#*points at sweet Danica* my girl!!!

[torturedtypewritersdept]

of canyons + wildflowers - pt. one

✯ pairing:

ex!cowboy!rafe cameron x fem!reader

✯ summary:

it's time to head home to Montana

✯ warnings:

mature themes, mentions of anxiety, mentions of Montana, nostalgia, heartbreak, injury, ghosting, fluff and fear, mentions of gunshot wounds (not rafe), etc.

✯ a/n:

nothing!! please don't engage if you have a hard time with any of these topics <3 this was origianlly posted on my old blog @/illicitfixations, @/lovelornanonymity and i have rewritten + reshared it here :) trying out a new format with this post, hope you like it!

This isn’t your scene – well, it was at one point in time. But, it’s not now. Not anymore. The barstool you are perched on is rickety. It compliments the aged wood floors beneath you well. You’re shocked really, because you were sure all traces of life outside of the city were left behind when you packed up your car and fled from Montana. It’s been so long since you’ve been in a situation like this, remnants of home littered around you. It feels foreign, like a life you were meant to live but didn’t. You were almost positive that New York didn’t have dive bars, yet, here you were; in one. You cursed Danica, thinking about how she practically threatened to kill you if you wasted one more minute on your hometown sweetheart, whose name you’d never reveal to her. This version of you is what she knew; an act on your part that was purposeful in an attempt to erase the girl you used to be – the girl that only he could know. She’d never know the girl that he knew or the pain that was left in his wake. You’re not sure why she’d been so obsessed with finding you someone to have casual sex with. But she was. So, she did what she does best – she held her metaphorical loaded gun to your head and forced you onto Tinder; somewhere you swore you’d never be because it was fucking beneath you. You take a sip of the apple flavored beer in your hands, waiting for prince charming, hoping he wasn’t going to be a raging cunt. You’d had enough of that, you didn’t need more exposure to it. You almost don’t hear his voice over the music, but when you do, you turn quickly away with wide eyes and furrowed brows. Tall, dark, and handsome – that’s what he is, drenched in work clothes and a cowboy hat. For someone who didn’t know you pre-city, pre-business meetings, pre-college, she sure pulled this nightmarish trick out of her magician’s hat. For the normal broad, it’s a dream come true. But, for you, it’s quite frankly the worst scenario you could’ve possibly dreamed up. Because Patrick from New York isn’t your Rafe from Montana. He never could be because no one can mimic that kind of charisma – the kind that emulates blowing wind that knocks you off your horse, yet, somehow keeps you coming back for more. Nope, no one could ever be him and even if they could, you’re not interested. But, Patrick is easy on the eyes, that doesn’t get past you. Nor, does his sickly sweet southern drawl or attempt to have one. You can’t tell if he’s a real cowboy or not, or if he’s trying to emulate being a big fish in the small pond of New York – pretending to be something he’s not in an attempt to create an edge for himself. That’s what you’re trying to convince yourself of when he grabs your elbow and speaks again. 

“Well, howdy darlin’ – are you with me?” 

He questions, wondering if you are the girl that he’d been speaking with on the other end of the phone. That girl, she seemed to be pretty gungho to meet him, but as he approaches you and drinks you in, he’s not so sure that you’re her. 

“I’m y/n.” 

You smile warmly, though a bit dejected. 

“Patrick.” 

He replied, his smile assaulting you like molasses on your tongue. It’s not fair how smooth he feels against your skin when he speaks. It should create butterflies in your tummy, but it doesn’t. Instead, all you can think of is blue eyes and the purple hues of a Montana skyline and a horse named bronco. It makes you miss home, miss him; to have a stranger this eerily similar to him in your vicinity. You know Patrick can’t win the great war between your heart and Rafe mother fucking Cameron – no one can. Many have tried and no one has ever succeeded. 

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think I need to go home.” 

You said, kindly. 

“Am I that bad looking?” 

He replies with a smirk and a deep chuckle. It’s something Rafe would say, you notate on the invisible pen pad in your brain. You almost smile, but you don’t, your face instead sporting a furrowed brow at his insinuation that you need to find him cheeky. 

“Patrick – it’s Patrick right?” 

You ask and his smile lines seem to retreat back toward his lips, the fullness of his cheeks that are adorned with a five o’clock shadow is dissipating before your very eyes. He nods at your question after pondering on it for a moment. 

“I’ll spare you the ‘it’s not you, it’s me' speech. It’ll save us both some embarrassment, just know that it really is me and no matter how inviting and warm you seem, nothing will change that.” 

He smiles at you again. This time it’s confusing – the way he wears his smirk almost earnestly. 

“So, what’s his name then?” 

He asks, tucking a stray hair away from your eyes that were now cast down toward the beer in your hands. Your eyes almost pop out of your skull as your gaze shot up toward his chiseled jaw. Shock littered your features as this total stranger saw right through you. 

“What?” 

You asked, mouth agape. 

“You heard me darlin’ – what’s his name?” 

He asks again and you chuckle dryly. 

“Rafe. Rafe Cameron.” 

You whisper in what you think is a voice only loud enough for you to hear. But, you’re wrong. Patrick hears you and he nods, his hand coming to the small of your back. 

“I hope it works out with Rafe, sweet girl. But, he’s a loser for letting you go.” 

You chuckle at his remark, brought out of the conversation you’re in as your phone rings – Dad littering your screen. 

“Excuse me, I’ve gotta take this. It’s my dad.” 

You mutter, pushing through the crowd and answering the phone as you exit the doors, the crisp autumn new york air hitting your skin. 

“Hey, daddy. What’s up?” 

You ask, as the ringing stops. 

“Hey, sweetheart. How’s your night?” 

He asks with a quiver in his voice. 

“You saved me from a bad date, actually. What’s wrong? You sound funny.” 

You ask, unsure why you’re so unnerved by his tone.

“listen, baby — you need to come home.” 

He states and immediately you know that something has gone morbidly wrong. The hair on the back of your neck stands up as you wait for the blow of his news. 

“What is it? Is it mom? O-or the horses? Does the ranch need money? What’s wrong daddy?” 

You can’t see it, but he’s smiling tearfully at your incessant questioning. You – always the worrier; his sweet girl. It guts him to tell you the truth.�� 

“It’s your brother, baby. He was shot. It’s touch and go right now. We don’t know if he’s going to make it. Just – just come home, baby.” 

You're gutted by the revelation. Yet, somehow you knew, like only a twin can. You weren’t aware of the home you were referring to when you had previously spoken to Patrick about leaving. But, now you are. 

Montana is no longer in the rearview mirror. That’s the last thing you think about before you frantically hail a cab to the airport with no thoughts of retrieving any of your belongings from your apartment. Getting to your brother, the only thing driving you.

TAGLIST:

@maybankslover @inthelibrarybtw @luvrcndy @silkylovey @yagirlwrites @obxbabygirl @rafeecameronsbitch @klutzy-kay24 @roseczbalt

[bwoahtastic]

I am so obsessed with girl!nico and jense!! So more rambles cos nnggg my babies and I'm trying hard to finish the fic I am writing soon!

Nico being really nervous when she agrees with Jenson to tell some of the other drivers that they are together? She is normally so confident and determined but now she is blushing and doesn't know what to say so Jenson tells them (probably mark first). Nico being so nervous because she thinks some will react badly? Tell jenson he can do better? She is so relieved when they are happy for them!

Nico and Jenson often going training together for triathlons. Jenson runs faster, but Nico is insanely fast when swimming

Jenson taking Nico camping and at first she isn't sure about it but she surprisingly likes it. It's quiet, she doesn't have to pretend to be her media perfect self because it's her and jenson, and it's cosy and romantic to cuddle up with jenson in the tent!

After they get engaged, jenson shows off the ring so proudly and tells everyone how nico proposed to him!

Jenson loathing Danica Patrick even more than usual lol. Full on rolls his eyes and explains her in detail how wrong she is wrong if she even TRIES to insinuate women don't belong in f1 and nico was just lucky to become champion

Nico giving Jenson a massage? He tries so hard not to squirm having those little warm hands rubbing over his shoulders and back

They become official to the public when Nico kisses Jenson before a race, a deep, sweet kiss for good luck to both!

They break up for a few weeks at soke point, maybe around the point where they both retire. It's too much pressure, too much going on for both and they unfairly take it out on each other. They never stop loving each other tho and get back together!

[jasmariswonderland]

Shining Hearts Chapter 17 ~ Hydrangea (FINAL CHAPTER)

Chapter 1 |  Chapter 2 |  Chapter 3  |  Chapter 4  |  Chapter 5  |

Chapter 6 |  Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 |  Chapter 9  | Chapter 10 |

Chapter 11 |  Chapter 12  |  Chapter 13  | Chapter 14  | Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter Summary:  “It was my flooding weakness that crushed you...shivering from the rain, plucked from the stem, I’ll continue to sing forever. So please continue to laugh for me. And promise you’ll never forgive what I’ve done...”

Word Count: 8525

A/N: If you have continued to this point, thank you everyone for reading this. Please be sure to read my final notes at the end of this fic. The chapter summary are lyrics from the song “Hydrangea” by Kaya. The song can be found here and the lyrics can be found here. I feel the song is very fitting for the mood of this chapter, as well as Vil and Danica’s mutual feelings for each other at this point. 

~~~

Pomefiore Dorm ~ Danica’s Room 

As Danica pulled her body upwards to turn on the lamp, she expected to feel as though she had sandbags strapped to her shoulders. Such was the heaviness in her heart as she finally managed to fall asleep earlier that evening, and she expected to carry over as she finally awoke. But strangely enough, she felt none of that as she stretched out in the bed and picked up her phone again. She stared at it in curious silence before deciding to ignore Iman’s text for the time being. It had been sent two hours ago and considering Iman had made no other attempt to reach out to her, Danica figured it couldn’t be too serious. 

In truth, she wanted to ignore VDC related matters for as long as she could; waking up, Danica felt almost normal for the first time in hours. Though normal might not be the best word to describe what she felt. In truth, Danica felt empty but figured that was still worlds better than slowly dying inside.

Despite Iman’s warning, Danica subconsciously went to magicam, half out of curiosity and half out of a need to distract herself until she fell back to sleep. Immediately she knew she should have known better because as she scrolled the countless posts, the hot topic on the app was, of course, the VDC. Danica scrolled through several videos of the performances, posts of people either approving of or berating the final result of the votes, and quite a few still photos that appeared to be taken by the press. 

One post she noticed right away was from the magicam profile for the major entertainment news station in Shaftlands, it was of three pictures taken during rehearsal, pictures of her and Vil. The first was taken when Vil took her hands and kissed them in the middle of the stage, the second was during their interview and the third was of Danica after she accepted her VDC trophy, with Vil watching her in the background looking incredibly happy. The post headline told her all she needed to know, a sharp feeling seizing her stomach:

Romance On The VDC Stage: Vil Schoenheit’s Absolutely Beautiful New Love Interest? 

Under the headline was a rundown of the VDC. How Vil had once again lost out to Neige Leblanche but might have won something far better in the form of a speculated new love interest. Followed by a brief profile of Danica based on some public knowledge either from school records or about her family.

While Mr Scheonheit declined to comment on the nature of his relationship with Miss Ledelle, it’s evident from all who watched them that sparks were flying! What do you think? Will these two be Pyroxene’s hot new celebrity couple?

“Hmph, she may look sweet but not with the way she was moving on stage!” 

“Of course such a sultry creature caught Vil’s eye!”

“Did you see their performance, how they were dressed? THAT’S how she seduced Vil! Little vamp!” 

“So she was just pretending to act shy and cute? Typical! Good girls don’t attract bad boys like Vil Schoenheit!” 

Danica shook her head as she read a few of the comments, many of them disparaging against her. She knew many of these people probably adored seeing her with Vil prior to the VDC, more attached to the image she presented than herself. And she found it rather ironic, too ironic to be too upset. At her core, Danica was still very much the same person she always was, shy, pensive and introverted when not on stage. She might have gained some confidence through this whole ordeal, but the only thing she felt really changed was her fear of judgment that was slowly fading. 

And because of it, she finally had the courage to perform in the way she always secretly wanted to. And the audience had responded to her confidence in turn, allowing her and her black swans to win. While these comments hurt, Danica was more annoyed than anything. Annoyed by the hypocrisy, annoyed by the presumptions and, more than anything, annoyed by the whole double standards that resented her in the first place. But she could no longer afford to be bothered. Not after she had persevered and dealt with so much to finally be in this place mentally. 

No one is taking my power away again…

She tapped away from the post and continued scrolling,  she saw that Ione had spent some time with Crisanta, Ayse and Isabel after the VDC, smiling at the selfie they took together. She also smiled at a picture of Farron and Andrew, and giggled at some of the incensed comments from NRC mutuals, shocked to see him fraternizing with an RSA student. Unfortunately, the next post she saw was from Neige, of him and Lilianne together on their ice cream date. He certainly wasted no time pressing her to keep her end of their bargain and Danica shook her head again. Lilianne’s expression was extremely subdued though Neige appeared very happy, and likely completely oblivious to the discomfort his date was feeling. Who ate ice cream outside in late winter anyway? The next post Danica scrolled on was another from Neige but she immediately tapped out of it, seeing just enough to see that it was a picture of him and Vil. She scoffed under her breath. 

I really should just block you already. Unlike Vil, there’s no need for me to keep up the pretense of liking you when you’ve nothing but made my and my friends’ lives difficult.

And just as she was about to do that, Danica’s phone chimed, indicating a new email coming in. She tapped on it and saw it was a message from her mother, it was a long message but even from looking at it for only a moment, she could tell it was just another long lecture. Most likely she was expressing disapproval of Danica’s VDC performance, she was never very keen on her daughter’s pursuits outside of ballet. Her eyes scanned it, mentally beginning to form her defense when she replied to it a few hours later when she’d be in a better state of mind. That’s when she inevitably came across one sentence in particular. 

“When I think about where Fiona was at your age, I can’t help but feel disappointed.”

Danica gripped her phone, she should have expected this much, but it still stung. In a fit of rage, she flung her phone across her bed, just as it was lighting up again with a new message. 

You’re just like the rest of them! I’m sorry I’m not like Fiona! I’m sorry I couldn't be a perfect swan like her! 

She curled up into a ball, pressing her face to her legs as she exhaled loudly. Clearly going to Magicam was a mistake. Her phone continued to light up from across the bed and when she finally picked it up again, she saw that it wasn’t her mother this time, but another message from Iman.

“Hey, Missy! Are you awake? Taima and I really would like to talk if you don’t mind.”

Danica sighed, but decided that this time she would respond. 

“Hey, I just woke up. I passed out soon after coming back to Pomefiore. What’s up? Can we video chat?”

At once, Danica’s phone lit up once again with an incoming facetime request from Iman. She tapped on it and Iman immediately added Taima to their call. 

“Heeeeyyyy, Dani!” Taima smiled. “How are you? We were getting a little worried.”

“I…I’m alright, I guess,” replied Danica. “I’m…surprised to see you two talking to each other, let alone with me.”

“What do you mean by that?” Iman asked. 

“It’s just that, the VDC is over. We won, but now that's over, you two don’t have to be around each other as much now. I know you two don’t exactly get along.”

“That’s true, we don’t see eye to eye most of the time. But Taima has impressed me and I don’t mind working with her in the future if she continues becoming more talented and mature.”

“Hmph, well I don’t mind working with Iman either,” Taima smirked. “If she continues working on her attitude!” 

“The future?” Danica perked up. “So…we’re definitely creating a permanent unit? I know we talked about it casually but…”

“I definitely want to!” Taima jumped up and down in place. “It can be a continuation of our idol club at TGA! Mimi might not be with us but we can hold auditions for more members and really try out a wide range of new music!”

“AND we can win at the VDC again next year!” Iman added with a sly grin. “I overheard one of the visiting teachers say next year’s culture fest will be at RSA! Imagine defeating them on their own turf!” 

“Doesn’t that sound like an awesome idea, Dani?”

“Y…yeah, it does…” Danica responded, clearly hearing them but finding it hard to really listen. Iman noticed her dejected expression and asked if she was alright. To which she responded, “Forgive me if I seem out of it, like I said I just woke up and I’m still trying to process all that happened today.”

“I get that, speaking of which, I hope you weren’t looking at Magicam recently. Remember I texted you about that earlier?”

“Yeah, I got that message,” Danica sighed. “I did look because I had a few unread messages and tags to go through. I…saw a few upsetting things, but…”

“Ughhh, Danica!” Iman groaned. “I told you not to look!”

“No, no, I’m not upset! More annoyed than anything.”

“Well that’s good I guess,” Taima spoke up. “You really shouldn’t give them any of your attention either way. They’re just a bunch of nasty fucks anyway!”

“And such crude comments! Accusing us of using sex appeal to win the VDC. It’s ridiculous!” 

“Hmph! As if Neige didn’t do something similar with his whole stupid cutesy bullshit!” Danica scoffed, irritation suddenly waking her up. “At least we worked hard to get our performance perfect! 

“That’s the spirit!” Iman grinned. “We were worried about how you’d feel if you saw people slutshaming us. I had Vidi and Heloise report most of the people making these comments but they just keep coming!”

“Someone even made countdown clocks for you and Iman!”

“Countdown? For what?” Danica asked. 

“Counting down until we’re both eighteen and they can treat us like whores in good faith!” Iman rolled her eyes. “Pitiful street rats, the lot of them!

“Ugh! That’s just…ugh!!!” Danica wrapped her arms around herself, a sudden feeling of sickness mixed with rage coming over her. “AND THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WOULDN’T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY IF WE STAYED A WHITE SWAN QUINTET! It’s so stupid! It’s so…”

“That better not be regret I’m hearing!” said Iman. “Especially when most of the feedback for us has been positive.”

“Regret? Please! I regret nothing!” Danica shook her head. “I’m past that! Now I’m just angry! Maybe some people did vote for us because they thought we were sexy, but so what? People voted for Neige because they thought he was adorable! Different concept but it’s still the same thing!”

“It’s NOT the same thing though, because our performance was still a thousand and one times better than Neige and his seven little clowns!” Taima replied. 

“But I’m glad to see that you are determined to be unbothered by the idiots,” a smile came to Iman’s face. “A week ago, you would be sobbing in your pillow.”

“Well unfortunately, I don’t have any more tears left to cry,” Danica said blankly. “You know my mom emailed me not too long before Iman texted me again. She compared me to Fiona AGAIN and said she was disappointed in me.”

“Oh Dani…” Taima sighed. “I’m…so sorry…”

“And between that and how Rook basically fucked over Vil and ghosted me in favor of Neige, today has been such an overwhelming day.”

“Well, maybe some good news will help you,” said Iman. “Taima and I spoke to Crowley after you left and guess what? He’s giving us the green light to start an idol club!”

“Oh! So it is official after all!” Danica managed a small smile. “That’s good to know!”

“Yeah, and we’ve already decided on when our next performance should be!” Taima added. “We thought a birthday live for Ione would be nice!”

“We know your birthday is technically before hers, but we’ll have more time to prepare for hers since her birthday isn’t until the end of May.”

“No, no that actually makes sense,” Danica’s smile became wider. “And I really would love to do something special for her since she stuck out with us until the end despite how hard it was.” 

“Exactly what we were thinking!” Iman smiled. “So try and think of the positives. We won the VDC, the first real victory against RSA in decades even if it’s only a half victory. And we’ll get the chance to be on stage together again soon.”

“And the festival is still going on so we’ll still have a chance to hang out with Lili and Mimi.”

Danica gazed at her phone and at her two teammates, she was certain that if not for their support, she would likely be in a much darker place now than she was. From the moment they came together weeks prior, Danica wondered why Vil had chosen these girls to perform beside her, now she understood. It was partly because of the support of the other black swans that Danica felt the courage to stand true to what she wanted, even when she experienced pushback from her dorm leaders or judgment from the world. 

Together, they were capable of amazing things and together, they would continue to hone their skills and grow together as performers. And as people. 

“I’d like that,” she finally said. “Thank you, guys.”

“Thank us? For what?” Taima asked curiously.

“Just…for being here for me, I admit I’m still a little sad, but talking to you two has been helpful. Maybe…I think I might be able to sleep peacefully now, I hope.”

“That makes me happy too!” Taima grinned. “I hate seeing you like that. Speaking of which, how has Vil-san taken all of this? He looked upset at the awards ceremony.”

“I’d be too if I just found out my second in command betrayed me!” Iman shook her head. “It wouldn’t surprise me if you guys have a new vice dorm leader soon!”

“I…don’t think that’s going to happen, he…” Danica sighed, recalling how Vil had addressed her earlier that evening, defending Rook while disparaging her in turn. The recollection of his words stung her and she momentarily went silent. “...Vil-san is…he…”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” Taima saw the downcast expression in her friend’s eyes. “We just hope you’re doing alright, Dani. Try to get some rest and we’ll chat later.”

“And if you don’t feel like sleeping, try to focus your mind on other things,” Iman added. “And please, PLEEEEASE! Don’t go doomscrolling on Magicam!” 

They hung up and Danica made a point of setting her phone back on its charger on her nightstand, out of reach so she hopefully wouldn’t feel the need to go back to magicam anytime soon. She stretched out on her bed but her eyes remained open, she glanced over at the nightstand and saw her music box, reaching out to wind it up. The soft, twinkling melody was a little soothing, but did little to lul her to sleep. 

I hate this! I feel so restless! 

Danica couldn’t sleep like this and after a few moments more, she conceded defeat and jumped out of bed. She took the time to finally remove her stage costume, having fallen asleep with it still on, and wipe away the last fragments of makeup off her face. Hopefully Vil wouldn’t find out she had fallen asleep this way. A gray, loose fitting nightdress was pulled over her head and she gave a relieved sigh at finally having something on that wasn’t so constricting. Walking around her empty room, Danica thought more about the events of that day and all that led up to everything. 

“Innocence is the absence of knowledge, and in your case, to remain innocent would be to remain ignorant of the incredible power you have as a performer.”

She understood now Vil’s concerns about her image, and after seeing how people treated him over Neige, she could see firsthand how his image affected him as well. She also thought about Sidonie’s words to her and how it was all finally connecting in her mind. Somehow, Danica felt herself placed in a narrow box, that box being the world's expectations for her. And she could see that Vil was in a similar box as well. 

I wonder…If I remained a white swan, would Vil have had a better chance at winning? Could his overblot could have been avoided if I…no…NO!

The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. At the end of the day, Danica knew what she wanted for herself and she felt it unfair that Vil was never given a chance to prove himself by more legitimate means. She knew she wasn’t responsible for what happened to Vil, but it upset her how blind everyone was to just how talented he was. That Neige’s act could even stand a chance against him in the first place. Why was it so difficult to acknowledge brilliance?

Everything he did, everything he said, he just wanted people to acknowledge him. I…I get that. Even if…

Danica couldn’t forgive how Vil had exposed her through the Magicam leak. After giving her the cursed chocolate, she was unsure how long it would take for her to trust him again. But after living a life always in the shadow of her sister, it was easy for her to sympathize with him. And even with this realization, there was still one thing Danica couldn’t help but wonder. 

This is too much, I need to focus on something until I feel sleepy again…

~~~

The entirety of Pomefiore was silent, most of its inhabitants sound asleep. Ballet shoes in hand, Danica quickly made her way towards the ballroom. This was something Vil would always scold her for, dancing alone in the ballroom after hours and forsaking proper sleep. But after all that had happened, Danica couldn't help but not really care whether Vil found out or not. 

There wouldn’t be classes tomorrow and she could sleep all she wanted later. But right now, this was the only way Danica could think of to make herself tired. She was already wide awake and felt that an hour honing her ballet skills wouldn’t make much difference. And dance was one of her few emotional outlets anyway.

Something was amiss, it was almost too quiet and Danica suddenly found herself paranoid. The sensation lingered on as she reached the door, along with a growing irritation. This feeling was not new to her and in the past, it often could only mean one thing. But rather than the nervous, giddy excitement of knowing someone she liked was watching her, she only felt disgusted. 

Even now, you still think you can play games with me! 

Clenching her teeth, she angrily turned around, only to be met with an empty hallway. There was no indication that she wasn’t alone and taking a few steps back, Danica took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Yes, she was alone, Rook was nowhere to be seen, and he surely wasn’t watching her again. With that in mind, she reached out to the door leading to the ballroom. She half expected it to be locked and quickly recalled the lock-breaking spell Sidonie had taught her. But when she began to pull at the door, it opened with ease.

“Mira, Mira…”

Her heart stopped, she wasn’t imagining it after all. There was someone in the ballroom, but it wasn’t Rook. 

How long had Vil been there? Danica recalled seeing Vil enter the ballroom soon after they returned that evening, she had wanted to talk to him then but Rook had stopped her. Now past midnight, she wondered if he ever left the ballroom to begin with. 

“Who is…most beautiful?” 

She stopped short of entering the ballroom, something sharp and heavy overtaking her chest. His voice was soft, but even in its softness carried so many emotions that spoke to all he had lost that day. He sounded so sad, so hurt, and thoroughly broken. Even whenever she watched Vil act on stage or on screen, she had never seen him display such emotions. It was crushing, the way he wept and whispered to his phone, hoping for even a scrap of proof that he wasn’t as horrific as he feared. 

“Mira, Mira, please…”

Please…don’t look at me…

Her heart dropped, recalling how he screamed and cried before being overtaken by his overblot. How he lamented his guilt at what he could have done, how he lamented his ugliness. All that made him horrific in comparison to Neige, and his sorrow when Rook only confirmed it with his vote. 

DON’T LOOK AT ME WITH THOSE EYES! 

“You won the VDC with your seductive wiles and became the black swan you always wanted to be!”

Why?! All I wanted was to be the fairest one of all. So why…why am I so…

“What? Do you honestly think people voted for you because of your talent and skill? Spare me!”

…ugly? UGLY?! WHY AM I SO UGLY?!

With so much guilt in his heart, Vil couldn’t possibly say all the cruel things he said to her in good conscience. Danica knew this, and hearing his heartbreak from behind the ballroom door was far more painful than anything he could say to her then or even now. It was clear Vil had been holding back these tears for a long time, that he managed not to break down on the VDC stage was a miracle in and of itself. 

All of his hopes, all of his insecurities, trapped in a cruel dichotomy that left Vil cursed before he even had the chance to prove himself. And his one hope that maybe he could finally break out of his villainous mold, dashed by Neige’s foolishness and Rook’s apathy. The longer Danica stood behind the door, listening to his sobs and peas, the worse her heart felt. And the more she began to realize that she and Vil were far more alike than she ever would have guessed. 

But regardless of that realization there was still one final thing Danica couldn’t help but wonder. 

“You don’t think it’s odd that I’m developing feelings for two people at the same time?”

“Not really…at some point, one of them will stand out more in your heart and your feelings for the other will eventually fade. So I wouldn’t worry.”

The softness of his weeping was suddenly cut through by a loud, impassioned scream, followed by the sound of something shattering. Terrified, Danica recalled Vil’s overblot and immediately feared the worst. She didn’t care if Vil was likely to scold her again or even that she might come across something that she wasn’t equipped to handle on her own. 

All that mattered to her at that moment was going to him, and if need be, pulling him back from his sorrow once again, before it was too late. 

~~~

Pomefiore Dorm ~ Ballroom 

Moonlight poured in through the large windows and in the far corner of the room sat a figure curled up and shaking, not yet aware that he was no longer alone. Softly, Danica stepped lightly towards him, her eyes not leaving him for even a second. In the moonlight, she could see his bright blonde hair as his face was buried into his knees and not visible to her. Silently, she thanked the Great Seven that Vil’s sorrow hadn’t overwhelmed him a second time and he was still here. 

But actually seeing Vil in this state was far more heartbreaking than just hearing him from behind the door. Danica was unsure what she wanted to say to him, or even if anything she said could make a difference at this point. But she knew that she would not have any rest that night until she knew for certain that Vil would be alright.

CRACK!

Razor sharp pain shot up the ball of her bare foot and she let out a small cry as she grabbed her foot in reflex. Even with little light, she could see a large piece of glass now stuck in her foot, stained bright red. Another small whimper escaped her as she squeezed her eyes shut and slowly pulled the piece of glass out of her flesh, holding it in her palm and wondering where it came from. Danica received her answer when she finally looked down and saw Vil’s phone laying shattered beneath her.  

She picked it up very carefully and could see that it was still functional and when the screen with alight, she inwardly recoiled at what she saw. It was a Magicam post from Neige, the very same one she had clicked away from earlier when she was scrolling the app. A photo that Neige all but begged Vil to pose for after they had finished singing. They were smiling together and from the looks of it, one would never guess how painful it was for Vil to pose for it in the first place. Only agreeing as a matter of professionalism. Refusing would only confirm the worst for those eager to see him as the villain they already assumed him to be. Regardless of what the truth was, Vil still had to preserve whatever dignity he could. 

neige.leblanche posted: RSA BEAT VI-KUN!!! And he was so cool about it! ❤️

realscheonheit commented: I hate you 🙃

neige.leblanche replied: I love you too! Hope we can see each other again soon! Dani too! ❤️❤️❤️

R commented: BEAUTE! 100!!

This post had been made less than an hour ago and the people who resented Vil were likely eating this all up. Danica clenched her teeth, not just from the pain in her foot but also from the sheer audacity of it all. Neige really was clueless to post this after seeing how much losing affected Vil. And Rook was beyond tactless to comment as well. The shattered glass prickled at her palm but as she wondered what to do with the phone, she heard Vil’s cracked voice, calling out to her. 

To say Vil was surprised to see Danica would be an understatement, certain she wouldn’t emerge from her room until dawn at least. Secretly, a part of him was glad to have her there, but that happiness quickly vanished as the seconds passed and she came closer to him. Seeing her eyes upon him like this, crumbled on the floor, weeping and pathetic, was the height of humiliation for him. Whatever had happened between them, as her dorm leader, Vil was supposed to set an example for her. 

He had to be a model of integrity and poise and yet here he was crying and going on like a child because he had lost a contest that he didn’t even deserve to win. But that wasn’t even the worst part; twenty four hours ago, they were still at Ramshackle. Vil watched Danica sleep peacefully beside her teammates, his mind still full of all the possibilities that VDC victory would open up for both of them. They would gradually reconcile and rekindle their feelings for each other and soon enough, all kinds of opportunities and offers would pour in for him. 

The world would fall in love with his perfect swan and would adore him in turn when they saw just how perfect they were together. Vil even, briefly, entertained the fantasy of he and Danica staring together in a future film where he would undoubtedly play the hero to her romantic heroine. Falling in love both on screen and off in a way not unlike how his own parents fell in love while filming Curse of the Winter Rose. So many wonderful, beautiful things to look forward to, only to now look back on losses and all that could have been if he could only seize being so ugly and cruel. 

But Vil should have known better, his hopes and dreams were the thing of fairy tales and never meant for a villain like him. Instead of showing the world his beauty, he was still second best to Neige Leblanche, reminded once again of his place as a bad guy unworthy of a happy ending. And if that wasn’t bad enough, in his ugliness and rage, Vil had nearly cost Danica her life, destroying the most beautiful thing in his world. 

“Ah Roi du Poison, I understand your ire at Danica, but the way you spoke to her, that was quite harsh. But I suppose I should not be surprised, your harshness towards her was very in character for you. After all, every rose has thorns. Even the fairest ones of all.”

That Danica was still able to look at him kindly was beyond baffling. But surely, after all he said to her earlier, his ugliness would finally drive her away from him. It was just as Rook said, his harsh words were very in character for him. It was all he was capable of and Danica did not deserve that. She deserved someone like Neige, kind and pure who would never hurt her, not someone who flung cruel words at her and went behind her back. Someone who was still deserving of having a happily ever after.

“What are you doing here?!” Vil asked, his voice shaky but quickly trying to regain its usual icy, stately cadence. “Do you have any idea how late it is?! What are you doing up at this hour?!”

“I…I could ask the same to you, Vil-san…” Danica softly replied, still glancing down at her feet to avoid the broken glass. “What are you doing up at this hour yourself?”

“Don’t get cheeky with me! That’s a bad habit you've picked up from your mentor!” 

“I’m NOT trying to be cheeky!” Danica felt her voice breaking but she quickly bit the inside of her lip. “I thought I heard something in here and I…I…” she sighed. “Vil-san…please. Can we just talk? Won’t you let me…”

“Get out!” Vil sharply pointed to the door. “There’s nothing to discuss! Go back to bed now!” 

“I won’t!” Danica took a few steps forward. “I’m not leaving! Not until you talk to me! I don’t believe you want me to leave, so won’t you please stop pushing me away? What have I done?!” 

“I gave you an order and yet you’re still running your mouth!” Vil tried to glare at her. But his mind was tired and his body still aching from the after effects of his overblot. His face did not give off the intimidation that he intended, but he hoped his words would. “Don’t make me ask you again! Get! Out!”

“Vil-san…” 

Glancing up at Vil, she could see anger that would normally make her tremble away from him. He really was an incredible actor, she thought. Even now she wondered if she was being incredibly foolish still trying to reach out to him. She closed her eyes, thinking about what to say next. 

“Fine, Vil-san. I’ll go. But can I ask one thing first?”

“No! Absolutely not! Leave now otherwise…”

“ARE YOU ORDERING ME TO LEAVE AS MY DORM LEADER?! IF YOU AREN’T THEN I HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO OBEY YOU!” 

Vil started, eyes widening at the boldness of her statement. In his mind, he was mercilessly flinging beratements at her for her audacity but he found that he couldn’t bring himself to voice them. He stared silently at her, truthfully too tired to try to argue further. And his silence was precisely the answer Danica needed.

She took another step forward, keeping her eyes on him. When he made no objection, she took another breath, about to speak again before another sharp pain shot up her toe. The glass had scattered further than she thought and she cried out as another shard pierced her foot.This time, the pain was too much and she found herself losing her balance. 

No, Danica…

Momentarily forgetting his sorrow, Vil rushed to her side, scooping her up into his arms and eliciting a surprised gasp from her lips. Her eyes fluttered up at him and in his arms, she couldn’t help but blush. It was so similar to how he lifted her during their new years pas de deux. She glanced down at the ground, seeing the fragments of his phone screen scattered about and hoping Vil wouldn’t decide to drop her. 

But such was the last thing on Vil’s mind. A piece of glass cracked under his heels and seeing his broken phone in her hands made him realize what had happened. He gently sat her on a clean part of the floor before going to turn on the lights and grabbing a first aid kit that was stationed on the wall in the hallway. When Vil returned to the ballroom, he saw Danica softly whimpering as she held her foot, several red prints stained the floor where she had been walking. 

“I truly am terrible,” he murmured as he softly cleaned the blood off her foot. “A dancer as magnificent as you must keep her feet in tip top shape and yet look at the mess I’ve made of them.” 

Vil applied a small amount of healing potion, cringing inside at how she whimpered. As he bandaged her foot up, he noticed acutely how the bones in her leg protruded more than usual. She had lost so much weight, likely due to the stress he had placed upon her. He sighed, hesitantly placing his arm on her ankle, when she didn’t object, he softly ran his hand up and down her leg in a caressing manner. 

“It seems all I am capable of is causing you pain, Little Potato, and yet you still wish to speak to me?” 

“Yes, it’s true, you have hurt me, Vil-san,” Danica replied. “But this is the least of it. And a little broken glass is nothing compared to how awful Rook has made me feel.” She locked eyes with him and sighed as well. “It’s…clear I’m not the only one he has hurt today either.”

“Danica…” Vil’s hand stopped at her knee before reaching out to touch her shoulder. “I…don’t know what is going on between you and Rook. Honestly, I don’t want to know and as your dorm leader, I probably shouldn’t anyway. But even if I can forgive Rook for betraying NRC Tribe, if he’s hurt you, that I cannot forgive.”

Danica hesitated, in truth, she didn’t understand why Vil was so willing to forgive Rook’s actions against him. If not for him, Vil would finally, for once, have risen against Neige and proven his worth to the world. All Rook had done was reconfirm all Vil probably felt about himself, that he was ugly and cruel. Even if Vil had done cruel things, somehow, this punishment didn't seem to equate the actions, especially since Vil was already aware of all he had done wrong. 

How long would it be now before Vil once again had a chance to prove himself? Would he ever have the chance to prove his worth? And would Vil ever see it for himself? As Danica asked herself this, she felt something small and wet tap her leg. She glanced down and saw Vil’s gaze cast downward. From the angle she sat at, she couldn’t fully see his face, but she could feel his hands tremble against her skin. 

“Vil-san…” she whispered, hesitantly placing both of her hands on top of his. His hands quickly pulled away from her grasp but not cruelly, he pressed them to his face and that’s when she understood. “Vil-san…please…”

“You never deserved any of this,” he whispered, more tears sliding down his face, falling onto her leg. “Just because I’m meant to be a villain, it doesn’t mean…”

“Vil!”

“It doesn’t mean I had the right to say all those terrible things to you! It's true, I was just jealous of your victory, I was jealous and I was angry at Rook but I took it all out on you!” His whimpers quickly morphed into full on sobbing once again. “All this time, I’ve stressed to you that a black swan cannot stand beside a prine, but in truth, a villain has no right to…to…”

A villain has no right to stand by the side of an angel. 

Vil bit down hard on his tongue before he could say things better left unsaid. But Danica had heard enough, and understood enough of what he was trying to convey to her. At that moment, she couldn’t bear to remain angry at him, nor could she hold back her emotions any longer. 

It was bold, it was sudden, and for Vil, it was completely unexpected and even more shocking. His body froze as he tried to comprehend what she was doing. Besides his father, no one had ever really shown Vil affection, let alone embrace him like this. He was used to keeping people at a distance, used to people being intimidated by his aura and even Rook remained at arms length of him for the most part.  

But while the lack of affection in his life made this embrace all the more shocking, it also made Vil realize just how much he needed it. How much he was secretly craving this tenderness, and how much he never wanted her to let him go. 

“Vil-kun, what’s wrong?” Erik asked, gently stroking his son’s hair. “You did so well, you should be proud of yourself. Why are you crying?”

“I hated it! The way they looked at me!” Vil sobbed into his father’s chest, his small body swallowed up by his father’s embrace. “Everyone in the cast got flowers but me! Neige got the most but I didn’t get any! And the other kids made fun of me and said bad guys don’t get flowers! I don’t want to play bad guys anymore but those are the only parts I keep getting!” 

Erik hugged his son tighter, letting him cry as he glanced at the framed photo on the table in front of them. If only Valerie could still be here. For as much love as he gave Vil, there were times, like now, that he wondered if it was enough. 

“I’m not a mean boy! I just pretend to be mean when I’m acting!” Vil went on, staring up at his father with tears streaming down his face. “But I’m not mean! I’m not! So why do they always assume I’m mean?!”

“Oh Vil…”

“Why can’t I be the good guy for once?! Why can’t I ever be enough?!” 

“Shh shh, it’s alright,” Erik spoke in a soothing tone, gently wiping the tears away from Vil’s cheeks. “I know you’re upset, Vil. I know, I know. But you’re such a talented boy. And every part you play, you perform so wonderfully.”

“But no one loves villains,” Vil sniffed. “And no one cares when villains are defeated. Everyone cheers for the hero but no one cheers for the villains. No one likes us because we’re mean and hurt people!” 

“Yes, that’s true, but stories need villains, just as much as they need heroes. If there were no villains, there would be no obstacle for the heroes to overcome and the stories would become boring and fall apart.”

“So you mean…heroes need villains?” Vil asked, wiping the rest of his tears away. “But people still don’t like villains.”

“Not always,” Erik smiled. “There are some people who like watching villains more than they do heroes. Because the hero is always destined to succeed in the end, sometimes people take more interest in the villains because they want to see what they will do. Heroes always have to be good and do the right thing. But villains, they can do whatever they like because they don’t play by the rules.” He winked at his son. “That’s personally why I think playing the villain is more fun.”

“Dad…” 

Vil glanced up at his father, recalling a moment the previous halloween when his father returned home from performing in a musical. Erik was still wearing his special makeup that made him appear disfigured and it scared Vil so badly that he ran away from him and began to cry. He hid under the coffee table and It wasn’t until his father soothed him with a song from the musical that Vil recognized his voice and finally approached him. Though his appearance was frightening, beneath the makeup was still his kind and caring father. And in Vil’s young heart, he was everything that a hero should be and more. 

Finally, Vil’s tears began to fade and he smiled up at his father with new found confidence. 

“Well, just you wait, Dad!” he said. “Next time, I’m gonna play a hero! I’ll work extra hard on my next audition and I’ll leave everyone in tears! Just like Neige!” 

“Oh I have no doubt, Vil! After all, you’re my son!” Erik scooped Vil up in his arms, lifting him up in the air as he and Vil laughed together. He hugged him tightly to his chest. “But regardless of what role you get next, you are a good and beautiful boy, inside and out. And regardless of what roles you play in the future, you will always, always be enough.”

“Danica…” Vil murmured, still dumbstruck by this sudden show of affection. “Why…why are you?”

“May I speak plainly, Vil-san?” she asked softly. He did not respond right away but she decided to continue on anyway. 

“A few years ago, I watched you in a movie, it was The Twisted Prince,” at this, she felt Vil tense up slightly. But he didn’t stop her and she went on, “I remember how taken I was with your performance in that role. But it wasn’t just seeing you bring the twisted prince to life, it was also listening to your interviews around that time. I vividly remember one, yes, where you talked about the challenges of getting into the characters mindset because it was so far removed from your own. And how you said that you enjoyed the challenge and considered yourself a better actor because of it. That’s why I admire you, Vil-san. That’s why I still admire you even now.”

Vil remained silent but in his mind, he was considering his words. This wasn’t the first time someone had professed to being taken with one of his villainous roles, he had learned early on that there was a certain subset of people who naturally gravitated towards villains. But something about the way Danica spoke, there was such plain, brilliant honesty in the way she expressed herself and her admiration of him. Something he always found quite intriguing about her. 

“You lost your heart to the villainous prince, did you?” he asked, chuckling softly. 

“No, I lost my heart to someone driven in his goals and always determined to succeed, his efforts rivaling even those of the Fairest Queen of legend. Someone…I wanted to be like.”

Danica closed her eyes as she felt her face becoming hot. She was coming dangerously close to revealing something she was very unsure she wanted him to know. But somehow, she couldn’t stop herself. 

“From the moment I set foot in this dorm, I saw first hand how determined you were in everything you did, and it made me want to become more determined myself. That’s why, whenever you gave me tasks I thought were impossible or daunting, I still tried to do them because I wanted you to see my determination too.”

And every test I gave you, you passed with flying colors, Little Potato. Vil continued listening to her and slowly, the beginnings of a smile began to form on his lips. 

“But I’m so tired,” she went on. “I’m tired of the idea of heroes or villains, or white swans and black swans. In the end we all fucked up in this situation, Vil-san.”

“Ara, your language, Little Potato!” He tried to take on a scolding tone, but he found himself biting back a smirk. 

“Forgive my language but it’s true!” she giggled through the tears she felt forming in her eyes. “You hurt me, but I also broke my promise to you too! Rook betrayed us both and even Neige isn’t fully innocent either! He’s using his victory to guilt Lilianne into go on a date with him instead of accepting her rejection with grace!”

Hmph, he always had a way of getting exactly what he wanted. Vil scoffed under his breath. 

“And anyway, what is a hero really? The only thing being a hero means is to be the antagonist to a villain’s journey. But villains have their own hopes and dreams too.”

This was it, there was no turning back now. It almost didn't matter how Vil responded to what she said next. If Danica didn’t say this now, she never would, and she would regret it for all eternity. 

“There’s no way I can forgive what you’ve done to me, Vil. You did a lot of messed up things all to keep up with a standard that hates us both! I can’t forgive you, but I also can’t forget how much you've changed me for the better. You’ve inspired me to be the best version of myself that I can be. Before, I was always so afraid of people’s eyes on me but under your guidance, I feel myself really becoming confident in myself, I can’t forget that.” 

“Danica…”

Vil had not yet pulled away from her embrace and she tightened her hold on him as she took one final breath before finishing her tangent. 

“I can’t forget any of that, even if I can’t forgive how you’ve hurt me. So if you can’t be my hero, then I’m fine with being damned.” 

From the moment Danica began speaking, Vil could feel his emotions beginning to shift. But with every word she continued with, he felt his heart racing faster. It seemed almost too good to be true and in fact, she made no statement about love or even anything regarding her feelings. She didn’t have to though. After all that had transpired, it would be extremely forward for him to even imagine that they could rekindle their feelings for each other now. At least, not at this moment. 

The truth was, they both had many lessons they needed to learn before they could even begin to entertain such a thing. Vil would have to reconcile with his fate to always be a villain. Danica would have to decide whether or not she could accept that side of him in all that it entailed. And they would both have to learn to see each other past their labels, as full human beings. 

However in that moment, Vil was more than willing to accept this and learn any lessons needed, make any amends required, if he could even have just a chance to have this one thing he wanted. Something that, by some miracle, Neige hadn’t managed to take away from him. Something that, if such a thing like miracles existed, perhaps he could finally earn in time. It would be a miracle achieved through his own efforts of course, but a miracle all the same. And maybe, just maybe, the first sign that all hope wasn’t lost, and that he might one day finally be free of his curse. 

“Ara, ara, for you to see me in such an undignified state,” he sighed, finally returning her embrace. “I’m…afraid I’m going to have to have you sign an NDA, Little Potato.” Very gently, Vil reached out and cupped her cheek, using his thumb to wipe away a tear from the corner of her eye. “Why the tears? Don’t you dare waste them on me.”

“Vil-san…”

“Fear not, Danica. There is one thing I’ve always found admirable about villains. Care to know what that is?” She glanced up at him and nodded. “Villains never give up, they continue fighting on until the bitter end. And so shall I. This might be a minor roadblock but it doesn't mean I’m giving up. I won’t stop fighting until I’ve reached my goal to finally be better than Neige. And I won’t give up until I’ve finally reached my goal and become the fairest one of all.”

More tears fell down his face which made her tears return as well. But they were both smiling through them, smiling and holding onto each other, neither of them willing to let the other go. It was only the ringing of Vil’s shattered phone that finally forced him to pull away from Danica to take it to see who was calling. He glared down at the broken screen, it was the headmage. 

“Yes, what is it headmage?” Vil asked, barely attempting to mask his annoyance. “Why are you contacting me at this late hour?”

As it happened, Grim was missing. Yuulan had gone looking for him back at the VDC stage and he had strangely attacked her. Now he was on the loose and Crowley certainly couldn’t have a dangerous beast running wild around campus. Particularly with so many guests attending the cultural festival which would soon be in its second day. 

“I’m rounding up all of the dorm leaders to assist with the search for Grim,” said Crowley, his voice coming through sorted and static though Vil’s defective phone. “Please meet us as soon as you can, Mr Scheonheit.”

Vil groaned as he agreed and hung up the phone, wrapping it up in some bandage cloth before placing it carefully in his pocket. He finally stood up, and prepared to leave but not before guiding Danica back to the hallway and locking the door to the ballroom. 

“We’ll have to clean up the broken glass later,” he said to her. “But for now, try to get some rest, Little Potato. I’ll be back before dawn, hopefully.”

Danica stood in the hallway as she watched Vil leave. A plethora of emotions ran through her heart, none of which she imagined would be sorted out anytime soon. She hoped Vil would return back to the dorm safely but until then, she would return back to her room and continue to think about what she initially was wondering. What she would say to Vil the next time they saw each other. And she would continue to ponder the cruel price they both had to pay for their perfection. 

~~~

(A/N: I had many ideas for the ending of this story which, if it isn’t obvious, ends right where Book 6 begins. As this story was heavily inspired by Swan Lake, I considered ending this story in a similar way as the ballet but the thing is, there are several endings to the ballet ranging from happy to tragic and everything in between. In the end, I decided on a more open/ambiguous ending since I felt it might be a little awkward for the endgame ship to become official now after all that has occurred. 

But if it isn’t obvious by now, Vil will be Danica’s official endgame ship and in the future, she will be the only oc I will NOT be open to shipping with others weather canon or oc. Also, in my twisted mind, a sequel to this story does exist and may or may not already have several chapters already written. Unfortunately, this sequel will never see the light of day due to some heavy themes that border on dead dove territory. Without going into much detail, this hypothetical sequel involves heavy yandere themes, Danica temporarily transferring to Diasomnia and eventually overblotting. I might post hints to this overblot au in the future but for now, all everyone needs to know is that in time, after some serious mental work on both their parts, Vil and Danica will eventually have their true happily ever after. 

I’m not sure how “good” this fic is, since I decided to write it on a whim, completely trashing out what I originally had in mind for it. And the main reason why I really wanted to write this fic is, as mentioned, I was really affected by Vil's arc and very upset with how certain corners of the twst fandom mischaracterize him so badly. And because I see so much of myself in Vil, this may sound pathetic, but I felt that every time someone misjudged Vil, I was once again being placed on trial for my own traumas from my past and forced to defend myself and some of the not so nice ways I acted out when I was truly hurting and needed help and love. Even if I can't right all the wrongs in my past, I can at least see to it that Vil will have a happier ending than I did, even if it's not canon.

But I did enjoy writing it, even when it was difficult at times. And I truly hope people enjoyed reading it. It’s been such a long time since I’ve been inspired to write seriously and I am so thankful to twst for finally sparking inspiration in me once again and reminding me that I actually can write, and when I’m not overcome by crushing anxiety, I actually have interesting ideas too. 

In the meantime, Heloise’s birthday celebrations will happen this coming Monday (March 27th) and now that this fic is done, the next thing I’m planning is a Vidaria-centric overblot AU. But because the plot is partially dependent on what happens in Book 7, it might be a while before I begin posting it, though I will share excerpts soon. Also, I feel Danica has been thought ALOT in recent months, so come April 12th, we will be having a big celebration for her birthday on this blog and I hope everyone (and your ocs too!) will come and celebrate her with all the love and wagashi she deserves. 

I’d like to once again give a special thank you to @twst-the-night-away and @twstinginthewind​ for giving me permission to use their ocs in this fic. The latter of whom inspired a part of this chapter with her wonderfully angsty art that you can find here. Yes, this is where I got the idea for Vil’s shattered phone, something I decided on for the ending months ago even when I was still thinking about everything else. 

And once final time, thank you everyone for reading this fic, and feedback is very, GREATLY, appreciated! 💙💙💙)

[a-tale-of-legends]

Okay since I did Wally, it makes sense I would do Blue. Gonna try and keep it shorter than Wally:s lol. Blue's dynamic with the other rivals!

Silver: Little bro # 1. Next to Beryl, Blue pretty much understood Silver the most in his you get years, and because of that he became this mentor/older brother figure to Silvs. Next to the dragon den, Viridian gym became a safe space for Silver to just hang out, though his definition of hanging out is battling lol. Silver had to deal with the love saga that was Red and Blue and will constantly rip at them for it ( Blue would then mention something about Kenji and that gets Silver to shut up).

Wally: The Bestie ( next to his sisters and Red). How did these two become such close friends despite seemingly contrasting personalities? Blue would give you a long backstory as to how the two met and thus became friends. Wally would shrug and say " The fuck I know. But I am grateful to be his friend :)"( note: Blue did not teach Wally to swear. That was Green). The balance each other off really well tbh. Blue had gone full Karen for Wally once, me thinks. Blue has been concerned with Wally's desire for strength at the cost of bonding with his pokemon, but he ( and others) addressed it with him at some point. Wally and his pokemon are doing better for it! Wally, in turn,let's Blue just rant to him about his frustrations- gym stuff, Red, family stuff, his own goals in life...the man was very conflicted in what he wanted to do in life. These two consider each other their best friend, and I will die on this hill.

Barry: This one is hard since I don't know exactly how they would meet? The best I can think of is in b2w2 during the pwt, if Danica invited Barry along as a plus one. But even then, I'm not entirely sure about how blue perceives him. I do think he appreciates the energy and enthusiasm! Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw him as another rival( of course Red and Green are his #1 rivals, and no one can top that). I can totally see the banter between these two being wild ( Blue seems to be the type to playfully egg Barry on).

Bianca: Being the grandson of the esteemed Prof. Oak and having your older sister eventually take the mantel of pokemon professor means that you- Blue - by proxy is always In The Know of the whozawhatsit in the pokemon scientific sphere. So,by proxy, he knew Bianca before officially meeting her. Daisy said that she's a sweet girl, and when meeting her ( thanks to Cheren) , he can say she is really sweet. Though he also appreciates the snark in her. Blue would say he's not too deep into the pokemon professor stuff ( he's not one in my au, but he dabbles into it here and there), but Bianca can and will sight the long conversations they would have about whatever sciencey pokemon topic that comes to mind. He ain't slick.

Cheren: So basically it went like this.

Literally anyone: Oh hey, I heard that Unova has a new normal type gym leader.

Blue, a "normal" type gym leader: Oh?

Literally anyone: Yeah, apparently he helped fight off Team Plasma two years ago.

Blue, who had encounters with his own regions evil team: Oh???

Literally anyone: Mhm. He used to be friends with the guy who stopped them, but that guy disappeared one day-

Blue, who is honestly still healing from everything, including Red just up and leaving: Oh you don't say?!

So basically Cheren is Little Bro # 2. He loves teasing him. It took a while for Cheren to really reciprocate( Blue was kinda Too Much, especially given his general, well, Blueness), but now they're really good friends! Much like Bianca, blue has had long conversations about pokemon and stuff ( which includes trauma and feelings of inadequacy).

Hugh: Another hard one, but probably like Barry. Appreciates the vigor, the drive, etc. Gonna look at pokemas for this one.

Okay time for rapid fire stuff cause this is getting long again.

Kalos rivals: Sorry to group them together :(. Blue knew about them before meeting them for the same reasons stated in Bianca's part. Shauna and him are always in contact due to the Chosen business, but Shauna has encouraged his Dramatic Bitch behavior lol. Sees a bit of Wally in Trevor, and likes talking to him about the Pokedex. Isn't super big on contests, but his sister( Daisy) would partake in them, so he would catch Tierno in a few here and there.

Alola rivals: His KIDS!!! Living in Alola means he sees them often, and once again became yet another mentor figure for them. This was at a point where Blue has become his most mature self, still classic Blue, but less likely to egg someone on for a response unless it's actually needed. He genuinely loves seeing them hang out together and enjoy life, as well as battling as they see fit. He gets really sappy around them lol. Gladion and Ames ( not a rival, oc) call him Old Man. In SM he's only 21 lmao.

Galar rivals: Have not met them properly I think. He had heard about Hop from Leon when he- Leon - was champion. He also probably tuned into the Galar gym challenge and watched everything about it, so he knows about Bede and Marnie from there. If I ever have them medy properly, I think Hop and Bede would be Little Bro #3 and 4. Marnie would be Little Sis # 1 ( Green is Blue's actual little sister in my au, so she doesn't count).

And yeah. That was long. Again. Ah well.

[justalittletomato]

A Drabble idea: naive Ezra trying to force connect to dathomiri fauna because Eris said it’s super easy and they’re actually quite docile(she was lying, she’s recording the whole affair)

From about the time Ezra had demonstrated an affinity with creatures, a grin found its way onto Eris’s face. 

Loth Cats?  

Tookas?

And many more! Ezra boasted about his experiences with the deep space Purgil and well Eris just had to ask him more as well as explain to him a bit about Dathomir’s own set of fauna. 

“Oh it is nothing of that sort, the Night people were able to tame rancors and baneback spiders! A jedi such as yourself with such an ability to communicate with them? Well you would be the best of us!” The golden Zabrak girl just keeps grining. Her younger brother Feral gave her a pointed look. Little Danica was about to say another of her facts when Eris popped open a tin of uj cake, the little Zabrak licked her lips and quieted. 

“Now come on I just know it would be no issue for you to try and chat with my Brula” 

Aster was ransacking Ares’s medical supplies, her cousin making note of all she took, “You owe me big time.” 

“He is prone to accidents!”  she justified, 

Ares was about to protest again when they heard screaming from the other side of the Fortress. Little Danica poked her head out from the hidey hole in the infirmary, “ Eris took Ezra to see Brula,”

“No.”

“You are going to need more medical supplies.”

“Danica, how could you let this happen?” Aster almost growled at the small child. Danica licked off the last bit of uj cake from the corner of her lip, “I was distracted.” 

Eris laughs as Ezra runs about the room where her chirodactly stayed. The giant beast was the thing of nightbrother terrors, and it was certainly making the young Jedi scramble for dear life. 

“Oh don’t worry Aster! He wont kill your boyfriend just welcoming him to the group!” 

Ezra screamed when Brula lifted him up with its owlike beak. 

“DONT EAT MY IM WIRY!” 

“Like a womp rat?!” Danica suggested. 

Ares glared at his twin sister, “Eris call off Brula.” 

“OH he must be looking for the mangos I stuffed in Ezra’s jacket, Brula adores mango!” 

Aster hissed at Eris, “ PUT HIM DOWN OR ILL CALL THE WITCHES” 

Eris pouted, “you are no fun,” 

Feral brought Ezra over who was pale as could be and shaking, “ Is that your monster you use to sic on people?” 

The zabraks shook their heads, “ Eris’s pet, practically her baby.” 

Ezra shook his head, “Next thing you are gonna say is you guys ride rancors,” 

“We don’t too well yet but Cress and Dani do.”

The Jedi shivers, “What is Dathomir?” 

Danica giggles, “Home silly! Home sweet home!”

[vinvantae]

ᴛᴡɪɴ ꜰʟᴀᴍᴇ

Part 20/25

<< Previous Part

Rating - Mature

Warnings - Explicit language, mentions of sex, alcohol, glimpse of violence

**************************************************

“7 races left of the season and you’re primed to take a podium in your very first season in Formula One. That’s amazing.”

You smiled. It was amazing. You were so grateful to Redbull for the opportunity but you knew that a good part of it was your own talent - no one has been such a good match for Max as you. It was hard not to let it get to your head but sometimes you did feel a little smug.

“Yeah, I’m so excited. This has been such a dream - almost doesn’t feel real.”

“There’s been some speculation that Alfa Romeo may offer a seat to a young driver, Lina Fischer, for the next season. Does this threaten you at all, being the only girl?”

“Absolutely not. Just because she’s another woman doesn’t mean that I’ll treat her any differently to how I treat the boys. The whole point of me joining this sport is to prove that we are just as capable if not more so than the men are. If the rumours are true, I‘ll give her the warmest welcome. It’ll be nice to have another girl around.” You smiled. “Danica Patrick is here this weekend and she’ll tell you how fun it is to be a woman in motorsport. I’m so excited to meet her.”

The media had really come to respect you so far this season - there were a lot of comments about your personal growth and how you really seem to have settled into the sport really well. It was only behind the wheel that they saw that drive and passion that led to your nickname. Your interviews were calm, even funny sometimes and very rarely did you get a question unrelated to F1.

Occasionally, you got a question about yours and Dan’s relationship but they were never rude and probing. He came over to you just as your interview wrapped up and the pair of you walked to your driver’s room together - enjoying each other’s company before the race tomorrow. He said he was going to grab something from his room, so you just chilled by yourself for a while. You had to start the race in Texas from the back of the grid, so while you were hoping for the best, you weren’t hopeful about getting a podium.

“M’lady'' You looked up from your phone at him. You pursed your lips to stop yourself laughing - he’d been doing this all weekend, he’d dressed head to toe in cowboy garb.“How y’all doin’ this rootin’ tootin’ evenin’?”

“…If you didn’t look so hot, I’d kill you.” You narrowed your eyes at him, he strided across the room and caged you in on the sofa.

“Oh doll, you could never outdraw me in a duel.” He smirked, taking off the hat and placing it on your head.

“You’re such a dumbass.”

“But I’m your dumbass, m’lady.”

“Are you ready for this weekend, cowboy?” You hummed softly. “I know this is like your second home.”

“I’m so hyped, have you seen my helmet for the weekend? It’s so cool.”

“Cool and hyped aren’t very yeehaw words are they?”

“True. But they’re the right words.”

“Can you please stop the accent, you absolute moron.”

“Never, gotta stay in the right mindset, doll.”

“God, I hate you.”

“You could never.” He leant in and pressed your lips together in a sweet kiss, cupping your face in his large hands. “Are we going to celebrate at that bar tonight?”

“Depends if there’s something to celebrate!”

There was not. You’d started off well managing to get up to P15 in the drama of the first lap but Christian had demanded you put full force into overtaking and you’d ended up spinning out after you were clipped by one of the Haas’, at the start. You’d limped across the finish line in 13th, just not able to make up those track positions with Alonso being so aggressive with his drive. Dan managed to finish 5th which was good for him - you knew he’d be buzzed tonight but you were gonna have to try and distract yourself.

You’d planned this no matter what the outcome of the race was; you’d decided to beat Dan in his own game and dress western in a way that would drive him wild. You tied a flannel into a crop top just above your belly button and left it partially unbuttoned - peak of your lacy bra poking out, a denim skirt, cowboy boots and a cowboy hat to top it off. Honestly, you felt ridiculous but you knew it would wind your man right up.

You almost had to physically pick Lando’s jaw off the floor when he met you outside with a cab; clearly he’d been coerced to join the look by your boyfriend - a cowboy hat and boots added to his normal casual wear.

“It’s way too much isn’t it?”

“…Dan’s gonna be fighting people off. Maybe even me.” He whistled low, his eyes roaming across your body. “Sorry, it’s just strange seeing you like this.”

The way he was looking at you should’ve bothered you but it didn’t. After your incident and no points finish, Christian had looked so disappointed in you - it was refreshing to be looked at like you were special again. He held the taxi door open for you and you slid in beside him.

You secretly relished in the fact he sat close to you, his thigh pressed against yours. Tonight was about getting absolutely wasted and forgetting the race - even before one drink, you were already enjoying the attention. As the taxi pulled up to the bar, you could see that it was only other drivers and their guests here; everyone seemed to have taken up the cowboy theme so you didn’t stand out so much when some of the other girls had taken the theme down the sexy path.

However, as you walked in - you felt all eyes fall on you. You tilted your hat and smirked. “Good evening.”

“M’lady…” Dan approached you with a bottle of beer for you, his eyes wide. “You look… wow.”

“Howdy Sheriff.” You purred, adjusting the shiny badge that he’d somehow found. “Still fancy that duel later?”

“Boogity doll, you’ve got me all flustered, not sure I’d be able to focus.” He chuckled softly, his free hand coming to rest on your waist. “I’m sorry about the race today.”

“It’s fine. You did well, I’m proud of you though.” You sighed. “I wanted to please my boss and it backfired… just wanna enjoy myself tonight, okay?”

He nodded and slid his arm around you, placing a hand on the small of your back to pull you closer. You draped an arm around his neck and kissed him deep, tasting the alcohol on his tongue. The way he kissed was possessive; he was jealous of the attention you got from men before you got together but this? This was different. You were his. And all of the boys eyeing you up was clearly bothering him a little but you were definitely enjoying it. Not that you’d tell him.

“I wanna go say hi to everyone.” You pouted softly, feeling his hand giving your waist a gentle squeeze.

“Can I come with you?”

“I won’t stop you, cowboy.”

“Fucking hell y/n.” You don’t think you’d ever seen Max look at you like this until now. The Dutchman’s eyes flickered to Dan after lifting from your chest and he blushed at the fact he’d been caught. “Sorry mate, she just looks fucking good.”

“As I said, y’all fellas can look but this little darlin’ is all mine.” Dan pressed a kiss to your cheek. “Damn baby, you finished that first beer already?”

“You know it, partner.” If he was gonna keep up the dumb accent, so we’re you. “Gonna drink the night away.”

“Cheers to that.” He lightly tapped his bottle against yours before ordering you a fresh one.

The night quickly became a blur - you lost count of how many beers you’d drunk and shots you’d taken but now you were all standing around a mechanical bull, cheering as Checo showed off his self-proclaimed skills. The Mexican didn’t last long after he tried to go one handed, getting flung onto the airbag at the base of the bull.

“C’mon!” You laughed. “Checo! What was that?”

“Oh you think it is so easy, huh? Get yourself on here, y/n!” You grinned and drunkenly climbed over the wall of the airbag; you knew people were going to underestimate you as you stumbled towards the bull.

“Doll, you be careful okay?” Dan said, giving your hand a gentle squeeze from the outside of the pit before you were out of reach. “You’re a lil tipsy.”

“Sheriff, I got this.” You cooed, pressing a kiss to his lips. “Don’t gotta worry about me, darlin’.”

The boys all wolf whistled and cheered as you straddled the bull, tightening your thighs around it. Your thighs were strong; you’d worked hard on them and they were definitely about to come in handy as the bull sprang to life. You gripped the handle as it swung you around wildly - everyone was shouting for you and cheering you on.

You used your free hand to pretend to spin a lasso above your head. “Yeehaw, motherfuckers!”

“You got this, baby!” Dan whooped, a massive proud smile on his handsome face. You threw your head back in a laugh. “That’s my girl!”

Cheekily, you winked at him and threw the invisible lasso at your boyfriend and pretended to pull him towards you. He somehow managed to jump onto the back of the moving bull and slide right up behind you- large hands immediately finding your waist.

“Looks like you caught me, darlin’.” He whispered.

“Don’t throw me off my game now, Sheriff! Been trying to tame this wild bull, see?!”

Suddenly, your arm was wet; you looked out at the group to find they’d been given water guns by the bar owner to shoot at the pair of you. You practically cackled as they drenched you both, causing you to slip from the bull and onto the floor, Dan soon after you.

You struggled to catch your breath as you continued laughing, your stomach hurt but you felt so good - all the heartache and upset from today’s race long forgotten as Dan pulled you to your feet and into his arms bridal style.

“Let’s go, Deputy.” He chuckled, climbing out of the pit with you and sitting you down in a nearby booth. “I’ll grab us some towels or something to dry up.”

As soon as he’d left you alone, you somehow found yourself up on the bar dancing with some of the other girls. You hadn’t been this drunk since that gala at the start of the year but you didn’t care, you were living your best life. Dan had left you to it and was chatting to Max and Lando across the room, throwing a protective glance your way every now and then.

“Fuck!” You cursed, almost missing the barstool as you clambered down but Alex took a hold of your hand to guide you down safely. “Thank you!”

He gave you a fond smile that was almost foreign to you now, so you grinned at him. “You’re welcome, y/n… can I get you a drink?”

“Oh I’d be rude if I said no wouldn’t I?” You giggled, giving his arm a playful shove but he didn’t even move at your touch. “How about some shots?”

“Sure!”

He ordered you both some shots of the strongest drink he could find and you felt like your throat was on fire as it slid down your throat. “Fuck, Alex! That was nasty!”

His laugh was like music to your ears- it was almost like you were on good terms again and it was nice. You’d missed his friendship. You lost his gaze as a pair of warm hands covered your eyes, Dan must have gotten jealous of you having fun with your ex.

“Baby, don’t worry. I’m still your girl.” You turned in his arms and pulled him into a kiss - smiling as he pulled you closer.

“Dude! The fuck!?”

You frowned and pulled back from the kiss; expecting to see golden honey but were instead met with icy blues. Oh no. He was yanked away from you with a tattooed hand on the shoulder - you stumbled back against the bar. Fuck, you’d just kissed Pierre and Dan had seen the whole thing.

You didn't know if words were exchanged but the next few moments seemed like a blur, almost in slow motion you saw Dan’s fist make contact with Pierre’s face - the French man falling back, only just managing to catch himself with Charles’ help.

“D-Dan!” You squeaked, covering your mouth in shock that he’d actually hit him.

“You’ve had enough.” He growled, snatching the beer you’d just ordered. “We’re going.”

Before you could even check on Pierre, Dan grabbed your wrist and dragged you from the bar. You nearly tripped over your own feet but managed to keep up with him as he got you into a cab. The tension in the car was so thick and you were in a stunned shock - you’d seen Dan jealous before but this? He looked furious.

You were in big trouble.

*****************************************

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[peyton-warren]

Third Wheel- Part 1

Characters: Sammy Navon, Ari Levinson, and Danica (OFC) Pairings: Sammy X Danica, Ari x Danica, possibly even a hint of Sammy x Ari Word count: 2427 Warning: NO Minors, 18+, Smut, porn with a small side of plot for added flavor, p i v sex, oral (m and f receiving), voyeurism, alcohol consumption, masturbation (m) and more with later parts. Author's Note: This has been sitting in my drafts since I first watched Red Sea Diving Resort. I feel like Sammy would give anything to Ari, even his girlfriend. Summary: Sammy reintroduces his best girl to his best friend with the promise of an evening of fun for all.

Danica drained the last of the liquid out of the glass in her hand. With a look of trepidation, she scanned the crowd of this small dark bar, not far from our hotel. As she set the glass down on the damp coaster in front of her, I leaned my nose against her cheek, inhaling her intoxicating perfume. She relaxed into me, her slender shoulder tucking perfectly against me. My fingers curled around her far hip and she seemed to melt into the soft leather bench we sat on.

We sat in amicable silence for a while, indulging in each other’s warmth and presence. It's one of the things I have always admired about my girl; she never, even when we were still getting to know one another, needed to fill the air with idol blather. Now over a year later we could sit like this for the rest of the night and just be, drinking our drinks in complete silence until one of us needed something else.

As if reading my mind, Dani excused herself and grabbed her purse. I rose to allow her to slip from our booth. I offered her a hand to help her up, and squeezed her fingers as she stepped away. I was drawn to her hips as she slowly walked toward the ladies’ room. The soft grey silk of her dress slithered over her slight curvaceous form, taking my eyes on a sweet ride down her bare back to settle where the open V meets her lower back. The dimples above her ass teasingly winked at me.

Stopping short but a few feet away, Danica turned and caught me staring. She smiled with a small shake of her head, as if she was not terribly surprised to have found me out. She took the three steps back to me before hooking her finger nail over one of my shirt buttons, the first one buttoned halfway down my chest.

“Sammy,” she said softly, her eyes down turned and looking at her finger. “I could use another drink,” she admitted.

I smiled at her before depositing a kiss on her perfectly pouty lips. “Of course.”

With a small smile meant, Danica turned and headed towards the ladies room. I enjoyed the view of the sparse light dancing across her sleek curves until she disappeared around the dark corner where the restrooms were.

Making my way to the bar, I waved down the bartender to place my order. As I waited, I risked a glance at my watch.

10:30

Made him almost an hour late at this point. Man can not read time, I swore. Someday I’ll have to sit his handler down with him and have him go over the finer points of reading a clock. The bartender placed a glass and a bottle in front of me. I opened my wallet to snag some money when a familiar hand grabbed the bottle. With a put-out sigh, I looked at the bartender. “Can we get another one?” The petite blond smiled as I turned to face the beer thief. “Nice of you to join us,” I admitted teasingly.

His only response was a single middle finger as he upended and drained the bottle. “Love you too, Ari,” I mumbled as I lay a kiss on his stubbled cheek. “But you are buying the next round.”

I grabbed Danica’s drink and my new beer and headed back to the booth in the far corner. Looking up, I saw my girl serpentine her way through the tables as she headed in the same general direction. Taking a slug out of my beer, I hold her drink out to her as she reaches the table. She wraps her fingers around the already sweating glass before kissing my cheek.

“Thank you.”

I smiled. “Levinson-”

“Is here,” the man himself interrupted, his arms outstretched, a new beer neck in one hand, an unlit cigarette in the other, looking ridiculously pleased with himself.

Dani smiled at him. “Nice of you to finally join us,” she jested as he kissed her cheek.

“Wouldn't have missed it,” he teased with a wink as she set her clutch and drink on the table. Dani just laughed at him as she slid onto the bench seat of the booth, sliding toward the center of the horseshoe shape.

Ari and I locked eyes for a second before bursting into broad grins. “Good to see you, my man,” I mumbled as we engulfed each other in a huge hug. It’s been only a few weeks since we last saw each other, the agency’s schedule keeping us from losing track of each other for long.

Finally we were given some down time. Danica’s schedule kept her busy and she was rarely able to break away so I was more than pleased when the three of us could arrange to spend some quiet time together in the city. And we are taking this opportunity to explore something I have wanted to try.

As Ari and I settled into the booth, Danica smiled at the two of us, shaking her head.

“What?” Levinson asked her, an infectious smile spreading across his face.

She continued to shake her head. “Nothing. Just you two. You would think you hadn't seen each other in months rather than what? 10 days?” she teased us.

“Don’t be jealous,” he teased back. Ari pointed two fingers at me, cigarette poised between them, though his eyes were on her. “Sammy was mine first.”

“Don't I know it,” Dani replied with a mocking roll of her eyes.

I wave my hands through the air. “There is more than plenty to go around, I assure you.”

The two of them shared a knowing smile before turning back to their drinks.

I returned from the restroom to find Ari helping Danica to her feet. He smiled at me as he laced his fingers through hers, her eyes on me. I kissed her softly, as I reached for her purse still on the table. "We good?" I asked.

Danica took the small bag from my fingers as she nodded. "I think we are," she said, a soft smile on her lips, her eyes dark from the nerves in her system.

The walk back to the hotel was short, just a few blocks. But the three of us are in no rush, taking this time to just enjoy each other. I slipped my arm around Danica, perfectly tucking my girl against me. As she laughed at some stupid human trick Levinson attempted on the other side of her, I kissed the side of her head, savoring the smell of her.

We reached the hotel’s door, Ari waved us in, as he lit a cigarette. "I can find my way," he promised with a nervous flick of his fingers.

Both of us offering him a small nod, I opened the door and pressed my hand to Dani's lower back, ushering her into the hotel's lobby. Silently we found our way to the elevator. As the doors closed in front of us, I tangled her into my arms, noting the slight tension in her back that wasn’t there when we were at the bar. Sweeping my hand down her curves, I let my fingers linger at the small of her back, one finger dipping under the silk of her dress, against her skin, slowly moving back and forth. She melted into me with a soft sigh. I kissed her forehead which she leaned against my lips.

When the elevator sounded that we had arrived at our floor, Dani straightened, hooking her fingers over mine at her back. With a smile she walked through the door first, our hands joined at her lower back.

Once we were in our room, she laid her purse on the bar in the corner before leaning down to the fridge below. She set a bottle of beer out for me as I settled on the stool across the marble from her. She smiled faintly as she dropped two ice cubes in a glass, and splashed a few fingers of straight whiskey in the glass. With a silent toast, she clinked her glass to the lip of my bottle and took a hearty sip as she walked around the bar. I beckoned her toward me with a small nod, and swiveled my seat to face her. She stood between my open legs, with a small smile on her face. Putting her glass on the bar top next to my hand, she left a lingering kiss on my lips. “You ready for this?” she whispered.

I laughed softly. “Are you?”

Before she could answer, there was a soft knock on the door. As I started to stand to get it, Danica laid her hand against my arm, stilling me. With a shy smile, she headed towards the door.

I heard the door open and there was a palpable silence that filled the room. The click of the dead bolt echoed through the space. And then nothing. No voices, no movement, no anything.

After a few torturous moments, I stood up and moved so I could see the door, beer bottle still in my hand. Standing just inside of the entryway, Danica and Ari stood close, their heads bowed toward each other. But they were looking at each other, really looking at each other as if for the first time though they had known each other for over a year.

After several heartbeats, Levinson carefully curled a hand around her neck, under her hair. Dani’s eyes fluttered shut at his touch. Instead of dragging her towards him, Ari stepped into her space. His empty hand landed at her waist. "Hey, sweetheart," he mumbled before ghosting his parted lips over hers, just gliding them before laying a kiss on her cheek. "You gonna be ok with this?" I heard him whisper.

Danica swallowed before opening her eyes. With a slight nod, she melted into him, her body cleaving to him as his lips settled over hers. Having known him most of my adult life, I had seen Ari kiss women before, but I don't think I had ever seen him kiss a woman so gently, reverently. He kissed her like a man savoring an over ripe piece of fruit on the vine, the last berry of the season.

Danica, my sweet girl, followed his slow steady lead, her hands coming up to rest on his wrists as he moved her slightly, angling her head perfectly to allow him to kiss her fully. I moved silently toward them, leaning against the wall for a better view as Danica’s head tipped back and I watched Ari’s tongue slide into her mouth, searching, seeking, and swirling.

His hands moved over her neck, down her shoulders. Once they reached her upper arms, her hands fell from his wrists, and she slithered her fingers over his shoulders. He hummed as I saw her fingers tighten in his sun-kissed messy locks. His hands hooked over her elbows, drawing her closer to him, pulling her into him. One of his hands moved to her lower back to the very V that has been drawing my hand like a siren of mythical proportions all night. Danica’s back ached and she wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling closer to him.

With a heavy sigh, Ari pulled his lips from hers. I watched as they both stood with their eyes closed, foreheads pressing against each other as they both pant, a little breathless. I watched him lick his lips, taking a little of the shine from them as he swallowed. Dani twisted her head a little and opened her eyes. Her eyes fell on mine, and I saw her grey eyes were dark. She smiled and I noticed most of her lip gloss was gone.

I looked at Levinson, and saw him watching me. We smiled at each other, and he slid his hands to her hips, and began backing her into the wall, his eyes never leaving mine.

Dani’s eyes fell shut, her head tipped back as he ran his mouth over her neck, nipping and sucking. With her shoulders firmly planted against the wall, the rest of her cleaved to him, moans filtering out with each brush of teeth, tongue and lips. One of his hands found its way to her shoulder, pushing the strap of her dress down her arm. Ari laid a gentle nip on the round of her shoulder, his mouth chasing his hand down her arm. Dani pulled free from the arm hole of the dress, and cradled his head in her hand, encouraging his exploration of her soft skin. His mouth found its way back to her neck, pausing for a moment, his nose hovering over her skin. I knew what he was smelling, that was one of my favorite parts of her. I love tucking my nose into her neck. The soft scent of her, accented with the spicy notes of her perfume. It was a heady mixture, stronger than any drink or drug I have ever tried.

Levinson groaned as if he read my mind. His far hand pushed at the other strap, and soon her dress was pooled at her waist, being held up only by her ass pressed to the wall and the front caught on Ari’s belt buckle.

Her pale skin shimmered, almost translucent against Ari’s tanned skin. His most recent assignment, the one he sweet talked me into, had him out in the sun for the past few years and his skin was darker than it had ever been. It was the stark contrast between their skin tone I noticed as his hand reached up to cup one of Danica’s apple sized breasts. His thumb licked over the rusty pink nipple that begged for his touch. Brushing his lips over hers, Ari kissed her, the tenderness still there, but there was more of an urgency than there was earlier. Dani leaned further against the wall and I watched as her knee crept up his outer thigh, moving to hook over his hip. Ari responded by arching his pelvis into her, making her whimper into his mouth.

Abruptly, Levinson stepped away from her, tugging her hands out of his hair, and pulling her way from the wall. With one small step, her dress fell to her feet leaving her standing before us both in nothing but a pair of black silk panties and her heels.

[namluve]

↳ 4th floor | hyunjin x reader | 1.8k | drabble | 18+ genre: smut with a lil fluff, established relationship warnings: soft dom!hyunjin, sub!reader, unprotected sex, fingering, dirty talk, praise, possesivness, size kink, low-key exhibitionism, a little spit play, a little spanking

your boyfriend is a little distracted by you when he comes home from one of his morning runs. It’s a good thing the two of you live on the 4th floor. 

note: danica you beautiful, talented, perfect minx. happy birthday!! I hope you enjoy this as a little bird told me you were starting to get into hyunjin and I only inteend to make it worse for you. enjoy my love <3 

beta read by the lovely @btsxdoll​ and looked over by @meowxyoong​, thank you both so much <3 

Hyunjin was tall, and he loved to use it to his advantage. Placing your favourite cup on the highest shelf, loving how you struggled reaching it. Sometimes even asking for his help. His tall lean body leaned over yours as he brought it down for you. His face a little close to yours for it to just be an innocent act.

You liked to mess with him as well. Bringing the showerhead down so he would almost hit his head on it whenever he stepped into the shower. An annoyed sigh leaving his lips as he had to readjust it again.

It was all fun and games for the two of you, no one was really bothered by it. You teased each other quite often. It made living together more fun and at times, the perfect opportunity to use your height difference for the better.

You didn’t think Hyunjin was home today when you climbed up the countertop to get your cup. Hyunjin had just gotten back from his morning run when he saw you in the kitchen, right hand reaching for the cup placed neatly on the top shelf. His white shirt from yesterday that you were wearing rose up at your attempt to reach the cup. Showing off your black lace panties perfectly for him. The sight awakens a certain desire in him.

As he let out a groan, he went over to you. His presence startled you at first. His front pressed against your back as he reached for the cup. He effortlessly brought it down, placing it on the counter beside you. When you turned around, you smiled.  Placing a quick kiss upon your boyfriend’s lips. Muttering ‘thank you’ to him.

“Why didn’t you just ask for my help?” He asked, taking hold of your thighs with his hands. Dragging you to the edge, placing himself in between your thighs. You placed your hands on his shoulders, finding balance and comfort. Feeling his half hard cock press against your core. Your eyes fluttered as you looked up, meeting his eyes. His head was still above yours, despite the fact that you sat on the kitchen counter.

“I didn’t know you were home.”  You honestly replied and Hyunjin hummed, closing the distance between you two. He kissed you passionately. One hand on your thigh as the other one gently took hold of your face. One of your hands sneaked its way into his hair. Tugging his hair lightly, his long hair getting tangled more and more for every second that passes.

Hyunjin hands moved to the inside of your thighs, parting them even more. Making more space for him between your legs. They then went over to your butt, dragging you even closer to the edge. His cock now pressing against your pussy. Earning a moan from you as you feel the tingles going down your whole body. Your body was ready for whatever he wanted to do with you.

Breaking the kiss, Hyunjin took a second to look at you. His t-shirt that you were wearing was still on. Covering way too much for his liking. Taking hold of him, he pulled it from your body. The fabric dropping to the kitchen floor.

Panicked, you looked out of the window, covering your boobs. “What if anyone sees?” You gasp at your boyfriend’s sudden attack on your breasts as he takes hold of your wrists. Holding them on either side of your body.

“Let them,” he growled. His mouth working diligently on your nipples. Kissing, sucking, biting down slightly. He earned those sweet moans that came from your mouth with each tug, kiss and bite. Marking you up as he always would.

“Let them see what a good girl you are for me. Always letting me play with you anywhere and everywhere. Because you are my good girl, aren’t you?” At his words, your body felt as if it were burning up. You craved to be as close to him as possible. To have him in you. To feel him as deep in you as possible.

Besides, your apartment was on the fourth floor. There wasn’t even that high of a chance anyone could see you. You were also way to horny to be thinking about that now.

“Please…” You mewled and Hyunjin stopped playing with your boobs. A loud pop was heard as he let go of the nipple he was playing with. A smirk on his lips as he let go of your wrists. One hand moving to take hold of your face gently, the other one pinched down on your left nipple, hard.

Crying out, you arched your back, pressing your chest towards him. Kissing your forehead softly, Hyunjin let go of your nipple and moved his hands in between your thighs. His point finger making light traces on your bundle of nerves over the fabric covering your core.

“Look at me,” he commanded, and you opened your eyes. You hadn’t even noticed you’d closed them in the first place. Looking him in the eyes as he pulled your panties to the side, his point finger tracing your folds. Collecting wetness to work on your bundle of nerves. Moaning, you almost closed your eyes as he began circling it.

“Nah ah, stay with me baby.” His voice got deeper as his gaze intensified. Eyes set on your face to watch your reactions. With your mouth open, Hyunjin took the opportunity to move the hand on your face slightly more towards your chin. His thumb entering your mouth, pressing down on your tongue. Your spit started to drool down your face.

“You’re a messy girl, aren’t you?” He asked, taking his thumb out of your mouth. Wiping your spit around your lips.

“For you.” You answered and your boyfriend was more than pleased with it. Moving the finger that was tracing your clit to the entrance to your pussy. Tracing it lightly before he let it slip inside. His finger easily entered you with how wet you were.

“Are you this wet for me too?”

“Yes, only you.” You quickly answered. Your eyes almost flutter close again once he let a second finger slip inside you. Fingering you at a slow pace, moving his fingers in and out before he started scissoring you. You clenched your pussy at the blissful feeling, feeling the hand that Hyunjin was holding on your face leave. Only for it to lightly slap your thigh.

“I need you to focus and relax. How’s my dick supposed to fit inside you if I can’t stretch you out properly?” Upon his words, you took a deep breath. This wasn’t the first time Hyunjin had spanked you in order to ground you, to make you focus. He was big, you both knew that and if you wanted him inside you, had to relax. You knew that.

Your boyfriend would always take his time preparing you. Making sure you were ready for his dick as he never wanted to hurt you. Stretching you out until you were begging him to just fuck you already. His skilful fingers drawing out moans and pleas from you.

“You think you ready for me baby?” He asked, wanting to verbally hear your consent, to know you truly wanted this. On the kitchen counter, where anyone could see you getting fucked if they looked up towards your window.

“Yes please.”

“Just give me a sec baby, then I’ll give you all that you want.” Hyunjin said as he removed his shirt, sweatpants and boxers. Letting them drop to the floor. Taking hold of your panties, he removed them. Adding them to the pile of clothes on the kitchen floor.

“Breath for me baby.” He said, caressing your face with one hand as the other one was wrapped around his dick. Guiding the tip to gently enter you. Your wet walls welcome his dick as he pushed it further and further inside of you. Standing still when almost all of it was in, allowing you to get used to his size.

“Such a good girl, always taking my dick so well.” He praised, stroking your hair as he placed a gentle kiss upon your lips. Starting to thrust into you when you started to whine and move your hips. Begging him to fuck you good as he always would.

With deep and slow strokes, Hyunjin fucked you closer and closer to your orgasm with each trust. Hitting your g-spot with almost every thrust, you were an incoherent whimpering mess for him. Just like he wanted you to be.

His hand going down to play with your clit as he felt you clenching around him. Pulling you closer to him. Your body almost limp with all the pleasure you were feeling. Your head is lying against his chest. Putting your complete trust in him. In that he would hold you both up. The sweat on your body slowly dripping down upon the kitchen counter.

“You close baby? Wanna cum with me?” He asked and you just moaned loudly, unable to speak as you felt yourself being pushed right to the edge. Speeding up, Hyunjin thrusted harder into you, his fingers on your clit going a little faster but still with the same light pressure. Drawing you over the edge. A tear slipping down your cheek as you came. Hyunjin came closely after as he felt you clenched so deliciously around his dick. 

His movements on your clit slowed down, letting you ride your high for as long as possible. Only removing his fingers once you start to move your body away from him. Oversensitivity kicking in soon after your orgasm had faded. 

Both panting and holding onto each other, you took a moment to just catch your breaths. Enjoying each other's embrace before you were painfully aware you were in your kitchen, where anyone could see you. 

“Shit, people can see us.” You mutter, looking outside through the window. No one in sight as far as you’re concerned. A sigh of relief left your lips. Hyunjin looked towards where you were looking. Quickly realizing what you were referring to.

“Oh yeah… we should totally shower as well... I’m all sticky from my run and this didn’t make it any better.” You scoff at his words, lightly slapping his chest. His face turning towards yours, slightly offended with a baby pout on his lips. 

“Yeah, and who’s idea was it to do it in the kitchen?” You asked and he only smiled, moving closer to your ear as he whispered. 

“And who was it that begged me to continue?” 

That was the first of many times you and Hyunjin would take advantage of the kitchen counter. You might have even pulled the panty t-shirt trick one more time… or two… Your mornings become way more interesting than they were before. 

[faedawayyy]

here is how i feel the girl groups involving my characters are atm! obviously, don’t feel bad if your characters are on here. it’ll mainly be nadine’s and meg’s (who plays athena) characters bc that’s who i have the most f x f with but people can definitely be added and it’s just my interpretation.

i just REALLY want realistic friendship groups without it getting cliquey. sometimes i feel a it ...meh... when everybody is friends with everybody.

PLEASE LMK WHERE YOU THINK YOUR CHARACTERS COULD/WOULD FIT BECAUSE!

IVY - FAN 

she doesn’t really have a friendship group with the fans at the moment, but i feel like her role in a group would be like...humbly popular? she isn’t an it girl or even in the it girl group but people love her and she gets along with most of the other fans. maybe a few people have negative things to say but yeah, she’s quite sweet and unproblematic for the most part and would probably strive to have friends that are similar

ESME - FAN

definitely one of THOSE fans who thinks she’s above others and a celebrity. she’s popular mainly because people want things from her and/or are scared of her. i feel like she’s the type who has lots of people love her to her face but then they all talk behind her back...so she’d fit more in with bitchy fans?

SAVANNAH - FAN 

she’s one of the younger fans and still in high school, but she doesn’t have friends there so the fans are her main friendship group. i think she’d be eager to please and often get herself walked all over lmao. she’s currently good friends with kylie, who’s like a big sister to her. 

MARIA

i guess she’s currently in a mini-friendship group with zara and rosalie. i wouldn’t say it’s the “popular group”, but i feel like they have their jokes and inside fun. probably the girls to get quite a bit of attention on a night out without trying too hard. i think maria’s probably like the mom friend of this group LOLshe could maybe do with a secondary group that mainly exists bc classes, so like friends she speaks to in fashion but they’re not super, super close. 

ELOISE

eloise has no friends but i want a group for her! i feel like she’d have more of a diverse friendship group...like all types of people, with the constant theme of being chilled and enjoy evenings having meals and/or movies/drinks rather than going out and being at the centre of things. her group would definitely not be like one of the it cliques but they like each other’s company and dont care about all that....and probably have their fair share of love triangles and petty dramas to make it fun.

MARGO

margo is in disney’s group. she and disney are long running best friends and have both been popular since high school. the group - to my knowledge - also includes madison, gisele, kendall and mackenzie but her liking towards them all varies depending on the day. imo, margo is definitely the hot mess of the group. she’s always upsetting somebody or getting into some kind of trouble. but yeah! i’d say this is one of the more established cliques and ofc its open to people joining and being hc’ed into.

DANICA

it hasn’t been said until now but i’m gonna put danica in eloise’s group. i feel like she’d love to have a friendship group that’s more chilled after not really finding her feet in more uptight/demanding/popular cliques.

MEREDITH

LISTEN SHE’S NOT A NoT lIkE tHe OtHeR giRLS girl but she genuinely WOULD have more platonic friendships with guys than she does girls. i just get that vibe from her. but it’s more through growing up a tomboy and having brothers and male cousins rather than trying to impress anyone. i think she’d maybe have loose connections to a friendship group of 3 or 4 semi-popular girls who she has girl time with and enjoys it equally.

YULIA

this !!!!! friendship group isnt off of the ground yet but im rly excited about it. they’re kind of like the jr. version of the OG it girls and as far as i knooooow it’s like, imogen, yulia, elora, alyssa, zara...maybe flo too i think! yulia is 100000% the friend that is pretty popular but lowkey goes out of her way to make one or two people feel shit bc she’s just that kind of person and has low self-esteem but YES if you have any young-ish girls for this (basically girls who can be more associated with the ‘new’ characters rather than like the dallas/gigi/disney/poppy/clyde/fakehell era) then add them if you think it’d be their vibe! 

BRIELLE

oK SO LISTEN, brielle’s real friends are like julian, soraya, ronnie etc. but she’s gradually going to become friends with imogen and become kind of infatuated (platonically) with it all and really enjoy being a part of the group above bc she’s never had that kind of bond with other girls before. i think she could possibly lose herself a little bit or constantly be in limbo between being two different kinds of people if that makes sense! 

ELORA

she too is in the yulia group mentioned, but she’d be like...the argumentative one. i doubt she’s ever really mean to people in the group but she’ll fight with others for her friends. she’s kinda loud and probably one of the ones you notice first in the group but is also so lovely to the people who know her well enough.

HENSLEY

i’ve always viewed her group of friends as like the second tier popular group. they’re definitely not the it girls but they are popular for different reasons - mainly through being actually likeable. i’d say it consists of soraya, christelle, poppy, holly and casey too rip...but again, people can be added. they too have their fair share of bitchiness but i definitely see them as the “nice/friendly/bubbly girls” if you’re looking at them from a stereotypical point of view.

ISSY

she doesn’t really have a group LOL but i think it kinda works for her. she tags along with ruby to most things and would socialise that way. whoever ruby hangs out with, issy hangs out with too. it’s a comfort thing but also just her preference! so she’d be open to having friends by association or maybe friends who she started to know through ruby but came close with anyway.

[purpleleopard96]

Cas Founders Challenge

Rules: Post all of your founders together to compare and contrast them! Share some details to see how similar or different they are. This can be done in CAS, or you can jump in game, or you can share old screenshots!

Nan|Snowdrop|Cucumber|Azure|Emeila|Glitter|Rose|Capri|Danica|Paris|Opal|Aloe

I’m just gonna say that @samssims​ tagged me since she said if anyone wants to do it, say she tagged you so here we are. I realized I had way too many founders. 

I tag @greenfooddog​

Details Under the cut

Nan (NSB) - I originally got Nan from a sim request I had sent to @hula-zombie​ so very long ago and she didn’t always look like she did. I decided I wanted to use her for a new NSB since I lost my old save so I changed up her colors and here we are. I love her so much and still so happy Caitlin made her for me.

Snowdrop (BPR) - Oh my precious Snowdrop. Not many have even seen her unless I have sent you spoiler photos or posted some in the berry server I’m in. But Snowdrop is my founder for my story-based BPR and I haven’t posted any cause I haven’t set everything up for it but wrote sooo much for it and if you want to read any of what I’ve wrote so far for it, you may dm me.

Cucumber (Seven Songs) - Oh Cucumber, my sweet bean. Back to what I said regarding Snow’s story, the thing is my BPR and Seven Songs are connected. Cucumber is the cousin of my future pink spouse in my BPR so again why you probably haven’t seen Cucumber unless I had sent pics to you talking about her. I seriously love her though and it will all come to light at some point, but if you want to read the story so far or just want some spoilery pics, dm me (:

Azure (BOL) - So if you’ve been following for a bit, you would know that I tried to do a Bachelorette Challenge called Berry of Love like Caitlin(hula-zombie) did. People sent me all there sims and you know what ended up happening? Yeah I realized I could not do a bachelorette challenge even though I really wanted to and I am so sorry to the ones that sent me sims. I just didn’t know how to set it up or try to make it even semi-decent. But I did recently give makeovers to the sims sent to me and our bachorette herself, Azure. I still count her as a founder even if that challenge just bombed. And if you want to see the makeovers, you can dm me.

Emeila (DPR) - Emeila is super new, I decided I wanted to do a DPR even though I’ve started so many other challenges. She hasn’t left cas yet so someday she will.

Glitter (Cas BPR) - Everybody in the berry server was doing it and it looks so fun especially do see all the color combos just using cas so I found my old sim, Heather and berrified her and Glitter Frost was born and I love her and all the sims after her looked sooo good. 

Rose (Garden Legacy) - Rose is my first red sim and I love her, she’s super cute and I love playing with her and love how she takes her pets with her everywhere. And her and Almond are gonna have super cute babies I already know.

Capri (100 Berry Babies) - Oh Capri, we are almost to 10 babies and I still love this girl and the babies have been sooo cute. Capri is also now a B-list celeb and mastered the painting skill. I think I’m gonna be sad when I have to pick the next one to have 10 babies.

Danica (Forgotten Realms Legacy) - Danica originally a sim in my household I had when Get Together came out. I hadn’t done anything with her in years since I lost that save and her traits already fit for the first gen of the Forgotten Realms Legacy by @anxiousmoodlet​ so I berrified her and made her a matcha spouse and Danica ended up looking really nice as a purple berry so success.

Paris (Berry Bouquet Legacy) - Paris was made specifically for a challenge I definitely wanted to try and have played a bit of it so far and I had some friends in the berry server even provide me with some sims for it including the future spouse. So thank you to those people and thank you to @sinfulwunderss​ for making that legacy challenge.

Opal (BPR Gameplay) - So while in the berry server, we started talking about doing bpr gameplays that don’t have a story so we can just have fun but still do a bpr but without a story. So Opal was born and she was my second sim to make with no pupils but with stars in her eyes hense her name Opal Moonstone. I also made her mother, Pearl Moonstone who is harsh and mean but they get along alright. I’ve played quite a bit of this save so far and it’s so fun and I used Tulip from my cas bpr but with full pink skin instead of white and white and pink two-toned eyes and the lovely @dcwnandout​ provided my purple spouse, Thistle. And more people from the berry server are providing more sims for it. They are really great there, if you like berry sims or banilla, you should definitely join. Just shoot @sweetlysimss​ or @berryconfetti​ a message.

Aloe (Seven Songs Gameplay) - Along with my gameplay BPR, I also decided to do a Seven Songs gameplay. And Aloe is definitely a treasure and I love her pet fox, Cotton Candy and her cat, Clover. I have played a bit of this save so far and I quite like and thanks to @fridays-sims​ I already have the future teal spouse and they are getting along quite nicely. And once again I have people providing sims for the future gens and I still have room on there for bpr and seven songs so you can do that here if you want to provide a sim. 

[idriltelcontar]

Oceangem

Prompt from @alexprompts. I ... got a bit carried away. Meant to write a few hundred word drabble but ended up writing pretty much a whole chapter. I’m out of control.

~

One-off scene which feaures characters from my WIP Crimson Daughters. Characters are Tarine and Danica. Set 5 years before that story begins. 

~

It had been a week since our ship left dock. Her face still lingered before me. Fresh and young, cheeks tinged with a rosy sweetness which swelled to a bloom when she smiled. Never before had I seen a woman so pure, so untouched by darkness. She was the sunlight. A cruel irony perhaps that her land was so dull and overcast.

But even the rainclouds of that land did not dampen her brightness.

Danica. Even the sound of her name on my lips brought me joy, so foreign but delightful. I longed to speak it aloud again, to repeat it again and again until my voice went hoarse. It was a name which deserved to be screamed aloud for the Spirits themselves to hear. But more than that, I wanted once more to hear her speak my name. I closed my eyes and tried to remember …

“Tarine,” she spoke, her accent heavy as she attempted to replicate the sound of the Otreyan vowels. She shook her head and smiled. “I’m afraid I shall never get there.”

“Do not worry, my gem,” I said, resting my hand beneath her chin and stroking her soft skin. “As long as it is you who speaks it, I care not how it is pronounced.”

Danica’s cheeks flushed, and she looked at the ground for a moment and let her hair fall across her face, attempting but failing to hide her smile. I chuckled softly, amused at her sudden shyness. The stereotypes about Valikonians being reserved when it came to intimacy were true then.

“Why do you call me that?” she asked, peeking at me from behind her curtain of blonde hair. Her eyes were wide and curious, seeking out mine with a nervousness which made my heart melt. She had been deprived of love, that I could easily tell. She could not see it, for no one had ever given it to her.

“Gem?” I said, sitting down on the bed in my cabin and motioning for her to join me. “Do you really not know?”

Perching herself on the end of my bed, Danica twisted her hands in her lap, and avoided looking at me. She was easy to read, and I wondered again how she was able to work for such a secret organisation with a face so open.

I reached out and took one of her hands in mine and stroked it softly. She jumped, and then froze, her eyes on our entwined hands. Slowly, ever so slowly, she relaxed and turned her hand slightly so that it was her fingers which were caressing mine.

“Among Otreyans,” I began, my voice low and soft, “gems are the most sacred objects. Gems which are pure and without flaw. We believe that they are inhabited by our Spirits. We value them above all other treasure. To possess even one is to be considered wealthier than the Turkaan himself.”

Danica smiled. “A fine statement from a pirate.” Her eyes turned towards me and fell upon the oceangem which I wore around my neck. “Why do you seek treasure at all when you already have one?”

I laughed, and my grip on her hand tightened. “I travel the seas for adventure and to cause chaos for my former kingdom. Treasure is merely a perk.”

I forced her to meet my eyes, and my heart leapt when I heard her breath hitch as she looked at me.

“I call you gem, because that is how dear you are to me, Danica,” I said. I reached around my neck and lifted the amulet over my thick curls. I held it for a moment and stared into its depths before pressing it to my lips with a silent prayer.  I slipped it over Danica’s head and let it settle itself upon her chest, twinkling in the dim light of the cabin. Danica trailed her fingers over it before looking up at me, her mouth agape.

“You cannot-“ she gasped. “Tarine … “

“I give it to you, my love,” I said, brushing back her hair and running my fingers down her cheek. “For when I have you, I can possess nothing greater.”

Danica expression of shock softened into one of disbelief. Her blue eyes welled with tears. She was unable to speak, but that did not matter, for I knew what she wanted to say. Our lips met in a passionate kiss, and words were no longer necessary.

I looked out over the sea before me, the salty wind beating back my hair and the spray stinging at my eyes. Always had I loved to stand here at the bow, nose pointed towards the unknown, seeing the swell of the waves before me and delighting at the swooping sensation in my gut as we crested each one. But my heart did not rejoice as it had done before.

“Captain?”

“Kewaya,” I said, acknowledging my first mate who lurked at my shoulder. Something must be wrong for her to disturb me here. “What troubles you?”

“It is you, my captain.”

I looked at her, seeing concern in her deep eyes. She glanced nervously over her shoulder, and I could tell by the huddled woman on the other side of the deck facing this direction that she had been voted to be the one to speak with me.

“We are worried, Tarine,” she said, “You are not yourself.” Her eyes drifted downwards to where my oceangem usually hung. “Not since Valikon.”

My back stiffened, and I found myself trying hard not allow my hurt to show. A captain is a captain after all.

“I appreciate your concern,” I said, as civilly as I could. “But I am fine. The Spirits are still with me.”

“Perhaps, but the spirit inside of you is gone,” Kewaya said, stepping closer and lowering her voice so that the others could not hear. “It is that assassin woman, is it not?”

I wanted to shout at her, to scream and storm away, cursing her directness, but could not. Kewaya was my oldest friend. She knew enough to see through me, and I knew that no amount of my temper tantrums would dissuade her from speaking to me about this.

“I think of Danica still,” I admitted, my heart aching to even speak her name. “How can I not? Never have I been so entranced by a woman.”

“Did she reject you?”

I shook my head, gazing out at the horizon as I waited until I knew I could speak again without breaking down.

“On the contrary,” I said. “But we both knew it would only be a brief thing. Like the alpuri blossom which flowers only for one day and then dies, leaving only the sweetness of its scent behind to mark its existence. You know our life. I cannot stay in one place.”

Danica had known it only too well. Seaseeker, she had named me, in the style of her own people who created their own surnames in mimicry of the nobles. As I had named her. Danica Oceangem and Tarine Seaseeker.e

“The assassin leader offered us a contract,” Kewaya reminded me, coming even closer and resting her hand on my arm. “We can be one of their suppliers and sail into their city every other month. You would see her again.”

“I do not like their leader,” I said, scowling as I remembered the assassin’s matriarch. “She is without heart, without love. Danica is ensnared in her grasp. Trapped. I do not wish to see her so.”

The thought of Danica, dear sweet Danica, taking lives was abhorrent to me. I knew she shed tears after each mission, for I had held her in my arms as she sobbed and wiped the blood from her hands myself. One month I had spent in Valikon selling my wares, and in that time she had performed her duty three times. Three deaths which would live with Danica for many years to come.

“You have to decide, Tarine,” Kewaya said, bringing my attention back to her. Her eyes were stern. “Return and be their supplier, or forget this assassin. Your heart cannot be split. It is good for none of us.”

Kewaya squeezed my arm and began to walk away, stopping to look over her shoulder. “Know this. You are our captain, and we love you. If you give your love to her, know that we will do the same.”

As Kewaya left, I focused my attention back onto the horizon before me. The sun was setting, and the orange and red of the sky and sea made the two merge into one giant canvas of colour. Years ago, as a young cabin girl of twelve I had first stood here and my spirit had been set ablaze at the thought of the lands and people that lay before me, undiscovered and exciting, each one whispering seductively of adventure.

Yet now my heart was changed, and the further away from Valikon that I sailed, the fainter those old dreams became in my memory. No land would again be more alluring to me than the one I had left behind.

I lifted my head high and felt that old fire reawaken inside me, now redirected but blazing as strong as ever. My eyes grew focused and my body trembled with excitement. The wind changed direction, as if it too had come to some decision. Or perhaps it was the goddess Nyxa Danica had told me of. Either way, it was now on my side.

“Turn this ship around!” I bellowed to my crew, turning and running across the deck. “Set the sails! We have a new heading!”

“Captain?”

“We go to Valikon,” I announced, grinning at Kewaya. “The wind told me.”

Kewaya nodded and rushed off to implement my orders with a grin on her own face as I stood at the bulwarks, feeling the ship begin to turn, almost drowning in my impatience.

“I’m coming, my oceangem,” I whispered into the wind. “I love you.”

The wind did not respond, but seemed to blow even more fiercely as it assisted the Ladies’ Liberty in its manoeuvre and drove her onwards.

One week later we sailed into the docks at Valimer. The light was dull and the whole cavern echoed with the sounds of sailors and merchants as they worked. The docks below were heaving with people, both from the ships and the city above the underground docks as they milled around, haggling prices and arguing in shrill voices. I searched the dull masses, hoping beyond hope that I would see a flash of that golden hair, yet knowing it to be fruitless. That assassin leader kept her under a tight leash. She wouldn’t be here.

We soon found our usual berth and paid off the harbour master with the usual bribe and the crew looked to me for instruction. Yet, I knew not what to say to them. Our hold had been emptied upon our last visit; we had nothing to trade, and the amusements of this rainy little land with its pale-skinned inhabitants and their provincial attitudes were few.

They saw my indecision and discretely moved away, some disappearing below deck and others tending to standard maintainence duties, though the ship hardly needed any repair, so recent was our last visit.

Looking down at the dock, the excitement faded and was replaced with crushing fear, an emotion thus far almost unknown to me. Had I been too rash in coming here? Would she even want to see me? We had bidden farewell weeks ago here on this very spot, both with the expectation of never seeing each other again, ending what had been a short but passionate affair. What if she had already moved on? She knew I had never intended to return to this little unprofitable land. Had I been nothing more than an exotic indulgence? Enjoyed, but then easily forgotten?

My ship was in the furthest berth from the centre of the busy docks, and few people came this way, telling from the sails that we were Otreyan and thus unlikely to carry any of the prized firestone from the north of their land. One figure, however, emerged from the far distant mass and came towards us. Heavily cloaked, the figure walked alone, hooded and mysterious. Its steps were almost hesitant.

My heart leapt, and without a word to my crew I leapt over the side of my ship and landed on the stone dock, my body juddering at the shock, yet I did not care. I straightened up and saw the figure, now only a few lengths away, stop in surprise. I breathed heavily, hardly daring to hope that what I so desired could be happening. I pushed my hair from my eyes and stepped forwards, my hands outstretched.

“Dani?”

Slowly, the figure reached up and lowered its hood and I saw that wondrous hair shining even in the half light of the cavern, mirroring the gem at her chest.

I choked out a sob, astonishing myself at the raging emotions surging through me. How was it possible that I, Tarine the lowly pirate woman from Otreya, could ever have been blessed with such a wondrous feeling?

I stepped forwards slowly, my legs threatening to collapse under me. Danica stepped forwards as well and soon she was in my arms, her body warm and pressed firmly against my own. I held her close, closing my eyes in my bliss, feeling her tighten her own grip and wishing she would never let me go.

I pulled away slightly and looked at her, drinking in her beautiful face, delighting in the longing I saw there. She reached up and trailed one hand down the side of my face as if trying to determine whether I was real or not. Her lips trembled.

“But how did you know?” I whispered, my voice tender as she gazed upon me. “How did you know I would return?”

Danica smiled, the softness of her expression belying the wild elation I saw in her eyes. “How did I know? My dear Tarine … the wind told me, of course.”

I grinned, and pulled her close once more, my lips searching for hers. Never again would the wind to take me from her again. It would always bring me right back again.

[thelastspeecher]

Got in a mood to write some sappy dad!Stan.  So I did.  In the Werepire AU.  Enjoy some werewolf/vampire babies.

              “The soon-to-be fav’rite uncle is here,” Fiddleford sang, knocking on the door to Angie’s hospital room.  The door opened.  Stan squinted at him.

              “Pretty sure Lute’s gonna be the favorite,” Stan said.  Fiddleford frowned at him.  “Eh, never mind.  The girls will make their own decisions.”

              “And your son?” Ford asked.  Stan stood to the side so Fiddleford and Ford could file in.  The lights were dimmed, allowing Angie to sleep soundly in her hospital bed.

              “Yeah, about that, turns out the doctor read the sonogram wrong,” Stan replied. “All three of ‘em are girls. Which kinda sucked, since the name we thought of for a boy was Daniel, and we didn’t wanna go with Danielle to replace it.”

              “What name did you land on?” Ford asked.  Stan grinned.

              “Molly.  Sure, it won’t match her sisters’ names, but we both like it.”

              “A cute name,” Fiddleford agreed.  He looked around the hospital room.  “Now, where are-”  He caught sight of the three hospital cribs lined up next to Angie’s bed.  “Never mind, found ‘em.”  Fiddleford approached the cribs and began to coo over the infants. Ford turned to Stan.

              “What you were worried about-” he started.  Stan shook his head.

              “Seems like I shouldn’t have bothered worrying.  Angie took a good long smell of all three of ‘em right away. Two are werewolves, one is human.”

              “One is human?”  Ford rubbed his chin.  “That doesn’t seem possible.  Then again, you having biological children didn’t seem possible, either.”

              “Yeah, yeah, I get it, you didn’t think I could knock Angie up,” Stan said, rolling his eyes.  “But now that my kids are actually born, cut it out, will ya?  It’s pretty obvious they’re mine.”

              “I’ll make my own conclusion about that,” Ford replied.  He walked over to the cribs.  “…Yes, these are clearly your children.”

              “Told you.”  Stan joined Fiddleford and Ford by the cribs.

              “Which one is which, and which order were they born?” Fiddleford asked eagerly.

              “That one’s Molly,” Stan said, pointing to the crib closest to Angie’s bed. The infant inside was awake, staring at the room with wide blue eyes.  “Molly Gertrude Pines.  She’s the oldest.  And also she’s a werewolf, according to Angie.”

              “This one’s got the McGucket nose,” Fiddleford crooned, smiling fondly at the crib closest to him.

              “Yeah, that one’s Daisy Leigh McGucket.  Youngest.  And a werewolf.”

              “And the middle child?” Ford asked.

              “Danica Viola Pines.  Human.” Stan grinned.  “That’s fine by me.  We can keep each other company on full moons.”

              “That’s true,” Fiddleford said with a smile.  Stan looked over at the door furtively.

              “Uh, by the way, did either of you bring any A positive with you?” he asked quietly.

              “Yes,” Ford said.  He nodded at Fiddleford, who removed a thermos from the bag he was carrying. Stan took it gratefully.

              “Thanks.  Not the best optics to get caught stealing blood from a hospital.”

              “You’ve done it before,” Ford said, crossing his arms.

              “Yeah.  In towns I was gonna skip the next day.  But my kids and my wife and I are here for the long haul.  I don’t wanna fuck things up.”

              “Stanford, don’t get on his case when he’s actually followin’ the law,” Fiddleford scolded.  “He’s doin’ the right thing and yer givin’ him grief?”

              “I wasn’t-” Ford started.  Stan grinned.

              “Yeah, Ford, don’t give me grief for doing the right thing.”

              “Hmph.”  Ford rolled his eyes and looked back down at the cribs.  “I’m surprised you haven’t picked one up yet, Fiddleford.”

              “I was waitin’ fer permission,” Fiddleford replied.  Stan waved a hand.

              “Oh, yeah, go for it.  Just try not to pick one up that’s sleeping.  Apparently you’re not supposed to wake up sleeping babies or something like that.”

              “Nope, that’s correct, let ‘em sleep,” Fiddleford said.  He reached into Molly’s crib.  Angie let out a low growl.  Ford and Fiddleford spun around to stare at her.  She was still seemingly fast asleep.  “Um…”

              “Don’t worry, it’s fine.  She heals fast, but even she is gonna need a couple hours to recuperate after giving birth to triplets.”  Stan grimaced.  “It was definitely something you need to rest after.  And the nurse said that everything went well.  I don’t wanna know what it looks like when things don’t go well.”

              “…Why should that make us not worry about holding our nieces?” Ford asked.

              “Well, she can’t get out of bed and attack you yet.  Just stay outta reach and you should be fine.”

              “Maybe I’ll hold off on holdin’ my new niece,” Fiddleford said.  “Until Angie’s calmed down a bit.  If she’s growlin’ at us in her sleep…”

              “It’s probably fine,” Stan said.  “Here.” He took Daisy from her crib.  Angie was silent.  “See?”  He started to hand her over to Fiddleford.  Angie growled again.  “Huh. Weird.”

              “You are her mate,” Ford pointed out. “She won’t have a problem with you handling the children.”

              “You guys are family, too, though,” Stan argued.  Angie rolled over, snoring loudly.  “C’mon, Fiddlenerd.  I know you wanna hold her.”

              “Yer right.  I do.” Fiddleford took Daisy from Stan. He beamed down at his niece.  “Hey there, cutie.  Gosh, you’ve got such big blue eyes.  Such curly hair.  Yer a gorgeous lil one, aren’t ya- hey!”

              “What?” Ford asked.  Fiddleford looked up.

              “She nipped me.”

              “She doesn’t have teeth,” Stan said.

              “That’s why it didn’t hurt.  But she definitely bit down on my finger.”  Fiddleford stroked Daisy’s hair.  “Somethin’ wrong, honey?  I’ve never met a baby what bit so soon after being born.”  Daisy began to fuss loudly.  “Oh, dear.”

              “Here, lemme take her,” Stan instructed.  Fiddleford handed Daisy over.  Daisy immediately calmed down.  “What’s the matter, kiddo?” Stan asked softly.  “You pissed at your uncle?  I get it, he ticks me off, too.”  Ford smiled. “And I guess I shoulda expected you to bite.  I mean. Your dad is a vampire and your mom is a werewolf, so.”  Stan beamed in pride.  “You really take after your old man, huh?  Want me to teach you how to box?  Yeah, I’ll do that.  You’ll be the best damn boxer since Muhammad Ali.”

              “That’s so sweet,” Fiddleford whispered to Ford.  Ford nodded.

              “He’s going to be quite the father,” Ford replied softly.  There was a small chuckle from the hospital bed. Fiddleford and Ford looked over. Angie had woken up.  She was fondly watching Stan interact with Daisy.

              “Yer wrong,” Angie said.  “He’s not goin’ to be quite the father.  He already is.”

[jasmariswonderland]

Sister of the Sun ~ VilxOC

Synopsis: A follow-up to Danica's PE uniform vignette, What Do You Think You're Doing. As Danica prepares for another one of Vil's "tests", she finds herself grappling with the pressure of living up to his expectations as well as grief for the loss of her primary support. And a legacy she feels she will never live up to. Timeline for this chapter is mid October.

A/N: This is chapter 7/16 of my VilDani anthology Fairest After All. If it isn't obvious yet, I'm writing these chapters out of order as inspiration comes.

Pairings: 👑/🦢

Word Count: 5842

Warnings: This chapter explores more of Danica's past and her complex emotions regarding dance and her desire to live up to her sister's legacy. So a lot of angst.

~~~

The music stopped and Danica made her final pose in the mirror. In an opposite corner of the room, Fiona watched her, giving her sister a slow and sincere applause. 

“Beautiful. That was much better,” she said. “You’re adapting well to the pointe shoes. And your form was flawless as always.”

“Thanks, Sis,” Danica replied, smiling at her sister through the mirror. “But are you sure I’m not playing it safe with such a simple variation?”

“You’ve been en pointe for barely a year, so in this case, its wise to focus on precision rather than complexity. A more advanced performance might be challenging on you.”

“But…”

“And besides, it’s not like you’re completely ‘playing it safe,’” Fiona smiled. “You’ve practically mastered the Harvest Queen variation. I’d say you have a great chance of winning your division. The music and choreography are both very elegant and sweet. Just like you.”

At this, a crimson warmth washed over Danica. Fiona had been helping her prepare for a ballet competition, the first she would take part in en pointe. As such, the younger girl was determined to take first place; nothing less would do for her. Over the last two weeks, the sisters worked together on a performance the elder was certain would win. Yet in her determination, Danica couldn’t help but feel that the dance Fiona had selected for her might not impact the judges in the way she hoped. 

Initially, Danica wished to perform the White Swan variation. A piece that had enchanted her when Fiona first danced it, sparking her love for ballet. But for all of its sentimental value, the White Swan was also an incredibly difficult variation. Naturally, Fiona advised her sister against it. Instead, Danica would be competing with the Harvest Queen variation, one that was still impressive, but not as technically trying on a young dancer new to pointework.

“You’ve worked so hard, sweetheart,” Fiona went on. “But you don’t want to overdo it. Trust me, there will be plenty of time for you to grow into your talent, and plenty of time for you to become a beautiful white swan.”

“I guess I’ll just have to start out as a harvest queen,” Danica replied with a little laugh, taking a seat on the floor. 

“And what a delightful harvest queen you’ll be!” 

Fiona moved to the other side of the room, sitting next to her sister. After helping Danica remove her shoes, she placed her arm around her.

“They’ll be closing the studio soon. We’ve been here almost the whole day,” she said. “How about before we head home, I treat my little harvest queen to some ice cream?”

Danica couldn’t help but smile as well. Even if she was still unsure about her performance, she wasn’t likely to turn down more time around her sister. These were some of the moments she loved most and in little more than a year, Danica would realize more than ever just how valuable Fiona's love was for her. And how the loss of it would shape her for years to come. 

~~~

Pomefiore Dorm - Danica's Room

The soft melody of Danica’s music box danced through the air, rousing her from her slumber and the bittersweet memories of times long gone. A familiar, salty taste covered her mouth and even with her eyes closed, she could feel the remnants of tears streaked down her cheeks. For a while, her body remained still as opened her eyes and stared at the wall as it slowly brightened with the early morning sunlight. Each ray of light intensifying the knot of anxiety about the day ahead.

The days following her last encounter with Vil had blurred together, speeding by in a rush of introspection and realizations.Rolling over on her side, Danica thought more about their conversation and the widening distance between her initial expectations and the current reality. She’d entered NRC with the desire to remain unnoticed, to avoid the kind of visibility that had once isolated her among her peers. But while she held this hope, something in her was shifting, and it was her dorm leader that had triggered it. 

It began soon after her arrival at NRC when Vil learned of Danica’s interest in fragrance crafting. His harsh, disparaging remarks juxtaposed by him taking her to Pomefiore’s secret laboratory and then insisting on giving her a basic potionology lesson.Then came her dorm concert, singing in front of other students to prove her fitness to compete in the VDC next February. And now, if she were to continue her dance practices in the ballroom, she’d have to show both Vil and Rook her ballet progress today. 

All of this flew in the face of her desire for invisibility. And yet, as time passed, she was beginning to wonder if invisibility was really a realistic goal. After videos of her dorm concert went viral on Magicam, though there were cruel comments, a lot of the feedback had been positive. Her involvement in the light music club introduced her to a vibrant circle of friends like Cater, Kalim, and Lilia. In them, she found a like minded group of friends who encouraged her pursuits, with Cater in particular going out of his way to help her with her issues with stage fright. Far from resenting her, Danica’s clubmates seemed to appreciate her for who she was as well as her talent.  

And more importantly, the feedback from her dorm leader had been surprisingly good. She didn’t understand why Vil seemed so adamant about pushing her to do things out of her comfort zone. But at the same time, she could feel a budding sense of confidence growing within her and whatever Vil’s motives were, she had to thank him for the hand he had in it. And as much as she did not want to admit it, in addition to a shift in her confidence, Danica could also feel a shift in her feelings for him. 

But regardless of her new success finding her confidence or whatever kindness Vil was showing her, what he was asking of her today was different. 

I wish…no, I need to stop this, Danica thought sadly, forcing herself to forget her wish that her sister could be with her now. Such a wish would never be granted. What she really wanted, she acknowledged, was the advice she always gave which never failed her. How she should approach today's challenge and if it would be enough. 

But Fiona is gone. She’s gone and I have to live up to her example, reach her level. I want to be perfect, but I’m not perfect now. 

And it was that lack of perfection that gave Danica reason to dread the beginning of her day. Just the thought of Vil’s judgment was heavy enough that she felt that she was struggling against an invisible force just to sit up on her bed. Taking a deep breath in, she finally managed to pull herself up and look at her phone. It was six o clock, she would be meeting with her dorm leaders in two hours. It wasn’t much time but enough for her to at least get in some last minute warmups. 

As she finally stretched out her legs and placed her feet on the floor, the gentle sound of her music box caught her attention. It offered a brief moment of comfort, even if Danica could not recall turning it on the previous night. Had she done so and forgotten? The room was just as she had left it, yet the air felt subtly different, as if the lingering presence of another was woven into the gentle notes floating through the air.

~~~

The ballroom, once a sanctuary of confidence for Danica, now felt oppressively tense, as if her anxiety had infused the very air around her. Facing her dorm leaders, who sat poised in a far corner, she half-wished she could abandon this place forever if it meant escaping the persistent dread gripping her heart.

She greeted Vil and Rook cordially, hoping that her face wouldn’t betray any of her current feelings. “I’d…like to apologize again for sneaking in here when I should have been sleeping. It was presumptuous of me to…”

“Once again, Little Potato,” Vil spoke up. “My issue was not you taking time to practice, only your timing.”

“But hopefully, you are now completely rested, having returned to your normal sleeping schedule,” Rook added kindly. “Indeed, the radiant glow has returned to your complexion.” 

“Thank you,” she replied, “Yes, I definitely feel better now. And…I think…I hope you two will approve of what I showcase today. Vil-san wanted me to give an example of my ballet skills. Well, I hope this will be acceptable.”

Taking another deep breath, Danica pulled out her phone and scrolled through some musical tracks that she kept on her phone for practice purposes before finally finding the one she was looking for. A great risk, she thought, but might reap the greatest reward if successful. At first, she wasn’t entirely sure what Vil would want to see since most of her practice sessions were rather mundane. It seemed to make more sense to do something that showcased her talent overall. Something that would make an impact, exactly what she wanted when she and Fiona prepared for that competition all those years ago. 

She had only danced the White Swan variation twice before, always in the presence of her teachers and never before a proper audience. As Fiona had stated, it was incredibly difficult even at her advanced level. Danica couldn’t expect to perform it on stage for some years to come. Nevertheless, that’s what she chose for today. The dance that inspired her passion in the first place, the one that brought her sister so much acclaim as a ballerina. Acclaim that Danica hoped she could be worthy of. 

“Ah, le danse de la reine des cynges,” Rook smiled as the first notes echoed through the room. “How perfect for our cher petit cygne.” 

His words offered some much needed encouragement as she began on a sour note, cursing herself as her leg made a kicking movement rather than the smooth rond de jambe that was the first step. Her second rond de jambe landed property but the knowledge of her initial error stayed with her. One error too many, the first, and her last. 

Remember how Fiona did it, breathe, you aren’t eleven anymore. 

She made a point of not directing her gaze at either of her dorm leaders, not wanting distraction and to focus on maintaining control through the soft yet measured choreography. Meanwhile Vil and Rook watched her with vastly different opinions. Rook was captivated, as he often was with anything beautiful, taken with Danica’s technical skill as she brought the White Swan to life before his eyes. For his part, Vil was also impressed, but there was something about the way Danica moved that did not sit well with him. 

While he couldn't deny her technical excellence—perhaps even conceding she was a better dancer than singer—something about her rendition troubled him. Her movements were flawless, but they were almost sterile. She played the part of the delicate swan queen well, but nothing stood out to him as particularly meaningful. He sensed her anxiety, not as a deliberate expression of the swan’s plight. Indeed, seemed to Vil that Danica wasn’t really dancing as the swan queen at all. Rather she was dancing an interpretation of the swan queen, based on the portrayal of someone else. 

The tempo increased and Danica glided across the room, ending the variation with several, controlled bouree turns before striking her final pose. A wave of relief immediately crashed upon her and she took several breaths that she just realized she was holding in her chest. It was perfect, she thought, not counting her single error at the beginning. Silence fell over the ballroom and she could hear her own heartbeat as the rush started to fade. 

Normally such silence would give her cause for concern but at that moment she had none. After all, she made no further errors and her timing and control were impeccable. Whatever her initial fears, she had performed well. Surely, Vil and Rook would be pleased. 

“That was my third time performing that variation, was it good?” She inquired softly as she turned to finally face them. “I hope I was able to meet your expectations.” 

“Ahhh mon doux petit cynge!” Rook exclaimed, his enthusiasm nearly propelling him from his chair as he applauded her. “You bring the White Swan to life with such incredible majesty! Every move was perfect, were I the Prince, your tender grace would capture my soul in an instant! Beaute, full marks!”

“I…I…oh, Rook-san…” 

Danica couldn’t conceal the way his words spread a warm red tint that spread over her cheeks, swelling her heart with joy. A giddy smile nearly broke free upon her face, until she noticed Vil’s more subdued expression and felt her anxiety return. 

“Thank you, Rook-san,” she murmured graciously, turning to her dorm leader. “Vil-san, do you have anything to say about what you just saw?”

“Hmmmm.”

Vil gazed at her for several minutes, still with the same subdued expression. In his mind he was gathering his thoughts, finding the words to describe both his approval and his displeasure. 

“Vil-san?”

“Yes, I was correct. You are very talented, Danica,” he began. “You danced the White Swan with absolute control, almost to perfection. But perfection is not just about control because in your attempt to execute perfection, your performance lacked all authenticity.”

“I…” At this, Danica felt her stomach drop. “Wh…what?”

“Come now, Roi du Poison…”

“Your movements were precise but sterile,” Vil ignored Rook’s attempts at intervention and continued cutting into Danica’s performance. “And your hollow portrayal left a lot to be desired. It was almost as though you weren’t portraying the White Swan at all, rather, a version of the White Swan set by someone else.”

“Someone else?” 

Her heart raced because of course, Vil was correct. Her performance today was intended to mirror that of Fiona’s White Swan. As she moved, her mind replayed the countless hours spent watching her sister embody the role, each movement and pause deeply ingrained in her memory. 

She had attempted to capture not just the technique but the very essence Fiona had lent to the White Swan, striving to mirror each nuance that had once captivated audiences.A dance so beautiful, so exquisite, that Danica felt if she could emulate it, even a little, then it would surely impress Vil. It would be a true testament to her progress and maybe a sign that she could possess the power he so vividly described when expressing his admiration of dancers in the past. 

It was a rather ironic state of affairs. So many times their parents had expressed their belief that Danica’s ballet ambitions were simply an attempt to emulate Fiona. But her love of dance was legitimate and it was only at that moment that Danica could say their accusations were truly her intention. She fixed her mouth to begin an explanation, but no words came. Only a small, broken sound betrayed the whirlwind of voices that began to assault her heart. 

“She’s certain to follow in Fiona’s footsteps when she’s older.”

“The director only gives her so many privileges cause her sis is the top principal! Such a wannabe!”

“In her enthusiasm to match her sister, we sometimes worry that she’s being overzealous…”

“Danica? Did you hear me?” Vil’s voice, though critical, mercifully pulled her from her turmoil. 

“I…yes, Vil-san I did,” she lowered her gaze, suddenly feeling too ashamed to look at him as she continued with, “it’s true, I had another dancer’s interpretation of the White Swan in mind as I was dancing. Fiona Ledelle, you see, she is…was my…”

“Yes, of course!” Rook beamed, ever positive. “Fiona Ledelle, the finest prima ballerina of her generation! A legend within the history of the Pyroxene Royal Ballet. Your late elder sister.”

“Yes, all those things are true,” Danica felt herself shrinking more and more by the minute, weighed down by her sister’s towering legacy. “Fiona was my sister, and she’s also my greatest inspiration. But…”

“Inspiration and emulation are two completely different things, Little Potato.” Vil shook his head. “You once told me you are your own person, removed from your family’s name. What I just saw did not speak to that statement in the slightest.”

“Vil-san!”

“Though my promise still stands,” he went on. “You may now use the ballroom for your practice whenever it isn’t otherwise occupied. I’m pleased to see that our future lead VDC performer is so skilled. However…Danica, raise your head and look at me when I’m speaking to you!”

“Y…yes, Sir! I’m…” his sudden harsh tone surprised her and she struggled to bite back an apology. 

“However, I hope she will soon learn to find what makes her skilled, removed from any legacies she may carry. Do you understand?”

At this, Danica nodded. She knew she ought to say something. But once again, Vil’s words had rendered her speechless. Her entire body burned with his critique, too similar to other disparaging remarks from her past that she was all too familiar with. 

“…removed from any legacies she may carry…”

“Really, she still has such a long way to go before she can even consider being on Fiona’s level.” 

No…no…I’m nothing like Fiona….

Whatever kind words Rook had for her were overshadowed by Vil’s unintentional reminder of a fact she already knew. That she was still nowhere near as gifted as her sister. Whatever power her dancing possessed continued to elude her and Vil’s observations were proof of it. This was bad. She was already in a highly emotional state, but now she felt almost overwhelmed by them. 

Before she could make a further fool of herself, Danica suddenly bolted out of the room. Leaving her dorm leaders as dumbstruck as they were concerned. But she could not wait for their response, tears were already flowing down her cheeks and she would not allow Vil to see them for anything in the world. 

She had to find a place to herself, now. It didn’t matter where and soon, a quiet corner offered her the perfect refuge for her pinned up frustration and heartache. 

I’m nothing like Fiona, I never will be. 

~~~

Away from their eyes, Danica pressed her face to her lap and began to sob. Meanwhile, Vil and Rook remained in the ballroom, still unsure what to make of what had just happened. Vil in particular felt a strong sense of unease at her distress. 

She was normally so poised and took critique with remarkable grace compared to others. When he commented on her attempts to craft her favorite perfume, Danica hadn’t cried or lamented her failure. Rather, she took his words as a challenge to improve and had done so. Even when he came across her nervously rehearsing for her dorm concert, though with minimal tears, she still managed to see the challenge through and performed beautifully. 

Clearly his words had struck a nerve with her and perhaps more alarmingly, Vil found himself genuinely concerned. Vil had lived most of his life under the glare of spotlight and was no stranger to such criticism. He himself offered it to his spudlings on a practically hourly basis and while they may have grumbled or lamented, it was ultimately for their own benefit. 

Even if it was harsh, every student in Pomefiore would eventually be better for it and Vil hoped that Danica would consider his words and they would help her come to understand her potential. Therefore, there was absolutely no reason for him to feel such pangs in his chest. 

“Why can’t I just be invisible?” 

Yet as he recalled the look of devastation in her eyes as she ran off, he wondered if his words could have carried stronger implications than he had intended. Why did she have to be like this? Such an infuriating feeling! 

“Your words are true,” said Rook, seeming to understand what his dorm leader was thinking. “But sharp wit often cuts deeper than expected. Almost like poison, wouldn’t you agree?” 

Vil, ignoring Rook’s double meaning, nevertheless considered his words. There was nothing necessarily bad about Danica’s dancing and he had only intended to critique her approach to the variation rather than her skills. He recalled his remarks, trying to decipher what could have been the triggering moment, inadvertently finding himself comparing the two sisters. And remembering a similar comment he often heard in regards to his own acting compared to another. 

His fists clenched behind his back before the bitter memory could fully take shape. Yes, Vil understood now, and he cursed himself realizing he might have planted a similarly detrimental seed with his remarks. Something that, for all of Danica’s infuriating quirks, she did not deserve. 

“Thank you, Rook,” he finally said. “That will be all for now.”

“What will you do about Danica?” Rook couldn’t help but ask. “She appeared quite distressed when she left. Perhaps we should have Sidonie check on her and…”

“Distressed or not, she will have to reflect on what I said if she ever hopes to improve in her craft,” Vil walked toward the door. “In fact, I’ll find her myself.”

Rook raised a curious eyebrow at Vil, but chose not to inquire further. For all of his harshness, Vil was a wise dorm leader and his judgment was noble, for the most part. Without another word, he passed by Vil and was the first to leave the ballroom. Once Vil was certain he was out of sight, he started on his next task of seeking out the heartbroken young swan. 

He found her huddled in a corner of the empty freshmen’s wing, not too far from her room, still in tears. Danica didn’t notice Vil’s presence and Vil chose not to make himself known right away. Allowing her the illusion of invisibility she often wished for a few moments more. 

“…nothing…” he heard her mummer, “…nothing like…Fiona.” 

This was more than enough for him and Vil crouched down to meet her level, clearing his throat to get her attention. Immediately her head popped out from her lap, eyes red and wide with embarrassment. 

“No, you are nothing like Fiona Ledelle,” he said painly. “You are nothing like her, because you are a completely different person.” 

This seemed to only make her feel even worse and she buried her face back into her knees, weeping and begging forgiveness for the unsightly display she was making of herself. Vil sighed. 

“Indeed this is a pitiful state of affairs,” Vil sighed. “One shouldn’t cry in public. At least have the decency to fully return to your room.” 

At this, Danica nodded but as she began to rise to her feet, Vil placed a hand on her shoulder. “But not yet, Little Potato, not before you wipe your face and answer my question.” 

Danica began pressing her hands to her eyes, but Vil tutted disapproval, handing her a tissue instead. Even going as far as to press it to her face himself. When she finally gained the courage to meet his gaze, she fully expected to be met with his fierce anger. But rather than anger, Vil surprised her by appearing concerned, irritated, but mostly concerned. 

“I’m…I’m sorry if I disappointed you,” she said once she was calmer. 

“Nevermind that,” he replied brusquely. “Here is my question, are you listening? I won’t repeat myself,” Danica nodded to show he had her attention. “Do enjoy dancing?”

This seemed like an odd question, but she nodded again. Vil followed this by asking if she aspired to dance professionally in the future. Again, Danica confirmed this with a quiet nod. Despite her anxieties, she did aspire to one day shine on the world stage. Fiona had planted that seed of ambition in her, but she was one of the few in her life that actually believed that she could. 

“One final question, Little Potato,” Vil continued. “Do you want to shine on the world stage for your own love of dance, because you want to share that love with the world, or do you simply want to dance exactly the same as your sister?”

Danica hesitated, her initial reaction was to say no. She didn’t just want to be like Fiona, at least, not completely. Her emotions regarding dance were layered and complex, even to her. It was a love she carried with her from her early childhood made stronger by the encouragement of her sister and how much she missed her. With dance, she could not only connect with Fiona’s spirit, but also find an outlet for all the other intricacies of her heart. Unfortunately, for all her love of dance, it was also a love Danica never felt she could fully embrace. 

Because she bore the Ledelle name, anything she did would inevitably bring comparisons with the other members of her family. And nowhere was this more clear than her desire to dance. The truth was, Danica had never really thought about what kind of dancer she could be free of Fiona’s legacy because it was something she had never been allowed to even consider. A fact that became all the more apparent in the years following her death. 

"Hmm, you seem unable to answer," Vil observed, his voice tinged with impatience as her silence stretched. "Very well, if words fail you, you'll express it in another way."

“I don’t understand,” Danica looked up at him, as he stood up. "What do you mean by—wait! Vil-san!"

“Come now,” he said, pulling her up off the floor. “You’ve been on the ground for too long, let’s return to the ballroom.” 

~~~

As they entered the ballroom, the silence of the vast space was palpable, and the fact that they were the only ones there did not escape Danica. Alone with Vil in the echoing hall, a mix of anticipation and anxiety churned within her. His stoic presence made the room feel even larger and more imposing than usual. He watched her carefully, ensuring her composure was restored before he spoke.

“I’d like to see you dance again. Tell me, which classical variations have you studied?”

Danica hesitated before answering, “Well, I’ve learned both of the main variations from Swan Lake. I…just did the white one but I could try…”

“No, not the Black Swan,” Vil swiftly interjected. “That wouldn’t suit you as you currently are.”

What does that mean? Something Danica wanted to ask, but held her tongue for the time being. 

“Have you learned any others?” He asked. 

“A few, how about the dance of the star-crossed maiden?”

“Also not suitable,” Vil dismissed again. 

“The little ash girl variation?”

“No, not that one either.”

“Oh, how about the harvest queen variation? I actually did that one for my first ballet competition and came in first place.”

“Commendable, but again, not suitable for this,” Vil closed his eyes thoughtfully. “How about…the variation of the sleeping princess? Have you learned that one?”

“The sleeping princess?” Danica’s brow furrowed slightly in concern. “Yes, just before coming to NRC I began learning that one. It’s one of my favorites actually. But…”

“Perfect!” Vil decided with a nod. “If that’s your favorite, that’s the one I wish to see.”

“But Vil-san!” Danica tried to intervene. “I’m still learning that one! It might not showcase my abilities as well as something I’m more familiar with.”

But Vil’s response was firm, allowing no place for argument. “That is the one I insist upon.”

“What’s wrong with the others I listed? Couldn’t I…?”

“What’s this, Little Potato? You dare question your dorm leader?” He took a step in her direction, his frown telling her what she already knew. She lowered her head, nodding in compliance. “That’s what I thought. Please proceed.”

Reluctantly, Danica retrieved her phone, found the instrumental track for the variation, and prepared herself. Vil took his place at the corner of the room, watching her with a critical eye that gradually softened as she began to dance. Immediately, he noted that her movements weren’t as precise as when she danced the White Swan. Her hesitations were more apparent, revealing her unfamiliarity with certain aspects of the choreography. 

However, while not nearly as polished, her dancing now took on more character. There was a genuine warmth in her portrayal of the princess bride relaying the story of the sleeping curse placed upon her. Her hollowness had given way to true expression and Vil even caught a smile or two between leaps and turns. He couldn’t help but smile as well, captivated by her performance that, while technically imperfect, was refreshingly heartfelt. 

This was the exact reason Vil  had selected this variation for her and the breakthrough he hoped for. Because the reason he was so taken with her performance now was because Danica was dancing for herself with no basis for comparison. With this variation, her love of dance was free with no legacy to live up to, no shadow for her to chase.  

The music stopped and Danica struck her final pose in the mirror. Vil rose from his chair, giving her a slow and sincere applause. 

“Excellent, Little Potato. You performed commendably.”

“Vil-san…”

She hesitated, her eyes meeting his in the mirror. She thought she detected a warmth in his smile, something genuine and approving. Turning to face him directly, she saw it wasn’t her imagination; the warmth was real and felt oddly familiar.

"I hope my errors weren’t too noticeable," she murmured, her voice tinged with self-doubt. "Like I said before..."

“Oh no, your errors were quite obvious,” he replied, his tone serious but not dismissive. "But don’t underestimate yourself—your dancing has a unique character that more than compensates for any technical shortcomings."

“Tha…thank you…I…” 

Danica found her gaze wandering, but when she brought her eyes back to Vil, she found him closer now, standing right before her. She couldn’t help but blush as there was a softness in his gaze that she was not used to seeing, even when he wasn’t scolding her. 

“Do you know why I wanted you to perform that variation in particular?” Vil asked. Danica thought for a moment, but couldn’t imagine why. Especially when there were other dances that would showcase her skills better. She shook her head, prompting a playful spark in his eyes. “I decided on that variation because in the time she was alive, Fiona Ledelle never danced that role.”

It was true, Danica thought, the realization striking deepy. Her sister had taken on countless roles in her ballet career but the sleeping princess wasn’t one of them. And when she thought about it further, the variations Danica had initially listed out were all roles Fiona had taken on in her lifetime. She was beginning to understand what Vil truly wanted. 

“I miss her so much…” she found herself whispering, suddenly hoping Vil wouldn’t hear her. But aloud, she added, “It's weird, she’s been such an inspiration but because of that, I’ve never really wondered what kind of performer I could be on my own.”

"That’s unfortunate," Vil responded firmly, "because when you win the VDC, it won't be as Fiona Ledelle’s sister. As your dorm leader, it’s my duty to help prepare you for such. But I cannot—and do not wish to—do the heavy work for you.”

Vil paused, allowing his words to sink in. Danica processed them, understanding slowly dawning on her. Lost in thought, she barely noticed when he began to walk towards the door. Her gaze followed him, a tumult of emotions swirling within her. As he turned back to look at her, she instinctively moved to follow, but he raised a hand, stopping her.

"This morning was a lot for you," Vil acknowledged. "And since it's Saturday, you have the ballroom to yourself for as long as you need it, provided it doesn’t interfere with other scheduled activities. Take this time. No one will disturb you. But while you're reflecting, Little Potato, remember this:”

His voice softened and he allowed himself a small smile. 

"Every artist  strives for perfection in their craft. You are no different. But I think it’s high time you define what perfection means for you. It would be such a waste to squander your gifts chasing the shadow of another."

With that, Vil finally exited the ballroom, leaving Danica alone with only her thoughts for company. Assured that she would now prioritize rest over relentless late night practice, his initial intention was to return to his room and catch up on some studies. And yet, something compelled him to linger in the hallway a few minutes longer. 

Driven by a curious impulse, he quietly pushed the door open just enough to glimpse inside. What he saw was Danica seated on the polished floor, her arms moving gracefully through the air as she softly hummed a melody to herself. Watching her brought back the same warmth he experienced watching her dance moments earlier. Along with a mix of other feelings he had been diligently suppressing. 

Intriguing as she was, Danica also managed to infuriate him in ways few others could. Yet, as he watched her now, he recognized that his frustration with her was not wholly her fault.

Danica was not capricious, nor was she secretive by design. What truly frustrated him was the clear vision he had of her potential—a potential that seemed overlooked by almost everyone in her life. Vil was fortunate to have always had his father’s support, but Danica, alone and still mourning her sister, seemed adrift. Uncertain of how to channel her passions without her primary source of encouragement. Or even how to process the grief. It wasn’t capriciousness that stunted her, but fear. 

For Danica, already so tenacious, achieving her own path in beauty would come from learning how to shine unapologetically. Not in the shadow of the resentment of others, not in the shadow of her sister, but within her own light. Though Vil felt it would be presumptuous to assume he could replace a sister’s love. At the same time, his duty as Pomefiore’s dorm leader compelled him to feel he at least owed her guidance on her journey. 

And as he continued to observe, the warmth in his heart mingled with admiration and a new protective resolve. Meanwhile, Danica, unaware of Vil’s presence, felt similarly enveloped by a sense of warmth that echoed from earlier thoughts. Ignited by the approving eyes of her dorm leader. The idea of visibility was a daunting one, but slowly, it was beginning to appeal to her despite herself. 

Indeed, invisibility seemed counterproductive to her goals and she knew deep down, it was not her desire to remain invisible. Not when the opposite meant being acknowledged by someone who not only inspired her, but truly believed in her as well. 

[legendofsim]

OC questions for Theo - thanks!

I’ll answer it in his POV! 

1. Would they choose the beach on a warm sunny day or a starry forest night?

A starry forest night would be the most romantic. Imagine going on a date there? 

2. Their favourite song comes on the radio, what is their immediate reaction?

I smile and bop my head a little. I don’t realize I’m doing it, but everyone points it out at home! 

3. They meet up with their best friends after a long time without seeing them, what are they gonna do?

Oh, they’re getting a big bear hug, no questions asked. 

4. They are going shopping for a new outfit, who are they going to bring with them and why?

I would bring my sister because she claims I dress like I’m too comfortable. I mean, that’s what I dress for! Comfort and durability. Anyway, my sis would make me pick out an outfit that would make me look stylish, so I’d take her with me. 

5. What is their go to comfort food?

Waffles with extra syrup. 

6. Would they much rather go on a road trip with friends or a weekend out partying with friends?

A road trip would be so much fun. I have a red pickup truck that a couple of people could fit comfortably in. Maybe I can convince Kaye to come to the big city with me to visit one day. 

7. What is a phrase they use often?

“All in a days work”

8. Their best friend just got a new puppy, what is their reaction?

Please let me hold the puppy!

9. They are hosting a get together at their place, who do they invite and what do they have planned for the night?

I would invite Kaye and my family for sure. Kaye’s dad too and some of the locals who frequent my family’s business. 

10. Who would they want to take goofy pictures with?

I take goofy pictures with whoever has their phone out. I like to make people smile. It’s the best when people don’t realize I’m doing it and they tell me a few days later that they’ve found it on their phone.  

11. If they had a picture frame with slots for 3 pictures, who/what would be in the picture frames?

 A picture of my sister, her husband and their daughter, a picture of my parents together and a picture with all of us. 

12. What is something that always makes them laugh?

There’s this thing my sister does when she’s focused on knitting. She kind of scrunches her nose up, but her eyes are downcast. Every time I see it, I can’t help but laugh. 

13. Who would they go to for relationship advice? Why would they go to this person/people?

I’ve been talking to Kaye about Kenzie. She shuts me down every time though, so I’m contemplating asking my mom. I just don’t want her to be disappointed, she really liked the idea of a city girl to broaden my horizons.  

14. Their best friend comes over at 3am to go on an adventure, where are they going?

Kaye is not very adventurous. An adventure might be driving to the next town over for some sweets. But after what happened with Danica, we’re all a little hesitant...so, maybe no adventures for awhile. 

15. What is an outfit they feel most confident in?

A plaid shirt and denim jeans always gets the job done. 

Thanks for asking! 

[justalittletomato]

Could you do a little summary of your OCs if you have the time? Just something short about who they are?

Oh!!! I shall do so ( mostly to give myself a break) .

Alright here we go...holy crow this is long

Cress, Aster, Danica, Eris, Ares, Feral, Ava and Leta

my main ones

@kimageddon @nahoney22 @mustluvgd @apocalypticwafflekitten @by-the-primes @always-on-tatooine @itsjml @captxin-rex @hannagoldworthy @eyecandyeoz @literatureandqueen @patchiefrog @mando-cyare @shadow-pancake9 @spookiifi

The tomato kids

Cress and Aster

Maul's twin children born 1 year prior to the end of the Clone Wars on Mandalore to a human parent. Despite their human parentage the two appear as Dathomirian Zabrak even the girl, Aster, is born as red as can be.

Cress is the more calm of the two however in that same vein can be very stubborn and tends to jump ahead before thinking all the way through. Affectionately dubbed as Maul's little Shadow (as a child) he is very fond of foraging, frogs and mycology. He often has a field journal ready at his utility belt, and mostly sticks to wearing his Mandalorian armor that he changes from its original crimson to silver and the rebel insignia. He has too big a heart (hearts actually) and as mentioned can be quick to make a choice...learning about his parent's past actions resulted in him running away and a butterfly affect on everyone around him.

He is good brother and better big brother to the littlest tomato Danica and called her little Tadpole. He regrets what his absence has done to everyone...especially her.

He is very much enamored by the Rebel Leta Trell, who was his childhood sweetheart. He was 8 and his hearts never felt such a love besides for strawberries.

Aster the literal Princess, and just as stubborn as her father, however Aster more level headed but keeps things bottled up more than she should. She inherits the brown eyes Maul once had and sometimes has a rosy outlook on the galaxy in her younger years that sadly wilts away with the years and truth of the world outside their safe haven (a cavernous Fortress constructed on Dathomir) She has many artistic talents and watercolors the worlds she wishes to one day see. Naboo being a favorite....

She enjoys being the center of attention and is the better fighter between her and her brother, she favors a double sided lightsaber. She will however share the spotlight with her baby sister Danica and makes sure to help the clumsy little one train and learn.

She is resentful towards Cress and Maul for thier actions in the early years of the rebellion, her bottled up feelings finally breaking through and gold eyes staring back as the little world she was sheltered was now open.

She is quite fond of the apprentice her father brought and tries to help him get out of this situation...however she finds her hearts fluttering at the thought of the young Jedi. Her loth cat Miri scoffs at the prospect but her girl smiles at the thought of him...fine she will tolerate him.

Danica, the baby of the three, 10 years younger than the tomato twins and sweet as an apple. She loves to gobble up any information she can get her hands on! she is however very clumsy and more than once has been saved by her siblings, father and cousins after again falling from climbing the shelves of the library. While Maul swears he does not have favorites it is undeniable that Danica is the apple of his eye (the older siblings merely roll their eyes, its because Dani is the baby) despite being very loved and adored, she is quite a lonely child being so much younger than everyone else. Her constant companion is her pet massifs Atticus and Bebe who guard and protect her from dangers (that includes Maul at some point).

She finds comfort in the Chiss boy she saves and the two become the dearest of friends for years to come and a bit more as time goes on....(not that I make the journey easy)

The early years of the Rebellion affected her greatly due to the strife in her home life, her brother running away, her father's obsessive revenge, her sister's inner turmoil and her buir, Starlight's, sorrow.

Unfortunately the effects will continue to last well into her adulthood and her reactions to the events in her life

The lemon kids

Ares and Eris

Savage's twin children born just 3 months after the tomato twins.

Eris

The first born and from the start a strong willed girl who did not take anyone's critique to her hearts. She is a bit disorganized and up at odd hours into the night, often toiling away at the latest idea that popped into her head. Savage's partner, Angel, is an apothecarian and the twins inherit an interest in plants as well....however Eris much prefers the more lethal while her twin prefers to learn medical and remedies. Her room is often dark as she has a pet *chirodactyl (a bat species native to Dathomir) who she refers affectionately as her baby. Her time in the Rebellion led her to meeting Poppy a sweet girl that Eris has been in love with ever since...

She is often amused and annoyed by her cousin Aster and has more than once tricked the Princess into using the wrong mixture for washing her hair, all in good fun, but Aster can pack a punch. The two girls are the best of friends though.

Eris loves to cause havoc for Ares and their baby brother Feral does not help...

Ares

The 2nd twin and likely needs a nap after having to deal with his family.He is the group's medic in training and learns much from his mother and has learned to wrangle both Cress and the formidable Darth Maul, its is a good thing he has towered over the two since he was 16. He is quite gentle and very patient with Danica the only other non force sensitive of the kids. He can pour over books just like her however everyone has noticed if he is in the same room or challenged by Cress all practical thoughts are gone.

He is quite attentive and tries his best to help everyone especially after his cousin and Uncle disappear, he has more than once had to patch up scratched elbows and knees from a small Dani who tried to run after the ship again. While he can patch someone good as new he worries about other aspects...

his time in the rebellion led to him being tossed down by a fellow medic, Febris, a green twi'lek that immediately had his hearts racing and wanting to help her as much as he could.

Feral

Only 10 months younger than Eris and Ares, he is initially seen as the sweet one from a distance, please do not try to fight him he will destroy you. When he is not dealing out chaos in a fight he is often baking treats and tending to the Fortress garden with Angel. He tries to include Danica often as she often just wants to play, a bit difficult when everyone around is 3x your size. He keeps a journal of all the plants and goodies he has made as well as any fighting strategies he has yet to try out...that one should be tested on Cress.

Like his siblings he too is worried on what is happening and more what's to happen now that their Fortress has finally been opened up.

Well there is one nice aspect....a fellow Nightbrother named Vulkan...

----

Ava

dubbed by some mutals as blueberry and a most wholesome boy, Ava also known previously as Ureth'avata' -- is a Chiss whose family was tired of seeing thier children taken from them...Ava had two sisters who were Skywalkers, he barely remembers either but knows the sorrow that they left behind. He is very fond of the little Star who saved him, Danica. The two become fast friends and are never seen apart. He has a bit of a trickster streak which is aided for a short while by Ezra Bridger who more than gladly helps the small Chiss have fun and make Dani laugh. Like Dani he can gobble up books and is very fond of Star Maps, his time on Dathomir left such a pattern on his face. He misses his parents but refuses to return back to the Ascendency, he will keep wanting to be by Dani's side. They are best friends! He learns Mando'a and is later dubbed as Maul's apprentice however all his skills seem to be geared to ensuring the safety of a certain Zabrak whose much too clumsy.

His friendship with Danica is to last a lifetime and beyond...but will someone please tell his heart to stop racing as they grew up?

Leta Trell

A daughter of alderaan and a clone trooper, her life was wrought at the start, born at the tale end of the Clone War Leta grew up in rebel cells with her mother Una. For one year, for one single year she had a normal life on a red planet that had as she recalls a sweet Strawberry Prince who adored frogs and made her feel safe.

She misses him dearly and hopes to meet him again, he promised he'd build her a cottage and marry her. They were 8...

At the moment they are together once more after years apart, as much as they both would like to run off there is a galaxy to save...when this is over they will get to have a life together like they said...they have to fight..

Just in case they marry in the midst of a battle, Cress speaking his vows in Mando'a as the battle began. If they survived they'd celebrate the moment with more than a soft kiss to the other's knuckles.

*The species of bat native to dathomir is a chirodactyl, gorgara is the name of a specific chirodactyl that was significantly larger and known to hunt nydaks @patchiefrog thanks for the clarification

[jasmariswonderland]

Danica is heading the girls’ team for the SDC and oversees the auditions with Sidonie, though Vil has final say on each of the teammates. 

Crisanta is surprised when Ione expresses interest in auditioning but is more than happy to join her if it means she’s learning to be less introverted and afraid. Danica and Sidonie really enjoy Ione’s audition and Rook is very taken with the gentle sweetness of her voice but Vil is not as impressed with her dancing, which he describes as very timid since she looks down at the ground a lot and second-guesses herself a lot mid-movements. 

After watching Iman dance over winter break, Vidaria decided she wanted to audition as well and Iman naturally joins her. Vil and Sidonie are put off by both of them and how highly they think of themselves. One of the few times they actually agree on something. However, Danica feels that dance wise, Iman has had the best auction so far and while Vidaria’s dancing could use work, her voice is on point and she has a natural elegance and charm that comes from being a fae. 

Taima also auditions, she actually was helping Ace and Deuce learn the dance for a few hours before becoming frustrated with their severe lack of grace and coordination and nopes out. Kalim and Jamil turn out to be much more patient instructers. Right before the audition, Taima hints to Yuulan that she knows the name of who sent the holiday card but Lilia puts a hex on her voice before she can reveal it. Unfortunately, he forgets to take the spell off before her audition so she’s completely dependent on her dance skills and Danica showing Vil and Rook an old video of Taima singing with the TGA idol club. She only get’s accepted because after winter break, Vil is in a much kinder mood where Danica is concerned and want’s to show her he’s not completely unreasonable. 

Most of my NRC ladies end up on her team except Crisanta and Sidonie. Crisanta initially auditions and is accepted but she’s also a member of the Art Club and is hosting an art gallery along with her other club mates. Midway through the training camp, she realizes she can’t juggle her responsibilities and time between preparations for both and drops out. Sidonie also is initially a part of Danica’s team but is pulled out by Vil for...reasons... 

The Film Research Club is also presenting a short theatre performance as well as hosting a screening of one of their films. Farron and Maximilian are kept busy with preparations for both and in addition to that, Farron is also designing and creating the costumes for Danica’s team. And with Crowley’s consent, after some intense convincing, Maximilian will finally get the chance to sell some of the jewelry he designed and created himself. 

What is your OC up to during the preparations for the culture festival?

What are they doing with their club? Did they audition for the championship? Do they even care about any of this?