#I will say I like the male lead of queen of tears he’s funny

[miserye]

There’s a couple of popular dramas rn but I literally cannot differentiate any of them because all the leads look the same and the plots are all similar

[daycourtofficial]

Save your tears

Summary: Eris finds his pregnant mate sobbing because of something Lucien did

Author’s note: this is short and fun and silly and goofy, inspired by this fic by @artethyst

Lucien Vanserra considered himself to be a male who was kind and who picked up on the emotional state of those around him.

Which is why he has no idea how you began crying or what to do about it.

Ever since you had written to him a few months ago asking if he could stay in Autumn more frequently during your pregnancy, he had obliged, stopping by to see you at least once a week.

Tears were streaming down your face, and he couldn’t make out a single coherent word from you due to your blubbering. He came to sit next to you, but you put your hands on your belly, scooting further away from him.

Eris strode into the room, taking in the scene before him. You trying to stay as far away from his brother as possible, and his brother trying to get closer to you to console you.

“Lucien, what could you have possibly done to reduce my mate to a sobbing mess?”

Lucien throws his hands around, gesturing wildly, “What I did? Perhaps she’s woken from whatever spell she was under and realized who she was mated to.”

Eris gives his brother a look as he comes to you, grabbing your face gently so you look into his eyes. He takes deep slow breaths, wanting you to do the same. After a moment of deep breathing, your sobs have quieted and he asks, in an incredibly delicate tone, “What’s wrong, fawn?”

“Lucien killed a spider,” you sob out.

Lucien’s eyes widen, “that’s why you’re upset? You asked me to kill it! You were upset over it being here!”

“Yes, and now the spider’s dead and she probably had a whole spider family that is going to starve because you’re a spider murderer,” you reply, having to stop every few words to breathe. “And,” you stress, “her corpse is over there, discarded like she meant nothing.”

Eris kept his lips pressed tightly to keep from laughing at the sheer absurdity of his pregnant mate and his brother as they continued debating the morality of Lucien killing the spider. He watches his brother go to pick up the spider’s body, unlatching a window, and tossing it out before closing the window again, before turning to you, his face asking are you happy now?

You squeak at his callousness and disregard for it, asking, “is that what you shall do with me when I perish?”

Lucien rolls his eyes, “gods I don’t think I’ll be around to witness your death because all of the spiders across the land will kill me in vengeance for their fallen queen.”

Eris sits next to you, pulling you in towards his body, sending waves of love and joy through the bond to soothe you. You curl into him, grasping his shirt to cling onto.

“How could Lucien do such a thing…”

Lucien huffs before stalking off, muttering to himself about how he spends his free time in Autumn for you just to be disrespected for doing what you wanted him to.

You cry in his arms for a while, your sobs turning into hiccups. Eris places a hand on your bump, smoothing his thumb over it, applying a light heat so your babe knows who’s there.

“I think I scared Lucien away,” you finally say, voice shaky.

“Lucien is not so easily shaken. I’ve been trying for centuries to make him hate me, but my attempts are always unsuccessful.”

You smile, your sniffles the only sound for a few moments.

“If you really want Lucien to hate you, have him convicted for the murder of a spider.”

Eris’s eyes crinkle in amusement, “he would have a lot to say about that, I’m sure.”

“There aren’t many topics that he doesn’t have a lot to say on,” you smirk.

Eris stands up, his vest before extending a hand to you. You accept it, and he helps pull you up.

“I think it’d be funny if we told him we’re naming the babe Lulu,” you say, curling underneath Eris’s arm.

“I think he’d be more crushed to find out we aren’t.”

“That’s what’s funny about it.”

“Wicked, wicked female you are,” he croons, leading the two of you through the hall of the Forest House.

[crushmeeren]

Warnings; Female Reader, Female Anatomy Used, Kissing, Pussy Eating, Vaginal Sex, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex (Double Penetration 😏), Dirty Talk, Praising, Cream Pies! Generally just fluffy and smutty, my personal favorite combo.

Note; Well here it is, my Crowley/Reader/Aziraphae one shot. It’s written with a female bodied reader because I’m female and that’s what I know best. I loved writing this. Once again it became very long and I could not stop the train. Hope everyone who wanted this enjoys it.

AO3 Link; The Devils Hour😈

Word Count; 7.5k

If anyone would like me to write Gender Neutral or Male Reader One Shots, let me know! I would love to do that!☺️

It’s 3 am. You notice after glancing at the red numbers on the digital clock currently sitting on your nightstand. It’s the devils hour. Which is kind of funny considering you’re missing the actual demon that usually occupies part of the bed. It’s completely dark in your shared room, the only other light is from the moon peaking through the curtains, letting you see occasional shapes as you look around the room. You hear the sounds of cars driving down your road once in awhile, and you just hope it’s Crowley, pulling up in his Bentley, Queen music blaring.

You’re halfway laying on your belly and your right side, left leg bent and tucked up beside your waist as you reach out a hand to run it over the soft blanket on the side of the bed that Crowley usually sleeps on. Except right now it’s empty. The blanket feels cool to the touch and it’s unsettling. You grip the blanket tightly, knuckles turning white, before releasing it. The bed’s just too big and it teeters on the line of feeling wrong without Crowley there with you and the Angel.

You start to feel a tug in your chest at the familiar ache of missing the demon. The uncomfortable emotion settles in your heart heavily, sinking into your chest, almost like a lead balloon. It weighs you down and presses you into the mattress a little bit more than before. As you lay there contemplating your misery you hear the blanket rustle behind you and you’re reminded you still have your sweet Angel in the bed with you. It makes you feel a tad lighter.

“Angel,” you breathe out, feeling a warm, steady arm wrap around your waist from behind, pulling you closer. Aziraphale curls up against your back, shifting a knee to get between the soft skin of your thighs. Pillowy lips press a kiss into the back of your neck, over a knob in your spine, which he has access to since your hair’s pulled up into a bun.

“Is everything alright my dear? Why are you awake?” Aziraphale questions, voice quiet and raspy with sleep. You scoot back as much as you can into his embrace and rest your hand on the forearm that holds you.

“I miss Crowley, I thought he would be home by now,” you respond, voice thick with emotion, eyes stinging, threatening to fill with tears. You feel as if you’re being a bit over dramatic but who cares, you miss him. You would miss the Angel just the same if he were gone. You pull the soft blanket up over your shoulder, covering you both.

He brings his hand to the bottom of your large T-shirt. It’s some older, worn one Aziraphale never wears anymore. He wants to get closer to you and he slips that hand underneath, fingers rubbing the skin of your belly soothingly this time as he wraps his arm around you even tighter in comfort.

“I know my love, I miss him too. The old boy is alright. He’ll be home soon. He can’t stay away from us for long, you know that,” Aziraphale says, tone reassuring, nuzzling the back of your head gently. You can feel his warm breath on your neck and it makes you shiver slightly, goosebumps erupting up your arms and legs. An involuntary pulse of arousal makes your pussy clench around nothing. You try to ignore it. Which of course doesn’t work.

“I know, I just, well it’s been awhile since we’ve all been in bed together. I miss being with both of you,” you say shyly, craving the intimacy and pleasure that comes with the three of you having sex together. Missing the way one of them stretches open your pussy as the other presses into your tight arse. The image flashes behind your eyelids and your cheeks burn as your entire body feels too hot. Your pussy clenches again and you squeeze your thighs around the Angels knee for some relief. Aziraphale feels the way you press your pretty little arse into his pelvis, feeling his dick twitch at the sensation.

“Darling,” Aziraphale starts to coo, “You’re missing our demon that badly huh?” he teases, fondly of course, raising up on one elbow to lean forward and press a sweet kiss to the side of your neck.

“Yes.” It comes out as a breathy moan. The Angel hums against your neck. He lets his soft lips trail over your earlobe and whispers in your ear.

“Maybe I can help you feel a little better, my pretty little doll.” You breathe in sharply. You can definitely feel your own heartbeat in your pussy. Warmth pools in your lower belly instantly. The Angel presses his knee a little bit further and puts pressure against your aching clit. Just that little bit of contact feels so good, making your limbs tingle warmly. It makes you crave the loving he’s so gifted at giving.

“Please Angel.” Voice on edge, as you squeeze your bare thighs around the knee he has pushed against your pussy. You rock your hips, grinding your clit onto his knee a couple times, groaning softly. Aziraphale watches your movements, feeling your warm pussy rubbing against his bare leg through your panties, a slightly wet sensation. Your sweet noises reach his ears and his entire body flushes hotly, his cock jumping against your arse, filling out steadily. He can’t help but slip his knee free and roll you onto your back, eager to keep going.

You let him manhandle your body and your head ends up resting on a pillow. You look up at his pretty blue eyes. He bites his bottom lip and helps you bend your legs at the knee, placing your feet on the mattress. You only make one short sound of protest at the loss of his touch and he laughs brightly.

“There, there my love, I’ll be touching your pretty body again shortly,” he says, playfully as he makes his way closer between your thighs, pushing them wide open with his hands on your knees. He decides to shove off the fuzzy blanket that was covering the two of you, it had start to just pool around his waist. It gathers at the end of your bed.

You lick your lips and reach out for Aziraphale with a soft pout on your mouth. You grab a fistful of his shirt and tug him to you. His lips pull into an amused smile and he lets himself be pulled. He rests his elbows on either side of your head, gently relaxing his weight down onto you, and you both groan at the feeling of your chests pressing together. His body crushes you slightly and for some reason it turns you on even more. You can feel his warmth through both your shirts and it makes your nipples harden.

You yearn to kiss him, so you grip his shoulders and pull him down to your mouth. Aziraphales sweet, plump lips slotting against yours perfectly. The Angel makes you feel safe, loved, happy and your kiss conveys all of that. He tilts his head as he moves your lips together slowly, intimately. The kiss starts to feel like heated honey, the sweetness of it soothing some of the bitter ache you both feel missing Crowley.

You moan into his mouth and poke your tongue out to run it against his bottom lip. You hear him whine as he opens his mouth instantly letting you in. You twist your tongue with his for a moment just tasting him before sucking his bottom lip into your mouth. You chomp down, biting it and releasing it with a wet sound. He moans low in his throat.

“Oh, you’re such a little tease aren’t you?” Aziraphale tickles your ribs softly as he leans down to kiss your neck. You let out a happy giggle, pushing at his hands without much force. You let yourself enjoy the feeling of his mouth, melting under his touch in a puddle of warm goo. His hands trail down your sides to the bottom of your shirt. He grips the edge of it and sits back on his calves so he can pull it up and off of you. You sit up a little and let him strip you, tossing it to the side. The cool air hits your chest giving you goosebumps again. As you lay back again, his fingers have already slipped into the waistband of your panties. You let out an accidental laugh.

“You’re so eager Angel,” you say, teasing him. He looks at you and grins, giving you a wink. You bite your lip and tilt your head down to watch him. You decide to be proactive and lift your hips for him. He makes an approving noise as he tugs them down your legs, again tossing them aside carelessly. Aziraphale runs his hands appreciatively over your soft thighs and up your belly. You whimper at the feeling of his warm hands. He smiles at you lovingly and leans forward to nuzzle at the space between your breasts. You feel a sharp pinch, like being stung by a bee and you know he’s sucking a love bite into the skin there. You let out a yelp at the sensation of teeth as your hands shoot up to tangle into his soft, white curls.

“Oh! Oh-hah that feels so good Angel.” Whining as he shifts his head to the left, sucking a nipple into his mouth. Aziraphale wraps his lips around your perky bud and sucks harshly, tongue flicking up and down. A low moan vibrates in your chest and your back arches up into his touch. You’re starting to sweat as your thighs clench around his hips and he presses his pelvis down into your groin. His covered cock spreading the slick folds of your pussy. He releases your nipple with a pop and gasps sharply at the feeling of your warm pussy rubbing against him. He pushes his hips up, grinding against your clit, sending tingles of pleasure and relief up your spine.

“Azi,” you say, whining. You let the last syllable drag out. He knows you’re starting to feel it as you only use that nickname when you’re in bed.He snickers a little bit, moving his hips slowly, letting his cock drag continuously through your folds and against your clit. It’s soaking his briefs.

“Hmm? Is your pretty pussy feeling good my sweet girl?” he whispers, in a way that sounds like he’s teasing but it’s wrapped in a loving tone. Aziraphale doesn’t usually speak so filthily, at least not outside of the bedroom. He pushes through the embarrassment each time because it turns him on so much seeing your sweet reactions to his words.

“Yes! Yes, S’good Azi, want you inside Angel.” Crying out to him, you dig your nails into his forearms. Heavens, that really sets him off. He knows his cock is flushed and hard as steel. He can feel the throb of heated arousal in his groin and how his briefs are sticking lewdly to his leaking tip. He groans your name and leans down to kiss at your collarbone. The feeling makes your eyes flutter closed, tilting your jaw up as you lose yourself in him.

“Well, for hells sake, don’t you two just make the loveliest picture. Couldn’t wait for me to get home huh?” A smooth voice purrs from the open doorway of their room. You and Aziraphale immediately freeze in place at the sound of his voice, breaking apart as you shoot up to sit straight up in the bed and the Angel turns on his knees to face the demon. Crowley flips on the switch to the low light of their room, bathing them all in soft, warm light.

Both of your faces light up like the sun as you recognize the voice belonging to the red head and you’re both scrambling off the bed and shooting towards Crowley. Your foot almost getting caught in the blanket as you tumble off the bed. The demon laughs happily as the two of you wrap your arms around his waist, sandwiching him in between you and the Angel. You not caring you’re completely naked and Aziraphale not caring he’s sporting a raging boner that’s poking Crowley straight in the thigh.

“Miss me did we?” Crowley teases in a smooth voice, as he lets himself be squished, absolutely loving it. Sounding like a cat who doesn’t want to admit he wants affection. The two of them release him as they all smile happily.

“We missed you so much love, I didn’t think you’d be home tonight,” you say, voice full of love, excited now that you are all three together. Crowley slips his glasses off and walks to place them on the side table, shrugging off his jacket and toeing off his shoes.

“I wasn’t sure I’d be home tonight either but I couldn’t stand being away for much longer,” he replies, with a smirk.

“Yeah, that’s what Azi said too,” you comment offhandedly, in a joyful tone of voice. You move to sit on the edge of the bed and Aziraphale walks closer to Crowley, getting in his space. Crowleys eyebrows raise up at the nickname as he looks at you briefly before making eye contact with the smug looking Angel.

“Azi huh? Just how good was the Angel making you feel, you pretty little demon,” he says, with a smirk, knowing you only call the Angel that when you’re in bed, when you’re getting all needy and whiny. When you start to feel so good your words slur and you beg the Angel to pound you. Your cheeks turn a bright pink at his words. Aziraphale speaks before you can.

“Oh dear, I was just getting a little bit of a taste of our girl before you came home. I thought you’d enjoy a bit of a feast when you got here. I had a feeling you’d be home late like this…wanting a late night snack my love,” the Angel says, in a teasing voice, sounding ridiculously seductive. Crowley grins wickedly in return and leans down in Aziraphales face.

“You’re such a good Angel,” Crowley coos, as he leans closer and presses his lips against the Angels. Aziraphale sighs happily and wraps his arms around Crowleys neck, melting into the kiss as their lips move together sensually.

You wiggle where you sit on the edge of the bed, belly heating dangerously as the atmosphere between the three of you charges significantly. Crowley fitting seamlessly into the situation, like he was never even gone. Watching the two of them together is bewitching. The way their lips meet and move together with a slick noise. Crowley tugging Aziraphale forward by his hips. Seeing flashes of their tongues disappear in each others mouths. Your pussy throbs repeatedly and you can’t help but let out a whine, wanting their attention. They break from the kiss but not their position, still glued together. Both of them turning their heads to look at you, faces looking way too smug.

“Feeling left out my love? You’re such a needy little demon.” Teasing you, Aziraphale breaks away from his embrace with Crowley. He walks towards you and stops a few inches away from your spread thighs. You nod and bite your bottom lip. You maintain eye contact with Aziraphale as he hooks his thumbs into his briefs and slowly pushes them down his hips. You then watch as his cock bobs free when the waistband of his briefs catches on it. He pushes the underwear the rest of the way off. You can’t keep your eyes away from his pretty pink cock. Thick, but not too long. You reach out a hand to wrap your fingers around his dick but he grabs your wrist. “Not yet my dear. Let’s wait for Crowley okay?” he says, softly, eyes sparkling with amusement at your eagerness. Your lips turn into a small pout and you nod reluctantly as your eyes glance over to see what the demon is doing.

Crowley took advantage of you being distracted and had busied himself with shedding his clothes, leaving him in his briefs and black tee currently. You bite the inside of your lip while you run your eyes over his lanky figure. You notice the Angel so the same. Crowleys lips tug into a one sided smirk.

“Love,” the Angel calls out, gently, to get your attention. You look up at him once again. “Why don’t we get a better view of our gorgeous boy huh?” he says.

“What do you have in mind?” you question, curiously, wondering what’s running through the Angels brain. He pointedly says nothing as he gets on the bed next to you and crawls to the headboard. He props up a couple pillows against the frame and he turns to lay his back against them, letting his legs fall open as he plants his feet.

“Come sit in my lap love, let’s enjoy a show and watch Crowley get undressed,” Aziraphale says, with a sly smile. Your belly flips eagerly as you nod excitedly and quickly move up the bed. You turn around as well and sit in between his legs. You rest your back against his chest as you recline, you can feel his heart beating steadily. Aziraphale maneuvers you until each of your thighs are resting on the outside of his, spreading your legs and pussy open. He wraps his arms around your waist as you watch Crowley move to the end of the bed, standing by the edge. His eyes roam your spread body. As his serpent eyes make their way to your cunt, he licks his bottom lip, forked tongue flicking out, and he palms his dick through his underwear.

“C’mon Crowley, we wanna see you get naked,” you say, feeling amused. You feel the Angels soft breath on your neck as he chuckles. Crowleys head tilts back as he laughs.

“Eager for me?” he jokes. You both nod and Aziraphale squeezes your waist again and rests the side of his face against yours.

“Yes dear, we’ve missed seeing your body,” Aziraphale says, eagerly. Crowley wiggles his eyebrows and he reaches for the bottom of his shirt and in one movement pulls it off, letting it drop on the ground. You both cheer softly. Crowley laughs and hooks his fingers into his waistband, lingering. “Doesn’t our dear boy look so..enticing?” The Angel whispers in your ear. You shiver and nod. The Angel trails one hand from your waist down your belly slowly. He brushes his fingers through the curly hair on your mound. Your heart rate picks up and you feel liquid heat in your belly as he softly places his pointer and middle finger on your clit. You inhale sharply, legs flexing around the outside of his thighs. Crowley watches the movements of his Angels hand and he bites his bottom lip. You see Crowleys cock fill out completely in his briefs as the Angel starts to rub slow, tiny circles into your clit. You feel Aziraphales cock start to harden again against your back. Your head falls back onto his shoulder and you moan loudly as pleasure smolders through you, straining to keep your eyes open and on Crowley. “Ah, that’s a good girl, keep those pretty eyes on Crowley love,” Aziraphale praises, moving his fingers a little faster. You began to breathe a little heavier, wiggling slightly and Crowley can’t wait anymore. He pushes his briefs off and steps out of them.

You’re letting out soft sounds of pleasure and you reach out a hand for Crowley, making a grabby motion at him. He smiles and makes his way up to you both before sitting on his haunches. He grabs your hand and squeezes your fingers before letting your hand rest against your belly. He makes eye contact with Aziraphale briefly as you watch them have some sort of mental conversation, before Crowley smirks. The Angel slows his fingers down and you make a protesting noise. He stops and slips a finger up and down through your folds, covering it in slick before pulling it away. You cry out, whimpering his nickname. He giggles and whispers in your ear.

“What do you want my pretty little doll?” Shifting in place, you flex your open legs briefly.

“I- I want his mouth,” you mumble softly, eyes glued to the demons lips. You’d been thinking about Crowley eating you out for a week now. It being the star of many of your recent dreams. The other two snicker.

“I can’t hear you dear, can’t you speak up,” Aziraphale says, in a bit of a condescending tone, teasing you and kissing the side of your neck. You burn with embarrassment, but it just turns you on even more.

“Such a whiny little demon, can’t even tell us what she wants. Angel, I think she wants me to eat her pussy.” Crowley grins, letting his tongue flick out again. You feel the Angels dick twitch against your lower back at the words. He loves watching Crowley eat you out.

“Oh yeah?” he giggles. “Do you want Crowley to eat your pretty little pussy love?” You groan loudly, feeling so unbelievably turned on by the filth that leaves their mouths. Aziraphale holds onto your hips and makes a tsk sound, like he’s disappointed before he speaks. “Now my dear, use your words. Tell Crowley you want him to use his wicked mouth to eat your pussy.” Crowley rubs a hand soothingly up and down your thigh.

“Yeah sweetheart, tell me you hearts desire,” Crowley teases, trailing a finger down the crease between your wet heat and your thigh.

“Fuckk, Crowley please, I want you to eat my pussy,” you say with a whine, feeling too hot in your skin, legs tingling from where they’re stretched open. You hear Aziraphale inhale sharply as the words leave your mouth. Crowleys smile can only be described as hungry. He moves onto his belly in between your thighs in a way that can only be described as a slither. Your breath catches as his face gets close to your pussy.

“Good job sweetheart,” he says, breath fanning over your clit. Your hips twitch upwards involuntarily in response. Aziraphale rests his chin on your shoulder and looks down to enjoy the view. Crowley keeps eye contact with you both as he closes the distance and his tongue pokes out to slide between your folds and up to your clit. He licks stripes into your clit, swirling his tongue in a circle.

“Fuck! Crowley, oh god!” you choke out, moaning lowly as swirls his tongue leisurely. Your hands shoot out to tangle in his red hair, tugging tightly. His eyes flutter for a second and he moans against your pussy. You and Aziraphale watch the demon with undivided attention.

“Heavens, this is beautiful. You’re such a good girl, letting Crowley eat your pussy.” Aziraphale says, voice breathless. His arms tighten around your waist and you feel his dick throb. Crowley wraps his lips around your clit and sucks gently, flicking his forked tongue at the same time. Your thighs tense against Aziraphales, wanting to close around the demons head. Your eyes squeeze shut as your head falls back onto the Angels shoulder. A wail tears from your chest.

Crowley digs his nails into your thighs and he starts to make out with your pussy. He rolls your swollen clit over and over between his lips, using his tongue to help push you closer to the edge. Your slick and his saliva coating his lips. You can feel it drip down to your arse and onto the bed. You feel Aziraphales fingers grip your jaw, squeezing and tugging your chin so your head tilts down to watch Crowley.

“Eyes open, my dear. Be good,” Aziraphale coos. You start to pant and force your eyes open to watch the demon devour you. Crowley takes one hand off your thigh and brings it close to your pussy, dragging it through your folds as he sucks on your clit again. He rubs the flat of his tongue up and down your clit in a steady rhythm.You jolt in slight surprise as you feel a miraculously lube covered finger rub circles over your arse hole for a moment, trying to loosen you up.

“S-shit Crowley!” you say, shakily as his finger just glides into your hole smoothly all the way to his last knuckle. The demon sucks gently on your clit to help ease the ache. The Angel brings his hands up to grip your breasts, after letting go of your jaw.

“You think you can take both of us tonight my love?” Aziraphale asks, gently and noses at your jaw. You nod quickly, arse tightening around Crowleys finger and he pops off your pussy for a moment, starting to pump his finger and kissing your clit once more shortly.

“Oh, she likes that Angel,” Crowley purrs, before quickly pulling his finger back and adding a second. He presses them in gently past your rim, then all the way in. You moan at the familiar uncomfortable sensation of you arse stretching to fit his fingers, insides throbbing dully.

“I know she does,” the Angel giggles. Aziraphale brings one hand off your breasts back down to rub circles into your clit again, using the saliva left from Crowleys tongue to make his fingers move smoother. You cry out his name and your hands grip his forearms harshly.

“Azi! Yeah-yes, want you both, need you both at the same time!” The other two moan in unison.

“Fuck, okay, yes, let me stretch you a little bit more okay doll?” Crowley rumbles, Aziraphale moves his fingers a bit quicker on your clit and your pussy clenches around nothing as your tight heat squeezes Crowleys fingers. Aziraphale takes his fingers off your clit and grips your breasts again, pinching your nipples between his fingers. He sucks bites into your shoulder, letting you enjoy the feeling of Crowleys fingers in your arse. You sigh in relief, clit getting sensitive and moan at the feeling of fullness. The burning ache, dulling to a pleasurable tingle. The demon focuses on stretching you open for a few more moments. You feel your back start to stick to Aziraphales chest, feeling him nuzzle into the back of your neck, holding your waist again. The demon adds a third finger, spreading them in the process.

“Crowley,” you moan, softly.

“What is it my sweet little demon?” he asks, looking up at you.

“I’m ready, please, no more,” you say, breathily.

“You ready Angel?” Crowley asks Aziraphale, knowing the Angel is brimming with anticipation.

“Yes my dear, I want to be inside of her so badly,” he responds eagerly, thrusting his hips slightly, rubbing his dick up against your back. You feel the discomfort of Crowley slipping his fingers free and you whimper. Crowley sits up on his knees and smiles widely. You reach your hands up to grip his cheeks, pulling him forward into a kiss, realizing you hadn’t had the chance yet. He hums softly against your lips and you kiss sweetly, his lips feeling like coming home. It only lasts a brief moment, all three of you too worked up to wait longer. Aziraphale unwinds his arms, releasing your legs and sneaks out from behind you. He sits at your side and Crowley in front of you.

“Doll, how do you want us this time?” Crowley asks, caressing your cheek with his hand. You look between the two of them and your cheeks heat up. Aziraphale is a little bit thicker then Crowley, meaning he’ll stretch your arse out more, which could be uncomfortable. On the other hand you haven’t seen Crowley in a week and want to be face to face with him, feeling his dick stretch your pussy. They wait patiently for your answer. Each of them with a hand around their cocks, aching for relief.

“I think, I think I want Crowley to be in my pussy this time,” you say, as your blush travels to your chest, feeling a little guilty. Aziraphale notices the guilty look on your face and he leans close to press a kiss to your cheek. He leans back and looks into your eyes.

“Love, don’t feel guilty, there’s nothing to feel bad about. You know I love being inside of your tight little arse.” Grinning, he backs off again. You giggle lightly. Crowley smiles at you both and moves to lay on his back on the bed. He bends his knees and plants his feet.

“Well then pretty girl, come sit on my dick,” Crowley remarks, looking all too happy with himself. You roll your eyes playfully and move to straddle his lap. You feel the heat of the Angels chest on your back as he settles between Crowleys legs.

“Azi, will you help me?” Without turning your head you speak to Aziraphale and you watch Crowleys cock jump as you speak. You wink at him. He sticks his tongue out at you with a little hiss. Aziraphale moans into the skin of your shoulder.

“Heavens love, you’re gonna make me cum before I even get inside of you,” he replies, he grips your hips guiding you to lift onto your knees. You obey and stay still as one of his hands snakes under you to grab onto Crowleys leaking, hard cock. You both hear the demon let out a hiss. Aziraphale lines up Crowleys cock with your soaking pussy. Aziraphale teases you both by rubbing Crowleys tip through your folds, spreading them gently and you both whine, you dig your nails into the demons chest. You hear the Angel laugh before he lets the demons cock catch on your pussy and he tugs your hip, pulling you down onto Crowleys cock. When you start to feel the delicious stretch of the demon, Aziraphale stills your descent.

“Wait love.” Scooting back the Angel gets a better view of you two.

“Angel, c’mon stop teasing us, let me inside her pussy,” Crowley all but growls, you make a sound of agreement. Aziraphale laughs brightly, loving to torture you both a bit.

“I just want to be able to see that’s all dearest. You wouldn’t deny me the gorgeous view of you filling her up would you?” he says, voice teasing. Crowley just groans in response. Aziraphale presses a hand to your lower back, tilting you forward a little bit, exposing you more. He grips both of your arse cheeks and spreads them open. “Perfect,” he breathes. “You can let him fill you up now darling,” he says, squeezing both cheeks.

“How lovely of you to let us start having sex Azi,” you say, sarcastically. He hums in response, eyes glued to where you and Crowley connect. You let yourself sink down onto Crowleys cock, letting him stretch your pussy open blissfully. You and the demon cry out simultaneously as you bottom out, sitting fully in his lap. “Crowley, you feel so good, oh god.” Choking on a moan you brace more of your weight on him.

“For fucks sake sweetheart, your pussy always feels so good. You take me so well, yes just like that pretty little thing,” Crowley cooes. You hear the Angel behind you whimper softly at the sight. You feel Aziraphales hands grip your waist as he encourages you to start riding the demon.

“Azi, shit, shit, yes that feels so good,” you cry out, using your thighs to ride Crowley. Every time you move up and down you feel his warm cock drag against the walls of your pussy, creating friction so good you feel heated sparks shoot up through your spine. Crowley talks a big game but now a he’s a moaning, needy mess beneath you, fingers gripping your thighs tight. Aziraphale looks over your shoulder at Crowley as you ride him.

“Oh Crowley, such a pretty mess you make. Her pussy making you feel good dear boy?” he says, voice soothing. Crowley nods and lets out a groan from deep in his chest. All of a sudden there’s hands on your hips, yanking you down onto Crowleys cock, making you sit still in his lap. Your pussy clenches tight around Crowleys cock, and you gasp sharply. The demon curses in return. “My loves, I can not wait any longer. I need to be inside your sweet arse my doll, need to feel my cock caressing Crowleys,” he says, voice trembling, hands smoothing up your back.

“Yes, yes okay Azi, fill me up please, want you both.” Wiggling your hips in the Angels grasp.

“Are you ready dear?” Addressing Crowley quickly, he already has a hand pressing into the middle of your back, forcing you to bend more and you place your hands on either side on Crowleys head, staring into his snake eyes.

“Yes my Angel, please I want to feel you both,” Crowley answers, voice breathy, making steady eye contact with you. “You can do it my sweet little demon, you can take him, we’ve got you,” Crowley coos, framing your face with his hands. You whine and your eyes widen as you feel the head of the Angels thick cock press against your arse. He must’ve miracled more lube onto his cock, because the tip of his dick pops in past your rim easily. You choke on an inhale feeling a flash of stinging pain as he lets you adjust and he rubs your lower back lovingly, while he tries to keep still. Your arse so tight and warm. So slick it’s almost already too overwhelming for him. You let out a strangled whimper, already feeling the burning ache turn up a notch. The two of them whisper sweet nothings to you and massage whatever skin their hands can reach as you take deep breaths.

“Azi, please, move, fuck me,” you almost sob. The sensation pushing the edge of too much.

“Yes dear, doing such a good job, look so pretty taking both of us.” Aziraphale babbles, whispering sweet praises as he slowly fills your arse all the way up, balls pressing against your skin. He waits only a few seconds before pulling his hips back and thrusting forward again smoothly. Aziraphale starts to find a steady rhythm and the pain starts to fade into immense pleasure, making you sigh with relief. Crowley lets out a sound that must’ve been punched out of him as he feels Aziraphales cock start to drag against his through your slick and warm walls.

“Fuck! Angel, your cock feels so good against mine, hah, she’s so damn tight.” Crowley feels white hot pleasure crash over him in waves and his toes curl as he tries to thrust upwards to match a somewhat steady pace with the Angel. Aziraphales head falls back as he lets out a throaty moan.

“Heavens Crowley, you do feel unbelievable.” As they both start to move your arms give out. The sensation of being filled in both holes overwhelming to say the very least. You have to rest your chest against Crowleys and bury your face in his neck. You cry out repeatedly into his skin, letting out little ah’s as they pleasure you. You hold onto the sheets by the demons head with a death grip. He murmurs your name lowly in your ear.

“You’re such a good girl, taking us like I knew could. Your pussy is unbelievable, you love this don’t you sweetheart,” he says, hushed and quiet in your ear. You’re so blissed out you can’t respond right now, just writhing in his hold, trying to gulp down air. Crowley grips your arse tightly while Aziraphale keeps his hands on your hips. Both of them pulling and pushing in and out of you, filling you over and over. They stretch you to your limits as they both move a bit faster, finding a faster rhythm now. Never leaving you without one of their cocks filling you up.

You all listen to the wet smacking sounds of wet skin meeting wet skin lewdly. Aziraphales hooded eyes meet Crowleys and they interlace their fingers together on the left side of your hip, fucking into you almost roughly now. Your belly tightens dangerously, heat warring in your stomach. Your pussy starts to flutter around Crowleys cock and you know Aziraphale can feel it in your arse too. You get the strange pressure in your pelvis that signals you might squirt and your heart races.

“Crowley,” you whine, words pressing against his neck.

“I know sweet girl, I know, you’re about to cum aren’t you?” The demon soothes you while pressing a kiss the the side of your head. He pants in your ear as he works to keep up the rhythm Aziraphale set. Aziraphale’s been listening to the demon whisper into your ear and he bites the inside of his cheek, his heart warming at the sight of the two of you. It makes his cock throb as he locks eyes with Crowley.

“She’s gonna cum Angel,” Crowley warns, Aziraphale taking the chance to brace one hand on your upper back, pushing you down into Crowleys chest. He’s still holding Crowleys hand. He breathes heavily as he moves his hips, fucking into your sweet spot through you arse in long, fast strokes.

“I know my love,” he breaks off, groaning. “I-I’m afraid I’m getting close as well. Her arse is just too tight and with the way you feel against me, I won’t last much longer,” he says, whiny edge to his voice. Crowley nods and wraps his free arm around your waist, hugging you tightly.

“I’ve been trying not to c-cum this whole time,” Crowley replies, breathless laughter ringing out as he fucks up into you harder. Just like that you wrap your arms around the demons neck, wanting to be even closer to him as the coil in your belly releases. The unbearably warm pleasure of your orgasm gushes through your limbs, feeling like warm caramel. Your body tenses as you sob into Crowleys neck. Your pussy and your arse clenching suffocatingly so around the cocks currently working you through your climax.

“Oh, oh, hah, so good, pretty girl, doing such a good job, making me cum with your sweet arse,” the Angel spews, words spilling out of him, unable to stop. His hips stutter before he’s pressed all the way in, balls tightening and he starts to cum, filling your arse with sticky, warm release.

Crowleys able to watch as the Angels face twists with pleasure, eyebrows scrunching and his mouth falling open into an o shape. Cheeks flushed pink as his eyes fall shut. He squeezes the demons fingers and your arse with the other hand.

“You’re both so pretty when you cum, fucks sake, it’s not fair,” Crowleys whines, moving his hips harder as Aziraphale holds you still. You’re only able to relax for a few seconds before they hear you suddenly gasp.

“Azi, Crowley! I’m gonna squirt!” You cry out, tone frantic, feeling panicked as you cum for a second time. You squeeze around them both. Aziraphale cries out at the overstimulation and Crowley throws his head back onto the pillow and moans through his teeth. Your body trembles and you hang onto Crowleys shoulders for dear life and pleasure sparks through you again, only this time the pressure in your pelvis releases and you feel yourself squirt all over the demons belly and pelvis, Aziraphale can feel it on his balls, making him shiver. You let out a muffled scream into Crowleys shoulder.

The feeling of you squirting and watching the Angels face as he cums, it shoves Crowley off the edge. Not push, it brutally shoves him. He lets go of Aziraphales hand and presses his palm to the back of your head, tucking your face into his neck as he starts to cum. His other arm squeezes your waist even tighter.

“Fuck, fuck, I’m cumming, oh shit.” Crowley cries out, cumming hard. Harder than he expected and he swears his vision whites out and his ears start ringing as he lazily thrusts his hips upwards. He feels like he’s been bathed in sunlight, blood buzzing. Aziraphale groans through his teeth as he feels Crowleys warm cum through the thin layer separating them, the demons dick throbbing in your pussy.

Your body shakes from the overstimulation where you lay on Crowleys chest. You all take deep breaths as you feel the Angels sweaty forehead on your back. After giving everyone a moment to return to their bodies, Aziraphale pulls out first. He does so slowly, knowing him being in your arse is a big cause of the overwhelming sensations you’re feeling. You whimper softly as his softening dick slips out of you and he flops down on one side of Crowley. You twist your head to look into his blue eyes as Crowley releases you from his iron grip.

“Are you alright my sweet doll?” Aziraphale prods gently, brushing hair off your forehead, as he noticed some of your hair falling out of the bun you put it in earlier. You nod your head.

“Yes, yeah I’m okay, I just feel exhausted.” You smile goofily. He presses a kiss to your forehead and your lips. You hum appreciatively and kiss him in return briefly. You two share a sweet, loving look. You lean back a little so you can look into Crowleys eyes, wanting to check on him.

His cheeks are flushed but his eyes are closed. You and Aziraphale glance at one another and you giggle. Aziraphale props himself up on one elbow to see the demons face. You lean down to kiss each one of Crowleys cheeks and he mumbles incoherently before opening his eyes. “Are you back in the land of living Crowley?” You ask teasingly as you brush your noses together in an intimate gesture, giving the demon butterflies.

“Barely,” he responds with one word, making you and the Angel laugh. Crowley grips the bottoms of your thighs and pulls you up his waist a little bit, letting his cock slip out of you. You wiggle uncomfortably as you feel their releases now start to drip out of both your holes. Not to mention the mess you made of Crowleys belly.

“Can one of you miracle away this mess please?” you request.

“I’ve got it my love,” Aziraphale responds, voice sweet and he waves his hand once, making the mess you all created disappear. You all but purr against Crowleys chest in return.

“Thanks Angel,” you say happily. “Should we make Crowley sleep in the middle tonight?” you ask Aziraphale, who hums thoughtfully in response. Crowley cuts in.

“No no, you two are like heaters, I’ll sweat to death if I sleep in the middle.” You slide off the demons chest and you lay on his other side, feeling sore all over.

“Nope too late, you’re sleeping in the middle, right Angel?” you ask, slipping an arm around his waist, resting your head on his chest. Aziraphale giggles. He sits up to grab the blanket at the foot of the bed and pulls it up covering all three of you. Laying down he wraps his own arm around the demons waist as well, rubbing your forearm softly.

“Crowley you can’t say no, you’ve been gone all week dear. Give us this one thing.” The Angel replies, cheekily. Crowley turns his head to glare at Aziraphale who takes the chance to kiss him, pressing their lips together sweetly. Truthfully, Crowley really can’t say no to either of you.

“Fine! Fine, but only tonight,” Crowley relents, pulling away from the kiss. You use a finger to turn his head by his chin. You kiss the demon as well. Crowley moans softly at the feeling. You pull back and lock eyes with your Angel, who smiles at you both with a look that says he’s in love.

“Come here, kiss me sweet girl,” he whispers. You can’t help but lean over Crowley to kiss Aziraphale just as eagerly.

“Oi, oi! No kissing over me, I don’t have the energy for another round right now.” Crowley says, pouting. You and Aziraphale part, nuzzling noses for a second before each laying back down on your respective sides of Crowley. You all snuggle up closely.

“Welcome home Crowley, I love you both,” you whisper, happily as someone snaps their fingers and the light shuts off, blanketing you all in darkness. You feel the demons arm snake under you and curl around your waist and the Angel tangles your fingers together, letting them rest on Crowleys belly. They both whisper I love you in return. Your heart feels full as you no longer lay in an incomplete bed.

[iris-sistibly]

My final take on Queen of Tears? It was a one hell of a fucking journey + Thoughts on the finale

[Warning: Long-ass post ahead]

Queen of Tears released its final episode last Sunday, April 28. The show made history as it became tvN’s most watched drama, surpassing the 2019 hit Crash Landing on You. Park Ji-eun was the writer for both shows.

The story is about a couple who underwent a crisis in their third year of marriage. However, a significant event will not only change their lives but also pave the way for them to rediscover their love for each other. 

I personally got hooked into this show for three reasons:

First, the plot: Marriage tropes in a lot of dramas are usually about infidelity, toxic and abusive relationships that end in a nasty divorce. It happens in real life sadly, but I appreciate the fact that Park Ji-eun took a different route and gave us another realistic side of marriage. A couple who once had this warm, passionate love for each other became cold and distant over time because of one tragic event that left them wounded and broken. There were also other factors that added salt to the wound which caused them to drift further from one another. I’m not gonna go into details because I have already discussed this in earlier episodes. However, I love that there were a couple of flashbacks that tells the viewers of how their love story began, plus some extra bits and pieces in the epilogue that were either related to Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s past, or a particular scene in the current episode that was told from either of the character’s point of view. 

Switching from light and funny scenes to a more intense one then back to swoon-worthy moments and then the last thing you knew you were bawling your eyes out because of the heartbreaking scenes felt like a roller coaster ride, needless to say I was always on edge and I sometimes had to pause in the middle of the episode so I could breathe. That’s how intense the emotions were in this show. Like I have said before, this is not a rom-com but more like a heavy drama with a couple of light and funny scenes.

But the part in this story that appealed to me the most is that it will make you question, how much love can someone truly give? How far can you go to be with the person you love? And when everything seems black and white, would you be willing to stay? Or walk away? 

Second, the characters: Immediately, I was drawn to Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in. Usually in KDramas, it’s always the male lead who is cool, cold, nonchalant and rich af and the girl is the bubbly, cutesy-cutesy, overly dramatic, and broke. I absolutely LOVE the role reversal. Hae-in is the cool and badass wife while Hyun-woo is the cute, dramatic hubby and together, they make an ✨iconic couple✨. But on a more serious note, a lot of characters nowadays are into the red light/green light spectrum and don’t get me wrong, I love it. Who doesn’t love a green light character right? But again, Park Ji-eun wrote them in such a way that you wouldn’t perceive them as this ultra-perfect, no flaw character, but they aren’t toxic either (except for the main villains of course). A lot of the characters in the show have a good and flawed side, and I love it because that’s what makes them human, they are multi-layered which makes them complex, but at the same time, they were written in such a way that the viewers could have a deeper understanding of the characters, and even relate to them in some ways. 

Again with the exception of the villains, the character developments were so good. Witnessing this whole-ass process of them being flawed and broken characters to becoming the best versions of themselves were just the best.  

Third, the cast: Ah, I can go on and on about how every actor in this show was absolutely amazing! Again, Kim Soo-hyun has proven why he is Korea’s highest paid actor. I love that he can switch from this handsome, smart, and sexy lawyer, to a super cute, loving hubby, and then a man who would fight for his woman no matter what it takes. BITCH! The acting range of this guy is fucking LIMITLESS! As for Kim Ji-won, this is by far her best acting performance in my opinion. Hong Hae-in was such a difficult character to portray, but I love how she was able to effortlessly deliver Hae-in’s stoic, nonchalant exterior and when you look into her eyes you’ll see that vulnerable part of her that no one else except [her husband] sees. 

SooWon’s chemistry on the other hand is GOD-TIER! They were born to play Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in. Whether it’s a funny, romantic, or heavy scene, they nailed it to perfection! These two are the most married couple I have seen in a show. I feel sad that I’m not gonna see them together on-screen for sometime but I am hoping that they’d be able to work together again in the future. Although my delulu self is manifesting for them to be together irl 😂🤧

Park Sung-hoon, I have said before that he is so good at playing a villain. But I hope he gets to show his ability to portray a nice guy in the future, I need a break from him playing evil. 

Kwak Dong-yeon and Lee Joo-bin’s performances as the second couple deserve to be applauded as well. Despite their characters going through crazy shit, I love that they were able to deliver it on a lighter, heartwarming note in contrast to SoWoon’s heavier scenes.

Special mentions to the following 🗣️:

The Official Playlist of the Show- When I tell you that I have listened to every song in this playlist, I really mean it. I don’t understand the language, but everytime I hear a song from QOT, I can instantly imagine a particular scene from the show, that’s how magical it is. My most replayed song is The Reasons of my Smiles by BSS, but I also love Heize’s Hold me back, and the song that makes me the most emotional: Love you with all my heart by Crush. 

The cinematography: I’m not gonna go into details about the technicalities, but everything was perfectly shot, especially the scenes in Germany–it was dreamy, romantic, and beautiful. 

The crew members who worked behind the camera also need to be praised for the hard work, effort, and dedication they’ve put into making this show. 

There are things however about the show that I didn’t personally like or I think they could have done better. Here’s the link of why I think the storyline isn’t as good as I thought it would be: 

The final episode didn’t turn out the way I hoped it would be, although there were some parts of it that were really good like:

📍 Cheon Da-hye and Grace choosing to take accountability for their past actions (also Grace being the key player in bringing Mo Seul-hee down was the cherry on top) and has been given another chance to live honestly was one of the best character redemptions. 

📍The Hong family reclaiming what’s rightfully theirs, that was such a powerful scene.

📍Hyun-woo and Hae-in looking at each other after Mo Seul-hee was proven guilty for killing Hong Man-dae and all the other bullshits she did to Queens and the Hong family, as if saying, “It’s finally over,” and they did it together was so power couple coded. 

📍Aunt Beom-ja and husband #4 [really] taking their time to get to know each other…like literally. Her facial expression when Yeong-seong kissed her on the cheek instead of the lips like she was expecting was GOLD.

📍Mama and Papa Hong choosing a simpler and quieter life and hanging out with their besties (Mama and Papa Baek).

📍The family portrait of the Hong and Baek family 🥹

📍Hyun-woo and Hae-in taking their time to rebuild their relationship, then goes on to get married and have a baby, then visiting Germany every so often was the most heartwarming scene. 

📍I would say that the ending was a bittersweet one. Hae-in’s premonition came true, she died first and Hyun-woo never failed to visit her grave, and then eventually reuniting was one of the most realistic endings in a Kdrama. They lived a good life, they built a family, grew old together and reunited in the afterlife was beautiful but there was a certain ache in that part, perhaps a reminder that no matter how painful it gets, there is always a silver lining, and if you’re meant to be, you’re meant to be.

However, in addition to my linked post:

📍The first half of the story started really strong, but it dwindled the moment they added all of these ridiculous subplots. One Tumblr user commented that Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s marriage had enough issues as far as drama is concerned and I couldn’t agree more. 

📍I get that Mo Seul-hee is a shitty person but I don’t even know why she chose to prey on Hong Man-dae of all people. She could have done the same to other wealthy families (I mean he’s not the only gullible man out there with tons of money), but the question is, what did the Hong family do to her? Surely, there must have been a deeper meaning than just wanting money but alas, it's a question we'll probably never get an answer too.

📍The good thing is that we now fully understand why Yoon Eun-seong acted the way he did. He has mommy issues, abandonment issues, anger issues, etc. My prediction about him dying in the finale was correct, but there was no character redemption for him thus I don’t see the point on why they had to extend his Hae-in obsession arc towards the end. Take out all the irrelevant subplots, and the story still would have worked.

📍One of my biggest frustrations in the show was the fact that they only addressed BaekHong’s miscarriage after Hae-in lost her memories when they could have done that in the earlier episode (the scene where Hyun-woo and Hae-in had a heart-to-heart conversation about their failed marriage), it’s like the writer forgot about that part–which by the way was such a crucial part then she just inserted this scene somewhere in the finale. 

📍I was also disappointed that Hae-in's mom wasn't the one who comforted her during that scene where Hyun-woo was undergoing surgery after getting shot. It would have been such a perfect opportunity to heal their relationship. Also, I would have appreciated it if Mama Hong was the one who personally apologized to Hyun-woo for being harsh towards him.

📍I know I said that the ending was a more realistic one, but babes we were ROBBED! I would have loved to see a BaekHong wedding part 2, their pregnancy journey and moments with baby Soo-bin but alas, we were deprived of that too. As much as I find the finale realistic, I wouldn’t say that I was satisfied either.

📍I just remembered this now, but Papa Hong's and Aunt Beom-ja's other sibling could have actually contributed to ending the villain arc. He could have made moves to unravel Seul-hee and Eun-seong's crap, but idk writer-nim just placed him there just because 🤷.

Overall, do I think that this show is over hyped? Storywise, yes. As far as the actors’ performances go, they deserve it. 

Is the show worth watching? I’d say it’s worth checking out if you’re someone who likes heavy, intense dramas. If not, avoid this. Again, this is not a light rom-com. 

Would I rewatch? For BaekHong, yes but I’ll skip the irrelevant parts.

Ratings:

Performance: 100/10

OST: 10/10

Cinematography, Editing, etc.: 10/10

Story-telling: 6/10

[unnursvanablog]

I was going to say that it's been a while since I watched a currently airing drama but then I rememberd that I did indeed watch Queen of Tears as it was airing… I was just kinda bored by it.

I picked up Frankly Speaking mostly because it looked cute enough, I liked the leads and I just wanted to have something to watch while I wait for the second part of Bridgerton to be released on netflix. I haven't really been keeping up with new kdrama releases this year, or at least not really been into or interested in many of the shows. I guess that once I managed to cure my reading slump I landed on a kdrama slump. Ether that or the traditional romcom and other types kdramas just have lost their luster for me a bit - but I have also been in this weird limbo lately where I can't really seem to muster up enthusiasm or enjoyment in most things.

I am sure it will pass, and who knows… maybe one of these cute little romcoms that are on the horizon will actually manage to make my cold, dead heart beat and at least allow me to enjoy myself. Although, I must admit to feeling slightly overwhelmed by all these kdrama releases lately.

Frankly Speaking is endearing enough and the first three episodes felt brisk without being overbearing or info dumpy about the characters or their backstory. The whole situations that these people find themselves in are very over-the-top and nonsensical. Them being stuck in a lift or that husband coming and causing the male lead trouble and all all feels quite far-fetched at times or make no sense but it's all just a way to get the plot going for a silly little romcom, so I just shrug or roll my eyes and keep on watching.

I do wish there was a slightly more focus on the female lead and her backstory apposed to the male lead, but that can come with time - although kdramas often forget their female leads in the second half of the show. I do however feel like she is mostly just… there. But her being a single mother? love that!!! (or maybe she took this kid in or something).

I do however tend to enjoy romcoms that focus more on the female lead oppose to the male lead.

I enjoy the variety show setting a lot actually, but then again I have always enjoyed that setting in previous dramas that I have seen, so that doesn't surprise me. There isn't too many things that are outside the box when it comes to the characters, the over-the-top humor and all that that you often get in these romcoms. Sometimes that is grating, but I feel like it depends on the actors and both Go Kyung Pyo and Kang Han Na manage to make those more humorous, outlandish or sometimes quite childish scenes quite endearing, for the most part.

I will admit that I find the idea of the male lead that has sort of built up the image of a rich man, from a rich family while actually he is hiding the opposite from the world and that he just seems to be able to shut up and keep those lies going because he is too honest now quite funny and interesting as a premise. It kinda minds me of Chansung's character in What's Wrong with Secretary Kim and I loved that character in that drama.

[immaturityofthomasastruc]

(Accidental 150 Follower Special) IOTA's Top 10 Worst Episodes of Miraculous Ladybug (Part 1)

If you saw one of my earlier posts, an anon asked what my favorite and least favorite episodes of Miraculous Ladybug were. So, I decided to make a little list explaining the best and worst this show has to offer.

A few quick ground rules here. I'm not going to list any episodes I had previously talked about in some of my other posts. This includes “Kung Food”, “Animaestro”, “Syren”, “Reflekdoll”, “Chameleon”, and most of the episodes relating to Chloe's “damnation arc” that Astruc planned since he first created the character (“Despair Bear”, “Queen Wasp”, “Malediktator” and “Battle of the Miraculous”). Also, I'm not counting the specials, mainly because aren't listed as episodes, and because I don't want to talk about them.

Other than that, anything goes, so let's get things started with the worst list.

These are the Top 10 Worst Episodes of Miraculous Ladybug (in my personal opinion because your opinion is also valid)

#10: Stormy Weather 2

“Stormy Weather” was the very first episode of the show, and it really made a good impression on new viewers. So naturally, when it was announced that Stormy Weather would return, fans were excited. Then when the episode aired, Hawkmoth gave her even more powers, including the power to create a volcano big enough to potentially knock the planet out of orbit when it erupts. So Ladybug and Cat Noir have no choice but to stop the villain once again.

What does this plot lead to?

Yep, this episode is nothing more than a clip show. I understand that clip shows and bottle episodes are a necessary evil, but why would you set up something this awesome with a fan-favorite Akuma like Stormy Weather, and then not even bother to show it?

This episode is yet another attempt at showing that the show totally has character development. The whole reason Aurore is Akumatized into Stormy Weather again is because Chloe says that people can't change because Astruc (who was one of the four people writing this episode) is determined to make you hate this teenage girl more than the main villain of the show.

So of course, everyone spends most of the episode talking about how much they've changed, which is represented through clips of past episodes that do a horrible job at actually conveying any development.

According to Marinette, Adrien has “become a friend she can talk to about anything, except when it comes to her feelings for him”. Ah yes, you can tell they're friends by the fact that they barely hang out together, much less share a conversation because the writers are going to drag out the whole “Marinette stammering in front of Adrien” until they get tired of it. So basically, never.

All Alya and Nino talk about is how Ladybug helped them become a couple, and become superheroes, even though neither of those are actually related to character development. Though that is a fitting metaphor for the way both of their personalities have basically devolved to “the couple”.

Chloe talks about how nicer she's gotten, while footage of her doing awful things is played. I wonder who wrote that part in...

Even Ladybug and Cat Noir talk about how much they've grown and how stronger they've gotten, as opposed to focusing on STOPPING ANOTHER ICE AGE FROM HAPPENING. How can Hawkmoth even think this will get him the Miraculous? Yeah, sure I guess he can get them from the frozen corpses of our heroes, but what then? He still doomed humanity, and I don't think he can reverse the damage like Ladybug.

Towards the end, the clip show becomes slightly interesting, as Adrien mentions an unsigned card he got for Valentine's Day in “Dark Cupid”, and how similar the handwriting looks to Marinette's.

Does this lead to Adrien figuring out Marinette has feelings for him? Is the sky bright red? Both of these questions have the same answer.

Yeah, out of nowhere, Adrien just mentions Luka, who wasn't mentioned at all in this episode, and immediately thinks Marinette is in love with him. And that's how the episode ends.

I put this at the bottom of the list because I don't think it's completely fair to judge clip shows, but even some clip shows at least try to put in some effort and justify the clips, like what The Legend of Korra and some seasons of Power Rangers did. And the fact that the whole point of the episode is a poor excuse to claim that there's character development in the show only makes it even more infuriating.

Oh my God, this is only Number 10...

#9: Oblivio

While I already talked about “Cat Blanc”, this episode shares a similar theme as that episode: Giving viewers what they've wanted for three seasons, Marinette and Adrien finally learning each other's identity and starting a romantic relationship... only for the reset button to be once again slammed, making the entire episode pointless.

The only difference is that unlike in “Cat Blanc”, where there was an actual love confession that made sense, here, Marinette and Adrien find out the other's identity when they get their memories wiped by the Akuma of the week, Oblivio.

From then on, it's just fanservice. Instead of actually developing the relationship between Marinette and Adrien, the writers just decide to cram an entire episode worth of Adrienette content into a single episode just to tide fans over. Marinette and Adrien seriously fall in love despite only knowing each other for like, an hour at most. And the fact that the writers undo all the romantic progress of the episode makes it come across as pointless.

But the ending is what really cements this episode's spot on the list. As soon as Oblivio is defeated, Alya takes a picture of Ladybug and Cat Noir kissing without their consent and then rubs it in Ladybug's face.

Even though Ladybug doesn't know the circumstances (she has no memory of the events of the episode), this was still an invasion of her privacy, and she looks horrified by the picture that Alya is obviously going to post on her blog.

And of course, Cat Noir is more than happy to see it, ignoring how Ladybug feels and claims that they'd make a great couple. Because everyone knows good couples are formed by someone gaslighting the other into going out with them.

But wait, it gets better! In the next scene, we learn that Alya and Nino were akumatized into Oblivio... because they were caught in an embarrassing situation by their peers.

Alya: Remember when we visited Montparnasse Tower? Well, we went and hid to play Super Penguino, but Ms. Bustier caught us, and...

Nino: And you guys made fun of us for playing that game, saying it wasn't our age and all.

Alya: We were totally embarrassed at getting caught.

This was my thought process when I first heard Alya and Nino's explanation.

How can Alya claim to take a compromising picture of Ladybug, ignore how she feels, and not realize the similarity from when she and Nino were akumatized? This is what completely killed Alya for me in canon. This was the point where I couldn't care less if Marinette was friends with her or not. Sure, there are still fanfics, but those actually portray her with some kind of conscious. So to summarize, Fanon Alya is awesome, but I hope Canon Alya's 4G plan runs out.

This episode is just forgettable, but the ending made things worse. Apart from, I guess the action scenes and some funny jokes, this episode has no redeeming qualities. Like, literally the best thing to come from this episode was @miraculouscontent​‘s LadyBugOut AU, as it actually addressed the hypocrisy of Alya's character, among other problematic aspects of the show.

#8: Oni-Chan

Just a heads up, most of the episodes on this list are from Season 3. Just want to give you an idea of what to expect.

This episode is about Lila tricking Adrien into helping with her homework, when she is only doing it to get closer to Adrien. Marinette tries to spy on the two and stop Lila from hurting Adrien... even though she knows Adrien is aware that Lila is a liar, and is visibly uncomfortable around her.

And because the episode spends so much time on Marinette following Adrien and Lila, the buildup to Kagami getting akumatized is incredibly rushed. Seriously, she gets a single line of dialogue before she gets akumatized, and the motive is ridiculous too. Lila sends a picture of her forcing a kiss on Adrien, and Kagami immediately bursts into tears at the sight of it.

But wait, it gets better! When Kagami is akumatized into Oni-Chan (the writers know that's a term used for males in Japan, right?), she turns into a psycho hellbent on killing Lila because “Adrien doesn't deserve her”. Most of her dialogue is her saying how much she loves Adrien, making her come across as, for lack of a better word, a yandere.

This episode just destroys Kagami's character, making her as unlikable as Katie Killjoy in the process. If it wasn't for “Ikari Gozen” actually treating her like a human being (obviously Astruc's planned character development from the beginning), I'd completely hate her.

It also shows how much of an evil genius Lila is, as she has the brilliant idea to convince Oni-Chan to kill the only person capable of saving her from the Akuma's wrath. And this somehow gives Hawkmoth the idea to forge an alliance with Lila. It's also another reason why I believe in Darwinism.

This episode is low on the list because it does have a few redeeming qualities, like Lila facing consequences for lying, however brief they may be, and it has a great character moment with Adrien realizing on his own how terrible Lila really is, a far cry from what he was like in “Chameleon”.

Other than that, it's pretty bad, and still deserves a spot on this list.

#7: Antibug

HA! I said MOST of the episodes involving Chloe's “Damnation Arc” wouldn't be on this list, but not ALL OF THEM, so this one counts! Take that, convoluted rules I made up for some reason!

What was I talking about again? Oh right, “Antibug”. Oh crap, “Antibug”...

This is one of of several episodes in Miraculous Ladybug that really should have been a two-parter. It tries to be daring and includes two Akumas in one episode, but both of them are poorly executed.

An invisibly entity starts harassing Chloe, so Ladybug and Cat Noir start an investigation. It turns out to be Chloe's lackey Sabrina, who was akumatized after a falling out between the two. Well, I say “falling out” lightly, because what actually happened was that Chloe and Sabrina were cosplaying as Ladybug and Cat Noir, Chloe pretended to be the real deal while crashing an interview with Jagged Stone before Sabrina accidentally blew her cover, causing Chloe to be humiliated on TV and end her “friendship” with Sabrina.

Ladybug learns this from Chloe's butler, while Chloe never mentions the incident. So when Ladybug and Cat Noir engage the Akuma, Ladybug ignores Chloe's advice on where the corrupted object, naturally not trusting her judgment. And this is portrayed as a bad thing.

This episode is the start of a long-running trend in Miraculous Ladybug: Marinette needing to learn a lesson, while Adrien/Cat Noir is the one to help teach that lesson.

Chloe did nothing to help, only made things worse, and lied about why Sabrina got akumatized. It's kind of obvious why Ladybug wouldn't trust her word. The whole point of The Boy Who Cried Wolf wasn't to trust the liar after all.

But if that was all the episode did, it wouldn't be on the list, because now, the narrative wants to make the audience feel bad for Chloe before she gets akumatized into Antibug... who is just a lazy palette swap because new character models are expensive.

This part of the episode isn't nearly as bad as the first half, but like “Oni-Chan”, Chloe's akumatization is incredibly rushed, and we don't really get a chance to sympathize with her before she goes full Antibug.

Even Antibug herself isn't that interesting of a villain. The whole idea of an evil doppelganger is that they're a perfect match for the hero, but we only see Ladybug and Antibug fight for a few seconds, while Cat Noir does most of the fighting with her while Marinette's Kwami recharges. I like that Ladybug and Cat Noir show their teamwork to defeat Antibug, but I feel it would have been more interesting to see Ladybug and Antibug duke it out before Cat Noir helps turn the tide.

Again, this episode really needed to be a two-parter to better expand on the story presented here, because it had a really interesting premise. I'd personally read the version of “Antibug” in @justanotherpersonsuniverse​‘s “The Adventures of Panthera Noire” (an AU fanfic where shy girl Juleka gets the Cat Miraculous instead of Adrien). Not only does it have two separate chapters for Vanisher and Antibug, it also does a good job of setting Chloe on an actual redemption arc, unlike Astruc's “damnation arc”.

#6: The Puppeteer 2

As much as I've ragged on Adrien/Cat Noir in some of my other posts (and will continue to do so in this list), that doesn't mean I think Marinette has problems too, and this episode is a prime example.

Marinette and Adrien go to a wax statue museum with their friends (and Manon), but because of a poor choice of words by Nino, Adrien thinks that Marinette hates him. So he does something that everyone loves, practical jokes.

Adrien seriously thinks that pranking Marinette will improve her opinion of him. Even the prank is ridiculous, pretending to be a wax statue to make her laugh. And it leads to... Oh God... This is easily the contender for one of the worst moments in the entire show. Marinette goes up to the statue and... gets close to it. Yes, we, the audience know that this isn't a statue, but putting that aside, just look at what Marinette does to the “statue” (AUTHOR’S NOTE: I made a gif from the episode, but it wouldn’t go through, so I recommend you check out the episode and watch the statue scene for yourself if you don’t value your sanity). Even Adrien, as dense as he can be, is a little unsettled by what Marinette does.

If the scene was about Marinette talking about her feelings for Adrien, I'd be more lenient on it, but this? This is just uncomfortable to watch.

Even the dialogue makes Marinette sound incredibly creepy.

Marinette: Wow... it looks so... real. The wax is nearly as hot as skin. It even smells exactly like him...! Oh, beautiful statue of Adrien, your wax is so soft! Your yak hair is silky. Your eyes are so green. Oh, shall I be a statue, too! Everything would be so much easier. Why haven't we been molded together in the plaster of destiny? Marble to marble, wax lips against wax lips, entwined for eternity...

I think Gilbert Gottfried said it best.

This scene alone put this episode on the list, and the Akuma doesn't make it better. I really liked “The Puppeteer”, and I thought her ability to control past Akuma victims was incredibly fun to watch. And when she returns to take control of the wax statues of past Akumas they... don't use their powers (with the exception), and serve as cannon fodder for Ladybug and Cat Noir to plow through, making the return of the villain very underwhelming.

Even the end where Adrien tells Marinette that he is in love with someone and only sees her as a friend. This should devastate Marinette, but in the next scene, thanks to some fortune cookie nonsense from Tikki, she's still unsure about her relationship with Adrien, and that's how the episode ends. Seriously. Because just need to keep the status quo consistent, right? It's not like Marinette doubting her crush on Adrien and worrying that she's just wasted her time would have been interesting to see, right? Play that happy ending theme already!

Of all the episodes on this list, this is the one I was dreading talking about the most because of some of the moments here. And yet, there are still episodes that are worse than this one...

Here’s Part 2

[who-am-i-no-one]

Emma. (2020)

I watched this movie in late January. After multiple viewings and re-reading the book, I have a lot of thoughts about this adaptation.

It seems rather strange, given that Emma is part of my holy trinity of Austen novels, that I didn't watched the most recent adaptation earlier. I think it was mostly due to my initial impression that Anya Taylor-Joy's otherworldly looks didn't quite match what I had in mind for the titular character. I decided to give this version a try after watching Queen's Gambit. Not sure that Anya's looks will ever grow on me, but she did impress me as a young actress who seemed to have a maturity beyond her years.

Long story short: really wished I had seen this movie earlier! It is absurd and heartfelt at the same time, imo, the version that best imbues Austen's humor. It is now my favorite adaption, with the possible exception of Clueless, and I'm not quite sure how much of that is just nostalgia.

From the casting to the direction to the script to the costumes to the set to the soundtrack, I could tell the creative team really put a lot of love into this project. It's always a joy to watch something that's made with love and made well.

Direction

Autumn de Wilde's directing is quite good. I would never have thought this was her first feature. She certainly has a unique and colorful style, which is probably to be expected for such a famous photographer.

Funnily, while watching the movie I kept thinking it reminded me of early Hollywood romantic comedies like Bringing Up Baby (incidentally one of my favorites) or The Philadelphia Story, and then reading interviews and seeing that she had tried to bring in some of that style of humor made me feel rather validated. Also the servants' reactions were awesome!

Absolutely loved the fact that they decided to show that Knightley and Emma were in love with each other very early on in the story, with Knightley more aware of it. I've read some people complaining about the surprise of Emma's being in love being ruined. But come on, did anyone reading two chapters into the book think it wasn't going to be the two of them together in the end?

Loved how much of Knightley's point of view we got in this movie. This is one repressed pinning man. I can totally see this Knightley riding ventre a terre from London in the rain because he thought Emma was heartbroken.

The only gripe I had was the lack of Frank and Jane's subplot. As it seems they shot some scenes for that, I assume it was the director's discretion to take them out. I remember thinking while watching the movie that they must have expected the audience to be familiar with the story because some things just didn't really get explained or extrapolated on a lot. If you hadn't read the book it'd be 30 minutes or more into the movie before you put two and two together and figured out why Mr. Knightley is always at Hartfield.

Script

The script takes most of the dialogue directly from the book, which is awesome. I love Austen's writing because there is a certain musicality to it and retaining that in large part for the movie really made it better for me. The deftness with which Eleanor Catton moved dialogue from one scene in the book to a totally different one in the movie was quite brilliant. Everything flowed so well.

The scenes that differed from the book were also excellent - namely, I really loved the Jane/Knightley duet, the infamous nosebleed and first kiss scenes. 💖 I thought the screenwriter used those changes to quickly establish plot points and character arcs well.

Costume/Hair

Not a Recency expert so can't say much about the costumes and hair as far as period correctness but from reading other reviews it seemed like they were very true to the period. Obviously appreciated them taking the time to show the audience how men got dressed in that time (purely for research purposes obviously 😜).

Emma's dresses were all quite beautiful. I especially loved the black evening dress, the pink one with the roses and the proposal dress. Also loved the little pop of red shoes that went with the proposal dress. As someone who wore red shoes with her wedding gown I heartily approve.

Absolutely loved how Emma's curls unwound as her life unravels. Similarly think they must have done the same for Knightley to a lesser extent. His hair during the card playing scene at the Westons was quite terrible.

Set

I! Loved! Hartfield! It looked just like a doll house. Really most of the sets looked good enough to eat. So much pastel. Reminded me of French macarons.

I liked how everything in Donwell Abbey was shrouded in Holland covers. Makes a good point that Knightley barely lives there at all, that his home has been with the Woodhouses for quite a while now. Which, of course, makes his sacrifice at the end just a little bit less of a sacrifice?

Soundtrack

Isabella Waller-Bridge's music really meshed well with the tone of the entire film. The male and female opera singers, sometimes sounding as if they are bickering with each other and other times seeming to be in duet, was a brilliant touch. The folk music was a little jarring at first but really grew on me.

Johnny Flynn's end credits song "Queen Bee" is amazing. I love that we get Knightley's perspective at the end with a song written and sung by Knightley. It's a lovely coda to the movie. And now, if the next Austen hero doesn't write one for his SO I'm going to think him a very poor sort of lover.

Cast

Anya's Emma was really great. I'm glad they allowed Emma to be her bitchy self. Lol. I haven't watched the 1996 and 2009 versions in a while but I distinctly remember them making Emma too nice. I recall writing after watching the Garai version that Emma was actually mean and they should have let her be mean! If she's not a brat in the beginning, how will we see her change for the better later on? I love what a snob and how manipulative this Emma was and so assured of her place in her little society but still had the vulnerability of almost an imposter's syndrome which I feel most people can relate to.

Her chemistry with Johnny Flynn's Knightley was off the charts. Pretty much every scene they had together I half expected them to reenact the library scene from Atonement lol.

Mia Goth was a wonderful Harriet. She really captured Harriet's inexperience, naivete and diffidence. The orgasmic sounds she was making during the gypsies attack scene were awesome. Although, I could probably have forgone a few of Harriet's scenes for more Frank and Jane.

Not sure why they made Mia go brunette since the book specifically mentioned Harriet was fair? Perhaps having all three leads as blondes was just a bit too much. I'm also not sure if I liked Harriet's ending as I really don't think Emma, even in her most contrite mood, would invite further friendship from a tradesman's daughter and soon-to-be her husband's tenant farmer's wife. This seems a piece of modern day wishful thinking on the part of the creative team.

Bill Nighy was so good as Mr. Woodhouse. He made it so believable why everyone would do everything in their power to accommodate his whims. The gag with the screens was too funny. He was able to sketch out a lonely quirky old man who is afraid to lose those close to him in very limited screen time. Absolutely loved the scene where Emma was heaping blame on herself and he just sat with her in sympathetic silence.

Miranda Hart's Miss Bates was excellent as well. She has long been one of my favorite British comedic actresses but she can also do drama well. Her reaction to Emma's teasing on Box Hill and her forgiveness of Emma later brought me to tears.

Josh O'Connor's Mr. Elton was deliciously creepy. The carriage proposal scene was at once a little scary and hilarious. I actually liked the portrait scenes a little less because I found the acting there slightly affected and veering into 1995 Mr. Collins territory. But as Austen described Elton as having "a sort of parade in his speeches", this was much more forgivable. Really loved Mr. Elton's determination to eat cake during the Eltons' visit to Hartfield.

Tanya Reynolds was an excellent Mrs. Elton and in very little screen time was able to bring to life this meddlesome nouveau riche. Adored her little shimmy during the ball.

Amber Anderson's Jane really looked as if she were in a decline. Callum Turner did a good job as a slightly restless, mischievous and immature Frank Churchill. I did feel his looks were a bit too modern but that's just my personal view.

Given how many scenes they had I thought they used the time they had pretty well with furtive glances and sly smiles at each other to establish the relationship.

Connor Swindells was such a love sick puppy as Robert Martin. Did this role ever get cast in other adaptations? I don't seem to recall at all.

Special shoutout to Oliver Chris's John Knightley. Absolutely had me in stitches.

And last but never the least, Johnny Flynn's Mr. Knightley:

To preface, I will never not fall for Mr. Knightley in any version that I watch. And really, get yourself a good looking enough actor with good enough chemistry with Emma and good enough acting chops and you should have a fairly successful Knightley.

I judge all my Knightleys by the Box Hill scene. And up to that point in the movie, I really liked Johnny Flynn's Knightley. He was playful and sexy and jealous and slightly bitchy as well. The duet scene was lovely because I always appreciate a man who can play instruments and sing well. The sexiness and chemistry of the dance scene was off the charts. That's all well and good. And like I said before, given any well cast actor, I probably would have liked them in those scenes as well, just as I've liked Northam's and Miller's Knightleys.

But, the Box Hill scene absolutely blew me away. To make sure I was not just biased towards the last Knightley I saw on screen, I did go back and compare each version's Box Hill scene and I am, actually, even more blown away. Some of it is a credit to the directing and script, but a large part of it is Johnny Flynn's acting in that scene.

As far a script and directing, the set up to the fight scene was fantastic. Loved Anya's expression changes after she makes the joke. Loved Miranda Hart's Miss Bates as she realizes what Emma meant. The silence that followed. Knightley's shocked face and how sympathetic he was to Miss Bates. Can probably write a whole thing just about this scene alone.

I loved the fact that Knightley had an internal struggle as to whether or not to approach Emma and reproach her for her behavior. I know the book has him tell Emma about his struggle but that just doesn't work as well for me on screen.

During the scene you can just tell how frustrated and disappointed in her he is even though he tries to keep his voice low. But the way he reprimands her does not at all feel lecture-y and I feel like part of it is because it seems like he starts to lose control a little bit as well. His voice starts to crescendo as she stubbornly refuses to admit she was in the wrong and culminates in "badly done, indeed!" with actual fingerpointing. Yikes.

Then he losses steam and looked regretful, almost devastatingly so, at his own outburst and perhaps felt that he was losing her by giving this speech and looked as if he would have said something more - an apology or some words of comfort to soften the blow? - but didn't.

This remorse and the struggle at the beginning really bookended the scene for me.

Absolutely loved his Knightley, and, really, him as an actor after that.

The proposal scene as well was very good. His delivery was just really good. The way he said "If I loved you less then I might be able to talk about it more." with some regret and then closing his eyes as if he can't believe what he just said. Soooo good. Also, he cries very pretty, lol.

The delivery of the three "yes" during the kiss scene as Emma asked for confirmation that he really was ok with giving up his house to come live with them was also brilliant. It just kept getting softer and softer but he never breaks eye contact. Absolute chef's kiss. His closed eyed little smile of content after Emma kisses him just made me melt into a puddle.

Yup, overall I'd say I rather liked his interpretation of Mr. George Knightley. 😜

I did wish they hadn't giving him such sideburns but after watching some Emma interviews I can totally understand. If he didn't have the sideburns there'd be more complaints about how young this Knightley was. He's got such a baby face.

...I seemed to have written an entire essay on this movie...yeah, I just have a lot of feelings and thoughts about this version...

[mage-ellie]

His Wish

This is my first request from AO3! People seemed to like it so I thought I’d post it here too :) I’m open for small requests! Feel free to request headcanons/scenarios/prompts! I’ll write about any of the P5R cast. Akechi is just my favorite boy <3 All I ask is that you don’t request abusive/toxic relationships, yandere, smut of underaged characters (I will age them up though), or pieces that romanticize mental illnesses. I prefer to write fem!reader since i’m a girl and it’s easier for me, but if you say please, i’ll do my best to write GN and male!reader pieces! <3 

Warnings: P5R spoilers, lots of fluff

Word count: 2,497

Link to original post: Click me!

Summary:  All Goro Akechi had wished for was to be loved, to be needed, by someone, anyone. He never could've imagined that his wish would actually come true.

In less than 24 hours, Goro Akechi was going to be married.

He never could've imagined that he would live long enough to find love, let alone get married. He had also never imagined that he would be marrying one of the infamous Phantom Thieves. Although, he couldn't complain, she was quite the impressive thief, having managed to steal his heart right out from under his nose.

Goro was currently lying alone on the bed in the hotel room he was staying at. Their wedding reception was going to be held at the Yoshiki-en Garden in Nara, Japan. His fiancée had practically begged him to have their wedding there. The garden was at its most beautiful during the spring time. But truth be told, Goro would've married her any where, even in that little hole in the wall, Leblanc.

The soon to be husband couldn't stop replaying everything that lead up to this moment.

How she had practically forced him to live with her during the whole Maruki conundrum. How she confessed her feelings to him in March when he returned. How he told her he loved her for the first time during their date to the cherry blossom festival in Tokyo. How he proposed to her in front of all of their friends 3 years later at that same cherry blossom festival.

He was so nervous for tomorrow, and yet so excited. He actually found someone who wanted to be with him for who he was, not because of his celebrity status. She knew about all of his flaws and his horrific past, but not once did she let him doubt her love for him. She worked so hard to support him while he went to therapy, to help him make amends with Futaba and Haru, to help him come to terms with the fact that he deserved a second chance.

A few years ago, he would've been terrified at the thought of having someone in his life like this, but now, he couldn't imagine his life without her.

-

The next thing he knew, he was being awakened by the sound of someone slamming their fists against his hotel room door. Akira Kurusu, Ryuji Sakamoto, and Yusuke Kitagawa were currently standing outside of his room, each with a black tux in hand. As well as Morgana, who was sitting on the floor next to Akira's feet, already wearing a cute little handmade formal black vest. They wanted to get ready with Goro, seeing as it was his big day and all.

A little ways down the hall, the group of boys could hear a group of girls squealing about marriage, dresses and romance. It was 8 A.M. and they were already so energetic. The groom and his groomsmen all laughed to themselves, they were excited as well. This was the first marriage in their friend group after all.

Akira, Goro's best man, mentioned that he should try to take as many mental photos as he could, because this day would go by in a blur. Goro believed him, one moment the boys were standing at his door, ready to get the day started, and the next they were all dressed and making their way to the venue.

The normally oh so composed Goro Akechi was sweating bullets. His hands were clammy and his throat was dry. Never in his life had he felt so nervous, so unprepared.

Before he knew it, it was suddenly 3 P.M. and the ceremony was beginning. Only your closest friends and family made up the audience. No media or paparazzi in sight. Goro shifted his weight from one leg to the other, he hadn't seen you all day. His heart raced as music began and you appeared in your gorgeous white wedding gown, Sojiro by your side, walking you down the aisle. He felt a hard lump forming in his throat at the sight of you. You always looked gorgeous to him, but in that moment, he truly believed that you were an angel sent from above.

A soft, teary eyed smile spread across his face as you made your way closer to him. He knew he'd be teased by the others for the rest of his life for crying while you walked down the aisle, but he didn't care. All that mattered, was that you were now standing before him, in a gown he never imagined he'd see you in. A warm, comforting smile made its way to your cheeks from behind your veil as you looked up into his eyes. It was taking all of his self control to not kiss you right then and there.

He could hear the officiant speaking about love and happiness, but he wasn't really listening. Goro was too busy taking as many mental pictures as he could fit into his brain. He only tuned back in when you brought up a small index card filled with writing. It was your vow to him.

"My dearest Goro. Never in a million years had I imagined that I would be spending the rest of my life with you, and to be honest, I'm pretty sure you had thought the same thing." You began, a light giggle coming from your throat. The Phantom Thieves, Sae and Sojiro also laughed, knowing what you meant by that. He had quite the troublesome past with the thieves after all. "Despite our differences in the past, I can't imagine being with anyone else. I vow to you that I'll work tirelessly to show you my love, to always be there for you, and to give you the home and family that you deserve." If he hadn't been so entranced by the way you looked while reading your vows to him, your words would've had him sobbing. "I love you Goro," He froze when your voice cracked, "I'm so happy that you're home." He knew what you meant by that. He remembered how devastated you looked when he told you that he might not have survived during Shido's palace, but he wouldn't dwell on the memory, he was with you now, right?

It was his turn. Shakily, he pulled out a card with his vows on it from his tux pocket. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he began. "Y/N, my love. I truly didn't believe that I would live long enough to find love like this. And you're right, never had I imagined that I would be marrying you of all people." He watched as you lifted a hand to your mouth and laughed, your eyes lit up as you did so, the other thieves snickering along with you. He was glad that you could all laugh about the past like this. It lifted a guilty weight off of his shoulders. "And yet, here I am, unable to picture this day any other way. These past few years, you've shown me a love that I've never known. Today, I vow to you that I'll spend the rest of my days finding ways to bring happiness to you, like you've brought to me. I vow that I'll protect you and cherish you with my entire being." He looked up momentarily, amazed by the fact that a single tear was making its way down your cheek. "I love you Y/N. It's good to be home." He watched as you nearly broke down at his last sentence. You took a moment to close your eyes and take a deep breath.

The officiant started talking about your rings, but once again, Goro was too busy staring at you to listen. The sound of you squealing is what brought him back to reality. He watched as Morgana trotted down the aisle, carefully balancing a pillow on his head and carrying the rings to you both. You had a look of pure delight on your face, apparently, Akira had told you that Morgana wouldn't be able to make it because cats weren't allowed or something, but of course, your kitty friend wouldn't miss this day for the world.

Everyone in the audience cooed at the cat as he sat in front of you both with a smug grin on his face. You both reached down for the rings, your hand lingered for a moment to scratch the black cat on the head.

Goro melted into your touch when you took his hand so you could put the ring on his finger, it was a simple silver band with both of your initials engraved on the inside. Next, Goro delicately took your hand in his and slid the crown shaped wedding ring onto your left ring finger. He was the ace detective prince after all, marrying him made you his queen, right?

The officiant spoke a bit more before saying the words Goro had been waiting to hear all day. "I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride."

Goro gently lifted the veil from your face, but before he could lean in, you had pushed yourself onto the tips of your toes and pressed your lips to his, your arms making their way around his neck. You had been waiting just as long for this moment as he had. He quickly slipped his arms around your waist and pulled you close to him, reveling in the feeling of your lips.

Cheers erupted from the small crowd as you two pulled away. "I love you Goro Akechi." You whispered, only loud enough for him to hear. "I love you too, Y/N Akechi." His response was just as quiet as yours. Saying your first name with his last name did funny things to his heart. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to it, not that he minded. It would be a reminder that someone out there truly did love him.

The rest of the night was a blur for Goro. His most prominent memories of the night were of Sojiro sobbing when he danced with you, Morgana and Futaba arguing over who got to dance with you next, Ann screaming when she caught the bouquet of flowers you had thrown, and the way you looked, swaying slowly in his arms to a song he didn't know the lyrics to, but you knew every word. He wasn't even sure if he got to eat a slice of the expensive wedding cake that he had paid for.

By the time you both made it to the bridal suite, you were exhausted. Goro was barely able to get your wedding dress off of you before you passed out on the bed. He did his best to carefully remove your makeup so you wouldn't have to worry about it in the morning. He couldn't help but stare at you for a bit as you laid beside him, the light from the moon making your skin glow. His mind was ready to burst from how many mental photos he had taken throughout the day.

Gently, as to not disturb you, he wrapped you in his arms and drifted to sleep while going over the memories he had of this day.

-

5 years.

You and Goro have been married for 5 years now. Goro couldn't deny that he was happy to wake up next to you every day.

However, today was different. He knew that you had planned to meet up with the girls for an early breakfast, but you didn't wake him up to say goodbye. Usually, on the rare occasions that you would have to leave your shared house before he woke up, you'd wake him up and give him a kiss goodbye.

He had noticed that you had been a bit distant lately, and he couldn't help but worry. Were you falling out of love with him? Were you cheating on him? Was it something worse? His mind filled with all sorts of negative questions and concerns in an attempt to figure out why you were acting the way you were.

Goro waited for you on the couch in your home, planning on confronting you about your strange behavior when you got back. In the 8 years that you've been together, you've never once done something like this, so he was incredibly scared.

The familiar jingle of keys and turning of the lock on the front door signaled your safe arrival home. He watched you freeze for a moment when you made eye contact with him, uncertainty and nervousness clouding your once bright eyes. Goro raised an eyebrow, despite the fear that coursed through his veins.

You took a deep breath before approaching him silently, once in front of him, you dug around in your purse for a moment, before handing him a small white box with a red ribbon tied around it. He stared at the box, shocked as you took a seat beside him. Goro could feel you staring at him, burning a hole into the side of his head. A... gift? This wasn't what he was expecting at all.

"Well?" Your voice sounded so small. Were you afraid of something? He took a moment to look at you before untying the ribbon and opening the box, inside sat three pregnancy tests. Each one testing positive. It took a moment for his brain to process this information. You were pregnant, with his child. That's why you had been so distant. The two of you almost never talked about kids. Due to his traumatic past, Goro believed that he would never be a good father, even with all of the therapy and support from you, he could never see himself being one.

"You're pregnant." He breathed, still staring at the pregnancy tests. "Yeah." You sounded so tired, sad even. Despite his original negative stance on becoming a father, he couldn't help but feel joy. He was going to be the father of your child. He was being given the chance to start a family of his own.

Slowly, he turned towards you, staring down at your stomach. You weren't really showing yet. "Well?" You repeated. Your voice shook, on the verge of tears. Goro didn't respond with words, he just leaned forwards and pushed you into the couch, his arms wrapped around your back and his face pressed into your stomach. He couldn't stop the sob that escaped his lips. He never could've imagined this. Despite his initial fears, he would do his best to be the greatest father that he could be.

Your body shook as you began sobbing as well, one hand gripping the back of his head and the other resting against his back, holding him as he cried.

"I'm going to be a dad?" He cried into your stomach, needing to confirm that this was real. "You're going to be a dad, and an amazing one at that." Your response was so genuine, it made it impossible for him to believe otherwise.

His wish of being loved, of being needed, had really come true.

[hello-yue-here]

hii, i just wanted to say i love your headcanon of tenor zuko, it works so well! 💞💞

i was wondering whether you also had an idea of which other members of atla would sing and how they would?

thanks so much, liv! 💞💞

OH U BET UR SWEET ASS I DO

aaaaAAAAHHH theatre kid mode: activate

aang: ummm the best singer EVER like bro is an airbender: hes got FANTASTIC breathe support. his directors always wanna cast him as the lead because hes also a triple threat (remember his dancing w katara??? remember how well he played pippinpaddleopsicopolis (i def spelled that wrong oops) manz can sing dance and act hes a star) BUT he always auditions for the comedic side kid characters because those are the ones he wants and no one else is funny enough to play them. it works out well since they have tenor king zuko to be the male lead.

katara: strongest belt you have ever heard in your LIFE. can riff like no other. but the thing is shes an alto so she never gets the parts she deserves because in my experience directors always favor the sopranos. however she is the BEST dancer no matter what cast she is in so she always gets these BEAUTIFUL solo dances and people flip out over them.

sokka: he thinks hes a tenor so he always tries to sing the high stuff (and he can! he does have the range and can hit the notes but he doesnt realize its straining his voice a little bit) so when he gets casted in a baritone role and fucking KILLS IT everyones like holy shit hes amazing. like katara hes got a pretty powerful belt but again if he tries to go too high hes gonna strain his voice. despite not being able to belt too too too high like tenor king zuko, his mix voice is very good and his falsetto is fucking amazing (jersey boys sokka from my yuekka senario last week anyone?)

toph: see you THINK shed be an alto but NOPE. she is a classically trained soprano because of her parents and her classical voice is fucking beautiful. never a dry eye when this girl sings. coukd easily be christine in phantom if she wanted. despite this due to her short height and small frame she is always cast as the little boy characters that are too big of roles to cast random little kids and too high for the other men. example: she was james in james and the giant peach and she was FANTASTIC.

zuko: tenor king.

suki: OUR LEADING LADY. started out as a mezzo soprano w a strong belt and evolved into a true soprano who can actually sing on pitch (no offense to my soprano friends out there. its just. in my hs. EVERY girl thoight they were a soprano. in reality we had two true sopranos. out of like 40 girls who thought they were sopranos. it was a nightmare.) zuko and suki are almost always paired up for the romantic leads in the shows and become besties because of it. very very good dancer as well. back to her voice. im thinking veryyyyy eva noblezada mixed with laura osnes.

azula: soprano queen azula for the same reasons zuko is a tenor king. however: due to the fact that she cannot act or dance for SHIT takes away from her singing talents. its okay tho! she still gets every female lead because no one else can sing like her. the director just makes sure to have everyone dance around her in big numbers and chooses shows where the acting isnt too hard. her school and zukos school are rivals and during hs musical award season it gets HEATED.

mai: alto queen. alto queen. alto queen. who is always playing the female villains and loving every minute of it? mai. her voice is low and haunting and very beautiful to listen to. it gives you shivers and goosebumps because how can her range go that low??? alto queen what more can i say. her raspiness is just *chefs kiss* the cherry on top.

ty lee: dancer first. girl cannot sing for her LIFE. literally so bad she cannot carry a tune at all. but her dancing and actor save her so she always gets the funny girl roles that dont require much ir any singing at all. she always tries her best tho! and by senior year of high school her voice is actually barely tolerable instead of downright painful to listen to. her dancing is on par with kataras and they always make ty lee do the show stopping acrobating tricks even if the show doesnt have that kind of vibe. shes just so energetic onstage that people go crazy for her tricks.

yue: soprano legend. her voice is literally a disney princess voice. she would get all the female leads but she gets stage fright and prefers being in the ensambke anyways. but seriously if you listen to this girls soft voice you will get tears. think denee benton and sierra boggess.

jet: TENOR PRINCE. always either zukos understudy or his best friend character. there have been multiple times when jet suited a role better than zuko wcting and dancing wise but they still have them to zuko because yk. tenor king zuko. favorite role by far was when he was judas in jesus christ superstar and zuko was jesus (jet stole the show in this one which is why its his favorite. he managed to steal the show even when zuko sang gethsemane. the ONLY reason im choosing this show for this hc is because tenor king zuko would fuckin KILL gethsemane and jet has major judas vibes. also judas is hot in this show WHOOPS)

thank you so much for this ask jingyi i had so much fun making this (it took me 25 minutes WHAT THE FUCK time cannot be real) i miss being in musicals i cant wait to do another one

🥰🥰🥰

[unmaskedagain]

Marinette Vs Santa: The Rematch

Seven people requested a continuation of the Part 1 and I just gave in. I hope you like. I’m not big on writing sequels. So please let me know if its good.

When the news broke that billionaire Bruce Wayne’s daughter Marinette was dating the Roy, the son of billionaire Oliver Queen, it was like the world paused.

It was bigger than Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Bigger than the royal wedding; both of them.

Bigger than the twilight love affair.

The Angel Marinette, the newfound princess of Gotham, dating the wayward Bad boy Roy, the prince of Star City.

Roy was handsome, really smart, funny, had a kickass attitude, played guitar and soccer, and loved animals; at least that’s what Jason told her Because Marinette had never met the guy.

People were betting on when they’d get married, have kids, what they’d name them…

And Marinette doesn’t even know the guy. I never had a single conversation with him.

Now Jason wanted her to… What?

“Come on!” Jason begged. “Just let him take you to the ball.”

           Marinette sat at her desk, with arms cross, glaring furiously at her brother, as she contemplated murder. “No.”

           Jason tossed his hands up in the air, “He’s really great. You’d like him.”

“I don’t care if reveals he’s actually Tom Holland ala Hannah Montana style,” Marinette growled. “No.”

“He’s in a bind,” Jason pleaded with his sister, giving her the biggest puppy dog eyes, he could muster. “His dad’s been giving him a lot of grief lately about him going to college and taking over the company one day and the bad press he’s been getting. Once Roy said he was taking Wayne’s princess to the ball, it stopped.”

“Why did he even say it?” Marinette yelled.

“He’s a moron!” Jason yelled back. “But he’s my best friend. He’s rich. He’s handsome. He comes from a great family. He’s strong. Gotta nice bad boy thing going on. A motorcycle. Sorta mysterious. How could you not want to date him?”

Marinette chuckled, “Maybe because I’m starting to think you might be.” She eyed him. “If this you two using me as a beard or whatever, cool. But Bruce Wayne and Oliver queen both been seen with Male lovers, I don’t think they’d mind…”

Jason glared at her, “I’m not dating Roy. Redheaded dudes are a little creepy.”

“Are they now?” Yeah, Marinette thought, really selling.

           Jason pinched his nose, “Didn’t you ever wanna be Cinderella? Go to the ball with the Prince? Roy is that prince. The only one above him would be an actual prince. I thought all little girls did? Can you do it, please? For me?”

           That’s when Marinette remembered the first time she saw Disney’s Cinderella. She had been six. It was Christmas. She had fallen instantly in love with the movie, the dress, the songs, the prince so much so that she talked about being Cinderella to her parents. Her dad just laughed and told her to write Santa. Ask him to make you Cinderella.

           And so six-year-old Marinette did.

           And now nearly ten years later, staring at her brother, she now knew… Santa had a hit list. It was the only explanation. Santa was gunning for her. Seeing what it took to break her. Finally, get her on the naughty list. Be careful what you wish for after all.

“I want to meet him,” Marinette said slowly with a defeated sigh.

“Yes!” Jason cheered. “I know the Cinderella thing would work.”

           Marinette glared, “You know I know at actual prince right? Prince Ali.”

“No! Wait! We can talk about this!”

“Kidding.”

“Thank god,” Jason sighed in relief. “Oh, you can’t tell Bruce its fake.”

           Marinette closed her, counted to ten, and stopped herself from screaming the only thing on her mind: FUCK SANTA.

           The Tsurugi house had been tense since Kagami returned from school. Her grandparents had expressed their approval of her befriend Wayne’s youngest daughter. Kagami’s mother had been pleased that they would be receiving an invitation to the Wayne New Year’s ball.

           They had been waiting all day for the invite to come. Both mother and daughter anxiously doing all they could to avoid waiting by the door.

           When the doorbell rang, Kagami had to force herself not to run for it.

Discipline, she thought, control.

           Her mother’s assistant announced, “Miss Wayne is here, Lady Kagami.”

           Yes, she was. Marinette Dupain-Cheng-Wayne curtsied gracefully, “Mrs. Tsurugi. Kagami. I hope you are well this evening.”

           Light, polite, took place after that. Her mother almost smiled in approval at Marinette.

           When Marinette finally handed the invitation over, “I do hope you can attend,” She said. “I apologize for the short notice.”

           Mrs. Tsurugi bowed. “It would be an honor to attend.”

“We look forward to it,” Kagami added.

“I… admit I have always wanted to go the Wayne’s Ball,” The older woman admitted the barest hint of a smile on her face. “One thing off my Christmas list, I suppose.”

           At this, Marinette beamed, a vindictive pleasure coursed through. Yes, she wanted to his, Kiss my ass, Santa.

           Going to Chloe’s was… interesting for Marinette. She hadn’ t even had the chance to knock on the penthouse door before Chloe had ripped it opened.

“Mama,” She called. “Marinette’s here.”

           That was all the signal needed, for Audrey Bourguis to throw opened both doors of her office, “Ahh Marinette. How lovely to see you, darling.”

           If Marinette had been a little meaner, she would have admitted that the scene was felt oddly similar to what it was like to see the stepsisters in Cinderella get the invitations to the ball. Chloe had been her bully, and she hadn’t changed all that much.

“Thank you for having me,” Marinette said easily. She presented the invitation. “I hope you can go,” She told Chloe and her mother honestly. “I could use more friends there.”

           Chloe’s eyes softened despite the look of the annoyance on her face, “Of course we’re going.”

“Agreed,” Audrey said. “Everyone who is anyone is going. And we are most definitely anyone. The question is what are we wearing? Classic ball gown. Or a modern princess. What are you wearing? Everyone wants to know.”

“Roy Queen on her arm,” Chloe giggled.

           Audrey smiled, her first real smile of the day, “Now that is quite the handsome accessory, bravo.”

           They discussed fashion choices and who is supposed to be wearing who. All while Marinette dodged every attempt from Audrey to design her dress for the ball. And the older woman had been determined.

           It was a harrowing experience. If Chloe hadn’t been her new best friend, Marinette would’ve given in to the desire to rip back the invite and tear it shreds.

           As she was living, Audrey said, “I was always dreamed about it; the Wayne New Years’ ball,” It was said with a lovingness and dreamy voice that neither Chloe or Marinette had ever heard her use before. “When I was a little girl, I would watch every year and just dream about it. I envied and critiqued over dresses. When I was really little, I used to ask Santa to go every year. I’d even design my own dress; every year. Its why I got into fashion. I was a little girl who dreamed about her own ball gown.”

Marinette would leave the penthouse, walk outside where her driver waited, and before she got into the car, she stared at the Christmas decorations. At the robotic Santa waving, and whisper lowly, “We’ll call this a tie.”

But the fight wasn’t over.

           Luka had no idea what to do with the invitation. Neither did his mother. Sure, they had heard about the Wayne ball but Juleka had Rose whispering in her ear so she made sure that her brother accepted.

“This is a favor to me,” Marinette pleaded. “Father will pay for the trip, for the expenses. Luka is my friend, and I would like him there. With you all of course.”

           Juleka begged her mother, “Please! Rose said this a once in a lifetime experience.”

           Luka eyed his sister but shrugged, “I’m in. What are friends for? He is your brother Tim single?”

What did you just say to me, punk? Marinette nearly snapped. She knew, of course, that Luka always had a celebrity crush on Tim Drake-Wayne. He even put jokingly put a kiss under the mistletoe with Tim Drake on his shopping list. But it was different now that Tim was her brother. Marinette needed her friends on her side; her family was insane. And she swore if Luka spent the entire Ball mooning over Tim, she was going to fly to the North Pole and shove her foot right up Santa’s…

“I won’t know anyone,” Anarka finally said interrupting Marinette’s thought. “It’ll be all boring people listening to classical music.”

“Oh!” Marinette straightened up. “Jagged Stone will be there,” She said brightly.

           The glare she got from Luka’s mother could’ve been weaponized.

           Marinette left their house feeling a bit shook.

“Ho! Ho! Ho!” She heard and saw Santa impersonator walking on the street.

           Marinette’s eyes narrowed. A less person would’ve just taken him out, she knew. But Paparazzi was everywhere, and for once that was the only thing stopping her. Not being nice or polite.

No, Marinette raged inwardly, that time was over.

           Instead, she shot him a glare, “Score one for you.”

           The next day at school was even worse than the day before… Paparazzi wise.

“Marinette! Marinetti,” A lady from seventeen magazines yelled. “What was your first date like with Roy? Was it Romanic? Did you kiss him? Is he a good kisser?”

           Marinette ignored them all as her father walked her into school again; this time with Tim and Cassandra.

“Bruce! What do you think of your daughter dating someone two years older than her?” Bruce stiffened.

“How long have you been dating the Queen heir?”

“Have you had sex yet?”

“What is he wearing the ball?”

           The questions went on and on.

           Marinette got to class and all but collapsed in her seat with a huff. This was too much. Her papa had assured her it would calm down soon.

“It will get better,” Kagami assured.

           Chloe patted her back comfortingly, “Paparazzi are so invasive.”

           Alix snorted, “What do you know about it.”

“Her mother is Style Queen,” Marinette answered before Chloe could. “One of the leading faces in fashion today; she can make or break a designer; start trends and end them. Everyone knows her name. Her face. She is the Devil’s Wears Prada: Miranda Presley of our world. Chloe was born with paparazzi wanting to know if her diaper was designer.”

           Her classmates were shocked at her defense of the blonde.

“And for the record,” Chloe said sounding pleased. “They were.”

“What’s it like dating Roy Queen,” Rose asked excitedly, ignoring the tenseness of the room like she was always doing. “He’s so dreamy. Did you know I have him on my bedroom wall?”

           Yes, Marinette did know. She helped decorate.

“Like a dream come true,” Marinette said with a forced smile.

Because like the most dreams, some crazy person made it up, She thought. Jason. Jason made it up.

“Do you think you’ll get married,” Mylene asked giving heart eyes to Ivan who blushed.

           Marinette was about to answer when she noticed Alya’s phone was out, and she looked way to interested what Marinette was saying.

“I didn’t give permission for an interview,” She said. “Or for permission to have my conversation recorded as is required by law.”

“You never minded before,” Alya pointed out. “This could be huge for my blog.”

           Marinette rolled her eyes, “No one knew I was a Wayne before. I have to be careful now.”

“Someone who knows you should give an inside scoop,” The glasses-wearing girl said. “Let people know what you’re really like, what you’re really thinking. We can do an interview right now!”

“Class is about to start,” Chloe sneered.

           Kagami glared, “Delete it or hear from our lawyers.”

           Adrien stood up, “Don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh.” Some of the other students nodded. “She doesn’t mean it harm.”

“I don’t care what she meant,” Marinette snapped. “I will not have private conversations on display for the world to hear. It's an invasion.” She told him and looked back at her once best friend. “Delete the recording from your phone.”

           Alya crossed her arms, a petulant look appeared on her face, “I already posted it on my blog,” She said smugly. “Too late now.”

“Delete it,” Kagami and Chloe chimed together.

           Alya stood her ground and sent them a look similar to what Rena Rouge sent Akumas, “No! It’s my private property,” She snapped, and she sent a smirk at Marinette. “You can’t make me.”

“Are you sure about that?” Marinette asked. “It’s your last chance.”

“This is my blog,” Alya said.

“Then prepare to see it burn.”

           All Marinette wanted for Christmas last year was for Chat Noir to leave her alone and for Alya to wake up, stop listening to Lila and reporting false news about Ladybug.

           Before the bell rang for lunch, Alya’s screech could be heard for miles. The Ladyblog was gone. Her mom had deleted it. Well not deleted the website but deleted everything on it. It had been an accident. Alya’s mom had been desperate to delete the interview of Marinette as quickly as possible. After realized what she had done, she quickly went to school to talk with her daughter.

“Why?” Alya had demanded in tears.

“Why?” Her mother shouted back. “Do you even know what you’ve done? What could happen to you? To your family?”

Her parents were furious. They had gotten a cease and desist Bruce Wayne’s lawyers, a notice that the Ladyblog was being sued for invasion privacy. Officer Raincomprix had shown up to let the know Alya was being hit with criminal charges; it was illegal to record a private conversation without permission for public use; even more so if it involved a minor.

Four hours. It took four hours for the Ladyblog to go up in flames.

The akuma had not been pleasant to deal with. But surprisingly, it wasn’t Alya. It was her mother; scared to death that her daughter had pissed off one of the richest family’s in the world and might have destroyed her own.

           Alya left school early that day, and wouldn’t come back for the rest of the week.

           Marinette counted that a win in the “Fuck Santa” Category. She could get her own freaking Christmas presents.

           Marinette had been sitting with Kagami and Chloe, enjoying lunch in the cafeteria when suddenly all the noise stopped. A needle dropping would be heard.

“Babe,” A voice shouted.

           Every hair on Marinette’ s body froze. What were the chances that an overly loud voice that sounded so familiar, so like how Roy Queen sounded in every video she ever saw of him, wasn’t actually Roy Queen?

No. It couldn’t be, she thought, Not even Santa’s that cruel.

           She glanced behind her and tried not to groan. It was Roy Queen alright. Red hair, handsome face, smug ‘kick me in the teeth’ smile. He was gorgeous. The exact type she’d been into. He had a bouquet of red roses and what looked to be expensive chocolates.

           That was when suddenly she remembered how much she wished for the same scenario. For her boyfriend, imaginary at the time, to surprise during school just because. When she was eleven, it was a Christmas wish on a star. (all her friends had boyfriends at the time; even if they only last two weeks at most.)

Another point for Jolly Saint Nick, she thought glumly.

           An arm went around her shoulder, “Miss Me,” Roy smirked as he pulled her into a hug.

           Marinette hugged him back tightly, a pleasant grin on her face, masking her true feelings, “I’m going to kill you,” She whispered. She kissed him softly on the cheek. “And I’m not even going to make it look like an accident.”

           She wasn’t entirely sure if she was talking to him or Santa Clause; maybe both.

           The smile was on Roy’s face as he pulled away, “You are definitely Jason’s sister.” He looked her up and down. “So… want to ditch school?”

           Marinette sighed, “Fuck Santa.”

           She didn’t care who heard now.

           Marinette did not skip school. Roy did pick her up from school, on a motorcycle. The pictures were being recycled on the news.

           All three of her parents were furious. Marinette had barely managed to get out of being grounded.

Santa would not beat her. She would not end up on the fat guy’s naughty list. Unless the reason was that she was standing over his cold, dead corpse.

“Okay,” Marinette said as she paced her bedroom. “I’m losing it.”

“You’re fine,” Tikki promised. “This time year gets to everyone. It will get better.”

“He’s persecuting me,” The bluenette.

           Tikki sighed at her chosen’s antics, “Santa is not after you.”

           Suddenly, there was a loud crash. Her bedroom door swung open, Tim rushed in looking a mess and beyond frazzled, “Tell me you can sing?” He shouted. “Doesn’t matter. I told everyone that you’re singing at the ball. It’s gonna be great.” And then he ran from the room.

           It went silent.

“Coward!” She yelled after him        

Marinette recalled her desire, her wish to finally overcome her shyness, her stage fright. She recalled the time fainted during a choir rehearsal for the Christmas pageant. She had been eight-years-old and vowed to never sing publicly.

“…Maybe Santa is out to get you,” Tikki said bluntly who knew all about Marinette’s fear of singing.

           Tim suddenly ran back in the room, “You’re having dinner with Roy and his parents tomorrow.” He said. “And Dad wants you to meet the Justice League. Have fun.” And he was gone.

“Fuck. Santa!” She screamed.

[angelicmichael]

Since you are an angst queen I know you’d make magic out of anything on the list, but how about number 9 with Michael?

A/N: First of all that’s a huge compliment thank you 😭🥺 I hope you like this!! I’m sorry it’s so long for a blurb lol. if u want a song that describes this fic PERFECTLY then listen to flesh without blood by grimes!! Like, I didn’t even mean too but the song matches this fic so perfectly. Anyway enjoy ♥️ Reblogs and likes are greatly appreciated :)

Warnings: breaking up, MAJOR character(s) death - the death isn’t really described but it’s suggested at the end of the fic, Reader burns herself so I guess burning? Lol, it’s not really suicide but Reader knows about her death and accepts it so it could be considered as such? Idk.

You never thought it would come to this.

Even from the beginning you knew he was trouble. He was too beautiful; to perfect.. He had to be corrupt in some way. And he sure was.

However nothing could prepare you to handle the fact that he was the antichrist, satans son. At first you laughed it off and thought he was trying to be funny but it was clear to you it wasn’t a joke when he told you about the bombs.

As fucked up as it sounds, you were okay with it. As long as you were by his side, you would be okay. However; as the date of the nuclear attack grew closer and closer, you started to second thoughts. You had second thoughts about everything but mostly about dating Michael.

He was starting to draw away from you, which was understandable since he was getting so busy. However in the moments when he happened to be free and tried to reach out to you, you found yourself withdrawing from him as well.

Knowing what destruction he was capable of, and what he was planning on doing made you start to withdraw from him.

What the fuck were you even thinking with dating this guy in the first place? How could there ever be a happy ending with the antichrist?

Long story short you now were in a fucking predicament, to say the least.

The bombs went off tommorow. you knew that. Michael knew that, and so did the cooperative. That was everyone who knew and who was okay with the world fucking ending. You couldn’t fucking handle it anymore.

You were tired of feeling like the responsibility of the world was in your hands, and you were tired of tolerating Michaels shit.

You loved him, and him alone. As much as it hurt to admit it, the thing that turned you off so much about Michael was all the fucking baggage he carried. You wanted him, not the cooperative, not his fucking magic powers, not his fucked up family, and espically not his fucking urge to destroy everything he touched. You knew all of that wasn’t truly him, it wasn’t his spirit.

It was the satanists and Satan himself that made Michael so fucking sadistic. And you hated it. You started to hate him for letting this happen, for allowing himself to surrender to such darkness.

You and Michael were due to leave at the crack of dawn to go to the sanctuary, before the bombs hit but you had different ideas. You were leaving tonight. As soon as you finished writing him this damn letter.

It was nighttime and you were alone in you and Michaels shared home. Or.. really just Michaels home now. You knew you had to write this letter soon before he came back, you had already packed everything and you had a hotel set up - waiting for you. You already had all of your belongings in boxes and ready to go by the front door, but right now you were still fucking stumped.

You sat at Michaels desk that he used for work; with a peice of blank paper in front of you with a pen in your hand.

You twiddled the pen nervously; trying to think of what you even wanted to say to him.

You kept the light dim, just enough so that you could see what you wanted to write. Having the light on brightly seemed to just make you sweat and make you even more nervous for some odd reason.

You finally bit the bullet and decided to just fucking do it, you started writing.

‘Dearest Michael,

I hope this letter finds you well. I know you hate unpredictability but I had to do this, this way. I know that if I looked you in the eyes and told you that I had to leave you - that I wouldn’t be able to take it so.. I’m sorry Michael. I’m so fucking sorry. It’s not that I don’t love you, because I do. I love you so fucking much. Too much to see you live the rest of your life like this, controlled by the Cooperative and being manipulated like that. I mean, think about it Michael. REALLY think. Do you really want to live the rest of your life having to manage of all them? Having to be dictated by fucking Satan for ‘probably’ eternity? I don’t want a future like that Michael. I would rather be taken out tommorow quickly by the bombs than live the rest of my life in a fucking wasteland. Understand that I love you but not the situation. I packed everything and I’m leaving tonight; please don’t try to find me. I just want to spend the little remaining hours I have alone please. I know how excited you were for tommorow and I’m sorry that you’ll have to celebrate alone -“.

You stopped writing for a second. You really were a fucking idiot, weren’t you? How god damn naive have you been? Michaels been spending more time at the fucking cooperative than he had at home, of course he wasn’t alone. That made no sense.

You wouldn’t be surprised if he was fucking some random cooperative member; Michael was gorgeous - everyone wanted him. You shook your head, I mean there was no point to not call him out on it. You could basically say whatever you wanted now - you were going to die tommorow anyways. You focused back on the paper in front of you and continued writing.

‘but im sure you’ll just find some bitch to fuck and celebrate that way, won’t you?

Yours truly,

(Y/n)’.

You put the pen back where you had previously found it and took the letter in your hands. You reread your mini speech and you felt odd.

You didn’t feel quite sad, but you weren’t happy either. You supposed you were kind of relieved. Relieved to finally have told Michael what you always wanted too. Relieved you didn’t have to date some sadistic, cruel man forever.

You turned the corner in the house and opened the door that lead to the bedroom. You had made the bed and you put the letter in the middle right below the pillows, no way he could fucking miss it.

You let out a dry laugh - not because anything was funny but out of disbelief. You were actually doing it. You were really leaving Michael.

You turned on your heel and with a snap of your fingers the lights turned off. It was now time to get the fuck out of here.

——————————

It was a beautiful day. The sun shone brightly onto you as you basked in it. It was early morning, the next day and you sat in a metal chair outside of a cafe with a coffee in front of you.

Today was the day.

You didn’t know the exact time the bombs were due to go off but you knew it was sometime before noon, and it was nearing 8 am.

You expected to get hundred of phone calls last night or to even have Michael show up at your hotel but none of that happened.. And you would be lying if you said that didn’t disappoint you a little. You did miss him.

You took a sip of coffee, savoring the taste before swallowing it. You picked up the cup - getting ready to raise it to your lips when you heard the other metal chair that was across the table from you being pulled back. The sound of metal across the concrete was like nails on chalkboard - you jumped and a good portion of your hot coffee slid down your shirt.

You bolted out of the chair - trying to go to the bathroom so you could dry yourself off but instead you felt a firm hand grab your wrist.

“Wait”. The tone of the voice you heard was soft yet demanding; so you listened. Also the voice was way too fucking familiar, you knew it belonged to a male due to the deep tone of it. With a quick look, it confirmed your suspicions. It was fucking Michael.

You stood there shaking, your chest was on fucking fire - stinging. Tears brimmed your eyes as you tried to get your wrist back but Michael held onto it even tighter.

“Michael! I need to go-“ You quickly pleaded.

“No, you don’t”. Michael snarled. You looked into his eyes you noticed how he had tears in his eyes, too. You stood there for a moment, in pain and being insanely uncomfterable in the hot sun that seemed to amplify the pain of your new burn. It was almost as if he enjoyed your suffering, like some kind of subtle revenge for you leaving him last night.

After getting a couple of weird looks, Michael sheepishly let your wrist go and allowed you to move just enough so you could sit across from him at the table.

You sniffled and brushed the tears off of your cheeks with the back of your hand.

“I told you not to find me, Michael”. You said in a deeper tone than of which you normally spoke in. It was because of how emotional you were starting to become, did he really come back for you?

“(Y/n), what’s gotten into you? Do you think I chose you over the Cooperative or something”? Michael spoke, gently shaking his head as he did so.

You were on the edge of your seat (literally) as you quickly replied, speaking so fast you barely even comprehended or really thought about what you were saying.

“You did Michael! These past couple of weeks I’ve barely been able to see you. You won’t talk to me, we don’t communicate anymore”.

You said, screaming. Any care you had of anyone around you hearing you scream at Michael seemed to become nonexistent. Tears fully streamed down your face now - a mix of anger and sadness. Your fingers gripped the table, turning white. You didn’t even flinch when Michael slammed a peice of paper onto the table.

“Is this what you think of me? Is this how low you think of me now? I’ve been beyond busy making plans not just for me but for us, to wipe out the human race and create a clean slate where we can create any kind of world we wish. But.. Instead.. you think I’m out fucking other girls”? Michael spoke harshly, continuing to stare into your eyes.

You sniffled, and tried to pull yourself together before you spoke again and gave a weak smile. You knew your accusation of him cheating was hollow, there really was no proof of him doing so. It was just a product of you being stressed and paranoid. The smile you gave him wasn’t really whole hearted, admittedly but you were done screaming and fighting.

The most important thing was that you had him back, and that the bombs were still due to go off most likely.

“I’m so sorry I said that Michael. I was just emotional. I didn’t mean that, I promise.. but.. today’s.. the day-“

You spoke slowly, not wanting to admit what today’s big event actually was but Michael cut you off anyway.

“You really think I wouldn’t cancel today’s event, Angel? I managed to postpone it. The cooperative wasn’t happy but I needed to see you. This whole thing isn’t worth it if your not by my side”.

You furrowed your eyebrows together, did Michael not get the point of your letter? You didn’t leave just for him to continue on with his plans. The idea was sweet but you didn’t exactly understand his motive and that made you uncomfterable.

You shifted and opened your mouth to speak when your eardrums nearly shattered with the loud noise that seemed to suddenly fill the air. It was fucking sirens. What the fuck??

You didn’t know what to do. You felt adrenaline start to course through your veins and you could only scream,

“What the fuck Michael”?!

You don’t know what scared you more, the sirens or the look on Michaels face. He looked horrified. He leaped out of the metal chair so swiftly you barely even saw him get up, his mouth was open - like he wanted to say something.

You stood up too, nearly shouting at him so that he could hear you through the sirens.

“Michael? ...

Michael?! ..

MICHAEL”!

Finally he seemed to snap out of it and realize you were still there, in front of him. You could see he was breathing hard, he was starting to panic. He came up to you and quickly embraced you.. it was as if he could almost smell your fear.

“Look, there’s nothing to worry about. It was probably just a miscommunication error, I just need to call-“

Michaels voice stayed smooth and steady as he talked but you knew him. You knew by the look in his eyes, the way he was holding onto you (he rarely EVER got clingy) that he was scared as hell.

You also knew you two didn’t have a lot of time. You knew how the nuclear attack was designed that after the alarms went off there would only be a couple minutes before the actual bombs released. You cut him off and started talking.

“-No, Michael. We don’t have time”. You said, your voice cracking. Another tear slid down your cheek as you kissed Michael with more passion than you probably ever had in your history of dating men.

You felt as if your body was on fire with the knowledge of what your future held, as you heard screams and chaos from every angle around you two.

You couldn’t help but selfishly think that atleast you had Michael and that you wouldn’t be alone now.

Taglist: @mina672 @9layerdevilsfoodcake @michaellangdonstanaccount @guiltyfiend @jimmason @langdonsexual

[hag-rambling-on]

Rewinxing Timeline Pre-Series

Keep in mind that between events and events can pass centuries. The average experience of a person is 10,000 years. and if you have magic and you know how to use it... Because I love Belgariad Chronicles so magic MAY makes you inmortal because yes.

WARNING: LONG. AND SURE I'M MISSING SOMETHING. OR CROSS SOMETHING. AGGG. MY HEAD.

And yes, in my rewinxing there is racism, selfishness, "human" idiocy and other nonsense. Why do The Ancestresses ALWAYS fight together?

PROTOHISTORY

Ethereals Fight - Big Bang

They actually do it two more times -Nobody says the must be AllIntelligents. So, Out Life, Big Bang Again.

They decide that they better stop and see what could happen to the result of their first and third fights: "life" they decide to call it, it would be interesting if it were allowed to develop.

Planets are formed, they become habitable.

The first intelligent creatures are born (Clariel -female human races, Carabossa -male elven races, Kristjana -female mermaid/triton races, Oros - male centaurs races, Ninfea -female pixies, Laufey -female gigant races, Danu- hermaphrodite selkies). They all talk funny. They all are old as dust.

TIME OF LEGENDS  - ANCIENT TIMES

Skips and happens a millennium or two of advance in all systems and their planets.

Magic flourishes. But technology also, the native giants of Xenia are particularly advanced in it.

Darkar, previously knows as Lord Argulus of Larisa, Fae of Birds (one now uninhabitable planet from Hercules, aka Domino system) borns.

All the Mythix members are born already.

Solarian witch Selemisa meets Lumeria and Lumen race (also, first Cosmix user).

Acheron, Wizard of Memories begin to writes the Legendarium.

The days of the groundhog begin.

The Ancestral Witches have born.

Mythix comes together and decides to confront Acheron and his allies.

The Legendarium is closed and the Mythix Ones get separated because people are scared of their association.

THE WAR - THE DARK AGE

Sparks (First Queen of the planet that would become Domino) has born.

Carabossa Acrypta, as soft as dangerous his thorns; finds, keeps safe and educates said the ancestral witches maybe too early in their magic.  

The InterRealm Wars starts. Nobody remembers anymore why - which is SHAMEFUL - because wars are stupid. Some energetic or magical resource. It will last for centuries.

Darkar gets both Morix and Shadow Phoenix Blessing.

Many of the planets and kingdoms reflected in the Legendarium no longer exist, Many histories and cultures that will be forgotten. Solaria, Andros and Romulea, among others, can boast they are ancient and have stood on their feet. But even they don't remember everything.

Many other planets, like Domino, Titania and Zenith, have flourished from the remains of previous ones.

The three witches begin to go “a little” crazy - Only Carabossa and his near ones know them at this point.

Darkar is one of the biggest detractors of peace. Something about "new beginnings". Most people take for granted that the Ethereal's blessing and the destruction of his planet drove him crazy.

Acrypta and Arcadia, along with other Mythix and Elders are offered position in the Golden Kingdom. Almost all reject. The Mythix faes and witches in the end they die by age, minus Arcadia because the Ethereals need someone who knews about the Legendarium and forces her. Ninfea escapes on a tiny technicality (but she can no longer move from Hike's remains), Laufey and Carabossa use their magic to go on the run and Danu melts into the Infinite Ocean [[So yes, the Council of Elders don’t actually likes that much the Ethereals but they are not foolish enough to be rude from the front]].

Somehow that includes that it’s the little bricks that make up a castle, the war actually ended. The Peace Accords are signed and their symbol is the Monastery of Roccaluce. Day celebrated on all planets.

The Council of Magic Realm is created with its headquarters in Monastery of Roccaluce in the rest of the planet Hike, Magix.

Alfea, Cloud Tower and Lymphea College are founded. There were already other schools being founded in each pleant, but these have the approval of the Council.

The connection of the Earth/Terra with the rest of the planets is cut abruptly JUST WHEN ALL THE AGREEMENTS WERE FINISHED AND after they played a significant role in the Peace Negotiations.

The Three Witches disappear. Along Darkar. They actually go to Omega and whatever Darkar teach the Three Witches, is such that the planet has been claiming the magic of the visitors to try sustain itself ever since.

MODERN AGE - NEW TIMES

The Major Earth Fairies (Morgana, Diana, Nebula, Sibylla, Aurora, Tinkerbell, Eldora) are teenagers right now.

Overlapping with the Peace Accords, the Wizards of the Black Circle (a minor section of Terra magic user who went their own way). They begin to hunt the fairies as soon as said fairies begin their formation (which is when the wings are solid) and tear them off. This forces all the fairies on Earth to back down and all the negative magic users to hide for not wanting to join them. The Earth soon forgets about magic. The Earth, with the ley lines cut (because in its crossways, now closed, are the last refuges of the fairies, this includes Neverland, El Dorado and Tir Nan Og among others ) it got stuck, lost its quality, and the terrans, quantity of life. But it never got to the Omega level, because, well, something there. The only way the fairies had to get out were the ones able to cast White Circles, only half of the Major Fairies on Terra are capable of doing them, and usually the visits did not turn out well or did not like what they saw outside and the Wizards were destroying them very time they could.

Acrypta keep missing to THE ETHEREALS SIGHT, still searching his kids. ALSO Laufey, whether they are together or not, no one knows, but the Council take for granted that they are in the Golden Kingom, and no one there is going to deny that. Because, while the Elders don't hate the Council, they don't endorse it either. Council of Elders against the Universe.

The Three Witches visit for first time Domino. Tharma and/or Liliss tricked the King of Domino and tried got part of his Dragon Flame - but they couldn't store it all because of how the Blessing works- This visit will become a recurring and increasingly destructive thing, something personal.

Lord Darkar dirty kills Carabossa before he reaches the Three Witches... I... I  just tried to redeem the The Ancestresses... NO. Not on my guard... well maybe, they are CRAZY. But he is the first Wizard and kinda blessed by ethereals too. The guy respects that. If Ninfea, bonded pixie to Carabossa didn't die then was by Ethereals dis-grace, I mentioned before. But two ethereal-blessed dudes could "cancel" the other blessings (in Carabossa not the typical blessing but Golden Kingdom inmortal membership blessing)

Almost all people from the Company of Light has born and started or almost finished school at this point. Faragonda switches from Witch to Fairy, Kalshara things happens,

Marion borns and receives the Dragon Flame from her father.

Valtor is “born”. Physically his appearance is a carbon copy to Carabossa, but sadly not my adorkable one and composed of the flesh and blood of the three sisters, Carabossa and the King of Domino Ninfea and Carabossa's pixie tie influences the birth of Valtor (I'll leave it there). AND HE FUCKING ACTUALLY GETS THE DRAGON’S BLESSING. Twisted universe and Ethereal Dark Sense of Humour.

Valtor is sent to mingle with the people to conquer the planets "by wordiness" and get allies, while the witches try “by force”. Griffin joins Valtor, not the Ancestresses. Daphne and Politea borns sometime around here.

The Lord of the Templars Gareth seal Darkar back in Omega BEFORE the destruction of Domino hoping that the fact that according to their latest reports the Ancestresses have abandoned it and the planet now absorbs magic will keep him locked up. It begins to be used as a prison in general. Also he sends Darkar to Omega because their current Boundless Oblivion Keeper, Mandragora had switched sides and he preferred to finish ensuring that everything was in order and check any what she could have done.

With an unexpected, but welcome freedom, the Ancestresses become more agressive and forces Valtor’s political hand. All politics in vain but for all this policy and such is that in season 3 Valtor moves so fast in the theft of spells between planets.

Griffin lefts Valtor, the Company of Light is officially founded. YAY!!! -F*CKING FINALLY. They had suspicions against Valtor until then.

Bloom (named Ariadne in Domino) and the main cast and others around their ages are born.

With Valtor as the most obvious and localized target, they easily send him to Omega and one less problem.

Politea betrays Daphne.

Roxy is born with Morgana visit to Terra. She stays with her family for a bit.

The Ancestresses attack Domino in retaliation knowing that "his daughter" had a lot to do with this. No, not because he was their son, but because he was their toy. The witches first attempted to attack Domino across the Infinite Ocean, so only Daphne was able to defend it. Quickly changing the scene, they attacked her sister and and even faster than them she jumped to protect her, then Daphne transferred the Dragon's Flame to Bloom, a moment that they took advantage of to defeat but actually not kill her (because having a fairy who had obtained the Nymphix could be useful later to dissect).

All this time it served to reunite the Company of Light who totally went with the intention of -kill- seal them in Boundless Oblivion since they are not as nice as The Templar Leader (specially with Oritel and Marion leading and their missing daughters), and there are many so they can actually do the spell quickly (Gareth went one on one with Darkar, go Gareth!!) But the witches did not leave without a fight and all Domino went with them to Oblivion.

PRE-SERIES

Faragonda becomes Headmistress.

Morgana witnesses Bloom's arrival on Earth and gives a super-ultra-mega-fast  advice to Mike and Vanessa. She didn't even get a chance to properly introduce Roxy and Bloom or learn Bloom's name.

Sadly, Bloom arrival also triggers the one of the Wizards of the Black Circle. To the trash the years Morgana spent being careful! So, placing on both girls a little glamour that would prevent their still-developing magic from being detected she had to put on a great little performance to make the Wizards thinks she was the only magic user there, and returned to her Kingdom.

Said spell in the future would prevent Eldora from detecting Bloom's magic.

[twilightofthe]

Which other tcw Arc`s do u think are not in character (like the Clovis arc)?

Oh dear I think I’ve genuinely made y’all think I hate TCW or something.

Nah, look, it’s. The Clone Wars is one of my favorite cartoons of all time and always will be. The way it expanded the SW universe and the Prequel universe in particular was astounding and its complex ideas and mythology and worldbuilding and additions to the established story were wonderful. I adored the new characters it introduced me to.

MOST of the movie characters? I LOVED what they did with them. They didn’t really alter Obi Wan’s character that much at all besides making him way more of a hoe lol. I’d say my only OOC critique of him in the show is that they lean on him too much as the only moral compass character which means his characterization and motives have a tendency to slide around a bit for different episodes that need him to behave differently to do the “right thing” in that particular circumstance, if that makes sense. There IS one particular arc where I feel Obi Wan acts out of character quite often, but I’m saying right now that that leads into an argument I don’t want to get into so I’m not saying 😇

(Ik I ranted a bit about Pads in the last post too but overall I think she’s pretty alright in TCW too! I like her solo plots and her ones bonding with other characters!!!!)

But anon’s question was if I think any other arcs are OOC like the Clovis arc, I’m gonna say yes solely in regards to Anakin being OPC as for any other characters it’s not that big an issue save for the one unnamed Obi Wan offender. While I think Anakin has some individual moments where he’s OOC peppered throughout the series, I’d say the only two arcs that are particularly guilty offenders besides the Clovis arcs are the Deception arc and the Kadavo arc.

Now, the dichotomy of these two arcs is funny to me because the Kadavo arc is unfortunately my least favorite arc in the entire series while— and now THIS is an unpopular opinion —the Deception arc is one of my favorite arcs in the series because I am so SO here for the Obi Wqn character study it is; I think he’s totally in character for it and I love watching what they do with him in it.

However, where they go right with Obi Wan in this, they drop the ball with Anakin unfortunately. Like Anakin’s plot throughout the arc is.... gah, ok so. Ani boy vowing to hunt down and murder the guy who killed Obi Wan in vengeful rage is in character for him, it is, I get that. But the fact that that Vengeful Silent Broodish Rage is literally the only reaction we get out of Anakin the entire fucking arc???? Nah. NAH.

I’m sorry, but if there is ONE universal constant we’ve seen in the movies, it’s that Anakin Skywalker loses his entire shit if he’s faced with losing someone he cares about. We saw it with Shmi. We saw it with Padmé. We saw how emotional he got before he went into Murder Mode, he was kind of a wreck, he CRIED.

Now, TCW has a number one rule and it is that Anakin Cannot show any “girly” emotions whatsoever, ESPECIALLY none of the Dreaded Tears. So they just skip right over the messy emotions part and just have him be silent and cold and Angry. Full of brutish violent anger. Acceptable emotions for an Alpha Male to have. When OBI WAN died.

And I’m sorry, if your logic for Anakin’s muted reaction is just that he doesn’t care about Obi Wan as much as he does about Shmi or Padmé, I gotta STRONGLY disagree. It doesn’t matter if their relationship is viewed through a romantic lease or not, I will die on the hill that they were one of The Most important people in each other’s whole life and their relationship defines the whole prequel trilogy.

So yeah, no, Deception bugs me because they don’t let Anakin mourn Obi Wan at all, only get angry, like we don’t even get a freaking reaction to his death, we just get him yelling his name when Obes falls and his kinda confused-distressed face when he finds Ahsoka crying over the body (and SHE is allowed to cry..........) and then just a flash forward to his brooding sulk at the funeral.

Now, I’m not asking for much, I’m really not. I don’t need him uncontrollably sobbing at the funeral or anything (they already have Satine for that and no I will NOT rant right now about how taking a female character and bringing her back once briefly just to be a man’s Fragile Weeping Widow and then again to be his Helpless Damsel who you then fridge to make him sad is Not Good Writing I’m already writing a whole-ass spitefic about that 🙃🙃🙃)

But ughhhh they could have let Anakin have just a BIT of softness, of upset for losing his fucking best friend. Like, just save Ahsoka the additional teenage trauma and have Obi Wan die in Anakin’s arms instead, hype up them Qui Gon parallels! Give him just like a single fucking tear, just ONE for a moment! Like what y’all did with Rex, remember? He’s still Manly(TM) for crying!!!!!! Maybe make Satine not be the only overly emotional person at the funeral and then afterwards have her and Anakin have a convo where he accuses her of not caring and we can see how she, unlike Anakin, knows how to let those she loves go.

So gah yeah Deception is OOC for Anakin because he doesn’t get to show emotions, and Kadavo...... ugh, so many other people have written very detailed pieces that summarize basically my exact opinions on why I don’t like the arc, but I think a huge part of that is how they downplay Anakin’s trauma as a past slave in favor of, once again, brash, cocky toxic masculinity.

Anakin the former slave would NOT be so easily comfortable and all jokey jokey with letting the sixteen year old in his care pretend to be sold into slavery and he definitely wouldn’t be cracking jokes about how he makes a better slave master. Like I mentioned before, he would Not be able to keep his cool around the slaver Queen so easily. He wouldn’t. This isn’t even just a question of whether his newfound flirting abilities are valid because I actually think they are so long as he doesn’t feel attraction himself, but the pure rage at her being a slaver who sees him as a sex slave would at Most mean he’d be able to barely be restricting himself from murdering her. He would not be that good at it with her specifically

And tbh I do think this arc has several issues so I don’t even quite know how I’d fix it. I know how I’d fix certain issues, but def not all of them.

So yeah agh, Anakin OOC in Deception and Kadavo, other characters are usually p fine. Clone Wars Good Show!!!!

[solynaceawrites]

King of Nothing [1]

Rating: Mature Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Category: F/M Fandom: Nanatsu no Taizai | The Seven Deadly Sins Relationship: Estarossa/Original Female Character(s), Estarossa Moth Characters: Estarossa, Original Female Character(s), Moth, Original Male Character(s) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Romance, Established Relationship, Angst, Drama, Dubious Consent, Violence, Murder, Fantasty, Sex, Rough Sex Chapters: 1/5 co-written by @lickitysplitfic​ Summary: As a trial from her mother, Moth and Estarossa are sent to a kingdom to oversee a peace treaty. Upon arrival, they realize that the new king is a brutal tyrant, and a battle of wits ensues as Moth tries to decided between doing her duty or doing what she thinks is right. Part 5 of the Dark Side of the Moon series.

»»————-　⚜　————-««

Moth leans out the window of the carriage with a deep frown. The palace looms before them, shining gold in the sunlight as they draw to a stop. There are a few calls from the footman and driver that are answered by the guard before the gate is slowly lowered with a loud creak.

"Think he's compensating?" Estarossa jokes.

Moth makes a face, about to chide him for such an obvious joke when she looks up. On the tops of the spikes of the gate there are dozens of heads in various states of decomposition. Her mouth drops open in horror as the carriage jerks into motion, and she quickly moves back onto her seat, shutting the curtain tightly.

"What is it?" asks Estarossa.

"This place," she murmurs. "It's awful."

He shrugs. "I don't know. Weather seems nice."

"Rossa," Moth hisses. "Did you not notice? The people are thin, almost starving. Their homes are little more than mud. The children are dirty. There are beggars everywhere."

"True. But we only saw a bit of the kingdom."

Moth rolls her eyes. "Yet the bit we saw has only proven the rumors of how the people are destitute." She wraps her arms around herself. "How can someone rule a kingdom and allow that to continue? How can you call yourself a king while your subjects starve?"

"I don't know. The soldiers seemed fed enough."

She shoots him an unamused look. "This isn't funny."

Estarossa sighs. "You're right, it's not. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, hm? You're here to oversee a peace agreement, not right the wrongs of a powerful monarch."

"He is only human," she scoffs.

"A human with an army," he reminds her. “And we’re not here to pass judgment on how he rules, no matter how much you or I might disagree. Leave them alone and focus on this agreement so we can get back to our lives.”

She bites her tongue, not wanting this to devolve into another round of bickering between them. Neither she nor Estarossa wanted to come here, particularly not when they were planning a simple excursion to the lakeshore to relax for a few days, and that and the fact that they came by boat has left both of them so irritable that simple conversations are leading to heated arguments. Moth sits against the cushions, folding her hands in her lap and pretending that she is in a cozy little cottage, or perhaps next to the lake with a glass of wine and a good book.

Anywhere but here.

When the carriage finally draws to a halt, the footman opens the door and helps her step down. Looking around only fuels her agitation. Everywhere are signs of opulence: the grass is lush and well-watered, the trees and bushes bear fragrant blossoms, and there's even a small gathering of peacocks resting by a little pond. Her lips twitch as she waits for Estarossa to join her, and she does her best to ignore his low whistle.

"He's definitely compensating," Estarossa remarks.

Moth shoots him a glare, but says nothing as she follows the footman inside. In the foyer, he pauses, turning to address them with an apologetic bow. "His Majesty regrets to inform you that he is preoccupied, and will be so until tomorrow. A matter of great importance has arisen that he must tend to."

"Uh-huh." Estarossa frowns. "And what are we to do until he is not . . . preoccupied?"

"There are quarters prepared for you where you may bathe and rest," the footman offers.

Moth glances to the grand doors on the right. "Certainly," she bites out. "Lead the way."

The castle is just as beautiful as she had feared. Moth calculates in her head the cost of so much marble and the people that must be paid to maintain the sparkling cleanliness of the floors and tapestries. Of course, when a king uses slave labor, none of those costs matter. Is that what he's done, she wonders?

Outside of their room stands a man who introduces himself as the steward. "Greetings, sir. I wanted to make sure your quarters are to your liking," he says with a smile, bowing to Estarossa.

Moth waits for him to acknowledge her, and when he doesn't, Estarossa glances down at her. "She's the queen, you know," he says. "Or about-to-be queen. Not me."

The steward makes a face, but then nods at Moth. "Very good. If you'll follow me."

The disrespect makes her skin crawl, but it's not as if she hadn't experienced this before. She decides to ignore the slight as they enter, and once again she is astonished by the room. It is covered in shining wood and marble, a huge fireplace on one wall, separate vanities for both on either side of a huge bed with an intricately carved headboard. Even Estarossa looks a bit impressed, and Moth walks through the room to look out the long, glass-paned windows before spying what looks like to be an even bigger washroom beyond.

"I hope Your Highness is satisfied?"

Moth turns to answer, but the steward is still stubbornly speaking directly to Estarossa. To her annoyance he snorts before gesturing towards the door. "It's great. Send up some wine, will you?"

"Of course." The steward shoots her a contemptuous look before he departs, and Moth, rather childishly, sticks her tongue out at his back.

"They'll never take you seriously if you do that, you know," Estarossa says blandly.

She frowns at him. "They already refuse to take me seriously," she retorts.

"So you want to give them more reasons for it?"

"Oh, excuse me for doing something harmless."

"Moth," he says, exasperated, "it's not harmless when it comes to servants. They know what goes on, even behind their backs. It's their business to. And now the steward has something to take to the king. 'The princess sticks her tongue out like a petulant child,' he'll say, and that will be the end of what little credibility you have here."

"Go blow it out your ass," she says, heading into the washroom. Estarossa laughs behind her, and her lips quirk a bit as she starts to run a bath.

The water isn't nearly warm enough, so Moth must use magic to bring it to a comfortable heat. As she soaks in the tub, she looks around at the intricate carving on the ceiling and the way the stone sparkles in the light. If the king sold even a tenth of the materials in this place he could provide grain for years to his people. So what is the problem? Merely ignorance?

Her skin is wrinkled by the time she reluctantly leaves the bath, not surprised when she finds luxuriously knitted towels for their use. She winds one around her body and heads back into the bedroom to see if their things have arrived, but stops, startled, in the doorway.

There are servants there, a half dozen, laying out an extravagant table of meat, vegetables, and fruit. The mix of smells makes her stomach rumble, but what catches her off guard is the nearly risque uniform of the servant girls. Their robes are little more than that: robes that cling to their bodies, nearly see through, and drape in such a way that Moth is sure at any moment a breast or thigh or any other body part will come spilling out.

She hesitates in the door, gaping at the display. All of them are young—the oldest can't be more than twenty—and pretty, with luscious curves. Concubines, is her first thought, then, Wait, we never heard anything about concubines. But her mind fumbles for another explanation, and when one turns to her with a bow and Moth realizes she can clearly make out her nipples through the fabric, she stops caring about why they're dressed as they are.

"Estarossa," she begins, turning to look at him. He's lounging on the bed, watching the girls unashamedly with hooded eyes, and her confusion gives way to a sting of anger with a pinch of jealousy.

One of the servants approaches her timidly. "My lady," the girl whispers, "allow me to help you dress."

Moth takes a deep breath, forcing herself to smile. "There's no need, but thank you."

"Please," the girl says, and Moth is startled by how close she sounds to tears. "Allow me to help you dress."

Another approaches, pulling her hair back. "Would you prefer this up or down?"

"I . . ."

Moth turns as a third is opening her trunks, another offering tea, another girl rubbing lotion into her skin. "Wait," Moth says, pulling away from their attention. "I can do this myself. I don't need such a fuss."

The servants look at one another in confusion. Moth glances at Estarossa, who looks like he is pretending to be asleep. "Damn it, will you help me?" she hisses.

Estarossa peeks at her out of one eye. "I'm fine here."

"You're an ass," she snaps.

“Just let them do their jobs,” he replies.

Moth heads back into the washroom, followed by the girls, and begrudgingly she lets one comb and braid her hair as the others unpack her things. She chooses a simple dress and allows them to help her into it, but when one goes down on her knees to place her shoes on Moth once again protests. "That's fine," she says, smiling at the girls. "I can take it from here."

"How else can we serve?" one asks, and the others murmur their agreement.

"Really, I'm fine," she smiles. "Would you all like something before you go?"

The servants seem confused, so she walks back to the bedroom. Estarossa is gone, but Moth decides to not bother asking as she moves to the table. There is enough food for a dozen dinners, and she gestures towards it. "You all seem so thin," she says with a small smile. "Can you take some bread for your families? Or some fruit?"

Several of the girls gasp, and three run for the door. "What is it?" Moth asks.

"We . . . we can't . . ."

"Nonsense." Moth smiles warmly and selects a small loaf holding it out to the girl that braided her hair. "Back in Cailleach, my handmaiden is a friend."

The girl shakes her head and steps away. "Okay, fine," Moth mutters, trying to maintain her smile. She moves to where her bag sits on the bed and takes out a small purse, pressing it into the hand of the nearest girl. "There should be enough for all of you," she says. "Will you share with the ones that brought the food in too, and you—"

Moth jumps as the servant gives a blood-curdling scream and runs from the room. The coins scatter on the floor as the others follow, and Moth is left gaping at the open doorway, where Estarossa now appears, leaning on the doorframe. Moth ignores him and moves to the window, peering through the glass at the kingdom below. So much opulence, and yet the servants are afraid of taking food or coin would otherwise go to waste; they are so terrified of it, in fact, that it cements the idea that had formed the moment she had seen the grotesque decorations on the castle gate. This king is a tyrant, cruel and greedy, and nothing good will come of his rule.

Bitterly, she thinks, I could always destroy this place. Surprised by the venom of her own thoughts, she shakes her head, studying the buildings that stretch into the distance. Those closest to the palace have lights shining from their windows and smoke curling from their chimneys, but the farther ones do not, as though someone drew a very clear line in the sand between the wealthy and the poor.

"What's wrong?" he asks, and when she turns she sees him sitting at the table, carefully picking through the heaping trays of food left for them.

"The servants," Moth sighs. "I tried to pay one but she . . . she just ran out of the room."

Estarossa clicks his tongue. "That was foolish of you."

"Why?" she snaps. "I can't pay for a job well done?"

"Servants aren't allowed gifts, my darling. She's probably getting a beating now, because of you," he answers. Moth stiffens at his tone, which is a mild amusement, scowling as he inspects a chocolate covered strawberry.

He takes a bite and then glances over. "And before you get it in your head to go find out, trust me, you will only make it worse. I told you to leave these people alone. They don't want your help."

"I'm beginning to think you're enjoying their suffering," she replies heatedly. "You've chafed against Cailleach's neutrality from the beginning, relying on and railing against it. Does seeing how they starve and bleed for a cruel king bring you joy? Does it scratch the itch you no longer can, away from your own kind?"

Estarossa only laughs. "This isn't how demons behave. Only humans can be this cruel."

Moth folds her arms and looks back out the window. "I can't stand by and let this go on."

There is a long pause as she watches the shadows, trying to find an answer. Her thoughts are interrupted when Estarossa's hands slide down her arms, and his lips press to her neck. He breathes her in deeply and murmurs, "Let's get this job done and go home. The sooner the better."

»»————-　⚜　————-««

Moth sends the servants away the next morning when they arrive, preferring to dress herself. That sets off another round of wailing, which wakes Estarossa up and has him grousing. "I don't know what they want from me!" she exclaims, exasperated when she finally convinces the last to go.

"Just let them do their work," he mutters. He walks to pour himself coffee from the fresh pot left on the table. "Stop getting them in trouble."

"I'm not," she hisses, but she goes to find something to wear, heat on her neck making it difficult to keep her embarrassment hidden.

They head to the great hall together where they have been invited to eat breakfast with the king. Moth tries not to examine the gold trimming on everything, the marble statues and intricate tapestries, the grandeur of the archways, the frescos on the ceilings. It is all too much, she decides, preferring the simple elegance of Cailleach, but even the finery of the palace does not prepare her for the hall.

There is a table long enough to easily sit a hundred. Silk covers it, and it is laden with food from one end to the other; Moth's mouth opens in shock, thinking this would be enough food to feed a village for a week. But there are no other guests, just them, and her stomach turns to think of it all going to waste. She looks around to see if there is a party coming, but the only other person is the king, who sits at the head of the table.

He spies them at the same time, and waves over. "Please, my honored guests, come sit," he says pleasantly. "I would stand, but I cannot at the moment."

Moth frowns at the odd statement as they approach, and they are only a few feet away when she sees why: there are two young ladies kneeling beneath the table, barely out of maidenhood, who eagerly service his cock with their mouths. "Won't you sit and break your fast with me?" the king grins, gesturing at the table.

Moth isn't even sure what the emotion that roils within her is. Estarossa must, because he takes her elbow and says something she cannot hear through the ringing of her ears to the king before helping her into her seat. Something nudges her beneath the table. One of the girls? Her suspicion is confirmed when it moves quickly away, as if afraid she will draw attention to a perceived slight.

The king is speaking—not to her, but to Estarossa—though it sounds muffled, like she has dunked her head underwater. I'll kill him, she thinks viciously, and Estarossa's eyes snap to hers as he gives a subtle shake of his head, unnoticed by their host. "Lady Alessa," the king says warmly. "I have heard much of Cailleach and your people. Tell me, are the rumors true?"

Moth forces herself to appear cordially interested. "Which rumors, Your Grace?"

"That you seduced a goddess and left him dead on the altar in favor of your demon lover."

The statement is so absurd she is struck dumb for a moment. Beside her, Estarossa bursts into laughter, his hand on her knee telling her just how fake his reaction is. "Moth, you did not tell me you cared so much as to kill a goddess for me," he laughs.

"Moth?" The king’s eyes go up as he studies her, and she swallows thickly when she sees him adjust in his seat. 

"My childhood name," she says. "My consort uses it as a term of endearment."

The king smiles. He leans his elbows on the table and presses his lips to his folded hands. For a moment his eyes close, and a gasp beneath the table tells Moth all she needs to know. "Moth," he sighs, his expression pure satisfaction. "I like it."

A shiver of revulsion goes up her spine. Had he thought of her? She hopes not; the way Estarossa's fingers dig into her dress tells her that he's had the same thought, and she wonders if his tenseness stems from jealousy or something else. "You may use it, if it pleases you," she says after a moment. "My closest friends and allies do."

"I'm glad." The king sits back in his chair and snaps his fingers. The two girls quickly scurry out from under the table, both bowing deeply before hurrying from the room. "Won't you eat something?" he asks, again gesturing to the spread, as if nothing had happened.

"I'm not particularly hungry," Moth answers.

The king nods. "I imagine Cailleach must be very different, and such rich and succulent food is unsettling for a clan that eats nothing but roots and sticks."

"What?!" Moth cries.

The king laughs and shakes his head. "Just a little joke! And an unfunny one, I see. I hope I did not offend you?" He tilts his head with a smile. "You are honored guests. Just say the word and anything you want you will receive, I put my life on it."

She and Estarossa share a glance, and what she sees there has her doing her best to dissuade him through their bond. But she finds it closed, and her eyes widen when he says quite casually, "If you have anymore like that, I would appreciate their company while bathing."

The king pauses for a moment before erupting into another of those laughs that set Moth's teeth on edge. "I would hate to insult our fair Moth."

"No insult," Estarossa replies lazily. "She allows me a mortal woman or two when I have a craving for them. I can't devour her soul, after all."

Chewing thoughtfully, the king nods and shifts his attention to Moth. "And you, fair bird? Shall I send some pretty things your way, as well?"

"I am not here for pleasure, Your Grace," she says through her teeth, trying her best to sound normal. "I want to focus on the negotiations."

"Of course," he says. "I understand completely. I've arranged for my advisors to be here tomorrow at noon, and we'll begin arguments then to decide the terms of their surrender. The rebel leaders will be escorted here in a few days. Will that suit you?"

"More than." Moth does not fully understand Estarossa's game, or what he hopes to accomplish, but she can play one of her own. With a sigh, she reaches up to loosen the collar of her dress so that it exposes the column of her neck and the sweep of her collar, fanning herself with one hand. "Your kingdom is truly lovely, Your Grace, but I'm afraid I'm far more suited to colder climes. It's why I chose Prince Estarossa, you see. A warm body for cold nights."

"Ah, you do not fool me, my lady!" he teases, shaking a finger at her. "Anyone can see how very much in love you are. But it is so unusual for a witch and a demon to find such happiness. And killing a goddess for it, no less!"

"I didn't kill a goddess," she mutters.

The king frowns. "My mistake then. You certainly can never tell with rumors." He taps his lip thoughtfully. "So many nasty rumors go around about people. Especially those of us who must rule. I'm sure there are any number of stories out there about me, for instance. I shudder to think what atrocities are laid at my feet."

"I'm sure that while they may be vocal, any who dislike you are few." The lie tastes like bitter medicine in her throat despite how light she keeps her voice. "Simply look at your home! Those who serve you are pleased to do so, and eager for it, I imagine."

"I take care of my people," he replies earnestly, placing a hand on his heart. "Their welfare is my only concern. It's why I overthrew the old king, who was cruel and destructive in his old age. The mind of the elderly can warp, and his had rotted long ago."

Moth presses her lips together. "If your people are so pleased, it's a wonder there are any rebels at all."

The king sighs loudly. "Jealousy, insanity, some are simply anarchists. You cannot reason with them any more than you can reason with a dog. They must be trained. Which reminds me," He continues, tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair, "I understand that your servants displeased you. I'll have them taken care of immediately and new ones dispatched this evening. I have no tolerance for servants who cannot do their duties faithfully."

Estarossa sighs next to her, no doubt expecting an outburst from her. But Moth merely shakes her head, a pleasant smile firmly in place. "I was not displeased, Your Grace, rather . . . seeking a bit of privacy with my consort, if you understand."

His gaze is sharp on hers, his smile pleasant but not reaching his eyes. "Even more reason for them to be disciplined," the king replies. "They must anticipate the needs of their masters."

Before she can say anything, Estarossa chuckles. "If it does not offend, send them to us tonight. There are certain . . . acts that she prefers to watch rather than participate in, and those acts can be used as punishment in their own way."

Moth shoots him a glance, trying to reach him through the bond again, but Estarossa ignores her. Meanwhile the king erupts into laughter again. "I know we are going to get along so well!" he cries.

Moth takes a deep breath as he stands. "If you'll excuse me, I must go and see to my appointments before our meeting," the king says. Estarossa stands as he gives a respectful nod and walks out, but Moth stays seated, her hands balled into tight fists as she watches him go and fights the urge to send a dozen daggers behind him.

Once the door is closed and they are alone, Estarossa reaches for an apple, drawing a knife from within his coat to slice it. "An interesting fellow," he muses, more to himself than to her. "Would you like some?"

"I'm going to throttle you," she replies pleasantly.

He gives her a sideways look before shrugging. "Suit yourself. They're perfectly ripe, though. Be a shame to let them go to waste."

"Are you really going to—"

"Don't be ridiculous," he says, cutting her off harshly. "And don't insult me by asking that question."

Moth sighs and slumps in her chair. "I can't do this. I can't make nice like this."

"You don't have to," he replies. "I'll keep him flattered. You keep him guessing."

"Keep him guessing about what?" she gestures around them vaguely. "His head is full of rumors, he has girls suck him off while he eats. I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to keep him 'guessing' on."

"Because you're blind," he says matter-of-factly. "You always have been. Mortal men fall at your feet, and you think they've only tripped."

Moth snorts. "They're clumsy."

"Sometimes I think you must be intentionally playing naive, others I think you genuinely might be." She gapes at him as he pops a slice of apple into his mouth, closing his eyes with a hum. "Delicious."

"You're impossible," she huffs, standing to go.

Estarossa grabs her by the wrist and presses a kiss to her palm. "Perhaps," he grins, stroking his index finger along her skin. "But you love me."

Moth snorts and tugs her hand away. "I need some air," she says. "Try not to eat too many maidens while I'm on a walk, hm?"

"I'll come with you," he says, wiping his hands on a napkin, but Moth presses her hand to his shoulder. "I could use a minute to think," she says. "I'll be out on the terrace, within shouting distance. I promise."

He studies her for a moment, and then he settles back into his seat, his gaze softening. "Be careful."

With a nod, she turns and heads for the large glass doors to the back of the room. They open easily under her touch, the well-greased hinges giving not even a whisper of protest, and latch quietly back into place once she's stepped through them onto the terrace. Made of the same stone as the rest of the castle, the walkway has been decorated with potted shrubs and marble figures, and the view from it is stunning; it doesn't particularly seem to end in either direction, and Moth decides to go left, wondering if it wraps around the entirety of the castle as she paces and thinks.

It must, because mere minutes later she hears the king call her name. Breaking away from her running list of questions, she looks away from the mountains to her right as he approaches, a broad smile on his face. "Fair Moth!" he says jovially. "Good, good. I was hoping for some company on my stroll. Though I'm afraid I must ask where your demon has gotten off to?"

"Having a snack," she replies sarcastically. "I should be getting back—"

"Then allow me to accompany you," he says, holding out an arm.

Moth glances at it before squaring her eyes at him. "I'm afraid it would not be proper to be escorted by anyone other than my bonded consort," she says coolly.

The king barely masks his displeasure. "Then I suppose I will walk, and you will walk, and if some words are spoken aloud, would that be all right? I would hate to offend the Witch Clan's superstitions." 

The word superstitions makes her hackles rise, and she barely keeps her pleasant expression in place. Something must feel the same way, because there's a quiet echo of a snarl that sends a chill up her spine. "But of course." Hoping that she comes across as genuine, she adds, "I meant no offense, Your Grace. I'm afraid my . . . Well, I was lost in thought and you startled me, and I reacted poorly. I hope we can put it behind us?"

"That depends on you." Moth raises her brows, but he does not offer more, only extending his hand to gesture her ahead.

They walk about a foot apart, his hands clasped behind his back as Moth keeps hers to her sides. "What is it you want, Your Grace?" she asks.

"Only to be treated fairly, Your Highness," he replies. "You see for yourself how the kingdom is thriving. I wager there is nowhere in Britannia as glorious as this palace. This kingdom will rival the Goddess and Demon Clans if I have my way. But that won't happen if my policies are undone because of a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?"

The king halts, turning to face her. "Yes. While I may jest about the rumors I have heard of you and your people, I do understand your position. The Witch Clan has always been the one to resolve disputes that the other clans cannot, whether it be ending wars or," his lips twitch slightly, "investigating the rumored cruelty of a king."

Moth raises her chin. "I know my role. I am not here as a judge, simply a mediator."

"That is reassuring," he replies. "My methods may not be the same as yours, but our people are not the same. Our histories are not the same. Our clans are not the same."

"They may not be the same, but don't we feel the same?" Moth argues. "Humans, witches, fairies, giants, demons, goddesses . . . We all want peace. We feel pain and happiness, hunger and pain, joy and tenderness. Our ways may be different but we are not so different as you assume."

The king snorts. "As you said, you are here as a mediator to negotiate the end of this war. I hope you keep that in mind during your stay. Moving away from your sworn task will surely make things . . . complicated, wouldn't you agree?"

It's a not so subtle threat, and one that she would, under normal circumstances, have no qualms about rising to. Human arrogance has a tendency to give way to terror when faced with death, she has found, and mortal bodies break very easily. But she thinks of Estarossa's warnings, and forces herself to breathe through her nose to quell as much of her rage as she can. "I would," she replies. "My only concern here is to smooth your transition and help bring peace."

"Good." They resume walking, but he stands much closer than before, so that she is uncomfortably aware of him. "If you find yourself needing company while your demon is preoccupied tonight," he murmurs, "You may seek out whoever you desire. None would deny you."

"I would never do that," she answers sharply.

The king snorts, and she swears she can feel him touch her hip, but when she turns her head his hand is once more behind her back. "Interesting thing to know about witches," he muses. "I had no idea that the men could fuck whomever they wanted while the women were subservient. I had thought having a queen would put the women in charge."

Moth is debating the merits of simply pushing him off of the terrace when Estarossa appears, his expression of concern quickly smoothing away into pleasantness. "There you are," he says. "I was beginning to think you'd grown tired of me."

"Prince Estarossa!" the king beams. "Perhaps you can answer this question for me, as it seems our lovely Moth can not or will not. Is it subservience to you that keeps her from seeking the pleasures she desires, or is it a lack of interest?"

Moth's mouth opens in shock, but what truly surprises her is when he looks as though he is thinking. "I would have to say it's my giant cock," Estarossa replies.

The king dissolves into peals of laughter, and Estarossa winks at her as he is distracted. "Let's go in and have a drink, demon," the king says. "I want to hear more about your clan now that I've learned so much about the witches. We have a bit of time before the meeting."

"But of course." Estarossa moves to her, offering an arm that she takes. When she reaches down the bond, She finds him this time, but the crack is small, as though it's only there to ease her worries.

As they walk, the king points out the different buildings in the distance, the entrance to the mines, his tone indifferent. Moth says nothing, merely listening, allowing Estarossa to offer what replies he wishes while deciding on her next course of action. The king is already suspicious. Perhaps not so much of Estarossa, who seems perfectly comfortable acting like a lech and scoundrel, but of her for certain. Meaning more secrecy. Should she play the foolish princess?

The door opens and a messenger walks in, handing a note to the king with a deep bow. He smiles when he reads it and then stands. "I must beg your leave, my queen," he says. "I have something to attend to right away. I will see you at our meeting."

"Of course."

As soon as he is gone, Moth stands and stalks for the hallway. Estarossa is on her heels, but before she can exit he pulls her by the arm. “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know,” she confesses. “To scream at something.”

"Every time you rise to his bait, whether it be a rumor that he creates or an offer for sex, you give him more ways to undermine you, to control you."

Moth wrenches away from him. "We're leaving then. I won't let him do this."

Estarossa laughs. "We're not leaving. We're not going back to Cailleach and explaining to Nemain how this king got the better of you." He steps up to her and points a finger, tapping her forehead. "You better start thinking, Moth. Otherwise you'll be under that table before you even realize what's happened."

She gives a growl of frustration and pushes past him again, heading back for their room. Usually when Moth visits a kingdom she enjoys the tours, seeing new places, meeting people. But what would be the point here? Everything is upside down, and everyone is either miserable or fake.

She spends some time writing, which normally helps Moth organize her thoughts and get her frustrations out on paper. But nothing seems to work, and every scenario she can think of, from killing the king herself to offering the rebels her support feels wrong. She needs to know more, but the thought of walking around or talking more with the king makes her stomach churn. Above all, she just wants to go home.

Estarossa appears just before dinnertime. Moth looks up from where she sits on the bed, trying to read but unable to concentrate. “I went to the village,” he says before she asks. “The tavern has shit for ale. Let’s get out of here.”

"Until peace is here, we can't." Her voice is hard, bitter with anger and disappointment, and she scowls, unamused with his joking. "And peace will not come. The people will continue to suffer, wars will be fought, blood will be spilled. When the next king comes, if he's like this one, the cycle will continue. We never should have come here in the first place. That mortal has no interest in anything to do with me unless it involves having me in his bed."

Estarossa laughs as he slides up next to her, nuzzling her ear. "Probably."

"You think that's funny?" she snaps.

"Not at all. I feel sorry for him." His lips travel to her neck, leaving a trail of kisses. "He has no idea just how very stubborn you are."

Moth chooses to ignore his mouth on her skin. "I am finding myself to be very tired of men. Quarrelsome, bickering fools who think with their cocks and believe that having one makes them superior."

"You are absolutely right." His lips are at her jaw now, and his hands move to her hips to jerk her onto his lap. "Luckily for me, I can't be counted among them because I serve my queen."

"You certainly think like the rest of them," she says dryly. Moth climbs off of him, ignoring his protest and heading to the vanity, where she sits to brush her hair. A servant had already done it, but Moth needs something to do with her hands.

Or a king will die by them, neutrality be damned.

"Have I ever told you the tale of the Sage?" she asks.

The sound of the bed creaking tells her that Estarossa has shifted, and the tightness of his voice when he replies, "No," tells her that she's irritated him.

"Eons ago, the Sage served a King. The King was a cruel, greedy miser, but the mask he wore in public was one of a doting, compassionate man. Only the Sage and the King's wife knew of his true nature, and they despaired the day he finally turned on his people." Moth sets the brush down and starts to braid. "So, they hatched a plot. The Queen, for that was what she was, was given a knife by the Sage, coated in the vilest poison she knew of. That night, as the King fucked her, she drove it deeply into his chest."

She pauses, taking a deep breath. "But then, needing a criminal to blame, she turned on the Sage, blinding her with that same knife before banning her from the kingdom. As she left, the Sage cursed her. All of her children would be monsters in mortal guise, just as their father had been."

Estarossa chuckles darkly. "I can't wait until we have children. You have such lovely bedtime stories."

Moth shoots him a look over her shoulder. "Why can't you support me in this? I know these people are helpless, but I want to do something!"

His eyes go darker, and she feels the swirl of his magic from across the room. There is also something in their bond, something sharp, as if he is tugging to get her full attention. "I'm here to protect you," he says carefully. "to keep you alive, to give my life for yours if I must. Not for these people. You are my life. Not a kingdom too stupid to know it is dying by its own hand."

She does not know if the fury that blinds her suddenly is directed at him, herself, her mother for sending them here, the king, or all of them. What she does know, a split second too late, is that she has teetered too closely to hatred. While Estarossa's decree cannot drain her like it does him thanks to the protection their bond gives them from each other, it still makes her nauseous, and the room spins as she puts her head in her hands.

"This place will ruin us," she says, her voice choked. "Even if we survive it, I will hate you for refusing to help them."

He is at her side in an instant, scooping her up and carrying her to the bed. Moth wants to fight him but feels too weak, turning her face away when he lays her against the soft pillows. A moment later he presses a cold rag to her forehead, and it is soothing as the nausea fades. "I love you, Moth," he says quietly. "I hate to see you suffer."

"I hate to see others suffer," she whispers.

"I know. It is a part of you I admire most." Moth glances at him as he presses the cloth to her cheek. "You possess more than this king. You have a job to do, but you do have the power to change things, even if it's not the way you want. Use the negotiations to expose what you can, and craft agreements to ease their pain. If anyone can do it, it's you."

She has nothing to say to that. Estarossa places the rag onto the table next to her before removing his shirt and trousers, holding her tightly once he has settled behind her in the bed. He murmurs quietly to her until he falls asleep, but despite the warmth of him and the steady lull of his breathing, rest eludes her. Her mind is too awake, too aware. Estarossa had called her a wolf earlier, a reminder of her place as a soldier, but what he does not know—or does not want to see in his belief that there is little darkness to her at all—is that she has muzzled herself here.

Had she come alone, without him, she would have simply done what witches always do to those who torture the less fortunate. The king’s heart carved out, his eyes placed into a box and given to the next in line as a reminder of what could befall them one day. Fear, to keep the peace, because that, too, is a form of neutrality, a little rebellion against the Nameless God's edict that he either allows or does not care about.

Yet Estarossa has also called her a fox: wily, clever, quick. and Moth knows that is what he wants her to be now. Immovable, unshakeable, working slyly behind the scenes to ensure the best possible outcome for this kingdom. But how?

[rosierocks30]

Hidden: Ch. 18

Chapter 18: Lost and Found 

(Historia)

The queen was in the tea room enjoying her midday hearing a violinist playing music and her handmaidens giggling while they danced to the music. Some of the noble women gossip about the latest scandal of some noble lady who had a strange eating disorder. Historia doesn’t understand what’s so funny about others suffering. She rolled her eyes while pouring tea into her cup. Her gentle fingers picked up the china tea cup handle then pressed the rim on to her plump pink lips to sipped the sweet bitter taste of black tea. It’s such a shame her love was not able to drink this good tea. 

How long has it been since she saw her husband or her son? HIstoria frowned from thinking about her son, Atticus. Her precious newborn was on the other side of this world without her and Levi. She had hope he was being looked after well. At least Sasha was there raising him until this war is over. Also, she worried about what they were doing to her husband? Is Levi suffering from being tortured? Oh god, it kills her knowing he’s in pain but trying to be brave about it. 

While she was lost in her own thoughts, a male servant said her name. “Your Grace, you have an audience.” He whispered to the queen. 

“Let them in.” She gave the order. 

The male servant nodded then went to the double doors and opened. Historia glared when Zeke, Floch, Yelena and Eren entered. Behind them there were two more figures. A man and a woman. Historia felt regrettable for allowing the Jaegerists to have an audience with her. 

“Ah Queen Historia, you look better than the last time I saw you!” Zeke spoke. 

Historia stared coldly at Zeke. “Whatever it is you're here, speak now. As you can see, I’m trying to enjoy my tea time before I have other duties to deal with after.” She sipped her tea slowly. 

She noticed how Eren hadn't looked at her but to the woman next to him. The same woman took a glimpse at him to give a warm smile. A smile that Historia can tell when you share mutual feelings with each other. Then Eren in return smiles at her back. Oh it looks like he had found someone. This made Historia happy for Eren but she was still upset for his odd behavior when he and the Jaegerists kidnapped her. 

The blonde haired, blue eyed queen pulled her attention back to Zeke who frowned at the way she responded to him. What does Zeke except that she welcome him with open arms like one big happy family? All it does is give her more reasons to kill him. Historia was getting moodier when the Jaegerists move into the palace as the Grandmaster Templar’s henchmens. 

“We apologize for interrupting your tea time, but here to introduce you to your new official personal handmaiden. The KIng had chosen her to serve you as a gift.” Zeke glanced at Floch to gesture him to bring the other woman upfront for Historia to see properly. 

Floch had a smudge on him when he grabbed the woman’s arm and pulled her upfront. The woman glared at Floch with those murderous silver eyes. The queen felt her heart stopped. Those eyes remembered her Levi. She felt tears wanted to come out but made sure to bottle up those sad feelings. 

“Floch, I don’t appreciate the way you handle this poor woman.” one her blue eyes fiercely glanced at the red haired Jaegerists. “Come here, miss. What is your name?” Her icy tone shifts to soft and warm for the woman in front of her. The woman was brown with wavy long hair. Her skin tone was olive. She had nice cheekbones. Her eyes are grey/silver. Historia can tell this woman was around her age. This woman has natural beauty. 

The woman bow her head as she gracefully courtesy a bow in respect. “My name is  Eveline Potts, your majesty.” Eveline had been perfecting her Eldian accent to blend here. Thanks to Eren who helped how a native Paradisian acts. 

Historia smiled at Eveline. “Eveline? What a pretty name? Well Eveline, it’s a pleasure meeting you. Lady Janelle will show you the protocol how things work as a handmaiden. You will be given a gown until the tailor makes a new one as all my ladies in waiting have.” The queen gestured Lady Janelle to lead Eveline away to start her tutorial as the queen’s handmaiden.

Historia once again observed how the brunette bowed to her and followed Lady Janelle out of this room.  She glanced at everyone annoyingly. What else does the Jaeger brothers want? 

“Eren, you have been quiet. Do you and brother want to say something? I know all of you aren’t here just escorting my new handmaiden here.” Of course, she was not an idiot to see they want to discuss more matters. 

“I don’t have much to say, but Zeke does.” He looked at his brother and female Jaegerist. 

“Very well, continue.” Historia’s focus on Zeke once again. 

“His majesty had kindly gifted one of the Reiss family’s land to me. He informed me to tell you.” Zeke had said. 

Historia felt her knuckles turned white from gripping the handle of her chair too tight. How dare him? How fucking dare Nathaniel gave one of her own family’s property to this beast? The queen felt rage boiling inside her. She was trying to be calm and collective. 

“Oh really? I was not aware he is able to give away my lands to you or anyone responsible for screwing my people.” Her jaw was tight from grinding her teeth. She breath slowly to regain her thoughts. She would let him or anyone have the satisfaction to make her explosive. 

“But as my lord and king; it’s his right to handle my lands.” Historia wanted wine or something stronger as these words coming from her lips made her feel sick. What else he wanted to control? Can she at least have something that’s hers alone?

“I will make sure the land will be maintained well.” Zeke smirked. 

“I see. Is that all? All of you are dismissed if there’s nothing important to say.” She waved her hand in dismissal. 

The Jaegerists bow then they leave the room. Historia noticed how her ladies got quiet when Zeke mentioned one of her lands was given to him. The queen wanted to also dismiss them just to be alone for a while. Suddenly, her tea time was over as her next scheduled duty was about to start. 

“Ladies, enjoy the rest of the tea, music, and dance. I have meetings to attend to.” Historia gets up to walk out of the Tea Room. 

For the rest of her day, the queen attended small meetings that involved charity and social events. As Historia was a queen consort not the queen regnant anymore, her role was to handle domestic events to make the monarchy look good for the public. It irritated her. She wanted to make a difference by helping those in need. The only thing she was happy to handle was some charities to support the poor and those in need. 

Historia yawned from a heavy schedule today. She walked into her chamber and flopped on the sofa. A soft femnine welcomed the queen. 

“Welcome your majesty. I hope you had a wonderful day. Would like a warm bath? I had already prepared for you just now.” Eveline just came out from the bathroom preparing the queen’s bath if she desires to be clean. 

“Oh, I didn’t see you. I forgot I have a personal handmaiden instead of relying on my ladies in waiting.” The blonde queen giggled.  

Eveline smiled when the queen giggled from being startled. “I apologize, my queen. I didn’t mean to startle you.” 

“No no it’s fine.” Historia said while taking off her shoes. 

“But that warm bath does sound nice to use.” She continued. 

 Historia got up and walked to the bathroom. The handmaiden followed her to go assist her. The queen began to discard her clothes. Her clothes fell onto the floor which Eveline bent down to pick up each of the queen’s clothes to place them into the clothes dispenser for later to be washed. After removing all her clothes, Historia carefully dipped her leg into the warm tub and moaned in joy from feeling the warm water on her skin. Now her body submerges from the water. Only shoulders and her head were not touched by the water. The handmaiden began to wet her golden hair and pour shampoo to massage her head to clean her hair. 

Historia let her body relax from being intense all day. This is what she needed. She was angry seeing the Jaegerists in her presence. They played a part in overthrowing her and the military. The military knew they were terrorists who tried to use her as their puppet to bring  back the glory of the Eldia Empire. She won’t allow that to happen. Ever since Ymir guided her from her subconscious, she smiled and played the perfect royal consort while secretly exploring hidden areas the queen never knew this palace had. 

She let her handmaiden wash her arm with a sponge. The queen noticed an emerald ring on her handmaiden’s finger. Her blue eyes glanced at the woman. “What a beautiful ring you have here? I’m surprised a woman of your status can afford a ring like that.” 

Eveline paused to mentally want to smack her forehead from forgetting to remove her ring and place it somewhere safe. “It is beautiful. If you assume I stole it then you are mistaken, your majesty.” Historia noticed the way her handmaiden sounded annoyed. 

Historia felt a bit guilty to jump into conclusion thinking this woman must have stolen. The blonde woman has mixed feelings with this strange woman. Her handmaiden could be a spy for Zeke or to Nathaniel. She doesn’t trust this woman yet.

“I see. May I ask where you got it from? It seems this ring is very precious to you.” Historia wanted fish out information from the woman if she’s working with her enemies. 

Eveline pour water on her skin to rinse the soap out. “My fiance gave me the ring to propose a marriage. This ring was his mother. It was passed down from women in his family for generations. As he is the last member and only son, he inherited it and gave it to me. I don’t usually like jewels but I made an exception because it belonged to his dead mother.” 

“Congratulations on your proposal. You must love your fiance to accept it.” The queen said. 

“Of course, I love him always and forever. We may share different ideologies but he does have other qualities that made me fall in love all over again.” Historia could tell this woman sounded sincere from the way she spoke about her fiance. 

“Is your fiance Eren Jaeger?” Historia was bold when she asked the main question. This startled Eveline. 

“I- I don’t know who this Eren Jaeger you’re mentioning about, your majesty.” Eveline trying to deflect the question. 

“Don’t pretend that you don’t know what i’m talking about. I saw the way you both looked at each other in the Tea Room. He was uninterested until he glanced at you. His smile was full of life and hope. I have not seen him ever like this at all. Not even when he and I were cadets.” Historia said. 

Eveline frowned from not keeping up her usual act. SHe usually was good at deceiving people, but with the queen was difficult. Maybe meeting her grandmother in this era made her feeling a bit guilty to lie about her own existence. She could have told her who she is and the future her grandmother will face. Of course, the woman from the future could not. It would alter the future more than it already has been. 

“So you know about Eren like you personally know him?” Eveline curious how her grandmother knew Eren? 

“We were acquaintances but also comrades, that is until I was crowned as queen. He was a boy soldier with a hatred against titans. He was vocal about it. Everyone knows he, Mikasa, and Armin were victims and survivors of the fall of Shiganshina.They had seen their fellow town people and their loved ones get eaten by titans. He used his titan shifting powers to help save humanity which at that time we had thought we were the last humans on in this world. I remembered how I once admired his dedication to save human-kinds, but after the medal honor ceremony he became quiet and reserved. That fire in him had dim down. He began to distance himself from everyone including his best friends. One day, he ran away to join his brother and his followers to fulfill their mission. It was supposed to help our kind the Eldians to be free from this awful curse, but no one knows what’s the real plan.” Historia continued while Eveline washed the rest of the queen’s body. 

“Have you liked him? As romantically find him attractive?” Now it was Eveline being the bold one. The way Historia talked about Eren seemed more than an acquaintance talking about someone else. She doesn’t blame her grandmother especially Eren is a good looking guy. She had been surprised Eren hadn’t had a girlfriend. A part of her was relief for not worrying about some ex trying to sabotage their relationship. 

Historia turned her head at the woman. Why asking that ridiculous question? The queen observed small details from her handmaiden’s expression. Eveline had a curious expression. 

“No. I only admired him as a comrade and a friend. Nothing more. However, Eren did claim to have strong feelings for me at one point. I was pregnant and just recently married to the man I love. Eren along the Jaegerists had kidnapped me. They planned to turn me into a titan as Zeke’s Thirteen years curse was almost up. They found out I was with a child and who was the father of my son…” She doesn’t understand why telling this woman who’s a stranger about everything that had happened to her within a year. The pain of being separated by her family and friends. 

“I see...I’m sorry for what he did to you in the past. He didn’t tell me too much about his time with these extremists. Probably the less I know the safer I am.” Eveline finally finished washing the queen. 

“You don’t need to apologize for him. It was him he needed to own his errors.” Historia said. The queen was handed a towel which she had got up to wrap around her body. 

“I would advise you to hide your ring. People will suspect you have stolen it or try to steal it. Maybe wear it like a necklace.” The blonde woman suggested to the dark haired woman. 

Eveline nodded while rubbing the ring on her finger. “I will consider it. Thank you, your grace.” 

Historia smiled. “Well, I think it will be all for the rest of the night. I’ll handle the rest for myself. Sometimes being alone is good for you.” 

“Oh yes of course, but your dinner is on the table. If you want it to warm it up, I don’t mind taking it back to let them know.” Eveline said. 

“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind eating cold. I just want to go to bed as quickly as possible. It’s been an exhausting day. Have you been assigned where your new resident room is?” The queen was concerned if her new handmaiden knew where she'd rest.

“Yes, I already placed my personal items there. Alright, if there’s anything that you need, please let me know. I will let the guards know if you request my assistance. Have a well rested night, Queen Historia.” The handmaiden bows. 

“Don’t worry, I will let you know if  i do. Goodnight. Rest well, Eveline.” Historia gave a smile while dismissing her for the rest of the night. She watched the other woman exited her chamber. 

Finally Historia was alone. She planned on wearing comfortable clothes for this new mission. This night will be the day to explore more. She walked out to the lounge area of her wing to where her desk was located. Her hand gripped on to the handle to pull the draw then grabbed a long paper with designs and labels on it. It was a map of the palace. Thank goodness, Historia was thinking ahead before the Templars invasion. The queen didn’t have the opportunity to use it as she mostly explored day time when everyone was too busy. Now, with her fasle husband was too busy for other matters; Historia grinned as her opportunity was starting.  

She placed the map on the hard surface of the desk. Her eyes scanned to find the dungeon cells. Levi must be there. They must have held him. She will find him to see he was safe and alive. Then she’ll plan out an escape route for them to be reunited with the last remaining soldiers and warriors. This plan needs to be perfect or they will be screwed. 

(Eve)

The hallways were dim with few candle lights to see enough where she’s going. Eve or Eveline the Queen’s handmaiden sighed from feeling overwhelming being close to her grandmother. Her grandmother was youthful and beautiful. She thought people were being too exaggerating that her grandma looked like an actual goddess. Low key, Eve felt self-conscious just being around her own grandma. After what she had learnt from her, Eren had strong feelings for her. This made her heart drop. It’s stupid to compare herself towards her own grandmother! She felt ashamed for having these pity jealousy thoughts of her grandma. Eve loves her. The American did have some good memories with her grandmother as a child even as an adult. Yes, both argued with different views or other dumb shit that it should not matter. In the end, they are family. Family is very important to Eve. Probably, that’s why when a serious argument happened Eve felt hurt for not being understood by most of her family members. Of course, she had tried to bottom up her feelings as it was pointless for them not vailding how she felt. 

The thought of Eren might still have some feelings towards her grandma was now constantly on her mind. The brunette doesn’t know whether to confront him or not. Perhaps it’s not the best time to prioritize personal matters right now since she’s on a mission being a spy for the all military regiments and the Brotherhood. She needs to be focused and worry about her love life later. Besides, Eren was probably busy with whatever his brother made him do. Eve kept walking until she bumped into a figure. 

“Well hello there again, Eveline.” You got to be fucking kidding me?! Out of all the people she had bumped to, it had to be that creep Floch. 

Her annoyed grey eyes glared at the Jaegerist man. “Oh. It’s just you. What do you want, Floch?” She cautiously steps back to have space between them. 

“Evie, do you have to be so rude? Here I thought we have a little chemistry going on.” His tone was wicked and playful, but not in a good way. He took a step toward her which she took a step back until her back pressed to the wall. The dim candle lights made it worse for Floch’s expression becoming sinister. When Eren, Rick, and Eve reached the capital and found Zeke, Floch had company with him and had his eyes on her. Eve felt his vibes were off and creepy. He had tried to be close to her and making disturbing comments which he believed it’s his way of flirty. The female Ackerman had tried to ignore him. Eren didn’t notice as he was too busy having a conversation with his brother and the other woman, Yelena. 

Rick was observing everywhere. Eve felt in some way she had become Floch’s target. She will try to defend herself if Floch crosses the line. But would that give away if they figured out she was well trained to defend herself? Damn it, this is not the demila the dark haired heiress wanted to be in. Floch had already passed her personal space as his face leaned too close for her liking. 

“Can you please back away? I need to rest.” Her tone was asservert, but he didn’t care. Floch chuckled darkly. “Why would I do that? I am finally alone with you, doll.” 

She felt his unpleasant fingers brushing on her curvy side. Her hand instinctively slapped his hand away from her. The heiress was about to slide under his arm to escape, but Floch grabbed her arm to pull back then pinned her to the wall a bit harshly. She groaned from her back head smashed into the hard surface of the wall. Eve started to panic as her heart was pounding hard. Her throat became tighter, but had enough strength to speak. 

“Let go of me!” She struggled while Floch laughed and groped her. 

“Don’t be such a bitch. You enjoy this just as much as I do.” Floch said. Everything had happened so fast as Floch now was on the floor crying in pain while pressing his side face with his hand. 

“You, fucking whore! You’ll pay for that.” He growled. Floch got up but Eve kicked him just like what her Grandpa Levi taught her. She looked down at her assaulter. Her body was shaking in rage and disgusted. 

“Don’t you dare ever touch me. You fucking pig.” Her eyes were glowing silver. Floch was too busy feeling pain at his jaw from her strong kick. His head was staring at the ground trying to get up. 

Eve could see some blood on the floor. Floch’s mouth was bloody. His cheek was forming a green and purple bruise. She saw a couple of his teeth on the floor. What do you expect? Let him have his way with her? Fuck no. He had it coming. Eve brushed off her dress and fixed her hair to look neat again. She didn’t bother to look at him. The heiress walked away leaving a whimpering Floch on the ground enduring from the pain she had inflected. The brunette wanted to leave soon because her anxiety from PTSD was coming soon. What Floch was so closed to had triggered a deep trauma she had tried to bury for many years. If she was not on this mission, Eve would have ripped him into pieces. Her titan was craving justice. She had to mentally calm her titan down as they are spies temporality. 

Just when she was about to make a turn that led to her room, her head moved a bit to notice Eren and a woman talking. This woman had blonde hair and blue eyes, but those eyes are pale not sapphire blue. It was some stranger, but she reminded Eve of her grandma only taller and average looking. Her blonde hair was short into a ponytail. The dark haired Ackerman hid behind the cornered walls to hear their conversation. To be honest, she doesn’t want to see Eren at the moment from the conversation she had with Historia earlier. The heiress knew she had no right to be upset about his past dating life. She was no better for dating many guys before him. Maybe, it’s best to keep walking. She’ll need to trust him...right? Her hand subconsciously placed on her stomach. She remembered what Ymir said in her dream. She’s pregnant with Eren’s kid and it’s gonna be a girl. Eve frowned at the thought of having a kid. She was not ready to be a mother. She had planned not being anyone’s mother. The tragedy of the death of her Mother and her baby brother had made her not ever wanted to have kids. The thought of losing someone so innocent and pure; she would lose her humanity and go berserk. The last time she went berserk was that day. Also, the same day her Ackerman genes were activated. Plus, she has cousins and aunts and  her uncle to continue their bloodline. Why does it matter anyways? Eren had mentioned he wanted to have kids…

She planned to have that talk to him soon. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard that woman’s voice. 

“Eren, why are you ignoring me? You loved it when I made you feel good.” The blonde haired woman said. Eve’s eyes widened from what the woman said. Her head peeks a bit to see the woman’s hands under his chest. What the fuck was this slut doing? Why isn’t Eren doing anyway to stop her? Her silver’s eyes were wet as tears fell from seeing this sight. Please do something that you’re taken Anything?! She mentally screamed to herself. 

Eren sighed. His expression looked uninterested. He finally removed her hands 

From under his shirt. “Because I don’t need you anymore. Our time as sex partners is gone. I have other matters that need my attention since I’m back to resume my main mission.” 

The blonde woman pouted. “Fine, I will leave you be, but on condition.” she smirked. 

Eren raised an eyebrow. “What would that be?” 

Eve was wondering too. She listened and watched them. 

“Let’s just have one last fuck before this ends permantly. It’s the least you can do from the times I covered for you when your brother and Yelena kept interrogating me to know where you went? Come on, it’s not like you got a girl. Do you have a girlfriend?” She said curiously. 

Eren stared at the persistent woman. “No. I don’t have a girlfriend.” He said. 

The woman grinned. “Then my last request shouldn’t be a problem.” 

Eren knew what he was about to do would eat him alive. He is just doing this for her sake. He wanted to protect Natasha. If they found out he had a fiance, his brother or the Grandmaster Templar will use that against him and hurt her. He can’t let that happen. He pulled the woman close to him then moved her to the wall as the woman smirked victoriously. Eve was shocked when Eren was actually going to do her request. Eve started to hear unpleasant moans. She peek again to see exactly what they were doing. Eren thrusting into the woman in a bare back position. The dark haired future woman was sobbing from the heart break of seeing Eren fucking some girl. Eve had her hand cover her mouth from not making noise. SHe could catch them in the act, but why should she give him the chance to explain? This is too much. Eve’s body was trembling from witnessing an awful act of betrayal. The female Ackerman had enough listening mostly the girl’s moans and quietly walked away. 

Just as she’s away from them, Eve felt a  sharp pain on her abdominal. “Ow.” She hissed while hold on to her stomach. She dragged herself to where the door of her room was located. Another sharp pain appeared. She fell onto her knees. The Eldian- American felt warm fluid coming out between her legs. Quickly, she hiked up her dress to see blood running down her legs. She placed her hand between her legends to stop the bleeding. One of the female staff was walking with towels then gasped seeing Eve in this stage. 

“Miss! Here you need to go see the palace doctor. I think you are miscarrying.” The lady ran to her to help her up and lead her to where the infirmary room is. 

“Miscarrying? I’m actually pregnant?” Eve was disoriented from witnessing the miscarriage. 

“Yes yes, we must go quickly or you could lose more blood or worse get an infection.” The lady kept leading her until they reached the doctor who was reading a book. The doctor saw Eve with bloody hands and dress. He noticed the poor young woman was in the state of shock. He hastily rushed to both of them and helped Eve to be on the bed. 

“What happened?” The doctor asked. 

“I think she miscarriage the baby. I don’t think this poor sweet girl didn’t know she was pregnant.” The lady felt sad from what she had witnessed too. 

“We need to make sure the fetus is disposed of or she’ll get an infection from the decomposing fetus.” The doctor grabbed essential equipment to clean Eve from the blood. Eve looked at her hands and they were close together until she opened to reveal a tiny dark ball. This was her child. Her daughter that Ymir claimed it would be strong. yet , it didn’t make it. How ironic that she was thinking of her not being ready or want to have a kid. Now, she lost one. She had lost her baby and it crashed her fragile heart. An agony scream and sobbing let out from her. All in one night, she had to experience this fucked up shit. First being sexual assault by Floch then watching Eren betraying her heart now losing her baby. She could hear her titan mourn the loss of her offspring. Eve became numbed after crying. 

After cleaning up the tragic mess, the doctor dismissed the lady who brought Eve here. The brown haired heiress was on a clean bed laying down. The doctor placed a cup of tea on the nightstand. 

“Here, miss. This tea is specially blended with lavender and chamomile to relax you to go to sleep. I add some medicine to help you recover.” The doctor said as he helped her sit up. 

Eveline grabbed the tea cup including the saucer plate then sipped the hot tea. It would have been comforting but the medicine ruined the taste. She placed the tea back onto the nightstand. 

“Rest now miss. Tomorrow I’ll let the queen be informed of your situation.” The old doctor said. 

“Wait, you don’t have to tell her grace. I will be ok by tomorrow morning.” Even though she was emotional in pain from the miscarriage and heart break, Eve needed to get through this mission if it gets her grandparents safe and win the war. 

The doctor frowned at her comment. “Miss, I recommend that you rest tomorrow. I’m sure her majesty will agree.” 

The brunette sighed then nodded in agreement. “Fine, but only tomorrow.” 

He smiled from convincing her to rest one more day. “Good. Now, I’ll be right back. I need to do late night errands.” The doctor held some documents as he walked away from the infirmary wing. 

Eveline was alone. She wanted something to distract her from tonight’s events. While the heiress was contemplating, a footsteps was heard echoing the hallway that connects this wing. 

Eve glanced up to see the last person she ever wanted to see. Eren was standing in front of the bed where she was resting. “Eve, what happened? Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” 

The dark haired woman glared at him. “Why do you bother to care?” her tone was low but still has venom in it. 

This confused Eren on why she was acting cold towards him. He took a step forward to try to comfort her, but she jerked her body away from his comfort. “You know why? I love you and it pains me to see you hurting.” His tone was soft and sincere. To Eve, it doesn’t means nothing. He broke her trust and heart. How dare he come here?! The burning feeling of overwhelm by anger, pain, and agony. She lower her head so he doesn’t see her tears. 

“Liar…” She whispered huarshly. 

“Eve, why are you being like this? Did I do something-” Eren was trying to understand her. 

“Don’t! Just fucking don’t pretend what you did hours ago.” Her steel colored eyes glanced at his emerald eyes. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” He was getting irritated with her vague words. 

“I saw you…” Once again her tears fell. As Eren could see the pain and broken heart written on her face. 

“You saw what?” Slowly Eren was figuring out what she meant. His heart felt scattered as he now knows why her attitude came off cold towards him. 

“I fucking saw you fucking that Jaegerist whore. How could you do this to me, Eren? Am I not enough?” She let her tears turn into sobs. Her heart felt tight as her hand gripped on her clothes where the pain was located. Eren tried again to hold her. Eve fely his arms around her which wiggled to reject again. 

“Don’t touch me! I can’t even look at you.” She was trying to break free but Eren was stubborn and kept holding her tight. 

“Please...Natasha please hear me out. I didn’t do it to hurt you. I did it to protect you. If anyone is suspicious about me having someone that I love, they'll hurt you to hurt me. I won’t allow anything to harm you. Baby..please understand I did it for you. It was once.” He nuzzled on to her neck to beg her forgiveness. 

Eve scoffed from his explanation. “You could have not fucked her. You don’t understand the image and sound I heard both of you making. I was crushed. You broke your promise and my heart is shattered. I was so distressed and hurt that I lost our baby...I lost it! I won’t get the opportunity to see her born and being loved by us!” She screamed from pain and sorrow. 

Eren in shame lowered his head pressing onto her back shoulder. His tears fell from what he had caused. It was his fault. He was reckless to do anything to protect her. All he thought about was Eve when he gave what the blonde woman wanted. He had avoided her when she tried to seduce him; that's when her suspicion was becoming a concern for him. Belia was once just a bed warmer but nothing more before he and his brother had decided to separate. The titan shifter was not right on his mind from being under the influence of the Apple of Eden. He finally was free from it and met Eve. His beautiful, smart, and fiery Eve. He’ll go through hell to make atonement with her. Eren needed her. She is his freedom and happiness. All those years of anger and pain from losing loved ones, fighting titans, and fighting for his birthright for freedom. Right now, his freedom is slipping away from his actions. 

“I’m sorry...I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I thought I did what was right to protect you. Forgive me please, Natasha. I love you so much. I will do anything to have your forgiveness. Tell me what I need to do to earn your trust and forgiveness?” She felt his lips gently kissing on her neck. How ironic that it’s him he’s begging her to stay with him. 

“This is something it will take a long time for you to earn my trust, Eren. Whatever perspective you have on trying to protect the people you care about; it needs to be stopped and find a new perspective. All it does is hurting us. Your friends, family, comrades...they all care and have hope about you. It’s best for now we need some space until this war is over. If i’m your weakness then we can’t be together.” This is the only way for them to have time to reflect and deal with their obstacles. If fate allows it, then maybe she will consider forgiving him and take him back.  

“Natasha, please don’t give up on us. I can’t be without you. I want to marry you and have children. I’m sorry baby. I love you always and forever.” He whispered to her ear. 

Of course, this makes it harder for Eve to let him go. Despise for what his actions had caused her, Eve still loves him. Always and forever. She’s realistic sometimes and at the moment this is one of them. He has his part to play in this war and so does she. If they survived the war, maybe this will help them to be together like they had promised. As right now her anger and broken heart needed time away from him to be healed. 

“You said you’ll do anything? I want us to have space and when the time is ready, I’ll be clear minded and ready to forgive you. I beg you let me go.” Even though they both needed it, it killed her for being away from him. He is her half. 

“Alright...but I have few conditions. I know I have no right to ask you but please hear me out..” He said as his tone became more shaky from fighting the urge not let her go no matter what. 

At first, she was ready to scowl at him for considering his demands. Eve sighed in defeat to let him be heard. “Fine, what are your conditions and I might consider them.” 

“My first condition, I want you to keep the ring. Keep it safe. It’s always yours. My second condition, let me have one last night to hold you until tomorrow dawn. I will be gone by the time you wake up.” Eren said. 

Eve paused to contemplate his conditions. If she says yes, it will make things harder for her to be away from him. But if she says no, she’ll regret not having one last moment with him. She looked away for a bit then made a decision. 

“Alright, I will consider your terms.” She stared at him. Eren knew deep down he didn't deserve it.

Eve shuffled to lay on the bed but facing away from him. Eren carefully lay close to her and cuddled her tightly. He took a deep inhale to remember her scent that he won’t get to be near her for a long time. Seeing how she gave a small hope that one day they will be together again. His fiery determination has awoken again. Eren Jaeger will win Natasha’s heart and trust again. 

Morning had appeared. Eve woke up to stretch her arms. She remembered the events of last night from being harassed by Floch to Eren’s betrayal. She let Eren spend the night with her as they departed. She turned to the empty spot where he had laid. He was gone as he had promised. Eve looked away and quietly cried. It hurts more being away from him. Her heart, soul and titan yearning for him. This was a torture. 

(Historia)

Blue eyes stared at the map that leads to the dungeon cells. Historia barely could see from the dim halls of the unwanted area of the palace. She constantly looked over her shoulders in case someone was following her. She stopped to glance at the wall where the entrance to the dungeon was supposed to be. The queen sighed in annoyance. Did they conceal it? Historia doesn’t understand why the map claims the cells in there. Maybe the map needed an update. The blonde woman placed her hand to rest from feeling exhausted for an hour or two finding this dungeon. 

A grinded nose was made when Historia pulled her hand back to see the wall slides to create an entrance. Huh? So there is a dungeon. How many secret doors are there in the palace? The royal woman glanced at both sides to see no one. She started walking down the stairs as the wall slided to close.  It was dark until the fires ignited to light up the pathway down to the cells. 

She made her way down until she was in the cells. Historia gasped when she saw many people in the cells. Some were noble families that disagreed with Nathianel taking the throne and the rest were soldiers and higher ranking officers. They all looked dirty and miserable. She felt crushed seeing her supporters being locked up. The queen slowly walked the aisle to find Levi if was placed here. 

Most of the prisoners were asleep. She pulls her hood down to cover most of her face. It’s best no one knows who she is here. The guards could over hear and report back to Nathaniel or one of the templars. The queen walked further as there was another row of cells from all the way back. Most cells in this row were empty except two. She was Premier Pixis who was resting against the cell bars. Next to him was Levi. Her tears fell from finally seeing Levi for the first time since he came to rescue her. The joy seeing him made her pace her steps towards him. He was laying on the cold ground sleeping while his hand stuck out the gap of the bars. He looked pale and exhausted. She frowned from what they did to her husband. 

Historia bent her knees low to reach his hand and hold it gently. Her face leaned closer to the bar where his head was pressed to it. “Levi, are you ok?” 

Slowly Levi moved a bit. He heard a familiar voice. Probably, he was imagining it. The raven haired man opened his eyes to see the same ocean blue eyes that he fell in love with. Historia is here. She is real, not some hallucination. 

HIstoria felt his hand squeezed hers. She smiled seeing he was responding. The queen pulled Levi’s hand on to her cheek to nuzzle affectionately. Her lover caressed her soft blushed cheek. Her presence felt so surreal. The male Ackerman slid up to be closer to the bars to be near as possible with his wife. 

The blonde woman scoot closer to feel his body. She leaned in to give kisses on his hair and temple spots. Oh how she missed him. Historia was so glad he was alive. It was one of her fears that Nathaniel would send him to be executed. 

“Oh god, Levi I missed you so much. I’m so sorry you’re suffering here.” She whispered to him quietly. 

He barely made a sound except his famous tch sound until he finally spoke. 

“I missed you too. Did they harm you or better yet, did that pretty face shithead touch you?” His tone was rough due to exhaustion. 

“No, he hasn’t...but enough about me. What about you? What did they do to you? You looked terrible. I don’t have a lot with me but eat this and have some of my water.” She opened her small bag to pull out a meat pastry snack for Levi to eat. She carefully fed him the food. 

Levi ate slowly since he knows if he ate too fast it will cause him a stomachache. After he finished the pastry snack, Historia shared her water canteen. Why did she bring them? She didn’t finish her meal and packed up those meat pastries if Levi was found. 

“They haven't tortured me yet. I was put in some table with a transparent screen that’s attached to a machine to see my ancestor’s memories.” Levi explained to her. 

Historia was confused by what he met by his words. “What machine? To see your ancestor’s memories? Is that possible?” She asked. 

Levi nodded. “Yeah, I was reliving one of my ancestors that started the Ackerman bloodline that was known now. Get this; my ancestor wasn’t an Eldian. He was a long lost prince from some European nation, I think it was called England.” He said. 

Historia was intrigued as he had learnt. “Oh, that’s a shock. What else did you find out?” 

Levi was thinking. “He was kidnapped as a baby to be into the slave market in the Eldia Empire or now as Marley. Two middle aged couples bought him to raise him as their own kid. So far, he got married to a noblewoman who ran away from her marriage ceremony.” He said. 

“Oh no.That’s horrible. It’s a good thing he was saved by kind people. Hm, you Ackerman men are into women that are from nobility.” She made a joke which Levi smirked and despised him looking  like shit.  

The captain looked into her eyes to memorize her beautiful blue sapphire eyes. He used his arms to slide between the bars. His hand reached to pull his wife and kissed her. The gap of the metal bars was where they pressed both their faces to kiss passionately. Historia was blissed from embracing his lips against hers. It’s been a long time since she felt his lips or any physical contact. This was right. Her love for Levi had always yearned to be beside. After their kiss, slowly they pulled away. 

“Historia, even though I’m glad I get to see you again, what you did was risky. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. You hear? Go back to your chamber before someone comes and find you.” He warned his queen. 

Historia sighed. “I’ll go now, but I am coming back.” She gave him one last kiss then got up. She looked at him feeling guilty and sad to leave him here in the cold dungeon. 

“I love you, Levi. I promise I will find a way to get you out and the rest of them.” She said with determination. 

Levi couldn’t convince her to not do more reckless things but she was determined and stubborn. “Just be careful please. I love you, Historia. This nightmare will be over soon.” 

She gave a warm smile at him then started to head out now. Once she exited the dungeon and closed the wall. Historia looked both ways as no one was there. The blonde woman walked through the hallways to try to get back to her chamber. 

While she was walking, Historia saw a glimpse of the infirmity wing where Eveline her handmaiden was laying on the bed sleeping. Next to her, Eren Jaeger was laying down sleeping next to her as he held her tight. Who would have thought Eren would find love, especially what he was capable of? That’s one of the respects Historia has with Eren now. There was hope for him. Her friend was becoming who he used to be before. Later in the morning, she will ask why her handmaiden was in the infirmary wing at night time? The queen has to wait and she doesn’t want to wake them up. The queen continued walking to her chamber. Once she got there, the blonde woman got ready for bed. Tomorrow will be a bit brighter as she finally got to see Levi alive.  

A/N: I’ve been distracted again which it’s why it took longer than I usually do. So here’s chapter 18. What do you guys think? Until next time.

[ensemblehq]

— CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS upon their enrollment in the alderidge theatre department’s fourth-year class! please send your account within TWENTY-FOUR HOURS and make sure you’ve gone through our post-acceptance CHECKLIST. we can’t wait to see you on the dash!

THEODORE “TEDDY” NEWELL-SMITH as THE JUVENILE (fc: rudy pankow)

EVIE, not only was teddy absolutely heartbreaking from beginning to end, but i could feel the attention and care you put into crafting him with every word i read. all of the little scenes you included had me so emo, from the meeting between teddy and his dad (i was crying at “he believes him”) to the final words orson said to him. in so many ways, teddy is a scared little boy, but there’s so much more to him that i can’t wait to see brought to life. 

PAOLA PEREZ as THE LEADING LADY (fc: sofia carson)

KIWI, paola was so unexpected, but even after finishing your app i just couldn’t get her out of my head. everything about her background cultivated so seamlessly into this nuanced, imperfect drama queen. i love that her desire for success was driven by wanting to give her mom a better life, you gave her so many layers beyond the selfish diva described in the skeleton and i’m so excited to see where you take our leading lady!

GRACE ISHIHARA as THE SCENE STEALER (fc: reina hardesty)

RED, i don’t know how to convey in words just how stunning this application was. everything about your writing is so beautifully deliberate, so neatly constructed (so…grace like, if you will!). you wove a story from start to finish, with each little thing connecting to another. and that story? breathtaking. i saw the scene stealer in every part of her life - from chasing perfection at ballet, to imagining herself in orson’s footsteps and all the way to her wholehearted devotion to people. i cannot wait to see grace on the dash!

ALEXANDRA “LEXIE” O’BRIEN as THE STATUE (fc: hunter schafer)

BEE, you’ve mapped lexie out so vividly that she just jumped off the page from the moment i read about why she was sent to live with her grandfather. i loved seeing the map of their personality, separated between the internal and external parts of them, because it’s an incredibly important distinction for lexie. you’ve allowed her to be both cruel and soft, simultaneously angry and scared and insecure and vain in a way that works. i also adored the expansion of lexie’s aesthetic -- just an amazing attention to detail!         

JULIAN BENNET as THE STUNTMAN (fc: fady elsayed)

ALEXA, where do i begin? with the way this app was structured according to fencing positions? with the tiny little details that made julian feel so real (my heart shattered with the harris treaty!)? everything about this application screamed stuntman - from his grace at his first fencing match loss, his way of befriending the underdogs and his continued resistance to being changed by alderidge. i cannot wait to see our resident with a heart of gold in action!

MADELINE ‘MADS’ LE as THE SUPPORTING ROLE (fc: lana condor)

MISHA, i won’t lie - this choice was a tough one! what drew us back to your application was the attention you paid to mads’ time at alderidge - her journey from starlet to black sheep. i love the idea that she does community theatre - and the concept of dragging all her peers there! with her wicked tongue and fishnets, i know mads is going to be an explosion in this roleplay - and i can’t wait to see the chaos she causes.

ZAHRA MALIK as THE TEMPTRESS (fc: mishti rahman)

NATALIA, with six temptress apps, this was always going to be an agonising decision. what sold us on yours was your unconventional portrayal of the temptress. there’s nothing i love more than being surprised by my own skeletons - and zahra certainly did that! from her birth on andromeda’s rock to her unconventional theatrical training, zahra was so fresh. but i think what really sold me was how you dug into hers and orson’s dynamic - her reason for being cast as cressida was super spicy - and one i never would have come up with!

JUDITH CHANDLER ROSEN as THE TOMBOY (fc: diana silvers)

JORDAN, there’s something so special about an app that just sucks you in and doesn’t let you go, and reading about chandler absolutely did that to me. she just feels so real, every detail you included was so perfect that it’s hard to focus on any one. it’s so funny to me that chandler’s beginning as “the tomboy” was just that there weren’t enough boys in her high school theatre department to fill the male roles -- and it just became what she was good at! 

HUDSON WILLIAMS as THE UNDERSTUDY (fc: michael evans behling)

ASH, i just want to wrap hudson in a blanket and keep him safe forever, is that too much to ask? you’ve got me absolutely sold on this characterization, from the pressure he felt from his military family to a perceived lack of passion being the reason he could never break through into lead roles. it’s obvious that hudson is really not coping well right now, and i’m so excited to see where you take him from here!  

JASON PALMER as THE UTILITY (fc: jordan fisher)

DIANA, our cast of characters would not be complete without the utility and diana, i am so glad that you will be taking them up! your application was an absolute joy to read! i particularly loved the paradox between who jason is and who they want to be - i can’t wait to see that dichotomy played out on the dash! and your future plots section? chefs kiss! that moral quandary and the fallout from orson’s death (and how jason navigates it) is going to be so fun to watch unfold!

JONAH PRYCE as THE VILLAIN (fc: alex fitzalan)

TARA, this decision nearly broke me. we had so so so many good takes for the villain - and i was still torn until about five minutes before this note was written! however, in the end, i just couldn’t say no to jonah. everything about this application took my breath away - its originality (how achilles was orson’s punishment), its detail (i literally teared up reading about his backstory!) and even his motivation for going to alderidge! you know this skeleton better than i do - the villain wholeheartedly belongs to you and i for one cannot wait to see how you break out hearts with him!