#If only my best friend was as into it as I am so we could watch it together and discuss it properly as we watch

[norrisainz33]

new beginning || ln4

☆ summary: y/n is in the cursed second red bull seat but finds the opportunity to thrive in indy car

☆ pairing: ln4 x racingdriver!reader

☆ fc & warnings: none and hate comments

☆ requested: yes!! thank you for the request 🫶🏻

ﾟ. ✿ ୨❤︎୧⠀✿ . ﾟ

redbullracing has made a post

liked by user1, user2, user3, mclarenf1, yourbff, user4, user5, and 765,249 others

redbullracing: a dominate race from max here in qatar! only one race to go in the 2024 season

view all 873 comments

user1: glad to see max back on top

user2: y/n has the worst luck i feel so bad for her

user6: y/n has so much more potential than this

user8: being max’s teammate is not easy

user3: get y/n off this team

user5: we are losing the wcc bc of y/n

user2: oh don’t be so dramatic

user4: super max back again

ynuser has posted a story

view all story replies

patriciooward: ohhhh you two are getting real cozy over there

ynuser: maybeeee mr nosey

patriciooward: just looking out for mi amiga is all - be careful with him

ynuser: gracias mi amigo. lando is a good guy

patriciooward: he is and i know that. i just love you like my dear sister

ynuser: and i love you patito

user5: maybe instead of spending so much time with lando you could be learning how to drive

landonorris: diva DOWN

ynuser: this diva is up not down

landonorris: yeah you right. i am on a high after seeing you

ynuser: 🥹 smooth

landonorris: trying

user6: oh he’s a cutie

maxverstappen1: tea

ynuser: subtle but yes

josefnewgarden: 👀

ynuser: 🫣

user7: are yall together or

f1 has made a post

liked by user1, user2, user3, user8, user4, user5, and 453,139 others

f1: BREAKING 🚨 y/n y/l/n and red bull have reached an agreement to part ways for 2024. this comes after a tough season for y/n who has had her fair share of struggles. we can also confirm that y/n has signed to drive for Arrow McLaren for the 2024 indy car season. we wish her the best of luck in her next endeavor!

view all 423 comments

user5: it’s about time!

user2: she’s gonna thrive in indy car i just know it

patriciooward: to new beginnings with my best friend as my teammate 🧡

user33: i love this friendship so much

redbullracing: thank you ynuser

user2: that’s really all you have to say?

user3: good riddance

arrowmclaren: welcome home ynuser

user12: wishing y/n nothing but the best. everyone should watch indy car it’s going to be so much fun with her this season!!!

ynuser has made a post

liked by patriciooward, landonorris, arrowmclaren, maxverstappen1, georgerussell63, and 634,984 other

ynuser: its been a while. back to remind you that the indy car season starts this weekend in st. pete 🤍

view all 325 comments

user2: she’s back!! i missed you y/n

patriciooward: let’s go teammate

ynuser: my teammate and mi hermano 🧡

maxverstappen1: can’t wait to watch you this weekend

ynuser: i miss you so dearly. can’t wait to see you

user21: omg is max going to st pete?????

user11: cant wait to get into indy car this season

landonorris: where are my pic creds

ynuser: thanks for the ocean pics!

landonorris: 🙄🙄 you’re welcome

user7: they’re together!?? he took the pic in the second slide???? omg

elbaoward: my babieeeessssssss

ynuser: my lovey 😘

arrowmclaren: our favorite papaya girly 🧡

ynuser: 🤍🧡🤍🧡

user13: y/n crumbs!!! i’ve been waiting for this

arrowmclaren has made a post

liked by ynuser, landonorris, maxverstappen1, yourbff, elbaoward, lance_stroll, and 438,120 others

arrowmclaren: an incredible first weekend back in st. petersburg! p1 for our girl y/n with a great result from pato and nolan.

view all 416 comments

elbaoward: i am so proud

patriciooward: me too

ynuser: don’t make me cry more 🥹

user19: my favorite sibling (not really) trio

user2: i’ve never cried so much watching a race in my life. i am so proud of y/n

ynuser: an incredible weekend. thank you for believing in me 🧡

arrowmclaren: we are so proud of you y/n

user44: see this is how you treat your drivers redbullracing

landonorris: incredible work ynuser

ynuser: thank you my muppet 🤍

user18: this season is going to be the best season for us i just know it

maxverstappen1: that’s my girl

ynuser: my bestie 🥹🥹

user22: i’m so glad y/n is here in indy car

user43: y/n and mclaren championships incoming

f1gossip has made a post

liked by user1, user2, user3, user4, user5, user6, and 12,967 others

f1gossip: lando norris and max verstappen have been spotted at the st. petersburg indy car grand prix to show their support of ex-f1 driver, y/n y/l/n, as she makes her debut. it’s been rumored for months that lando and y/n are more than just friends and after y/n’s p1 finish it’s all but confirmed. following the race, y/n got out of her car and ran directly into lando’s arms giving him a rather passionate kiss

view all 198 comments

user2: best news i’ve seen all day

user20: them flying out to florida to be there for y/n days before they have to be in australia is so dear to me

user33: they are two of the best friends anyone could ask for

user32: indy car is the perfect home for y/n

user67: the love those two have for y/n speaks volumes about her as a person

user21: i’m so proud of her 🥹😭

ynuser has made a post

liked by landonorris, patriciooward, maxverstappen1, arrowmclaren, oscarpiastri, and 765,928 others

ynuser: i can’t describe how incredible these first few races with arrow mclaren have been. in these first 5 races, i haven’t placed outside of the podium and i can’t even begin to explain how proud i am of myself and of this incredible team. thank you to everyone who has cheered me on through the ups and downs - i love you all. next up, the indy 500. (p.s. yes that is lando)

view all 529 comments

user2: she found her home 🧡

maxverstappen1: you are a superstar ynuser

ynuser: that’s you max

user89: the most impressive career turn around i’ve ever seen

landonorris: proud of you my love

ynuser: thank you 2025 wdc

landonorris: don’t jinx me

ynuser: i wouldn’t dare

user2: she can say these things now that she’s not on rbr lfg

patriciooward: you’re making me look bad (jk i adore you and want nothing but success for you)

ynuser: impossible to make you look bad when you’re one of the most talented drivers out there 🤍

user99: landoy/n supremacy! him making time to see her race is everything!!!

ﾟ. ✿ ୨❤︎୧⠀✿ . ﾟ

a/n: thank you for reading!! likes and reblogs appreciated 🫶🏻

ﾟ. ✿ ୨❤︎୧⠀✿ . ﾟ

disclaimer: pictures are not mine and everything i write is fiction

© norrisainz33 || please do not rewrite, translate, or copy any of my works posted here on to any other platform

[beautypasseslikeadream]

This seems like an appropriate place to recount one especially memorable time I picked up R from kindergarten. His teacher greeted me at the door with one of my least favourite of his phrases: "Well, we made some not-so-good choices this afternoon!"

I barely repressed the urge to say, "Mr G, I'm sure YOUR choices were fine. What did my feral goblin child do?"

R emerges from the door, not quite as sheepish as he should be, considering that he has clearly cut off his own bangs.

"It was [best friend]'s idea!" He said, as if the two of them hadn't already been a two-child echo chamber of bad ideas for six months.

Mr G, with exactly the unending patience you'd want from a kindergarten teacher said, "Yes, R, tell your mom what you and your friend were doing."

"Please say, 'playing hair salon'," I silently beg my child.

"We were collecting our DNA," said R, as if that excused any violation of the classroom scissor policy.

"They made a bowl out of paper for their samples and everything." Mr G knows better than to express pride in misbehaviour, as that guarantees repetition of said behaviour, but we've had enough of these conversations for me to know that he enjoys stuff like this far more than the usual, "Kevin bit Michael" sorts of drama that 4 and 5yos normally get into.

It is at this point that I notice that, not only is R missing some hair, the hem of his shirt is missing several ragged triangles of fabric. I reach for it, mentally assessing the mending process, when R speaks again, in a distinctly put-out sort of voice.

"I WAS gonna get my socks' DNA but that's when the scissors got taken away."

I glance at Mr G, who clarifies that R and his co-conspirator have lost their scissor privileges for a day. I suggest two days for R, as (believe it or not) I had told him several days before that he could not cut up the shirt he was wearing to make a bat costume.

R by this point has run off, clearly aware that I am only objecting to all of this on principle, and not because I'm actually mad at him. I turn back to Mr G and say:

"Honestly, I'm just glad they were content with hair samples for DNA and weren't taking blood samples."

We shared a laugh, not that R couldn't hear, and then R and I were on our way home. Don't worry, I made sure to set things straight for R. He now understands that shirts and socks do not have DNA and therefore do not need to be included in whatever vital research he is doing.

Today’s school run chaos featured:

- Dr Glass, a long covid haver, was not on scene.

- bear(7) excused themselves with a Formal Letter, which was accepted.

- bug(4) however demanded to go to school, as they have a phonics test and are planning to surpass their fiancé on it

- mouse(1.5) after doing some strategic nonverbal squeaking and begging, was presented with a highly desirable used butter knife, adorned with Nutella residue, in a fit of absentmindedness by myself. Normally, house policy is that Mouse is not armed, but I was distracted and their squeaking was so confident that it just sort of happened. Mouse then carefully licked the knife clean and secreted it in a very clever place for later.

- the very clever place was down the neck of their sleepsuit/footie pajamas, so it slid down into their foot; upon being taken down after breakfast, they tried to subtly retrieve it and ALMOST got away with it.

- “MOUSE HAS A KNIFE”

[natashaslesbian]

Happy House | NR | I

Summary: Natasha suspects something is seriously wrong when you suddenly hand in your notice as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent

Word Count: 2.9k

Warnings/Content: Domestic Abuse / Verbal Abuse / Physical Abuse / Violence / Sexual Assault / Rape

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“Sorry to interrupt Director Fury, Hill said I should pass this on to you myself” you said as you snuck around the door to Nick’s office, surprised to see another agent with him. “What is it?” He said “My resignation sir” you answered, not missing the glance from the redhead at Nicks side “I’m sorry to hear that Miss Y/L/N, we will miss you in the offices” Fury sighed with full authenticity “Thank you Sir, I will work my weeks notice with the most attention” you spoke through small shakes. “Well I wish you all the best” Nick rose from his chair to shake your hand “Thank you Sir, Agent Romanoff, apologies for the interruption” you nodded to the agent and director “Not at all” you heard behind you as you closed the door. “What was that?” Natasha said the second the door was shut “what was what?” Nick questioned “you’re just gonna let her leave?” The redhead exclaimed “she’s handed in a resignation Romanoff, there’s nothing I can do” Nick said “she’s your best office agent! I mean her reports are superior not to mention her tech skills!” Natasha pleaded “Well I didn’t know you took such interest in every member of the office Nat” Nick teased with a suspecting look “shut up” Nat said as she smacked him lightly in the arm, also giggling.

You trudged home through the snow that night, having given up on your boyfriends lift home. There were no lights on, visibly from the outside of your small apartment, you hoped that Dylan would be sleeping. You crept in quietly, shaking off as much snow from your boots as you could. Walking silently through the hall you came to the living area, a sudden overhead light alerting you to someone’s presence “where have you been?” Dylan said, slurring his words “baby you scared me” you smiled, hoping to defuse the tension. “I said, where have you been?” Your boyfriend said again, rising to his feet on shaky legs “you said your shift finished at 4:30, and what time is it now?” Dylan asked “it’s 6, but you see I had to stay late there was so much to do and I-“ you began to mumble before Dylan cut you off “oh shut up!” He screamed as he launched his beer can towards your head. You managed to doge it at the last second “if I find out that you’ve been with that Romanoff, I’ll kill her, then you’ll realise what happens to bad little girls” your boyfriend raged as he closed the Space between you both. “No baby, I wasn’t” you mumbled, feeling the cold wall against your back “she doesn’t even know my name, but you know I did give in my resignation, just like you asked” you could smell the alcohol on Dylan’s breath as he leaned in to give you a harsh kiss. “Good girl” he grumbled “now why don’t you get dinner started, I’m starving” he finished as he finally backed away.

“Natasha come on” Clint groaned “you said you’d be done with the report by now” he said. “I am done with the report” Nat said, her eyes still glued to her laptop. “So what are you doing?” Clint asked, “I’m just… looking into some of our agents” the redhead said. Clint came to his best friends side hovering over her shoulders “and why would you be doing that?” He asked. Natasha paused for a moment, debating if she should tell Clint the real reason she was looking over your file. “There’s this girl, from the offices downstairs, and something just seems off” the redhead said. “How do you mean?” Clint said with intrigue. “She’s been with shield for 5 years and last week she handed in her resignation. I’ve only spoken to her a few times but she seems so dedicated like she really loves it here. She’s never had a sick day she’s always in early but in the last few months somethings changed.” Natasha explained. “How so?” Clint asked. “She’s sheepish, tired, frail. She’s different” Natasha said, keeping some of the information from her own eyes to herself. “So what are you thinking” Clint asked as he eyed the laptop screen. Nat pointed towards your relation details “she updated her profile 6 months ago, added some boyfriend as her emergency contact” the widow said. “It’s the only noticeable change along with her personality” she finished. “You think there’s something wrong?” Clint said. “Maybe” Nat sighed.

You were backed into your bedroom as Dylan walked towards you. “I told you, you’re not going out tonight” he said as he continued to stomp at you. “I got tonight off work so we could be together” he said, faux sweetness in his voice. “I know” you whispered “but my friends they wanted to throw me a leaving party” you said. “What friends?” Dylan asked as he took hold of your shoulders. “My work friends” you whimpered as his grip tightened. “Romanoff?” Dylan shouted as he twisted in his stance and threw you against the bedroom wall “I thought I told you what would happen if you went mingling with that freak” he hissed at you. “No no it’s not her, just my friends from the office” you said through shaky breaths “friends?” Dylan scoffed “who’d wanna be friends with you?” He laughed. Dylan trailed his hands down your body and pushed his fingers into your hips pinning you against the wall “I thought we’d stay here and… you know” he said as he lent forward, his breath got against your face. “Dylan I’m gonna be late, everyone’s waiting for me at the restaurant” you whispered “you are not going anywhere” your boyfriend said as he gritted his teeth. Dylan took a step back and slowly walked towards the door, pushing it shut and locking it “get on the bed” he instructed. You knew better than do disobey him.

Clint put the car into park and leaned over to stop Natasha from climbing out “I don’t think this is a good idea” he said “we can’t just crash her leaving party” Natasha shrugged “we’ll just say it’s a coincidence” she said, opening the door and jumping out before Clint could say anything else. Of course Natasha had this planned out, she had called the restaurant this morning and booked a table so it was no trouble when she walked right in dragging Clint behind her. The two were sat at a small table near the back of the small restaurant, and it didn’t take long to find out where your party was sitting, the only problem was, you weren’t there. “She’s probably just stuck in traffic” Natasha heard one of your coworkers say “no she only lives round the corner she’d usually walk” Sarah, another of your coworkers, said. Clint flashed Natasha a worried glance, having been listening in to the conversation as well.

You rolled slowly over to your side of the bed, your thighs sore and your hips throbbing. “See that wasn’t so hard was it?” Dylan said as he leaned over to kiss your cheek “it’s always best when you listen to me” he said. You pulled the duvet up above your shoulders as Dylan got up out of bed “right I’m going out” he huffed “and you are staying here” he said as he pulled the duvet off your bruised body “make me something nice to eat” he demanded. You stayed frozen as you listened to Dylan shuffling through your apartment, flinching suddenly when the front door slammed shut. You pulled your legs up to your chest as you sat up, bringing your hand up to cover your mouth as you cried. There was no way out of this hell, you’d tried again and again. Taking a job at S.H.I.E.L.D was supposed to be your ticket out but when you were passed over for a promotion to field agent you knew it wouldn’t be that easy.

On his way out, Dylan took a look at your phone and found the name of the restaurant your co workers were at. He made his way down the apartment building stairs and onto the street, taking a short walk around the corner to the restaurant. He strode through the doors and brushed off the waitress flashing him a kind smile. “Dylan!” Sarah, your colleague called “what are you doing here where’s y/n?” She asked “oh she’s not feeling well, she sends her apologies and sent me along to make sure you were all having a good time” your boyfriend said as he pasted a smile across his face. “The boyfriend?” Clint quietly asked, Natasha nodded her head yes as she watched Dylan from the corner of her eyes. “Oh that’s such a shame!” One of your colleagues said as she moved to hug your boyfriend. “Somethings not right” Natasha said having been tuned into the conversation “she wouldn’t miss this, she’s too much of a people pleaser” she said. “Sounds like someone else I know” Clint remarked, attempting to defuse Natasha’s tension. The widow glared at him with a hint of humour before an idea came to her mind. “Let’s go” Natasha said as she stood up “go where?” Clint asked. “Well if Dylan’s here and y/n’s not then I have a pretty good idea where she might be, and she’s there alone” the redhead said as she stealthily made her way towards the exit.

You hobbled around the kitchen slowly, a slight limp in your steps. The room was filled with the sizzling of the steak atop the pan, you moved around on auto pilot cutting up vegetables for a salad. You focused on the throbbing pain in your hips and watched as a small purple bruise began to form along your arm. You were used to this by now, completely alienated from your body as you recovered until the next time. The kitchen fell silent as you took the steak off the heat, reminding you of the presence of the ticking clock on the wall. Too focused on the thoughts circling in your head, you failed to notice the gentle click of your front door and the almost inaudible squeak of its hinges. You winced as you opened the freezer door with your sore arm, cursing under your breath at your own stupidity. You reached for the frozen vegetables when a voice from behind startled you. “Y/n?” you spun round in shock and your eyes met the same redhead you admired so much. “Natasha?” You asked with wide eyes “what are- how did you get in here?” You stuttered as your breathing picked up a rapid pace. The widow took in your dishevelled appearance and the smudged mascara underneath your eyes. “Did he do this?” She said as she reached out for your bruised arm “what?” You shrieked as you pulled away from Natasha “who? What are you talking about?” You asked as you felt the panic rise into your chest. “Dylan” Clint said, speaking up from behind the concerned redhead. “How long has this been going on?” Natasha asked as she took a sceptical step towards you. “I don’t know what you’re talking about” you said dismissively.

Avoiding eye contact with the concerned avengers you continued to potter about the kitchen. “I think you should leave, Dylan’ll be back for his dinner soon” you said. “What, he’ll be back from your leaving party” Natasha countered as she followed your footsteps. “Yeah, I’m not feeling great so I sent him along by himself” you grumbled in annoyance. “Oh right but you’re well enough to cook him a steak” the widow said becoming increasingly more angry. “What are you implying?” You asked “I’m not implying anything, I’m telling you that I know what’s going on” the furious redhead said. “Nat” Clint warned at his friend’s increasing temper. “Nothing is going on! Get out!” You yelled “y/n look at yourself!” As she took the empty plate from your hands. “Natasha” Clint sighed as he stepped forward “how did you get that bruise?” The widow asked “and before you lie, remember what it is that I do” she said. “I…I fell over the other day” you stuttered. Natasha let out a frustrated sigh as she turned away from you, not wanting to hear anymore lies. “Y/n that’s a recent bruise” Clint said calmly. “No it’s not” you argued “and the limp? You’re gonna tell me you got that when you fell over too right?” Natasha said as she twisted around to face you again. “Ye-yes…I…tripped on the stairs” you said anxiously. “Liar!” Natasha yelled.

The room was silenced when the front door slammed with a large bang; Natasha didn’t miss the way your body flinched. “Y/n?” Dylan said as he stomped into the kitchen “what’s going on?” He asked with faux sweetness. “Sorry, I’m Clint from S.H.I.E.L.D” the archer said as he extended his hand “we just wanted to see if y/n here would consider extending her notice. She’s an exceptional agent and will be a huge loss for us” Clint said. “Well I think she’s made up her mind, right honey?” Dylan nodded as he slipped his hands back into his pocket “yeah” you huffed quickly “yeah that’s right”. Natasha watched closely during this exchange, eyes running the length of Dylan’s hand to examine them for any signs of harm. “Okay” Clint sighed “then we’ll get out of your hair” he smiled “keep in touch okay kid” he said to you as he handed over a card with his phone number. Dylan stepped aside as the two agents headed for the door “goodnight y/n” Natasha said as she turned back to you, a sad smile pasted on her face. “Goodnight” Dylan said for the both of you, silencing your words and ending the conversation. You watched as red hair cascaded down the corridor, you wondered if that would be the last time you saw Natasha.

You avoided Dylan’s gaze as you began serving up his food “dinner’s ready” you said “do you want a beer? Or is water fine?”. Your boyfriend eyed you suspiciously as you frantically ran around the kitchen. He reached for your arm as you passed him, using his fingers to dig into the fresh bruise on your skin “I don’t remember saying you could have guests over” he spat at you. “They…they were ju-just” you stuttered nervously “yeah yeah they were just asking if you’d extend your notice” Dylan said, annunciating each word with his harsh voice. “They just showed up I didn’t know they were coming” you whimpered as his grip began to hurt you. “Do you honestly think I would believe anything you say?” Dylan asked calmly, alerting you to what was coming next. “You are nothing but a lying, selfish little slut!” He suddenly screamed, releasing you from his hold but using that same arm to batter you in the stomach with each of his insults. “You were whoring yourself out to that fucking redhead weren’t you? But she didn’t want you so you invited that prick over too!” He yelled “what was the plan? They were gonna fuck you while I was out? Cause it’s all you’re good for bitch!” He continued to shout as his fits became rougher, knocking the air out of your lungs.

You managed to shuffle backwards away from your boyfriend “it wasn’t like that I swear!” You pleaded as you held your arms up in surrender, giving Dylan perfect access to wipe you out with a simple kick to your legs. You hit the floor hard, the room was starting to spin as you felt yourself being dragged across the cold tiles. This was it, he was finally going to do it. “You are the most worthless piece of shit on this planet!” Dylan spat as he placed his weight on top of your sore ribs “you know I only kept you around because you were a good fuck. I would’ve killed you a long time ago if you didn’t have anything to offer” he said as he roughly placed his hands on your chest. You had to get out of here, and not in a body bag. Your boyfriend became overwhelmed with his sexuality, lifting his weight up to lean down to your neck and litter it with harsh kisses. It was the fastest decision you ever made, but you knew it was now or never. Using all your strength you flipped your body to one side and used Dylan’s surprise to push him away. The hallway was small so it didn’t create much distance and he was sure to be even more mad at the way he hit the wall.

You scrambled to your feet as Dylan groaned on the floor. Sprinting through the house, you didn’t bother to grab anything before heading straight to the door. Your boyfriend was on his feet now, he was going to catch up unless you stalled him. When you passed through the doorway you turned on your hells and dragged down the tall cabinet leaning against the wall. It came crashing down and blocked the only exit from your apartment. You decided to take the stairs, not the elevator, there was no way you could stop now, your adrenaline wouldn’t let you stand still for one second. You finally made it to the lobby of your building and hurried straight past all the concerned faces looking your way. You came out into the cold night, wearing nothing more than shorts and an oversized shirt. You didn’t have a plan. You didn’t know where you were going. You just knew you had to run. So that’s what you did. Ran. You just ran.

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A/N: If this story has affected you in anyway please know you can always message me if you want to! Equally, there are so many resources available if you need support🤍

I’m an asshole for leaving you all with this cliffhanger before I take a break, see you in February hehe

- Astara Bell

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[Taglist]

@saraaahsstuff / @dannipotatoo / @tobiaslut / @nev-valkyriesdottir / @marvelnatasha12346 / @yelenasdiary / @mousetheorist / @ashadash0904 / @strange-night-owl / @acciowriting / @hatergirl-69 / @lovelyy-moonlight

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[jeahreading]

Year-End Moots Post

@glorfie394 - Honestly, i don't think i need to say much other than the fact that you were probably one of the very few people I consider my best friends irl. We've been talking less and less and I really hope we can talk more this year.

@1indigoisles You used to say that I shouldn't consider you a good friend because we haven't even known each other for a year. Well now it's been more than that, so we should also be really good friends, while we didn't talk for most of this year that's only because of academics and I can't promise it won't happen again but I really REALLY want to talk more with you, even if I take time responding once in a while.

@pb-dot - quoted from you, last year "You and I seem to mostly pass as ships in the night, but sometimes the distant sound of a foghorn can be just the thing, to torture the metaphor a little" Honestly you were the first blog I sent an ask to and your clockwork boy amazed me to bits, we're still ships but maybe not so much in the night anymore, dusk?

@mycatisatool - I still remember how we talked last year just a few days before New Year's and how I ranted to you, a random person. Talking to you has never and will never feel foreign, I hope we remain friends or even acquaintances for many more years to come!

@joytri I'm not sure what I should say except the fact that YOU'RE SO AESTHETIC, omg I wish i was even close to how pretty your blog and posts are dffsnbsjdhjf I so wish i could by your stationary T_T.

@chichihuahua1413 - MY SISTER FROM ANOTHER MISTER, nobody can convince me that we AREN'T twins separated at birth. UGH, I wish I had come to that gathering it's been SO LONG SINCE WE'VE MET. Wow, can you believe we've known each other for 9 years now?? seems absolutely surreal.

@clarablightt - we met unexpectedly and I am SO glad we did, we didn't talk much at first but now when we do I am happy the whole day. Sometimes we talk for hours and it feels like minutes, I wish you all the happiness in this world and someday we're gonna meet istg

@owlsandwich - O yem GEE, even though many years separate us talking to you has never felt that way, you talk with a young soul if that makes any sense, and of course, you being absolutely adorable doesn't help. Heard somewhere that pets represent their owner and seeing Miss Zero, you both seem carefree and loving. I hope you have the best year ever!!!!

@fangirlghost-19 - Found your blog in the most detective way possible hihi, but so glad I did, you're absolutely amazing and you just have that pizzazz not everyone has!

@shua-f4lmings Started talking to you because I really wanted to talk to someone who likes skz, no regrets, I am in LOVE with your aesthetic, that blog change was ICONIQUE.

@baxieblur-turnip Heyyyyyyyy we met on chance and babe that hexagone is hexagoning so hard, we need to talk more frrr

@ek-ajnabee-haseena hamari jugalbandi honi zaruurat hain!! we should sing because i just know it's gonna be so freaking good!

@hxart-of-thx-ocxan - bestie so aesthetic i quacking in my boots, looking at your blogs makes me want to float away on a boat into the ocean and never look back again 🤤🤤

@book-girl4evaaa - I'm pretty sure we first talked because I thought you were desi but you are AMAZING all the same, seeing you talk about the heather is adorable asf and you're fashion sense makes me jealous 😭😭

@dinnerbug - saw you on my side and you actually genuinely intrigued me so much I followed you and honestly you are one of my most curious mutuals. I'm pretty sure I once sent an ask to you telling you to drink less coca cola lmaoo

@zeherili-ankhein - CHINIIII!!!!!! top 3 best persons i've met on this app fr, the mark of true and honest friendship is that we KNOW we disagree on many things but that does NOT stop us from being such close friends, i don't think you realise how badly i want to be irl friends with you istg 😭😭

@no--net - If someone asked me one thing I wanted for you, I'd wish you could understand bangla, i just know I would recommend SO MANY feluda and byomkesh bakshi. 😫😫

@paloma-ascends-into-hellfire - I don't quite remember why we started following each other but I glad we did all the same, my first thought seeing you was literally that one song by Paris Paloma, solely because of the name, which btw hold you high HIGH in my mind!! Wish you the absolute BEST year ahead!

@anonymouse-is-here We haven't talked much but YOU'RE SO ADORABLE!!!! And also your blog is just 🤌🤌

@im-on-crack-send-help CHOTIIII!!!! you're like the sister i never had and i will kill to have 😀🔪. You should really be on less crack and more happiness cuz you deserve it :D. Also beware at night because I will come to you house to steal your eyes and hair and wardrobe, beware.......... ily uwu<3

@telugu-girl-13 - Honestly you're going to be the 2nd reason why I read pjo. You're blog gives me old b&w vibes and it's just top tier imo <3 adorable kwnekjfrnkjnr

@inhachoi0901 - we need to meet more often cuz YASS talking to you is so freaking fun, we also need to like sing together!<33(you also need to tell what shampoo you use)

@mi-stress-of-chaos - you're blog 🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇 teach me how to be aeshtetic like you sensei. Also, I'm grabbing a bucket and taking the stress far FAR away from you. you need a vacation i swear<33

@shadowseductress - omg you're like really beautiful, like beautiful like I'm gonna start singing apsara aali and then promptly trip and fall on my face, you're so badass ngl i kinda idolize you 😀😀😭.

@shinchansbitch - you need a shiro in your life, one that talks fr. You're weird but like the really fucking awesome kinda weird. I need tips from you, we need to sit down and you need to tell me your autobiography babe.

@no-idea-where-i-am-lost - Oh my god you're like dangerously adorable, like i need to put orange traffic cones around you, when you and @wulfricnavy get married invite me to the wedding, ashirvaad aur atta dono deke jaoongi.(cutie pie cutie cutie pieeeeeeeeeeeeee)

@natures-marvel - Solving that scavenger hunt with you was so freaking fun!!!!! you're amazing to to talk to and I think we have an mutual want for episode three 😭😭😭

@ineffable-bastard - You're so cool omg, LOVE that fact that your hair always a different colour and please NEVER stop tagging me you're like my no.1 source of tag games and tag games are a straight path to love <33

@hellincarnation - honestly in terms of you, i just don't know what to say, you are kind, you are sweet, you care, you are cute and adorable and with just the correct amount of spice, you're like god's perfect recipe, we met late in the year but it's like we've knows each other for years, getting to know you made ,my year infinitely better and holy shit i just want to minimize you put you in a jar and carry you around with me everywhere, you're an A+ dipshit but also a brother, please take care of yourself and keep showing up so that we can fight more.<333

@mireyaaaaaaaaa - you're not just a ray of sunshine you're the whole freaking sun, you're like and endless energy reserve(stop hogging all the energy give us peasants some!!), you love book and I love book, and now I love you<333. Let's interact more this next year, and all the very best for your 10th you will do well I just know it!!

@fujimomozane - I'm pretty sure we haven't talked yet but, you're always there, for that I thank you(psst you afk art gives me life<33)

@your-reluctant-optimist - you, I'm gonna put you in a little terrarium and I'm going to keep your pocket sized everything in my pocket<3333333333333333

@randomx123 - Dada !! Your art is just *chef's kiss 🤌🤌🤌* and the durga pujo at your house is "bhalobasha", this year we didn't talk very much but whenever you're on my dash I always get happy :D. Don't worry shob kichu bhalo jabe, relax and keep doing what you think is best 😁😁.

@hj-lives-on - yo! i don't think we've talked about anything relevant lmao, but i will say good music taste and let's like, talk about things that are...normal :D

@lyrebirb - You are ADORABLE period. i need to know more about you i swear you are utterly fascinating, we should 100% talk more please!!!<3

@androgynous-bhajipav - i can't believe we became such good friends in this short time!?? Payneland brought together and our dymanic kept us together<33

@mersinia - Us meeting was the best coincidence of this year lmao, the amount of tumblr things we have in common is baffling, we REALLY need to talk more.

@shubhadeep385 - Gave me gangster vibes from the beginning and turns out i was right 😂. But you're also an older brother, like fr. In the proper sense lmao, you told me to never trust boys and also told me the boy I have a crush on is *chomu*, if this isn't proper bhai behaviour i dunno what is. Take care of yourself next bochor, I'm always there 😁😁.

@sittininthepoopchair - I also saw you on my side blog and your adorable ass dad vibes were just too adorable for me to ignore. I might not be your target or comfortable audience but you're absolutely amazing and Seeing you talk about your kids always has been smiling <3.

I'm soo sorry if I missed anyone, but if you are someone I missed just know I love you I love your blog you are adorable as fuck and HAVE THE BEST NEW YEAR EVER!!!!!<3333333

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

[twig-tea]

GL odds and ends 29 December 2024

The end of the year kicked my ass, but I wanted to get one last one of these out for 2024! The last one before this was 10 November. If you're interested in GL older than that, check out my GL rec list through Feb 2024 and my #gl recs tag for the other odds and ends posts. New series marked with an asterisk*.

Currently airing (with thoughts up to 29 Dec):

The Fragrance You inherit 5/8 (Japanese, Friday/Saturday-ish, no official distribution but fansub on @isaksbestpillow's blog [thank you Siiri!] I have been really enjoying this show and have been writing when I have time (last post was for ep4). At its core this is a gentle show about kind people who love each other doing their best, which is always my favourite thing. Subs are on pause for the moment so you have time to catch up before the finale!

Pluto ep 11/12 (Thai, Saturdays 9:30 AM ET, YouTube) This plot continues to be absolutely wild. There's a lot of discourse around Oom this week, to which I'll just say: Setting a test to see if the people you love will hurt themselves in order to make you feel better is not loving or healthy behaviour, even if your motivations are understandable and sympathetic. Namtan is doing a great job making these twins feel like different people, and she and Film are still gorgeous together. And I have no idea what's up with the messy lesbian sides, but I'm on the side of all of them need a time out! I've been pretty dialed out of this show because it's not my thing, so I'm not that invested in any of the relationships going into the finale, but it's been a wild ride and it seems to be holding together for those who enjoy the high drama of this plot.

*Petrichor ep 5/10 (Thai, Saturdays, 10:00 AM ET, iQIYI) The procedural aspects of this show are unfortunately not well executed, but Engfa and Charlotte have fantastic chemistry. I'm also really loving seeing Na and Max again even though I am very worried about getting too attached to their characters. It's always hard for me when a show is about a police officer trying to do good work in a corrupt system because the only takeaway I can accept is that that is not possible lol but I'm enjoying seeing these two on my screen every week (except this week, because we sadly did not get a new episode today).

*Mate, 6/12 (Thai, Tuesdays, WeTV (uncut version)) This one is hard to describe. It seems to be trying to do for trauma in a GL what Love in the Air and Bed Friend did in BL--show a realistic depiction of trauma in one of their characters and have them fall in love, and be taken care of and healed that way. But that also makes it extremely hard to watch. The trauma flashbacks and trauma responses is rough. The main character is not very likeable but that's kinda the point, I'm not minding that part of it so much. There are a lot of things I like about this show, so I don't want to discourage views. Just go into this one informed, and make the decision that's right for you.

*INTP 1/? (Korean, Fridays (?), YouTube) This is the latest short series from RedQ, who produced some of my favourite GL short series including More than or equal to 75 degrees C, and To the Ex who Hated Me. No info on how long it will be or if it will be weekly, so that Fridays release schedule is a total guess. The setup of this one reminded me of Semantic Error if SangWoo realized he was attracted to JaeYoung at their first group assignment meeting.

Recently Completed:

Apple My Love 6.5 50-min eps (Thai, Oct 12-Nov 16, GagaOOLala and YouTube) I ended up feeling like this one bit off a bit more than it could chew, as much fun as I had with it, it was a wobbly landing. I was ok with the ending at the end but I spent a lot of time watching the finale uncertain about how I felt about all of it. There's a 30 min "episode 5.1" that is an important bridge between episodes 5 and 6 (and also includes a 10-min fingering scene, thank you show) that I think resulted from either poor pacing or realizing they needed to set up the episode better? It was odd but something to make sure not to skip. The show does a lot of what I love about Kongthup's latest BLs: it avoids the worst drama pitfalls and calls them out in the show itself when it uses them, and it is largely about being kind to its characters who are figuring themselves out. Warning for extremely hard to watch secondhand embarrassment in the first couple of episodes lol Kris is such a cringefail lesbian I love her. With the caveats above, if you don't mind secondhand embarrassment and want a comedy GL and are willing to be a little patient with the ending, give this one a try!

The Loyal Pin 16 65-min eps (Thai, Aug 4-Dec 1, YouTube) Anin was the bravest right through to the end. I really liked a lot of this show, but I found the pacing a bit uneven and the finale a little rough. It's hard, because I actually am happy with the way the show ended--it makes perfect sense and was where I was hoping they would get to the entire show. What I didn't like was how we got there. It seemed wild that Pin and Anin didn't at least talk about this possibility before we got there; and didn't feel like we ever resolved the disparity between the two leads, though the show was aware of it the whole time which I did like. And you may have seen the shouting about the prank in the finale, it was in really poor taste. In the end, this show was beautiful, gave a platform for promoting Thai culture (food, clothing, history), and had excellent intimacy. I really enjoyed the slow burn between Anin and Pin, and I loved that every character had and used the agency they had, but that the show was realistic about what was in and outside of their control. If you want a slow-burn and high-heat romance and are willing to be a little frustrated for the sake of the drama, and/or you really like a pigtail-pulling romantic dynamic, you should watch this show.

Red Whisper 8 10-min eps (Korea, Oct 2-Nov 11, YouTube) Honestly this show never got better after what I wrote about it a month ago about how its portrayal of bisexuality and nonmonogamy was upsetting. For the record one last time: Not all bisexuals are nonmonogamous, and entering a monogamous relationship under false pretenses and then acting like your partner is being unreasonable by not wanting an open relationship is shitty behaviour. This one is sadly not recommended.

The Nipple Talk 10 30-min eps (Taiwanese, Nov 8-22, GagaOOLala) I highly recommended the first half, and so I am so sad to say that I can't say the same for the second half of the show. I was really enjoying how much the show seemed to support a mix of monogamy and nonmonogamy, but the second half of the show leaned heavily into 'everyone wants a monogamous relationship when they meet the right person', which disappointed me. The show also tried to introduce some themes that felt very dated in terms of how they handled them (e.g. HIV) and I ended up just not really liking the Pony character as a person by the end. The lesbian relationship was super messy in a way that I did not find fun too. Mama was the best part of this show, and I hope we get more characters like them in future (better) shows!

*Soul Sisters 24 12-min eps (Chinese, iQIYI) This entire show dropped this week so I binged it in one go. The basic setup is a GL version of Meet You At the Blossom, except the gender fuckery lasts for most of the series and they don't actually ever get to kiss. I loved this little show; it is a frenetic, very silly and censored comedy, so calibrate your expectations accordingly. But it walks the line in a way that is palatable (or was for me, anyway). Without giving too much away, it is an open happy ending. The caveats for this one are that there is no wasted tape, so the pacing is rollercoaster fast, and the cuts are sometimes jarring. But it's a surprisingly beautiful show for the budget, and I really appreciated all of the ways they came up with to give these women shippy moments. Also, good lord this main character is so competent, which is a major weakness of mine. I had a great time!

*Whisper Me a Love Song 12 25-min eps (Japanese anime, Apr-27 Dec, HiDive) This started airing in April but there was a delay and the last episode didn't air until yesterday. High school lesbians in a band having embarrassing confused and misunderstood feelings all over the place (with good endings including a kiss for at least one of our couples). I appreciate that this anime is not playing with the 'are they friends who joke about wanting to touch each other's boobs or are they more' line, they outright say they want to be more than friends and then kiss. The music is good too! Recommended if you are feeling like a high school dramedy with good tunes that stays pretty light and is in the 'bubble'.

Recent One-offs, Side Couples, etc.:

My Hot Butch Roommate (actually a 2-parter) aired on bilibili 1, 2) and was subtitled by @douqi7s on YouTube (1, 2) These two are very cute, and this little short does a ton with the very tiny 5 minutes of total runtime it uses. Give the original bilibili uploads a stream so they get views, even if you watch the YT subbed version!

Fufuknows put out a new lesbian short titled The Choices of Two Lesbian Couples in Love on YouTube This was a great short (11 min) film featuring the story of two couples at different stages in their relationship, and the different choices they make about their futures. I really enjoy Fufuknows as queer short filmmakers, and I appreciate that they regularly include lesbian and wlw content in their bi-weekly (as in, every other week) fictional shorts that they produce and release. This one is recommended!

Aim's Lesbian plotline in the new Love Sick 2024 remake concluded (this was not a plotline in the 2014 version and it's one of the changes I really like and that I think works really well) Spoiler: she doesn't get a romance happy ending but her story ends with acceptance from her friends about who she is, which was lovely to watch

There was a brief of-the-week lesbian couple who wanted to marry in Spare Me Your Mercy Spoiler: their story is tragic, which is par for the course in a murder mystery

I am suspecting wlw sides in See Your Love I may end up eating these words but I was getting vibes, and so I'm putting this out in the universe now in hopes I'm right lol

There is a new Korean shorts production company on YouTube called Lovememory (Their first BL ep is out and the GL, First Love, has a trailer)

Mom Ped Sawan started airing but I don't have a source so I can't give any info or links unfortunately. If anyone knows of a subtitled source for this show, please let me know!

My Ex's Wedding came out in Thai theatres waiting for an international source for this too

Korean short film What's In my Bag was uploaded to Matchbox I haven't seen it yet but the trailer is on YouTube if anyone is curious! The film is available now for a small fee on Vimeo (runtime 12 mins).

Sastra film app YouTube channel has several short Cambodian GL series that come out weekly Honestly they are not to my taste but I don't like gatekeeping GL especially from smaller markets. I check in on these time to time and if there are any that I think are great I'll give them a shout-out

Ditto above with JPC media YouTube channel for Thai GL shorts if there are any that stand out to me I'll say so; that being said I haven't had time recently so if I've missed anything good let me know!

Starting soon:

Us the series, Thai, 18 January 2025, most likely YouTube (as this is a GMMTV show) Caveat that this date is a rumour, see comments

Fragrance of the First Flower s2, Taiwanese, 18 February 2025, GagaOOLala ok this isn't that soon but I'm just so excited we're getting this second season after all!

It is so, so nice that we have this much GL to keep track of, I can't complain! This covers a whole month of content and it was a month I was very distracted from my QL consumption so while I always welcome anyone pointing out stuff I missed, I would particularly appreciate it this round.

[anacdoce]

New Beginnings Chapter 1 - New Year's Eve

The beautiful screenshot above is from @iizven, and I'm so in love with it!

Pairing: Astarion x you (f!reader, implied sorcerer with no magic anymore)

Rating: T

Word count: 6.4k

Warnings: post game events; fluff; Astarion is trying his best; a bit of angst to spice it all; sequel of "I wish" and so Astarion is mortal again.

Summary: After your recovery you decide it's time to move on and follow Astarion's plans. Neverwinter awaits you, as does the end of the year that is almost upon you.

Will this new beginning go as expected?

a/n: I confess, it was not my intention to make a sequel from my first fic "I wish", but a dear friend of mine, inception me with some ideas, and here I am, sharing on the last day of the year the continuation of a story that is very special to me.

As a thank you, I gift this small sequel to @iizven, not only because she is responsible for it, but because she has been a true friend, giving me the support and motivation to keep writing.

This is for you, my dear. Hope you like it. <3 (a late Christmas gift if you want).

To wrap up my ramblings, I just wanted to mention that what was originally meant to be a short one-shot ended up being much longer than I anticipated. As a result, I decided to split it into two parts.

Now please, enjoy it.

Happy New Year to everyone!! ❤️

Read on oa3

The end of the year draws near, and you’re preparing to leave Waterdeep to reach Neverwinter before that. 

It’s been a few weeks since you had Shadowheart’s blessing for your departure. Your wounds have healed, your body is mended and nothing holds you in Waterdeep anymore. There is no hope to recover your lost magic, so everything that could be done has been done. And despite Gale’s continuous pleading, you feel it’s time to leave. Not that you’re uncomfortable or anything, nothing like that, because there is no better host than Gale—he really makes you feel at home—but you know Astarion is waiting. He never tells you he wants to leave, always placing your well-being above all else, but since you heard from Shadowheart’s mouth that you no longer need her by your side as a cleric and that you are released from her hands, he started to gather things—making your packs, collecting maps and goods for your future journeys together. And you don’t want to delay that any longer, because the more you wait to leave, the more he’s growing impatient.

And finally, that day has come.

“Are you sure you want to travel at this time of the year? The winter in the north can be harsh.” Gale tries once more to convince you not to leave while he’s helping you to put your backpack on.

“It’s not that bad in Neverwinter. You know that, wizard.” Astarion replies with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

“Well… I know, but…” Gale mumbles, clearly unwilling to give up his fight. “But it can be very windy!”

“It’s fine Gale. We’ll be alright.” You try to reassure him for what feels like the tenth time on that day.

“Oh, Darling, he’s not really worried about me.” Astarion remarks dryly.

Gale snorts, darting Astarion with a deep and hurted glare. “That’s not true. You know that.” 

Astarion clicks his tongue and turns to fetch his cloak, and Gale seizes the opportunity to get closer to you, holding your arm, and lowering his voice just for you to hear. “Stay until the Wintershield celebrations. At least until then. You would make me very happy if we could celebrate the start of the new year together.” 

“I know you would… But, and after that? You would ask me to stay until the end of winter. And after that, until the snow has melted, and after that until the flowers have bloomed…” You state as he shakes his head in denial. 

“No. I promise. I won’t ask you that.” Gale insists.

“It’s fine Gale, it’s time to leave.” You smile at him, staring into his eyes trying to make him realise that you’re ready to move forward with your life. You need this.

“But… your magic? I haven't given up on that yet.” He nervously adds. His eyes, restless replying to your stare.

“Let it go Gale. I’m fine. I have accepted it. You should too.” You place your hand over his, holding it affectionately. 

It’s not entirely true, you think about it everyday, because you miss it… desperately. But there is nothing you can do about it, and there is no point to dwell on that any further.

“Never.” His face, serious.

Shadowheart approaches, pulling Gale gently to her side. “Alright, that’s enough. This is not a goodbye, is it? We’ll see each other again, shortly. I’m sure of it.” And Astarion huffs from behind you, displeased. Shadowheart ignores him and continues, “I’ll stay in Waterdeep a while longer, and we can celebrate the new year together.” She places her arm over Gale’s shoulder, making him smile at her gesture.

“We’ll keep in touch. And it’s like Shadowheart has said, we’ll be together in no time.” 

“Yes, yes, that’s all very touching.” Astarion interjects with an exaggerated sigh. “Now, shall we go?” 

You nod. It’s time.

Hugging them both, you remember the last months together. They meant so much to you. They're truly your friends, and you’ll miss them dearly. “Thank you for everything.” You mutter. “No words are enough to express my gratitude for both of you. I will never forget everything you have done for us.” You squeeze them against you.

“Oh shut up…” You swear you can hear Shadowheart sob. “You’re going to make me cry.” And she releases you breathing deeply, trying to control her emotions.

Gale, on the other hand, holds you tighter. “Please, take care of yourselves. I’ll always be here if you need me.” He presses a soft kiss to your cheek before stepping back.

Astarion approaches you, wrapping an arm around your waist. “Have you said all your goodbyes, my love?” He whispers in your ear.

You glare at him and smile, your vision beginning to blur as tears gather in your water line. 

They wave their hands at you, and Astarion does the same, almost awkwardly, wanting to go unnoticed. Then he holds your hand firmly and waits for you to take the lead on the first steps of your new adventures together. 

After a big deep breath, you turn around and step forward, moving away from your friends. A few tears escape your eyes despite your best efforts to hold them back. After all, many things happened in the previous months, and if you’re here today it's because of them.

“Sweetie, are you alright?” Astarion asks, concern flickering across his face. “We can stay if you want…”

“No, I don’t want that.” You bring his hand to your mouth and kiss it. “What I want is right here by my side.” You smile at him tenderly.

“I promised to make you the happiest woman who ever lived. And I intend to. I will fulfill my promise, Love.” His words spelled with confidence. 

“Oh, my Star, but you already do.” And nothing in this world is more true than that.

You intertwine your fingers on his, brushing your thumb on the back of his hand, and you proceed your path, leaving behind the sweet and sour memories of the past months of your life.

—

Together, you decide to travel along the road near the coast, taking the shorter route to Neverwinter. You feel more and more excited with the idea of traveling around Faerun with Astarion, the more distant you are from Waterdeep. You need something like this. You both do.

When he was gathering all the things for your journey, Astarion packed a book about Neverwinter—filled with maps of the city, its traditions and costumes, and some important history facts. Each night, as you settle to rest, you read a bit of it, and you finally start to understand the fascination Astarion has with this particular city. You can’t wait to arrive there.

In the meantime, you’re enjoying each and every day of this new adventure together. You missed those days, alone with him. Only the two of you, as friends, as lovers. Never was he so tender with you, something you thought it wasn’t possible. Maybe the events of the past few months left their marks, because… well, let's just say that your near-death experience is something still very present in his mind. There are nights that you catch him hovering over you trying to hear your heartbeat, to make sure you’re alive while you’re sleeping. You can’t blame him. You would do the same… He still worries about you, and you’re sure he always will, as you will with him. 

For some time now, he has been trying to teach you how to use a dagger, because now that you don’t have your magic anymore you have to use something else to defend yourself, but you’re a menace with it. He tries to conceal his despair when he teaches you a simple move with the blade, but you can see behind his twitching eyes that the frustration is there. So one day, you suggest trying a bow instead—perhaps you can learn it more easily, which he promptly agrees to. And how joyful he is when he sees that at last you found something you can learn and be good at it. Since then, he has been more relaxed and less alert with everything around you, because now you can defend yourself. But despite all that, in each archery lesson he always ends up confessing: “Even so, I would prefer if you knew how to properly use a dagger…” To which you always retort, “And I would prefer if you acknowledged you’re not a vampire anymore and stopped playing with your knives so recklessly like you do every day…” Because honestly, Astarion’s mortality has given you new worries to care about. This elf is like a wild child on the loose, and sometimes you’re almost sure he forgets he’s not a vampire anymore… and Gods! How your heart wants to jump out from your mouth… Things he always did and never were an issue to you, like playing with his daggers, now gives you shivers all over your body. Your husband enjoys the thrill of danger, a trait you’ll have to learn to deal with, because that will not change. Not now, not ever. 

On one stormy evening, you find shelter in a cave somewhere in the Sword Mountains. After setting up camp, you grab your Neverwinter book again, and curl up in Astarion’s lap on his bedroll, as he drinks a hot cup of tea. You read it for a while, gently cradled by his free hand on your head, brushing strands of your hair with his delicate fingers, and every now and then his hand strays to your neck, stroking the scars, the scars he gifted you some time ago. He often touches them, sometimes without even realising it, sometimes longing for the taste of your blood in his mouth, and sometimes because he needs the reassurance that you’re not going anywhere, that you love him, and that you chose to spend the rest of your life with him. Even after all you have done he still doubts himself… and you believe that will never really change either.

And now he’s doing exactly that—caressing the two dots his not anymore sharp fangs left in your skin, in what seems to be a lifetime ago… 

Discreetly you look upwards, to his face, trying to examine his expression. “Is everything alright, Star?” You inquire, not sure of what’s happening inside his mind.

“Oh, yes. Everything is perfect, Darling.” He flees, as his hand, retreating to your hair.

“Are you sure? You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” You insist, leaving his lap to sit beside him.

Astarion smiles, and you sense some gloom on it. “I know.” He answers. Then, he spreads his legs open, reaches for your hand and pulls you closer. “Come here, my love.” He snuggles you against his chest, wrapping his arms around your tummy. “Now tell me… what did you learn about Neverwinter today?” And he rests his chin against your shoulder, tilting his head towards the book in your hand.

Flipping the book open, indulging him, you clear your throat dramatically before speaking. “So, today I learned about the Feast of Lanterns.” And you try to give your voice a mysterious flourish to intrigue him.

“Uuuh, the Feast of Lanterns? What is that?” He asks, tickling your belly at the same time.

Giggling, you try to escape his tickles, and when he stops you bring the book closer to his face. “It’s a celebration of the New Year. See?” You explain, pointing to an illustration of the city illuminated by lanterns. “Everyone makes a lantern, every living soul in Neverwinter makes a lantern. And on the evening of the new year, they light them, filling the city with a warm glow and making wishes for the year ahead.” 

Astarion pulls back from you, frowning, one finger waving in the air in front of your nose. “No, no! You promised!”

“What?!” You query, confused.

“You’re forbidden to make wishes, remember?” 

“Oh, come on! Are you serious about this?” You exclaim, incredulous. 

“Of course!” Then he leaps over you, making you tumble onto his bedroll, his perfect warm body over yours. “You can’t wish for anything else in this life. I was the last wish you could spell with your soft silky lips.” He purrs into your ear.

“Is that so?” You chuckle, running your hands down his back, until you reach his shirt waistband, pulling it slightly over just so you can touch his bare skin.

“And since your last wish was fulfilled—because I’m here, very, much, alive—no more wishes for you, Love.” His nose, caressing your cheek, slowly reaching to your lips. “But…”

“But?...” You gasp, feeling his breath invading your senses.

“But…” A soft kiss. “You could always…” Another kiss. “Just ask.” And another.

Your hands slide back to his shoulder plates, but this time inside his shirt. “So, I can’t make a wish, but I can ask for something. Is that it?” You try to nibble his lip, but he leans his head backwards just in time to evade your attempt. 

“Correct.” He confirms, his voice like velvet, while he unbuttons your shirt, cupping your breast contained in your bra with his hand next, making you arch your back in response to his touch. “As long as I am what you'll ask for, my love.” 

“Oh, my shining star…” You hold him tight against you, murmuring, “You will always be everything I’ll ask for.” 

His eyes glitter, reflecting the light of the candles nearby, staring into yours. “Promise?”

“I promise.” One of your hands leaves his back to tuck a strand of his hair behind his ear. 

He keeps just staring at you for a while longer, probably absorbing everything you just said. And from one moment to the next his expression changes, and he’s no longer bearing his soft and reverent beautiful smile, reserved to you when he’s lost in his love for you. That smile turns into a mischievous one, and you know he’s plotting for something. “Well, I could always open an exception.” His voice, provocative.

“An exception? To what, I may ask?” You play his game.

An open, victorious smile, spreading in his lips. “Yes. I will let you wish for only one more thing, at this precise moment.”

“Oh, how generous of you!” You lead your hand into your chest, feigning surprise.

“Darling, you know I can be a very generous man.” He purrs. “Now, if you want, and I know you do want to, I’ll let you wish for a kiss. A warm and breathtaking kiss from the most perfect elf you have ever met.” His tone, turning into a seductive one. “But be careful.” He warns. “You have to formulate this wish very wisely, or the elf may flee and you’ll be miserable, wondering forever how the most unforgettable kiss of your life would have been.”

Such a bastard. You think for yourself, letting out a giggle at his smugness. “Gods… I can’t let that happen. I would be heartbroken… I can’t let this perfect elf escape. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” 

“I thought so, Sweetheart.” His two fingers, running across your chest to your right shoulder, tucking aside the strap of your bra.

“Alright. Lets see…” You stray your eyes from his, looking at the ceiling of the cave, pretending that you’re thinking, while he starts to trail small kisses on your shoulder all the way up to your neck. “This is very… hard… indeed…” You confess, your body reacting to him, butterflies invading your stomach. Even after all this time, this man is still capable of making you feel like a teenager waiting for your first kiss.

“Very hard, Love.” He teases you, pressing his body against yours. “Now tell me your wish.” He demands.

“I wish…” You start, moaning in the middle of it, feeling his tongue on your ear. “I wish to be kissed by the most perfect, beautiful elf that have ever walked on this earth. I wish to be kissed by the one and only owner of my heart.” You pause, holding his chin and making him look at you, painfully interrupting his magical ministrations on your ear. “I wish to be kissed by you, Astarion. Right. Now.” 

“Very good, my dear. I think I can make that happen.” He blows the candles near you, letting the cave be only illuminated by the dim light of the almost extinguished campfire a few steps ahead from you. Then he closes his face to yours, muttering into your lips. “Let's make this wish come true.” He whispers, claiming your lips.

And he wasn’t lying, he never lies to you. He gives you the most perfect kiss ever. Like he always does in each kiss he gifts you with. 

It doesn’t matter how loud the thunders roar outside, it doesn’t matter how strong the rain falls, or how cold the wind blows… in reality nothing matters when you’re lost in his arms, when your bodies are entangled like one, celebrating the love that unites you. Everything else vanishes… It’s just you and him. And you really wish it will always be like that.�� 

—

A week later, you arrive at Neverwinter, a stunning city in the north, divided in two by the Neverwinter River and now painted in white by the snow that began falling some days before. It’s a really impressive city, facing the Sea of Swords. It brims with energy—very lively but not chaotic like Baldur’s Gate, and very well organized. There are merchants in every corner, showcasing the most exquisite jewels you have ever seen, because these folk are masters in the craftsmanship of jewelry and glass. Their gardens are a marvel too, with their flowers blooming every year round, coloring the beautiful streets of the city.    

Nothing feels out of place here, and despite all the torments the city has endured, it stands resilient, rebuilt time and again with an indomitable spirit. Perhaps it’s the hardiness of these people, of the people from the north, used to surviving harsh winters, that has shaped Neverwinter into one of the most prosperous cities in Faerun. And you’re really impressed by it, as is Astarion. You can see how mesmerized he is, how his eyes glitter, especially when you pass through the jewels merchants… 

“Darling, look at that!” He points to a silver tiara adorned with emeralds and diamonds. A very impressive piece of jewelry. “I would love to see it in your head, my love.” 

“It’s way too expensive, Astarion. And I do prefer the crown of flowers you usually make for me… that is too much.” You try to dissuade him, seeing how enchanted he is already.

“But it would be perfect for you to wear tonight. You would look like a queen, can you imagine?” He leans closer to you, lowering his voice. “And no one said that we should pay for it.” He winks, smirking.

You open your mouth to protest, but before you can utter a word, the merchant approaches you, all charm and good manners. “Ah, I see you liked it.” The man gestures towards the tiara. “You have good taste. It’s one of our most intricate works, and it would look stunning on you, miss.” 

“Yes, it would.” Astarion agrees, stepping behind the man and making gestures with his hand pointing to his pocket, trying to provoke you.

With your eyes wide open you keep glaring at him, shaking your head discreetly. “Thank you, sir. It really is mesmerizing.” You say with a polite smile. “But I’m afraid it’s a bit too extravagant for my taste.” 

“Now, now, my sweet. You should try it at least.” Astarion insists, and you know that by now he’s just trying to annoy you.

“Yes, of course! Allow me.” The merchant removes the tiara from the display case and carefully places it in your head. “There. Beautiful, like a princess. Let me fetch a mirror so you can see how astounding it looks on you.” And the man hurries to the inside of the store leaving you alone outside.

“Stop it!” You huff seeing how Astarion instinctively observes his surroundings, studying a route to flee.

“It’s the perfect opportunity, Love.” He notes, still smirking.

“Astarion, we just arrived! Are you trying to get us arrested on our first day in Neverwinter?” You object, harshly.

“But—”

“No.” You cut him short.

Before he can argue further, the merchant returns from the shop and gives you a hand mirror. “Please, miss, take a look.” 

Reluctantly, you lift the mirror in front of your face, keeping your gaze fixed on Astarion, darting him with your sternest glare ever, while he pouts displeased.

“It’s really stunning.” You admit, finally looking at your reflection. But at the same time you take the tiara off of your head and return it to the men’s hands. “Thank you, once again. We will think about it.” 

“Of course, miss. It was my pleasure to assist you.” The merchant bows his head and takes his leave.

“Oh, you can bet we will think about it.” Astarion mutters.

You pull him to get back on the path, wrapping your arm around his. “Forget it, Love. I will survive without it.” It’s obvious by his face that he’s not going to let this go. You adore him, more than anything, but you have to admit that this obstinate side of him sometimes picks your nerves. You roll your eyes, giving yourself a deep breath. “Now, let's find an inn for us to stay. I need a bath, and we still have to find some lanterns.” You remark, proceeding forward.

“And a warm meal. I’m starving.” He adds, while peeking behind his shoulder to the store you just left.

—

You both knock on every inn door you encounter in the city, but as expected, every one of them is fully booked. No rooms, no lanterns, nothing. 

Astarion senses your growing despair as you follow a tip from the keeper of the last inn you tried. You’re getting tired, he can see by the way you drag your feet over the ground, and  you’re probably starting to believe that you won’t be celebrating any New Year’s Eve tonight. But he’s still hopeful. He knows you will find something. Won’t you?

By the end of the day, you arrive at the Driftwood Tavern, far from the city center but with a stupendous view over the sea. And fortunately they have rooms to spare. No wonder why, with those ridiculous prices for one night! He thinks to himself, not wanting to share his thoughts with you this time, sparing himself another of your infamous eye rolls followed by a snort.

The rooms are really cozy. At least that. He throws himself to the bed, kicking off his boots, and watches you undress your traveling clothes.

“I’m going to take a bath.” You announce with some weariness. “We can look for something to eat afterwards. Want to join me?”

“I would love to, my sweet. But we have to hurry, we still have to find at least one lantern for tonight.” He replies, placing his hands behind his head.

“Forget it. We arrived too late. No lanterns for us, Star…” You mutter, a hint of sadness in your tone.

Astarion raises his torso from the bed by supporting himself on his elbows to take a closer look at you. Tossing your clothes to the floor, you pass through him to the washroom, your face closed and not in the mood for jokes or funny stories. “We still have time, you know?” He tries to uplift your spirit.

But he doesn’t hear a word from you. Only the sound of your steps in the room next to him.

Getting up he reaches the door to the washroom and peeks inside just in time to see you pouring water into the tub and instinctively trying to warm it with your hands. 

“Shit!” You yell, scowling. “I can’t even warm my own water!” You kick the tub, frustrated, regretting it right after. “Ouch!” You yelp, holding one foot in the air giving tiny jumps with the other.

Astarion predicts that this will not end in a good way for you, so he tries to warn you, “Darling, please, be—”

Too late. 

You stumble on the bucket, now empty of water, and you fall to the ground. He steps towards you but stays put in the same place, as you wave a hand for him to stop. 

“Let me have my moment of misery, please.” You hiss, holding your knees and hiding your head between your naked thighs, muffling your voice.

“Love, you don’t need to be miserable—”

“Don’t!” You snap. “Just… leave me for a while.” 

And he knows too well that when you’re like this the better thing for him to do is just to let you curse all the Gods you need to recover your good mood. But he can’t help to tenderly smile watching you like that, sitting naked on the floor, infuriated. It’s obvious he won’t let you waste New Year’s Eve being sad. For him it’s a night like any other, but he knows it’s not like that for you… For you it’s a time for new beginnings, and he knows how much you need that. He will find you a godsdamn lantern and make you smile again. And maybe, on his way to find it, he can sneak into a certain store… Who can blame him for wanting to spoil the women he's deeply in love with? You will be the most beautiful and happy woman walking the streets of Neverwinter tonight. 

But before he can go on his demand, he needs to take you out of there. It’s so cold and your skin is already prickling from the chill, and he can’t have that. You’re not getting a cold because of your stubbornness. Astarion grabs a robe, hanging on a chair nearby, and walks to you, covering you with it, kneeling beside you. You lift your head from your legs, ready to protest, but he doesn’t let you. “You can sulk all you want, but you will do it on the bed, in the comfort of the warm blankets and not on this frozen floor, my love.” Without waiting for your permission, he lifts you up from the ground, holding you in his arms. As he expected, you don’t resist, you let him carry you, wrapping your freezing arms around his neck and resting your head on his shoulder. Even against your will, you find solace in his arms, and he smiles again, leading his cheek to meet the crown of your head. 

Placing you in the bed he tucks the blankets around you. “I’ll ask the innkeeper to send someone to warm the water for you. Then I’m going to get us something to eat and a bottle of wine.” He pinches your chin softly. “I’ll be back in no time.” Reaching for your forehead he presses his lips against it, murmuring. “I love you.” And he kisses you.

He basks in your small smile for a moment, and then he leaves you. He needs to hurry, there is a job that has to be done.

—

It’s already dark when Astarion leaves the inn, and there’s no living soul in the streets. Snow falls steadily, blanketing the cobblestones. It’s cold and it’s almost dinner time, so perhaps it is not that strange that he doesn’t see anyone but himself sulking the streets of Neverwinter at that time of the day. He buttons his coat all the way up to his neck, protecting his chest against the cold, and starts walking, the snow crunching with each step he takes. The tiara’s store is still far away and he doesn't have much time. 

It's an easy and simple plan. He will get in and get out from the store without any setback, preferably with a particular tiara on his pocket, a well deserved gift for the one who makes his heart flutter every day. Oh, he’s picturing in his mind how stunning you’ll be with that jewel on your head, enhancing the preciousness of the real treasure that is you. And grateful, you will be very grateful for his gift, “Astarion! You didn’t need to! But I love it! Thank you, Love!” you will say hanging your arms around his neck. Yes, he can’t wait to see you smile again. He will give you plenty of reasons to smile again tonight. And in the meanwhile he’ll look for a lantern, of course. He can’t forget about that. Maybe he can steal one too, from someone. But he can’t return to you without—

Silence.

Only the sound of the wind and the snow falling around him. And it bothers him… Why in the sweet hells is this bothering me so much? Something is odd. Well, he already pointed out all the motives for the emptiness of the streets… but still, something isn’t adding up. He may not be a vampire anymore, but he’s a rogue after all, and his instincts are still very sharp. 

Stopping in the middle of the street he looks around one more time, his eyelashes starting to become filled with the white snow, like his hair.  

Nothing.

There is nothing stepping out from the ordinary.

When he’s about to start walking again his eyes catch a movement far ahead from him. A kid crossing the street, running at a fast speed. The sound of his steps echoing for a time after he disappears from Astarion’s sight. Was he scared? 

Stepping away from the lamplights, Astarion turns his stealth mode on and walks silently in the shadows. And just a few steps before reaching the corner from where the kid appeared fleeing, Astarion stops again, hearing what appears to be the clanking of metal. Metal hitting metal. He recognizes that sound perfectly. The sound of armor.

What in the hells?

Now he needs to see what's happening. Why is he hearing like there is an army gathering around the corner?

More cautiously than before he crouches and approaches slowly. At the end of the wall he freezes, pressing himself against it, and holding his breath to let his elf ears catch all the sounds they can get. And just like he predicted, a group of men stands just around the corner.

“Remember.” He hears a man whispering. “We must stay together until we are inside the castle.”

“After that, everyone knows their role to play.” Another voice adds.  

Astarion’s heart races, adrenaline flooding his veins. He shouldn’t be there. Nothing in this smells good. What are they talking about? What castle? 

Looking into the horizon he sees the dark silhouette of the imposing Castle Never in front of him. No way… He widens his eyes. Who are they? 

He tries to listen to more of their plans but the beat of his heart is bumping in his ears, like drums beating loudly, and he seems unable to concentrate. Mortality has its downsides it seems, and he's still getting used to it. But his curiosity makes him stay a little longer, and he ventures to peer around the wall. Counting them, he says there are about twenty men there, armed to the teeth, like if they’re going into a fi—

Whistles.

Dogs barking.

More armed men marching into them. Into him. 

Fuck.

In a blink of an eye they are surrounded by guards, Neverwinter guards, probably. 

“Greycloacks!” One of them yells.

And the chaos erupts in an instant. Guards rush forward, unleashing their dogs. Swords are drawn and the clash of steel fills the air, and he has stayed long enough. It’s now time to leave.

But when he spins on his heels a guard is behind him accompanied by a growling dog, his short sword pointed at him, the cold metal of it against the skin of his precious neck.

“Easy, easy.” Astarion protests, raising his hands in the hair.

“By order of Lord Neverember you’re under arrest.” The guard sentences.

“Me?” He asks in a high-pitched tone, incredulous. “But I have done nothing yet!” He exclaims with the continuous sound of men yelling and fighting around the corner as background. 

“Kneel!” The guard commands, and the dog approaches Astarion’s legs showing him his dangerous teeth.

“Just wait a moment!” He waves his hands nervously in the air. “You’re arresting me on what charges?” Astarion tries to gain some time. There must be a way to get out of here. Mustn’t it? 

“On the charges of conspiracy and treachery against Lord Protector of Neverwinter!” 

Astarion laughs. And he laughs so hard that the guard seems to be confused, diverting the sword for a moment from his neck. “Oh, this was fun.” He catches his breath before speaking again. “Well, it seems this was all a very big misunderstanding. You see, I was just passing by. Walking down the street as a normal citizen of Neverwinter.” The clamour of the fighting is calming down, and by the protests he can hear, the so called Greycloacks are losing. “I’m just visiting, I may add. Me and my wife. Can’t wait to celebrate the New Year with you folks. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have to get back.” He steps aside from the guard but almost instantly the man reacts, throwing him against the wall and the dog starts barking in anger.

“If that were true you should be with your wife right now, and not wandering the streets alone. You’re a Greycloack, gathering here to conspire against our Lord!” 

After the big commotion on the street has calmed down, people start to appear, opening the doors and windows of their houses to see what’s happening outside. 

“I’m not! I told yo—”

“I said kneel!” The guard growls, exalted, and Astarion concedes that, maybe, this time is better to oblige than to try to dissuade him. He stretches his neck to the side, trying to alleviate the pressure from the sword that is there again, remembering him of his fragile mortality, lowering himself to the ground just as the guard commanded.

“Fine!” He agrees against his will, huffing.   

Stupid son of a b—

“Astarion?” He hears a very familiar voice calling his name. He closes his eyes in the hope that when he opens them again everything was just a dream and none of this is happening. After a while he opens them, turning his head to the side, seeing the one he hoped had never left her room, standing there, staring at him with so many questions in her eyes.

“Why, hello, Darling.” It’s the only thing he can think about to say right now. Shit.

“Hello? But… What happened?” You ask, approaching him quickly.

The guard blocks your way to Astarion, extending a hand to you. “Sorry, ma’am, but this man here is under arrest for breaking the law. I ask you to not interfere.” He tilts his head upwards suggesting you to step back. “Now, move away please.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but this man is my husband! And I want to understand what’s happening!” You argue, stepping forward, defiant.

A small smile of pride tugs into Astarion’s lips, you can be a pain in the ass when you want to, he knows that too well. “See, this is my wife.” He mutters to the guard.

“Ma’am I told you to step away! This man is a Greycloack and he was caught conspiring against the Lord Neverember!” 

“A what?” One more step forward. “You’re making a mistake, he’s nothing of that sort!”

“I won’t ask you again! Backwards!” The guard yells at you, spitting in his anger.

“Sweetie, please—”

“Shut up!” The guard orders, kicking Astarion on the leg.

At that moment Astarion knows that if you still had your magic your closed fists, alongside your waist, would be sparkling with electricity right now, because your eyes are burning and twitching, and that man would be doomed. But since you no longer are able to cast your spells, the only way you have to release that growing warth is to jump to the guard and start punching him the fastest you can. “You will not beat him in my presence!” You keep punching him, giving Astarion a window of opportunity to escape. 

But when Astarion is about to get up from the ground and try to take the short sword from the guard that is clumsily trying to defend himself from you, other guards approach, stopping Astarion before he can do anything.

It takes three of them to stop your fury and to restrain you beside Astarion, your hands tied together. 

“As you were so eager to join him—there! Arrested together!” The guard scoffs. “Some nights in prison will do you good to calm your temper, you crazy woman.” 

“Hey!” Astarion scolds, frowning. No one is allowed to insult you in front of him. But the guard ignores him, moving away.

“And what about him? What is going to happen to him?” You inquire.

The guard turns once more and answers, shrugging his shoulders, “We’ll see if he’s a Greycloack or not.”

“He’s not!” You hiss.

“If he’s not he has a lot to explain. Now shut your mouths or I'll split you right now!” And with no more words the guard steps away, moving to reunite with other guards ahead from you.

Astarion hears you sigh deeply, and then you lean your head backwards, meeting his own. 

“I’m sorry, Darling… I really am. I didn’t want any of this to happen…” He apologizes. 

“Not now, Astarion. Please.” You retort, your voice laced with sadness. 

His heart shrinks with your reply, because he truly means it. He’s truly sorry. The only thing he wanted was to make you happy, to make you smile, and he failed. Miserably. 

Stupid. How could I be so stupid?   

He holds your hand, squeezing it right after, and he waits. It takes a while, and he’s starting to get worried, but finally you hold his hand back, squeezing it softly too, tranquilizing his insecure heart.

Everything will be alright. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll fix this.

Watching the guards gathering the new prisoners, he hopes that they’ll get you out of there soon, because the snow is not giving signs to stop falling in the near future and it’s getting really cold. He’s getting really cold, and you, you’re getting cold too, by the way your hands are freezing already.   

If you get sick because of me, I won’t forgive myself.

It’s enough already that he, with no right to it, had robbed you of the chance to properly celebrate New Year's Eve. 

Thank you so much for reading my story. Likes, reblogs and comments are very welcomed!

Lots of love 🖤

[thehereticdiaries]

WKTO: Breakfast and Boy Bands

Summary: You and Chelsea have a mini freak out over your breakfast invite. Meanwhile, Hongjoong isn't very happy with San. But don't worry, the members warm up to you at the cafe!

Mostly written story and texts with a few tweets

Series Masterlist

You didn't put your phone down until Chelsea threw a pillow at you, smacking you right in the face. You yelped and fell over dramatically, earning an eye roll from your best friend.

"Dude it's almost 2am! You know how long it takes me to get ready, I have to be up by 7 if we're gonna get to breakfast at 9," Chelsea whined and buried her head under her remaining pillow.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, geez." You switched off your phone and burrowed under the blankets. Both of you fell asleep within minutes, exhausted from the excitement of the day.

Hongjoong was beyond frustrated. He honestly couldn't believe his members could be so reckless. It was no use arguing about it, since the only one on his side was Jongho.

"Seriously, Seonghwa. Asking a fan to join us at breakfast? What was San thinking?" The tired captain complained to the equally tired eldest member.

"I know, Hongjoong. You've said it four times already. Just go to sleep."

"Fine."

You woke up almost an hour and a half after Chelsea. Unlike your friend, most days you only needed about 20 minutes to get ready for the day. Sure, on special occasions you go all out, but this was a simple breakfast at a simple cafe with a simple... idol group. Suddenly your weather-appropriate denim shorts and baby tee felt way too lackluster for a meeting with fucking Ateez.

"Chelseeeeaaaa I can't go wearing this!" You flopped face-first into your bed.

"Y/N, they're just people. Our outfits are fine." Chelsea was one of those people that wore leggings no matter the weather. Today was no different, as she wore plain black leggings and a halter-style tank top. You were surprised you were able to convince her to wear her one-and-only pair of ripped jeans to the concert.

"I am so jealous of your ability to stay so chill." She snorted at your grumbling, grabbing your hands to pull you to your feet.

"Let's go, it's almost 9." After grabbing your phone, wallet, and room key, you and Chelsea speed-walked to the cafe. You ended up a few minutes late, and when the bell jingled above the door eight sets of eyes turned on the two of you.

"Atiny!" San beamed, being the first to stand and greet you. "I'm happy you decided to come. You must be Chelsea."

"That's me," she nodded. She peeked around his shoulder to the other members. "I guess we'll join you guys after we order our food?"

"Oh, we haven't ordered yet," Yeosang smirked at San, who was frantically trying to shush him without drawing your attention.

"How come?" You titled your head in confusion.

"San and Mingi insisted on waiting for you to start," Wooyoung snickered behind his hand.

"Yah! Don't bring me into this!"

"Well it's true! You're the one that said we couldn't let a pretty girl pay for herself," Yunho teased very loudly, wiggling his eyebrows at you.

"Watch it, Song." Chelsea pointed at the tall idol.

"Wh-"

"This is my best friend right here." She shook your shoulders roughly. "I don't take kindly to boys messing with her feelings."

"Chelsea!" You swatted her hands away, having dealt with her 'protective older sister' mode many times in the past. Poor Mingi was beet-red and floundering to defend himself.

"Relax, I'm joking. Mostly," she waved you off and walked to the table, leaving you and San behind. You would never understand where she got her abundance of confidence. You pinched the bridge of your nose, fighting back a blush of your own.

"Come on," San urged you forward with a hand between your shoulder-blades. You sat between Yunho and Yeosang, glaring at Chelsea as she abandoned you for Seonghwa. The cafe had a cute little menu full of specialty lattes and pastries. Hongjoong wrote his members' orders down before looking at you expectantly.

"O-oh, I can pay for my own. It's no-"

"Just let him," Yeosang whispered to you behind his hand. "He won't admit it, but he wants to treat you both."

"I can hear you, Yeosang," Hongjoong leveled the younger member with a flat glare. Reluctantly, you told the leader your order. Chelsea did not hesitate, but thankfully didn't go overboard.

"So, are you students?" And through the power of small-talk, you felt yourself beginning to relax. Hongjoong returned with a table number shortly into the conversation.

"You drove four hours to see our show?!" Wooyoung gaped between you and Chelsea.

"This was the closest venue, so yup!" Your friend quipped, thumbs flying over her phone screen as she texted one of her other group chats.

"It still blows my mind that we have such dedicated fans," San gushed, smiling widely at the two of you. Pretty soon, two food runners brought out your drinks and pastries. You ate quietly, letting Chelsea lead the conversation for you.

"Are you alright?" Yunho asked softly, leaning close to your ear. You shivered as his breath fanned over your skin.

"I'm okay. I just take a while to open up. Plus, I'm feeling a little starstruck right now," you assured him. He nodded, squeezing your shoulder and straightening out in his seat. You were very aware of the arm he left draped over the back of your chair. Based on the look you got from Chelsea, she noticed as well. The rest of the meal went by more normally than you expected. Chelsea was right: they were just people. You all stood in the hotel lobby to say your final goodbyes.

"Thank you. I honestly never expected to meet you, let alone have the opportunity to hang out," you grinned at the idols. They moved toward the elevator, several members stopping to give you and Chelsea quick hugs. You waited patiently for them to enter the elevator so you could properly freak out with your best friend. San stopped just outside as the doors closed, waving to a pissed-off Hongjoong.

"What are you doing? Aren't you gonna get in trouble for this?" Chelsea asked as he jogged back up to you.

"He'll get over it." He looked directly at you now. "Can I get your number?" You froze, eyes wide and face turning a bright pink.

"YES!" You cringed at your friend's shout. She cleared her throat. "Yes, you can have her number. It's xxx-xxx-xxxx." San scrambled to write it down, calling you right away so you'd know it was actually him and not some weirdo catfish. You continued to stare wordlessly as he stepped into the elevator, disappearing from your sight moments later.

You could only think of one thing to say: "Oh. My. GOD."

Permanent Taglist: @furfoxsake22 @babygirlskz98 @miniverse-zen @holly-here @corgilover20 @eastjonowhere @bookswillfindyouaway

Series Taglist: @staytinyluv @kymimi @dalsuwaha

[silurisanguine]

Rook Codex Writing Prompts Teleri De Riva: 26. A letter to Rook from a family member or close friend 12. Rook’s daily schedule 10. Note found in Rook’s pocket

OOH these are great!!!! (Note there are spoilers in these responses to story beats in the game.) 26 A Letter to Rook from a family member

Teleri I am writing this on the knowledge that you will find your way out of this Fade prison and read this, rolling your eyes at my every word I’ve written down. For once i will happily join you. But perhaps writing this brings you power where ever you are, as the Fade is a strange thing that listens to the thoughts of us, or so the mages of our House tell me. You have a distinct ability to pull yourself out of any situation. It has always confounded and impressed me in equal measure, so if writing this helps you, then i freely give it. It was Lucanis that brought me the news of your predicament. I know you have become close to him and I know you worry what i might think of such an arrangement. If you’d asked me months ago, i think you’d have known my answer. He is a Dellamorte and you a De Riva. But Teia pointed out not long ago of our own uniting of Houses and how that has only strengthened the Crows as a whole. Perhaps the knowledge that our name sake birds do work better as pairs fits us too. So now, if you were to ask me,I would give you my blessing. As your Talon, as a De Riva and your brother in bond. Just don't tell him that when you see him until i am in the vicinity. I want to see his face when you do. Now, Teleri. Survive and get out, that’s an order from your Talon. Viago.

12 - Rook's daily schedule. A page from Rook’s journal, hastily torn out due to a stain of coffee that has spilt over the bottom of the paper -

Another day in this strange sanctuary that I call home. Asked the Caretaker if my room could be changed to something I want, or at least drapes put over the large aquarium walls. It gave a cryptic answer about a strong presence there and nothing’s changed yet. Will try again when I get back from Nevarra. I'm sure the Lighthouse will provide this Professor Volkarin with a room suitable for them, and bets have been placed with everyone on where it will be. I’m thinking to the left of my room, but Harding is sure one of the unreachable floating buildings will suddenly have a portal to it. Speaking of the rest of the gang, Neve is still in Minrathous. I honestly don't know how long she’ll be away and part of me wonders if she will even return, considering her last words to me ~~wer~~~ the ink fades a little from some clear liquid landing on the paper, that’s been swiftly rubbed at. Lucanis is grateful at least for my choice, but what else could I have done? Treviso is my home. But we both feel the pain of the choice. Lucanis feels things deeply I can tell and I try to help where I can, considering the stress he is under. It’s funny, all this time I'd heard in hushed whispers around the Crows of the fabled Demon of Vyrantium being this cold calculated killer and Lucanis is that when in a fight. But out of it, there is this gentle, funny and rich soul that I have become dearly fond of. If Viago finds out, he’s going to kill me. I need to tell Teia first so she can handle damage control, she has a way of getting through to him that I cant. I’d best leave that thought there before it runs away with me and I go and show some initiative again that I might (not) regret. I have work to do, but first I need a new coffee as this one has gone col~~

10 Note found in Rook's pocket. This note is placed on the table in front of her that she finds when she wakes up. There is a single crow feather on top, black and shimmery purple iridescence against the reflected light of the aquarium -

The ink is purple that no one in the Lighthouse admits to owning, and the words are scratched into the paper by a hand not used to holding a quill. But the letters of the words are carefully laid out and legible. Languid LIGHT Fade and water DANCE over your FACE NOT Your place You SLEEP as he does Fitful and RESTLESS But YOUR cage is OPEN You Choose to Leave. We will protect. Below is a geometric set of lines that match the pattern of the tattoo sleeve on Teleri's arm. They are drawn in loving detail.

[emometalhead]

It's time for my annual New Year's post!! I hope everyone finds peace and fun as we enter 2025. Sending good vibes all around 🩷✨️.

As per tradition, I want to express my gratitude for my lovely friends here. (In alphabetical order by url.)

@awrestlinggirlwholoves80sbands - Alessia!! You are such a sweetheart. You are such a caring, kind person, and you're so beautiful inside and out. I am extremely lucky to have you in my life. You are a wonderful cheerleader for my successes, and I can only hope I provide the same enthusiasm for your life. I'm so proud of you for completing your schooling earlier this year, and I'm even prouder that you were able to dedicate your time to subjects that interest you so greatly. Your talent, creativity, and determination are inspiring. You are going to do amazing things, and I hope this coming year brings lots of joy and success. Love you 🩷🩷

@born-to-lose - Hiiii Mel 😘. Here's to many more concerts, musical discoveries, and fun flirtatious moments in 2025. You deserve all of the best and most enjoyable experiences in life. You're so smart, so talented, and so dedicated to your passions. I am in awe of you, always. It's actually so rude that you're so lovely and incredible. Also you're hot. Like girl, what can't you do? Love you forever 💍. I'm excited to see what this year will bring for you. I hope it's lots of joy and success in your endeavors. You're creative, talented, have great taste, and you're such a likeable person. I know you'll amount to great things, and it is so cool to have a glimpse into your life.

@day-trippin-dreamer - Tina!!!!!! I tell you all the time how much I love you and how amazing I think you are. It still bears repeating. You are one of my favorite people, and your friendship means more to me than you'll ever know. I am giving you the biggest virtual hug. Thank you for being there for me for so many years now. I know I can always count on you when I'm down, and I can always count on you to be just as excited as me when good things happen. Also you have such good taste, and it will always be an honor to be your friend and mutual. Here's to another great year of friendship, and hopefully lots of lovely lovely things in your future. ILY ✨️🩷

@doctorqueensanatomy - Hello my dearest, Sheamus! We've been friends for a few years now, but the way in which our friendship has blossomed this year has been so beautiful to me. I live for our life updates and spirited conversations about media, the effects of Capitalism, our regional quirks, and literally anything and everything else. I'm eternally grateful for you. I so badly wish I could snap my fingers and transport across the world to hang out with you. I'm always impressed by your thoughtfulness and ability to talk through situations. You are so smart, brilliant, and fun. I hope you know how much I love you. May this coming year bring us even closer. 🥰🥰

@duffmckagans - Hi Kelsey!! 😁 I'm so glad you're back on here!! Your presence brings a calm and bright energy into my life. We have had such a good few years of friendship despite the chaos surrounding both of our lives. After a bit of separation this year due to the aforementioned chaos, I hope 2025 will bring us closer than ever. I love how easily you understand my insane ramblings and the one million connections I make between media I love. You are so incredibly smart, insightful, and creative. I'll never stop being in awe of you. I also appreciate your willingness to be petty and dramatic with me. Multifaceted queen lol. Seriously though, I love you a ton, and I'm so happy you're in my life. I hope 2025 brings you stability and success. I'm always rooting for you.

@idontwanttospoiltheparty - Hi Fiona! I know we don't talk a ton, but your presence on my dash is always greatly appreciated. I love your takes, informed nuance, and analysis. It is clear how much thought you put into everything you care about, and that is admirable. I hope you know I genuinely take time to read and process everything you post, because it is always interesting. I hope this coming year is a positive one for you. I can't wait to see what you do or create next, and I'm sending good vibes your way. 🥰

@inquisitiveheretic - Hi Lee!! You've been around less this year, so I have really had to pay attention and appreciate when you're on my dash. Idk if you'll even see this, but I hope you do. I am wishing the best for you! I hope you're thriving irl. You will always be a person I hold a lot of respect for. It's been a long while, and I miss our chats. Just know even if we don't speak at all, I am always rooting for you. I hope lots of great media and interesting analysis comes your way in 2025. ♡♡♡

@losers-yurio - RYLIE!! I have no clue if you'll see this lol. I'm including you anyway. I will always always always be so grateful that we met. You will always be my first true Internet friend, and I'll never be able to explain the impact you've had on my life. I'm so grateful for you. It seems like you're absolutely killing it in college, and I'm so proud of you. You're such a kind, funny, and beautiful person. What an honor it is to even peripherally be in your life. I'm sending hugs and good vibes forever and ever. Here's to a wonderful new year ✨️✨️✨️

@nocturnal-light - Lynne, you impress me every single day. You're a great artist. Your drawings and crafts are always so cool, and it is an awesome thing to see. Your skating is so gorgeous. I'm so proud of you for everything you have accomplished with your skating career, and I'm so happy for you to have opportunities to do what you love. You are a ray a light, and I hope you know how much I adore you even though we don't talk too often. I hope you have a great 2025 full of music and fun. 🩷🩷

@no-fxn-club - Frankie!! Frankie!! Frankie!! You have no clue how often I think of you. Everytime I see cows, I think "Frankie would love them". Everytime I see a post where someone refers to a soda as a coke, I think of you. Everytime I listen to The Used or Set It Off or hear a southern twang, I think of you. You mean so much to me, and it is such an honor to know you. You have the best sense of humor, great taste in music, such a streak of creativeness, and it all cumulates in you being one of the best people I know. I am wishing you (and all your pets!!) a lovely, lovely 2025. 🖤🖤🖤

@only-a-heartbeat-away Hi Harlow! I think a lot of our interests have diverged, but I still have so much joy about us being mutuals. You're a really great person, and I love that we can still connect despite being in so many different fandoms. I love your passion about the bands you love, and I hope you discover even more cool music in the new year. I'm sending good vibes your way!! 🩷

@rebelrollerqueen - Hey Ren!! You haven't been around as much lately, so I hope you see this. I'm so proud of you. You are so intelligent, determined, and expressive. Your hair, makeup, and fashion are always above and beyond. Your taste in music is so good. Plus, you're a genuine, kind, and loving person. I don't care how old you become. I'll always be happy to be your Internet Mom. Seeing you grow over the last few years has been a beautiful thing, and I can't wait to continue seeing you move forward and succeed in life. Love you so much!! ♥️

@sohardlovingyou Hi Jori!!! You're my pop girlie icon forever. I love how tuned in you are to all the celebrity gossip and internet drama, and I love how happily you cheer on the people you're a fan of. Your blog is always a source of joy for me. It is so fun seeing your takes, and it's even more fun with how often our opinions overlap. You're such a fun person, and you're also gorgeous!! The whole package!! I hope you're winning in life, and I'm sending all the best vibes. May 2025 help us live out our poppiest fantasies. 💅🩷

@therockywhorerpictureshow - Hey Ella! 🥰 You're such a lovely presence on my dash!! I love getting little glimpses into your life. You have such adorable dogs. You are a baking icon. Seriously I want to eat everything you post 😭. If I ever find myself out East, I will seek you out for hugs and baked goods lol. You're so damn pretty it's actually crazy, and you're so sweet too. Just a lovely person overall. I'm so glad we're friends, and I hope 2025 brings you lots of good things. I'm so proud of you for going to school this year. It is an impressive and scary thing. You're pushing through and doing great. I hope you know I'm rooting for your success in all avenues. Love you!!

@xx-key-xx - Key, you're such a legend. You are the 2000s it girl of my dreams. You're so damn cool, and I love how much you're absolutely killing it. Your fashion, hair, and makeup are inspiring. I'm always happy to hype you up, and I can't wait to see what 2025 brings you for. I'm sending all the good vibes and energy your way. Let's party like it's 2005. 😎 Love you, icon!!

[youknowwho-mustnotbenamed]

December 26 - Champagne | word count: 620 | @wolfstarmicrofic

Sirius never serves the expensive champagne. When he bought it, he stored it away in the cabinet, declaring it was only to be opened on a special night. When he said that, Remus had immediately assumed that meant an anniversary, their wedding, their honeymoon. Certainly not an ordinary date night. So, as much as Sirius says nothing is different about tonight—even setting up their blankets and snacks the same he always does—the bottle of champagne sits taunting Remus at the very center of it all. It’s because of that bottle, that Remus knows something is up.

The date starts off normal enough, eating the fancy appetizers Sirius bribed his brother into making, talking about everything and nothing, and drinking the fancy champagne. Remus convinces himself he is so caught up wondering what the champagne is about, that he doesn’t notice when Sirius rises from his lounging position, up onto his knees.

“Remus?”

“Yeah?” He turns then, voice catching halfway through the word, mouth suddenly dry.

“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You have been my best friend through the good and the bad. You have given me comfort beyond measure when I had bad days, and laughed and smiled with me on the good. You believed in me when nobody else did, and you fought for me.

Before we got together, I felt like I was traveling around in the dark. When I felt like the bad days would be my whole life. Then you, my moon, you lead me back to the light. You gave me back the good days, you gave me back laughter and happiness. You make me feel more complete and alive than I am without you.

Fate has chosen to delay us several times, but I stayed faithful and by your side all the while. Without it, I wouldn’t know just how deep my love for you goes, to what lengths I would go to keep you.”

“Sirius…” This can’t be real. Remus cannot possibly be this lucky. Tears prickle in his eyes, and his heart swells in his chest. The man who vowed he would never drop to his knees before another man, who would never beseech something of them, is here right now, baring his soul of Remus to see, and begging of him to reciprocate in kind.

“I’m not sure one lifetime is long enough to love you with all I have. I hope we find this happiness with each other in every universe, so you will never be absent of my eternal love. You will always be the best part of my day. I cannot wait to grow old together, falling in love a little more every day.

Remus John Lupin, would you do me the honor of marrying me?”

His throat is too closed up to answer in words, so he flings himself at Sirius, knocking them both to the ground. There, he presses fast and frantic kisses to Sirius’ face. But even that isn’t enough to convey everything he wants to give him. To show how much he wants to pour his very soul into Sirius, so they will forever be intertwined.

“Yes.” He croaks out. “Yes, of course I will marry you.”

Sirius’ responding smile is blinding, searing into Remus’ very soul. Then, Sirius returns the frenzied kisses, his smile caught up in every one. They kiss until they are both gasping for air, only then, does Remus roll off of Sirius' chest, looping an arm to tuck Sirius against his side.

“I will never be able to thank you enough for saving me.”

“You already have, Sirius. You have already given me far more than I could have ever imagined.”

[playbarbies]

as  we  approach  the  end  of  the  year,  i  want  to  get  mushy  and  thank  some  of  those  who  have  been  the  highlight  of  my  ‘24  and  who  i  now  cannot  (  and  don’t  want  to  )  envision  my  life  or  my  dash  without  :

@storiecraft  :  BARD  ILYSM  !!!  i  am  truly  not  exaggerating  when  i  say  that  reconnecting  was  one  of  the  best  things  to  happen  to  me  this  year.  i  had  always  thought  about  you  and  wondered  how  you  were  doing,  wishing  we  could  reconnect  only  to  find  out  that,  low  and  behold,  we  already  had!!!  forever  thanking  my  lucky  star(kid)s  that  we  found  our  way  back  home  (the  dash).  talking  to  you,  screaming  about  our  muses  &  coming  up  with  intricate  plots  and  world  crafting  that  now  and  forever  lives  rent  free  in  my  noggin  has  been  a  major  highlight  of  my  days.  you  are  as  wonderful  as  you  are  talented  and  i  am  so  thankful  to  have  you  in  my  life!!!!

@storiesbreathed  :  ALIIIII  you  are  genuinely  one  of  the  sweetest  and  kindest  people  i  know.  you  truly  are  like  the  first  warm  day  after  a  bitterly  cold  winter,  and  anyone  who  knows  you  is  so  lucky  to  know  your  warmth  and  to  have  the  privilege  of  basking  in  it.  and  can  we  talk  about  just  how  talented  you  are???  it’s  always  a  blessing  to  see  your  top  notch  writing  on  the  dash!!  like  you  ARE  stephanie  lauter  it’s  crazy.  i’m  looking  forward  to  another  year  of  giving  our  barbies  emotional  damage  together  asdfgs

@tarote  :  ROANNN  YOU  ABSOLUTE  ICON  YOU  !!  you  are  so  incredibly  talented  in  such  a  wide  a  variety  of  ways  it’s  insane.  your  graphics??  your  writing??  your  art??  your  sense  of  humor??  you  SERVE  bestie.  you  are  such  a  wonderful  person  and  friend  whose  creativity  and  humor  knows  no  limits  and  who  is  still  continuously  blowing  me  away  with  your  talent.  being  friends  with  you  is  like  being  welcomed  and  invited  to  sit  at  the  cool  kids  table  permanently  and  it’s  WONDERFUL  !

@troublemakerstm  :  BIRDIE  you  wonderful  human!!!!  the  kenzi  to  my  robin!!!!  you  are  simply  the  best  (if  i  got  that  song  now  stuck  in  your  head  uh oops  —  if  it’s  any  consolation  it’s  stuck  in  mine  🪦)  you  are  such  a  joy  to  talk  to  and  write  with!!  kenzi  and  robin  live  rent  free  in  my  head  —  anything  we  plot  and  write  just  automatically  becomes  canon  in  my  heart.  you  are  such  a  good  writer  and  such  a  good  friend  and  not  a  day  goes  by  where  i  won’t  be  grateful  to  have  you  in  my  life  the  way  robin  is  forever  grateful  to  have  kenzi  in  hers!!!  <3

@shadowedvales  :  FRANKIE  AKA  THE  JANE  IVES  OH  HOW  I  ADORE  YOU  SO  !!!  reconnecting  and  falling  back  into  our  rhythm  as  though  the  gap  time  created  never  existed  was  such  a  major  blessing.  you  are  one  of  my  favorite  people  to  talk,  plot  and  write  with,  and  i  will  never  ever  forget  how  you  so  happily  and  sweetly  entered  my  DM’s  to  be  like  ‘we’re  friends  now!’  after  i  had  lamented  on  the  dash  about  how  hard  making  friends  can  be  for  me.  (i’m  cursed  with  a  chronic  case  of  robin  buckley  syndrome)  that  kind  gesture  means  more  to  me  than  i  can  express,  and  i’ll  always  be  so  grateful  to  you  for  it.  you  are  such  a  wonderful  friend,  and  it’s  been  so  fun  hanging  out  on  calls  and  watching  ghosts  and  playing  barbies  together!!  (even  if  timezones  create  hiccups  sometimes!  :shakingfistemoji:)

@nuks  :  NUK  you  are  such  a  gem!!!  you’re  like  the  living  breathing  personification  of  this  emoji  🌇  you  are  just  so  warm  and  bright  and  you  light  up  the  dash  with  your  bubbly  personality  and  wickedly  creative  OC’s!!  i  love  reading  anything  of  yours  whether  it’s  IC  writing,  about  a  new  or  existing  OC  or  just  about  your  thoughts  or  something  fun  that  had  happened  to  you  —  anything  you  do  just  has  the  best  vibes  and  energy,  and  your  warmth  and  cheeriness  creates  this  gravitational  pull  where  anyone  and  everyone  who  feels  it  is  therefore  drawn  to  you.  you’re  wonderful  and  i’m  looking  forward  to  another  year  of  your  wonderful  self  on  my  dash!!

i  also  wanna  shoutout  those  i  admire  who’ve  made  my  dash  a  brighter  place  —  my  new  year’s  resolution  is  to  talk  &  write  more  ;  let’s  become  slumber  party  RSVP  status  BFFS  🙏💕  !!!

@t-errifier  @forwardmoved  @thrillor  @chth0nia  @hatchetbarbie  @mctcrcity  @unbelovd  @bittcnneck  @poiscn  @arachnaemboss  @coastercrushed  @animvs  @princessofpranks  @stadam  @avichor  @mcntra  @murkyhazed   &  YOU!  🥰  (  i  cannot  physically  tag  every  mutual  but  just  know  each  and  every  one  of  you  are  tagged  in  my  heart  <3  )

[zara-renata]

I need someone to hear me out quick— alight , hear me out. 👀 So the majority of us are who plays love and deepspace are gen z and we are born between 1995 and 2012, right? The in game timeline takes place around 2048.. so if we do the math, we will all be in our early-mid 40s!! .·°՞(≧□≦)՞°·.

Now, have you heard of this Manhwa: Tears on the Withered Rose? If not that's alr— what if there's will be a timeline where the mc(us) is her early 40s and the LI are basically the same age in game, what do you think the relationship dynamic will be like? If we follow the characters roles in Tears on the Withered Rose, Na Hae-Soo in the Mc and Sylus is Beom Tae-ha. (⚆_⚆)

Y'ALL HEAR ME OUT?? :000

Edit: my friend has just informed me that this emoji means that you're weeping .·°՞(≧□≦)՞°·. (I'm assuming at the idea of eventually being in your early-mid forties?) And I'm not there quite yet, but I can assure you, you will still be you in your mid-forties, in the same fundamental way that you feel like you're you now. Hopefully you'll be a little wiser, a little more knowledgeable about the world, but it's fucking great getting older. I wouldn't go back to being 25 if someone paid me. So if anyone is despairing regarding aging, please don't worry about it, life tends to get better instead of worse as you gain experience.

Anyway.

I haven't read Tears on the Withered Rose, but if it has an older MC then I am definitely interested and will have to check it out. I'm a little older than the typical demographic for LADS and for most mainstream romance protagonists, so I am always interested in stories where MC is a little older, while still retaining the same swoon-worthy tropes that make romance fun in the first place.

I'd like to preface this answer by acknowledging that most cultures still judge men dating younger woman and women dating younger men with a double standard. Which is bullshit. The only metric we should judge relationships by are the ability to give true consent and if the people involved have a healthy power/maturity dynamic. But I'm not here to write a treatise on the ethics of age-gap romances, but the following answer acknowledges the reality that society at large may give the "younger" men and older MC the side-eye upon discovering their romantic relationship.

So for the LADS guys... we have an 800 year old fish-man, an immortal dragon, a cardiac surgeon who was born a curmudgeon and has been an old man ever since he was a kid, and a prince that has lived for at least 200 years. So let's just take a minute to soak in, and then conveniently ignore, the inherent age-gap between these old men in pretty boy bodies + 24 year old MC. But, because of who these men actually are, I think that their and an older MC's dynamic would be similar to what it is now, but MC is likely at Captain Jenna's professional level or above, higher in the administration of the Hunter's Association, has the weight of management/administrative responsibilities, possibly a shitty ex husband and all the baggage that entails, maybe a couple of kids she's doing her best to co-parent with said shitty ex. And yet each of the LIs would be the same- the weight of past lives, of memory, of their love for her. Sylus would still feign smug arrogance, utter self-containment, while doing everything he can to attract and retain MC's interest. Xavier would still share the work connection but possibly be a subordinate under MC, which could complicate their relationship in a different but still similar way to being in a relationship with a coworker as the current MC, but he'd still be the sweet guy next door, always there to have MC's back. Zayne would still be her physician, still end up violating all sorts of medical ethical regulations to develop their relationship, still mature and slow to thaw but warm and incredibly loving as their relationship grows. And I'm so sorry, I like Rafayel, but I have not interacted with him enough in game to describe more than surface level what their dynamic is other than he too would be the same with a 40-something MC.

Only people on the outside looking in would lift an eyebrow, and then the LIs would confuse the fuck out of everyone by joking about how someone's robbing the cradle in their relationship, but it sure as hell isn't her. Except, even with my limited knowledge of Raf I can definitely see him playing up the 'age difference' and pretending that MC just took advantage of his poor little meow meow naive youthful self to bag herself a cute boytoy, and I can see Sylus also driving MC nuts by really leaning into the "She criminally stole my innocence" and "Oh, she's my sugar mama" shticks when people dare to say something when he's the immortal one and it's still his black card in her wallet that's paying for her spas when he insists she needs a break (even though she earns enough to pay for herself, but he insists), and if she has kids, his new adopted kids' expensive sports gear and elite summer camps.

Now that you've sent this ask, I think it would be really, really fun to write this dynamic, actually, especially Sylus since he's my big bias and he'd be so infuriatingly charming for an older, exhausted MC, especially one who has a shitty ex who put her through the wringer and who is skittish at the idea of accepting the lavish, unconditional love of a gorgeous, wealthy, "younger" man who is also a fucking mafia boss. And in return I think a more emotionally experienced MC would more quickly see through his facade, and see the vulnerable dragon underneath, and would be able to care for him in return. Thank you for this fun ask!

[starboishifting]

₊˚⊹⋆ || hogwarts d/r intro

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ "ʟɪᴢᴢɪᴇ? ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ʙᴇᴛʜ? ᴇʟ?" "ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴇʟɪᴢᴀʙᴇᴛʜ." "ɴᴏᴘᴇ. ᴍ'ᴄᴀʟʟɪɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇʟɪ ɴᴏᴡ." "ɴᴏ." "ʏᴇs. ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғʀᴏɢ." ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

₊˚⊹⋆ || who i am

name: eli potter age: 11+ house: slytherin wand: apple wood, phoenix feather core, 13", slightly yielding flexibility patronus/animagus: snow leopard

₊˚⊹⋆ || friends

slytherin: mattheo riddle ♡, theodore nott, blaise zabini, draco malfoy, raven queen ☆, pansy parkinson gryffindor: harry potter, fred weasley, george weasley, ron weasley, hermione granger hufflepuff: jaden north ☆ (@shiftingwithmars made me put him in the dr so they would stop yelling at me abt mattheo so i put him with theo as revenge) ravenclaw: luna lovegood

₊˚⊹⋆ || first year classes and schedule

astronomy; monday, friday, occasionally saturday♡ charms; wednesday, thursday defence against the dark arts; monday, friday herbology; monday, thursday♡ history of magic; tuesday, wednesday, thursday potions; monday, wednesday transfiguration; tuesday, friday earth magic; thursday, friday♡ music; tuesday, wednesday♡ flying; tuesday, thursday, alternating saturdays

₊˚⊹⋆ || who we are

our ragtag group of damaged children are the epitome of 'trouble'; and merlin's beard are we proud of it. nothing has ever felt so good as watching fucking filch fall flat on his face, or setting things on fire behind the herbology shed. our first few years of school are really just spent being kids, because for most of us, we never fucking got to. and then moldy voldy comes back, and draco's parents are death eaters, and so are blaise and pansy's, constantly trying to get them to join up, to fight 'for the cause.' so we all go off the rails. because who the hell is going to stop us? theo's our weed hookup, only to find out he's in love with some random hufflepuff, jaden, and helps him grow the shit. he never lives it down. draco and blaise sneak in so much fire whiskey at the beginning of school in fifth year that we could get drunk every night for three months. but don't worry; we moderate ourselves... mostly. mattheo always has the best cigarettes, thank the gods, and pansy can get her hands on any drug we want, something mattheo utilizes a bit too much for a time. we all fight a lot, but if you fuck with one of us... oh, you'd better pray to every god you've never heard of. no one fucks with my friends but me. and, unfortunately, that extends to my brother's friends, too, because we can't have the great harry potter getting sad, now can we? plus, if he gets upset, draco turns into a fucking prick, because at some point he started shagging my brother, the little fucking traitor.

₊˚⊹⋆ || harry and i

in fourth and fifth year, sneak out almost every night, much to harry's chagrin. because merlin fucking forbid 'the boy who lived' is slightly upset on fucking occasion. he can kiss my ass for all i care, and i've told him so. i spent our entire childhoods protecting him from the worst of everything, from the most disgusting parts of vernon and petunia, and he thinks he has the right to tell me how to live my life? but all in all, in the end of everything, harry is the reason i get clean, and sober, and straight. because he needs someone fighting by his side in this goddamn war. does it fuck things up with mattheo for a while? of course it does, because he's still processing trauma that isn't even his, yet he's had to take that and everything else on, on top of finding out that his father is voldemort. he takes a lot longer to clean up his act, but for me, losing sirius is all it takes to set me straight. i can drink after i kill bellatrix lestrange. and as much as i resent harry for things he never did, i love him more than i've ever loved anything. i would burn the world down for him; it took theo taking my wand, plus mattheo, raven, blaise, pansy, and draco holding me down when hagrid carried harry's 'body' to hogwarts before the battle to stop me from charging the entirety of the death eaters. i would have, too, and i would have used whatever unforgiveable curses i needed to avenge my brother. my brother. gods, he's an idiot, but he's my fucking idiot, and no one but me hurts him and gets away with it.

₊˚⊹⋆ || end game ships

me and mattheo draco and harry ron and hermione luna and blaise jaden and theo raven and pansy neville and ginny dean and seamus wolfstar george and angelina

[tobbesdiscordkitten]

How did Pamela manning, Adriana and barbie meet Gnr they’re so lucky

I’m glad you asked because I learned today that Pamela Manning was Barbi Von Greif’s ROOMMATE and they were the ones who were gonna make their own band called Rocket Queen.

Pamela Manning

I’ve also heard Barbi was a stripper, as well as Adriana Smith, so the three might’ve worked at the same strip club and got acquainted. It’s interesting how the universe works - you meet new people for a particular reason in order to achieve a certain destiny. Then once the band came along…the ladies were set in stone.

In 2014, Pamela did an interview and she discussed what her experience as a dance girl for GNR entailed while recounting her relationship with Izzy, and her friendship between Axl and Steven Adler:

“Well, I had been dancing with Guns N' Roses on stage even before Guns N' Roses. I came out in a cute outfit, it had guns on them, some cute cut-off jeans, and a cowboy hat. Axl had chaps where his butt would hang out the back. It was like playing house to me but we played rock star; it was all about music, how cool you can look. It also was a shock factor back in the 80's - anything to get attention.

If that meant being wild and crazy on stage, well, that is what you got! And, so, when I was on stage, I had a blast with the band; our energy was magic! We would feed off each others’ energy, yet we would all be in sync with each other. It was so automatic, the music was the main energy. You tap into that stream and you got Guns N’ Roses: that is what fed the audience, the energy that went with the band. After the show, we would talk about how the audience’s reaction was.

Pamela Manning and Axl Rose at the Whisky a Go Go (1986)

I am also a drummer, so Steven would teach me some drums, and we would move on to more creative stuff; we'd sit around and play some more music. Barbi Von Greif, who was my roommate at the time, we were in a band together for a short time. I was the drummer and she was the singer, and Barbi wanted to name the band Rocket Queen.

Pamela Manning with Steven Adler

Guns N’ Roses were a music inspiration to us; heck, we inspired each other. This is how we all met up; it was all about music, not hanging with the guys. I did wind up dating Izzy, but Barbi broke us up, not being a true friend to me, as she wanted him. One day he asked me to let him play with Barbi, and when I said no, well, you can guess the rest. That was the end of Izzy and I.

Axl has always been a true friend to me, telling me his deepest secrets and, yep, I have kept them today. I can't and will not talk about the deep secrets he told me. That is just not me. But wow, if you only knew...I am sure some would understand him a little better. People judge him, and I can understand why. He has not been the best example, but I think if Axl would stop bottling all the secrets, he could be a great spokesperson and could help many.

It was like with any band: sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll, but the drug thing…I never liked drugs or alcohol, so I can't relate in that department. But I had some good times.”

“I got branded (as a groupie) because I was wild and crazy on stage, and made my living working with rock bands as well. My interviews I agreed to be in were cut into pieces to make me sound like a groupie, like talking about being a cheerleader, and things like that. I have always been one to inspire, male or female. Rockstar or not, I love to inspire, to bring back hope, to help people get their creative juices flowing and that doesn't mean groupie juices…I had friends who were (groupies). I never hung around with them, but there were times where I would work with them. Some were mud wrestlers. Groupies were there, back in the '80s, for sure. It was hard because you become friends with them, and then they would try to snatch your man. And I really hated dealing with them. I’d guess groupies are the same today as yesterday. The only difference is that there is not an explosion of rockstars rising to the top like it was in the '80s.” - Pamela Manning

Not only was Pam a dancer for the band, she was a roadie who handed out flyers, did the men’s hair, makeup, and their wardrobe. Pamela still keeps in touch with both Axl and Steven.

[yukipri]

feelin kinda sad so eating an obscene amount of pasta

[yardsards]

i needed to express a sentiment in the creative stylings of @dunmeshiminimumwage