#I'm going on a LIVE with JULIAN???
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sleepyconfusedpotato · 3 months ago
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Hi Everyone!! As I won Julian Kostov's fanart contest, I'm going to go LIVE on Instagram with him to talk about stuff Wednesday, 28 August 2024 (TODAY) on 12 PM EET! (Eastern European Time) (UTC +02.00)
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I'd love for you guys to come over for a bit and hang out!
Also, if you guys have any questions to ask to him, feel free to message me!
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vaguely-concerned · 3 months ago
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the fact that they've been blindly deceived
by those who preach, and pray and teach...
A Garashir thing I've been messing around with on and off for a while, featuring lyrics from the song 'Lion's Roar' by First Aid Kit! That song gives me such big post-war Cardassia Garashir feelings, they could trade off singing parts of it to each other and it would fit perfectly.
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caterjunes · 3 months ago
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literally YESTERDAY got a nice new pair of clippers since our old ones disappeared in the move, was finishing up trimming grayson's hair, thinking about how nice these clippers were & how they were clearly designed to be taken care of & last a long time. and then i fucking. butterfingered them directly onto the tile bathroom floor, where the casing immediately shattered into a dozen needle-like shards
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radio-4-is-static · 1 year ago
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Build It Up – Franz Ferdinand @ The Andrew J Brady Music Center
#build it up#franz ferdinand#音楽#probably not bye#SO#they did not play knock knock but this instead!!!#i remember when they played it on tour in 2019#some kind fans uploaded the live footage to youtube#but i don't think ff played the entire song in those videos??#maybe they did and i missed it but OOOHHHHHHHH#i'm really digging the direction their sound is going in lately#and i wonder if black tuesday will make a reappearance....#but yeah!!#they played stand on the horizon AND outsiders !!!!!!!#everybody in the band seemed to be having such a good time !!#so many smiles from bob :')#the spotlight on julian (whereupon the crowd went NUTS)#and it truly was incredible how they charged through each song back to back to back with so much energy#like their set time was almost exactly one hour but they really made the most of those minutes & fit so many songs in there#goddd it was so good#we were fortunate enough to get barricade & when they were done i overheard the couple next to me go 'wow their frontman is amazing!'#something something 'pixies is headlining but i see so many people here for franz ferdinand & so many were singing along'#meanwhile i was turned the other way like 😏😏😏#pixies were really good too!#we didn't stay through their whole set bc i wanted to make sure i could hand off the hob nobs to ff#but i saw them perform monkey gone to heaven !!!#one of my absolute favs !!!#and they opened with cecilia ann 🤌#such a fun night :)))#afterwards i had a nice chat with bob & dino & i briefly said hi to julian -- genuinely some of the kindest people 🥺
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sparkly-skies · 2 years ago
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Simon (Bass, oder auch der im Rock mit bmth shirt) von Lonely Spring sah mal so aus?! Also vor 6 Jahren, aber was?
Ja. Okay. Dann halt noch ein Chamäleon. Kann ja nicht nur Aleksi so sein.
Sehr nett, dass du "von Lonely Spring" dazu geschrieben hast 😂 erkennt hätt ich ihn wahrscheinlich nicht, aber ich hätt mir dann gleich gedacht ah ja, muss einer von den neuen blorbos/the boys tm sein.
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plexippusangel · 4 months ago
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Never mind I ended up yearning anyway
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walkingstackofbooks · 1 month ago
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@hingabee #this is cute but i want a twist on it where sec31 exploits exactly this and somehow manages to make garak (unwillingly i suppose) complicit#in driving julian fucking insane#turn his one safe harbour into his downfall tee hee
Oh my god, YES. This is insanely evil and I am so here for it!
I guess if they released a toxin on DS9 that only affected Cardassians, maybe modelled on the Empok Nor one, but that was made to interfere with a Cardassian's memory? Garak being aware and frustrated that his memory is becoming less reliable but not being able to work out why, and eventually confessing to Julian that he thinks he might need medical help because something's definitely wrong...
And Julian not believing him and assuming that this must be a holographic version of Garak bc s31 knew they couldn't replace him perfectly so they had to make an excuse as to why he's acting differently. But Julian's not going to fall for that.
(Bonus points for this happening after Tears of the Prophets and Julian having all the puzzle pieces slot into place in his mind of: "Ohhhh, Jadzia's not really dead, that was all holographic too to make me more vulnerable and less likely to notice the change in Garak. Well, screw you, Sloan - I've worked out that none of this is real and I'll do anything to get back to my real life where Jadzia's alive and Garak's Garak."
And everyone else is at their limit because they're all grieving Jadzia and now Julian's seemingly breaking down with his refusal to believe that any of this is real, they're having to try and convince him that Jadzia really is dead. Which is really not any fun at all.)
After Inquisition, Garak becomes the only person that Julian really trusts and feels safe around. Because Section 31 might be able to get enough data on his friends to be able to code a hologram to impersonate them, but it's impossible to imagine them managing to get anything on Garak.
(And much less bothering to find out Garak's views on various literature they've discussed over the years. Both of them having an eidetic memory also really helps soothe Julian's anxiety over whether or not this is real or another holosuite illusion, because he can recall any shared memory and Garak can -for-word finish it off.)
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cuterefaction · 1 month ago
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Trektober Day 21 - Canon Event Fix-It. I have a lot of these (Dr Pulaski stays and has a rivalry with Crusher, Sulu is in all of season 2, Tasha survives the evil puddle, Ziyal lives and dates Jake, Julian goes to Cardassia at the end of DS9, etc etc etc) but this will always be my biggie.
Like, seriously. Miles. You are there. You literally saved a person that medical science could not save (albeit with Geordi and Data teaming up) only a few years ago. Did you not remember? Can you not tell Julian to put your buddy in stasis for a few hours while you reprogram a single computer?
This of course brings up a bit of a major problem with Trek. We've seen so many different issues be solved that when they crop up later we can look at them and go '... don't you know how to deal with this?' - especially when it involves the same characters.
I'm seeing Miles in my mind's eye being at dinner a decade later and suddenly just freezing up and slapping himself in the face.
Anyway. We could have double Dax. It would be EASY. Jadzia would be such a good and terrible influence on Ezri. People would be constantly so confused.
This was a bit of a bugger to do in one day for the challenge so I may draw it more coherently in the future.
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f0ofishies · 3 months ago
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You were the little sister of Julian Loki. And you were also deaf, not that it mattered anyway. You've been using a hearing aid to help with that. Being Loki's sibling, you've also grown to love football. He'd teach you how to kick, pass, and even score against him. Notably, you also look similar to him– some may think you're twins.
Being a part of PXG, too, just like your brother came as a surprise. You were the only woman there who could actually keep up with more teenage boys. So, when fans found your interactions with other players, they couldn't help but fantasize if you were at least into some of them.
So when your big brother, Loki, was scrolling through his phone. He sat, watching a ship edit between you and the other guys, others have fantasized. Immediately springing up to action, yelling out your name. "Tell me what's the meaning of this..?!"
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Itoshi Rin
You were lazily chatting up with Rin in a call. Occasionally, you two have been decent friends, even with how awkward this man is. Your eyes finally widened, the way your brother was yelling must've been important. Feeling atleast a groan coming up, you've quickly signed to him like you do in sign language.
Loki was immediately a bit fired up, the usual calm brother you know was a bit annoyed. "You're talking with Rin again?" The way he said it felt like it was something personal, and spoken in french too. "Yeah? is that alright?–"
"Not really, I just needed a talk with you." A talk? Now, this was serious, none of you were going to have a siblings quarrel even.. You were just so confused until he pulled out his phone.
"Look at this..!" The phone illuminated to show some tiktok edit going viral– even Rin from the camera could see it if he squinted. As you watched in anticipation– you realized it was an edit with both you and Rin. Then, let out a small gasp, Rin was even more alarmed now.
"Oh my God, bro..??" You let out a small voice after the edit ended, and it started replaying. "So, are you two keeping something from me?" He finally let out the question in English.
"Absolutely not!"
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Charles Chevalier
He usually visited you and your brother quite often, considering how him and Loki had been training him to be his own passer. It's a bit weird, but you didn't mind not being at the field much anyway. Charles was a weird guy to, he's lounging on the sofa like a kid.
Loki didn't understand why he was even here, hanging out with them on an off day. But he decided to just scroll his phone. When you finally reached the living room, Loki was already scolding Charles for God knows how long. Charles just hummed closing his ears with his palms.
"Big bro?" His mouth immediately shut up at the sound of your voice. "Oi..! Your brother has been scolding me..!" Charles quickly whipped to your direction as Loki let out a small sigh. Straying past your brother quickly, over to your side.
Loki looked absolutely disappointed at Charles. "Did you know that these people like the edits of you two?" Now that made you confused. You were just grabbing a cup of tea, and now your brother was talking nonsense. "These people are thinking you both are dating!"
Then the phone's brightness casted onto your eyes, even glaring the light on you. Eyes widening infact– as the video played. It's a really lovey dovey song on that too, "Brother what are you on about!"
"Are you sure he's getting too close–" "I'm sure!"
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Isagi Yoichi
Now you've only met him through the match between PXG and Bastard Munchen. Exchanging phone numbers, and you've grown to actually appreciate him. So, in a day off, you eventually met up with Isagi. No, what you both didn't know is that some fans recognized you, and it's gone viral.
Loki was just scrolling through his feed for the day, and his thumb stopped on a certain post. It was pictures of you and Isagi displayed on a thread. Investigating further, he found an edit of you two. Even the PXG boys asked Loki on the matter–
Let's just say you came home, with an investigating Loki. Your brother had never usually been this invasive in your space. Not when he's literally right by your shoulder as you had a call session with Isagi.
"Uhm, big bro..?" Your voice low, his head finally tilted downwards to meet your level. You heard his loud voice booming across the house already. "You and that Isagi.. are you guys together?" Certainly, you could hear Isagi coughing.
Even the other voices perked up in Isagi's end. Looks like the Bastard Munchen's dorm was alive and up to hear onto Isagi. "No?–" You were immediately questioned and even showed the evidence on Loki's phone. "Brother, we're just friends?" Loki's mouth pressed to a flat line.
"I swear– we have nothing like that."
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patsmassivekeychain · 11 months ago
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Ok more coherent thoughts now. I can already see how this ending is probably going to be divisive and to an extent I understand why. Before it aired, I wasn't keen on the idea of the show ending like this. People don't like endings where the found family go their separate ways, except that isn't really what's happening here. And I think the way they did it was perfect.
Alison has come in and completely turned these ghosts' unlives around. She's given them purpose, connections with the outside world and each other, and above all a lack of boredom. Boredom is one of the main existential challenges the ghosts face. Alison isn't abandoning them to what they had before she came - she's leaving them with the tools to actually live rather than just exist after her.
And she's not gone forever! Families don't have to live together to be family. She comes back and visit them regularly! Maybe it's just because I moved out from my parents' in the last few years and I'm back for Christmas, but her being a regular at the hotel, coming back and visiting them at least every Christmas (maybe more) was very moving to me. Just because she's moved out doesn't mean they're not still family.
Having it become a hotel is a nice bookend and I bet it's improved the ghosts' quality of unlife a lot. As I said, their biggest challenge has always been boredom. A hotel/golf course probably isn't at all boring. How many affairs do you think Julian has watched? It's perfect for them, with all the people coming and going. I bet they even stage the odd haunting for fun. A constant, varied existence is a great fate for them.
Ending the episode with the plague ghosts was PERFECT. Obviously, it was great to see them again and it was hilarious as they always are. But it struck me just how much this decision has improved their situation - they've gone from dingy cellar to sauna. And that's the analogy of how much things have improved for all the ghosts.
Change is scary. It's sad when things come to an end. But sometimes it's for the best. And an end doesn't always mean a closed door.
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The Arcana HCs: M6 and Kisses
~ enjoy :3 ~
Julian
Kissing him is never unemotional
Heated moments aside, Julian gives you both planned and unplanned kisses. Depending on the mood and context, how that feels and how that progresses can change drastically
He loves "occasion" kisses, tiny little pauses of the day's etiquette where he gets to swoop in and leave a peck on your cheek. Hello kisses, goodbye kisses, thanks-for-checking-on-me-at-2-AM-because-I'm-still-awake-from-thinking-too-much kisses ...
... though that last kind is less likely to be on the cheek, and more likely to be the most tired, grateful "thank you" you've ever heard, whispered against your lips as he trails after your touch
Unplanned kisses happen whenever someone says or does something that reminds him of what you mean to him. Between his scholar's brain and bleeding heart is a vast sea of sentiment
Maybe it's seeing one of the South End vendors, stooped with age, quietly lighting up as their equally weathered partner walks by on the other side of the canal and blows them a cheeky smooch
He never thought he'd live long enough to look like that, but now all he can think about is how he can't wait to be that with you
Then he's making good use of that massive coat of his, catching up to you in two long strides, pulling you into one of those all-encompassing hugs before he swoops the cape of it between you and prying eyes so he can pour his soul into a heartfelt kiss
Asra
Never the same and always the same, somehow
They don't care to be publicly vulnerable, so you're not going to get any lingering kisses in the street, or the market, or the tavern
But considering the extent to which his love for you has completely consumed him, he can't not express affection for you
And besides, they've never been conventional. Why limit themself to your face when you've got a whole body?
Unexpected kisses peppered across your knuckles when you hold hands. A subtle peck to the pulse point below your ear when he leans in to whisper something to you. The briefest brush of his lips against the back of your shoulder as you stand and wait together
All this without ever expecting anything in return - doing anything similarly sweet and subtle back will result in a blushing, stumbling, zoned-out magician and a laughing snake
Privately, kisses aren't about a heated moment (though they have been known to play into them, when you were interested ...)
They're about savoring you, lingering on the gift of your warm, living presence, delighting in their chance to luxuriate in finally expressing every ounce of devoted adoration for you
For someone as playful and creative as he is, every moment your mouths meet is a little different, a little new, that childlike curiosity excited to find yet another way to feel you
All while that loyal, bone-deep love feels like coming home
Nadia
Kissing her feels like you're being blessed
Getting kissed in public is almost always a statement of some kind. Each brush of her lips against your skin carries the weight of an important message
Anything from a kiss to your wrist, telling you that you handled a tricky situation well, to a firm kiss on your mouth, telling everyone around you that you are her most important person
It could be easy to feel you're just another face orbiting her, with how naturally she commands the attention of a room and takes charge of any situation and brings it into line
But when every moment of contact is designed to honor you, to credit you with the leader she's become, you may find that not sharing the spotlight with her is almost impossible
In private, kisses are raw and unrefined
They're still purposeful, but there's no grand painting to be a part of. The woman next to you is not the Countess, but the person who trusts you wholeheartedly and expects no less in return
Dizzying intensity, feeling every emotion freely expressed against your lips, watching her thoughts flit across her open, unguarded face. She desires vulnerability and abandons ceremony in her rush to be close to you. If there's no walls between you, why hold back?
Being the sole focus of such a powerful, regal person feels a bit like taking the concentrated power of the sun. Except it's Nadia, and her neverending need to saturate you with her love
Muriel
Kisses with him are tender
Halting and awkward, at first, and a little lost as he gets his practice, and much more involved and intense as time goes on, but never lacking in gentleness and consideration
You can count the amount of times he's kissed you in public on one hand. He is not into PDA by a long shot
Luckily for you, you two live in the woods. Being in public requires planning ahead. Being in private is another normal day
Casual kisses take time. They're never thoughtless, instead being something you receive in a split second after about ten minutes of intense mental planning and preparation on his part
Over time, you find it's easier for him to give you casual kisses with his fingertips - brushing your cheek gently, pressing one finger to his own lips before lightly tapping it to your nose
He has accidentally kissed your nose when he was aiming for your mouth multiple times now. The only way to convince him to get past it and keep initiating kisses was to make it an inside joke
Kisses for him are a way to reaffirm every silent promise he's made you. Whether it be his commitment to sticking life out with you, to healing, to growing, to protecting, to nurturing with you
To him, it's the weighty comfort of building a new home and family with you. To you, it's safety and trust and security and gentleness beyond imagining. Not the most heated, but always warm
Portia
Kissing her is like bubbling over
She loves fiercely and without restraint. If you're hers and she's yours, there is no reason to hold back
Kisses are her extension of general physical affection. She'll stand with her arm around you, nuzzling into your cheek as she teases you in conversation and planting a kiss there while she's at it
She's also so openly affectionate towards anyone she cares about that there's next to no room for anybody to feel awkward
If it's in reach and she's happy you're with her for the hundredth time that day, she's kissing it. Shoulders, arms, hands, elbows, nose, cheeks, hair - there are very few limits
Kisses in private don't get outrageously creative, but they take on a whole host of meanings for someone as expressive as she is
Frustrated kisses when she feels like she's failed, excited kisses when she's got a new idea, flirtatious kisses that make you feel those new couple butterflies after decades of life together
"You're irresistible with flour in your hair" kisses, scattered all across your face in her sunlit kitchen before she pulls you in for something longer and deeper and sweeter
"You make life feel like a storybook" kisses, full of suspended disbelief and excited giggles and romantic embraces
"You make me the main character of my story" kisses, lingering long as she holds you to her chest and savors your companionship
Lucio
Kissing him is an adventure
He wasn't used to kisses meaning much more than a good time. At least, not before you. By the time he met you, the ability to feel warmth and basic touch was overwhelmingly precious
As easy at it is for casual affection to be simply casual for him, it's never unappreciated, and certainly not taken for granted
Has no issues with PDA. If he wants a kiss, and you want a kiss, then it's time to enjoy a kiss. Anybody who has a problem with it is free to look in any other direction (though he's not thinking that far)
From moment to moment, they're the added spice to a good life. Sudden, rushed, sloppy kisses on the road just because he can, and because he's about to disregard that "no trespassing" sign
In quieter moments, kisses become so precious that each one feels like a polished gemstone falling into your lap
He's been starving all his life for a true connection, for a reliable affection that tells him it's safe to believe you when you tell him that you love him. He may act entitled, but he's not oblivious
Holding such a rollercoaster of a man while he loses both himself and all of his emotions in the safety of your kisses is enough to get you a little lost too, if you let yourself get drawn in
As much as he might grandstand and monologue as he puts all that leadership charisma into charming you, the moment you hold his face in your hands, he's clinging to your soul and offering his own in return. Through his mouth. Into your mouth. Again, please -
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vaguely-concerned · 4 months ago
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more for the garashir fairytale grab bag AU I am never going to actually write: garak knows exactly what would break his curse from the start, he just never tells anyone for the longest time b/c he's so sure it could never happen
(it's asking forgiveness, of course. he thinks it's tain's forgiveness he needs, and tain is fucking dead and knew he would be by the time garak woke up so it seems the perfect unbreakable parting fuck-you revenge curse. and garak would expect nothing less from his father than that, so he's resigned to dwindling away painfully. enter julian bashir and his fierce force-of-nature compassion (and also secret illicit immense magical powers) with a steel chair!!! to go 'OH YEAH??? we'll see about that', as you might expect. oh. OH necromancer-ish julian calling tain's ghost up to ask him about what the hell he did and how to undo it, ala his gambit to go see him the wire? and the knowledge he gains from that is what confirms garak's suspicions as to what is Up with this handsome young healer mage because it could be known only by those long dead. cue east of the sun west of the moon part of the narrative once julian understands his game is up and runs away??
anyway getting some true love's kissing in by the end of it all is just a nice bonus it's not needed like strictly magically for either of their situations lol)
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endofthelinepal107 · 3 months ago
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henry winter - praise fucking dionysus
{a secret relationship can only stay so secret when everybody's immersed in a bacchanal. dionysus is the god of debauchery, not secrets.} 11k words
notes: kinda OC henry, henry's a virgin, the twins are NORMAL, no bunny, ngl the original draft of this is even more depraved than this one but i edited it down to make it slightly less alarming (what can i say i'm down bad for henry)
warnings: explicit(!!!) sex scenes, cursing, kinda dom/sub dynamic, mention of ritual sacrifice
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You arrived home late. There were plenty of excuses you could give. Julian had given you too much work. The book Henry had recommended to you was a slog. It was too warm to take the car. Really, there was only one reason: you were avoiding your friends. Or, more specifically, you were avoiding Henry.
It wasn't his fault.
Over the past few months, you had started to see your friend in another light. It had taken you a while to realise what the feeling was. You weren't always very perceptive about yourself. But, luckily, you had Francis and Richard, who very quickly pulled you aside and demanded to know why you were suddenly head over heels for Henry Marchbanks Winter.
Richard was the least surprised out of the three of you. He'd become friends with you and Henry at the same time, and therefore seen the two of you together in a different light to everyone else. Your other friends wouldn't have noticed how similar you and Henry were, after knowing you both so long. They wouldn't have seen the way that Henry's eyes changed when he looked at you, or how your eyes flitted to meet his when the two of you were in the same room.
It seemed sensible, distancing yourself from Henry for a bit. Maybe if you could spend less time with him, you'd be able to let your feelings fade away. Hopefully, he'd be out of sight, out of mind. So that was the plan you'd gone with. For two weeks, you'd barely seen Henry outside of Greek. If he noticed, he didn't make it obvious.
That was when Francis decided to thwart your plans. He and Richard wanted to see the two of you together. So they organised a spontaneous holiday to Francis' house in the country. The two of you would be forced into the same house for weeks. How could you possibly avoid him?
That was why you were late getting home. Because you knew that they were all waiting in your living room, chatting about the plans for the holiday. Henry's car would be parked in the driveway, behind yours. His keys would probably be in his hand, resting on the table. Everybody would still be in their coats, ready to go.
You slowly pushed open the front door.
"There she is!"
"Finally!"
You smiled tiredly, shuffling into the room. The scene was laid out just as you'd imagined it. The only deviation from your prediction was that Henry was sitting in your chair. Your eyes landed on him, resting on the comfortable seat and then his body in it. His gaze flicked to you, stayed for a moment, then settled on the glass of whisky he was nursing.
Why was he in your seat?
"Everybody okay?" You asked, walking in. There was a brief moment where you hesitated, unsure of what to do with yourself now that your designated seat was taken. Everybody noticed you fumble, glancing helplessly at Henry in your chair. Your eyes didn't meet his, but you knew he was watching you. All you could wonder was why he was doing this. He knew just as well as anyone that the chair was where you sat, every day, every night.
Francis came to your rescue. "Take no notice of him, Y/N," he said lowly, voice smooth. "Got a perfectly good seat for you right," he paused, resting his hand on your wrist and giving you a moment to move away. When you didn't, he pulled you onto his lap. "Here," he finished. His slender arms wound around your waist, head resting on your shoulder. Henry watched in silence from your chair. He and Francis exchanged looks. One was filled with smug satisfaction. The other was perfectly unreadable. Both raised the tension in the room.
"Well, I'm good, thank you," Camilla said loudly, effectively breaking the tension. Most of you looked at her with gratitude. "I can't believe Julian agreed not to give us homework over the vacation."
Charles chuckled. "Well, the request did come from his favourite student."
"He wants us to have a break," Henry shrugged. "We should just be grateful."
Richard nodded. "I'm sure he'll make up for it when we get back anyway. Let's just enjoy it while we can."
"Papen's right," Francis piped up. "We should enjoy it! So let's go enjoy it! Right, Y/N?" He had jumped to his feet by now, clutching your hands in his and pulling you close. When he saw a smile start to creep onto your face, he continued dramatically. "Let's run away to the country! We'll dine on wine and bread! We'll wander the hills under the morning sun! We'll cherish each day and go to sleep with a smile!"
An incredulous snort of laughter left your nostrils as you gripped Francis' hands. "How many drinks have you had, Francis?"
"One," he replied.
Camilla pointed at the stack of margarita glasses on the coffee table. "Five," she corrected dryly. "But I agree with the drunk. We should go now. That way we can spend as much time there as possible."
"Alright. Who's driving?" Charles asked. He stood up, throwing an arm around his sister's shoulders. You suspected it was more for balance than anything else.
Richard stood too. "Who isn't drunk?"
"I'm not."
"I'm not."
Henry's eyes met yours for a moment before you looked away.
"Great," Francis smiled. "Y/N can drive. Henry's driving makes me feel seasick." He walked out of the house. Camilla and Charles followed. Henry stood by the window, sipping his drink while you and Richard cleared up the glasses your friends had left.
Richard’s eyes were on Henry as he spoke to you. "Francis has a plan, you know."
"I guessed so," you nodded. "Are you at liberty to tell me what it is?"
Richard looked towards you. Simultaneously, you saw Henry turn to look at him. "Actually, I sort of want to see if it'll work."
"Fair enough," you shrugged, nudging him with your elbow as you walked past to put the dishes by the sink. "It's not going to, but if it was you or Francis involved, I'd probably do the same."
Henry looked between the two of you blankly. He had no idea what you were talking about. Richard smiled. "I think we all would. We all want to see each other happy, right?"
"I don't think this is the way it's going to happen, though," you reasoned, walking back over. Before he could say anything, you nodded towards the door. "Okay, you go first, I need to lock up." You turned your head towards Henry but didn't quite meet his eyes. "You too, Henry."
Richard hummed, disappearing out of the door. Henry lingered. You went upstairs to grab your luggage. When you came back down, he was setting his glass down by the sink. "I shouldn't have taken your seat," he said suddenly, his low voice loud in the silent house.
"No," you agreed. You were a little too tired to try and please him. "Can I get past you? I need some coffee if I'm going to be driving."
Henry didn't move. "Are you tired?"
"Yeah," you nodded. You were in front of him now. "So...can you move, please?"
He looked at you, dark blue eyes staring you down. You had to look away. "I don't think you should drive. You should sleep."
"I can't sleep in moving vehicles. Thanks, though," you shrugged.
Henry shook his head. "Then you can rest. I'll drive."
"Francis said-"
You caught the end of something flashing across his face. Anger, or jealousy, maybe. "I don't care what Francis said. I'll drive." He walked back over to the table, seizing his keys from the table and marching out of the front door. You followed a few steps behind, watching awkwardly as he ordered everyone out of your car and into his. Francis opened his mouth to protest and was silenced with a surprisingly harsh glare.
"What happened?" Richard whispered in your ear, standing beside you as he waited for everyone to sort themselves out.
You shrugged. "Nothing. I don't know what's wrong with him."
"Did you tell him that Francis didn't want him to drive?"
You laughed. "I did. You can try telling him again, if you like. There's a chance you'll end up under the car instead of in it."
"I’ll give it a shot," he decided. "You know how annoying Francis gets when he's feeling sick."
You hummed. "Say it loud, so the others are listening in. Maybe it’ll make him listen." He nodded.
"Henry," he called. The tall man turned around, looking at Richard with a blank expression. "I'll drive. Francis gets sick when you drive." Before Henry could protest, an idea occurred to Richard. "Also, there's not enough seats for all of us."
Henry frowned. "Another one of us driving won't change that."
"Oh," Francis murmured from the passenger seat, smiling over at Richard in understanding. "Henry, there's not enough seats. I'm in the passenger seat. Richard'll be in the driver's seat. Camilla and Charles are in the back. There's only one seat left. You and Y/N still have to get in."
The realisation of what they were saying dawned on Henry before it could dawn on you. Richard saw this and nodded towards you. Francis continued for your benefit as Henry tried to make a decision.
"If you drive, Richard and Y/N'll have to squeeze into that one seat together. There isn’t enough space for them to sit next to each other. Richard would have to sit her on his lap." Francis spoke with a particular relish, knowing just what to say to sway Henry's decision. "If that's okay with you, then sure, drive. But if it's not.."
You finally understood what Richard and Francis were telling Henry. The last bit had been mainly for your benefit, but it still served to push Henry into making a choice. He took a step away from the car, nodding towards Richard.
"Fine." Your eyes widened in surprise. Wait, what? Before you could protest, Henry was sliding into the backseat and looking up at you. His face was shaded in the darkness of the evening. "We should leave now," he said simply. The hidden words rang out clearly in the silence: come and sit on my lap, before this gets worse.
You didn't say anything. There was a long pause as you stared at him. Then, still wordlessly, you ducked into the car. Henry's hands rested on your waist, guiding you to his lap. As soon as your back was resting against the place where the door met the car, his hands fell to his sides. There wasn't much space on his left because of Camilla, so his hand ended up wedged beneath his thigh.
Richard started the car.
--
Richard and Francis' plan had been a clever one. But it had one major oversight: they hadn't considered how awkward you and Henry were. They'd had a certain image in mind when they began. Something romantic, like the two of you holding hands or you leaning your head back against his chest and kissing his jaw. Instead, they got two of the stiffest people ever known to man. Henry was sitting so straight that he looked like he was experiencing rigor mortis. You were so still you looked like you were carved from stone. Both of your eyes were wide and panicked.
But, slowly, the two of you relaxed. There was only so long that muscles could stay so tense and eventually you had no choice but to loosen up. Henry melted into the chair beneath you. The curve of your back slotted into his front. Your head rested against the window. Your eyes met in the glass. Francis noticed the change and switched the radio on, giving the two of you the illusion of privacy.
Henry hummed, getting your attention. Everybody tried really hard to look like they weren't listening. "I apologise if I'm making you uncomfortable," he murmured.
"You're not," you whispered back. You turned your head to look at him. Both of your breath hitched; he was far closer than you had realised. His dark eyes bored into yours as you pressed the back of your head against the window, trying to maximise the few inches of space between his face and yours. "You make a comfortable seat," you joked, trying to alleviate the tension. Charles bit back a chuckle at the look on your face as you realised how inappropriate your remark had sounded.
Henry, with all his bookishness, wasn't well-versed in innuendoes. He didn't pick up on the crudeness of your joke. At least, not before he returned the sentiment. "I'm sure you're a wonderful place to sit too." When you looked completely uncertain, he realised how he sounded. There was a pause as the two of you blinked at each other. Then the corner of your mouth twitched. As the two of you laughed quietly in your little corner of the car, you quickly forgot about the others.
"But, seriously, Henry, you're not making me feel uncomfortable," you promised once you were calmer. He nodded. You could still see a flicker of disbelief hiding behind his eyes. Up this close, it was easier to see through the mask of indifference Henry put up. It still wasn't easy, but he was definitely more readable up close. You could see how unsure he was of where to put his hands and how to look at you when you were so near to him. You could see the fatigued twitch of his right eye and pick out each eyelash.
Your inspecting gaze didn't bother Henry too much. It gave him the opportunity to take a good look at you too. He appreciated every inch of skin, every flutter of your eyelids, every line on your lips. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course," you nodded, looking up to his eyes. "You can ask me anything."
Henry felt a little warmed by your simple, genuine words. "Have you been avoiding me?"
He watched indecision flicker over your face. You considered lying to him, preserving his feelings. Then you considered telling him the truth, which you knew he'd like more. "Yeah."
"Will you tell me why?"
"I don't think so."
"Okay," Henry nodded. His eyes drifted to the hedge that was flashing by outside the window as he processed your words. "Will you stop?" You faltered. Henry filled the pause. "I want you to stop."
His words, spoken so matter-of-factly, took you by surprise. You couldn't help but nod. "Fine. I'll stop avoiding you." How could you refuse him? You'd never known Henry to be so upfront about something like that, something emotional.
"Thank you," Henry murmured. You hummed in response. The two of you turned your attention to the window, silently watching the scenery flashing by. Slowly, Henry moved his hands to hover over your lap. "Can I touch you?"
You were careful not to show how much his words affected you. "Sure." His hands rested in your lap. One of his arms shifted to wrap around your middle, fingers grasping the material at your side. Wordlessly, you dropped your hands down to rest with his. Henry turned his hand over, palm-side up. You slipped your hand into it. His fingers closed around yours.
--
By the time you reached the country house, it was early morning. The sky was still dark but the black was starting to melt away, slowly but surely. It took a while to get everyone's stuff in the house. Everyone opted to dump it and sort it out after some rest. You all traipsed upstairs to sort out sleeping arrangements. Francis and Richard's plan began to swing into motion again.
"So, there's six of us and five bedrooms," Charles pointed out superfluously. "Who's sharing?"
Francis chuckled. "I think the better question would be who's not sharing. Me, for one."
"Me," Richard agreed.
"Me," Camilla chimed in.
"Me," Charles nodded.
You blinked, a little too tired to catch on. Henry looked at you, then at the looks on Richard and Francis' faces. He sighed, unamused. "Oh, I see what you're trying to do."
"What? What are they trying to do?" You asked him.
He looked at you again. You could see dark circles beneath his eyes. You couldn't remember if they'd been there forever or just that night. "They're trying to get us to share a room."
"Oh," you nodded. "I don't mean to make things difficult, but I'm too tired to argue. I'm going to sit outside for a little bit." You disappeared down the stairs. They heard the front door open and shut.
Henry turned to glare at the others. Charles raised his hands in surrender. "What? She wasn't upset."
"You shouldn't try to make her uncomfortable," Henry insisted.
Camilla shook her head. "Actually, I think it's a good idea that you and Y/N sleep in the same room. I think she'd be most comfortable with you, out of all of us."
"And we all know you would be plenty comfortable with her," Francis pointed out.
Henry chose to ignore his comment. "Are you sure?" He addressed Camilla. When she nodded, Henry took a step towards the stairs. "Fine." He started to walk down.
Charles couldn't resist calling after him. "We better not wake up and find the two of you fucking on the front porch!"
"Why am I friends with these people?" Henry muttered to himself, opening the front door and slipping out.
You looked up at him from where you sat, perched on the swinging chair. "That bad?"
"Charles said.." Henry trailed off, deciding not to tell you what he had actually said. "He was just being an idiot."
You smiled. "Nothing new there, then." Your eyes flicked up and down his form. "You can come sit down, if you like."
Henry nodded, crossing the deck in a few strides. He sat down beside you. The swinging chair was too big for one person, but it was a little small for two. It was still comfortable. You were grateful to have a little warmth from his body pressed against yours. Henry had expected to feel uneasy being so close to you. However, he found that after sitting in the car with you for so long, he savoured the intimacy.
"Every time we come here," you said, voice clear in the crisp morning air. "I see you come out and sit here. I always thought that you looked peaceful out here. I thought I'd try it."
Henry glanced at you, smiling ever so slightly. "I have trouble sleeping. I wake up early. And when we're in a place like this, I feel like I should take it in. And you're right, it is relaxing."
"Blest who can unconcernedly find hours, days and years slide soft away in health of body, peace of mind. Quiet by day, sound sleep by night; study and easy together mixt, sweet recreation," you recited softly to yourself. You hadn't meant it for Henry's benefit, it had just popped into your head. You'd read it a few days earlier and the conversation made the poem spring to mind.
He looked at you. "Who is that?"
"Alexander Pope," you replied.
Henry hesitated before shaking his head. "I don't know him."
"Well, he's not Homer," you joked.
He smiled slightly sheepishly. "I read other things too."
"Like the Lexicon?" You continued to tease, liking the pink you could see tinting his ears. Henry smiled a little brighter, looking straight ahead. You hoped that this mini-holiday would be full of moments where you got to see him like that. "You know, when I found out about your obsession with Homer, it made perfect sense."
Henry was gazing up at the sky, admiring the soft pinks and oranges as the sun rose. "Mm?"
"It fits you," you nodded. "There were always a few quotes that reminded me of you. Like..." You wracked your brain. "Beauty, terrible beauty. That's just like that time you said beauty was terror."
He looked over at you. "Did I say that?"
"Yeah," you hummed. "To Julian. You really struck a chord in Richard, I think."
Henry nodded, pride swelling in his chest. Not only had he inspired a friend, but his words had stayed ingrained in your head for months. He decided to return your wordy affections in kind. "The Iliad. There's a line: Any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again. Every time I read that, I think of you. Your nihilism, your philosophical pessimism. And your beauty."
"Fucking hell, Henry," you protested with a bashful laugh. "I recited a poem about grass."
He blinked in surprise, not expecting that reaction. When he saw on your face that it was more genuine than anything else he could have gotten, he smiled. He liked that you were being more open with him. He'd seen you like that with Richard and Henry, even Charles and Camilla sometimes. But you and Henry had never really been as vulnerable with each other as you were in that moment.
"You can try again, if you'd like," he offered.
You looked at him, nodding and thinking. "Okay. Give me a moment." You thought. "Okay. Some Shakespeare for you, since I can't remember any more Homer." Henry nodded, turning to face you expectantly. You cleared your throat dramatically, winking at him in your awkwardness. A smile settled on his lips. "Shy love, I think of you as the morning air brushes the window pane. And how much time of all it takes to know the movement of your arm, the steps you take, the curves along your head, your ears, your hair. For all of this, each hand, each finger, each lip, each breath, each sigh, each word and sound of voice or tongue, I would require an age to contemplate. But for your heart: your mind, your thoughts. All these, to love them all, I need at least five centuries."
It was only once you were finished that you realised you had repeatedly said 'love' throughout your recital of the sonnet. You had just thought of the words you could think of that best described how you felt about Henry. You hadn't stopped to consider how strong those feelings were, especially when translated into poetry.
Henry was almost as surprised as you. It completely shocked him that someone could feel that way about him, even if you didn't feel as strongly as the poetry made it sound. But he found it very predictable that you would accidentally reveal the secrets of your heart by reciting a bit of poetry. He hadn't made quite the same fumble, always expert in his choice of quotation. But then he'd explained himself and had thoughtlessly called you beautiful.
"Get a room!"
The two of you peered upwards. All four of your friends were hanging out of the window above you. Francis, Richard and Camilla were trying desperately not to laugh. Charles looked a little drunk and was grinning down at the two of you.
"Honestly, your lovesick poetry's making me feel ill!"
You rolled your eyes. "No, Charles, that's the alcohol poisoning." Everybody laughed, including Henry, who chuckled at your retort. He waved them off and they all disappeared back inside. "I think I'm going to go in now," you informed Henry, slowly standing up.
"Would you mind if I joined you?"
You shook your head, holding a hand out to him. "Not at all." Henry accepted, grasping your hand firmly in his as he stood up. The two of you walked inside, hands naturally falling away from each other’s. When you figured out which bedroom had been left to the two of you, you let out a sigh of relief. Your friends had the decency to give you the master bedroom, with the largest double bed.
"I thought they'd give us the single," Henry admitted, peering out of the window before drawing the curtains.
You hummed in agreement as you sat on the edge of the bed to take off your shoes. "Same. I'm glad, though."
"Will it bother you to sleep with me?" He asked, sitting beside you. You looked at him, but he was bending over to unlace his shoes. "I can come up later to get some sleep."
You shook your head. "No, you don't need to do that. I'm fine with it. If you're not, I'll go down. We won't be on top of each other, anyway." 
Henry just shook his head. He stood up again to take off his blazer, folding it over the wardrobe door. You pulled your jumper over your head before lying down. Henry turned around, adjusting his suspenders before lying down beside you.
--
"I can't believe it worked that well," Richard whispered.
Camilla hummed. "They just needed a push. Someone to tell them it was okay."
"I feel like we should give them the room," Charles chuckled.
You kept your eyes closed as you listened to your friends talking. You guessed they'd come to check on you and Henry and found you in your current position. You didn't blame them for gawking. The two of you had migrated to the middle of the bed. Henry was spooning you, his front pressed to your back. His long legs were tucked under yours, pushing you closer to him. His arms were wrapped around your body. Your hands were gripping onto his forearms.
"What are you doing?" Henry asked suddenly. His voice was deep and low, nowhere near its usual volume.
Richard let out a gasp of surprise while Francis answered. "Looking at a changed man, it looks like."
"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" He pointed out.
Charles shook his head. "Don't pretend you haven't been pining over her for months, Henry. Dishonesty doesn't suit you."
The room was silent for a few seconds. Then Henry spoke. "Don't wake her up."
"Why?" Francis asked smugly.
Henry sighed. "Because she's exhausted. Just like everyone else. I'm just trying to keep my friend healthy."
"Uh huh," the red-head chuckled. "You're not convincing anyone, Henry."
You could feel Henry's muscles tensing behind you as he tried to keep his composure. He just wanted to shout at them all to leave the two of you alone. He wanted to be able to relish in your closeness for a while longer. They were ruining it.
"Let's go," Camilla interjected. Everyone shuffled out, Charles and Francis complaining the whole way down the stairs.
You waited a minute before humming. "Hey."
"Did they wake you up?" Henry asked, voice already a little angry.
You shook your head. "I woke up just before they came in. I didn't want to make things worse by speaking up." 
He nodded. It occurred to him that you were both awake, yet you were still pressed against him. "Would you like me to move?"
"No." The response was too quick, but you couldn't bring yourself to care. Especially not when Henry's arms tensed a little, pulling you even closer. "When did this happen?" You asked, referring to your position.
Henry hummed. "I don't know. In our sleep, I think."
"It's nice," you admitted.
He smiled at the back of your head. "It is. I like being close to you." He regretted the overly-honest words immediately after he'd said them.
Before he could take them back, you answered him with a smile. "I like being close to you. Can we stay like this for a while longer? Or do you want to go down?"
"I want to stay here," Henry replied.
The two of you laid in comfortable silence for a while. You cleared your throat. "Do you mind if I take off some clothes? I'm getting all twisted in the fabric."
"Take off whatever you like," he shook his head. "I might take something off in a while." 
You nodded, detaching yourself from him and standing up beside the bed. Henry watched you step out of your pants, letting them fall to the ground. You didn't notice his piercing gaze until you lifted your hands to unbutton your shirt, eyes falling to meet his at the same time. Henry winced internally when your fingers faltered. You looked at each other in silence. Then you just continued as if nothing had happened. Henry cleared his throat, looking up at the ceiling instead of at your body. Still, the curves of your figure were ingrained on the backs of his eyelids every time he blinked.
By the time you laid back down on the bed, clad only in your underwear, Henry was decently flustered. You moved back into the same position. When Henry made no move to lie against you, you turned onto your other side to look at him.
"Henry?" You questioned. He hummed, not looking at you. Your eyes narrowed. "Everything okay?" He just nodded stiffly. Your eyes scanned his body for any indication as to what had suddenly changed. "Henry-oh."
His eyes widened and flicked to yours. Your eyes were fixed to the sizeable tent quickly forming in his pants. Henry's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. He blinked at you in complete horror. Your eyes flicked between his face and his crotch. You drew in a deep breath, reminding yourself not to freak out. Henry already looked like he was about to pass out.
"Okay," you began gently. "Do you want to go into the bathroom and take care of yourself? We have the en suite."
He was still staring at you. "Take care of myself?"
"Yeah," you nodded. His expression was blank. "You know, uh.." Hundreds of different phrases danced along your tongue. You couldn't decide which one was appropriate for someone like Henry. You settled on a completely blunt one, since he seemed so clueless as to what you were telling him. "Do you want to go fuck yourself in the bathroom?"
A rose flush spread across his cheeks, unlike anything you'd ever seen on Henry before. "I..." He gulped, looking away from you. "I can't. I can't do that."
"You can't.." You frowned at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Henry squeezed his eyes shut, looking far more vulnerable than you had ever seen the stoic before. "It disconcerts me. I can't do it. I've never been able to do it." He swallowed hard, Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. "I know it's…strange. But I can't."
"It's not that strange," you assured him.
He shook his head. "You're just saying that."
"I'm not," you shook your head. You moved closer to him in your eagerness. "It happens to plenty of people. It's not that weird."
Henry nodded. "That's a small comfort, then." He looked even more troubled. You only realised why when you felt his arm twitch beneath your fingers. Looking down, you saw that you had grabbed onto his arm as you'd been speaking. You quickly withdrew your hand. Henry glanced at you out of the corner of his eye. "What should I do?"
"I don't know," you shook your head. "If you can't… do that, I guess you just have to wait for it to go away on its own?"
He nodded slowly. "I can... I can do that."
"Okay," you nodded. "I'm going to lie down. I'll face away so you don't feel... observed." 
Henry just nodded again, watching as you turned back over. You stared at the sheet in front of you, imagining him lying beside you. Up until that moment, when you'd thought about Henry in sexual situations, he'd always been pretty vanilla. But with him lying behind you, willing away a boner you were almost certain had happened because he'd watched you undress, your views had changed. You were beginning to see Henry in a new light, only furthered by the information about his never masturbating. Your mind slipped into daydreams of teaching him a few things right there and then, suspenders and all.
Henry's low voice pulled you from your reverie. "It's not working."
"Why?"
He turned his head to look at you, taking in the soft slope of your waist and the roundness of your ass in the simple panties. "Because I keep looking at you. And you're all I see when I close my eyes."
"Oh," you murmured, pleasantly surprised by his admission. You weighed up your options. You took Henry's apparent inexperience and naivety into consideration. Then you hummed. "You can cuddle me still, if you'd like."
Henry blinked, pushing himself up onto one elbow. "Are you sure?" He really hadn't expected you to say that.
"I told you," you shrugged. "I like having your body against mine." Both of you were aware that neither of you had said those exact words. But it was still true. Henry turned onto his side, hesitantly shuffling closer. His chest brushed yours, but he angled his hips so that they didn't make contact with you. "Henry," you said, voice low. He felt his heart squeeze in his chest. "Come on. Do it properly." He moved quickly, arms sliding over and under your body. He pulled you against him. Your ass pushed against his hard-on. "Isn't this more comfortable?"
Henry swallowed. "Not the word I'd use."
"Which word would you use?"
He thought. "Arousing?"
"Why is this arousing?" You questioned. The lilt in your voice made it clear that you were fully aware of why being pressed against you with his cock already hard was arousing to Henry.
He found himself answering anyway. "You're touching me."
"Women touching you is arousing?"
Henry shook his head. "No. You touching me is arousing."
"Oh," you hummed, smiling slightly. "You can come closer, you know." Henry looked down at the minimal space between you. Then he realised what you were implying. He tightened his hold around your waist, bucking his hips up into yours. His cock nestled between your plush ass. Henry's breath stuttered slightly. You leaned your head back so that you could see him. He looked down at you. You flashed him a smile. "Are you a virgin, then?"
He blinked. "I... Yeah."
"Oh," you hummed, frowning to yourself.
Henry panicked a little, worried that whatever was happening was about to stop because of your new insight. "Why?"
"I just always assumed otherwise, I guess," you shrugged. "I figured you'd be the kind to have sensual weekend-relationships all the time. Probably with men, like the Greeks did."
He shook his head. "You thought wrong."
"Very wrong, it seems," you smiled again. Henry got the feeling that you were getting some amusement at his expense. He didn't care in the slightest. "Have you really never had anyone?"
Henry shook his head again. "I'm not exactly the romantic type."
"Aren't you?" You frowned. "I think you are. I mean, over the past few months, you've turned up at my house with flowers, you've taken me out to dinner and lunch, you've walked with me, you've studied with me. Henry, you could be very romantic if you wanted to be."
He blushed slightly. "I didn't realise I was doing all of those things romantically until recently."
"What?" You blinked.
Henry frowned. "Is that not what you were implying? That you knew I was trying to- well."
"I didn't realise that at all," you shook your head. "Is that what you were doing?" He nodded. "Oh. Well, thank you, then. Does that mean this," you gestured between the two of you. "Can continue?"
He nodded slowly. "I thought you would be put off by my inexperience."
"Actually, I think it's making me want you more," you mused. "My neck's hurting, sorry." You tilted your head back to its natural position. Henry hesitated before resting his head on your shoulder. You smiled. "Comfy?"
He hummed. "More than I was before."
"Does it hurt?" You asked.
Henry frowned. "What?"
"Your cock."
He choked on air, surprised by your bluntness. Henry was used to hearing you make crude comments and lewd jokes all the time, but they were never addressed to him. When he recovered, he answered you. "Yeah, it does. I'm used to it, though." You nodded. You'd forgotten that Henry must have had years of dealing with blue balls.
"You can use me a little, if you'd like," you suggested.
Henry processed your offer. "I don't know how to do that."
"Do you want to?" You asked. He nodded. "Okay. I'll guide you through it, okay?" He nodded again. "Have you got a good grip on me? You don't want me to move around the bed." Henry's arms tightened around you. "And now you just... move against me. Say when you need something more."
Henry moved slowly at first, trying to find a rhythm that felt good. His hips slid against your ass, cock dragging against your panties. He was still fully clothed so there was plenty of friction. It also meant that he had to press himself against you a lot harder to feel all of the sensations. Henry gripped you even tighter, using his grip on you as momentum to drag himself over you repeatedly. Wetness pooled in your panties as you felt him moving against you. His grip was tight, nearly bruising in his earnestness. Your teeth sank into your bottom lip, eyes falling closed. You focused on the soft pants Henry was letting out. After a minute, he faltered.
"Can... Can I have more?" He asked in a hushed voice, as though he was asking something incredibly wrong.
You smiled to yourself at the timid question. "Of course you can." You decided to ease him into the more submissive role. "Say please."
"Please," he repeated without hesitation. He didn't seem to have really noticed your request.
You rolled over onto your front in his grip. "Move above me," you told him. He did as you asked, leaning all of his weight on his arms, pressing into the pillow either side of your head. You looked him over, smiling at the sweat starting to seep through his shirt and the heavy rising and falling of his chest. You lifted your right thigh. "Put your legs on either side." Henry followed your instructions. You dropped your leg. "Hump, Henry," you murmured.
His blue eyes were blackened with lust as he blinked up at you. He looked genuinely surprised by your words. But his legs still dropped down onto the mattress. He rocked his hips against your leg.
"No," you said firmly. He stopped immediately, looking at you again. "I didn't say grind. I said hump." Henry swallowed, nodding slowly.
He looked over your body. "Can I touch you?"
"Mhm."
His hands found your waist, flexing around your hips. When he was satisfied, he dragged his crotch up your leg, then back down again. His lips parted in pleasure. "Oh."
"Good?" You hummed. He nodded. You cleared your throat. "Henry."
He started to move faster. "Y-Yeah, it feels good."
"What feels good about it?"
His eyebrows furrowed as he shifted slightly to the left. The tension disappeared from his face when he found the angle he was looking for. "Your leg. It feels good against my.." He trailed off, unsure of which word to use. It wasn't like Henry to swear, or to talk dirty. You wanted to urge him to do it, to try and flick a switch inside of him. But then you also liked the idea of him shying away from it still.
"Say it," you whispered.
Henry let out a gasp, jaw going slack. His movements were starting to falter. "You feel good against my c-cock."
"Good boy," you praised, feeling a jolt of satisfaction when his cheeks flamed red and his eyes sparkled. "Get off, before you cum."
He sat back on his knees, looking at you in confusion. "Did I do something wrong?" The lost puppy look was surprisingly fitting on his face, a nice contrast to the hubris he usually exuded.
"No," you smiled. "I just want to draw it out. I don't want this to end so soon. Is that okay?" Henry nodded quickly, still amazed this was something you were offering him. "Are you going to keep doing what I tell you, then?"
Henry nodded again. "Anything." From the way he was looking at you, like you were Helen of Troy herself, you knew he was telling the truth.
"Stand up, then," you told him. He did as you asked. You moved to your feet too, padding around the bed to stand in front of him. Henry towered above you, but his head hung to look at you and his eyes showed only awe. It felt like you were bigger than him, not the other way around. "Look at you," you murmured. "Can see the precum on your trousers."
Henry looked down in confusion, shocked to see that there really was a wet patch spreading on the grey fabric of his pants. "I only brought one pair."
"Really?" You smiled, looking back up at him. "We better get you out of them before you make more of a mess, hm?" Henry nodded. Your hands fell to his crotch, ghosting over his hard length. You paused to rid him of his shirt, folding it roughly and throwing it on the bed. You smiled at him warmly. "Have you kissed before?"
Henry shook his head. "No."
"What do you think about it?" Your fingers worked at the button on his trousers as you spoke. You could feel him pulsing beneath your fingertips.
He watched you with bated breath. "I don't think I want someone's tongue in my mouth."
"Do you want someone's tongue anywhere?" You asked.
He nodded. "Anywhere else. E-Everywhere else. And teeth, too." You hummed with interest, storing away everything he was telling you. You pulled his trousers down his legs, falling into a squat as you pulled them from his feet. You couldn't help eyeing his cock as it sprang up in your face. He looked big.
You rose to your feet, looking at him again. One of your hands splayed across the back of his neck. You pulled him down a few inches to meet you, nudging his nose with yours. Henry's eyes fluttered shut. You closed yours too, closing the small space between you. His lips weren't too warm, a little chapped from his heavy breathing earlier. He was a sweet kisser, as you'd expected. Your lips parted and you smiled at him gently. The two of you kissed slowly, like you had all the time in the world. His mouth was a little clumsy against yours and it took your lead for him to lose that characteristic stiffness.
"Pick up your trousers." It took Henry a minute to register your request. When he did, he quickly turned around to find them, picking them up and looking at you again. "Fold them and put them by the basket, I know you want to." He smiled slightly, nodding his head and doing as you'd said. He had been wanting to sort them since they fell to the ground around his ankles.
He turned to you when he was done. "What now?"
"We're going to make Henry Winter cum," you smiled, stepping closer to him. Your chest pressed against his. Henry glanced down at your breasts, then back to your face.
He looked incredibly nervous as he asked, "Can I touch you there?"
"Not now," you shook your head. "Next time, if you want a next time."
Henry nodded rapidly. "I do."
"Next time, then." Your hands slid down over his surprisingly toned torso to his briefs. Your eyes bored into his as you slid a hand over his cock. Henry's breath hitched in his throat as you took a firm hold of him. This felt completely different to all of the times he'd tried to relieve himself, before he'd given up on sexual pleasure completely. You started to palm his erection, still staring at him, watching his reactions carefully.
When you heard the beginnings of a proper moan rumble at the back of his throat, you took your hand away. Roughly shoving his underwear down to his knees, you pressed your hands into Henry's chest and pushed him backwards. He stumbled until his back made contact with the wall. You tilted your head to press a searing kiss to his lips.
"Wrap your hand around mine," you told him, pressing your chest against his firmly. "And look at me." He did both things, looking down at you as his chest heaved. His hand fixed to the back of yours.
You slid your hand down his body again, this time without underwear obstructing your access to his cock. Your fingers brushed over him with a featherlight touch before you took him into your fist. Henry's hand squeezed yours painfully hard and didn't relent. You didn't mind. You started to pump your hand around him, adjusting your ministrations when he had a slightly different reaction. He started to let out soft sounds, more audible than his pants.
"Sweetheart," you whispered. "I want to hear you."
He swallowed what sounded almost like a whine. "O-Okay. Please.." Henry trailed off.
"What?" You asked.
He let out a moan, hips bucking into your hand. Your free hand pushed his hip back against the wall. "Sweetheart. Will you call me that again? Or something like that. Please."
"Yeah," you nodded. "Don't move unless I tell you it's fine, okay, baby?"
Henry let out a breathy moan. "Y-Yeah." His mouth hung ajar as he looked down at you. He caught his breath enough to let you know where he was. "I'm going to-to-"
"Say my name," you murmured. "Say my name when you cum, honey."
His head lolled forwards, forehead pressing against yours. You opened your mouth slightly, inhaling every one of his breathy moans. "O-Oh.." He looked completely debauched, barely able to keep his eyes open as you gave him his first orgasm. Henry let out a cry, muscles tensing and his whole body shuddering. "Y-Y/N!"
"There it is," you hummed. "Good boy, Henry. Let go." His cum spurted across your hand in hot ropes. His body continued to shudder against yours as you supported his weight. He was as heavy as you had guessed he would be and it was quite an effort to hold him steady until he came to his senses. When he did, he swallowed, tongue darting out across his lips. His dark eyes fluttered open and he gazed at you for a moment, looking stunned. Your eyes flicked between his. A small smile crept over his hard line of a mouth and he opened his mouth to say something. Then he stopped, face falling.
"Henry?" You frowned.
He staggered forwards, catching you off guard. You barely had time to catch him. "I've got a headache," he muttered, clutching onto you for balance. His eyes squeezed shut.
"Is it my fault?" You worried, helping him to the bed. His briefs were still around his ankles, so you leaned down and pulled them all the way off.
Henry shook his head. "No, I could feel it coming on anyway."
"What can I do?" You asked.
He gestured weakly towards the window. "Pull the curtains all the way, please. I think I'll just sleep a bit more."
"Okay," you nodded, doing as he asked. When you turned back around, he was laying in bed. You pulled the duvet above his waist, giving him some semblance of dignity in case someone walked in. "Do you have medication?"
He nodded. "In my suitcase." That was downstairs still. You moved around, getting dressed as quietly as you could. After a quick trip to the bathroom to make sure that you didn't look like you'd been doing anything sexual, you grabbed Henry's stained pants and wandered downstairs.
You'd hoped to be able to do what you needed to without being noticed, but Richard and Francis were sitting in the kitchen. They looked up as you walked into the room. Both grinned, but Francis was the one that spoke. "How's Henry? Bedridden from pleasure?"
"Bedridden," you nodded. "He's got one of his headaches."
Richard winced, remembering the one time he'd walked into Henry in the middle of one of his headaches. "I hope he's alright."
"Me too," you agreed. You picked up his suitcase, putting it down on the counter. As you opened it, you put the trousers down beside it. You found the medication. While you were pouring out a glass of water, Francis leaned forwards and inspected the trousers. He spluttered when he found the stain in the crotch, genuinely struggling to wrap his head around what he was seeing. You turned, sighing and snatching it from his hands.
Francis stared at you in disbelief. "What are you doing, washing Henry's trousers?"
"He only brought one pair," you replied, taking them over to the sink and rubbing away the stain. "Honestly, Francis, you're very childish sometimes."
Richard smiled. "Did you two..?"
"We're talking about Henry, Richard," you pointed out, hoping that you could get out of the situation without lying.
You were halfway up the stairs when Francis called after you, "You totally did!" You smiled, shaking your head as you slipped back into the bedroom.
"Henry?" You asked. He grunted, lifting a hand in acknowledgement. You hung the trousers over the radiator to dry out. Then you sat beside him on the bed. "Oh, love," you cooed, seeing the sweat beading on his brow. "You don't look too well."
He shook his head. "It's not as bad as usual."
"I got you your medicine," you informed him. 
Henry tried to lift his head, wincing in pain. You shuffled closer, on your knees. You rested a hand behind his head. Henry didn't speak as he opened his mouth. You gave him the pill, then helped him sip the water. He leaned back down, catching your hand in his. You brought your other hand up to brush over his forehead, absently smoothing away his forehead creases.
The two of you sat there for a while before Richard walked in. You looked up at him, mouth falling open in dismay. This felt somehow worse than if you'd been caught earlier. Henry, who you'd thought was asleep, spoke. "What, Papen?"
"Francis wants..." Richard looked between the two of you again before taking a step back. "I'll tell him that you're busy."
You smiled when you saw the genuine smile on his face. He was happy that the two of you were happy. "Thank you, Richard." You nudged Henry.
"Thank you," he muttered, sending you a weak smile when you glared at him playfully.
--
A few hours later, the others were getting restless. They'd planned a bacchanal for that evening. Francis and Camilla were making the robes, adjusting sheets to make an approximation of a toga. When you'd gone downstairs earlier to find something for you and Henry to eat, you'd found Charles and Richard wandering around in theirs already. Yours and Henry's were the only ones yet to be fitted. All of the supplies had been gathered. They didn't want to leave without you, and they needed Henry's knowledge. So they had been waiting.
Charles burst into the room. "I'm fed up with waiting," he declared.
Francis and the others came in shortly after. "I thought you had a headache?" He asked, seeing Henry sitting beside you. He had recovered impressively quickly. It really hadn't been as bad as usual. The position the others found you in was only really compromising for Henry. You were reading, sitting with your back against the headboard. Henry was lying perpendicular to you, his head in your lap. He wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing. You'd heard footsteps approaching the door and quickly covered his bottom half with the sheets.
"He did," Richard supplied. "I came up earlier and he was genuinely sick."
Camilla stared. "Is Henry naked?"
"You two did-"
You cut Francis off. "Henry got too hot."
"Too hot for you to resist, sure," Charles hummed. You sent a glare his way.
Francis sighed. "Look, whatever. We'll delve into you and Henry and your promising sex life tomorrow. For now... the bacchanal. Camilla and I need to fit you into your robes."
"Alright." You stood up, gently patting Henry's forehead as you did so. You walked over to Francis and Camilla. She was unfolding a sheet.
Francis was a little happier now that you were standing in front of him, ready to be made into an Ancient Roman. "We're doing makeup in a minute, too."
"On everyone?" You asked.
Camilla nodded. "Yes. Just redder lipstick on you and me."
Francis' fingers started to deftly unbutton your shirt. Henry sat up quickly, eyes flicking between the two of you. The sudden movement caught all of your attention. Everybody blinked at him. Henry cleared his throat, clutching the sheets to his lower half and looking away. You smiled slightly to yourself.
Francis rolled his eyes. "I'm starting to regret pushing you two together."
"Nothing's happening," you sighed. 
You met Henry's eyes for a split-second before you looked away. Francis continued to undress you. You didn't bat an eye. It wasn't the first time you'd all attempted a bacchanal. Last time, Francis had been in a rush to get all of you in robes before the sun set, Camilla doing people's makeup at the same time. He'd stripped you down to your underwear then, too. Now, you supposed that making Henry jealous had played a role in that.
Henry cleared his throat again. "Francis." The red-head looked up, nodding slightly and walking over to Henry. He leaned down as Henry whispered something to him. Francis came back looking amused, yet bewildered.
"Yeah, you'd better undress yourself," he told you, cracking a grin. "I'd like to keep my hands."
You rolled your eyes, shaking your head at Henry. He just shrugged. You undressed quickly until you were standing in your underwear. Henry watched you from the bed with undivided attention. Everybody was too amazed by his obvious adoration of you to be annoyed with him. There wasn't any sexual tension in the room anyway, because you were focused on recovering the lost time in preparation for the bacchanal.
"Okay, I'm ready," you said, pushing the straps of your bra down. Camilla appeared in front of you, Francis behind as they wrapped the sheet into a robe like everyone else's.
Charles whistled. "Underwear! Gotta go all natural for the Ancients!" You laughed, slipping your hands under the robe and pulling your underwear off. Again, you didn't bat an eye. Henry gripped the sheets with white-knuckles.
"Let me do your makeup quickly," Camilla pulled you towards her. You stood still in front of her as she drew on your eyeliner and dark eyeshadow. Then, true to her word, she painted your lips with the brightest red you'd ever seen in lipstick.
Francis looked over at Henry. "Your turn, Winter."
"I'm not wearing any clothes," he deadpanned.
Richard snickered. Charles laughed. "I don't think you've worn an item of clothing since last night, Henry."
"Can I have the sheet?" You asked, taking it from Francis. You walked towards Henry. The others watched, biting back laughs as you replaced the sheet of the bed with the makeshift toga. You managed to pull it around his body like a cloak. "Stand up, love."
Charles jeered, "Love!"
Henry did as you asked without question. He pulled you back when he saw that you were going to lead him over to Francis to fix the robe. "If the bacchanal works, we'll lose all inhibitions." He spoke in a conspiratorial tone.
"Yeah," you nodded. "Isn't that the point?"
He shook his head. "I don't want to... do things with the others."
"Oh," you hummed in understanding. You thought. "I won't do it, then. I won't do the bacchanal."
Henry nodded. "Will you stop me from doing anything with the others?"
"If you consent to that now, completely sober and under no influence," you nodded. "Because it could get violent. It's a bacchanal after all, right?"
He nodded, taking a step closer to you. He seemed to have forgotten about your friends because he leaned closer. "Do whatever you need to do. I don't want to do anything with them."
"Should I stop you from doing things with me, too?" You questioned.
Henry shook his head. "I don't want you to. But if I make you uncomfortable, yes."
"Okay." You turned to your friends as Henry walked over to Francis and Camilla, getting his sheet fixed and his eyes painted. "I'm not going to take part in the bacchanal."
Charles hummed. "Why?"
"I think it's important that we have someone sober and sensible there, just in case. We haven't had a successful one of these yet, but if we do, crazy things can happen. I'll be able to prevent anything too serious. Also, I can tell you about what fools you've made of yourselves tomorrow." You added the last part with a smile, hoping that they'd forget about how Henry had whispered to you.
Richard looked at you. "It's not because Henry just asked you to?"
"No," you lied. "We've all read about the ritual madness. I just want it to be safe for everyone."
Charles hummed. "I think," he said dramatically. "I think that Henry asked you to make sure he didn't do anything with anybody else. But if you want us to think otherwise, because you somehow think we're all going to buy that you two aren't fucking, then sure. You're being safe." You were genuinely surprised by how well Charles guessed your conversation. Still, you shook your head and made sure to keep your expression impassive.
"Y/N," Camilla called. You looked over at her. "You do Henry's lips." You opened your mouth to protest, not wanting to support their beliefs. She shook her head. "It's not because of that. I need to get in the bathroom and do my own."
You nodded, taking the lighter lipstick from her. Henry stood in front of you, dark eyes boring into yours. "You suit the eyeshadow, Henry," you complimented him.
"When monarchs and nobles bled, guillotines and flags turned red, those revolutions were jealous of the red of her lips," Henry recited to you with a smile. You smiled back at him, pleased by the warmth you could see returning to his eyes after a day of sickness. Your hand cupped his jaw as you swiped the lipstick over his lips. You dropped the stick, using your thumb to smooth it organically. Henry pressed a light kiss to your fingertip as you pulled it away.
You turned to follow the others out of the room. Thankfully, they'd been talking and hadn't witnessed your moment together. The six of you made your way down to the kitchen. You were charged with carrying the wine while Henry brought the speaker. Your fingers traced over the ribbed glass bottles. Then you all journeyed out into the countryside.
They'd chosen a good night; the air was still warm, the ground dry. You walked for only half a minute before stopping. The group couldn't be too far from the house in case of an emergency. The speaker was set in the middle of a circle that the six of you formed. You handed around the wine, not taking a single sip yourself. Henry caught your eye from across the grass, nodding slightly. You knew what he was saying; remember what you promised me. You nodded back. I will. He tipped his head back and drank. You leaned forwards and pressed play on the speaker. The Dionysian ritual began.
--
It was madness. True, complete and utter madness. You were thankful that you'd chosen to not take part in the ritual. It had started slow at first, with your friends looking drowsy and absent. Then it escalated suddenly. Now, you were scanning the marshes for Henry's white robe. You caught sight of him, finally, and rushed over to him.
He was walking quickly, stumbling over tufts of grass and sticks. He didn't notice you at first. You followed his intent gaze, seeing that he was walking towards Camilla, who was lying beneath a tree.
"Oh, no, you don't," you mumbled, catching his wrist.
Henry whirled around on his heel, staring at you. It took a few seconds for recognition to set in. His reddened lips parted and a sweet, toothy smile pierced the dusk. He looked like a purer version of himself, freed of hauteur and ego. "Y/N," he whispered. "Y/N, Y/N, Y/N, Y/N," he chanted your name like a prayer, taking steps towards you.
"Hey, Henry," you smiled, catching his hands in yours. He was holding a half-full bottle of wine. "Feeling a little woozy?"
He was still smiling. "Lie down with me."
"What?"
He yanked his robe off, laying it on the grass. Henry fell to the ground, rolling onto his back and staring up at the night sky. You blinked before laying beside him. He looked at you. "I love you," he declared. Your mouth fell open.
Henry smiled, pressing a kiss to the corner of your mouth. He moved onto his front again, leaning on his elbows. Suddenly he was on top of you, looking down at you. He reached over and picked up the bottle of wine, taking a long swig. Then he was sliding down your body until his head was level with your crotch. He sent you another grin before disappearing underneath your sheet. You moved onto your elbows in surprise. This was the debauchery that you had all known bacchanals would bring, but seeing it in Henry was something entirely jarring.
His lips pressed against the insides of your thighs as he felt his way around. You knew he had no idea what he was doing, so you were surprised when he licked a wide stripe over your pussy. You gasped, falling back against the sheet beneath you. He gave an experimental prod of his tongue into your hole before changing his mind. His lips moved upwards, lapping at your juices.
You moved your hands to his hair, tugging the robe out of the way. Henry hummed when you tugged his head higher. His lips fastened onto your clit. You let out a cry when he gave a harsh suck.
"Fuck, Henry."
He took note, continuing to do what he was doing. Even without being able to see his face, it was obvious Henry was completely focussed on his task. He ate messily, sloppily. The abandonment of any of his rigid manners made it oh-so much better. Your body melted into the grass, eyes fluttering.
"Oh, christ," you whispered.
Henry’s head lifted to examine your expression. The bottom half of his face glistened in the moonlight. His eyes were darker than usual as he moved up your body, lips finding yours. Your eyes rolled at the sweet taste of yourself and wine on his lips. His hand snaked between your legs, fingers clumsily finding your clit and drawing firm patterns that you were sure he didn’t know felt so good. He pressed  kisses to your lips repeatedly. Your mouth fell open as you panted. He didn't stop kissing you, just moved his targets to around your mouth instead.
When you came, Henry lifted his hand to his lips and licked away every drop. Watching him treat your body like something to be venerated and treasured turned you on more.
"Henry," you whispered. He looked at you. "I want to have sex with you.”
He jumped to his feet, grabbing the wine in one hand and your wrist in the other. You clutched your sheet around your body as you ran with him through the grass. Henry stopped once you were close enough to the speaker to hear the music properly. Then he laid down in the grass, looking up at you with earnest expectedness. You wished that you were a painter, so that you could commit the masterpiece in front of you to an oil canvas and hang it proudly in a gallery.
"Ruin me," he whispered, looking up at you with wide eyes. Dionysus’ perfect old Roman.
You stared down at him in disbelief. Then you moved to straddle him. "Sit up, sweet boy." Henry did as you said. You took the wine from his hand, pressing the neck of the bottle to his lips. His eyes didn't leave yours as he chugged the alcohol. You pulled away a few seconds after it became too much. Wine trailed down his chin.
Henry watched you. "Cover me in it," he murmured, kissing your lips. You licked the wine away from his chin.
"I want you inside me first," you told him. Your hand found the base of his cock. Slowly, you slid him inside you. It took you a moment to accommodate his size. The whole time, Henry was sucking at your neck. Once you were used to the feeling of him inside you, you moved his head so that you were looking into his eyes. He looked back at you. You trailed kisses along his neck, leading upwards to his jaw. You kissed the junction of his jaw before sucking a mark there. Part of you felt like this was some messy, depraved dream, and you wanted to leave a mark to prove it was more than that. Henry's hands lifted to grab your hips. You took his jaw in your hand, pushing his head back. "Close your eyes, Henry," you told him.
Henry's eyes fluttered shut. You tipped the wine bottle, watching the stream of red disappear into Henry's hair before it flooded his face and shoulders. His jaw jutted outwards as he gasped. You watched hungrily until the bottle was empty. You pressed kisses to Henry's lips as you swiped the wine from his eyes with your thumbs. They opened and he grinned at you.
Finally, you started to move, rocking your hips against his. Henry laid flat on his back, pressing his feet to the ground so that he could buck his hips up into yours. He hadn't forgotten about your clit, which he had only just discovered the existence of. His thumb moved from your hip to your clit, rubbing circles there as the two of you gasped and groaned.
"Y/N," he moaned. "Please, don't stop." You watched him, feeling his strong body tense beneath your fingertips. He let out a cry that was loud enough for anybody out of the grass to hear. "Y/N!"
--
"So, where's loverboy?"
You looked over at Charles. All of your friends were sitting around the dining table, making their way through breakfasts that you'd prepared for them. They were all drowsy, but not too hungover. "Charles, don't make me take back your breakfast."
"Okay, okay," he chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "But, really, where is Henry?"
Francis hummed. "Speak of the devil. Morning, Henry."
"Morning," he replied. You had already turned around to plate up food for him, so you didn't see what all the others did.
Camilla gasped. "Henry, what's happened to you?"
"Are you hurt?" Richard frowned.
You turned around in confusion, eyes widening when you saw him. "Oh, Henry," you murmured, placing the plate down on the table. "Love, you look like Satan."
"I don't feel that hungover," Henry frowned. Charles laughed. You grabbed Henry's hand, pulling him to the bathroom in your room. He looked in the mirror. "Oh."
You chuckled. "Yeah." His hair was stained a reddish-brown from the wine the night before. To make matters worse, his face was still covered in trails of maroon.
"What is it?" Henry frowned.
You blinked. "You don't remember?"
"No," he shook his head. "Did you stop me?"
You nodded. "Yeah, but we did stuff. You asked me to do that." You gestured towards his face.
"To... cover me in blood?" Henry frowned. “Was it some kind of ritual sacrifice? A lamb, or something?” He didn’t look as concerned by the prospect as he probably should have.
You shook your head. "It's wine."
"Oh," he nodded. "Of course." He looked in the mirror for a few more seconds before he shook his head slightly. His eyes flicked between yours. "Will you help me wash it out?"
You smiled. "Sure. Strip off, get in the tub." Henry did as you asked, naked and in the bath within seconds. You switched on the shower, holding the showerhead in your hand as it warmed up. Henry watched you with his constant and once again unreadable gaze.
"What did we do? Last night?"
You shrugged, starting to massage his head. "We had sex. You gave me oral sex. I rode you and covered you in wine."
"I see," Henry mumbled to himself. "I wish I remembered."
You hummed. "I'm sure we can do all those things again when you're not completely out of your mind."
"When we go home, after this," Henry began. "Do you intend for us to just return to normality? Or can this- can we continue?"
You smiled. "I'd like it if we did. Especially if we spend our time doing what we've done this holiday."
"It is the Greek and Roman way," Henry pointed out, tilting his head back.
You pressed a kiss to his lips. "It is."
He hummed against your lips. "Praise Dionysus."
"Praise fucking Dionysus."
★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★
thanks to anon for asking me to edit and publish this one. i'm so sorry about how depraved it gets lol i swear i toned it down from what it was originally. there's a critical shortage of henry winter content on here though so as far as i'm concerned it's god's work.
F <3
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lyrenminth · 6 months ago
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JB9 request
They are divorced and have two children together, and he is jealous that she is leaving the kids at his house so she can go on a date. but the meeting was horrible, because the guy is not like Joe
This was a very specific and I had so much fun writing in. A little bit of angst at the end.
What we used to be
The decision for filing the divorce was consciously taken. It was done three years ago, while you went to a rough patch in your marriage. The decision wasn't easy, because you share two children together, and for them was equally hard to understand why mommy and daddy weren't together anymore.
One of the main reasons was after having children, you marriage went cold and dead. He was busy playing football and you were busy mothering a three years old and a nine months old. You didn't have the time to be a couple anymore.
Currently, you decided to start dating again after your friends prompted you to do so. It was difficult because you had to coordinate with Joe (now that you were co-parenting). And of course, was during the off-season because during his seasons you had the kids most of the time. On weekends you dropped the children with Robin so she would take them to the home game. It was a messy life, because you shared a lot of things as a result of the years together. Trying to get rid of Joe was impossible having children with his face and living in Cincinnati. So you made peace with that fact long ago. You got along for the children, he was kind and always asked for your opinion when included the family. And you were polite with him, but nothing else.
You send him a text. "Hey, I'm dropping the kids early this Friday. That's ok?"
Joey B: Yeah, that's ok. Are you busy on Friday?
You: Yeah, something came up. Your home or your parents'?
Joey B: My house. Everything alright?
You: everything alright
That was the last text. After that you waited earnestly for your date. You met John through friends, he seemed like a good guy. By looks, the completely opposite of Joe. John had one child already, and worked for a big company in New York but was living in Cincinnati two years now.
You thought it would be difficult if men knew who was your ex-husband because it had happened one time and it ruin the mood for everyone. Apparently, you completely fucked up or whatever. Well, John didn't know anything about football, he couldn't care less about the Superbowl and that was a pleasant surprise.
So on Friday, you drive Mackenzie and Julian to their dad's house. They were behaving well during all morning. And since it was off-season they could spent the weekend with Joe.
You parked the car, and for your surprise Joe was waiting for them outside.
"Dad!" yelled Julian, running towards Joe who was wearing pants and a hoodie. "Mom, can you help me with my backpack?" asked Mackenzie trying to open the door. You got out of the car, and help her. She made cookies for her dad, and was so happy to share.
You help her to carry the backpack until you were face to face with Joe, who was looking handsome as always.
"Daddy, I made cookies!"
"Daddy, can we play videogames?"
The children demanded attention equally, but Joe was still staring at you. Hard.
"Have I something on my face?" you asked, almost aggressively. You put some make up on and dressed in a nice dress for the occasion.
"No, you fine" he cleared his throat "Not your usual fit"
"Mommy is going on a date" Julian shout, excited. Joe's eyebrows raised, you laughed nervous.
"Well, kids behave well. Enjoy the cookies" you said trying not to look at your ex-husband. "Is that true?" he asked, he sounded kinda jealous. Maybe you were overthinking.
"Well, yes" not wanting to discuss anything further in front of the kids "Take care, Joey"
"Please, call me if you need something" he said, "Let me know you're safe"
Your heart flipped. Why he did those things before your date? Weird. You nodded, going back to the car.
John was a nice man. You were sure he was nice, just...not to you. After thirty minutes in the date he kept talking about himself and his work that you thought you were watching a TED talk. He was good looking, but soon you realize you didn't have anything in common by what he was saying. Your mind wandered to your first date with Joe, it was in a bowling alley. Things got competitive and you spent a really good time together that you hook up in your car after the date. Would you hook up with John? Nah.
"Do you need another drink?" John's voice brought you back from your wild thoughts.
"No, thank you"
"So, you told me your ex-husband was a football player, right?"
"Yes" you said cautiously "He still plays"
"And how do you get along?"
"We talked only for the kids"
"Ummm, sure" he dismissed your answer. You raised your eyebrows, astonished. "What do you mean?" you wondered.
"Nothing. I didn't tell you about this trip I'm going to make next month..." he started talking again.
Joe bought you drinks too. You loved his smile back then. Julian had the same smile actually. After getting married you had very nice dates too, but you loved to spend time at home watching movies and resolving puzzles.
The date went on, and you have to excuse yourself or would die of boredom. After the date you missed your children so much, but it was Joe's time with them. So you went to your house and waited.
On Sunday evening, you went to pick up the kids. After a couple of minutes, Joe appeared wearing shorts and a compression shirt. He looked really handsome, his sandy hair was messy, he looked younger somehow.
"Hey" you said, nervous.
"The kids are in the pool" he explained "Come in while I prepare them"
"Oh, no. I can wait in the car" you replied, pointing at your car. He looked up-and-down, and pressed his lips. You blushed like a teenager "I bet they want to see you"
"Okay" you whispered, follow him inside the house. "How was your date?" the question made you flinch. You didn't remember John at all. "Umm, it was good"
I was bored as hell, and thinking about you. How pathetic.
Silence. By the way he was looking at you, he didn't believe you either. You reach the kitchen and he offered something to drink and you decline. "Are you going to the OTAs early this year?" you wondered, hearing music and the children screams outside.
"No, I'm going to spend time with the kids" you nodded, pleased. Joe was a great father, you never doubted that.
You locked eyes, and your stomach made weird things. His eyes softened, and he got closer to you.
"Y/N can we talk about us?" he requested.
"What?" you were in panic mode "About what?"
"The divorce. I thought were struggling but I never listen to you" he said, seriously "Until you fill in the papers" Your heart sank. His lips were still pressed, the wrinkles on his forehead let you know he was stressed too. "I feel like we never had the time to stop and think what we're doing" he said softly.
The bump in your throat didn't let you speak properly. You tried anyway. "I try to speak to you, Joey. I tried to do many things to save our marriage. It didn't work, you were focused on football, and I felt utterly alone" you wipe a treacherous tear "We weren't a couple anymore. I didn't have a partner"
"Mommy! Daddy!" Julian got into the house all wet and hugged you. "Do you want to see how I jump into de pool?"
"Julian, mommy is here to pick you up" Joe explained "Go and tell your sister" Julian nodded and went happily to his sister. Joe attention was on you again. "We should speak about this with more time"
"Why? Are you trying to marry me again?" you joked frustrated he wasn't listening again. "Yes, I never wanted a divorce" he replied ardently. The confession hit you. "Then, why did you fill the divorce?"
"Because I was scared..." the footsteps didn't let him finish "I'll send you a message, please"
You left Joe's house confused and heartbroken. Even though, you couldn't avoid the hope growing in your chest.
Let me know if you want a second part. I think it would be cool.
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demilypyro · 1 year ago
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There's a thought/theory/whatever I've long had about a specific pair of episodes from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ever since I was a teen, and I'm putting this post out there to see if anybody else had the same thought.
I think Julian Bashir from Deep Space Nine, especially his plotline about having been genetically altered at a young age, is a commentary on neurodivergency.
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Bashir is characterized as being highly intelligent, albeit lacking in social insight. He excels in academic matters but frequently finds himself floundering around women, being led by the nose by more charismatic people, and not picking up what other people are putting down. This alone would make him the average stereotypical TV depiction of an autistic person, but what I want to focus on is the episode that provides a canonical reason for these traits: the season 5 episode Doctor Bashir, I Presume.
In this episode it's revealed, or retconned really, that Bashir owes his intelligence to genetic tempering. Bashir originally suffered from a learning disability. He was not as intelligent as other children his age, falling far behind his peers, and his parents resorted to illegally altering his genes to "cure" that disability. As a result he instead became exceedingly intelligent. In essence, it took away a symptom that made his life more difficult, and traded it for one that made him more functional.
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That episode on its own isn't a super strong nod towards autism. Though it does establish that Bashir is at least neurodivergent, it's more a discussion on eugenics and the theoretical ethics of removing disabilities through genetics. What I really want to focus on is the sort-of-sequel to this episode, and the only other episode that really focuses on these themes: the season 6 episode "Statistical Probabilities." In this episode, Bashir sets out to help other people who underwent genetic alteration, but for whom the treatments didn't go as well. The people he meets all display symptoms of one neurodivergency or another. One of them is very hyperactive and lacks empathy, another is very childlike despite being an old man, and another is entirely unresponsive.
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For me, as someone who grew up in special education, I couldn't help but recognize some of the people I knew. To me, the metaphor was clear: "genetic alteration" was really just sci-fi talk for neurodivergency. Julian was the savant, the high-functioning autistic person who successfully integrated into society, because his neurodivergency gave him intelligence and insight that made him useful. And the others weren't as lucky, struggling to lead normal lives because their symptoms impeded their ability to function by themselves.
Bashir spends the episode trying to prove that the other genetically altered people have something to offer society, that there is a place for them. It felt very on the nose to me. But no one I've seen talk about this pair of episodes ever seemed to have taken from them what I took from them. I can't find anyone else online who interpreted the episodes the same way. Maybe my perspective is very particular, as someone who spent so much time in special education growing up, and who has personally struggled with finding a place where I can offer something to others. But idk. Am I seeing allegories that aren't there? What do yall think?
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serialkillerbettycooper · 4 months ago
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Top 6 Penelope Blossom moments
6. Lesbian Nun Era Every time we haven't seen a television character in a while it should be revealed that they became a nun and realized they're gay. No exceptions.
5. Husband Poisoning Love to see her pulling a Clytemnestra and killing her husband as revenge for her child, especially given the fact that she was groomed from childhood to be his sisterwife. He had it coming <3
4. You're Killing People. Not People, Men. Her Jennifer Check slay. Also her turn as a serial killer is so funny to me she faces zero consequences for any of it until she decides she feels like it and turns herself in.
3. That Time She Put The Core Four Through A Death Gauntlet I'm going to be real with you. I barely even remember why she did all that but I fully support her. Putting everyone in dramatic outfits? Slay. Making Archie fight some guy dressed as a bear? Queen shit. Making Beronica drink poison for each other? Lesbian rights. Shooting Hal Cooper? Iconic.
2. Popping Out Of The Walls to Tell Cheryl She Murdered Their Entire Extended Family The fact that this is probably the nicest thing she ever did for Cheryl speaks volumes. Also addressing her affectionately as Nightmare Child.
1. Living In The Walls To Try Gaslight Cheryl Into Thinking She Was Being Haunted By Her Secret Triplet Julian Incredibly unnecessary. Extremely dramatic and for literally no reason except to fuck with Cheryl's head. Mother of the year.
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