#I’m enjoy making Marble sky

[somerandomdudelmao]

I think

I think I like marble sky better than C.A.S

Your artwork and story is amazing :)

Keep up the good work 👍🏻

Akfjjgkgmgngn thank you ><

You have no idea how much that compliment means to me. Like. Really. This is my first original story. I usually draw something related to already existing characters and fandoms, so I don't have to think about how to establish their personalities or introduce new concepts. I always just draw some character and everyone automatically recognizes them and knows what to expect from them. But drawing a story from scratch is noticeably more difficult. So. Thank you

[inthedayswhenlandswerefew]

Napoleonville [Chapter 1: The Fall-Down House]

Series Summary: The year is 1988. The town is Napoleonville, Louisiana. You are a small business owner in need of some stress relief. Aemond is a stranger with a taste for domination. But as his secrets are revealed, this casual arrangement becomes something more volatile than either of you could have ever imagined.

Chapter Warnings: Language, sexual content (18+ readers only), dom/sub dynamics, alligators, kids, parenthood, smoking, cupcakes!

Word Count: 7.2k (she's very chonky for a first chapter).

Link to chapter list (and all my writing): HERE.

Since this is the first chapter of a new series, I'm going to tag a bunch of usual readers, but I won't tag you again unless you want me to. 💜

@persephonerinyes @tinykryptonitewerewolf @daenysx @babyblue711 @arcielee @bhanclegane @jvpit3rs @padfooteyes @marvelescvpe @travelingmypassion @darkenchantress @yeahright0h @poohxlove @trifoliumviridi @bloodyflowerrr @fan-goddess @devynsficrecs @flowerpotmage @thelittleswanao3 @seabasscevans @hiraethrhapsody @libroparaiso @st-eve-barnes @chattylurker @vagharnaur @moonlightfoxx @heliosscribbles @beautifulsweetschaos @namelesslosers @partnerincrime0 @burningcoffeetimetravel-fics @marbles-posts @maidmerrymint @backyardfolklore @dd122004dd @jetblack4real @joliettes @mariahossain @minttea07 @please-buckme @florent1s @tempt-ress @wintersire @w3ird11 @eltherevir @florent1s @maii777

Let me know if you'd like to be tagged! 🥰🧁

“What do you want to do to me?” you whisper through the phone, stretched out across your bed like a cat as George Michael’s Faith plays from the baby pink Panasonic boombox out in the kitchen. It’s late afternoon, and fading daylight falls in tiger stripes through the window blinds. The May air is hot, muggy, golden; cicadas hum in the southern live oaks, an ancient earthen music like rattling bones.

A few seconds pass before he can reply. It was a bold way to begin. You are admittedly a little impressed with yourself; an idea like this has been pacing around in your skull like a beast behind bars for years, but you’ve only now set it loose. “That’s difficult to explain in words,” he says; and in the low, teasing purr of his voice you can hear that your gamble paid off like striking oil. He has a British accent, which you never would have expected. You only recognize it from clips you’ve seen of Prince Charles and Princess Diana on 60 Minutes. “But I’d enjoy showing you.”

It’s laid open beside you on the bed, his personal ad in the Bayou Journal: Educated white male in his mid-20s. Single and not looking to change that. Seeking an open-minded, adventurous, and spirited lady for short-term D/s arrangement. Be prepared to answer the following riddle: I’m small but loom large, I’m Italian but French, I give away much to gain little. Who am I? Best regards, An Indecent Gentleman. “I’m waiting.”

“You understand what is meant by D/s?”

“Of course,” you say, your best feigned flippantness. You only know because Amir told you; he’s been daring you to call for three days.

“Thank God,” the man on the other end of the line sighs. There is an inhale like a drag on a cigarette. You imagine what he might look like: broad or slight, dark-haired or blonde, striking or average or homely, treacherous or safe, forbidden fruit or just plain forbidden. “I’ve had four different women ring me thinking I’m going to be their boyfriend, dinner and flowers and everything. They’re functionally illiterate down here.”

How unfortunate, you think. He’s highfalutin. But alas, no one is perfect. That’s no prohibitive obstacle. He doesn’t need to be faultless; it’s not as if you’re planning to marry the guy. “I like when someone else is in control.”

“Why?” This is a test, you can feel it. You can sense his rapt attention across the wire, through the electricity and the lush treetops and the rust-amber sky.

“I have a lot of…responsibilities in my real life,” you explain. “A lot of pressure. I make the decisions, I look out for other people. Sometimes I want to be the one who’s told what to do.”

“I can make that happen. And the riddle?”

“It’s Napoleon.”

The grin is sharp and triumphant in his voice. “Good girl.”

“He was short but an emperor. He was born in Corsica to an Italian family, but he ended up ruling over France. He sold off a bunch of French colonies to focus on conquering Europe and still couldn’t quite manage it. But the U.S.A. got this charming little corner of the world as part of the bargain.”

“You’re a historian,” the man says, sounding pleased.

“No sir, we all had to learn about him in school whether we wanted to or not.”

“Sir,” he echoes, tasting it, savoring it. You imagine a pink tongue flicking out to skate across his lips. Then he is abruptly cool, impersonal, businesslike. “Listen, I’ve got a scar down the left side of my face. It’s thin, it’s clean, but it’s noticeable. The eye is glass, although you can’t really tell unless you look closely. Is that a problem?”

A scar? Is he a veteran? A lion tamer? A motorcycle enthusiast? You try to remember what kinds of hobbies British people have. Isn’t there some kind of sport where men swing sticks around while riding horses? That sounds like it could put an eye out. Perhaps to your own surprise, you find that you are more intrigued than uneasy. Oh, you realize, dull like dawn through mist. I like him. I want him. Not just THIS, but HIM. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Brilliant. I don’t want to talk about it again.”

“That’s fine.” You hesitate. “There’s actually something I should tell you too.”

“Hm?”

The hum of his voice is arrogant, hungry. You try not to get distracted. Blood rushes hot and ashamed into your cheeks. “Um, well, uh, sometimes it’s difficult for me to…you know. Finish. Not when I’m alone, just when I’m with a guy. Especially if I’m anxious. And I don’t want to feel worried about faking it or making sure it happens or dealing with you getting offended or upset or whatever. Because it’s fine, really. It doesn’t mean I’m not having a good time. I’m just…stuck in my own head.”

There is a sound you can’t quite match to an expression, an exhale, a scoff. “Obviously I wouldn’t be mad at you. But you’ll come. I know you will. I’ll make you.”

And you’re flooded with a relief that you never dared to hope for. A confession spills out in a trembling whisper: “Please.”

“When?” he says, eager, urgent.

“I think if we don’t do it now, I’ll lose my nerve.”

There is a razor-thin pause, and then he asks for your address.

~~~~~~~~~~

You haven’t had a man in your bed in years; you are abruptly and unkindly reminded of this when you paw through the top drawer of your bedroom dresser and find only practical, deadly unsexy cotton Kmart underwear. You dash to the closet, yank open the squeaking door, and—tucked away in a cardboard box of winter clothes like sweaters and jeans, forgotten, needless—unearth a sprinkling of insubstantial silk and lace, all in luxurious gemstone hues: amethyst, ruby, sapphire, onyx, emerald.

“Oh, hallelujah.” You throw off your sunshine yellow shorts and tug on what were once upon a time your favorite panties. They don’t fit nearly as well as they used to; they fit horribly, in fact. They evaporate the thrill and leave nauseous trepidation in its place. “Oh God. Oh no. Oh no, oh no.” You steal a harried glimpse of the clunky black alarm clock on your nightstand. The flashing red numbers inform you that you have approximately ten more minutes until he arrives.

You jog pantsless to the kitchen, pour yourself a glass of sweet tea—ice cold, bright with a squeeze of lemon juice—and pace back and forth across the wooden floor as you sip it. The pine boards slope at just the slightest angle; if you laid an apple by your feet, it would roll. The house is sinking. It was built at the turn of the twentieth century, but it won’t live to see the next. Ailing sunlight casts your shadow against the wall, mint green, spider-leg cracks inching through the paint. Outside cicadas buzz and doves coo in long, mournful whirrs.

You pick up the phone—pink to match the boombox that is now playing Poison’s Nothin’ But A Good Time—next to the refrigerator and dial with one finger, your other hand still clutching the frosty glass of sweet tea. It rings twice before he answers.

“Wassup?” Amir says distractedly. You can hear a commotion from his living room on the other side of town: his grandmother squawking, ambient applause, Wheel Of Fortune.

“Quick, what should I wear?”

���Huh?”

“The guy! The guy from the ad! I called the guy! What should I be wearing when he shows up?”

Amir cackles. “Ho, you must be truly desperate, why the fuck are you asking me?” There is some shrill protestation in the background. “Grandma, don’t you dare try to act like you’ve never heard that word before, we just rented Aliens.”

“You know what men like,” you plead.

“Not the straight ones!” And then, not to you: “Grandma, calm down. Grandma, Grandma! It’s my homegirl. She has an emergency. She’s got a man coming over and she doesn’t know what to wear. What did you wear for Pop Pop? What? What?! You expect me to believe you got seven kids out of that dude with just some old floral nightgown?! Prairie girl fabulous? Looking like you’re on your way to join the Donner Party? Okay, if you say so! Phyllis knows best!” Amir’s attention returns to you. “Grandma suggests a nightgown.”

You are skeptical. “That seems slutty.”

“You’re inviting some stranger over for an all-expenses-paid ride on the Pussy Express and you’re concerned about looking slutty?!”

He has a point. “Okay. Okay. Yeah. You’re right. Okay.”

“You wear that nightgown with confidence and you take that random kinky man directly to bed, do you understand me?” Amir orders.

“Totally,” you say, gulping sweet tea with a shaking hand.

“Good luck. I gotta go, it’s the Bonus Round. Hope you have a few rounds to tell me about tomorrow.” Then he hangs up.

Back in your bedroom closet, you find a black satin slip that runs to your ankles and flows like a ballgown. You put it on some nights when you’re feeling desirable, after a bath of bubbles and steam, candles and Madonna, freshly shaved legs and shimmering with Pond’s, when you want to lounge around daydreaming, when you want to remember the fantasies you once had about what your life might turn out to be. Now you wear it in the fading daylight, nothing underneath and golden sunbeams turning your skin to something that warms and glows.

You appraise yourself in your dusty dresser mirror, and you think: Not too bad, actually. You’ve had your hair up in a haphazard bun. You reach to take it down, then stop yourself. You like the wayward wisps, the I-don’t-care-too-much casualness. Your breathing is slow and calm again. There is a noise outside: tires crunching on gravel. Your glass of sweet tea, now mostly just ice cubes, is sweating on top of your dresser. You grab the glass, swipe the Bayou Journal off your bed, and take both to the kitchen counter, still speckled with flour, powdered sugar, flecks of cinnamon. Then you pad across the sloping wooden floor in your bare feet to open the front door. Amber dusk streams in; you can hear bullfrogs croaking and the hoots of the long-eared owl that lives in the collapsing, overgrown shed behind the house. Spanish moss hangs like cobwebs, like chandeliers. The tree swing rocks idly in the breeze. The first notes of You Shook Me All Night Long play from the kitchen boombox.

His car is red, sporty, with a logo on the grill that you don’t recognize, a series of circles intertwined like rings. He cuts the engine and steps out into the driveway as you watch from behind the screen, leaning against the doorframe with your arms crossed over your chest. He’s tall, trim, blonde, wearing Adidas sneakers and light-wash jeans and a Marlboro jacket that it’s far too hot for. He peers around, taking in the trees and the house through his black aviator sunglasses. He puffs one last time on a cigarette before putting it out on his own windshield and starting towards the porch. And immediately, primally, you crave him like water or air.

He climbs the groaning steps, splitting wood and rusty nails. You open the screen door to meet him in the threshold. And he takes off his sunglasses so he can look at you, stowing them in a pocket of his jacket, his gaze not wavering from yours, his lips not saying a word. Yes, he has a scar, but it doesn’t diminish him in the slightest. Yes, his left eye may be glass, but you wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t already told you. You’re too tangled up in the right. His iris is a brisk greyish blue, not like the ocean, not like the bayou, more like the sky before a hurricane, heavy with the threat of wind and rain. His face is strong, jarring, beautiful in a rare way. His full lips are curling into a grin.

At last, you speak first, an inane observation that feels somehow significant. “You found me.”

“I did.” He nods towards the large lavender sign out by the mouth of the gravel driveway. Hand-painted on it are the words Hummingbird Bakery and a logo that Amir designed, a hummingbird feeding on the frosting swirl of a cupcake as if it’s a flower flush with nectar. “You told me to look for the sign. That helped.”

“What kind of car do you drive? I don’t recognize it.”

“It’s an Audi Quattro.”

“Audi,” you repeat, like a hopelessly distant place, New York City or Los Angeles or Paris or the moon. “Is that British?”

“German, actually.”

“You’re from a very different world.”

“Yeah, I am.” His eye flicks up and down your body, black satin that curves and clings; his grin widens. “But I could learn to like yours, I think.”

You step back so he can follow you inside. The screen door shuts with a bang. Under the shadows, as the sun sets into the west, he unzips his Marlboro jacket and tosses it onto your living room couch. Underneath he wears a white t-shirt. We’re opposites, you think dazedly, wondering what he will taste like when he kisses you. He grazes his fingertips down the front of your throat, continues to your chest, stills when he hits the satin of your slip.

“You can tell me to stop whenever you want to,” he murmurs, and you breathe in his smoke and cologne and dauntless, dizzying self-assurance. “But until you say stop, I’m gonna keep going.”

Your heartbeat is drumming beneath his hand, part exhilaration and the rest nerves. You are afraid of disappointing him; you aren’t sure what to expect. “I don’t even know your name.”

“Aemond.”

Aemond. Foreign, like Audi, like Paris. You give him your own in return. He leans in, presses his hips to yours, denim and satin that you can feel his heat through. And you think he’s going to kiss your neck, or bite it, bruise it, mark it, claim it, claim you; but he only ghosts his parted lips from the edge of your jaw to your bare shoulder, inhaling slow and deep, drawing your atoms into his lungs until they tumble down the narrowest corridors and into his capillary beds, into his bloodstream. You moan softly, helplessly, and turn your face to kiss him.

“No,” Aemond growls, teasing you, catching your chin with one hand to hold you still. His other hand glides down the front of your slip and stops between your legs. Through satin the color of a starless midnight, his fingers stroke you roughly, commandingly. Animalistic yearning bolts low to weaken your knees, high to rip a gasp from your throat. “Nothing underneath,” he notes in approval.

Oh, I like him, you think, in equal parts ecstatic and petrified. I REALLY like him.

But are you going to be able to impress him too? Are you going to ruin this?

You whimper, unintentionally and almost inaudibly. Aemond is studying your face; furrows appear in his scarred brow, so faint and fleeting you might have imagined them. Then his hand retreats as he says: “Show me your toys.”

You gape up at him; this is not what you anticipated. “What?”

“I want to see how you make yourself come. You have toys, don’t you?”

“I do,” you admit, though you’ve never used them with anyone else before.

Aemond smirks mischieviously, then commands: “Show me. Right now.”

You lead him to your bedroom and slide open the middle drawer of your dresser. You glance at his reflection in the silvery glass of the mirror; he’s staring, not at your body but at your face, his gaze locked with yours, his mouth open, entranced, hungry. You move to stand against the wall, smiling sheepishly as Aemond shoves aside folded sheets and pillowcases to reveal your collection. It’s nothing too adventurous: five vibrators in different colors, styles, sizes.

“Quite the assortment,” he praises.

“They were gifts from a friend.”

Now Aemond is dubious. “A friend?”

“Don’t be jealous. He doesn’t like women.”

Aemond laughs, warm and boyish like he’s breaking character; and you are alarmed by the wave of fondness for him that crashes through you. It’s something that could pull you under. It’s something you could drown in. He picks up the largest vibrator: long, thick, pink like soft feminine vulnerability, like love. Then he is darkly, deliciously stern again. “On the bed.”

“No.” Not because you’re genuinely protesting. Because you want him to make you.

Aemond grabs you around your waist and drags you towards the bed as you squeal, giggle, fight him halfheartedly. He throws you down onto the wildflower-patterned duvet and climbs between your thighs, parting them as he pushes the hem of your black satin slip up to your waist. Abruptly, you are bare for him, exposed, fiery dusk air cool against your wetness. Aemond is still fully clothed, white shirt and pale blue jeans. He is holding your legs open with his own. You can see the bulge of his cock beneath the denim: at least as large as the vibrator and hard with insistent longing.

I want him, you think as you hear the vibrator click on. I want him, I want him…

Aemond brings the pink silicone tip to your flesh, and instantly you’re ravenous. It shocks you how much more erotic this is when someone else is holding it, when someone else has you entirely at their mercy. You cry out, loud and shameless, euphoric. Your back arches; your fingers twist into the duvet. As he presses the vibrator down more forcefully, Aemond braces his hips against yours, grinding into you through his jeans, taunting you, conquering you.

You fumble for the button and zipper of his jeans. “Please—”

“No,” Aemond snarls, beaming, snatching your hand and pinning it up by your head. His other hand is still circling your clit with the tip of the vibrator. “You haven’t earned it yet.”

“Aemond, please, I need you—”

“No,” he says, defiant. He makes the rules. He has the power; he’s in control. Suddenly, he pulls the vibrator away. You yelp in dismay. “You know,” Aemond quips cavalierly. “It’s a shame you have such a difficult time finishing when you’re with a man. I bet you’re not even close.”

“I am,” you whine, in agony, in ecstasy.

Aemond pretends to be surprised. “Hm.” He returns the vibrator to your skin, slick, hot, aching in the most wondrous way. You sigh as the pleasure surges through you, as you soar up to the previous plateau and then begin to ascend beyond it. You must have repositioned yourself without noticing; Aemond releases your hand to smack his palm against the inside of your thigh. “Keep your legs apart. I want you wide open for me.”

“I will, I promise.” I’ll do anything you tell me to.

Aemond’s hand ventures lower. Two of his fingers glide inside you and thrust in time with his hips. “Fuck,” he hisses, breaking character again; and something rocks through his shoulders, his spine, a divine temptation that he is battling.

“Aemond, more,” you plead, looking at the massive outline of his cock under his jeans.

“Not yet,” he pants, fucking you with his fingers as the vibrator hums against your clit. “You have to come for me first, baby. You have to earn it.”

And you’re close, you really are, you’re closer than you ever would have imagined you’d be with him tonight, this stranger, this elusive British man, this man from a personal ad in the Bayou Journal that you almost never replied to. Your hair has come undone and is wild around your face; your heart is pounding frantically; your skin is bathed in a sheen of victorious perspiration. When was the last time someone made you feel like this? You can’t recall; the answer might be never. There is a spellbinding, intensifying sensation of warmth, of opening, you’re only seconds from the brink, you’re ready to step off the precipice and into open blue air the same color as his eyes—

Aemond yanks the vibrator away again, grinning toothily down at you.

“No!” You scrabble for him with shaking hands, pulling yourself up as you reach for the vibrator. Aemond pushes you back onto the bed. Despite your protests, you love the feeling of his weight on top of yours; you love the organic symphony he’s built of, muscle and bone and skill and power. His fingers are still pumping in and out of you, keeping you soaked and throbbing, pinning you to the edge of an orgasm without permitting you to succumb to it.

“It’s going to be so good for you like this, baby,” Aemond insists, low and raspy. He’s reading your face, attentive to every detail, drinking up your desperate body and quivering voice. “I swear I’m not torturing you for no reason. Let me show you. Let me take care of you. When it happens, it’s going to blow your fucking mind. Are you ready?”

“Yes, now, please, do it now,” you whimper as you lie beneath him, open, bare, senseless, vanquished.

Aemond drags his tongue over the tip of the vibrator, moaning with lust as he tastes you. Then he at last presses the pink silicone to your clit once more. In your electrified nerves, in your scalding blood, there are sparks and momentum and currents rushing towards the cataclysmic breaking of a rogue wave. “Nice and slow,” Aemond murmurs. “Let it build.”

Instead of the peak, you reach another plateau, so high and so rapturous you can’t stand it, you can’t fathom climbing any farther. It’s becoming so sharp and intense it’s almost painful. Fresh anxiety flashes in your mind like lightning. The momentum begins to dissipate like dewdrops under the late-morning sun. Oh no, I’m going to lose it, I’m going to disappoint him—

Aemond lifts the vibrator off you again; before you have time to collect yourself enough to speak, to apologize, he’s slipped his fingers out of you and carefully guided the vibrator inside, stretching you, filling you, thrusting rhythmically but not too viciously or too deep. He places his thumbprint on the place where the vibrator was just seconds ago and circles quickly, once, twice, again, and then…

You try not to scream, but you can’t help it, can’t stop it; the climax wrenches out of you indescribable pleasure, vanished fears, awe and relief, twisted muscles and gasping breaths, every electrical impulse of every atom, and each time you believe it’s over it rolls a little farther like an endless summer afternoon. When it’s done—truly done—you aren’t sure exactly how it happens but suddenly you’re sitting upright on the bed and the vibrator is lying forgotten on top of the duvet and Aemond is laughing, kissing you—sweat and nicotine, smoke and salt—and caressing your face with his hands, saying: “You were such a good girl. You did amazing. I’m so proud of you.”

“Okay,” you exhale unsteadily, smiling. You nod to the very noticeable bulge in his jeans. “Your turn.”

“No,” Aemond says primly.

“What?”

“No,” he repeats. “Not today.”

“But…but…why?”

The curl of his lips is crooked and playful. “To prove I’m not just here to get myself off.” He kisses you again, far more tenderly than any random dom from a personal ad should. “You don’t trust me. But maybe next time you will.”

“How could I trust you? I don’t even know you.”

“We’ll have to spend more time together.”

“You seriously aren’t going to fuck me right now? Me? A mostly-naked stranger you met up with exclusively for the purposes of fucking?”

“Are you dissatisfied?”

In truth, no; your pulse is slowing, your thoughts are calm, your lust is satiated, you’re reasonably certain that you’ve sprained no less than four muscles. You feel like the sky after rain: emptied, unburdened, untroubled, at peace. “Not at all.”

“Then you shouldn’t be complaining.”

You reach out to touch Aemond’s unscarred cheek and he smiles. You try to ghost your fingertips over the left side of his face and he flinches away, leaves the bed, takes the vibrator to the bathroom to scrub it with soap and water. “Can I at least pour you a glass of sweet tea or something?” you call after him. “I feel guilty. I feel like I didn’t uphold my end of the bargain.”

“You exceeded all of my expectations,” Aemond says with a strange sort of somberness. “But sweet tea sounds great.”

You take five minutes to clean up and change into real clothes—ratty denim shorts and a red, white, and blue Pepsi t-shirt, chaotic hair, no bra—and then meet Aemond in the kitchen. He’s surveying the large circular table, which is littered with covered cake plates in a hodgepodge of sizes and colors; you found most of them at yard sales and thrift shops. The sun has set and the stars have risen; the kitchen is illuminated by yellow-hued florescent light. Night air flows in through the screens of the open windows. The boombox is currently playing Tiffany’s I Think We’re Alone Now.

“What’s the deal with that?” Aemond asks about the cluttered kitchen table.

“They’re the baked goods. For my bakery.”

“Right,” he says, remembering, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “The sign out front.”

“Would you like anything? Today we had butterscotch chiffon cake, coconut custard cake, blackberry dark chocolate cupcakes, pecan pie, red velvet brownies, lemon blueberry cookies, lavender black tea cookies, chocolate meringue pie, butter pecan muffins…”

“How about those?” He points.

“Oh! Those are banana bread cupcakes. One of my favorites.”

“Banana bread…cupcakes?”

“Here.” You plop one on a plate for Aemond, then go to the refrigerator to pour two tall glasses of sweet tea. “A lot of people put chocolate chips in their banana bread, but I feel like any chocolate really eclipses the banana flavor. It’s so subtle, you know? So what I do instead is cinnamon, honey, cream cheese frosting, and a tiny bit of sea salt mixed into the batter. If you get the ratio just right, there’s this really great blend of saltiness and sweetness, and the banana is still the star of the show. Of course I’ve fucked up plenty of times too and almost given myself dangerously high blood pressure. If I ruin a batch, I’m the one who has to eat it. We can’t let anything go to waste. Our profit margin is thinner than a crescent moon on the best months.”

“Oh my God,” Aemond says. He’s taken a bite and is now gawking at the banana bread cupcake. “You made this?” He gestures to the table. “You made all of this?”

“My best friend Amir runs the business with me, but most of the recipes are mine. My mom used to bake all the time when I was little. Now she has rheumatoid arthritis and has given it up, more or less, but that’s where I learned a lot of what I know. And I try to come up with new ideas each week to add to the rotation.”

“This is exceptional,” Aemond says. His mouth is full of the rest of the cupcake. He washes it down with a few gulps of sweet tea; ice cubes jangle in the misty glass. “This is, like, insanely good. Can I have another one…?” He’s already lifting the cover off the cake plate.

You chuckle. “Yeah, seriously, have as many as you like.”

“How much do you sell them for?”

“The cupcakes are $1, but you don’t have to pay me. You get the unrequited orgasm discount.”

“Just $1 each.” Aemond is incredulous. You aren’t sure what that’s about. He sets the second cupcake down on the table, tugs a black leather wallet out of his jeans pocket, and gives you a $10 bill.

“Aemond, really, you don’t have to—”

“I know I don’t have to. I want to. Take the money. Stop talking about it.”

You smirk up at him. “Is that an order, sir?”

He grabs your jaw with one forceful hand, kisses you roughly, bites your lower lip almost hard enough to draw blood. He tastes like cinnamon, honey, sugar, sex. “Yes,” he says, grinning wickedly. Then his hands drop to unbutton your shorts. The idea of stopping Aemond doesn’t even cross your mind; your desire for him—him specifically—is back, flaring red and primeval and irresistible. “I want you on top of that counter—”

Outside there are footsteps bounding up the front porch, loud on the creaking boards. You tear away from Aemond and hurry to re-button your shorts. What? Already??

You know exactly who it must be.

Well, now I’m definitely never going to see Aemond again.

He’s terrified, he’s wondering whether he should try to jump out of a window. But really, he’s already been spotted; his Audi Quattro is still waiting for him in the gravel driveway. “Please don’t tell me that’s your homicidal armed boyfriend or something.”

“No,” you say. “It’s my daughter.”

“Wait, your…?!”

The door swings open; you hardly ever lock it. Cadi trots in just as you are flipping over the copy of the Bayou Journal on the kitchen counter so Aemond’s personal ad is no longer visible. Instead, what now faces up—dotted with flour, powdered sugar, cinnamon, grease stains of butter—is a column about the rigs opened in Lake Verret. Just what this town needs, you think distractedly. An environmental disaster.

“Mom, whose radical car is that—?” Then Cadi spies Aemond and blinks at him a few times. She is ten years old but thinks she’s your age, short hair, short temper, denim overalls and a t-shirt underneath patterned with multicolored horses.

“This is Aemond,” you explain. He waves awkwardly and then resumes nibbling on his second banana bread cupcake, avoiding her scrutiny. “He’s a friend.”

“But you don’t have any friends,” Cadi replies.

“Watch it, Child Of The Corn. I have friends.”

“You have like one friend.”

“What happened to your sleepover with Mawmaw? I thought you were excited to trick her into watching Hellraiser.”

“Blockbuster didn’t have it. Then Great Aunt Ethel called and said she broke her hip. Mawmaw dropped me off here on her way to the hospital.”

“And she didn’t even think to check with me first, huh?”

“As if you’d have anything better to do.” Cadi races to the refrigerator—careening around a shellshocked Aemond—and heaves open the door. “What’s for dinner?”

“I think we have some Swanson’s meals left. Oh, and spaghetti.”

She narrows her eyes at you. “Who made it?”

“You’re in luck! Not me. Amir.”

“Yay!” Cadi trills, then drags out the pan and begins spooning mounds of spaghetti onto a plate. Aemond looks to you, intrigued.

You say: “I bake, I don’t cook.”

“She really doesn’t,” Cadi concurs.

“Completely different skillset.”

Cadi places a few paper towels over the heaping plate so sauce doesn’t splatter all over the microwave and then sets it to three minutes. As she waits to eat, she wanders over to where the Bayou Journal is lying on the counter and scans the page: Viserys Targaryen, three state-of-the-art oil rigs, Lake Verret, an additional 50 employees hired, Jade Dragon Energy. “Those bastards are going to get their way, I guess.”

You sigh. “Yup.”

Aemond is alarmed. He polishes off the last of his cupcake, frowning as he licks frosting from his lips. “You don’t approve?”

“They’ll blow up the whole town,” Cadi says matter-of-factly.

You smile wanly at Aemond as you sip your sweet tea. “You work for Jade Dragon, right?”

He stares back at you—stunned, perhaps even fearful, a deer flooded with headlights—but doesn’t speak.

“It’s alright. I figured you must. Some smart British guy way out here in Cajun Country? It’s gotta be for a job. Don’t worry. We won’t shoot and skin you or anything. It’s not your fault. You’re just collecting a paycheck, it’s not like you’re running the company.”

“Right.” Aemond grabs a third cupcake and gnaws at it. After a moment he adds: “I have a degree in petroleum engineering. I just moved to Napoleonville last week.”

“I knew it,” you say.

“Boo!” Cadi heckles jokingly. The microwave beeps, then she disappears into her bedroom with her plate of spaghetti. You hear Cadi turn on her little television and flip through the channels until she finds Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Aemond watches her closed door for a few seconds—still processing, you assume—and then turns back to you.

“Her name’s Katie?”

“Cadi. C-a-d-i. It’s short for Arcadia.”

He is impressed. “Greece?”

You titter nervously. You don’t know what he means. “It’s a town up by Shreveport, it’s where Bonnie and Clyde were arrested or killed or something. I’m not sure. Her father picked it.”

“You didn’t have an opinion?”

“Um, I wasn’t really…uh…conscious for a few days after she was born. By the time I was up and around again, he’d already filled out the birth certificate.”

What is that you see flicker across his face like the transient surge of a lightning bug? Curiosity? Apprehension? “I see. And her father is…” Aemond raises a blonde eyebrow, the one his scar cuts through. “On an aircraft carrier somewhere?”

You laugh. “He’s not deployed. We’re divorced, Willis lives about fifteen minutes down the road. It’s amicable.”

“So I don’t need to worry about him showing up on your front porch to murder me with a 2x4 full of nails.”

“No. Although he is the town sheriff.”

Aemond smirks. Is this a challenge or an inconvenience? “Why’d you two split up?”

You shrug, glancing at Cadi’s bedroom door. She is quite aggressive with her television volume; you’re confident she won’t be able to listen in if you keep your voice low. “It’s not that interesting a story.”

“I’m extremely interested.” And he sincerely appears to be, head tilted to the side, eyes fixed on you (though you know the left one sees nothing), thoughts whirling like storm winds.

“Well…we only ever got married because of…” You gesture towards Cadi’s room. Aemond nods, following along. “And I was too young and I didn’t know anything. I didn’t know what I wanted out of a man, I didn’t even know I had the right to set standards to measure a husband by. Willis wasn’t terrible. He didn’t hit me. He just wasn’t really who I wanted.” You chew at your lower lip, peering down at the kitchen counter, drawing circles in the sparse flour dust. “He never even proposed to me. Not properly, I mean. I told him I was pregnant and he said: Well, guess we oughta get married, huh sugar? and then drove me to the Kmart up in Gonzales to pick out a ring.”

“Classy,” Aemond mutters.

“I had to buy it myself, actually. Willis didn’t have enough cash on him. He paid me back later, but still. It wasn’t about the ring. I don’t need gold and diamonds. But I need someone who really sees me and understands me and chooses me, you know? I’ve never felt chosen. And I decided I didn’t want to settle for that. If I ever get married again, I want the whole goddamn thing. The real thing. I want the candles and the flowers and a boombox blasting Heaven Is A Place On Earth. And if that’s not in the cards, I guess I’m not the marrying type.”

“And you’ll make do with occasional visits from your friendly neighborhood dom.”

You grin up at Aemond. “Yeah, exactly.”

“You really hate Jade Dragon?”

“Companies like that…they just use us. Our land, our labor. And then when they decimate the place they pack up and disappear overnight, no pensions, no retirement, no unemployment, no meaningful cleanup, just Thanks for the millions! Bye! and we’re left to live in their filth.”

“That’s a rather cynical perspective,” Aemond says.

“It’s a realistic perspective,” you counter. “In 1965, there was a pipeline explosion in Natchitoches, in ‘79 there was an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, in ‘80 a Texaco rig accidentally drilled into a salt mine under Lake Peigneur and destroyed the whole ecosystem. Two weeks ago there was a refinery explosion an hour east of here in Norco. 4,500 people had to be evacuated from their homes. So no, the jobs sound nice, but in my humble estimation they’re not worth dying for.”

Aemond considers you, a look that is not patronizing or combative but not convinced either. And there’s something else too: a caginess, a nervousness.

“And these Jade Dragon people, the Targaryens? They have a history,” you continue. “I read about it in the Bayou Journal. Last year they had an oil spill at an offshore rig near Ketchikan, Alaska. They poured hundreds of thousands of barrels of poison into the ocean and killed a bunch of dolphins and whales and everything. Fishermen went bankrupt, people committed suicide.”

“Mistakes happen.” Aemond places his empty sweet tea glass in the sink.

“But they didn’t make it right. Their lawyers blamed a defective piece of equipment and kicked liability back to the manufacturer. They’ll be battling it out in court for the next decade. And meanwhile, the people of Ketchikan get nothing but misery. I don’t want Napoleonville to end up like that.”

Aemond gazes out the kitchen window and into the cicada-rattling night, faraway, pensive.

“But seriously,” you say, more casually now. “I get that it’s not your fault, Aemond. I don’t hate you or anything. You’re working for a living like anyone else. You can only do so much.”

He looks back to you and smiles vaguely. “I just go where they tell me to.”

“And that’s why you like to be in control when you’re with me.”

“Yes,” Aemond says; and on his face—strong, scarred, perfect—you can see that he is reminiscing, that he is planning what he wants to do to you next. But he can’t do any of it. Not here, not now.

“I’m sorry about…you know. The kid thing. I really didn’t think she’d be home tonight. I would never subject her to something like that, walking in to find a strange guy in the house. And I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable either.”

“It’s okay. I believe you.”

“I don’t usually do this. I’m sure you think I’m lying, but I’m not. I’ve had two boyfriends since I got divorced seven years ago, and both times it didn’t last long and Cadi never met them. And it wasn’t…like it is with you. The dynamic, I mean. The…control thing. They were just normal dudes.”

“And they couldn’t satisfy you,” Aemond says, taunting, proud, setting your blood on fire.

“No. They couldn’t. Not even close.”

You both stand silently in the kitchen amidst a cascade of inconsequential noise: Eurythmics from the little pink boombox, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from Cadi’s room, cicadas and bullfrogs and the long-eared owl from the world outside that is primordial and feral and green. For the first time in as long as you can remember, you feel not like the piecemeal potential of a desirable woman but whole. Aemond’s right eye traces every curve and edge of you in a way that makes you think: Maybe I will see him again after all.

“Come on,” you say, turning towards the front door. “I’ll walk you out.”

But when he steps onto the creaking porch—pulling on his Marlboro jacket, watching lightning bugs bloom like daisies in the yard—Aemond seems to be stalling. “This is lopsided,” he says, tapping the wooden boards with his Adidas sneakers.

“I know. The whole foundation is, it’s sinking. We’ll have to move eventually. But we’ve been in this place since Cadi was five, it has a lot of memories. She calls it the Fall-Down House.”

“Cute,” Aemond says, but he’s pondering something. “Do you own it?”

“Oh no, God no. We rent.”

“Are you saving for a down payment to put on a new house?”

This is a rude question. “A little,” you reply curtly. Not enough. You need to make money to save money.

“Okay.” Aemond senses your discomfort. He’s good at that; it’s an advantageous skill for a dom to possess, knowing when he’s approaching a limit long before you have to shut him down. He descends the porch steps. “I’ll be back for more of those cupcakes—” There is a shrill, alien hissing from out by the tree line. Aemond shouts and scrambles back onto the porch, throwing an arm in front of you to shield you from his enigmatic nocturnal adversary. “What the fuck was that?!”

“Just a gator,” you reassure him, amused.

“A what?”

“An alligator.” You show him the shadow that lurks beneath a young oak tree draped with Spanish moss. “She’s over there. Just stay on the gravel once you get off the porch.”

Aemond is puzzled. How does anyone live in this hellscape? his face says. “How do you know it’s a female?”

“She’s not too big, and she doesn’t bellow. But she sure loves to hiss.”

“I think alligators should have gone extinct with the rest of the dinosaurs.”

“Well, there’s a secret to dealing with them.”

“Yeah?”

You smile, skating your fingers into the sleeve of Aemond’s Marlboro jacket and up his forearm until you feel goosebumps rise on his skin. “If she gets mean, you just have to bite back.”

Aemond chuckles, turns your face towards his, kisses the apple your cheek…and then, for only a moment, his teeth close around the sensitive flesh there leaving a whirlpool of pulsing, forbidden heat. He whispers through your hair: “See you soon.”

“Will you?”

“Yes,” he says, severely now. It’s a commandment, it’s a need. “I absolutely will.”

Aemond leaves you, strides across the gravel driveway without glancing back, ducks into his car, lights a cigarette; you can see the rust-colored glow through the windshield as he takes a drag. You wait in a flurry of moths under the dim florescent bulb of the front porch until his Audi Quattro veers onto Route 401 and disappears.

I hope he meant it, you think as a lightning bug lands on your knuckles and illuminates there like the gemstone of a ring. I hope I’ll see him again.

Then you shake away the insect and go inside to see if Cadi wants to help you clean up the kitchen and get a brown sugar pie baked for tomorrow. As compensation, you’ll offer her the $10 bill Aemond gave you for the cupcakes.

[dreamwritesimagines]

Garden of Secrets [33] - Stinging Nettle

A.N: Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback and support my loves, it made my whole week, you’re amazing!❤ I hope you’ll like this chapter as well, and please don’t forget to tell me what you think, thank you! ❤

Thanks so much to @theskytraveler​ for helping me with the chapter!

Summary: The hours before an important ball can be very tense.

Warnings: Regency era society and social rules, some gender specific language and terms, mentions of trauma and violence.

Word Count: 3400

Series Masterlist

Though attending parties hadn’t been a habit of yours up until you got married, you’d grown quite fond of them fast. Maybe it was the entertaining conversations, the company of your friends, drinks, or perhaps the overall free atmosphere that one could not have at a ball but now that you were here, you were now beginning to realize how much you had missed it.

“You seem to be in deep thought.”

Your head shot up and you turned around to see Lord Easton at the entrance of the balcony you were standing in. You smiled at him, then lifted the glass in your hand a bit, the chatter and the music coming from inside reaching the balcony as well.

“I may have drunk a bit too much,” you admitted. “Wanted to get some fresh air.”

“May I join you?”

“Of course,” you said and he closed the balcony door behind him, then approached you as you turned again to watch the beautiful view under the night sky. He placed his glass on the marble railing of the balcony and you stole a look at him.

“They’re having some sort of a sketching competition back in there.”

“Oh I saw it,” he said. “I think I will sit that one out.”

“You don’t want to practice?” you joked and he chuckled.

“I probably should, now that you mention it.”

“Mm hm,” you said. “I mean who else should practice if not the famed artist with thousands of admirers and many credits to his name?”

“No one is ever too good to practice,” he told you. “Especially an artist.”

You thought for a moment, then turned to him.

“Lord Easton—”

“Gordon,” he corrected you. “Your husband is a good friend of mine, and I consider you and I friends as well.”

You smiled slightly.

“Very well,” you said. “May I ask a favor of you, Gordon?”

“Of course.”

“My aunt is throwing a ball tomorrow,” you said. “And if you dropped by even for a short time, it would make her very happy. Not to mention the ton admires you so much and…you know how it goes.”

He smiled and bowed his head slightly.

“It would be my honor and privilege,” he said, making you beam.

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

A giggle escaped from your lips.

“Oh thank you!” you said. “She will be so happy. I’ll um— I’ll send you the invitation tomorrow?”

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “And there’s no need to thank me, I assure you.”

You sipped your drink, then stole a look at him.

“Does it ever tire you?”

“Attending balls?”

“No, the…” you motioned with your hands. “The attention from the ton, all the time.”

He hummed, reaching out to grab his glass to swirl the drink in it.

“Occupational hazard,” he said with a smile, making you laugh. “I mean it has its moments. I don’t mind it most of the time, balls are a way of socializing for example so that’s expected, but sometimes when I’m by myself on the street, I simply want to observe the crowd in quiet.”

“I could never be an artist,” you said, shaking your head and he raised his brows.

“You don’t enjoy attention?”

“I hate it,” you admitted. “I experienced it when I first debuted, with the suitors and such and I’m just…It’s not for me.”

“You might have to get used to some attention though,” he said, making you frown.

“How so?”

“Have you seen your husband’s works?” he joked. “Once he gets into the Academy and people start seeing how talented he is…”

“Benedict is good with all that,” you said. “No issues there, people already pay lots of attention to him, he’s used to that.”

“You’re his ultimate inspiration,” he reminded you. “People will be curious about you as well.”

You paused for a second, then shrugged your shoulders.

“That’s different than being an artist,” you said, trying to ignore the way your cheeks were burning and turned your head to check out what was happening inside. They seemed to have finished with their competition judging by the familiar faces in the room, so you nodded in the direction of the room.

“I’ll go back inside,” you said. “Are you coming?”

“In a moment,” he said and you clinked your glass with his, then made your way back inside. Your gaze fell on Benedict and Margery who were having a conversation at the corner of the room and your stomach did an unpleasant flip, but you shook your head at yourself and made your way to them. Margery cleared her throat when she saw you out of the corner of her eye and gave Benedict a warning look but it was gone so fast that you couldn’t even decide whether you had actually seen it before Benedict turned his head.

“Hello darling,” he said, but his soft tone did nothing to soothe the insecurity shooting through you.

“Am I interrupting something?” you asked, making Benedict shake his head. “Because I can just—”

“Oh you’re not interrupting anything,” Margery said with a laugh. “I was just giving Benedict a hard time because he had the audacity to badmouth Byron’s poetry in front of me.”  

Benedict made a face. “I cannot believe you actually like his poetry.”

Margery heaved a sigh and turned to you.

“I give up,” she announced, making the corners of your lips twitch. “I’m going to need more drinks, excuse me.”  

She walked away from you both and you pursed your lips together, then looked up at Benedict.

“Are you sure I didn’t interrupt?”

“Not at all,” he assured you with a small grin and entwined his fingers with yours, making your heart skip a beat. “Are you having fun?”

“I am, and I kind of missed it actually,” you admitted. “Coming to parties and such.”

“Did you?”

You nodded. “One would think you’re a bad influence, you hedonist artist.”

He gave you that lopsided grin. “Me, a bad influence?” he asked. “You’re the one with the knife.”

You shrugged your shoulders. “Yes but you’re the one with the debauchery.”

“Fair point,” he said and you repressed a laugh.

“Who won the sketching competition by the way?”

“Felix,” he said. “Lucy gave him full points.”

“Of course she did,” you said, stealing a look at Lucy who was now talking to Margery. “So Byron hm?”

“Huh?” Benedict asked before frowned. “Oh yeah! Margery admires his lines a lot for some reason.”

“Right,” you said, that uncomfortable feeling twisting at your stomach again but before you could say anything else, Benedict pulled at your hand gently.

“Come on,” he said, “I’ll show you the winning sketch, Felix is very proud of it.”

                                           *

You and Benedict had returned home around dawn and Benedict had an appointment with Gordon in the morning and Anthony in the afternoon, so by the time you woke up, he had already left home to meet Gordon. You had asked to take your breakfast in the drawing room as you tried to decide what the best time would be to drop by your uncle’s home before tonight’s ball to see if they needed any help.

Perhaps afternoon?

You sipped your tea while reading your book and as you bit into your toast, Paula entered the drawing room.

“Ma’am, Miss Harlowe is here.”

“Oh?” you said, putting down your toast and dusted the crumbs off your hands before standing up. Lottie stepped into the drawing room and made her way to you to pull you into a hug.

“Good morning!”

“Hello there,” you said with a smile and pulled back to look at her. “You look happy.”

“I am happy!” she said. “I have news for you.”

“That’s wonderful!” you said “Paula, can you bring Lottie some biscuits and tea?”

“Of course ma’am,” she said and walked out of the room, and you and Lottie sat down on the sofa.

“What’s the good news?” you asked and she squealed, shifting her weight.

“I wanted to tell you before the ball tonight,” she said. “And Tony will tell Benny and Colin this afternoon but I couldn’t wait until then.”

“Couldn’t wait for what?”

“We’re getting married!” she exclaimed and your eyes widened, a gasp getting caught in your throat.

“What?!”

“Yes and we will tell the rest of the family tonight—”

“Wh-how?!” you asked as a happy laugh escaped from your lips and you hugged her. “Congratulations!”

“Thank you!”

“You must tell me everything from the beginning,” you said as you pulled back. “How did he ask? When did he ask?”

An abashed look crossed her face and she cleared her throat.

“Well, um…” she said, nibbling on her lip. “It’s sort of—you must first promise me you will never tell anyone.”

“Of course I will not,” you assured her as a maid walked in with a tray of biscuits and tea. You thanked her, and watched her walk away before turning to Lottie. “Tell me.”

“A week ago.”

“A week ago?!” you asked. “And you didn’t tell me? Wait, is this payback for—”

“No no, it isn’t!” she cut you off. “Of course not.”

“Then?”

She took a deep breath, then sipped her tea.

“Do you remember how Tony and I left Bess’s ball early?”

You tilted your head. “Yes.”

“Well we wanted to talk more you see, and I’m very familiar with sneaking into Bridgerton House because I used to do that a lot when I was little, and everyone was either asleep or at the ball,” she said, making you raise your brows. “And we…we did talk.”

A small smirk pulled at your lips.

“Oh?” you asked. “You sneaked into his house just to talk?”

She repressed a smile. “At first yes.”

“Then?”

“You and I had a conversation earlier that day,” she said, shyness apparent in her tone. “And you said that it felt divine, and I already knew Anthony and I are in love, and…”

Your jaw dropped and you let out a laugh.

“Oh wow.”

“And then he asked me to marry him.”

Alright, this was official; you were the only one who wasn’t consummating her marriage.

“But a week ago?” you asked, trying to focus. “You’ve been engaged for a week and neither of you told—”

“It was my idea,” she said. “I asked him to wait for a week.”

“Why?”

“Well…” she heaved a sigh. “I wanted to tell all of you yes, but Colin was still very heartbroken over what happened with Miss Marina and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings accidentally. You know, first Benny, then Daphne, now Tony finding love and not Colin, at least yet.”  

You stared at her, warmth filling your chest. “You waited for a week so that Colin wouldn’t feel bad?”

She nodded.

“He’s like a brother to me,” she said. “We all grew up together.”

You reached out to squeeze her hand. “Oh Lottie…”

“But we will tell our families tonight!” she said. “And Tony will tell them beforehand, and I’m telling you now.”

“I’m glad you are,” you said with a laugh. “Well I’m so happy for you! I told you he would propose within the season.”

“I still cannot believe it,” she said. “I’m the happiest person in the world.”

You grinned at her.

“And I take it your night was divine?”

She gasped, a giggle escaping from her lips. “Y/N!”

“What?” you asked, feigning innocence. “I mean you’re marrying him so—”

“It was more than divine,” she said, biting on her lip in embarrassment. “It was perfect.”

Oh well, you were going to take her word for it.

Hers and Daphne’s and your aunt’s and Benedict’s, to be more specific. Considering everyone else had experienced it but you, you could only believe them instead of seeing it for yourself.

“I’m glad to hear it,” you said, a smile warming your face and she shifted on the sofa.

“The ton will not be very nice, I think,” she said. “They weren’t nice when they thought Benny and I were in courtship, or when I was in actual courtship with Tony, and now that we’re engaged, I can’t help but think—”

“Lottie,” you interrupted her. “What the ton thinks does not matter at all. Let them speak, they do little else anyway.”

She nodded slowly.

“I just…” she trailed off. “I just wish they knew how in love we are.”

You waved a hand in the air.

“They will,” you said. “Never mind them. Now, tell me what you’re planning for the wedding.”

                                          *

By the time Benedict got back home from his meeting with Gordon, it was nearly noon and Lottie had already left. You had promised her you would be her maid of honor and help her with everything concerning the wedding, and you would be lying if you said you weren’t excited for it. Lottie had asked for your help with her wedding bouquet and the flowers for the wedding breakfast, and you were trying to come up with different combinations when you heard a knock on the door and lifted your head to see Benedict.

“Oh hello,” you said, closing your notebook before he could see the flower arrangement ideas you were writing down. He gave you a happy smile.

“Hey,” he said and stepped inside. “Working on something?”

“Maybe,” you said with a smirk. “Scared I will become your artistic rival?”

“Mm, I wouldn’t stand a chance against you,” he teased, making you giggle. He walked towards you to fling himself on the sofa next to you, then reached out to grab a biscuit from the plate on the small coffee table.

“How is Gordon?”

“He’s fine,” he said. “I think he’s working on a painting. The gala should be fun.”

“The gala?” you asked. “They hold galas for only one painting?”

“When it’s the painting of that big of an artist, yes.”

“Are you looking forward to your own galas?” you asked, making him grin.

“Let me get one painting into the Academy first, and we’ll build from there,” he replied and you shot him a look.

“I’ll remind this to you on your gala,” you mused and tilted your head. “I’m assuming I will be invited?”

“You’ll be the guest of honor,” he told you and you let out a laugh.

“I like the sound of that.”

“How about you?” he asked. “How was your day?”

“Rather interesting,” you said. “Are you meeting Anthony and Colin after this?”

He nodded, biting into his biscuit.

“Apparently Anthony has something he wants to say to us.”

“Wonder what that might be,” you muttered, trying to keep a straight face. Benedict shrugged his shoulders.

“Who knows?” he said. “And you? Any plans before the ball tonight?”

“I’ll visit auntie to see if she needs any help before people arrive,” you said. “I’ll get back around the evening, get dressed here and then we can go together.”

“Do you need any help before that?”

You bit back a smirk. “I can handle auntie,” you said. “Besides, I think today will be hectic enough for you.”

“Why?”

“Just a feeling,” you said and he narrowed his eyes, his whole attention on you.

“Wait, what do you know?”

“Nothing at all,” you said, feigning innocence. “It’s merely a hunch. Speaking of, shouldn’t you be on your way anyway?        “

A chuckle climbed up his throat. “Are you trying to get rid of me, dear wife?”

Your jaw dropped.

“No!” you exclaimed. “I’m just saying, Anthony isn’t exactly known for his endless patience.”

He popped the rest of the biscuit into his mouth. “He should learn, I heard people say it’s a virtue.”

“Oh is that so?” you said with a huff of laughter spilling from your lips. “You know a lot about patience then?”

“Is this the part you call me the ton’s horizontal refreshment again?”

“If you’re going to claim to be a patient person, yes,” you pointed out, making him clutch at his chest as if he was heartbroken.

“Ouch,” he said. “I am a patient person.”

“You are the perfect picture of hedonism, that’s what you are.”

“Well hedonism is a bit of a—”

“Drinking, partying,” you said, counting with your fingers. “Being very intimate with a lot of ladies…”

The tips of his ears went pink and he cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You know what, you’re probably right,” he said after a pause. “I shouldn’t keep Anthony waiting.”

“You’re going to avoid this conversation just like that?”

“Judging by how our earlier conversations on this went, I’m taking my leave before you ask me—”

“Before I ask you how exactly it was like during those parties?”

“That yes,” he pointed out and pushed himself off of the sofa as you repressed a laugh. He leaned in to kiss the top of your head, making your heart skip a beat.

“See you in the evening,” he murmured and walked out of the room. You were painfully aware of the smile on your face, and you dragged the tip of your tongue over your bottom lip before you heaved a sigh and slipped a little on the sofa, leaning your head back.

                                       *

You knew that Teddy had stayed at Josie and Andrew’s house last night because your uncle’s house was absolute chaos because of the upcoming ball, people working day and night. Not only that, the last you heard Andrew was letting him ride his pony inside the house so you were quite certain Teddy had no issues with the preparations of the ball.  

You wouldn’t have been surprised if he began insisting on staying there half of the week to be honest.

With the way your aunt had been working to make this ball perfect, you could only hope that everything would go well tonight. Almost everyone you knew was going to be there, so you were sure that it was going to be fun.

Now all you had to do was to convince your aunt of that.

The carriage stopped in front of the house and you made your way past the gate, but instead of going into the house you figured you could check on your garden first. So you passed by the house to reach the backyard, then tilted your head when you saw your aunt there, talking to the gardener.

“Auntie?” you called out and she turned around, a look of surprise flashing over her face.

“Y/N my dear!” she said. “What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to see if you needed any help before tonight,” you answered. “And to see the garden while I’m at it.”

“Oh that’s sweet of you,” she said and came to hug you, then pulled back to look at you better. “No need for that, almost all the preparations are finished.”

“In that case, can I see the ballroom?” you asked with a laugh. “I’m curious, you’ve been working on it for so long.”

She hesitated for a moment, then waved a hand in the air. “What would be the surprise then?”

You huhed.

“That’s fair,” you said. “Anyways, I have a surprise guest for the ball, you will lose your mind when you see him and so will the ton—”

“Y/N, perhaps you should go home and get some rest,” your aunt cut you off almost in a distracted manner. “It’ll be a long night tonight, you know?”

You tilted your head in confusion.

“Are you sure you’re alright auntie?”

“…Of course,” she said after a pause. “Just—you know, preparing a ball is rather stressful.”

“I can imagine,” you said. “One of the many reasons why I will never throw a ball I think.”

She smiled at you, but it faded when her eyes found something over your shoulder. You pulled your brows into a frown and turned around to follow her line of sight, but as soon as you did, you froze. You could feel your whole body stiffening, your heart leaping to your throat as you stared at the familiar face who had the audacity to smile at you, that throbbing pain in your wrist coming back in full force.

“I hear congratulations are in order?”

You weren’t sure how you found your voice, but somehow you managed to speak through frozen lips.

“Hello father.”

Chapter 34

[demonsslayersstuff]

Life Moved on Without You (Gojo x Gender Neutral Reader)

A/N: In honor of JJK ending I wanted to write this Drabble that had been floating around my notes for a while. Warnings: Character Death, JJK spoilers, angst. If you haven’t read the manga and don’t want to be spoiled, please don’t read this fic. It’s a bit rough, so I might edit it later. Enjoy!

First Year:

You shiver as you pull your scarf tighter across your neck as the wind whips around your body, chilling you to the core. You continue down the path, determined to make it to your destination, weather be damned. The snow crunches under your feet as you find yourself walking towards a familiar grove of trees. It’s not long before you come across his headstone. You bite your lip as you feel the onslaught of tears already starting. Has it really already been a year without him?

You take a deep breath, steading yourself before you step closer, wiping the wet snow off the cool marble stone. Once you’ve completed the task you lay a bouquet of flowers at its base, and kneel for a few minutes in silence, thinking of the right words to say to him.

“Hey…Satoru”, you start, but your voice cracks, so you take another deep breath before starting again. “It’s been a year without you, a long hard year”, you begin. “I’m trying, I really am, but it’s not easy….I still think about you everyday”, you continue. “The kids are doing well, I honestly think they’re adjusting better than I am”, you say the last part with a sad chuckle. “God, I miss you”, you murmur as tears fall down your face. You cry for a moment, letting yourself be in pain. It takes you some time before you speak again.

“I uh…I finally moved out of our apartment. Found a new one a little closer to work”, you say, staring down at the flowers you’d placed on the grave. “I’m sorry, I loved our place…but I needed to let it go for my sake and Shoko’s”, you continue. “I couldn’t keep hiding at her place”, you sigh. You reach out and trace his name inscribed on the stone, “I hope you’re having fun up there with the others”, you whisper before falling silent.

You’d had this big speech prepared, but ultimately floundered. Being here was harder than you wanted to admit. Just as you turn to leave, you feel a something cold and wet land on your cheek. You look up and watch as huge white snowflakes begin to fall gracefully from the sky. You smile and lift your face up towards the falling snow somehow knowing this was his way of saying hello.

The Fifth Year:

You sigh as you unfold the blanket in front of his headstone. Today was an unusually warm December 24, something that today of all days you were grateful for.

You plop down on the blanket, before reaching into your bag, grabbing two cups and your thermos. You quietly pour the hot drink into the cups as the wind blows through the leafless trees. You place one at the base of his headstone before clicking it with your own glass. “I know how much you loved my homemade hot chocolate”, you murmur before taking a large sip from your cup.

“It’s crazy how quickly life goes on”, you say staring at the last dregs of the hot chocolate in your cup. “The kids continue to grow up much too fast, they’re no longer students”, you continue. “Megumi and Nobara have been sent on a mission abroad, but they send their love. Yuji is quickly following you in your footsteps. He is a teacher now, with the same damn antics as you”, you chuckle. “As for me, I’m still the same love. I’m finding the little joys in life again, though I still miss you”, you say, whispering the last part.

You sit as his grave for a long time, watching as the sun moves across the cloudless sky. Once you see the blue hue beginning to turn into shades of golds and purples you begin to pack up your stuff. You lean down and softly touch your lips to his name whispering, “Merry Christmas, Satoru”, before you walk away.

The Fifteenth Year:

As with many things, grief comes and goes in many different waves. Unlike the past few years, this year hit you incredibly hard.

You stand in front of his grave, dressed in all black as tears stream endlessly down your face. You didn’t want to accept the reality that now you had lived longer in the world without Satoru Gojo than you had with him in it. “I don’t remember what you smell like”, you say honestly, continuing to stare at his name. “I kept your jacket, but your scent is long gone”, you continue before falling silent.

You feel a reassuring squeeze on your shoulder and look over to see Yuji giving you a sad smile. “It’s ok”, he tells you softly, before leaning down to place the flowers he had brought with him. You didn’t have much in you today, you were too angry at the world. How was it fair that you had to live so long without him? You reach out and touch the weathered stone briefly before turning around, walking away without saying your usual goodbyes.

Yuji sighs as he watches you leave. “Don’t worry Sensei, I’ll keep an eye on them”, he mumbles before hurrying away. Moving to quickly catch up with you, determined to follow through with his promise.

The Thirtieth Year:

Your hips ached as you leaned down to wipe away the old leaves and dirt that had befallen on the now aged headstone. “Sorry I haven’t come in a while love, I’ve been so incredibly busy”, you say as you tuck your hands back into your coat pocket, the cold stinging your fingers.

“There’s another six eyes and limitless user now. Though I’m a bit too old to be teaching anyone anymore, since I was married to you, the new board asked me to oversee their training”, you continue. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep them humble”, you quip, willing yourself to remember the sound of his laugh, another thing time has slowly taken away from you.

“I find myself wondering what you would have looked like if you were here today, would your face be wrinkled like mine? Would your back ache too?”, you question aloud. “You didn’t even make it to thirty…at least you’ll be eternally beautiful to me”, you sigh. “I miss you, always have, always will”, you whisper.

The Forty-Fifth Year:

The three of them stand there, huddle together as snow falls silently from the sky. “They’re finally together”, the woman says somberly, yet at the same time feeling a sense of happiness. They continue to stand there looking at the two headstones, one old and weathered, one brand new, striking compared to the other.

“I just hope they found each other again. Can you believe they lived over forty years without him and never…remarried or anything”, the taller man muses. “They loved him”, the other man replies quietly. “They told me there was no body else”, he continues before falling silent. “Alright it’s getting a bit too cold for me, let’s head back ”, the woman says before turning around to walk away, one of the men joining her. The taller man remains there for a moment, his pink hair now replaced with natural grays. “Goodbye…I’ll see you both again one day”, he whispers before joining his friends as the snow picks up, blanketing everything in its wake.

Bonus:

You awaken to see a familiar pair of blue eyes that you hadn’t seen in so long. “Satoru”, you mumble, slightly confused. “Did you miss me sweets?”, he laughs as you reach out to hesitantly poke his face. “This dream feels so weird”, you tell him. You watch as a sad smile befalls his youthful face. “It’s not a dream love”, he tells you gently.

The reality of his words ring through your ears and you realize what had come to pass. “Does this mean I can finally be with you?”, you ask him, voice cracking slightly. “Yes”, he tells you. You cry as you launch yourself into his arms, “God I missed you so much Satoru”, you say, deeply breathing in his scent you had so desperately missed. “I missed you too love. I was here waiting patiently for you”, he replies, cupping your face in his hands. “I don’t want to be separated from you ever again”, you say staring up into his stunning blue eyes. “Never again”, he whispers before he leans down to kiss you, a warmth spreading through your body, you were finally at peace.

[inkofthebrain]

Imperial

[Paul Arteries x Reader] 3751 words

Paul Atreides, Duke of Arakkis, takes the hand of the Emperor’s eldest daughter for the throne, yet neither are pleased. They know they must learn to be civil, but what will it cost them…

Tags: post-Dune 2, strays from book canon, no use of y/n, dune typical everything, Corinno!Reader, slow burn, enemies to lovers kind of? ARRAIGNED MARRIAGE TROPE EXCEPT BOTH PARTIES ARE PISSY ABOUT IT, not proofread LOL.

Warnings: Dune typical themes, motifs, and actions

A/n: Ur gonna hate me but I’m splitting what was originally going to be this chapter in half. It’s getting longggg.

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Dune masterlist

Seven———

The next day you were awakened by the sound of knocking at your bedroom door. You slowly sit up in bed, stretching your shoulders and back as you rouse yourself from sleep.

One of the house maids is at your door, she bows respectfully before placing a robe down on a nearby chair.

“My lady, you have been summoned to the baths,” she says politely, “they have prepared everything for you.”

You smile at the maids statement, feeling a slight jolt of amusement. You had almost forgotten about the promised pampering session, and the sudden reminder fills you with delight.

The maid moves aside as you rise from your bed and change into the robe.

She leads you out of the bedroom and down the hallway. You follow behind her, your steps light. The estate is bustling with activity, servants scurrying around making last-minute adjustments and preparations for the upcoming celebrations.

The bath chamber is a large, elegant affair, the walls and floors made of polished white marble. The ceiling is painted with images of clouds and the sky, making you feel like you are outdoors. It is dimly lit, a soft glow emanating from the walls, lighting the various bathtubs and areas for massage.

The bath chamber is staffed with a dozen or so servants who spring into action as you enter. Preparing bath salts and oils, massages and wraps, and a myriad of other treatments. The attendants move efficiently and quickly, a product of their years of experience.

You step into a tub of lukewarm water and soak for a bit before an attendant helps you out and guides you to a plush table. You lay down and she applies massage oils and works on your muscles. You let out a soft moan of satisfaction as the tightness and soreness vanishes from your muscles. Eventually another attendant starts applying a mask of clay and honey all over your body while another performs a manicure-pedicure.

It is pure bliss, every sensation of your body being taken care of to your heart's content. You can hardly remember a time when you felt so relaxed and content.

You have several hours to yourself to rejuvenate. You spend the day reading, soaking in the various baths and pools. The soft white pillows and couches are as comfortable as any bed.

You lose track of time, simply enjoying the various sensory experiences as you immerse yourself in the water and soak up the scents and aromas surrounding you. The staff keep your food trays topped up, and new trays of fruit and snacks are continually laid out for you.

You hear the faint sound of footsteps approaching, Delia’s distinctive, confident stride, her steps light and swift. The bath attendants bow politely as she enters, and she acknowledges them with a respectful nod.

As she makes her way over to you she rests one arm against the edge of the bath you are sitting in. Her gaze is soft and caring, her voice gentle as she speaks.

“You look positively radiant, my lady.”

You smile at her, your eyes glimmering in the light, “I feel radiant,” You reply, stretching your arm out to take her hand. She gives you a curt nod of acknowledgement before taking a breath.

“The guests have started to arrive for tomorrow.” Delia informs you, “You have a few hours to yourself before you have your final dinner with the Duke and his mother prior to your wedding day”

Her words snap you back to reality. Your smile slightly falters as you come to the realization that your time alone is coming to an end.

“Yes… The guests have started arriving haven't they.” you trail off, a subtle expression of longing crossing your face as you glance around the baths once more. “I will miss this.”

She gives your hands a light squeeze. Delia always carries this soft sympathy which almost breaks your heart—There are moments where she looks at you as though you were her own daughter.

“I know, my lady” She replies before releasing your hands and steps back, “let us get ready” she says gently, as if sensing your reluctance.

There was no point in resisting or protesting. There was work to be done, political connections to forge and strengthen.

— — —

You follow her through the hallways, a flurry of servants scurrying about around you. The castle is a hive of activity, people rushing to and fro, last minute preparations.

Eventually, you reach the lavish doors to the dining hall, pausing as you await for one of the guards to open it for you.

You take a breath, steeling yourself for what comes next. The dinner itself was a lavish affair, the courses served on delicate porcelain china and the crystal glasses glimmering in the candlelight. Paul was already waiting at the table with Jessica seated beside him.

Jessica leads the conversation, her words witty and filled with excitement for the days ahead. Eventually, the conversation turns to the political situation. You take a sip of your wine, your thoughts immediately turning to the political situation. You have spent years preparing for this moment, and you do not intend to waste the opportunity. You speak in a confident, persuasive tone, outlining your insights and strategies.

Paul leans forward, his attention fixated on you, his admiration for your skills and abilities evident in his expression.

“There is one final issue we must discuss,” Jessica says, her tone serious as she sets down her glass of wine, the delicate crystal making a soft sound as it hits the table. Her blue eyes are firm, and there is no hint of hesitation or reluctance when she begins to speak.

“You need to have children, my lady,” she says bluntly.

Your heart sinks, and you feel the anxiety of the future rising again. Her words are direct and unapologetic; she is not attempting to soften the blow. She is simply stating a fact, and it hits you like a gut punch. “Your role as a bride, especially of your stature, necessitates heirs. It is a political need.”

She is not simply referring to a desire to produce children eventually, she is talking about immediately. A child will further legitimize the Atreides in the Imperial family, and a royal couple will be expected to waste no time in doing their duty.

“ I am aware of my duties as a wife,” you peer into her blue eyes, “I know what must be done”

Dinner ends with a soft murmur of praise and approval. Paul's attention remains fixated on you for a moment, his expression serious and thoughtful. He stands up, and Jessica's gaze lingers on you for a moment before she too stands. The servants quickly begin to clear up the table.

Paul offers you his arm, and you take it, allowing him to lead you from the dining room back to your shared hallway.

“Quite the day tomorrow hm?” You end your sentence with a small hum.

Paul nods solemnly, a soft smile playing across his face. "It will be a historic occasion," he says, leaning his head near yours to whisper softly, "I do not know if I will be able to sleep tonight." His tone is sincere and sympathetic, and there is a hint of nervousness at the realization of what he is facing.

You let out a small chuckle, “Likewise, I might have Delia sedate me.” Paul laughs softly at your joke. There is a moment of genuine amusement in his expression. He likes the way you handle stress, the way you deal with tension and anxiety with humor. It is a glimpse of your true personality, behind the carefully crafted mask of poise and diplomacy.

He takes a deep breath, as to steel himself, and you can tell that he has moved into a more serious frame. He stops and faces you, his expression gentle but resolute.

“Try to get some rest tonight,” he says, “tomorrow is an important day for both of us.”

Both of you were well aware that tomorrow will mark a pivotal turning point in your lives as you come to a stop outside the door to your suite, a brief moment of silence hangs over you like a cloud.

“Tomorrow our destinies are intertwined” he says quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, “are you ready?”

Your heart flutters for a moment, and you take a deep breath. You have never been this uncertain, yet somehow you feel more sure of yourself than ever before.

You give him a firm nod, your expression set and determined. He bows his head slightly in understanding and steps away, continuing down the hall. As his footsteps recede into the distance you watch him go. As he approaches the door to his room he pauses for a moment, his silhouette framed in the doorway. He turns back one more time, his hand resting on the doorframe. His eyes meet yours and there is a moment of understanding passing between the two of you, as if a silent promise has been made.

He steps through the doorway and disappears from view, leaving you alone in the darkened, emptied corridor. You can hear the distant sounds of the servants making preparations and you feel a sudden wave of anxiety wash over you. Your heart is pounding and you can feel your nerves beginning to fray. You take a deep breath and try to calm yourself; there is nothing to be done but to get some rest and prepare yourself for the inevitable. Tomorrow will be a long, emotionally draining day, and you need to be at your best.

With that you turn to face your chambers, entering and shutting the door firmly behind you. Once you fully enter you are met with the warm glow of candles and the comfortable surrounding of your personal space. Delia is bustling about, ensuring that everything is in order, and you can sense her nervousness and excitement.

You can see the glint of anticipation in her eyes as she smiles warmly, “My lady,” she says, her voice soft and respectful, “are you ready for tomorrow?”

You smile slightly, giving yourself a moment to adjust to the idea, “as i’ll ever be,” you say quietly, your tone laced with a mix of trepidation.

“Of course, my lady,” Delia says, nodding in understanding. She immediately begins to rummage through your wardrobe, pulling out a soft nightgown and various other items for you to change into.

You watch her for a moment, your mind racing with thoughts and emotions. You try to push aside the anxiety and focus on the task at hand. Sleep.

Delia hands you a sedative, which you gladly take, and you wash it down with the cup of sleepy time tea sat on your nightstand. With one final huff you climb into your bed, letting the soft sheets envelop you as Delia begins to blow out the various candles positioned around your room. Soon you are in complete darkness as you hear your dor click shut, signaling her leave.

Your eyelids grow heavy as you start to feel the weight of sleep pulling you into the darkness. The soft moonlight filtering through the curtains becomes hazy and distorted, the shadows dancing on the walls like a silent, dreamlike show. Your mind begins to wander, fragmented images and emotions flash through your mind like a slideshow of memory and imagination. For the first time since your arrival on Caladan, you do not dream.

You are pulled from your sleep as light filters in through the, now open, curtains, landing on your face.

“Goodmorning my lady” Delia says, standing near your window, “I'm sorry to wake you, but the day has begun.” The words send a jolt through your body causing you to sit up in bed, the reality of the day quickly coming to the forefront of your mind. You take a deep breath in an attempt to collect yourself,

“Thank you Delia,” you say as you stretch out your arms, feeling the knots and kinks from sleeping begin to fade. You swing your legs over the bed and stride to the bathroom, splashing cold water on your face as you grip the sink and stare at yourself in the mirror.

You hear the sound of your door opening and the ruffeling of dresses. Delia. You exit the bathroom and see an array of morning dresses laid out for you.

Delia greets you with a smile and instantly delves into the schedule for the day, “Your schedule starts early I'm afraid,” she says, her tone earnest and efficient. “Breakfast is served in the small dining area to the left of the main hall, Lady Jessica will be joining you today. You will then be escorted to a dressing room to prepare you for the ceremony. The ceremony will be in the great hall at noon,” she takes a breath, “then there will be a reception and a few diplomatic meetings scheduled in the latter half of the day.”

Her words are like a deluge, washing over you like a tidal wave of responsibilities and expectations. You take a breath, trying to absorb everything she's said.

Soon you are swiftly dressed and on your way to breakfast, Delia trailing at your side. As you reach the small room you see Jessica waiting, dressed in a deep red gown, her hair pulled back into a simple yet elegant braid. She smiles as you enter, her eyes filled with pride and excitement.

“Good morning,” she says as you take a seat against her, her voice is warm as she busies herself with making you a cup of tea. “Did you sleep well?”

“As well as can be expected. I'm looking forward to the day,” you reach for the teacup, taking a sip of the steaming liquid. It helps calm your nerves, even if it's just for the moment that you feel the warmth go down your throat.

Jessica nods, a slight smile playing on her lips.

“Today is a momentous occasion, and it’s important to start the day off on the right foot. I have full confidence in you. You will do well today.” Her words sink in, bolstering your resolve, and confidence. You take another sip of the tea, feeling the warmth spread through your body even further.

“Thank you, Lady Jessica.” You say, smiling faintly.

“”Of course” her expression softened to one of affection, “you are soon to be part of the family.” With that, she turns her attention to the breakfast spread laid out in front of you, gesturing for you to help yourself to the various dishes laid out before you.

The breakfast is an assortment of simple yet delicious fare; fresh fruit, pastries, eggs, and a selection of the finest meats and cheeses. You help yourself to a few items, relishing the taste and texture of the food as you welcome the distraction from the anxiety swirling in your mind.

Through the meal, you both chat softly about the various guests who will be attending the ceremony and the different diplomatic interactions that will no doubt take place.

Jessica offers her perspective and advice in a way that is both insightful and reassuring, and you begin to feel more prepared for the day’s events. You are aware that many of her inputs are that of the Bene Gesserit, and the more in detail she goes about the politics you slowly start to realize the true influence of this faction in Imperial politics.

As you finish your breakfast, Jessica dabs her lips with a napkin and looks at you, “It’s nearly time,” she says, her tone steady yet excited.

You nod to the attendant, who quickly steps forward to escort you to the changing room. Once you approach the lavish room, Delia immediately springs into action. She dismisses the servants and grabs ahold of your arm, pulling you into the room.

“Quickl, my lady, we must get you dressed into the ceremony attire.” Her voice is ecstatic as she helps you out of the breakfast gown and quickly guides you to a table where your gown is laid out.

It is a work of art, made from the finest silk, and shimmers softly in the light. As you begin to step into it you feel the silken fabric glide over your body, the weight and texture immediately grounding and empowering you.

Within moments, with the help of various other attendants, you are dressed. The gown fits your frame perfectly.

You gaze into a mirror adjacent to where you are standing and it all begins to become very real. You are to be Empress, your father is to be executed, and you are to marry. WIth a sigh you turn away and stride to take your seat at the vanity, where the hairstylist is waiting to do your hair alongside the makeup artist.

In a whirl of powders and sprays your hair is weaved into an elegant braid, a few strands laying around your face, which glimmers in the light. You close your eyes as your jewelry is put on and a few adornments are put in your braid.

As you stand all the attendants watch in awe, you are befitting th4e elegant and regal occasion of the day.

“You look magnificent” Delia says, adoration dripping in her voice, “Are you ready?” She asks softly.

With that you take a deep breath to gather your composure, smoothing out the gown with your hands. Despite the nerves still fluttering deep inside you, you feel a newfound sense of confidence and poise. “Yes,” you say, voice steady and determined, “I’m ready.”

With that Delia takes hold of your arm, giving it a light squeeze, as you turn to leave the room, your gown swishing softly with each step. You are led to a small, private room adjacent to the great hall. The room is dimly lit, the heavy velvet drapes drawn closed to create a sense of enclosure and solitude. As you step inside, you can her the soft murmur of voices and chatter from the other room, the sounds of the bustling guests filtering through the thick wood door.

You take a moment to steady yourself, taking deep breaths as you look around the room, taking in the simple yet elegant decorations and furniture. A small chair is placed by the door, and a small table holds a tray of light refreshments, untouched and waiting.

“Wait here while I make one final round to ensure everything is ready” Delia says softly, “I'll be back in just a moment my lady” She then slips out of the room, closing the door gently behind her.

You are left alone in the room, the sound of your own breathing echoing softly in the quiet space. You take a moment to ground yourself, closing your eyes and focusing on your breath, slowing it and deepening it until your heart rate has slowed to a steady beat.

The silence in the room is both calming and claustrophobic, and you find yourself wandering around the small space, your hands touching the smooth fabric of the drapes and the cool, polished wood of the furniture. The wait feels endless, but you know that you must remain patient and composed until the time comes.

The sounds from the great hall seem to grow louder and more insistent, the excited chatter and laughter seeping through the closed door. You can almost picture the scene unfolding just a few feet away from you, the guests gathering and taking their seats, the ceremony attendants going about their duties.

You can hear the sound of the orchestra playing a beautiful instrumental piece, the melodic strains filling the air. It’s a signal that the ceremony is about to begin, and you can hear the guests in the great hall hushing and settling into their seats. You can imagine Paul preparing to walk out, his steps measured and steady, his presence commanding and regal.

You stand near the door, listening intently for any further sounds or cues that would indicate that it's your turn to walk out. The anticipation is almost overwhelming, and in the quiet of the small room, your thoughts and emotions threaten to drown you.

suddenly, the door creaks open, and Delia steps into the room, her expression calm and composed. "it's time, my lady," she says softly, her voice carrying an air of urgency. "the ceremony is about to begin. are you ready?"

your heart skips a beat at her words, and you nod, gathering your composure and courage. you take one final deep breath, smoothing out your gown and straightening your shoulders. "yes," you reply, your voice steady and firm. "I'm ready."

Delia nods in approval, her eyes gleaming softly in the dim light. "you're going to do splendidly," she whispers, her voice tinged with a sense of pride. "just remember to stay composed, and everything will be alright."

with those words, she moves towards you, giving a final inspection to make sure that everything is in order. She adjusts a stray lock of hair, her touch gentle and reassuring.

Finally satisfied, she steps back and motions for you to follow her out. "Let's go," she says, her voice soft but firm. "The ceremony awaits."

you take a deep breath and follow her out of the room, your footsteps muffled by the plush carpet that lines the hallway. your heart is pounding in your chest as you approach the great hall, the sound of the music and the murmured conversations growing louder with every step.

the great hall doors are massive, carved from the finest wood and polished to a mirror-like finish. the intricate patterns and motifs etched into the wood are a testament to the skill and craftsmanship that went into its creation. as you approach the doors, you can hear the sounds of the ceremony attendants bustling about on the other side, readying themselves for the ceremony. the air is thick with anticipation and excitement, and you can almost feel the energy simmering just beyond the threshold.

As the doors slowly swing open, you see the great hall spread before you, a grand space filled with guests and attendants. The room is bathed in a warm, golden light, and the air is filled with the scent of roses and incense. As you step forward to the aisle, the eyes of the guests turn to you, and a hushed silence falls over the room.

———

Next chapter

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[gorgeys]

MEET ME AT MIDNIGHT ★ camille l'espanaye

camille l’espanaye x femCEO!reader

again, you find yourself seated across from camille on a quiet night, and this time your flirting has real consequences

warnings: nothing really, it’s all sfw just some sexual suggestions

word count: 2440

note: this takes place before the court case and everything starts

also the ending is kinda rushed bc i just wanted to finish it sorry

the two regally dressed doormen opened each side of the gigantic glass doors, allowing your entry into the restaurant. famously known as the most elegant restaurant in all of new york city, it was unusually empty on this saturday night.  all of the tables were barren except one against the far glass wall.

it was a table for two, already prepped with the proper silverware and two full glasses of wine.  the table’s occupant didn’t spare you a glance as you took your time sauntering over to her.  you knew she must be able to hear the loud clicking of your heels against the marble floor, especially among the off-putting silence, but her eyes were fixed on the sights of the city behind the glass wall.  located on the top floor of a skyscraper, the entire skyline was visible through the glass walls of the restaurant.  it was an especially astounding sight in the dark hours of the night when the city glowed brighter than the stars in the sky.

only when you placed a perfectly manicured hand over the cream tablecloth did she turn her head to look at you.

“and for a second i thought he might actually show up,” you said, still standing over her.  you clicked your tongue against the roof of your mouth.  “i should’ve known better.”

one of the waiters seemingly appeared out of nowhere to pull your chair out for you.  you gave him a smile and your thanks before you took your seat and he disappeared into oblivion.

“roderick always has to send one of the minions to do his bidding,” you said, crossing one leg over the other and leaning back in your chair.

“please, my father has much better things to do than deal with your antics,” camille said, reaching for her wine glass.  her gaze was as sturdy as you remembered.

“and you don’t?”

“apparently not,” she said before taking a sip.  “but you should thank me actually because he could’ve sent froderick instead.”

“you’re right, what a bore” you said.  you suddenly leaned forward and rested your elbows on the tabletop. you pushed yourself so close to her that your chin hovered just above the candle in the center of the table.  your face was illuminated so desirably by the light that camille wouldn’t have dreamt of taking her eyes off of you.  “thank you, camille,” you said, almost in a whisper.  the silkiness of your voice and the slight pout of your lips tempted and teased her.  she knew exactly what you were doing yet you were still undeniably persuasive.

it wasn’t until you abruptly returned to your original position that she was pulled out of your trance.

“you're welcome,” she said plainly, adjusting herself in her seat.

the server brought over two identical hors d'oeuvres before scurrying back to the kitchen.

“but i’d like to think you enjoy my antics.  you must like me a little if you keep agreeing to this,” you said with a knowing smile.

“i’m only here because the rest of my siblings are too incompetent to do…well, anything really,” she said, disinterestedly poking at the food with her fork.

“don’t lie to me.  no one—not even your father—tells you what to do.  you’re here because you want to be.  and because you like me, don’t you?”

camille looked up from her food only to glare at you through hooded eyes.  she hated your smug little smile and the way it made her feel.

“aww, come on, say it.  say you like me.  make me feel good,” you said, placing your hands over your chest.

as much as she would deny it, a little part of her brain wondered how good she could make you feel.  especially when you looked as good as you did, all dolled up for her in that red dress.  her eyes followed your hands which laid just above the hem.  it was only then that she realized you had worn the same dress for your vanity fair cover last month.  oh to be a fly on the wall during that shoot.

“i didn’t think a woman like you would need so much validation,” camille said, finally taking a bite.  “but look at you being a pathetic little praise pony.”

maybe you were going crazy but you could’ve sworn you saw a smile itching at her lips.  and that made you smile.

“i only want praise from you.”

she looked back up at you and you pursed your lips in an exaggerated pout.  if only she knew how serious you were.

“well, you won’t be getting any.  not tonight, at least,” she said.

your eyebrows jumped at that last part, intrigued by her suggestion.

“are you implying-”

“i’m not implying anything,” she quickly interrupted, predicting your every move.  “are you?”

“depends.”  you reached for your wine glass and took a long, thoughtful sip as you basked in the moment of silence you had created.  you ignored camille’s expectant stare for you to finish your thought and let her sit with the possibilities of what you meant.

“i mean, you take me out on these expensive dinner dates, rent out restaurants for me, and expect me not to feel special?  you do this for all of your girls?”

she scoffed at you.  your attitude would be irritating if you were any other person.

“you flatter yourself too much,” she said, leaning forward.  “if i wanted you, i would already have you,” she said with a self-assured nod and a tight, smug smile.  typically that assertive tone left no room for argument, no matter how true or untrue her statement was.  but that was never the case with you.

“oh, don’t lie to me, camille,” you said, leaning in to match her posture.  “i know you’re like your father: intimidated by powerful women.”

camille’s eyebrows shot up, surprised by your sheer audacity, but her eyes and smile still held an element of amusement.  not often was she curious—because in most situations she already knew too much—but the cunning look in your eyes pushed her toward that unfamiliar feeling.

“what else do you think you know about me?” she said, placing her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her hand as if she had all day.

“oh, just the regular things.  i know that you’re lucky number five,” you said, holding up and wiggling five fingers.  “i know that you and frederick are the only ones who are staying in the family business.  i know…that you’re bright and very good at what you do.”

she was barely listening, lost in your face and your hypnotizing eyes that never strayed from hers.  your words were blending together in her head, turning her brain to mush as she silently admired you in your natural state.  

it was your power that had intoxicated her.  not necessarily your business status or bank account, but the way you carried yourself.  the two of you were alike in that way.

“and that’s why it’s strange that he’s next in line for CEO while you’re slaving away in the basement being daddy’s sock puppet.”

that statement sobered her up quick.  you knew you struck a nerve when her brows pulled down and her eyes narrowed.  she wasn’t hard to offend.

“god, i can’t believe saffron hasn’t crashed and burned because clearly you don’t know a damn thing about business,” she spat, teeth showing and venom oozing from her lips.  “fortunato wouldn’t be a thing if it wasn’t for me cleaning up everyone’s load of dogshit.  you don’t even know how much dumb fuckery i have to deal with; my father—my entire family owes me.”

“relax, camille,” you said in your smooth tone, unphased by her aggression, your lips daring to quirk into a smile.  “that’s exactly what i’m saying; they don’t give you enough credit for what you do.”

suddenly camille was a bit lost as she was unable to figure out what your angle was.  you now sounded so genuine that it was off putting.  she had been so used to your play-fighting and exaggerated lust that she almost didn’t know how to take a real compliment from you.  almost.

“thank you,” she said, pushing her back over her shoulder and averting her eyes toward the window.  she was slightly embarrassed by her unwarranted, short-lived blow-up but made her best attempt to play if off.

“i mean, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that your brother’s a flamboyant idiot.  i mean, i think i actually lose brain cells when he opens his mouth,” you said, smiling to yourself.  “but, even if you’re playing for the other team, i can admit that you’re impressive.  you’ve made yourself indispensable to fortunato.  you’re twice the man he’ll ever be.”

camille tried to restrain herself but a smile spilled onto her lips. it ranked among the top compliments she had ever received.  half because she knew it was true and the other half simply because it was coming from you.

your heart jumped, her rare show of warmth encouraging you to continue.

“i mean, just think about all that you could do if only you were given the means.  anywhere you are is already a force to be reckoned with, but with you at the top of the ladder, fortunato would be impenetrable.”

“cut the crap,” camille said, remnants of a smile still playing on her lips.  “what are you actually trying to say?”

she analyzed every twitch of your expression for a hint.

“what? i can’t just admire you?” you asked, tilting your head to the size and studying her as if she was a prized work of art.

she was a work of art.

she licked her lips, enjoying your adoring gaze.

“save it for the bedroom, y/n,” she said so casually, clasping her hands on the table.  your stomach churned at the thought, your mind drifting.  “i’m the one who called you here but you talk like there’s something on your mind.”

“just you.  always you, actually,” you said.  your smile was smaller and more thoughtful this time.

you had assumed that, with the court case looming, camille had come to broker a deal with you.  as the CEO of a competing pharma company that was in good standing with the public, fortunato could greatly improve their image and reliability by partnering with your company, saffron.  it was an obvious move, one you had predicted months before.  you had just been waiting for the ushers to finally approach you.  and in that time, you had developed a risky counterattack.

she was silent, her eyebrows raised and her lips pressed together, attempting to coax a response out of you.  you breathed deeply and then you gave her what she wanted.

“maybe your father doesn’t appreciate you, but i would appreciate you so much.”

your emphasis was telling.  you would never directly say what you meant but camille always understood.  though there was a hint of something else lacing your strong voice this time.  something not entirely sensual.

“appreciate?  now what could you possibly mean by that?”  she asked, wondering if your promise was simply flirtatious or if there was a deeper meaning behind it.

you chuckled and then you sighed, chastising her lack of deduction with the shake of your head.  your fingers danced across the tablecloth like a spider crawling toward camille.

“you really can’t take a hint, can you?”

she rolled her eyes at your rebuke.  meanwhile you leaned toward her, bracing yourself with your elbows on the table.

“you need to leave your father.  and then i’ll make you mine,” you said.  she was about to laugh but then she noticed your gaze.  it was uncharacteristically straight and serious.  that’s what made her realize that you weren’t joking.

 “i mean that, if you leave fortunato, there will be a spot waiting for you at saffron.  and i can guarantee you that it’s a much higher one than you currently hold.  how does president sound?  maybe even COO if you can charm the board.”

she immediately scoffed at you.

“you’re out of your goddamn mind, you know that?” she said, appalled by your request.  still, it was a better reaction than you were expecting.  “i…wh-what about the will, huh?  i’d just betray my entire family and get cut off?”

“well, first of all, we both know you couldn’t give a single fuck about your ‘family’.  it’s not like they raised you. and as for the will, it won’t matter in the end.  you’ll be making more than all of your siblings combined working under me.”  you subtly flashed her the diamonds on your fingers as proof.  “ten or twenty million more won’t even make a dent in your back account.  you’ll be the richest woman in the world. and do you know why?”

you stuck your chin up at her and smiled fully.  she watched anxiously as the long expanse of your neck revealed itself to her and your eyelashes fluttered majestically.

“because you’ll have me.  all to yourself.”

camille’s chin lowered, looking up at you through her own eyelashes as if to question the validity of your statement.  you nodded reassuringly.

“what are you waiting for?  i mean, fortunato is only on the decline.  it’s time to do something good for once and jump ship,” you said.

you paused, noticing the hesitation behind her blue eyes.  it seemed that she was actually considering your proposal.  so you decided to lay the seduction on heavy.

“there’s nothing left for you at fortunato.  but everything you could have is sitting right here,” you said, confidently motioning toward yourself.  “i mean, come on, baby, look at this face and tell me you don’t want it, this body,” you said, smoothing out your dress.

the wrinkle in her brow and the slight gap between her lips was telling. that distant yet focused look in her eye told you that daydreams were whisking her off to far away places.  she was imagining what her alternate life would be like, what it would feel like, what you would feel like. she was clearly conflicted.

“well, i’ll give you some time to think about,” you said, abruptly standing up from your chair.  she didn’t protest as you picked up your half full wine glass.  “in the meantime, don’t be a stranger,” you said, leaving her with a final smug smile.

you intentionally swayed your hips as you retreated from the restaurant, taking your wine to-go, reminding her that she would be stupid not to take you up on your offer.

“until we meet again.”

[doodle-pops]

Puppy Love

A/N: A little bit of fluff for the holidays :)

Words: 600

“Hey, where are you looking? Keep your eyes on me,” he whispered, his lips hovering just above yours, his voice commanding and gentle all at once.

You couldn’t deny that you had a tendency to avoid making eye contact with him. It was an intense experience that never failed to make you feel flustered. He had noticed this quirk of yours and took every opportunity to lock his gaze with yours, just to watch you stumble over your words and witness the bashful expression that would invariably spread across your cheeks. He found it endearing, and it became something of a playful game between you two.

His fingers reached out to pinch your cheeks between his larger hands, playfully squishing them together. He made it his mission to help you learn to maintain eye contact, but the task proved to be a challenge. So, he resorted to another tactic.

Peering at you from beneath his long lashes, his eyes took on a darker shade, focusing intensely on you. You felt the sensation of his gaze like a physical weight, and you bit your lip to resist the urge to look away. His hand on your chin held your head firmly in place, but despite his efforts, you blinked rapidly, trying to alleviate the intensity building inside you.

He couldn’t help but grin victoriously as he observed your struggle. “Eye on me, stars,” he murmured, his voice filled with a mixture of affection and mischief.

You gulped, aware that you were teetering on the edge of surrender. You longed to wipe that triumphant smirk off his face. For five more seconds, you held your gaze, determined not to give in. But eventually, you shifted your vision elsewhere, and he chuckled, releasing his hold on your chin.

Throwing his head back, he howled with laughter into the night sky, leaving you scowling in his direction, albeit under your breath. “I win. That last piece of cake is mine. I told you, you couldn’t beat me,” he declared, reaching for the final slice of marble cake and sliding the plate toward him.

“Whatever. It’s not my fault you have such beautiful eyes,” you grumbled, pausing midway through your disappointment to glance at him.

“Oh, come on. Didn’t you want to win the cake? I’m offering to share. Just one bite…” His smile widened as he enjoyed your sullen demeanour. He knew you wouldn’t stay like this for long; you just needed a little incentive.

His eyes flicked over to your sullen expression and pouting lips, and he couldn’t help but smile. Turning in his seat, he cut a small portion of his cake and wiggled the fork towards you. “Say ah…” He held a fork with a piece of cake poised before your lips.

Still sulking, you turned your head in the opposite direction, unwilling to share in his victory cake.

Setting the plate aside, he rested his hands on either side of your chair and leaned in to kiss your cheek. The moment his lips met your skin, you turned your head in disgust, prompting him to move to your lips. You squealed in protest, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. Your hands came up to cover your mouth, but he was undeterred. His hands moved to tickle your sides, causing your hands to drop and allowing his mouth to claim yours for a swift kiss.

“Are you done sulking, love, or are you going to pout some more because my eyes are beautiful?” he teased.

“As a matter of fact, yes, I have,” you replied, a mischievous glint in your eye, “but now I’m ready to beat you for good.” With that, you launched out of your seat, chasing him through the backyard of his parents’ house. The sound of your laughter filled the air, a joyful chorus that reached the ears of his parents, who sat nearby, smiling at the happiness their son had found.

Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Amras, Amrod, Fingon, Argon, Finarfin, Finrod, Aegnor, Glorfindel, Galdor, Egalmoth, Beleg, Elladan

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[jarofstyles]

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes 4- Preparations and Secret Keepers

Helloo my loves! They’re back. Lady Y/N and Princerry have returned and they’re ✨ in love✨ obviously. I hope you enjoy a bit more of them!

Check out our Patreon for exclusive writing and early access.

Warnings- a smidgen of exhibitionism if you squint

WC- 3.9k

Fic masterlist

————

The ballroom was beautiful.

Y/N had nearly felt tears in her eyes when she first saw it. Swirls of saturated color all around. Flowers in opulent garlands wrapping around the marble columns and up to the ceilings. The lights twinkled from them as they hung down from the dark vines that curtained the ceiling, looking like stars in the sky.

The tables were lined with expensive cloth, a deep red with a lace runner going through the middle. Fine dishware was neatly stacked, the golden designs etched and foiled on them shining in the lights. Bouquets were the centerpieces, red ribbon tied around the vases in delicate bows. There were no expenses spared for this. His and her initial was painted on the dance floor with the royal family crest, gold foiling making it sparkle. Staff scurried about to put on finishing touches on the scene while Y/N and the Queen did a last check up.

What had her truly gasping for breath were the specific flowers that she had shown Harry in their walk decorating the royal table, the bouquet specially made for her at her spot clear next to him. The first time she would be at a royal event… as a future royal. Her hands were a bit sweaty as she followed the Queen dutifully, listening to her comments as she made small adjustments for the headmistress to go over with staff.

Y/N admired his gracious she was. Saying please and thank you to staff was not something most nobility did, but she did. She wanted to be just like her. Friendly and kind. Not a feared woman- unless she was crossed. Respected. That was her goal, above all else.

As soon as they had a moment alone, she turned to her. “How are you truly doing, my dear?” Her soft hand landed on Y/N’s forearm, true compassion on her face. She could see her bristling nerves grating on her even though most couldn’t. “You are good at hiding your emotions. The reason I can see it is because I was in your shoes once.” She soothed. “Having good control of when you show them is important. But you’ve proven yourself thus far.” Her kind smile made Y/N relax a little bit.

“Thank you.” She replied. “I am… I’m good. I think it is a bit overwhelming but I remind myself this is the first one. I will get used to it. It’s to celebrate our love and union, too, so I should not be worried.” Y/N refused to let jealous and bitter women ruin the beautiful thing that Harry and her had created. Had been thrust into; his arms welcoming her like a warm bath. The Queen nodded at her statement, the pair walking slowly as they observed the royal table. “He remembered.” Her whisper was caught by the Queen, watching her fingers brush one of the flowers with a smile.

“He is a good man. I am happy with how he’s grown.” The Queen loved her son dearly. She wasn’t fond of the way most royals before her had reared their children, handing them off to nanny’s and other staff dedicated to the job. She wanted to be hands on. To raise him to be a good man, to make changes she had already started to implement. He would not be arrogant and rude. That was a fear, knowing the power could get to his head as it did to many, but she did it herself. She was spoiled with ladies maids who would tend to him at night as a wee babe, but she did everything else. The bond between parent and child was gravely important. “Though I will say… the change I’ve seen in him since he has met you has made me ecstatic.”

Y/N turned to her with curious eyes. “How so, may ask?” She was treading lightly, still wanting to be respectful but dying to know. Any bit of information about him from a reliable source made her giddy. Filing it away in her favorite folder in her memories, she wanted to soak it all in.

“He seemed more… excited about ruling. He learns with vigor. Speaks up. He wants to know the intricacies more and more. Before… he was unmotivated in some ways.” There was a pause as she exhaled. “I suppose that was partially our fault. We wanted him to remain as carefree as he could, to form his own personality without it being directly tied to a title. He learned a lot during his childhood but he had been seemingly nervous as he grew. Now he seems far more settled in it.” It was most definitely because of Y/N. “Having a reliable, trustworthy and level headed ruling partner is one of the most important and undervalued assets a King can have. They do say, "What is a King without his Queen.” She gave a slight smile as Y/N followed her words closely.

“You have those qualities, from what I can tell. Keeping a level head and still being able to defend yourself and the person you love is a beautiful thing to have as a ruler. It isn’t easy. People will disagree simply because you spoke, you rule. I can understand why, to a degree. Taking into account the stress of being a King, I think that you will be able to elevate him. I believe him the same as you. The King may seem to be the one who holds all the power… but know that it isn’t true. I’ve helped come to all of the most important decisions in our kingdom’s history. It isn’t a job to take lightly.” The Queen could see it on her face, how she was agreeing but still spooked. This wasn’t necessarily a test, but it was a reality she needed to face. She couldn’t just play royal. It was a job.

“That is why I was so worried about who Harry would end up with. Many women.. they think that being a Queen is being lavished with diamonds and pearls, being fed delicacies by hand and never lifting a finger. They think it’s the custom dresses and crowns, the balls and the galas, the travels. But it is so much more than that.” She squeezed her hand, giving her another smile. “I was terrified that my son would follow a man’s intuition and just go for whoever appealed to his physical senses without taking a woman’s brain and intentions into account. He was incredibly lucky to stumble across you.”

It was abundantly clear that Y/N loved her son- and if not fully there yet, close to it. She never indulged when she was at the palace, was polite, thanked workers and never threw fits. The girl was respectable, well read and could hold a conversation. It was more than a lot of the other women on the court could say when they were vying for Harry’s hand in marriage.

“Do you truly think I’ll make a good Queen?” Y/N asked quietly, looking her in the eye despite wanting to look at her skirts. This was an intimidating conversation but she needed to hear it. None of it was enough to make her leave. It was a lot more than she had ever expected to take on as a wife- if she had ever married at all- but Harry’s tender heart and gentle touch was well worth the challenges. She hopes.

“I do. I think you’ll be one of the best we have seen. Continue to be fearless, to speak your mind to your husband, to be honest and open with him, rule with a fair hand and you will do amazing. The council will try to intimidate you. Do not let them.” The word of warning was clear. Y/N’s tummy turned at the serious tone. “They will try and sway you. The reason for it, as you know, is to have the people given more of a say. But do not let individual agendas influence your decisions. Make them as your heart and mind see fit. Harry will be behind you.”

That, she didn’t doubt. The man had been continuously proving his devotion to her every single day. She had read in her books; the romance novels that had her flustered and fanning herself at times, about love and men. About how she could be treated. Harry far exceeded any expectation.

“I understand. I will do my best, and I will trust my husband. I know he and I have had some conversations about it. I don’t know if he told you of some of the other encounters I’ve had with some of the women, but I already know the way people will treat me. How they will manipulate and how I will need to be careful. But as long as I have Harry, I have my family? I am strong.”

“You will be wonderful.” The Queen replied. “You are wise beyond your years. I’ve heard whispers of what people have been saying, what they’ve been doing. I am not one to abuse power but if you wish to have anyone removed from this party? That is your right.” She wouldn’t want anything to ruin this. It was a step in the new direction of the kingdom, her first real taste. She needed it to be good for her.

“Thank you, my Queen. I will.” Y/N nodded, looking back towards the bouquet. For him? She would do anything. For herself? She would prove that she wasn’t someone to stand on.

—————

Harry watched as she walked down the hall, alone at last. She was stunning, his intended. So beautiful and strong, her head held high as she walked the corridor as if she knew where she was going. She didn’t. All she knew was that Harry had requested her in the library.

“Hello.”

“My goodness!” Y/N yelped, hand over her heart as it raced like a hummingbird inside of her chest. “Harry! You musn't scare me like that.” She still walked towards him, entering the library as she tried to shake off her bout of fright.

“I’m sorry, my love.” Harry peeked down the hall to see it empty, closing the door behind them. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Approaching her, his hands reached for her waist to pull her into his embrace. Smooth. Always so smooth and warm to the touch, making his fingers flex into the dress. Her corset hid the squish of her flesh, something he was dying to feel under his hands, but he thanked the world that she let him handle her this way. The light blue of the dress did wonders to compliment her eyes, ruffled at the bottom in a way he usually dislike- but again, his sweet Y/N had a knack for making him enjoy things he rarely did in the past. She made any dress she wore look like gold. It was impossible for her to dull her glow, a beacon of light that his eyes always wanted to follow.

“That is a lie, my prince.” She laughed under her breath. His grin made sure to tell her he enjoyed making her jump. “Luckily for you, you’re handsome and far too charming to hold a grudge, so I forgive you for it.” Her head tilted back, taking in his content features. Alone. Truly alone with one another in the Palace’s library. It was quite big, shelves upon shelves of books in every color imaginable. A top floor with a balcony overlooking the rest, dark wooden ladders to reach the tall shelves at the bottom, a large reading area in front of the fireplace and a padded bench in front of the window to make for a nook to hide away in. The large arched window let in beams of light, streaking across the room and illuminating the front of it effortlessly.

“I fear that I’ll spend every free moment here.” She returned her gaze to him after looking around. It wasn’t her first time in here, but she was still amazed at the quantity of books in one room. The palace was much larger than she had ever anticipated. “I don’t think I could read every book in here, even if I read every moment in my lifetime. You’ll have to read with me.”

Y/N had expressed a want for that. To find a book to read before bed, just for them. A tradition.

“Of course. I’ll read with you every night if it’s possible.” He released her waist, taking hold of her hand and letting her lead him into the darker aisles of the library. It was relatively quiet in the room, the sound of their steps clicking over the wood floors being the loudest thing they could hear. “What are you looking to read?” His question was soft spoken, aware of how little space there was in these aisles. They were meant for one person to explore, but he truly didn’t mind. Being close to Y/N was a blessing.

“I’m partial to romance. I love all books- I love learning about my flowers and history, I love fairy tales… but I particularly enjoy romance. Happy endings, mostly. All of them, though…they can be quite eye opening. You’d never guess it. People love to diminish the literature because men do not usually enjoy them- at least publicly. Some of the most breathtaking quotes I’ve ever heard of were in such books.” She ran her fingers along the spines of the cloth bound books, grazing the embossed titles. “You learn a lot about people in them. How betrayal can affect a soul, how love can heal. Above all else, loving is a choice. An action.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asked, unsure of what she meant. “I don’t think I had a choice. I think.. my heart was yours the moment I laid my eyes on you. I’ve never questioned it.”

“There’s different types of loving. Having your heart belong to someone… It is a different sort of love. A soul deep love. But to be in love actively, you choose it. You choose to show the person your feelings, to express them. You do the acts of love by stroking my hand, by choosing the flowers for our table.” A coy look was shot his way. “It won’t always be easy. You’ll have to choose love above all else, even if it’s harder than another solution.” She turned to him, placing a hand on the side of his neck, the dim light doing nothing to hide his beauty.

“I feel the same. I feel as though you plucked my heart out of my chest like harp strings and held it in your hands. There wasn’t much of a choice in that. But the act of loving? It is a choice. Being loved and in love are two different things. We just happen to have both.” And god, did she love him already. It was soul deep, like she said.

“I see…” he rolled his lips in for a moment before pouting ever so slightly. “I can understand that. I haven’t thought of that before but… I suppose it’s because I haven’t read as many romance novels as you. Or, perhaps you’re just a smarter being than me.” He had to chuckle because sometimes he believed it to be true. Y/N’s thoughts were vast, complex, something he wanted to dissect over time. He loved hearing what she thought about policies so far, what she thought of their system. Even just her thoughts on books and flowers. She thought about things he never would have imagined- and it’s part of why he loved her. The creature challenged him in ways no one else ever would, kept him on his toes all while providing a comfort in her presence many would die to have.

“No. You’re just as smart, but in a different way. It’s refreshing. We both have qualities the other needs. It’s one of my favorite parts about us.” She slightly scolded him for that. No self deprivation on her watch.

“Yeah? What are your other favorite parts?” He murmured, feeling the tightness of the space but not wanting to back up. Instead, he got closer. “For example… I love your brain. I love how you speak, how your lips curl around words. I love how I feel like I was submerged in the warmest bath with all of the sweet smelling oils when I’m around you.” His fingers rose to brush her cheek. “But… I hate that I am not able to touch you how I wish.” Speaking of love always got to him. His reminder of how much adoration festered in his heart, how much impatience he had towards expressing it to her in a physical way.

Y/N’s mouth dried as she felt the man close in on her. If her heart was beating fast before? It was ready to fly out of her chest now. Breathing quickening as she leaned into his touch, she found her words on the tip of her tongue, hands settling on his forearms. Against her better judgment, she allowed herself to speak. “How do you wish to touch me?”

The voice was much softer than she would have hoped, showing how she was weak kneed just from this simple touch. Back against the shelf, she peered at him through her lashes, anticipating the next words out of his berry hued mouth. Oh, how she wanted that mouth.

“I wish to touch you without these corsets. I want to feel your skin underneath my fingertips, the softness of your flesh dipping as I hold you.” He paused, inhaling shakily. “ I want to bury my fingers in your hair and tug your head back so I can kiss you. God, I want to kiss you so, so badly. It aches in my soul. I crave nothing more than your affections. You know that?” He looked pained as he leaned down, resting his forehead against hers. This was a dangerous situation, both of them in a state that they didn’t know how to handle. There were lines they could not cross, things he could not say, but he was feeling them all.

“You do?” She peeped, eyes round at his blunt words. He had expressed some of these things in a letter before but… hearing in person was a whole other experience. The low rasp of his voice as he kept it down, keeping their secrets between their ears and the pages of the books.

“I do. Words can not express how much I look forward to our wedding day.” When they would become man and wife, when he could take her the way they both wanted. “When I never have to worry, I can kiss you freely, in front of whoever I wish. I hate that there are barriers for us. I understand tradition, I respect it… but I can’t help but wish to break it.” He wouldn’t, but he had to hold his breath as he felt her nose brush against his own. The walls of rigid rules were so irritating for him, he wanted to make them crumble to rubble on the ground.

“I know. I crave it just as much, Harry.” She replied shakily, breath felt against his lips. “I want your touch on every part. But we have to respect the traditions. Don’t we?” She asked, feeling as though she could fall over as she felt their lips brush for a single second before his own rested over her cheek.

“We do.” He mumbled against the smooth skin. “But… I can kiss here.” His lips puckered ever so slightly on her cheek, dangerously close to her mouth. “I can kiss here… and it’s not breaking any rules. My ring is on your finger… I tend to claim you in the ways the world allows, to follow those rules.. but you are mine.” He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to arch into him. A little gasp left her as she felt a firmer kiss placed to her cheek again, letting their lips feather together before he placed one to the opposite side. “My bride. My queen. My heart. I will never be as proud of anything… as I am to have been chosen by you.”

Y/N let out a whimper, pulling him close and returning the gesture. Dangerously close kisses, right in the same places. Temptation. She should have pulled away, but she couldn’t. Her body pulsed, a heartbeat felt between her legs as he let out a quiet groan.

“My sweet…” he rasped. “My self control is so little. It’s merely hanging by a fraying thread. I respect you more than to take you in a library aisle…” he paused. “At least before we are married.” The thought flooded her brain, her skirts lifted up and his firm palm holding her mouth to keep her quiet. Taking her deep and slow against the shelves, filling her to the brim. Her leg hitched over his waist while fingers clawed at him- he didn’t know how he was able to wait.

“Harry…” she gasped, feeling his lips press to her jaw. “You’re making it so hard for me to behave. I need to be…” she lost her train of thought as her eyes closed, head falling back against the wood. His kisses were feather light, brushing over her jaw and making her fingers dig into his arms. If she was in this much pleasure just from this? What would it be like without all of the barriers? Would his fingers make her tingle as much on bare flesh? Would his kiss her all over?

“I’m sorry…” he mumbled against her skin. “I’m sorry…” teeth grazed her ear, making her whine. “I’m sorry, my sweet. I will stop.” He had to drag himself away from her body, tempted to nibble on her smooth neck and leave marks all over. He couldn’t. But he wanted to.

Y/N wanted to gasp at his looks. His dark gaze, eyes glinting in a darkness she had never seen before. Lust. True lust, his cheeks flushed and lips slightly swollen. It would look like they did more than look for books if they were caught, but Y/N committed it to memory. She wanted this very look painted in a portrait. Her Prince’s desire for her. Nothing had ever felt more real. “My beautiful prince…” she sighed, hands prying away from his arms to hold his hands. “We must leave or we will get carried away. You’ll never forgive yourself.” She knew that much. Harry was very proud of doing this properly. Of keeping himself a gentleman.

“I know.” his fingers squeezed over hers, taking his own deep breath as he calmed himself. “I’ll behave. It is hard, having the affections of a woman as stunning as you and not be able to indulge… But I must.” Even if it pained him. He would do this properly, honor her and make her his wife before he devoured her in the way he craved.

[screebyy]

A something about Warlord's Ruin dialogue and Petra's exile and Uldren and Petra's relationship

“Petra, I’ve… never apologized to you. For what you’re still going through.”

The somber tone of Crow’s voice echoing through her radio sends an all-too-familiar jolt of unease down her spine. It’s uncanny how much the guardian sounds like him sometimes.

With a grimace, she shakes off the sensation, and clicks on her mic. “There’s no need,” she says, tiredly. “It wasn’t you.”

“I’m sorry,” The guardian radios back anyways. “He is too. Completely.”

She flinches again. He’s so much like the prince, it makes her nauseous sometimes - so self-obsessed he can’t help but shoulder the blame for any misdeed he can find some tangential reason to feel guilty over. What does Crow have to be sorry for? 

And what exactly does Uldren have to be sorry for? For the thousandth time she replays all the decisions she made during Mara’s years-long absence, all the mistakes she made. Uldren’s arrest, and the cold, cramped cell she left him in, because she didn’t know what else to do with the shell of her former prince, her former friend. The prison break, the hunt, the squeeze of her trigger finger…

Her hands curl into tight fists, her fingernails digging painfully into her palm. There was more she could have done. She knew there was something wrong with him, she knew that he was sick. Even before Mara’s sacrifice - after the Garden, she could tell he was no longer himself, that a darkness she still does not understand had burrowed into his heart, and taken root. She could have found a way to help him, to save him maybe - but… after Saturn, the Reef, it was all too much, she wasn’t enough, not on her own. If only Mara had been here, the Queen would have been able to…

“If I could wish it away…” Crow’s voice over her radio snaps her back to the present. A wish - he’s such a fool, she could almost laugh. Almost. She clicks on her mic.

“No,” she says, sternly. She won’t let him take the blame for this - not for Uldren’s mistakes. Not for her own. “You’re helping break the cycle. That should be more than enough.”

She kills the connection before he can respond. She suspects her words will do nothing to ease his misplaced sense of guilt - they never helped Uldren much, either. And she’s in no mood to listen to him find new ways to twist the lingering stain of Uldren’s mistakes into his own responsibility.

They are so much alike, more-so every day. She leans heavily over her desk, and closes her eye, remembering another apology, a lifetime ago…

—

The sun is so much brighter on Earth. Especially this time of year, mid-summer - it hangs high in the cloudless sky, just beyond the Traveler’s looming figure, and it’s so bright that the white concrete and iron railings of the Vanguard's Tower shine like marble and silver. Somewhere deep down, Petra knows it must be beautiful - but allowing herself to admit that feels like a sleight on her true home, the gentle golden rays of a sun always sitting low on the horizon, the refraction of purple light off the amethyst-studded walls of the Dreaming City. 

With a frown she sinks deeper into the shadow of the awning she's standing under, and squints against the blinding light. This place is a prison, she reminds herself - nothing here is beautiful. 

A hand on her shoulder startles her out of her musing - she whirls around, her knife whizzing up to the intruder’s throat, and finds Uldren Sov smiling ear to ear, hands held up in mock surrender.

“Your highness-!” She stammers, jumping back in surprise. “You shouldn't be here!”

“I'm not,” Uldren grins, pulling the hood of his cloak further forward to obscure his face. “Come on, let's get something to eat.”

—

They sit at a rickety metal table, in a cramped alleyway un-befitting a prince, with two bowls of hot noodles in a delicious, savory broth between them. It’s humble, but the noodle shop is one of the few places Petra has come to enjoy during her exile to the Tower - and discreet enough that Uldren is unlikely to be recognized.

“Everybody misses you back in the Reef,” Uldren says, picking absently at his bowl with a pair of chopsticks. “Jol says hello.”

“He isn't with you?” Petra asks, squinting up at the rooftops around the alley shop - searching for the silhouette of Uldren's shadow.

“No,” Uldren answers as he carefully pulls a few noodles up with his chopsticks, regarding them suspiciously. “He doesn't care for the Last City.”

Finally, he takes a bite, slurping the noodles into his mouth. He considers it, then scowls - Petra thinks for a moment it must not be to his liking, but the glimmer of irritation in his eyes betrays his true feelings. It's not the taste of the noodles that bothers him, but where they were made - he must be furious that such a delicious dish could possibly have come from the Vanguard’s Tower.

Petra smiles, and shakes her head. She wonders if he even bothered to tell Jolyon about this little excursion, or if he had just assumed he was doing the man a favor by leaving him behind.

“Anyway,” Uldren sighs, pushing his bowl across the table towards her. “When are you coming home?”

Her smile breaks, her heart twists with grief.

“Uldren,” she stutters. “You know, this isn’t-.... Queen Mara, she said-...”

Emotion wells up in her throat, sharp as knives, and she bites her tongue to keep it from spilling into her voice. This position is an exile, a punishment for her mistakes. She's never going home again.

“I know what she said,” Uldren sighs, waving his hand dismissively. “But do you really think she meant it? Come on, you're smarter than that.”

Petra stares at him blankly, mind racing. What does he mean? Did the Queen say something to him? About her? Uldren rolls his eyes, and leans forward.

“Petra,” he says seriously. “How long have you been away - five years? Six? This is a waste of your talents, and everyone knows it. You belong back home, with us.”

“All this-” He gestures around at the bare concrete walls, which look nothing like marble in this dark, dingy alleyway. “It's just a stupid show Mara had to put on, a political farce to stay in the Vanguard’s good graces. It doesn't mean anything, and it’s high time the show ended.”

He looks away, brow furrowed as he considers his next words for a long moment. Finally, he looks back at her, eyes flickering with emotion.

“I'm… I'm sorry, by the way,” he says. “For all of this. It's my fault you're here. For-”

“No,” Petra cuts him off, raising her hand. She will not allow him to debase himself, not for this. “I was the one who called for the bombing run, it was my decision that killed them. And this is my punishment.”

“But I was the one who dropped the bombs,” Uldren hisses, eyes burning. “I should have seen those guardians, I should have noticed-...”

He breaks off, biting his lip angrily, then slumps back in his chair, sulking. Petra looks down at his bowl of noodles, delicious and untouched.

“If you had seen them,” she starts, cautiously. “Would that have stayed your hand?”

Uldren frowns, and looks away.

“If I had known what would happen? That you'd be the one to take the fall for their deaths?” His frown tightens, the corners of his lips curling down in disgust. “Yes.”

Emotion swells in Petra’s chest again, but this time the feeling is warm and bittersweet. Pride, and gratefulness, for a prince who acts earnestly as a friend, not a sovereign. A friend so fiercely loyal he would try to take her guilt from her, and wear it himself.

“This isn’t your fault,” Petra says, quietly. “It was my mistake. My decision.”

“It was the right decision,” Uldren says, eyes snapping back to her with renewed ferocity. “It may have been an accident, but it was no mistake. You know that, Mara knows that. And she knows you don’t deserve to be rotting away in this tower for making the right call.”

Her eye opens wide, she sucks air into her lungs as she considers the truth in his words. He’s right. Of course he’s right. The Queen, she knows everything, so she must understand the depth of Petra’s loyalty, the veracity of her fervor. She must understand that there was no other call Petra could have made, there was no way to predict the guardians’ interference, no reason to believe they’d be anywhere near that valley. She must understand…

Uldren leans forward again, prodding his finger declaratively into the table.

“Write to my sister, plead your case, and she will listen, I promise you that,” he says. “The City’s had their pound of flesh from you.”

“If you truly believe the Queen will hear me…” Petra starts, but treacherous hope flutters wildly in her chest, sending a smile bursting across her face before she can finish the thought. She laughs, suddenly giddy. Of course, Mara will understand. The exile, it’ll be lifted, her guilt absolved, and she’ll finally, finally-

“Come home, Petra.” Uldren smiles, lifting his finger to point directly at her. “That’s an order.”

[hauntedhowlett-writes]

Hanged man with frankie please!

thank you for the request 💕

tarot pull: hanged man - reverse

meaning: the hanged man in reverse can indicate impulsive and rash decisions.

title: invisible string

pairing: frankie morales x female reader (nicknamed Baby)

rating: explicit (18+ MDNI)

word count: 5472

summary:

After fifteen years, the invisible string that ties you to Frankie Morales pulls you back together.

author's note: i had this in the works before my tarot announcement but it fits great, so i hope you enjoy. please consider reblogging or commenting if you do!

content warnings/tags: explicit sexual content (18+ minors do not interact), no use of y/n, friends to lovers to strangers to lovers, childhood sweethearts, reunion, reader is nicknamed Baby, potentially bad spanish translations, alcohol consumption, dance floor altercations, oral sex (f receiving), unprotected p in v, dirty talk, pet names, praise kink, multiple orgasms, references to their childhood together, enlistment. let me know if any are missing!

Frankie vividly remembers the day that he met the love of his life.

He was six years old, a gangly kid with messy brown curls running barefoot around the ranch, catching frogs in the stream before the sun got too low in the sky and his mamá called him inside for dinner. He heard the moving truck and peeked at the palatial property that bordered his parent’s own humble farm. Men carried furniture and boxes from the trucks while another man watched on, hands on his hips in the same way Frankie’s own dad would watch him to make sure he cleaned up his room.

A blur of movement darted from the front door, startling two men carrying a rather ugly floral couch. The blur barreled straight into the legs of the man in charge, and Frankie watched his stoic face light up as he wrapped his arms around what appeared to be a young girl.

Later that night, at the dinner table, his parents discussed the new neighbors, and how they wanted to welcome them to their new home. The next day, his mamá baked two loaves of bread and collected some eggs from the coop, arranging them in a basket that she placed in Frankie’s arms with a warning to watch his step as they made their way next door.

His papá knocked on the door, smoothing his hands down his Wranglers. The door was opened by a lady he hadn’t seen while spying yesterday. She looked kind and gentle, and had welcomed them inside, thanking them profusely for the basket. Frankie had looked around the grand entrance, all marble and gold, before the man appeared. He shook hands with his parents, thanking them as well and offering everyone a drink.

Then the blur came down the stairs and Frankie got his first good look at you. A girl with big, bright eyes and an uneven smile.

“Oh, there you are, sweetheart.” Your mamá opened her arms to you, which you folded yourself into as you peeked shyly at Frankie and his family. “This is the Morales family. They live on the farm next door, and they brought us a gift.”

“Hi,” you said, waving your hand. 

Your mamá had introduced you by name but added, “Everyone just calls her Baby.”

You’d looked Frankie right in the eye before grabbing his hand excitedly. “You wanna go find tadpoles in the pond?”

“Sure!”

And that was the start of it all.

________

Frankie also vividly remembers the day he lost the love of his life.

He was eighteen and about to graduate from high school with no solid plan. All he knew is that he wanted to fly. 

The problem with that dream was the price tag. 

With that in mind, the Army recruiting table called out to him. They would pay for flight training. He barely had to hear about anything else before he signed his name.

“I’m gonna learn how to fly!” He announced that night at dinner, waving his enlistment agreement in the air. The conversation around the table went quiet.

“Mijo…,” his papá had said, eyes flicking to you. 

He’d been too excited to see the pain in your features. 

“They’ll pay for flight school, and there’s an enlistment bonus,” he continues. 

“If…if that’s what you want to do,” his mamá said with a watery smile. She picked up her empty plate, nudging his papá with her elbow. “Help me in the kitchen.”

His papá had given him one last loaded look before following his wife through the doorway. Frankie turned to you.

“I know it’s a lot, but as soon as you graduate we can get married and then you’ll be able to live on the base with me,” he told you as he reached for your hand. 

You pulled back. “What are you talking about, Frankie?”

“I’ve got it all planned out. You graduate next year, we get married, and then you can move in with me.”

“But…what about college? You know I want to go to school.”

Frankie huffed. “You can go to school online or somewhere near base.”

“That’s not…,” you trailed off. You blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears from your eyes. “I want to go to UCLA, remember?” Your voice was smaller than he’d ever heard it. 

He rolls his eyes. “So, what? You’re not gonna come with me? What about us?”

“I…no. Why should I have to give up what I’ve been working toward? What makes your dream more important than mine?”

“This is the only way I can even touch my dream, Baby! Not all of us have a rich daddy who can buy them a college degree!” 

He regretted the words as soon as they left his lips. The gutted look on your face and the tears you refused to let fall would all brand themselves on the back of his eyelids from this point forward.

“If that’s what you really think,” you took a deep breath, “then I guess there’s nothing more to say.”

Frankie held strong despite wanting to crumble. “I guess so.”

You nodded once and stood, tossing your napkin on your plate. Without another word, you walked out the dining room and out the front door.

And out of his life.

His mamá joined him at the table and rubbed a soothing hand across his back. “Mijo,” she murmured. “Is this really what you want?”

“I want to fly,” he replied. “But I don’t…I don’t want to lose her.”

“I don’t think you’ve lost her. But I think you’ll have to find each other again.”

__________

Fifteen Years Later

Frankie’s nursing a pint of beer at the hotel bar, surrounded by his best friends and fellow soldiers. The ambient noises of Las Vegas filter through the door every time it opens. Will is giving his brother, Benny, a hard time about where he disappeared to last night when they had all been taking advantage of the casino. 

“I don’t kiss and tell,” Benny replies, feigning insult. “Besides you were obviously occupied enough. Bet you didn’t even miss me.”

“Oh, really? What were you occupied with exactly?” Claire, Will’s fiance, asks. 

“We were playing poker,” Santi chimes in. “Will lost, by the way. Hope you weren’t looking forward to a honeymoon.”

Will punches Santi in the shoulder. Claire checks her phone. She’s waiting on her best friend and maid of honor to come down and join the group. Her flight had been late so she was running behind schedule.

Claire and Will opted not to have separate bachelor and bachelorette parties and instead wanted to do a bar crawl with everyone who’d come in early for their Vegas wedding. She’s wearing a crown and a sash proclaiming her as the bride, which her maid of honor had shipped to her ahead of time so she’d have it in case she was late.

“She’s a doctor, so her schedule’s super hectic. She was supposed to be here last night, but she had to rebook her flight for late today due to an emergency case,” Claire had explained. “I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

“Your mystery best friend,” Benny jokes. “I’m starting to think she doesn’t exist.”

Claire and Will have been together for three years now, and have decided to finally tie the knot. And for all three of those years, he and the guys have heard about her best friend and former college roommate who lives in California, but no one, not even Will, has met her. 

Claire looks toward the entrance of the hotel bar and her eyes light up before she shoves away from the table, teetering on precariously high heels at a speed Frankie can’t even fathom in footwear like that. She collides with a woman in the doorway, enveloping her in a hug as she squeals.

Frankie watches in amusement before the two women turn, putting the newcomer in better view. His heart stops.

Claire drags you over to the group, introducing you by name before adding, “But everyone calls her–”

“Baby,” Frankie finishes. Your eyes go wide.

“Francisco?” 

“You two know each other?” Claire asks, looking between the two of you, brows pinched in confusion.

“We used to be neighbors,” you reply softly. Frankie feels his heart fracture the slightest bit more at being reduced to just neighbors, but he supposes he deserves that.

“Wow! What a coincidence!” Claire exclaims. Frankie can feel Santi’s eyes trying to drill a hole through his head for how hard he’s staring at him. “Alright, Baby, now that you’re finally here, let’s do introductions. This is Will, obviously, you’ve seen him in pictures, and this is his best man and little brother, Benny. That’s Santi, and of course you know Frankie. Tom was supposed to come, too, but his daughter got sick so he stayed home.” She points to each man in turn. Will gives you a solid handshake. Benny and Santi both pull you into hugs. Frankie has no idea how you’re supposed to greet the woman he’s missed for fifteen years.

Thankfully, you put him out of his misery by looping your arms around his shoulders, giving him a quick squeeze that he doesn’t even have time to reciprocate before you’re pulling away. You smile politely at everyone before Claire drags you off to the bar to order a round of shots. Frankie stares after you.

“What’s the deal there?” Santi asks, arms crossed in that way that tells Frankie he better not try to lie, because it’s not going to work. He sighs.

“She was my high school sweetheart. We broke it off when I enlisted.” He runs a hand through his hair before redirecting his nervous energy into chugging the remainder of his beer. Benny’s eyes go wide.

“No shit?” He looks towards the bar, his eyes sliding over you and Claire in a way that makes Frankie’s jaw tense. “Bet you feel like a fuckin’ idiot now.”

Tell me about it, Frankie thinks. 

When you and Claire return to the table with a tray of tequila and limes, the bride-to-be leads everyone in a toast. 

“To good times, great friends, and better drinks,” she announces before tapping her shot glass to the table and slamming the tequila back with a tilt of her head. 

Frankie watches you, files away the vision of your lips wrapped around the rim of the shot glass and the movement of your throat as you swallow the liquor. Your face screws up in disgust and you reach frantically for a lime.

He passes you one, his fingers brushing yours and sending goosebumps down his arms.

“Thanks,” you murmur, biting into the sour fruit. You glance up at him and the flutter of your lashes feels like a fist straight to the heart.

Fuck.

________

To say seeing Frankie among the group gathered for Claire and Will’s Vegas wedding was a surprise is an understatement.

After leaving the Morales ranch that evening fifteen years ago, you’d removed yourself from Frankie’s life. You didn’t attend his graduation, or the party that his parents threw him. You didn’t see him off to basic, you weren’t there when he came home for leave. You didn’t answer his calls or open his letters, still too hurt from his parting words to hear from him. Until leaving for college, you would occasionally visit Mr. and Mrs. Morales for dinner, where they would slip in little tidbits of information about how their son was doing and you did your best to pretend like you didn’t care, even though you soaked up any information they would give you.

“Frankie’s finished basic. He’s planning on applying to warrant officer candidate school…”

“Did we tell you that Frankie got to Alabama? He’s really on track to becoming a pilot…”

“Frankie finished his officer course and now he’s going to start aviation school. We’re so proud of him…”

And while Frankie chased his dream, you were admitted to UCLA, where you pursued a degree in biology on a pre-med track. Your roommate, Claire, was getting her degree in criminology on a pre-law track. You got along with her like a house on fire and you stuck by each other’s sides through undergrad, and even applied to professional school together, leaning heavily on each other through the long nights of studying. 

When Claire finished law school, she moved to Florida to be closer to her parents, where she met Will while you remained in California for your residency in neurosurgery. You stayed in touch, video chatting at least once a week, sometimes more if Will was deployed. 

Turns out Claire’s amazing new boyfriend came with a whole crew of men that were part of the same spec ops team as him. You’d heard their names plenty of times before, but never did you think to make a connection between “Will’s friend, Frankie” and the boy who’d broken your heart.

Now you’re shoulder to shoulder in a crowded bar  with a man you’ve never met before, a part of you mourning the boy you’d left behind. But years between that night and now have left you with an understanding that you were both wrong and stubborn in the way teenagers seem especially guilty of. You’d like to get to know this new person with the face of your old love, if he’ll let you.

Claire shoulders her way through the crowd to the bar for another drink, Will pressed at her back, head swiveling around as he cases the place in the same manner the other men with you are doing as they sit around the booth with their drinks.

“You guys look like owls,” you say to Frankie. He looks at you in surprise.

“What?” 

“Owls. With the head turning, scanning for threats.” You take a sip of your martini. 

“Hard habit to break,” Frankie finally says after a moment, his cheeks pink in the low light. 

“I’ll be back,” Benny announces, eyes focused on a group of girls in short skirts, one of which is sporting a birthday sash not unlike the bridal one you got for Claire.

Santi sighs. “I better keep an eye on him.”

That leaves you with Frankie, who’s picking at the label of his beer bottle like it’s personally offended him. He takes a deep breath.

“I should apologize,” he rushes to say. You tilt your head. “For how things ended. I’m sure you hate me—“

“I don’t hate you, Francisco.”

He looks surprised. “You don’t?”

“If you had asked me that when I was nineteen…I’d probably have a different answer. We were just dumb teenagers who didn’t know any better,” you tell him. His shoulders relax.

“You were never dumb,” he replies. “I was the idiot there, diving headfirst into something I hadn’t even thought through. Like usual.”

“You seem to be doing well, though.” 

His laugh is strained. “It’s been…rough.”

“I’m sorry,” you reply, unsure of what else to say. You rest a hand on his back, between his shoulder blades, rubbing gently. He looks up at you, big brown eyes slingshotting you right back to the days where you’d catch tadpoles together, to the nights in your late teens where you’d fool around in his truck in the woods to avoid getting caught by your parents. 

Claire comes back to the table with another round of shots, passing them to you and Frankie. The man beside you holds his shot glass up, an eyebrow raised at you expectantly. You tap your glass to his before shooting back the liquor, sour mix and vodka burning down your throat as you keep your eyes fixed to Frankie.

You don’t miss the way his eyes go dark as he tracks the movement of your tongue across your lips. 

________

You’re on the dance floor, your body moving with Claire’s to the club mix the DJ is spinning. Will stands behind his fiancé like a guard, legs braced wide and body unmoving as she has her fun around him. His lips tilt in a little smile every time her hands slide over him.

The table Claire had dragged you from is still in view, Frankie nursing another beer with Santi and Benny, who had returned unsuccessful in their chase of the group of birthday girls. Frankie’s eyes find yours, like he can feel you looking at him. 

Maybe he can. Maybe the connection between the two of you, the invisible string that’s been wrapped between your hearts since you were only children, just needs to be dusted off. Not rebuilt.

The slide of hands around your hips and fingertips on the hem of your dress breaks you from your thoughts and your movement grinds to a halt.

“Why’d you stop, gorgeous? Just wanted one little dance,” a voice says, too close to your ear and too loud over the music for comfort. You dip away, turning to confront the man. A different body presses to you, one that shouldn’t feel as familiar as it does. 

“Not interested,” you shout back. 

Stupidly, the man reaches out for you again. Frankie’s hand wraps around his wrist, your old love twisting the man’s arm sharply as he snaps, “She said no.”

The man’s face goes red with rage, but Frankie doesn’t give him the chance to react, using his grip on his wrist to twist it until the man is turned away, arm angled painfully and pinned to his back. Will crowds in next to Frankie while Claire presses to your side.

Frankie gives the man a harsh shove, his body breaking through the crowd of people and crashing to the ground. Men in black SECURITY shirts descend, flashlights pointed at the scene. One grabs the man on the ground while the other grasps Frankie’s shoulder, tugging him along. 

“Hey, wait!” Claire starts to protest, but they keep moving. 

“I’m gonna go with them,” you tell her. She nods, pulling you in to press a kiss to your cheek. You follow the security guards through the crowd until they’re at the exit, shoving both men back onto the bustling Las Vegas strip. 

“Francisco!” You call after the man. He freezes, turning toward you. You look into the man’s face, searching his apologetic expression curiously.

“Sorry, Baby,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “You don’t have to leave ‘cause of me, you can go back and have fun.”

“Don’t apologize, Frankie. Come on, let’s just head back to the hotel, I was getting tired anyways.” You turn to walk away, expecting him to follow, but he grabs your wrist, gently, a juxtaposition to the bruising force he’d used on the man in the club.

“You called me Frankie,” he murmurs. Your brow furrows and seeing your confusion, he continues. “You’ve been calling me Francisco but just now…you called me Frankie.”

“I guess I did,” you murmur, your gaze trapped in his. God, the way he’s looking at you makes you feel just like when you were fifteen, when you’d been laying beside each other in the field and he worked up the courage to kiss you for the first time. The hand around your wrist slides lower, warm palm kissing yours and tangling your fingers together. 

“Lead the way,” he says.

________

Frankie has the same rush in his veins that he gets when he’s flying, soaring through the clouds like nothing can touch him, and it’s all because of your hand wrapped in his and the sound of his name from your lips after fifteen long years. It awakened a dormant part of him that he buried behind memories of you, ones where you were laughing and smiling at him like he’d hung the moon and stars in your honor.

When you reach the elevators, hands still clasped, you press the button for your floor. You don’t ask which floor Frankie is on, and he doesn’t offer it. He just holds your hand tighter and smiles when you squeeze him back.

You only let go of his hand when you’re at your door, digging your room key from your purse. You swipe the card, pushing into the room and holding the door open behind you for Frankie.

The room is dark, but the blackout curtains are open, the glittering lights of the Las Vegas strip illuminating the room. You set your bag on the desk before turning to lean against it, regarding him with those keen eyes and open expression that have haunted his dreams since leaving home.

“Hi,” you murmur.

“Hi,” Frankie echoes. He takes a step closer. “What are you thinking about?”

You smile, ducking your head. “You don’t want to know.”

“Well, now you gotta tell me.”

“I was just thinking…I didn’t even get to kiss you goodbye.”

Frankie pauses. “You could kiss me hello instead,” he says carefully, reaching for your hand. You let him pull it from where it’s curled around the edge of the desk and he steps closer, his chest now brushing yours when he takes a deep inhale, the citrus and mint scent of you invading his senses.

“Yeah?” You whisper. 

“Yeah.”

You lean across the scant few inches left between your bodies, pressing your lips to his. His eyes flutter shut, savoring the experience. It feels like a homecoming he didn’t know he missed out on.

He can feel you drawing back, but he doesn’t want this to end. His hands come up, framing your face in his. He almost feels bad about it, holding your precious face between hands that killed while you were off saving lives, but when you gasp and he gets the opportunity to dip his tongue between your lips, he’s forgetting all about his morbid thoughts.

Frankie wraps an arm around your waist, lifting you onto the desk and stepping between your spread legs. He drops his hands to your knees, sliding them up your thighs until his fingers tease the short hem of your dress.

“Frankie,” you whine as his lips descend on your neck, leaving soft kisses and teasing bites of his teeth on your soft skin. He can’t help but smile.

“What do you want, mi querida,” he murmurs. Your arms are wrapped around his shoulders and he can feel your fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. He thinks back to nights when he’d borrow the truck and a pile of blankets, taking you out to the middle of the fields to stare up at the stars, his head pillowed on your stomach as you played with his hair in much the same way. 

“Just you, Frankie,” you whisper. “Please?”

________

At your plea, Frankie takes a step back, helping you down from the desk. His hands are immediately lifting your dress up and over your head, leaving you in the lingerie set you’d worn.

“Christ, Baby, you’re killin’ me,” he groans. He pulls you close, his lips trailing along the newly exposed skin of your chest, hot as a brand. He snaps the elastic of your panties against your hip, making you jump. “Thinkin’ you would get lucky tonight?”

You smirk at him. “Maybe. Claire did say Will had hot friends, after all.”

Frankie’s eyes go dark, the sweet brown of them swallowed by lust as he turns your body and guides you backwards until you hit the bed. He crawls up after you, lying on his belly as his broad shoulders force your legs apart. 

He turns his head to kiss a trail up your thigh, stopping just shy of where you desperately want his mouth before he gives the same attention to your other leg. You squirm beneath him, already so worked up because this is Frankie. The boy who chased after rabbits with you on the farm when you were children, the one that made you a jewelry box in woodshop in tenth grade, the one who touched you with shaking hands and fevered lips when you were sixteen. 

“Te extrañé mucho,” he says, placing a kiss right over your clit through your soaked panties, making you gasp. He sits up on his knees to give himself space to pull them down your thighs, balling them up and shoving them in the pocket of his pants. You raise an eyebrow at him and he smirks. “You won’t be needing those, don’t worry.”

Frankie resumes his position, flat on his stomach between your legs. He leans in close, his breath ghosting across your aching clit before he puts you out of your misery, his tongue dragging through your folds as he hums appreciatively.

“Fuck, Baby,” he groans before diving in, tongue swirling around your clit and dipping lower to lap at your entrance, his nose bumping your sensitive nub and driving you crazy, your hips already writhing beneath him. He places a heavy hand on your hip, holding you down and you can’t help the little moan that leaves you. 

You reach down, tangling your fingers into his soft curls. He groans against your heat, tongue moving faster over your clit as he reaches up and slides a finger inside of you, your back arching in appreciation. He looks up at you as he works your body with expert precision, mouth and fingers working in tandem and bringing you to the edge with record speed. When he works a second finger inside of you, the stretch of them makes you moan.

“Want you to cum all over my fingers, sweetheart. Come on, I’ve been a starving man for fifteen years, you gotta give it to me,” he says, fingers curling on each withdrawal of his hand.

“Frankie,” you moan, hips pumping desperately, fingers pulling his hair so tightly you’re certain it hurts but all he does is moan, the sound of it music to your ears and enough to send you toppling over the edge.

He works you through it, fingers slowing as he lifts his mouth to smile at you, a lust drunk tilt of his glistening lips. His head tilts to your thigh and he nuzzles his nose against the sweat damp skin. It takes you a moment to realize he’s not removing his fingers. In fact, they start curling against you again, softly at first, then with more intent when you can’t hold back a moan. 

“Can you give me another one? Please?” Frankie asks, his thumb now circling your clit. “Need it so bad, cariño.”

“Fuck,” you whine. “Frankie, please!”

“What do you need, Baby?” 

“Your mouth, god, please,” you beg, nearly incoherent with your desire for him. “Need it so bad.”

The strokes of his tongue are leisurely, wide swipes that drive you wild, your fists curling into the sheets as your back arches from the mattress. 

“Please fuck me, Frankie,” you plead. 

“One more for me, Baby, and I promise I will,” he says, fingers moving faster and sucking your throbbing clit between his lips. 

You come again, clenching around his fingers as you cry out a prayer of his name. He lifts his head, eyes laser focused on you as he works you through this second release.

“That’s right, Baby, such a good girl for me,” Frankie growls. He finally pulls away, standing at the side of the bed to hastily remove his clothes. 

He removes his shirt first, revealing miles of tan skin that makes your mouth water. He’s gotten thicker since you last saw him, his formerly lean muscles now hard with strength. You can’t help but catalog the new scars he’s gained, like the slash across his ribs and a circular one on his abdomen. 

Frankie’s eyes trap yours as his hands come to the fly of his pants, popping the button and dragging down the zipper. He shoves the fabric down his thighs along with his boxers, standing gloriously naked before you, his thick cock 

“You keep looking at me like that, Baby, this is gonna be over before it even starts,” he jokes as he crawls back onto the bed and between your legs. He presses his hips between yours, his hard cock sliding through your wetness and making you gasp. He freezes. “Shit, I don’t have a condom.”

“I don’t care,” you murmur, dragging your nails down his back. “Please, I need you so fucking bad.”

Frankie’s head drops, fevered kisses pressed to your neck, words you can’t make out murmured against your skin as he reaches between your bodies and notches the head of his cock to your entrance, pressing in slowly as you gasp.

“Aquí es donde estaba destinado a estar,” he says. “You feel that, Baby? How you’re still made just for me?”

Tears prick at the corners of your eyes, your heart bursting with that overwhelming feeling of home as you look up into Frankie’s gorgeous face. He leans closer, his chest against yours as he draws his hips back before thrusting sharply back into you. His cock fills you so completely, dragging against the spot in you that drives you wild, your sensitive walls already fluttering around him. 

Those tears spill from your eyes, sticking to your lashes and slipping down your temples. Frankie leans down, kissing each side of your face where the salty tracks are, so gentle it makes them rush faster.

“Baby,” he murmurs. “Don’t cry. You know I could never stand it.”

That takes you back to when you were children, no older than eight, and a newborn calf had passed in the night. You cried into Frankie’s shirt until it was soaked. 

Or when you were fourteen and didn’t make the cheer squad, fighting back tears on the bus home as Frankie held your hand in his, whispering about how they didn’t know what they would be missing.

Most of all, it takes you back to when he ripped a cavern between your souls. His parting words, the vitriol in them, and the way your heart felt shattered for years.

Frankie captures your lips with his, like he knows where your mind wandered. It feels like an apology and a promise in the same shared breath. 

He pulls back, focusing his efforts on the movement of his hips against yours with deep, sharp thrusts that leave you gasping and babbling his name like the sweetest prayer and plea.

This orgasm is slow, syrupy, all encompassing as it washes over you. You shake beneath him with the power of it and he presses his body to yours as his hips stutter in their rhythm, chasing his release. He buries his head against your neck, his breath warm against your skin as he moans your name, pulsing inside of you. 

Frankie collapses beside you, folding you in his arms as he whispers praise against your temple. You can feel his heart racing against the palm of your hand where it rests on his chest.

“It’s funny,” Frankie says.

“What is?” You ask.

“Mamá said I didn’t lose you, just had to find you again.” He grins at you. “Guess she was right, huh?”

You grin back. “Yeah. She always was.”

________

Six Months Later

Frankie checks his watch for the thousandth time, then checks the arrivals screen at the airport. 

He removes his cap, running a hand through his hair nervously. You’ll be back in his arms any minute but it feels like it’s taking forever.

The baggage claim alarm sounds, the conveyor belt grinding into motion. A wave of people appears at the top of the stairs leading from the terminals to the baggage claim, crowding the escalators and stairs. Frankie’s eyes scan every face in search of you.

A blur of movement from his left is all the warning he gets before a body slams into him, nearly knocking him off balance and punching the air from his lungs. 

“Fuck, I missed you,” you say against his chest, nuzzling your face against the fabric of his shirt.

Frankie chuckles, wrapping his arms around your shoulders and pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “I missed you, too, Mrs. Morales.”

The ring on your left hand catches the light, a purchase from the hotel jewelry store in the early morning hours of your weekend in Vegas. Giggly and full of excitement, fingers tangled together as he pulled you along the strip in search of a wedding chapel. It didn’t take long with one on every corner, a man in an Elvis costume having you repeat your vows after him as you grinned at each other. 

Frankie will vividly remember it as the day the love of his life came back to him. 

You pull back from him with a smirk. “It’s actually Dr. Morales.”

Frankie laughs, loud and carefree, ignoring the gazes that land on him.

“Come on, Dr. Morales. Let’s get you home.”

Translations:

Aquí es donde estaba destinado a estar - This is where I was meant to be

Te extrañé mucho - I missed you so much

Cariño - honey/darling

mi querida - my dear

Frankie Morales tag list: @pedr0swh0r3 @yellingloudly @cutesyscreennamee @letsgroovetonighttt @endlessthxxghts @fake-bleach @str84pedro @brilliantopposite187 @loquaciousferret @milly-louise @not-a-unique-snowflake-blog @kirsteng42 @eternallyvenus @midnightswithdearkatytspb @afterglowsb-tch13 @uncassettodiricordi @pedritosgfreall @adriennemichelle98 @mxtokko @gingersince97 @casa-boiardi @sexpoisoned @mswarriorbabe80 @shatteredbaby @tusk89 @mssbridgerton @internetobsessed1234-blog @sloanexx @darlingpedro @pascals-cat @therealcap @Sadbloatedegg @dimitra300 @ievutebebe @gracieispunk @alec0 @vabeachazn

Want more Frankie? Check out the masterlist

[spiceynoodls]

Long, long post. Mostly me rambling. Have a lovely day :)

I watched 2012 tmnt when I was little so I got used to the vibe that one has, like the darker colors and stuff. So the first time I saw Rottmnt I was like

woah

It’s super colorful, there’s a lot of hyper activity, a lot more jokes, and it’s pretty obvious that it was made for the attention of little kids

so I didn’t watch it. It just didn’t really grab my attention, and I didn’t watch it until I saw a clip of the opening scene in the movie. And then I was like

woah

major character death

so I went ahead and watched the show. And it was amazing, and I loved it, and I’m a huge fan of Rottmnt. Not to mention the fandom (at least here on tumblr) is actually awesome to interact with, everyone is really excited to talk about the show and share headcanons and art and it’s amazing.

I’ve gotten into other fandoms and content through the Rottmnt original content creators too. I’m sure that a lot of people know the Cass apocalyptic series, which was incredibly written and drawn and had me coming back to read it over numerous times. And the comic also led me to read Casserole’s original content, Marble Sky, which is amazing as well by the way.

And the au comics are amazing, too. I read the Mutation Situation, I read Jacob’s Ladder, Two Arms Left, TizSepAu, Villan Leo, Kid Leo, Redline, Swanatello, Gemini Twins, Bloodbath au and a lot more I’m not mentioning.

Rottmnt is a kids show. Same as the Powerpuff Girls, or Paw Patrol, or any other kids show out there. It’s not for everyone. It’s catered to a target audience, which happens to be little kids who’s attention is caught by the bright colors, and hyper activity, and the 2D artstyle. It’s not for everyone, same as every other tmnt iteration, same as all content everywhere. I don’t expect anyone to go out of their way to watch Rottmnt, especially if it doesn’t interest them, and you don’t have to watch the show to interact with the community either. You can enjoy the community without enjoying the show.

You do you. Do whatever makes you feel good. I just hope that everyone’s experience with tmnt, and the tmnt community is as positive as mine is. I saw a post talking about all the reasons the blogger did not enjoy Rottmnt. I read the whole thing. It made sense, I understand why they didn’t like it, and I just disagree. I didn’t pick a fight. I just liked the post and moved on.

Recently I’ve seen a lot of people picking fights over disagreements a tv show made for kids. Not a lot are actually engaged in, which is good, but we really shouldn’t be picking fights at all. Basically, all this to say, you do you. Do what makes you happy. And if you disagree with people, just do that. Disagree. You don’t have to fight, or be rude, or anything. I’m all for debating, as long as it remains respectful.

I’m very aware that I can’t control other people and dictate how they interact with others, but I can suggest that we’re just nice to each other. Please.

Anyways if you read this far, thanks, and I hope you have a wonderful day.

[2h3llandb4ck]

Finally worked on Octavia! (With some alternative outfits bc I couldn’t decide if she should be scene, goth, or emo lol)

And here’s a small bit of lore + a short story with her kinda(?) tweaked character!

Octavia Goetia was the only egg from Stella that managed to hatch. Over and over, the couple tried for a child with a few attempts failing miserably. Finally, the couple could put aside their differences and become a loving family that would also raise a great heir to the Goetia bloodline…

At least Stella (and to a bit of extent, Stolas) saw it that way. People tend to look at the past through rose-colored glasses, right?

Octavia doesn’t really remember much of her childhood. Some fragments she could recall were of her playing in the palace’s long and winding marble halls with a servant joining her, studying the stars and developing her magic powers, and being eased from the occasional nightmare from Stolas or Stella. Octavia doesn’t really remember her father being in her life much once she turned 16. From the teenage daughter’s perspective, Stolas got busier and busier with his duties. It’s fair, considering he predicts sky events!

The last thing she expected was to hear rumors of him having an affair with an imp. Her worldview of him shattered when she found out the truth. Not only was her father cheating on her mother, but with someone from a *lower class*. Members of the Goetia family could no longer be out in public without a heckler bringing up the prince’s affair with a snide remark.

With her father trying to plant the idea of Stella being an wicked, awful wife to him, Octavia grew isolated (physically in a sense, she started locking herself in her room, and emotionally). Even if her father half-attempted to reconnect, she felt that she could never forgive him, and that made her feel overwhelming bouts of guilt. If she can’t forgive her father, she’s an awful person. Not even worthy of being the heir to the Goetia bloodline.

One night, she ran from the palace and out to the central town of the Pride Ring. Her father wouldn’t come looking for her. He would probably be more focused on his affair partner. She was eventually found by Loona, who offered to let her stay at her mildly cramped apartment. While Loona was associated with Blitz, she understood what was going through Octavia’s head and told her something she needed to hear: “if you’re not ready to forgive your dad, that’s okay.” Octavia felt an overwhelming sense of comfort; she knew that it could take months, even years to forgive her father. But until then, she knew she had all the time in the Underworld to grow and prepare for that moment.

Now, if only her father would get off his tail feathers and try to grow for both himself and the people around him instead of playing the worn-out victim card.

And that’s the story of Octavia! I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how good I’ve written it. At least it’s slightly better than “cut your dad some slack, he’s trying!!! Even though he actively ignored your ass for the entire day just to be with his boy toy!!! :3”

To close this post off, here are some headcanons I have for her! Enjoy, and have a good day/night <3

- Her music taste is composed of breakcore, heavy metal, alternative rock, and classical (to some extent)

- She doesn’t really know what kind of style she wants to dress in, so she splits it: scene fashion for her regular life, emo fashion when she’s on an outing with Loona, and goth when she was with her parents for events or for general public outings

- Her hobbies include collecting taxidermy, styling clothing, photography, making video logs, and exploring abandoned places (especially theme parks. Her favorite trip was exploring the defunct Loo Loo Land :))

- She has a bad habit of oversleeping and doesn’t take care of her physical appearance often. Her feathers are KNOTTED. She’d rather chop them off with kitchen scissors than die trying to take care of the problem. She doesn’t tell Loona, though, as to not burden her.

- Her favorite book genres are horror, mystery, and fantasy. Her least favorite genres are anything involving romance.

- Don’t worry, she got to see Azathoth’s Tears with Loona and some of her friends :) (I might write this story, so be on the lookout for that :3)

- She’s heard of Marvel, and her favorite character is Black Widow :) She actually named an emergency code after her; the code for when Stolas tries to guilt trip her is “Natasha’s blood lingers on the cold ground” (signaling for Loona to come pick her up).

- She hates floor-length skirts/ballgowns. The max length she allows is down to the knees.

- Her favorite constellation is Sagittarius ♐️

[cranetreegang]

Close Call - Ominis x FemReader

Summary: Ominis is on the way to meet his love as she returns from Hogsmeade, but things don't go according to plan.

Music to Enjoy: Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op. 68, Pastoral; IV. Thunderstorm, Storm

Word Count: ~1,700 words

****SPOILER WARNING DO NO READ UNLESS YOU'VE COMPLETED LIKE THE LAST QUESTS OF THE GAME****

Warnings: Peeps getting nay nay'd (aka diagnosed with dead)

Read my other Ominis Fics Here

--------------------------------

Ominis briskly walks through the Central Hall on his way to the North Exit. He has a faint smile on his lips as he moves his way past chattering students and steps over scattered books and papers strewn about on the marble floor. His mind strays to various thoughts - hearing everyone worrying about their upcoming O.W.L’s reminds him of how much they need to study. He hopes he’ll have time with her this afternoon to study together and the idea makes him smile. He senses someone approaching him - their purposeful footsteps heading right towards him - and he turns his head towards the oncoming student.

“Ah! Ominis.” Natty’s familiar voice gives him a slight pause as he angles his head towards her.

“Natty. Faring well, I hope.” Ominis continues towards his destination while Natty walks beside him.

“I am. I hope you are as well, my friend.” Natty’s smile can be heard clearly and Ominis gives a slight grin in response. 

As they climb down the stairs, Natty asks, “Speaking of friends, have you seen her? I have something important I must speak to her about.” 

Ominis smirks, “I’m afraid I haven’t ‘seen’ her.” Before Natty can stammer out an apology, he continues, “But, I know where she is. It’s where I’m heading to now. She should be coming back from Hogsmeade soon. Something about going to Ollivanders for an errand. She was rather vague before she left.” 

“I’m surprised you did not accompany her. You two are hardly seen without the other.” Natty teases, her cheeks still warm from his earlier comment.

He has a faint smile as he says, “We’re not joined at the hip. We do have our own lives.” His smile fades as he adds, “Which is why I could not accompany her, as I was busy dealing with a matter of my own. And she insisted it wouldn’t take long.” 

He’s opening the solid, wood door outside when he freezes in place. His limbs are locked and dread squeezes his chest. Despite the gentle breeze fluttering in his face, he feels like the air around him has all but dissipated. He’s not sure why this sudden sense of doom has pressed down upon him and he waves his wand around to find the source of this peril. With only students wandering around the lawn, his anxiety doesn’t quell, but rises drastically. Why… is he feeling this?

“Ominis?” Natty questions - a frown consuming her as she takes in his wide-eye’d, panicked expression. 

“She’s in danger.” He whispers in realization. These horrible, dreadful feelings were coming from her. 

He flares their magic-bond as he sprints forward, whipping his wand to where Hogsmeade is - only to find her magical aura not there. He comes to a halt, his boots skidding against the gravel. His breathing picks up as he spins himself around until he finds her faint, pulsing light in the distance. She’s far. Too far to run there - if he were to make it in time. 

“What is happening? She’s in trouble? H-How do you know such a thing?” Natty manages to get in front of Ominis and he scowls at her.

“I don’t have time to explain. I need to get to her. Now.” Ominis tries to shove his way past, but Natty keeps a firm stance and keeps Ominis in place.

“We can go. Together.” Natty glances at the students flying slowly around on brooms. “Come on.” 

Ominis grimaces, but follows after Natty. 

Natty runs over to the flying class broom stand and snatches one. She gets on the broom - struggling to find a decent gripping - and Ominis doesn’t hesitate to take a seat behind her. 

“Hey!” A student shouts, but Natty takes to the sky before she can be stopped.

“Where do we need to go?” Natty wonders.

“This way. And hurry.” Ominis points his wand in front of Natty - his worries starting to settle now that they were flying towards her.

Natty is not nearly as quick as his love is on a broom, but it’s faster than him. He tries to reach out to her - letting her know they’re coming and to hang on, but he’s not sure if she can notice. His heart is beating rapidly in time with hers and his hands tremble with adrenaline. 

Please. Just hang on. I’m coming.

They fly over the forest and as they get closer, Ominis can feel her distress growing stronger. He can sense her fear and desperation. 

He grits his teeth, “Natty, faster!” 

Natty lowers herself and they pick up speed, but it doesn’t feel nearly enough. They finally spot her on the ground, surrounded by Ashwinders in the heart of a ruined estate. Crackling spells and curses reach his ears and his heart all but plummets to his gut. Ominis curses under his breath and readies his wand. Natty is hovering just above the ground, about to land, when Ominis jumps off, sprinting towards her. 

He can hear her fighting fiercely, her wand moving fluidly as she dodges spells and curses alike. He knows he needs to get to her quickly, to help her fend off the attackers. But the Ashwinders are strong and they keep coming, overwhelming her with their numbers.

“Depulso!” Ominis casts a powerful spell that knocks several of the Ashwinders back. She gasps, flooding Ominis with relief as her eyes land on him. 

“Ominis," she whispers as he joins her side, with Natty finally catching up and joining them as well. 

“We are with you, my friend!” Natty grins towards her - a look of determination and ferocity which matches her own. The Ashwinders gather themselves and begin their attack once again. 

He shields her from the onslaught of curses. They all fight together, their spells colliding with those of the attackers. The battle is intense, and for a moment Ominis fears they might not make it out alive. 

A man appears before her and yells, “Avada Kedavra!” 

The spell makes him freeze and it’s like he’s been dunked into ice. She doesn’t move out of the way and instead counters with a powerful spell of her own. Their magic collides in a deafening shockwave and they’re locked in a stalemate. Pulling himself out of his dread, Ominis turns his attention to the other Ashwinders, keeping them off of her as she fights for her life. Ominis and Natty deflect and counter, dwindling the Ashwinders one by one. 

But then, a bright light fills the air, and the Ashwinders are thrown back by an explosion of crackling, magical energy. A thunderous clap rings in their ears. Natty glances at Ominis in shock - both of them panting as they examine the area to ensure they were alone. The Ashwinders that do remain, run away - disappearing into the surrounding forest in terror. 

Ominis turns to find her. 

She stands there, strong and resolute, her wand raised as she surveys the scene. He feels the light touch of ash landing on him and he can taste the raw magic lingering in the air - electrifying his skin. Ominis can sense the exhaustion within her, but also the unwavering tenacity. She turns to face him and they’re both staring at one another - his wand filling his mind with her bright aura.

He moves to her, whispering her name as he embraces her. She gasps at how tightly he holds her before she holds him just as fiercely back. He closes his eyes and buries himself into the crook of her shoulder. The connection radiates warmly between them and it feels like all is well. 

“Did they hurt you? Are you alright?” He pulls away and is feeling over her arms with pinched brows. 

“You… came for me?” She whispers in incredulousness.

Her mind still can’t believe he’s here. How did he… Her eyes go over to Natty, who’s looking around at the Ashwinders strewn about the ruins with amazement. 

“Of course. I-, why wouldn’t I?” He cups both of her cheeks and she’s in disbelief at how brave he is. She presses her forehead to his with a heavy exhale. 

“You came for me.” She smiles. 

The relief in him is palpable as he strokes both of her cheeks with his thumbs. His misty gray eyes are soft and her knees nearly buckle at the sight. 

“I’m okay. Thanks to you.” She whispers then frowns. She pulls away from him enough to bring out a rectangular box and she holds it between them. Ominis lowers his hands away from her as she opens the box for him.

Ominis’ fingers skim over the contents and he feels a wand. His features harden. There’s a strong determination within her and his sightless gaze tries to meet hers.

"I have to go now," she whispers. "It's time." She tucks the box back into her robes. 

He swallows down the lump in his throat. They’ve spoken of this before, but it always seemed so far away. Now it’s here… and she has to go. And face a most harrowing threat. He brings her into a tight embrace once more - tempted to keep her here, and safe - and she whimpers at the longing he can’t keep at bay.

“I’ll be waiting for your return,” he whispers. “So, please don’t keep me waiting for too long.” 

She lets out a sharp laugh that nearly sounds like a cry. He parts enough to slam his lips against hers in a greedy kiss. Like a parched man, she lets him drink his fill of her - searing this feeling into her mind. All the things they want to say are exchanged between them in their heated kiss. He lets her go with a soft sigh and a longing gaze. She takes several steps away from him, unable to break away from his wanting stare. She mounts her broom and she glances between him and Natty. She gives them a sure nod then takes off towards Hogwarts. 

His fists clench - wishing nothing more than to be with her. But, he knows he can’t. She is the one that has to determine the fate of the wizarding world. He watches as her light goes further and further from him, his heart full of hope and fear. He knows she’ll be alright. She will fight with everything she has. His throat tightens at the thought of that not being enough. Natty comes next to him, wordlessly placing a hand on his shoulder. He turns to Natty, his eyes filled with tears. 

"See. We are not always together," he whispers, his voice barely audible. "But, I'll be waiting for her. No matter what.”

--------------------

AN: originally, i just had Ominis and Natty coming in after MC defeated Rookwood, but then I realized that I can do whatever I want and decided to have them help out MC. Also, wow yeah I really am just rushing to get to my most excited fic which involves a Boggart... >:)

We're nearing the end!! I have these last few fics lined up:

After Ranrok Battle Scene

Her Dealing with Ancient Magic Trauma Pt 1 and Pt 2

Then... 7th Year shall BEGIN!

Been a wild journey and hope to see y'all on the next one B)

[babydollmarauders]

Good evening Faithlynn. I hope you enjoy your weekend! Can we get the aftermath of John and Shortcake’s first kiss like her reaction and everything that happened after?

i’m so sorry this took me so long to get out! i hope you like this and that it answers your question!

**

“what’s she like?”

i don’t know why i keep doing this to myself. every heartfelt and sincere compliment that passes John’s lips is another cut to my heart. but i can’t stop asking questions, badgering him out of curiosity.

who does he have his eye on? who does he like?

do i know her? is she better than me?

obviously she is, if he likes her but not me.

“she’s pretty sweet, when she wants to be.” his eyes are alight as he speaks, a shy smile plastered on his lips. “and she’s gorgeous. the prettiest girl i’ve ever seen.”

oh. that one stings.

“oh, so is she like.. tall? or what?” i try and keep my tone light and joking, but my words still come out strained. “i bet you only date 6ft and above, right?”

i scrunch my nose and cock my head to the side, hoping and praying to whatever higher being there may be, that John will still think i’m teasing.

a smirk spreads across his lips and he huffs out a chuckle.

“mmm” he hums in consideration before bringing his hand up to his neck, just above his shoulders. “she’s actually about this tall.”

my height.

he teases me about my height.

he calls me ‘shortcake’.

he asked if i ‘felt safe’ after the ride operator at six flags said to ‘make sure all small items are secure’.

but he likes someone my height.

if it’s not my height that bothers him or makes him not like me, then what is it? what makes him like this other girl and not me?

my face twists in a mix of jealousy and dejection as i watch John bite his bottom lip, fighting back a smile.

“i need some air,” the words pass my lips as i stumble backwards a little. “excuse me.”

sparing him one last glance, i turn on my heels and weave my way through the event room, away from the bar.

my shoulder grazes against an arm and Dawson spins around, his hand coming to grip my forearm. at the sight of my downcast expression, his eyebrow thread together, his brown eyes filling with worry.

“you okay?” my brother asks lowly, and i nod my head.

“yeah, Daws, i’m fine.” i assure him. “i just need some air, i’m going up to the rooftop.”

he scans my face for a brief moment before letting his hand slip away from my arm, turning back to Jack and Dougie, and i walk away.

my flats smack along the marble and concrete floors as i reach the elevator, taking it all the way up to the empty rooftop of the hotel.

crossing the expansive roof, i come to a stop at the railing along the edge, looking out at the stars.

there’s less of them visible here in New Jersey than there are back home, but the knowledge that even when i can’t see them all, they’re still there, is comforting.

i close my eyes, clearing my mind before i open them again and just stare out at the stars. they’ve always been so fascinating and calming. bright lights in my life.

i’m not sure how long i stand here, basking in the night sky, before a silhouette sidles up to the railing beside me, casting a shadow within my peripheral vision. and somehow, without even looking, i know it’s John.

we both stay quiet for a while, almost daring the other to speak. the nip of the April night air sends a shiver down my spine as i break our silence.

"it's beautiful, right?” my voice is barely above a whisper. “the stars are endless. it's like no matter where you go, they're one constant that will always be there. you can't even see them all with the naked eye, there's just that many. they're everywhere, surrounding you. you're constantly being hugged by stars, even when you can't see them."

John is silent, making me wonder if i did or said something wrong. but when i look over at him, he just stares back at me, no sign of annoyance in sight.

i’m not sure if it’s just me and my hopeless romanticism, my desperate need to feel love, but it seems as if the space between is closing slowly, inch by inch.

my lips part as his nose nudges against mine, and my eyelashes rest upon my cheekbones as my eyes flutter shut.

oh gretzky, please don’t let this be a dream.

i can feel his breath on my skin, and just when i think John might pull back, his lips capture mine.

it’s slow and steady, but i can feel the passion pouring in from both sides. one of his hands grips the back of my neck, holding me to him, as the other settles on my hip, pulling my body closer to his. mine snake around his neck, toying with the hair at the nape.

he breaks away from me slowly, hesitantly. his head dipping down once as if to pull me in for another kiss before thinking better of it.

“i thought you liked someone?” i question breathlessly, panting to get oxygen back into my system.

“yeah.” he nods lowly. “you, shortcake.”

the next kiss is rougher, my hands pulling his lips back down to mine, the tips of my toes straining to hold my body weight up before his arms wrap around my waist, holding me up against him and taking the pressure off of my feet.

our tongues meet in a passionate battle and i moan into his mouth as his hand trails down to grip my ass.

“do you wanna go back to my place?” i murmur against his lips, getting a groaned ‘yes’ in reply.

we pull apart as quickly as honey drips, leisurely and drawn out.

his hand slips into mine as we walk back towards the elevator, and i can’t help but think how perfectly it fits. like his hand was meant to be in mine. like this; this love; is what i’ve been waiting for.

[velvette-creations]

A Reverie Endeavor

Interview with the Vampire: Santiago x fem!reader

Rating: Mature (Minors DNI)

WC: 1.0 k 

Prompt: “You look quite divine tonight, here among these vibrant lights” -Dream Sweet in Sea Major from Miracle Musical for @sweetspicybingo (Lyrical Bingo Collection)

Warnings: Blood, vampires feeding, biting, angst, a smidge of tragedy, a brief mention of spicy times

Summary: You are reunited with Santiago at your Halloween Ball

You look quite divine tonight. Here among these vibrant lights, ma chérie.

The familiar voice fills your mind, and if you could flush, your cheeks would undoubtedly be warm by now. Santiago. A distant memory from a long-forgotten past from decades ago. You thought he had been killed, but perhaps that was just a fabricated story. No, that doesn’t make sense. You spun around, locking onto those icy blue eyes, and despite the mask he wore, you would have recognized him anywhere. He extends a hand, and you slip yours into his gloved palm.

He can’t be real…you saw his head, cold and lifeless as it dangled from Louis’s hand.

The two of you glide gracefully across the marbled floor, the masked dancing bodies surrounding you fading into the background. On this all Hallows’ Eve, it seems fitting that you are reunited with your long-lost love and maker. His hand slips to your waist, pulling you tighter. You feel the floor slip away beneath your feet as the two of you lift toward the sky, spinning around in a hypnotic trance. There are awes and gasps from down below, but they'll believe it was nothing but a party trick by the time the evening is over.

Thunderous applause fills the room when you both land back down. You each play up the theatrics, slipping into old roles as you hold hands and take a bow. 

“I’m glad you enjoyed our little Halloween trick,” you laugh, the sound tinkling through the room. The guests murmur and nod.

“Well done,” Santiago whispers in your ear, his lips grazing over the sensitive skin before he whisks you away under the moonlight.

You’re overcome with emotions, the magic of earlier melting away as you shove him back as hard as possible. 

“I thought you were dead,” you hissed, baring your fangs.

He chuckles and peels the mask away, dropping it onto the ground. Rose bushes are in full bloom, bathing the garden with their fragrance. Wetness gathers in the corners of your eyes before bloody tears pour from your eyes and temporarily blur your vision. You tear away your mask and drop to your knees. You've forgotten how cold and callous he can be at times.

He clicks his tongue, stepping closer and cupping your cheek. “A ruse I had to keep up, I’m afraid. I wish I could have come to you sooner,” he explains, and you know that will be the most of an apology you’ll ever get from him.

A lie you don’t believe. Your mind is helping you cope. This isn’t real.

He gathers your crimson tears underneath his sharp, glass nail before lifting it to his mouth and suckling them away. “You always did love this silly holiday. So very American of you,” he teases, and you scowl. He pulls you to your feet and crashes his lips against yours. Your anger melts away, thankful to have him in your presence.

“Come, my darling, let us enjoy the night as we once did,” he whispers against your lips before sinking his fangs into the tender corners of your mouth and savoring your blood.

You are under his spell again, the full moon lighting your way. Two creatures of the night feeding their hunger. Blood soaks your skin as you wrap your arms around Santiago’s neck. The guests of the party tonight should be thankful as you had planned to end their lives that evening when midnight arrived. You always did enjoy gorging, something which both delighted and vexed Santiago.

“Do not leave me again,” you whimper.

“I would not think of it, my love,” he promises, his face awash in crimson.

He holds you in his arms as you soar through the sky, dark clouds wooshing past your face and the wind whipping through your hair.

“Voler face à la lune. Vois comme nous évoluons (Fly facing the moon. See how we evolve),” he croons into your ear, the deep timbre of his voice curling thick and hot through your stomach.

You’ve missed this. You’ve missed him. You remember the night he sunk his fangs into you, letting you drink the thick, hot red from his wrist until you were reborn. You assumed you’d be by his side forever, but the world is tragic. You take him back to your house on the city's outskirts, one that affords you privacy.

A hot fire burns through you, a warmth you haven’t felt in a long time, as you claw off his clothes while his mouth hungrily claims your bare skin. Blood spills beneath his sharp teeth, wetting his mouth as you claw open his skin. Raw…and it has to be real? It has to be real. You allow yourself to become lost in the moment, buried deep in phantasm. Your love has returned to you.

The night is spent fucking and feeding, gorging on hedonistic delights. It is like old times again, hand in hand and cutting a bloody swath across the cities. Dawn beads across the ink-splotched night sky. Golden dew bleeding into the silky noir.

“No! Please, I’m not ready,” you sob, clinging to Santiago.

“Shh, ma chérie. I will return to you, remember…I live in your mind,” he whispers, caressing your cheek. His cold kiss lingers on your lips. No…please… Reality harshly sets in.

He fades along with the night, phantom threads slipping through your fingers. Bloody tears streak your face as you retreat inside, away from the burning dawn. Part of you is ready to meet it, to let it burn your skin away to ash so you are reunited. You step over the dead bodies, the guests from the Halloween ball that you drained dry, consumed by your grief. Nothing that a cleansing fire can’t fix. You swipe away the crimson blotches and crawl into your coffin. When you shut your eyes tightly, Santiago’s smile greets you and comforts you.

Halloween has always been your favorite, for it lifts the veil and allows the dead to mingle with the living—a chance to see your beloved again. You’ll awaken again when it's time, satiated for now.

For is not a ghost story a love story?

[thana-topsy]

I realized you're able to see the shrine of Azura from the College of Winterhold. Would Teldryn have any thoughts about it, given his past, or would he not care or give it too much thought?

Morning approached, though the sun had not yet broken over the mountains to the east of Winterhold. The sky had lightened to a dusky pink as the stars slowly began to fade into the purple edges of the cloud-dappled sky. Teldryn leaned against the stone wall atop the great balcony that encircled the College of Winterhold’s campus and gazed out across the gorge and over the sleepy city just beyond. He’d wandered, away from his warm bed and slumbering partner, out into the blistering cold to chase away the macabre visions that had robbed him of the final few hours of sleep. The intensity of the nightmares would ebb and flow, though they never truly went away. 

The massive black silhouette of the Shrine to Azura adorned the highest peak, overlooking the city. Like a hovering mother, Teldryn thought. When he’d first noticed the statue, he’d been briefly paralyzed with shock and nearly convinced himself that it was a hallucination. Because what were the odds? Here, in the frozen north of Skyrim. His mind had reasoned that they weren’t that far from Blacklight. The diaspora would have easily brought some of Her worshipers to Winterhold…

And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that it had all been planned. That the track of his life had always been carved ahead of him, and he was simply rolling along between the grooves, picking up speed as he hurdled like a toy marble towards an unchangeable destiny. And She was always there to remind him of that—to keep him in his place—to make sure he remembered who he served and who his life really belonged to.

“Teldryn,” came a sharp voice from behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Neloth approaching with a pinched expression and hunched shoulders. “What in the blazes are you doing up here? Come back to bed.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” he replied, turning his gaze back to the shrine. He felt himself relax marginally when Neloth stepped up beside him. He threw part of his cloak over Neloth’s shoulder, sliding an arm around his waist and pulling him closer. “I was about to enjoy the sunrise.” 

“It would be more enjoyable in a warmer environment. Were you trying to catch your death?”

“Not actively trying, no,” Teldryn replied with a half-smirk. “I’m much more subtle about my suicidal tendencies.”

Neloth let out a bark of laughter. “I’ll concede you that.” 

The silence lingered between them as the first golden rays of dawn appeared over the mountains, streaking across the sky and chasing away the lingering twilight.

“I wonder if I should visit the shrine.”

Neloth shifted closer with a shudder. “What shrine?” he asked, his breath hanging in the air. 

“The shrine to Azura. Up there.” Teldryn pointed. 

“Oh. Curious. I never noticed it.” 

Teldryn snorted in amusement, his grip tightening on Neloth’s waist. “The giant, impossible-to-miss statue, and he says he never noticed it.”

“Has it been there long?” 

Teldryn’s laughter echoed off the stone walls, and he turned to press his face to Neloth’s neck. “Thank you,” he murmured.

“What in Oblivion are you thanking me for?” Regardless of his peevish tone, Neloth’s arms encircled Teldryn’s waist with a softness he only seemed to reserve for him.

Teldryn didn’t feel the need to clarify.    

----

Thanks for the ask, anon! I decided to turn it into a small writing prompt.