#I’m really unsure how to feel in regards to one of my friends

[wyverewings]

you ever want to speak about something but are too scared of getting yourself into discourse

[p1utofairy]

★ WHICH COMIC BOOK COUPLE ARE YOU AND YOUR PERSON MOST LIKE?

NOTE — love and light my babies ⭐️🧿 take what resonates, leave what doesn’t. for entertainment purposes only. your feedback is always so greatly appreciated, enjoy!

— PILE 1.

channeled couple(s) → batman x catwoman + jean grey x cyclops.

your person is a very hands-on, actively involved and dynamic individual who thrives in fast-paced environments. they’re very resourceful and can turn a negative into a positive in the blink of an eye – a true problem solver if you will. they learn things/adapt quicker than most and i feel like a lot of people regard them as an amazing friend. your person is very inquisitive and always wants to know more. once they complete a task, they’re on to the next; it can be hard to pin them down for long periods of time. they might move around a lot physically (could have OCD) but i’m more so picking up that they’ve lived here, there and everywhere.

they’re always on the go! i’m also picking up that your person is a little bit of a control freak but gosh they can't help it; they truly love to lead and be of service. you’re gonna find this so hot lowkey lol which is funny because i think you typically go for someone that let’s you control things and have the upper hand but with this person it’s not like that. their sense of control is different though — it’s not possessive, like “you’re mine!” or “no, you can’t go out wearing that!” instead, it’s more about seeing you struggle with something and insisting on helping you with it. you might say, “no, i’ve got it,” but they’ll respond, “here, just let me…” you get frustrated because you just said you could handle it, but there they go, taking it from your hands and easing the stress and pain you were carrying. wow, that was such a descriptive scenerio but it just randomly came to me lol. it’s giving 6H energy!

11:11 on the clock i’m blushing hehe your person is super sweet and chivalrous it’s very charming, pile 1. don’t even get me started on their physique WHEW you’re gonna love their arms/biceps…your person might even have a lot of tattoos (i’m seeing sleeve tats) and i can just see you fighting the urge to playfully bite them lol. they could be very athletic and go to the gym a lot. now switching gears, the comic book couples that similarly mirrors your connection is jean grey x cyclops + batman and catwoman. some of y’all might be rolling your eyes at the mention of jean and scott (my wolverine girlies i’m talking to you) but HERE ME OUT and let me cook!

i feel like you’re more of a wanderer and don’t care to be as involved as your person is, if that makes sense? gypsy by fleetwood mac just started playing in my mind. trials and tribulations throughout your life might have caused you to turn inwards, and you feel unsure about what it is your supposed to be doing/where life is exactly taking you. your presence is more calm and still and your person is again, more hands on and out there. like jean grey, you are very clever and passionate but there’s a temperamental side to you. you might have strong air sign placements in your chart because i feel that you’re very rational about your emotions – sometimes to a fault. i think you hold back a lot of the times (especially when it comes to love) in fear of hurting other people’s feelings or just being misunderstood. some of you could have people-pleasing tendencies. your person gives that scott summers vibe because their actions are typically driven by a sense of duty rather than a desire to please others.

whether you know it or not, you wield a lot of power and sometimes i think people take your kindness for weakness. what your person is really going to admire about you is how intentional you are especially when it comes to giving/receiving love. you are so gentle and kind with your person – soooo doting and attentive. you two deadass have a telepathic connection cause when one person is feeling off, the other one can sense it. your person is also tryna be funny and say that you’re used to dealing with logans (wolverine) but they’re coming to change that. LMAOOOO your person is funny as fuck if you couldn’t already tell.

you both compliment each other so well, spiritually and physically. that’s why i also channeled batman x catwoman because y’alls vibe just gives that. y’all know those crazy ass tiktok/IG comments when people are like i need to see the tape PLS yeah…y’all evoke that reaction from people. you both find each other incredibly sexy like the sexual tension between you both is gonna be insaneeeee. i’m also sensing a bit of a bratty energy coming from your end in terms of the attention your person gets lol they might be very sought after. it’s reminding of the ending scene of ‘the batman’ when selena is urging batman to come with her and part of him is superrrr tempted but duty calls. i promise you that your person only wants you, though. like i’m being so deadass when i say that they’re literally gonna be devoted to you.

OTHER CHANNELED MESSAGES —

“i work alone”, you might be used to the wolverine types but what you really need is a scott summers, back to black by amy winehouse, spotless mind by jhené aiko, maneater by nelly furtado, dylan, slayyyter, dua lipa, ESFJ, ISTJ, resemblance to callum turner, 333, sagittarius, 6H cancer, capricorn rising, 555.

— PILE 2.

channeled couple(s) → daredevil x elektra + rogue x gambit.

oooo right off the bat i’m hearing stand still by sabrina claudia. you’re so unaware that we're feeling, the same thing, the same damn thing…time is standing still and why are we still here? interesting, pile 2. very interesting! you and your person are more alike than you would think. from the outside you both appear very different, but energetically you both are sooo compatible. i’m hearing “from different worlds” and being drawn to the movie aladdin lol maybe that’s one of your favorite disney movies or your person’s? i think that’s why i was picking up on elektra x daredevil because it’s like…you and your person’s upbringing differed in a way but there’s a common ground in terms of how it’s shaped you both. one of you is more forward and hasty while the other is more reluctant and calculated.

you feel very confined and limited…like your environment is just so repetitive and boring. you’ve been hoping for something new to manifest – and you feel like you’re on the brink of it, it’s like you can almost reach out and touch it. for most of you, this is in regards to your connection with this person but for other’s it’s a job/traveling opportunity of some sort. you could possibly live in a very small town or somewhere that doesn’t have a lot to offer/keep you occupied. you’re about to see some progress sooner than you think, pile 2. give it about 1-3 months and watch how the magic happens! sagittarius season could be very significant for you.

your person is going to come into your life HOT and HEAVY, omg. you’re gonna be like wait wtf when did you get here?! nobody’s supposed to be here by deborah cox is playing in my head now – i’ve tried that love thing for the last time…my heart says no, no! nobody's supposed to be here…but you came along and changed my mind. LMAOOOO well pile 2 get ready cause your person is gonna sweep you off your damn feet. now it makes sense why i channeled rogue x gambit for you two because it’s like you’re taking of risk of some sort…the risk being your heart. trusting someone romantically is like risky business for you.

you’re so used to being able to predict outcomes and know what’s going to happen next, but with this person uhn uhn things are not so black and white. actually, there’s a lot of grey areas and that’s what’s going to scare you yet intrigue you about this person. you’re so rogue coded, awww. rogue has the ability to absorb the powers and memories of others through touch, so that makes her very guarded and reluctant to form close relationships. gambit is intrigued by her, but she is wary of him. i see this being similar to you and your person’s interactions…there might be an initial hesitation on your end but there’s an undeniable chemistry between the two of you!

your person is similar to gambit who is a smooth-talking, charming, and rough around the edges type of character. he’s very drawn to rogue’s beauty and strength (and similar to you) her self-imposed isolation and emotional baggage makes her hesitant to open up to him. i’m definitely picking up on the slow-burn trope for y’all, pile 2. although you really want this connection you might feel held back by self-doubt and fear intimacy/vulnerability. you’ve gotta work through this slowly but surely, my loves. it’s not easy but it’s necessary because this person absolutely loves you, pile 2. they’d put everything on the line for you if they had to.

just like gambit, this person will always be deeply in love with you no matter how much you try to shut them out or act like your feelings aren’t as deep as they really are. i also just want to mention that your person has such a way with words like UGH the way they say things/articulate themselves is gonna have you going feral lol they’re so knowledgeable and persuasive. it doesn’t help that they’re fine as fuck too lol you’re gonna be mentally shadow-boxing your anxiety whenever you’re around them because they’re just soooo damn charming fr!

i’m also being drawn to one of the biggest themes of rogue and gambit’s relationship which is rogue not being able to physically touch him without absorbing his memories and abilities – which is something that frightens her, not only because it could harm him but also because it’s something that strips away everything from the person she’s touching. now y’alls situation is obviously not that dramatic, but i am picking up that some of you that picked this pile could be virgins or celibate. i feel like the wait will make you both become even closer.

OTHER CHANNELED MESSAGES —

you make wanna by usher, “i never thought this was possible”, bit of a wild card (no pun intended), fiery personality, leo/aquarius placements, you’re their best friend, love on the brain by rihanna.

— PILE 3.

channeled couple → wanda maximoff x vision.

you and your person are too stinkin’ cute, pile 3. lmaooo i know that sounds so corny and cheesy but your person puts you in this kind of mood. the sun is shining sooo bright as i’m writing this. it’s like you light up their life and vice versa. you remind them of a warm summer day at the beach where you’re free to just roam around, have ice cream and relax. you’re like a breath of fresh air for this person. your person can be extremely sappy (in the best way possible) like i see them randomly just grabbing you and spinning you around or twirling you lol they’re like…always in a good mood. they might like to sing or dance mhm i get the vibe that they have a CD collection like they really love music sooo much! they will love to cook for you as well awww they’re so considerate, pile 3. you guys are definitely giving that old school cutesy romantic 60s couple vibe for sure, i could cry!

i channeled wanda maximoff x vision for a reason i see. i feel like when you first meet your person you’re going to be going through alot in your own life and i’m not necessarily getting that it’s anything bad but it seems like you’re either working through something or towards something. this could be you confronting some childhood trauma and/or previous relationship baggage. it might also be that you're not quite where you imagined you'd be in life right now, or maybe you're feeling a bit unsure about your current path. whatever the reason, your person will likely sense that you're feeling a little lost, and they'll pick up on that shift in your energy. you might meet your person while you’re traveling or outside of wherever you live (i’m hearing out the country for some) and i see you two forming a very close friendship first. infrunami by steve lacy is coming to mind – girl, you're the one i want, you’re the one i need…i’m beggin' you, please. can you come back to me? 'cause i was blind to see that you were right in front of me. hm for some of you this person could be a mutual or you somehow know them through your friends? if not, there just seems to be a sense of familiarity between the two of you.

i’m hearing “wow what a small world!” so tbh you could meet this person through one of your friends lol now i’m hearing best friend’s brother by victoria justice PLEASE that’s so random but on brand. also i’m picking up that your person could wear glasses? they are very inquisitive and can read you like a book, pile 3.

like vision, your person can pick up on your emotions, sensing when something is off even if you don’t express it. though vision is a synthezoid, his close connection to wanda and his time with the avengers allowed him to empathize deeply with human emotions. over time, his understanding of these feelings went beyond his programming, and his love for wanda amplified his ability to sense when she’s in distress. he offers comfort to her when she's struggling with her powers or grief. i feel like this relationship will be therapeutic for the both of you! you scratch their back, they’ll scratch yours.

you are similar to wanda in the sense that you can alter/create your reality – YOU have the power, but you have to believe it first. you doubt yourself a lot and create a lot of chaos within your mind because you can’t decide whether or not you should do something or if you’re even making the right decision. i think this has a lot to do with your childhood/upbringing, you stay in the shadows instead of being in the spotlight. that’s the problem, pile 3. i think you’re afraid of taking up space in fear of what others might say or think. there’s this sense of imposter syndrome. in order to bring this relationship into fruition you’ve gotta trust and believe in yourself, my loves. you’re an absolute badass – pop out and act like it! 10:10 on the clock. stop getting so caught up in the idea of what you think should be perfect. nothing and no one is perfect and ironically that’s the beauty of life lol shit ain’t always sweet and that’s okay. the world keeps spinning. it might not seem like it now but you will be more than okay, trust me! your person can’t wait to be in your orbit eeek i’m giddy at the thought of you two connecting. you don’t even realize it but your spirit guides are working overtime to make this connection happen hehe it starts with you though, babe. buckle up cause your person is ready. are you down to ride?

OTHER CHANNELED MESSAGES —

michael, breakfast at tiffany’s, NYC, month of may, one of the girls by the weeknd ft. lily rose depp & jennie, looks like MBJ, leo, 7H, 6H/virgo venus.

[buckysegan]

With all my gratitude, hope and returned adoration - Part Two

Summary: John writes back to his friend from home and we hear from our friend across the way. John x She. Word Count: 1.2k. A/N: we are def rolling with some historical inaccuracies in regards to letters here but sue me. he deserves it. pstttt also should we name her? do you all want to send me random john prompts. my baby isn't ok and i'm not ok. Part one linked here. Part three linked here.

John was sure he wasn't sweating a normal amount as he looked down at the piece of paper that Buck had offered him. It had taken two whole days of questions from the man for Bucky to even decide that he was going to reply. He’d been offered the hope, what more could he ask of her. Could he ask more? There had been a return address on the letter which Buck had insisted was there for a reason and she had opened herself out for a reply from him but the Major couldn’t help but be unsure.

It was an odd feeling for him, before the war he hadn't been unsure of anything and since he’d been here? Well he hadn’t been sober enough to doubt anything that he had done. These days though Bucky felt like he doubted every single thing. The thing was, he wasn't sure that he could afford to doubt this, to look past the life line that had been offered to him. Not when each day he could feel his mind draw a little further toward the edge no matter how much he or Buck tried to keep it in check.

With a sigh he pulled the pen into his hand, eyes locked on the page for a moment before he began to scrawl.

Dear Friend From Home 

You’re gunna have to forgive me because I ain’t going to be as good as this as you are. I’ve written so many letters this war you would think that I’d have gotten a handle on it by now but I find myself at a loss when it comes to what to say to you. 

I think the first thing I got to say is thank you. I don’t know if the words I can put on paper are ever going to really tell you how much your letter meant to me. See I was a certain type of man that didn’t think much to pen pals. I figured that I’d be ok, you know, that with my boys I’d have what I needed to make it through the hard days but watching the letters for everyone else roll in has been harder than I thought it might. 

There are things that I can’t tell you cause I don’t know who might read these letters, and where I am I can’t get you no picture but I can tell you that my favorite dish is a meat and potato pie, simple I know but really I’m a simple hearty kind of guy. What makes me laugh, you asked? That’s kind of simple for me too, just good company, myself sometimes, Buck, he’s my best friend, he makes me laugh a lot. What makes you laugh? I’d like to know that. 

May I know where you are? I know that might be a big ask but you said I could ask anything I know and if I get out of here…we get some leave, I’d like to know where I need to ask for me leave to be. Then I can show you what I sound and look like and know that in return. 

If this letter doesn’t reach you for a while, know you’ve been with me the whole time. 

With all my gratitude, hope and returned adoration

Major John Egan 

“What if she doesn’t get it?” He found himself questioning quietly to Buck as he handed over the letter to make it out of camp. His best friend settled him with a soft look, one that always made Bucky feel like he had some worldly knowledge the rest of them had missed out on, that assured him everything was going to be alright. “You just gotta have hope she will John, she’ll get it.” 

With a huff Bucky nodded, pulling his hat on as he watched his letter vanish from his view all together. “Alright well I can’t sit here and wonder, I’m off to play baseball or something.”

The letter that Bucky had so carefully handed over changed hands many more times, some fingers as rough as the pilots, some dirtier, some softer, but the last set of fingers to slide the letter from her post box had perfectly manicured fingers. Her flicking of her post was greedy as she looked for the same thing that she had every day since she’d posted her own letter.

At first, her hopes of finding what she was looking for had been unrealistic; she knew that, it hadn’t even been long enough for her letter to be received, let alone for him to get one back to her, then the other girls at the centre, they’d gotten letters back, notes, anything. That was when she had allowed her hope to return, for a moment at least. Days without anything had turned into weeks and then weeks had turned into months. Anything could have happened, that was what she tried to tell herself, he might not have gotten her letter, he might have thought it was weird and had chosen not to reply. That thought was enough to miff her, he could have at least said thank you. When she had decided no one could be that mean, her diminishing hope had turned to worry, what if he hadn't been able to receive her letter.

Flicking through each white envelope today, she almost missed it, how she didn't know because it was clearly different from the rest of them, maybe she hadn't wanted to look. "Not…" Trailing off she flicked back to the second to last letter, her eyes taking in the scrawling of her address, her eyes checking the postage before she was taring inside. "It's here, he wrote it's here." She called through the halls to the other girls that she lived with, all of which had been holding their breath with her. "Oh god I can't read it, what if he's telling me I was weird!" She cried, thrusting the unopened letter into the hands of her eager friend.

"Don't be dramatic, he's going to be throwing down his gratitude at you being a doll, you should have attached a picture with it I told you!" Meg beamed easily back at her, the same sense of reservation missing from her actions as she tore into the letter so that it could be read to the group. "Dear Friend From Home. You’re gunna have to forgive me because I ain’t going to be as good as this as you are. I’ve written so many letters this war you would think that I’d have gotten a handle on it by now but I find myself at a loss when it comes to what to say to you." That was enough, pulling the letter from Megs hands she was quick to scramble away from the group once more, locking herself into her room as re-read the opening line herself, the tears in her eyes only welling even further as she continued.

An ache in her chest formed as she read the words once more, taking in each strike of his pen where he had corrected himself or smudge from whatever he'd had on his fingers. The state of the letter was enough to make her wonder, but at least for now, she knew her friend was ok. He was alive, and he wanted to hear more from her. It couldn't have been normal, to feel this level of emotion for a man that she had never met, but she had found herself here regardless and in the middle of so much uncertainty, she wasn't going to question the pull she felt across the way to England.

Pushing from her bed she moved to her desk, paper pulled from her stationary pot, the quicker she could post this the quicker it could get to him.

"Dear Major Egan,

I'm delighted to hear I'm with you. I hope you know, that you've been with me too…"

[chaoticbardlady99]

I Wondered If I Could Come Home? (Astarion x F! Reader)

Synopsis- It’s been 4 months since you last saw Astarion and 3 months since you killed the Netherbrain with your other companions. Shortly after, you settled down in Silverymoon to begin a life out there and try to push Astarion out of your mind- except it can never be that easy. You shortly discover you are pregnant with his child- a child that could kill you during childbirth. Scared and alone- Shadowheart stays with you to help you deliver the baby and keep you alive.

While out at the local market, Shadowheart runs into Gale and invites him over for dinner. Gale has unexpected company.

CW: Pregnancy, mentions of potential death during birth, mentions of nudity, mentions of NSFW smut

To my fellow DND fans- no this is probably not canon compliant, yes I’m upset about that, but look I really needed to write this so sue me I guess

Author note- Self indulgent, I have baby fever, but don’t want a baby fic. I’m unsure of how long this will be or if it will have more parts-it depends on how angsty I feel, but I need to have like six different ideas to think about at a time soooo 😂

*This hasn’t been edited ✨well✨so please forgive me

*again, no fucking clue who’s picture it is, but it sure as shit isn’t mine so if it’s yours- reach out so I can give credit!

You keep yourself propped up against the sink in the kitchen as Shadowheart holds your hair out of your face and dabbing away the cold sweat that drips down your neck.

You are really sick of being morning sick. It’s absolutely the worst thing in the world- well besides your potential death from carrying your little girl inside of you. You sometimes think Astarion may get his wish- you may just die screaming.

You dry heave one last time- not a single thing comes up because you haven’t kept a single thing down since two mornings ago. Your morning sickness is inconsistent and comes on with little to no warning.

It’s been five months since you conceived this fricken kid, but it was like all the symptoms hit after you killed the Netherbrain.

A part of you really wishes you had somehow known before then- maybe it would have changed the cruel fate that ended your relationship with Astarion. You were literally pregnant in the middle of fighting Cazador. You think about what he last said to you all the time and just sob hysterically- like it happened yesterday.

A deeper part of you feels abandoned, but you blame yourself for him leaving. You should have been more convincing or maybe you shouldn’t have flat out told him no and explained why in the hells you didn’t want him to ascend.

For example- you didn’t want to lose him to some evil version of himself.

Ironically, you lost him anyway and are pregnant with his fucking child who insists on occasionally making you miserable.

Despite your inherent sadness, anger, and sickness, you find you are actually quite excited to meet her. You haven’t settled on a name yet and Shadowheart has been very helpful in regards to making sure you are healthy and strong for delivery. She’s your best friend and you could not be more grateful for her.

“I’ll go back to the market today and get you more of those herbs,” Shadowheart says quietly when she talks to you, “they seemed to help last time?”

You nod- exhausted and your head is pounding. You and this kid are going to need to have a serious conversation. You will not be letting a second Acunin make you miserable before she is ever born.

Shadowheart guides you to your bed upstairs, standing behind you in case you get hit with a wave of vertigo- which usually happens post vomit episode.

You pull your curtains closed- thankful that the desperate hope in your heart led you to buying black out curtains. You close your door and lay down on your bed- tears spilling down your cheeks freely.

You miss him terribly. You shouldn’t. You should positively hate him, but everyday of this pregnancy makes you ache for him. You should be doing this together.

You know it’s hormones- the weepiness, the intense longing, and the Gods awful horniness. Dreams are the worst. You wake up a squirming disaster at least three times a week with your skin burning hot with memories of Astarion touching you.

You are happy that isn’t the case currently, but the weepiness sucks too. Remembering how he used to curl around you, the way it felt to have him kiss you on the forehead, and all those late night conversations with (now empty) promises. You curl yourself around your pillows, willing your imagination to pretend it’s him, and you sob until you fall asleep.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Astarion tries to contain his excitement and fear as he follows Gale and Shadowheart to your home. Finally, after searching for literal months, he was going to see you again.

Astarion has been haunted by the last words he had said to you for what feels like eons now. He hadn’t meant it at the time and he certainly doesn’t mean it now.

He had been too afraid to come back to you after everything he had said. Astarion decided you probably hate him anyway so he tried to move on.

He tried being with other people (it always failed miserably because they weren’t you), he drank until he couldn’t remember a damn thing, and when all else failed, he began his search for the Ring of the Sunwalker.

After the nightlife of Baldur’s Gate lost it’s appeal and he finally found a ring location, Astarion found himself in front of Gale’s door in Waterdeep- begging him of all people to help him.

The wizard had been puzzled and melancholy when he realized Astarion was at his door. Astarion told him every little piece of how he feels about you, how much he misses you, and how he wants to be able to give you the life that you deserve. Astarion was practically on the verge of hysteria while trying to make his case.

Thus began the search for the Ring of the Sunwalker.

They were able to locate and obtain one after a grueling three month long journey and some help from one of Gale’s old friends. Then, they headed straight to Silverymoon- your last known whereabouts.

Running into Shadowheart had felt like a miracle, but to also have her living with you had made the trip even easier. Except Shadowheart was being really really weird towards him.

When Gale first asked if Astarion could come along too, Shadowheart had asked Astarion why he wanted to come and see the person he “hoped died screaming?”

Astarion had flinched at the anger and venom in Shadowheart’s voice. He figured the others would be mad, but he was hoping maybe Shadowheart would give him a little easier time like Gale had. Astarion was genuinely surprised by how quick she was to be defensive of you and your whereabouts. When Gale confirmed that Astarion was telling the truth, Shadowheart reluctantly said he could come.

The three arrive at the front of your shared townhome- it faces the beach and has the perfect amount of windows for the sun to light up the house, but one of the rooms is hidden from sight with heavy, black out curtains.

Shadowheart turns to both of them, “Tav might not be able to join us… she’s been sick for a bit now and is… recuperating.”

Astarion feels his heart drop to his stomach.

“Sick? For how long?”

Shadowheart shifts on her feet uncomfortably, “5 months, but it got worse around 3 months.”

“Tav has been sick for that long?” Gale exclaims, “why didn’t you write!? I could have helped.”

“This particular affliction is one you wouldn’t understand,” Shadowheart says with a finality that suggests the conversation is done as she leads them into the kitchen.

Shadowheart immediately gets fussing with the herbs while Gale looks around the house. Astarion is still unsure of what he should be doing. The house engulfs him in your scent and he feels positively intoxicated. You must be really sick though because your scent smells different- not bad at all, just different.

Does he talk to Shadowheart? Does he look around with Gale?

Or does he sneak off and find you? Astarion doesn’t want to waste anymore time than he already has. Slowly, he creeps towards the stairs.

“Don’t even think about it, Astarion,” Shadowheart warns.

Astarion looks at her and then back at the stairs. He does this a couple times until Shadowheart appears to be annoyed enough that she’s let her guard down a bit.

Astarion takes off up the steps and he hears Shadowheart and Gale coming up right behind him.

Astarion hears a dry heave from down the hallway and he goes racing for the door.

If you are as sick as Shadowheart has suggested (5 months is crazy long), Astarion may not have much time with you and Gods he needs to take advantage of the time he does have.

Shadowheart be damned.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You wake up feeling even worse than you did when you fell asleep. Your headache feels like it’s taken on a life on it’s own and Gods you are going to vomit all over the floor if you don’t move NOW!

You get up with an impossible amount of speed for how dizzy you are and you grab the pail on your nightstand and heave painfully.

You are rocking back and forth, groaning as more stomach acid comes up because again, not able to even keep anything down.

You hear a pair of footsteps and then Shadowheart screaming after-

“ASTARION! THEY ARE SICK! YOU NEED TO WAIT!”

“I have been looking for them for months now,” you hear him hiss, “if they are sick, I need to see them. If this has lasted five months- then who knows how much time I’ve wasted!”

“Will you stop being selfish for five minutes!? It’s not about you and who even says she wants to see you!?”

Shadowheart and Astarion are yelling in front of your door now. You feel tears prick your eyes- Astarion is here. Here here. A flurry of excited kicks from inside you catches your attention and a feeling of blissful happiness comes over you. Oh look, the nausea is gone. Of course it is.

“Traitor,” you whisper before laying down on your bed for a moment.

You are very happy that your unborn daughter appears to be pleased and feels good about her dad being on the other side of the door. You, on the other hand, are less than optimistic.

Wasted time doing what? And why did Shadowheart say I was sick!? In what world was that going to keep him from going upstairs!? Especially if he, your mind pauses, cares about me? Again?

Which you hope he does- you would hope Shadowheart wasn’t so sick of taking care of you that she brought him here to finish the job. Maybe this is all one big show.

Another, “I WILL DO WHAT I PLEASE” from Astarion, a “YOU SELFISH BASTARD” from Shadowheart, and a “Please can’t we all just be nice, catch up, and get along?” from Gale finally gives you the motivation to get up. The arguing feels far too much like being in camp again. You pinch the bridge of your nose, willing the growing headache to go away.

It doesn’t so you change into a pair of longer cotton pajama pants, a t-shirt that is unfortunately showing off your bump more than you’d like, and then you swing open the door in tired annoyance.

You are met with Astarion looking at you- his eyes scanning up and down your body- settling on your stomach. His expression is unreadable- it’s somewhere between lust, love, grief, and heartbreak. Embarrassed by Astarion’s intense gaze, you look over at Gale who is all smiles for you.

“Congratulations Tav!!!” Gale practically yells, making you wince, “the father is a lucky man.”

“I don’t think he considers himself a lucky man,” you say pointedly before turning to Astarion, “or do you?”

Astarion’s face changes entirely with your words. His eyes look at you, round and soft. His eyes are full of adoration and need- a look you never thought he would give you again. You have to fight the urge to grab him and drag him into your bedroom. You will not let the hormones win- you will be strong.

“I- it’s- I mean,” Astarion is fumbling over his words, “you are carrying my child?”

“Yes,” you say grumpily, crossing your arms,” and she’s been giving me nothing but trouble. Thanks to your genetics, I’m sure. This is day two of not being able to keep a damn thing down and this fucking headache is UNBEARABLE so please for the love of every God keep the arguing down.”

Astarion is still looking at you with a mystified expression- taking you in as if for the first time in his entire life. You look back towards Gale and Shadowheart- you are entirely too self-conscious and way too excited to see him for him to be looking at you like that. You are trying to be mad dammit!

Shadowheart gazes at you and your surely red tipped ears with amusement before she says, “I’ll go and get the potion ready for you- that should hopefully help.”

“I will- uh,” Gale says awkwardly, looking between you and Astarion, “join you! I might need to know which herbs to use… in the future?”

“Planning on getting pregnant Gale?” You say with a smirk.

Gale snorts at you, “Dear friend, as wonderful as you look right now- none of the side effects sound appealing.”

“Oh they most certainly aren’t,” you say,” but thanks for thinking I look ‘wonderful’. I feel, well, disgusting.”

“Gods, how could you even think that?” Astarion blurts out, appearing shocked that he even said it, “you look like…. A vision. A wonderful, stunning vision, Darling.”

Shadowheart and Gale excuse themselves as you struggle to find the words for Astarion’s comment. Your entire body feels like it’s on fire and you feel yourself begin to melt a little bit. You feel your emotions bloom into something resembling spring as he steps closer to you- looking at you with pleading eyes.

You clear your throat, “would you like to come into my room and talk?”

Astarion nods eagerly, following behind you so close that you once again have to remind yourself that ripping off the clothes of someone who literally told you they wanted you to die screaming was not healthy- at least not until you get a proper apology.

You sit against your headboard as Astarion walks around your room- running his fingers along the bassinet and rocking chair in the corner. You still can’t get a read on him.

“A girl?”

His question breaks the air.

“Yes,” you smile at him, “no name yet though.”

“I’m sure you’ll pick a nice one,” he says with a smile, but his tone is entirely too melancholic.

A painful thump in your heart fills your body with sadness. He doesn’t want to be involved. Of course he doesn’t want to be involved. You are his knocked up ex-girlfriend. What were you expecting? The lump forming in your throat is unbearable.

“You don’t want to be involved?”

Oh good Gods you are crying. Astarion rushes over to you the minute your tears begin to fall- sitting in front of you on the bed. He reaches out and gently wipes your tears away as he speaks.

“I want to be involved so badly it hurts,” his voice comes out scratchy and emotional, “but that is your decision, not mine. You have been on your own for months, my Love. Instead of trying to come back and make it better- I pushed it off until I thought I could give you what you deserved- a life in the sun.”

You almost whine in protest when his hands leave your face. He twists the ring around his index finger before continuing, avoiding your gaze, “But maybe I was wrong. Maybe what you deserve is a person that isn’t so damaged. Someone who can give you what you actually deserve which is a loving partner who hasn’t hurt you over and over again- a man worthy of being a father to ou- I mean your child.”

His confession and the tears that are streaming down his face are enough for you. Yes, you absolutely want to scream and yell at him, but you also ache for him. You can’t fault the man for being a slave for 200 years and then not taking it very well when you told him what to do. You always knew you would forgive him if he came back- you never thought he would, but here he is and like he said- there is no reason to keep wasting time.

“She is our child, Star,” you whisper and guide his eyes to look at you, “I want you to be involved. I don’t care what you think I deserve either. I have missed you so horribly since you left. It’s almost pathetic really. I’ve tried to blame it on the hormones, but… I don’t know. The picture has felt incomplete up until now.”

You absentmindedly put your hand on your stomach- receiving a kick. You glare at the place where your hand is resting.

“Will you stop kicking me for five minutes!?” You scream, “I WAS IN THIS BODY FIRST!”

Astarion looks at you bewildered and confused, but quickly realizes you aren’t talking about him. The smile that spreads across his face is wide and Astarion gingerly moves closer. You are still a little cautious- needing to protect not only yourself, but also your unborn child. He moves to the right of you and goes to move you just slightly so he can slip in behind you.

“Could I? I mean if it’s not crossing any boundaries!”

Astarion is on edge- you can tell that much, but he doesn’t look at you like he did that last time you saw him- Astarion is looking at you like you are the most precious individual who has ever walked this earth.

You nod shyly, and then Astarion slots himself behind you, your back against his chest, his face in the crook of your neck, and his legs on either side of yours. He cautiously puts his hands on your stomach and is immediately kicked.

Astarion laughs with joy, “she’s strong!”

“Strong willed and strong physically,” you shake your head and you are laughing a bit now too, “you may just get your wish yet.”

“What wish?”

It had slipped. You hadn’t meant to bring it up again- or maybe you did. You want to know for sure if he still feels that way, but the confusion in his voice says he doesn’t. You go rigid and go to dismiss it when you feel his posture change behind you, his grip loosening ever so slightly.

“Right… that.”

The silence is nerve-wracking. You’ve lost him again, you are sure of it. A stray tear begins to roll down your cheek.

“Astarion-“

“No, let me think, Darling. I want to make sure I say everything I want to say correctly.”

You continue to sit there in silence, he places soft kisses on your neck. You feel him smile against your skin at the needy moan that escapes your lips. You absentmindedly reach out for one of his hands and begin to play with his fingers while he thinks. Astarion used to let you do this all the time while you were traveling- it helps you feel grounded.

“I was so consumed by all that power in the moment,” he says slowly, “I wasn’t thinking. By the time I had realized what I had done, I felt like it was already too late- you most likely hated me and moved on.”

You have to bite your tongue- you want to scream. Hate him? Never. You had been miserable without him around for that last month of traveling. Your heart had felt like a dead weight in your chest and you had been moving around like a zombie.

“So I tried to move on… I even tried to be with others, but I just couldn’t do it. It’s selfish, but I want you. I never want anything bad to happen to you- I certainly don’t ever want you to die screaming. I don’t want you to ever carry a child that is not mine.”

You are surprised by the warmth in your core when he says his last sentence. There is something so primal there that you have to really focus on what he is saying next.

Astarion clears his throat before finishing speaking, “I don’t want to be without you anymore- four months is too long. I don’t want to miss out on anymore of your pregnancy and I want to be here for you- with you- doing this together like we should have been doing this whole time. I was a horrible fool- please give me another chance. Please, Darling. I love you- so so much more than I ever thought anyone could ever love someone.”

Astarion’s words hang in the air and you are trying not to begin crying for the 15th billion time. This is what you had wanted to hear all along. You can feel his tears on the collar of your shirt- the way he inhales as if to memorize your scent like this is the last time. Astarion is not expecting you to say yes- you know that because he’s starting to loosen up, pulling away from you so that he can respect your decision.

“I love you too,” you whisper, “I don’t want to be without you anymore either. I forgive you- please stay.”

“I won’t be going anywhere unless you want me too, my Love.”

[dandylions101]

Poly Xianle Quartet Dynamics Headcanons/Thoughts

Okay so first we have our main big ships: Hualian and Fengqing

Xie Lian x Hua Cheng: our star-crossed lovers duo. Constant heart eyes. We know them. We love them. It’s very important to me that they both love each other the same intense amount tho.

Feng Xin x Mu Qing: Rivals to lovers type. I think they both definitely had a crush on each other when they were younger, a bit of a “fuck this guy but also he’s kinda pretty wait what-“. I think post-canon they finally try and do get over their general angst and bad communication and become a duo that really make a fantastic team when they can. Like. Not kill each other enough to actually listen. The Martial Gods of the South. They’ve been at each other’s side (and at each other’s throats) almost always since they’ve met, and I think that fact really is the foundation of their dynamic.

Alright, now the more fun stuff.

Xie Lian x Feng Xin: ‘Body Guard x Royal’ dynamic my beloved. I think they’re very much childhood friends to lovers too. Like saw each other in diapers type. I think Feng Xin was born to a noble family (with a strong martial background) that was mostly dead by the time the kingdom fell, and therefore was one of the few people deemed high ranked enough to be friends with the Crown Prince. Which makes him like. The person Xie Lian knew the longest. Intensely loyal, especially post-canon once they get over their angst. Honestly I think they may be a little bit codependent for a bit, but they ease out once they’ve settled into their relationship again. There’s definitely more to say here but I’ll leave it at that for now.

Xie Lian x Mu Qing: Ah yes, it’s the Unrequited Love complex they both nurtured for me. I read It’s In Your Warmth, I Feel The Coldest, by PeacefulDiscord on ao3 (it’s great you should check it out). And they wrote a line which really pinned down their relationship for me; “I always thought of you as my beauty,” Xie Lian says. His gaze is firm even as his hand gentles where he’s still holding Mu Qing. “My jade. My love for you drove me mad, it made me too harsh when I believed you to have discarded me so easily.” And that right there has to be the crux of their relationship. I think they both crushed on each other when they were younger, and they found each other’s differences fascinating. But that difference in class made it so difficult for them to actually understand each other. I think post-canon, once they both have lived closer to the contexts of each other’s childhoods, they both have a much better understanding of the other person. They both had strong insecurities when it came to each other, a balancing act when they never knew what the other might take the wrong way. And the power imbalance that Mu Qing was always intensely aware of and that Xie Lian never even considered. Which made them lash out the minute they felt unsure. Assumptions galore. I think after a long chat post-canon, they settle into a sweet and close relationship again, and I think their experiences after they parted lent them a new understanding of each other they bask in now. The intense admiration (and love) they have for each other goes unshadowed now.

Alright, now probably the most juicy dynamics (at least in my opinion):

Hua Cheng x Mu Qing: I headcanon that they knew each other, when they were kids. Same impoverished neighbourhood type. I’m not sure how close that relationship was, but I think they definitely had one, even if it was just Mu Qing lying about Hong Hong’er’s whereabouts when his family or some other kids try to hurt him. They have lots of animosity to get through, especially regarding the whole Xie Lian stuff. And I think because their childhoods were similar, it made Hua Cheng even less inclined to forgive Mu Qing for what he viewed as his abandoning Xie Lian (especially cause I wouldn’t have done that, he thinks to himself). I think Hu Cheng also envies him the relationship he had with Xie Lian when they were younger, thinking him undeserving. I think any headway they make happens after an explosive verbal fight, which is probably how their other two lovers learned they knew each other when they were young. Once they actually talk out the resentment, I think their relationship eases a bit. The spark of admiration they had for each other when young erupts into a whole forest fire pretty quickly after that. (Mu Qing was definitely Hua Cheng’s gay awakening when they were younger, and Xie Lian was Feng Xin’s. Mu Qing’s was Feng Xin, to his eternal despair and Feng Xin’s eternal smugness. And Xie Lian’s was obviously his San Lang, it was almost Feng Xin tho, but he was too oblivious). They turn that lingering animosity into gossiping and judging people together, it’s their favourite bonding activity. I think their shared background eventually makes Hua Cheng the person that can read Mu Qing the easiest, and Mu Qing the person that catches Hua Cheng’s insecurities the easiest too. Their relationship is surprisingly soft. Theres is a slow burn.

Hua Cheng x Feng Xin: These two bitches might actually be enemies to lovers. Hate at first sight. Hate for a long while after. They have no basis for a relationship outside of their assumptions about each other, and the early post-canon years consist of snide remarks and actual fist fights sometimes. Their own unique relationship with Xie Lian means they have no qualms about throwing him at each other’s face, and it wasn’t until they almost made him cry doing that they finally calmed down a little. Still. Lots of animosity that doesn’t get solved until some sort of mission together forces them to actually exist around each other enough to not try to explode each other with their brains. They realise, after a fraught silence, that they’re both quite similar. Especially with loved ones. Especially when it’s loyalty. And they both, respectfully, hate this new understanding of each other. “What do you mean I can’t get mad at him for doing the most for someone he believes and is loyal to?!” “What do you mean I can’t hate him for leaving our shared lover because he proved more loyal when being asked to leave?!”. Unfortunately for them, this does prove to be the ice breaker for their relationship. They end up bonding over their shared drive to keep their loved ones safe, and they understand each other’s intense more than anyone else. It’s a slow surprise to both of them when that starts to include each other as well. But they find it’s nice to be the object of someone’s intense for once too.

Alright that’s all for now. I clearly had more thoughts than I assumed.

[torturedtypewritersdept]

the sun + the sand - pt. six - the proposition

↳PAIRING: bff!rafe cameron x fem!reader

↳SUMMARY:you have a stalker, but your best friend rafe won't let anything happen to you, even if he has to come clean about how he really feels.

↳WARNINGS: mentions of stalking, blackmail, inappropriate behavior (not from rafe), protective!rafe, etc.

↳A/N: this is a repost from my old blog @illicitfixations + @lovelornanonymity. all of my works are being reposted to this one + the previous blog has been deactivated.

The aluminum of the boat you sat in swayed back and forth, the ebb and flow of the current beneath it creating a rocking pattern against your skin. It had always made you nauseous – being on the water. There was something about the unsteady, uncoordinated movement of the waves that reminded you how much you were like them, floating through life with no destination. You had always followed what everyone else was doing and when you were drowning, Rafe clung to you; he had always been the life vest protecting you amidst the water trying to permeate your lungs. The nausea was overwhelming as you listened to Pope spew facts he had learned at the science camp he had spent the first few weeks of his summer at; his obsession with becoming a coroner shining through as he led the conversation. You couldn’t quite wrap your mind around what was being said the same way John B’s arm draped around your shoulders, you should’ve been enjoying affection from a boy, especially one so sought after. But, you couldn’t because really, it all felt wrong. It always did when you spent time with this crowd. Though the blue and pink hues of the decorated cotton candy sky was a nice addition to your sunset boat ride, you still felt out of place. You knew you would no matter what. Even after John had practically begged you like a puppy to join the gang for this rendezvous, promising JJ would be nowhere in sight – it still felt odd and wrong to be there, to be amidst his friends, when all you could think about was Rafe. You were torn away from the thoughts that your brain was creating at the speed of light as your phone chimed. 

Unknown: you look so beautiful today. 

The screen read a sweet message and you wondered who it was from, it couldn’t be Rafe. If he was going to say something sweet, he wouldn’t text you from a private number. You quickly closed and locked your phone thinking it must be nothing more than a wrong number, even though the compliment gave you the resemblance of butterflies in your gut. 

Unknown: don’t ignore me. 

This time as your phone chimed, the message changed in tone and you decided to reply – a snarky, sarcastic comment for the person who remained anonymous was what you dished out. 

To unknown: It’s hard to reply when I don't know who I’m speaking to. 

As quickly as you had hit send, another message appeared in the queue. 

Unknown: watch your mouth or I'll gut you like a fish. 

You swallowed thickly at the words that littered your screen, unsure of who was behind them. You couldn’t think of anyone who would talk to you like that unless it was one of your boys playing a joke. But quickly pushed away the thought. Surely, they’d never speak to you that way even if they were kidding, or so you hoped. 

“Are you alright, y/n?” 

John B’s voice echoed against your ears as tears pricked your eyes and panic rose through your chest, the walls of your heart contracting simultaneously, you subconsciously recognized the tells of an anxiety attack creeping its way up your throat. John B’s lack of awareness, lack of knowing you the way Rafe did was just one more reason why you needed to be away from him. 

“R-rafe, take me to Rafe. Please.” 

You begged and he nodded though reluctant, wanting you to trust him and confide in him the same way that you did Rafe. He wanted you to be his peach, to regard him in your heart the same way you regarded the Cameron boy, though part of him knew it would never happen. Girls like you weren’t meant to end up with guys like him and even if you loved him in the same way he loved you, he knew Rafe Cameron would die before he ever let it happen. 

-

John B barely had time to get the hms pogue adjacent to the Cameron’s dock before you jumped off the ledge, clearing the width between the aluminum and the wood of the pier. You needed Rafe and you needed him now, it left no time for pleasantries and frankly, you didn’t care about the routledge boy enough to provide him with a false sense of comfort, a false sense that you were his when you weren’t. So, you did what you knew how to – you ran. Your feet padded against the wood of the dock as fast as they could, your breath uneven as you made it to the end and scoured the property for your person. He stood by Kelce and Topper at the pool, his tan skin stretched across broad shoulders, muscles contracting as he laughed and sipped from the red solo cup in his hand. You made your way toward him, almost knocking him over as you latched on to him like a child after losing their parents in the grocery store. 

“I know those arms, anywhere.” 

He chuckled against you, leaning into you as you hugged him from behind. You stilled against him, muscles retracting in relief as just his aura brought you an immeasurable amount of peace. His laughter stopped as he felt tiny drops hit the skin at the middle of his spine and before you could protest he turned around, taking you in. His blue orbs searched you for injury, it wasn’t like you to look so panicked, especially in public settings. This behavior was not like you in any sense and he couldn’t figure out for the life of him what was going on. So, he did what he did best. He picked you up, guiding your arms and legs around his neck and torso in a koala like hold and carried you to his bedroom, knowing that whatever was plaguing you couldn’t be shared in front of the other two stooges. As he entered the threshold of his bedroom, he placed you onto the blue satin sheets that you loved so much, the coolness against your skin was already soothing you as Rafe parted your knees and wedged his body between them, balancing on the balls of his feet. Your eyes remained focused on the tan skin of his chest, his pectoral muscles built to such a degree that it made him look like a c-cup. You smiled briefly at the thought. 

“Peach, baby, what’s going on?” 

He asked, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear and rubbing his thumb across the skin of your cheek. 

“I-, were you and the boys sending me weird texts earlier?” 

You stuttered as you asked, afraid of his answer being yes, but also afraid of it being no. You wanted so badly for it to be a practical joke and for you not to have a reason to be scared. 

“No, baby. Why would you ask that?” 

You didn’t respond, simply handing over the phone, placing it in his hands and watching as he took in the conversation. His eyes darted back and forth as read the contents of the screen, stopping only when he was finished. 

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” 

He questioned, remaining in his spot between your legs. 

“I’m fine – that’s the last thing I need to hear right now, Rafe.” 

He swallowed thickly before retorting. 

“Well, what do you need to hear? What am I supposed to say about this? About you showing up on my doorstep every time you’re in trouble?” 

His words stung – he knew they had, shit, they had felt like vomit expelling from him, the twist of his insides after he lurched over the toilet ever present. That’s what he felt as he watched your face contort in sadness. 

“I don’t know, tell me this is fake, that it’s a joke, that I don’t have a reason to be scared. I mean, this paired with all the other weird shit, it just, I don’t know, okay? Sorry – I’ll go. I just didn’t know what to do. But, hey – I’ll figure it out.” 

You said, swaying on your feet as you stood, preparing to walk away from the room of the boy you loved. Your brain didn’t process any of what he said in normal emotion, it only registered that he was sick of you and you were adding stress to him and that was the last thing you ever wanted to do. He pulled you in by your wrist, making your face collide with the muscles of his chest as he rubbed your hair away from your face and craned his neck to plant a kiss on your forehead. 

“I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I want to help you, okay? You are not going to navigate this by yourself, peach. I’d die if something happened to you. Now, I think I may have an idea.” 

You pulled your head away from his chest, meeting his eyes with question laced in yours. 

“What did you have in mind?” 

You asked, moving to sit on the bed again and Rafe followed your lead, plopping down parallel to you before turning to face you. 

“Well – it seems like all this stuff is related, that weirdo at your house and these texts. I’m worried someone is stalking you, sweetheart.” 

He said, blue eyes boring into yours and you had to fight the urge to laugh at him. 

“Stalking? Come on, Rafe – as if. I’m not special enough for someone to stalk me.” 

You muttered.

“Peach – yes you are. Just because you can’t see that, doesn’t mean it’s not possible, baby.” 

He replied, grabbing your hands in his. 

“Okay, so what’s your big idea? I mean what are we supposed to do? We don’t even know who it could be.”  

You stated matter-of-factly. 

“I think we should be boyfriend and girlfriend.”

He replied and you were shell-shocked, the question and confusion written on your face. 

“Huh? Like for real?” 

You asked. 

“I mean – I need to protect you and come on, it’s not so far off for us, is it? The idea of being your fake boyfriend for a while, I mean. No one will come near you if you’re with me, sweetheart and it just means more time with my Georgia peach.” 

He said, smiling from ear-to-ear. 

“How long are we supposed to keep this up?” 

You questioned. ‘Forever, I hope’ he thought as he stared into your sweet face. 

“As long as it takes.” 

He replied, pushing his thoughts down. 

“Okay, but we have to make it look real, Rafe. People will figure it out otherwise, we can’t just act like we usually do.” 

You said and he curled his eyebrow upward. 

“What do you propose, Peach?” 

He asked.

“I mean – we could kiss?” 

You said, almost in the form of a question and he leaned forward, pressing his lips to yours. You were shocked, mostly because it felt the way it was supposed to, the way you had always daydreamed about, electricity running from your mouth to the tips of your toes. You pulled away after a moment and looked at him. 

“Just practicing.” 

He said, a smirk lifting on one side of his mouth. You couldn’t help but smile and wished so badly that one day, this would all be real. 

as always, if you'd like to be added to my taglist, please let me know <3

taglist:

@maybankslover @inthelibrarybtw

[mihii-i]

Hii! How are you?? Can you write a one shot with Wriothesley, where people find out about our secret relationship with him? Or how do they find it out?

watched

Pairing(s): wriothesley x gn!reader

CW: sfw, gender neutral reader, reader used to be an inmate, secret relationship, gossip, fake rumors, implied stalking, brief mention of wriothesley’s past, slightly disturbing descriptions of the feeling of bring watched (I’m sorry about that even I got a little uneasy writing it 😭), not proofread

A/N: can yall tell i love writing about tea- ALSO IM SO SCARED RN ITS 12 AM AND I FEEL LIKE THERES ONE OF THOSE FUCKING ANALOG HORROR THINGS IN MY HALLWAY OR SOME SHIT AWAWAWAWWWWA

Ghastly creaking noises rumbled off of every corner of the enclosure as your footsteps thudded against the rusted metal floor. You’re unsure how you even gained access to the Fortress of Meropide at will in the first place, but it sure as hell helped you out quite a bit, since you practically got a free pass to visit Wriothesley whenever you wanted.

None of the inmates seemed to question you at all whenever you entered, as you used to be an inmate there yourself. Considering that it wasn’t uncommon for previous inmates to visit quite often, your frequent appearances to the Fortress and time spent in the Duke’s office didn’t raise any suspicion among the den of criminals in the fortress. They simply brushed it off, concluding that you had come to visit out of nostalgia or to speak with now distant friends you made as an inmate.

However, while you were serving your sentence, the last thing you expected was to build a relationship with the Duke himself. A rather intimate and romantic relationship in fact. You found yourself at the foot of Wriothesley’s office, subtly tapping your foot against the metal and emitting quiet clanking noises. Clanking seemed to continue bouncing off the walls of the Fortress despite your minuscule movements and the insignificantly small sounds of the metal. You shook a little at the observation. Was it seriously that easy to hear practically anything in this place no matter how small?

Your thoughts were interrupted when a looming figure came into view as the door creaked open before you. It was none other than Wriothesley himself. He gave you a quick grin, nodding toward the opening between the door he was leaning on, and gesturing you to come in. You complied with his gesture, stepping into the decently lit room and dragging the chair opposite to his desk out, lowering yourself down onto it. Wriothesley carefully shut the door and locked it with a soft click, before seating himself in the chair before you.

“It’s been quite a while since you visited, you know?” He remarked, a pleasant smile on his face. Pressing his cheek into his palm, he glanced over a few papers sprawled out on his desk. You slightly cringed upon seeing the unorganized and messy assortment of papers present across the table. From Fonta Co collab notices, all the way to budget proposals and improvements regarding the welfare meals.

“Anyway, tea?”

Before you could even respond, he began pouring you a cup carefully. He gripped the handle of the pot gently and tilted it against the edge ot the cup, pouring it to the desired amount just below the rim line. You could only let out a soft chuckle upon seeing your boyfriend’s enthusiasm for tea. It was one of the things you loved about him after all. His scarred hands circled the cup cautiously, blowing away a bit of the steam fogging his view before sliding it to you. The plate and cup were both a delicate white, seemingly expensive in fact.

The mellow, floral aroma wafted through your nostrils, brushing a wave of comfort within you as the relaxing smell brought you at ease a little. “Wrio..organize your desk.” You insisted, causing him to grumble a little. “Fine. I really thought the tea would distract you this time too..” He chuckled softly, surrounding his arm around the scrambled papers and piling them into a thick, messy stack. He set them down at the corner of his desk before placing his chin back onto his hand, his blue eyes fixated on yours.

You sighed, resting your hands in your lap before looking up at him. For some reason, you couldn’t shake the feeling that someone knew about your relationship with Wriothesley. Both of you never had a choice. You had to keep it private, since that would be the most optimal choice. For Wriothesley, being in a relationship would arouse countless rumors and doubts regarding his authority in the Fortress, with many people questioning if he was really taking his position seriously. You on the other hand, would have to deal with people pestering you if they were to find out about your relationship with a past convict, endless foolish assumptions would be thrown in your face constantly.

Thankfully, the two of you have kept it on the low for quite some time now. To the point where you were confident you wouldn’t get found out in fact.

Still, you couldn’t shake off that nagging feeling that someone knew. Not talking about it only made the gnawing pit in your stomach worse, as if it was urging you to let Wriothesley know about your concerns. You opened your mouth, but nothing came out. Wriothesley only raised an eyebrow at you, a concerned expression making its way onto his face.

“(Name)? Is something the matter?”

“It’s…I feel like..”

You shook your head, brushing it off. There’s no way someone could be watching you, right? You were just being paranoid.

“It’s nothing. Sorry, I didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

Wriothesley only grew increasingly concerned, and grasped the armrests on his chair, rising to his feet. He made his way to the side of your chair, before reaching over to rest his hand against your shoulder. “You can talk to me about anything on your mind. You know that, right?” He said in an attempted soft voice, trying to provide a form of comfort to you.

You simply shook your head once more and waved your hand in a dismissive motion, trying to ignore your paranoia. However, the look in Wriothesley’s eyes was practically urging you to tell him. It was near impossible to shake off your boyfriend’s insistence—he knew you too well. Whenever you bit down on your bottom lip or turned your gaze away, his keen perception would almost immediately pick up on it. He knew every little move, every small mannerism that indicated your state of mind.

You sighed, clearly not being able to hide anything at this point. Taking his hand off your shoulder slowly, he stepped back to give you some room to speak as he folded his arms across his chest, indicating that he was listening.

“Wrio. Do you ever get the feeling that…we’re being watched?” You asked, looking up nervously.

Wriothesley put a hand below his chin, seeming to collect his thoughts for a moment before giving a mixture between a nod and and a head shake.

“Sometimes. But for some reason, I only feel it for a couple of moments and it’s gone. Honestly, it feels more like the risk of getting caught.”

You slowly nodded, taking in his words as you began to form your own conclusions. Wriothesley suddenly spoke up again, his voice cutting through your train of thought.

“But- don’t worry. Nobody suspects a thing still, so I think we should be fine.” Wriothesley added, before walking over to you and leaning down to press a quick kiss against your cheek. You let out a satisfied hum when you felt the comforting slight pressure of his lips against your cheek. Being an inmate since his teens, Wriothesley often had trouble being gentle. His touches even when he tried still had a slight rough pressure to them—yet it brings you a strange sense of comfort, knowing that for you, he tries to be gentle.

You get up from your chair and bring your hand up to his face, thumb caressing the scar situated on his cheekbone with a sort of delicate affection. He only let out a quiet “Mm..” in response in that velvety voice which you rarely heard from him, tilting his head so he can lean into your touch further. You leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips, causing a soft smile to spread across his lips from the momentary, yet heartfelt gesture.

You unlocked the door and pushed it open, albeit with a bit of struggle using your shoulder considering its weight. “I should get going now, it’s getting quite late and I’d rather not sleep in the Fortress of Meropide.” He let out a husky laugh in response to your humorous comment, before leaning back in his chair and sipping his tea. “Right, I’ll see you…next year or something?” He joked, leg crossed over another and leaning back in his chair casually. You rolled your eyes with a coy smile on your face. “God Wrio, I don’t visit you for just 4 days and this is what you think of me now? I’m hurt.”

“Haha. I’m just kidding, no need to get all worked up, love.”

You shook your head in mock disappointment, not being able to hold back a low laugh from escaping you. You flashed him a quick smile one more time before shutting the door behind you and making your way out of the Fortress. Although eased by the conversation with Wriothesley, you still couldn’t shake off that unnerving feeling as if you were being watched. Every perturbed step you took sent a sort of chill up your spine. The feeling that a pair of eyes was tracing every move, every step, was practically eating at your conscience. Still, you ignored it. Put it down as you just being uncharacteristically anxious today. Once you finally arrived home, you plopped down into your bed, exhausted. Your eyes fluttered shut, practically immediately knocking you out due to how tired you were.

The next morning you went out, feeling perplexed by the indistinct chatter surrounding you. The streets of Fontaine were quite busy, but usually not this busy, it gave the hint that something probably happened. You didn’t pay any mind to it at first, since you weren’t exactly interested in unimportant gossip. However, you couldn’t help but look around with a puzzled expression once you felt every bystander’s eyes lock onto you, continuing their whispers, but now looking at you. You couldn’t help but shift uncomfortably upon seeing everyone’s gaze fixated on solely you.

You grabbed a newspaper which was neatly rolled up on a stray table situated beside a random stall in the middle of the street. Carefully slipping down the rubber band, you proceeded to unroll the paper. The cool breeze gently ruffled the thin sheets and caused them to annoyingly fold on your hands, making it difficult to read the pages. Once you caught a glimpse of the front page, your eyes widened in horror and your grip on the paper faltered, causing you to nearly drop it.

Duke of the Fortress of Meropide, revealed to be in a relationship with past inmate, (Name). Is Sir Wriothesley really reliable as the Duke anymore? Or is he visiting the outside world past the Fortress and leaving it unhuarded?

Your heart stopped as you read the caption to the photo someone took of you caressing Wriothesley’s cheek, breath catching in your throat. A sickening feeling crept up in your stomach, drowning out the bustling crowds around you as you felt yourself sink into the sea of your own mind and conscious.

Who the hell was watching you two..?

A/N: Ok I know this may not be exactly what you asked for since I left the ending up to your interpretation and I think I made it a little too creepy cause I’m feeling a lil unsettled rn sorry 😭 so if you want a part 2 to this or you want me to remake it please let me know cause I feel bad for messing it up

[businesscasualart]

If you had a fursona what animal/colour would they be?

oh baby, I DID actually try my hand at fursona making once. Idk how much I like it in terms of it being MY fursona but I had a glorious time showing it to friends who love fursonas. For malicious reasons. I’ll get into it later. So I decided spontaneously, late at night, that I wanted to try my hand at a fursona. I always loved what one could do with anthro characters, but I’ve never been great at character design. I just haven’t been creative enough for anything exceptional. But a long time ago, loosely inspired by steampunk music, I had this idea for some type of slimy, smarmy, comedically evil businesswoman. A comedically evil businesswoman who was ACTUALLY slimy: a Hagfish lady <3 Not me exactly but something I’m fine being represented by comedically! I am also unsure if a fish qualifies as a “furry” exactly, but it doesn’t have scales, and my friend who know about furries didn’t object.

I couldn’t decide if I wanted her to have a tail or legs, or breasts or no breasts (bc she’s not a mammal). I’m a big fan of hagfish, they’re so fun and fit the personality of the character I think. But I picked it for metaphorical reasons too. Brace yourself for me being over dramatic and waxing poetic a bit.

I factually know I’m a good person, but I often am riddled with guilt and think myself a worse person than I probably am. Morally I’m probably okay, and I get told I’m morally okay often, but I see myself as like…licentious, lazy, harmful to those around me, greasy, perverse, manipulative, slimy. For no reason or event in particular. I’ve just been thinking of myself like that since I was super young. I think people call it Imposter’s Syndrome but I hesitate to call it that, I’d think that same way if no one thought I was good. A hagfish is a perfectly fine fish, it’s not harmful and it’s just living its life, but uh

Nasty.

They’re okay! They’re scavengers who eat like, carcasses. The only time they do harm really is in self defense, the rubbery slime from their bodies suffocating predators. But they’re so gross, they’re regarded as revolting to anyone who sees them, I don’t know anyone else who likes they. No one can get past the never-ending, all encompassing slime.

it’s sort of a….“I think myself gross on the inside, harmless on the outside. I make a character who’s gross and trying to appear harmless and nice” deal, combined with the fact that all evidence seems to say I’m alright, and there’s nothing truly reprehensible about hagfish either.

I hope this makes sense, it’s getting real late where I am. When I make characters, I like to give them traits I have that I don’t like about myself or things that represent traits I don’t like about myself. It makes me feel better somehow. It feels like putting forth something about myself that I can’t seem to get anyone else to see? I love my OCs, so I’ll start to appreciate/ease up on similar traits myself more? I wish I’d see other people like me with my hyper specific issues/negative traits in media, so I make em? Who knows why, but I think it may be a common thing.

anyway, I haven’t used her since think she’s still fun.

Comically evil business people characters are so beloved to me

anyway, making my friends look up videos of Hagfish slime and seeing the light in their eyes die was everything <3

[avalanchesumich]

afterglow

will smith x reader

warnings: angsty, some cursing

i blew things out of proportion, now you’re blue

you sat on your bed, criss-crossed, unsure of what to do. your boyfriend had just lost one of the biggest games of his career, and the two of you had barely talked since. you twisted the drawstrings of your — his — hoodie, thinking back to almost two hours ago.

the timer counted down, and the buzzer rang throughout the arena. denver was the frozen four champion. you pursed your lips and you felt your eyes sting as your eyes locked in on your boyfriend, who looked absolutely defeated.

“he did good,” you heard his sister say next to you.

you could tell she sounded upset too, but you didn’t say anything. you just nodded your head, watching as will looked up, directly at you and his family, watching him. watching him lose. he hated it.

you blinked and looked down, not able to bear the look on his face anymore.

eventually, the team began to file out of the locker room; it was silent. no one dared to say the wrong thing to the boys.

you watched in silence as will and his family hugged it out. his mom said a few words to him, where he nodded and smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. then, he turned to you.

you tried to smile as he walked over to you slowly, but your heart hurt for him.

“hi, baby,” you said softly. you opened your arms for him, and he fell into them. he shoved his face into the crook of your neck.

your eyes tightened closed as you felt his tears against your neck.

“i know baby, i know,” you said quietly, rubbing his back, trying to comfort him.

will shook his head. “you don’t know,” he said quietly, his eyes filled with mostly sadness, but a hint of anger. “you don’t know what it’s like to work all the way up to this moment, but crumble at the worst possible time.”

your heart dropped. “that’s not what i’m saying.”

“well, what are you saying then?” will snapped. he didn’t mean to. he wasn’t sure why he was getting angry with you, but he was.

“will, don’t do this,” you begged quietly. “i know you’re upset right now. and i’m really sorry. i wish things had turned out differently, but please don’t do this.”

will caught his teammates in the corner of his eye, watching him cautiously; he could feel his family watching him too, waiting for him to say the right thing.

“you don’t know what it’s like to be in this position,” he said, his voice cracking. “don’t pretend like you do.”

“will,” you tried, your eyes welling up with tears, but he just shook his head.

“i have to get on the bus,” he said loud enough for his family to hear, not leaving another moment for objection before he took off.

“c’mon honey,” will’s mom wrapped her arm around your shoulder, leading you the other way. “what he said wasn’t right, but just give him some time, he’ll come around.”

you nodded and wiped the streaming tears off your cheeks, allowing her to lead you and her family outside.

why’d i have to break what i love so much? it’s on your face, and i’m to blame

will wanted to scream. that’s all he wanted to do; scream until he lost his voice. not only did he lose the championship game, but he felt like he lost you in the process. not that he could blame you.

he had already received a particularly mean text from his sister with how he handled his interaction with you, but she then followed it with a much nicer one regarding him and the game.

after recounting his problem with gabe, he looked over at his best friend, awaiting advice.

“you’re kind of a dick,” gabe said, his voice gravelly. he hadn’t done much talking since the final buzzer. “i don’t know, man. this isn’t really my area of expertise.”

will rolled his eyes, and laid flat on his bed. “i so fucked up.”

he swallowed the lump in the back of his throat when his best friend hummed in agreement. he didn’t know what he would do if he lost you too.

“just talk to her,” gabe suggested. “you guys have fought before. you talk then you make up. easy.”

will wanted to argue, because you’ve never fought like this. he felt sick with the way he talked to you earlier, the look on your face when those words came out of his mouth. but he knew arguing with gabe wouldn’t get him anywhere.

instead, he nodded and got out of the bed and got his shoes on and rushed out of the room and to the next floor, where your room was.



your head shot up when you heard three loud knocks on the door. you sniffled one more time and wiped under your eyes, hoping it doesn’t look like you’ve been crying for two hours straight and got up to answer the door.

you swallowed the lump in the back of your throat seeing your boyfriend. you raised your eyebrows up at him, waiting for him to talk.

“hey,” he whispered. he was sure he heard his heart shatter when he saw the dried tears on your face and your red, knowing he’s the one to blame. “can i come in?” he asked gently. “i think we should talk.”

you licked your lips and nodded, stepping aside for him to walk in.

i’m the one who burned us down, but it’s not what i meant

will took a deep breath and watched as she closed the door and went right back to where she was sitting on the bed.

“i’m sorry,” he started. “i am so fucking sorry,” his voice is coarse. “what i said back there wasn’t fair to you at all. i was so caught up in the loss and i let my emotions get the best of me.”

“will you’ve lost games before,” you shook your head. “i understand that this is a much bigger game than those, but you’ve never said that before. how is this any different?”

“it’s not,” he said quickly. “and losing it wasn’t an excuse, i know that, okay?” will sat across from her on the bed, taking her hands in his. he rubbed circles on the backs with his thumbs subconsciously. “it’s definitely not an excuse. you didn’t deserve that from me, at all. you only wanted to help me feel better, but all i could feel was embarrassment; i didn’t want you to think lesser of me because i couldn’t win tonight.”

you tilted your head to the side. “you thought that?”

will scoffed and nodded. “it’s stupid, i know,” he sighed. “seeing you crying in the stands for me, because of me, it did something to me, i don’t know. but i didn’t like that you were crying because of me.”

“i’m sorry you felt that way, bubba,” you said softly. “i could never feel that way about you. i am so proud of you. you’ve gotta know that,” you said, tears forming in your eyes. “i would never think lesser of you because of this. denver had the upper hand tonight, it’s unfortunate, but true. but that fact doesn’t make me think that you’re lesser than those guys. you have come so far this year, and i am so insanely proud of you for it. i came out here for you and i don’t regret it at all,” you stopped talking and took a deep breath. “i love you, will.”

“i love you,” will smiled, ignoring the salty taste his tears left in his mouth. “and i’m so grateful that you came all the way out here to support me,” his eyes darted down at their hands for a moment before he resumed eye contact. “i’m so sorry. i said things i shouldn’t have ever said, things i didn’t mean. i never want to do that to you again.”

“you better not do that to me again,” you said quietly, laughing lightly through your tears.

tell me that you’re still mine, tell me that we’ll be just fine even when i lose my mind

“i won’t,” he agreed. “i swear i won’t, baby.”

your smile slowly wiped from your face as you studied his expression. you couldn’t really tell what he was feeling, but whatever it was, you knew it was intense.

“are we okay?” he asked quietly. “are we gonna be okay?”

“we’re okay,” you nodded. you let go of his hand and wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. “we’re okay, baby,” you whispered as he held you tighter.

“sorry that i hurt you,” he whispered, pulling away from the hug.

“no more apologizing, okay?” you asked, leaning your forehead against his. “we go forward from here, yeah?”

“yeah,” will agreed, placing his hand on your cheek, pulling you closer to him so your lips could connect for the first time that night.

[joocomics]

HELLO!! HOW ARE YOU? i hope you are so very fantastically amazing!!

so i've been in a little bit of a silly goofy mood i fear and have recently been brought to the attention of the thing (thats the technical term actually) where the person kissing you BRINGS YOU CLOSER BY THE BELT LOOPS ON YOUR JEANS (i did not experience this. it came up in discussion with my friend in regards to lee know of stray kids. that is besides the point)

so i bring this to you humbly with: who in what band? is it self indulgent to say lee jooyeon? i'm also thinking MAYBE taehyun, soobin, intak, ode.... i am very very unsure and i feel like your beautiful brain can help me work this out bcs if i can't have it in real life i might as well know which idols would

and am i insane for feeling insane about this (be honest!!)

ANYWAY I LOVE YOU AND AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU AND CAN'T WAIT TO BINGE READ UR 1K EVENT WHEN I'M ON MY PERIOD AGAIN AND HAVE AMPLE AMOUNTS OF TIME TO SIT AND ENJOY😋😋

HIII I’M SO HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU BABE 🫶🏼 i’m doing great and i hope you are too!! oh you’re coming back with a wonderful question i love this! okay let’s see…

xdinary heroes: seungmin!!!! oh this is so seungmin core… i remember one of my first posts on this blog was about that scene from to all the boys i’ve loved before where peter has his hand in the back pocket of lara jean’s pants and then spins her around while they’re walking side by side and how it’s a thing seungmin would absolutely do… DO U KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT 😭 he’d be doing such acts regularly and he’d be super smooth with it, always catching you by surprise 🙂‍↕️ and for jooyeon i don’t think you’re being biased tbh!! you can be bickering over something silly and he’d pull you by the loops out of nowhere to shut you up with a kiss cause he’s Just a Guy and he’s heard it somewhere that girls like it

piwon: i can see intak doing it at the beginning of your relationship? (pls tell me if you get it and agree) it would happen when he’s trying to keep his composure when you’re in public; when it’s just the two of you his hands immediately go to your hips or your neck and jaw, but in case there are people around, he’d want to play it chill (and cool) and the trick with the belt loops would be a fun way to do it cause he knows it’s gonna impress you :3 i see jongseob doing it too not gonna lie!

txt: taehyun DO YOU MEAN FRATBOY TAE *wink wink* no but seriously any genre of taehyun would be into this. ugh he’d be soo smooth and swift with it like… out of everyone on this list he’d be the one doing it in a Hot way if i’m gonna be real with you 🥲 (and he’s not even my bias) i see him leaning against a wall, you’re flirting, his gaze is alternating between your eyes and lips as he’s intensifying the moment before the kiss happens 😩 it’s getting hot in here

(soobin doing this to you would be really nice but can we sometimes take a moment to discuss how it might turn him on if you pull him by the collar of his shirt to kiss him? idk how i started thinking of this bsjsks)

and if i remember correctly you don’t stan wayv but you have your eye on hendery so i just have to let you know that out of all members from wayv hendery would be the one to do this 100% like i’ve never been more sure of anything else in my life

if you’re insane then i am too! (you are not insane) <3 this was so fun let me know if you agree 😋 ahhh i love you too lovely and i really really hope you enjoy the drabbles from the event when you get around to them! rest well and as much as you can whenever you’re free 🤎

[ecargmura]

Blue Box Episode 15 Review - Birthday Girl

While I am a Hina fan, it’s super nice to finally see some Chinatsu introspective; this was much needed! It also helps that the episode is focused on her birthday, August 26, hence why it’s heavily Chinatsu-focused!

I honestly like that Chinatsu has different sides to herself regarding who it is she interacts with. We’ve seen her be cheerful around her friends, acts a bit distant with Taiki for reasons we see back in Episode 10, and now, she’s showing a more insecure, doubtful side when her mom calls her. Given that she’s talking to her mom, this unsure side of Chinatsu might be her true self in a way. I like the advice her mom gives to her. I can tell these two have a good relationship because of it.

Like how I mentioned she’s a bit distant around Taiki, she actually lets it all go in this episode as the two celebrate Chinatsu’s birthday on the beach. The scenery is really pretty with how Chinatsu just runs to the water and shows off a childish side that Taiki hasn’t seen. I think the best part about this episode is the two communicating and talking about the misunderstandings that had been surrounding them, Taiki apologized and cleared the misunderstanding of why he was with Hina during the fireworks festival. Chinatsu also apologizes for drawing a line between them and now, they’re free to be intimate all they want. We just need a confession now. Why do I get an inkling of a feeling that Chinatsu will be the one to confess?

Speaking of confessions, Hina is a champ for taking in the news of Taiki with ease. Gosh, why does my favorite character have to be the losing heroine? It’s only going to hurt once Taiki gives a slot answer to her. It also seems that Kyo overheard Taiki and Hina’s talk and seems to be aware of them. What’s he going to do with this information?

Towards the end of the episode, a downpour happens and Chinatsu and Taiki are forced to take shelter at a nearby inn as the trains aren’t moving due to a landslide. While it’s a cliche to have our leads share the same room and sleep together, it’s deserved. While they only slept in the same room but in different areas, it was cute to see Chinatsu mimicking Taiki’s head position. It’ll definitely an unforgettable memory for them.

My favorite part of the episode was easily the scenery on the beach. Blue Box does a fantastic job with the scenery that I can’t help but to screenshot them every time! I especially loved how the water glowed under the twilight sky and how the orange and lavender blended so well. It was romantic and befitting midsummer.

I’m really curious to see who will be the first to confess and how much longer it will take for it to happen. They clearly like each other and it’s mutual, but someone needs to step over and confess. Please don’t tell me it’s going to happen at the end… What are your thoughts on this episode?

[lightlycareless]

Hey, I really love the original story! I was wondering if you have any idea when the next chapter will be released? No rush, just curious !

Hello!!

Awww, thank you so much! You don't know how happy that makes me 😭❤️❤️❤️

I wish to post the new chapter before February :> I'm still struggling to write some of it because of some reason tbh, like, ughhhhh I thought I had everything planned out but you know what? I'll just write; let the characters take me where they want to be and if it's good, great. if not... I'm sorry :'v

And while that update seems a long way from now, I do have a small sneak peak I can offer in the mean time ❤️ it's the first part of the next chapter so beware SPOILERS

Just a little something for y'all 🙈🥺 thank you so much for your patience ❤️❤️❤️❤️ (p.s. i might still edit some things, but I don't think much will actually change tbh just lettig you know)

It should’ve been smooth sailing from here.

After putting in the work of saying the right words, being at the right place, knowing just what strings to pull, Taeko hoped she’d become closer to Naoya. Seen as more than just a staff member, perhaps something a bit more intimate even…

Which she was slowly becoming.

Just not the way she sought after!

For she could easily discern it in his eyes, in the manner he approached her, and the way he ultimately disregarded her in favor of whatever it was that required her attention—like you.

Taeko had been upgraded not to potential lover, but rather, a close friend.

And that infuriated her like you had no idea.

As well as Naoaki, who not only had to deal with his plans seemingly failing, having underestimated the factors that once made Naoya in his entirety, but also the maddening bickering of a servant he really couldn’t care less beyond what he could gain out from her.

“—and I’m always there, keeping an eye on him if he ever needs refreshments after training. See if he’s not boring himself when working on those—those papers he has mountains of! And instead of even considering me for, you know, something more than a friend, all that he does is whine and mope for Y/N! How he wishes she was oh, bit more interested in him; and if that wasn’t enough, he still has the audacity to ask for suggestions of gifts that she might like!” She cries. “It’s not my fault that she doesn’t seem to care for anyone but herself! I don’t even know what he sees in her, seriously… she’s not even that pretty or interesting—”

“I’d watch my mouth if I were you.” Naoaki coldly interjects, but the abrupt change in his demeanor passes undetected to her, taking it simply as a warning regarding her darling’s behavior, not his…

“I know, I know. The last time I said anything like that Naoya looked at me as if he wanted to kill me!”

Taeko ought to keep her mouth shut if she wishes to maintain her allies. The few she had, anyways.

“I would’ve done so too. I mean, I just one glance at the two and I get all I need.” Naoaki says, Taeko frowns. Though unsure of the nature behind his words, she still can’t help but feel offended.

“What did you mean by that?”

“Hmm, I guess this aspect is the only one you and Y/N are similar in, but outside of that…”

Naoya is supposed to be her final prize, the motivation to sway her from all temptations, and yet, Taeko experiences a kind of betrayal only she’d be selfish enough to pursue; was it not enough to have the interest of one of the masters, but did she need two?

Or was it jealousy towards you, and how you seemingly captivated their affections by doing nothing.

It’s not the kind of attention she should seek, if she only knew the precedent of your status, then maybe she would’ve long given up in this silly matchmaking dream of hers.

But she wasn’t even able to discern what laid clearly beneath Naoaki’s intentions. Did she really believe that a no one like her would earn the help of someone like him out of the goodness of his heart? Because he worries about his brother’s loneliness?

No.

He wanted something that Naoya had, Taeko was just a means to that end.

Like the many, countless pawns before her.

“What… what are we to do if nothing is working?” Taeko asks, doing her best to move past her disillusionment and back to her frustration, why she sought him out in the first place.

And while Naoaki much preferred to remain isolated from her, place himself above her petty issues, he couldn’t deny the fact he understood her feelings all too well.

But the only difference between them was that he’s not too distraught, for there is one thing he can always rely on when it comes to you, and that is—

“—she’s naive. Too innocent for her own good.”

It was only a matter of time before you misplaced your trusting heart into a stupid cause and got hurt because of it.

The perfect moment for him to attack.

He just had to be patient about it. Until then, he’d continue to pave the way for your downfall.

“Have you been keeping up with the other thing I told you?” Naoaki wonders, with her nodding immediately after, much to his amusement.

“Oh, yes, I have. It wasn’t that hard to do so since Y/N spends most of her time away from her bedroom.” She explains, taking out some envelopes from her obi and handing them over to Naoaki. “Turns out, she’s been keeping secrets.”

“Has she now?” Naoaki raises an eyebrow. Who would’ve thought that the overtly trustful Y/N was capable of keeping some things to herself? “What did you find?”

“Well, some letters that she’s been getting from a secret admirer.” She reveals, and at her words… well, Naoaki does his best to not lash out. After all, he hadn’t informed her of such acknowledgement—there was no reason for him to reveal his cards to her.

Still made him angry, almost feeling as if she’s wasted his time… but at least now he knows where the rest are: and that you’ve been getting more, just as he planned.

“Is that all? Just letters??”

“No. I also found a diary.”

“A diary?”

“Yeah, a notebook of sorts she writes into almost every night given the dates.”

Naoaki’s eyes widen, a smile threatening to part his lips at the thought of just what silly things you’ve written.

“Does anyone else know about this? Where is it right now?” Naoki persists. “Did you bring it?”

“No, of course not! I can’t risk Y/N suddenly deciding she wants to pour her heart out in the middle of the day and be exposed!” Taeko gasps, and for the first time in his life, Naoaki agrees with her. “But… I have read some of it.”

“And?”

“It’s just a bunch of gibberish, really. Mostly of how much she misses her family, my cousin; how Junko can be a bit overbearing—but Naoya is mentioned too.” She discloses “A lot, actually. But nothing I didn’t know anyways.”

“I don’t read minds.” Naoaki cautions, he’s in no mood to guess. “Tell me, what did it say?”

“That she’s confused about it. About her feelings towards him, if she had any—those were her own words.”

This last declaration was just what he needed to finally smile.

Seems that even after all that Naoya has done for you, you still held back when it came to accepting him.

Oh, his poor brother, he’d be heartbroken to know that all his attempts had been for nothing; that no matter how much he tried, fool others into thinking he’s a changed man—at the end of the day, his actions will continue to haunt him ‘till his death, a retribution shaped in the form of your constant rejection.

And that’s without knowing all the other dirty little secrets he’s kept for you, those nasty letters you wrote to yourself when you thought no one saw, or the futile communication you’ve wished to establish with your sister. Not that it ever happened, but a part of him knows that the controlling side of his brother wouldn’t like to hear his beloved wife had gone against his orders.

Against his trust.

“We can use this on Naoya, show him how little he actually means to her and finally—!"

“You do that, and I will personally make sure you regret ever considering coming to the estate.”

Taeko suspected Naoaki had a darker side to his attitude, carefully kept away from his charming persona to easily gain the other’s trust—but she could’ve never imagined it was this horrifying.

To be in the mere presence of his threatening, suffocating, force briefly has her reconsidering her alliance, if there was even a point to do his bidding; but her desire to have Naoya by her side eventually forces her to stay.

Besides, the two were already knees deep into this treacherous act, there was no turning back now after signing away her freedom with blood.

“Then what… what am I to do?”

“You’ll keep a close eye on the diary, a secret, and you will not divulge a single word of those contents to Naoya or anyone for that matter.” Naoaki explains. “Doing so will only compromise your position.”

Label her as unreliable and lose the mole of your inner circle.

“The diary and the letters will be sufficient to break their marriage, but only when the time is right.”

“Wh—what?” Taeko breathes. “You mean—not yet?”

No. Not yet.

Naoaki knows he just mocked his brother’s seemingly useless attempts in breaching the gap between the two, but the truth is, even he understood that your minimal consideration towards your dreaded husband were the first signs of acceptance.

An excruciatingly slow movement towards officially claiming him as your partner and moving past all the pain he’s inflicted on you.

You had to be truly stupid to believe he was a changed man, and yet, your longing heart tightly held onto the smallest glimpse of love it could find. Just so you wouldn’t be alone.

As if he wasn’t there, with you, in your darkest moments.

What did Naoya even have that he did not?

“Isn’t there something I can do now?” Taeko persists. “Something that can—that can stop Naoya and Y/N becoming closer??”

Keep quiet might be a good start.

“I don’t know, go ask that friend of yours.” Finding no use in this conversation anymore, Naoaki quickly dismisses her, causing Taeko’s eyes to snap wide open at his words.

“What friend—?”

“Have you ever wondered why some members of the family stare at you whenever passing by?”

“N—no…” Taeko confesses. She wasn’t even aware of it until now; but to Naoaki, it was only obvious from the moment she stepped onto the estate.

“It’s because you reek of cursed energy that’s clearly not yours.” He informs, starting to walk away. “If you’re going to be seeking the service of sorcerers, then at least be discreet, less you wished to be accused of treason.”

Taeko swallows.

“I’ll—I’ll be more discreet.” She quietly promises, but before he can completely disappear, she asks him one last question. “What are you going to do now, Naoaki?”

Change his game, adapt to what the circumstances demand.

Influencing Naoya no longer seemed to work, not as easily as it did many moons ago. And of course, he’s had his attempt at you which only proved fruitless given that silly way you offered your friendship to him, as if the two hadn’t dangerously approached what many would consider adultery.

But with a family as treacherous as the Zen’in, all that he had were options.

If destroying you from the inside proved too difficult to accomplish, then perhaps he’ll remind you of who truly oversees your misery.

What little power the heir has when compared to his family.

Naoaki will break you, destroy you and all you believed in into small little pieces—and when there isn’t any more to ruin…

He’ll pick you up and keep you all to himself.

🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕 naoaki and taeko

[whataperfectwasteoftime]

Common Grounds / Chapter 10

Pairing: Marcus Pike x f!Reader

Word Count: 2.5k

Rating: Chapter is T, Series is E (smut, 18+)

Warnings: plot, pining, two idiots in love, cliffhanger ending

Summary: The night of your exhibition and the culmination of Marcus's case is going well, until an unexpected (and unwanted) guest shows up...

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to @prolix-yuy, who singlehandedly rekindled my passion for this story and finally gave me the push that I needed to write down the ending that's been swirling in my brain for most of the year. Thank you also to @littlebirdsbookshelf, beta reader extraordinaire, who takes every idea and makes it better. There will be 1 more chapter in this story, plus a short epilogue!

Masterlist | Series Masterlist

[Previous / Next]

“Earth calling.”

You startle, nearly sending a large mixing bowl clattering to the floor.

“I’m awake!” you announce. If your volume is unnaturally loud, Sam doesn’t call attention to it.

“Is that why you just dumped all your diced apples into the trash instead of the bowl?”

“Shit.”

Serves you right for keeping both containers right next to each other, you suppose. You learned that lesson at home the hard way, too—that’s why you own two coffee mugs that read “Paint Water” and “Not Paint Water,” respectively.

“These stupid strudels are never going to get made,” you grumble to yourself as you grab another apple from the sink.

“Why are you off in the clouds, anyway?” Sam asks. “Marcus isn’t due for another hour and a half.”

“It’s not that,” you protest.

Sam raises their eyebrow as if to say, Really?

“Okay, it’s not exactly that,” you amend.

They hop up onto the counter beside you. “Spill.”

“I… I really can’t,” you say hesitantly, feeling guilty that you’re keeping a huge development in your life from your closest friend and supporter.

“Now you’re worrying me,” Sam remarks, frowning.

“Please don’t worry. It’s really nothing, it’s…” you trail off, unsure how you can effectively dance around the elephant in the room without giving Sam any actual details.

Sorry I’m distracted, I can’t stop thinking about the fake art exhibition I’m putting on tonight with the help of my FBI Agent boyfriend and his entire team in order to catch an art thief.

Sam looks troubled, regarding you with concern etched into their expression, but drops the issue. The two of you return to baking in companionable silence, and you try your best not to waste any more apples.

When Marcus arrives, as you could have probably predicted, Sam accosts him immediately.

“I’m gonna need you to tell me what’s going on with your girlfriend,” they say, clicking a pair of plastic serving tongs in his direction.

Marcus holds up his hands in surrender, amused surprise flashing across his features as he steps up to the counter.

“Is this a hold-up?” he jokes. “I’d have to ask her myself, since I just got here.” He turns to you, his eyes warming and smile widening as though he can’t help but do it when he looks at you. “Hello there.”

“Hey,” you grin, ducking your head shyly.

“Sam says there’s something wrong with you,” he says, raising his eyebrows playfully.

You return his smile and shake your head rapidly back and forth. “I’m great,” you insist, although you know Marcus can see the nervousness dancing behind your purposefully-cool demeanor.

Sam hands Marcus his lavender latte and one of the apple strudels—still warm from the oven. When they retreat to the back room for more supplies, Marcus is ready.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks, sotto voce. “I hate to think I’ve put you in a situation that you’re uncomfortable with. Listen, the ball is in your court. If you’re nervous about any of this, I can pull the plug on this in an instant—”

“It’s not that,” you answer quietly. “It’s—okay, it is that a little bit, but it’s just hard to keep this from Sam. They’ve supported me for so long, and this is my first art show, even if it’s fake—”

“It’s not fake,” Marcus says insistently. “It might be a convenient front for an operation, but you’ll have very real buyers there, I promise you.”

It’s a reassurance he’s offered more than once over the last month that you’ve spent preparing for this show.

“I’m sorry to make you keep this from Sam,” Marcus adds softly. “We’ll tell them as soon as we can, okay? If everything goes well, you could tell them as early as tomorrow.”

“Thanks,” you whisper gratefully.

“You’re gonna be incredible,” Marcus smiles. “You’ve put in so much work for this, and it shows.”

You smile, remembering the countless nights Marcus stayed up with you until the wee hours of the morning as you painted. Usually half-dressed, he’d sit quietly in an armchair he had pulled over to your “studio” from the other side of the living room. Sometimes he’d read, other times he worked, but most of the time he simply… watched. You lost count of the times you’d glanced in his direction and found him already looking at you, a small, serene smile on his face as he watched.

You’re so comfortable with each other, and it’s barely been over a month that you’ve been together. God. Sometimes—mostly late at night on the scant days Marcus isn’t warming the bed beside you—it spirals you into a panic. How devastating it would be if this ended. You aren’t supposed to get attached. You aren’t supposed to become emotionally invested. Your heart isn’t supposed to beat for one person, your entire body shouldn’t soar with happiness whenever you see their smiling face.

But it does. Oh, it does.

You’ve come close to blurting out the uncomfortable truth several times. After he brings you flowers at work “just because”—I love you. When the two of you make breakfast after sleeping in, using up every dish in the house to make the most elaborate crepes recipe you can find—I love you. In the dark of night, when your chest still heaves with exertion and he’s still softening inside of you, and his kisses are so gentle and unhurried—I love you.

“I’ve gotta run,” Marcus announces. He briefly places his palm over yours—never one to cause a scene while you’re working—before pulling back and giving you a meaningful look. “I’ll see you when you get off work, okay?”

“Okay.”

He gives Sam a little wave, grabs his breakfast, and leaves. Just before he disappears from view, his eyes meet yours for one last look in the cafe window.

I love you.

You wonder if the words will always be right at the tip of your tongue.

— — — — — —

After your shift, you only dither for a little while—okay, maybe the better part of an hour—over what you’re going to wear to your first exhibition. Too casual. Too dressy. Trying too hard. Too old. Too young. The pile on your bed is growing when you get a text from Marcus.

The team is ready for you whenever you are :)

Exhaling shakily, you grab a simple pair of slacks and a colorful blouse, dressing hastily, throwing on some makeup, and hurrying out of the door.

Even if your boyfriend is the team leader, it doesn’t seem smart to keep the FBI waiting.

You aren’t sure what to expect. Will he introduce you as his girlfriend? Will he hug you? Will he treat you like a colleague? Will he pretend you’re nothing to him? Will you mess everything up somehow? Will everyone at the gallery—including Marcus’s art thief—know you’re a plant?

As planned, Marcus meets you at the entrance to the building—to help you get signed in, get your visitor’s pass, and escort you up to the art crimes department. He smiles the same way he always does when he sees you—in that way that lights up his entire face—and gives you a quick kiss on the temple.

“I haven’t thanked you enough for doing this,” he says by way of greeting.

“I feel like I should be saying the same,” you comment as he gently guides you through the glass doors with a hand at your lower back.

So much for being worried if he’ll be cold and distant at work.

He walks with you to the visitor’s kiosk, and in no time at all, you’re outfitted with a real, actual building pass that reads ‘CONSULTANT’ in large, black letters. You focus on not freaking out as you follow Marcus up two flights of stairs and through a frosted glass door emblazoned with the words “Art Crimes.”

Heart hammering in your chest, you let him lead you to a large, open conference room where a dozen people are busying about. When you enter, every head turns to you, and you fight the urge to will yourself to sink into the floor. But then—a large, broad bear of a man in a tac vest cheers.

“This must be the girl!”

The entire room erupts in applause.

You blanch.

Marcus immediately turns a deep shade of red.

“Guys, I… I told you not to do that,” he says weakly, but the corners of his mouth are pulling upward in an exasperated smile.

“But it’s her!” someone shouts.

“Give her a kiss!”

“Out of line,” Marcus scolds, although the small quirk of his lips remains. “This is our consulting artist for the case. She is, for all intents and purposes, a member of this team and her contributions will be treated with all the respect and importance that the position affords. You already know how seriously I take the safety of every member of the team, and that our consultants’ and partners’ safety is the utmost priority.” He hesitates, looking down at the floor and grinning to himself. “And besides, she’s my girlfriend.”

“There it is!”

The team cheers again as you sheepishly butt your head into Marcus’s shoulder. You feel him press a soft kiss just at your hairline before straightening. “And that’s the only discussion we’re going to have about that,” he says, ears still tinged pink.

You listen carefully as plans are discussed. Most of Marcus’s team will be posing as waitstaff, carrying around h’ors d’ouevres on little trays through the gallery as they survey the room. There will be a backup team in an unmarked van in the alley one block from the gallery, where all the tech required for surveillance will be housed. And of course, Marcus will be by your side, playing the role of the gracious, dutiful boyfriend.

Caterers have been booked—all thoroughly vetted and background-checked—and are already in place at the venue. Your art was collected early this morning while you were already at work and displayed according to rough sketches you had provided to the team.

All that’s left is you.

Your heart is in your throat as you watch the agents get outfitted with invisible earpieces, unable to take your eyes off the way Marcus seems to naturally lead his team. He has the same earnest, open expression that endeared you to him the first morning he wandered into Common Grounds, but there’s also something… more. He’s effortlessly commanding, exerting authority without ever being domineering. He carries himself with ease, in his element as he goes over final preparations. He grins easily as he talks over directions with the head of the surveillance team, and when he looks up and locks eyes with you, the feeling hits you again.

I love you.

— — — — — —

Marcus’s team take several unmarked SUVs to the art gallery.

You take the subway.

Marcus’s arm is warm and solid around you, but you can tell he’s distracted; he’s staring somewhere into the middle distance with a somewhat vacant expression.

“Are you okay?” you ask, nudging him gently.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry. I’ve got twenty different voices in my ear tonight, you might have to be a little patient with me,” he says apologetically. “I promise I’ll look the part when we get inside—I’m just listening to everyone’s reports as they get in position.”

“Oh! Of course,” you laugh, feeling silly. Look the part. Right.

As if he can read your mind, Marcus gently runs the backs of his fingers across your cheekbone. “I know this isn't an ideal first exhibition, but I really hope you’re as proud of yourself as I am,” he says quietly. “And no matter how the op goes tonight, I want you to know that your success is just as important to me as catching the guy, okay?”

“What if it’s a flop?” you ask, grimacing at your own insecurity.

Marcus shakes his head fondly as his smile widens. “I genuinely don’t think it will be. You’re truly talented—I mean that, I’m not just saying it because we’re together, or because we needed an artist for this to work. All you need is an audience, and well—” he grins crookedly, “—we’ve got that covered, I think. Half the budget for this case went to advertising this show. We won’t just get the thief to show up—we’ll get half of D.C.”

You nod, awed, as always, by the man’s earnestness. As your stop is announced, he waggles his eyebrows playfully, making you laugh.

“You—you’re gonna be safe, right?” you ask in a small voice. “Like, I know there’s gonna be security and stuff around me, but like… what about you?”

Marcus chuckles. “I am the security detail. Try not to worry too much, okay? This is a highly competent team, and I’d trust every single agent here with my life.” He suddenly rolls his eyes, confusing you until he murmurs, “I knew you’d have a damn field day with that. Stop flooding the channel.”

“This is gonna be a confusing night,” you remark lightly as you step off the metro.

“Just focus on you.” Marcus squeezes your hand reassuringly. “The other stuff doesn’t exist anymore. Just you and me at your first exhibition.”

You and me.

You squeeze his hand right back.

Marcus plays his part outstandingly well. He hovers at your shoulder, a gracious smile pasted on his face as you greet guests and answer questions about your art. He lets you do most of the talking, keeping his responses to smiles and handshakes as more and more people approach you. It’s the perfect cover—you know he’s listening intently to the chatter in his earpiece as the agents canvas the spacious gallery, looking for their suspect.

You start to lose yourself in the whirlwind of the event. You hand out business cards in a haze of disbelief, shake an endless parade of hands, and watch in amazement as people look appreciatively at your paintings on the walls. Marcus was right—people are actually buying your art. You almost forget the real purpose behind the event.

“This is amazing,” you murmur to Marcus as you stroll through the gallery, taking it all in.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. Amazing—I really do mean that.” He gives you a warm, if slightly strained smile as he balances his dual responsibilities. You beam back at him. He’s so brilliant. When the night is over—whatever happens—you really should tell him how you feel. Another patron approaches you, congratulating you on your success, and Marcus shoots you a wink before stepping back and letting you have the limelight.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t sweet cheeks and her Fed boyfriend.”

You whirl around. That fucking voice. It cuts through your contentment and makes your shoulders tense with anxiety. You swallow thickly around the bad taste in your mouth, and spit out your response.

“Derrick.”

[chaos-bites]

Hello! I was wondering if you have any tips for someone interested in practicing both Hellenic and Norse/Heathen polytheism.

I’m interested in both but am unsure how to go about incorporating heathenry into my pre-existing Greco-Roman based practices

Hey there, Nonny, thank you for the interesting ask! (Adding "read more" due to length)

When it comes to worshipping multiple pantheons, just in general, I feel it's always important to first address your beliefs on multiple pantheons. Are you Omnist, where you believe there is truth to every religion just about? Are you a syncretist, where you believe there is only one or a few pantheons and the gods simply go under different names? These sorts of beliefs are important to address before moving forward, as it can heavily impact your practice, depending on what answer you come up with.

Outside of all that, I think the biggest thing is doing research on ancient Norse history, culture, and religion. My friend, @broomsick , has a lot of great resources on historical Heathen practices. They are one of the most well-read people I've ever spoken to regarding this topic and they can answer just about any question you have, from what I've both seen and experienced. I highly recommend asking them for resources on ancient Norse heathen culture and religion. There, unfortunately, is not nearly as much information about Norse mythology as there is about Greek mythology, mostly due to the fact that it was a largely verbal practice for the Norse and they didn't write things down often, but with the information we do have, you can at least learn a little bit about what culture and religion were like for Norse heathens.

A big thing to pay attention to while researching is differences in culture. For the ancient Greeks, culture massively impacted their practices and worship, and I would not doubt that the ancient Norse heathens were the same way, in that regard. Understanding the ancient culture will aid you significantly in also understanding the Norse deities that came from said culture (this is also true for Greek gods, or any pantheon, really). It will give you a better idea of how to approach them and even what may be considered taboo. A good example is that oaths were a HUGE thing in ancient Norse culture. To break an oath would be to become an oath-breaker, and that is the absolute WORST thing anyone could possibly be (maybe with some exceptions). Within ancient Greek culture, oaths are not held to the same standard. While it's certainly not a good thing to break oaths and promises, it wouldn't make you into someone that could never be trusted again, nor would it likely see you shunned for the rest of your days. The ancient Norse took oaths far more seriously than the ancient Greeks which is a notable difference in their cultures; this tells you that Norse gods will likely take oathing much more seriously and may be stricter about maintaining any oaths you make.

On top of all this, respect the fact that these deities come from separate histories. Even if you decide you are a syncretist, it is still important to respect that these deities were, at one point, separately worshipped by very different communities with varying beliefs. The only thing I recommend with this is to simply acknowledge it as a fact and respect it in your heart. I've found that acknowledging this has been beneficial to me, as it helps me to remember that the Norse deities likely expect different treatment from me than those of my Greek deities, or that they were at least treated differently in the ancient past.

Another thing to keep in mind, and something I've noticed, is that epithets don't seem to be as big of a thing in Norse heathenry. I still very much use them, and I see other modern worshippers doing the same, but overall, I have noticed that epithets don't seem to carry the same weight, at least not for the same reasons. As I said, they are still used, but rather than invoking a hyper-specific aspect of that deity or identifying who you are specifically speaking of, it seems that Norse deity epithets are meant more as respect and acknowledgement of a deity's power and status. Odin the All-father, Loki the Father of Lies, Freyr the Great General of the Gods - to me, these seem to acknowledge the power, accomplishments and status of these deities rather than their specific domains and aspects. Naturally, there are Norse epithets that acknowledge specific aspects, but knowing what I know of ancient Norse culture, I feel it is more with the intentions that I described above.

One last point I'd like to make is that I often see this stereotype floating around the pagan community that Norse deities are hyper-serious, especially in comparison to other pantheons (specifically in comparison to the Greek pantheon). This is, as mentioned, just a stereotype. Frankly, the Norse deities I've encountered have all been extremely kind, patient, understanding, and, believe it or not, fun to be around. Thor, for example, gave me this awesome "big brother" energy when I first encountered him. I felt like I could be myself and joke around easily with him. As another example, Loki has been tons of fun for me. They know how to cheer me up when I'm sad and have been an extremely comforting presence in my life. Of course, different deities will react differently, as is true for even different people, but overall, I find this weird ass stereotype to be entirely false, and I'm unsure where it stems from. You have nothing to be worried about when it comes to the supposed "hyper-sternness" of Norse deities.

I feel that's all the advice I can give without making this far longer than it already is. Genuinely, I advise seeking out @broomsick ; I know I mentioned them before, but they have been a massive help to me in my own personal journey with Norse deities. Remember that, regardless of the panteon, I always recommend being yourself with your deities and worshipping in a way that makes you feel comfortable. You don't have to be extremely serious and formal, if that doesn't make you happy. You also don't have to be extremely loose and informal, if that doesn't make you happy. Worship in the way that makes you comfortable because, just as with ancient Greece, many Norse clans (hope that's the correct term) worshipped differently from one another, and there were often contradicting beliefs between them all. There is no one way to worship or one correct answer; there is no set of rules you MUST follow. Worship the way you wish; it is your practice, after all, and no one else's.

Have a great day/night, and please take care, Nonny! Again, I hope this helps! 💚🖤

[abby-the-writer]

“This Is What Makes Us Girls”

Starter with @thecleverestorm

✧══════•���❀❁•══════✧

Esteemed

Dear Lady Maris Baratheon,

I hope my letter finds you in good health. To be honest, I’m unsure where should I start my letter. I’m partially writing this because my mother has encouraged me to do so, and partially because, even when even though Kermit and I are not as close as I am with Oscar and he’s a bit of a killjoy sometimes, I love my brother and I will always have his best interests in mind. I have never been a social butterfly, I would very much rather to stay in my room reading and writing, or with my dogs, and, honestly, I express myself better with written words than speaking them aloud; but I would like to get to know the lady whom my eldest brother has given his affections to. Kermit speaks highly of you, and I can tell he is completely smitten with you. I can only wonder what kind of woman you might be. I’d really like us to meet, and get to know each other. Maybe I could visit you whenever you have some time? Or you could visit me, I really wouldn’t mind. I shall be patiently waiting for your answer, so there is no need to rush.

Warm regards

Yours truly

Sincerely,

-Abigail Tully.

✧══════•❁❀❁•══════✧

Abby couldn’t help but reread the letter she had written for Lady Maris over and over again. She stared at the words and phrases she had crossed out and the small spots of ink on the paper, and felt embarrassment creep up her spine. She reprimanded herself for not being more careful with her writing, but she had no time to write down the final version of the letter in a clean piece of paper, so she folded it as it was, placed it inside the envelope and sealed it with red wax, painting the center of the newly pressed seal subtly with blue paint, like she always did with her letters.

Right after the letter was sealed, the door of her room opened and her mother came inside. Lady Jenny greeted her daughter with a smile and closed the door behind her. Abby smiled at her mother in return, knowing her mother encouraged her to write it with her best interests in mind, as well as Kermit’s.

“Did you finish the letter, my darling?”, she asked and Abby nodded. “That’s a good thing. I know you get nervous while interacting with other people, especially with girls near your age, but I can’t help but wish…”.

“I know, Mother”, Abby gently interrupted her. “You can’t help but wish I had more friends. I know. And I know you mean well, so don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you”.

Her mother smiled and kissed her forehead with her characteristic gentleness. Abby loved her mother more than anything in the world, but she couldn’t help that feeling of being overwhelmed with her mother’s insistence of making more friends and interacting more with the other girls. And it’s not that she didn’t want to make friends, she really wanted to, but she didn’t really know how. The mere thought of having to talk with someone other than a family member made her freeze on spot. But, anyway, Lady Maris Baratheon was going to be Kermit’s wife, so what could possibly go wrong?

“Well, my darling, I must be going. I just came here to check on you”, Lady Jenny said and kissed her daughter’s forehead one last time. “I have some thing to talk about with your father. Make sure to send the letter and don’t let it sit on your desk gathering dust, alright?”.

“Yes, Mother”, she said and nodded slightly.

“That’s my girl. Goodbye, sweetling. See you at supper”. And, that said, Lady jenny Tully left her daughter’s room.

Abby sighed and called in her most trusted handmaid, a girl named Willow, who had come with her to King’s Landing for the Winter Court. The maids sure were gossipy, which was really an advantage, but they sure were efficient. Once she came in, she curtsied and Abby handed her the letter.

“Take this letter to Lady Maris Baratheon”, she said with her usual gentle voice.

The maid curtsied again and took the letter with a quiet “yes, my lady”. Shortly after, she scurried out of the room, heading straight to do her duty.

Abby took her dog, Bread, in her arms and sat on the bed as she held him, caressing his soft orange-yellow and white fur. The dog looked at her with his usual sweet, adoring eyes and tilted his head. She just hoped Lady Maris liked her letter enough to pay an ounce of attention to her, for if she didn’t, she would’ve failed miserably. She could only pray it didn’t end in a catastrophe.

[batmanego]

how do you think jason's siblings feel about him?

this is a question i’m less equipped to answer as i’m less of a scholar of them than i am of him so take this mostly as idle musings as opposed to a more scholarly discussion… AND feel free to correct me on things.

Generally i think all of them except dick have some form of non-relationship with him. he isn’t really their brother in any sense other than bruce is their shared parent, and he doesn’t seem interested in interacting with them or participating in the trappings of familial relationships, or Not trying to beat the shit out of them when they get too close to him.

his strongest relationship (within his family) and the exception to this rule is with dick, who. Oh it hurts so badly oh it hurts dick so badly to watch jason do this to himself. he rightfully points out in the comics that jason’s quest and methods seem little more than an ill-advised suicide attempt, which i think isn’t far off. being around jason is genuinely probably painful for dick (as it would be for anyone), but jason is also uniquely(?) equipped to piss him the fuck off. dick is NOT cool with the Attempted child murder several times over thing and WILL yell at jason about it and WILL fight him over it. but i think generally in most circumstances that aren’t related to “you paralyzed my brotherson” dick has this horrible thing where he can’t be Too mean to jason or jasons going to… ?????Blow up again????. dick is the only one of jasons siblings that makes any real effort to BE jasons sibling, and he’s also the only one that jason allows this to happen with and reciprocates to some degree.

coming from conversations with my friend izzy who is a cass and damian fan: caaaaass would not/does not like jason. She understands where he’s coming from on some level but fundamentally disagrees with his methods. she can also Very clearly see that he is still little more than a terrified 15 year old waiting for batman to save him at his core, which… ??? i would feel somewhat uncomfortable having that level of knowledge about a guy that visibly dislikes me.But that’s just me. im unsure of cass’ feelings further than Dislike and a vague sense of pity.

damian. oh my god. Again it’s like unraveling the gordian knot. daaaamian… on multiple occasions beats people/the joker up in… retribution? in reference to? jason’s death. he is shown to be effected by it enough for him to take action and start swinging. on the other hand, he also??? at multiple times??? beats the shit out of jason while making fun of him for dying? and leaves a crowbar on his pillow? So basically solve his puzzle. damian and jason could be a very interesting relationship (especially if you’re like me and contemplate the timeline of things and have come to the conclusion that jason post-resurrection but pre-lazarus pit lived with talia at the same time damian would have been living there) but unfortunately the two of them kind of just largely regard each other as nuisances not worth a lot of time and effort. i don’t think damian holds the paralysis thing against jason necessarily — i don’t think he’s HAPPY about it, but i think on some level he probably understands that it wasn’t a personal choice and was more business.

tim needs jason lost at sea, but often has other larger problems going on than a guy in a stupid helmet running around.