#Eclair please be nicer-

[rosietrace]

𝐄𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥

Eclair: Crowley, listen to me...

Crowley: ?

Eclair: You aren't a mistake of a headmaster...

Crowley:

Crowley: Really?

Eclair: Yeah you aren't... Cause you're a regret.

Crowley:

Eclair: I said what I said, now pick up this shit and leave

Crowley:

[estrxlar]

The Ghost Of You

21 - Unwanted Inconvenience

I've changed the band name from "Xannys" to "Grimlace". I am extremely sorry for making you all suffer through having such an awful band name in the past.

I cannot stress this enough, please vote for my chapters! And I love every comment I get so much!! It makes my day seeing the number of comments I get:)

This chapters songs:

Retreat! - Crumb

Sponge Won't Soak - Wild Moccasins

Dark Red - Steve Lacy

- Y. L. Perspective

"Uhm...Suga?" Tanaka's voice is heard to our left, waking both me Koshi up from our very long nap. "We're here you know."

His awkward tone alone was enough to send us both jumping out of our seats, fearful that the entire team had waited for us to get up. But thankfully, it was just Daichi and Tanaka standing above us.

Both Koshi and I look at each other in unison. "Sorry..." he manages to mumble while leaving the seat. I follow him shortly after, leaving the van empty.

Was I sorry? No. The nap against Koshi was five stars. I hadn't ever had such a comfortable car ride in my entire life until I rested on him. Besides, he was my boyfriend. Why would I be sorry for something silly like that?

What I was sorry about was that we almost got noticed by Eclair. The entire team knew about Koshi and me, except for her. I didn't know much about her and from what I perceived of her she didn't seem like a drama starter. She would most likely cry and yell and forget about it when she went back to France in a couple of days.

We had thought everyone would be tired after such a long car ride. But not Hinata. He admired the structure of the big building, yelling, "Wow! I've never been to a training camp before! This feels so cool!"

"It's just a training camp," Kageyama remarked, yet Hinata stands unfazed.

The team entered the building, all of us observing its basic beige architecture and decor. Everyone gathered around Takeda to ask which rooms they were assigned to. As for Kiyoko, Eclair, and I—we had asked him beforehand to get a head start.

All three of us manage to sneak off from the crowd and hunt down our room number: #613. Although I wasn't very comfortable around Eclair, I didn't feel uneasy to be sleeping in the same room as her. It only meant I couldn't update Kiyoko on my relationship with Sugawara.

Once we'd found our designated room, I unfolded the tiny key and stick it into the lock, hearing a click not soon after I turn it.

When I had opened the door, I wasn't entirely dissatisfied. There were two bunk beds on each side of the room, all four mattresses covered in floral printed sheets with nightstands next to them. The curtains had the same pattern as the sheets, falling over a large square window.

Overall, it was a nice room. Way nicer than the previous motels and hotel rooms that my band had stayed in during concerts and such. All stank of marijuana and alcohol.

Eclair's brackets make a 'jingle!' sound while she squealed, "it's lovely!" The girl runs up to one of the bottom bunks and places her bag there, collapsing onto the mattress. "I'm so thankful to be spending my last few days in Japan here!"

Kiyoko nods gently, her too putting her luggage on the opposite bunk bed. Assuming she wouldn't mind it, I threw my bag on the bunk above her. It would most likely be easier to communicate with her if I shared a bed with her.

"Yes, it's very nice," I say, smiling merely at the blonde girl.

Kiyoko began to unpack her toiletries into the small drawer attached to the bunk bed. I hopped down from the top bed and did the same, observing the carvings that the drawers had. Names, dates, and funny remarks were scratched out in the middle of it, lots of them left from previous sports or art students that came to this building for a camp of some kind. All were either hilarious, inappropriate, or gentle. But in all, they made me smile.

"So you're in a band, Y/n?"

In my eyes widen in fear. Nobody from the team other than Sugawara, Daichi, and Kiyoko knew that I was in a band. So how did the girl find out?

Hesitantly turning my head, I nod, making out an awkward smile across my face. "Uhh, yeah. How'd you know?"

She sits up confidently and chuckles. "I was taking a glance at your Instagram. You seem to go on a lot of trips around the world!"

I wasn't very used to being confronted about my band. And besides that, being acknowledged she was looking through my Instagram was stressful. If she knew about my band, was it possible she knew about Koshi and me?

"Yeah, I travel now and then." Proceeding to unpack my things as if it was no issue to be questioned, I place my pairs of shoes under the bed.

No matter how uncomfortable I attempted to make my tone, she kept on going. "Oh...that sounds like fun! You must have so many fans. Your voice is great too. I wonder why you've never told them team about Grimlace!"

"Hm, I like to keep my life outside of volleyball private..." I say. "Could you please not tell anybody else?"

My question sure was quiet but clear to her. It would determine whether or not Eclair was a bitch or genuinely a nice girl.

Thankfully, she nods lightly, messing with her nails. "Of course not."

Suddenly, the conversation is put to the side by a knock on our door, sending Eclair, hushed Kiyoko, and me to flinch.

Kiyoko puts a hand on her chest, sighing in relief that the tension was interrupted. "Come in," she tells the person on the other side of the door.

Two boys are revealed; Nishinoya and Tanaka walk in, already dressed down in their "sleep clothes", which consisted of a white t-shirt and shorts. Could I talk any mess about their outfits? Nope! I was planning on wearing the same thing.

The buzzcut bow flutters his eyes at the sight of Kiyoko brushing her hair and quickly grows flustered. "L-ladies! Dinner is on the table." He spoke loud in nervousness. "Do you guys like your room?"

"Tanaka, we've been in here less than ten minutes. I'm surprised you're already gotten dressed!" Kiyoko speaks in a sweet tone that seems to mesmerize him. She finished up brushing the ends of her hair and dusts her hands off on her sweat pants, before looking towards the other two girls in the room: Eclair and I.

We nod and drop what we were doing to exit the room with her. If the odds were in my favor, Eclair wouldn't continue interrogating me during dinner. If so, she would soon find out about Koshi and me from one of the men that walked behind us, flustered they'd

Not soon after leaving, we arrive in the mess hall, where the volleyball club was spread around filling their plates and emptying them into their tummies.

The two boys leave our side to continue eating and we help ourselves to some plates. Today they served simple rice, roasted vegetables, and chicken. Nothing special, nothing utterly disgusting. As I'm picking up my food, I look over to the lunch table that the boys were scattered upon, keeping an eye out for any gray-haired men.

There he sat next to Daichi, eating small portions of the rice left in his bowl. 'Does Eclair's being here mean I'm not allowed to sit next to my boyfriend during dinner?' I think internally, finishing filling my plate.

Kiyoko helps herself to sit right next to Daichi, fitting in with the rest of the third years that sat on the bench next to the second years Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita. Across from them were the first years and the terrible two: Tanaka and Noya.

I stood uncomfortably at the end of the wooden table, looking over it to see if there were any empty seats I could eat in. All that looked back at me were eyes of curiosity and confusion.

It only took a few seconds of staring until someone was nice enough to mention my standing there.

"Y/n! Why don't you take my spot? I'm just about done anyway," Daichi tells me while he got up from the bench with the now empty tray. I look at Daichi, then Koshi, then to Eclair who was now walking towards the lunch table.

I of course didn't want her to take my spot, so I nod and bow politely, before switching places with Sawamura. He pays my shoulder gently, whispering, "you're welcome!"

Kiyoko and Koshi both smile at me, scooting over the slightest to make room for me. I say my thanks for my food and began picking at my rice, listening in on the boy's conversation.

"And then I spent my time practicing on the girls' team since I didn't have anyone else to practice with me. It sure felt like I was a part of their club!" Hinata told us, Eclair sitting down next to him, beginning to eat her food as well. "What about you guys? Did you guys have any rough stories before getting into volleyball?"

Tanaka cuts the air with his pointer finger, motioning for us to pause any conversation until he was done chewing. "I used to be a mega introvert before attending Karasuno!"

"Yup, Ryunosuke was just like Kageyama but worse," Nishinoya commented.

I raise a brow at the mention of that. Tanaka—a boy at the edge of having a breakdown?! I couldn't speak for myself. I too was a short-tempered girl towards the beginning of high school.

Kageyama scoffs, rolling his eyes at the mention of his name. "I'm not that bad, you know." We all knew that was a lie. As much as he denied it, Tobio struggled with his anger issues.

Eclair raises her hand slightly, swallowing a lump of rice. "Don't sweat it Kags, everyone has their embarrassing issues. For instance: I used to be such an obsessive girl in my first year. I'm sure I was a nuisance to many of the people in the volleyball club. Always talking in class and being a ditz was my specialty!"

"What about you, Y/n? Have you ever been involved in volleyball, or is this your first time being a part of a volleyball club?" Nishinoya asks me. At first, I thought of shaking my head and replying with a no, as if my memory of middle school had disappeared from my mind.

After thinking about what to reply with for a second or two, I nod my head slightly. "Hm...in junior high I was on the girls' volleyball team, but I was more of a bench warmer. I only joined the team to be closer to my friends, that's all."

"Aren't you friends with the captain of Seijoh 

boys volleyball club? You know, since you went to middle school with him?"

I look up to the girl who assumed such ridiculous things, Eclair. There she sat with her chopsticks in hand, lips parting slightly. It was crystal clear that she was trying to dig out my history and force me to tell the volleyball club about my personal life further than what I was comfortable with.

Knowing that I was uneasy, Koshi lays his hand gently onto my knee under the table, squeezing it ever so slightly. My heart beats in its cage, anxious at how many ways this conversation could go if I had said the wrong thing.

"...is that true?" Asahi asks, looking at his fellow teammates to observe their reactions. All of them looked just the same: betrayed.

"Eclair, it's best not to assume things about people you barely know," Koshi tells the girl in a monotone voice, making it obvious that he knew her intentions.

'Well, this got awkward fast.'

"It's okay. Uhm— I'm not friends with any members of Aoba Johsai's volleyball members. Where did you hear that?" I ask, setting down my utensils and clasping my hands together. Surely her reasoning has to be good if it meant ruining my very new relationships with most of the boys at the table.

Most of them sigh after my question, placing hands in their chests. "I thought you were a traitor for a second, Y/n! Eclair, you scared us half to death!" Noya whines.

The girl blinks a few times, shrugging. "I'm terribly sorry! I heard it from a girl that goes to Aoba Johsai, she says that Oikawa never stops talking about Y/n! She only knew by looking up your name and finding out she went to Karasuno."

"Seems you have a crush on Y/n, Eclair. You're almost addicted to looking into her past." Kiyoko suddenly made a remark, smirking as she drank a sip of her water.

The girl grows flustered very quickly, blushing. "No! Sorry, Y/n. I didn't mean to be disrespectful. I'm only interested in what it's like to live without many boundaries. My father never lets me lay a finger on anything that could potentially ruin his vision of what his daughter should be," an innocent look is spread across her face as she says so.

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that Eclair." Yamaguchi makes a sweet comment, ignorant that she was guilt-tripping. I'd never pictured her to be such a manipulative girl yet calm and poised at once.

She nods, continuing to eat her food.

Though it was her fault entirely, Eclair was saddened that what was supposed to be an enjoying dinner turned out to be silent and awkward. I was growing extremely tired of her passive-aggressive attitude towards me, but losing sight of why I came to this training camp was not an option. I don't care how badly Eclair could hurt my feelings, I won't let it get to me.

-

Thank you so much for reading this chapter!! I know it's been so late since I've updated. Pls forgive me! I've just now started school again so things are keeping me from writing. Love you all as always,

- estrxlar

[dakotacrisis]

Deal’s End (11)

The deal ends.

(Read on AO3)

---

Marinette was floating through a haze the week leading up to the fashion show. She was excited to go and had butterflies in her stomach just thinking about it. It also gave her an excuse to wear the dress she had been designing. With it though was a countdown. One week left before Felix left and never returned.

At first Marinette had been in denial about the whole thing. There was no proof that Adrien was going to expect anything more than a first date out of this. It could be so much longer before he ever asked Marinette to be his girlfriend. That was until Nino let slip to Alya that Adrien was all in a tizzy about this upcoming show for...Marinette related reasons. He really was going to ask her to be his girlfriend.

Why wasn’t she excited for it then? She had made a deal with a demon for this! She should be happy!

She wasn’t though.

That night where she broke down in tears about how she didn’t want him to go only proved that she was not in a headspace to be anyone’s girlfriend. At least not while she was so hung up on her demonic roommate.

To try and cope she put more distance between her and Felix. No more casual lounging on each other. No more games together. No more walking to class together with his arm around her. He had stopped coming to breakfast. He had even stopped asking for eclairs. Most of the time they sat in complete silence.

It felt like he was already gone.

In turn she had been spending a lot more time with Adrien. She had fun when they went out and more than once she found herself flirting back with him but it felt more like a game of teases then a relationship. Was she leading him on?

No! She liked Adrien! She was going on a date with Adrien! She wanted this! She asked for this!

The day of the show was upon them and Marinette was getting dressed. The silver dress she had been working on was finished. She stepped out from behind the screen with white heels and a matching metallic silver clutch. She decided to let her hair down for the event and did her make up a little nicer than usual.

She turned to Felix who was silently watching her from across the room.

“So,” she did a little spin, “How do I look?”

His eyes roamed over her. The first smile she had seen in a week quirked up on his face. “You look beautiful.”

“Felix,” she walked over to him, “I know I have no right to ask this of you but could you come tonight? Adrien is in the show so I’ll be sitting by myself and while you’d be invisible I’d feel more comfortable with someone I know near me.”

“If that’s what you’d like.” He nodded. “I’ll stay by you.”

“Thanks.”

There was a knock on the door downstairs. “Marinette,” Her mom called up, “Adrien is here. You need to get going.”

“Coming.” Marinette turned to Felix. “Here we go.”

She went downstairs and greeted Adrien at the door. “Wow,” He took her in, “You look incredible.”

“Thanks.” she blushed under the compliment. “You look good too.”

“Thanks. Shall we go?” He held out an arm for her.

“Yep.” Marinette waved to her parents. “See you later tonight.”

They walked out to the car and started heading for the show. Felix followed unseen by Adrien. They got to the venue and Adrien showed her to her seat before running off to get ready. Marinette was impressed that he had managed to get her a front row seat. She was only the guest of one of the models. She would have thought she’d be a row or two back. It was probably because it was his dad’s show she was able to squeeze in up here.

“Now this place is certainly fancy.” Felix gazed around at the venue.

“Yeah. I wonder if I’ll be able to have a show of my own here one day.”

“I have no doubt of that.” Felix started strutting up and down the catwalk making Marinette laugh to which the people around her gave her weird looks.

Soon enough the rest of the venue filled and Marinette was trying not to freak out at all the high profile names and celebrities she spotted. She saw Jagged Stone a couple seats down from her and waved. The show started and Marinette forgot about everything as she gawked at the models strutting down the runway. The outfits they wore were amazing as usual.

She recognized the yellow dress she had worn for the photoshoot on one of the models. Memories of that day filtering back to her and making her smile all the more.

The male models started filtering out and Marinette spotted Adrien among them. Upon passing her he shot her a subtle wink. “Dork.” Marinette murmured. As he was passing back by her she stuck her tongue out at him and she could tell he was fighting off the urge to laugh.

The rest of the show concluded and everyone got up to stretch. “That was certainly interesting.” Felix shrugged. “I’m glad you let me tag along.”

“Me too.” Marinette made her way to the backstage entrance and waited outside for Adrien.

“Hi, there you are.” Adrien finally came out back in his clothes from before. “I wanted to give you a backstage pass but father said I had already asked enough by requesting you in the first row. I hope you weren’t bored out here.”

“It’s fine. Besides, I was more than happy to only have front row.”

“I take it you liked the show.”

“I loved it!”

“I’m glad.” he laced her hand with his. “The after party officially doesn’t start for another half hour but I am starving. So hows about we go sneak in and steal some hors d'oeuvres?”

“I can get on board with that.” Marinette followed Adrien to the room where the party was being held. It was all set up and a few people were already milling about but the majority still lingered out in the hall.

They found the food table and started piling plates high before slotting themselves into a far corner to eat. “The only thing that could make this better is if we had some macarons from your parents shop.” Adrien said.

“What I could really go for is something to wash this down with.” Marinette chomped down on another mini quiche.

“Good point. You stay here and guard the snacks. I’m gonna grab us some drinks.” Adrien got up and made his way back to the refreshments.

“You have that boy wrapped around your little finger.” Felix stole a handful of hors d'oeuvres off Adrien’s plate. “And it is all because of me.”

“I mean you helped but I took action into my own hands often enough, mister.” Marinette scoffed.

“Oh please, you could barely say two words to him before I forced you to.” Felix reached for another handful of hors d'oeuvres this time off of Marinette’s plate.

“Hey!” she smacked his hand away. “These are mine.”

“Greedy.” Felix pouted.

“Piggy.” Marinette turned his nose up. “Who’s a little piggy?”

Felix made a loud snorting sound that had Marinette doubled over laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Adrien came back with two drinks.

“Oh um, it was nothing. I remembered something funny.” She took the drink.

The party started in earnest and after a couple speeches and a toast to the show everyone was free to move around again. Adrien kept his arm linked with Marinette’s as they went around the room talking to people. He introduced her to a lot of other designers and big names in the industry. All the while he was quick to show off her outfit to anyone and everyone. Boasting about how she had designed and constructed it herself.

Marinette was getting a bit winded by all the attention and asked Adrien if they could take a break from people for a while. They got another drink before they took to the dance floor where a couple other people were dancing.

“Are you having a good time?” Adrien asked.

“Yes. Tonight has been wonderful.” She said. “I think you’re showing me off a bit too much though.”

“I could never.” He gave her a little spin. “I’m just very eager for everyone to know how talented my date is.”

“You are a flatterer if nothing else.”

“Adrien,” Nathalie tapped him on the shoulder, “Sorry to interrupt but your father requires your presence for a few minutes.”

“I’ll be right there.” Adrien led Marinette back off the dance floor. “Sorry about this. I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t worry. I can take care of myself for ten minutes.” Marinette assured him. Adrien disappeared back into the crowd. Marinette stuck off to the sidelines to catch her breath. This night was taking a lot out of her.

“CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT!” Felix came up behind her again singing loudly and off-key for only her to hear.

“They have music playing. You don’t need to add your own.” she gave a small tug on his ear. “I haven’t seen you for a while. What trouble have you been causing?”

“You think that I was off causing mischief?” Felix scoffed. “How dare you accuse me of such juvenile behaviour, good lady!”

“Backing up toilets in the men’s bathroom?”

“It’s just so funny watching them panic.”

She hadn’t noticed it before but Felix was dressed once again in the red suit he had been wearing when she first summoned him. “And you are such an idiot.” She leaned against the wall and stared at the ceiling. 

"Where is mister perfect anyway?" Felix muttered, taking a sip of her punch.

"With his dad talking about something or another."

"Soon you'll be missus perfect, if the night goes as planned."

"And if it doesn't?" She asked, "If I told him I was only interested in being friends?"

Felix sighed and looked down at her, "You can't avoid the inevitable because you want me to stay. You're gonna have to move on, love."

"Doesn't mean it'll be easy."

"Nothing in life ever is." He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "Well maybe some things are. But you hardly get a choice in the matter then."

“Felix,” Marinette grabbed his arm. “Can you do something for me before you leave?”

“What’s that?”

“Become visible for a few minutes?”

“Why?”

“Cause I don’t want people to think I’m dancing with a figment of my imagination.”

This had caught him off guard. “You want to dance with me?” He pointed lamely to himself.

“You do know how to dance, don’t you?” Marinette gave another small tug on his arm.

“I’m afraid I don’t. Not a whole lot of use for it.” He stayed annoyingly rooted to his spot.

“It’s not complicated. Stop being such a scaredy cat.” A new song came on over the speakers. Slower than before. She dragged Felix out onto the floor. She placed his hands on her hips and looped her arms around his neck. “All you have to do is hold me and sway. Sound simple enough?”

“I think I can manage that.” He relaxed as they started to sway to the music.

You're in my arms

And all the world is calm

The music playing on for only two

So close together

And when I'm with you

So close to feeling alive

“I know I shouldn’t say it but I’m gonna miss you, Felix.” She told him.

“I’m gonna miss you too, Marinette.” His arms got a little tighter around her. “It’s been fun.”

A life goes by

Romantic dreams must die

So I bid my goodbye

And never knew

“Well, it became more fun after you stopped pestering me at every possible moment.” Marinette chuckled.

“And when you stopped being so hostile and started seeing me for the debonair gentleman I am.” He winked at her.

“This is probably our last night together so I’m gonna let you believe that gentleman line.” She rolled her eyes.

So close, was waiting

Waiting here with you

And now, forever, I know

All that I wanted

To hold you so close

“I almost forgot to mention. As a final thank you for everything there is a box of red velvet raspberry chocolate eclairs in the fridge for you back home.”

“You magnificent woman, I swear I don’t think I’ve ever been more attracted to you.” Felix dropped his head to her shoulder which made her laugh. She rested her head on his chest.

So close to reaching

That famous happy end

Almost believing

This one's not pretend

“Really though,” Marinette played with the ends of his hair at the back of his neck. “Things may have started rough but I like you. You’re a good friend and I wish you could stick around.”

And now you're beside me

And look how far we've come

So far we are, so close

“You don’t understand what I would give to stay here with you, love.” he whispered.

Oh how could I face the faceless days

If I should lose you now

“Would you give your soul?” Her voice was barely audible above the music. He picked his head up and stared at her with those beautiful silver eyes.

“I would give you everything.”

We're so close to reaching

That famous happy end

Almost believing

This one's not pretend

“Felix, I--”

“Don’t say it.” he begged. “If I can ask one last favor of you. Let it be you don’t finish that sentence. Whatever it may be.”

Let's go on dreaming

For we know we are

“As you wish.”

So close, so close

And still so far

The song ended but neither had yet to let go. “I should go.” Felixed heaved a large sigh, “Before mister perfect sees me dancing with his girl.”

“Goodbye, Felix.”

He brought her hand up to his face and kissed it. “Goodbye, Marinette.”

And with that he disappeared in the blink of an eye. She stood stock still on the dance floor staring at the spot he had once occupied. The start of a livelier song snapped her out of her trance and she scurried to the bathroom and locked herself in one of the stalls. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry! She chanted in her head.

It was a good twenty minutes before she had calmed down enough to leave the stall. She fixed herself up in the mirror as best she could before returning to the party.

“There you are.” Adrien found her. “I’ve been looking for you. Hey, are you alright?”

“Yes. I just...I don’t feel too well is all.”

“Do you want to go home? I’d hate to keep you here if you’re feeling sick.”

“Would you mind? I’m afraid I won’t be very good company in the state I am now.”

“Of course. Come on,” he took her by the hand. He quickly explained to his father that he was taking Marinette home before they left the party.

The drive back Marinette was too emotionally exhausted to do anything more than sit there. They pulled up to her house and Adrien walked her to the door. “I’m sorry for cutting things short.” She said, “I had a lot of fun tonight and the show was great.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I was glad to spend time with you anyway I could.” He took her hand in his. “I would like to spend more time together.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He stepped closer, “Would you consider at all a second date? As my girlfriend? Possibly?”

Even with her heart cracked and her feelings every which way he could still make her smile. He really was the sweetest. Maybe it was because she was vulnerable. Maybe it was because Felix was now gone. Maybe it was because she knew that she needed to move on. Maybe it was because she did genuinely like Adrien that she ended up saying yes.

“I would like that.” Marinette nodded.

“Great!” Adrien let out a breath of relief. “I’d kiss you goodnight but if you are sick…”

“I get it.” Marinette hugged him a little tighter than maybe she should have. In that moment it was what she needed though. She needed someone. “Have a nice night, Adrien.”

“You too.” Adrien hugged her back. “Sweet dreams and I hope you feel better.”

Despite the warning he did leave a small peck on her cheek before racing back to his car. A small spring in his step. Marinette walked into the apartment. Her first stop was the fridge. The box of eclairs was gone and in its place was a note.

Thank you, love, for everything.

-Felix

She clutched the note to her chest and sunk down to the ground in front of the refrigerator. It was the final thread snapping between her and Felix. His presence that had always lingered around her was gone. He was gone. And he took more than five years of her life with him.

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(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (12)

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(tagged)

@sannsibarr @miss-mysterys-blog @maribug-adrienoir @mermaidreject @corabeth11 @goblinwhoships @symwinter  @dreaming-being  @yourgeekysister

[deepdarkwaters]

Finger sucking, thigh biting, very tiny underpants Hartwin filth

Eggsy unfastens the ribbon and flips up the cardboard lid, eyeing the four eclairs lined up inside like perfect little jewels. "So what's what?"

"Dark chocolate and Earl Grey," Harry says, fingertips hovering over each in turn. "Raspberry and rose. Blackberry cheesecake. Salted butter caramel."

"They're so pretty," Eggsy croons in the same voice he uses when he's praising a passing stranger's extremely tiny dog, then looks vaguely embarrassed with himself and laughs a bit, taking a self-conscious swallow of beer. "Almost don't wanna eat these, seems rude to put your mouth all over art like that. Like sucking off the David statue for instagram."

"People don't do that, surely?" Harry asks, fascinated and horrified, caught somewhere extraordinarily painful between being disgusted at the idea of such sacrilege and knowing he's still going to spend the next several nights picturing Eggsy getting off with a very pale giant now the idea's been planted. Eggsy just grins and shoves the box closer to Harry.

"You pick first."

"No, you, I insist. They're a gift, after all."

"Yeah, but how am I meant to choose? They're all fucking masterpieces." His hand hovers over the box for a moment, fingers twiddling in a way that makes Harry wonder whether he's doing a silent eeny meeny miny moe, then he carefully lifts the blackberry one, gives it a hungry inspection from every angle, and takes a bite. Pink cheesecake cream immediately oozes out of the sides, clinging stickily to his fingers and thumb, and he takes his merry time licking it all back off again making lush little mmm noises the whole way.

Harry stares very hard at the tiny print on the label of his beer bottle, willing the sweat at his temples to get back inside his skin and stop causing a scene.

"Oh my god it's actually cheesecake on the bottom, it's biscuit crumbs." Yes, Harry thinks despairingly, I can see that, your cursed tongue is chasing every single spilled one around and around your fingers. "You didn't have to go fucking nuts, I woulda been more than happy with some limp soggy Greggs offering."

"I've never been in a Greggs and I certainly don't intend to start now," Harry says, eyes still averted, although he can't block out the sloppy sounds of Eggsy's greedy tongue cleaning up the last of the spillage. "You deserve—"

He stops abruptly before he can embarrass himself further. So does Eggsy, hesitating with his first two fingers lodged in his mouth to the middle knuckle then sliding them out wetly, glistening with saliva and the last traces of leftover cream. "What?" he asks, giving Harry a bit of teasing side-eye and a nudge in the arm with his elbow.

"Nicer things than that," Harry manages.

"Well, first of all fuck you because Greggs is the actual bollocks and you're a snob." Suddenly Harry finds the eclair in front of his face, held up so close to him that his eyes can't focus on it and it blurs into a pinkish smudge. "Let's half and half these, I don't wanna miss out on any of them."

Too taken aback to do anything else, Harry obediently takes a bite of the eclair. Again, the filling oozes out the sides as the layers compress, coating Eggsy's sticky fingertips anew.

"Huh," Eggsy says softly, turning his hand this way and that, inspecting the mess of cream and crumbs. He's crept closer, the warmth of his leg pressed right up to Harry's. "You missed a bit."

Perhaps more than most people a Kingsman agent should understand the value of a good long hard think before you go barging into something foolish, but Harry's never really been very good at that sort of thing. He can fixate and fret as well as anyone, but still there's that impudent little gremlin somewhere deep down in his brain that springs shamelessly to life the moment it sees a monumental opportunity open up that didn't seem to be there before. It's the thing that gets him flinging himself up the outside of a house without permission to steal vital information. It's also the thing that makes him look Eggsy brazenly in the eye and suck both offered fingers between his lips.

Eggsy makes a beautiful, unspellable little noise in his throat. Voice trembling, very quietly, he says, "Good, right?"

"Wonderful," Harry murmurs, holding Eggsy by the wrist to turn his hand over and clean off every speck of cream with his ravenous tongue.

"You want some more?"

"Yes, please."

Eggsy gives a startled, hushed little giggle, as though he'd expected a different answer and is absolutely blindsided to have received this one. He squeezes the eclair gently in his other hand, scooping a fingerful of bulging cream filling from the side and bringing it back to Harry's mouth, where the flat of Harry's tongue meets the underside of Eggsy's finger and curves up on either side to lick it clean with a starving swipe. The sweetness and tartness of the blackberry cream floods his mouth—then Eggsy's tongue is there as well, it's his tongue that touches Harry's mouth before his lips do, which is such a beautifully backwards approach to a kiss that a galaxy of goosebumps shivers right up the length of Harry's spine to explode like fireworks in his brain. He sits perfectly still, unwilling to move in case it shatters this tentative little soap-bubble moment, and lets Eggsy explore him: Eggsy's tongue, careful and uncharacteristically timid, flickers tiny hesitant touches to the sugar traces on Harry's lower lip, and when he swallows audibly the shivering little breath he lets out after falls as warm as a kiss on Harry's mouth, although it's still not a kiss, not yet.

"Harry," Eggsy murmurs, then makes that shaky little laughing sound again when he feels the tip of Harry's tongue tracing the line of his cupid's bow in return. "I think we got it all."

"Yes," Harry agrees. Their noses bump gently. Eggsy sighs again, a quivering lovely hopeful little sound.

"I'm gonna sit on you," he says, then repeats it more decisively, his jaw set the way it is when he's talking himself up to do something brave out on a job. "I'm gonna fucking sit on you for a bit. Right on your lap."

FULL THING ON AO3 HERE

[roselukes]

Stay a Little Longer - Ch 3 - m.c.

Previous Chapters

Summary: When Michael’s life is compromised, he seeks safety in the arms of the unfamiliar

Note: this particular chapter is dedicated to @mistletoemichael because she’s Michael’s biggest fan and one of my bestest friends and she’s going through some shit and she needed this chapter more than anyone else

Tag List: @sassy-asht0n @toofadedtofight @rosesarered516 @hoe4hemmo @heartbreakashton94 @calsfrontcurl @calumspeachy @dukehoods @holidayhood @wrappedaroundcal @mistletoemichael @plainwhiteluke @irwinkitten @hereforlukescruff @astroashtonio @catchinqcalum @irwinvalentines @kinglycalum @biggestslutforcalum @calumhampton @angelmikeyy @hotmessmichael @curlyhairedpopstars @meloncal @heavenlyhemminqs @24kcalum @calsjackets @boytoynamedcalum @alyssarester @ssophisticated-simplicityy @mycollectionofnuts @mysteriouslycali @calteahood @notoriouslyhood @ohhmuke @lukesflaredpants @slimthicccal @ghostofch

That following day, James offered Michael the position, which he accepted. He was finally able to move out of the hotel and into a real bedroom. He walked into the bedroom and set down his final suitcase. Lani leaned against the doorway of Michael’s room. “Howdy, neighbor.” She smiled at him.

“What?” Michael laughed, looking at her.

“We’re neighbors now. My room is right across the hall. Right there.” She said, pointing to the bedroom.

“Can I see it?” Michael asked, peeking into her room.

“It’s just a bedroom.” Lani said, walking into her room.

“You can tell a lot about a person by their bedroom.” Michael said, walking into her room. “Like, you have a wide range in music taste, based on the photo of Big Time Rush on your nightstand, and the picture of Billy Currington on your desk. Wait, is that you with Billy Currington?”

“Yeah, I met him when I was in college.” Lani smiled. “He wrote my tattoo for me.”

“Hold on, you have a tattoo?” Michael spun around to look at her.

“I have several.” Lani nodded. “Wanna see?”

“Yes, please.” Michael grinned and sat on her bed.

“Okay, I have a dragonfly on my ankle here.” She said, pulling her leggings up to show the ink. “I have a smaller dragonfly behind my ear, here.” She said, pulling her ear slightly to show him. “I have ‘If I leave my heart with you tonight will you promise me that you’re gonna treat it right?’ on my ribcage here.” Lani said, lifting her shirt just enough to let Michael see the tattoo, her deep green bra barely making an appearance. “And, Ashton and I have matching hearts on our wrists.” She said, showing him the final tattoo.

“You and Ashton this, you and Ashton that.” Michael teased.

“You sound like Calum. He’s always jealous when Ashton and I hang out. He was miserable when Ash and Rae Lynn started dating. Now he just hangs out with Luke all the time.”

“That Luke guy is kinda weird.” Michael said, making a face.

“You get used to him after a while.” Lani giggled. “Anyways, I was gonna head to the grocery store. Do you want to come with me?”

“I’d love to come. When are we going?” Michael smiled.

“Right now.” Lani said and walked down the hallway. Michael nodded and followed Lani down the hall. He followed her out to her truck and got in the passenger seat. Lani pulled out of the driveway and started down the gravel roads.

“So..” Michael mused, looking at Lani.

“Nope. I hate awkward conversations in the car.” Lani shook her head and turned on the radio, the sounds of Billy Currington echoing through the cab of the truck.

“Hey, you like this guy.” Michael commented.

“I don’t like him. I adore him. I would lay down my life for him.” Lani said, looking at Michael.

“You’re one of those people.” Michael chuckled.

“I have many people I would die for. Billy Currington, Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, the lady that does my nails.” Lani shrugged.

“There’s a place to get your nails done here? In the middle of nowhere?” Michael asked.

“No, I drive two hours once a month to get my nails done.” Lani said, turning onto a paved road.

“The dedication.” Michael chuckled and changed the station. “Sorry, I’m just not a fan of Rascal Flatts.”

“That’s okay, I’m not either. Though, I have seen them live.” Lani said, stopping at a stop sign. Not long after, Lani parked the car in the lot at Warehouse Grocery. She walked inside with Michael, grabbing a cart. “Do you have everything you need at the house? Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo?” Lani asked.

“I could use more toothpaste and deodorant.” Michael nodded and followed Lani to the toiletries aisle. He grabbed his preferred brands of toothpaste and deodorant, placing them in the cart.

“Alright, I need to get some things for dinner and some things for Kaiden’s lunches.” Lani nodded and pushed the cart.

“Do you have a list?” Michael asked and Lani nodded. She took the list from her pocket and handed it to Michael. They went first to the canned goods, grabbing a few cans of veggies. “Don’t we grow these?” Michael asked.

“They’re not ready to harvest and we’re out from last year’s harvest.” Lani explained. She walked to the baking aisle and looked at the list. She looked up at the shelf before moving closer to Michael, her body tucking into his side. He liked having her close, but his confusion was evident.

“Lani, what are you doing?” He asked, looking down at her.

“Shh, just go with it.” Lani said. “Don’t say anything and keep your head down.” Michael nodded and tried to obey. He kept his down, but glanced up when a man approached them.

“Hey there, Lani.” The man smirked. “Haven’t seen you around the bar lately, where’ve you been?”

“Nowhere.” Lani rolled her eyes. “I’m not a rowdy college girl anymore. I have an actual life now.”

“Uh huh, sure.” The man chuckled. “I know that rowdy college girl is still in there. You can’t change who you are, Lani.”

“Y’all findin’ everything alright?” Martin, the store owner, asked. The man shook head and walked away, leaving Michael and Lani alone with Martin.

“Thanks, Marty.” Lani sighed.

“No problem, dear.” Martin smiled softly and walked away.

“What was that?” Michael asked, following Lani to the frozen foods.

“Nothing.” Lani mumbled, grabbing some frozen fruits and veggies and placing them in the cart. Michael sighed and grabbed the frozen chicken from the top shelf, placing it in the cart. He was curious, but he knew not to press the issue. When they had finished and paid, Michael helped Lani load up the back of the truck.

“Are you sure what happened in there was nothing?” Michael asked, almost regretting his decision to ask. Lani pulled out her phone and called Ashton.

“Hey, Ash. Mike and I got the groceries but we’re gonna stay in town for a bit longer. Tell Rae Lynn to get started on dinner and we’ll be home soon.” Lani said before hanging up.

“We’re staying?” Michael asked, watching as Lani started walking toward Main Street. He jogged to catch up to her after closing the the back of the truck.

“You and I are going to have a chat.” Lani said, walking into a small bakery. “Care for a donut?” She asked, walking up to the counter.

“Always.” Michael nodded and stood next to her. “One chocolate eclair, please.” Michael ordered.

“Glazed for me.” Lani said, handing the clerk a $5 bill. The clerk handed Lani the donuts and she walked over to the bar that overlooked the street. She sat on a stool and pulled her donut from the bag.

“So, who was he?” Michael asked, sitting next to her.

“My ex boyfriend. We started dating sophomore year of high school and broke up junior year of college. He knows things about me that even the boys don’t know..” Lani sighed.

“It can’t be that bad, right?” Michael asked, looking at her. She avoided his eyes and stared out the large window, watching the few cars pass by.

“It can.” Lani said, her voice barely above a whisper. “At first, he was the best boyfriend any girl could ask for. He was supportive and kind. He’d carry my books to class, he’d help out with the ranch. And then, we went to college and he changed. It was like a full 180. He started staying out all night and coming home plastered, he’d yell at me for things I had no control over, he’d threaten to burn the place down with me in it. I was terrified. He wasn’t the same man I had fallen in love with. After I left him, I needed to make money for my own place, but I didn’t have any experience with working. There was only one place that would hire me, and they only hired me because I was considered physically desirable.” Lani sighed and Michael immediately knew what she was talking about.

“You were a stripper?” He asked quietly.

“Not an actual stripper. I was a waitress at the strip club. They paid me $24 an hour to walk around half naked, giving drinks to already drunk men. Occasionally, I’d give a lap dance or two for some extra tip money, but nothing more than that. Trent used to come into the club while I was working and at first, I was scared. Then, I noticed that he was nicer to me than he had ever been while we were together. I played myself and took him back. That’s when he got physically abusive. I’d come home from a long shift and he’d start yelling at me about how much of a whore I am for letting guys touch me and put money between my breasts. He was so angry that he wasn’t the only one to see me like that.”

“Did you ever report him?” Michael asked and Lani shook her head.

“I was too scared of what he’d do to me if I told someone. I still am..”

“Hey, he can’t hurt you anymore.” Michael said, placing his hand over Lani’s. “You’re safe.”

“He holds it over me. He knows what would happen to my career and my life if people knew what I did. I got paid in cash, so I never claimed it as a job on my taxes. I could lose my teaching license if the state knew I worked at a strip club.”

“Don’t worry. He can’t hurt you or your career. Not anymore.” Michael said, squeezing her hand gently. “If he comes near you again, call me. If you feel scared, call me. I will drop everything to be there for you.”

[matan4il]

This or That Meme

I was tagged by @robertssofttouchxaaronssoftlad, thank you darling! <33333

RULES: Bold in what you prefer and tag ten people!

coffee or tea - I saw my mom’s addiction to coffee when I was a kid, so I just stayed clear of it. I’ve never drunk coffee.

early bird or night owl - the night is the realm of dreamers.

chocolate or vanilla - as long as it’s sweet, I’m there.

spring or fall - it’s so gorgeous and the air is so clear, I always feel I can experience everything more fully on a nice autumn day.

silver or gold

pop or alternative classic & instrumental - I’m a music hoe, I want it all.

freckles or dimples - I can actually like or dislike both equally, it depends on the person sporting them and how well they fit.

snakes or sharks

mountains or fields - it’s the literal height of creation. It’s scary as fuck to me, since I have a fear of heights, but it’s still a place where you can truly take everything in and just let it heal your soul.

thunderstorm or lightning

egyptian or greek mythology - well, most of Egyptian mythology was lost, so this may not be a fair comparison.

ivory or scarlet - ironically, seeing as how I once wrote a Merlin (BBC) fic that used scarlet as the running theme...

flute or lyre - again ironic, since I can play the flute. But lyre has a more universally pleasing sound, I think. And also, it’s a throwback to antiquity, which I love.

opal or diamond

butterflies or honeybees - I love their colors, ok? And their being a symbol of transformation.

macaroons or eclairs

typewritten or handwritten - well, when I do it, I enjoy using a typewriter more since my calligraphy isn’t always so great (depends on what pen I’m using, what paper and how tired I am), but I do think when someone does it well, handwritten texts look so much nicer...

secret garden or secret library - the very idea of a secret world discovered that reflects someone’s inner one is always gold, ok?

rooftop or balcony - they both allow you to get a better look at the world underneath your feet, but a rooftop also allows you more privacy while doing so.

spicy or mild

opera or ballet

london or paris - I do like Paris, but my first time there wasn’t so great and I’ve overall been to London more, so I feel more at home there.

vincent van gogh or claude monet - overall it’s Monet because his art is just So Soft (TM), which is harder to continuously capture on the canvas than people realize, but Van Gogh has art that’s simply *shines*, Starry Night, Cafe Terrace, Wheat Field with Cypresses to name a few pieces...

denim or leather

potions or spells - the power of words is always going to be my thing, you know?

ocean or desert - normally, I would say ocean, but Israel has such a gorgeous desert, too, I can no longer choose...

mermaids or sirens

masquerade ball or cocktail party - listen, a masquerade ball is the ultimate trope in literature, no one is going to convince me differently. The very idea of hiding and revealing one’s self is what it’s all about.

tagging: @stulot, @aarondingel, @aaron-fan, @robron-til-the-end, @lightsofmyworld, @pocketwishes, @irisnsc, @smittenwithsugden, @malteser22, @theredandwhitequeen, @isabellaofparmam @dinglecrain. Also, for the record, I hate being limited with the tags, especially when I don’t know who’s done this and who hasn’t, so if you see this and you wanna do it, consider yourself tagged by me! <3

[zenon-zogratis]

Tagging Game!

I got tagged by @obakatamago ! Thank you so much for tagging me! (Sorry it took me a while to post this hahaha)

The rules are: Bold what you prefer in order to let others know more abt you!

1. Coffee or Tea - (Ahh, I really like both, especially iced, but if I had to choose it would be coffee. I love the Frappe Mocha from McDonald’s!) 

2. Early bird or Night owl - (I used to be a Night Owl, but since I now have classes in the morning I tend to fall asleep like around 7 PM and wake up like at 4 or 5 AM. But I fit the term Exhausted Pigeon way better though hahaha)

3. Chocolate or Vanilla - (For ice-cream I prefer vanilla, but for basically everything else such as cake, candy, and drinks it has to be chocolate) 

4. Spring or Fall - (I live in a literal desert, so I don’t get to really experience all 4 seasons throughout the year, but I absolutely love the Fall aesthetic <3)  

5. Silver or Gold - (I find silver to be much more pleasant on the eyes, and I think it looks better with other colors. Gold stands out too much imo hahaha)

6. Pop or Alternative - (I don’t really pay attention to music genres and such. If I like how it sounds then I’ll listen to it)

7. Freckles or Dimples - (I have dimples myself so I’ll go with them haha)

8. Snakes or Sharks - (Ahh, I love both, but I’ll choose sharks. They have a more sentimental value for me because of the many characters I like that are associated with them, like Shirazu Ginshi from TG:re)

9. Mountains or Fields - (Where I live agriculture is a big thing, so everyday as I drive to school I love seeing the vibrant green of the fields) 

10. Thunder or Lightning - (Although it sometimes scares me, I love watching the sky flashing with lightning. It’s so cool <3)

11. Egyptian mythology or Greek mythology - (I was a big fan of the Percy Jackson series back in the day, so I’ll have to go with Greek mythology)

12. Ivory or Scarlet - (I love how passionate the many shades of red are)

12. Flute or Lyre - (I like to see how people play the flute, but I can also see the appeal of the lyre. So heavenly haha)

13. Eyes or Lips - (I love it when people draw eyes so expressive that just by looking into them you can tell what the character might be feeling)

14. Witch or Fairy - (I really like both, but I feel there is more variety with fairies, like different interpretations and designs of them. But I also really like witches and their aesthetic <3) 

15. Opal or Diamond - (The opal is my birthstone!)

16. Butterflies or Honeybees - (Butterflies are really pretty!)

17. Macaroons or Eclairs - (I would love to taste both! I love pastries so much!)

18. Typed letters or Handwritten letters - (If you write letters by hand it shows a certain dedication and passion that typed letters can’t achieve)

19. Secret garden or Secret library rooftop or Balcony - (I am a sucker for everything related to flowers and plants and such <3) 

20. Spicy or Mild - (I love spicy food! But I am worried that I might lose my sense of taste at the rate I am going OTL) 

21. Opera or Ballet - (I have seen more movies that have to do with ballet so I’ll go with it haha. The training they have to go through is really brutal though)

22. London or Paris - (I would love to visit London someday!)

23. Vincent Van Gogh or Claude Monet - (I am more familiar with his work, but I can see the appeal of both ^_^)

24. Denim or Leather - (I just think it feels more comfortable to wear haha) 

25. Potions or Spells - (I think both are wonderful, but in RPGs I love to gather ingredients to make potions and such <3) 

26. Ocean or Desert - (I love going to the ocean, although in either case I can’t escape the sand) 

27. Mermaids or Sirens - (From my research I can conclude that mermaids are waaaay nicer. At least they won’t attempt to kill me hahaha)

28. Masquerade ball or Cocktail party - (I believe cocktail parties are a more casual event?? I think they would be more pleasant to attend haha)

Aaand that’s a wrap! I really enjoyed this game! (altho some choices were a bit difficult to make haha) To everyone who sees this, please feel free to try it out! And also, please free feel to tag me in any other tag game/challenge you would like me to answer!

[firestormmaidenanddragon]

Tagged by: @personified-grimm

Rules: Bold what you prefer, and tag 10 people.

Coffee or Tea - Neither, if I had the option, I’d pick iced tea

Early Bird or Night Owl - I don’t do mornings

Chocolate or Vanilla - What are we talking about? If it’s ice cream, than vanilla, if it’s milkshake, then chocolate.

Spring or Fall - 

Silver or Gold - Silver looks nicer

Pop or Alternative - ...what?

Freckles or Dimples - ?

Snakes or Sharks - I mean, I’d leave both alone...

Mountains or Fields - My bedroom.

Thunder storm or Lightning - Here comes the rain.

Egyptian or Greek mythology - *comment goes here*

Ivory or Scarlet - Nani?

Flute or Lyre - What?

Eyes or Lips - Uuuuuh...

Witch or Fairy - 

Opal or Diamond - Yes?

Butterflies or Honeybee - Save the bees yo.

Macaroons or Eclairs - Mmm, creamy cakey sugar...

Type-written or Hand-written - I have shitty handwriting

Secret Garden or Secret Library - Of games and consoles that is.

Rooftop or Balcony - I mean both seem dangerous...

Spicy or Mild - I don’t like spicy food.

Opera or Ballet - Zzzzz....

London or Paris - It’s closer.

Vincent van Gogh or Claude Monet - As in what way?

Denim or Leather - Whatever fits.

Potions or Spells - Useful for brief boosts of something, like if I need energy or strength, of course, you’d want to avoid becoming reliant on them.

Ocean or Desert - What do you mean by this?

Mermaid or Siren - What’s the difference?

Masquerade Ball or Cocktail Party - Can I just stay in?

Rules: Answer the questions in a new post and tag 10 followers you want to know better!

Age: 25

Birthplace: My house in the North West of England

Current Time: 2:10am

Drink you last had: Vimto, which if arranged, spells “vomit”, and no, I didn’t drink actual vomit, it’s just a joke.

Easiest person to talk to: The cats, they don’t talk back unless you’ve had too much “dizzy water”.

Favorite Song: Too many to list.

Grossest memory: I honestly don’t have one.

Hogwarts House: idc

Envious of people: Pretty much

Killed Someone: I don’t think I’d have access to a computer if I did...

Love at first sight, or walk by again: idk

Name: Del

Number of siblings: 1

One Wish: The ability to create a meal with a snap of my fingers with the free choice of being able to give what I create to someone else, because think about, while I could be selfish and just make myself even fatter by summoning take-away pizzas, tubs of Ben & Jerry’s and bottles of Pepsi, I could also use it to help feed homeless people who haven’t eaten in ages, or help people with food allergies which means they can’t have select foods because they’ve got a certain ingredient in them.

Person you called last: My mother, I wanted to know what she wanted from shopping.

Question you are asked most: Could you walk the dog please? (which I hate doing because my dog is a complete asshole and never listens to me)

Song you last sung: Black Vultures by Halestorm

Time you woke up: 11 AM

Underwear color: Blue-ish, it’s almost black.

Vacation Destination: Japan, because of course.

Worst habit: Not answering things like this seriously?

X-rays: None?

Favorite food: PIZZA-

Zodiac Sign: Cancer (I am crab)

Tagging others:

@littleredscythecosplay

@greeneyedfaunus

@redeemthefallenuniverses

@microtyrant

@ificouldbegin-to-be

@velveteen-faunus

@quadruplebarrier

@xxlady-deadpoolxx

@frozen-snow-princess

@kobayashimaid

And plus one:

@goddessofremnant

[renewablenergon-main]

That’s What I Like Tag Meme

@icykalisartblog tagged me, this looks fun! 

01. Coffee or Tea

02. Early bird or Night owl

03. Chocolate or Vanilla (It just depends on what I’m eating)

04. Spring or Fall (The weather is nicer and I like the colors of this season more)

05. Silver or Gold

06. Pop or Alternative

07. Freckles or Dimples (This isn’t a strong feeling, I’m thinking more of what I like on myself)

08. Snakes or Sharks (Both are cool for different reasons)

09. Mountains or Fields

10. Thunderstorm or Lightning (It’s hard to picture one without the other)

11. Egyptian or Greek mythology 

12. Ivory or Scarlet 13. Flute or Lyre

14. Eyes or Lips 

15. Witch or Fairy (What kind are we talking here?)

16. Opal or Diamond

17. Butterflies or Honeybees 

18. Macaroons or Eclairs

19. Typewritten or Handwritten letters

20. Secret garden or Secret library (Both go well together)

21. Rooftop or Balcony (railing please...)

22. Spicy or Mild

23. Opera or Ballet  (I’d love to go to one some day) 

24. London or Paris (I’d like to see the museums)

25. Vincent Van Gogh or Claude Monet

26. Denim or Leather

27. Potions or Spells

28. Ocean or Desert (the desert is really nice too, but I prefer everything that comes with the ocean) 

29. Mermaid or Siren

30. Masquerade ball or Cocktail party (Not a fan of parties) Thank you for tagging me, icykali! Anyone else who wants to try it, go for it! 

[ruffsficstuffplace]

The Keeper of the Grove (Part 3)

Note: Late update because I also got home late, but still technically written yesterday.

Eventually, the tears and the shaking stopped, Weiss recovered enough to get up off the floor and sit on the much more comfortable tea table in one corner of her room, and their father (or more likely, the staff he kept specifically on-hand for child-raising duties) had thought to send her and Winter dinner, plus most of the delicious treats and comfort foods that they had offered earlier.

Winter stood at Weiss door, waving away the concerned guards and servants trying to coax her into letting them in. “My sister and I would like some time just to ourselves, thank you,” she said as she gently wrenched the serving tray from a maid’s hands.

The solid contents shook and rolled and the liquids swayed in their glasses and pitchers, but the magical field that kept them at optimum serving temperatures also kept anything from spilling, and gently nudged everything back into their precise, perfect placements.

“Are you certain, Ms. Schnee?” one persistent butler asked.

“Very much so!” Winter replied, before she calmly slammed the door in his face. She smiled. “Ah, I forgot how much I loved doing that...” she muttered as she wheeled it to Weiss.

The two of them ate and drank, having their first meal in nearly half-a-day, or erasing the taste of the military rations Avalon's supersonic jets were forced to use. The decades of dining etiquette and temperance that had been instilled in them were forgotten for the moment—the only witness was the head of security watching the camera, and they couldn’t have given a damn about their table manners.

Weiss pushed away her plate, wiped away the crumbs, chocolate smears, and excess frosting off her mouth with her hand, before she licked them off.

Winter put the straw of her chocolate shake out of her mouth. “Feeling better?”

“Mhmm,” Weiss said as she licked off some cream between her fingers. “Still traumatized for life, but better.”

Winter chuckled. “You’re being sarcastic and snide again, that’s a great sign. Sure you don’t want to cry some more?”

Weiss shook her head. “No.”

“Need another hug?”

Weiss thought about it. “Later.”

“Another slice of cake, an eclair, a cookie, maybe?” Winter asked, gesturing to the half-emptied but still generously loaded serving tray.

Weiss looked down at herself in mild disgust. “Definitely later.”

Winter nodded. “So can I yell at you now?”

Weiss opened her arms and gestured towards Winter, wordlessly saying, “Lay it on me, sister.”

Winter smiled. “Thank you.”

She took a long, deep breath.

“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! DID YOU SOMEHOW MISS ALL OF THE STORIES AND ACTUAL, VERIFIED REPORTS OF PEOPLE GOING INTO THE VIRIDIAN VALLEY AND NEVER RETURNING? THAT EVEN IF THE KEEPER OF THE GROVE IS A FAIRY TALE, THERE’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING IN THERE THAT’S PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF DECKING THE FLOOR WITH AN ENTIRE COMPANY OF RANK 6 QUEENSGUARD NOMINEES?!”

Weiss sighed heavily. “I wanted to get away from Father—somewhere he couldn’t keep an eye on me or control my life unless it was absolutely necessary.”

“Oh, and you thought that the answer to that was throwing yourself headlong into mortal danger?!” Winter spat. She sighed heavily, shoulders slumping as she sank into the back of her chair. “Though I do suppose that’s my fault, for setting the precedent...”

Winter sat back up. “So since official details are sparse and rumours are aplenty, could you tell me what actually happened there and why's it got Father so pissed? You know, aside from the fact that he lost his initial investment and has to have all his projected earnings reports redone,” she said as she sipped some more of her shake.

Weiss paused. “We got attacked by the Keeper of the Grove,” she said quietly.

Winter made a sound like “AGHFRLKK!” Liquefied chocolate sputtered and dribbled out of her lips and nostrils as she violently beat her chest, her eyes wide open. “I’m sorry,” she said in between coughs, “but this is the name of some terrorist group with a mythology bent, right? Or a crazed, human serial killer lurking in the Valley? It can’t possibly be the Keeper of the Grove, as in, the Keeper of the Grove.”

Weiss shook her head. “She’s real. We all saw her.”

The blood drained from Winter’s face, her skin even paler than usual. After a long moment of silence, she slowly put her violently shaking hands on the table, her fingers weaved tightly together. “O-Okay, so, ASSUMING THAT I WASN’T AS SAFE FROM THE FACE OF MY NIGHTMARES AS I THOUGHT I WAS:

“How’d you escape?”

Weiss shrugged. “She spared me, we talked, and we struck a deal--”

Winter held her hand up. “I’m sorry, are you saying that you made a deal with the Keeper of the Grove?”

Weiss nodded.

Winter slowly nodded back. “Weiss, before you continue, let me take this moment to tell you that I love you so much, and nothing will ever change that, even if you do indirectly get me killed by the thing I repeatedly convince myself doesn’t exist so I can sleep at night.

“Now please, do go on.”

Weiss paused for a moment. “...We struck a deal: I and my guards would turn back, never return, and tell everyone else not to try and make the trip in the first place.”

“’Everyone else’ including father and his drilling teams, I’m assuming?”

Weiss nodded.

Winter sucked in a breath, and let it go. “Well, we’re screwed!” she cried, throwing her arms in the air. “You know, I always did think that father reminded me so much of the antagonistic figures in all the stories warning against excess desire, dooming themselves and the other unlucky victims to the Keeper’s scythe through their greed and lust for power, and now here we are proving that the line between fiction and reality is very thin indeed!”

“She actually wasn’t as scary as the stories make her out to be,” Weiss said. “A lot nicer, too.”

Winter put her arms back down on the table. “I’m definitely going to regret asking this, but what makes you say that?”

Weiss looked down. “She was short. Young—just a few years younger than me, or more. And she had the cloak, but her face didn’t look anything like anything anyone’s ever imagined her with—if it weren’t for the horns and the deer ears, I would have thought she was just a girl like me.

She looked back up. “She didn’t even have the glowing red eyes.”

“Were they just a reflective but non-radioactive red?”

Weiss shook her head. “I didn’t get a good look at them to know the exact colour, but definitely not red. And then there’s the fact that she spared all of the guards, took the extra effort just to cripple them or hurt them badly enough to stop them from fighting back, even if she could have just slaughtered the whole bunch of them and spared me anyway.

“You know all the stories, right?”

Winter nodded. “I do, and I agree this is strange behaviour on the Keeper’s part—for once, in the good sense of the phrase.”

Weiss smiled.

“But, it is with great regret that I inform that there have been stories of the Keeper assuming friendlier forms, sparing people, and earning their trust to infiltrate their secure villages, or shake things up a little, serial killer style.

“They’re very much the minority, and the dates between the earliest known sources of each unique story are very long indeed. However, the latest account is little less than two decades old, and allegedly happened here in the Acropolis region.

“Within a few miles of this city, actually, since apparently Fate decided that I needed to be thoroughly creeped out AND terrified out of my mind!” Winter chirped.

Weiss looked at her strangely. “You’re still doing research about the Keeper?”

“Yes, actually,” Winter replied. “My consistently ill-fated quest for knowledge is as never-ending as the stories. I liked to keep it as a form of perspective, when something or someone terrified me and I’d remind myself that there was something much worse to be scared of, and she was fictional!”

She paused. “Well, I thought she was fictional, anyway...”

Weiss frowned. “So the Keeper could have just been lying and toying with me...” she muttered.

“If the stories are anything to go by—which they probably, definitely are now—yes.”

Weiss looked down at the table, silent.

Winter reached over and patted her on the shoulder. “I’ll be right here when you finally wrap your head around the deep, existential terror. Word of warning: it might take a few days, and always strikes without unexpectedly.”

“Won’t your boss be mad?” Weiss asked.

Winter snorted. “Weiss, Weiss, Weiss—General Ironwood can have me court-martialed for all I care, NOTHING is more important to me than being here for you in your time of need. Besides, the Keeper will probably ensure I’ll never have to worry about him ever again!

“Or everything else, for that matter!”

“You’re taking this whole ‘The Keeper is Real’ business a LOT better than I thought you would,” Weiss said.

Winter laughed. “Oh, Weiss, I’m only keeping it together for your sake! Soon as I crawl back into my room, I’m going to order then imbibe large amounts of alcohol, before sobbing, weeping, and wailing in complete, absolute despair!”

Weiss laughed—she wasn't sure why, but she did. “I'll leave you to it, then.”

Winter nodded, walked around to Weiss, pulling her into another hug. “Thank you. I love you, sis.”

Weiss hugged back. “I love you too, sis.”

Winter pulled away. “Sure you don’t need me to keep it together a little while longer? We could have a sleepover, like we used to! I'll definitely skip the 'sleep' part, though.”

Weiss shook her head. “You go have your breakdown.”

Winter nodded, kissed her on the cheek goodnight, and crawled back into the secret tunnel she had come from, back to her bedroom.

Weiss disengaged her bedroom's lockdown soon after, the curtains pulling back, the steel barriers receding back into the walls, and the windows swinging open to bring in some fresh air that hadn’t been meticulously recycled and scrubbed clean over and over again.

She stepped out to one of her balconies, took in the excellent view of Candela her father had been so willing to pay top-Uroch for decades ago.

The city’s lights burned bright, from the street lights, the glow of the floating markers for flying vehicles, the windows of its skyscrapers, the equipment of their innumerable laboratories and research facilities, and the gaudiest, flashiest, most complex video advertisements to be seen anywhere in Avalon, all of them taking advantage of the nigh-limitless power source humming just underneath them, the dirt cheap rates, and how limited the amounts of energy the city could export (for now) and the rest it had to expend somehow.

“Candela: the city that burns brighter than all the minds that made it, shining long after they have passed onto the Aether,” Weiss recited.

She smiled.

Whenever the Keeper was coming for her, she was going to make sure that she was ready for her—an easy task, with the most cutting edge of technology literally just a few minutes away.

“Hey there~!” she heard a very familiar voice say. “Man, I am SO glad you finally opened your windows, I was afraid I was going to have to wait here all night!”

[recentanimenews]

Anime NYC 2018, Day Two

Yesterday was light to nonexistent. The same for tomorrow. But today? We had ALL THE THINGS! Starting off with the joint Kodansha and Vertical panel, which was in a nice big panel room and there was no line. A good start!

Ben Applegate was there from Kodansha and Tomo Tran from Vertical. They talked about all the giveaways they had at the booth, with Summer Wars stickers, After the Rain music download cards, Devils’ Line stuff, Pop Team Epic “shitty merchandise” (nicely done), and some of the Monogatari art exhibit being available to look at. Vertical then announced a new artbook from VOFAN, the artist for the Monogatari Series novels. This is actually a collection of his non-commercial art, so it should be far more intriguing than just another collection of stuff you’ve seen before in a larger size. It’s coming in Fall 2019.

Kodansha ran through some of their titles currently being released, including the Sailor Moon Eternal Edition, and mentioned the Sailor Moon musical is coming to NYC and DC. They then got on to new titles, though one is a collected edition: Princess Jellyfish is getting a Complete Box Set! Given at one point they weren’t sure they’d even finish the series, this is terrific news. Tales of Berseria is a three-volume series from Ichijinsha’s Comic REX, and is a fantasy title based off of a video game – I think it has an anime as well.

Fate/Grand Order gets its first manga adaptation license with the mortalis stella series, a 2-volume manga that is also Ichijinsha, from their Comic Zero Sum. I believe this stars Mash. Lastly, Kodansha is doing a new Cardcaptor Sakura edition with all the bells and whistles – hardcover, some new covers, new translation – the whole nine yards. I was a bit surprised by this, given it wasn’t too long ago that Dark Horse had re-released the series, but I’ve heard this will be worth the repurchase.

There were also two new digital announcements, coming out the first and second week of December, respectively. Red Riding Hood’s Wolf Apprentice (Akazukin no Ookami Deshi) is a Betsushonen title with Little Red Riding Hood as a beast hunter, and it’s supposed to be amusing. And on a more ridiculous note, we have Crocodile Baron, a Weekly Morning title that is three volumes long. Kodansha emphasized that the synopsis was irrelevant because there was a crocodile in a top hat on the cover. They’re not wrong.

After this there was Q&A, but I had to leave right away to get to the debut panel for Denpa Books, run by Ed Chavez (ex-Vertical) and Jacob Gray (ex-Fakku). They had special guests at the panel, though they quickly had to leave, so weren’t the focus �� Range Murata, character designer for Last Exile and others, whose futurelog artbook is out next month and has ALL the bells and whistles – seriously, I could not believe how tricked out this artbook is. Hiroyuki Asada is known here for Tegami Bachi, but is putting out a more experimental title via Denpa, PEZ.

Most of the titles talked about have been mentioned before in some way or another. I was most interested in Invitation from a Crab and Maiden Railways, both of which seem to come from Hakusensha’s Rakuen Le Paradis, as well as Dining with the Emiya Family, for Fate/Stay Night fans who know what the most important thing in the Fate franchise is – FOOD.

The new titles included Super Dimensional Love Gun, a Shintaro Kago title that Fakku had previously released, but this is a nicer edition. It contains the usual Shintaro Kago warnings – if you aren’t a fan of his, you’ll likely be grossed out. Heavenly Delusion (Tengoku Daimakyou) is a brand new seinen series running in Kodansha’s Afternoon, and Denpa managed to license it before the first volume was even out in Japan. They’re super excited for it – it’s post-apocalyptic slice of life, a popular genre lately. The creator may be better known for SoreMachi. The last Denpa title was Pleasure and Corruption (Tsumi to Kai), from Square Enix’s Young Gangan. Honestly, it feels more like a Fakku title than a Denpa title, but it’s being sold to those who liked the sort of dark sexuality of Flowers of Evil. Expect BDSM themes.

After eating lunch, I had a choice: I could go to Viz, or go to Vertical’s Katanagatari panel. I chose the latter (sorry, Viz, I always seem to miss you at these events). Vertical’s panel had the translator, Sam Bett, who walked through some of the things they’re doing with the title – the footnotes, which are half gag and half serious, as well as the hardcover omnibus editions. Given its author, you can imagine how much sword wordplay and how many sword puns there are. Most of the audience has already seen the anime, but Sam was quick to note that even given the novels are short (each is approximately 100 pages in English, meaning the omnibus is 300), there is a lot the anime had to adapt or leave out.

Even leaving aside that it was Nisioisin, translating it could be difficult – these are not “light” novels, and there’s lots of obscure or archaic Japanese terms that need adapting. He also explained why he used “mutant blades” rather than “deviant blades” – he felt the latter made them sound more evil than they really should be seen. It takes him longer to do Nisio’s translation than other titles, but not a LOT longer – about 20% longer, on average. He said even a Japanese reader might find themselves reaching for a dictionary to look up words with this one.

Despite not being at the Viz panel, I will be looking at their announcements anyway, at least the manga ones. My Hero Academia SMASH! is a 5-volume comedy series that ran in Shonen Jump +, and is, as you might have guessed, a wacky 4-koma take on the popular series. This license was obvious, but I am quite pleased nevertheless. Komi Can’t Communicate (Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu) was a very popular license announcement, being a Shonen Sunday title with a lot of buzz. Komi is the cool, aloof beauty according to the school, but in reality, she’s just bad at communication.

Beastars is a Weekly Shonen Champion title (nice to see Akita Shoten stuff out over here in a (mostly) post-Tokyopop world), and it’s an award winning manga about anthropomorphic high school students. It’s 11+ volumes, and looks dark but cool. Lastly, Haikasoru has a new sci-fi novel announcement with Automatic Eve, that seems to be a steampunk title.

I was lurking waiting for Yen Press, so I checked out the GKids panel. They’re a group that puts out a lot of the “anime movie” series we’ve seen recently, the most recent varieties being Mirai and Fireworks: Shall We See It from the Side or the Bottom?. They’re also now in charge of the Ghibli line, with nice handsome DVD/Blu-Ray releases of those titles. They are clearly cery excited about getting these releases into theaters, and the trailers for the movies looked exciting and fun – I particularly liked the Miyazaki documentary.

My last panel of the day was Yen Press, but they also announced the most titles – easily. The panel room filled up rapidly, being near standing room only 15 minutes before, but I think everyone who wanted to get in was able to. Announcing for Yen were Kurt Haessler and Tania Biswas, as well as Carl, Ivan, and Anna, who sadly remained last name-less. Unlike all the other panels I went to, Yen knew it had a pile to announce, so did not do a run-through of any recent releases – through they did have some poster giveaways, including Psycome, much to my surprise.

We began with the novel of Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki. Yen had previously released the manga, but they now have the novel adaptation of this popular movie. (Anna spoiled a death when describing the plot, which Kurt mercilessly mocked her for.) Whenever Our Eyes Meet is a yuri anthology a la Eclair, but this time the protagonists are all adult women, for those who are tired of the usual high school girls. Speaking of yuri, we also have Killing Me!, a one-volume title from Comic Cune about two high school girls who are a vampire and a vampire hunter. It looks very much like a “yuri for guys” series.

Also one volume is Little Miss P (Seiri-chan), an Enterbrain series about an anthropomorphic period. As in menstruation period. The audience was taken aback, but Yen clearly really enjoyed talking about this one, and think it will be great fun. Last Round Arthurs: Scum Arthur and Heretic Merlin is a brand new fantasy title – brand new in Japan too, so there’s not much info about it. The author did Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor, the artist does Index. It seems to be about an Arthurian tournament, and is two volumes to date.

On a darker note, they have both the novel and the manga for Torture Princess (Isekai Goumon Hime), whose artist has also done Black Bullet. It’s a Media Factory title and is apparently quite violent, about a man who is reincarnated in an artificial body and the demon hunter who wants his help. The German subtitle is Fremd Torturchen, and the manga runs on Kadokawa’s Comic Walker site. We also get an Enterbrain light novel called The Dirty Way to Destroy the Goddess’ Hero (Megami no Yuusha wo Taosu Gesu na Houhou). No, not that kind of dirty. The demon lord just wants to eat tasty food, but heroes keep trying to kill them. So… they summon their own hero.

Back to manga with The Monster and the Beast (Bakemono to Kedamono), a BL title from Asuka Ciel, about a nice monster and a nasty older man, and their budding relationship. Yuri Life is another yuri title, this one taken from Pixiv artist Kurikurihime, and also features two women in their late twenties, not late teens. It’s very sliec-of-yuri life. For fans of Beasts of Abigaile, we have a title from the same creator. Kaiju Girl Caramelizer (Otome Monster Caramelize) runs in my old nemesis, Comic Alive (pauses to shake fist at sky), but looks good anyway, and is about a girl who has an affliction that when she gets upset, her body parts “monsterize”.

More light novels with Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki (Jaku Chara Tomozaki-kun), a Shogakukan title (in other words, expect print-only for this one) about a loser gamer guy who thinks the world is awful, and a winning gamer girl who shows him the “cheats” to help him succeed at life. It gets points for not being a fantasy title, I’ll say that. The artist is also pretty fly. (I’m so sorry.) Back to manga for God Shining Moonlight Howling Moon (Mahou Shoujo Flaming Star), by the creators of Trinity Seven and High School of the Dead. Given that combo, you know there will be breasts a plenty. It also runs in Bessatsu Dragon Age, which sort of clinches that, and is about a Magical Girl called upon to save the Earth… but is she one of the good guys?

The last one is another light novel, The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious (Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tueee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru), a fairly recent Kadokawa series. A fantasy world is in desperate straits. They need a hero. They get a really strong one… but he’s far too wary, never wanting to attack unless he knows he can win. What makes this interesting is that the book is from the POV of the goddess who summoned him, and she has to find a way to make him do what needs to be done. It’s five volumes in Japan. After that came Q&A, but honestly, let’s just move along now.

And with that, I wrapped up my second and busiest day of Anime NYC. Again, I was pretty happy. The staff was nice and knowledgeable, the crowds were large but reasonable, and I got to see everything I wanted. Tomorrow I have no panels I want to see, so will take in Artist’s Alley, and may also scope out the AMV contest.

By: Sean Gaffney

[bakingpastry2017-blog]

Classic Pastry: Day 5

Today was a pretty busy day, especially because of making eclairs. We had piped, baked and finished eclairs and Paris Brest’s in class today. I found it extremely difficult to get the eclairs just right. They had to be piped straight and we needed to use the same amount of pressure the entire time piping. My eclairs seemed fine before entering the oven, but as they were baking, they puffed up in an odd way and became uneven, I assume that there was either an air bubble or too much eggs in the pate a choux batter, either way, I need to be more careful when making them to avoid letting them rise the way they did. The eclairs were definitely stressful but I will have to practice to improve them. They tasted good but there are points of improvement.

Method of Preparation for Eclairs

1.       Place pate a choux in piping bag with a #827 star tip

2.       Pipe 5, 4.5” lines over a pre traced piece of parchment paper

3.       Bake in a 360 degree Fahrenheit oven for 35-45 minutes

4.       Carefully poke 4 holes in the bottom of the éclair, using a # 802 straight tip

5.       Fill with flavored Chantilly cream

6.       Freeze for about 15 minutes; dip into glaze and wipe of excess glaze using your finger

7.       Finish with appropriate garnishes

We also made Paris Brest’s in class today. I was very pleased with the piping for these, although it did take a couple of tries to get them just right. Although I am not a big fan of hazelnuts, I did enjoy the flavor of the Praline Mousseline in the Paris Brest’s, they did have a nutty flavor but it was not overpowering to the point I did not enjoy it. I also like adding the maldon salt to give them extra flavor. The only thing that I would like to work on for the Paris Brest is scoring and cutting the in half. Although I did not do a terrible job, I think that the cuts could have looked nicer and a little more even the piping of the filling was difficult at first but as I continued I did get the hang of it. I definitely enjoyed making these more than the eclairs and would be interested in making them again.