#I should stop watching spoilers before I finish watching the event | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

cheapshrimpysheep · 1 year ago

Text

Meanwhile with Malleus

SUMMARY: You spent a lot of time with Malleus while the others fought ghosts. What could have happened in all that time? You needed to sleep before the party. And maybe he taught you how to play the organ.

CHARACTERS: Malleus Draconia x Reader 🐉🦐

TAGS: Fluff, GN Reader, Cuddles, Flirting, Kissing

WARNING: Spoilers from Twisted Halloween: Spectral Soiree

WORD COUNT: 2.830 words

COMMENTS: The truth is that I started writing this a few weeks (maybe months) ago and it has been on hold for a long time. As this event returned to the Eng Server I decided to finish it and post it in October.

I hope you enjoy 💚

After all that Halloween week, the Magicam Monsters and that parade, you were dead tired. You just wanted to rest after all that. But someone knocks on the door of Ramshackle Dorm.

“Tsunotarou?!” You didn't know whether to show that you were happy to see him or to ask if anything was wrong.

“Child of Man,” Malleus speaks with a smile “I'm here to invite you and the rest of the Ramshackle Dorm residents to an Halloween party at the Spectral Realm.”

You don't seem as happy about the idea as he thought you would be. And you were confused too. “A Halloween party? At the... what's the Spectral Realm?”

He briefly tells you about the ghosts and the party he plans to throw with the other NRC students at the Spectral Realm.

“I don't know if I can handle another party, Tsunotarou.” you say sadly “I'm really so tired.”

“Yeah...” Grim says “I mean, even if there's a feast, I still need to rest to have the energy to eat more.”

“Besides.” you look at the clock “Halloween is almost over.”

“Oh, don't worry about that little detail.” Malleus smiles and snaps his fingers. You stop listening to the clock ticking and when you look at the clock again it's eleven fifty-nine.

“Can you stop time?” you say almost in a whisper.

“You should know by now that I am capable of doing many things.” he smirk “But this spell is only affecting the Sage's Island. And about your tiredness, I'll let everyone else sleep until the party preparations are done, I can arrange a quiet place for you to rest in the Spectral Realm if you like.”

“We already sleep with ghosts so it shouldn't make much difference, right (Y/N)?” Grim says.

You sigh and end up accepting it. Malleus smile gladly and then looks at your tired posture.

“If you are also very tired from walking all day, I don't mind helping you.”

“Would you carry me in your arms?” you ask partly jokingly, partly hoping he would say yes.

He laughs, loving your boldness. “Are you sure you want to make such request?”

“Is that a no?”

“No, it is not a No. Fu fu. Honestly answering your question, yes, I would carry you if you needed. And yes, I would carry you to the Spectral Realm.” he smiles amusedly at you.

“Oh come on, just jump to his arms already or something!” Grim complains. “And do everyone a favour and get that room.”

You blush, Malleus laughs. “In fact, we should go. I don't want to keep Lilia waiting any longer. May I?” He asks you.

You nod and he picks you up, bridal style. One hand behind your knees and the other on your back. As easily as if you weighed nothing. Inevitably, you need to support yourself by putting your arms around his neck and your faces get very close. He’s smiling and his eyes looking at you affectionately.

“OI!” Grim complains again “My paws are hurting too. I also want to be carried.”

Malleus laughs again. “That can be arranged.” He turns his back to Grim and wraps his draconic tail around the little beast's waist. “MRAH!” And picks his up. “You are able to come by yourselves, correct?” he asks the three ghosts who have been watching in secret from you.

When you arrive at the Mirror chamber, Lilia was there waiting for you all. He just didn't expect Malleus to bring Grim with his tail and you in his arms. First Lilia worries.

“Oh! Did something happened? Did (Y/N) get hurt on your way here?”

You get even more embarrassed. Mainly because you knew that Malleus would tell Lilia the truth.

“Fu fu fu. Don't fret, Lilia.” Malleus smiles, like he's glad Lilia saw the two of you like this. “Child of Man is just really tired of walking all day and asked me if I could carry them.”

Lilia looks at you and gives you his sly smile. “Oh, truly? Fu fu fu. How daring for a human.”

“Can we go to that ghost world already?!” you hear Grim's voice complaining. “This is not that comfortable you know.” Malleus flicks his tail to the side, revealing to Lilia a Grim caught in a black dragon's tail. And Lilia starts to laugh heartily, almost bringing tears to his eyes.

Malleus only put you back on the ground when you arrived at the Sparkling Chamber. You took a moment to admire the place. But it didn't take long for you and Grim to start yawning.

“Ah, yes. I promised you that I would find you a place to rest.” Malleus remembers.

“Indeed, (Y/N) must rest.” Lilia says “I sure know how harmful lack of sleep can be to a human. If I'm not mistaken, I think there are some rooms beyond this Chamber that you can use.”

Malleus would go with you to find a room while Lilia started getting the chamber ready for the party.

You found a good one, but it had no furniture or what little it had was broken. You comment on trying to find another one, but Malleus says that won't be necessary. With a snap of his fingers the room is cleaned and the furniture repaired.

In one corner of the small room was an antique carved pine single bed. The sheets were white and the cover a pale purple. Similar to Malleus' own bed in Diasomnia. Grim jumped to the foot of the bed and was asleep in seconds. You, on the other hand, look a little unease.

“I can change your clothes to pajamas with magic if it makes you more comfortable.” Malleus suggests.

You say that would help a lot, so he gestures and your Halloween costume changes to pale green pajamas. It was comfortable, like the bed you sit on. But even so, there was still something that didn't leave you completely at ease.

“I know I sleep in a dorm with ghosts now.” You explain. “But I only sleep well today because I've gotten used to them and the dorm has had some improvements. But I almost couldn't sleep the first few nights. I don't know if I'll be able to fall asleep here.”

“I see. Would you feel more rested if I stayed by your side until you fell asleep?” He was smiling, like he was sure you were going to say no.

When you say yes, he is taken aback for a moment. His bright green eyes looking at you wide open in astonishment. But then he remembered who he was talking to and laughed with the greatest of joys. He smiled warmly at you. “You know, I believe some children want company to fall asleep so that person can protect them from me. This is... an interesting... no, delightful turn of events. I dare say”

You open the sheets and lie down. After placing them on top of you and settling down on the bed, Malleus sits down beside you. He could use magic to put you to sleep, but he didn't want to. He wanted to see if you genuinely felt comfortable around him to the point where you could fall asleep.

“Briar Valley has many lullabies.” He tells you, with the softest of voices. “Sleep and dreams are deeply embedded in our culture. Would you like me to sing you one of our lullabies? Allowed me to guess, your answer is yes.”

“You can't make a proposal like that and expect me to say no.” You say with a soft smile and already with your eyes closed.

Malleus chuckles and happily fulfills your request. He sings to you in a sweet tone, that becomes even more affectionate when he looks at your sleepy smile.

When he finishes, you are already fast asleep. He is smiling looking at you and take one of his hands to your head. But stop before touching you, hesitating. As if he's afraid that the moment he touches you, you'll startle awake. But even so, he took the risk.

He puts his hand on your head, stroking your hair. And you don't wake up. Actually, your smile comes back slightly. He is so happy about it. And he decides to risk it just one more time.

He leans over you and kisses your forehead. And you were still sleeping. “Dream of me. As I dream of you.”

He stayed with you for a while longer. Before he finally left to assist with the party preparations, he did two things. First, he cast another spell so that outside noises wouldn't disturb your sleep. And second, he put a paper on your bedside table in case you wake up earlier than necessary. It said that since you had no way of knowing if you slept too much or too little, because time was still, you didn't have to worry that he would wake you up when the time came.

And that is what happened. You feel a kiss on your cheek and a familiar voice in a sweet tone saying your name. You open your eyes to find Malleus's bright green ones looking at you, over a sweet smile.

“We hear that the other students have already woken up and are on their way here.” Malleus explains, sitting on your bed watching you stretch. “So we figured you should have gotten enough rest too. Did you sleep well?”

“I did. Thank you so much.” you sit on the bed.

“For asking?” He seems confused that you would thank him so much for something so trivial.

“No. For what you've done. For fixing the room, giving me a comfortable bed and mostly staying with me until I fall asleep. I probably wouldn't have been able to sleep here without you.” You hear snoring at the foot of your bed, behind Malleus who was facing you. “Unlike Grim.”

Malleus seems very happy about what you said. And there was something he really wanted to ask you. “Do you happen to remember what you dreamed? People dream every night, but sometimes they forget about them and that's why they think they didn't dream that night.”

A dream? You think. And yes, you remember! But you say it was a silly dream. When the truth is, you're slightly embarrassed.

“I've heard that the silly dreams can be the most meaningful.” Malleus says. “I would love to hear about yours. But if it's something you don't want to tell me, I understand. Dreams can be extremely personal.”

You think about it. It was no dream that I couldn't tell anyone. It was even...cute. So you decide to tell him.

You remember you were in a forest, for some reason. You lived there? You had lots of animal friends and you remember singing and dancing with them. What you were singing... you recognize... it was the lullaby Malleus sang to you. There was an owl wearing the cape of the Houseworden of Diasomnia, a rabbit in each black boot with green heels, and a squirrel with a small pillbox hat, balancing on top of the owl's head.

When you finish describing this part, both you and Malleus are laughing. “I wouldn't be surprised if I ever witness the same scenario with Silver's clothes.” Malleus comments between laughs. But you hadn't finished telling the dream yet.

As you danced with the animals, someone appeared behind you and continued singing and dancing with you, making that song a duet. When you turn around, you find Malleus.

“Did I scared you?” He asks about the Malleus in the dream. He was smiling, but you knew that wasn't his real smile. It was a smile that hid some apprehension.

“No, of course not. I was very happy to meet you there.” He looked like you had lifted a weight off his shoulders with just those words of yours. The next thing you remember is dancing with Malleus in a ballroom. and what you were wearing was constantly changing color because... Two Lilias? Were arguing about whether you should be wearing green or purple.

And with that the two of you started laughing again. Malleus said you should tell that last part to Lilia, he'll love it.

“I dreamed of flying tuna cans.” Grim said, to prove that he too was already awake. "But I couldn't catch any. It was a nightmare.”

“Fret not, Grim. There will be plenty of food for you when everyone arrives and the party begins.” Malleus assured him. “And now that you two are awake, I should change your clothes back.” He wave his hand and Grim's hat and cap come back, but this time they're green instead of purple.

He gets up from your bed and holds out his hand to you, like one of those gentleman helping you out of the carriage. You give him your hand and get out of the bed. Then he surprises you by spinning you, like the dance move.

When the spin ends your clothes have changed. But not like Grim's that stayed the same, just changing the colour. Your clothes were also green now, where once were purple, but they weren't the same as the ones the ghosts gave you. It looks like an improved version, with more details and accessories. Malleus looked at you as if admiring you and proud of his work.

“How do I look?” you ask.

“Wonderful.” He simply says with a smile, as if it were an obvious truth.

He offers you his arm for you to walk arm in arm into the Sparkling Hall. He tells you about the plans for the party as you walk down the hall and explains about the mirror ball. And when he tells you that he plans to play the organ during the party you are so excited and curious that you ask him if he could play something for you.

He smiles. “I think there will be no problem. I may even take this opportunity to practice.” He takes you to the organ and asks you to sit next to him while he plays.

It's no surprise that he plays beautifully. You look at him playing which practically hypnotizes you. Your ears appreciate music while your eyes appreciate him.

He looks at you smiling, as if he knew you were looking at him the whole time. He lets you get flattered, he loves seeing you like that, before asking you: “You can play?”

“Organ? Oh no, I don't.”

“Would you like to try? We have plenty of time until the guests arrive. I can teach you a simple melody.”

You accept his offer. He smiles happily.

“I'm glad. I'm eager to hear you play. Even if it is a basic song. However, forgive me if this is an impolite question, but would you mind sitting on my lap while I teach you? it will be easier for me to show you the keys and the correct way to move your fingers from a similar perspective as yours.”

You try to say you don't mind without showing how happy you really are. However, it's not that easy, and he laughs with delight that you not only don't mind but are happy with the suggestion.

You sit on his lap and hear a soft sound on the floor behind you. You glance back and Malleus tries to hide his draconic tail whose tip was happily wagging. You don't hide your giggle. Your back finds his chest, his hands cover yours to indicate the keys you should play and he begins to teach you a simple but beautiful song.

After a few minutes, you forget the world. It's just you, Malleus and the organ. You fail a few notes and he corrects you with a laugh. When you get it right you hear him congratulating you and saying you're doing well. And all the while you can feel the affection he has for you, the gentle way he holds your hands, the sweet way he talks to you even when you miss the notes. Until you end up reaching the end of the song.

“Wonderful.” Malleus says with a sweet and dreamy voice “That was the most beautiful play I ever heard.”

“But I failed so many notes.” You remember him, smiling.

“I'm very aware of that. But it was the first thing I heard you play. So it will always be special to me from now on.” he takes his hands out of yours and hugs you around the waist. And lay his head on your shoulder. “You will always be special to me.” he whispers in your ear, and kiss your cheek.

You hear that sound of his tail wagging happily on the ground behind you again.

If you decide to tip your head back, tell him how you feel about him and allow him to kiss your lips, you will receive the most loving kiss and he will hug you tighter.

If you would like to read more from me, you can find it in my pinned post: INDEX

#Twisted Wonderland #twst #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #disney twisted wonderland #twst imagines #twst wonderland #twst fluf #Twisted Wonderland Fluf #twst fluff #Twisted Wonderland Fluff #Twisted Halloween #Malleus Draconia #Malleus Draconia x Reader #Malleus x Reader

1K notes · View notes

damn-stark · 4 months ago

Text

Chapter 25 Loss Of My Life

Chapter 25 of Moonlight

A/N- 💔🖤

Warning- Swearing, talks of pregnancy and blood, ANGST, some fluff? Violence, death, and SPOILERS!! FOR FUTURE EVENTS OF HOTD, USING FIRE AND BLOOD, long chapter.

Pairing- Aemond Targaryen x Velaryon!fem-reader, Cregan Stark x Velaryon!fem-reader

Episode/Pages- 469-490

(If you want to be tagged let me know)

————

How long can bliss last when it’s being poisoned by the knowledge of a dooming death?

Night soon turns to morning and you have yet to utter the reason why you came after Aemond. Then again even if the sun is miraculously out in the rainy slums of the Riverlands, for you it’s like the sun's light never rose and replaced the dark night. For you, the world is dull and dark as all that occupies your mind is the thought of his looming death.

Or so that’s what Helaena said.

You try to deny it. All night you tried to be in denial and think that she was wrong, but you know better. You know she’s never been wrong about a dream she’s foretold, so why would this one be any different? And it’s not like she’s deceitful to try and play it off that way. She’s right and no matter how many alternatives you try to think of, there’s no way around it.

Except if you leave and are never found again. It would hurt those you love to leave without a word or a trace, but if it saves Aemond from his doom then you can’t be against it. You aren’t…

Is he?

But are you really not against it? Leaving your mother behind? Vanessa? Your cousins, and…him too? Everything you have ever known?

One thing is dreaming of leaving. One thing is thinking about it without actually attempting to do it, and actually planning to leave is another thing. Are you really able to do it?

You think about the answer as you watch how the stream moves downriver. You’re meant to catch fish for lunch later, but so far you’re empty-handed and simply full of thoughts until the moment Aemond’s reflection appears on the water and pulls you from the depths of your unraveled mind.

“Should I still hold faith in your skill?” He says lightheartedly as he notices the lack of fish, making you stand up from your crouched position and flash him a very faint smile. You try to respond with something witty, but at that moment you’re so plagued by your poisonous thoughts that you can’t muster the energy to do so. You just lose your smile and look down at the ground as you fiddle with your sapphire ring.

Aemond takes note of your lack of response right away and can no longer ignore how quiet and melancholy you’ve been all morning.

“What’s wrong?” Aemond finally picks on your silence and long dragging frown.

You stop fiddling with your ring but keep your eyes downcasted, stealing a breath before you finally share what’s been plaguing you. You can’t avoid it anymore or it will destroy you from the inside out.

“Aemond…I came to find you because,” you pause and take another breath as if what you’re going to say is the most taxing thing ever. “Helaena told me…that you are going…to,” you stop and lightly shake your head as you can’t accept what you’re about to share out loud.

However, you do, you say it but with every word hurting every part of you. “…Die in fourteen days.”

Not a single breath of shock escapes past Aemond’s lips. He doesn’t utter a word of disbelief, or move to express any single emotion. He stays where he is and remains as still as he was, making you believe that he somehow didn’t hear you or that he’s just speechless, so you slowly trail your eyes up to read him, but you don’t catch what you expect. His lips are parted but when your eyes find his, he closes his mouth and looks at you with his eyes simply caught under a mist.

Nothing of what you just revealed seemed to have fazed him so you slowly work around that confusion and begin to assume that he already knew.

It looks like he does and you only just found out his secret. That’s how you read his face.

“You…”

“I knew,” Aemond finishes for you since can barely voice your response. “Helaena told me the night you found out about your father leaving.”

You’re hit with shock. Instead of Aemond, you are the one hit with disbelief that causes your eyebrows to knit together, and your lip to form into a deeper and more displeased frown.

“But,” Aemond interjects to try and immediately console you. “It’s not true. I am not going to die in fourteen days or at all during this war,” he says but lacks confidence, you can hear the attempt to sound so, but you can’t feel it oozing off him or displayed on his long face.

“She was wrong. You can’t trust the words of a mad woman, and Helaena has never been sane,” he adds but nothing of what he says works to comfort your aching soul or running mind—“I am going to outlive her prophecy.”

“Story,” you mutter under your breath and step forward with a spike in energy and take his hands to hold them within your hold before you drag your hands up his arms, and then slowly slide them up to his face as if taking your time to take note of the smallest details.

“We can leave,” you share a plan that you mindlessly have no more doubts about. You say the words to him and you know that you can in fact leave it all behind for him. You found your answer in his eye.

“Together,” you continue with a nervous smile as you stroke his face. “I need only fly to King's Landing to get Aerion, but after that we can take our dragons and escape to Yi-Ti, to somewhere far, somewhere beautiful where we can raise our children. Where we can have the rest of our family and not worry about any feuds between our families. We could build a keep of our own by the sea so we can teach our children to fish, where we need not worry about a thing. Where we only have to think about our love and our children. Our family.”

You nod softly in hopes that he will mirror your actions and escape away with you, but no matter how intently he listens and holds your glistening eyes, he doesn’t utter a word or even let his head twitch. Thus you continue.

“Our children wouldn't have to have anything stolen from them like things were taken from us. They wouldn’t have to yearn for what they deserve. They wouldn’t have to be bullied or be sent away. They would grow happy and have everything we didn’t. We,” you press breathlessly and put more force on the hold you have on his cheeks. “We would be happy. We would be together until the rest of our days.”

Aemond holds your gaze with nothing to say with neither his words nor his eyes. He looks at you with a soft and admiring gaze that lets him press his forehead against yours and makes you believe that he will finally give in to your proposal.

Alas as that relief and happiness start to spark and attempt to take down your agony and cure you of that poison, when he pulls back he looks at you with a confidence he couldn’t muster before. Thus that cure, that relief, and that joy die out just as quickly as they started to grow, making you desperate and causing those tears in your eyes to grow a lot thicker than before.

“Please,” you beg and stroke his cheeks again. “Please Aemond.” You cry.

Aemond tilts his head as he swallows back thickly and you read his refusal to accept your proposal, causing you to peel away from him and step back with a gasp.

“Trust me,” he finally gives voice to the thoughts that have been running behind his eye. “My love, trust that I will win. That I will live. You hold so much blind faith in the words of mad witches and women that you fail to see the reality. Vhagar is strong. Vhagar is powerful. Vhagar will kill Caraxes and Daemon. We will win this war and give our children that same happy life that you want them to have in Yi-Ti, here. I will not die.”

You want to believe him. You want to believe every word that just came out of his mouth. You want to believe Helaena is wrong, but you would be oh so stupid to do so. And you can’t be stupid, not when it comes to your sanity because if you let yourself believe what he wants you to believe the reality will destroy you. There’s already little left of you, you can’t handle more pain. Not like that. Not again.

“You believe that?” Your voice quivers.

Aemond stays quiet for a second before he nods stiffly. “I know it,” he deadpans.

You blink repeatedly as tears crawl out of your eyes and nod before you step back and throw out a response he isn’t expecting. “If that’s what you believe then so be it, but I will not stay and watch you fight because I know the truth. You are going to die if you don’t leave and I for one won’t be around to watch it.” You throw out with tears crawling down your cheeks before you turn swiftly in an attempt to storm away, however, Aemond is quick and captures your arm to turn you and face him.

He’s about to say something to counter what you just said but you pull your arm from his grasp and continue voicing your emotion-filled argument. “No. No! You don’t know what it’s like watching someone die in your arms. You,” your breath trembles. “You don’t know what it’s like hearing someone take their last breath. You don’t know what it's like to feel helpless as you hold the dying body of someone you love. You don’t—you don’t. You don’t know!” You exclaim and shove him back with force brought by your grief and frustration.

“But I do, I lived it. I live it every day in my dreams. Jacaerys dies again and again every day in my dreams. My father does too. Every night. I watch them die in my arms every night and every night I’m reminded that I couldn't do anything to save them. To save Jace,” you mewl and wipe away the stream of tears off the curve of your cheeks. “I won’t have you haunting my dreams too. Grieving you every day of my life will be enough pain already. I won’t put myself through more just because you have a death wish.”

Aemond draws in a deep shaky breath and brings his chin up to look down at you with a glossy eye and pain.

“You’ll leave then?” He mutters to the bitter air. “Back to her? You’ll leave me again for her?”

You let out a shaky sigh and grow softer this time. “It’s because I love you that I’m leaving,” you remind him of something he should know, but something that he himself isn't sure of after he heard your speech. It’s like your lack of belief in him pierced his heart. It aches.

“It’s because I love you so much that I have to go,” you continue to say. “I love you Aemond. Everyone I know says I shouldn’t, everyone I know says you’re bad for me, but to me, that’s all nonsense because I love you. I am in love with you and no one can ever replace you, but it’s because I love you so deeply that I can’t watch you die.”

Tears continue to run down your face, as well as down Aemond’s face. You both look at each other with such a deep and harrowing heartache that only people who love each other could ever express.

“If that’s what you believe then,” he says in a shaky voice. “You must know…no, you must remember that you are the love of my life. I will never and I have never loved anyone as much as I have loved you.” He nods gently, and you stand there before him and just cry as you take in his words—“the truth is you are the only person in this world that I love. You are my weakness and strength. My heart belongs to you and only you. So go if that’s what you want. I won’t stop you. I won’t fight you. Not anymore.”

You ignore the screaming pain and nod since you can’t form a single syllable before you turn and walk away, with every step you take not being able to stop weeping.

You clutch onto your chest in hopes that will ease the pain, but you can’t breathe. You can’t see anything but the cloudy field that your teary eyes leave.

Nothing makes sense and everything hurts. It hurts so much, so deeply that you can’t think or feel. You’re numb as you walk further and further away defiantly, but, with every step that defiance to leave faltering until it completely breaks and you find yourself at a stop before you can reach your dragon.

Albeit before you can turn and return to Aemond, you let thoughts cross your mind and every single one of them tells you to get on your dragon and return home or join the Northern and Rivermen army, but your heart, oh, your feeble heart takes you back to Aemond, and you find him as he’s heading back to the hut.

“Swear,” you cry out. “Swear that you will fight with your life. Swear that you will live and I won’t leave you ever again. I will follow you anywhere and everywhere. Just swear.”

Aemond looks deep into your eyes and feels baffled at first, but when he sees that you’re being sincere he responds with what you’re seeking. “I swear.”

You take a deep breath and nod stiffly. “Okay,” you mutter.

——

Minutes turn to hours. Hours to days and days turn to two weeks.

Two weeks of always trudging along with the memory of Helaena’s words of the future, of the fate that awaits Aemond, the infamous love of your life.

He says such a fate is impossible, be assured he keeps saying. Believe in me he says over and over again, and as much as you want to, as much as you want to look at this foretold future in the face and deny its cruel tellings, if you let yourself believe then you will be crushed. You’ve known it before and you know it now.

It’s like a stain you can never remove. It’s always there in your peripheral vision, annoying and coming to your attention every time you forget about it.

“What happens after? After you kill Daemon?” You query slowly as if speaking as such will grant you more time.

Aemond looks away from your intertwined hands and briefly meets your eyes. “We join Daeron. With Cole dead there’s nowhere to go but to my brother.”

That’s if Daeron is still alive. The two dragonriders went to stop him and two old dragons with more experience than Tessarion should be enough to have taken Daeron down. Yet you don’t have a way to know in the middle of the forest.

“I’m sad Ser Gwayne had to die too,” you comment and earn Aemond’s immediate attention—“he was nice and good to be around.”

Aemond huffs and you smile faintly at the water surrounding your naked bodies.

“But seriously now, what of Aegon,” you continue to wonder. “There’s been no word of him so my guess is he’s still alive. Besides, the worst ones always have good luck don’t they?”

Aemond starts caressing your knuckles and sighs deeply before he sits up straight in the tub and looks at you smugly. “What is a cockless man worth to a building legacy? To a kingdom? He’s worthless now. If he’s found I’ll make him pass the crown to me. I have an heir, he doesn’t. I have the ability to have more children to continue our legacy. He doesn’t. I’m worth more than him, he’ll be…thrown aside.”

Well he is right about that, a king needs his heir and by their terms, he doesn't have them nor can he have them anymore, so he’s not much use to anyone, but would he give up the crown so easily?

Doubtful but he is gone so who knows?

“I suppose you’re right,” you interject to not answer him with silence.

Aemond hums in return and lets his head loll to the side as he now takes his time to study your face carrying a permanent sorrow, as if your eyes have already seen the tragedy you have to suffer tomorrow.

“Once we meet with Daeron I suppose we would stay where he is until the twins are born. They’re almost here,” he says and makes you pick your eyes off the water to pass him a faint smile.

“What is it?” He doesn’t hesitate to pick up on your sadness that’s a lot more prominent today. Just a day before Helaena says he’s going to die.

“Just worried,” you share even though he knows because he’s heard it multiple times already and he can see it so clearly on your face.

“It’s misplaced,” he brings up quickly as if the words were recited. “I told you I won’t die soon. Not against Daemon. Not during this war.”

Your eyes soften as your grief threatens to bring tears to your eyes, but you refuse to cry so you just look at him with a saddened look that pulls his body to you so he can sit in between your legs and lay his head back on your chest.

“I’ll be okay,” he says softly.

You hold his gaze to seek for more reassurance, to clutch onto some sort of bliss to ease your aching chest, but as you look deep into his blue eye all you get in return is more agony. It’s such a burning thing. So heavy on your chest. So plaguing.

Why is it that Aemond tends to make you so sad? Is this what love brings? Is this what it has to offer? A lifetime of sadness? Is loving someone supposed to hurt so much?

Staying in the hut, counting down the days to the foretold day has made you open your eyes to this nonstop sadness he keeps cursing you with and it’s truly disheartening, like cold water to the naked body. It makes you wish at times that perhaps you should have stayed true to your screaming desires and left when he said he would continue fighting despite being told he would die. You should have saved yourself the pain, but you stayed like a love-sick idiot.

You stayed and stay despite your troubles, insisting on sticking by him, and following him away from the hut on dragonback because like a fool you make yourself believe those words he kept repeating over and over again in your ear.

There’s not even hints of realization penetrating your mind that his doom can be only a hairsbreadth away when Aemond is proven right in believing Daemon would be at Harrenhal, the jewel of the Riverlands. You believe the promises Aemond made you because you refuse to think Helaena is right even though you spot the Red dragon Caraxes resting by the blackened castle the moment you fly above it, casting large darkened shadows with your dragons that give a short false sense of belief that the grey cloudy day was shunned and taken over by the night.

You believe Aemond is right with the fragments that remain of your heart. You believe him even through the sorrow he’s made you feel because that’s what he asks of you. You believe because no matter what, you love him. And it’s because you love him that you grab his biceps with force and plead one more time before Daemon can meet you and Aemond in the field.

“There’s still time, Aemond. We can mount our dragons and leave. We don’t even have to go far, we can fly to Daeron. Just choose before he comes.”

Aemond slides his arms away from your grasp to be able to cup your cheeks and pull in closer to you. “Your head is still in the clouds dreaming. Just like when we were young,” he speaks softly, but with no sign that he heard a word you said—“I’m not running. Not from Daemon. Not from this fight. The climax of this war is finally at hand, I will not cower now when my victory is near. Can’t you feel it?”

A pit grows in your stomach and a mist already covers your eyes, but you don’t dare believe anything else but what he says.

“Now come on,” he adds as he pulls away and leads the way away from the dragons, revealing your presence to not only Daemon but Alys too. She trails behind him with her eyes stuck on you.

“Nuncle I hear you have been seeking us,” Aemond breaks the silence first, but can’t break through that tension building up as Daemon gets closer and closer with no hint of fear, disbelief, or hesitation. He looks as he always does, smug, but probably even more so now that Aemond is right across from him.

“Only you,” Daemon retorts but then his eyes find you. “I can’t say I’m surprised, Princess. I can’t imagine your mother's heartache though.”

You swallow back nervously and cast your eyes down to the ground out of shame.

“Who told you where to find me?” Daemon then continues to direct at Aemond. “The princess?”

“Where else would you be?” Aemond remarks sassily. “Besides, I was told to come here by my sister.”

You slowly bring your eyes back up and glance at Aemond before you look back at Daemon, catching Alys stopping a few paces away from where he stops.

“You were a fool to come alone,” Aemond continues to throw at Daemon and puffs his chest out with a boost of confidence. “Or are you going to let witches fight your battles now?”

Daemon steals a glimpse at Alys and shakes his head before he meets Aemond's gaze. “No, she’s merely a friend who told me you’d come meet me here. She was right, and I’m right in knowing that you wouldn’t have come if I wasn’t alone.”

Aemond scoffs and flashes him a smirk. “Yet you are, and here I am. You have lived too long, Nuncle.”

Daemon nods stiffly. “On that much we agree,” he deadpans before he starts to turn around, only stopping to look at you before he can give you and Aemond his back.

“Do right by your mother, if not just don’t bother returning home,” he gives it to you bluntly without hesitation or remorse. Rather he sounds concerned and looks it too before he gives you his back and starts to make his way to his dragon.

However, before he can get too far, you interject. “Daemon.”

Said man comes to a halt in his tracks and lifts his head but doesn’t look back, letting you know he’s paying attention regardless.

“Is there anything you want me to tell Baela or Rhaena? Or my mother?” You ask not because you’re certain he’ll die but just in case he does.

Albeit he doesn’t pass you any messages. He simply shakes his head and speaks up in High Valyrian about another matter. “<Be the great fire that you’re meant to be. I know you can.>”

Your lips part in surprise and you’re left behind completely taken aback by what he chose to say. It’s true that your last interaction was kind, there was no resentment from you. You actually…became acquainted, but despite that, hearing him be kind is still surprising. It makes you think that perhaps if you hadn’t been so adamant about hating him you would have enjoyed having him as a stepfather.

Maybe in another life…

In this one, once he’s put some distance between him and you, you turn to Aemond with a shaky breath and see him walking to you with Blackfyre in hand.

“I want you to take care of it while I’m fighting Daemon,” he shares and hands you the sheathed sword.

“Why?” You probe as you look at it before meeting his gaze with confusion, seeing him look at the other sword around his hip; the one you had done for him a while ago with the Valyrian steel chain your grandmother had gifted you.

“I have this one. I prefer this one,” he says and looks back at you, making you hum softly with a flustered smile spreading on your lips.

Yet that smile soon thereafter falters, and a tense frown replaces it as you’re overfilled with worry as the time to fight Daemon is upon him.

“You swore,” you whisper shakily and he drops his head as he closes the gap between you to gently place his hand on your cheek. “Aemond,” you call out for his reassurance. “You swore.”

He nods softly before letting his eye find your gaze, feeling at that exact moment his eye softening and his pupil dilating. You both want to say so much, you want to speak so many I love you’s, but what are words compared to your love-filled gazes already speaking a thousand words that otherwise would have gone unheard?

“Do you believe in me?” He asks and with those words asking for your confession that he already knows but needs to hear for reassurance, and you…whatever doubt you had, whatever fear you have been carrying since you heard his fate, is nonexistent at this very moment. You believe him wholeheartedly.

“I believe in you,” you reassure him and drop the sword to throw your arms around his neck and clash your lips against his.

Aemond quickly secures his grasp on your cheeks and deepens that kiss. He savors the sweet taste, making it easy for you to linger in the moment, in the passionate gesture, and take more and more from him in hopes that would convince him to stay.

Alas, his mind is made and after a while, when you both need to breathe he parts, leaving only a string of saliva connecting the two of you.

“I love you,” you say breathlessly and a smile flickers on his lips.

“<I love you too,>” he redirects in High Valyrian and continues to look deep into your eyes as if trying to memorize every detail. All while you do the same with him to delay the inevitable.

If only you could stop him, but…reality comes knocking as he pulls away, stealing one last moment before he turns away from you and goes toward Vhagar, leaving you stranded where you stand unable to do anything but watch him reach his old dragon and scale her.

Once Aemond has mounted her he looks down at you from his saddle and flashes you a confident smirk, causing you to pass him a sweet smile in return and let it linger until he looks ahead and you’re no longer reflected in his eye.

Yet it’s only once Vhagar has taken to the skies that you pick up Blackfyre and turn to Alys.

“I know where we can watch the fight,” she says first as you can’t find any words to say, not at that moment. You find your breath and the ability to form words, but you don’t actually share them because you’re going to ask how this fight is going to end and she will give you the answer one way or the other, and you don't want to know so you remain speechless and follow her to the highest tower Harrenhal has.

A tower so high it almost touches the clouds, the wind is sharp and bitter, the lake looks like a glimmering sheet, and the view of both dragon and Dragonriders is clear. So clear and so close in fact it’s like you’re almost on top of your own dragon and there with them in battle.

Yet the distinction is clear right away when the first attack is given by Caraxes as he barrels down on Vhagar and Aemond, sinking his sharp teeth in her neck, and you not being able to do anything to help. You forcefully stand there frozen in shock and your breath stolen as if you had been hit yourself when you see the force Caraxes uses to slam into Vhagar.

Thankfully, the dragons are the only ones harmed, filling the air with their sharp and pained shrieks, and exchanging gashes with their piercing claws. Despite not wearing armor, Aemond is still unharmed and secured on Vhagar, making you fully and blindly lean towards believing him and believing that what you heard was false. It’s just not so foolish now, is it? Even though Caraxes refuses to loosen his jaw around Vhagar’s neck, your spirits are high because Vhagar is bigger, fierce, and battle-hardened.

The she-dragon jabs her claws in Caraxes’ flesh, making the dragon breathe out fire in hopes of burning her enough to stop, but she mirrors his blast and their fires paint the sky like an unsettling fiery storm. All whilst not burning any rider, but letting you and Alys feel heat waves crashing over you again and again until Vhagar shrieks so loud and so full of pain that it almost feels like the stones that make the tower shake beneath your feet.

And since both dragons are barreling towards the God’s Eye, you press your hands on the stone railing and lean over to look down as they sink down faster, letting you catch the way Caraxes’ teeth sink deeper in Vhagar’s flesh, pulling out a stream of blood from every wound.

In retaliation, the green beast only sinks her claws deeper into Caraxes’ belly and this time manages to slash his belly open. She then chomps down on Caraxes’ shoulder and tears away his wing, filling you with an urgency to see Aemond act against Daemon, or attempt something to strike the man down. Albeit both dragons are falling too fast, and neither of them attempt or can get away from each other just enough to gain more momentum. They’re falling fast and taking their riders with them.

Or so that’s what it seemed like because from one moment to the next you catch a glint against Daemon’s shining armor as he moves. Yes, Daemon sits up and swings one foot over his saddle, all while unsheathing his sword from his hip.

You part your lips to warn Aemond, to tell him to try something to escape the man’s wrath, but all you can do is draw in a sharp and shaky breath. The horror that hits you leaves you mute and keeps your breath, hostage, as you watch Aemond release one of his restraints to attempt to move away as he catches what Daemon is going to do.

Alas even as Aemond is on his last restraint, his attempts are futile, Daemon jumps off his dying dragon nearing the lake at a great speed, and gravity pulls him down to Aemond’s own saddle at a quick speed, causing your eyes to widen with despair and terror. Yet not a single word or breath continues to come out of you. You remain frozen and hopeful. You believe.

You have to believe in some miracle because Aemond is strong. He is skillful. He is smart. He can fight Daemon’s wild actions. You believe and believe with all your might. With all of you.

However, no matter what, or how much you plead, you witness Daemon swing his arm back before he pierces Dark Sister through Aemond’s remaining eye so hard, and so fast that the point rams out the other side, striking your hope and riddling you with shock and horror. You try to cry out his name, but a blood-curdling cry leaves your gaping mouth. And when the dragons at last slam into the water, your soul and those remaining fragments of your heart shatter.

Alys reaches out for you, she grabs your shoulder and tries to turn you around as she calls your name so you can calm down. Not for you but for the babies, but you’re so shocked by the scene you were just a witness that your first instinct is to refuse to accept the facts. Thus you push her away and run.

You run down the flight of stairs with your blood pumping wildly in your veins, leaving you unable to hear anything but the rushing blood, and leaving you unable to see a thing but what is right directly in front of you.

You’re so driven by your refusal to accept what you saw that your way to the lake is a blur. All that occupies your mind is Aemond. Aemond. Aemond, and Aemond.

He’s going to be okay. He’s alive. He’s alive. He’ll be okay. He promised. He promised. He swore!

Please, please, please…

Your feet hit the water and you snap out of your stupor to search the blood-tainted waters for any sign of Aemond either trying to swim away or still clung to his saddle. You don’t bother to keep an eye out for Daemon, you forget about his existence as you slosh through the bloody water.

“Aemond!” You cry out. “Aemond!”

A hand clutches your shoulder so you snap around swiftly but you’re greeted with Alys’ green eyes.

“No,” you mutter as you recognize that it’s not who you’re looking for. “No.”

“Stop, you can’t go any deeper. Daemon,” she pauses and you catch tears brimming in her eyes. “And Aemond are dead,” she says to try and make you come to terms with the truth, but you’re ignorant to the truth and angry that she would dare and make such a horrible claim. “There was no surviving that strike. And there’s no surviving that fall. They’re gone. They’re dead. Now come on, it’s not good for you or for—”

“I don’t care!” You yell back and slap her hand off you. “I don’t care!”

You turn back around and continue to trudge through the water which becomes heavier and heavier to manage as you go in deeper.

“Aemond!” You cry out. “Aemond…please…” you trail off into a broken whisper and come to a stop as the water hits your chest.

“Aemond!” You call out and search the waters, every perimeter that you can see, but dragon remains are all that float on the surface.

Yet even then you cling onto hope and wait, wait, and wait some more in hopes he’ll descend from the bloody waters and come to you to prove that he fulfilled his promise to you so as to not leave you alone in this cruel world.

He can’t leave you alone. He’s going to…survive so you wait to avoid feeling the sea of pain you’re holding back.

Eventually, the water once boiling by the steam coming from the dragon's blood is cool, and your body starts to shiver since you are not immune to the cold like you are to the fire and the heat’s touch, but still, you wait and avoid the truth, believing Aemond will rise from the depths of the water.

Alys continues trying to pull you away but again you push away her attempts. It’s not until you’re forcefully turned around and facing…Addam that you start to return to reality.

“A-Addam?” You call out in disbelief and raise your hands wrinkled by the water to touch his face and prove to yourself that he is in fact here, holding you. “Addam, wh-what are you…”

“I will tell you later, you just need to get out of the water. You’re freezing and shivering.” He scolds you and starts pulling you. You move with him but then stop and look back at the gruesome scene sinking in the water.

“But…” you trail off as you slowly start to grasp onto truth. “Aemond,” you breathe out and start to gape like a fish out of water as the truth starts to seep through.

“Oh,” you gasp and flashes of Daemon piercing his sword in Aemond’s skull and killing him at that instant passes through your head, making the undeniable slap you in the face.

“No,” you quiver and let Addam go to turn and face the remains sinking in the water. “Aemond,” your voice trembles, and your chest clenches, it hurts. Your entire being hurts. It all hurts.

“No, no, no…” you trail off and lose balance, but luckily Addam catches you and pulls you up. When you meet his eyes that look at you with pity all those emotions that you were pushing back burst through all the barriers you put up and flood your system, filling you with agonizing pain that starts from your chest and spreads like waves all throughout, shattering everything you are, what little you held onto, and leaving nothing but a sad little husk of your body. That’s what it did, Aemond’s death left nothing but a shell that’s riddled with the memory of pain. And all you can do is cry out, filling the cold air with your heartbroken wail.

“Come on,” Addam tries to lure you out of the water. He grabs your arm to drag you out, but you fall limp and your knees hit the lake floor.

“I can’t. I can’t,” you repeat and shake your head. “No. He promised. He promised me. He has to come back.”

Addam looks at Alys but she couldn’t even break through your stupor so she lets Addam continue to help.

“He’s gone, okay?”

You weep at the sound of his words and he hisses as he realizes his mistake.

“He has to come back to me,” you cry. “He has to. He promised. I love him. I can’t leave him here alone.”

“I know, I know,” Addam mutters and grabs your face so you have no other option but to look him in the eyes. “I hear you, but listen, he’s gone. He’s not coming back. But you. You’re breathing and your babes, his babes, they need you alive. All of them. Would he want you to die here?”

You shake your head as your falling streams of tears add to the lake's body. “I love him,” you mumble. “Please.”

Addam frowns and takes a deep breath without adding anything because what is there to add that you haven’t heard?

Yet his silence still pierces like a thousand swords and you’re riddled with more agony. “It hurts,” you weep. “It hurts.”

Addam nods. “I know. I know, now come on. Let’s get inside please.”

You look out to the water one more time in hopes you’ll see a glimpse of Aemond, but once again, you’re met with nothing, so you’re left doing as Addam says.

——

*LATER*

There below your feet lays a material you easily sink into. It’s grainy and soft, but when you lower your head to identify what you stand on, there’s more of the same darkness that consumes the entire empty hall you solely occupy.

You try to strain your eyes. You squint to catch a glimpse of anything that might clue you into where you are, but it’s like you stand in a void. Yet it’s not a deafening void. You’re not surrounded by silence, in the shadows that surround you, you hear someone humming a song. You just can’t pinpoint who it is you hear, but you hear the humming coming from the end of the hall.

“Who’s there?” You ask the void and step forward, but the moment you do, you’re startled when you catch something from the corner of your right eye light on fire. Something grand that finally illuminates your side with light, and when you quickly snap your head in that direction, you come to an immediate halt when you see that it’s a body set ablaze. But who’s?

You can’t tell. You can’t identify who they are, just that it’s a body. And they’re not the only ones, five more bodies are set ablaze around you, blinding you instantly, but finally providing a bright light with their hot fires that consume away the darkness.

When your eyes adjust to the sudden brightness that broke in the hall, the first thing you catch is what you stand on. At long last your curiosity is fed when you see that you stand on ashes. What are the ashes in particular?

You don’t know, you won’t, and the truth is you don’t want to know. You happily leave that as a mystery to not strain your withered self and instead drift your attention to a bloody set of footprints staining the stone ground.

They seem to lead forward, so you try to follow them with your eyes, but as your eyes scale to the next set of footprints, suddenly those too are set ablaze and light a path that your eyes follow down the room, letting you finally figure out that you don’t stand in some desolate void. You finally lift your head with the intent to watch the blazing path and see that you’re standing in the middle of the Red Keep’s throne room, but that’s not all. At the foot of the stairs that lead to the Iron Throne sits an abandoned wooden throne.

No one before, and no one that you know has used a wooden throne. Not even your grandfather Viserys. There’s no need for it when the great throne is standing behind it in all its glory. Why is it there?

That’s a question you do want to feed an answer to, but alas, as you mindlessly walk down the blazing path guiding you ahead and setting the ends of your gown on fire, that wooden throne is also sustenance to the great fire. Its ravenous flames quickly swallow the wooden throne whole, making you stop in your tracks and look at it with more confusion. What does this all mean? Why are you here surrounded by fire?

You need to know, yet more questions infiltrate your mind when you catch that someone is sitting on the Iron Throne. You can see the soles of their bloody feet hanging down from the great throne. They’re the ones who are filling the hall with their humming. Can it be? Only one person comes to mind when you think of someone sitting on that throne.

“Mother?” You call out in the burning hall, and the humming at last comes to a stop.

You slowly scale your eyes up the throne to look at her in the eyes, but when your eyes land on the face of the person sitting on the throne, you gasp and stumble back when you see that…it’s you.

You’re sitting in that throne room with your blood-covered hands lazily hanging off the armrests and carrying something hidden in the shadows.

You sit there comfortably with a scowl on your blood-stained face. You sit there with your nose in the air, and your gleaming eyes reflecting the fires that surround the hall and stand between you on the floor and you on the throne. You sit there with a chainmail veil hanging off your head dripping blood on your cheeks, making it look like you’re crying blood. You sit there…it’s you that’s reflected in your eyes. And the person sitting on the throne at last acknowledges you standing baffled on the floor and begins to lift their bloody hand, pointing Aegon the Conqueror's blood-dripping crown at you.

You don’t tell yourself anything, you just menacingly point the blood-dripping crown at yourself, causing your breath to hitch and your widened eyes to stay focused on the crown.

There’s so much you could say, but there’s no words you can actually form and voice. You stand in stunned silence until you blink as your eyes go dry with how long you were staring without blinking, and you’re ripped away from the incredibly confusing scene and brought back to a firelit hall in Harrenhal, watching Blackfyre glimmer against the fire warming the hall.

Now you should go mad with confusion, you should be shocked and demanding to know what it is that happened, but alas you’re at Harrenhal, there’s only one explanation to what you just saw, so you at last lift your eyes off the sword and look the culprit right in their green eyes.

It was Alys. There’s no question about it. There’s no need for reassurance, she passes you a faint knowing smile, and with that gesture alone you know it was her that let you see that vision. As for why? She won’t say, no matter how much you ask. You have to figure out the meaning by yourself or wait for a version of that vision to come to life because it is coming. As to when well that will come to you soon enough.

“How are you liking the Riverlands, Addam?” You hear Alys probe.

“Well they're…wet,” he says lightheartedly with a small chuckle. “I have been here for fourteen days and I have never seen more rain in my life than I do here. How do you do it?”

“When you live here as long as I have, you grew to miss when it’s not raining,” Alys says back. “So is it safe to say you would not find a home here?”

Addam scoffs. “No, no. Perhaps visit once in a while, but no. I’d miss the sea, and the sun.”

Alys laughs softly and then adds something aimed to make you interject. “You and her are the same, just like cats, only prowling when the sun is out of hiding.”

You give no reaction, you don’t even acknowledge her or anything besides. If Addam and you weren't by the fireplace neither he nor Alys would be able to tell that you exist in the hall, you blend in with the silence and the stillness of the room as you remain too grief-stricken to speak or move a muscle. You just keep looking at the Valyrian sword that you hold against the floor as if it carries some kind of hope that you will be able to see the man you lost one more time.

“Here,” a whisper captures your attention but doesn’t make you move to look at it, you remain frozen until a bowl is placed above the handle you keep clutched—“It’s warm, and Alys says it’s your favorite stew of hers.”

You blink and look over at Addam now sitting beside you, his gaze not riddled with worry, but an attempt at reassurance with his eyes soft and only focused on you.

“Eat please,” he insists gently whilst he slides his hand down to wrap it around yours and give it a gentle squeeze. He doesn’t say anything, he just offers you a comforting smile before he pulls his hand away and remains in his new seat. You then take this stolen moment to really look at him and finally come back to that question he never answered before; why is he here?

“Addam, what are you doing here?” Your voice is hoarse as you finally find a reason to make yourself present.

Albeit he doesn’t answer right away, he looks at you and his lightheartedness fades but only for a flickering second because he then offers you the same assuring smile.

“How about I tell you tomorrow when you’ve rested okay?” He offers

You immediately shake your head and press him, finding the motivation to focus on something else besides your grief. “No, I’m leaving today. Tell me now.”

Addam’s face falls completely and he then shares a concerned look with Alys before he shifts in his seat and clears his throat, watching you scoop a spoonful of your food before he gives you what you asked for.

“Well…I’m here at Harrenhal because I heard the fight from the Isle of Faces, and when Seasmoke and I went to check we saw Caraxes and Vhagar…”

You swallow back thickly as you physically react to the name that reminds you of Aemond.

“…crashing in the lake. I didn’t know if Daemon was alive, he might have been and he might have needed my help, so I came and that’s when I saw you.” He shares but that only answers part of the question.

“Okay,” you drag out as you nod your head and take another bite of food, taking your time to chew and think about what he did give you before you swallow and follow up with more. “But what were you doing in the Riverlands in the first place? Why were you at the Isle of Faces? You’re meant to be home with the Queen. Are Ser Hugh and Ser Ulf back? Is Daeron dead?”

Addam blinks and glances down, shaking his head just slightly before he answers verbally. “No, and no…Ulf and Hugh never returned,” he pauses and he looks back at you with a slightly angry look, but mostly his face is contorted with distress. He then says your name and reveals what you didn’t know because you were with Aemond in a hut for fourteen days.

“Hugh and Ulf betrayed Queen Rhaenyra. They betrayed our side and instead aided Team Green in taking Tumbleton.”

You shake your head, but not because it’s unbelievable. You can’t be shocked over something that was expected. You’re just caught in disbelief because it happened and you weren’t there for your mother. It happened and you weren’t there to help her deal with that aftermath or a plan for a counterattack.

“The Queen was so struck by the news that she also suspected me of being a traitor,” he keeps sharing and this time the news is starting to sound unbelievable—“She sent guards to take me for questioning and arrest me, but Lord Corlys warned me just in time to escape,” he says with more of a droop of emotions in his voice. “That’s why I’m here in the Riverlands because I ran, but,” he presses with more stress and his eyes wide and desperate. “I did not scheme with them. I did not betray your mother or our side. I didn’t know what they had in mind. You have to believe me.”

You stare at him blankly for a moment, making him believe that you also believe he was in cahoots with the other two, but that’s far from the truth, that doesn’t cross your mind whatsoever. You’re just going through the disbelief in your mind about your mother succumbing to panic and pointing fingers so quickly when other times she would hang onto the hope that he wasn’t like the other two. You have to wonder what she thinks of you now, and what made her turn her back on Addam so easily.

Moreover, with what you know now a more urgent need to leave Harrenhal to do what you need to do grows within you.

“I believe you,” you assure Addam as you wrap your hand around his arm to give it a comforting squeeze, hearing him sigh with relief as he offers you a relieved smile.

“I know you wouldn’t do that. It’s unfortunate that we lost Vermithor and Silverwing though. Alys,” you drift your attention to her poking the fire. “Do you know the casualties?”

“The Rivermen and the Northnermen took a heavy loss. It was a bloody battle, your numbers were depleted when the two dragonriders turned their cloaks,” she shares without hesitation, making you tighten your grip around Addam’s arm out of concern that begins to gnaw at your chest—“That’s all I know.”

You have the need to ask about…Cregan. He barges into your mind, but if he were gone she would have told you, no?

He must be okay.

“That only means that Daeron and his army are closer to King's Landing, and with three dragons, victory is on their side,” you mutter with growing frustration.

“We need to join the Rivermen and the Northnermen,” Addam cuts in, catching you by surprise. You would assume he would pressure you to return home where you’re not exposed to high threats, but you heard him right, he said ‘we’.

“We need to rebuild the armies and counterattack before the Greens make a move on Kings Landing,” he finishes with confidence rising with each word.

“We do?” You press him and he then turns his head and meets your gaze with a hint of hesitation before he sits up and nods confidently.

“We do. The Green men advised me toward taking that path,” he shares, making you look over at Alys to ask for confirmation as if she was a part of that conversation, but she just shrugs and turns away with her hair swiftly turning with her.

“They,” Addam pauses and when you return your attention to him his eyes dig deep in your soul with a sense of fascination. “…they put my hand against a Heart Tree and that’s where I saw you as clear as day bathing in fire without getting hurt. You were a part of its power. You were the fire that brought destruction to Tumbleton.”

You blink repeatedly in disbelief but don’t dare question him or his vision. You are going to ask about the Green men, but not now. Right now you are going to back his decision.

“Good. I wasn’t going to return home either, I need to make it right for my mother,” you say as you hold his gaze with the same fiery determination that now inflames your kindred souls. “We leave today.”

Addam reacts with hesitation this time and pulls back to question you. “Are you sure? I'm sure the army won’t move with the losses they took. We can meet up with them tomorrow morning.”

You shake your head and turn around to face the fire and continue eating. “No, we leave today. I don’t want to stay here longer than I have to.”

Not because of Alys. You wish you could spend more time with her, but alas there’s things you have to do and now this place will forever be a reminder of the loss of your life. Aemond will haunt you here, and you can’t just sit and think about how he was ripped away from you or you’ll cease to exist. That’s why you’re leaving today. That’s why you need to join Cregan today…at long last you will at last reunite.

The mere thought revives something within you. Something you thought was lost.

A/N- 👀

Tagged- @namelesslosers @stargaryenx @chainsawsangel @lauftivy @winxschester @cloudroomblog @llarue @padsdarlg @sofietargaryen @gracielikegrapes @dreaming-of-the-reality @itzelpeyton @patdsinner33 @mrsdominickstark @elaena-aerrin @todoroki-slut @snh96 @urmomsgirlfriend1 @nifujiswhore @sweethoneyblossom1 @kaetastic @lightdragonrayne @squidscottjeans @oh-you-mean-me @wallacewillow0773638 @icefrye19 @thescottpack @fiction-fanfic-reader @crazymusicgirl104 @r-3dlips @strangersunghoon @just-pure-trash @ethereal-athalia @missyviolet123 @callsignwidow @xunquish-blog @tabathastan @weepingfashionwritingplaid @answer-the-sirens @silverlightsaber

125 notes · View notes

impactedfates · 2 years ago

Text

Mini Fan - Platonic Shenhe x Child! Reader

Summary: Even after the events of the rebuilding of the Jade Chamber, Shenhe still gets the odd stares of others. She’s used to it though and she expects it, what she doesn’t expect is someone who’s dressed up (albeit poorly) as her comes up to her.

Warnings/Extra: Small spoilers for the quest - The Crane Returns on the Wind - Act 1! // Characters are probably ooc // Reader has no spesfied gender, but uses they/them and is dressed similar to Shenhe // Not proof read either hehe...other then that, it should be okay to read ^^

W.C - 693 (Yeah it’s short-)

A/N- This is based off an idea me and my friend ranted on for a bit, I would’ve let that friend read this before posting but because of timezones I got impatient after I finished writing this...This is definitely not my best work (And honestly, I hate it) but I still enjoy the idea and I hope you enjoy this anyways. :)

=======================================

Murmurings of whispers throughout Liyue Harbour reached Shenhes ears. Her fingers tapped on the table as her free hand lifted up her teacup to her lips once more to take a sip. Even after defeating Beisht alongside the traveller. It seems only they got the praise. And although she got a few praises and compliments from people, that didn’t put a stop to the usual stares and whispers she’d get when she passed by. She’s used to it though, she knows it’ll take some time before they’ll treat her as a regular mortal like themselves.

“Shenhe? Are you alright?”

Shenhes eyes drifted to the person in front of her, the one who invited her out in the first place, Yun Jin.

“Yes, I’m fine. There’s no need to worry”

The exorcist waved off her friends' concerns. The opera singer was more smarter than that though. Even she noticed the mumbles and talks that would start when Shenhe was in the room. She wanted to point out that Shenhe was obviously paying attention to the words of others but her manager came up and was quick to take her away. Sparing an apologetic glance to her friend, Shenhe simply shook her head.

“It’s alright Yun Jin, go ahead”

“Let’s try to do this another time”

Shenhe watched as Yun Jin's figure became smaller and smaller from a distance. With a sigh she began drinking the rest of her tea. Her eyes closed as she began loosing herself in thought. . .

A sound brought her back to reality. A sound of a chair scraping back and someone climbing on it. She thought perhaps Yun Jin came back after convincing her manager to let her stay longer, however when she set opened her eyes and set it on the person now seated in front of her, she was slightly taken aback.

There sat a child. Wearing a wig, but seemingly dyed white and black…horribly too. Their clothes seemed out of place, not matching up and the kid seemed to have contacts, on add choice of colours…hang on.

The more Shenhe observed the child, the more she realised…it looked like her? Well, an off-brand version it seemed. She tilted her head at the kid, her blank face staring at them.

The kid looked back, having a smile on their face, after a bit they seemed to copy her demeanour. They straightened their back, tilted their head and tried their best to copy her facial expression.

Her eyes widened a bit in surprise at this. She wasn’t sure what to say. Finally finding the words she asked in a soft tone.

“Hello…I am Shenhe…can I help you?”

The kid looked back and smiled.

“I’m [Name]! And I know who you are, you’re one of the heroes who saved the day when that weird water snake attacked Liyue. You were sooo cool…can you teach me how to fight please please please”

Once again Shenhe stared a bit in confusion. But shook her head much to the disappointment of [Name]

“I am still in training myself, plus…you seem too young to train…I don’t wish to over exert you from the tests I’d give you…if I may ask…why is your attire..similar to mine?”

“Easy! I wanna be just like you when I grow up. I wanna fight water snakes and save people just like you have Ms Shenhe”

“You…really want to be like me?”

Shenhe relaxed a bit. For a kid to say this about her, without getting to know her, was a nice change of pace from what she usually had to do which was to personally get to know people so they don’t label her as a witch or an adepti.

She didn’t need to personally befriend the kid, nor do something for the kid. They just wanted to be like them because…they looked up to her.

Slowly she smiled softly at the kid, leaning over a bit and ruffling their wig. Before pouring the kid a cup for their own, and sliding it over to them.

“Tell you what…when you’re older, come find me…and I’ll be happy to train you…by then you’ll be ready and so will I”

288 notes · View notes

love-patient-0s-writing-world · 2 years ago

Text

Growing Fond

Shane x Reader

Class: SFW

Word Count: 1.6K

CW: Spoilers For Shane’s First Heart Event, This is Basically a more Detailed Version of the Heart Event, NB Reader, Alcohol, Extisential Dread, Reader is a bit Unhinged, Reader is refered to as Farmer, Mentions of Injuries

For Shane it was a normal boring routine day, he got up, went to work, stocked shelves until his hands were numb and is now being screeched at by his phone that it’s finally his lunch break. He let out a groan as he stood up from his crouched position, his back cracking loudly when he stood up straight. He made a bee line for the door not bothering to acknowledge Morris as he sped past him. He walked all the way to the saloon to find it pretty much empty aside from Gus, Emily, Pam and you. Pam was already 3 drinks in and you seemed to be busy ordering something, so he just made his way to his usual spot against the wall and waited. As he sat down he didn’t notice when your eyes flitted over at him and returned back to Gus quickly adding one more item to your order. When you were done you took your time walking over to him, he looked up and saw a small smile on your face as you waved at him. “This seat taken?” you asked nodding your head at the empty stool. “Nope.” he said popping the p, he didn’t necessarily dislike you but he didnt want to spend his lunch break with you either. You sat down with a sigh leaning your head on your hand as you look at him “So how’s your day been so far Shane?” “Same as always, anyways what are you doing here? Don’t you have crops to take care of?” it came out much more annoyed and rough than he wanted but he’s too tired to correct it.

Before you could answer Gus came up with 4 cups of a coffee and a small pizza, before Shane could ask Gus for the usual the man sped off to the other side of the bar where Pam is. He raised an eyebrow at your...questionable lunch, although he doesn’t have any room to speak regarding your diet since his looked frighteningly similar. “Ah, well, I’m heading to the mine after this and-” you said pulling a plain silver thermos out of your bag “-I don’t want to run out of energy immediately so...” you opened the bottle and started pouring the coffee into it not spilling a drop from any of the cups. He could feel the terror that flashed on his face before he tried to go back to the usual RBF he has. “That can’t be healthy…well at least you’re getting some solid food in.” He eyed the personal pizza that sat in front of you, “Oh! Uhh…” You looked away from him with a soft chuckle “I actually got the pizza for you.” A nervous smile forced it’s way to face as you try to figure out what to say next. “I know today’s your birthday so I thought I’d get ya lunch…” His head cocked the side slightly “Oh, is it my birthday today?” He looked down at his phone to see Spring 20 on the lock screen “I guess it is, thanks.” He looked up at you with a small smile “This is nice.” “Well I’m glad you like it!” You slide the box in front of him and after he takes a couple bites from the pizza you got him you turn towards him, “I should probably get going-” you hop off the stool next to his with ease “Bye Shane, have a happy birthday!” Your smile makes him almost sad to be alone again…almost. “See ya, Farmer.”

He watched you walk out the Saloon door, he finished the pizza in a few minutes and let out a sigh as he looked at the time. Sliding off the stool he walked out of the Saloon back to his miserable job. The day blurred by restocking the same shelves that he wished he could watch burn to the ground, when his shift ended he picked up a pack of beers before heading home. The night air was crisp and the temperature was not…uncomfortably warm, so he walked out to the pier on the property and plopped down with his pack next to him. He was about 2 cans in when he heard the creak of the old wood planks behind him and footsteps approaching, stopping when they reached him. When he looked to his side he saw grimy boots covered in mud, slime and…insect remains, well there was worst company to have than you. “Up late, huh?” “Actually just got back from the mines.” Letting out a tired chuckle as if it was hilarious that you spent 10 hours underground. As he turned up to halfheartedly scold you for your life decisions, he got a glimpse of the arm and hand closest to him. Cuts ranging from little scratches to a freshly stitched up gash on your bicep, large welts that resemble…bug bites, and bruises of all colors are splattered across it. He no longer had the will to tell you off, “Here, have a cold one.” He extended the can to you, feeling your calloused fingers brush against his as you grabbed it.

Taking the beer as an invite to stay for awhile you take a seat next to him. You’re much closer than either of you expected, shoulders pressing against each other. He watched you a bit as you fiddled with the little metal tab, after a couple minutes of insect chirps he lets out a sigh. You tilted your head at him and he just responds with a bitter “Buh…life.” Maybe it was the beer or the comfortably uncomfortable silence that made him speak without thinking, “You ever feel like…no matter what you do, you’re gonna fail? …Like you’re stuck in some miserable abyss and you’re so deep you can’t even see the light of day?” He could feel your eyes burrowing into the side of his head, but he kept staring straight into the darkness of the lake beneath you both. “I just feel like no matter how hard I try…I’m not strong enough to climb out of that hole.” He can see your head turn forward in his peripheral, taking the opportunity to actually look at you. Your body was tense and face wearing an expression he knows all too well, a mixture of existential dread and tiredness. In the silence that settled over you two the crack of the tab finally breaking the aluminum can was heard. He watched as you brought it up to your lips and tilt your head back, hearing your big gulps of the icy beer until you finally crush the can in your hand. Maybe it’s the beer buzzing in his system but the way you’re lightly panting and the expert chugging had him feeling…funny. You looked over at him and mumbled a little “Sorry.”

He felt the corners of his mouth curl up a bit “Heh…fast drinker, huh? A person after my own heart.” You could feel your face warm up a bit at his flirty joke. “Just don’t make it a habit…you got a future ahead of you still.” There was such a soft undertone of sincerity that it caught you a bit off guard, you watched as he finished his can of beer placing it next to your crushed one. “Welp…my liver is beggin’ me to stop. Better call it a night.” You got up wobbling a bit, man are your legs and arms sore from today. Shane grabbed the empty cans placing them in the plastic bag the pack came from, you watch as he grunted to get up on his knees, without hesitation you extended a hand to help him up. He stared at it for a few moments before taking it, you pulled him up towards you with ease, his hands were warm and a bit sweaty along with his his now slightly red cheeks it was something that nestled into your brain without realization. You reluctantly let go of his hand opting to shove them in your pockets, “I’ll walk you to your house…it’s on the way to mine.” Despite the fact the house he shared was visible from the dock he wasn’t opposed to having your company a little while longer. The grass crunched under your shoes as you walked with him, reaching the trash can that sat right outside the front door he dumped the bag with the empty cans.

“This was nice, thanks for the beer and the company.” Your smile was well visible due to the house lights shining right outside the front door. “I’m heading home now, I’ll see you tomorrow, Shane!” You waved as you started walking off, “See you around, Farmer.” Returning the wave as he walked into the house, without thinking he stood by the window and watched you dissapear down the path that connects the two properties. He slowly walks to his room attempting not to wake anyone else in the house, sliding into his room he softly closed the door and let out a sigh. He faceplanted onto his bed feeling the effects of the day and beers crash on him, his mind drifted from the shelves of the market, the few ‘Happy Birthdays’ he recieved and finally landed on you. He let his thoughts linger, marinating in the details his slightly hazey brain grasped onto. The callouses developing on your hands, the scars forming on your arms and the way that you lifted him like he was a feather...he could feel his face heating up again like before, ‘I need to stop...but I guess there are worst ways to spend my birthday?’ Getting up he kicked off his shoes, lazily changing into a T-shirt and shorts. Crawling back into bed he closed his eyes and let himself indulge the thoughts his sober brain would’ve shot down immediately. The best gift he’s getting today is from himself and it’s a good night’s sleep.

I hope you enjoyed reading this! Remember to drink water, eat something and get plenty of rest! Feel free to return whenever you want traveler, take care!💜

~Love Patient 0

#🌹x reader rose🌹#shane x reader #stardew shane #stardew x reader #stardew valley shane #sv shane #stardew shane x reader #stardew valley #stardew valley x reader #shane x farmer #stardew shane x farmer #shane sdv #shane sdv x reader #sdv shane x reader #sdv shane x farmer

336 notes · View notes

daydreamgoddess14 · 4 days ago

Text

this love left a permanent mark - Chapter 5

Life has (rudely) been life-ing so this took me a little while, I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting!

I come with a gift though - a massive (nearly) 10k chapter!

If I can reign in my brain, this should be the penultimate chapter so we're building to the big finish. Staying true to the original Ask, this chapter is just about SFW. No spoilers!

Enjoy, loves! Let me know what you think!

Full Masterlist

River Cartwright x Sid Baker Masterlist

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

Taglist: @a-sunflower-in-bloom @sad-quality @linkpk88 @dreamer-98

“River,” Sid whispered softly, nudging his shoulder.

He remained dead to the world.

“River,” she hissed a little louder.

Still nothing.

“River, wake up!” she pushed with more force, finally waking him.

River groaned softly as Sid's voice pierced his deep sleep.

“What?” he muttered, blinking against the light as he rolled over to face her. His eyes were still heavy with sleep, but he was already coming to. “What time is it?”

“Time to go out, they all wanted to go to a few bars, remember?” She was already sitting up, showered and wearing one of the soft, white robes. Her make-up bag lay open on her lap. “I figured I'd let you sleep as long as I could,” she told him.

River groaned again, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

The thought of going out and partying was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment.

“Yeah, I remember,” he said, sitting up and running a hand through his disheveled hair. “I just wish I had a few more hours of sleep.”

“You're too old for pre-drinks,” she teased. “You've got a halftime hangover.”

“Stop taking the piss,” he sighed, elbowing her in the thigh. “I'm not old,” he protested.

He ran a hand through his hair again, pushing it off his forehead. “And I'm definitely not hungover,” he grumbled, giving her a mock-glare. “I'm just a bit tired, that's all.”

“Uh huh, tired. sure thing. No more shots tonight, then?” She asked with an arched eyebrow.

“No more shots. You need the bathroom?” He got up, stretching his arms into the air.

“Nope, it's all yours. I just need to change. Unfortunately, I can't go out like this,” she pointed at the robe.

He cast a sidelong glance at her, taking in the sight of her in the soft white robe.

“You look good,” he smiled.

“Bugger off,” she rolled her eyes. “Come on, get ready. We missed food so I've got room service on the way.”

He watched her for a moment longer before he turned towards the bathroom.

“Alright, yep,” he held his hands up. “Can’t argue with food.”

He disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

He leaned against the counter for a moment, his thoughts swirling. The events of the past few days had made his mind and emotions a mess.

He had been forced to confront and bury his feelings for Sid, to watch her play a part he knew she would never really play out with him.

The mission had been all-consuming, leaving little space for anything else. But now that it was coming to an end, he found himself struggling to ignore the reality of how he felt about her.

He turned on the shower and leaned his forehead against the cool tile of the shower walls, his mind wandering. The day had played out like a date, and there was no denying the way he had felt being with her, watching her light up in her element at the gallery, the way her hand had felt in his as they had walked through the city.

He must have replayed the handful of moments where he had nearly kissed her a thousand times, his heart pounding at the thought.

And then seeing her by the pool, after he'd been subjected to Diego's drunken initiation.

He remembered the look on her face as she had seen him approaching, the concern in her eyes giving way to amusement and then something else he could not quite place as he had sat down next to her.

She had been so soft, so caring, as she had teased him about being drunk and persuaded him to sleep a while.

He wondered if she had any idea how much her touch and attention meant to him, and how hard it was to keep his feelings in check.

He let out a soft groan as the memory of how flustered he'd gotten at the sight of her in a swimsuit suddenly reappeared in his mind.

His cheeks burned with embarrassment at his own reaction, like a teenager with no self control.

He had been unable to tear his gaze away from her, taking in every curve and contour of her body with a hunger he could barely conceal.

“River, food,” Sid called through the bathroom door.

He emerged from the bathroom, his hair still damp from the shower, droplets of water running into the collar of his shirt. He rubbed a towel through his hair, trying to dry it off as best he could.

The smell of food immediately filled the room, making his stomach rumble.

He looked over at Sid, her dress half zipped to where she could reach.

“Looks good,” he said, referring to the food, but his gaze seemed to say something else.

“Doesn't it?” she agreed, tipping a handful of fries onto her plate.

He sat down opposite her, reaching for a plate.

He helped himself to some fries, his gaze lingering on her exposed skin as she leaned forward, her dress slipping down a little further.

He cleared his throat, trying to focus on the food in front of him rather than the way her skin felt under his fingers when he had touched her earlier.

“Oh my god,” she sighed, “try that,” she held an arancini ball out for him.

River leaned forward, taking the offered bite from her fingers.

He closed his eyes momentarily, savouring the taste.

“That's amazing,” he murmured, his gaze flicking to her hand as she pulled it away. The thought of tasting her, of licking the sauce from her fingers, flitted through his mind but he quickly pushed it aside.

She blushed, going back to the varied selection she'd had sent up.

“I asked for a bunch of stuff, I really fancied some fries though,” she smiled, swiping one through the ketchup on her plate.

River laughed, shaking his head.

“You know, we're in Italy? And you order chips?” He teased, “what are you, five?”

“Oi, rude!” She threw a small mozzarella ball at him which landed on his plate.

He picked it up and threw it back.

“Watch the dress,” she warned. “I know we’re in Italy, idiot. I need to soak up some of the alcohol though.”

“Soaking up alcohol with chips. Very classy,” he grinned, reaching for another one.

“It's a tried and tested method,” she declared with a grin. “Try the bruschetta,” she insisted.

“I guess I can't fault you. Chips and bruschetta, a true Italian feast.”

She stuck her tongue out and leaned back in her chair.

“I could just stay here forever,” she sighed, looking out over the balcony at the sun setting between the olive trees. “They'd have to roll me out eventually, but... it's nice, isn't it?”

River followed her eye, taking in the peaceful beauty of the view.

The sunset bathed the landscape in a warm, golden light, casting long shadows across the grass.

“Yeah,” he agreed, leaning back in his chair. “It's nice. Almost makes you lose sight of everything else, doesn't it?”

“Hmm,” she smiled sadly.

He turned back to her, his gaze tracing over her features, the way the setting sun made her skin glow.

She smiled softly at him and held out a bowl of olives.

“Try these,” once he'd taken one she pointed behind him, “taken from that tree right there,” she laughed.

River popped the olive into his mouth, savouring the flavour as he chewed.

“They're good,” he said, stealing another from the bowl.

He turned, looking in the direction she had pointed. “That exact tree, huh? Impressive,” he joked.

“Well, maybe the next one along,” she brushed him off with a smirk

River laughed, shaking his head at her response.

“I should have known you were bluffing,” he said, grabbing another olive from the bowl. “You're such a bullshitter, you know that?” he teased, his tone warm and affectionate. “Next thing you'll be telling me you know how to make the world's best pizza.”

“Now we both know my cooking skills are not it. There is zero chance of me making pizza,” she laughed.

“Oh, I'm aware,” he teased.

“Let's not forget that the little I do know, I literally only learned from you yesterday,” she pointed out.

“I don't know if I should be proud or concerned that I've unleashed this newfound knowledge on you.” River laughed again.

“Oh don't worry, I don't intend to do it again.” She cut the last arancini in half for them to share.

“Probably for the best, I don't think the world is ready for your cooking attempts.” He reached for his half of the ball, biting into it with a satisfied hum. “At least you're good at ordering food.”

“I'm the best at ordering food,” she gestured to the table to demonstrate.

River grinned, taking in the array of food spread out in front of them.

“You truly have a gift,” he teased. “I've never met anyone who can order quite like you do.”

He grabbed a mozzarella ball, popping it into his mouth.

“I'm going to miss this,” she said quietly. “I know it's not real,” she stressed. “... It's just been... good. really good.”

River looked at her, his expression softening as she spoke.

He knew.

The past few days had been like living in a dream, a world apart from their usual routine.

“I know what you mean,” he said, quietly. “It's been... easy, you know? No worrying about work, no Lamb, no bickering... Just this.”

He gestured to the scenery around them, the sunset and the food, but his gaze lingered on her.

“Yeah, easy…” she pondered. “Look, when Lamb and Taverner ask, I'm going to tell them the truth. I couldn't have done this without you. You really are good at this.”

River's ego perked up a little at her words.

“You're just saying that because you have to,” he teased, but there was a hint of genuine gratitude in his voice. “But I appreciate the compliment nonetheless.”

“No, I'm not. I wouldn't do that. Actually, I think they’re hoping I won’t say that. It's true, though.” She smiled, “I mean, Lamb is going to assume that something happened between us that has suddenly made me your biggest fan.”

“Oh, he definitely will,” he agreed. “And I'm sure he'll make some crude joke about it, just to annoy both of us. But hey,” he added, flashing a grin, “at least I'll have your glowing review to back me up.”

“Ugh, not the jokes. They're going to be so degrading,” she grimaced at the thought.

River shook his head, wincing at the thought.

“Yeah, he'll have a field day with it. You know he won't be able to resist,” he said. “We'll just have to take it. We did sign up for this, after all.”

“Plus... nothing has happened,” she shrugged, not meeting his eye.

River looked at her, his gaze lingering on her averted eyes.

He could sense the uncertainty in her tone, the hint of an unspoken thought.

“Exactly,” he agreed, the word lingering heavily in the air between them. “Nothing has happened.”

He watched her, waiting for her to look at him, to say something more.

“We work well together,” she confessed nervously.

River nodded, softening as she spoke.

“Yeah, yeah we do,” he agreed, his tone sincere. “It's... been good, you know? Working with someone who doesn't make me want to strangle them every time they open their mouth.”

“I'll take that as a compliment,” she finally smiled.

“It is,” he told her sincerely. “You're really fucking good at this, Sid.”

Sid's heart fluttered at his words, surprise and a hint of something else in her expression.

“Thanks, River,” she managed to reply, her voice unusually timid.

His praise meant more than she would ever admit.

She pushed a piece of mozzarella around her plate, searching for something to say, anything to break the silence that was quickly becoming awkwardly loaded.

“Feels like I got in a bit too deep though,” she stared at her plate. “It felt a bit too real at times, you know?” She swallowed nervously, thinking of their charged moments, the little touches, the tension between them.

River's studied her carefully, the same tension between them palpable now.

He was surprised by her confession, but he wasn't blind.

He'd been acutely aware of the way his body had responded to her throughout their trip, the way his heart had sped up whenever their hands touched, or when her gaze lingered a second too long.

He watched her, her nervous movements and the way she kept avoiding his eye.

He knew exactly what she was thinking of.

He knew exactly what she meant.

The line between real and pretend had blurred more than he cared to admit.

He tried to keep his voice casual.

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” he said, his voice a little huskier than usual. “It's easy to get wrapped up in it all.”

“I mean, we’d have to be dead inside for it to not trigger something, right?”

“Of course, it was bound to make things weird,” he agreed.

His stare lingered on her, the intensity in it making the air between them feel heavy and charged.

“Good job we're both professional enough to know the difference,” she said, clearing her throat.

River nodded, his expression neutral once again.

“Exactly,” he agreed, his tone business-like. “We're professionals. We know the job comes first.”

He took a long drink of water, using the moment to collect himself.

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't help the nagging feeling that there was a hint of disappointment in her voice.

“So,” she said firmly, still not quite looking at him, “you said earlier that it's definitely not Jonty?”

River's mind switched gears, focusing on the case at hand.

He pushed aside thoughts of what they had just been discussing and got back to business.

“Yeah,” he said, “I don't think it's him. I thought it was for a while, but I just don't see it. He's not the type. Sure, he's arrogant and a little obnoxious, but I don't think he's capable of something like this.”

“It just doesn’t… fit,” she frowned. Warwick told you Jonty was on his side, didn’t want him to leave?”

River nodded.

“That’s what he told me, said they’d made up, it was all good.”

“So why did Lilly tell me that he couldn’t wait for Warwick to go? She said he’s pissing everyone off - including Warwick.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m wondering why Diego and Warwick are protecting Jonty. Maybe they’re in it together?”

“Or Warwick is telling the truth and Lilly’s the one lying?”

Sid scoffed.

“River, why would Lilly lie? She’s got no reason to, she’s just a gossip. Jonty makes perfect sense?”

“Look, I hear you, I do… I just don’t see it?”

She got up from the table, checking her watch.

“We don’t have long to figure it out. We’ve got to head down, if you’re ready? We’re meeting in the lobby at 8.30.”

“Ready when you are,” he gestured to the table, “I’ll ask if housekeeping can come up and shift this stuff while we’re out.”

Sid caught his eye through the mirror as she put in her earrings.

“That’s a good idea, I don’t want to be eating cold fries after too much aperol later.” She grabbed her bag from the bed and stepped into her heels. “Ok, ready?”

“I am, you’re not?”

“Yes I am?” She insisted with a frown, checking her reflection in the full length mirror by the door. “Have I got ketchup?” She wondered, leaning towards the mirror to check.

He stepped up behind her, drawing his hand up her back and pulling the zip with him.

“Dress was still undone.”

“Oh. Thank you,” she murmured.

She waited for him in the corridor while he pulled the door closed behind them, taking his hand as soon as it was offered.

~~~~~

They stepped out of the hotel, the warm evening air greeting them. River offered Sid his arm, which she took with a smile.

Dilly saw them approaching and squealed.

“Yay! You're the last ones,” she said. “That's your taxi!”

River held the door open for Sid, his hand on the small of her back as she navigated the back seat with a short skirt.

She found herself next to Priya and Hassan. River darted around the front of the cab to the passenger seat.

“You're here!” Priya cried happily, “cute dress!”

“Thank you, you too!” Sid beamed.

Hassan reached forward to shake River's shoulder. “Alright mate? Recovered from earlier?” He asked with a wide grin.

River laughed sheepishly, nodding.

“Yeah,” he replied, “Recovered, thanks to Sid. She took good care of me.”

He glanced over his shoulder as he spoke, she felt his gaze lingering and looked up, their eyes meeting for a moment before she looked away, a soft blush tinting her cheeks. “Nothing a shower and a little ibuprofen couldn't fix.”

“Diego, man, he always gets people like crazy drunk,” Hassan shook his head.

“Because he's an idiot,” Priya supplied with a frown.

River scoffed in agreement.

“He is an idiot,” he said. “But I can't exactly blame him for my own stupidity. I should have known better than to try and keep up with him.”

“He's got a big night planned, I don't think he intends to sleep tonight,” Hassan warned. “We should get the number for the cab so we can head back to the hotel when we want.”

“Yeah, I'm not waiting around all night for Diego to drink until he passes out.” Sid agreed.

From the front seat, River passed her the cab driver's card to put in her bag.

She was acutely aware of him in the front seat, his broad shoulders filling his shirt in a way that made her stomach flutter a little.

She tried to focus on the conversation, contributing occasionally with a laugh or an “exactly,” but her thoughts kept drifting to the way his hand had felt on the small of her back as he'd helped her into the car.

The taxi pulled onto the town square.

Bar after bar spilled outside, with tables intermingled and each bar blurring into the next. “What're you drinking babe?” Priya asked once Sid had helped her from the taxi. They gathered with the others to make plans.

“Aperol I think.” She scanned the sea of people, trying to spot a table large enough for their group.

There didn't seem to be many Italian's out, the nightlife consisted mainly of tourists.

They settled around the tables, claiming seats and getting comfortable.

Diego was already chatting with the waiter, ordering with his usual level of authority. Sid watched him with mild amusement as she leaned in to tell Priya and Dilly what she wanted to drink. Across the table, River was deep in conversation with Hassan, the two men laughing about something.

As they waited for their drinks, Sid's thoughts lingered on the conversation they had shared earlier.

She hoped she hadn't been too vulnerable, too truthful about her feelings. The end of the mission was fast approaching, and with it, the inevitable separation.

The thought of saying goodbye to River in his current capacity was making her stomach lurch uncomfortably.

The thought of being around him in the office, surrounded by their colleagues, was daunting.

They would be forced back into their work personas, their professional relationship taking precedence.

Here, alone, they had been able to let down their guards, to be themselves.

She had felt a sense of freedom and connection with him and that was hard to visualise as part of their everyday lives.

Despite her best efforts to push the thought away, Sid couldn't help but wonder if there would ever be a reason for them to kiss again.

As much as she tried to tell herself it was all just a job, that the feelings she was starting to develop were just a product of the closeness they had shared, she couldn't shake the desire to have his lips on hers again.

She took a deep swig of her drink, letting the bitter aperol wash over her.

The warm, fuzzy feeling spread through her body.

It helped to drown out her thoughts, to numb the growing ache in her heart.

Groans of dismay from the group distracted her as Diego passed around a tray of shots.

Sid wrinkled her nose at the sight

“Seriously, Diego?” she asked, rolling her eyes.

“Get it down ya,” he grinned, raising his glass. “Good trip everyone - saluti!”

Sid and the rest of the group hesitantly raised their glasses, eyeing the shots warily.

She lost count of the number of times they shouted 'saluti' after the first time, drinks flowed constantly, the group chatted and laughed for ages

As the night wore on, the group began to splinter off, smaller groups forming and reforming over time.

Jonty became the centre of attention adopting a few women from a passing hen party. He was lapping up the attention, clearly enjoying being the life of the party.

She spent time watching Diego and Jonty as the night wore on.

While she was more convinced than ever that it was one of them, she still couldn't determine which one was the most likely culprit.

She stuck close to Priya, Dilly, and the other girls, listening intently to their gossip and watching the two men from afar, hoping the alcohol would help her to see something she'd missed earlier.

She watched as Diego's behavior grew more and more erratic, his drunkenness apparent to everyone.

The others were beginning to lose patience with him, their tolerance for his antics wearing thin as the night went on.

Something Jonty said made him snap.

He’d gone from noisy and jovial to sneering and contemptuous in an instant, wheeling on Jonty with his face distorted with a cruel smile.

“Think you’re better than me, Jojo? Get fucked, mate.” He said louder than necessary, his voice dripping with disdain.

“D, man, c’mon -”

“Nah, go on, jog on back to your hen party.” Diego dismissed Jonty with a wave of his hand.

Jonty’s face fell, hurt by Diego’s cruelty.

Sam appeared by his side, wrapping his arm around him.

“Let’s get another drink, babe. I’m going to sit with the girls,” he explained, trying to bring Jonty along with him.

“That’s it, fuck off back to the girls, pussy.”

Gasps went up around the group, with Kasim trying to persuade Jonty to keep his cool and not react to Diego’s taunts.

Sid watched as River tried to intervene, his hand on Diego's shoulder and a quick quip, attempting to take the heat off of Diego and the sting out of his tail.

Despite his efforts, Diego seemed more irritable than ever, his anger flashing in his eyes.

It was evident that things were getting hairy.

Sid moved without thinking, getting up from her seat and positioning herself between the two men.

“Don’t tell me what to fuckin’ do, I’m the fuckin’ man around here -” Diego leaned towards Sid unsteadily, pointing an accusatory finger at River over her shoulder, his words slurred and angry.

“Fuckin’ bringin’ the wife in to fight ya battles, bunch of pussies the lot of ya,” he stepped even closer to Sid, his body language aggressive as he looked around the group.

“Relax, Diego. Whatever you think is going on -”

“Piss off, Sid. Don’t make me shut you up.”

“Pull yourself together Diego, don’t talk to me like that.” Despite the imminent threat of violence, she stood her ground, refusing to back down.

River quickly moved her to one side with fluid precision, just in time to avoid Diego's swinging fist.

The punch connected with River's face, the force of the impact causing him to stagger backwards.

Stella's cry pierced the air, and Hassan and Kasim swiftly moved in front of the others.

River lunged at Diego, ready to retaliate, but Sid whirled around to face him, her hands grasping his shirt.

Tom quickly restrained Diego, pulling him away from the group while Dilly watched anxiously.

“Get him out of here,” Sid barked at Tom.

Tom nodded, seizing Diego by the arm and pulling him forcefully towards Stella who had recovered from the shock and was ready to berate him for his behaviour.

Sid didn't move her hands from River's chest, instead guiding him backwards, away from the chaos and commotion of the bar. He was still in attack mode, his shoulders tensed and his expression dark.

“He was gonna fucking hit you,” River spat, blood making it’s way from his eyebrow and down his cheek.

“No he wasn't,” she soothed, not quite convinced that that was true.

“He was bloody well close to it,” River retorted, his anger and adrenaline still coursing through his body.

He shrugged off her touch, taking a step away from her, his breathing heavy.

“Let's go back to the hotel,” she insisted. “Stay here a minute, I’ll tell the others.”

Without waiting for River's response, she went back to the table to grab her bag and inform the others.

Everyone was talking at once, asking questions, and taking Diego to task.

Stella and Tom sat a few tables away with Diego, while Dilly hovered nervously.

He looked smaller, suddenly shrunken and sober.

Hassan and Kasim were trying to keep the others calm and occupied.

She quickly filled them in on what was happening, telling them she was taking River back to the hotel.

Everyone nodded in understanding, their worry evident in their expressions.

“Are you gonna be ok?” Hassan asked, “we can come with you?” Priya nodded eagerly at his suggestion.

“It’s fine, really. You guys have another drink. Give Diego some time to cool off.” She assured them.

~~~~~

The journey back to the hotel was a silent one, River's anger and tension still palpable in the air.

Sid stole occasional glances at him, his jaw clenched and his shoulders rigid.

She didn't know what to say to him, her own adrenaline still running high.

They made a quick stop at the hotel's bar, grabbing an ice bucket from the bartender and continued up to their room, the sound of their footsteps echoing slightly in the empty hallway.

“Sit down,” she told him, getting a towel from the bathroom and wrapping it around a handful of the ice.

He obeyed, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed.

His head was still bowed, his eyes fixed on the floor.

He looked like a coiled spring, ready to explode at the slightest provocation.

She stepped out of her heels and moved to his side, carefully placing the towel to his face, just above his eyebrow.

He winced slightly as the cold ice made contact with his skin, but he didn't pull away.

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

His gaze fixed on hers, a mixture of anger and vulnerability warring in his expression.

With his head finally lifted, she moved the towel to look at the cut.

“Why'd you get between us?” He asked gruffly.

“Well, I couldn't just stand there and let him punch you, could I?” She replied, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

She continued to hold the ice pack against his eye, the tension between them still thick.

“And how do you think that worked out?” He asked bitterly.

She met his gaze, her expression steady.

“Not great, clearly,” she admitted.

The sarcasm in her voice had mostly faded, replaced with an air of resignation.

“But what was I supposed to do, just stand there and watch you two get into a sodding fight?”

“There's a first aid kit in the bathroom,” he told her quietly.

She moved swiftly to the bathroom, her attention focused on finding the first aid kit.

As she rummaged through the cabinets, she could hear the faint sound of River moving around in the bedroom.

When she returned, he'd kicked off his shoes and sat back down on the bed.

She could sense the tension still in his body, though his shoulders had relaxed a fraction.

She kicked his feet apart so she could stand between his knees and he moved enough to let her in.

She put the ice pack back on his face, brushing his hair out of the way.

He moved his hands from his side and placed them on the backs of her thighs.

Sid swallowed thickly.

She continued to hold the ice pack in place, her touch gentle yet firm.

She moved the ice pack and replaced it with an antiseptic wipe, making him hiss.

His gaze locked with hers, and he slowly slid his hands up the backs of her thighs, gripping them gently.

Sid couldn't tear her eyes away, her breath catching in her throat at the unexpected contact.

They stopped, just below her ass.

She looked away and took a plaster from the small box on the bed, tearing the paper and covering the cut carefully.

He looked at her like she'd hung the moon.

“Don't do that,” she whispered.

He held her gaze, his eyes fixed on hers.

River's expression was intense, his usual cocky demeanor completely absent.

His grip on the back of her thighs tightened slightly, his fingers flexing unconsciously.

He looked at her intently, making her heart pound.

“Don't do what?” he asked softly.

“Don't look at me like that,” she pleaded.

His expression softened even further, something almost vulnerable in his eyes.

“Why not?” he whispered, his thumb tracing small circles on the sensitive skin at the back of her thighs. “Tell me this is all fake. Tell me you haven't thought about this.”

His words hung in the air.

Sid was torn, her mind and heart warring.

She wanted to deny it, to cling to the safety of their fake relationship.

But the words caught in her throat, her heart betraying her.

“I can't,” she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

He tugged her a fraction closer.

She stumbled, losing her balance, her knees pressing into the bed.

She found herself leaning towards him, their faces inches apart, their breath mingling.

His fingers flexed against her skin, the heat of his touch sending a shiver down her spine.

“We shouldn't do this,” she insisted. “We're just… caught up in it all, it's not real.”

Her words were laced with uncertainty, her fingers clinging to the last shreds of reason.

She knew she should maintain some distance, keep their relationship platonic.

But her body seemed to have a mind of its own, drawn towards him like a magnet.

“This is a mistake,” she continued, murmuring more to herself than to him.

“Is it?” he asked.

His hands on her thighs pulled her to straddle his lap.

She found herself sinking into him, their bodies pressed together.

She inhaled sharply.

She was on the brink of losing herself to him, her body taking over and her mind going foggy.

She could feel the heat radiating off him, see the desire in his eyes.

“Yes,” she insisted, though her voice lacked conviction.

Her hands moved to grip his shoulders, the need to hold onto something, anything, outweighing her better judgment.

“Says who?” he asked, pulling her flush against him.

She gasped as he pulled her closer, their bodies molding together.

His proximity was overwhelming, his warmth and strength surrounding her.

She could feel the heat of his breath against her neck, his fingers digging into the flesh of her ass.

“Logic,” she replied weakly, her resolve crumbling. “Reason.”

His laugh cut through the tension.

“Really?”

Sid couldn't help but let out a small huff of indignation.

“Yes, really,” she insisted, but her protest was half-hearted at best.

She’d heard the amusement in his voice, and against her better judgment, she felt her own lips twitching into a small smile.

She knew full well that logic and reason had flown out the window the moment he pulled her onto his lap.

His hands slid to her hips, pulling her against him, letting her feel exactly what he thought.

She gasped softly, her eyes fluttering shut as she tried to resist the urge to grind against him.

Her hands moved from his shoulders to grip the fabric of his shirt, her fingers gripping it tightly.

He looked up at her through hooded eyes, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Aren’t they overrated?” he murmured, his breath hot against her neck.

The rational voice in her head was getting quieter and quieter, drowned out by the roaring need that was building between them.

She forced her eyes open, meeting his gaze, and was lost.

“This is a bad idea,” she repeated weakly.

“OK,” he said quietly, doting kisses along her jaw.

As he got closer to her mouth, she instinctively turned towards him, but before their lips could meet, his words registered in her muddled mind.

“Wait… what?” she asked, her voice breathy and dazed, her mind struggling to make sense of the sudden shift in his behavior.

“You don't want to,” he said simply, letting his hands fall away.

She missed the warmth and pressure of his touch immediately, an involuntary whimper escaping her lips.

She was desperate for him, but her mind was caught in a battle between logic and desire.

“I… we shouldn't,” she managed to say, her eyes fixed on his face, searching for a hint of the passion she knew was mirrored in her own eyes.

“OK,” he repeated softly.

The gentle acceptance in his voice made her heart clench.

Her heart ached at the sight of him, his eyes dark with lust and something almost like regret.

She wanted to reach out and touch him, to feel the warmth of his skin under her fingertips.

“OK,” she echoed, her voice just as soft.

They were both trying to cool the heat between them, but the air still crackled with something unspoken.

She sat there in his lap, her body still thrumming with arousal and her mind conflicted.

She could see the tension in his body, the effort it took for him to control himself.

He was leaving the decision entirely up to her, his hands staying at his sides.

“What if…” she whispered, “what if we just... Once…” she hesitated.

Her words hung in the air, the silence deafening.

Her request was brazen, but the need in her eyes was undeniable.

She could see the moment he processed her words, the desire flaring again in his eyes.

His expression remained unreadable.

He didn't say a word, just waited for her to continue.

She could see the tension in his shoulders, the subtle clench of his jaw.

She knew he was on a knife's edge, his control hanging on by a thread.

“Once...?” he prompted, his voice a hoarse whisper.

She nodded quickly.

“I mean, it's not like we're... in love or anything, right?” she scoffed. “We could... just once…”

She waited, wondering if he had the strength to reject her.

The strength she was lacking.

His eyes darkened at her words, his control fraying further.

There was a hunger in his eyes, a barely restrained desire.

“Just once,” he echoed, his voice a low rumble. “Once won't count, right?”

“We just... had too much to drink,” she shifted in his lap, getting closer to him again, her fingers toying with the collar of his shirt. “Got carried away,” she suggested, meeting his eye.

She could see the battle he was fighting.

The rational part of his brain was losing the war against his primal instinct.

He'd always prided himself on his self control, but there was something about her, about this moment, that was shaking his resolve.

And she couldn’t help but exploit it.

“Just once. It won't change anything. It won't mean anything.” He murmured, his hands going back to her hips.

The space between them was charged with electricity.

She could feel the heat radiating off his body, the subtle trembling of his fingers on her hips.

She inched closer, her face just millimeters from his.

His breath was warm against her lips, his gaze fixed on her face.

“Just once?” She whispered, her voice a breathless sigh.

He leaned in to kiss her and the coil snapped.

The moment their lips met, it was as if a dam had broken.

The tension that had been building between them for so long boiled over, their kisses desperate and hungry.

His hands grasped her hips, pulling her tighter against him, his grip possessive.

She leaned into him, her hands roaming over his back, her own desire meeting his blow for blow.

All pretense of control vanished, replaced by a raw and primal need.

He nipped at her lip, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin as his tongue delved into her mouth.

She gasped, rolling her hips against him aching for more fiction

He groaned at her movement, his hands clamping down on her hips, urging her to move again.

The heat and friction between them was overwhelming, driving them both towards the precipice.

He pulled back from the kiss, his breath ragged, his eyes dilated almost black.

“You're sure?” he asked, his fingers trembled as they hovered over the zip of her dress, his eyes locked on hers.

She could see the desire and hesitation warring within him.

She knew they were crossing a line they'd never be able to put back in place once they crossed it.

“I'm sure,” she affirmed, her voice a breathless whisper.

She clung to the idea that this was just a one-time thing, a way to scratch an itch and get it out of her system.

She pushed away the doubts, the nagging thoughts about the consequences.

All that mattered was the overwhelming need that was consuming her, the need that she hadn't fully realised had been building for weeks, months.

There was a frenzy to their movements, an almost desperate need to touch and taste and feel.

He was everywhere, his hands, his lips, his body, driving her to the edge of oblivion.

She was enveloped in a whirlwind of sensation, her whole body felt more alive than she ever remembered feeling before.

Each touch from him sent sparks flying through her veins.

Her mind was blissfully blank, no space for guilt or doubt or rationality.

All that was left was the overwhelming feeling of connection and ecstasy.

Time seemed to stand still, the world outside ceasing to exist.

He moved with a tenderness, his touch filled with reverence, as he whispered words of affection and desire in her ear.

Her body responded to his touch in ways she never thought possible as she surrendered herself to him.

They lay together, their bodies tangled, their breaths ragged.

There was a palpable silence in the room, broken only by the sound of their synchronized breaths.

A sense of disbelief filled the air, as if neither of them could quite wrap their heads around what they had just done.

The afterglow hadn't chased away the doubts and worries Sid had tried to ignore.

The fear that this had changed everything was creeping in, and she couldn't shake the feeling of unease.

River’s eyes were still fixed on her, but it was hard to decipher his thoughts.

He was carefully guarded, their earlier passion replaced with a tense, almost uncomfortable, atmosphere.

“We should get some sleep,” he murmured, as if expecting her brush-off.

"Yeah," she agreed half-heartedly.

She knew it could never happen again, once they flew back to the UK it would be easier to forget.

She could put distance between them.

But until then…

Her heart was still pounding, her body still thrumming with... something.

She wanted more, but she was afraid to say it out loud.

“I mean… Unless?” She bit her lip, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

He seemed to understand her unspoken question, his eyes scanning her face.

His expression was unreadable, his body language tight and closed-off.

But his words were measured, careful.

“Unless you need more?”

She blushed furiously, her nose wrinkled in embarrassment.

“I'm starting to think you're using me,” he teased.

She let out a soft gasp as his thumb traced lazy circles on her thigh.

The heat between them was building again, the tension coiling within her once more.

She could hear the smirk on his face, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Using you?” she teased back. “For what exactly?”

“My good looks and charm?” he grinned, nudging her thighs apart and between her legs again.

The grin on his face was replaced with something else, something darker, hungrier.

She couldn't help but shiver as his mouth hovering above her skin.

“You think you have good looks and charm?” she managed, trying to maintain a hint of playfulness in her voice.

“Well you seem impressed so far,” he replied smugly.

“Impressed is one word for it,” she murmured, unable to keep her hips from arching towards him.

She was getting more and more worked up waiting for him to touch her again. “But maybe you're just... lucky,” she managed, her voice barely above a whisper.

She gasped as his teeth grazed her skin at last, her fingers tightening in his hair.

Every touch seemed to ignite a new fire within her, each caress driving her closer to the edge.

He chuckled, the sound warm and rough.

“Lucky, eh?” he repeated, his breath hot against her skin. “I'm more talented than lucky.”

She gave in trying to argue, and succumbed to him again, and again, until the sun lit up a pink line across the horizon.

~~~~~

Sid lay still, her body boneless, her mind blissfully hazy.

She felt like she'd been wrung out, like every bit of tension and stress had been erased from her mind and body.

He was next to her, his breathing steady, his eyes closed. He looked more relaxed than she'd ever seen him, his expression soft and vulnerable.

They hadn’t slept at all.

They’d spent the whole night consumed with each other.

River had taken her apart over and over, memorising every freckle, every contour of her body.

He’d chased her tan line with kisses and tasted every inch of her.

She was marked with stubble scratches and fingertip bruises.

“Sun’s up,” he said quietly once they were unable to ignore the light pouring into the room.

“Yeah…” she sighed. “I had a good night.”

“Me too. So now we just go back to how things were?” He asked curiously.

The reality of the situation had begun to sink in and her earlier fears came rushing back.

They’d crossed a line there was no coming back from, now what?

“That’s the plan,” she shrugged casually. “One night, no strings.”

“Exactly like you said,” he agreed.

She didn’t respond.

“We’d better go and face breakfast, see if anyone else is down there?”

“I wonder if Diego will show his face,” she wondered, glancing at the small plaster above his eyebrow.

She’d almost forgotten about the rest of the group, about the real world beyond the hotel walls.

She sat up, pulling the sheet with her to cover herself.

“He’d better be bringing an apology if he does,” River complained, rising from the bed.

Sid noticed a couple of scratches across his back and looked away, trying to look anywhere except at him.

She could feel him watching her and knew she should look up, act normally, but her heart was pounding in her chest.

“You ok?” He asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.

“Hmm, yeah,” she nodded firmly, staring at her neat, painted nails.

“I’m going to grab a shower, unless you want to go first?”

She watched him walk away, her eyes tracing the broad muscles of his back.

She couldn’t help the way her body reacted to him, even after everything.

Sid waited until she heard the sound of the shower before collapsing back against the pillows, burying her face into one to muffle her squeal.

His scent surrounded her, intensifying the ache deep in her gut.

She never wanted the delicious tenderness in her thighs to go, she wanted to feel it permanently.

How could she be naive enough to think that she’d ever be able to look at him the same way again?

She thought she could get it out of her system, but she was in deeper than ever, craving his touch, her mind filled with memories of the previous night.

She was starting to realise that perhaps it hadn’t just been the physical attraction she’d wanted to act on.

She wanted more.

As the shower turned off, she forced herself upright, determined to at least pretend she was in control.

He walked through the room without covering up, she wasn’t sure if it felt like a taunt or an invitation.

She could feel him waiting for her reaction and tensed her jaw.

Well two could play that game, she determined.

She pushed off the sheets and stepped out of bed.

He watched as she walked towards him, he didn’t look away, didn’t pretend not to be openly looking.

Her heart pounded in her chest, her skin tingled with anticipation as she brushed past him and closed the bathroom door behind her.

With the door closed, she let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding.

She could still feel the heat of his stare, she could still see the way his eyes had darkened when he looked at her.

She wanted him again.

She stood in front of the sink and chanced a look at her reflection.

Her skin was flushed with the marks he’d left on her body.

Her hair was wild, her eyes a little wild too.

She ran a finger over one of the bites on the underside of her breast.

She looked exhausted.

She ran the shower hot and stood under the steaming water.

The heat soothed her sore muscles and tender skin.

Her mind wandered to the ways he’d touched her, the things he’d done and said to her.

She’d never felt so alive, so desired.

He’d been everywhere all at once, driving her to the brink of madness over and over, more attentive and earnest than any long term partner had ever been towards her.

It was addicting.

She turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around herself, looking a little more composed if not quite feeling it. She could hear him moving around in the bedroom and prepared herself to face him again.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, he sat on the edge of the hastily made bed.

He looked up as she walked in, his eyes skimming over her body.

She chose a light sundress, pulling it over her head and tugging it into place.

She could feel his eyes on her back, burning into her skin.

She tried to ignore it, focusing on brushing through her tangled hair.

“Ready to go?” She asked, unable to quell the nervous butterflies.

The air between them was still thick.

“Yeah,” he said gruffly, “let’s get this over with.”

They sat with the group, which mainly consisted of everyone who hadn’t spent the night drinking.

To Sid, everything felt different. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was different.

It felt like she was wearing the evidence of her night with River on her skin.

News of Diego hitting River hadn’t made its way to everyone yet, so there was a double take when they sat down next to Angela and Lucy.

“Shit, what happened to you?”

“Fight with a lamppost?” Lucy sniggered.

“More like Diego’s fist,” he muttered. Warwick looked up sharply.

“Say again?” He demanded, his stern gaze fixed on River. Lucy's eyes widened in shock, and the entire table seemed to quiet down and turn their attention towards River.

“It's nothing,” he muttered, trying to brush it off.

“Nothing?” Warwick repeated, his voice steely. “That doesn't look like nothing to me.”

“Just a disagreement, he'd had a lot to drink,” River explained.

The room fell silent as Diego and Stella entered with Dilly and Tom close behind.

Diego's gaze flicked around the room, taking in the tension that had suddenly filled the air. He looked a little worse for wear, his eyes bloodshot and his face pale and ashen.

Stella, on the other hand, was cool and composed, her smile a little too bright and cheerful as she tried to compensate.

Diego's eyes finally landed on River.

“Fuck man, I'm sorry.” He said regretfully.

River didn't respond, just nodded stiffly.

His expression was hard, his jaw set in a tight line.

No one seemed to know what to say, the group falling into an uneasy silence.

Diego cleared his throat as the stragglers arrived.

Issy’s eyes widened and she dashed quickly into the room with Kasim and Sam right behind her.

Behind them, Priya was chatting animatedly with Jonty and Hassan but soon fell silent when she saw Diego.

The room was filled. Everyone was trying to act casual, but the atmosphere was anything but.

“Is that everyone?” Diego asked. He sounded more nervous than Sid had ever heard him.

“Looks like it,” Warwick frowned. “Something you want to say?”

Diego fidgeted in his seat, his gaze flickering around the table. He looked like he was gearing himself up to break the silence that had settled over the group.

Before he could speak, Warwick's deep voice cut through the room.

“Well? Go on.”

“I need to apologise,” Diego began. “Mostly to River, obviously, but to everyone else. I made a total twat of myself. I messed up. I'm sorry.” He sounded resigned and sad.

Everyone listened intently to Diego's words.

Warwick sat back in his chair, his eyes on Diego. “That's a start,” he said gruffly. “But words are easy. Showing genuine remorse takes more than an apology.”

Diego looked solemn.

“I know, boss. I let you down. I let you all down.”

Warwick's expression softened a little, but he didn't let up.

“You sure as hell did.”

The rest of the group exchanged glances, their expressions ranging from surprise to skepticism. This wasn't the fiery and arrogant Diego they were used to. He looked humbled, humiliated even.

Sid spotted Jonty hiding a grin.

His glee didn't go unnoticed. Sam quickly elbowed him, shooting him a sharp look. Jonty immediately composed himself, his expression schooled into one of neutrality.

Sid watched the exchange, her brow furrowed in concern. Was Jonty enjoying this a little too much?

She watched Jonty carefully while she pushed her breakfast around her plate.

She should have been famished, but between her churning feelings for River, and the pressure of pinpointing the mole, she'd lost her appetite entirely.

Her instincts were screaming at her, telling her to pay attention to Jonty, that he was hiding something.

She knew it was possible that she was reading too much into it.

Maybe she was just tired, paranoid.

But something about his behavior was making her incredibly uneasy.

As breakfast continued, she found herself convinced that Jonty was the mole she'd been searching for. River had noticed it as soon as they'd arrived in Italy, and despite him being less sure now, Sid felt sure enough for the both of them.

She chanced a glance at River.

He was paying attention to Jonty as well, watching him closely.

She could practically feel the wheels turning in his mind, just as they were in hers.

“Right then you lot,” Warwick spoke up, the group quietening down for him. “It's 11am. The coach to the airport leaves in an hour. Our flight home is at 5pm. You'll be home in time for bed, ready for a fresh start at the office tomorrow morning.”

Groans sounded around the table.

“Work tomorrow?” Dilly grumbled. “I was hoping to stay in bed all day!”

“Bright and early, Dilly. Time waits for no one.” Warwick smiled sagely.

Sid had barely heard Warwick.

Her mind was racing, her thoughts consumed by the possibility that Jonty was the mole.

She darted another glance at River, noticing that he was still watching Jonty intently.

He caught her gaze and gave her a subtle nod, the smallest movement of his head.

He was thinking the same thing.

“We'd better go and pack, babe,” she said to River, placing her hand lightly on his arm.

“Ugh, same,” Priya complained. “Our room is a right state.”

Hassan nodded in sad agreement.

“It's a mess,” he sighed.

The rest of the group chimed in, complaining about the state of their rooms and the hassle of packing. River stood up quickly, taking her arm gently.

“Let's go,” he said quietly.

She walked in step with him to their room, trying to ignore the bed shaped elephant in the room.

“So it's definitely Jonty,” she said breathlessly as soon as he'd closed the door.

River sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. “I understand why you think it's him,” he said, his voice weary. “But I'm not convinced.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, his expression troubled.

“He may be acting weird, but that doesn't mean he's the mole. We need more solid evidence before we start pointing fingers.”

Sid faltered, she'd been so certain that he'd agree with her.

“What? No, it's him, of course it's him.” she insisted. “You nodded with me at the table, about Jonty?”

“I thought you were dismissing him, not confirming him,” he replied apologetically.

“It's so obviously him, though?”

River looked up at her, his expression serious.

“You're not thinking objectively,” he said, his voice firm. “You've got it in your head that it's Jonty, so you're seeing everything he does through a biased lens. That's not helpful, Sid.”

“Excuse me?” she blinked. “I'm not doing that at all, he's absolutely reveling in Diego's fuck up, he can barely contain himself.” She justified.

“Believe me, I know Jonty isn't exactly acting like a saint. And I agree, he's enjoying this whole situation a little too much. But that doesn't mean he's the mole.”

He took a step closer to her, his eyes locked in hers. “You're too emotional about this, Sid. You're not seeing the whole picture.”

“I'm too... emotional? Me? Says the man whispering his devotion to me all night?” She snapped.

River's expression hardened, his jaw tightening.

“That's not fair,” he said quietly.

But she plowed on as if he hadn't spoken, her voice growing in volume.

“Maybe I'm seeing things more clearly than you are! Maybe I'm not blinded by…” she bit her lip, almost saying something she didn't want to admit out loud.

“Blinded by what? Go on Sid,” he demanded, “finish it.”

She took a deep breath, her eyes firmly on his. “Blinded by…” Her voice trailed off, her throat dry and her mouth suddenly feeling like sandpaper.

She had to say it. She had to say it out loud.

“Blinded by you and me,” she muttered finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “By last night and this morning.”

He nodded, hurt by her accusations.

“Yeah. I'm the only one here feeling anything about last night. You're totally fine, right?” he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

She flinched, his words striking a nerve.

“That's not fair,” she echoed him weakly. “It's not that simple, you know it's not.”

“One night. You made the rules, remember. You're so capable of putting this behind you, as if it had never happened,” he shrugged.

She knew he was right.

She had been the one to draw the line, to keep things uncomplicated.

“But that doesn't mean you're thinking anymore clearly than I am,” he told her. “It's not Jonty.”

She folded her arms defensively, her heart thundering in her chest.

“And how can you be so bloody sure about that?”

“Because it's Lilly,” he said simply. He put their suitcases on the bed and started filling his.

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“Lilly? How can you possibly think it's her?”

She watched as he moved about the room, packing his clothes without care.

“We ruled her out,” Sid went on, throwing her clothes into her case.

“You ruled her out,” he added quietly.

Sid froze.

Her mind racing as she processed his words. He'd been thinking this all along, but hadn't told her. Why?

Her expression was thunderous as she continued packing, the tension between them growing.

“What do you mean 'you ruled her out'?”

The atmosphere in the room was fraught.

“I just mean, I still thought it could be her,” he said diplomatically.

“And why didn't you mention this before?” She snapped, her cheeks turning pink with irritation.

“We needed to explore the Jonty option. I didn't not tell you Sid," he explained.

“You didn't not tell me?” she sputtered, her voice rising in disbelief. “That's not how it works, River! We're supposed to be a team! We're supposed to share every possibility!”

“I don't think you should be the one preaching about honesty here,” he snapped back.

She flinched, stung by his words.

“What's that supposed to mean?” she asked defensively.

“Nothing,” he muttered, leaving the room to clear the bathroom of their things.

She followed him out, a fire burning in her chest. “Oh, no, no, no. You don't get to say something like that and then walk away.” She grabbed his arm, turning him to face her. “What did you mean by that?”

“How many times have you lied to me this weekend about your real feelings?” He questioned. “Lie to yourself all you want, Sid. But don't lie to me.”

Her heart thumped wildly in her chest.

She'd been lying to herself all weekend, making excuses and trying to hold him at arm's length.

But she couldn't keep up the facade any longer.

“It doesn't matter,” she muttered stubbornly. “It doesn't change the fact that you should have told me about Lill-”

“You're right, it doesn't matter,” he sneered, “just like last night doesn't matter.”

His response hit her like a punch to the gut.

She felt winded, the air leaving her lungs in a sharp exhale.

She hadn't expected him to use her own words against her.

“That's low, River,” she managed, her voice strained.

River's expression softened as he looked at her.

His gaze was full of a mixture of pain and regret, but there was also a deep sense of resignation.

He took a step closer to her, his voice low and heavy.

“Maybe it is low,” he conceded, his words soft and mournful. “But it's also the truth, isn't it? Last night doesn't matter. This - whatever it is between us - doesn't matter. We're going home now, back to the real world.”

She felt a pang in her chest at his words.

He was right.

They were returning to the real world, to the office and the stress and the pressure.

And everything would go back to normal, as if nothing had happened between them.

“Yeah,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. “Back to reality.”

#river cartwright #slow horses #jack lowden #river cartwright fanfic #river x sid #river cartwright x sid baker #sidonie baker #sid in italy #sid baker #this love left a permanent mark

16 notes · View notes

crow14-raven · 4 days ago

Text

Before you read below just so you know we have potential spoilers ahead so please, if you don’t want any spoilers just ignore this post and look somewhere else. If you do though, feel free to read along and ask away once you’ve finished reading! Enjoy!

For more descriptiveness of the theories below here’s the link to the trailer to get the ideas flowing. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq9kn2MD-0A&pp=ygUOdGhlIGJhZCBndXlzIDI%3D

youtube

When it comes to waiting, it’s really hard to not be impatient. We still have a long way to go and I believe we’re already 55% done with the whole wait for the movie to be ready in theaters. In my personal opinion this may be a good time to explain my thoughts and details of the movie trailer we got back in November.

The trailer and concepts were good, but I felt like they released the trailer way too early, they should have kept that trailer hidden a bit longer until either late march or mid April. And like the first trailer for the first movie they did give out many story spoilers which easily pieces together some of the the events in my mind of what I thought it was going to be about.

So about the trailer here. The second movie trailer had Mr. Wolf pull off a heist with his team in Egypt based off of the pyramids in the distance, and The Bad Guys successfully pulled it off by getting their new stolen car through the city without being caught. They were a bit messy but as a bad guy, you want to create so much chaos to stop anyone from catching you. They were living the dream as the greatest villains and thieves of all time until 5 years later when they were living a hard life on the opposite side of the law.

After turning good they seem to have a poor shabby broken down van as transportation, (their old car’s end result is explained in Little Lies and Alibis) Wolf explains how they have gone good after serving their time in prison for one year based on good behavior as they struggle to find solace in their new lives. Given their history they haven’t gotten much luck finding jobs for themselves to earn a living.

Next we see a new group of villains known as there Bad Girls lead by Kitty Kat, a snow leopard who in my opinion is really cool and hot based on her build. (I know I might be getting a little too much into that) the rest of the team consists of Pigtail, a wild boar who looks like some kind of engineer, and Doom, a raven who is very small given a bird’s natural size who made an interesting joke on Piranha. Calling him a Mango with Teeth. Clever. Anyway, the three ladies captured the bad guys somehow and are being held hostage in a warehouse of some sorts. Saying that they are students and fans of the Bad Guys work, and that they need assistance with “a job” and their services are required since they are desperate to finding one. The mission seems what appears to be stealing an actual rocket ship. But what for?Wolf first assured Kitty that they are good but unfortunately she venomously said to him that no wasn’t an answer for this job.

So later we cut to see them driving away in a food truck from an army of luchador fighters as Piranha asks if they’re bad again. Earlier we see Chief Luggins become what appears to be a commissioner of some sorts due to the fact of the new jacket she’s wearing and perhaps a promotion of getting the bad guys near the end of the first movie. Meanwhile back to the chase scene we see the back of the food van open up revealing Shark and Piranha wearing what looked like Chicken themed wrestler outfits without the face masks as they were counter attacking the luchadors with ketchup and mustard. The question is why are they running away from the luchadors and why in a food truck? Well we’ll get to that later on.

So back to the trailer, now we see an earlier shot of the wrestling match where the luchadors were from but we see Shark and Piranha fully outfitted in the Chicken wrestler outfits as Shark throws Piranha at another wrestler wearing black and a cape who is also masked. With Wolf also saying V.O. We just have to do this one last job. Ok so so far the wrestling thing is something but what else is there?

Now we get to a shot of the top of the rocket still docked to a loading platform where three figures are running towards the rocket, but we also see Diane Foxington, a fan favorite running towards them and even smacking Kitty in the face with a briefcase. Obviously there is some kind of vendetta going on here but later we see the rocket launching as well as Tiffany Fluffit, a news reporter from the first film reporting live at the scene where a helicopter is in pursuit of it as it heads towards the rising rocket. Then we see the bad guys on the rocket running towards the Space shuttle and jump off the booster section trying to reach it.

There were two more scenes with Shark impersonating someone named Marco who is heading a Wedding reception as well as talking with an odd Italian Accent. Then finally the trailer ends with an interesting scene of Doom in a different outfit looking like a hippy seducing Snake. Even calling her his girlfriend. The rest of the group are at odds with this but then get grossed out when the two lovebirds make out in the van. Then the trailer ends there.

Now here’s the thing. Obviously no one has seen this new movie yet except for the people behind the scenes. What I’m going to do is try to answer as many clues and hints from this trailer to see if we have an answer to figuring out what we would expect to see in the new movie. First we know that the original movie was based off of the books 1-4 and this one is going to be based off of books 5-10. There are so many details to go off of here but here’s what we know so far: the rocket ship, the bad girls, Diane returning, and the bad guys heading for space for this one last job.

Obviously the fifth book has the intro of the girls group with the three bad girls on the team with different designs but we also see here is Diane in there as well who was named Ellen in the books and Pigtail named Hogwild. There’s also a fifth member of the group. A Tasmanian devil named Rhonda who’s code name is Shortfuse. In my opinion, my theory is that from the first movie I don’t think Diane’s story is complete and they did it on purpose to set some character development here in this one. The story she told to wolf in the car of her changing her ways didn’t seem right because when it comes to world class heists no one alone can pull this off so it is possible that Diane was never a solo artist and that those three other women were part of her group together along with the fifth member. That fifth member may be the result of why they disbanded in the first place or how something went wrong during the heist and that she had to abandon it.

This in my thought made me think that this is what would have made Diane a lot better. She was part of this team instead of doing everything by herself. The Bad Guys themselves did their heists together in perfect sync. Though they had a few slip ups they still did grand in their planning. Diane from the first movie I felt like was a Narcissist in her wording when she insulted the bad guys which gave me the idea she has done this type of thing before. Not just her piercing in her eyebrow gave away a certain badness of her and her showoff moves as the Crimson Paw, she was a bit reckless as well. She thought she was better than anyone else and thought she didn’t need her team to do anything else but her wag didn’t happen. No one saw it.

The wag was the term used when someone feels really good. The bad guys had it, wolf of course felt it first, even Marmalade the main antagonist had it too later on, so why didn’t she do it? This I knew was something off. She wanted her other persona to be good but later I felt like maybe there’s a chance of change. This will be tested with her own words if her friends were really her friends, they would understand. Just like she said to wolf.

Now for the Bad Girls themselves, I feel like they are doing this to perhaps go to space to find another meteorite like the last movie presented because they want to be special thieves. This is my own thought here but reasoning needs to happen first. So if you take a closer look at Kitty Kat’s right eye, we can see a green ring around the pupil. Something that most of us thought was an animation error but was supposed to appear there. Something tells me that will get further explained in the story.

There’s also the part where Luggins was saying something about keeping an eye on the bad guys which happened outside the wrestling ring. I think the moment where Piranha asked if the bad guys were bad again will tell us that the bad girls were doing these acts of crimes not only to frame the original team but to draw them out into the open for easy capture.

Now the wrestling scene. I think that we’re going to see a bit more of Pigtail than you realize. The body build of the chicken duo’s opponent looks more like a pig due to the hair style poking out of the mask, the nose and tusks, and the feet there. Seeing Pigtail do wrestling would be an awesome thing to see. Should there be chemistry between her and one of the bad guys? Well we’ll see for sure.

Also I bet Snake and Doom will have their moment both before and after the wrestling moment in the movie and they will have their make out session but another part of when the Bad Guys actually get kidnapped by the Bad Girls as part of a ruse for their “recruitment”.

Now the Rocket launch sequence what was interesting here is that Diane appeared above the bad girls before the rocket launched. We can tell because there was no eruption happening beneath the rocket. Later we see a helicopter heading towards the rocket as it just launched. My bet is that the bad guys are trying to stop the girls as they backed off from the mission as they try to get to the rocket and stop it. Why? Did the bad girls get on the rocket? Is Diane trapped in there with them or is something else going on? Well another thing to notice is that Webs, aka Miss Tarantula, the fifth member of the Bad Guys, is not running up the rocket like the rest of the team as we see only four members running up. She wasn’t sitting on Shark as we see them running and leaping off but what happens next is up to you guys. One last thing to note. I will talk about Diane and Wolf’s relationship later on in another post but I will say something here. The wedding scene. This might actually be happening for two someone’s or maybe something rare. It could happen to Wolf and Diane as their romance will finally blossom. Maybe Snake and Doom’s relationship happens for real after development, or maybe a few other members will fall in love with the other members of the Bad Girls team. Who’s to say? There are other rumors about Marmalade returning and I bet he will actually turn out to be an alien revealed in the books. But hey this is just a theory, a film theory!

Hope you guys liked what you’ve read here and get a clearer idea of what we could see in the movie, I will be making another post related to this real soon as I have some other pressing matters to attend to.

I know I didn’t have any pictures for this to make this more descriptive and a lot easier to explain but I do have the link for the trailer at the top. Be sure to watch it in case you missed it.

#the bad guys 2 #mr. wolf #diane foxington #kitty kat #mr. snake #mr. shark #mr. piranha #miss tarantula #misty luggins #tiffany fluffit #professor marmalade #the bad guys #new movie #Youtube #tbg movie #tbg #tbg books #tbg2 #cuddles

7 notes · View notes

thewitchofbooks · 2 years ago

Text

A few things about Cyril Rose, Chevalier Michel and Lucian

I was always curious about Chevalier's behavior towards Cyril, especially after Lucian was introduced as the covert and the royal guard later on for Chevalier. The question in my mind was, if Chevalier really trust Cyril to become the lead knight of the foreign affairs faction, then would he ever call him by his name? The post is based on Chevalier's election promise party event

Spoilers and facts about Cyril (and a few about Lucian) under the cut!

After obtaining Chevalier's Early Clear Bonus from this party event (promise from 2nd anniversary/election):

The story was in his POV and fully voiced (meaning that his thoughts and dialog were voiced, except for a few lines of narration).

But from this story, we are able to see a few sides of Chevalier that we never saw before, nor did we hear him talk about. Including Cyril Rose.

The story starts with him training with the knights, before "killing them" as he said after knocking them out. And it ends with Cyril being the only one standing. From the Mc's POV, Cyril could keep up really well, but Chevalier kicked his sword. In Chevalier's POV, Cyril actually got distracted, else the battle would have continued.

This whole training thing was never something that Chevalier would have done, but he feels the need to show off in front of Emma.

Back to the topic, while training and inwardly praising all the knights, who were able to keep up so much longer against him, Chevalier thought of Cyril.

And while thinking of him as Clavis' knight, he also acknowledges his name!! The same way Lucian's name is acknowledged, meaning that it's written right on top of his job in the castle:

Translation:

Chevalier's thoughts: 'Usually, I leave the management of the knight's to Clavis and the red head (Cyril),'

So he does, indeed, acknowledge him with his name. Conclusion: Chevalier loves to "make fun" of others with these nicknames (more like he points out what describes them XD). Lucian is also called the long black haired royal guard (Since Chevalier is the king, Lucian is the royal guard).

A few things for Cyril:

In the party event story (previous discussion), it shows how much more familiar the knights are with Chevalier and how much more they are scared of Cyril (as their master in training). Chevalier told them to run 100 laps around the castle, making the knights complain about it (with no fear towards him). Translation of the moment:

Knights:"Hyahhhhhh.....100 laps!?"

Chevalier:"Even if I'm showing the losers mercy?"

Cyril:"Thank you for your mercy! Everyone, keep your mouth shut!"

When Cyril told them to shut their mouth, they all stopped complaining and run out to train

Before that, Chevalier admitted to Cyril that out of all of the knights, he would be the only one standing at the battlefield. And not only that, but he told him to make sure to withdraw if something goes wrong and return to the castle before he dies. He also said that he should help and save as many of those around him, leaving Cyril at a loss but he was quick to agree with Chevalier.

Thank you for reading this far! This event was truly enjoyable and definitely worth to get the ECB. A small flashback of Chevalier and Clavis is also in there, but in Chevalier's thoughts.

Chevalier was drawing Benitoite in huge detail and Emma was watching in amazement, before she complimented him. Chevalier thought that he never payed attention to drawing before, but he once tried it, because Clavis made him draw to find a weakness, but Chevalier knew how, so Clavis threw a tantrum when he saw the finished project.

And of course, after he finished drawing Benitoite, he drew Jade and gave attention to the huge greenhouse, because it looked like it came out of a fairy-tale, so he knew Emma would love this the most.

Although he finished with the drawings, gave them to Emma after she asked to keep them, knowing that all he was doing was useless and had nothing to do with their lessons, he still asked her to draw something for him.

(Keep in mind that Sariel doesn't give Emma lessons as much anymore, it's mostly Chevalier when he is off of work).

Emma drew roses, books (Chevalier's thoughts were that this was a rose garden with her favourite things), and in the end, she added added tiger! And Chevalier took the quill pen from her hands to draw a little rabbit too. He started praising Emma a lot and her expressions changed a lot, so he laughed very hard at her (his thoughts were that he never laughed this hard in his whole life).

#ikemen prince #ikepri #ikepri spoilers #ikepri chevalier #ikemen prince chevalier #ikemen prince spoilers #ikemen prince jp spoilers #ikemen prince jp #ikemen prince cyril #ikepri cyril #ikemen prince cyran #ikepri cyran #ikepri lucian #thank you for reading!

187 notes · View notes

measuringbliss · 30 days ago

Note

So, now that you're done with Season 2, how do you feel about it?

Are you looking forward to watching Season 3?

...So let's talk about Gossip Girl (GG), Pretty Little Liars (PLL) and Bridgerton. There aren't going to be spoilers in this post, don't be afraid.

What do these shows have in common? A lot, actually.

Someone has a secret identity. Gossip Girl, A and Lady Whistledown. The shows imply it's someone we know, and incite us to try and solve the mystery.

The shows are critically contentious. They're noticed for their cultural impact, but reviews aren't raving.

The actual mystery touted as the premise takes a backseat to the characters' relationships.

The mystery is what immediately attracted me to these shows, and I dropped two of them for years because it just wasn't up to my hopes, and the soap was repetitive. That was Gossip Girl and Bridgerton. If you're wondering, I kept going with PLL both because it was still airing (I started it during the airing of 6A, and it finished with 7B) and because I have bad taste. One of my favorite movies is Madame Web, for Goodness's sake!

I resumed my watch of Gossip Girl by switching to my local dub (much less boring voices), and Bridgerton after months of @spaceorphan18 campaigning for the show around here. Godspeed, by the way.

In each case though, I also knew the answer to the key mystery. PLL is a complicated case and makes no sense (let's say I knew a reveal, but I was still trying to figure out the mystery), but Gossip Girl is pretty straightforward (still makes no sense), and Bridgerton is probably the best realized version of the mystery, notably because it gives you the answer after only one short season and it makes perfect sense.

The thing is, these shows put the soap at the forefront, and the search for clues is unsatisfying. At least, with Bridgerton, you get to see the mysterious Lady Whistledown try to stay inconspicuous, and then the threat of seeing their identity revealed to the rest of the cast becomes an interesting plot thread in its own right (possibly the most interesting one).

So if you know where it leads, you can ignore the mystery side of these shows and focus on the rest. That is, appreciating the romance and betrayals.

So I think that Bridgerton S2 is more compelling by its premise alone: you know who Lady Whistledown is. Nobody else knows (for now).

And I think it starts really well, too. Jonathan Bailey has chemistry with anyone, and Simone Ashley is just as much of a powerhouse. And really, the entire cast is gold. Good for them! The romance is different from the previous season, perhaps a bit more classical in its development, but for, I'd say, 4 or 5 episodes of this 8 episode long season, it's really fun.

But then it drags. It really drags. The actors try their very best, but the characters keep going through the same beats every other scene, and you can feel the writers overplay their hand. It's not just the main relationship either (how many times can you watch Kate suppress her feelings before it becomes boring?).

The Eloise vs. Lady Whistledown storyline is so, so obviously brought to a halt to postpone her discovering the truth, but even her interactions with everyone are identical from one episode to the next. Eloise doesn't come with her family to this event, to that event and to this one too. Penelope keeps begging her again and again to not see Theo. There's characterization, dynamics setup, and then there's this padding. Ironically, Eloise's relationship with Theo is her best scenes in the season (and then the last episode, but we shan't talk about that).

The Featheringtons storyline is alright, I have no complaints.

The Madame Delacroix dynamic with You-Know-Who is similarly repetitive. She keeps saying "ooh I didn't plan for this to get this far, I should stop".

The show is brilliant when it shows new and fun dynamics: the Bridgertons welcoming the Sharmas to their home is a fun moment! You see more of the ensemble cast together, with some dynamics you don't necessarily expect, and their acting can shine. But most of the time, I think the acting and pacing are disappointing. Padding is definitely an issue. For every great scene there is (the flashbacks), you get another scene where Kate or Anthony lie to themselves.

You can blame this on the 1 hour long episodes, on the 8 episodes long seasons, on Netflix forcing them to release the seasons in multiple parts and account for this, or anything else, but the fact remains that for all its nice production value and quality acting, Bridgerton as a show is extremely repetitive. Individually, the episodes are well done, but I was suffering a burnout by episode 7 and pushed through them.

I'll watch season 3 in due time. Not now, though! I'm interested in the storylines, be it Lady Whistledown's saga or Penelope and Colin's relationship. Also, more of Newton!

Baby.

(About the failures of those shows regarding their core mystery: A is a threatening presence in PLL, but Gossip Girl rarely actually says interesting things and is mostly inconsequential. As for Lady Whistledown, imo it's a failed concept. She's interesting at first glance, but her lines we hear never say anything that saucy. Her interventions are few, fast, and overall disappointing. She's much more interesting once we get to see who she is and how she behaves.

The A mystery was drenched in inconsistencies and too complex plots, and there were far too many red herrings. Gossip Girl was simple, to its credit. But she also was just a cute framing. I think she works as framing. It's cute to hear her lines. But she's not compelling most of the time. A real shame, considering that the concept, in the right hands, is absolutely fascinating, but making The Secret Peddler a backdrop and not a driving force of your show is, imo, a mistake.

Those shows are not mystery shows, and it's a shame they're sold as such. They're soap operas supported by their mysteries. The quality of the mystery can be excused with this context, but the soap needs to be really solid then, and I think none of these shows really measure up to this.)

#bridgerton #gossip girl #pretty little liars #discussion #meta #lady whistledown #bridgerton netflix #bridgerton season 2 #eloise bridgerton #mystery #suspense #opinion #long post #thoughts

4 notes · View notes

fourraccoonsinacoat · 1 year ago

Text

Head Full of Ghosts

Pairing: Astarion x Dark Urge

Summary: Takes place during the events of Baldur's Gate 3 and explores the romance between Astarion and the Dark Urge, as well as the friendships and relationships she has with her companions. Plus, everyone gives shit to Gale about his cooking. Tags: Slow Burn, Angst, Pining, Humor, Violence, Friends to Lovers, Developing Friendships, Developing Romance, Spoilers for the Dark Urge and BG3 in general, Dark Urge as Original Female Character Rating: Mature (Will eventually be Explicit, just not there yet.) Current Chapter Count: 3/? Read on AO3 (Will post chapters to Tumblr, as well.) Current Word Count: 13,050

Author Notes: Hello, Tumblr! Longtime lurker, first time poster. BG3 has reignited my love for writing fanfic - I think it's legit been over seven years since I've written a fic. The dry spell has now been broken. BG3 has grabbed me by the throat and pulled me back in and damn, if I'm not enjoying the hell out of it. I've got an ongoing fic on AO3, so I figured why not officially join Tumblr and dive headfirst into the fandom? Should anyone read my silly fic, I dearly hope you enjoy it. All these characters currently live in my head rent free.

Chapter 1: Misfits

The toll house burned as Karlach whooped, exacting rage and fury on everything within the abandoned building. Her glee might have been infectious if it hadn’t been so damn dangerous.

Luckily, Eli and her merry band of misfits had gotten clear of the structure before the worst of the fires caught. They now stood in the middle of the dirt cart path that led to the toll house entryway, watching the scene unfold in front of them with the same morbid curiosity with which townsfolk might watch a public hanging.

Wyll rubbed the back of his neck, cringing slightly as the loud and unmistakable crash of something glass-made reverberated from within the inferno.

“Maybe…” he started hesitantly, then cleared his throat. “Maybe someone should stop her?”

Honestly, Wyll was too pure for their group of maladjusted headcases. Between being forcibly inducted as Emerald Grove’s newest mediator, and trying to figure out just what in the nine hells was going on with the illithid tadpoles in their brains, Eli had not had much time to get to know Wyll. Like her, he was a warlock, though he was being rather cagey about who or what his patron was. She guessed it had something to do with his contract, and it wasn’t as if she had much room to judge.

Eli couldn’t even remember who the hell her patron was. That knowledge was a gaping black hole in her ruptured memory. Sometimes, late at night, in the stifling silence when the chaos of the day had finally died down, she’d try to recall…anything. Anything about her past life beyond the images of blood, death and rot that swirled in her mind. She was never successful, and her attempts usually ended in a roiling headache. The holes in her brain were deep, dark and remained unknown.

“These days I’m trying to avoid situations that end with me burnt to ash,” Astarion’s snark brought Eli back to the here and now. “But if you’re confident in your ability to be fire retardant, then by all means,” he finished the thought by motioning towards the building with a bit of a flourish.

The building was now practically engulfed in flames so bright that it was difficult to look at. She was pretty sure she could hear the roof caving in. Eli pinched the bridge of her nose and shut her eyes, the light and sound of it all was causing her already throbbing headache to grow and fester behind her eyes.

“Stop trying to suck the joy out of things, Wyll,” Eli said, with a bit more bite than she had intended.

She couldn’t see it, but she heard the eye roll in his response. “Fine. Far be it from me to deny someone their little moments of destructive bliss.”

Eli huffed in response and felt a presence move up next to her.

“Another headache?” Shadowheart’s voice wasn’t quite concerned, but it did have a hint of guarded interest, and for Shadowheart that was just as good.

“Think I’m going on day three now,” Eli responded with a groan. She let her hand drop from her face and opened her eyes, blinking back against the influx of light.

No one spoke it out loud, but they all knew the significance of that statement. Three days ago, Eli had woke in the middle of the night to discover Alfira, a kind and gentle tiefling bard, brutalized and dead…by Eli’s own hands. The shame, guilt and confusion from that night was still a gaping and painful wound within. Alfira was a constant and haunting presence, a reminder that her mind and body were not her own. She could recall flashes of memory from that night, and she desperately wished that was not the case.

The fear in Alfira’s eyes was emblazoned upon her brain and it followed her into her dreams. She was not sleeping well, if at all. And the terror that she would once again wake up to find she’d torn open another of her companions, one of her friends…it was enough to fill her nights with nauseating dread.

“Maybe Gale can cook up a sleeping potion for you when we get back to camp,” Shadowheart suggested with more softness in her voice than Eli was used to. “I’m sure your penchant for rummaging through our wares until all hours of the morning isn’t helping things,” she chided a bit more coolly.

Eli gave her a non-committal half smile. She’d taken to perusing their camp’s growing hoard of books during her sleepless nights. Reading kept her mind busy, and off of other darker thoughts that stalked her steps.

“Given the unholy smells being extruded by Gale’s cookpot the other night, I’m not sure I’d trust him to brew a sleeping potion someone is expected to wake up from,” Astarion said cheerily, stepping up to Eli’s other side opposite Shadowheart. “Besides, there’s nothing wrong with a little extracurricular nighttime activity.”

The suggestive smirk he gave Eli caused the pit of her stomach to tighten.

“Yes, because reading is so titillating,” she deadpanned back at him. Astarion was a shameless flirt, and Eli wasn’t in a mood to deal with him while her head was splitting open from the inside out.

Astarion, however, was not dissuaded.

“Darling, it’s not my fault if you choose a boring activity.” He emphasized the word ‘boring’ and Eli knew exactly where this was going before they even got there.

He leaned in closer and she caught the faint scent of spice and rosemary that always lingered in the space where he’d been. Nine hells, why did she know that?

“You know I’m only a few tents away if you ever want to try a more stimulating activity,” he purred. A small shiver ran up her spine as she felt the breath from his words against her neck.

A derisive snort came from Eli’s other side. “Really, Astarion, were you never taught not to play with your food?” Shadowheart said with the hint of a smirk, which turned into a full grin when Eli shot her a dark glare.

Eli suddenly felt very aware of a certain spot on her neck as she looked back to Astarion, whose red eyes had been lingering there before they flicked back up to her face. She met his gaze and thought she saw something hungry flash across his expression before he looked to Shadowheart.

“Call it an appetizer,” Astarion replied in that smooth and sultry voice that danced so effortlessly from his lips. “Something to get the blood pumping before the main course.”

Eli was starting to feel something akin to what a rabbit may feel when being circled by wolves. Astarion had inched closer to her as he spoke and teased, pushing into her personal space with bravado and squaring up to her like an animal on the prowl. Eli had experienced this behavior from him before, and she hated it. Not because of any issues with personal boundaries - she didn’t even know if she had issues with personal boundaries, considering how full of holes her memory was. No, she hated it because of how her body responded. And she doubted it was the sort of response Astarion was looking for.

All of his bravado, his confidence, how sure of himself he seemed when he pressed near to her, playing his games. It triggered an anger in her she didn’t recognize. A cruel and dominating rage that wanted nothing more than to grab him by the throat and force him to his knees, demanding respect. She was no rabbit fearful of wolves, no plaything for him to tease. She’d flay him sternum to navel for his insolence.

“Stop,” Eli muttered, moreso to herself than to Astarion.

Her head was pounding as she tried to shove those unwanted and vicious thoughts back down into the unknown void of herself. She took a tentative step backwards and nearly collided with Shadowheart, who managed to step quickly out of the way. Eli felt a hand on her shoulder and reflexively flinched away, internally trying to wrest herself from the cloying vile madness that was building in her brain.

“Sorry,” Eli heard Shadowheart say.

Glancing to Shadowheart, Eli saw she had her hands raised in a conciliatory gesture. Likely, Shadowheart had reached out to try and steady Eli. The problem was, Eli didn’t trust herself when her mind went red and hazy.

She didn’t want anyone touching her in those moments. She didn’t want anyone ending up like Alfira…

“That’s enough of that,” Wyll’s strong voice held a very clear note of annoyance in it. “Leave her be and let’s get back to camp. Lest we get lost out here after the sun goes down.”

Eli appreciated the sentiment, but she almost wished Wyll had stayed silent.

“Ah, the dashing Blade of Frontiers here to save the pretty damsel from the dangerous vampire,” Astarion said, with more than a hint of contempt to his words.

Astarion and Wyll did not play nice. They reminded Eli of two dogs posturing and vying for control when they were near one another. And, unfortunately, everyone else got pissed on in the process.

Astarion continued to bait the hook, voice sickly suggestive. “Hoping she’ll offer you a place to sheath your blade tonight if you play hero?”

Eli wheeled on Astarion with a glare that only succeeded in making the elf smile wider. For all of his pompous confidence, Eli did take note of the fact that Astarion had backed off from her. At least in the physical sense. He seemed more than happy to continue his verbal assault.

“You vulgar bastard!” Wyll barked back, angrily stepping towards Astarion who was grinning like a feral cat. Wyll was taking the bait.

“Lolth’s rotten nickers!” Eli exclaimed, exasperated and over all of this. “If the two of you want to have it out, fine! Just know I’m not asking Withers to bring either of you miserable assholes back if one of you kills the other!”

The blood in her head was pounding again, pulsating painfully behind her eyes. Eli threw up her hands and turned away from the squabbling men, only to see that tiefling barbarian, Karlach, watching all of them with a grin.

“You lot seem fun as hell!” she proclaimed with a laugh as the toll house continued to blaze like an inferno behind her. “Still cool if I tag along?”

“Yeah, sure,” Eli responded. “We all seem to be in the same shithole of a boat, so if you want to grab a paddle I’m not stopping you.”

Eli smirked and Karlach’s face lit up with excitement. “That’s the spirit!”

The next few moments were a blur. Moments in which Eli felt very much like a passenger in her own body. Astarion wasn’t letting up, and from behind her Eli heard his goading voice as he continued to taunt Wyll.

“You know, Wyll, if you’re ever curious about what our dear, sweet Eli tastes like, all you have to do is ask,” Astarion’s sly words were dripping with inuendo.

Eli snapped.

She rounded on Astarion like a displacer beast loosed from hell, stepping into his personal space just as he had done to her earlier. Eli, however, was not playing games. Her head felt like it was exploding from the inside and her vision was beginning to swim. She needed to get out of here. She needed to leave before she lost control. She needed to put this flippant, disrespectful maggot in his place.

“Would you FUCK OFF with your self-aggrandizing bullshit!” she roared.

Eli was up in Astarion’s face now, all venom and rage as she tried to maintain enough control to keep herself from driving a dagger through his eye like the monster inside of her was demanding.

“I’ve let you feed on me ONE time, and that has been the extent of any nightly activities between us,” she growled, locking eyes with the vampire spawn.

Astarion was a few inches taller than her, but in this moment it didn’t matter. They had all seen Eli fight. They’d witnessed the absolute carnage and power that she was capable of, and while most of that ability came from whatever deal she’d made with her patron, they had all sensed something else beyond her skill as a warlock. Something foul and brutal and violent that she seemed desperate to keep restrained.

That thing was leaking out now. Pressing at the barricades in her mind wrestling to break free. It wanted blood and gore and anguish. It wanted out.

“So, keep your pathetic attention-whoring charade in check or I’m going to lock you in a coffin and burry you so fucking deep even the worms won’t be able to find you!” Eli snarled, eyes glittering with a mania that indicated she was far from joking.

Eli didn’t know the chord she’d struck in Astarion – she didn’t even know if he had chords to be struck. She didn’t know how her words wrenched unbidden memories to the surface of his mind, like puss oozing from an infected wound. She didn’t know the torments inflicted upon him. Didn’t know that her words caused his chest to tighten with anxiety as unwanted recollections flashed in his mind. Days, months, years trapped in lonely confinement at the whim of his abuser. Locked away and starved because he said something displeasing or because he begged to be spared the agony of having his scars cut open once again because his master was bored and wanted to play.

Astarion had gone very still in the face of Eli’s wrath. And as the haze of anger in her mind dissipated and the realization of what she’d just said crashed down upon her, her eyes went wide and she took a quick step back. Her head was a mess and she felt like she was coming up out of a dream and seizing control of herself once more.

Shadowheart, Wyll and Karlach stood by, staring with a mix of shock and morbid curiosity. They were not going to get involved, but they damn sure were going to watch this disaster play out.

“I…uh…” Eli stuttered as she pulled herself back from the brink.

Her movements felt lethargic and wrong, as if she were a step removed from the actions her body was taking. But she kept hold of her mental steering wheel and willed herself to maintain control.

“Fuck. I’m sorry, Astarion,” she lifted her gaze, wanting to meet his eyes so she could explain and apologize again.

But Astarion wasn’t looking at her. At least, not at her face. His eyes were fixated on the collar of the burgundy undershirt she wore below her chest armor. His expression fluctuated somewhere between grim detachment and smoldering hatred, crimson eyes glassy and distant.

Eli felt an unnerving sensation of being looked through.

“Astarion?” she questioned, voice softer and tinged with an edge of worry.

She took a tentative step forward and raised a hand towards him. Had he been struck with an incantation? A curse? Maybe Shadowheart or Wyll had cast something as a means of intervention?

Eli was about to turn and ask them when Astarion flinched back from her outstretched hand as if she’d struck him. His eyes snapped to hers and burned with a hostility she’d never seen from him, not even during the famously vehement rows he and Gale would get into over Gale’s cooking (the arguments usually ended with Gale shouting, “You aren’t even going to eat any of it, anyway!” and storming off in a dither).

“Don’t,” Astarion snarled through clenched teeth and a tight jaw. “Don’t fucking touch me!”

Icy loathing dripped off his every word and Eli suddenly recognized the defensive posture he’d put himself in, leaning back and away from her with hands ready to go for a weapon or even swing at her should she move closer. He reminded her of an animal trapped in a corner, baring its fangs at something…

At something dangerous. At something intent on hurting them.

Shit. Had her outburst really been that bad? Had he really thought she was going to attack him?

A pang stabbed through her stomach as she realized…of course he had. Because of what she’d done to Alfira. She’d already proven she was capable of brutalizing the people around her, no matter how innocent they were. They thought she was dangerous. Astarion, a godsdamn vampire who’d crept up on her in the middle of the night, thought she was dangerous.

She needed to get herself under control. This wasn’t a sustainable lifestyle. At least not for the people around her…

“Astarion, I’m really fucking sorry,” she backed away from him, giving him space and bringing her hands back to her sides. “I’m not even entirely sure what happened. Things got…hazy. I’m really sorry.”

It was a piss poor excuse, and an even worse apology. She knew. And it seemed he agreed.

“You can choke on your apology,” Astarion snapped as he shoved past her. “If the tadpole turns you tonight, it wouldn’t be too soon.”

The sheer venom of his words stung as painfully as if he’d stabbed her right there on the spot. She opened her mouth to reply, but could think of nothing worthwhile to say. So she snapped it closed and watched him walk off down the path that led back to camp.

Well, some fantastic leader she was turning out to be. She already didn’t understand why anyone thought she, with her magnitude of memory loss and murder happy tendencies, was the ideal candidate for a position of authority. She was awful at this shit!

Eli had spent a lot of time combing through her fractured psyche, trying to piece together any semblance of facts about who she was. In all that self-reflection, she’d concluded there were two things she was really good at. Killing people and drinking.

Fuck, what she wouldn’t give to be doing either one of those things right now instead of this.

She turned a miserable expression on her remaining companions. “Is it too late to go back to the mind flayer ship and just surrender?”

Wyll laughed and sided up to her, clapping a hand on her shoulder and trying to be reassuring.

“I’m sure he’ll get over it,” he said. Then, with a somewhat darker smirk, “And if he doesn’t, we’ll just stake him. Luckily for us, our benevolent illithid captors saw fit to crash us in the middle of a forest. Trees everywhere.”

Wyll grinned while Eli just gave him a deadpan stare. He wasn’t helping. Maybe he wasn’t too pure for their little group, after all. Maybe he was just as much of a dumbass as the rest of them.

Eli looked to Shadowheart, who simply rolled her eyes before glancing after Astarion as he continued to walk further and further from the party.

“I bet he just needs some time to cool down,” Shadowheart mused. “Men can be irrationally dramatic when they put their minds to it.”

The grin on Wyll’s face fell as Shadowheart started to follow Astarion down the path. Eli trailed after her, glancing to Karlach in the hopes of making some sort of conversation to distract herself from all the pain and noise in her head.

“I’m just happy to be here,” Karlach laughed.

47 notes · View notes

miradanii · 8 months ago

Text

Cyberverse series complete!!!

A Review:

If you want a Transformers series that not only doesn't have any humans and later on has a good amount of Cybertron lore and enjoy a series that smooths out over the last few seasons AND AND do a banger job by the finale then I do recommend this series.

Just know it is geared towards a younger audience so it won't be as outwardly dark as Transformers Prime or really deep diving in a character's emotional trauma. It is possible to do that in a 10 minute episode but it's very clear where the shows priorities are in the episodes that were made.

Knowing what to expect made it a much more enjoyable watch that seriously helped those turning point of events caught me off guard.

The fun part I did not expect is when they keep adding more characters to the show, even towards the very end. However, somehow, it just kind of works out. There's the very obvious main characters such as Bumblebee, Windblade, Optimus Prime, Megatron, Soundwave, etc. Yet, this show let so many of the characters they added shine. Even if their screen time is very brief, personally quite a few of the minor characters stuck out to me compared to part of the main cast.

I gave this series a second chance due to a few clips I saw online. Preceptor's comedic falling, Shockwave and his little guys doing a lil dance around Wheeljack, and especially Soundwave doing a funky lil dance with his eventual backup dancers...that got me.

Where I really started liking the series was in Season 1 episode 8. Season 3 and 4 is the strongest in terms of characters and story (I've seen others agree on) but it doesn't feel like a drag to get there once you settle your expectations and start enjoying the show.

More thoughts down below if you just wanna know...

If you've ever passed up on Cyberverse maybe try again. 7/10.

Btw spoilers and personal opinions

I remember season 1 coming out on Netflix in 2020 and I was still in the mindset of wanting a emotionally invested Transformers series ever since I finished Transformers Prime back in Highschool?? (Back when I was able to buy the Shockwave commander figure at Target I think) Robots in Disguise was whiplash of lighthearted fun (I couldn't finish. Bumblebee's design was....hmmm) while War on Cybertron was too dark and overly serious (I stopped in Kingdom. didn't finish). I hadn't considered the comics at that point. So when I began watching Cyberverse, I didn't set my expectations, skipped around and didn't give it a proper chance. Which sucked because I really wanted to get to know Windblade (yes I know there's comics but at the time I didn't have the money nor considered trying to find it online at the time. Last time I did consider getting into the Transformers comics I bought Dark Energon and got really confused because I wasn't sure how many issues back before getting to Windblade's issue. I didn't use reddit nor look up any forms to even find the information of where I should start or read as a solo issue. I do now though. Really enjoying MTMTE).

Cyberverse S1 has a good concept and had moments that caught me off guard but after seeing the entire show if you want to convince someone to watch it they got to really look past that first season. Episode 8 I believe with Blurr and his ENTIRE PLANET DYING and the backstory with Shadow Striker, I felt there werent any good hooks. Even with Windblade as a main character, it still wasnt interesting.

Seeing comments on videos and forms I agree that sort of after season 2, episodes start hitting better and every episode is either a bottle of fun or a oh shit that happened??????

The real turning point for me was in S2 with the Arcee and Grimlock solo episode. I think Cyberverse can write some genuinely fun character interactions. And that was one I kept craving for each season.

The good thing about this show I'd like to make clear is that there are a lot of femmebots in Cyberverse (Clobber being one of my favorites. She's such a delight on screen). However, when it comes to having any autobots on screen, one of my gripes that was it felt like there was a rule of one femmebot per episode or an autobot group mission. They kept switching them out and I know they could at least have Chromia and Arcee go on a mission with Bee, Grimlock and Hotrod or something. During S2 when the Autobots are on their journey back to Cybertron, I had noticed Arcee and Windblade got to a point that they were never on screen at the same time, let alone interact for a 5 minutes or a minute at least. It could possibly be that as characters they aren't close friends with one another but come on. They're stuck on the same ship...It was distracting but by no means was a show ruiner. It was something I happened to notice through the rest of the seasons. Sure there were probably some other interactions I could go back to but I wouldn't have this entire paragraph here dedicated about it now would I? (Oh well, we have EarthSpark so that need is fulfilled).

Stand Out Characters That I Personally Gravitated To In No Particular Order:

Clobber: Her side conversations with Lockdown stuck with me. Being a character who didn't want to fight but was always ordered to and eventually joined the Autobots. She's so cute.

Soundwave: The writers gave him a lot to work with and it shows. His reaction to Hot Rod getting the shit beat out of him in the finale was so excellent as a call back when they were forced to work together during the Quintesson invasion. They hadn't had any episodes with any notable interactions since then but I felt like it was a smart choice, though it took me a second to remember why. Soundwave Superior. Rip.

Grimlock/ and Arcee: I just really like their dynamic and the show kept giving me crumbs after their own solo episode together. Out of all the friendships in Cyberverse, this stood out to me the most. They had really good vibes I'd love to see more of in other iterations of Transformers. Arcee was one of the front characters in the opening so I was surprised they didn't put her in as many episodes as they could have.

Dead End/ and Astrotrain: That was also another dynamic I really liked and had very small crumbs for. Gotta love a ship pissing off a grumpy character. Why do they hate each other? Who knows but it's funny and I can only imagine more...

Dead End is a new character I gravitated towards right away. I wasn't sure if it was a popular character or not in the Transformers franchise as a whole. I love a character that is unexpectedly smart in a selfish kind of way. He didn't give me "evil vibes" which the majority of the Decepticons were giving off in the show. Man just wants to live. Like Lockdown, he was really caring towards his fellow Decepticon, Clobber (which now I remember I do also like their interactions too. Seeing if they need to deactivate Shockwave comes to mind). Dead End is also is a very funny reactionary character towards the rest of the cast during the 3rd season. In the finale, he's become a bit more of a background character after Astrotrain died (rip Astrotrain :(((), but at least Dead End has a nice development on not choosing the option to save himself for once (In part one of the special I was sort of shocked they didn't give him a line about hating parades. I mean we see he doesn't like it, but that's just a me thing).

Megatron: Still made him a pretty complicated character, I just wish I had more episodes to see it.

Shockwave: I'm always a fan of Shockwave but I felt bad completely forgetting he offed himself while I kept wondering where he was before the Meteorfire and Cosmos. Oops.

Hot Rod: After I got used to his "dude bro" voice I was enjoying his development and becoming a main character in the 3rd season. I was wondering if he would ever become Rodimus Prime at some point other than having the temporary paint change but I mean I guess if you know then you know. He was a good central character with the team he has to work with. Made it a great change of pace.

Sky-byte: I cant help but laugh he has the Skeletor voice. The episode where he and Jetfire are introduced I really thought it would be an episode where the Decepticons and Autobots really see they shouldn't be fighting due to the insane amount of constant planetary damage their war with each other causes. But they didn't. So it landed in parody territory. I have no idea whether it was because it was time or intentional. But yeah Parody territory. Also later on after the peace treaty you don't see Sky-byte or Jetfire interact with each other in obvious friendly terms. I find this hilarious when I noticed Sky-byte was getting more screen time.

Wild Wheel: This man is the background after his solo episode. We're close to the end of the series and Cyberverse sneaks in a Western. As if Cyberverse wasn't already insane as it is. The good thing about his episode as it answered who was in one of the lost pods from season 1 aside from Grimlock and Bumblebee. AND Optimus is a sick shot.

Meteorfire and Cosmos: AUSSIE AUTOBOT. I guess it answers what other shows Cybertronians watch beside Cube??? Somehow also a banger solo episode. It's so silly and there's a random ass scene that is now in my core memory. The show may say "Bumblebee's Cyberverse Adventures" but it was an episode where a new character that eventually goes into the background steals the show. Also Cosmos was very cute. She's toe to toe with Weird Al Cosmos for me.

Perceptor: The character with one of the clip compilations that steered me towards watching the show. He is incredible. What a guy. Has an exceptionally high tolerance for his arm getting ripped off, going blind, and falling really far distances.

Teletraan-X: He's just a little guy, and I like his attitude. I was happy seeing him again in the finale with Windblade.

Tarn: I now know who Tarn is. Wowza scary guy.

Overall I'm glad I watched Cyberverse. I do agree it's underrated. I had a lot of fun watching, maybe I'll draw Dead End one of these days.

Up Next. Transformers Beast Wars...which I already started. I'm on episode 3.

#tfbloggingadventure #cyberverse #entry 12 #transformers

11 notes · View notes

twinsunstars · 1 year ago

Text

Thrawn: Alliances - A Discussion of My Favorite Parts

Hello! I recently finished reading Thrawn: Alliances and I loved every bit of interaction with every character featured in this novel. The novel goes back and forth from the present to the past, focusing on the Imperial Era with Darth Vader, and the Clone Wars era with Anakin Skywalker, as Thrawn has met both. Note that I didn't put every excerpt in order of how the book goes, I just placed my screenshots and went along with my thoughts.

SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT YET!

Anakin misses her so much… I wonder how the book’s plot would have gone if this took place before Ahsoka left the order. She would possibly be on the mission with Anakin and would have met Thrawn long ago.

This was too funny. I really want to hear Anakin try to pronounce his whole name. It would be great if Star Wars brought this scene (or all of the Clone Wars scenes in here) to life in either animation or live action.

R2-D2 is one of the best companions anyone could ever have. R2's survived through so many events and battles, and he loves being alongside Anakin. R2's ready for anything.

I love it when Thrawn focuses on tiny details that are important to the big picture. It's definitely all part of his love for art. I think Anakin is really fortunate that Thrawn came along his path and joined his mission, and without him Anakin would be having a lot more trouble trying to find Padmé.

Back in the present, Thrawn and Vader just continue to keep on arguing and disagreeing with each other. I found it quite funny.

I love how R2 is always watching out for Anakin, it's really cute. Losing him towards the end of the Clone Wars probably took a toll on him, and he never knew what happened to his old master, and he's the only droid who remembers him so closely.

Anakin's really trying to be like "I don't know what you're talking about" while Thrawn is already figuring out that Anakin and Padmé are basically an item.

I love how Thrawn is willing to stay loyal to his homeworld while making the choice to be an Imperial. He chooses to fight for both sides, and nothing will stop him from doing that.

Vader really keeps telling Thrawn that "Anakin Skywalker is dead", and Thrawn just keeps nodding his head with it. Like he knows, but isn't addressing the fact that he knows. He just has to go along with whatever happened to his old friend.

We all know Thrawn loves art. Every piece of art has meaning to it, from the colors to the textures to the lines. Thrawn's art analyses are something I'm always willing to read and pay close attention to.

Thrawn said "we", and Vader caught that. He himself claimed he killed Anakin Skywalker himself back in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, and the inner Anakin deep inside him remembers that Thrawn knew him. Vader has the need to correct Thrawn, as Vader was never with Thrawn before, but Anakin was.

Padmé really wanted to hug Anakin, but they can't do anything with others around watching them. Anakin didn't like the idea of splitting up and Padmé going with Thrawn instead of him, but he makes sure Thrawn will take care of her.

Padmé tells Thrawn about a useful tactic Ahsoka had created that is sometimes used in battles, and Thrawn takes inspiration from this. Unfortunately, Ahsoka isn't here since she had already left the Jedi Order, but it would have been interesting if she was here and had met Thrawn years ago. It'll be interesting when Ahsoka meets him in the series.

I love this line. Thrawn will serve his own people more than anyone else, and protect them more. Nothing else matters when his people are involved in an event.

I need to physically SEE Thrawn holding and fighting with Anakin's lightsaber. He naturally somehow knows how to fight with a lightsaber and use the weapon.

This part was funny. Most of the time, Vader has no idea what Thrawn is talking about, while Thrawn is like "It makes sense, just go along with it."

Honestly, Thrawn should really be keeping those Force-sensitive Chiss they found far away from the hands of the Emperor, but to me it wasn't too clear on what Thrawn and the Emperor had actually been talking about regarding the Force-sensitives, and it's different for them on his homeworld. Vader is definitely thinking out of the box here.

With this, I finally got to understand how the Force works with his people. I began reading the Ascendancy novels, and the girls with the "Third Sight" are definitely being overworked to the point where their ability begins to fade. Or it could be something that they get the Force but it just starts to fade.

Sureee, until a clan of purgills comes to take you far away and strand you with one of the Jedi rebels you're trying to defeat...

I made a post before talking about this part, and ever since I finished the book, this part has just stuck with me. Thrawn remembers Anakin how he had met and known him, and he will never forget it.

Vader said "us", similar to the scene where Thrawn said "we". Vader making this error in speech just further confirms Thrawn's suspicion of Vader being Anakin under all that armor.

You've reached the end! I really liked this book, and Thrawn and Anakin's dynamic was enjoyable to read. I'm excited for the Alliances comic that is set to release next year, and we can finally see this book in visuals. Let me know your thoughts of the novel!

#thrawn alliances #thrawn novels #star wars #grand admiral thrawn #anakin skywalker #darth vader #padme amidala #ahsoka tano #ahsoka series #clone wars

27 notes · View notes

when-the-spagheddie-hits-the-fan · 8 months ago

Text

I'm in the BIT Club (IT Book Club)

Each week we read a certain amount of the book and I have thoughts and feelings about IT *Ba Dum Tss*

Warning: There are Spoilers

Week 1

Ch. 1

I really liked being in Georgie’s perspective, and the whole time he’s describing the basement I kept hearing the Jaws *dun dun* because of future events and just having the knowledge I have from the Miniseries, Movies (and Musical), like, dude, you have no idea how right you are! And that turtle wax made me go, “omg, does Stephen King even realize what he did there?!” and it’s like “yeah, ya goof.”

Georgie and Bill’s relationship was so siblings. People don’t always write siblings being assholes to each other while also showing that they care about each other. I think the butthole jokes weirdly show that off the best, and Georgie is so cute about Bill saying “shitty butthole” — very little kid of him. Also, when Georgie kisses Bill on the cheek and Bill tells Georgie to be careful before leaving, I never thought it was weird while watching the other media, so when it was pointed out how unusual it was it got me thinking about why did they do it that time? Was it the turtle or was it just one of those moments that really stands out to you because it was the last time you saw that person and it ended in tragedy or was it something else completely?

Something that really surprised me was that an adult “saw” what happened and actually went to go check on Georgie. Any other time I’ve seen this scene it almost always cuts away right after Georgie is attacked so I had no idea. Plus adults suck, so anytime they aren't it’s always wild to me.

Ch. 2

This chapter is so brutal, obviously. But like, fuck, dude. What adds to the harshness of it all is like this shit has happened and can still happen. My heart felt so disgusted by what those homophobic pricks were doing. And the hopelessness of Don crying out for anyone to help, and running back to Adrian and not being able to anything was so sad and sickening.

And with Pennywise showing up to finish off Adrian I find myself thinking, not at the time but looking back on it, Pennywise is not as bad as those jackwagons. Is that weird to think? I mean, Pennywise is a murder-crazed space clown god thing, what are those scum sucking fuckwads excuses?

Something I found interesting is how kinda neutral the cops were? ACAB and all that, but I thought they were gonna be evil and that’s that. But no. Sure they aren’t supportive of the gays but they didn’t go out of their way to fuck with them, and one stopped the first altercation and told the warthog sniffers to fuck off. Again ACAB and at the end of the day they are, but I was kinda thrown for a loop when they weren’t vile creatures.

On a happier note; the Elmer Curtie part was really funny. Man has a successful gay bar in a small, homophobic town and it takes him 4yrs, give or take, to realize it. Amazing! And when he figures it out he’s like, “Most of my patrons are polite, I never have to pay for damages because girls aren't an issue, and I’m making money?? I see only positives!” Also, it’s totally canon that he ships Don and Adrian.

Ch. 3

This was a hefty chapter, and my favorite out of the 3 for this week. For a chapter as a whole; I liked the back and forth of who was narrating for each Loser’s parts (other person, that loser, other person, that loser, other person, that loser), and a thought I’m sure no one has had before; IT should really be a TV Series. Chapter 1 and 2 could easily be their own episode, and each of the Losers’ sections could be their own episode too!

Stan- Okay, starting off strong and sad. Really surprised that Stan is first, and we’re in Patty’s head. I learned way more about Patty than I ever did with the Miniseries and Movies combined. I mean in total her screen is like what? Over 5mins?

The people need to know that puzzles are Patty’s thing! I repeat, girl has hobbies away from Staniel!!

That part about her not being allowed in that high society club dance, describing her beautiful dress that made her look like a mermaid, the sound that her heels made on the gravel when walking back to the car, the laughing she hears and how that will affect her even years from now, that shit is crushing. And her and Stan's relationship is so nice and sweet. She doesn’t always get him, but she loves him so much, and they’re each other's person. He’s gentle with her for their first time. I made an audible “awww” when Patty said, “Don’t hurt me, dear.” and he said, “I will never hurt you.” Then the moment got ruined with remembering what’s gonna happen, but I digress.

So when Patty goes to check on Stan, again, it’s way longer. The one thing that really stood out to me is that she notices all the unusual things Stan is doing, things that he never really does but it’s nothing that she feels like she needs to bring up with him. And then it’s too late, and those out of place things are just playing over and over again in her head. It got me thinking about Georgie's chapter. The kiss and the concerned warning that the brothers do for the last time they would ever see each other. And how it stands out to them but they say nothing about it, and thoughts of these mistakes and what they should have done will stay with (sadly only) Bill forever. And now with Patty. Fuck.

Two things I can now confidently say now about Stan is he’s autistic and the man fucks!

This is such a little piece and I haven’t read the whole book so technically the whole picture isn’t there, but Stan is autistic. The way he talks and interacts with people, he’s logical and doesn’t feel the need to explain himself. ‘Cause why would he? He’s right. Speaking as a person that also falls on the spectrum, reading this little bit about Stan at least makes me go, “Hmmm, gonna file that for later.” Also, and I really wish this wasn’t the case, I really appreciate having Stan not come off as cold and heartless. He jokes around and clearly loves his wife. Almost like he's a person and not some broken robot. What a concept!

On a hornier note, Stan likes sex. The Miniseries understood that. It’s so great that when they leave the clinic, Stan's first words are, “I never do”, and then clarifies, “Think about procreation during.” Noice. I don’t know; I just really like knowing that the dude fucks and he likes it.

On a final note; I’m interested in finding out why he remembers more than any other losers. Like, I know but I’m curious to see how the book will explain it.

Richie- Richie has ADD/ADHD!

From the need to play music (the louder the better) to either help him focus or distract him.

All those voices he does, him wanting to please the people he talks to, and not wanting to say or show what he’s actually feeling or thinking? That is so masking!

I know with every character there are a lot of thoughts going on in their heads, but Richie’s on a different level. Not only does he have a lot of thoughts, but he’s also talking to a lot of people, using multiple voices, and he’s quick on his feet when on the spot. Plus I know he has the gift of gab (aka never shuts the fuck up), he’s moving around a lot, and he’s keeps getting distracted with little things going on around him. His brain is all over the place.

Imma call it; Richie wasn’t bullied for his glasses (I mean he was but shush); he was bullied because he has ADD/ADHD! Kids don’t need to know what it is to spot it and hate you for it. Talking from experience as an ADD kid (or that weird annoying girl).

It’s really sad that the main memories that he remembers is the bullying, the names they called him, and getting beat up.

I’m glad he had friends that loved and cared about him.

Also, holy crap! Richie said, “You bet your fur” first!

Ben- …Okay, real talk? Ben’s part was so funny! I already brought up that the amount of times Ricky Lee’s name was so fucking funny to me here, but the waitress, the lemons, and the amount of stress Ben was giving Ricky Lee was really funny.

Of course I feel bad for Ben but to be in Ricky Lee’s POV is really something special!

Sorry, not that much to say. I guess something to add is Ben needs therapy (no duh). In this case I’m talking about his body image issues, and for what he put his body through and I bet is still doing to look “perfect.”

Eddie- I don’t think I have to bring up examples on why Sonia sucks and is a terrible mother; you saw all the words about her.

Everything that was shown about Eddie wasn’t surprising. I think reading the source really showed me the fights that he has with himself might be his biggest problem (those words come from his mother but you get it) And I really like that you can tell, even through all his fear, that Eddie is a capable person and is very brave.

Also, I was expecting Eddie to have a long list about everything he takes but, good lord, that list really did go on forever.

I don’t know how fans feel about this, considering all the fanfics I read I think I’m really in the minority, but I don’t think Myra is abusive?? At worst, I think she kinda manipulates Eddie into feeling bad and getting her way but like I don’t know, it feels like she’s fucked up like Eddie but in a different way, they both seem to be stuck in this life. Even what I said about the worst seems a bit too much. I actually feel bad for her. I’m really surprised because, again, all the fanfics I’ve read, things I’ve seen online talking about her and Sonia’s similarities, and I guess the little snippet from the second movie shaped my original opinion about her.

And can I just say, I hate how Stephen King describes fat people. He makes it seem like the biggest sin a person can have is being fat. Like, “Of course they're a bad person. Didn’t you see how big they are? I mean how could you not?! Fat people are so gross!” I just — it makes me uncomfortable. Especially ‘cause, oh I don’t know, BEN! Let’s see how that goes.

Bev- This is really brutal. Besides Bev beating the ever-loving shit out of Tom and scream-laughing like the beautiful mad lady she is when she's outside, my overall favorite part is how Tom is able to sound cruel and vile but also show just how pathetic and dumb he really is.

He really is a top tier abuser with no skills of his own, and has the mind of a whiny child. I hope his balls exploded into bloody nothings, and the wounds Bev gave him never heal and he’s unable to cover them so he never forgets what happened and his outside matches his insides. (btw scars are cool and okay but fuck this turd)

I’m glad Bev found her strength again.

Bill- I learned you can do anything if you have the unjustified confidence of a white man. I wanted to say that college Bill was being really egotistical, but what the fuck do I know? It worked out great for him.

Seriously though, I’m trying really hard not to jump the gun but I know that book adult Bill sucks and the live action adult Bills don’t. And overall Bill seems okay in his section buuuut, I don’t know; I’ll keep trying to take in the book without my prior knowledge.

I like Audra, and finding out how they met. I think it’s sweet that you wouldn’t think they would have ended up together but they really do seem to love each other. And Audra really seems to care about him. What a nice, good lady. Sure would be a shame if Bill became human trash and taints what they have.

9 notes · View notes