant you could afford your luxury apartment in London and be able to take trips like this one without stressing over the cost.

you’d taken the time to go to the market you’d read about on the plane, the place des lices, and tried every free sample of cheese that had been waved your way once you’d gotten there. but you hadn’t been the only one from your hotel to take advantage of the famous food stalls as you recognised the deep scottish brogue of one half of the couple that were staying in the room next to yours; it rose even above the busy hum of french chatter easily.

you’d turned your head and smiled when you caught his pretty husband’s eyes before turning back to the stall merchant and buying a chunk of fresh camembert for elliot to try. you’d been eyeing up the fruit stall further down and were debating the brie too if you spotted some good cranberry jam.

“you’re from the hotel, right?” you suddenly heard from your left. you turned to find the couple a lot closer than before, apparently taking your polite smile as invitation to join you. “i’ve seen you at the pool before. I’m kyle, this is my husband, johnny.”

“nice t’meet ye.”

you’d introduced yourself and shook their hands once your cheese was carefully packed into your tote bag.

“where’s yer chatty husband?” johnny asked, eyes scanning the crowd.

you flushed, a creeping sense of embarrassment rising as you thought of elliot back at the hotel shooing you off before you’d even sat for breakfast.

“oh he had some emergency at work he had to deal with,” you excused. “didn’t need me hanging around distracting him, so i went for a walk.”

“you’re on your own?” kyle asked with a concerned frown.

“yeah, but i don’t mind. i travelled alone a lot before we were together. i’m used to my own company,” you said with a soft laugh.

the pair swapped a silent look before focusing back on you. “well, we’d be happy to have ye if you’re feeling lonely, bonnie,” johnny offered. “we were thinkin’ of goin’ wine tasting after this now that we’ve got our snacks, if you’d like to join.”

you chuckled as johnny raised their bag and wiggled his eyebrows.

“i wouldn’t want to intrude.” you shook your head.

“it beats heading back to the hotel,” kyle cajoled. “unless you had other plans?”

you pursed your lips before letting a small, shy smile grow. “ok. wine tasting sounds fun.”

you had spent the afternoon laughing and eating the cheese, bread and fruits you’d bought at the market over glasses of wine with johnny and kyle, a wide smile never leaving your lips even as the three of you stumbled back up the steps to the hotel.

your phone had stayed silent the entire day and it wasn’t until you were waving goodbye to your new friends and opening the door to your hotel room that you wondered if elliot would be annoyed at you for staying out so long without contacting him.

you smiled a little shakily as you caught him leaving the bathroom with a towel slung around his hips. “good day?”

“fixed their mess if that’s what you mean,” elliot huffed, but he turned to you with a satisfied smile and nodded. he dipped his head down and kissed you sweetly. “what about you? good day?”

“mhm,” you hummed, your smile settling more firmly on your face at his easy mood. “i went wine tasting.”

“oh?” elliot grinned, looking at you a little closer and taking in the signs of your slight inebriation, the way you swayed slightly on your feet and the almost sleepy glaze over your eyes.

“met a few new friends,” you said. “johnny and kyle.”

elliot stiffened for a moment before smiling again, less genuine and with a sharper edge this time. “oh? that’s nice. i’ll be free to spend the day doing whatever you’d like tomorrow, darling. no need for friends on our honeymoon.”

“you will?” you asked as you started to undress, surprised he wasn’t asking for an extra day to check everything with work had settled. you didn’t look the gift horse in the mouth however. “there’s a great market i saw today we could go to. i wouldn’t mind going twice, the cheese is amazing—“

“sure, sure. fine. let’s just sleep now, yeah? i’m exhausted after today,” elliot interrupted as he dried himself off before climbing into bed.

“of course, yeah. we can figure it out over breakfast.”

which brought you back to now, with your croissant and your husband and your beach view and the ever growing pit of disappointment.

you skimmed your eyes over the other couples sat on the veranda with you and felt jealousy bubble and spit in your stomach. it was the small things you longed for, the easy affection you craved; legs hooked together under the table, feeding each other, shy smiles shared behind mugs, little jokes whispered on the breeze.

you felt tears prickle at your eyes unexpectedly and wiped at them hastily before elliot could notice.

“bonnie?” your head whipped up at the familiar voice and you smiled automatically at johnny and kyle as they made their way over. johnny was in a pair of shorts, and you saw a knee brace peek out from the hem.

“mind if we join you?” kyle asked, already pulling out a chair at your eager nod, ignoring the deep frown on elliot’s face.

“and you are?” elliot asked rudely, looking between the two men.

“this is johnny and kyle, the couple i told you about last night.” you laid a gentle hand on elliot’s forearm.

“oh, the wine tasters. right.”

“heard you were busy saving yer boss’ arse yesterday,” johnny said with a pinched smile. “yer bonnie wife didnae mention what ye did though?”

“i work for a powerful man looking after his money,” elliot explained vaguely, with an air of condescension.

you noticed kyle wave over a waitress and quietly order for both him and johnny, his palm settled firmly on johnny’s thigh beneath the table.

“oh aye? tha’s a lotta responsibility then. no wonder yer always looking so stressed on yer phone,” johnny laughed.

“oi, be nice, john,” kyle scolded, but the smile teasing the corner of his lips took away any bite the reprimand held.

“sorry, uh, emmet, was it?”

“elliot,” you corrected quickly.

johnny snapped his fingers and nodded. “right, right. sorry, my memory’s not what it used to be.” he waved at a rough scar at the side of his head.

“so how long have you two been together?” kyle asked as their drinks arrived. you saw elliot sniff at the vast amount of sugar kyle poured into his tea.

“five years,” you answered at the same time elliot answered, four years. you turned to him with a frown. “we’ve been married for two. we met before your promotion, remember?”

“are you sure, darling?” elliot asked.

“yes, elliot. i’m sure.”

kyle and johnny watched silently, eyebrows raised until you turned back to your croissant with a tense jaw.

“time flies ‘n all that,” johnny said, hoping to ease your tension.

“right.” you nodded. “what about you guys? been together long?”

“been stuck with him for a decade now,” kyle huffed, patting his hand on johnny’s leg.

“been blessed by me, more like, cheeky sod,” johnny muttered.

you laughed as kyle leant in to kiss his cheek obnoxiously. “met in the forces, just clicked.”

“been together ever since i caught him starin’ in the showers,” johnny boasted with a grin.

elliot shifted uncomfortably in his chair and johnny’s grin dropped minisculely and his eyes hardened.

“what’re yer plans today then, bonnie?”

“oh, uhm, we’re not quite sure yet,” you said looking to elliot. “maybe the market since elliot missed it yesterday?”

“you should join us on our cruise along the coast,” kyle said. “just us and the captain, and a fair bit of booze; views are meant to be unmissable.”

“sounds better than a market,” elliot chuffed before shrugging. “sure, why not?”

“really?” you were more than surprised elliot was willingly agreeing to spend more time with kyle and johnny given how on edge he’d been just sat with them the last ten minutes.

“what d’ye say, bon?” johnny leant over the small table with a smile, taking up enough space for you to feel surprisingly cornered.

“pretty hard to say no to ‘unmissable’,” you said and forced a laugh.

“great,” kyle said and johnny slumped back into his seat, throwing an arm around the back of kyle chair. “we’ve got an hour before we’re meant to be there so eat up, love.”

elliot bristled at their familiarity with you and wrapped his own arm around the back of your chair, his hand curling around your shoulder and squeezing just a tad too tight. “she’s already eaten.”

“what, that little pastry?” johnny laughed. “you’ll need yer energy for what we’ve got planned, hen.” johnny winked.

you felt yourself flush involuntarily, your heart thumped and your eyes widened at the accidental insinuation and you knew elliot had heard it the same way going by the agitated tap of his leg beneath the table.

“i’ll probably just have another coffee,” you said placating, and smiled thinly when elliot kissed your temple. “i can grab something for on the boat or afterwards maybe.”

“that’s my girl,” elliot spoke into your hair.

---

while kyle and johnny finished up their breakfast, you nipped back into your room to change into your swimwear underneath your dress and met them along with elliot at the steps leading down to the beach.

once you’d left the dock and were deep enough in the water that it became a mesmerising dark blue, it didn’t take much convincing to have you jump in the water with johnny as the boat idled in place. elliot had waved you off with a dismissive glance at his phone when you asked if he’d join and kyle had promised to have the towels ready when you’d both ran out of energy.

“not joining them?” elliot asked, sparing a quick glance at kyle as he sat down next to your husband.

“figured i’d keep you company ‘til johnny climbs back on board. we’re temporary neighbours after all, yeah?” kyle said. he looked over the side of the boat and shook his head at his husband splashing you despite your giggly squeals of outrage. “married for two years?” he asked out of the blue and waited for elliot to hum his agreement. “what you doing on a honeymoon trip then, if you don’t mind me asking?”

elliot sighed frustratedly as he locked his phone and put it down beside him, knowing he was going to get nothing done with kyle yammering by his side. “we’re busy people, only just found the time together to go.”

kyle raised his eyebrows in shock. “busy indeed.” he looked to elliot’s phone. “got any photos of the wedding?”

elliot nodded once, and not enthusiastically enough for kyle’s liking, as he pulled up the photo folder you’d made on his phone titled ‘happily ever after 🩷’ before handing it to kyle to flip through.

the younger man whistled lowly, eyes glued to the screen as he pinched and moved the photos to zoom in. elliot noticed how he paused on the photos of you, but flicked through the others quickly, not bothering to stop quick enough to take in your bridesmaids’ dresses or the expensive tiered cake or elliot’s flash suit.

he snatched his phone back when kyle licked his lips at a photo of you dancing with your friends.

“lovely gown,” kyle said with a smirk as he watched elliot seethe. “you really got lucky, eh? punching up like that.”

elliot’s eyes squinted in a glare. “excuse me?”

“come on, mate. you can be honest, it’s why you worry about the job, right? you want to keep that going for you so she doesn’t leave you in the dust,” kyle continued to goad him.

“it’s not me that needs to worry about being left behind,” elliot spat. he rubbed his hand over his mouth and jaw to hide his burgeoning smug look, but kyle saw it in his eyes, the self-satisfaction. “i’ve got options. plenty at that.”

kyle stared at him with a blank face. “oh yeah?”

elliot laughed meanly and dropped his hand. “oh yeah.” he tapped his phone against his palm for a moment, seemingly debating something before freezing as he heard you and johnny climb the short ladder back up to the deck, laughing all the while.

“done in already?” kyle asked, his mood already lighter.

“johnny’s knee is aching, thought he could rest it and we’d get a quick drink,” you answered with a wide smile, reaching for one of the beers stored in the boats built-in cooler and handing one to johnny.

“bonnie was jus’ telling me how she used to live in a much smaller area when she was younger,” johnny said as you both sat down opposite to your partners. “but you live in london now?”

“what is it with you two? always asking bloody questions,” elliot complained, hiding his unease behind a laugh.

“just making conversation, mate,” kyle said tersely.

you felt the air grow awkward and jumped in before your husband could make it worse.

“we moved to london for elliot’s work,” you said.

“and you like it?” kyle’s inquisitive, dark eyes had you willing to be more truthful than you would usually be, especially with near strangers.

“i have to admit… i’d always thought we’d be somewhere further from the city; its what i’d always wanted and elliot said he’d liked the idea of somewhere quieter. we met in my home town after all.” you caught elliot’s scornful eye and ducked your head. “but it just didn’t go that way in the end. and london is lovely, the apartment is— lovely.”

“you ever been to scotland?” johnny asked. “the countryside is like nothin’ you’ve ever seen up there.”

kyle nodded. “we’ve lived on the edge of falkland for a few years now; feels like the middle of nowhere sometimes. doesn’t get much better, i haven’t missed the city for years.”

“one of the best decisions we ever made,” johnny agreed, leaning over to kiss gaz softly.

you sighed wistfully.

“don’t think the hills would agree with my dear wife, but maybe we’ll take a trip up there some time,” elliot said unconvincingly. you swallowed thickly at his thinly veiled dig.

“when you’re not so busy, yeah?” kyle said staring your husband down.

elliot’s lips thinned. “yeah.”

“so how’re you finding france so far?” johnny asked. “enjoying yer stay?”

elliot sniffed. “could be better. from how this one went on about the place i was expecting a hell of a lot more,” he said snidely, gesturing to you flippantly. “i’d have picked bali personally.”

your shoulders hunched even as you felt indignation and anger burn the back of your throat. it wasn’t your fault elliot wasn’t taking advantage of the holiday, the lush area and the activities that promised to be unforgettable if given the chance. you knew you’d remember going in the sea with johnny for years to come, but you doubted you’d remember the boring dinners you’d been having with elliot in a month’s time, or at least not so fondly.

“think i’d have put the trip off for longer if i knew what this place was going to be like,” elliot laughed. “in fact—“

“why don’t you shut the fuck up fer once and let yer pretty wife speak, eh?” johnny cut him off with a sarcastic smile.

elliot was shocked into silence and you found yourself stuttering as kyle and johnny focused on you.

“what do you do when you’re not on a late honeymoon, love?” kyle asked.

“uhm, i don’t actually work currently,” you admitted sheepishly, your eyes darted to your husband as he grew redder in the face. “elliot makes enough to cover us financially and finding something in london was harder than expected after i had to suddenly quit my previous job when we moved.”

kyle and johnny cooed sympathetically.

“i’ve picked up painting recently though, which has been different. not necessarily any good at it, but i like it,” you said.

“an artist? yer after my heart, hen. i sketch a little myself,” johnny said. “now ye’ll have to come visit us just so you can paint the views.”

kyle was quick to pull out his phone to share some photos. he stopped on one of johnny on the top of a steep, grassy hill; his arms thrown up the air, backpack on the ground next to him and a wide grin stretched across his face, his mohawk a little longer than it was now and a mess in the wind.

“wow, it’s gorgeous there,” you gushed, trying not to focus on johnny’s strong stance highlighted by the rising sun behind him.

“that’s the view just behind our house,” kyle grinned. “forty minute hike to get there, at most.”

you gawped. “no way.”

johnny nodded.

“think you’re maybe overestimating her painting skills there, boys,” elliot snickered as he looked at the photo. “if you saw what she’s done so far you’d realise it’s definitely just a new hobby.”

“show us,” kyle suggested kindly, not bothering to look at elliot.

you hesitated before reaching for your bag and pulling out your phone. you handed it over with a shy smile.

“oi, these are good, bonnie,” johnny said immediately, stood looking over kyle’s shoulder. his brow was pulled into a frown as he concentrated.

“i’d buy ‘em,” kyle added, looking up at you to smile.

“ha! right, yeah,” you laughed, thinking he was teasing. you put down your beer and took your phone back, dropping it into your bag. you leant in to kiss elliot’s cheek and stood. “who’s going to join me in the water? elliot?”

“i don’t think so, darling. maybe another time,” he said.

“i will.” kyle stood. “did johnny show you how to dive off the front?”

your eyes widened in excitement as you shook your head and followed him, waving at the captain sat at the helm of the small boat as you passed.

johnny watched the pair of you go before turning to glare at elliot silently, not breaking eye contact even as your husband frowned and shifted uneasily, eventually looking down at his phone to avoid johnny’s unwavering, cold gaze.

---

“i don’t like them,” elliot said once you were back in your hotel that evening.

“who? johnny and kyle?”

“who else?” elliot scoffed. “they’re too familiar with you, they— they fawn over you. flirt relentlessly, in front of me—“

“oh come on,” you laughed, unable to stop yourself even as elliot grew angrier at your casual dismissal. “they’re married, don’t be bloody daft.”

“don’t call me stupid.” elliot warned.

“i’m not, i just—“

“whether they’re actually interested in you or not isn’t the point,” elliot seethed. “they’re doing it to wind me up. to get away with humiliating me and you encourage them.”

“i— what? we were just having fun,” you said.

“oh i know, i saw how you clung to them in the water when you thought i wasn’t looking. fucking slut.”

you gaped at elliot, taken aback by his harsh words and sharp tone. you took in a deep breath and tried to level your own voice.

“they’re just friendly.” you bit your cheek. “if anything, you’re just jealous i’m getting more attention than you for once.”

“what was that?” elliot whipped around to face you and you felt your blood run cold even before he took a step towards you. he gripped you roughly by the back of your neck and tugged you forward so his lips rested at your temple and you followed limply, keeping your hands by your sides. “you better not play up tomorrow, darling. whatever they offer, we’re busy. this our honeymoon, not a fucking jolly for you to try and meet other men.”

you seethed in his hold, furious at his accusations and the irony of his ill-placed jealousy. but all the same you nodded gently. “ok, elliot.”

“good.” he kissed your round cheek with a loud, sarcastic smack before turning towards the bathroom. he shed his clothes as he walked, leaving them in a trail you knew he expected you to pick up and closed the door behind him, leaving you stood motionless in the centre of the hotel room.

---

you dodged johnny’s bright grin and kyle’s sweet invites to hang out over the last week of your holiday with a pained grimace.

after the first few mornings of suddenly stilted conversation over breakfast, they stopped joining you and elliot and you were happy they were able to continue enjoying their honeymoon even if you weren’t.

elliot didn’t say in so many words, but he didn’t trust you not to gallivant off if left alone like before, so you were stuck waiting in the admittedly lavish hotel room on the days elliot got pulled back into work over the phone and on his laptop. too important to leave until later, he’d said. but he’d promised each time to take you out for a dinner that had continued to be forgotten about.

with only a few days left you were stuck waiting by the road, the little moped you’d rented for the day parked and so far unused while elliot nipped back up to the hotel to grab his sunglasses. it’d been twenty minutes already and part of you wondered if he’d gotten lost. you wished he’d left the keys with you instead of pocketing them so you could keep yourself entertained with a quick ride around the block, get used to the feel of the bike before joining onto the main road.

a squeaky horn, two beeps in quick succession, had you flinching from your moody thoughts and looking up as kyle and johnny pulled to a stop in front of you.

“long time no see, love,” kyle said. he nodded down at the bike with a grin. “where you off to?”

“and can we join?” johnny asked with a waggle of his eyebrows.

you snorted. “nowhere. not until elliot comes back at least.” you shrugged. “he’s got the keys,” you explained.

“how about we take you for a quick ride then,” johnny offered and kyle immediately started getting off from behind him.

“no, no i couldn’t. thank you. elliot will be back any second, im sure,” you said quickly, worried elliot would grow mad if he saw you sat behind johnny on the bike.

“ok, love,” kyle placated. “how about we swap numbers then, in case we don’t get to see you before your trip is up? i want to see more of your paintings.”

“we’re off home in about two days or so, figured yours would be about the same,” johnny said.

“what about email?” you suggested instead. your couples therapist had suggested regularly reading each others texts to try and gain back trust between the pair of you. the irony that it was now you trying to hide a conversation in your phone wasn’t lost on you, but you knew elliot wouldn’t want you talking to them after this trip. “i can get pretty chatty in a text, so email might be better,” you lied flimsily.

“sure,” johnny nodded along, clearly not believing you. “whatever you’d like.”

“you can have john’s email,” kyle said with a smirk, the expression growing when the scot sighed and swatted at kyle’s thigh behind him.

you watched them with confused amusement until johnny read out his email.

soapysuds92@yahoo.com

“wow. that’s very myspace of you,” you laughed even as johnny rolled his eyes.

“soap’s an old nickname, you’ll probably hear me call him gaz sometimes too. old habits,” johnny explained.

“from the military?” you confirmed and they nodded.

“i say it when i want him to listen. gets him standing to attention when i call him soap,” kyle said teased.

“anything you do gets me standing to attention, handsome,” johnny said, sultry and playful.

“oh piss off,” kyle laughed as he pushed johnny’s face away, pretending to groan in disgust when johnny caught his wrist and messily kissed his palm. you felt your stomach clench at the brief sight of his tongue poking between kyle’s fingers, lapping at the webbing before he let him go.

his tongue there and gone again in a second. you’d almost think you’d imagined it if you didn’t see the spit glisten in the sun before kyle wiped it on his shorts.

you blinked to clear your head and turned away even as the thought of johnny’s mouth around kyle’s fingers replayed over and over in your head.

turning away meant you caught sight of elliot making his way back. it had your thoughts sobering and you looked back to the couple with an apologetic smile. “i’ll see you guys later hopefully, but if not i hope you enjoy the rest of your honeymoon guys.”

“ye trying to get rid o’ us?” johnny pouted, mischief clear in his eyes.

“no, but I know elliot will want to set off straight away so—“

“we know when we’re not wanted, love,” kyle sighed, winking at you to soften the words and let you know they weren’t offended, just pulling your pigtails. “take a hint, johnny, let’s go check out the beach.”

“aye aye, sir,” johnny saluted lazily before revving the moped back to life and waving at you over his shoulder.

“ready to go?” you jumped slightly at elliot’s voice behind you, you hadn’t realised he was so close already and when you turned around you could see he was tense.

“ready when you are,” you said and moved out of the way of the bike.

elliot didn’t mention johnny or kyle and you were thankful; the day had barely begun, you didn’t need an argument to ruin it already.

you swung your leg over the bike behind him and cuddled close, smiling when elliot rubbed a warm palm over your bare knee next to his thigh. today could be good if you just let it, you reminded yourself as elliot set off clumsily.

you lifted your head from his back once he’d managed to get the hang of controlling the moped a little better, becoming confident on the roads after a few minutes, but you wished you hadn’t.

his collar was rustling in the wind and had slipped loose around his shoulder, revealing a smudged lipstick mark previously hidden by his button up overshirt. you felt your breath hitch, unable to look away even as your eyes started to burn.

your gut clenched and rolled unpleasantly, like you could throw up any moment but your jaw was firmly clenched closed. your hands shook where they were holding elliot at the waist and you finally clenched your eyes closed.

with trembling lips, you held back a sob.

today could be good if you let it, you repeated. so let it.

---

you didn’t see kyle or johnny before you left and you didn’t mention what you saw to elliot either.

instead you went back to london, to the dreary rain and the empty flat and the weekly couples’ appointments.

you lied when your therapist asked how your honeymoon went. you grinned and turned to elliot with wide sparkling eyes and reach for his hand to hold between yours as you simpered, “simply perfect.”

but it wasn’t and elliot new it.

the breaking point was when johnny sent your throw-away email account a message one afternoon with a photo attached at the bottom. you grinned when it loaded on your laptop and you zoomed in to see your smiling face, then kyle’s, then johnnys.

it had been taken on the boat on your way back to the dock after a long day swimming and drinking and laughing. elliot had kept to himself for most of the trip unless spoken to, but after an hour you’d managed to ignore him well enough. it wasn’t until kyle pulled him up on your way back, slapped his phone into elliot’s hand and asked him to take a photo of the three of you with the water and island in the background that you remembered he was there.

“elliot, be a good lad and take the photo for us won’t ya?”

“why not ask the captain—“

“he’s done enough dealing with us fer the day, aye? oh— wait, did ye want tae be in it with us?”

“no. thank you.”

they’d thrown their arms around you, pushing and pulling you to their liking until you were stood by the edge of the boat, and smiled. your shoulders were sensitive where johnny’s arm laid over the top - sunburnt you thought at the time - and your hair was still wet from your last dip, but your smile was wide and glowing even as elliot had gritted his teeth.

despite his grumbles he’d done as asked and you’d been dying to see the photo ever since when johnny cooed, “aw, lovely photo to remember ya by.”

now you felt your cheeks heat as you saw how your swim shorts had rucked up high on your thighs, damp and clinging, showing off more skin than you’d realised. your swimsuit at least covered your stomach and cleavage well enough, though johnny’s hand on your shoulder held one of the thick strings of your suit where it had tied at the back of your neck. he was in the middle of playing with it, tugging it so it was taut but not enough to loosen the bow. you don’t remember feeling him pull at the string holding your suit up over your breasts, though you were distracted by the tight hold gaz had on your waist, the handful he’d grabbed as he knocked your hips together.

god no wonder elliot had gotten mad that evening. if you hadn’t known the two were married, you’d have assumed they were trying to get between your legs by this photo alone.

you read the message johnny had sent along with it.

missin you and yer sweet laugh, bonnie!

forgot to send the photo earlier, i think the three of us look well fit, we’ll have to go swimming gain sometime. gaz suggested leucate plage if yer still in love wih france, but im sure there’s a few different au naturel beaches we could try ;)

you sputtered a laugh at that, scoffing at the idea of going to a nude beach especially with those two. bloody hell, elliot would have a fit, you thought gleefully.

but for now we thought you could come visit us like we’d said before? the countryside could be good for you and the ol’ ball n chain. we’d be happy t have ye both for the week, we’ve got the room. just let us know, yeah?

yer handsome pal,

johnny

you shook your head at his theatrics. emailing johnny felt like having a slightly unhinged penpal and reading his emails never failed to brighten up your day, you could hear him in the way he typed. you also loved when you assumed gaz would steal the phone to use his account to talk to you, the lack of scots and shorthand was always a dead giveaway between the two.

you bit your lip and found some of the photos he’d sent previously of their home and garden. it was gorgeous simply put and although the anxiety of admitting to elliot that you’d kept in contact with them had your palms sweating, the deep urge to go visit them ultimately won out.

you bit the bullet over dinner that same night. steak, specially made to soften elliot’s mood.

not that it helped much.

“what?” he dropped his cutlery and pushed back from his seat, needing distance from you as he processed you’d been lying to him. “why would you do that?”

you didn’t have an answer. or not one that elliot would like, so you felt yourself begin to shrug before you thought back to your last session.

“our therapist said it could be good for the relationship if i made some friends separate to yours,” you said.

“she also said you needed to focus trying more with my friends,” elliot reminded.

“but your friends aren’t offering to stay with us for a week in the highlands, elliot. if they were then i’d be all for it!”

“so if i tell my friends that we’ll spend christmas at the ski lodge with them this year, you won’t whine about wanting to be at home together, this time,” he challenged.

you swallowed. he knew you hated skiing and his bitchy judgmental rich friends. it wasn’t even as though it was his easy going friends that liked to go, it was the worst of the bunch that purposely left you out or talked down to you, made it impossible to try without embarrassing yourself.

but fine. you could deal with that this year if it meant your friendship with kyle and johnny was allowed to grow.

“sure,” you said with an obviously fake casual shrug. “so we can go?”

elliot huffed. you sprung out your next argument.

“our therapist also said it was important to let me take the lead a few times. in order to let me regai—“

“regain some power in the relationship, yeah, i know. i was there.” elliot nodded. he seemed to think it over. “this will help you trust me again?”

you reached across the table and held his hand, smiling at him hopefully when he looked back at you. you tried not to think of the lipstick stain in france, tried not to let the hurt cloud you eyes. “yes.” you stood and walked to stand by his chair, chest warming when he wrapped an arm around your waist. “the honeymoon felt forced,” you admitted, making sure to keep eye contact even as he stiffened. “we both felt it, you can admit it, i’m not mad. but this would be new and an adventure. like old times, elliot.”

he nodded a little less resignedly. “sure, old times. ok.”

you smiled, dipped down to kiss him deeply, rubbing his clean shaven cheek with your thumb.

“thank you. this will be fun, i promise. we’ll get to relax and just spend some time together, yeah? no pressure of what we should be doing as a couple or at work or— or—“

elliot softened as he looked at you stutter to find another reason. “yes, darling. it’ll be good.”

you stepped out of his grasp.

“i’ll let them know we can go, what date do you think would be best?”

---

“fucking hell, you had one job. look out for the stupid carved owl in the tree and that’s when we know to turn left,” elliot seethed as he drove, the sun growing dimmer by the minute. you’d spent the entire day driving up north using the directions, had set off that saturday morning in hopes that the traffic wouldn’t be as busy as midweek. “so where are we now? you insisted on following their directions instead of using the satnav, so where the hell does it mention this endless fucking shitty, unpaved road? eh?”

you hunched down in your seat next to him and reread the instructions from soap, hoping to find a clue as to where you were on the, admittedly adorable yet detailed, map he’d drawn. you’d found it endearing when you’d first saw it but now you were thinking it was more of a necessity.

elliot snatched your phone from your hand and split his focus between the dark road and your phone, scrolling erratically to find the directions in the email he wanted. your hand hovered between you, eager to take your phone back but hesitant to foul his mood further.

your eyes caught on movement on the road and you quickly gripped the wheel to swerve and avoid hitting a deer that had wandered out from the trees. “fuck, elliot, watch out!”

he slammed on the breaks and dropped your phone into your footwell as he automatically gripped the wheel to take over from you.

you both sat still, panting; anxiety and adrenaline pumping through your body as you tried to tell it and brain that you were fine, it could calm down, you were ok. you rubbed at your shoulder where your seatbelt had dug in.

elliot started up the car again, silent, and went slower down the road until the headlights caught on a misshapen tree. you squinted before pointing it out. “here, look. i think that’s the owl, go left.”

it only took a few minutes before you could see the lights from kyle and johnny’s farmhouse. the shape of their barn and surrounding smaller outbuildings stark against the natural curves of the hills and trees they were settled amongst.

“we’re here,” you said excitedly. “they said to pull around the side of the barn to the garage they have at the side. their house should be riiight there.” you grinned as you parked directly in front of it on the gravel next to their truck.

“great,” elliot said sarcastically. you didn’t mention his tone knowing that having to drive all day, several hours longer than you’d both expected, would have rankled anyone’s mood.

you climbed out without a word and got your bags out of the back of the car. when you rounded back to the front you found johnny and kyle walking to meet you already, their front door left open behind them.

“bonnie! ye made it,” johnny said as he jogged over to you excitedly. you let go of your suitcase as he pulled you into a hug as soon as you were close enough, scuffing his stubble against your neck in his excitement.

“down, boy,” kyle laughed, nudging johnny out of the way to give you his own hug. once he pulled back he nodded to elliot and smirked. “thought you’d maybe gotten lost, we were ready to start a search party.”

elliot bristled but johnny spoke up before he could defend himself.

“aye, but tea is still warm and ready to be served, an’ ahm fucking starving so let’s get inside yeah?” johnny slapped elliot’s shoulder before leading you all to the house. “done a big roasty fer the pair a’ye, so i hope yer hungry.”

the heat encompassed you as soon as you stepped inside, led through to the kitchen-stroke-dining room. the food smelled divine and the warmth accumulated from the oven and the fireplace had your shoulders relaxing instantly.

the house was far from modern with its mismatched old wooden chairs around the handmade table and the well-loved couch you could spot through in the next room, nothing like your lifeless flat in london. but the farmhouse was still stylish in its own way, in the colour of the cabinets, the throw on couch, the wallpaper leading up the stairs. though more importantly, it was homely. lived in.

“i can imagine the drive wasnae easy for first timers, so sit yerselves down and i’ll plate the food, gaz’ll get the wine,” johnny said.

you pulled out the chair next to elliot, leaving the two opposite you empty.

johnny clapped his hands as if to say voilà when he put down your heaped plates a minute later.

“this looks amazing, johnny, you cooked this?” you asked, eyes round and barely stopping yourself from digging in to be polite.

“have a great sous chef,” he said and patted kyle’s arse when he passed by with the wine. kyle smirked.

“how did you find the drive up, seriously?” kyle asked as he poured your drinks. he took a seat with johnny and gestured for you to start eating; now with permission, you didn’t hesitate.

“it was fine. might’ve been easier if we were given an address instead, satnav might’ve made it quicker,” elliot said as he pushed around some of the steamed vegetables on his plate.

“the views made taking our time worth it though, the valleys we passed were gorgeous,” you gushed. “i didn’t realise there were so many small lakes too.”

elliot sniffed irritably, but you didn’t notice. in fact you’d barely noticed how he played with his food more than ate it as you were too busy chatting and eating. you were going crazy for the hearty roast dinner, you could see in the colour and in the bursting taste of the veg just how fresh it all was; nothing like the store bought stuff you usually got at home.

you hadn’t had anything home cooked in so long that you hadn’t made yourself, and when you told kyle and johnny so they both reared back as though slapped.

“oh love, you’re missing out, that’s not right. don’t worry we’ll take care of you while you’re here,” kyle promised.

elliot cleared his throat. “got any salt?”

johnny’s eyes flickered tersely from elliot to the roast beef he was poking on his plate and back up again. “sure. let me just grab it for ye.”

“cheers,” elliot smiled thinly.

“top up?” kyle asked and gestured to your wine glass. you nodded before turning to elliot, but he wasn’t looking your way so you held your glass out.

“thanks. god, after this and the long drive i think i’ll be ready for bed; sorry excuse for company on the first night,” you apologised.

“we’re just happy to have you here,” kyle assured you as johnny sat back down. your husband doused his food in salt before making a better dent in it, downing his wine quickly afterwards with a wince.

“yeah, i think it’ll be an early one for us tonight, won’t it, darling?” elliot said and started to stand, rudely pushing his unfinished plate away. “in fact, i think i’m pretty tired now.”

you looked down at the last few bites of your meal and the full glass of wine forlornly but stood alongside elliot.

“it really was a fantastic meal, thank you so much, johnny,” you said.

“anytime for you, hen,” he said. “here, let us show you to your room.”

“i’ll grab the dishes while you take them up, johnny. you cooked so i’ll clean,” kyle said, hooking a finger in johnny’s jeans to catch his attention when he stood up. you felt a sharp pang at their easy domesticity. sure they’d said they’d known each other, been together, for a decade, but it still ached that you and elliot where struggling so obviously in comparison despite your sixth anniversary nearing on the horizon.

you gave kyle a fragile smile as you followed johnny upstairs with your bags to your room for the week.

“i’ll leave you to it, see ye in the morning,” johnny said as you settled into your room.

“this is amazing,” you said with a small laugh, disbelief and joy mixing into something like hope as you started to get undressed. the view out of your bedroom looked over the front garden and you felt giddy at the idea of staying with your new friends for the next few days and exploring the area further.

“it’s… quaint,” elliot said.

you turned to him, your mouth pulled tight. “please don’t start.”

“what? it’s just… smaller than what we’re used to,” he said with a shrug, starting to laugh as he gestured at the room. “i mean look at this place, and the bed.”

“keep your voice down at least, elliot,” you hissed, eyes sharp on the closed door of your bedroom.

“darling, you know i get overheated easily, and by the looks of it we’re going to be pressed side by side all night. and i doubt they have a/c,” elliot huffed. he sat down on the bed and rolled his eyes when it squeaked. “oh, come on.”

“we could open the window,” you said stubbornly, ignoring elliot as he shifted to make the bed squeak again.

“and let in the smell of sheep shit? not your brightest idea,” he scoffed. “christ and never mind the bloody noise on top of that. good thing i brought my ear plugs or i’d never get any sleep.”

you bit your tongue when you thought of the constant traffic noises that flooded into your apartment at all times of the day and night, the light pollution that did its best to creep past your blackout curtains.

“i’m sure you’ll get used to it after the first couple of nights,” you said instead and moved to join him in bed. you reached for his hand and squeezed it, leaning in for a kiss, teasing your tongue at his lips for a split second before pulling back. “just… please be nice?”

he sighed.

“fine,” he conceded. “i was just expecting something a little nicer considering the price of the trip we met them on.”

you scowled at him and let go of his hand. “you’re being rude.”

you leant over to turn off your lamp and laid down facing away from him. neither of you noticed the shadows shift under your door, the light footsteps heading away from your room.

---

you woke up the next morning to find elliot already in the shower, you could hear the pipes from the bathroom next door and noticed his suitcase had been half unpacked.

you were grateful he’d let you sleep, you’d gone to bed frustrated and you didn’t want to carry it on this morning. it was a new day and you were eager to have fun.

you walked over to the window and pulled back the curtains. as you gazed out your eyes naturally drifted to johnny, stood near the barn you’d passed on your way in. he was small given the distance but you couldn’t help but stare as he rhythmically chopped logs into smaller, more manageable pieces.

he was sweating, the repetitive action of driving the axe up and then through the thick wood obviously tiring, and you felt water pool in your mouth as you looked on gormlessly.

the sleeves of his thick checked shirt were rolled up his forearms and part of you wished he’d decided to chop the wood in the driveway so you’d have a clearer view of his muscles at work. he wiped his face on his bicep and suddenly turned to the house, to your window.

you ducked away before he could catch you and started to get dressed out of the line of sight the windows may provide. with your face aflame and anxious butterflies rampant in your stomach, you needed to get your head on straight and decidedly not ogle your new friends.

with one last stern word to yourself you headed downstairs back to the kitchen and found gaz pottering around.

“ah morning, love. coffee?” he offered, holding out a cup. you took it gratefully with a small thank you and sat at the table again. there was a plate of toast in the middle, enough slices freshly made made for the four of you, and you reached forward for one. “i was thinking me and soap could show you a hiking trail nearby, make a day of it.”

“the one you showed me on your phone?” you asked, nodding enthusiastically regardless of his answer.

“this one’s even better,” gaz said, smiling fondly. “just might take longer.”

“coffee? thank you, darling,” elliot mumbled as he swiped your coffee from your hands without asking and distracting you from answering gaz. you’d barely had a sip before elliot was finishing the drink off in one go. “mm, bit too milky for my liking,” he told you and sucked his teeth.

“probably because it wasn’t for you,” kyle said flatly. “we’re going on a hike today, care to join or has work called you in already?”

“i’d love a hike,” elliot said brightly. johnny walked in through the front door as elliot continued to talk about the hikes he’d been on before, heading to the sink to wash his hands and leaning up to kiss kyle as he passed. “work can wait for the great outdoors. my wife here knows how much i love going on— on uh, on hikes and finding new trails and mapping them out.” elliot stumbled over his words for a second, taken back by the kiss.

johnny’s shoulders shook with a silent laugh and he turned and winked at you as he opened up a cupboard door that hid his face from your husband.

“oh, so you two go together?” kyle asked.

“no, no,” elliot laughed like the thought was ridiculous. “i go with my mates. not really her thing.”

you pursed your lips; you hated it when elliot answered for you, especially when he was wrong. which was often. instead of fussing though, you focused your ire on another slice of toast from the centre of the table.

“right.” kyle stood from his chair and went to lean next to johnny on one of the kitchen counters. “we’ll pack a bag full of snacks and drinks and then we can be off. give us fifteen minutes?”

you nodded, thankful for the excuse to leave elliot at the table, and went to grab your walking boots before coming back to wait with elliot near the door.

“quicker to get there from the back,” johnny said and led you through the rest of the downstairs out into the back garden.

it looked like it could spread for acres if not for the looming trees of the forest fencing it in.

to the left was their chicken coop and a small locked shed. if you turned around you’d see your cars parked, the garage and then the barn further up.

the chicken coop was on solid muddy ground, closer to the gravel front, whereas the shed was further up on the flat grassy area that began to rise into a small hill further back and closer to the trees; there was a small iron table sat with four chairs closer to the house and you couldn’t wait to use it, imagining sitting out there for lunch or breakfast.

to your right you took in their allotment, the large raised beds full of blooming vegetables; tall beans climbing the trellis arches from one side to another. you saw noticed the glint of a greenhouse hidden behind it all. everything was encouraged to grow to its fullest and you bet the food they’d served the night before had been grown by their very own hands.

“we’ve got strawberries if ye’d like tae pick some over the next few days,” johnny said as he walked you down to the end of the garden, catching the way your eyes were glued to the allotment.

“i’d love that, i haven’t been strawberry picking since i was little,” you said.

johnny nodded. “settled then.”

---

the hike wasn’t difficult, but living down south in a very flat city hadn’t built up your cardio for the steep hills and climbs at all.

“this is a good place to stop for lunch,” johnny said, apropos to nothing.

he squeezed your arm as he wandered off the path towards the edge of the hill. you were halfway there to the top, but already you were loving the views.

“knee bothering you, johnny?” kyle asked as he pulled out a rainproof sheet from his bag and started placing the food out in the tupperware boxes.

“something like that,” he said.

you laughed when you saw johnny pull out a bottle of wine from his.

“just tryin’ tae make use of all the wine we bought on holiday, hen,” he snickered.

you sat down and helped them spread the food out while your husband paced from the ledge to the path and then to the blanket, only to start again.

“have a seat elliot,” you said encouragingly, patting the space you’d left purposely empty next to you.

he slumped down with a huff and kyle side-eyed him.

“how was your night? sleep well?”

“hope the room wasnae too small,” johnny added, biting into a cheese cracker as he looked to your husband.

you felt your stomach drop and your face heat up. “no, not at all—“

“i think i’m just used to the finer things,” elliot said, picking up one of the packed travel cups pointedly and pouring himself some wine.

“we slept fine,” you said firmly as you frowned at elliot. “it’s perfect.”

“ah, we’re just joking around, hen, no need to fash,” johnny teased. “you pack yer paints?”

“shit.” your face dropped as you looked at him. “i completely forgot when i was packing, i was too excited.”

johnny grinned. “you can borrow mine, it’s alright.”

“if they’re not dried up that is,” kyle said with a laugh. “i’ve not seen you touch paints in years, johnny.”

“they’re water paints, gaz, they’re meant tae be dry,” johnny said with a roll of his eyes. he looked to you and covered the side of his mouth. “yer a breath o’fresh air, ye have no idea. i love him but he doesnae have the eye fer it, you know?”

“im right bloody here,” kyle said exasperatedly, making you laugh.

“fucking hell,” your husband muttered under his breath before standing. “i think i’m gonna go ahead and have a look at the trail, get a lay of the land. i’ll turn around in ten and meet you back here.”

“are you sure?” you asked at the same time johnny warned him, “don’t go off the path.”

“why not?” elliot asked, taking it as a challenge despite johnny’s grave tone.

“go straight so you don’t get lost,” johnny repeated seriously. “it’s a tricky place, these woods. one wrong turn and you’ll ne’er be found.”

elliot stayed silent for a moment, left off kilter by johnny’s intense eyes, before laughing, waving him of with a scoff. “sure thing, johnny.”

you watch your husband walk off with an uneasy feeling before kyle and johnny’s easy going nature distracted you once more.

before you knew it it’d been twenty minutes, but you were too busy talking about how they’d ended up moving out so far away from their original shared home, that you hadn’t noticed elliot wasn’t back yet.

“it’s great here, but it can feel… lonely sometimes, just the two of us,” johnny admitted as he looked to kyle. the handsome man nodded and knocked their knees together.

“i know how that feels,” you said, three cups of wine having loosened your lips.

“yeah?” kyle asked softly, tilting his head to meet your downcast eyes.

you opened and closed your mouth a few times before taking a deep breath.

“i want a baby,” you said weakly, sadly. you were quiet as though hoping not to be overheard. “elliot doesn’t think it’s the right time, but im starting to doubt it’d ever be the right time if it were up to him.”

you blink at the anger that had seeped into your last words and gasped as you realised that you’d actually finally said them out loud. not even your therapist had gotten you to admit this.

“oh god, please forget i said that,” you begged them suddenly, wide eyed and pleading. “please. don’t say anything to elliot about it. i— i think i’ve just drank a little too much,” you tried to excuse yourself.

“hey, it’s ok,” johnny said with a concerned frown.

“i didn’t mean it,” you rushed out.

kyle moved to elliot’s previous spot and pulled you in for a warm hug, calming you down.

“it’s normal to want things and to be disappointed when the person that promised you them can’t deliver,” he whispered. you sniffled and slowly wrapped your arms back around him with a nod, tears building behind yojr closed eyelids. you slumped into his hold further when johnny’s large hand rubbed soothingly across your back below kyle’s arms.

it was nice. simply being between them and being comforted by them was nice.

you leaned back and wiped at your eyes with a sniffly laugh.

“thank you, guys, i— thank you.”

gaz squeezed your shoulder for a moment before finally letting you go.

you felt fidgety, needing to do something with your hands and to keep them from staring at your red rimmed eyed, so you reached for a handful of grapes when it suddenly occurred to you that elliot wasn’t back. you looked at your watch and swore.

“elliot’s not here yet, shit what if he’s lost?”

“he won’t be,” johnny reassured you, standing alongside you and grabbing your shoulders. “he’s an experienced hiker, right? he probably lost track a’time like we did.”

“let’s get this packed away and we’ll go catch up to him,” kyle suggested. you nodded, easily calmed once given easy orders to occupy your busy mind

---

“elliot?” you called out as you walked, johnny and kyle on either side of you, looking out into the trees in case he’d gone off track. “you there? elliot?”

“stop shouting, christ, i’m here,” elliot complained further up the trail. he was slouched against a tree. “took you all long enough.”

“oh my god, what happened,” you said as you crouched next to him, looking at the sorry swollen state of his ankle.

“twisted it looks like, worst-case it could be a sprain,” kyle said from over your shoulder. “should be fine, we can get home with him leaning on our shoulders, right, soap?”

johnny tutted in disappointment as he stared down the path instead of at your injured husband.

“the waterfall was only five minutes away as well,” johnny said to no one in particular. he crouched next to elliot. “c’mon then, let’s get you back.”

your husband bristled. he looked longingly down the trail johnny had gestured to just a moment before.

“we should still go, i’ll be fine,” he insisted. “we should go to the waterfall.”

gaz raised his eyebrows incredulously as he helped elliot stand, but he stayed silent.

“you want to lean on me or johnny?” he asked.

“whoever gets us there quicker,” elliot said, face pinched.

kyle rolled his eyes and set off walking, leaving elliot to wince until he matched kyle’s stride. luckily the walk wasn’t long before the four of you cut off the trail and found yourselves stood at the bottom of the waterfall, a light mist of water splashing at your bare skin from where you stood.

“holy shit.”

johnny nudged your shoulders together with a laugh.

“impressive, right?”

“to say the least,” you huffed.

kyle had helped elliot sit down by the edge of the plunge pool with his leg stretched out as you’d taken in the view with johnny, though you soon took a seat next to elliot when you noticed he was situated as comfortable as could be. you pulled off your shoes and socks and shuffled forwards a little to dip your feet in the water, kicking lightly and grinning even with how the cold bit at your toes.

elliot stayed stern faced even as he looked at the impressive feature, but kyle and johnny took no notice.

they started to undress, throwing their clothes down haphazardly by their bags.

“you coming in?” kyle asked you cheekily.

“we go in every time we’re here, tradition now,” johnny explained once he was stood in his underwear.

“i don’t have my swimsuit,” you said hesitantly.

“jus’ go in yer kegs like us,” johnny dismissed the worry.

“it’s probably for the best she’s said no,” elliot said meanly, one eyebrow raised as he looked over your relaxed form, your stomach rolls obvious and plush under the afternoon sun and your thighs spread thick where they pressed against the edge of the natural pool. you suddenly felt the need to layer up in your baggiest clothes. “she’s happy enough sat with me. isn’t that right, darling?”

you felt embarrassment, hot and sharp, flood from your face to your toes as you stared at him. this was your husband. a man that took delight in belittling you.

“oi,” johnny warned from where he stood waist deep in the water.

you ignored them both and stood suddenly, shucking off your clothes with tight angry movements, a smile only eventually pulling at your lips when kyle wolf whistled playfully.

johnny joined in jeering and clapped as you stepped carefully closer to the edge before jumping in. once you resurfaced, you resolutely faced away from the scowl you knew would be on your husband’s face. you were past caring.

the cold of the water had you sucking in thinner breaths until you acclimatised, and you were grateful it was deep enough to brush your collarbones as you could tell your nipples were babbling from the chill.

“be careful, love, there are fish in here,” gaz said as he drifted closer to your front. his smile was bordering on mischievous but it eased your slight reservations of being in the water. “but don’t worry they don’t bite.”

you felt a sudden pinch on your buttcheek and you squealed before johnny’s laugh and warm chest at your back registered. you flushed hot and dug your elbow back into his ribs as they laughed, both barely giving you space to float alone.

they guided you closer to the waterfall with easy going smiles and it wasn’t until you felt their capable hands on your hips and tummy to keep you from being dragged under as you held your hands under the heavy pour that you looked back guiltily at your husband. you pushed off and away from them but continued to swim a little while longer until elliot kicked up a fuss, bored.

“are we done now? it’s getting dark, we should be heading back,” he spoke up when it looked like the three of you weren’t tiring any time soon. “and then there’s dinner to think of.”

“you offering to cook, elliot?” kyle said as he climbed out of the water.

elliot scoffed. “not likely. with the ankle and all,” he said patronisingly.

gaz smiled thinly. “of course.”

the three of you dried off as best you could before dressing and heading back to the farmhouse with elliot leant between johnny and kyle.

even as your clothes chafed against your damp skin, you couldn’t bring yourself to regret swimming. thought the cold was biting even through your coat, and a warm shower was calling for you back at the farmhouse.

---

once you were back you showered quickly and then ran a bath for elliot. you helped ease him in so he didn’t slip and further injure himself.

“put on a real fucking show today,” he grumbled once he was laid back. you cupped the water over his hair carefully.

“what do you mean?” you grabbed the shampoo and began lathering it.

“don’t play dumb,” he hissed. “acting like that, like a whore, with them. again.”

“i wasn’t—“

“you’re a fucking hypocrite,” he said harshly. “punishing me for one little mistake but now you get to act like this with other men?”

you let your hands hang over the edge of the tub in shock. “you cheated on me. more than once, elliot. that’s not a little mistake.”

“we’re past this,” he said tiredly with a shake of his head, rubbing his hand over his forehead to wipe away the dripping shampoo.

“then why did you bring it up?”

he turned to look at you, disgust clear on his face.

“you’re ugly when you get like this,” he said simply. “leave me to it, i’ll call you in when i need a hand getting out.”

your lip trembled as you stood and went back to your room. as you closed the door behind you, you heard elliot mutter to himself, “he’s an absolute idiot thinking this was only a twisted ankle, clearly not a doctor. the swelling has hardly gone down.”

you didn’t react, heading to the room next door with watery eyes. as you were tidying up your clothes, sniffling back angry and hurt tears, there was a knock on the doorframe. your turned to see johnny with a plate in his hand.

“thought i’d make things easier and bring his tea up fer him,” he said and put it on the bedside table. “do you want me to bring up yours too or will you be joining us?”

“oh, i’m not hungry, thank you johnny,” you said with a watery smile. the food looked delicious but elliot’s words had soured your appetite. “i think i’m just going to go to bed as soon as elliot’s alright.”

“ye sure?”

“mhm.” you nodded.

johnny nodded, said a soft, “let me know if ye change your mind.” he pulled out a pack of pain tablets from his pocket with a little wave and dropped them on the bed and then left.

you waited for elliot’s shout before you went to help him out of the bath and back through to your room. you left him to dry and dress himself and once he was sat on the bed with his food, you turned your back to him and willed yourself to fall asleep quickly.

part two

want to email johnny? click here!

[cod-sins]

.ೃ࿐ Format: Drabble

.ೃ࿐ Ratings: Fluff/Mild NSFW.

Touchy!König who constantly makes you sit on his lap when you're trying to watching a movie just so he can trace and pick with parts of your skin.

Touchy!König who comes up behind you when your cooking dinner. His hands snake towards your stomach locking together as he plants sweet kisses your neck and nibbles on your earlobe.

Touchy!König who convinces you that sleeping over at his house is more important and that he'll make up whatever money you lost for coming in late to work that day.

Touchy!König who enjoys sharing a shower with you because he gets to properly examine your body. He won't keep his hands to himself, he's lathering you up making sure to cup and fondle your chest.

Touchy!König who let's you lay on his chest listening to his heartbeat while he plays with your hair and mumbles sweet nothings in German.

Touchy!König who plants a kiss on your forehead as you sleep knowing you'll be safe from the harm of the outside world.

[myokk]

✨MASTERLIST✨

(fanart, longfics, oneshots)

Welcome to my blog!!! Here is my masterlist of ALL of my little sketches, artwork, writing, and general brainrot related to Hogwarts Legacy💘

🌿 - Madeleine / Maddy / myokk

🌱 - AO3

🌿 - likes and follows come from my main blog, @oerflink, because this is a sideblog (🥲)

🌱 - Eloise Babbit, my MC and basically the whole reason for this blog🫶 I don’t necessarily view her as the game’s MC, as my fic is quite canon-divergent and she is sweeter than the evil gremlin I played in-game😆💓 [link to her character sheet]

🌿 - my art tag🫶🫶🫶 here you can see basically every drawing I've done since joining the fandom!

Writing:

Before It Felt Like A Sin (AO3 / tumblr - ongoing)

Sebastian Sallow x F!MC, canon divergent, longfic, wip, dual pov Eloise/Sebastian

Summary: Eloise never wanted to be different.

And yet, her differences are what have defined her life up until this point: growing up as a squib in one of the most prominent wizarding families, being exiled to muggle society, and then attending Hogwarts at the age of sixteen.

She finds herself thrust into the life she should have been prepared for from birth but was denied. As she navigates this new life and her new precarious position in her family, she must come to terms with the fact that maybe what she dreamed of her whole life isn't turning out how she ever expected it would.

Tags: slow burn, angst, magical theory, mythology references, pureblood culture, occlumency, legilimency, hurt/comfort, family dynamics, eventual romance, eventual smut, sacrificial magic, blood magic, dark magic rituals, implied/referenced child abuse

[coming soon] - an excerpt from the Ominis longfic I’m working on💘

Oneshots:

clumsy (AO3 / tumblr)

pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!MC

word count: 9,1k

rating: E

summary: sebastian is clumsy.

or: two stubborn brats make things more difficult than they have to be.

cw: fluff, mutual pining, idiots in love, two really stubborn idiots in love to be exact, sir cadogan guest appearance, anne and imelda are the gremlin best friends every girl needs, smut (18+ ONLY), oral (f. recieving), no y/n

legilimency (AO3 / tumblr)

pairing: Ominis Gaunt x F!MC

word count: 1,7k

rating: m (language)

summary: (His parents and Marvolo insist it’s a gift handed down from Slytherin himself, just like the Parseltongue Ominis despises. It is not. It is a curse.)

or: The Gryffindor student has caught on that Ominis can read her thoughts and decides to get her revenge.

tags: ominis is a natural legilimens, he is entirely too introspective, fluff, no y/n

remembering the snow (AO3 / tumblr)

pairing: Imelda Reyes x Poppy Sweeting

word count: 3,3k

rating: G

summary: Imelda remembers the first time she saw snow.

Her parents always started the story telling her that she cried and cried and cried.

or: a character study on Imelda and how she grew up because I love her & she doesn't get enough appreciation :)

tags: character study, fluff, romance, first kiss, emotional hurt/comfort, I just wanted to write a sweet story & explore Imelda as a character

Illustrated scenes:

(aka where I illustrate little scenes from my longfic and oneshots💓)

🌿 - the summer before Sebastian and Anne’s first year at Hogwarts🥺💓

🌱 - Sebastian hates Eloise’s guts😳

🌿 - Eloise is really, really bad at chess😔 (this scene always makes me laugh SO MUCH)

🌱 - right after the pensieve scene🫶🫶🫶

🌿 - Eloise and Sebastian’s first kiss😇😇😇

🌱 - some angst after their first kiss😇😇😇

🌿 - sebastian overthinks things a lot😔

🌱 - an excerpt from my oneshot, clumsy💘

🌿 - another scene from my clumsy 🫶 I really love writing Sebastian’s pov & this was just so much fun to paint and write😫💓

🌱 - Eloise and her mother😔

🌿 - Eloise is NOT flustered by Sebastian😤

[gintrinsic-writing]

CW: restraint, blood, implied vague MCD.

—

There were thirty-four seconds left. Thirty-three. Thirty-two. 

“So,” Dark Link drawled with a smirk, “who’s it going to be, hero?”

Time licked his lips nervously. He shook where he sat. “I…”

“Tick-tock, tick-tock. Come on,” Dark Link goaded, “I don’t have to tell you time’s running out! Choose, or they all die.”

Time’s wrists and ankles were weeping beneath their restraints. Still, he thrashed once more, oblivious to blood pooling beneath him, groaning with despair when his efforts yielded not an inch of freedom. Dark Link merely laughed. 

Twenty-one seconds. Eight heroes suspended over hungry black flames. 

He looked at each of him—at Wind, the youngest, who was so full of life and yet needed in the War of the Ages; at Legend, the veteran, who somehow always found the good worth fighting for; at Sky, the first of them, whose love and devotion created a legacy; at Twilight, Time’s descendant, whose loyalty and protectiveness could surpass even that of a curse; at Hyrule, the mortal child of a fairy, whose resilience was curing the timeline thought to have been abandoned; at Wild, the survivor, whose previous death had only filled him with a greater love for life; at Four, the second hero, whose spirit was too great to be broken; at Wars, the captain, who played the role of brother just as easily as he did hero. 

Time looked at each of them, and he prayed, and he begged, and still the timer drew closer to zero. 

“Well?” Dark Link asked, magic coiling above his fingertips. “Five seconds to go. Who gets to live?”

Time didn’t allow himself to look away. He’d carry this horror forever. He opened his mouth and named—

[xatsperesso]

Sleepover: Gambling edition

It all started with a knock on the door, with a lot of demon children hanging out, and with three adults diligently watching over them.

The atmosphere was kind of tense, and for good reasons at that. Lied took a glance at the adults in the room, and scooted over to where iruma was sitting.

"Hey," he whispered to Iruma, loud enough that the rest of the class will hear, but the adults on the other side of the room won't "Not that I mind or anything, but why are Kalego-sensei and Balam-sensei at the sleepover?"

--

"Why am I here again?" a very tired Kalego asked Opera who all but kidnapped him into the kids little party. He imagines Shichiro was also kidnapped by their senpai too.

"Last time Iruma held a party it got a little out of hand, so I brought you here-" Kalego snorted at that. "Brought" like he isn't here against his will "-to help me keep this one in check"

"Ah, but Sullivan-sama told me that he wanted me here to help you relax a bit , Opera-senpai" Kalego whipped his head so fast he swore he heard a crac.

"Did you just say that you willingly came here??"

--

"Well, that sucks," Lied sighed at Iruma answer. "Last time was a mistake! we didnt know that it was supposed to be diluted!"

"You knew and yet you drank it"

"Purson!"

Iruma had to agree with what Lied says. It is a bit awkward with the adults being here. There's no rowdy talking or friends daring eachother, they're all just awkwardly trying to quietly make conversation

Except for Jazz, whos's looking very thoughtfully at the adults.

"What are you thinking about, Jazz-kun?" Everyone in the room (except for Kalego-sensei and Balam-sensei, who seem to be having a very lively conversation) turned to look at Jazz.

"Well, I've been thinking," he quickly threw a glance at Kalego-sensei before moving to the centre and lowering his voice even further "isn’t it kinda unfair that the teachers get to gamble over which of us is dating, but we don't?" If anyone wasn't interested before, then they sure are now.

"I bet some of the teachers are dating each other. They all seem pretty close to each other" Allocer nodded as everyone scootched even closer to better hear each other.

"Woah woah wo-" Everyone quickly shushed Lied as to not grab their unwanted companies attention (unfortunately, several kids collectively shushing one of them is very suspicious to not watch closely)

"Sorry!" Lied whispered sheepishly "but are we seriously going to gossip about this in front of them?"

"True. We're going to need someway to distract them while the others places their bets" the second Kerori uttered the word 'bet', a very excited smile carved it's way through every demon's face (ah, purson thinks, this is what everyone felt during the music festival)

"But who knows how to distract Kalego-sensei, Balam-sensei and Opera-sensei?"

Collectively, all the young demons looked at a very not ready Iruma.

--

"They’re planning something"

"Kalego-kun, let the kids play. We're just here to make sure they don't injure themselves"

"Or drink too much, mess up the house beyond recognition and pass out leaving me to deal with thirteen teenagers having their first hangover"

"...that too"

--

"I mean, they all seem to watch me intensely whenever I use my spell to float, so maybe that?"

"Alright," Lied took the pencil and paper he asked from clara a second ago "since we all don't have money right now, and because some of you don't trust me-"

"You still haven't paid me back-"

"We're all going to write our bets down here. Do you want to write yours down before your very important mission, Soldier Iruma?"

"What?!" Azz exclaimed very loudly, and right behind him Iruma shook his head showing everyone that he doesn't want to place a bet

"How dare you suggest that Iruma-sama would participate in such cheap-"

"Do you have any bets to place, Azz?" Lied asked, handing the notebook to Azz mainly to spare his ears from one of Azz-kun's lengthy lectures

"Kalego-sensei is married to his work" Azz said with a serious face.

"Ooo! Me too, me too! I think-"

"Guys!" Ix clapped her hand to grab everyone's attention.

"Didn't Iruma want to show us the trick he's been working on?" She continued loudly, to allow the adults to clearly hear what she's saying

"Oh, yeah!" Iruma’s face lit up, as he quietly cast the spell and his body kept rising and rising, far away from hus friends so they would be out of the view of anyone who’s watching him, while Azz-kun and Sabro-kun stood below him in case he fell.

--

As Kalego watched Iruma floating further and further away from the ground, a question popped into his head.

"Why doesn't Iruma ever use his wings?"

Balam and Opera both slowly turned their heads, one looking at Kalego cautiously while the other looked exasperatedly.

"Kalego..humans don't have wings" now it was kalego's turn to slowly turn his head to his friends

"...what?"

"Yeah," all three adults jumped at a very quiet Purson appearing from nowhere "they also don't have horns or tails"

"Oh yeah," Balam looked at Purson, remembering a very embarrassing week "Purson also knows of Iruma’s nature"

Opera looked at Balam with shock. Their ears were flat against their head as he asked a question they very much feared the answer of.

"How, how many demons know?"

"Know what?" For the second time, the adults were startled this time by Gaap's appearance.

"That Iruma is an imaginary being" Purson answered

"That Iruma’s a human? I'm not sure about Azz and Clara, but I've figured it out during our first year so surely they have"

"Mhmm. By the way, why are you here and not with them?"

"Ah, right! Kerori had an idea for you, Purson!" The little demon quickly whispered to his classmate's ear before both of them went to join the rest of the class.

Kalego pinched his nose and let out a sigh as he foresaw the amount of headache this will cause him.

"We're gonna have to find out who knows of the boy's nature and who doesn't"

"How long have you two known?"

"Kalego discovered it last week, and I've known since the first year"

"...I'm going to have to relay this information to Sullivan-sama" Opera sighed as they watched Iruma descending carefully back to his friends. Sadly, they missed Iruma’s new trick. They’re going to have to ask Iruma-kun to perform it later so they can get a chance to see it.

--

"Robin-sensei and Kalego-sensei will obviously win!"

"Are you blind?! Kalego-sensei and Balam-sensei know each other since school! Plus, Robin-sensei is obviously with Orias-sensei!"

"I don't care as long as we all agree that Dali-sensei and Suzy-sensei are completely a thing"

"Are you kidding me?! There's no way Suzy-sensei would ever-"

"Hey, Iruma!" Lied waved at Iruma as he quickly floated towards Iruma "we still need more time. Do you know more ways to distract them?"

"Well, I know opera always watches anyone who plays with the hell-kitties like a hawk" Lied snorted, causing Iruma to tilt his head in confusion which Lied quickly waves away (he can’t believe anyone at this age still calls Infernal cats hell-kitties)

"I'm on it" Agares sped past them towards the two cats laying around on the fluffy carpet, adn proceeded to throw himself facedown on the floor, waiting for the cats to lay on him.

In less than a minute, Opera was watching a sleeping Agares who has two purring cats batting playfully at his hair.

"...alright, I didn't get to ask him if he want to bet or not but whatever. Do you know how else to distract them?"

"Hmm, oh! Clara, can you make chainsaws that can't actually hurt?"

"Of course! I can make them like rubber or plastic or-ooh! I can make chainsaw balloons that works!"

"Yes! Those will do great! Does anyone know how to juggle?"

"I do!" Gaap excitedly ran to them, happy that he gets to show his juggling skills

"Can you juggle chainsaws?" That seemed to make Gaap pale a little

"I-I can try?" Iruma beamed at his friend which helped soothe the poor scared boy

"Great!" Iruma took six balloon chainsaws from Clara, Gaap has never been more relieved to see a balloon, and handed three to Gaap "can you help me start them before we juggle? Oh, and let's go juggle over there"

--

"Is there anything else I need to know about Iruma?" Kalego knew that he should’ve picked up Balam's books on humans, but he was swept with correcting so many assignments that he didn't have any chance to read anything else (he should stop doubling the abnormal class's homework)

"You do know that he's a human, right sensei?" Kalego should really stop being startled by these hellions, or better yet should stop talking about Iruma all together around them (since when can these kid's sneak up on him?)

"Sabro, why do you know this?" A tired Kalego asked

"During our flying test Iruma told me that he healed the leaders leg using his blood, so I did some research on that and found out" That grabbed Opera's attention from the sleeping teens and the cats

"Pardon me, but how did Iruma get injured?"

"He went through the cutthroat valley-wait" something in the back of Kalego’s mind kept nagging at him that something's wrong

"Kalego," Balam's worried voice called him "did Iruma participate in the flying race last year?"

Ah, this is what was nagging Kalego.

"...shit"

"Kalego-IRUMA!" Everyone suddenly looked at Iruma, who was juggling chainsaws with Goemon?!

"IRUMA AND GOEMEN! LET GO OF THESE CHAINSAWS RIGHT THIS SECOND OR I SWEAR TO DELKIRA I WILL-"

--

Sure, Iruma and Gaap got lectured for thirty minutes over safety, common sense and what acceptable pranks to pull, but it was really fun juggling the balloon chainsaws. They actually brought Iruma so many memories.

And surely his classmates are all done-

"I just feel like Suzy-sensei and Raim-sensei would make such a cute couple!"

"And you're willing to bet actual money because of a feeling?"

"I bet Ifrit-sensei and Marbas-sensei are together"

"They're literally wearing wedding rings no one would bet against you on that one"

"So I'm gonna win the bet!"

"That's not how bets work, dumbass!"

"Are you sure this is what you want to bet on, Azz-kun?"

"There’s literally no one who would voluntarily put up with him"

So, they’re still not done.

But Iruma saw Jazz handing money to Purson, which puzzled him. He thought they were gonna write down their bets and hand over the money to the winners directly?

"Hey, Lied-kun," he looked over to a very sulking Lied who's playing in his ds alone on a bean bag "why are they giving money to Purson?"

"Apparently!" Lied threw his arms in the air as he huffed annoyingly "Purson is a much more trust worthy demon than I am!"

"I'll trust you with my money when you pay me back!"

"And I'll pay you back when I have money!"

"You literally bought three new games two days ago"

"Anyways," Lied turned to look at Iruma "they're still not done, so we're going to need some more time"

"Well, if I pull anymore stunts they might actually ground me, but maybe Sabro could tap dance? I saw him do it once and he's very good at it! What do you think, Sabro?"

"Sure, I don't have any bets to place anyway. A cool demon king doesn't place bets on people's love life"

Sabro walked to the centre of the room. He crossed his arms, and jumped into the air clacking his heels three times.

Everyone stopped what they were doing to look curiously at what Sabro is doing. He turned to look at his classmates and yelled at the top of his lungs "CHOOSE A SONG!"

"Gyari's new single!" A very excited Kerori screamed

Sabro smiled viciously as Iruma played the song on the room's speaker, and Sabro started dancing. He captivated everyone with his dancing, except for Purson who went around the room asking the demons what they bet on.

"Woah. He really is good" Lied exclaimed, before a very curious question popped into his mind

"Hey, Iruma, how did you learn how to juggle chainsaws?"

"I used to do it at the circus when I was young! But they insisted I use real chainsaws, I almost lost a finger that one time!" Iruma laughed at the fun memories before continuing to watch Sabro who's footwork was starting to get really intense.

Lied was left to watch Iruma in horror as he digested what was just said to him.

"...what?"

--

"He really is good at this" Balam mused as he continued watching Sabro smoothly dance to the peak of the song

"He is," Kalego commented, watching Sabro a second longer before turning to Balam "Do you know anyone else who knows about Iruma?"

"I know of Iruma’s nature, if that's what you mean, sensei" Kalego closed his eyes and took a deep breath, because really, he should have expected this. At this point it'd be better if he asked who doesn't know.

"And how, pray tell, do you know?" He turned to look at Caim, the fourth person to admit that he knows that Iruma is a human (after this is all done he's gonna have a talk with Iruma this is truly getting ridiculous)

"I was having a chat with Jazz's familiar and he told me that Jazz has been stressing over what to do with such sensitive information" at this point Balam is just trying his hardest not to laugh at Kalego's tired face. He does feel sorry for Opera though. They don't seem to be taking all of this information too well.

"And how does Jazz know??" It's getting too hard not to laugh at Kalego. He shouldn’t laugh at his friend's suffering, but it's just so funny.

"Iruma accidently told him at the last slumber party when he drank too much relax juice"

"Told me what?"

"That he's a human"

"Ah, yeah that. I'm cool with that and all but he told me when he was drunk, you know?"

Opera is just looking sadly at the ground. All this time they've been going under tye assumption that only they, the chairman and Bachiko know of Iruma’s origins. Are they really fit to be called Iruma’s bodyguard if they can't keep track of who knows his most intimate secret?

"By the way, sensei wants to know who else knows"

"Knows what?" Allocer asked Caim curiously, much to Kalego’s chargin

"That Iruma’s a human" and with each kid coming closer, curious as to why their classmates are surrounding their teachers

"Wait, didn't we agree that we won't talk about this until Iruma tells us himself?" Kalego felt his patience running thin

"Talk about what?" Until he just snapped

"Alright!" His voice boomed across the room, startling all the younglings in the room (serves them right for almost stopping his heart multiple times)

"How many of you brats know of Iruma’s nature?!" He screamed at the twelve demons in front of him, and to his annoyance, Balam's amusement, and Opera's Alarm, almost all the kids raised their arm, save for two very confused demon's and one mortified human.

"Iruma-chi's nature?" Clara asked, feeling very left out as she saw that almost all her friends knew something about Iruma that she doesn't.

"Excuse me, but what do you mean by this statment, Kalego-sensei?" Azz felt embarrassment as he asked this question, because almost everyone knows what sensei means except for him! And it's a question about Iruma-sama! How does he not know?

"You know, that Iruma’s a human" Gaap said, unaware of the dumbfounded looks Azz and Clara are throwing him, nor the fact that Iruma’s near tears "I apologise, Iruma-kun, for not informing you that we know sooner, but we thought it'd be better if we waited until you trusted us enough with this information"

"...what?" Azz and Clara asked very, very quietly as everyone in the room slowly realized that Azz and Clara, tha two demons that are glued to Iruma at the hip, are the only ones who don't know.

"Huh?!" Poor stunned Iruma doesn't know how to deal with the fact that all of his classmates mow know of his identity.

He really doesn't knows what to do now?

--

Deep in the castle, Sullivan sits alone in his room contemplating whether it'd be better to let the youth have fun on their own or if he can go and join them.

He really wants to have a slumber party with Iruma, it's not fair that Opera and his friends get to be there and he doesn't! So not fair!

[touchlikethesun]

so while i do think hinata loves parties and dancing and all that - i mean just look at him, he is the most extroverted energy-filled guy, ofc he loves parties - he does all of it stone-cold sober like there is no universe where hinata gets drunk on nights out, don't you know he has training in the morning?? also like the main reason people drink on nights out is like as a social lubricant or to relax and let loose, and hinata - besides being mindful of his health - does not need anyyy help in that regard that little sunshine is just as bubbly and enthusiastic as a normal person might be three drinks in

[honeydots]

I would like some teasers about that Xander - Soleil father-daughter support fic please 💖

HEHEHE that'd be my pleasure~~!! i'll put a couple things under the cut c:

the fanart nattie drew for me is from their c-support!! the gist of it is that xander's employing a similar punishment to soleil as he did to laslow for excessive flirting :3 but as they're working in xander's office, they both end up falling asleep, hence the little scene in the art <3

the rest of the support is about soleil lying through her teeth about how she totally isn't flirting anymore so she doesn't get in trouble again, and xander completely seeing through her lie and doing a dad-thing of trying to make her come clean herself instead of directly calling her out !!

[buttercupshands]

So... Ch 423 spoilers huh...?

Just read them... since, yeah, they just appeared and stuff

I... don't really have much to say other than.... I guess this is over? The battle, the arc... basically everything?

I'm... glad that it is, since it was really slow from all of the breaks, but at the same time it's... a little sad, or, actually, just... nothing

I think it's time to... reflect on... whatever happened in this arc or just in general, so... a personal story tie ig

I've been following mha for almost 5 years since I first watched and read it as my first "real" anime and have been following stuff ever since ch 240-241 came out and I caught up with manga, so it was pretty obvious what characters were the most interesting ones

Ever since the volumes became available to buy in 2019 I've been collecting them all up to the very recent ones and it was fun to do even if calculating how to buy them was a challenge for 'I just graduated high school' kind of person. But it was worth it every time with how LoV appeared basically in every single volume since they used 2-in-1 way of publishing so since LoV appears ever so briefly sometimes every 2 volumes it was a win-win situation

I took a break from buying them last year after the exams and stuff and after chapters of Toga's death came out I just took a break from mha in general, focusing more on other stuff like hsr, genshin or just my life while helping with stuff

I still followed the spoilers every week they came out just to see how Horikoshi wants to end the LoV story or at least how would Izuku fight Tomura in the end

And... it's the last chapter of that. After 2 years since the Final arc started and a year since Tomura actually started fighting Izuku inst

It feels right in a way, even if I'm a bit sad how... this is it? AFO just dropped info in ch 419 for it to be irrelevant in the end just for AFO to have control for 4 chapters and Tomura yelling to say that he's still alive in there

It was odd to actually read the spoilers one by one this time since I sometimes wake up too late so I just go through them quickly and that's it

I wondered halfway into the chapter that Tomura would just die soon but I didn't expect it to happen this chapter even more so at the end of it

It's... really is over now?

Defeating LoV was literally just finding a way for them to self-destruct instead of making Class 1-A be the ones who kill them showing that they're still good in the end. It's not like I'm complaining - it's the way I wanted them to be defeated because them staying alive in the end felt unfair, especially when fans were the ones who wanted it. Just leaving them in Tartarus for a way to say that Izuku can't save villains or changing the story so the LoV is left alone is not the way this manga would deal with it, I thought

And I was right in a way, even if it took Toga's monologue to actually be more sure that this is where it's going

It felt too much like how Twice's death was done - without any regret from him

Maybe it made me a bit... off from how other people wanted it to end with heroes "getting what they deserve" or something, but it would've stopped being MHA after something like that happened, especially in a final arc when all of the LoV (except maybe Compress who is not on the battlefield) is literally wearing death signs with Dabi being the most loud one with it - and we still haven't seen him have this "alright, goodbye" moment like Twice, Toga and Tomura now had

And I don't believe that Dabi will survive this arc - he's literally too far gone with his body less alive than before and with him living only to be angry at Endeavor I guess it's a matter of time we get a goodbye from him too

With how this chapter handled it it seems that Spinner might survive this arc after all, but again - it makes it all the more sad since Horikoshi did remind us that Tomura befriended Spinner, in a way making it... a bit sad that it means that Tomura didn't expect others to make it or at least since they were more focused on their own goals Spinner was caring more for Tomura's goal than for himself.

Which is... even more sad considering that Tomura literally tells Izuku to say that he was destroying until the end instead of telling how Tomura lost everything and couldn't do anything anymore even before dying from basically decaying from the quirk that AFO gave him

And that's... Not dissapointing, no. It just makes me sad that his arc ended like that after all those chapters ever since he debuted 10 years ago.

Is you want it to be correct, since Horikoshi based Tomura off his oneshot about Tenko - it's been 17 years since the concept of his character first gained form and only now he's gone

Like... really gone. Nothing else left.

You can probably tell that I didn't take it well even if I wanted this ending to be this way not the "everyone survives way", but it still hurts to see the character that clicked ever since first watching and reading MHA and the character who is basically responsible for me even trying to check first the anime then wiki and then manga just... dying like that

Granted Kurogiri was the one who showed up in the end and I'm just glad for this because ever since ch 419 came out and even before that I just hoped for it to matter in some way and it did

I remember reading some fics that dealt with this arc in a way that was satisfying for me, but I still crried a lot and I still am crying now from thinking that Horikoshi did in fact give LoV a break instead of leaving them in jail.

I do need a break tho. Not in a "I leave and no more sketches or anything from me", no

I need a break from this manga, thankfully next volume isn't close so I'm free to not buy it right after that, especially since it's Toga's volume and I'm not ready to read it again but this time as "read every volume" way

I also can't leave Ultra Impact since I suddenly became a leader for a club I was in alone after everyone left, it's now full with 30 people appearing from s7 starting ig, but it gave me some responsibility to support the new players who decided that a weird club which name I can't even change from what last leader called it, so I might continue playing just to, at least, have all or the LoV characters fully leveled up just for fun

But in a way a need a break from Tomura. I had one or two when it was becoming unberable with how manga was going and with how things are... yeah

I have some sketches ideas but other than that... it's a bit hard to touch something LoV related right now.

I also don't think that doing something like this again is a way I want to cope with what happened - it happened and I already have two different posts about both how depressing and hopeful ch 419 is, and in the end both were true.

Nothing changed what happened in ch 419, Tomura just decided to destroy AFO when the plot wanted with Izuku and OFA together which is definetely something that people made theories of

He didn't get time to get at least something before he's gone and whatever happened with Nana was happened off-screen so we might as well see it as Tomura dying with his life never meaning anything, never actually having any purpose and only by helping to destroy AFO did he do at least something that helped others and was his own choice, but was it? Did he ever have a choice at all?

As it is now and will be for the end for MHA Tenko Shimura or Tomura Shigaraki never really had a choice in anything he did, not in a "I didn't have a choice!!!" dramatic way of how Nana Shimura left Kotaro. No. He didn't have any choices to choose from to begin with.

But with how Kurogiri still wanted to protect Tomura and reminded him of his friends at least it's not just the first part of the post that was right, in the end last words that Tomura said were connected to LoV and what he wanted to do for them, not that AFO was to blame for everything which is true still, but that LoV, even as broken as it is, is still a priority in Tomura's head after all this time of having AFO's quirk twist his mind and anything Tomura said outside of that headspace should've been carefully checked since it could've been AFO who's talking

It's not the ending for Tomura that people were hoping he'll get nor is it something that everyone will agree on, I can feel people arguing from here even if I didn't check Twitter or tags here on Tumblr to be sure. I don't need to.

So... those are my thoughts, a bit emotional in some places a bit chaotic in other, since my head is a mess right now and this was a way to say "this is it... are you happy?" to myself and answering it.

And the answer is no. I'm not happy. This arc, Tomura's personal arc and the way Izuku "helped" Tomura is still some of the worst things, even if I'm glad that this is over and I'm not obligated by myself to wait every week nervous that Tomura would suffer, and he did suffer, a lot.

From how his only way of getting his memory back was to suffer again to the fact that he had to suffer to get rid of his hate that AFO so carefully nurtured for 16 years. It wasn't great, especially since I joined after MVA was over and nothing after that was good to LoV getting worse every chapter from Twice dying and Toga learning that she'll probably die too, to Tomura never actually meeting LoV again as himself after he got AFO's quirk basically making him oblivious to the fact that Dabi is Toya or that Spinner followed what AFO wanted just to be useful, that Toga gave away her blood to save Ochako or that Dabi burned himself to death probably and Mr. Compress compressing parts of his own body. And the only person he saw before talking to Izuku was Kurogiri who was literally melting away at that very moment.

It's... a bit unfair.

Yes, villains lose at the end since we're reading a manga even if the manga itself isn't sure if it wants to go "no this is REAL" or go the way every shonen goes with the main character getting what they want. LoV lost at the end just because the manga needed them to lose, even if the way it was shown wasn't disrespectful to their character arcs, all of them making sense in the end.

It's still unfair that their only choice was to die and in a way bring everyone with them if they can, it was the way Dabi almost did it, it was the way both Toga and Tomura did, only for their respective Heroes - Shouto (and Todoroki family as whole), Ochako and Izuku being saved from dying from something that would've worked ONLY there and then. While the villains are not in the My Villain Academia version of manga anymore, so they don't have a way to survive anything like they did in MVA. For Toga, Twice and Tomura it was the only way to survive, if they weren't the main characters of that arc they would've died.

So, in the end it's miracle that we even had that arc in the first place with how Horikoshi wasn't planning for the villains to become the sympathetic characters for the fans - they were supposed to be just scary, and it's clear when you read stuff before volume 23 comes with MVA - they were always just evil and scary without any hope for us to get something out of it. You may say that the chapter with Toga helping Twice and having Tomura talk to them after the conversation with Overhaul was the first sign of Horikoshi not just showing them as those evil villains, and in a way it's true.

Nothing from before that arc actually helped LoV aside from showing some poins of "Dabi might me Toya" or first points of AFO and Tomura talking face to face. In the end everything important was in Overhaul arc and MVA tightly connected to each other.

I'm glad that for the 5 years of my life I've been analysing LoV and took my time getting every volume, I'll still hold them dearly. But aside from couple of chapters at the end showing us what happened to others... it's really the end of it.

With how long this post is I don't expect for people to read everything, since it was mostly just me talking about the new chapter for an hour and a half, sharing my thoughts, feelings and... whatever else there might be.

Because it was important thing in my life for a long enough time that I would miss it.

I can talk for hours more and just loop around this topic, but this is long enough post and I'm tired, but thanks for reading

I'm happy that this is over

[ghost-proofbaby]

you've posted (or maybe it wash just in tags) about the knight eddie story youve worked on before and i have not been able to get the idea out of my head

oh, nonnie. oh. (i definitely have. in tags and posts for a few months now haha)

but you know when fics get so big behind the scenes and suddenly you're scared to post it? like, you've got several full chapters written, an entire world and magic system built, and an entirely fleshed out OC, but like... the thought of sharing it with the world is just? scary? yeah. that's where i am.

knight!eddie also doesn't leave my head. i just don't want to post this monster of a fic that honestly reads more like a fantasy novel because i don't know if y'all would like it haha. it's very intense and genuinely doesn't read like just a fic. it reads like a book. it is a book at this point. if y'all really are interested, i could always post snippets and such. it's not a matter of characterization and stuff, but... i just put a lot of work into it and it's my baby lol

[jarsfullofstarrs]

(for my ffs)

what is the most lullaby-able beatles song? like something you can sing to a baby or a lover? ty 💋💋

OH I LOVE THIS ASK—TY FOR POPPING IN POOKIE <33

first song that came into my mind was Golden Slumbers, because of the lyrics ‘sleep pretty darling do not cry/and i will sing a lullaby’. kind of on the nose but whatever lmao

but i’m also gonna say that I Will, Til There Was You, Words of Love and Here, There and Everywhere can be turned into lullabies. maybe also Goodnight but that’s very on the nose too.

and i know you said beatle songs but i’m also gonna sneak in some solo beatle songs :))

Here Comes the Moon (George Harrison) Beautiful Boy (John Lennon) , One Day (At A Time) (John Lennon), Behind That Locked Door (George Harrison) and this is a little bit of a stretch just by how the song sounds, but the lyrics fit pretty well for a lullaby/comfort-y type of song so What Is The Life (George Harrison)

ty for the ask!!!! 💗💗

[thefallenangelsgang]

Last Line Challenge

In a new post, show the last line you wrote (or drew) and tag as many people as there are words (or however many as you like).

Tagged by @fablewritesnonsense

Fable you have got to be clairvoyant in some manner because your timing is scary accurate. I just put down my writing for today not even a half hour ago. This is the first time narrative has felt easy in months. UNFORTUNATELY THE LAST LINE IS SHORT AND NOT NARRATIVELY INTERESTING *SHAKES FISTS AT GOD*

From a unfinished maybe chapter of what could become my Baldur's Gate 3 Fic:

And reality comes crashing down.

(fuck it I'm going to post the incomplete chapter and link it here)

Tags (no pressure, I just really appreciate these peeps writing/art styles!):

@helena-bug @caesarflickermans @druidgroves @roystory4 @rosegardeninwinter

[razzle-zazzle]

Whumptober Day 23: Forced Choice

Public Display + "I'm doing this for you."

2326 Words; Discolored

TW for mind control, loss of autonomy, emotional abuse

AO3 ver

“Hold still, Guppy.”

Branch rolled his eyes as Bella repeated the same warning, claw polish brush held in her paw. His paw rested in hers on the table, his claws spread wide so she could paint over the chipped pink paint with bright silver. Branch had fought her on this, consistently pulling his paws away the moment she had brought out the bottle of polish—

And Bella had ended the argument with a snap of her fingers and activation of the bracelet, forcing Branch to hold his paws out and let her paint his claws.

The bracelet was no longer active, now—but Branch wasn’t stupid enough to make the same mistake twice.

“We took turns naming all of you.” Bella commented, painting the last of Branch’s claws. “I named Dory and Clay, and Daffy named Spruce and Floyd.” She blew on Branch’s claws, capping the bottle of polish. “I never actually got to name you, though—Dory had chased us off before your egg hatched.”

“Fascinating.” Branch commented, scathing. He really wanted to smack his paw against something, smear the bright silver painted over the pink Poppy had painted on months ago—

(the pink that Branch had been hoping to get touched up soon—)

But he knew that if he tried, Bella would probably just use the bracelet to hold him still while repainting them all over again.

Bella hummed as she put the polish away, either not catching or not caring about Branch’s sarcasm. “I would’ve named you Robin.” She continued, grabbing blush. “For your blue shell, and the way it made me think of the snatches of the sky between the bars of the cage.”

Branch shifted uncomfortably. Reminders of the Troll Tree during the days of Trollstice always put a bitter taste in the back of his throat. And his parents had spent the majority of their lives in that caged tree, so unlike his short four years—

“I still think Lily would have been the better name.” Daffy commented, as Bella started applying the blush—as though the fur dye wasn’t enough. “My sweet Belody here was named for Atropa belladonna, and you’d have been named for Amaryllis belladonna if Dory hadn’t chased us off—”

“Dear,” Bella cautioned, “It wasn’t your turn.” She finished up with the blush, leaning back to survey her work while Branch fought the urge to slam his face against the table.

“At least my names had a theme.” Daffy sniffed. He started waving his paws as he spoke, “We could have had Juniper, Spruce, Chrysanthemum, Floyd, and Lily, but nooooo,” his tail smacked the floor, “you just had to go and name our sons after fish and dirt!”

Bella scoffed, makeup forgotten as she whirled around to face Daffy. “Oh, please! The individuality of John Dory, Storm, Clay, Firefly, and Robin would have been so perfect for differentiating them as boy band members—” Her tail lashed out, forcing Branch to duck under it as it swiped past, “but noooo, someone just had to want all plant names!”

“All plant names would have tied the family together!” Daffy argued, leaning in close.

“Elemental names would have worked better for branding!” Bella argued back, her face inches away from Daffy’s. They glared at each other, tails lashing as they pressed in close—

Branch ducked away the moment their lips met, pointedly not looking at where his parents were furiously making out. “I hate it here.” He muttered, wondering if he’d manage to make it to the door without either of them noticing.

Probably not, given his luck.

+=+=+=+=+

“Now, remember the steps, and don’t mess up.” Bella reminded, adjusting Branch’s sunglasses. “And make sure to sing your heart out!” She added, finally deciding that the sunglasses were to her liking.

“Aren’t you just going to control me with that bracelet?” Branch asked. He felt heavy, weighed down by the dye and makeup and fancy vest and pants he had been dressed up in. He didn’t want to be paraded around—but Bella was literally right next to him, bracelet wrapped firmly around her wrist. There was no way he could run now.

“Two minutes to show time!” Daffy announced, taking a peak out onstage. He pulled back, waving his paw in a so-so motion. “Crowd could be bigger…”

“Well, it is his first show.” Bella commented, grabbing Branch by the shoulders to turn him this way and that, looking for any last-minute adjustments she’d need to make. “Our little superstar will be drawing in crowds once they’ve heard him sing.” She booped Branch’s nose, making him recoil and bare his teeth at her. “Once they hear that ‘falsetto made of gold’, they’ll be buying tickets in droves!” She giggled, reaching for Branch’s tail to adjust the bracelet she had put on the end—replacing the bracelet Poppy had given him.

“That’s right!” Daffy crowed, smacking Branch on the back encouragingly. Branch stumbled forwards, and Daffy slung his arm over Branch’s shoulders. “You’re gonna do just perfect, Sprout!”

“Wonderful.” Branch grit out. Maybe he should try running for it; if he made enough of a scene they might cancel the show—

“One minute to showtime!” Bella called out, bracelet lighting up. Branch seized as all the threads in his body went taut, his own bracelet tightening around his wrists. She pushed him towards the curtain, his legs unwillingly walking him over there, and gave his hair one last once-over with the comb.

“Alright, folks!” Daffy announced via a megaphone, “It’s time for the show you paid for! Get your hair and paws ready for Robiiinnnnn Lilyyyyyyyyyy!” The audience cheered, and Branch took a moment to look at the crowd—maybe fifty or seventy Trolls at most. Which actually was pretty small. It looked like it was mostly Pop Trolls, with the occasional Rock or Funk in the crowd.

The music started up, and Branch took the stage, body moving along to the tug and pull of the strings. His mouth opened of Bella’s accord, and he started to sing. “I was there to witness / Candace’ inner business,” He followed the dance exactly as it had been rehearsed, no room for error in the way he was being puppeted. “She wants the boys to notice / her hairbows and harmonies.” He spun, tail flicking to the beat. “She was educated / but could not count to ten / now she’s got lots of different verses / from lots of different men.” Every note ripped from his throat was agony, layering over itself until Branch felt too hoarse to possibly be singing as well as he was. “And I say: liberate your sons and daughters!”

I’m not here willingly! Liberate ME!

“The cage is high / but in the hole there’s water.”

I’m caged! I’m caged inside my own damn body!

Surely there was something in his eyes giving that away, right? Or even just the fact that he was doing this, this whole performance thing, with Poppy nowhere in sight—that had to be a big enough clue that something was wrong, right?

“You can get some / when they give it / nothing’s sacred, but it’s a living!” It felt like his face was going to split apart, skin stretched too wide around his grin. He didn’t miss a step as he danced, and the audience cheered as he hit the chorus.

“Hey, ho! Here she goes! / Either a little too high / or a little too low!” Branch was singing his heart out, like Bella had told him too—completely against his will. “Got no self esteem and vertigo / ‘cause she thinks she’s made of candy!”

Was… was this song about Poppy? This wasn’t the first time Branch had wondered, but it wasn’t like he could do anything else while his body and voice kept going at Bella’s command. It better not be about Poppy—Branch might actually need to whittle a stick to stab his mother with if it was. “Hey, ho! Here she goes! / Either a little too loud / or a little too close / got a hurricane at the back of her throat / ‘cause she thinks she’s made of candyyyy~” The music slowed down a bit, and Branch’s dancing slowed to match. Then—

“Ring a ring of roses / whoever gets the closest,” The music picked up as the second verse hit—the audience was really excited, now, dancing in tune with the beat like they couldn’t quite help it—which they probably couldn’t. It was a deep-seated nature to dance along; Branch had long struggled to bury that urge during his gray years. “She comes and she goes / as the war of the roses. // Father was a victim / Mother played the system / By dancing quick to Mixton / and singing songs to children.”

Wait. Wasn’t Mixton a district in the Troll Tree? Was this song about Bella? Oh, ewww, now that Branch could see the connection it was so clearly a love song. Not the nicest of love songs, but Branch had seen enough of his parents to know that this was right up Daffy’s alley. Hairdammit.

Can’t you see I’m not having fun? He wanted off this rollercoaster ride!

“Liberate your sons and daughters! / The cage is high / but in the hole there’s water!” One might wonder how Branch had never realized what this song was about before now. The answer was simple: he’d pointedly ignored the words that Bella forced him to sing. “As you will / she’ll be the whole of her love,”

And also he didn’t want to know what garbage his parents were making him belt out—but it was hard not to focus on the words here, when ignoring them or the dance meant focusing on the crowd of Trolls watching him be puppeted around in front of them like it was normal—

“And if it don’t feel good,” It didn’t! Every part of Branch’s body hurt from being wrenched around by the strings! “What are you doing it for?” He was only doing this because his body and voice weren’t his own right now!

“Now tell me: hey, ho! Here she goes! / Either a little too high / or a little too low! / Got no self-esteem and vertigo / ‘cause she thinks she’s made of candy!” Oh, Troll, the audience was eating this up, as though Branch wasn’t about to cry—not that he could, with the damned strings tugging at his face and pulling it into a grin. “Hey, ho! Here she goes!” The audience was gleefully singing along, now, the whole small theater filled with a chorus chanting, “Either a little too loud / or a little too close / got a hurricane in the back of her throat / ‘cause she thinks she’s made of candy!” The music didn’t quite slow down, and neither did Branch, his tail keeping the beat as the song continued.

“Liberate your sons and daughters! The cage is high / but in the hole there’s water! / As you will, she’ll be the whole of her love—”

C’mon, please, why can’t you realize—

But it didn’t matter. None of the audience could see past the grin on Branch’s face. They sung along instead, enjoying the music as any Troll would, getting so revved up that Branch wanted to curl up in a hole and cry.

“—and if it don’t feel good / what are you doing it for?” As long as that bracelet clung to Branch’s wrist, his body and voice weren’t his own. The notion would make him feel sick if he didn’t already want to vomit.

“What are you doing it for? / What are you doing it for?” Hair above, Branch felt fake.

“What are you doing it for? / What are you doing it for?” Like some cheap little doll—

“What are you doing it for? / What are you doing it for?” —doing a cheap little dance.

“What are you doing it for?” Troll, Branch wished he wasn’t doing it at all.

“What are you doing it for?” Branch’s tail slapped the stage as the bridge transitioned into the refrain one last time— “Hey, ho! Here she goes! / Either a little too high / or a little too low! / Got no self-esteem and vertigo / ‘cause she thinks she’s made of candy! / Hey, ho! Here she goes! / Either a little too loud / or a little too close! / Got a hurricane in the back of her throat / ‘cause she thinks she’s made of candy!” The song was nearing its end now—it couldn’t come fast enough. “Hey, ho! Here she goes! / Either a little too high / or a little too low! / Got no self-esteem and vertigo / ‘cause she thinks she’s made of candy! / Hey, ho! Here she goes! / Either a little too loud / or a little too close! / Got a hurricane in the back of her throat / ‘cause she thinks she’s made of candy!” The music finally wound down entirely, the audience cheering and clapping as Branch bowed against his will. At least it was over—no, wait, Daffy was lifting the megaphone again and the bracelet was still active—

“Amazing!” Daffy crowed, the general enthusiasm of the audience. “But Robin Lily’s no one-genre hack!” The crowd got a little less enthusiastic as confusion took place. Daffy simply continued, voice carrying across the little theater, “Pop is fantastic, of course! But it’s not the only kind of music, is it?” The Pop Trolls nodded in confused agreement, while the Funk and Rock were a little louder. “No, it’s not! But Robin Lily sees no need to stick to one genre!” Daffy’s voice picked up as Bella slinked onstage to hand a guitar to Branch, who slung the strap over his shoulder at her command, “SO LET’S HEAR SOME ROCK’N’ROLL! YEAHHHHH!”

The music picked up again, the beat heavier, harsher. Branch’s paws found their way to the guitar, pick suddenly in hand, his mouth opening up to sing—

Oh. Oh no. And of course, none of the audience realized he wasn’t doing this willingly—

The song started, and Branch sang perfectly, playing his guitar like he’d been born to play it.

He didn’t have any other choice.

[shizunitis]

typed “Shen Yuan | Luo Binghe” into the tag box on ao3 and it feels like i shouldn’t be allowed to do it

[animangalover-writes]

#2, 3, and 11 for "a present from the soul" for the writer ask game! -lizzy

You're too sweet sending me this ask😭 This is actually one of my favorite fics that I've written so I am THRILLED to talk about it.

You can read A Present From The Soul here if your interested.

I'm very tired when I answer this so excuse any rambling and typos lol. ANYWAYS.

2. What scene did you first put down?

I think the first scene I actually wrote for this fic was Jaskier giving Geralt a rock(basically the first scene in the fic lol). I've heard people with gift giving as a love language love giving/receiving little things like rocks or leaves, because to them, it means something. I knew I wanted to make Jaskier's gifts be small but meaningful, and what better way to start off the fic then by having him give the person he loves a something as simple as a rock? Especially when, to him, it reminds him of pearls and the color of Geralts hair.

3. What's your favorite line of narration?

This one was hard because there are actually quite a few lines in this fic that I loved. But if I had to choose, it'd probably be this:

"He loves doing this for her, allowing her even a moment of reprieve. So she can be a child again. Just a child enjoying a story told by a bard."

I really liked this line because we rarely get to see Ciri just getting to be her age. And the idea that Jaskier, a bard, can give her that joy, that freedom to just listen to a grand story being told by a famous bard. UGH. ITS SO SWEET. Definitely one of my favorite parts to write.

11. What do you like best about this fic?

I loooove exploring dynamics in fics, whether they be platonic, romantic, or familial. Especially between characters who never or rarely interact. So exploring the dynamics between, not only Geralt and Yennefer, which is already throughly explored in many other fics, but also with Istredd and Ciri was such a blast!

Love languages was a really fun way to explore these dynamics individually, but I loved going in depth on how I imagine Istredd and Jaskiers dynamic would be. I mean, two sarcastic scholars in one room? How could you not want to explore that? And I'm such a sucker for Jaskier and Ciri having their own father daughter dynamic, especially because they both come from wealth and understand the shallowness that can come with that. The idea that Ciri gets to be a little kid with him(and the others, but mostly him) is so precious to me!

Thank you for sending this ask, it was such a lovely surprise and was so fun to talk about! Now I have to send one back 👁👁 I'm so curious about yalls thought process when writing your own fics!

[aria0fgold]

AO3 Tag Game!

Thank you for the tag @misty-wisp :D This looks so fun!

How many works do you have on AO3?

12! And it's steadily increasing as I get more (and randomly) ideas to write fics bout >:3c

What's your total AO3 word count?

126,004! Whoooaaa... That's a lot :o Ngl, I barely visit the statistics of my ao3 account so I didn't expect that one.

How many fandoms have you written for, and what are they?

Okay, so... it's 5? I think. On my main ao3 account it's 2 though! OMORI and Mahoyaku! Buuuut! I've written for Persona 5 (with Magic Kaito) but I'm... too shy to put it in my ao3 account so it's just in my tumblr. The other 2 is somewhere else... (I've written a oneshot for Genshin Impact in an old ao3 account that I don't wanna open up again cuz it's so embarrassing for me... I don't even wanna read that oneshot, I'd die of embarrassment. And the other one is Honkai Impact 3rd, I forgot where I put that one but I do know I wrote a oneshot with Bronya and Seele for it).

Top five fics by kudos:

It's all from OMORI!

Once again, from the beginning - I did not really expect this one to have as much kudos as it has now, like, tbf yea it's my most well planned one but it's still so crazy to see the kudos on it-- wai when did it pass that number-- I never really check the kudos but wtf happened here.

The Tune of the New Morning - How did this one get that many kudos too??? This is my very first OMORI fic and ngl, whenever I look at it I get the very strong urge to rewrite everything from the beginning cuz of how badly planned it is. If OAFB is well planned, this one is terribly planned. I literally make things up as I go.

Magician in the Mirror - Is in the top 3!!! Lookit!!! :D The work I'm proudest in cuz this is my 2nd fic and also the one I just went ham on! I wanted it out during anni and it was all a last minute thing but I'm so glad it turned out well despite that!

The Pawn and the Bishops - I didn't expect to see this one here but alas... it is... I quite like this one though! It's the first one I've written with a fairly heavy and gloomy atmosphere and I think I did pretty good on it!

And thus, the snake ate no more - I see you're here too... This one is actually like a mix of my planning between OAFB and TNM in which that it's in the middle of well planned and terribly planned. Think of it as the middle child of my longfics. With OAFB being the spoiled youngest and TNM the unplanned first child.

Do you respond to comments?

YES! As much as I can! I like receiving comments and I like responding to them as best as I can but I also get pretty nervous bout it... so I end up barely responding anyway oh boooooo.

What's the fic with the angstiest ending you've ever written?

I??? Don't think? I have written any with an angsty ending yet? I'm a sucker for hurt/comfort so most of the fics I've written so far always had a happy ending so! Maybe in the future 👀 Maybe.

Do you write crossovers?

Is the Kaito Kuroba from Magic Kaito in Persona 5 now as Akiren and Co.'s friend stuff I've written considered crossover? If so then yes! It's actually pretty fun to write one! :D

Have you ever gotten hate on a fic?

I don't think so? Pretty happy that I haven't yet, thank goodness!

Do you write smut?

Nope! I don't know if I would though, truth be told I don't have much knowledge with writing smut, I barely read any stories (novel wise) with it as a guideline cuz I... I can't visualize it well enough, my brain is not equipped for it (I try to read smut and spend the next few minutes figuring out the characters' positions. Yall smut writers out there impressive with it cuz honestly how).

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope and thank god for that!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I HAVE!!! AM SO HAPPY BOUT IT!!! :D Someone translated Magician in the Mirror to Chinese and it's so cool!!! I think there's only a Chapter 1 of it but it's so cool and nice and sweet and awwwwww.

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Alright, sit down. This is very important. I need you to listen closely, attentively, and carefully... I Love CaiOwe/OweCai. I LOVE CAIN/OWEN!!! OWEN/CAIN!!! CAIN&OWEN I LOOOOOVVVEEE ANYTHING WITH CAIN AND OWEN!!! It's my all-time favourite ship, nothing can compare to Cain and Owen from the hit japanese game, Mahoutsukai no Yakusoku aka Mahoyaku aka mhyk aka Promise of Wizard. They're my most favourite ship I'd go to war for em, I love em so so much, I adore em sooooooo much, I see any fanart of em and my day gets better immediately. They're my lifeblood, my ambrosia, my everything. I love caiowe/owecai with all my heart...

What’s a WIP that you want to finish, but don’t think you ever will?

Looks at oafb, tnm, and attsanm... I'd like to believe that regardless of how much time had passed, I would be able to finish any of those three though. Hyperfixation gone or not, I wanna finish em!

What are your writing strengths?

I think it'd be monologue? Inner monologue? What do you call that thing where it's just the narrator focusing on the characters' thoughts and feelings and their overall view on the situation??? I think I'm pretty good at that, maybe. And somehow I'm good at accidentally setting things up, I don't know how but I just accidentally do things that connects stuff.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Dialogues... I'm so bad with dialogues most of the time I spend in writing is getting the dialogues right. I'm also really bad at descriptors, I'm bad at describing things so I just try to either describe something as best as I can with the help of searching through the internet or get around that part by just being poetic.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fics?

I think it's pretty neat! :o I feel like I've seen fics like that before but can't really remember though I did think it added detail to the story of it!

What was the first fandom you ever wrote for?

Uhhh, I think it waaaaass Honkai Impact 3rd? I think it was the Bronya and Seele fic I've written somewhere that or it was the Genshin Impact fic instead. It was either of those two.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written so far?

Magician in the Mirror!!! It's my favourite I've written so far and the one I'm proudest of! And a lil biased, but the latest favourite one that I've just recently written is Look back, Orpheus which is a fic for caiowe from mhyk! Once again, from the beginning is the 2nd favourite though :3

Thank you again for the tag! Dunno who to tag though but for anyone that sees this, feel free to do it! :D

[butmakeitgayblog]

Before you change all the measurements in your medisa au (which I am very much looking forward to!), metric units are relatively modern, imperial units were used for a long time before this, at least they were in the UK. If you are going for accuracy, were metric units used in ancient Greece?

... that's.... a great question...

That I just googled and fuck that noise, omg

Yeah I'm not coverting that shit. We're going with feet. It's feet, people. Freedom units wins again

Sidenote this grid was hilarious

Just a cavalcade of dirty joke opportunities