#I still can't get over this choice.. it took a while for it to truly hit me like

[fire-plays-totk]

Whether or not you believe Link and Zelda shared the Hateno house or Link just gave her the house (I can assure you she didn't "steal" it y'all) I think it really says a lot that the game allows you to sleep in, what is now, Zelda's bed. It's obviously very intentional, given that you can't sleep in just any random bed you find (You cannot sleep in NPC houses and inns require rupees). So either:

A. This is Link AND Zelda's bed.

B. This is Zelda's bed, but Link feels totally comfortable with sleeping in it.

Or C. This is Zelda's bed, and Link misses her so much he just wants to feel some traces of her left..

[pathologicalreid]

home run | s.r.

in which Spencer and jareau!reader finally get the opportunity to take the next step in their relationship

margotober masterlist

who? spencer reid x jareau!reader category: smut (18+ mdni) content warnings: sex bro idk. the sweatshirt. smut with a lot of plot, glasses!spencer, dostoyevsky, paulo coelho, ur crazy if you think i proofread this, flirrrrrrting, protected p in v sex, fingering, heavy petting, post coital dysphoria (why can't i let them simply have a nice time) word count: 4.01k a/n: next on my quest to give fanfic readers realistic sex to read, i give you this! as always, tell me how u feel, my inbox is always open.

“Will you unzip me?” You asked softly, pulling your hair out of the way and turning your back to Spencer, who paused his own disrobing to undo the zipper of your dress.

It’d been a long day, the light hours spent in the BAU, and the evening spent at Rossi’s, who wanted to get at least one more cookout in before the weather turned. You’d finally reached the end of your day, and for the first time, you were spending it with Spencer.

Facing away from him still, you let the fabric drop to the floor, taking your sweatshirt from your go bag and tugging it over your head. Spencer hummed from behind you, “I can’t believe you still wear that.”

A small smile formed on your face as you turned around. “It’s comfortable,” you justified, the old FBI Academy sweatshirt had previously lived in Spencer’s apartment, but you’d claimed it for yourself nearly two years ago. It had the perfect amount of wear, making it one of your favorites—among other reasons.

You tried not to let your eyes linger while Spencer changed, instead focusing on details in his room that you’d never seen before and making note of what books he kept on his nightstand. “It’s old,” Spencer responds plainly, putting on an old MIT t-shirt and reaching out for you, grabbing your waist and pulling you close.

Before being with Spencer, you wouldn’t have considered yourself the kind of person to take things slowly, but with him, that was the only option you were willing to consider. You were so scared of things being ruined with him that you only made moves when you knew you were absolutely ready. Maybe that was why it took you nearly two years before the two of you started dating, but he was willing to walk the tightrope with you.

You walked around the bed, sitting up on the mattress and watching him go into the bathroom, “So, what do you want to do tonight?” He asked from the bathroom, coming back out with his glasses on and leaning against the doorframe.

Humming, you look over at him, “Didn’t think that far ahead?” A teasing lilt carried through your question, cocking your head as he made his way over to you. He’d asked you on Monday if you’d like to spend Friday night at his place, and he had seemed surprised when you accepted his offer.

“I have a few ideas, but I wanted to see if there was something specific you had in mind. Since you’ve already interrupted your usual schedule to stay here, I wanted to give you a choice,” he rambled. He always rambled when he was nervous.

You raised your eyebrows curiously, “Spence?”

With him standing in front of you, you studied his eyes. His contacts had a blue tint to them, so seeing him in his glasses was really your only opportunity to see his eyes as they truly appeared. “Yeah, baby?”

Your heart fluttered at the nickname, “We don’t have to do anything special. What would you be doing if I weren’t here?”

“Reading,” he told you unabashedly.

Honestly, you should’ve guessed that. “Okay, then we can read. Do you have a book I can borrow?”

Spencer nodded, “You’re welcome to anything, but are you sure? We could find a movie to watch instead.”

“We don’t have to do anything special just because it’s our first night together, and besides, reading side by side sounds nice,” you told him, waving off his concerns about entertainment and walking into the living room, scanning over his extensive collection. Plucking one off the shelves, you return to Spencer, watching him pull the covers down on the bed, preparing both yours and his side.

You set your book on the nightstand and climbed up on the mattress, his box spring causing it to be almost precariously high. “The Alchemist?” He questioned, reading the title of the book that you had selected.

Tracing the title with your fingertip, you shrugged, “I’ve never read it. Should I pick a different book?”

He shook his head in response, “No, and I don’t want to influence your opinion with mine.”

“Well, what are you reading?” You peered over to look at the book in his hands, reading the cover, “How many times have you read that book?” Since you started dating four months ago, he’d read Crime and Punishment at least three times.

Flipping the book back open, Spencer went back to the pages, “I’ve never read this version before, the editor decided to publish his thoughts along with the translated text.”

You raised your eyebrows curiously, “And what are your thoughts on that?”

“I think his translation of the original Russian is perfectly adequate, but his comments read like a high schooler who was forced to read the book for a class,” he explained, his hand absentmindedly resting on your bare thigh once you settled into the bed.

Humming, you opened your book, reading the foreword and trying to ignore Spencer’s hand placement. There was no reason to lose your mind over a little thigh touching.

Once you made it to the beginning of the actual story, you became vaguely aware of Spencer’s thumb rubbing small circles on the inside of your thigh, leading to you closing the book and setting it back on the bookshelf. Taking a deep breath, you rolled onto your side, leaving Spencer to move his hand from your skin, and you rested your head on his shoulder.

You looked up at him, watching his lips move as he read the words on the page, you felt very lucky to have this part of Spencer. The Spencer who let his glasses slide to the very bottom of his nose and had an affinity for reruns of cartoons from the eighties. “Are you alright?” He whispered once he finished his chapter, reaching an arm up to ruffle your hair affectionately.

“Mhm,” you murmured, “Don’t feel like reading.”

Gently, Spencer craned his head to drop a featherlight kiss to the tip of your nose, eliciting a small smile from you. “Let me know if you need anything,” he said softly.

As odd as it seemed, you liked watching him read, at the very least, it was impressive to watch. You kept your eyes on him, watching how intently he focused on the book despite having read it several times before.

He looked back down at you, catching you staring, “Can I kiss you?”

The question took you by surprise, but you nodded in response, looking at him as he ducked his head down and pecked your lips. He pushed his glasses up on his nose, putting his free hand in front of his mouth as he went back to reading.

In his defense, his resolve lasted for one more chapter, turning the page before snapping the book shut and resting it on his nightstand. Spencer turned his head to yours again, “Hey.”

“Hi,” you responded, unsure about where he was headed with this. Opening your mouth to ask him a question only to be met with his lips on yours, he took his time now, resting a hand on the side of your neck, the pad of his thumb at the hinge of your jaw as he held you close.

Tentatively, he swiped his tongue along your bottom lip, and that single motion drew a small moan from the back of your throat, causing you to pull away from Spencer.

Your eyes were wide in surprise, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know where that came from.”

Spencer shook his head, pulling at your waist, “C’mere,” he said, encouraging you to straddle him, your knees on either side of his hips, “Is this okay?”

“Yeah,” you breathed, leaning forward and resting your hands on his chest, you pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “This is okay,” you whispered against his lips.

It wasn’t like the two of you hadn’t made out before, it was usually just on the couch, or in Spencer’s reading chair, or one time when you were the only two on the jet. This—making out in his bed—it felt different somehow.

Coming back up for air, you looked up at Spencer, a giggle escaping your throat as you tried to meet his eyes. “Oops,” you said, his glasses had fogged up while you were kissing, so you leaned back while he took them off, resting them on his nightstand.

Spencer rested his hands on your hips, his thumbs gently massaging over your hip bones as you studied his expression, “Honey,” he said, suddenly serious, “I want you to know that I didn’t invite you to spend the night with this in mine.”

He was drawing the same conclusions as you, but still, you looked at him doubtfully, “Do you mean to tell me that the prospect of sex didn’t even cross your mind when it came to inviting me to spend the night?”

A soft pink bloomed across his cheeks, you found yourself wanting to kiss them, “Okay, maybe it occurred to me that we might find ourselves in this position.”

You straightened up slightly, “So, I trust you have a condom.”

Nodding, Spencer reached a hand up and smoothed your hair back with the kind of tenderness that made you want to cry. “I do, but we don’t have to have sex tonight, okay?”

“But I want to,” you responded, maybe a tad too quickly. Your face warms, “I mean… I’d like to. If you want to.” With an air of finality, you leaned forward and pressed your lips to his, one of your hands found a home in his hair while the other rested on his collarbone.

As if on cue, the phone started to ring. An incessant blare designed to wake you up in case you were being called in in the middle of the night. Spencer chuckled as you dramatically dragged yourself off of his lap and dug through your bag for your phone.

If it were Penelope or Hotch, you’d answer without a second thought, but the caller ID showed your sister on the other line. You declined the call, texting her an excuse before leaving your phone on the nightstand.

Spencer dragged his fingertips down your arm, “Who was it?”

“JJ,” you told him leaning back over his torso and pressing a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth, “I’ll call her back later,” you continued, kissing the other corner of his mouth.

He hummed in response, settling his hands on your waist, “Tomorrow?” He proposed, gently guiding your back to the bed.

Nodding, you looked up at him, “Tomorrow,” you confirmed, sighing contently as your legs fell open, giving him the room he needed to rest his body between them. You’d never felt so at ease in bed with someone, no one had ever touched you so carefully before.

“Good,” he whispered against your lips, gently parting them with his own as you looped your arms over his shoulders, “Hold on,” he said, pulling back and climbing off of the bed.

Your eyes followed him intently as he stopped in front of his go bag, unzipping the side pouch and pulling out a familiar-looking box. “You’ve been keeping condoms in your go bag?” Your question is succeeded by a fit of giggles, any nervousness disappearing at the realization that Spencer’s been carrying contraception with him all day.

Rolling his eyes, Spencer lobbed the box at you, but you were still laughing too hard to be bothered by the lightweight box hitting your arm. “Excuse me for wanting to be prepared,” he teased back, climbing up on the bed and finding a spot right next to you.

“No, you’re right,” you said, continuing to giggle despite your best attempts to stop. “Okay, I’m sorry, let me put on my serious face,” you pressed your lips together in a thin line, holding them together with your teeth as you tried to stop any giggles from escaping. “You would make a great boy scout,” you told him, failing to keep a straight face.

Sighing, Spencer kissed your smiling lips, giving you a soft peck between every word he said.

“You’re.”

Kiss.

“So.”

Kiss.

“Cute.”

By the final kiss, you’re ready to ascend into the heavens. Knowing you can die happy because you’ve known what it’s like to love him. You’re not even worried about the fact that he chose to call you cute as opposed to hot or sexy. Spencer’s never let you consider the idea of being someone other than who you are.

“I love you,” you whispered, looking at him as he positioned himself between your legs again, taking your lower lip between your teeth because this time you could feel his length. Even through three layers of fabric, his hardness pressed against your core in a way that made your head spin.

Spencer hummed, “I love you too.” His tone was careful as his hands slipped up your sweatshirt, a totem to show where the two of you started and where you are now. His fingers wandered over your skin, an exploration of your body as the hem of the sweatshirt started riding up your waist, “your heart is racing.”

You sat up, trying to encourage him to take your sweater off, “You have that effect on me.” You took a deep breath as he followed your cue and pulled your sweatshirt over your head, once he tossed it to the hamper, you pushed at his t-shirt, whipping it off his body without a care in the world.

He was just looking at you, just studying you in the way someone would look at a piece of art. Feeling encouraged, you reached back to unclasp your bra, letting the fabric fall off of your chest before dropping it just off the side of the bed. “Pretty,” he breathed, leaning forward to kiss you again, his lips making their way along your jawline, along the column of your throat, and just below your collarbones. “Pretty, pretty girl,” he murmured, rendered uncharacteristically at a loss for words at the sight of you topless.

You gasped as his lips attached themselves to your chest, sucking at the soft skin and leaving little love bites behind. He moved his hand to gain better balance, leaving one at the side of your head, “Ow, Spence,” you yelped.

Spencer’s head snapped up, “Are you okay?” He asked, more fear in his voice than was strictly necessary for the issue.

“Your hand is on my hair,” you said, moving your hair behind your head when he instantly moved his hand.

He dropped a kiss to your forehead, oddly domestic for the state of undress you were in, “I’m sorry, honey.”

You shook your head, “It’s okay, c’mere,” you whispered, placing your hand on the back of his head and guiding his lips to yours. Slowly, you extend your free arm between your bodies, slipping your hand between the elastic of his briefs and his stomach, wrapping your hand around his shaft.

He moaned into your mouth at the contact, his lips faltering against yours as you ran your thumb over the tip, gathered his precum on your finger, and withdrew your hand, bringing your hand up to your separated mouths and sucking the liquid off of your thumb. “You’re going to be the death of me,” he groaned, reattaching his lips to your neck, bringing his lips further down your chest until he took your nipple in his mouth, nipping at it gently with his teeth while his fingers wandered up to play with your other breast, massaging the flesh.

“Oh,” you breathed, looking up at the ceiling fan and trying to stop your hips from bucking up as his mouth separated from your breast with a wet pop, his hand skimming down your torso and stopping just above the hem of your underwear, looking to you for permission before he exposed your core.

Slowly, he hooked his fingers in the sides of your panties and dragged them down your legs, leaving them on the mattress for you to find easily as he pushed your knees apart. His hand made its way to your pussy, fingers dragging lazily up and down your slit, “Is this okay?”

Nodding, “Yeah,” you answered, bracing yourself for the intrusion of his fingers, but you were surprised when it didn’t come yet. Instead, his index finger pressed gently against your clit, softly rubbing at the bundle of nerves, trying to prepare you. A soft whine escaped your lips at the sight, “Will you kiss me?” You asked, your eyes wide and pleading with him.

Obliging your wishes, he left his hand in its place while he pressed his lips against yours, you slid your tongue into his mouth, running the tip of it along his bottom lip. You moaned into his mouth as he played with your clit, need growing in your core as his fingers moved.

“Ah,” you gasped against his mouth when he slipped a finger into your hole, separating your lips while you tipped your head back against the pillows. “Oh, wow,” you breathed at the feeling of him knuckle-deep in you, his finger remaining still while you adjusted to the intrusion.

Spencer hummed, bringing his head back down and resting it on your tummy while he curled his fingers in your cunt. You brought your hands down to rest on his head, tugging at his hair while he started to thrust his finger in and out of you, wet squelching sounds emanating from your core as he did.

A moan was ripped from your throat when he added another finger to the mix, stretching your pussy even further while you felt your walls contract around his hand. “Spence,” you breathed, moaning again at the sensations that were coursing through your body, “Spence, baby.”

He tore his eyes away, looking up at you while his hand slowed slightly—just in case, “What do you need, honey?”

Honey. The sweet pet name plucked at your heartstrings as you propped yourself up on your elbows, “I’m— Can we...?” You started, not sure how to proposition him. Can we have sex? Seemed like too little too late. Will you make love to me? Made you want to throw up in your mouth a little bit. “Will you fuck me?” Was what you settled on, albeit a bit crude, but it was your best option at the time.

He withdrew his fingers from your cunt, eliciting a whimper from you at the emptiness, he reached over for the box of condoms that he had previously thrown at you, handing the box to you so he could shed his boxer briefs.

Staring at the way his cock stood at attention, you considered wrapping your mouth around him, just for a moment, but Spencer didn’t seem interested in anything other than doing what you’d asked of him. Instead, you reached out your hand and wrapped your fingers around the base. He was already plenty hard, but you felt the need to reciprocate pleasure, which is why you were surprised when he moved your hand before you could even start.

“It’s okay,” he reassured you, and you nodded a response, telling yourself you’d remember to return the favor in the future. Maybe in the morning.

Handing him a lavender packet, you watched as he carefully tore the package open, pinching the tip and rolling the condom over himself. “Is this good?” You asked, lying on your back as you watched him settle back between your legs, your breath hitched as his cock lined up with your entrance.

Spencer nodded, “You’re perfect. I’ll go slow, okay?” He rubbed at your thigh comfortingly, waiting for you to give him another okay before he started pushing into you. Between your wetness and the added lubrication of the condom, he slid in with little resistance, but he took it slowly, just like he had promised.

He watched you the whole time with the knowledge that you hadn’t had sex in years, the last thing he’d want to do was cause you any pain.

Once he was fully sheathed in you, you buried your face in his neck, pressing little kisses to his soft skin as you focused on anything other than the pressure in your core.

“I’m okay,” you whispered, he didn’t even have to ask you for the reassurance. “I’m— fuck,” you cried out, unable to help the way your walls tightened around his cock. “You can move,” you told him, your voice muffled against his neck.

He inhaled sharply as he pulled his hips from yours before slowly pressing them back together, “I love you.”

You nodded, “I love you too,” you murmured, muffling your moans in his neck as a courtesy to his neighbors, unable to control them as his tentative thrusts turned into a steady rhythm. Carefully thrusting into you while he moved one of his hands up, intertwining your fingers with his at the side of your head—minding his hand placement.

Hooking your ankles together behind his back, you squeezed his hand at the same time as your cunt clenched around his length. He continued fucking into you, pushing your legs open even further until he hit a spot inside of you that made you see stars.

“Spence,” you cried out, trying to warn him about your impending orgasm before it washed over you. Your walls uncontrollably clenched around him as you fully muffled yourself against him, soft squeaks escaping your mouth as he kept going, the pulsating of your pussy driving him even closer to his own orgasm.

His hips stuttered in their movements as you pulled your face from his neck, breathing the cool air as Spencer spilled his cum into the condom. His head drooped, pressing soft kisses to your collarbone as the both of you caught your breath. “I’m gonna pull out,” he warned you, carefully slipping his softened cock from your hole.

A slight panic came over you as you felt tears well up in your eyes faster than you could process them, hiccupping for air as they fell down into your hairline.

That got Spencer’s attention, lifting himself and looking at you, “Hey,” his voice was so soft, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Bordering on babbling, you shook your head, “No, I’m fine,” you cried, more tears falling from your face. “I don’t even know why ‘m crying,” you told him, resting a hand on your chest.

“Shh, hey,” Spencer cooed, “You’re okay, I’ve got you.” Gingerly, he laid down on his back and pulled you into him, letting you rest your head on his chest as he smoothed your hair back comfortingly. “There are just a lot of emotions going through you right now, and that’s okay,” he whispered. “You’re safe with me.”

You nodded slowly, “I’m sorry,” you whimpered, having ruined a perfect first time by bursting into tears immediately after.

Spencer pressed a tentative kiss to your hairline, “It’s okay, there’s no need to be sorry. It’s completely normal,” he murmured, one hand in your hair and the other rubbing circles on your back. “You’re alright. Hey, it’s called post-coital dysphoria, and it happens to about forty-six percent of people,” he told you.

Despite yourself, you gave a breathy laugh, “I feel like you’re making that up so I’ll feel better.” You sniffled, wiping at your eyes with your fingers.

“It’s a real thing, I promise,” he reassured you, continuing to comfort you until tears stopped falling. “Hey, what do you say we get cleaned up and we can watch something in bed.”

You hummed in response, “You don’t like screens in your room, you say it messes with your REM sleep.”

“It does mess with your REM sleep, but I’d be willing to make an exception for you tonight,” he said, smiling softly when you lifted your head from his chest. “Come on, honey. I’ve got you.”

[signedkoko]

HEHEHHEE OPEN REQUESTS???

Hello koko! I was summoned by your open requests, and I just had an idea, how about headcanons/one shot for Alastor and Vox (separately) with a reader who has powers a bit like Toge Inumaki in JJK?( I saw that you were watching JJK so I assume you know how his powers works) like what do they think about it? how do they react when reader uses her powers? How they communicate with her?

THANKS FOR READING MY REQUEST DEAR KOKO! HAVE A GOOD DAY/NIGHT

-🐚

Alastor | Vox X Reader [Romantic]

In which your speech causes action, so you can't speak unless you wish to control others. Reader is female.

When you first came to the hotel, Alastor was not impressed

You were certainly a gorgeous sight, but it was ruined by the device in your hands that you had your nose buried in, screen lighting ruining your face

It took him quite a while when he heard strings of words emanating from the device to realize you were speaking through it, your fingers pressing on keys faster than he could follow

You introduced yourself to everyone that day, as a new hire for the hotel, and how you couldn't speak but hoped it wouldn't get in the way

He was certainly irked by the device in your hands, but it was funny to see someone so weak that they had to rely on a flimsy device made by an even flimsier overlord

Truly a shame

You learn the hard way not to get too close to him while using your device, or else it starts to act up and get damaged

Alastor still spoke to you; of course he did! Because he was amused knowing you couldn't retort

But eventually, without noticing, he would talk more and more, filling every aspect of the silence between you

You were the best listener, both since you had no choice and because you didn't give any shitty advice

The only thing that weirded him out was the weird clicking he started to hear around you

Something about it was so familiar

J-E-R-K-J-E-R-K-J-E-R

When he looked down at your hand and saw a clicker in your hand, he realized what you were doing

Of course he knew morse code by heart! He studied all sorts of things, but he wasn't sure why you'd do things that way when you had a much easier device

Unless you did it just for him?

R-K-J-E-R-K-J

" And who are we calling names, my voiceless companion? "

Y-O-U

Still, it's very touching to see you go from using your phone to putting it away when you come to him to talk

And not much changes since you can't get out too many words with your morse method

One evening, while on a walk together, Alastor was reciting to you how he'd come to work for Charlie and how she sang on the news for so many to see! When a group of assassins surrounded the two of you, angel steel weapons were on full display

Before Alastor handled them—which, let's be fair, would be no issue to him—you pulled quicker on the draw

" COMATOSE. "

You yelled it with your hands clamped over Alastors ears, and the instant the word came out, they all dropped, beyond unconcious

Alastor laughs, because wow, that was quite the display!

But he's already dragging you over them to continue talking, now teasing you for treating him like a helpless damsel

He was certainly glad that he hadn't made an enemy of you when he first saw you, because you may stand a chance against him with an ability like that

Most sinners had some kind of ability that grew with their power, often souls under contract or training enhancing them

Vox himself had plenty of tricks under his sleeves, and he'd seen the most pathetic of abilities to those worth cowering before

But he'd never heard of something like yours

Overlords loved showing off their resources, which could include people who became very useful in battle

You were a 'friend' of Zestial, though, while most jumped at the opportunity to introduce themselves to other overlords, you only waved

Of course you piqued his interest, because when he ran his servers over you, he found little to nothing beyond pictures

After several days of stalking video feeds, he caught you and Zestial together when—oh fuck! You sign!

While he could have just waited for the next opportunity, Vox was far too invested in your story and opted to pay Zestial a visit, if it meant he could see you

From what he could tell, you were using ASL, so once he bumped into you he began signing his typical introduction

Something about his heart sparked when he saw you smile, the way those curious eyes sparkled

He was immediately embarrassed when you revealed he didn't have to sign because you could hear

But he was all healed when you signed that you were very glad to have met someone else you could talk with

Vox is used to the overstimulation of noises from news, music, footage, all of it always beaming into his head so much that the silence around you is eerie and takes him awhile to get used to

Zestial certainly has an ace; one Vox is jealous of

Since you got along so well, you and Vox schedule meet-ups so you can interact, seeing as he and Zestial are almost exact opposites

The first time he witnesses your powers is when Alastor shows up at one of your meetings, and he was certainly trying to embarrass Vox in front of you

But Vox was your friend, and you had no tolerance for Alastors threats

" Silence. "

From your lips poured a thick fog, which whisped its way over Alastor's mouth, forming a seal that prevented him from speaking

The radio demon wasn't pleased, but he wasn't about to act up a scene right now, so he turned and left

Vox immediately fanboys because, oh my FUCKING GOD, you showed him!!!

Wait, you can talk? You sound like that?

YOUR POWERS DID THAT???

He is about to waste your evening asking all kinds of things, you probably can't sign as fast as he can ask, too

Author's Note - Conch anon gets only the BEST of the BEST!!! I did like writing these anyways though, because i adore Inumaki...thank you for requesting!

[azrielbrainrot]

With Your Hand In Mine

Pairing: Eris x F!Reader

Description: Both you and Eris can agree that it would be good for you to know how to defend yourself. It's just a shame that he's the only one who can teach you.

Warnings: A bit suggestive

Word Count: 3700

Notes: I haven't written for these two in a while, I'm sorry it took so long. I hope you enjoy!

Fire on Fire Masterlist

“Is this truly necessary?”

“I wouldn't have agreed to train you if I knew you were going to complain the whole time.”

A sigh escapes your dry lips, rolling up your sleeves once more even though they'd hardly moved from the last time you had, trying to buy time while you catch your breath before he's forcing you to start back up. The fact that this had been your idea gave you little comfort when you've barely started and it already felt like you'd run a marathon, your body beyond confused at what you're putting it through.

“We don't have much time. It's best we don't unnecessarily waste it,” Eris says, arms crossed over his chest and the usual irritating smirk perched on his lips, not a hair out of place or any escalation in his breath - he was the picture of relaxation.

“I'm not wasting time, Eris. I told you I can't do it.”

The gold bracelet still sat on his wrist, a complete contrast to the simple nature of the rest of the clothes he wore today, fit for the intense training session he's putting you through. The bracelet was also yours, one of your favorites in fact, and had been sitting in its usual place in one of your jewelry boxes just this morning.

You still didn't know how he had stolen the bracelet so easily, avoiding both you and all your maids without getting noticed or leaving any trace behind. Well aside from the letter inviting - read ordering - you to meet him in this exact place before sundown, and a new box of cookies that sat waiting for you on your desk. He truly had gotten lucky no one else had come into your room in the meantime.

Knowing how to protect yourself and yield your powers properly was something you always wanted to do, which is why you had reluctantly asked Eris for help, seeing as he was the only one you could trust, a fact that brought you the opposite of comfort. What you couldn't have predicted is that this would mean spending hours playing one of his stupid games.

“You only need to get this off my wrist. I'm not using my powers or even half of my strength. The bracelet doesn't even have a clasp, you simply need to pull it off. I'm making this extremely easy for you,” his smirk widens as he adds, “even children can do this much.”

You can't help the frown that takes over your features at his little comment. No matter how much time you spend with Eris you can't get used to his sharp tongue, and unfortunately it strikes true more often than not. Your gaze lowers to his wrist and that offending bracelet once more, trying to focus on the task at hand and ignore his stupid comment, trying to hide the feelings of insecurity that rose to the surface.

“I wouldn't be here wasting my time if I thought you couldn't do it,” he adds, his tone significantly softer than before.

The fact that he noticed made you angrier somehow. Hiding your emotions was never a problem for you, it was something you had to learn very quickly when you were just a child. You do it in front of your parents and maids every day, in front of any relative or noble, even the High Lord and Lady of Autumn, but, for some inexplicable reason, Eris can always read you like an open book.

It seemed like he was trying to make you feel better in his own way. Even that gave you little comfort though, it didn't suit him and it definitely didn't suit your relationship.

You had tried to practice by yourself when you were younger and first noticed your powers developing. Hiding them had been the obvious choice for you, but you had also decided to use them as much as possible. Winnowing had been easy enough for you to understand and control on your own, and your fire had simply needed some more concentration and a few stolen books to fully understand.

After so easily taking control of your powers, you thought any physical training would be simple enough for you to understand. It resulted in countless hours of brandishing an old sword around, trying to mimic the way your books described the correct movements. Soon, you realized that without watching the proper techniques and having a sparring partner you would never be able to learn anything.

The necessity to at least know how to tame your fire powers had been important for your own survival, seeing as they manifested each time your emotions escalated, so it makes sense that you had been a lot more successful at it then with any other physical training.

You don't give him a response, focusing all your energy into calming down and trying to think of a way to get to the bracelet. He's a lot faster and stronger than you, even when he's holding back as he said. More importantly, he has been trained ever since he was a child, from a cruelly young age knowing Beron. He's even taller than you, only having to put his arm up for you not to be able to reach the bracelet. All the odds are in his favor, and the fact only adds to your annoyance.

A couple minutes go by like this, with you studying your target instead of reaching for the bracelet mindlessly as Eris watches on, unnervingly quiet. It never bode well when he actually kept his mouth shut, it meant he was thinking.

“You never told me why you wanted me to teach you,” your fiancé speaks up at last, his voice now closer. You had been so focused that you didn't even hear him approaching, something you should have definitely been focusing on. You wonder for a second if you would have been able to even if you weren't distracted.

Your gaze meets his, thinking through his words and attempting to understand the look in his eyes, when you can't you childishly ponder ignoring him and using this moment to steal the bracelet. Ultimately you decide against it, answering his question at last.

“If your enemies are to become my own, I'll need all the training I can get.”

That was an understatement considering his enemies were the High Lord of Autumn, his army and the nobles who supported him, maybe even his brothers. You're sure he even managed to find new ones after his allegiance to the Night Court, if his allies themselves aren't still considered enemies at the same time.

“It offends me that you think I can't tell when you're lying,” he muses.

You bite your lip in annoyance just as he comes to stand a mere step away from you, tilting your head so you can glare at him properly. His expression falls into a maddeningly alluring one, a smirk twitching along his inviting lips.

“I'm not lying.”

“No, but you're not telling me the whole truth either,” he says, fingers reaching out to pick a dried bit of flower or leaf out of your hair, mother knows how long it's been there, “I thought we were past the need for beating around our intentions.”

You look at him wearily, studying his nonchalant expression while he discards whatever was in your hair, watching it fall onto the soft grass as if he wouldn't much rather study your face back and try to find the answer on his own. You suppose you could appreciate that he would ask you instead of trying to pry it out of you, he can get any answer he wants out of anyone after all.

“I don't like being weak,” you confess, almost regretting it when his amber eyes meet yours. “If my father wasn't…” You trail off, not even knowing what to say. Someone who didn't think of his own daughter as a business opportunity? A coward, too afraid of letting anyone have the upper hand? A monster? Doesn't matter what words you choose, the truth of the matter is you were tired of playing by his rules. Eris watches you, never rushing you while you gather your thoughts. “I wish I had been trained since I was young. The world is cruel, and I want to have a fighting chance. I don't want to hide behind anyone's shadow.”

“Alright,” Eris says after a while, looking almost proudly down at you. His hands find his pockets and he nods at your training prop before changing the subject.

“You're going about it the wrong way.”

“I've noticed that, genius.”

“Such kind words,” he trails off after a chuckle, “I told you I wouldn't use my powers, but I never said anything about yours.”

You blink at his words, murmuring after a while, “Would that be fair? What if I hurt you?”

“Do you think you can hurt me, doll?”

The teasing, downright condescending tone is a means to get you motivated once more, and even knowing this, you can't help but feel a familiar heat bubbling under your skin, one he can so easily pull out of you. Perhaps Eris really was the perfect person to help you with this.

“Show me,” he says, a proud and excited glint in his eyes.

Your body answers his command, moving before you even think it through. Winnowing behind him, you reach out to grab his wrist, kicking the back of his knee as hard as you can when he unsurprisingly hides his wrist away from you to keep the bracelet safe. It makes him falter but he doesn't fall like you'd hoped.

Clenching your jaw at the breath of amusement he lets out, you summon your flames, burning a patch of grass under his feet, he sidesteps trying to salvage his shoes, and you attempt tripping him again, only to fail once more as he turns to face you, grabbing your arm and pulling you closer with a look of annoyance on his face. This makes you feel a bit better, at least you ruined his shoes.

Reaching out for his wrist now would be in vain, he's much stronger than you so aimlessly trying to grab the bracelet is no use, you've been trying to do just that for hours. Winnowing back to your initial spot and out of his arms, you watch him again, thinking.

“Giving up already?”

You scoff, a smirk of your own finding its way to your lips. “When have I ever given up?”

Fire rushes from your hands once more, a lot more than before, burning the grass and dried leaves all around you, the smoke they create is enough to not only hide you but also distract him as it grows taller than the trees. When you feel his magic pulsing, creating a shield so no one wandering around the forest sees or smells the smoke, you move, kicking his feet apart at the same time you push at his chest, making him lose balance.

His arms reach out for your waist as he falls back, giving you the opportunity to finally slip the bracelet from his wrist. The sense of accomplishment it brings you is short-lived as you take note of the position you're in, Eris' hand still holding onto your waist, his body completely still under yours. His amber eyes looking up at you, not even a little annoyed or surprised by you taking the bracelet.

A glare paints your features, your mood quickly souring, while a smile grows on his stupidly relaxed face, both his hands moving to hold onto your hips.

“You're going easy on me,” you accuse.

Eris chuckles, the sound shaking his body slightly, and yours with his, a reminder of your current position. The realization makes you look up briefly, trying to see if he had truly put up that shield to cover you both, mother knows what would happen if someone found you straddling your fiancé in the middle of the woods.

“Yes,” he starts, bending his knees and turning your world upside down so quickly you barely register the movement until you're laying down on the grass, his smirk growing. “I am.”

The sight of the Autumn Court's heir kneeling between your legs and looking down at you through amused yet arrogant eyes makes your thoughts stumble for a moment. No matter how much this male manages to irritate you to the point of contemplating murder, there are always moments when his beauty catches you off guard.

“We're only starting,” he says, his voice breaking you out of your treacherous thoughts, “and I have centuries of training on you, but if we keep up you'll grow stronger and there will come a time when I will not overpower you so easily.”

At his praise you find a different kind of heat rush over your body. You curse your parents for being so harsh on you, for making compliments such a rare occurrence in your life. A harsh breath escapes you as you swallow, searching for the right words to thank him, or perhaps pull him back to your usual conversations, hiding every emotion behind thinly veiled animosity. Your and Eris' relationship never went beyond raw anger that slowly transformed into bickering over the years, but lately things have started to change ever so slightly, resulting in confusing situations such as these.

You watch his head tilt to the side as you gather your thoughts, the amusement intensifying as something else burns in his eyes alongside it, something a lot more wicked. The air seems to thicken as your gazes meet in this inexplicable moment. You don't understand most of your body's reactions, but this has to be what losing your mind feels like.

Eris licks his lips, eyes looking above your head for a second before meeting yours once again. “Next time we'll focus on controlling your powers,” he starts, leaving you confused. He nods to the grass around you, prompting you to follow his eyes, finding the remaining embers of the fire you had caused earlier sparking up once again and burning the rest of the leaves. You try to quell them immediately, lifting yourself up on your forearms as a gasp escapes you. How had you not even noticed the smoke? “Can't have you starting a fire every time you get wet.”

It takes a moment for his words to fully register in your brain but when they do your foot flies to his chest, kicking him away from you. Unfortunately, the fire only intensifies with your reaction, and in result so does his laughter. Amber eyes moving to watch the beautiful flame engulfing the old piece of wood, the light reflecting in them making them appear so much brighter, redder.

“Oh, my.”

The amusement written on his face makes you kick him once more, sitting up in time to push him all the way to the ground, Eris never resisting as his body shook with laughter, laying down on the soft grass while you contemplated all the ways you could kill him. You had never seen him laugh this hard, it's just a shame it's at your expense.

“I don't know how vivid and sordid your imagination is but I'd appreciate it if you didn't involve me in your dirty fantasies.”

Eris lets out one last chuckle, looking up at you through half lidded eyes, his lack of reaction to your threats making you even more annoyed as usual. You bite your tongue, trying to not show it on your face, not wanting to give him the satisfaction, especially when you've already shown him more than you ever should have. It had simply been a momentary slip, a result of your lack of experience showing through, that's all.

“As much as I wish I could show you every single, dirty fantasy, it's getting late and we're both expected elsewhere soon,” he changes the subject effortlessly, maybe taking pity on you. When he holds up his hand and you find your bracelet back on his wrist you know pity has nothing to do with it. “Let's keep going. We're wasting precious time.”

Your entire body ached, muscles you didn't even know existed were screaming at you as you sat on the floor. You'd lost count on how many times Eris forced you to attempt taking the bracelet back from him, and even if you had failed plenty of times, your bracelet sat on your wrist at the end, where it belonged. There was an underlying satisfaction buzzing within you. You've always wanted to train like this, always wanted to use your powers and become stronger. It all felt like a dream.

“Come here,” Eris tells you softly, extending his hand towards you. You furrow your brows and look up at him, getting up slowly. He never explains, simply waiting for you to reach him, but you take his hand all the same. You have no more energy to fight with him today, there would be no heart behind it anyway. You're too grateful for him, unfortunately.

He grasps your hand in his silently and winnows you back to the cabin in the blink of an eye, the way he winnows from place to place so much smoother than when you do it yourself, maybe you should ask him to teach you more about that as well.

It had gotten late, the sun already setting and making way for the moon to shine in the sky, and you had to be home soon, before your father arrived for dinner and noticed you gone, so you were about to question him again when you noticed the big tub sitting in the middle of the usually empty room.

“Is that for me?”

“You weren't thinking of going back home directly in this state were you?” He rolls his eyes softly. “You'd be found out this same day.”

Actually, you knew the maids weren't anywhere close to your room at this hour. If you did everything right, you had more than enough time to change back into your dress and get in the bathtub once inside your room. It wouldn't be a lengthy bath but it would keep you clean. Still, looking at the steamy tub, that plan sounded worse than to wait for the rain to wash the sweat off.

“I think I could manage,” you offer.

“This way is easier,” he says, “and the warm water will soothe your muscles.”

This day had been confusing to say the least. Not only had Eris just realized one of your biggest wishes, but also prepared a warm bath for your sore body, making sure at the same time that you wouldn't get caught and suffer your father's wrath. At times like these, you're reminded he's not only Beron's heir or the future High Lord, and see the male behind the charade and the titles weighting on his shoulders.

“Thank you, Eris,” you say, “for everything.”

He watches you for a moment, seemingly surprised by your words and the conviction behind them, before nodding. It's not often you share vulnerable moments like this so you almost want to thank him again when he simply accepts your gratitude without making any further comments, especially with how he usually is.

Turning back to the tub, you wonder how this will work for a moment, seeing as there was only one singular tub, and two of you. Eris takes this as his cue to leave, placing his hands in his pockets after making the flames in the fireplace grow in size, warming up the cabin even more, before turning his body, moving to walk to the door.

“Are you leaving?”

Eris turns back towards you, tilting his head to the side slightly, amusement growing in his expression, but there was something else behind his gaze, just like before.

“Do you wish for me to join you?”

You almost bite your tongue vindictively. Your mouth was working against you today, and with the thoughts growing in your mind, you were starting to think even your brain had left you on your own.

“I was only asking because you need a bath of your own.” Even if he hadn't done much and this afternoon certainly couldn't be considered a work out for him, there was still grass and dirt on him, as well as some sweat. This would definitely raise questions. As you take him in, you also notice a faint, sweet undertone to his usual spicy scent. “You smell like me,” you conclude, your throat going dry.

The heat was almost obscenely distinguishable in his amber eyes now, threatening to consume you whole. As much as you will certainly try to deny the fact when you look back at this moment tomorrow, there is no question that these were two people looking at each other with desire in their eyes. It was also impossible to mistake the sudden heaviness in both of your scents for anything else.

Neither of you say a word for a minute too long, stuck in between your betraying bodies and everything else. Your heart was threatening to beat out of your chest, the heavy gaze the male in front of you kept you under enough to make you want to do something you've never done before and just give in despite all the consequences.

Eris is the one to find his composure first, clearing his throat and looking down at his shoes before saying, “No one will see me. You don't have to worry about me, doll.”

You nod, knowing better than to try and say anything, lest your words betray you as well, especially after the pet name that usually irritates you to no end sends a different kind of heat to your center. Watching him winnow out of the cabin without another word, allowing you to finally take a deep breath and try to clear your mind, but, even as you sit in the warm water he prepared, you can't take the images of Eris joining you out of your head, the reminder of his body against yours in the woods as he taught you, or the way his scent mingled with yours. You almost wish this was a cold bath instead.

[starcurtain]

hihi sorry to rant in your inbox but i hate when people use aven's line about jade that says her kindness comes with a price to make their relationship seem worse than it is. while the ipc is. well. the ipc i dont thinl it would benefit her to harm him like theyre both stonehearts AND hes her subordinate. personally i think the price he mentions is like, testing him like she did in her social media post with the ores. it certainly would be less incongruous with her want to guide those that come after her..

I think that people really struggle with Jade. They took one look at her dommy mommy appearance and her status as one of the top three in the Stonehearts and they just want her to be unrepentant evil soooo bad.

Don't get me wrong, she is definitely a master manipulator and she definitely has a specific personal goal she's working toward using the IPC as her vehicle to do so. Her overall idea of creating an endless vortex of desires that can't ever be sufficiently met is very Voracity-coded and not really the kind of idea a very well-adjusted person would be espousing. We have no idea how loyal she really is to the IPC's goal of aiding Preservation against Destruction in the War of the Aeons.

But she's also, over and over again, been painted as having "True Neutral" moral alignment in-game. She's literally xxxHolic's Ichihara Yuuko with a bad case of capitalism: She always demands a price, but never asks more than is fair.

It's literally Fullmetal Alchemist's first law of alchemy: Human kind can not gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.

All of Jade's exchanges are equivalent and none of her customers enter into a bargain without understanding the price they are paying. In fact, she won't even let Firefly try to make a deal at all without doing her research in advance to truly realize the extent of what she is asking for. Jade is inherently an honest businesswoman.

The issue is that greed is all-encompassing. The ability to have any wish granted is a temptation that virtually no one can escape in the end.

Therefore, I think the best way to understand Jade is as the Honkai Star Rail equivalent of Mephistopheles. In the legend of Faust, the eponymous Dr. Faust longs for more in his life--he is endlessly pursuing knowledge and power, but has hit the limits of his own ability. He meets the devil, Mephistopheles, who agrees to enter into a pact with him: Mephistopheles will fulfill all Faust's wishes while Faust is still alive, but then Faust's soul will belong to the devil when he dies. The deal is fairly presented. The terms are not unclear: If Faust agrees to the bargain, he knows what will happen to his soul in the end.

Mephistopheles doesn't trick him or force his hand when it comes to this bargain. Faust could say no. He could resist. But he doesn't. He agrees, because human greed and pride are simply that overpowering. He thinks he's smarter than the devil; unlike the thousands of others who have come before and suffered damnation for their deals with the devil, Faust thinks he is different, better than others, more deserving... The actual temptation doesn't come from the devil. It comes from human hubris.

Like Mephistopheles, like the serpent in the Garden of Eden, Jade merely presents the choice--it's humanity's endless desire that leads to the downfall.

It's a snake and an apple and a contract for a reasonnnnnn, Jade haters.

So, I don't think that Jade represents any danger to anyone who can resist temptation. Firefly walks away from Jade's exchange entirely unscathed. Trailblazer isn't pressed into surrender.

But Aventurine?

To be honest, I think his relationship with her is a bit more complicated.

Aventurine likes Jade. She did him a solid when he was at his lowest in life. His character stories make it clear that he views her as, essentially, someone "safe" in the IPC, unlike other Stonehearts.

But... I do agree that Aventurine approaches Jade more cautiously than he approaches others. And I think that probably stems from a couple of different factors:

Jade has positioned herself as Aventurine's "pseudo-mother," and Aventurine responds to her as if she, indeed, a mother figure he has to obey. He is more respectful of her than anyone else we see him interact with in the game--Diamond and Opal get called by name, but Jade is always "Ma'am." Which is very close to "Mama;" this is not an accidentttttt. When Jade disrupts his banter with Topaz, Aventurine immediately does as he is told, hands over his room card, and simmers down. Even in joking social media posts, when Jade asks Aventurine to do something (judge the uncut jade stones she sent him), he does it even when she rejects his high demand for profit sharing.

But:

2. Jade actually failed Aventurine's moral litmus test. From the beginning of his adulthood flashbacks, we see Aventurine explicitly troubled by the fact that his human dignity was denied and that a market value was assigned to his existence. And not even a high value. He was sold for pennies. It's the ultimate mortification, and we can tell it is still bothering him to this day because even "future" Aventurine brings up the sting of that bone-deep insult during Aventurine's long walk through Penacony. In response to the indignity, Kakavasha gave his original master a moral test: Kakavasha says that he'll go willingly into the hellscape of the death maze if his master will give him 30 copper Tanba, just half his market value. His master refuses, demonstrating that he does not view Kakavasha as a human being, worthy of any respect. By refusing this tiny, insignificant request, the master exhibits his utter moral depravity, from which there is no return. In response, Kakavasha ultimately kills him and takes the 30 copper coins he asked for (nothing more, nothing less) from his corpse.

When Kakavasha meets Jade, he then makes the exact same demand: He wants 30 copper coins and exactly 30 copper coins. At this point, it is very clear that--to Kakavasha--the coins are emblematic of his value as a human being. (I promise you, somewhere in his apartment right now are the 30 bloody coins he took from his master's cold corpse.) His freedom, his dignity, his worth... All of these things hinge on being able to acquire the original 60 Tanba coins. Thus, those who refuse his requests for the coins also symbolically refuse his request for basic respect, his request to be seen as an equal human being who deserves to not be reduced to mere pennies on a bill of sale.

And Jade refuses this request. She treats the demand for Tanbas like a paltry sum and instead ignores the specificity of the request to give a general "We'll give you riches beyond your imagine, more than you could have ever thought to want." But that isn't what he asked for. She stepped over the request he actually made in order to supplant her ideas, on her terms. Kakavasha made the tiniest, most easily completed request in the world, and in failing to actually just respect what he personally wished for, Jade demonstrated that she ultimately will not really respect him.

Just like his slave master, Aventurine represents a value on a page to Jade. For this reason, even if she extends pseudo-maternal behavior to Aventurine and he laps it up like a starved kitten drinks up milk, we see that he remains more cautious toward her than he does to any other female character in the game. Aventurine comes across as more comfortable talking to Acheron than he sounds when he talks to Jade... Because in failing the most basic and seemingly meaningless test, Jade revealed exactly to what extent Kakavasha can--and cannot--trust her.

Does Jade actually mean Aventurine any harm? No, I really don't think so, and you're right, those who claim that she does are really over-exaggerating Jade's negative traits, mostly because they've almost universally got a strong anti-IPC agenda and hate everything from the IPC except Aventurine on principle. Everything in Jade's character stories points to her honestly wanting to develop the hidden talents of others, to "polish" rough cut stones into true gems, and to see her fledglings thrive. Kakavasha is someone she picked up out of the dirt and dusted off. If he excels, that means her faith was well-placed, her judgment was correct, and her team as a whole excels.

It's exactly like a business owner who takes great pride in producing a fantastic product. Only when the product succeeds can the business itself succeed.

But business owners see their products as objects, not equals.

Jade is a fairly neutral figure and I think she wants to see Aventurine grow and achieve greatness. But at the end of the day, their relationship is very predicated on the notion of investment (Jade puts up the original capital to make Aventurine great, and he repays her faith in him by generating wealth for the IPC). It is clear she just can't be trusted to value Aventurine as a person above a means of profit--and Aventurine knows (and accepts) that too.

[mswyrr]

They spent the entire season showing the collapse of everything Alicent had invested meaning in and earning her final choice.

Things that came apart over the season:

-her father's role in all this; his approval (and fear of his disapproval) has driven her for her entire life! (bad move on multiple fronts, Aegon)

-her belief that she could do what this patriarchy promises and "influence" her sons toward a good direction (Aegon dismisses her but Aemond really drove the nail in with flagrantly slaughtering smallfolk and making his intent to force his sister to do it too clear)

-her belief that she had any allies and her skills in leadership and her track record of hard work actually meant anything to *anyone* (this was a cooperative effort by Aemond, Larys, and Criston - good work, fellas!)

-her belief that she could, if nothing else, at least protect her daughter (huge emotional pillar for her)

And if we look at her prior actions putting Aegon on the throne and protecting him with her life - both fit within those structures she had mentally and emotionally which this season ripped down.

I think the final one was the thing that took it over the edge, though -- the prospect of Helaena being used and hurt and destroyed as a person -- kind of like how degrading Aemond and his connection to his long-term sex worker was his final straw that made him want to kill and supplant his brother Aegon.

People keep pushing each other too far this season. Taking out the last thing that stands between them and a radical change. Pushing people until they're willing to lose things just to break the current dynamic.

Dae/mon pushes Rhaenyra too far, then the entire war does and she "breaks bad" in 2x07 (see my meta linked below for more on my pov on that); Aegon pushes Aemond too far; and the entire group of "green men" systematically pushes Alicent too far.

All the while, she had that offer from earlier in the season, when Rhaenyra risked everything to come speak to Alicent in her mind. She was mulling over it and thinking of what she could have said, should have said. At the same time, however, Rhaenyra was moving away from being that person [my meta argument on that here]. So the person she finally comes to make peace with isn't the same as she was in the Sept. And once again they tragically can't get on the same page. It does all fit together, even with issues in the writing.

And writing on Alicent's arc simply isn't as uneven as people are saying - the theme of people pushing each other too far and how they showed the pillars of Alicent's support crumbling were both clearly done.

And, yes - Alicent still has feelings for Rhaenyra and as all of this has been happening she's been having a midlife crisis and wishing she had just run away with her first love when they were girls. But that isn't her sole motivation!! It's just what comes spilling out of her because of the state she's in. It creates an appealing alternative to the hell she's living in at the Red Keep. But it wasn't THE single motivating factor.

On a show where fathers have behaved truly monstrously--up to and including their selfishness setting this civil war in motion to begin with--it's fascinating that people refuse to believe a mother can be pushed too far. That kinslaying and slaughtering whole cities and rejecting and humiliating her and threatening to mentally torture her daughter until she breaks wouldn't change her mind about her priorities.

The "green" side becomes owned by Aemond, a wilful (as far as she knows; I'm speaking of her pov here) kinslayer moral reprobate who is violent to his sister and wants to force her to do things that will break her mind. Alicent cannot expect that Aegon will be able to stop him. That's what the side is now, as far as she knows. And she thinks he's a monster who must be stopped, at any cost. That's why she told Rhaenyra "we both know what he is" about Aemond in the Sept. WHAT not who. Things like kinslaying and slaughtering smallfolk mean something to her. And her daughter is everything to her.

Team Green overall took her for granted and thought she'd always be their doormat, and Helaena too. And Alicent finally had enough. Again, given how monstrously the fathers on this show behave, I think they "showed their work" on her radical change of heart well. It's just some people believe nothing can ever justify a mother betraying her sons and I think that makes total sense, given everything.

Honestly, once Helaena was on the chopping block, it would have been out of character for Alicent *not* to do everything--destroy anything--to protect her daughter. She feels like protecting Helaena is the only good thing she's ever done in her life.

People can dislike the ending. It's always valid to dislike something in a story, it's fine. But disliking it doesn't mean it wasn't built up solidly, narratively speaking. The writers put a lot of work and narrative space into it, actually--this was one of the most developed parts of s2!--and weaving it into the season's larger theme of characters pushing each other to the breaking point.

[chaosandmarigolds]

okay it has been the longest time since I've asked for a request but I freaking LOVE THE WAY YOU WRITE!! So I have a Simon riley request. You can really run off with my idea and write it however you want but Ive had an idea in my head about Simon and the reader adopting because reader or Simon can't have kids and I want to know how he'd handle a kid who's probably been thru some stuff to end up in the foster/adopting system.

ANYWAYS ILYSM keep up your amazing work 😍😍

(no cause I actually screamed omg thank you so much for your kind words they truly mean the world to me <333 )

Adoption! Simon Riley Who had zero doubt on that he wanted children with you, even though he was terrified of failing them he wanted to try

Simon Riley! Who took you to all of the doctors appointments and the testing and the trails and never once mentioned how expensive it is

Simon Riley who was probably the only person a bit more crushed than you when the doctor told you both that it wouldn't be possible to have children of your own.

Simon Riley who let the matter go under the radar for a few months before you walk into the bedroom, tablet to chest

"i'm gonna say something and I need you to be open to it."

He blinks a few times as he sets his book down on his lap, "Should I be scared?"

"No. But..." You hold out the tablet, showing him the adoption application you had half filled out, "I mean there's thousands of kids who-who need a family an-and-"

"Finish it up, why don't ya- lemme get the bank statements, yeah?"

Simon Riley! who would rather go back on deployment than have more people walk through his home while making judgments on if it was 'child friendly'

Simon Riley! Who sat up with you every time you were waiting for an update, watching easy going bake shows on the sofa with the laptop email service open on the coffee table in front of you

Simon Riley! Who was a little bit disgusted when the agent sat you both down with the files of children in need, because he did have half a mind to just take them all

"Now I know you both told me you were looking for a baby, and I understand that however the waitlist for that is incredibly long and ultimately it is the mother's choice in that situation," The agent's eyes go to Simon, almost as if to say 'no mother would ever choose that' and she pushes the file to you, "And I always push for the adoption of some of the older kids. There's no pressure."

Your eyes narrow to the folders in front of you and you gulp down, hands shakily going to the folder in front of you and pulling it to your lap, all the while you could tell Simon was just still a little confused by the statement the agent had made before. However, you humored it, flipping through the photos and the tragic backstories that made your eyes water, until you open one that caught your attention, two children sat in the photoinsteadd of one.

Name: Macey-Ann Adams

Age: 11 years

Name: Taylor Kate Adams

Age: 24 months

"Si..." You didn't tell that your voice was muffled by a bit of tears and you hold the file over to your husband, who looked over the pictures, taking you slight interest. So he lightly takes the file and then looks up at the agent.

"These two?" He speaks as softly as he was able to.

The agent looks at the file and then a frown appears on her face, "Macey, she...she's a troubled girl, on her fourth foster home, and she's jumping schools, I would not recommend her."

with a shuttered breath you breath out, "But...but she's just a kid- can...can we meet her and Taylor?"

Simon Riley did extensive research as soon as he got home, finding the articles from the local newspaper on the two girls who were so severely abused by their father that they wouldn't look the police officer in the eye

Simon Riley who was beginning to think it wouldn't be a good idea until they met the girls at the local park

Simon Riley who saw so much of himself in that little girl it made him almost puke

Simon Riley who got over himself when he saw your beaming face as you held Taylor, helping her get the cherry blossom from the tree

Simon Riley who would be lying if he said he wasn't estatic when you were approved for the adoption

Simon Riley who tried to get to know Macey but the girl was quiet, self suffiecnt, she was him

"You're taking Taylor." Macey mutters as she sits on the swing, watching you with her baby sister

Simon squints against the sun and sits down in the swing beside her, and then he looks to you, a smile on his lips for a moment, "Not jus' her."

To that the eleven year old looks at him, a frown on her face, "What? People want babies. Taylor is a baby."

There was a long silence and Simon looked down at his boots, "You like trampolines?"

Macey blinked, "I do."

"Gonna buy you a trampoline for the backyard when the court says it's all over."

Another pause, "You're taking both of us?"

"Figured you'd wanna stay with your lil' sis."

"I-kinda....thanks, Mister Riley."

"Simon. You can call me Simon, or...whatever you wan, and' we gotta get a move on your sister was wan'n a ice cream."

Simon Riley! Who takes careful care in helping Macey unpack

Simon Riley! Who takes the girls shopping every weekend until he thinks they have everything they need

Simon Riley! Who loves his girls more than anything else in the world

( I hope this is good and honestly this is so cute I may write a more in-depth one shot type of thing. Comments and feedback make my day! annnd yeah! that's it <33

[the-music-maniac]

I've never been able to get over stories where the abused becomes the villain. True of any media that has this trope, really, but especially true of Sephiroth. He makes my heart hurt.

Created to be nothing but a weapon, abused and manipulated and experimented on from childhood. Sent to go fight Shinra's wars for them, desensitized to killing from a young age, but still managing to hold onto his kindness somehow. They made him into a legend larger than life for their propaganda, while simultaneously de-humanizing him in the worst ways, isolating Seph to the point where no one around him, not even his closest companions, even realized that he needed support. There's hints that no one around him really knew his background by the things they say - the only one who was aware of the extent of his mistreatment was his abuser. He was a high functioning individual - who would be arrogant enough to assume that The General could need help? Who would dare?

And I don't blame Angeal or Genesis or Zack for not realizing. Along with them simply not knowing there was an issue that needed addressing, Sephiroth probably kept it from them on purpose - whether by choice or necessity or outside influence or self preservation.

Sephiroth just wanted a normal life too. He didn't like having his picture taken, but endured because he had to, and because other people wanted it of him. He didn't really care to compete for the title of hero with Genesis, even though Genesis didn't seem to believe it. He took care of his troops, and we see in that one cut scene where he failed to save a soldier, that he still got upset over stuff like that. All those years of killing and losing his men to Shinra's missions and he hasn't truly become numb to it.

And then nearing the end, after first being told he's a monster by one of his former friends, and then later spending a week in that library not eating or drinking or sleeping, left alone to his devices because who would assume that the most competent general of their time can be in a vulnerable state, and shouldn't be left alone right now?

After learning the "truth" about his origins, and after a lifetime of systematic abuse, no longer believing he's even human anymore. And then the only person offering him a hand in his darkest moments is the one he shouldn't have taken. But at that point - could you blame him? Whether or not the post nibelheim Sephiroth is truly him or just a puppet for Jenova I'm uncertain about, but the end result is that from start to finish - Sephiroth never manages to break free from the whims of those who wanted to use him.

And because he gave into his worse demons - he won't receive a happy ending. He won't be saved. There's no comfort for him, no opportunity to rest and heal and grow. His childhood wish to live a normal life will never come to pass.

Watching Sephiroth's story unfold is like watching someone drown in front of you while surrounded by a crowd of people. And the one drowning doesn't even scream for help because he's been conditioned to believe that the suffocation is normal.

I will NEVER get over him. It doesn't excuse what he did after Nibelheim, I'm aware of that, but I can't help but remember that people only ever had praise for him while he was burning villages down in Wutai on Shinra's behalf.

It doesn't excuse his actions. But I will NEVER be able to forget all the ways the world failed him first.

[i-write-things]

Cuddle Spider

(Yan! Chrollo x Willing! Reader)

It is in human nature to seek warmth. Achieving homeostasis is a characteristic of all living things. When we are cold, we seek warmth, be it physically or emotionally.

Imagine being freezing outside, and right next to you is a fire. But you are not allowed to cuddle up to said fire. You can only admire. A mysterious force is holding you back from gratifying yourself with such a comfort.

That is you right now. You are the one freezing. The cold is a combination of it being winter, and the AC running too much for your liking. Even as you sit on the edge of the bed you feel no warmth. The fire is the very man sitting across from you in a chair, reading and unbothered by the temperatures. And the mysterious force is your conscious.

A part of you wants to cuddle up to him. You're well aware he would be willing to do so. He's not doing a hefty task currently. Even if he only wanted to continue reading, who could hold you and read. His heat would be certainly welcome. Not to mention, the feeling of safety that comes with being wrapped up in his arms.

However, you feel- no, you know this is wrong. This man, though charismatic, intelligent, and thoughtful in his own unique way, is a monster. He took you. Without your consent, he scooped you up and away. And while you no longer have to worry about taxes, morons for customers and coworkers, and feeling touch starved, it doesn't change the fact he is not a good person. He steals things that are considered to be national treasures for the sake of, not even riches nor status, but rather for the thrill of the swiping. And also for a second reason you couldn't quite decipher, though you have your interpretations as to what he meant.

Still. That wasn't even the worst of it. As you look at him now- his raven colored hair hanging over his forehead, covering up that mysterious tattoo and just barely dangling over his eyes. Enigmatic, deep stone colored eyes that carefully scan over the contents of the page that tells a tale of who knows what.- he acts so calm. He is calm, really. But how? After all he's done, the stealing of precious valuables, stealing of people, the mass murderings...You just can't seem to wrap around your head how he can sit here, so relaxed and at ease, all whilst knowing the atrocities he's committed.

And yet, despite this, you still feel that compelling urge to crawl into his lap. To get him to lay down on the bed you now share, and lay down on his chest, his muscular arms creating a safe haven for you. Is it real love you experience, or is it the succumbing to Stockholm Syndrome? The latter being the most likely choice in this scenario. You've been kept here for what you estimate to be about 9 or 10 months. Truthfully, you have no real idea, but this is simply your best guess, judging by the weather and seasons. Though, it feels more like a year or 2 than anything.

Stockholm Syndrome was doing funny things to you. It made you crave the touch of a man you should despise with all your might. You continue to stare and think deeper and deeper about this. Truly, you where the beauty and he was the beast. Although he was an alternate, more backwards version. He started off as the handsome prince, then revealed himself to be a beast.

You and Chrollo. Beauty and the best. You chuckle at the thought. A grave mistake to make while staring at the chap. His observant eyes picked up to you, and a small, amused smirk sneaks onto his face as well.

"What's so funny?" He asked charmingly, as if you had just giggled at a joke he made.

"I-Its...nothin'. Just um...just a dumb thought I had."

"Care to share?"

"As I said, it's pretty dumb. it wasn't even all that funny, really."

"Then what's holding you back from telling me. You seemed as carefree as the wind when you where staring at me a couple of moments ago." His mouth transformed from an amused smirk, to a smug grin. Jerk. Doesn't he know how pretty he looks when he does that? He probably does.

"I-..." Your words die on your tongue and go back down your throat. Of course he knew you where looking. He's Chrollo fucking Lucilfer, of all people.

You have a couple of options. You can compliment him. Distract his thoughts, but you know from experience he will take it, and not give you your reward of changing the subject. You could insult him. But...something tells you not to, and it isn't fear. Just a feeling that you don't want to. You could flip the tables, and ask him what he thinks it is, but he would turn it once more and back to you. He was crafty with his words like that. Lying would be fruitless, as he would know immediately. He knows all your ticks and give aways. Your only option is the truth, and hope he doesn't feel insulted.

"I was just thinking...this whole...thing. It reminds me of beauty and the beast."

"Assuming I'm the beast?" He raises an eyebrow. "and what whole thing are you referring to?"

"I just- Well, um. Okay, yes. in this situation, you are the beast. Or at least, a reverse version. You used to be the handsome prince, and now you're the beast. And the thing I was referring to is...y'know, the not letting me go, thing."

"Hm..." He watches you for a moment with those predatory eyes before speaking. "You thought I was the handsome prince. Though I have revealed my true colors, my looks haven't changed."

Jerk. Handsome jerk.

"Well, yes," You sigh, knowing exactly what he was suggesting. And, it was true. "You're looks haven't changed and...you maybe still are um...y'know. But that doesn't take away from the fact you're a beast."

"I'll take that as a compliment. The beast did anything he could for Belle, if I'm not mistaken. And she did fall for him at some point as well. Are you sure you're still Belle and I'm the beast in this whole 'thing', as you put it?"

"It's only Stockholm Syndrome." You scoff playfully, not being able to help the small smile as you cross your arms.

"Excuse me?"

"I said it was just- oh."

You realize your mistake. A very, very stupid one.

You just admitted you having fallen for him. And that stupid smug grin you so dearly want to either kiss or smack off his face isn't helping.

"L-look, okay, I admit-"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He queries, going to sit beside you on the edge of the bed. His hand started to slowly creep up and down your bicep, causing goosebumps to wake in his touch. Something he felt and was aware of.

"B-because I...W-well.." You nervously spout, looking for any sort of out. You can't tell this...this psychopath your true feelings. Instead of saying something smug, he does something worse:

He waits patiently and silently as you dig yourself into a deeper whole. Of course, you could deny, deny, deny. But...the fire is so close. Despite the force holding you back....if you could only just...relent a little. Besides, you'd feel releived, wouldn't you? Like finally telling your childhood crush you like them while on the playground at recess. That's exactly what this is. You're both on the playground, and he is your silly little crush, and none of this will matter. That doesn't stop your hummingbird of a heart.

Taking in a deep breath, with a face radiating the warmth you wish you'd receive from Chrollo, you finally talk. "Look, I just...Ok. I'm not even sure if I should love you. I mean, yes, I do love you, and I do want to be held and I secretly enjoyed it everytime you held me at night these past couple weeks. I cannot deny the way my h-heart skips everytime your gorgeous eyes observe my every action. Though I find it creepy, I also find it very fascinating. But I still feel like this isn't right. You-You stole many things, killed many people, and outright took me. I just- I just feel like I'm not supposed to love you."

He stares at you quietly for a beat or two after. For a moment, you're afraid you babbled on too fast, and he'd make you repeat yourself. But that's dumb for two reasons. 1. he can see and move faster than you can comprehend. 2. he speaks up after.

"None of your situation calls for normal circumstances. In the world you live in right now, your options are limited."

"Yes, but...-" Your chin is lifted up with his index finger and now you face him. What a sappy, cliche move. It doesn't prevent the already prevalent blush on your face to increase, however.

"You don't have to feel a certain way just because society wouldn't be pleased with it. After all, society wouldn't be pleased about any of this. And yet, no matter what, this will happen, anyway. So why care? It's not as though society has tried to save you."

He raises a point. A fair one, at that. That, doubled with the fact you so badly want to crawl into his arms right now. Who is stopping you? No one has dared help you before. Why should you care?

"I can see the stirring in your mind. You know I'm right." He states. You nod quietly.

"Then, what are you going to do about it?"

After a moment of silence, you give in. You gently push him back down to lay on the bed. At first, his eyebrows raise in surprise. He didn't think he convinced you to go this fast. But his confusion is soon quelled with an answer as you lay down on him, cuddling up to him in a much more wholesome manner than he thought you would. His expression softens. As you lay your head on his chest and curl up to him, he wraps his warm, protective arms around you. The book and mysterious force now gone. It all had dissolved much like a weak resolute in a strong resolvent. He let's out a peaceful, happy sigh, and you follow suit.

"You know, I've known about how you felt for some time." He reveals.

...Honestly, you knew. You are well aware nothing gets passed him. You where only just saving yourself from the embarrassment of admitting, and from the force that had held you back for what felt like a year.

"I know," you sigh "I'm just glad I get to do this now. Is it....is it okay of we do it more often?"

He let's out a handsome chuckle "Of course, my dear. How can I say no to denying you of what you desire when it's something as simple and precious as this? I had a feeling you might like this. Before I took you away, you where quite the cuddle bug."

"Hmm....." You hum. "Cuddle spider." You correct, nuzzling his chest. This felt much better than just staring at him from afar.

"Yes," he chuckles, liking your little pun. "My cuddle spider."

[inou-ie]

Pairing: Alpha Cabernet x Omega female reader

Warnings: NSFW, omegaverse, Cabernet has a cock, breeding, praising, marking.

MDNI

You sprinted down the corridor in search of Cabernet. She claimed to have someone hostage, her haunting words echoed in your mind, a chilling promise of impending doom if you failed to reach her in time.

As you arrived at the door where Cabernet had summoned you, her intoxicating scent enveloped your senses, the scent of an alpha... it's something very familiar to you, leaving you momentarily lightheaded and disoriented.

"You arrived, my obedient girl..." Cabernet murmured, rising leisurely from her chair, her wicked grin unfurling like a sinister secret. With each step toward you, her pheromones intensified, a potent allure that drew you closer into her enigmatic web.

A chill ran down your spine as you instinctively took a step back, her piercing gaze casting a shadow of doubt over your choices. "You're still so gullible... Did you truly believe my words about taking a life if you didn't come?" Cabernet's laughter echoed in the room, revealing the twisted depths of her deception.

"You lied...?" you whispered in disbelief, your eyes locked onto Cabernet's, her sly smile captivating your attention. Her fingers triggered an electrifying shiver as they brushed against your neck.

"Indeed, you wouldn't come to me under normal circumstances now, would you?" she purred softly, "Though I'd willingly commit any sin for you..." Cabernet leaned in closer to your neck, her breath tickling your skin as she inhaled your scent with a soft, indulgent chuckle. "Ah... I can't resist any longer... you smell absolutely irresistible!" she quickly reached for your wrist, holding it tightly to make sure you won't get away.

"I'll make you mine... I can't bear the thought of anyone else marking you." Cabernet declared with a possessive gleam in her eyes. With a swift, dominating motion, she dragged you forcefully, throwing you onto her bed before quickly climbing on top of you.

"I don't want to be marke–" you began to protest, but Cabernet silenced you by pressing her finger gently against your lips. "Hush," she whispered, her voice commanding and sultry, "I wish to savor this moment in perfect silence." she added while her hands worked their way to remove your clothes. "I only want to hear your voice when you cry out my name."

Despite your best efforts, you found yourself powerless to resist Cabernet's advances, a mixture of desire and anticipation coursing through your veins. Cabernet holding you down just made it worse, her pheromones are everywhere and it's getting to you. She smelled so good, too good. It's enough to get you into heat right away... though you didn't want to admit, your body is telling you that you're a perfect match together, accepting Cabernet as your mate as it begs to be filled up.

"That's right, just stay still for me.." she whispers softly against your neck while planting soft kisses all over it. As you watched Cabernet lean back, you couldn't help but feel her hungry gaze on your body. The tight dress did little to hide the obvious bulge of Canernet's cock, throbbing with desire for the upcoming mating session.

A soft moan escaped your lips as you watched Cabernet gracefully removed her dress, each deliberate movement accentuating the sway of her full breasts. A delicious shiver ran down your spine at the sight of her voluptuous body and the teasing glimpses she offered of what lay beneath.

"Mhm... just hurry up..." You mumbled softly, the heat gradually becoming unbearable, and Cabernet just knew how to make you crazy. Your heart pounded in your chest as you watched Cabernet stroke her cock, the image of her hands moving up and down its shaft etched into your mind.

"Patience, my good girl." With a slow, deliberate movement, she brushed the head of her cock against your clit, sending shockwaves of pleasure straight to your core. You couldn't wait any longer - you needed more of Cabernet's attention, needed her to fill this aching emptiness inside you.

A soft whimper escaped your lips as Cabernet held you still, denying you the release of movement when she realized you were trying to move your hips.

Without warning, she plunged herself deep inside you, eliciting a loud moan from both of you. The sensation was overwhelming, every inch of her cock stretching and filling you completely. You clutched at her shoulders, digging your nails into her skin as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over you.

Cabernet's breath hitched in her throat, her movements becoming more frenzied as she lost herself in the heat of the moment. She pounded into you relentlessly... with each thrust, she growled low in her throat, claiming you as hers entirely.

Cabernet leaned down to whisper into your ear, "This is where I belong... inside you, filling you up with myself." You shuddered at Cabernet's words, her cock throbbed against your walls, she pulled back slightly before slamming herself back into you, hitting that perfect spot deep within your core again and again and again... until your cries of pleasure echoed around the room as you came, your body shuddering in delight. Cabernet's cock throbbed inside you as she kept burying herself as deep as possible, filling your womb with her cum.

"So adorable..." Cabernet mumbled with a smile as she leaned down to capture your lips in a slow, passionate kiss, her tongue tangling deliciously with yours while she keeps moving her hips slowly, pumping her cum deep inside you.

As Cabernet pulled out of you, a small amount of your combined cum dripped onto the bed. She turned you over roughly, exposing your ass to her view. She then grabbed your hair and forced your head down, keeping it there with one hand as she secured your wrists behind your back with the other.

"What are you doing..." You groaned in pain by how roughly she's handling you now, looking at her face... you saw her wicked smile, her hungry eyes looking down at you.

"Did you think I'd be done with doing it once? You really are adorable. That was just an appetizer, the main course starts now." Cabernet chuckled before she guides her cock towards your entrance, catching the drips of your cum as they leaked from your still-sensitive pussy, smirking darkly as she slowly pushed them back inside you with the head of her cock.

As Cabernet's hips began to move with a brutal, relentless force, you found yourself crying out in both pain and ecstasy. Each thrust drove her cock deeper into your pussy than the last, tearing through your walls of resistance like they were nothing more than paper.

Your body trembled under her weight as she bore down on you, grinding against your ass cheeks each time she pulled back before driving forward again. "A-Ah.. hah.. slow down... slow..." You begged Cabernet but she just scoffed, with each thrust, you could feel the massive head of her cock pressing against your cervix, sending waves of blinding pleasure coursing through your body despite the agonizing pain.

"Shh, it'll be okay, my good girl. Just take it." Cabernet cooed as she picks up the pace, her thrusts becoming faster and harder. The room seemed to echo with the sound of Cabernet's hips slapping against your ass, her every movement driving her cock deeper into you.

As Cabernet's pace quickened, you felt her cock pounding inside you without mercy. Every inch of your body was alive to the sensation of being filled so completely, of being claimed as hers alone.

Her breath hitched in her throat, and you knew she was close... and then Cabernet came hard inside you. Hot jets of her cum shot straight into your womb, filling every corner with her essence. She continued to thrust relentlessly, each stroke dragging more of her cum deeper into your body until there was no room left for anything else and it made you lose your mind completely.

"You're mine, you belong to me.. do you understand? Mine and mine alone." Cabernet leaned closer to your neck, her grip on you tightened further still, holding you immobile beneath her. She licked the back of your neck as she gets ready to mark you.

"Now, for the dessert..." she mumbled as she opens her mouth wide. Cabernet's teeth sank deep into your neck, and you felt a rush of heat as her mouth closed around the wound. She sucked greedily at the blood that flowed freely from between her lips, moaning in ecstasy with each drop that passed her tongue.

"Mmmph!!" You whimpered as you squirmed around but Cabernet held you firmly in place, keeping her teeth buried into your flesh for a bit more before she leaned back with a satisfied sigh, her teeth finally releasing their hold on your flesh. You let out a low moan, feeling both relieved and bereft at the same time - as if some part of you had been torn away forever.

Cabernet's grip on you tightened even further, afraid of letting go. Her cock throbbed inside you, still hard and full despite the intensity of your earlier encounters.

"I want all of you..." She murmured softly against your neck, her breath sending shivers down your spine. "Every last drop."

Without warning, Cabernet began thrusting into you once more - slow and deep this time, almost gentle in its rhythm. Stopping for a bit just to lift your legs so she can turn you over on your back.

"Hah... that expression," Cabernet chuckled with a twisted delight, "I adore it so deeply." The sight of your tear-streaked, crimson face stirred a dark desire within her, compelling her to further unravel your emotions but she held herself back.

Cabernet leaned closer to your face with a warm smile. "It's okay, I won't let anyone else have you." she whispered against your lips before pressing them together in a gentle kiss. Cabernet's body pressed against yours, her warmth enveloping you like a comforting blanket. There was something oddly protective about this embrace - as if she were trying to hold onto you for dear life.

Cabernet's hips began to move in a slow, sensual grind against your pussy. Each thrust was careful and deliberate; she seemed intent on pleasuring you in this moment rather than taking what she wanted.

With each thrust of her hips, Cabernet moaned softly, the sound vibrating against your skin. She looked into your eyes with such intensity that it felt like she was seeing right through you - reading every thought, every desire that crossed your mind.

As the sensations built up once more, you could feel yourself getting closer to the edge. But this time it felt different; instead of being pushed over by Cabernet's relentless pace, you were guided gently towards ecstasy by her tender caresses.

"My good girl... you're taking me so well." Cabernet's words sent shivers of pleasure racing down your spine. You couldn't help but arch your back off the bed, offering yourself up to her completely. As she continued moving within you, every thrust pushing deeper than before.

Cabernet hugged you tighter, burying her face in the crook of your neck as she whispered words of praise against your flesh, telling you how beautiful you were, how much she loved having you like this - hers completely.. With each slow thrust, she sent another wave of ecstasy coursing through your body. And then, without warning, she came once more inside you - hard, deep, and powerful.

Tears roll down your cheeks from how powerful her orgasm was, your body trembled and your eyes almost rolled to the back of your head. You felt your womb swelling from how much she's cumming inside you, making you writhe beneath her.

When Cabernet finished, she did a few more pumps before stopping completely, leaning down to kiss your forehead. "How is it? You're completely mine now..." she whispers while caressing your belly in a slow and gentle manner. You wanted to talk but only soft whimpers came out of your lips.

With one last push, she buried her cock as deep as she possibly can inside before laying on top of you, holding you protectively while her cock acted as a plug to stop her cum from leaking out. You felt so full and satisfied at the same time.

"Get some sleep, my dear.." Cabernet whispered soothingly, cradling you protectively in her arms as your eyelids grew heavier. "I'll stay inside you until you wake up... and then we'll continue." she added with a smile. Despite the uncomfortable sensation of having something big buried deep inside you, it also felt reassuring that Cabernet will not leave you alone in your vulnerable state.

[dragonakito360]

Counting Cats

Lyney x Overworked!gn!reader

Lyney visits your home after you miss his show, thinking something was amiss. He finds you still awake, busy with work, looking like you havent slept in days. And so, he helps you catch some sleep. I got this idea from Lyney's good night voiceline in the teapot. It's a little strange I couldn't find that like anywhere online?

CW: None, just pure wholesome fluff.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

"Lyney, you're overreacting." Lynette spoke, following her brother who was headed to your house. They had just finished a show at Opera Epiclese, and Lyney was looking forward to seeing you there. You always came to his shows, yet this night was different. It was the first time he had seen your seat empty.

"I'm not overreacting, Lynette!" Lyney explained. "[Name] never misses my shows, maybe they fell sick or maybe there's an emergency."

"Or maybe they're busy. Like a normal person." Lynette sighed, knowing that her brother wouldn't listen to reason. Not when it came to you, anyway. "I'll be heading home."

"Ah, yes. Go get some sleep, Lynette. I'll head home after making sure [Name] is alright."

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Finally making it to your house, Lyney knocked on the door. He hummed to himself as he waited for you. It was taking quite a while, perhaps you were already asleep? No, it wasn't that late yet, maybe you were getting ready?

"Just a minute!" He heard you call from inside. Not long after, you opened the door and found your boyfriend with his signature charming smile. You blinked a few times, trying to clear your vision. "... Lyney?"

"It's lovely to see you, ma chérie!" He beamed, pulling a rainbow rose out of thin air and pinning it onto your shirt. "You missed my show, I was a little worried."

"Your show?" You reiterated, confused at first until it hit you. "Archons, that was tonight! I'm so sorry, Lyney, I didn't mean to miss it-" a finger was placed upon your lips, shushing you. You looked at the blonde, he had a sympathetic look on his face.

"I'm not upset, I'm just glad nothing serious happened to you, that's all." He leaned in, placing a soft kiss upon your cheek. You felt your shoulders loosen as you let out a content sigh. This man truly had a way with you, able to make stress go away with just a kiss. "But more importantly, you look exhausted, mon amour. Are you alright?"

"I'm alright, I just... Didn't get enough sleep the past few days. Work's been too much lately, I can't sleep well because of it."

"Well that simply won't do!" Lyney took your hand in his, bringing you back inside and into your bedroom. The desk and floor of your room was littered with all kinds of work related powers, and the sheets of your bed were just haphazardly thrown to the side. You hadn't noticed how messy had things had gotten till now.

"Let me clean up, then we can-"

"Tut-tut-tut! No objections." He quickly placed a finger to your lips. With a playful smirk, he headed over to your bed, fluffing up the pillows and tidying the sheets before sitting down upon it. Humming contently to himself, he patted the spot on the bed next to him. "Come to bed, dear, you won't regret it. It's comfy, warm, and best of all, I'm here!"

You playfully rolled your eyes at your boyfriend's antics. You indulged him, not like you had much choice— you know he would've dragged you to bed anyway. As soon as you sat down, Lyney took you in his arms, embracing you tight around the waist and climbing onto the bed. With his back against a pillow and the bed's headboard, he pulled you close. Your head rested against his chest, as you felt the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, the soft beats of his heart. 'It beats only for you.' He'd often remind you. And you believe him, of course. How could you not? From the gifts to his kisses, and the charming words that leave you hanging on every single one, you had no doubt his love for you was true.

"[Name]? Are you alright? You've been spacing out for a while now." You snapped out of your thoughts upon hearing Lyney's voice.

"I'm fine, Lyney." You smiled reassuringly, snuggling closer to him. "I really appreciate that you want to help me sleep, but I don't think that's going to be easy."

"Well, I always do love a challenge. But this is beyond that." Lyney brushed his fingers through your hair, untangling some of the knots in your hair but took care not to tug too hard. "Not getting enough sleep is bad for your health. I don't want you falling asleep at my shows, too."

"Oh? So that's your true motive?" You couldn't help but laugh, with Lyney laughing along with you. "What's your plan on helping me fall asleep, hm?"

"It's simple, we'll count cats. Now close your eyes, and let your imagination take hold of you." You follow his instruction, shutting your eyes and focusing on his voice. "There we are. Now imagine... The bed is a fluffy cloud, cozy and warm. And on that cloud are floating grin-malkin cats, ready to jump over a ring, like at a circus show, mon amour. Oh, there's a grin-malkin cat, ready to jump. That's one grin-malkin, two grin-malkin, three grin- malkin..."

Lyney continued to count and by the 20th cat, he glanced down at your sleeping figure, seeing you finally sound asleep. He smiled softly, getting under the covers to cuddle with you, resting your head on his chest. Placing a kiss on your forehead, he closed his eyes to join you in slumber.

"Sweet dreams, [Name]."

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Hope you guys enjoyed reading this, to be honest, I was a little scared to post more but seeing as a lot of people liked my first Lyney x reader, I got the confidence to write more. I have an idea for a Kabukimono x reader, it'll be up hopefully before the end of the week!

[geraskierfanficprompts]

Prompt 15

Jaskier realizes that when Geralt comes back from a hunt, pent up, eyes black, still snarling and panting like a beast, the only thing that helps is cuddling him. He hugs him, and runs his hands through Geralt's hair, and gently washes him with a rag and hushes words into his ear, and it helps bring Geralt back down. Sometimes he wakes up to Geralt coming back from a late-night hunt and immediately grabbing Jaskier's waist and yoINking him into Geralt's bedroll so they can snuggle. It's cute. And Jaskier certainly has no complaints.

Jaskier tries to ask him about it one time, but all it earns him is a "Shut up, Bard." and Geralt acting weird the rest of the day. Maybe he's embarrassed? Jaskier doesn't know why. He has no idea what the potions must feel like to Geralt, perhaps he truly needs the warmth and mass of a person in order to not want to rip his own hair out or scratch off his own skin or something else? So he's just fine with hugging his beefcake of a bestie (of whom he may be completely head over heels in love with) if it means keeping some awful ailment at bay. And he believes this for at least a decade, before he meets Geralt's brothers. Don't get him wrong, they're lovely people! But one day, an exceptionally difficult hunt calls for all three of them to go together and leave Jaskier at camp. Jaskier is a bit concerned over how he'll comfort all three of them at once, but when they come back, he finds that Geralt is suddenly ignoring him, and Lambert and Eskel are acting normal, if not just very exhausted. Jaskier pulls Lambert aside and asks him why they're not itching to hug him, and Lambert is very confused. Jaskier explains that usually Geralt needs to hold him in order to deal with the after-effects of his potions. Lambert explains that's not a normal witcher thing, and that Geralt probably just likes him, but he explains it in his own lovely lambert-y way, meaning it's mostly just laughing hysterically at his big brother catching feelings for some bratty noisemaker in silk (He likes Jaskier! It's just... Not what he saw Geralt going for.) Jaskier tries to talk to Geralt about it, but Geralt stops him from even walking close to him, and walks farther off as extra salt in the wound. It's like he can't even bear to be around Jaskier. It hurts a bit. Jaskier asks Eskel if Geralt took different potions or has a toxin of some sort i him that makes him behave like this instead of the normal, and then explains everything Lambert told him. Eskel agrees that it sounds like him just being comforted by the feeling of his mate safe and sound next to him, and that they've never seen Geralt like that. Jaskier is confused, because surely Geralt doesn't feel the same way, right? sURPRISE SECOND ATTACK! THE MONSTER RETURNS! OH NOOOOO Anyways, It slashes the shit out of Jaskier's arm, or perhaps chest, I don't know, whichever wound strikes your fancy, and the witchers go after it, but as soon as the beast is killed, Geralt rushes to Jaskier, and holds him close. The others try to walk over to help patch Jaskier up only to get growled at by their own brother. So now Lambert and Eskel are playing rock paper scissors on the ground over who REALLY got the final hit on the beast while Geralt sits 12 feet away from them, mending his bard. He growls at them if they look at Jaskier and him too long. A while later, he's off the high of the potions and adrenaline combined, and the witchers sure are going to have a field day lovingly making fun of their brother over this. But first, Jaskier and Geralt need to have a heartfelt talk. ♡!Optional addons!♡

• Big bonus points for a sequel or additional chapter of Lambert starting to act the same way over Aiden (or other ship of your choice, but Lambert and Aiden are my bread and butter lol)

[deadpoetmagda]

The way everyone now took up in arms blaming women and girls for the elections results and young men turning into the far right truly made something click in me, literally everyone and their grandpa is blaming women, even groups who hate each others are now bonding together like besties just to blame women, so excuse me for ranting on tumblr.com, this is gonna be long :)

What's been happening lately really opened my eyes to how hypocritical everyone is, what's everyone only ever good at is pointing their fingers at women and throwing the blame at us, misogyny and violence against women in all its shapes and forms since the dawn of time till these days didn't cause women to go out on the streets and murder men in masses, yet apparently misandry is real and some comments online made by the evil feminists were enough to radicalize young men and turn them into far right incels and are to blame for the elections in the US, women are always to blame for everything, I'm not surprised with this coming from men but to see women spewing this dumb bullshit too is so disheartening, to me you're no different than the conservatives who blame women for men's "loneliness epidemic" instead of encouraging them to start treating us better, teenage boys and men are shouting "your body our choice" at little girls and young women yet all you fuckers can take from that is that these girls and women are somehow to blame for it!!! A 19 yo girl typing I HATE MEN on her silly little Facebook page or reddit discord after years of nothing but stories of rape and misogyny in the news and in her neighborhood and her school and her home and literally fucking everywhere is to blame for men and boys being radicalized actually, meanwhile the internet is filled with men sharing rape videos and their violent fantasies about us and then they go out in real life shouting and smirking at us admitting how badly they want to strip us of our rights!!

Teenage boys are watching violent porn, men gang rape teenage girls, women and girls get trafficked, raped, beaten, murdered on the daily around the globe, it's statistically proven that husbands mistreat and abuse their wives on such a high scale even in first world countries, not to mention the daily misogyny and sexsism we face, men don't even need to get "radicalized", the majority of men out their don't want us to reach them and be "nicer" to them like you preach, they simply want power over us and to misuse that power, and women and girls who recognize this and see it clearly in the world we live in right now and the thousands of years of recorded history we have and not even to mention personal experiences are the ones to blame... for being aware of it and acknowledging it and demanding change!!!! How fucking dumb are you, or maybe you're just a pretentious hypocrite :)

No one's ever blamed these boys and men for me and other women to end up having radical feminism views, nah they're too busy calling us demented and mentally ill and lecturing us about how to treat men better lest we fail them and blaming us for everything wrong with the world!

Ever since I got introduced to radical feminism and found myself agreeing with some of its ideas and arguments I was always still critical and sometimes even wary of it and never really called myself one, but now if I get totally sucked into it and get "radicalized" myself it's actually all your fault, how about that? Congratulations, centuries of men raping us and creating endless systems to oppress us in unimaginable ways didn't radicalize me, you and your hypocrisy did that instead :)

Honestly fuck all of you dumb shitheads, you can't gaslight us into cuddling men while they keep beating us bloody, I've had enough!

[thescarletnargacuga]

Time Capsule fic request!

Someone entered the capsule and is in love with Pomni (he actually is a chill and overall nice guy) and later on him and Pomni becoming best friends (maybe he plays the flute and they perform duets a lot)

Caine get jealous but has trouble saying he’s jealous until he overhears the new person confess to Pomni. Caine has now a choice to make…confess to Pomni and whisk her away from this new guy or let Pomni be taken from him.

CHOICE

A TIME CAPSULE SHOWTIME ONESHOT

AU credit @mangotangerinepastry @the-amazing-digital-time-capsule

WARNING: hurt/comfort, jealousy, alcohol, chain smoking

~~~

Pomni danced across the stage, around the flutist she was dueting with. While the flutist stayed mostly in place to maintain control of their breathing, Pomni spun and kicked and swayed. The melodies from their individual instruments flowed together like musical ribbons in the wind. A truly awe inspiring performance.

Caine stood in the shadows just off stage, smiling dreamily at Pomni. The music was almost as beautiful as she was. He did his best to catch as many performances as possible. The focus and poise demonstrated by her was captivating.

The music ended with both performers striking dramatic poses, holding them for the applause. Then, they took their bows and exit stage right. Pomni smiled when she saw Caine.

He had been lightly applauding with a returned smile in his eyes. "Very well done, Pomni." He praised quietly as he walked past her to the stage. He straightened up and threw his hands out, stage voice on. "Wasn't that wonderful, ladies and gentlemen? Let's hear another round of applause for our intrepid orchestral duo!"

Pomni and the flutist had big drinks of water and put away their instruments as Caine introduced the next act. Pomni propped her leg up on a bench and stretched her hamstring. "Ugh, almost gave myself a cramp on that last spin. I don't know why I can't just play. I shouldn't have to dance around like a monkey."

The flutist shrugged. "Audiences demanded it. You know how it is." He locked up his flute case. "Hey, uh, since we're waiting for Gangle to finish, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something." He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously.

Pomni put her leg down and straightened her jacket. "Sure. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, can we..." The flutist looked around. "Speak privately?" He gestured further backstage where they wouldn't be seen by anyone that came through the staff door.

"Okay..?" Pomni followed him to the secluded corner. She anxiously swung her arms at her side. "So, what's up?"

The flutist took a deep breath. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you..."

Pomni froze, eyes widening a little. Oh no.

Caine exited the stage as Gangle entered in a flourish to give her performance. "Jagoffs." He muttered under his breath. The audience deadpan stares always bore into his skin when he did the announcements. He could feel their judging eyes and disdain for those they saw as beneath them. They sickened him.

Looking around he didn't see Pomni, but her violin was still backstage. She wouldn't have left without it. He heard quiet voices coming from the back, barely over the music from Gangle's performance. He walked over with intent to investigate, but paused when he heard the flutist.

"...I enjoy being your friend, and I hope to stay as such even if you say no, but I wanted to tell you that lately I've been feeling- or rather hoping, that we could...be more than that?" The flutist nervously fidgeted in place, struggling to maintain eye contact.

Pomni cringed. Not from the confession, but from how awkward she felt dealing with this kind of conversation. "Oh....um....heh....."

"It's just, I think you're really cool and smart and- and pretty. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met." The flutist was blushing, grateful for the low light. "There are not a lot of options for dates, but maybe we could go for a walk in the botanical gardens? Later today, maybe?"

Caine's mind could barely process what was happening. This wasn't happening. It couldn't. The way Pomni looks and talks to him led him to believe....was he seeing something that was never there?

Pomni gulped. "Listen, I really like you. You're a good performer and an even better friend. You're fun to be around."

Caine heard enough. He couldn't stand listening to another word. Of course it had been wishful thinking. She was interested in someone less broken. Who could blame her? He stormed out the staff door, slamming it hard.

Pomni jumped at the sudden sound and looked around the crates that hid her and the flutist. There had only been one other person around the stage. "Caine?"

~~~

"Fun to be around. That's what she said!" Caine moped as he downed his drink, sitting at Kinger's bar after hours. "I'm fun! Certainly leaps and bounds beyond someone with a flute shoved up their nose every day!"

"Mmhm." Kinger nodded as he idly polished a glass. "And you overheard their whole conversation?"

"No! I wasn't going to stick around and listen to her fawn over him!" Caine tossed his cigarette butt into the ashtray and immediately lit up another. "I don't care if she likes someone else-"

Kinger looked up from his glass, deadpan expression in his eyes.

"Shut up." Caine pointed at him. "I just wish she wouldn't lead ME on while she was at it!"

"What makes you say that? Pomni's a nice girl, I doubt she'd intentionally-"

"THAT'S JUST IT! She's not! Her feminine whiles are too much for me. The way she talks, the way she smiles, hell- even the way she stands while talking to me at any given time, about any given subject, screams interest." Caine finished his drink and tapped the glass on the bar for a refill.

Kinger obliged. "Caine, you're being ridiculous. I've seen the way you two interact. I doubt she's interested in the other guy. You should've stuck about for the but that was obviously coming."

Caine grumbled and drank. "I was kidding myself ever thinking she'd..." He trailed off, holding his head in his hand.

Kinger almost rolled his eyes. "When you're done having your pity party, go talk to her. You care about her don't you?"

Caine didn't answer, his frown only deepened.

Kinger sighed. "Look, whatever choice she made, that's her choice. You must respect that."

".....I do. But I can still be sad about it."

"Fair enough." Kinger could sympathize with heartbreak better than most.

~

Caine's condition did not improve over the coming days. In fact, it worsened. He avoided Pomni at every turn, and spent his off hours drunk off his ass at Kinger's bar and chain smoking like a chimney.

"Filler....up...." Caine slurred, pushing his glass towards Kinger. His head laid on the bar, a half burned cigarette between his teeth.

Kinger took the glass. "I'm cutting you off."

Caine gave a pathetic whine. "Not now...I've almost forgotten how much I....how much I...." Tears spilled out from his teeth.

Kinger wiped down his bar. "If you would just talk to her-"

"I CAN'T!!" Caine spat out his cigarette, scattering ashes. "She won't- she'll just-"

"Stop making assumptions." Kinger said sternly, cleaning up the ashes with some annoyance. "Have you really forgotten the Anniversary Ball already? The way you two danced was like nothing I saw before. And, come on, the bush incident is rather infamous." He chuckled.

"....the....what?" Caine lifted his head slightly. It's dense structure makes his neck droop. "Bush..?"

"Wow, you must be really far gone to not remember the bush. How disheveled and covered in dirt you two were? You're lucky all the guests were too drunk to care."

Caine's bloodshot eyes widened. "You-"

"Oh yeah, we noticed. Plus, Gangle told us all about how she found you. I applaud you, really, gutsy move to do that at an event as important as the anniversary ball."

Caine didn't know how to respond. His memory was fogged by the intense alcohol consumption, but he could just make out the vision of having Pomni beneath him. Her pulling him closer by his tie. His heart racing.

"That was....I don't know what..." Caine grew frustrated and closed his teeth. He held his head in his hands, unsure if he was about to cry again or throw up. The volatile mix of nicotine and alcohol in his system wasn't helping.

Kinger shook his head. "You should really-"

"Meh, meh, meh. I'm Kinger and I know everything about women." Caine childishly mocked. "Just stop. I'm not here for advice. I'm here to pretend I can't feel how much everything hurts."

"I was just going to tell you to look to your right." Kinger nodded to the side.

Caine looked, seeing Pomni sitting on the barstool next to him. "GAH!" His heavy head flew back and dragged his drunk body backwards off his stool. He laid on the floor, dizzy.

"Had enough to not run away this time?" Pomni stared.

Kinger served Pomni a Roy Rogers with a maraschino cherry on top. "Sorry about him, Pomni. He's having an...episode."

Pomni smirked. "Thank you. I'll handle him." She sipped her drink.

Caine rolled over, slowly getting to his knees and even more slowly climbing the bar to get back on his stool. He was hardly capable of coherent thought, let alone fast movements at this point. He thought for a second to summon BUBLE's teleport, he certainly wouldn't have felt it, but the way she looked at him was enough to convince him to stay. He'd missed those eyes.

"You've been avoiding me." Pomni's smirk faltered.

"You've noticed." Caine rubbed his bloodshot eyes.

"Didn't take much. You're not as subtle as you think you are."

Caine felt the hit to his ego all the way in his chest.

Kinger was struggling not to laugh as he cleaned glasses.

Caine dragged his hands down his face. "....why are you here?"

"You overhead me talking to the flutist, didn't you?"

"...yes." Caine eventually admitted.

"Did you hear me turn him down?"

"N- huh??" Caine's head did not like him looking at her so suddenly.

Pomni sipped her drink. "Yeah, I wasn't interested. We're still friends. He's a good guy, but my romantic intrigue lies elsewhere."

"You like someone else..?" Caine couldn't process her words. Too many thoughts were happening at once.

Pomni smiled. "Oh yeah. He's tall, handsome, runs a circus. You might know him?"

Caine stared. One eye blinked before the other. "....I run the circus."

Pomni's drink came out her nose, and Kinger couldn't hold back anymore. Both of them broke into fits of laughter. Kinger pounded his fist on the bar. Pomni coughed and held the cocktail napkin to her face.

Caine was taken aback. "What's so funny?"

"You- HA! You actual dumbass!" Kinger was crying with laughter.

Pomni wiped her face and coughed the rest of her soda out of her wind pipe. Her nose burned. "Caine," She giggled. "Of course it's you. I'm telling you: I like YOU. Honestly, I thought you already knew that."

"But, I haven't done anything. I haven't made the move yet."

Pomni gave him a sympathetic smile. "Times have changed. You don't have to make the first move. Though, if you insist, I'm waiting." She leans against the bar, giving him an inviting look.

Caine sits up, ramrod straight, and looks at Kinger. "Uhhh-"

Kinger put his six hands up, still half laughing. "Don't look at me. You're on your own with this." He wiped up the mess Pomni made and turned his back.

Caine swallowed hard. He wasn't sober enough for this. "Pomni, I... I'm sorry. I was- I AM such an idiot."

"Good start." Kinger said from the sink.

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T HELPING!!" Caine snapped.

Kinger's shoulders shook as he chuckled.

"Go on, Caine. I'm listening." Pomni put her hand on his.

Caine could feel his heart hammering, his head swimming. "I can only ask for a chance. Will you allow me...to take you...on a date?"

Pomni grabbed his disheveled shirt and pulled him in to kiss the side of his lower jaw. "Yes."

Caine was stunned. "I love you." He drunkenly drolls out.

"Slow down, tiger." Pomni laughs.

[gleefullypolin]

Initial thoughts on first watch through of Part 2

I will need to watch the season again a few more times as I was overwhelmed to be sure as a lot was going on. But my quick thoughts on storylines...

I'll start with my least favorite part. Sorry but it's the elephant in the room.

Ben.

I cannot. Every time they wasted screentime to go back to him fucking, I was like. God no, please make it stop. I mean I got it the first three times we showed it. Was it really necessary to keep harping on it. Honestly, shit or get off the pot with Ben's story. I'm bored and I don't know where they are going with this. I'm disinterested now.

Fran/John

This got better for me in the back half than the first half. I took no interest in them in the first 4 episodes. it was a snooze fest and while I would not watch a full season of them, they were cute in the back half and while the "dying breath" line was a bit harsh (seriously writers was that necessary) I'm even less interested in exploring a full season of Fran's actual story, not because it's been gender bended to Michaela, I just don't care for Fran's character. Personal opinion, sorry.

Kate/Anthony

Loved competitive Anthony at game night, we are the same Anthony, truly first borns. Kate has relaxed him for sure tho. Loved how he seemed to truly support his siblings, first with Colin and again with Fran in their choices to marry. Wished we could have seen his face when Pen announced she was LW after he was so clear that there was no way anyone could be her under his nose as RULER over the Bridgerton lands or some shit. Would have been a delight to see, yet...he did once again run off and leave his duty as leader of the Bridgerton family once again. For all this fandom screams that Anthony is the only man of the house with the actual job and responsibility he has yet once again disappeared from it yet again. No matter, there was little of this duo for me to take true aim at this season and thus not much for me to say other than what I have.

So moving on....

Cressida

What is there to say...Who's afraid of the big bad BITCH. Well not Pen. And no one else, for off to the country she goes and good on ya! Sorry, don't let the door hit ya on the way out. I'm not sad to see you and your big ass sleeves go.

Violet/Marcus

Tend that garden girl. TEND THAT GARDEN! That's all I gotta say, S4 is gonna bring Mama Bridgerton her just desserts! It was lovely seeing her navigating the dating mart and being nervous herself. I can't wait to see her needing to lean on Lady D and her children as she tries to figure this out herself next season.

Eloise

I was up, I was down. I was on the floor in anger and tears and then crying with joy. I understood you, I swore at you, I still love you dearly. There is much for you to learn about love and the world and I will welcome you home to do that. I did feel like she grew a lot this season. She was confused by love. Love of Pen, Love of Colin, love of being a woman in society and finding her way in what all of that means again. It was nice to see that. I loved her scenes with Colin and Pen and even with Benedict. I do look forward to her season as I feel like she had the most growth this season and while I feel like Ben's is next (boo) she can't be far behind, though I would welcome them doing her and Ben together in 4 at this point since it takes so fucking long to film these.

The Featheringtons

The most growth came from the family. Portia, Pru, and Phillipa had a lot of growth. Between mama being put in her place, then having to face how she has treated her daughter, how she sees her daughter, and then realizing how her daughter is stronger than she realized was quite the journey. And then beyond that seeing the jealousy the sisters had for Pen all along, the way it burned in them because some part of them always felt that their mama loved her most, favored her most even with her treatment. That all the girls really wanted was love of their mama. Seeing that family all together at the end, not jealous of who had the heir, just happy, with their families was beautiful.

Colin

Oh dear sensitive Colin Bridgerton. You really are a soft angel boy. He was so in love, so smitten and we needed that for him to understand how he felt up front but the moment he found out about Pen, you could feel the heart break, the confusion, the anger, the loss. And it didn't just magically heal. He loved Pen, he knew that but the burn inside to reconcile that he couldnt tear LW from her, couldn't rip it from her soul was literally a dark cloud over him for the back half. I took no issue with his words in anger, the were to be expected. He no more meant them or believed them than the stupid ass words people say in anger or stating he would never court her. They were simply words.

His mother was right. He is sensitive. Sleeping on the couch, pouting everywhere. He could not reconcile his thoughts. Could not get her to give up LW for anything and his brain could not comprehend. It was only when he went back to her letters that he realized Pen was not LW, LW was Pen. He loved ONE woman and they were the same woman. He also needed to stop taking control and stop trying to save the day. Pen was a capable woman and he needed to stop trying to control her.

I think the greatest thing about Colin as a character is that he is a sensitive person who loves wholly. He is able to put away the notion of the MAN needing to be the one who runs things. He lets her be a partner with him, in sex, in life, in their roles. This is shown not just in the fact he lets her take on how to fix the LW situation in the end, but also having her on top in the bedroom in their final sex scene. She's a participant in their marriage, not a submissive wife. This is refreshing in this world and I'm happy to see it in Colin.

Penelope

What a ride for Pen she had. She was faced with giving up her dreams to let Colin thrive in his. And she was willing to do so, lets just preface they gave us that scene where she put away LW for us to transition to Colin finally losing his writers block and happily writing away. She gave it up only to be faced with a challenge and needing to take up the quill again. Pen needed to save the Bridgertons and did so later on but she was willing to give everything up for Colin.

I loved her convos with Gen and how it was another woman who allowed her to see that women did not need to give up their worth for men. AMEN! No one said, Colin needed to give up his dreams but Pen absolutely was able to have hers too. I loved this and then to see her stand up to Colin in their second fight, to let her voice be heard to him and not let him talk over her was also important.

The fact that Pen stood up for herself, diverging from the books where Colin does this for her in the books, having Pen stand up for herself thus saving herself and outing herself to the ton, I liked this. Pen was able to put LW away and use her OWN voice to the ton and explain to everywhere why she created this entire empire. I thought this was beautifully done and then having her let Colin out of the marriage afterwards so that she basically put them now on a level playing field was perfect. His speech at that point should be put in a museum because it leveled me. I think this put them finally into the right place for their marriage and lets them begin as equals. They both have a career, they both have a purpose, they have each other and they do things together. She's not out there alone anymore.

What a fucking journey. God I love this show.

So yeah, I know I'm seeing people upset, they didn't get the spoilers they wanted, didn't get some pieces they built up and you are allowed to feel that way. I think my only gripe I have is that our sex montage was cut from the show and instead we got too much Ben and his tiresome threesome that went no where. So that is my only gripe. Give me that deleted scene and I'll be happy forever. Otherwise....

Polin is life! I loved everything they gave us and I have no complaints.

A+++ They have a happy fan from me.

[slaymitchabernathy]

Keepsake

| a companion to 'Visiting Day' |

Coriolanus can’t stop staring at it.

He’s been sitting on the edge of his small cot for the past five minutes just staring at the small photograph in his hands.

This photograph should be framed and put in museums.

He had gotten a letter today, which he expected, she always writes to him. But he hadn’t expected this particular photograph to be a part of the letter.

Being stationed in District Twelve has been less than desirable, but, Coriolanus often reminds himself of what's waiting for him back home in the Capitol. A diploma commending his time spent serving his country for starters, an extra credit towards his studies at the University, the fame and glory that will come his way since he's one of the only people in his year to take on this task, and of course, his loving girlfriend Soarynn Nightingale.

He saw her two months ago when she came to visit, six hours had never gone by so fast before. He has less than two weeks left but it feels like years now that the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. And this photograph is not helping.

Soarynn has sent him lots of photos before, photos of her and Petunia, photos of her and her friends, and more photos of Petunia, he's used to getting photos from Soarynn. He's got a drawer full of them.

But this photo will be taken to the grave.

It's a photo of her in white lingerie, beautiful lingerie at that.

The bralette pushes up her breasts while her hands press against her hips, giving him a peek at the panties she's wearing. This must be a part of some intricate set with garters and thigh highs and yet she's teasing him by cutting the picture off at her hips.

That little vixen.

He'd be lying to himself if he said that he didn't constantly think about their little reunion on visiting day, how tightly her cunt wrapped around him, how breathy her moans were, and how soft her skin was. Living with stinky men caused Coriolanus to find a whole new sense of gratitude for his girlfriend who was always so feminine and gentle.

No, six hours had not been enough time.

And the amount of comments he got about her after the visit was astounding. Men were absolutely floored at the fact that Coriolanus had the most beautiful girl they'd ever seen on his arm. Some of them couldn't believe that she was truly his but Coriolanus wasn't surprised at all.

To him, it made perfect sense.

Soarynn Nightingale is a beautiful girl, one might even say the most beautiful in all of Panem, therefore enabling her to pick whoever she wanted to be her future husband. So considering her wide array of choices, she'd want someone of equal status and importance, someone who was also attractive, who dressed well and was well versed in Capitol etiquette. Someone who could take care of her, shower her with gifts and expensive trips.

Someone like Coriolanus Snow.

Coriolanus prided himself in how well he took care of Soarynn, ensuring she was always safe, warm, fed, and properly fucked to her liking.

But this photograph might push him over the edge.

Coriolanus carefully sets the photograph on the bed next to him and his fingers fumble to open up the letter she sent him.

To my beloved Coryo, Not a day goes by that I do not think about you, my love. The penthouse feels so empty without you to fill it with your presence. Our friends ask about you constantly, and I assure them that you are still dutifully serving your country without fail. My studies have been faring well, my exams have been easier than I anticipated and I should finish this semester with excellent grades. I can't wait to have you back by my side while studying in the library or strolling through the University courtyard between classes. Petunia misses you dearly, just the other day I found her asleep with one of your socks in her paws. Should I bring her to the train station when I pick you up? Please let me know in advance. I must admit that our reunion all those weeks ago has left me longing for you more than ever before. No one knows my body like you do, including myself. I can't wait for you to come home so we can have a true and proper reunion, no sergeants or soldiers yelling in the background. I've sent a sneak peek of what's waiting for you when you come back home, I went shopping with the girls the other day and they convinced me to buy some new lingerie pieces. I hope this set is to your liking. This photo can serve as a keepsake until we're reunited. My heart is always with you my darling, please keep yourself safe. I can't wait to become Mrs. Snow when you return. Love, Soarynn

Coriolanus runs his fingers over his curls, remembering how it felt when she tugged at them while he ate her out. He remembers how sweet she tasted, how she whimpered so desperately for him.

This photo is going to be the death of him.

Coriolanus glances down at his wristwatch, twenty minutes until it's time for dinner which means he's just getting closer and closer to getting the hell out of here. But it also means that he has a little bit of time to take care of the problem that Soarynn has unknowingly created for him in his boxers.

Coriolanus sighs and unzips his pants, slowly reaching his hand to take hold of his hardened length. Never in his life has he ever had to do this himself, not when Soarynn always offered up her own hands, mouth, or cunt. He always prefers the last one.

But desperate times call for desperate measures.

He quietly sighs once his hand slips under the waistband of his boxers, finally skin on skin. He does his best to recreate how Soarynn usually does it but it just feels so much better when she does it with her dainty little hand and those blue-gray eyes batting up at him as if she's so innocent.

And he usually has at least two fingers lodged in her cunt while she's doing it so that always makes it more fun for him.

"Fuck," he mutters, increasing the pace of his strokes, grabbing the photo with his other hand to get a better look at it. He imagines what it'll be like to have that body on top of him again, to have her skin beneath his hands while he manipulates her body.

He tries to imagine her whimpers, her moans, and gasps while he fucks up into her.

"Oh fuck Soarynn," he grunts, giving his cock one last final stroke before he finishes in his hand.

His forehead is sweaty, and his boxers are now ruined.

Coriolanus takes in a sharp breath once he starts to calm down, settling back into the shitty reality that is living in District Twelve for two more weeks.

But that doesn't excuse him being late for dinner so he makes his way into the bathroom to wash his hands and change out of his pants and into new ones. He tosses his boxers into the wastebin and assesses his appearance in the mirror one last time before walking back into his small room.

He takes the photograph and tucks it beneath the pile of other photos she's sent him over the past few months, making sure it's out of sight for anyone who might dare to rifle through his things.

He'll have to write her once he gets back from dinner.

꧁ ꧂

To my darling girl, I can't wait to have you back in my arms my love, these next few weeks are sure to be sheer torture for my heart and me. Not a day goes by where I do not think of you and the joy you bring me, you simply light up my life. As for bringing Petunia to the train station, please don't. I would be lying if I said that the photo you sent me didn't have a large effect on me and my body, it's been so long since I've felt your touch and I can't wait to experience it again. I'm so proud of you and your studies, you've always been so inclined when it comes to your academics and I can't wait to roam the University halls together once again. I will be thinking of you every moment leading up to our reunion. Take care of yourself, my darling girl, for you are my entire future. Love , Coryo

꧁ ꧂

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