#Holy Balm

[lukesalbumawheneverhefeelslikeit]

3646: "An Index Of The Modern Era 2009-2024"

[e-adlirez]

Treasure Seekers 2 go brrrrr

So this sequel... exists :D

Welcome to the second entry in the Treasure Seekers trilogy that I'm gonna ramble about for the next six hours (in me time, in you time it's probably gonna be like thirty minutes or less), if you wanna read it yourself before reading this ramble, here's an Archive copy. Otherwise, enjoy the ride :D

So our story begins with the Thea Sisters locked in a basement in the dark, with Russia's penchant for matches (and the basement's lack of a smoke alarm) coming in clutch. Seems like another vacation's gone awry for them :3 How could it have possibly turned out this way?

Flashback: so the girls are vibing in Moscow, visiting all the cool sights and all that, Pam is wanting to try some Russian cuisine, when they spot this girl that's wearing what appears to be a barrette that used to belong to Aurora's sister Hannah Lane. They follow her a bit, find a THUG JUMPSCARE, follow the girl, Cassidy and co into the building they're heading into, and oh dear door with passcode is in the way. They find this dood Sergei, explain to him the situation, deal with him being like "who is u, and wth are you on about mate" until they hear a scream and oh dear turns out that girl with the barrette is Sergei's sister Irina and she's in trouble.

Sergei opens the door, they go in, walk in on Cassidy, Stan and Max (who I will from now call SM for simplicity) doing their whole thug jumpscare thing and kidnapping Irina in 4K. SM somehow rolls a high enough strength roll (or the girls roll a low enough initiative) that two roughly intimidating guys successfully trap six people into a basement without breaking a sweat get yourself some self-defense classes girls oml, and that's the end of that.

Luke's up to his shenanigans again, and it seems that he's targeted Irina Lenenko for the same reason the girls double-taked at the sight of her barrette: Irina (and Sergei in conjunction) is a descendant of Hannah Lane, and Hannah Lane may or may not have known a thing or two about one of the seven treasures. It's such a shame tho that Irina doesn't wanna spill any of the tea. What's this about a "queen's jewel"?

Oh also Luke has Aurora's third diary. I would like you to pay attention to this detail in particular. Oh and he's keeping Irina ratgrabbed until she tells them what he wants to know from her. Oh naur

Meanwhile the girls infodump all of the TS 1 LANE LOORRREEEE to Sergei in one whole sitting and finally manage to get around to "what the hell does this have to do with my sister". Sergei thinks it's not really possible for Irina to know anything about great-grandma Hannah's involvement with Aurora, but Irina's still in trouble soooo time to solve this nerdy-ass science trivia keypad puzzle to get outa the basement. Irina's nowhere to be found in the lab itself, so they regroup at Sergei's place to use his phone tracker app on his computer.

Bad news, SM dumped Irina's phone somewhere in the lab so the tracker app is useless; good news, while looking for some Lane Lore™ to get some context about the situation, the girls find some Lane Lore™ :D

-

Turns out Aurora was looking for one of the seven treasures again, y'know just updating her sister on that, who'd moved to Saint Petersburg with her husband Ivan.

Seems like Aurora's quest at the time involved "the queen's jewel", which Aurora said she was 1000% down to ramble about to Hannah, maybe when she's done finding all seven treasures and hiding them from Jan.

I would like to take this moment to remind you that Aurora is a British Amelia Earhart, and if you dunno what that means, look up what Earhart was famous for and then look at this with that given context :']

-

With that lead, the girls plus Sergei take a ride on presumably the Krasnaya Strela night train to Saint Petersburg, read some Lane Lore on the way, Peter-Griffin upon realizing that they spent the whole night reading AO3 fanfics Aurora's diaries and it's like 2AM now, land in Saint Petersburg, stop by Nevsky Prospekt Street to have some breakfast (I think they went to Venezia?), and discussion.

(For the rest of this review, please assume when I say "the girls", I'm including Sergei because Sergei tags along with them and helps them out in their entire journey. It's okay, Sergei may be biologically male but he is an honorary female in our hearts /j)

Aurora mentioned the queen's jewel in her diary, and when you're in Russia, the first queen that comes to mind is Catherine II, so maybe something relating to her? Some Lane Lore of Aurora taking interest in Catherine II's Amber Room in her palace specifically confirms their theories, sooooooooo it's time to go to the Amber Room to see if Aurora left any clu--

The girls are about to walk out of the Catherine Palace to Peter Griffin in private when SM JUMPSCARE--

So SM is stalkin' around the Catherine Palace looking for something, so the girls stalk them back and follow them out of the palace, into a car (the girls called a separate taxi to follow them), and to a little gray building in the outskirts of the city. They don't follow SM into the building because it might be dangerous, but Irina's scarf lying around near the premises confirms that Irina was in fact there and possibly being held hostage in the building.

The girls do a little tactic I like to call "the Ding Dong Ditch": Pam and Nicky knock on the door, SM answers it, do a little Metal Gear exclamation point "HOW DID YOU GET HERE", Nicky and Pam book it so SM chases them, and that's literally how the other girls plus Sergei sneak into the building to get Irina out. (You dunno how badly I wanted to make a videogame reference for this but I couldn't find anything so here we are--)

With that, the girls plus the Lenenko siblings book it outa there without SM being none the wiser (seriously it doesn't even cross their mind that there are more than two Thea Sisters, that's how dum they are). Irina books a hotel room at a friend's place and gives them some extra Lane Lore that she never told Klawitz despite the interrogations:

Hannah Lane was once visited by Aurora unexpectedly, a little after Hannah and her husband moved to a house near the Ob River, in Siberia. Possible lead :3c? The girls think maybe, so they decide to head on over to the exact address in Novosibirsk, Siberia.

In Siberia, the girls cross the frozen Ob River in Novosibirsk to this abandoned little house, where they find this little note with a riddle that talks about Cleopatra and an emerald she had at one point, and CASSIDY JUMPSCARE--

Cassidy busts in, snatches the note and books it away on her snowmobile before the girls can even react. You may be wondering, how the hell did Cassidy get there and know where they were? The answer is the same as the reason behind the SM jumpscares in Russia and in book 1, and that is Luke.

Luke Von Klawitz is doing a little segment that I like to call: Luke Touch Grass, where it becomes increasingly clear that Luke's spent way too much time on 4Chan (/j but you'll see what I mean). Luke hears about SM's failure and facepalms. Then he calls his friend Petrovski, who has access to the database of all of Russia's airports, for help tracking down "six mice leaving Saint Petersburg". Petrovski gives him results in minutes: the girls and Sergei are leaving Saint Petersburg and heading for Novosibirsk, Siberia (most likely Tolmachevo Airport). With that intel, Klawitz looks into his own database of Aurora Beatrix Lane, finds a picture of Hannah and Aurora together, and uses his own version of Google Lens to figure out the exact coordinates where the picture was taken, which happens to be in Novosibirsk, Siberia.

No this man does not in fact canonically touch grass on the regular, who's asking

Anyway so he sent Cassidy the coords, instructions and Aurora's diary to go, and that's how Cassidy walked in on the girls in that little abandoned hut next to Ob River. Only thing is uh, she dropped her purse on the way out. A purse that just so happened to contain Aurora's diary that Luke gave her.

So the girls scoop that puppy up and assume that the treasure is Cleopatra's emerald, thus they think it's in Egypt.

So the girls go to Egypt :D (29 and a half hour flight there good god no wonder they conked out in the plane--)

The girls read some Lane Lore, something about Aurora finding the treasure and hiding it somewhere in a desert, in an "expanse pure and white" that a star compass will lead to. First thing the girls think of at the desert bit is the White Desert (Sahara el Beyda), specifically a spot near Cleopatra's pool, so they leave the airport (not realizing Cassidy is following them now) and head over to a market to buy some supplies because might I remind you, they initially went to Moscow, Russia for vacation.

While in the market, Pam meets a guy named Omar. Pam tells him a little bit about them going to Cleopatra's pool in Sahara el Beyda, and she finds out that Omar just so happens to be an Archaeology major in Oxford University who's here on his summer vacation and works as a guide for Sahara el Beyda, and is more than down to give the girls a tour. Talk about lucky :D

The next day the girls take the scenic route and after a while make it to Siwa, where Omar books a room in a hotel for them, and the girls find this interesting myth there about Cleopatra that I will summarize here:

Cleopatra was once given a jewel that maxes out the owner's rizz and the effect is supposedly indefinite. Cleopatra liked the jewel so much that she wore it on her crown at all times... until she grew a bit self-conscious about the gem's maxxed rizz effect and how everyone kept eyeing the emerald a second too long for comfort, so she decided to hide away said rizz in a spot where none of her rivals could get to it. Oh and uh Cleopatra wrote up a dedication to Ra that's hella cryptic too.

One long rest later, the girls go to Cleopatra's pool on a donkey cart. Yes, a donkey cart. It was Omar's idea. Speaking of Omar, prepare yourself buddy because the girls have dubiously decided to give you some Lane Lore to chew on. O-oh you like it a lot. A lot a lot. Well okay cool, maybe you can help out, cool.

The girls manage to figure out the riddle in Cleopatra's dedication, find a little stone coffer that has the queen's treasure and-- SM JUMPSCARE

With a donkey as the girls' only escape method and Omar having suddenly disappeared, a scuffle ensues where the girls play hot potato with the box until SM gets their hands on it and opens it, and here we get a very accurate depiction of what SM and the girls found in the box once it was actually opened.

Description: a hand made of salt shaped in an upside-down "ok" symbol, circa 1920s-30s.

The sheer whiplash of this leaves both sides of the conflict losing enough HP that they're all on red-- SM is blaming the girls for this (how dare >:[) and dip. Omar is gone, and all the girls get as compensation is the empty box and a letter from Aurora telling them that they'll know to read the hidden clues. The girls head back feeling very hollow and dead inside, and this is the one time one of the girls questions how the hell did SM know they were at Siwa. I mean they never get any answer to this (kinda), but it is a milestone! They're aware of it now!

Once they get back to Cairo, they ask around and find that Omar's completely up and vanished, and they decide they'll just head back to Moscow since their investigation has come to a dead end. On the way, Pam comments about the falafel she bought being hella salty, which leads Violet to an epiphany that hey, the Sahara isn't the only desert that exists, let alone the only desert known for how white it is (like how Boracay Beach is known for how white and fine its sand is, but it's not the only white sand beach that exists). A quick Google search (and a long flight (35 HOURS CAIRO TO SUCRE???)) leads them to the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia.

Nicky reserves a room for them at Hotel Luna Salada (a real place you can book a stay at actually :D), and they make a friend by the name of Adriana, a local waitress in the hotel restaurant. Adriana helps them pick out a dessert, fills them in on some stuff about the Salar since the girls came here 100% out of impulse, and talks about possible itinerary locations to go to, like the Isla de Pescado, Tiwanaku (the "Gate of the Sun"), Lake Titiaca, and Laguna Colorada. Y'know, typical tourist stuff, and Adriana was so kind to show them pictures she took when she visited said places herself! :D

Anyway so while the girls long rest, Luke is mulling about in his base waiting for updates. Someone calls him about the whole Egypt thing, and Luke calls the girls incompetent? Rude, oh and something about the caller being Luke's "secret weapon". Cassidy calls him on a theory she has about the gemstone being in Cleopatra's palace, and since the girls are currently long-resting (which means they aren't doing anything), Luke figures that a little diving trip in Alexandria to search for the gem with Cassidy won't hurt. Besides, he still has his secret weapon.

Oh yeah and he knows the girls are long resting because he has a drone in Bolivia spying on them and showing him their every move. Touch grass, Luke. No, going on a diving trip in Alexandria doesn't count, there's barely any grass there /j

Morning comes in Bolivia, and the girls head out early to search the Salar as much as they can. They look around the flat white desert, eat some late breakfast, toy around with forced perspective camera shenanigans for a bit, and read up on some LANE LOOORREEEEE

So Aurora's been to Pumapunku and Tiwanaku which is cool, she paid a visit to the archaeological site probably and that's really cool. She says something about hiding the queen's treasure in a fish's stomach covered in very fine thorns. Sergei ends up having an epiphany, and that leads the girls to Isla de Pescado, which just so happens to be "Fish Island" in Spanish, and has cacti on it, it's all coming together :D

Oh and the fish drawing Aurora made is coords to the treasure seemingly so that's cool-- OMAR JUMPSCARE

The girls are very surprised to find Omar joining them, and Omar explains that he booked it when SM came over and lost his cellphone as a result. However, he managed to figure out that Aurora's riddle was about salt and not sand, and decided to head on over to Bolivia since he assumed that's where the girls are going. How did he find them? It was just out of pure coincidence, and also the fact that the girls are extremely recognizable. Hm.

Anyway, Paulina plugs the coordinates into her GPS and leads the girls plus Omar to a little cave at the bottom of a little embankment. The girls find that, lo and behold, there's an old tin box containing a bright green emerald!

Meanwhile Luke is not finding anything in Alexandria haha L, LVK L get dunked on Luke, Cassidy girlie that's not a man to simp for find someone else gurl-- oh dear Luke is alerted that the treasure has been found and now he's planning on heading over to Bolivia? Now how could he possibly know that?

In the meantime, I dunno what's up in the air or if it's the Archaeology major speaking in him but Omar's really invested in this treasure, even more so than the girls to the degree that the girls are a little freaked out by it-- RHEA JUMPSCARE-- Paulina calms the big bord down and gets it to not trample Omar please, he's still a friend of theirs. Colette picks up this blue notebook Omar seems to have dropped.

The girls plus Omar head back to the SUVs, and Omar is really trying to persuade the girls that he should bring it back to Cairo. The girls are not jazzed at the idea because Omar bringing it back alone will be too unsafe, y'know with Luke and Cassidy and SM and all. They gotta think about this rationally-- WHOA OKAY OMAR calm your man tits buddy why are you demanding they trust you like you automatically deserve your trust-- ohh that's how Klawitz has known about the girls' whereabouts, Omar was working as a double agent.

So yeah Omar snatches the box from Colette and drives off in his SUV, leaving the girls in the dust. The girls freak out and are feeling that EMOTIONAL DAMAGE, but Colette for some reason is very calm about Omar booking it with the emerald. And that's because SHE HAS IT :D she did a lil' switcheroo so now the emerald's with her while the box is with Omar.

For context about how Colette knew about this, remember the blue notebook Omar dropped? Yeah that notebook was a company LVK notebook, straight from Luke himself. Then after Colette saw it, everything about Omar became incredibly sus, so she performed this precautionary measure.

So now the girls talk to the local authorities about how the whole thing with the emerald is gonna go down, and soon the girls are waiting for a plane back to Moscow.

As for Omar, well, he goes over to Luke's super-fancy hotel in La Paz, Bolivia, and he hands the box to Luke, explicitly stating that he decided he'd let Luke open it before he himself can appreciate it.

Luke opens the box, and here we see an accurate depiction of what Luke sees.

Description: an upside-down "ok" symbol drawn in strawberry pink lip balm, signed Colette [insert last name], circa 2018.

Luke punts the box (prolly with the lip balm still inside it) into the swimming pool, tells Omar to get out, and that's the end of that. Haha Omar L Luke L

The girls head back to Moscow to drop Sergei off when SURPRISE PARTY BY IRINA'S SQUAD :DDD

Then the girls are about to return to Whale Island to presumably Peter Griffin in their dorms, when Colette suggests they make a journal a la Aurora Beatrix Lane, and they do. In a pink notebook because it was Colette's idea so we might as well give her that

And they take a black-and-white group picture of them wearing adventurer clothes like Aurora would've done. The brainrot is real, these girls are mentally ill /j

And that's the book :D

... Honestly it's the most meh out of the trilogy besides the big-brain bits in the middle and the end imo

The writing was so much more stilted in this one, even for Scholastic standards, and everything feels pretty..... kid's book. Even more so than the usual in the book's English translations. I do readings for the books in some of my Discords, and this book did not read well at aaallll. And I haven't even mentioned the typos in the book (they're not a lot, but they exist, and they're kinda egregious :D) and some grammar errors if I'm remembering things correctly. It might just be a translation thing-- I worry a bit for the translator who had to put this together.

Luke's character here is also kinda wonk? For one we see him directly contradict his anti-friendship spiel in TS 1 since he literally greets Petrovski like a friend (maybe it's a "friendship doesn't exist except in 4Chan" thing, I dunno). Then in the middle of the book, he gets... very Disney villain-y. The most egregious example here is the chapter "Lurking in the Shadows", where as you can see

I am confusion?? Luke has been described as a to-the-point brat who hardly cares for the means to his end (unless it will impact his ability to achieve the end) and is so fixated on his goal that he doesn't touch grass. Is this not-touching-grass behavior? Yeah, definitely, but this??? This is too Disney villain???? Why does the man break into an evil cackle in front of Cassidy???? I understood it in book 1 because man thinks he's doing a "You may think you have outsmarted me but I have OUTSMARTED YOUR OUTSMARTING", but this one?? Maybe it's my personal taste, but it's too cartoonish and too... deviated from what we know of him up to this point.

ALSO TWIRLING HIS MUSTACHE? WHAT MUSTACHE IS HE TWIRLING THAT THING IS NOT TWIRL-ABLE

Also time to address the one big plot hole in this book: Aurora's diary.

So in this book there's only one diary, which is infinitely simpler than the two we got in the first book. This diary supposedly contains Aurora's records of her mission in hiding Cleopatra's Rizzmerald, and the details are supposedly vague enough that Luke felt the need to kidnap and interrogate Irina, a Hannah Lane descendant, to fill in the blanks. However, when you look at the contents of the diary itself (which lord knows how many times Luke himself has looked through it), there's hardly any blanks that need to be filled, at least if you're Luke.

The diary itself is mostly in the background-- like I said, not as much Lane Lore here as the previous book, the girls mostly rely on Aurora's letters to Hannah here-- but there's one specific entry the girls read in the latter half of the book that explicitly mentions Pumapunku and Tiwanaku, and how Aurora is there for her mission to hide the emerald. Complete with coordinates hidden in a little drawing! My one question I have for Luke is, why didn't he go straight to Bolivia and started searching there? Why did he go through all the effort of kidnapping Irina, tailing the girls around Sahara el Beyda, letting SM fall for the salt replica gambit, left his base to touch grass and go on a dive with Cassidy in Egypt; all if he could've just gone straight to Bolivia to look for the treasure there? Sure, Aurora did a good job hiding the coordinates in the fish doodle, but someone as observant and as obsessed about the outcome instead of the journey like Luke would rather have sidestepped all the Aurora shenanigans and beelined straight to the goal if he was able to.

Luke hardly has an excuse here because he owned the diary at the start of the book, and most definitely read through it many times (and we know he's the type to do this, see TS 1). The plot hole is plot hole-ing, it seems :/

Maybe it was just an excuse for the girls to get a giant glowing arrow pointing in the direction of the treasure? It certainly feels like it.

Anyway, the things that carry this book and made it memorable when I first read it (and allowed me to ignore the iffy bits) are the gottems and Omar as a character. Aurora setting up a salt replica of the Rizzmerald as a gottem in a time capsule, only to be opened almost a hundred years later to still be as potent as intended when it was made so long ago? That is amazing, like c'mon, pure comedy material.

Even funnier is Colette doing the exact same thing, only with her lip balm. Luke is quaking in his bougie-ass leather boots.

Now for Omar. This may be a hot take of mine here, but Omar's sus-ness is actually at a decent level compared to the girls and what they usually deal with. On one hand, Omar is incredibly suspicious with how incredibly lucky the girls are to find an Archaeology Oxford major working as a Sahara el Beyda tour guide; but on the other hand, the girls had almost the exact same situation with Diego in Mexico (I didn't mention him in the first review, but he came in clutch in TS 1).

The girls met Diego in Merida, Mexico, and he helped them with their research into "the invisible place", which happened to be Uxmal, along the Puuc Route. Diego also just so happened to be a tour-guide-in-training for the Puuc Route, which was the place the girls just so happened to need to go to find Aurora's second journal.

In comparison, the girls meet Omar in Khan El-Khalili while they were looking for supplies for their trip to the Siwa Oasis. It comes up in conversation that the girls are headed to Siwa, and Omar just so happened to be a tour guide for Sahara el Beyda, which was where the Siwa Oasis is, and it just so happened to be where the girls needed to go. When you stack them up together, it made perfect sense that the girls thought they could trust him-- Diego didn't know much about their trip and helped them the best he could (which was a lot), so why wouldn't Omar do the same? He's an Oxford Archaeology major, too, for crying out loud, the girls struck gold in the end!

Gold that was too shiny and too good to be true. Gold that was, in the end, nothing more than pyrite, fool's gold.

Omar is a good case for why you should be careful with who you trust, and when you should start thinking a little bit when you're getting a little too lucky with the people you meet. When the girls got to know him a little more and decided to trust him and tell him the deal with their trip, he got way invested in the gem-- too invested to not be a little bit suspicious. Maybe the girls mistook it for his passion for his archaeology major, maybe they mistook it for something else-- but whatever the case, Omar pulled the cheesecloth over the girls' eyes and really only fell apart near the end, when his alibis and behavior started becoming more and more suspicious; and by then, Omar didn't need to be as inconspicuous, and the girls had gotten to know him too much to readily say to him "okay buddy can you kindly f%ck off, your vibes are not vibing here".

The girls probably should've been suspicious when Omar reappeared in Bolivia out of nowhere, but I guess his alibi was just good enough (and the girls at this point were probably running on adrenaline, caffeine and a brain on 70% capacity at most) to pass the Deception check.

Fr tho there were some bits where the girls should've found him sus but they didn't (him accidentally saying "I did it" when they uncovered the emerald, and also him handling the emerald the way he did), so shrugs. It could be a translation thing, but it could also be something else.

Anyway, kinda meh for a sequel, but it does have its standouts that allow it to somewhat stand on the same level as the first and third books. Kinda.

Hey, at least it's not as bad as Crystal Fairies-- that's the bar of bad-ness I'm setting. It's not as bad as Crystal Fairies and that's what matters--

Also special thanks to @ishmeowwow (it won't let me ping you for some reason bestie <:[) for making the lil' artworks haha

[terresdebrume]

Oh, btw, my second walk of the day went fine! We are (carefully) back on track!

[trollprincess]

Me a month or so ago: Well, this Buzzfeed article on things suggested by TikTok folks is probably garbage but the skin stuff is only twenty bucks each so I’ll try it. It probably won’t work but still.

Me this morning:

[probablyprobablydefinitelynot]

SCREAMS?!?!

Sapphic September - Day 20: Suit Up

Partial screenshot redraw. I always appreciate their interactions.

[Image Description: A rough digital painting of B’Elanna Torres and Seven of Nine from Star Trek: Voyager. It references a scene from the episode “Day of Honor,” substituting Seven for Tom. They float together in space suits, B’Elanna shown from about the chest up, with Seven coming in from the right to put a hand on her shoulder. They look at each other with lips parted, their helmets almost touching. /end ID]

[cygnetbrown]

Calming Herbal Tea Workshop: 9 Herbs for Ultimate Relaxation

There’s so much stress in the world today that a good hot, calming tea at the end of a hectic day is just what the body needs to reset for a relaxing evening at home. There’s Nothing Like a Cup of Tea Last week I wrote about an event I attended by my herbalist friend Magic Keller and shared some of what I learned about the herbs that grow in my backyard. This week I had the privilege of…

[edwardshundredyearoldspunk]

home alone for the first time in more than a month. it feels like how I imagine weighted blanket enjoyers feel when weighted blanket

[monstersholygrail]

So about this Demon priest, I'm intrigued... go on. I can imagine as he's in the middle of a sermon, reader walks in, as reader just felt led to enter the church. As soon as Demon priest sees reader... he stumbles over the carefully and well prepare recitations. Sight focused on the back pew that reader silently sat on, not even noticing the uncharacteristic falter of the priest, nor realizing his eyes trained on them. He's been enraptured.

This is amazing, I am all for making this canon to Demon Priest. He’s so stinkin cute.

When you first walk into the church, Demon Priest swears he’s finally been graced with the presence of an angel once more. Your beauty ethereal, your presence divine in nature.

Hope blossoms within his chest that he has finally completed his repentance. That he will finally be welcomed back into those pearly gates. With heavens light shining back at him in your eyes how can he think otherwise?

He meets you after the service and realization dawns on him that you were not a messenger sent from above to take him to rejoin his fellow brethren. No, he realized instead that you were something far greater.

As part of his repentance, Demon Priest feels the pain of remaining inside a holy sanctuary. His feet burn with every step he takes, his hands while holding all blessed liturgical objects, and his face with the use of Holy water. With his demon healing they heal, only for them to come once more. Yet they each leave their own scars.

But as soon as your hand slips into his in greeting, Demon Priest feels as though a balm has been washed over his soul. The pain leaving him instantly with your touch. You certainly weren’t there to bring him home but perhaps you were something better than he could’ve ever imagined.

You were a gift.

Sent down from above and placed on his path. A testament to his strength and devotion. And he would be so utterly devoted. To you.

At every turn he seeked your approving gaze. At every chance he could risk he seeked your soothing touch. You had so utterly consumed him, turning his world upside down until it all came back to you.

It wasn’t long before he could no longer resist the idea of what it would be like to feel more of you. To grasp your supple flesh in his palms. Take your hardened nipples between his razor sharp teeth. Taste the sweet nectar of your essence on his tongue. He wanted all of you. To consume you as you had him.

Now as his hands run all over your body, leaving a lustful heat in his path, he finally has. The stain glass windows of his office shine down on you, illuminating your beauty as you ride his cock.

Your body bouncing so prettily along his hardened length, his eyes watch you with a feral hunger. Claws digging into your hips as he fucks up into you, not being able to help himself from taking you as roughly as he’s been wanting to. Your cries of pleasure being the most lovely sound he’s ever heard.

“Yes! It’s s-so good. Feels so good. I can’t believe we’re doing this,” you exclaim, baring your neck for him. His cock twitches within your wet heat, the curves of your body driving him closer to delirium.

He molds himself over your form, not being able to get close enough to the ecstasy of your skin. His lips latching on and sucking heartily at each of your breasts, leaving you panting as you try and match his every thrust.

“Tell me, my beloved, how can I be expected to deny you? That which I most crave. My greatest temptation…” he growls and you feel the vibration move through your body and shoot straight to your soaked core.

His claws sink into your plush hips, using his hold to slam you down on his needy cock. A hoarse cry is ripped from your lips. Hands finding purchase and bringing a soothing relief to his shoulders as he drives himself into you.

“Let me worship you,” he whispers with an intensity that sends chills up your spine. Yet you can’t focus on its meaning as your pleasure bursts through you, clenching down as you cum hard on his cock.

Demon priest grunts, his fierce eyes never leaving your expression so deeply filled with ecstasy. The sight of your pleasure enough to send him right over the edge with you, stuffing you full of his length as he shoots his cum deep into your womb.

And it’s in that moment he knows. He has found salvation in you.

[st4ringlow]

SECRET SANTA DILEMMA — atsumu miya

pairing; atsumu miya x reader wordcount; 1,116 [rewritten fics]

main masterlist

in the hallowed halls of inarizaki high school, the onset of december brought with it a flurry of festive activities. among them was the annual secret santa exchange, a cherished tradition that turned the mundane routine of academia into a delicate dance of anticipation and surprise.

you found yourself contemplating the small slip of paper you had drawn from the hat earlier. and you swore your luck is toying with you right now.

'atsumu miya'

the name inscribed on it was none other than atsumu miya, the charismatic and enigmatic setter of the school's renowned volleyball team. the wrinkle on your forehead could have stick permanently with the way you furrowed your brow to the extent. you can't do this, you thought.

though your paths often crossed in the shared spaces of your classroom, you and atsumu had scarcely exchanged words, existing in the silent proximity of parallel lines. yeah, you're not doing this. maybe you could exchange it with someone else, maybe even charge them while you do so! which crazy person gonna let this chance of spoiling atsumu miya with their gifts fly away? a sly smile crept across your lips as the idea formed in your mind.

however, a part of you is greedy. you felt a sense of victory, having atsumu miya all to yourself—not quite, but close. that part of you wanted to boast about how fortunate you are, but you quickly discarded the feelings as you folded the piece of paper back into your pocket.

you just hope you dont make a fool of yourself in front of him.

the days leading up to the exchange were marked by a series of clandestine observations and subtle inquiries. you hoped he hadn't noticed, because you sure do feel like a creep. throughout your 'observations for pertinent analysis', you are able to conclude one conclusion, that is— atsumu miya is so different than what people (and you) perceived him to be.

how do you even explain this?

well, firstly, you thought he was just some common typical rowdy teenage boy. but you were proved wrong the moment you noticed atsumu's affinity for unique stationery, often catching glimpses of his meticulously organized notebook adorned with vibrant colors and intricate designs. you think its adorable.

secondly, you thought he's a player. being famous means having a lot of fangirls and having a lot of fangirls means he has a lot of options to choose and date. hence, he's a player— according to your logic. but the wrong buzzer shrieks inside your head, loud and deafening. he doesn't even have a girlfriend! you feel guilty for eavesdropping, but you just happen to be there at the same time as the girl confesses to atsumu, in which he turned her down with politeness utmost to the girl.

" 'm sorry, i appreciate the admiration ya have for me, but i wouldnt be able to return the feelings for ya," he said, the softness in his voice was like a balm, soothing and calming, so tender yet so heavy with emotion. if sincerity were visible to the eye, you would likely be dazzled at this.

holy shit, you can't even be mad if atsumu talks to you like that.

lastly, you thought of atsumu as tough, inside and out— but in a negative way. like lacking compassions and have an unyielding stubbornness. but oh boy the 'wrong' streak doesn't break. you were really questioning if you're the bad guy here for making false assumption about someone you barely know.

you didn't mean to eavesdrop (again). really, you just happened to be there. you can hear atsumu's voice, soft and wavering but laced with choked sobs. and you can't lie that your heart clenches at the raw vulnerability of his tone. "ma... pa... 'm really trying my best," atsumu's voice trembled, barely audible. "but it's so hard, no matter how much i study, the effort just doesn't seem to be paying off,"

you heard atsumu's parents' soothing voices through the phone, though the words were indistinct. gradually, atsumu's sobs subsided, replaced by deep, steadying breaths.

you'll leave him alone for now.

on the day of exchange, mark the end of the operation of observing your gift receiver— or who you call atsumu. you had hoped he doesn't shame your gifts infront of everyone— not that he would, but just in case. during the last few days of analysing atsumu, you had slipped something so crucial out of your mind, and that is atsumu comes from an affluent family. seriously, you really hope he didnt throw your gift away, because you sure did spend a whopping money on it.

as the gift were distributed, the classroom buzzed with excitement and curiousity. you were getting anxious; you couldn't even stay still. what you didn't expect was you and atsumu exchanged presents, a moment of recognition passed between the two of you, a silent acknowledgement of the effort and though each had invested. so that means he's your secret santa too. you don't know what deity blessed you with this luck, but you think you probably has used all your fortunes for this occasion.

"thank you.." you said softly, eyes sparkling with genuine appreciation as you unwrapped a ridiculously beautiful, knitted cardigan. the cardigan was a cozy embrace, its soft, knitted fabric woven with intricate pattern and in your favorite colors too. "you- did you- made this?" you asked, noticing how everything about the cardigan hinted at the craftsmanship behind it.

atsumu looks away, hand rubbing the back of his neck. "yeah... i hope its... not bad to ya,"

"are you crazy? this is the best thing ever!" you exclaimed in happiness, a big smile etched on your face.

atsumu's lips curved into a warm smile. "im glad ya like it. i figured it might be something ya would enjoy," he says, tone delicate yet earnest. as he spoke, his voice wrapped around you like a tender embrace, making you feel cherished and deeply appreciated. "and these are perfect," atsumu added, admiring the aesthetically pleasing journal book with some sticker packs. "i've been needing something like this,"

what began as a simple exchange of gifts, blossomed into a feeling you never thought you'd have for atsumu. it was as fate had gently woven your hearts together with the delicate threads of serendipity. your eyes found atsumu's, and it was like as winter gave way to spring, and the world around you blossomed anew, so did your feelings for atsumu.

you hoped the glimmer of love in your eyes went unnoticed, for fear that atsumu would think you were peculiar— just as atsumu silently prayed you wouldn't notice the same in his.

[primarisly-marooned]

to serve pt 1

as promised, the Guilliman fic!

summary: You're an aide to the Avenging Son, the only aide to the Lord Regent. While serving him dinner you both make a discovery about each other.

pairing: Roboute Guilliman x F!Reader

warnings: bit of a food kink, feral behavior (Guilliman), threatening (?) behavior, oral fixation (Guilliman again), alluding to masturbation (reader), fic got to long so no smut but it does get a little nsfw, lemme know if i need to tag anything else!

part 2, part 3

tagging @beckyninja , @cosmic-cryptid-from-beyond , @springtimeishere , @moodymisty , @vyzz-undercover, and @ailjsenutna bc they requested it! lemme know if you want to be added to the list as well

It was going to end tragically, he knew it would. All things ended this way it seemed, especially for the Avenging Son.

Denied his death, denied a life outside of the rotting corpse of his father’s failed dream, his brothers gone, his mother… Ten thousand years wasted in agony, only to inherit the Imperium. No peace, no happiness, denying himself even the basics of comfort in an effort to keep things from getting worse. All in order to keep his sons people safe.

But he could not deny himself you. A little kindness, a little humanity, is all it took for Roboute Guilliman to fall at your feet. Figuratively of course, not that you were aware of this. He made sure that there were no untoward actions from him, nothing that could be traced back to anything besides him having a favored aide. He was allowed to have preferences, encouraged even. So if he used that as permission to pull you from your normal duties to being essentially glued to his side at all times, well.

He was only doing what everyone seemed to expect, now wasn’t he?

You were a balm to his battered soul, seeming to almost literally light up the dark corridors of his ship wherever you went. The way you would smile at him when you completed the little tasks he asked of you. You treated him as a lord, yes. But as a man.

Not a god.

There was nothing holy about Roboute no matter what anyone thought. And behind his closed office doors with just himself and you, he didn’t have to be. He could be himself, bad jokes and all. He could enjoy your laugh, the way your skin flushed down your neck to your plush-

“My lord?”

Your voice startles him out of his thoughts, and he’s glad of it.

A glance to the side of his desk reveals you peering up at him through your lashes, hood tilted back enough to allow the candle light to illuminate your soft features. There was a soft smile on your face, a common expression when you were alone together. In your hands was his dinner, and a quick look at the time has Roboute grimacing. It had been hours since he last ate and even longer since he had left his office.

Truly, the Administratum had to be the greatest enemy the Imperium of Man faced in this age.

“Ah, yes,” he said abruptly, moving carefully in his armor to nudge stacks of dataslates and paperwork over enough to clear a space large enough for you to sit in. Roboute found his mouth watering already, and not just for the food. “Come, little one, this should be enough room.”

Your shy little blush comes with a rush of hormones he can all but taste in the air and his mouth fills with saliva. It’s truly depraved, for all that it started innocently enough. He is large, even by Astartes standards, what with him being a Primarch. And the Armor of Fate makes him even bigger, at the cost of his dexterity and sensitivity. It was unfortunate that he still needed to wear it most days, it’s life support a horrid fact of his current existence. Add all of this together, and Roboute found that eating was much more of a chore than he ever remembered it being.

And he had a long, long memory.

He has to swallow several times as he helps you onto his desk, one gauntleted hand under your thighs with his tray balanced across your lap. “It looks delicious,” he murmured, and it truly did, but it wasn’t the food that had hunger gnawing at him.

It was your clever, kind, debilitating solution to his food issue that had Roboute acting little more than a common beast.

Food that wasn’t nutrient paste was too difficult for him to bother with on his own truly he just didn’t want to spend hours cleaning smashed everything out of the delicate circuitry of his armor, but was easily handled in your much smaller grasp, and an offer to feed him led to this, the Lord of Ultramar leaned over you so he could catch a taste of your skin.

He felt no small amount of shame at this- this debauchery, but… this is only a small thing. A temporary indulgence.

Quitting you should be easy for one of his self control if this goes too far. You smile at him when you settle on his immense desk, almost dwarfed by the huge stacks of paperwork covering the surface. The sight of it makes his hearts clench in some unnameable emotion.

“Are you hungry, my Lord?”

Always, for you, almost leaves his mouth before he catches himself. “I could eat.” And he could. It takes a lot of calories to feed his frame, so no matter how many meals he gets to eat like this, that damnable nutrient paste is still needed as a supplement.

You were all he could smell now, sweet and warm, almost syrupy as his focus narrowed down to just you. Your delicate fingers, so small compared to him, picked up something he didn’t know the name of. A sizeable portion to one of your stature, but barely a mouthful to Roboute.

It was a game now, a challenge for himself to see how long he could hold out tasting your skin before he couldn’t anymore. The first bite was always the hardest, a mouthful of flavor exploding over his tongue as your fingertips brushed over his lips. A temptation to lick them is ruthlessly shoved aside as he puts his considerable focus onto you.

This was a time that you would tell him about your day, all the little tidbits of information you overheard or the tasks you completed. Rarely was it anything that Roboute needed to know, but he found that he couldn’t help but find every word that graced your lips as some form of sacred.

It was towards the end of his dinner that everything changed and Roboute’s legendary self control finally snapped.

A few pieces of his meal were left, smaller morsels that he shared between himself and you. Smaller bites meant he had to be careful, closing his teeth over your finger accidentally could snap it off without him even realizing. Something both of you are eager to not happen.

So a little overlap was expected at this point, his lips closing over your fingers, tongue curling under them so no crumb was wasted. It was his favorite part usually, something he could do to taste the salt of your skin and overwhelm his brain with your hormones so he can stop thinking for a while. But this time…

This time there was something extra to your scent. He had noticed something in the food, but didn’t think too hard about it. With your fingers in his mouth, it was all he could taste.

Sweet and musky, thick like honey and so overwhelmingly human, Roboute couldn’t help but close his mouth tighter over your fingers and lathe them with his tongue. By the stars, what was this?

Through the vague haze his mind had fallen under he could see that you were blushing deeply, from your chest all the way up into your hair. You were stuttering something as he gazed down at you, still sucking on your little fingers. The angle you were at allowed Roboute to see down the front of your dress and his gaze was drawn down your collarbone to the swell of your breasts pressed tightly together.

It was when his mind started filling with impure thoughts that it finally clicked what he was tasting on your hand, and his own face burned as he abruptly released you and leaned back. He had to put distance between you or he wouldn't be able to control himself anymore.

He was already painfully hard in his armor, and he meant that literally. A design flaw, clearly.

“Ah,” Roboute starts, at a loss to explain what came over him. It still lurked just beneath his skin, clawing at his stomach and howling in his ears. His lungs heaved for air, able to taste your confused arousal on his tongue. Involuntarily, he opened his mouth and breathed you in deeper. He leaned closer, armor scraping against itself as he loomed.

“My Lord…,” your voice is quiet, but he can still hear you. A little voice in the back of his head is growing louder, near purring at the way you lean back to make room for him. He can see the way you stare up at him with huge shining eyes and wet parted lips. Moving even closer causes you to draw a leg up and onto the desk, the other spreading wide to accommodate him this close to you. “Are you…” There’s a hesitation when you start to ask him a question, and Roboute manages to pull himself together enough to make an inquiring noise as he pushes his chair back to lean down enough that he can stick his face near your neck.

Roboute can feel the way your blood rushes through your veins and for a moment his head swims with the sudden need to bite.

“Do you still have a- hunger, Lord Guilliman?”

It’s the way you say his name, breathy and sweet that gives Roboute the push to open his mouth and lick the sweat off your skin. Your gasp is loud in his ears. “Yes,” is his hissed answer against your throat, lips against your fluttering pulse. “One that must wait to be sated.”

Your little hands, those perfect soft little hands, are featherlight against his head, brushing over his laurels and tracing the curl of his hair. “Why?”

Why indeed, he mused to himself, amused by the simple question. There was much you did not know, and the extent of which he needed his armor was one secret few knew outside of his most trusted. As much as he favored you, he couldn’t risk a breach. You were a weak point.

But one he refused to be parted from.

Another lick sent his brain back into the hazy almost-calm from earlier, your pheromones seeming to crawl through the grey matter of his brain and down his spine. Your fingers slowly thread through his hair and he hummed in quiet bliss, mouth opening against your skin as his arms came up to encircle you. Pain from his cock cleared his head a bit and he realized that he had opened his mouth entirely around your neck.

He felt you swallow against his tongue and fought the urge to feel it from the inside. Pulling back from you was a task almost too great for Roboute, but he managed. “Mm. Please, Little One,” he managed to work around the saliva pooling in his mouth. “Don’t come here again like that.”

Your pupils are blown wide and your skin is shiny. The expression on your face is one of confusion, and dare he say it, arousal. “What?”

Roboute was forced to clear his throat, trying to remove your scent from his mouth. “Your hand. I could… hm. I could taste you on your fingers.”

He could see your mind trying to process it, eyes squinting as you worked through his meaning. The moment you understood caused what he could only call complete and utter mortification to cross your face.

“Oh, My Lord- I’m sorry, please forgive me- I didn’t-”

“Peace,” Roboute  didn’t like the way shamed curdled your scent, bitter-sour overtaking the honey-sweet. “You did nothing wrong. I just request that you be mindful in the future.”

He didn’t know what expression was on his face, but he knew you understood from the way your gaze dropped from his and your hands slipped from his laurels into your lap.

Already he missed the touch of you against his skin.

“O-Of course, my Lord,” you give your assent, and Roboute has to fight everything in himself that wants to keep you on his desk and lay you out so he can feast.

Withdrawing from you completely felt impossible but he managed, and Roboute watched silently as you slipped off his desk and scurried to the door. But before it could open you turn and look back at him, a queer light in you eye. “Shall I return for your breakfast tomorrow, Lord Guilliman?”

He understood what you meant immediately and felt a dizzying sense of want rush through him. “Go.”

You flee from his office and Roboute is left alone in his prison made of his armor and a straining cock he can do nothing about for almost another full cycle.

A glance at his once-organized desk has him placing his head in his hands. Damn the Administratum to the Warp.

[zoeykallus]

hai!!! how are you doing? i saw ur doing requests again soon... and i wanted to request a tbb something ^^

how would they react to their s/o like. BITING THEM. not full on CHOMP! duh. but a little soft nibble anywhere(jaw, cheek, neck, hand, nose, YOU GET THE POINT)... like the same way you would bite when giving a hickey or biting an earlobe. cuz holy moly i need to bite the FLIP out of these guys.

thank you and i hope you're doing well :D

Aloha! Interesting Question 😁

The Bad Batch x Reader HCs - That Little Bite

Warnings: Mostly Fluff/ Partly Suggestive

Masterlist

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

Hunter

If you suddenly nibble his ear while he is cuddling, you will certainly not hear any complaints from him. In fact, it doesn't matter where you're gently nibbling, you'll hear Hunter humming contentedly. The next moment, you have at least one of his arms wrapped around you and are pressed close to his body.

He's crazy about your every touch anyway, and the more sensual and closer, the better. Small bites and nibbles are actually a good way to get his motor running if you're in the mood for more.

In any case, Hunter is a big fan and not shy when it comes to returning the gesture.

Echo

At first, he may be perplexed and keep completely still. Echo is trying to make sense of what is happening, but shortly afterwards you hear a soft laugh coming from his mouth.

“Am I that appetizing?” he teases you.

An approving coo from you and more small, gentle bites make him melt away. Whatever jokes may have occurred to him a moment ago are quickly gone again.

Don't be surprised if he sighs and shivers under your teasing touches, he enjoys every second.

Wrecker

He giggles, surprised, perhaps a little startled at first, but quite taken with the very sensual touch.

“Didn't you get enough to eat today?” he asks you teasingly.

Cling to him and keep nibbling, the jokes will soon be forgotten. His strong arms will pull you closer to him and a little later you will hear pleasurable sounds coming from his mouth.

As he gives in, he says softly, “Go ahead, make me your feast”

Tech

Your gentle nibble triggers a very abrupt, unexpected reaction. Tech jumps up and stares at you with wide eyes from behind his lenses.

“What's wrong?” you ask gently.

Tech clears his throat, pushes his goggles up the bridge of his nose with his index finger and seems to collect himself before answering in his trademark matter-of-fact tone.

“I'm confused. At the moment, I'm trying to categorize your actions on my body, which are new to me. Are these touches of an erotic nature? Do you just want to cuddle? Or should I perhaps be worried about a previously hidden tendency towards cannibalism?”

Disguising and suppressing the impulse to laugh with a cough, you finally answer, “Well, I'd say the first two options are true to a certain extent”

A small sigh of relief crosses his lips, then a smile twitches at the corners of his mouth before he lies back down with you and says, “I'm not averse to that. Go on if you like”

Crosshair

You hear a coo coming from his throat, a satisfied grin on his face. Crosshair is a connoisseur, especially when it comes to physical contact between the two of you. You certainly won't hear any complaints from him.

He lolls around like a cat, snuggled up to you, his long fingers trailing under the fabric of your clothes. Physical contact between you is like a balm for him.

But he doesn't just take, he's also only too happy to give. Don't be surprised if you suddenly find yourself lying under him, his teeth gently grazing your neck or nibbling teasingly on your earlobe. Basically, he's interested in just about every sensual touch in your relationship.

Don't hold back, you won't regret it.

Little Bonus

Gregor

He giggles his adorable giggle.

“Pretty daring today, I like that,” he says, quite taken with it.

Expect him to want a nibble too and very likely to leave a tender mark or two. Gregor is sensual and playful. Such moments often end in you rolling around in the sheets.

But it doesn't necessarily have to end like that, Gregor is also a cuddly bear and his strong arms are a great place to rest and recharge your batteries.

@rintheemolion

@andyoufollowyourheart @clone-whore-99

@brynhildrmimi @kaliel2310

@misogirl828 @tech-deck

@meshla-madalene

@chxpsi

@thebahdbitch

@nahoney22 @ladykatakuri

@darkangel4121

@ttzamara

@arctrooper69

@padawancat97

@agenteliix

@allsystemsblue

@palliateclaw

@either-madness-or-brilliance

@ortizshinkaroff

@andy-solo1

@hunterssecretrecipe

@heyitsaloy

@greaser-wolf

@extrahotpixels

@hated-by-me

@hunterxcrosshair

@malicemercy

@bebopsworld

@echos-girlfriend

@cpnt616

@dangraccoon

@jediknightjana

@pb-jellybeans

@antishadow2021

@sleepycreativewriter

@projectdreamwalker

@1vlouds

@clonelovr

@ivyyyyy

[short-honey-badger]

Hello!!! This is my first time sending an ask, but have you thought of doing servant!Reader x Shamrock? (He is literally all over my head )

Oooo Yus! I had a lot of fun with this one! Thank you for the amazing ask! I hope I did it justice! ❤️❤️ p.s. I characterized Sham a bit differently here than in my other works, but I hope you enjoyed!

Unwind

Pairings! Figarland Shamrock x Female Reader

Warnings! Cunnilingus, hand jobs, illusions to cock warming

Shamrock Masterlist-> HERE

You were nothing but a lowly servant to the household, but to Shamrock, you were everything. You were the one to tend to his rooms, to his laundry, even his daily meals, all of it done by you and you alone. He wouldn't have any other. Today, he had caught you in his study, duster in hand as you cleaned away the nonexistent buildup along his bookshelves. You froze when he opened the door, back tensing as you kept your face angled to the floor in respect to your master.

Shamrock was frustrated, brow furrowed in a nasty scowl as he sat in his chair, spinning around so that he could watch you carefully begin your duties again. Slowly, the tension in his body began to deflate, your presence alone a balm to his raging emotions. His father had berated him today, telling him that he wasn't doing enough to advance their plans. He had given his entire life to his father, but still, that just wasn't enough for Saint Figarland.

He needed to unwind, to get the rest of the tension out of his body before he had to confront his father again, and you were the perfect outlet. Shamrock pushes up from his chair, silently treading across the room until he stands behind you. He reaches out, one gloved hand curling around your hip, and he feels you freeze under his hand, back tense and head dropping to expose the back of your neck.

“Don't be afraid, darling. I could never hurt you,” Shamrock murmurs. He wished for you to believe him, for while he was a harsh man, he wanted to be kind to you. For the woman who made his life just a tiny bit easier, even if it was your duty.

“How- how can I help you, Sir?” Your voice trembles. You knew that Shamrock preferred you to the other servant girls, but you weren't sure what made you special in his eyes. All you did was keep your head down and try your best to be good under their care.

Shamrock pulls you by the hip, spinning you around so that you can face him. His face was stoic like usual, but you could still see his frustration in the way his brow stayed furrowed. You want to reach out and smooth it away with your thumb, but you doubt your touch would be well received even if the holy knight liked you.

“You do so much for me, don't you, girl? Going out of your way for me. I've seen it. I've been watching you for a long time,” He murmurs and one hand comes up to rest along your jaw, a gloved thumb sweeping back and forth, “So I'd like for you to do something else for me. Think you can do that, darling?”

He feels you shiver at his touch, a pink tongue darting out to wet your lips before you daringly raise your head and meet his eyes. You look nervous, but there is a gleam of interest he can see shining dully, “I would like nothing more than to help you with anything you may need, Sir.”

Shamrock hums before he drops his hands from your body and steps away, walking back to his desk and sitting in his chair. He has a delightful idea, and the more he thinks about it, the more his cock hardens in his pants, straining at the seams to be let out. You turn and watch him, and Shamrock makes a show of shifting in his seat, hand smoothing down to trail his fingers over the obvious bulge tenting his slacks. You watch him, face turning hot, and you have an inkling of that he wants from you.

“Come here, darling. I think you deserve a reward for how well you take care of me, don't you think so?” He murmurs and drops his other hand, fingers making easy works of his belt, and then his zipper. A soft sigh leaves him when he works his cock out of his underwear, hand wrapping around the base and stroking upwards, thumb circling the head twice before he drops back down.

You walk forward automatically, eyes wide and mouth salivating at the sight before you. Figarland Shamrock is a beautiful being, and you feel honored to be one of the few to witness this side of him. You come and stand between his legs, desperately wanting to reach out and touch for yourself, but feeling too nervous to do so.

As if he can hear your thoughts, Shamrock snags your hand and pulls you forward, guiding your own hand down and wrapping your hand around his length, keeping your hand trapped with his own. He leads you in the way that he likes, a tight grip but a slow pace. Your hand is infinitely softer than his own, fingers uncalloused, and you are a quick learner, easily picking up what he enjoys. The redhead lets go of your hand, allowing you to take over.

You watch in fascination as precum bubbles up at the tip and stroke your hand up, thumb smoothing over his slit and gathering the sticky liquid. Shamrock watches you lift your hand and wrap your lips around your finger, tongue curling around and sucking it off with a hum. Arousal shoots down his spine at the sight, and Shamrock meets your wide eyes. However, as much as he would love for you to suck his cock, he still has something else in mind for you.

“Get on my desk,” He orders, voice and low husk, and you scramble to comply, carefully moving away any important looking documents before you hop up on his desk, legs clenched tight in anticipation. Shamrock rolls his chair forward, settling between your legs and shoving your skirts out of the way. He hooks his finger in your waistband and, with a little force, snaps the thin fabric with ease. Your panties get stuffed into a drawer on his desk, and then he focuses back on his prize.

Your cunt is a work of art. Pretty and pink, and already he can see your folds glistening with your arousal. With a burning need, Shamrock leans in and buries his face between your legs, hands gripping your hips when you gasp and bow off the desk, eyes going wide and hands landing in his long hair. Your fingers tangled and pulled, but Shamrock didn't mind.

He licks a stripe up your cunt, tongue wiggling through your folds and lips smacking and sucking. Sweet cream pools along his tongue, and he groans at the delightful taste, pushing forward and lifting your hips so that he could angle himself to plunge his tongue into you, seeking that unique taste that only came from you.

Shamrock works you until you quiver under him, fingers tightening in his hair as you come against his face, eyes squeezed shut as you breathe his name with a low whine. He doesn't stop until he is satisfied, pulling away to stare up at your flushed face, your eyes wide in wonder when you meet his own.

You watch him sit back in his seat, hand wrapping around his cock and stroking it twice before holding still. His head cocks to the side, and he beckons you closer with a crook of a gloved finger. You slide off the desk, legs feeling like jelly, and step closer. His free hand turns you so that you are facing away from him, and then you are being lifted like you weigh nothing. Shamrock sits you down on his lap, groaning when your cunt slides along his cock. It takes some adjusting, but soon he has your skirts gathered and holds you still, cockhead nudging against your folds before it catches and you begin to slowly sink down.

You grip his forearms, nails digging into the fabric of his shirt, brow furrowing as you try not to pull away. Despite coming from his tongue, Shamrock was thick, and the stretch wasn't pleasant. It feels like eons have passed before you are fully seated, pussy stuffed full as you shake and quiver in his lap. One arm curls around your hips, pulling you back to rest against his chest so that he can hook his chin over your shoulder.

“I'm going to keep you like this, darling. Stuffed full with my cock until I'm ready to come. You're going to stay right here while I get some work done.”

You drop your head back against his shoulder, lips brushing against his jaw, “Yes, sir. As long as you need.”

[the-cosmic-cauldron]

🪷 Healing Astrology: Chakra Astrology 🪷

ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴋʀᴀ ꜱʏꜱᴛᴇᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴀꜱᴛʀᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ꜱɪɢɴꜱ

𝙐𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙎𝙪𝙣, 𝙈𝙤𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨. 𝙊𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙪𝙢.

Taurus/Capricorn 2nd/10th house

Root Chakra: Stability, security, grounding, survival, safety, belonging

Exercise: Weightlifting, Resistance Band, Body Weight Exercise, Isometric Exercises

Hobbies: Gardening, camping, foraging, pottery, painting or drawing, knitting, woodworking, cooking, baking, journaling, meditation, candle making, farming, fishing, musical instrument.

Yoga: Hatha, Yin, Restorative, Vinyasa Flow, Kundalini Yoga

Dance: Soul Motion, African Dance, Tai Chi Qigong, Barefoot Dance

Crystals: Black tourmaline, hematite, red jasper

Essential Oils: Cedarwood, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, frankincense, pine, cypress,

Colors: Red, brown, green, beige, grey

Music: Listen to 396hz sounds, ambient, classical music, nature sounds, meditative music, folk and acoustic music, world music, jazz and blue, chanting and mantras

Healing foods for you: sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, radishes, beans, eggs, nuts, lean meats, oats, apples, strawberries, tomatoes, pomegranate, dark leafy greens, brown rice, quinoa, avocado, bananas, dates, seaweed.

Teas and Supplements:Ginger, cayenne, dandelion root, ashwagandha, chamomile, lemon balm, passionflower, lavender, nettle, l-thetanine, gaba, CBD, lions mane, reishi mushroom, kava.

Key Components:

• Have a bedtime and a wake-up time

•Live below your means

• Create a savings for a rainy day

• Find ways to organize your space

•Carry a journal with you

• Make a list of your favorite foods so you can always have an idea of what you want to eat

• If you want to buy something make a goal before you can buy e.g do a ten minute run everyday for a week to be able to buy a new backpack.

• Go to spas, get a massage

Cancer/Scorpio 4th/8th

Sacral Chakra: Connection with others, pleasure, emotions, sexuality, sensuality, creativity

Exercise: Boxing, kick boxing, HIIT, Zumba, Running or sprinting, Weighted workouts, Plyometrics, Swimming

Hobbies: Writing fiction, poetry, journaling, painting or drawing, digital art, improvisational acting, music composition, jewelry making, filmmaking, podcasting, photography, mythology creation, cooking or baking, astrology or tarot, cosplay.

Yoga: Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Tantric Yoga, Kundalini Yoga

Dance: Contemporary Dance, Argentine Tango, Salsa, Belly Dance, Bachata, Flamenco, Rumba, Pole Dance, Jazz Dance, Freestyle

Crystals: Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Black Turmaline, Smoky Quartz, Carnelian, Lepidolite, Citrine, Sodalite, Clear Quartz, Labradorite

Essential Oils: Rose, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Lavender, Vanilla

Colors: Orange, Coral, Amber

Music: R&B, Soul, Jazz, Classical/Instrumental, Flamenco, Ambient/Chillout, World Music, Soft Pop, 582 hz, 639 hz, 432 hz, 852 hz

Healing Foods: Oranges, sweet potatoes, carrots, mangos, papayas, apricots, avocado, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, brown rice, oats, yogurt, kimchi, kefir, dark chocolate.

Tea’s and Supplements: Chamomile, rose, cinnamon, jasmine, hibiscus, ginger, lemon balm, holy basil, ashwagandha, maca, rhodiola rosea, vitamin D, l-thetanine, ginkgo biloba, St. John’s wort, 5-HTP

Key Componenets

• Giving yourself time to feel without judgment or rationalization

• Realizing that expressing yourself is not wrong and beginning to discern who can accept your expressive self

• Using creative outlets to express yourself

• Finding activities that is going to bring your focus and awareness

• Creating boundaries and values for relationships that enter your life

• Giving yourself time to self-love as well as express love

• Indulging in what you enjoy without guilt, enjoy your life

• Learning your manifestation technique

• Using your intuition and connecting to it more as a guide

• Learning to be instead of constant doing, learning your power is in being receptive to energies

• Nurturing yourself and others

Leo/Aries 1st/5th

Solar Plexus Chakra: Personal power, self-esteem, confidence, ability to take control of one’s life, identity, autonomy, inner strength

Exercise: Strength training, martial arts, HIIT, core focused workouts, functional fitness, group fitness class, adventure and outdoor activities, endurance training.

Hobbies: Public speaking, creative writing or journaling, diy projects or crafting, learning a new language, performance arts, volunteering or mentoring, gardening or sustainable, travel or outdoor adventures, music, learning a survival skill, networking.

Yoga: Power Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, Kundalini Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Core Strengthening Yoga, Yin Yoga, Bhakti Yoga

Dance: Hip hop dance, contemporary dance, Latin dance, belly dance, jazz dance, ballet, freestyle dance, pole dance, Afro dance, burlesque dance, combat dance

Crystals: Citrine, Tigers Eye, Carnelian, Pyrite, Sunstone, Amber, Yellow Jasper, Garnet, Golden Topaz

Essential Oils: Bergamot, Lemon, Ginger, Peppermint, Rosemary, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Cedar-wood

Colors: Golden Yellow

Music: Pop music, hip hop and rap, rock and alternative rock, R&B, soul, EDM, reggae, heavy metal, inspirational, spiritual, Afro beats, 528 hz, 396 hz, 417 hz, 639 hz, 741 hz, 320 hz

Healing foods for you: Bananas, lemons, pineapples, yellow peppers, corn, brown rice, sweet potatoes, oats, ginger, turmeric, yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, nuts and seeds, eggs, lentils, chickpeas, oranges, mangoes

Teas and Supplements: Ginger, lemon balm, chamomile, peppermint, green matcha, rooibos, dandelion root, ashwagandha, rhodiola rosea, vitamin b complex, magnesium, turmeric, ginseng, probiotics, l-thetanine

Key Components

• Having self awareness and walking around with your head held high

•Living authentically to your true self, not conforming for others

• Taking action but also letting things be and relaxing

• Having trust and faith

• Leading with integrity and compassion

• Responding not reacting

• Aligning with your soul purpose

• The more you stay true to your values the easier success comes

• Being spiritual

Libra 7th

Heart Chakra: Love, compassion, forgiveness, emotional healing, relationships, unconditional love, empathy, inner peace.

Exercise: Fitness classes, walking, hiking.

Hobbies: Arts and crafts, cooking and baking, gardening, music and dance, reading and writing, animal companionship, sound therapy and singing, support groups

Yoga: Hatha Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Heart Opening

Dance: Contemporary, ballet, contact improvisation, tribal fusion belly dance, soul motion

Crystals: Rose Quartz, Rhodonite, Amazonite, Moonstone, Aquamarine

Essential Oils: Rose, Frankincense, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Geranium

Colors: Green, Pink

Music: Classical music, pop music, ambient, folk, jazz, 639 hz, 528 hz

Healing foods: Kale, spinach, broccoli, avocado, kiwi, cucumber, nuts and seeds, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, dark chocolate, salmon, sardines

Teas and supplements: Chamomile, rose petals, hibiscus, magnesium, zinc, b6, b12

Key Components

• Understanding of both yourself and others

• Staying humble and aware of both your strengths and weaknesses

• Healing from your past wounds

• Practicing forgiveness and giving others space to forgive

• Showing love unconditionally

• Practicing self love both on the physical and emotional level

• Discerning who is pouring love back into you

• Strive towards wholeness in your interpersonal relationships

• Seeing others as an extension of yourself

Gemini/Sagittarius 3rd/9th

Throat Chakra: Communication, self expression, speaking one’s truth, creativity, clear and authentic expression, verbal and non-verbal, honesty, open communication

Exercise: Strength training, team sports, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai.

Hobbies: Creative writing and journaling, blogging or vlogging, theater or improv classes, stand up comedy, painting and drawing, photography, public speaking groups, debate clubs, musical instrument, song writing, book club, volunteering

Yoga: Vinyasa Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Hatha Vlog

Dance: Contemporary dance, salsa, ballroom, modern dance, ballet, contact improvisation, kizomba

Crystals: Sodalite, Aquamarine, Lapis Lazuli, Blue Lace Agate

Essential Oils: Peppermint, frankincense, eucalyptus, lavender

Colors: Blue, Turquoise, Light Blue, Lavender

Music: Indie, jazz, experimental rock, electronic music, post punk, folk, alternative rock, neo soul, acoustic, indie folk, 639 hz, 741 hz

Healing foods: Fresh herbs, vibrant vegetables, salmon, chia seeds, spinach, kale, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, dark chocolate, avocado

Teas and Supplements: Chamomile, peppermint, rosemary, omega-3-fatty acids, b -complex vitamins, l-thetanine, rhodiola rosea

Key Components

• Living authentically to who you are

• Being able to clearly communicate and also actively listen to others

• Actions and words align

• You allow your ideas to flow, write them down and execute

• Focused on personal growth

• You care only what you think of yourself

Pisces / 12th house

Third Eye Chakra: Intuition, perception, inner vision, spiritual insight, inner vision, spiritual connection, emotional awareness, visionary experiences

Exercise: Tai Chi, Qiong, Martial Arts

Hobbies: Journaling, Creative writing, poetry, nature observation, bird watching, art therapy or visual arts, meditation, reading, cooking or baking, gardening or plant care, traveling or exploring new places, listening to music or playing an instrument

Yoga: Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Kirpalu Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Minful Vinyasa Yoga, Hatha Yoga

Dance: Ecstatic dance, belly dance, contemporary dance, qiong or tai chi inspired, sacred dance, trance dance, improvisational dance, chakra dance, butoh

Crystals: Amethyst, Lapis Luzuli, Labradorite, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Sodalite, Fluorite, Lepidolite, Celestite, Lolite, Angelite, Kyanite, Selenite

Essential Oils: Frankincense, sandalwood, lavender, clary sage, patchouli, rosemary, geranium, juniper berry, myrrh, lemon, jasmine

Colors: Indigo Blue, Purple, Deep Blue, Violet, White

Music: Ambient music, new age, world music, chill wave, folk and acoustic, indie, electronic, classical music, chanting, binaural beats, 396 hz, 417 hz, 528 hz, 639 hz, 741 hz, 4-8hz, 8-12hz, 0.5-4 hz,

Healing Foods: Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, arugula, nuts and seeds, blueberries, avocado, pineapple, bananas, oranges, apples, brown rice, oats

Teas and Supplements: Chamomile, holy basil, peppermint, green tea, Yerba mate, ashwagandha, omega 3 fatty acids, rhodiola rosea, b vitamins, DHA, l-thetanine

Key Components:

• Grounded in your intuition

• Writing down your insights

• Deeper connection to spirituality

• Living mindfully

• Take your time, slowing down

• Praying, talking to your spirit guide, connecting to your higher self

• Meditating

• Making peace within your life

• Spending time to yourself to nourish your vessel

• Affirming yourself

Virgo/Aquarius 6th/11th

Crown Chakra: Spiritual enlightenment, unity, higher consciousness, inner peace, non-attachment, meditation and contemplation, sense of purpose

Exercise: Tai Chi, Qiong, Martial Arts, Mindful Pilates

Hobbies: Journaling, art and painting, writing, music and sound healing, dance, hiking, gardening, nature photography, tide pool exploration, spiritual group, attending ceremonies, volunteering, reading, attending workshops and retreats

Yoga: Bhakti Yoga, Kirtan Yoga, Kundalani Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yoga

Dance: Sacred Dance, Sufi Whirling, Gurdjieff Movements, Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Flamenco, Butoh

Crystals: Clear Quartz, Amethyst, Sodalite, Moonstone, Lapis Lazuli, Selenite, Citrine, Turquoise

Essential Oils: Frankincense, Sandalwood, Lavender, Rose, Patchouli, Myrrh, Bergamot

Colors: Violet, Purple, White, Silver, Gold, Lavender

Music: New age, ambient, world music, chanting, mantras, tribal, indigenous music, classical Indian music, ambient electronic, 432 hz, 528 hz, 639 hz, 741 hz, 852 hz, 963 hz

Healing Foods: Berries, coconut, apples, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, nuts and seeds, brown rice

Tea and Supplements: Holy Basil, chamomile, peppermint, green tea, lavender, omega 3 fatty acids, rhodiola rosea, ashwagandha, ginkgo biloba, vitamin d, melatonin

Key Components

• Clearing your mind through mediation

• Writing and journaling in order to empty your brain

• Using your wisdom in practical ways

• Writing down your spiritual insights

• Trusting your gut

• Learning the art of detachment

• Living in the present moment

• Spiritual connection that allows you to view life in multiple ways

• Healthy body and feel energized for the day

• An inner peace

• You practice gratitude

• You extend yourself to others in a helpful and compassionate way

[mydearestbeloved]

Chapter 19 [Draft]

Sung Jinwoo/Trial Player!Reader

CW:

Inspired by @circeyoru ‘s “Future Power Couple”

[Masterlist🦋✨️]

Jinwoo’s hand trembled as he brought the bottle of Holy Water to his mother’s lips. He had faced countless enemies, stared down death itself, and yet this moment, this single act of hope, made his entire body shake. Doubts swirled in his mind. What if it doesn’t work? What if I’m too late?

The glass clinked softly against her lips, but his grip faltered, and his resolve wavered. That was when he felt it—warmth. A steadying hand on his back and another gently covering the one holding the bottle.

His dark eyes turned to meet yours, your steady gaze offering him a silent reassurance. For a moment, neither of you spoke. The weight of the moment pressed heavily upon both of you, but your quiet smile cut through the tension, a calming balm for his fraying nerves. You gave a small nod, glancing toward his mother.

Jinwoo swallowed hard, his jaw tightening. Emboldened by your presence, he tilted the bottle carefully, letting the liquid trickle past his mother’s lips. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as you both watched her, hoping, praying for any sign that the Holy Water was working.

At first, there was nothing. Then, slowly, her pale complexion began to change, color returning to her cheeks. Her breathing, once shallow and faint, grew deeper and more even. Relief washed over Jinwoo, his shoulders sagging, but his mother still didn’t wake.

“Let’s wait,” you murmured gently, breaking the silence. You placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, guiding him to sit in the chair beside the hospital bed. He sank into it, his body slumping forward, tension still lingering in his frame.

“I’ll go get us some water,” you said softly, stepping toward the door.

Before he could think, his hand shot out, gripping yours tightly. Memories surged to the forefront of his mind: the sight of you collapsing in the Demon Castle, your body unnaturally still. The trial player, the one he thought of as unshakable, had been brought to the brink. He remembered the helplessness that consumed him then, the way his hands hovered over you as if touching you might break what little thread of life remained.

Even when you stirred much later, vomiting and disoriented, the haunting image of you lying there refused to leave him. It was the first time he realized how wrong he’d been to think of you as stronger, untouchable. Seeing you then had cracked something inside him, a realization that your endurance came at a cost he’d never truly considered.

And now, the thought of you walking away—even for something as simple as water—ignited that same fear, buried deep in his chest.

“Please… stay,” he whispered.

His voice was small, barely audible, but the silence of the room made it impossible for you not to hear. Your heart ached as you turned back to him, his head bowed low, his hair obscuring his face. You gently patted his hand, offering quiet reassurance.

“I’m just getting some water, Jinwoo. I’m not going anywhere. I promise,” you said.

He felt the faintest touch of warmth in your words, somewhere deep in his chest where the cold shadows couldn’t reach. His grip loosened reluctantly, and he let you go, though his head remained bowed. Even as you left the room, the imprint of your promise lingered, keeping his anxieties at bay.

---

The hospital halls were eerily quiet, the stillness of the night amplifying every sound. You leaned your back against the wall beside the open door to Jinwoo’s mother’s room, clutching the tray of glasses and water bottles.

From where you stood, you could hear the soft murmurs of conversation filtering through the door. Jinwoo’s voice was quiet, trembling with suppressed emotion. His mother’s voice, faint but warm, responded gently. You heard the rustle of movement, the sound of their hands clasping.

Then came the sound you had never expected—Jinwoo’s quiet sobs. The relief and raw emotion in his cries were palpable, and your chest tightened.

Red fluttered near your cheek, nudging you gently. You blinked, startled by the sensation, and reached up to touch your face. Your fingertips came away wet.

Am I… crying?

Was it relief? The burden of guilt you’d carried since arriving in this world? Or was it the knowledge that, for all you had done to make amends, it still didn’t feel like enough? The answer eluded you, slipping through your grasp like sand.

The realization hit you like a wave. Tears streamed down your cheeks, silent and unchecked. Sliding down the wall, you sank to the floor, muffling the sobs that escaped you. You thought back to Jinwoo’s trembling hands, perhaps you cried for him, too, knowing what he had endured.

Red settled on the back of your hand, its tiny weight grounding you. You buried your face in your knees, muffling the sobs that broke free from your chest. It was a cry of relief, of release—something you hadn’t allowed yourself in what felt like an eternity.

Your butterflies hovered close, taking the tray from your hands so you could curl in on yourself, your body shaking with quiet, cathartic sobs. You didn’t care how long you stayed like that, the tears flowing freely, silent cries you hadn’t allowed yourself to release in years.

---

Morning came quietly, the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the hospital windows. Jinwoo stood near the door, watching as Jinah and their mother reunion.

He observed the reunion in silence, his heart swelling with a mixture of pride and melancholy. My efforts weren’t in vain, he thought. Everything I’ve been through… it was all leading to this moment.

But, even as he watched, a shadow loomed over his thoughts. He couldn’t shake the cold, creeping doubt that had taken root within him. While working as a Hunter, I wonder if I distanced myself too much.

His hands flexed at his sides, the faint traces of blood from past battles lingering in his mind. Did I cross too many lines to get here?

The happy scene before him felt distant, like a dream he couldn’t quite touch. Shadows crept at the edges of his mind, pulling him back into the cold.

And then, just as he felt himself sinking into that familiar darkness, warmth bloomed beside him. He felt your presence before he saw you, the faint brush of your hand against his breaking through the encroaching cold.

Your smile was soft, kind—so achingly familiar. You didn’t say anything, simply turned your gaze toward the room, watching the reunion with him. You didn’t intrude, didn’t try to fill the silence. You simply stood beside him, as you always had.

For Jinwoo, it was everything. You, who had seen him at his lowest, who had walked the same dangerous paths as him, never judged him for the blood on his hands or the lines he’d crossed. You, who seemed to care not about what he’d done, but how it had changed him, how it had hurt him.

Without thinking, he reached out, pulling you into his arms. His grip was firm, as though holding you tighter might anchor him to the present. His head rested against your shoulder, and for a moment, the cold shadows melted away.

Just as he had done back in the Demon Castle.

This time, however, you didn’t hesitate. Your arms wrapped around him, holding him just as firmly.

For a moment, the world fell away. There was no fear, no doubt, only the warmth and softness of your presence and the steady beat of your heart against his. In that small bubble of time, Jinwoo found solace.

---

Jinwoo adjusted his outfit, a rare nervous energy settling over him. The meeting with Chairman Go Gunhee was supposed to be straightforward, but your parting words echoed in his mind:

"Jinwoo, don’t play around too much and control yourself."

That tone—one part teasing, one part serious—struck a chord he couldn't ignore. It wasn’t just what you said, but how you said it, as though you knew what would happen. There was an odd certainty in your voice, one that left Jinwoo unsettled yet strangely comforted.

The old him, back when he knew nothing about you, might have found it unnerving. But now, after everything the two of you had been through together, he understood. It wasn’t about predicting the future. It was about your care for him, your worry hidden behind a faint smile and practical advice. That realization carried a weight that Jinwoo couldn’t quite put into words.

Still, the meeting didn’t go as planned.

Goto Ryuji’s challenge was like a lit match dropped into dry grass, and Jinwoo's pride wouldn’t let him walk away. He knew better than to take the bait, but the competitive spark in his eyes had flared before he could stop it. The fight ended quickly, but not without consequences. Baek Yoonho and Cha Hae-In had to intervene, their sharp words reminding him of the delicate balance they needed to maintain before the Jeju Island raid.

His shoulders sagged under the weight of their reproach as he muttered a low apology. Goto Ryuji’s bruised pride was none of Jinwoo's concern, but he felt a pang of guilt knowing you’d likely scold him later.

That’s when he felt the tickling sensation on his cheek.

His fingers brushed the spot absently, catching the faintest shimmer of red as one of your butterflies perched lightly on his hand. Its wings blurred faintly, their edges dissolving like mist—the unmistakable sign that it was in stealth mode, visible only to him.

Jinwoo let out a quiet sigh.

"I’m going to get another earful, aren’t I?" he murmured.

The butterfly’s wings opened and closed in a deliberate rhythm, as though pitying him, its silent agreement clear.

A tiny smile tugged at Jinwoo’s lips, but it didn’t last. The weight of his recent memories bore down on him, and unease gnawed at the edges of his thoughts.

---

His mind flashed back to the Demon Castle raid, where the memory of your collapse haunted him.

You had been strong—always a step ahead of everyone else, calm and meticulous in a way that Jinwoo had come to rely on. But the sight of you fighting to stand, your skin pale and your movements sluggish, had shattered that illusion.

You weren’t invincible.

The marks that had marred your skin, black tendrils crawling like cracks in glass—how had he not noticed them before? He should have known something was wrong, especially with your insistence on wearing gloves even when there was no practical need for them. Yet, he had been blind, too caught up in his own plans to see the signs.

When the marks finally disappeared, seeping into your skin, he thought it was over. But you hadn’t woken up right away. Your disorientation, the way you vomited and struggled to focus—it had scared him in a way he hadn’t expected.

He had promised to protect you. Twice.

Once, to convince you to join him on the first raid of the Demon Castle. And again, when Avarice Vulcan had wounded you so badly that Jinwoo had nearly lost himself to rage. Both times, you had been the one to pull him back.

Now, looking back, Jinwoo felt like a fool.

He thought his newfound strength would be enough to shield those he cared about. But when it came to you, he started questioning the fact.

---

The days that followed were agonizing.

Every time he tried to reach you through your butterflies, their voices echoed in his mind:

"Our Mistress is currently unavailable."

Even visiting the flower shop, hoping to find a way into your garden, had been fruitless. Instead of you, Jinho had appeared, his surprise at Jinwoo’s arrival quickly giving way to concern.

Jinwoo had brushed off the younger man’s questions, but the unease in his chest grew heavier.

Where were you? Were you okay?

---

The day before the Jeju Island raid, Jinwoo found himself scrolling through the news on his phone, more out of habit than interest.

Most of the headlines were the same: public criticism over his decision not to join the raid, speculation about the mutant ants, and debates about the effectiveness of the Hunters’ Association. None of it bothered him. Let the media talk.

But then, one particular report caught his attention.

A small island in Japan had been attacked by one of the mutated ants. The carnage was devastating, with streets littered with bodies and buildings left in ruins.

Yet, amidst the devastation, there were survivors.

According to their accounts, they had been on the brink of death when something miraculous happened. In an instant, they were transported to safety, unharmed. Dashcam footage recovered from the scene revealed peculiar white flowers growing where the survivors had been.

Heather.

The flowers didn’t seem extraordinary at first glance, but there was something unusual about the way they had spread, blooming rapidly in places the ant seemed to avoid.

Jinwoo stared at the images on his phone, his heart skipping a beat.

"There was an urgent, huge international order for a particular batch of flowers I needed to sort myself. I just got back from an island in Japan."

Your words came rushing back to him. At the time, he had dismissed his suspicions, caught up in your anger and the tension between you. But now, the pieces clicked into place.

The flowers. The survivors. The butterflies captured fleetingly on the footage.

It was you.

Jinwoo’s lips curled into a faint smirk despite himself. His chest felt lighter, though the ache of missing you hadn’t disappeared.

"You really are something else."

---

"Miss, close your eyes and run. Do not turn back."

The voice cuts through the chaos, steady yet carrying a weight Jinwoo immediately recognizes. That voice, your voice, is enough to quell his rising tension. Relief floods through him, a warmth that borders on overwhelming—relief that he hadn’t realized he needed until now.

The victim’s trembling frame stiffens at your command. You step in, your presence commanding enough to make her feet obey before her mind catches up. Jinwoo hears the hurried footsteps fading into the distance, his sharp senses noting the rhythm of her steps—panicked but determined. The danger has passed for her, at least.

Jinwoo’s focus snaps back to the assailant. The man charges forward, but Jinwoo moves faster, his fists colliding with the attacker with precise force. He doesn’t waste energy. One hit to incapacitate, a shadow planted to ensure the man doesn’t escape. The shadow would finish the job if necessary. Cold efficiency, honed by countless battles.

With the immediate threat neutralized, Jinwoo finally allows himself to turn to you.

His breath catches.

No, he wasn’t mistaken. He couldn’t be.

Your aura—it feels... different. The subtle, carefully measured energy that you always kept tightly controlled is now more pronounced, an unmistakable hum in the air that seems to vibrate against his own shadow-infused power. He can feel it thrumming against his senses, and the realization hits him.

A power-up. You’ve gained something new. Something significant.

His eyes narrow slightly, scrutinizing you as you stand there, calm yet unreadable. The faint glow of your eyes catches his attention next—not the familiar, soft silver he’s accustomed to, but a warm, piercing gold. The aura surrounding you is tinged with the same hue, golden light almost blending with the misty outlines of your ever-present butterflies.

This isn’t just a small change.

Jinwoo’s thoughts race, trying to piece together what this means. A power-up of this magnitude only happens under extreme conditions. What had you been through? What had happened during your absence?

Almost as if you sense his spiraling thoughts, you tilt your head slightly, a wry smile tugging at your lips.

"I was going to talk with you," you begin, your voice calm and deliberate, "but while I was in the garden, I didn’t realize how late it had gotten. Your family is waiting for you, no? Let’s talk tomorrow, after you finish the system’s daily quest. At my shop."

Not your garden? That catches him off guard. You almost always prefer the sanctuary of your garden for private conversations.

Jinwoo’s brows furrow slightly. "What about Jinho?"

"He felt bad for practically staying for free, so he insisted on helping me. He’s taking care of a new batch of seeds I ordered from the outskirts. He’ll be gone for a while."

Your voice is as steady as ever, but Jinwoo detects a faint edge to it, something unspoken yet deliberate. He wants to press for more, to ask about the power radiating off you in waves, about the glow in your eyes, about your absence. But he hesitates.

Experience has taught him that patience works best with you. Rushing would only make you retreat further behind your carefully constructed walls.

So he nods.

Your smile, faint and fleeting, does something strange to him. His heart skips a beat—something that’s been happening far too often recently for him to ignore, though he still doesn’t understand why.

Then, as you always do, you vanish into a swarm of glowing butterflies. Golden, not silver. The warmth of your presence dissipates, leaving only the faintest trace behind.

Jinwoo’s hand twitches involuntarily, his fingers almost reaching out to grasp what’s left of the warmth. He clenches his fist instead, letting out a soft sigh.

He missed you. Far more than he should have.

---

A few days earlier…

The familiar hum of your garden surrounds you. The soft rustle of leaves, the gentle sway of blossoms in the breeze—it should calm you, yet your hands tremble slightly as you swipe to open the system notification.

It had been waiting for you since you woke up disoriented, the memories—or were they visions?—still haunting the edges of your mind.

The system screen materializes, the golden background and white letters brighter than usual, almost jubilant in their presence:

[Congratulations!

'Trial' Player (Name) has completed the requirements needed to ascend to the next stage.

Get stronger to earn the answers you seek of!]

You raise an eyebrow, your lips pressing into a thin line. “The answers I seek, huh?”

Was it talking about your isekai origins? The fragmented memories from the vision? Or... something else?

But one detail immediately catches your eye. The word “Trial.” Why is it suddenly quoted?

Before you can linger on that thought, another notification pops up:

[New updates have been given!]

Your eyes light up with curiosity, scrolling through the updates with growing excitement. Each new feature feels like a gift, one surprise after another. Around you, your butterflies flutter in sync with your mood, their translucent wings shimmering faintly in the light.

It’s almost enough to distract you from the unease lingering at the back of your mind.

A blinking white dot on the system’s mailbox pulls your attention. You tap it.

[Cumulative EXP has been counted.

Would you like to receive it now?]

You snort softly. “Why not? It’s probably not much since Jinwoo hogs all the rewards, but—”

You freeze.

“Oh,” you breathe, voice barely audible. Then louder, as panic sets in: “Oh no.”

Notifications flood your vision, back-to-back. They blur together, but the last one stands out:

[New Quest: Ascension, Part II is now available!]

The world tilts.

A wave of golden light surrounds you, the system’s presence overwhelming as it forces the changes upon you.

“Children,” you murmur, voice weak as vertigo takes hold, “be a dear, will you? Your mother’s going to pass out…”

The chorus of panicked voices from your butterflies echoes around you.

"My Lady/Mistress/Mother!"

Amid their frantic cries, the system chimes with a suspiciously cheerful tone:

[Stay strong, 'Trial' Player! :) ]

You groan, the edges of your vision darkening. "Oh, shut up, will you..."

The last thing you feel is the sensation of multiple hands—your butterflies’ manifestation—pillowing your fall before darkness claims you.

End Note:

Unfinished Draft of [23/11/2024] -

[bandgie]

I had an idea but idk if you'd be comfortable with it so feel free to ignore it

I thought of minho and hyunjin for it. minho knowing hyunjin has a crush on someone. minho knows her but hyunjin doesn't. to tease him, minho takes the girl out on a friendly date and takes pics to show hyunjin. he gets jealous but that pushes him to talk to the girl and after meeting up a few times, they fuck. as revenge, hyunjin takes a picture or video or whatever to send to minho

I like loser to cocky hyunjin 😶

2k words

warnings! MDNI 18+, blowjob, throat fucking (light), cum swallowing, recording during oral

"Hyung, can you not send me things like that?"

"Like what?" But Minho already knows. He has a sly grin that makes his top two teeth slightly poke out. The smile only widens when Hyunjin groans, digging his phone from his pocket and unlocking it.

It only takes a few clicks before Hyunjin shows Minho the message. A sent picture of you holding up ice cream, smiling, and throwing up a peace sign.

"Ohhh," Minho pretends to finally understand. "Did you know she loves strawberry ice cream?"

"Minho!" Hyunjin jumps at the sound of his voice. "You know how I feel. It doesn't make me feel any better." He shoves his phone back into his pocket, folding his arms. "You're being a mean hyung to me."

"Mean? It's not my fault you're not doing anything. I'm just trying to give you a little encouragement." And although that's somewhat true, Minho can't lie that he finds joy in Hyunjin's scowl. 

Hyunjin shakes his head. "Well, stop it. It's not working."

But Minho doesn't. Every few days, Hyunjin gets an image of you with Minho. It ranges from going out for lunch to volunteering at animal shelters. Minho is in the same major as you and Hyunjin only came across you once. That's all it took for him to develop an innocent crush; one that Minho is seemingly keen on ruining.

Message after message, days upon days that leave Hyunjin feeling a mix of emotions. He's at the university library, staring at his phone and debating on blocking Minho's number until a glimpse of your figure catches his attention. 

It shouldn't be a surprise to see you, you all go to the same college, but it's rare for Hyunjin to come across anyone he knows due to his schedule. For a minute, he just watches. He observes the way you survey the room to look for a spot, and steps slowly to get a good look. He watches as your eyes lock with his, smiling and giving a small wave. You quicken your steps in his direction-

Holy shit. Are you going to sit next to him? Hyunjin hurriedly collects his scattered papers to make some room, not bothering to lock his phone that he hastily sets on the table. Your steps get closer, his heart beats faster. He's managed to make a small, messy pile when you stop just a few inches shy away from him. 

"It's Hyunjin, right?" Gosh, even the way you say his name makes his stomach dip.

Hyunjin nods, eyes shifting from his paper to your face. "Yeah."

"Okay good!" You happily set your backpack on the table and choose the seat right next to him. "I wasn't sure. I just seen you and thought you looked familiar. You're Minho's friend, no?"

This is the closest Hyunjin's ever been with you. He can smell your perfume, the lip balm that makes your mouth shine, and your cheery expression as you speak. How is Minho even friends with someone so happy?

Probably to make Hyunjin's life difficult. But there isn't an opportunity to answer as Hyunjin's phone goes off. Still unlocked, both of you stare at the message. 

From: Asshole [image sent] got to try out the new cafe with your favorite person the other day lol

Hyunjin reaches for the phone, but the damage is already done. You're quicker than him, snatching it off the table and scrolling further into the messages. Some casual conversations, lots of cussing, but mostly you. Just photos of you with captions ranging from what you did with Minho to Hyunjin asking- no begging - for Minho to stop. 

"What the hell?" You mumble to yourself just as Hyunjin successfully pries his phone from your grasp. He's sweating, you notice. Chest expanding rapidly and hands shaking. "Why is Minho sending pictures of me to you like that?"

He just shakes his head, unable to answer from embarrassment or shock, you're not sure. His dark hair sweeps over his face and he hurriedly packs his things. "I need to go." His voice is just as shaky as his hands. 

You grab a hold of his bag, preventing him from leaving. "You're not going anywhere." You yank on the material and he whines. "Hyunjin." He whines again at the sound of his name, but he remains standing and pulling against your grasp.

"Hyunjin. Sit. Down."

His legs turn to jelly, a final whimper escaping his throat as he plops back in his seat. You let a sigh, rubbing your temples in a way that makes Hyunjin gulp.

"Sorry, I...I didn't mean to say it like that." You take a deep breath. "I just don't understand why Min is sending you pictures of me. It comes off a little...weird. You know?"

Weird? Oh, he's so fucked. You're keeping a neutral expression, but Hyunjin isn't sure how much longer that'll last. If he tells you the truth, you might be disgusted. You both hardly know each other, how can he harbor even just some feelings for you? This is Minho's fault. It's only fair that he gets the full blame. 

"Yeah, no I get it," Hyunjin nods. "He just..." Fuck, what is he supposed to say?

You give him a few seconds before you prompt him again, "He just what?" You're being so patient. So understanding that you're still here letting Hyunjin save his ass. You should have called him a perv by now, slapping him across the face. But you didn't.

"He's just a dick." Fuck it. "I've already asked him to stop, but he just likes to torture me." You raise a curious eyebrow, but Hyunjin continues. "It was one time. I said that I think you're pretty just one time and he makes it his fucking mission to make sure he sees how much fun he's having with you."

That's not what you were expecting, but Hyunjin is far from done. "I would love to get to know you, to talk to you, but I'm such a pussy. That dick rubs it in my face how often you two hang out. Like, that's cool and all, but I want to rip my hair out." Hyunjin gets more confident as he talks, most likely getting riled up from talking about Minho, but you hardly mind.

"So, yes, it's weird. I know. But it's not my fault!" Hyunjin quickly scans the near-empty library at the raising of his voice. "Minho just keeps sending me you 'cuz he likes to tease me. That's all."

He stares at you and you stare back. A few seconds pass with quiet blinking before you realize you should say something.

"Oh."

Hyunjin groans, burying his beautiful face in his hands. You stare at his ashamed state, both pathetic and endearing. Truly, this isn't a big deal, but his dramatic reactions bring a small smile amidst the anxious atmosphere.

"So you think I'm pretty?" Hyunjin lets out a scoff, shaking his head at your question. "Is that really all you got from that?"

You shrug, but the smile on your lips still lingers. "Maybe. But that does sound annoying. I'm sure you get tired of looking at my pretty face all the time." Hyunjin laughs, finally picking his head up to look at you. His cheeks are flushed, his eyes like moon crescents. He gleams in the artificial lighting and it casts beautiful shadows on his features.

"Have you ever thought about getting back at Minho?"

Hyunjin stops his cheery laughter, eyes growing curious. He pinches his eyebrows together in thought, "I mean, does blocking count? Cuz if so, then yes."

You shake your head, lower lip caught between your teeth as a mischievous thought comes to mind. "I was thinking something a little more."

-

It's hard for Hyunjin to angle the camera at you. His hands keep shaking, the phone threatening to fall from his grasp right on your face. You're looking up at the lens from your knees, mouth full of cock. Your knees slightly ache from the bathroom tile floor, but you pay no mind. The main center of focus is quietly gagging on Hyunjin's length. That women's bathroom may be empty, but the sound of wet pops and smack echoes in the room rather embarrassingly. 

With a hard suck, you pull away from his cock. Hyunjin lets out a whine, hips shaking as you replace your mouth with your hand. 

"Are you getting my good angles?" You can't help but tease with swollen lips. Even in a messy state, he nods. You can't see his face, but you can see the black, tangled hair that moves. 

"Pretty," he chokes out as you pump him. " So so so pretty."

You flash your teeth at the camera, "Aw! Thanks. Do you think Minho will think so too?"

"Ye- Mmf!" He cuts himself off by pinching his lips. You've wrapped your lips around his girth again, sucking the tip while you stroke his shaft. He whines and whines, unable to stay quiet while staring at you through the phone. 

The video is wobbly but if he slows the footage down, he might be able to screenshot a few good frames. There's just something surreal about indirectly looking at your mouth take him inch by inch. It's like you're his personal pornstar, though he's keen on making sure little no one gets to see how good you look.

You relax the back of your throat, slowly pushing him deeper until his pubes barely tickle your nose. A soft gag comes from you, but you're determined on deep-throating him at least once. Hyunjin uses his free hand to brush a few strands from your face, coaxing you. You hum in appreciation and fit the last few bits.

Hyunjin's tip presses deep against the deepest part of you, pulsing from your tight throat. You can tell he's trying not to move, to fuck into your hot mouth to not overstimulate you. 

But he wants to. He can taste the orgasm on his tongue. So close, so warm, but you look so good with wide eyes. Tears brimming your lashes as you hollow your cheeks. 

Hyunjin moans, a long, drawled-out sound that makes him throw his head back. "Fuck. You're gonna make me cum." 

It's too difficult to speak, so you gently rock against his hips instead. As much as you would love for Hyunjin to bruise your mouth, this isn't the time. Right now, putting on a good show for the camera is your priority. To make sure you suck dick so good that Minho never bothers Hyunjin again with pictures.

His tip repeatedly hits the back of your throat, a little salty from the oozing precum. With one of your hands, you massage his balls. Hyunjin mewls at the sensation, toes curling in his shoes. His breath turns jagged, and now he can't help himself. His gentle hand turns rough as he reaches the back of your head. He makes a tight fist with your hair and drives his cock deep.

You gag, the tears finally falling from the relentless pace Hyunjin's set. He's already so close, you might as well let him use you.

"Look into the camera." Hyunjin's voice is rasp. While you were trying not to choke, your eyes were unfocused. Now you're trying desperately to look into the phone, mostly likely going cross-eyed from the force his his thrusts. 

His cock twitches in your mouth and you brace for the spurts of cum. Even as your prepare, you can't help the gurgled squeak you make on Hyunjin's cock at the salty release. He shoots his hot load down your throat, and all you can taste and feel is cum. Your hand tightens around his sack and they tense in your hold. 

He's moaning, panting like a dog behind the phone. Hyunjin gives a few more sloppy thrusts before pulling out, cum dribbling from the corner of your mouth. 

You groan as your throat empties, using your tongue to wipe the semen as Hyunjin's cock slowly goes down. Once the cum has collected, you flatten your tongue to give a good look to the camera before tucking your tongue in your mouth, swallowing.

"And, scene!"

note! I am in a but of a rut, but hopefully this'll help me get back on game!