#Long Bead Chain Bags

[bojasonlinefashion]

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[fishpondfish]

also made earrings out of buttons and also made trans and lesbian flag patterns with the beads that i took from and old ass bracelet lolol it didn't have enough light pinks but whatever you can still tell. anyways yayyy. the funniest thing about all this is that i don't even like wearing jewelry

simple joys of life i used to make chans out of safety pins by just connecting the pins and nothing else (left) and it was cool but it used to get tangled all the time soooo i finally bought these uhh connector rings or whatever the term is and i upgraded it (right) YAY this is the most exciting thing about my week

[kckt88]

Two Sides Of The Same Coin.

Summary:

Aemond can't stand Y.N and he knows the feeling is mutual, with the pair of them regularly trading insults and snide remarks until one day their disdain for one another reaches boiling point.

Warnings - Angst, Drama, Teasing, Name Calling, Miscommunication, Kissing, Smut - Oral Sex, Multiple Orgasms, Multiple Positions, P in V.

AEMOND TARGARYEN x Y.N

Word Count: 3760

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the House of The Dragon or Fire & Blood characters nor do I claim to own them. I do not own any of the images used.

Comments, likes, and reblogs are very much appreciated.

Tag List - @jasminecosmic99 @kaelatargaryen @yesterdayfeelings-blog @immyowndefender @0eessirk8

Aemond lounged on the worn leather sofa in the shared living room of his apartment, a slight scowl etched on his sharp features.

The dim light from the setting sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm, golden hue over the space. He ran a hand through his short silver hair, his gaze flicking towards the door as he heard the familiar, grating sound of Y.N’s laughter.

She was here again. Of course, she was.

His older sister Helaena had invited Y.N over for what seemed like the hundredth time this month.

They had been friends for years, but to Aemond, Y.N was nothing more than a constant thorn in his side. She was always there, always smiling, always ready with a quip or a snide remark. And for some reason, she seemed to delight in riling him up.

As Y.N stepped into the room, her eyes immediately locked onto Aemond’s. She had that infuriatingly confident smirk on her face, the one that made him want to throw something. Anything.

“Look who’s lounging around as per usual,” she teased, tossing her bag onto the coffee table. “Did you do anything productive today, Aemond? Or were you too busy looking in the mirror?”

Aemond’s eyes narrowed, and he sat up straighter, his fingers drumming on the arm of the sofa. “I was enjoying the peace and quiet before you barged in,” he retorted. “Not that you’d understand the concept of peace.”

Helaena, ever the peacekeeper, entered the room with a smile, oblivious to the brewing storm. “Hey, guys! Glad to see you’re getting along as usual.”

Y.N rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, you know us, Helaena. We’re just the best of friends.”

Aemond snorted. “If by friends, you mean sworn enemies, then sure.”

Helaena sighed, shaking her head as she headed to the kitchen. “Try not to kill each other while I make some tea, okay?”

As soon as she was out of earshot, Y.N plopped down on the sofa next to Aemond, deliberately sitting closer than necessary. “You know, Aemond,” she said, her tone mockingly sweet, “Maybe if you smiled more, you might actually look approachable.”

“And if you talked less, you might actually be tolerable,” he shot back, crossing his arms over his chest.

Helaena sighed, placing the tray on the table between them. “Can’t you two at least try to be civil?”

Y.N. raised her hands in mock surrender. “I’m always civil. It’s Aemond who’s the grump.”

“Maybe if you weren’t so insufferable,” Aemond snapped.

“Maybe if you weren’t so uptight,” she countered, taking a sip of her tea.

Aemond had just finished a long, hot shower and had barely managed to slip into a pair of gray sweatpants when he heard a knock at the door. His damp blonde hair clung to his forehead as he walked through the apartment, the cool air hitting his still-wet skin.

He opened the door, expecting to see a delivery or a neighbour, but was instead greeted by Y.N.

Aemond rolled his eyes, for fuck sake, here she is again. The red hue of her newly dyed hair radiated in the light of the hallway, the piercing in her nose glinting slightly and those damn beaded bracelets that kept clacking together every time she moved her hand.

Y.N.’s eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight of him, her gaze lingering for a moment longer than necessary, on his lithe form, the smattering of hair that decorated his chest, the silver chain that hung around his neck. Aemond noticed and couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips.

“Enjoying the view?” asked Aemond, his voice low and teasing.

Y.N. snapped her eyes back up to his face, her cheeks tinged with a hint of pink. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m here for Helaena.”

“Well, Hel’s not here, she’s at work,” Aemond replied, leaning against the doorframe, his smirk widening.

“I know she’s at work,” Y.N. retorted, holding up a bag filled with books. “She asked me to pick these up from the library. I’m just dropping them off for her”.

Aemond smirked as he closed the door behind Y.N.

He watched as she put the books on the table and arranged them into a neat pile, his gaze focused on the way her dress rode up her thighs as she bent over slightly.

“What does Hel need them for anyway?” asked Aemond.

“Well, some people like to read-“

“An interesting concept, I honestly didn’t know you could read” mocked Aemond.

“I read more than you-“ quipped Y.N.

Aemond’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, taking in her appearance. “Have you done something different?” he asked, his voice deceptively casual as he looked her up and down.

Y.N. raised an eyebrow as she turned to face him. “What are you talking about?”

"There's something about you-" muttered Aemond.

"Well I-" muttered Y.N as she ran a hand through her hair.

Aemond’s lips curved into a smirk as he leaned back, his gaze settling on her face. “Oh, I see. You’ve finally had your upper lip waxed.”

Y.N.'s eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening. "Funny. And here I thought you were going to say something actually clever for once."

Aemond shrugged, his smirk unfaltering. "It’s hard to be clever when the response would be so basic-Not really something I can take seriously"

Y.N. crossed her arms over her chest, a wicked glint in her eye. "Well, it’s hard to take you seriously when you spend more time on your hair care routine than anyone else I know, Mr. scented oils and hair serums, is it true that you used to straighten your hair before you got it cut-"

Aemond’s smirk vanished, replaced by a glare. "At least I take care of myself. Unlike some people."

"Sure, if taking care of yourself means smelling like an overly used perfume shop and spending half your life in front of a mirror," Y.N. retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I’d rather smell good than look like I just rolled out of bed," Aemond shot back, his tone icy.

"Oh please, you look like you spend hours trying to get that 'effortlessly perfect' look," Y.N. replied, mimicking air quotes with her fingers. "Newsflash, it’s not working."

Aemond stepped closer, his eyes blazing with irritation. "And you think your look is working? Please. You’re a walking disaster."

Y.N. took a step closer as well, her eyes flashing with anger. "Better a walking disaster than a walking ego trip. You’re so obsessed with your appearance it’s quite pathetic."

Aemond’s jaw clenched, his hands tightening into fists at his sides. "At least I have something to be proud of. What do you have, besides a big mouth and a bad attitude?"

Y.N. glared at him, her voice low and dangerous. "I have more than you’ll ever understand, Aemond Targaryen. And for the record, I’d rather have a big mouth and a bad attitude than be an insufferable, self-absorbed dickhead."

“Tell me, are you naturally this stuck up, or did it take you years of practice?"

"I’m not the one who’s stuck up. You’re the one who struts around like you’re all that” snarled Y.N.

Aemond stepped closer, his expression taunting. "Me? You’re the one who walks around acting like you’re all that, when in reality, you’re about this much of that." He held his fingers a mere inch apart, emphasizing his point.

"Nice hand gesture," taunted Y.N, a sly smile spreading across her lips. "Is that the size of your cock, because I think your being far too generous.”

"What?-"

"Don't be too disheartened-it's a medical condition you know, it's called micro penis" laughed Y.N as she wiggled her little finger.

Aemond’s expression darkened, his smirk vanishing as fury flared in his eyes. In a heartbeat, he closed the distance between them, his hand shooting out to grab her by the throat.

He slammed her against the wall, the impact causing a picture frame to rattle precariously.

“Say that again,” he hissed, his grip firm but not painful, his face inches from hers.

Y.N.’s breath hitched, her defiance flickering into something else entirely as their eyes locked. For a moment, they were frozen, the air around them charged with a potent mix of anger and something far more dangerous.

“Make me,” whispered Y.N, her voice challenging but breathless.

Aemond’s response was swift and unexpected. He crashed his lips onto hers, the kiss rough and demanding, fuelled by their unresolved tension.

Y.N. responded in kind, her hands gripping his shoulders as she kissed him back fiercely. It was messy, all teeth and tongues, their anger translating into a passion they could no longer deny.

Her back pressed against the wall, Aemond's body pinning her in place as their mouths battled for dominance. Y.N. bit his lower lip, eliciting a low growl from him. He retaliated by deepening the kiss, his hands sliding down her body to grip her waist.

Just as abruptly as it began, Aemond pulled away, his breath ragged. He pressed his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. His heart pounded in his chest, the heat of the moment still thrumming through his veins.

Y.N. smirked, her lips curling up as she looked into his eyes. "Is that all you got?" she taunted, her voice a low, teasing whisper.

Aemond growled as he spun Y.N around and pressed her face against the wall, with one hand on the back of her neck and the other quickly pushing down his sweatpants and boxers.

“I’ll show you what I’ve got-“ rasped Aemond as he nudged her ankle with his foot, signalling for her to open her legs wider.

His body covered hers as he sucked and licked the delicate skin of her neck, leaving red marks in his wake.

Y.N moved her head to the side and moaned loudly as she felt Aemond’s teeth digging into her skin.

Not having the patience to properly prepare her, Aemond spat into his hand reaching down to run it up and down the hard length of himself, eyeing Y.N with an animalistic hunger, a smirk on his lips as she bent forward for him.

He rucked up the dress she was wearing and pulled aside her knickers as he guides himself to her entrance, she barely has a moment to adjust before he is pressing his cock forcefully inside and stretching her brutally, causing her to cry out.

“FUCKING TAKE IT!” spits Aemond.

Y.N can’t think of anything but the intense pounding thrusts that greet her, causing her to wail and moan, causing the tears form in her eyes, before running down her cheeks.

Aemond sets a brutal pace, his hips crashing into hers, his fingers digging into her hips as he pushes and pulls her against him.

His cock reaching deep inside her, the sting of being stretched by him now giving way to a pleasurable ache.

Then he withdraws from her and spins her around, lifting her into his arms, his mouth pressed against hers as he quickly thrusts back inside her.

“YES! YES! AEMOND!” screams Y.N. as she claws at his back.

“FUCK!” shouts Aemond as he feels her cunny clenching around his cock.

“P-Please. Oh Please. Yes-yes” babbled Y.N ignoring the pain in her back as the force of Aemond’s thrusts kept slamming her into the wall.

“That’s it-” encouraged Aemond his gaze rooted to the place where they were joined, transfixed by the sight of her cunt stretched around his cock.

“Oooh-please-please” muttered Y.N

But then, his thrust begin to slow, and he withdraws from her, making her whimper in frustration.

But Aemond ignores her as he lays her on the sofa and falls to his knees.

Sliding his hands up her legs, bunching the fabric of her knickers in his hand before he rips them from her body.

“Aemond” shrieked Y.N as Aemond’s mouth quickly descends on her cunny.

Ravenously, he pressed into Y.N’s core with his tongue, in and out, much faster than his cock ever could.

Still gasping, Y.N clutched at his head with one hand, her other digging into the fabric of the sofa.

Aemond withdrew from her soaking wet core and lashed hard at her clitoris with his tongue, pulling on it with his lips. He was hard, fast and brutal, alternating between her assaulted bundle of nerves and drinking deep from her cunt.

Y.N ground down on Aemond, hard; his tongue speared deeper inside her, and she felt the warm curl of her peak approach.

Aemond growled, deep in his throat. The vibration of his vocal cords rippled through to his tongue and Y.N gasped; she felt every vibration keenly. Her body tensed for her peak– But Aemond pulled away from her and smirked, his chin shining with her slick.

“A-Aemond” gasped Y.N, the tears of frustration spilling down her cheeks.

“Be a good little girl and take what I give you” said Aemond as he reached for the buttons on the front of her dress before he grew impatient and tore it from her body, leaving her breasts bared.

A loud moan erupted from the back of his throat at the sight of Y.N’s perfect breasts, he leaned forward and took one of her rosy nipples into his mouth, sucking on the stiffened peak before he bit her.

“Ooooh Aemond-“ whined Y.N as she writhed against him, he smirked as he released her nipple and moved across lavishing the other one with the same attention.

“P-Please-” sobbed Y.N as she felt his hard cock sliding against her folds.

“Hmm” growled Aemond as he wrapped his hand around Y.N’s throat and sheathed himself inside her.

“God. Yes. Aemond” moaned Y.N.

He began to thrust in and out of her in deep achingly slow thrusts.

“Your cunt is dripping, it's so beautiful” sighed Aemond.

Slowly thrusting back and forth. Over and over, withdrawing further each time, until his cock entirely withdrew from her warm wet entrance.

“Tell me you want me-“ growled Aemond as he ran the head of his cock through her wet folds.

“I want you” exclaimed Y.N.

“Tell me you need me” whispered Aemond as he sheathed himself back inside her.

“I need you-“ muttered Y.N as one of Aemond’s hands slid up her body and wrapped around her throat.

Aemond smiled and then began to fuck her in earnest, his fingers digging into the flesh of her throat, using her as leverage as he repeatedly plunged his cock into her cunny, over, thrilled to hear Y.N’ moans of need echoing around the living room.

His thrusts, brutal and unrelenting.

“Come for me-” breathed Aemond.

Y.N. screamed as her desperately needed peak exploded from her body, making every limb tremble as her body bucked around Aemond’s cock.

Gods, he needed to spill his seed, but not like this.

So, with his cock still nestled inside her, Aemond manoeuvred himself into a sitting position with Y.N on his lap.

“Give me another-I want you to come on my cock again” growled Aemond.

Y.N ran her hands over the defined muscles of his chest, her nails digging into his pale skin.

“That’s it-mark me fucking harder” growled Aemond, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as Y.N ran her nails across his skin.

“Oh” gasped Y.N as she rolled her hips against Aemonds.

“That’s it baby, take it. Take all of me-good girl”.

Aemond placed his hands on Y.N’ hips and marvelled at Y.N as she bounced on top of him.

“S-so good-Aemond-“ whimpered Y.N.

“I-I’m never leaving this sweet cunt-“ moaned Aemond.

Y.N slid her hands over his shoulders and coiled her fingers into his silver hair as she moved her hips against his, his cock hitting the sweet spot inside her perfectly.

“A-Aemond” moaned Y.N as he moved his hand to her breasts and once again took one of her nipples into his mouth, his teeth gently grazing the rosy bud.

“Let go baby, I can feel you clenching around me” exclaimed Aemond, as he moved to the other breast.

Y.N’ thighs began to burn, as she felt her second peak approach.

“AEMOND” screamed Y.N her vision going white as she came around his cock.

“I-I’m gonna cum. W-where s-shall I?” exclaimed Aemond, the tension in his abdomen was about to burst.

“I-Inside me-please-I take pills-” whined Y.N.

 “FUUUCCCKKK” roared Aemond as he exploded. His cock throbbing and twitching as he finally spilled his seed inside her, collapsing against the sofa, breathing hard.

It took a good while for Aemond to regain his senses. Meanwhile Y.N had collapsed against him, her face pressed into his neck.

After a few minutes Y.N began to squirm in Aemond’s grasp, her senses rapidly returning.

She’s just had sex with Aemond. The same Aemond who annoyed her, the same Aemond who never missed an opportunity to wind her up, the same Aemond who’s cock was still buried deep inside her.

Y.N began to panic, would this change things between them or would he use this against her, she didn’t want to find out, she didn’t want to look in his eyes and see that he regretted what they had done, so she tried to move away from his hot sweaty body, but his grip on her tightened.

“Where do you think your going-I haven’t finished with you yet” growled Aemond, his cock growing hard inside of her once more.

“A-Aemond” breathed Y.N.

“I told you that I wasn’t leaving your sweet cunt and I meant it-I’m going to take you to my bed and fuck you so many times tonight that you’ll not be able to walk straight tomorrow”.

Later that night, Aemond lay beside Y.N. in the dimly lit bedroom, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting gentle shadows across their entwined forms. The room was filled with the quiet sounds of their shared breaths, a stark contrast to the passionate chaos that had erupted between them earlier.

Y.N. slept soundly, her long red hair fanned out across the pillow like a fiery halo. Aemond couldn’t help but admire the vibrant strands, the way they framed her serene face.

He traced his gaze over her delicate features, lingering on her plump lips, slightly parted as she breathed deeply. The softness of her skin tempted him to touch, to memorize every curve and contour.

His fingers moved slowly, almost reverently, as they traced the flowery tattoo on her hip. He marvelled at the contrast between the toughness she displayed during their confrontations and the softness he now felt beneath his fingertips.

Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, yet he couldn’t tear his gaze away from her. The day had been a revelation. He had never wanted any other woman the way he wanted Y.N.

His desire for her was ravenous and unrestrained, a primal hunger that had taken him by surprise. He had experienced passion before, but nothing like this—nothing that consumed him so completely.

Fucking her in the living room had done nothing to quell the fire within him, he had brought her back to his room and fucked her four more times.

Aemond’s mind wandered back to the intensity of their kisses, the way their bodies had moved together as if they were made for each other. He had felt alive, every nerve ending electrified by her touch. The connection they had forged was undeniable, transcending the petty insults and animosity that had defined their previous interactions.

He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her shoulder, careful not to wake her. As he settled back against the pillows, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She stirred slightly, her body instinctively moving his, a contented sigh escaping her lips.

For the first time in a long while, Aemond felt a sense of peace. The anger and frustration that had always simmered between them had transformed into something deeper, something he couldn’t quite define but knew he wanted to explore further.

He closed his eyes, allowing the exhaustion to finally take over, his last conscious thought a realization that shook him to his core: he had never experienced anything like this before, and he wasn’t sure he ever wanted to let it go.

The first light of dawn filtered through the curtains as Y.N. stirred in Aemond's bed. She carefully disentangled herself from his arms, glancing at his serene, sleeping face. Trying not to wake him, she slid out from under the covers, her feet touching the cool floor, but just as she was about to stand up, a strong hand clasped her wrist.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Aemond’s voice was husky with sleep but firm.

Y.N. turned to see him sitting up, his silver hair tousled, his intense gaze fixed on her. “I thought I’d sneak out before you woke up,” she admitted with a small, guilty smile.

“Not happening. After last night, I’m not letting you go that easily.”

Y.N allowed herself to be pulled back into the bed, settling beside him. “I thought you hated me,” she said softly, searching his face for answers.

Aemond shook his head, his fingers tracing the curve of her cheek. “I never hated you, Y.N. I don’t know what it was, but it was never hate. Last night opened my eyes to what I’ve been blind to all this time. My perfect woman has been right in front of me.”

Y.N.’s breath hitched at his words, her heart pounding in her chest. “Are you saying you want to be with me?”

“If you’re willing,” he said, his voice earnest. “I want to explore a relationship between us. I want this, and I want you.”

A smile spread across Y.N.’s face, her eyes softening. “I’d like that too.”

Aemond leaned in to kiss her, his lips just brushing hers when her stomach let out a loud grumble. They both froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“Well, I would like to get something to eat,” Y.N. said between giggles, “But I don’t think I can walk properly.”

Aemond’s laughter echoed through the room, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “What can I say, love? I’m a man of my word.”

They lay back down, their laughter subsiding into comfortable silence. Aemond wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Y.N. snuggled against his chest, feeling a sense of contentment she had never known before.

As they lay there, tangled in each other’s arms, they both knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. And for the first time, their banter and bickering felt like the foundation of something real and lasting, something neither of them wanted to let go.

The End.

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: My Fall Wardrobe Essentials

Pima cotton long-sleeve tees (I like the Supima ones from Everlane for every day)

Contour body suits (I like the Express Bodycon Compression line and Spanx bodysuits in vegan leather/silk)

Silk button downs

Structured cotton button-down

Cashmere sweaters (crewneck, turtleneck, polo neck, etc. – Everlane, Nadaam, and Cuyana are great affordable options)

Zippered knitwear (I like options from Pixie Market, Naadam, COS, Ganni, Helmut Lang, Nanushka, and more)

Black high-waisted tailored trousers (bootcut, flared, and straight leg)

Black high-waisted jeans (straight and bootcut for me!)

Elevated stretch pants (I like the Norma Kamali Boot Pant and Spanx Perfect Pant for this)

Cashmere trouser

Cashmere hoodie

Thick, well-structured black sweatshirt

High-waisted straight-leg leather pants

Long-sleeve black sweater dress

Maxi-length black satin slip dress

Leather/quilted/tweed mini skirt

Long knit skirt (love a co-ord top for this, too)

Perfectly-tailored longline, single-breasted black blazer

Tailored hourglass blazer

Leather blazer

Classic leather moto jacket

Cropped patent leather jacket

Lightweight wool/satin duster coat

Black cotton trench/leather trench coat

Black tweed jacket with elevated hardware

Structured black wool coat

Leather puff jacket

Minimalist white sneakers

Black block-heeled, sleek square-toed/pointy-toe boots

Modern black loafers

Croc-embossed black boot

Black moto/lace-up boot or minimalist platform boot

Stiletto heel, pointy toe black boot (one short and one knee high length to dress up any outfit)

Western-inspired boot

Sleek and sexy black pumps

Structured black tote/shoulder bag

Structured crossbody bag

Small shoulder bag

Novelty/fun top handle bag (beaded, croc-embossed, crystal-embellishments, etc.)

Seamless bras/underwear

Control-top black tights (sheer and opaque)

Comfortable white and black ankle/crew socks

A cashmere, silk, or faux fur everyday scarf

Fingerless gloves

Chunky chain necklaces/bracelets

Delicate gold and silver chains (necklaces and bracelets)

Mixed-metal rings

Diamond-encrusted & cocktail rings

Ear cuffs and threader earrings

High-waisted shapewear shorts

Cashmere or silk loungewear/pajamas

A lace teddy

Cozy slippers

[merbear25]

Innocent fem reader asks to give Sado yasutora a massage after his boxing class? Hopefully this isn’t too specific haha. NSFW fic please!

Hello! It isn't too specific! I can understand the appeal 🤭 I hope you like it 💜💜

Long days of training would leave his entire body aching. Your gentle suggestions to take things easy were always heard but not always implemented. Pushing himself too far was more than a bad habit, but luckily, you were there to help ease his tense body.

CW: NSFW, MDNI, older version of Sado, fem!reader, fluffy smut, established relationship, somewhat sensual massage, teasing, cum shot

Soothing touch (Sado)

Grunts with each force thrown against the punching bag sounded throughout the room. Rattling chains that were hoisting it up were the soundtrack to each training session. Beads of sweat dripped onto the floor as the fluorescent lights buzzed above, which added the chorus. Nothing else but the need to get better, stronger, was on his mind. Each tear in his muscles went untended as the drive to push himself past his own limitations was a goal to which the posts were constantly moving further and further back.

Twinges of pain shot through his forearms, leaving your heart-felt words of concern echoing in his head. He didn’t want to admit that he’d reached his limit, but your pleas for him to take better care of himself made the pain twist into a tinge of guilt. Becoming stronger wasn’t for him; it was for you and everyone else who depended on him. However, his body wasn’t compliant with what he had set out to be.

One final swing at the leather had every bit of this looming sense of failure poured into it. Huffs were faint, trembles of his sore body were subtle, and emotions were running high behind that ever calm expression. If only he could meet his own standards; if only he could be enough.

A fog dispersed around him, making his judgments far too critical and undeservingly harsh. Only your light guided him back home. The comfort in your voice and undying support were a beacon he sought more often than not. His body and mind craved such tenderness after a draining day. Your soothing touch could settle any inner turmoil he’d pushed himself into.

Without a word, he wrapped his arms around you from the back. The nuzzling into the crook of your neck spoke louder than words ever could.

“Let’s get you more comfortable.” You guided him to the bed with a gentle hold of his bruised and bandaged hands. “Sit down, darling.” The sincere smile was a reminder of what he was pushing himself to preserve so desperately.

You sat on your shins behind him, placing your knees on either side of him. A soft gasp passed his lips as your delicate fingers found each knot and tear on his abused body. The soft hums of care that you gave made his heart ache. Such a gentle woman, someone who held herself with such poise and exuded compassion deserved to be protected by the best. He could be that, he knew he could.

“I love how important it is for you to be able to be there for the ones most important to you… but I wish you were kinder to yourself.” Your words hung in the air for a moment before weighing on him.

“I can feel it, how close I am. Can’t quite get there, though.”

Not having the words to ease his mind that you hadn’t already said, you rested your cheek on his shoulder and wrapped your arms around him. Soft breaths against damp skin sent shivers down his spine. Your hands massaged up his forearms and biceps, knowing just where his body craved the attention most. 

“Do you want to lay back?”

He nodded and made himself comfortable. Your hands began working out the kinks in his chest, but the position you were in was making it difficult to do so properly. You could feel heat biting at your cheeks as you sat yourself down on his lap. Even with being in a relationship, there were certain things that still got you flustered. It was endearing and made you all the more precious to him, though.

Rubbing his front, your eyes roamed over him in complete and utter appreciation for the man who constantly strived to give you more than he was physically capable of. Your chest felt heavy with the emotion building within. 

“I love you so very much,” you said barely above a whisper.

He placed his hands on your outer thighs, his thumbs rubbing your soft skin tenderly as he returned your affectionate words.

You leaned down to place a kiss on his lips. Such a soft display of the depth of love held for each other couldn’t have failed to stir another aspect of your connection. His hands moved up your loose-fitting shorts, taking in each curve of your body as his fingers slipped under your panty line. Pushing up for some kind of friction, he couldn’t resist the want to feel more of you. Despite his muscles urging him to take things slow, the desire to take care of you in every way was too tempting.

“Darling, you shouldn’t push yourself,” you gasped as he rutted against your clit.

“Can’t help it, just want… want to be here for you.” The desperation in his voice pulled at your heartstrings. You needed him just as badly but couldn’t bear the thought of him overexerting himself even more than he already had.

As you sat up, you trailed your hands down his chest and abs, being careful to touch those sensitive spots with just enough pressure. “I want to do that for you sometimes too. Let me be here for you tonight.”

Tugging his shorts down, seeing his full erection never ceased to lure a fluttering sensation from you. Pushing your panties to the side, your slick folds nestled around his length. Gentle, soft, whimpering sounds left you as you grinded against him. His hands tightened their grip on your thighs and subtle grunts caught in his throat.

Grunts and groans transformed into choked moans as you rode him. Your wet arousal was coating him entirely: cock, balls, and hips. The sensation of you drenching him in your own want for him was driving him insane, but he fought back the urge to take you. Letting you take care of him the way you wanted had his chest tightening with a type of adoration that was incomprehensible.

Heat building between you, pants soaked in euphoria, and your lust reaching a fever pitch sent you both into a tailspin of utter bliss. Your sweet cries of climax coaxed his own. Shots of cum covered his stomach while his body tensed.

Huffing and panting, you brushed his bangs out of his face and cupped his cheek. When you leaned back down to steal another kiss, he held you closely. His strong arms that could bring down entire buildings were careful to treat you with the utmost sensitivity.

“You’re always there for me,” you murmured against your kiss. “I’ve never once doubted you.”

A long sigh left him as he kept you close to him. This qualm was something he’d always battled with, but hearing you say that allowed the feeling of the trust and comfort you found in his arms to chip away at it.

[hezzabeth]

Revati knew, as she walked back to Baker Street, that once again she was on the edge of things.

Revati could barely remember the first edge she encountered, four years old and holding a balloon while drones flew above.

The second edge, seeing her father’s twitching hand under the rubble.

And now, Amma standing in the doorway with Dusk.

Her arms were folded, and she glared when she realized Camilo was with them.

"Hello, Camilo," Amma remarked.

"Sugafanna! I haven’t seen you since…" he began.

"Jay’s last birthday; you drank too much of your honeymede and threw up on the walls," Amma pointed out.

"Ah, yes," Camilo blushed with embarrassment.

"And I suppose you’re here to help Revati with this insanity?" Sugafana asked coldly.

"Is saving the ones we love really that insane?" Camilo asked Sugafana, who sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I’m going to the station now, Amma; where’s Nanni?" Revati asked.

"I’m right here, Dimpy," Nanni said from behind mother.

"Don’t die while I’m gone; you’ve lasted eighty years. You can last a little longer," Revati said firmly.

Nanni pulled her down, kissing her forehead, and then draped something around Revati’s neck.

It was her precious Kasithaali, a gold chain dotted with gold and coral beads.

In the center of the chain, there was a tiny golden idol, its features finely carved.

The Kasithaali was ancient, trailing far back to the first Sheik born on Mars.

The coral beads had been picked from a long-ago dead and abandoned Earth.

"Nanni, you know I can’t take this! Raiders will try to steal it," Revati pointed out.

"Hide it down the front of your clothes! You will need Lakshmi’s protection," Nanni said firmly.

"You will also need this," Amma replied, sliding off one of her bangles.

"Why are you both giving me wedding jewelry? I’m going on a rescue mission; I’m not getting married," Revati asked as Amma slid the bangle onto Revati’s wrist.

Amma tapped the bracelet four times, and it suddenly glowed a faint purple.

"DNA approved user confirmed, current balance nine thousand six hundred and eighty-three credits," the bracelet chimed.

"It’s not a bracelet; it’s my portable bank account! You’re not going to go out into the world with no funds," Amma said as Revati stared at the glowing numbers.

"Is this a lot of money?" She asked curiously.

"It’s enough. Now here’s everything else you asked for... including your sister's hairbrush," Amma asked, handing Revati a bag, and Revati nodded.

"Good, well, I best be off then," Revati said, and Amma nodded.

Revati realized it was probably time to say something else.

"I love you both," she added before reaching forward to embrace Amma.

Revati firmly believed in only hugging on her terms.

Still, Amma deserved it.

It took a moment to realize that Brigadeiro Bun was politely following her and Camilo.

"Why are you trailing behind me?" Revati had to ask.

"He's following you as well, as well as what I suspect is the android wearing a cloak," Brigadeiro pointed out.

"I need Camilo to help me at the train station," Revati replied as they reached the maze's entrance.

"I’m pretty sure I can turn the train on for one ride; I salvaged a power cell from the dragon," Camilo explained.

"Well, I’m following you because you’ll need my tent if you want to survive the elements," Brigadeiro replied.

"You got your tent back, then?" Revati asked as they entered the maze.

In the distance, Revati could hear someone giggle among the leaves.

"Yes, Isabeau found it in the lost property pile," Brigadeiro replied.

"And you’re going to give me your tent?" Revati asked.

"I’m going to share it with you; it’s a two-person tent! My ex and I were supposed to travel together, but we broke up," Brigadeiro said with a small shrug.

"You don’t seem that upset about it," Revati pointed out as they turned a corner.

The giggling was coming from two small children in medical dress fighting with sticks.

"I was; then I went out to find diamond roses for her, and everything else happened," Brigadeiro admitted.

"So you’re going to travel with me for an indefinite amount of time? Finding my sister plus take weeks or months," Revati said as they turned right.

"Or years; when appliances want to hide things, they stay hidden," Camilo pointed out.

"Well, I’ll stay with you until we reach a public teleportation station; then you can keep the tent," Brigadeiro said, and Revati shrugged.

"Fine, that’s a fair exchange for saving your life twice," she admitted.

The maze suddenly opened up onto the grand entrance of Olde Landon.

The ticket booths, in the shape of castle turrets, had long ago been abandoned.

The giant Elizabeth Twin statue was covered in gently glowing fungus.

Revati stared at them briefly.

One of the queens was in a grand solid carved ballgown.

The other in a neat suit and hat.

Both of them had lizard faces.

"We have the exact same statue on the South West Sydney Space station; apparently, the lizard faces allowed the queens to live for centuries," Brigadeiro remarked.

"That was just a myth; come on this way," Camilo replied.

The park bullet train ran from the park to Leeryasoar, the country's capital. Years ago, the station teemed with tourists. Feet would pound over the shiny tiles, the exact same gold and purple as the domed train. Creatrix vending machines were constantly humming next to the benches. Revati remembered Amma punching in several numbers to get Dityaa a bottle of mango lassi. There had been a stand in the center of the platform selling park maps and plastic magic wands. Pink and red roses grew in orderly bushes. Holographic signs floated on the walls, stating that all data cloud technology would stop working inside the park. Revati had dim memories of her father checking the news on his communications bracelet before they went inside. The signs had long ago been smashed to pieces and were now nothing more than broken screens. The Creatrix vending machines had been looted and were now filled with spiders. The roses all grew in wild tangles flowing over the garden beds.

"Wow; these roses have gone feral! They're singing about how much they wish they could prick people with their thorns," Brigadeiro remarked as Camilo approached the abandoned purple shuttle train with his tool belt.

"Are we far enough away from the wall?" Revati asked.

"We should be! All the vending machines were, so they led the attack during the invasion! The only thing that stopped them was the station's power supply getting cut off," Camilo said, gesturing about. Camilo was right; the station was dim and depressing under the grey Martian sunlight. Revati nodded and whisked the cloak off the figure. The maternity droid stared back at her. Camilo had taken the time to repaint its face. Its lips were a deep scarlet, its eyes bright cheerful green. Camilo had also replaced its broken legs with bulky steel ones he had spray-painted blue with cheerful flowers painted down the side. The belly door had been reattached and was now filled with a healthy white light.

"Hello, I am your custom-built Materno 4000 Deluxe prenatal droid! Would you like to grow a new baby or link to your pre-existing infant?" The android chirped in a flat metallic voice.

"Pre-existing infant," Revati said, and the Android's eyes fluttered.

"Your pre-existing infant is 218 months old, is this correct?" The android asked.

"Correct," Revati said, and the android blinked again.

"Your pre-existing infant is currently out of detection range; would you like to create a new infant?" The android asked.

"No! I want to talk to the lady who was using you as a microphone before," Revati said.

"You have to tell it to open maternal communication! I turned the channel off," Camilo said from where he had managed to open the front panel of the train.

"Open maternal communication!" Brigadeiro said eagerly.

The android's eyes fluttered shut once again. There was nothing.

"I don't think we're far enough away from the wall," Revati sighed.

But then the humming began. A faint, child-like humming came from behind the Android's lips.

"Whispers in the motherboard, a haunting tune,

A phantom dancing in the light of a digital moon," Brigadeiro sang along, and Revati shot him a confused look.

"It's humming Circuit whispers! From the hit musical 'The Android of Music,'" Brigadeiro explained.

"I've never heard of it," Revati confessed.

"You've never heard of 'The Android of Music'? Praise group! Once you've rescued your sister, I'll have to take you! Everyone needs to hear 'The Android of Music,'" Brigadeiro said firmly. Before Revati had a chance to reply, the android's eyes snapped open again.

"Thank Krishna! Finally, a decent signal; it's been eighteen years," the android exclaimed in an incredibly annoyed upper-class woman's voice. The Android reached clumsily toward Revati, snatching her bag. Then it reached inside, pulling out Dityaa's hairbrush. The belly door swung open, and the Android shoved the hairbrush inside.

"Did it just do what I think it just did?" Brigadeiro grimaced.

"How else do you expect me to trace my daughter's DNA?" The Android asked, and then her belly glowed green.

"Right, the last recording of her DNA imprint was in New Singapore six hours ago! Let's go find my baby," the android said firmly and cheered as the train burst back into life.

[ridhearts]

glittering like diamonds {misc.}

sometimes, the smallest acts of intimacy can get your heart racing (OR; they find your missing jewelry for you)

!! information !!

characters: riddle + jamil + rook + ruggie

reader: gn (”you” pronouns)

CW: none!

• • • • • • • Riddle Rosehearts

Dusk had fallen on the gardens of Heartslabyul, the only light coming from golden glows in lanterns with twisted poles and windows in frames of warped proportions. Riddle watched as the last of the hedgehogs scurried around and burned off their energy, darting through the single square of light sporadically like pink and blue missiles. The others were already tucked away in their cubbies, snoozing comfortably and ignorant to the ruckus of their rowdy friends. Watching the hedgehogs always calmed his nerves. Their cute faces, the sweet little noises they made, the ability to count and double count them to ensure those on hedgehog duty did their jobs correctly…it was all methodic and peaceful. A perfect way to end the day.

From inside the dorm, somebody must have moved from the window, allowing another stream of light to fall over the grass. Something glimmered and caught Riddle’s eye, the contrast between the mysterious object and the matte wire fencing surrounding the hedgehog pen quite noticeable in the light. Picking it up, he saw that a bracelet had been resting across the top of the wire fencing. Short three-link sections of gold chain connected many bright red rose beads about as large as the tip of his thumb. Upon further inspection, Riddle noticed that the claw end of the clasp was stuck. It took more than a few tries for him to finally push the latch and shut the clasp entirely. That must have been how it fell off.

Even if the hedgehog pens were a completely inappropriate place for jewelry, the fact that it matched the rose gardens did soothe his ire a small amount. Sighing, he stood and decided now was as good a time as any to head inside. The bracelet probably belonged to one of the members of his dorm. If he remembered correctly, you were also still in Heartslabyul, having been granted special permission to stay a while later than most guests in order to tutor your friends for an upcoming test. Perhaps, with your connections throughout the school, you would know the owner of the bracelet.

Just as Riddle walked through the main doors, he saw you walking down the stairs with your bag over your shoulder. Your hair was a bit messy and you were straightening out your uniform, which was a bit rumpled from a long day of studying (and undoubtedly other chaos that you managed to fall into). Riddle closed his hand around the bracelet, hoping to refrain from fussing with your uniform. As cute as you looked, it was unbecoming of you to walk all the way to Ramshackle looking so unkempt. 

“Heading home, Prefect?” He asked. You looked up from your blazer and your eyes cleared, as if you had been in a haze.

“Yeah, we finally decided to call it a night,” You answered. Although he was unsure if he was deceiving himself, Riddle swore you descended the stairs a little bit faster as you walked towards him.

“Shall I expect stellar grades on this next alchemy exam?”

You grimaced. “You should expect Ace and Deuce to insist they tried their best.”

Riddle smiled at that. If only you could impart some of your pleasantness upon your friends. Still, you were clearly doing what you could. No matter what their grades came to be, the fault would only lie with them. 

Noticing you were about to walk past him and leave, Riddle lifted a hand to stop you. “Ah, actually, before you go, do you happen to know to whom this belongs?”

The bracelet caught in the light as he held it up, appearing for a moment more yellow than rose gold. Instantly, your face lit up in recognition, and you held out your hand.

“Oh, that’s mine! I was wondering where it was,” you answered, shifting on your feet and smiling at him.

Riddle wasn’t sure what hit him. All he knew was that he was incredibly nervous when you were around, and his ability to remain calm in your vicinity the past few days was owed to his ability to rule on autopilot and sheer luck. That luck was running out, it seemed, because Riddle took a long look at your outstretched hand as if he didn’t know what to do with it. Then, carefully, he took the bracelet and looped it around your wrist.

His slim, gloved fingers brushed over the sensitive inside of your wrist as he slipped the clasp into one of the open links. You were suddenly thankful he wasn’t pressing down, certain that he’d be able to feel your heart racing through your pulse point. He must have forgotten about the broken clasp as he fiddled with it, eyebrows furrowing slightly. Sighing, he used one hand to keep the clasp in place and the other to grab your hand, gently pulling you closer so he could have a better angle. After a few more attempts, Riddle finally managed to shut the clasp with a faint click! Satisfied with his work, his expression softened and he grabbed your hand again, turning it over and admiring the bracelet.

“I’m sure Sam has clasps available at the Mystery Shop. You should be able to fix it with those and a pair of pliers,” he offered, looking up at you with a smile. All you could do was gape, watching him with wide eyes and a flushed face. “Is something wrong…?”

Your words got lost somewhere on the path from your brain to your mouth, so you let your gaze flicker down once. Riddle followed your instructions, looking down and realizing he was still holding your hand in his. Instantly, his face turned red enough to match his hair as his eyes darted from your joined hands to your face and back again. After a few moments, Riddle let go of your hand like it burned him, barely keeping himself from stammering.

“F-forgive me…” He started, taking one step back and then another. “Um. Make sure you get that fixed! In the hands of the wrong animal, it could spell serious trouble!”

Without offering you much of a chance to respond, Riddle hurried up the stairs beside you, mumbling something beneath his breath. However, halfway up the staircase he paused, turned, and looked at you still frozen in place. His face faded to a bright pink, even after he cleared his throat.

“And, of course…have a nice night, Prefect.”

• • • • • • • Ruggie Bucchi

Ruggie had an eye for valuable things. He knew to keep his eyes sharp for the glint of any lost or discarded objects that might prove to be of worth, even in the most unexpected places. People threw away lots of things when they could afford to follow trends, and they lost even more when they could afford to be careless. With the many rich boys he went to class with, he wasn’t surprised to see a shimmer kicked to the side of the hallways.

Scurrying in before some other vulture could stake a claim to his prize, Ruggie quickly bent down and swiped the thing that caught his eye. A few moments later, he grimaced. It clearly was some kind of cheaper metal and fake gems. Figures. Shrugging, he pocketed it and decided to run down a list of potential clients anyway. Surely there were a few suckers who didn’t know their fine jewelry from costume jewelry and would take the bait if he sold it hard enough…and went a little lower in price than what he was expecting.

After filtering back into the flow of students walking to their first class, Ruggie brushed at a faint tug on his uniform sleeve. Looking to the side, he grinned when he realized it was only you. Well, only wasn’t the right term - though he wouldn’t admit it, Ruggie considered himself quite fortunate to be on the receiving end of your highly-coveted attention.

“Morning,” You yawned. Drowsiness settled in on your features, and Ruggie felt his ears twitch in agitation.

“Woah, did Grim keep you up muttering about tuna again?” He asked. Even though your movements were just a bit slower than usual, your whole body tensed immediately at his words. Did you think you could hide from him? The thought would’ve been cute, if he wasn’t a little worried.

“No, nothing like that,” You admitted. “I lost something yesterday and I was out late looking for it. Then I was behind on my assignments…and that kept me up.” As if to accentuate your point, you yawned again. 

“What did you lose? Maybe I could keep an eye out for it.”

“Would you?” 

“Of course!” He protested, his offense only half a joke. It should be clear by now that he’d take care of you like he did himself…

Having reached the door to your morning class, you stopped. Ruggie did the same, ignoring how the people around him huffed and shot you both dirty looks for blocking the middle of the hallway. “So, it’s just a cheap little gold thing with brown gems in it. I wore it yesterday and noticed it missing after dinner, but it could’ve been gone for longer.”

Ruggie’s tail, which had been swishing happily behind him, suddenly stilled. You paid no attention to that and reached out to squeeze his arm before turning away. “It’s not a big deal if you can’t find it, but I appreciate the extra eyes.”

Before he could decide what to do, you slipped into your classroom.

The rest of the day, Ruggie spent his class time toying with the necklace that now seemed to be burning a hole in his pocket. It was just as you had described: inexpensive metal, the charm a bar lined with brown rhinestones. He wondered if you purchased the necklace because it reminded you of his dorm - that was the first thing that popped into his mind when he saw it. Or maybe you were just a fan of more earthy tones, or whatever Vil called them.

Part of him still wondered if he should try to sell it. Singling out a gullible guy looking for a quick gift for a sister or mother wouldn’t be too hard. You even said yourself that you wouldn’t mind if you couldn’t find it. Clearly, the necklace wasn’t anything too sentimental that you couldn’t bear to part with it. Surely you’d appreciate it if he found himself with a little extra pocket cash to take you on a date or something, right? But then again, you did spend a solid portion of your night trying to find it…

With a huff, Ruggie clutched his hand around the chain. He already knew his plans for profit were out the window when you mentioned what you were looking for. Even if it wasn’t something he was ready to admit, he was long beyond the point where he couldn’t imagine betraying you, even for an extra stash of cash.

As soon as his classes were over, Ruggie began the process of sniffing you out. He didn’t have to search for long - you were sitting on a bench in the courtyard, leaning one elbow on the armrest and supporting your drowsy head with it. Keeping his footfalls light, Ruggie snuck up behind you and didn’t make a noise until he was holding the necklace in front of your face.

You startled, but lifted your head so he could fasten the necklace around your neck anyway. The cool metal pressed against your neck, and before you could reach your hands up to help, Ruggie wordlessly brushed your hair away from the back of your neck. As he clasped the ends together, his fingers barely brushed against the back of your neck. Every little hair stood on end, and your whole body shivered. Part of you wondered if he was purposely teasing you, but it seemed unlikely, as he didn’t mention it.

Moving your hair back behind your shoulders, Ruggie finally said, “I found your necklace.”

“Thanks, Ruggie,” You answered, leaning your head back so you could see him. Maybe your upside-down perspective was making you see things, but you swore you could see his ears droop slightly as he got flustered. “I knew I could count on you.”

At that, Ruggie quickly averted his gaze. Oh, he was definitely flustered. “And I know I can count on you to compensate me for my services, yeah?”

…but he was still endearingly difficult, it seemed.

• • • • • • • Jamil Viper

For about the fiftieth time, Jamil wondered if he should say something.

You weren’t as slick as you thought you were. The entire time walking to the Mystery Shop, you kept reaching up and tugging at your earlobe, rubbing it and pressing against something like you were trying to alleviate some kind of pain. Perhaps others didn’t notice - not everyone in school was the observant type - but he was, and notice he did. It didn’t help that hanging from your ears was a shiny pair of earrings that caught the light every time you pushed them around.

It was a strange change that you decided to make, though Jamil had no doubt it was due to Vil’s newfound presence in your life after VDC. There had been many hours dedicated to the importance of appearance and accessorizing during their training camp, and you had the strange tendency to be everybody’s favorite pet project after they got to know you. The earrings had to be his idea, though it didn’t appear as if he actually supplied you with any to wear. Jamil found upon his first close inspection, earlier in the day, that the earrings were in fact clip-ons and barely more than costume jewelry that Vil wouldn’t be caught dead owning. Considering the open secret that was your financial situation, that made sense. 

That didn’t mean that they weren’t eye-catching, however. The deep red stones, set loosely in a gold, drop-shaped frame, looked nice on you. Jamil couldn’t explain it, but he felt as if you deserved to be ornamented beautifully, if that’s what you wanted. Or maybe he just liked having an excuse to be caught looking.

He caught you raising your hand again and, before he could stop himself, reached out to block your hand from fiddling with the jewelry. When you glanced at him to ask what was wrong, he met your eyes with a scathing look that was practically a lecture in itself. “You don’t have to wear anything uncomfortable. Beauty isn’t really pain, no matter how convincing Vil may be.”

You laughed, letting him know he correctly guessed the heart of the situation. “I already bought them, though, so I should at least get my money’s worth.”

“Sunk cost fallacy,” Jamil responded in a deadpan manner. You matched his tone with your own flat expression, which he quickly relented to. “Alright, give them here. I might have a solution.”

Even though you looked at him dubiously, you reached up and removed the earrings, handing them off without question. Jamil looked at them carefully before nodding and patting his pockets. When he pulled out a small bag with tiny, pre-cut foam pads, you widened your eyes in a silent demand for answers.

“Some of Kalim’s earrings are clip-ons,” Jamil explained without looking up. Instead, he placed a foam pad on each side of the earring, so both sides of your ear would be cushioned. “He’s very sensitive to the pinching feel, so I keep these on me when he wears them.”

“Oh,” you muttered. “You really are prepared for anything.”

He shrugged. “There’s another trick that might help, too.”

Suddenly, Jamil took one step so that he was directly beside you. He brushed your hair behind your ear, his touch light enough on the sensitive skin that you had to fight back a shiver. It was hard to ignore that he was close enough that you could barely feel the ghost of his breath on your neck. For a moment, you worried about how your profile might look, but any fleeting thoughts of insecurity washed away when Jamil gently tugged on your earlobe and clipped the earring on. A few seconds later, he let go and waited for you to tell him if it felt uncomfortable. When you stayed silent, he moved to the other side and did the same thing, carefully pulling on your ear and slowly clipping the earring. 

A second later he was in front of you, grabbing your chin and tilting your head from side to side, checking to see if his work was even and admiring the shine of the earrings in the sunlight. “There. Now they shouldn’t…”

Jamil trailed off, suddenly remembering himself. As he stepped back, further than he was before you even started talking, you thought that he left with enough grace it was almost as if he teleported away from you. You pressed your hand to your face, feeling the warmth and hoping your embarrassment didn’t show. Jamil coughed awkwardly into his shoulder.

“Excuse me. I’m just used to checking Kalim, to ensure he maintains a neat appearance.”

You didn’t call him on his bluff, but you could guess he didn’t hold Kalim’s face - or look at him, for that matter - so tenderly.

• • • • • • • Rook Hunt

The unusual object on the desk in front of his seat caught Rook's attention as soon as he walked into the room. As he tugged on his lab coat, he made a beeline for the small ring pushed to the edge of the desk. It was a dainty, intricate thing, a band of black tangling thorns dotted with small blue and red gemstones like winter berries all throughout. It would be hard for the owner of such a distinctive ring to remain anonymous, even if they weren't someone Rook purposely sought out more than others.

But he knew the hands this ring belonged to. They were lovely hands that he spent a long time admiring. They were hands that fought valiantly to protect the school and care for those burdened by blot. They were hands he wished to hold and kiss and press to his chest in demonstration of his ferociously beating heart! 

What luck that, in a school full of potential thieves and ne'er-do-wells, it was he who found your precious ring! Rook tucked it safely in his pocket with a silent vow to return your belongings as soon as class was finished for the day.

By the time Rook had a moment to spare to search for you, the sky was cast in a golden-orange glow, not quite sunset but beautiful all the same. It was difficult to say where you might be - after all, he was normally back at his dorms helping Vil at this time, rather than with you - but he remembered all of the stories you told him. If you were following any kind of pattern, you should be joining your friends after their club meetings, walking them to the hall of mirrors or perhaps even your dorm. With that in mind, Rook started towards the practice field, hoping to intercept you along the way.

He found you in the shade of the tunneled entrance to the field, chatting with Ace with your back turned. Ace was slumped against the wall, sitting with his legs straight out and guzzling water from a bottle. Rook allowed his footsteps to echo in against the stone passage, drawing your attention over your shoulder. His eyes met yours, and his heart skipped a beat when you smiled at him. He returned the gesture in kind.

"Hey Rook! What brings you here?" You asked. At your feet, Ace merely looked at him with a combination of suspicion and anticipation, the usual response Rook received.

"Why, you do!" Rook responded. "Although I must admit, this time I do not arrive to fill my time idly with you. I come bearing a gift of sorts."

With a flourish, Rook reached into his pocket and showed you the ring he found, twisting it so even in the dim light beneath the stone you could still catch the light reflecting off the gems. You gasped, one hand reaching up to cover your delighted smile. It brought a proud smile to Rook's face. Ace swore he could see Rook puff out his chest, just a bit, in pride.

"You found it!" You exclaimed. "I've been wondering what happened to it. I thought I lost it forever.”

“Worry not, dear trickster!” Rook proclaimed, placing a hand to his chest in a dramatic pose. Then, he grabbed your hand still hanging by your side and brought it up, bending at the waist as if he were about to kiss the back of it. “Just as the sun returns to warm the earth each day, just as the stars return to support the splendor of the moon, as sure as the flowers will bloom in the spring, I will ensure that all which belongs to you will return to its rightful place by your side.”

With a small, secretive smile, Rook loosened his grip on your hand and brought the ring to your fingers. Slowly, slowly enough that you knew he was trying to elicit a response, he placed the ring on the finger you normally wore it on. The metal had been warmed by his hand, and he stopped pushing just before it got too tight on your hand. All the while, his striking green eyes kept you in a steady gaze, creating an air of intimacy around the two of you. Briefly, the image of a proposal flashed in your mind, and you felt the heat rush to your cheeks.

Deuce, who must have finished with his practice and joined Ace behind you, suddenly sputtered. “Woah! Is- What-? Are they-?!”

Rook grinned mischievously before running his thumb over your knuckles. “I hope this is enough, so you can understand my intentions, mon coeur.”  

[saturngalore]

fatfruitychic 🌈

a colorful lookbook stylized for fat sims 😇

tysm to all the cc creators <3 i was heavily inspired @mycatzfave, b3v.ie on insta, and la’shaunae’s clothing collab with tunnel vision! not gonna sugarcoat this but unfortunately there will be some clipping and weight limits because ya know…art imitates life. hopefully, fat fashion gets wayyyy better both irl and in the sims SOON. cc links below ⬇️ tsr, mega, simsdom warnings **

~

🍒 sweet cherry cola (naomi) ~ a) cherry earrings** b) bella top c) low waist skirt d) maverick platforms

extras: kim hair, butterfly necklace, dragon claws, butterfly chain belt, whale tail, butterfly anklet

🍊 tangerine dreams (khadijah) ~ a) goldfish earrings b) keek top c) jada tote bag d) bitter end bottoms

extras: sandals, honey locs

🍯 metallic honey (monét) ~ a) nihilist blue top and gloves b) layla skirt c) mynx tights d) mei buckle boots

extras: alannah hair, choker, leg garter spikes

🥝 neon kiwi kisses (zahara) ~ a) chaewon fishnet gloves b) funhouse halter top c) juice jeans

extras: daija dreads

🌠 baby blue estrellita (yeonji) ~ a) headphones b) just dance top c) star maxi d) lara slides

extras: hystrix hair, ebano eyeliner

💟 amethyst passion (xolani) ~ a) jules gloves b) converse top c) baggy sweats d) platform shoes

extras: amaya hair, flashback eyeliner

💕 bubblegum heaven (nylah)~ a) alex earrings b) tye dye butterfly top c) material girl thong d) soho maxi skirt e) sun & moon accessory top

extras: vintage headphones, chunky sandals**, glumbut braids, 90s resin rings

🖤 midnight rose (mimi) ~ a) sunglasses b) fishnet top** c) long low waist skirt d) platform sandals

extras: sasha hair**, waist beads, tramp stamp, 90s nails

[the-chaos-crows-victory]

any tips on making/collecting the little trinkets you attach to all your stuff? they're so fascinating to me & I'm wondering how one gains an eye for it

Idk about tips exactly but I’ll tell how I got my stuff

A lot of my beads and buttons have been laying around for years but I also browse charity and thrift shops, I’ve gotten a few jars of assorted buttons and random things for a couple €, ask around if anyone you know has broken or unwanted jewellery. Eyes on the floor! Shiny metals, bottle caps, lost earrings, empty lighters, literally anything that catches my eye. If you’re lucky you can find lots of cool stuff completely free (maybe check bins from craft shops and others) or for cheap if you can find a good thrift.

Car boot sales, attic sales and other ways people sell random stuff has a fairly good chance of some nice stuff and if you’re incredibly lucky maybe even a whole box of cool shiny junk.

For my thicker chains and the like hardware shops are a good one, handbags, shoes and belts will also sometimes have some nice parts. At the thrift I go there’s always a box of belts, I like to dig to the bottom and collect any broken stuff and belts made mostly of metal or leather (funky colours as well) bag straps that have clasps are nice too

Don’t be afraid to take something apart if you have a use or idea for it’s parts (try to make sure its something you won’t miss tho lol) a screw driver, pliers and a little metal saw goes a long way in way getting gears and little bits of metal (I once took apart a fishing rod reel, cool find with ball bearings and gears)

For more a diy aspect, bottle caps, safety pins, a steady hand and some nail polish (or just sharpie, but getting white or light coloured polish helps it stand out) can go a long way. Buttons as well can be painted. Also organic stuff like wood, bones, pebbles etc looks cool

Don’t forget fabric and embroidery! It takes longer and a bit of practice to get going but it really adds to a lot.

Bracelets, necklaces, pendents, bike parts, gears, earrings, coins, hell even fake nails and other things I can’t think of can be used in weird and interesting ways that might not be obvious, so mess around and experiment

Hmmm….. that’s all I got, otherwise… check Pinterest or some diy tags here for inspiration, while most of my designs are original it’s allllll inspired by cool things other people have done

Think like a crow

[octuscle]

Oh thank goodness! Just made it to baggage claim at DEL to grab my bag… hope none of the leather is damaged.

Good news, everything is in perfect condition. You even feel like everything is freshly polished when you open the case. It smells even more intensely of leather than when you packed the case. The bellboy who helps you unpack the suitcase is amazed. You can be sure that in fifteen minutes the entire hotel will know about your special luggage. But you don't care about that. You've already sat at the hotel bar in a full leather outfit in completely different hotels.

Whereby I must show you my respect. To go outside in this humidity and at over 30 degrees Celsius in a full outfit already proves that you are serious about leather, mate! Unfortunately, Delhi has now not so the gay nightlife. And a leather scene is also not necessarily there. But you don't need long to find like-mates in the relevant social networks. There are enough expats in the city. And private parties are obviously the place to be. A pretty horny looking fellow invites you to his boss's party. He sends you a limousine tonight to take you to the party. It all sounds pretty exclusive.

After a few days in the hotel, hardly anyone reacts to your appearance in shiny creaky leather in the lobby. The doorman holds the door open for you and opens the door to the back of the impressive limousine. The driver lowers the divider to you and tells you that you can help yourself to the bar. You may also help yourself to the cigars. According to his knowledge, it should be your favorite brand. And the window whirs back up. That the chauffeur has presented his muscular tits naked, you are no longer surprised. You light a cigar and start to massage your cock in anticipation of a horny party.

It becomes more and more bizarre. The car passes a guarded gate and drives through an illuminated park for what feels like a quarter of an hour. Then the car stops and a completely naked bodybuilder opens the car door for you. Everywhere, people who look like clones of the bodybuilder stand around and hand out drinks and snacks. Or walk around with a tray full of poppers. And in between there are horny fellows. In suits, in latex, in all kinds of gear. Only leather is actually quite rare. Finally you see the guy with whom you had an appointment. He asks you if you want to dance. Not really your thing. But you do him the favor. Mate, it's really hot. You feel like you're sweating through the leather. And you're actually sweating through the leather. The leather gets thinner and thinner. And mischievous with your skin getting darker. The only thing left on your chest is a harness of chain links and leather. No idea where it came from. But it feels better. Nevertheless, beads of sweat glisten on your chest hair. Fuck, you had shaved your chest especially for the party. And why is your dance partner suddenly as tall as you? A moment ago you were a good head taller… No matter, the music gets into your head, the poppers too, you just let yourself go…

The next morning you wake up. This is not your hotel room. It looks more like a darkroom. With a bed covered with leather. And a bathroom next to it, the one with the black light illumination and the pee trough also in a leather club. There's a knock at the door. Your dancing partner from yesterday enters. Your host or rather your new master would like to meet you now. Welcome to Delhi!

[bojasonlinefashion]

Embrace the Bold and Stylish: The Perfect Accessories for Fashion-Forward Men

Introduction:

Fashion has always been a powerful means of self-expression, and today, men’s accessories have taken center stage in the realm of style. From chic shoulder bags to exquisite leather bracelets, and not to forget, the trendy Bracelet mens leather, the world of men’s fashion has witnessed a thrilling evolution. In this blog, we’ll explore three game-changing accessories that have captivated the hearts of fashion-forward men worldwide.

Multicolour Plastic Gold Chain Bag

Gone are the days when bags were just a functional accessory. The multicolored plastic gold chain bag has revolutionized the game, transforming an everyday essential into a fashion statement. These bold and eye-catching bags exude confidence and individuality, making them an excellent choice for the modern man who dares to be different.

The fusion of gold chain elements with vibrant, multicolored plastic creates a unique aesthetic that effortlessly elevates any outfit. Whether you’re heading to a casual brunch with friends or a night out on the town, this bag will add a touch of flair to your ensemble, making you stand out from the crowd.

Moreover, the versatility of the multicolored plastic gold chain bag cannot be overlooked. Its ample space and durable design make it ideal for carrying your essentials while being a conversation starter wherever you go. Embrace this trend, and let your accessory game shine with this voguish bag.

Mens Leather Bracelet:

When it comes to bracelets for men, nothing exudes sophistication and masculinity like leather. The men’s leather bracelet has endured the test of time and continues to be a symbol of strength, ruggedness, and style. Whether you opt for a single, sleek band or a stack of different leather bracelets, this accessory complements a wide range of outfits, from casual to semi-formal.

Leather bracelets also offer the advantage of personalization. With various colors, textures, and fastenings available, you can curate a collection that aligns with your unique personality and taste. The natural patina that develops over time adds character and authenticity, turning your bracelet into an extension of your journey through life.

Thick Gold Chain Shoulder Bag:

For those who prefer a touch of opulence in their daily style, the thick gold chain shoulder bag is the epitome of luxury. This accessory effortlessly marries practicality and elegance, allowing you to carry your essentials with a touch of lavishness.

The thick gold chain adds a statement element to the bag, elevating it beyond a mere carrier. Whether you’re attending a high-profile event or just enjoying a day in the city, this bag will turn heads and garner admiration.

Additionally, the versatility of the thick gold chain shoulder bag allows it to transition seamlessly from day to night. Pair it with a smart-casual outfit during the day, and it will seamlessly complement your evening attire for a night out on the town.

Conclusion:

In the ever-evolving world of men’s fashion, accessories have emerged as a powerful tool for self-expression. The multicolored plastic gold chain bag, men’s leather bracelet, and thick gold chain shoulder bag are three trendsetting accessories that have taken the fashion scene by storm.

Embrace these bold and stylish accessories to elevate your outfit and showcase your individuality. Whether you’re aiming for a contemporary edge or timeless elegance, these accessories will undoubtedly become staple pieces in your wardrobe, allowing you to make a lasting impression wherever you go. So, dare to be different and let your fashion choices speak volumes about your unique style and personality.

[blancetude]

Linger

Childe x Single Mom!Reader

➢𝔰𝔶𝔫𝔬𝔭𝔰𝔦𝔰: Childe never believed in love at first sight. That was until he met Teucer’s new friends Mom.

➢𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔯𝔢: modern au, fluff, angst, hurt & comfort

➢𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰: bullying, mentioned character death.

➢𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱: 6.6k

** NOT PROOFREAD **

➢𝕸𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- -ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- -ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Childe tapped his foot along to the music playing through his headphones as he sat on at a bench across the street from his little brother’s pre-school.

There wasn’t anything particularly special about today, just finish a lab at school, have at least an hour of studying and homework meanwhile Tonia and Anthon came home from their own school and help Childe prepare lunch before one of the three go pick Teucer up and that’s the day.

Childe felt pretty restless after a pretty boring class so he volunteered to take the walk down the street to get the youngest red-head.

Before long the door to the building cracked open revealing a line of tiny tots with big eyes scanning the group of parents ready to find theirs and go home.

Childe paused his song and jogged to the building looking for a puff of red curls among the little lot.

It wasn’t long before little Teucer stepped out, his blue eyes sparkling in excitement as he saw his big brother wave to him and kneel down to catch the little boy in a tight hug.

“Big brother!” Teucer giggled happily as Childe scooped him up into his strong arms and gave him a twirl.

“What’s up little man? Did you have a good day at school?”

Teucer flashed him a wide smile, his little hand coming up to show his wrist that now adorned a crudely made bead bracelet with bright neon colors that made no sense.

Childe chuckled and tilted his head, “wow that’s beautiful! did you make that today?”

Teucer shook his head and pointed behind him to another little boy with raven black hair and big green eyes that sat by himself on the little bench by the playground. His head down as he watched his worn shoes kick up and down as to entertain himself while he waited for his parent.

“He’s the new kid! We sit together and made bracelets!”

Childe looked around as most of the kids and adults had already left. It seemed like his parent was running late and he of course didn’t want to leave the little boy alone despite there being the workers around so he set Teucer down and took his backpack from him.

“Why don’t you go play with your friend until his mommy or daddy come to get him okay?”

Teucer didn’t need to be asked twice as he sprinted towards his new friend, the green-eyed boy looking up startled before breaking into the cutest smile and shrugging off his own backpack to join Teucer on the swing set.

“Big brother!” The younger red-head waved, “come push me and Beau!”

Childe grinned and slung the small bag over his shoulder before making his way over to the two boys.

His friend, Beau he guessed, shrunk into himself shyly as he looked up at the much taller man.

Childe held back his need to pinch the cherubs cheeks instead kneeling down and extending a hand out with a gentle smile.

“Hello buddy! My name is Childe, I’m Teucer’s big brother, what’s your name?”

The boy hesitated for a moment as he looked at Childe’s hand and back at Teucer who only smiled wide.

His friend wasn’t joking when he said his big brother was a big as a building, or every other praise his classmate sang about the man during their time in class.

Beau was very shy but something about the warm blue eyes told him he was safe with the man. He took his much larger hand in his tiny one and gave him a shake, the laugh that came from Childe instantly calming his worries down.

“So you guys want to go up up high into the sky or what?” Childe grinned as he stood placed one hand behind each boy and gave them a small push to get the swing started.

“Up up and away like an astronaut!” Teucer exclaimed with excitement, his hands gripping the chains of the swing tightly.

Beau began to giggle and nod as he braced himself just as Childe began to push them a little harder sending them into a steady rhythm.

Soon enough the quiet playground was bursting with happily shrieks and laughter as the little boys wiggled their legs and looked up at the sky with the granted height the swings gave them, which wasn’t a lot to begin with because Childe made sure they didn’t actually get hurt, but was more than enough for them.

“Beau!” The boy’s head snapped down at the familiar voice and wiggled excitedly when a woman practically ran into the gated playground, her heels clacking with each step as her worried expression melted into a relieved one.

Childe helped the little boy off the swing as he wasted no time in running over to you, his little arms wrapping around your neck as you kneeled down to the cement, not caring that the dirt was not staining your new pencil skirt.

“Oh my baby!” You sighed out dramatically before placing loud kisses on Beau’s chubby cheeks as he giggled and tried to get away. “Mommy is so sorry my love. Did you wait a long time?”

Your worry came back full force as you held Beau at arms length, inspecting him for any injuries.

Beau shook his head and turned around to point to Teucer and Childe as they made their way over with Beau’s forgotten backpack.

“Teucer and his big brother played with me! I went up into the sky like a rocket!” He jumped up making noises as Teucer joined in.

Childe felt his heart stop when you looked up at him, your smile enough to make his hands clam up and his mouth open and shut like a fish as he tried to find words.

You were probably the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. You couldn’t have been more than 23, it made him wonder how young you were when you had your son or more importantly– if there was a ring on your finger.

“Thank you so much for staying with Beau. We just moved to this city so I got a little lost figuring out the train system. I hope my boy wasn’t too much trouble for you?” You smiled that graceful smile that entranced him.

Childe coughed into his closed palm as he tried to collect and not embarrass himself. “Oh don’t worry about it, I wanted to make sure he wasn’t by himself. He’s a little angel, I should be thankful that he can handle Teucer.”

He watched as you looked back to the playing boy, a soft smile on your lips as your shoulders slowly lost their tension.

“I’m Childe by the way.” He held his hand out to you.

“Oh! I’m (Y/n)! I’m sorry where are my manners, today has just been– busy.” You laughed and took his hand, giving it a grateful squeeze.

Childe tried not to think about how perfectly your hand fit into his. “Don’t apologize, I understand. You said you just moved here? Where did you move from?”

You slowly walked to the bench Beau was previously sitting on and plopped down with a sigh as Childe followed. “We moved in from Sumeru, I wasn’t finding good work there so I decided Liyue would be a better city. I just never expected it to be so big.”

Childe laughed and nodded along. “I hear you, my family moved here from Snezhnaya when Teucer was just a baby. It took some time to adjust but it’s not too much trouble, I’m sure you’ll get a routine going soon.”

“I hope you’re right.” You smiled but it didn’t reach your tired eyes. “I start my new job tomorrow so I need be able to read the train routes properly or I’m dead. Even finding this place was kind of a challenge, I’m glad they let my Beau in.”

A comfortable silence over the two of you for a moment before Childe decided this was his chance.

“I’m more than happy to wait with Beau until you get a hang of things around here.”

You looked back at the man with sparkles in your eyes. “Really? I couldn’t ask you to do something like that– I’m sure you’re very busy. Actually I might be holding you back right now!”

You stood from the bench and picked up your sons backpack, turning to call him.

“Hey hey, no it’s okay honestly.” Childe smiled and put a gentle hand on your elbow to stop you.

“I live down the street anyways and I’m always free around this time so–“ He shrugged trying to play it cool.

You studied him for a moment before throwing yourself into him for a tight hug. “You have no idea how thankful I am. I’ll pay you back I promise!”

Before Childe could put his arms around you, you pulled away and took your cellphone out asking for his number that he couldn’t have given fast enough.

The weeks that followed were complete bliss for the red-head. Being able to see you a few times a week was enough for him to develop a small crush that was growing day by day until he began to associate even the smallest of things to you.

A song on the radio about love? Your smile reminded him of that. A pretty dress in a luxurious window? The material would look perfect against your skin.

Everything about you had him entranced, even the tiniest of actions. Like now– how you pulled a wet wipe out of your purse to wipe chocolate ice cream off Beau and Teucer’s cheeks made his heart flutter.

Your laugh was perfect, he could count the galaxy in your eyes, and when you wrapped your arms around him in thankful hugs he couldn’t keep the feeling out of his head.

His friends Kaeya, Dottore, and Yoimiya would constantly tease him when he’d confined in them even going so far as to steal his phone one night and dial your number as Childe frantically chased Kaeya around his living room until he managed to hang up just before you were able to pick up.

“What’s wrong with you? I swear–“ Childe huffed I’m annoyance as he shot you a quick apology text, trying to explain the call without too many incriminating details.

“Oh come on!” Kaeya laughed as he held his hands up in surrender. “I just wanted to help a friend out, you haven’t made a move and she’s bound to get snatched away if you don’t hurry!”

Dottore laughed loudly as Childe rolled his eyes and plopped back down onto the couch next to Yoimiya giving her his best puppy eyes as a sign of help knowing that the blonde was the only one who could bring order to all this madness.

“Okay guys that’s enough, stop teasing him like you two don’t have your own romantic issues.”

Kaeya looked scandalized as he placed a hand against his chest in mock shock. “When I like people I tell them, I don’t like playing cat and mouse.”

Yoimiya gave him a deadpan look. “So I can just call up Rosaria and talk about how you dream about ‘kissing her under the moonlight’ right?”

The sputter of jambled words was enough to prove the girls point and make another snort leave Dottore’s lips. “Don’t think I won’t tell Scara about you either.” She gave the blue-haired man a side eye that shut him up in record time.

She turned to Childe and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze. “Listen, as annoying as the guys are they kind of have a point.”

Childe shot the blonde a look of betrayal only to be kept shut as she held a hand up and continued, “I’m not saying you need to confess right this second but if you’re serious about her you need to start making a move– see if there’s a chance she feels the same. Invite her and her son over for dinner at your place or something.”

Childe wanted to argue, turn down the helpful advice that forced a dust of pink across his cheeks but he bit his bottom lip instead and looked down at the locked screen of his phone in his fiddling hands.

“What did you say her name was again?” Dottore questioned.

“(Y/n) (L/n).” Childe was more than happy to supply.

“Wait a second– (Y/n)? I think I’ve heard about her. Pull up a picture I need to make sure.” He got up from his seat on the floor and forced his way between the blonde and red-head ignoring their protests as he waited for Childe to pull up a picture you’d taken of You and Beau at a petting zoo.

The picture looked liked it’d be taken a year or two ago, Beau was even tinier and you’d looked like even more of teenager than a young woman.

Dottore squinted at the screen before a lightbulb went off in his head. “Ah! I remember now! (Y/n) from Qixing Inc. right?”

Childe looked confused before nodding slowly, trying to reason how Dottore could know about you. Well, Dottore knew a lot of people and he lived in Sumeru for a while so it wasn’t entirely impossible but that didn’t mean that he liked it.

Trying to push the burning jealousy bubbling in the pit of his brain away he instead asked how he knew of you.

Dottore shrugged, “A friend of mine had taken a few classes with her at The Akademiya. Said that they’re surprised (Y/n) even managed to graduate.”

Now this was surprising. Childe remembered you mentioning that you’d graduated from The Akademiya but you’d looked far less than happy bringing up the school’s name so he decided not to press on.

Childe knew he should have respected your wish to not talk about it but curiosity got the best of him and he motioned for his friend to continue.

“She disappeared for like a year and suddenly came back. They said that she barely attended class, and when she did she had to leave right away or sometimes even in the middle of it. Some classmates were worried she’d gotten herself into trouble so they followed her to ask if she was okay–“

Dottore paused for a second as if placing pieces of a puzzle together.

“Turns out the owner of the cafe down the street was babysitting her boy while she went to school. Everyone was shocked, said she never seemed like the type to date much less have a kid so young. Anyways, stuff was said about her character but it’s not very kind. I’ll spare you the details.”

Childe let out a soft exhale. He guessed you’d gotten pregnant, taken a year off to raise Beau, and went back to school even if it was difficult. His heart ached imagining how hard it must have been on you juggling so many things at once– still.

Childe spent the rest of the night in thoughtful silence, feeling slightly guilty for knowing something you’d seemed like you’d wanted to keep from him but it helped him understand you so much better.

It all made sense to him now as to why you’d change the subject whenever Beau’s father came up. He never pushed you about it but it didn’t help tone down his curiosity and jealousy about the man who’d been lucky enough to call you his at one point.

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon and Childe was busy buckling Teucer into his booster seat in the back of his very shiny and very expensive car.

Childe placed a bag of takeout in the boy’s lap after the little one had insisted he wanted to help his brother out. “Make sure not to drop it or else Beau and (Y/n) won’t be able to have lunch okay?”

Teucer gave his big brother a look of fiery determination and clutched his little fists around the bag tightly. Childe laughed and ruffled the boys hair before getting in and typing your company’s address into his cars fancy gps.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning perfect for a day out so after much pacing around his living room Childe summoned all his courage to call you and ask if you and Beau would want to go to lunch with him and Teucer, maybe take the boys to the park for a bit after.

What he wasn’t expecting was a jumble of sad apologies as you explained that you were actually at work although it was your day off– something about a trade with another company going south so you were urgently needed, even bringing Beau along who you’d tried to entertain in your office.

Childe could hear the stress in your voice and decided if you couldn’t get lunch he’d bring it to you. At least then you’d have a moment to relax and Beau could play with Teucer.

He’d asked for your work address simply telling you it would be a surprise and with that he was off. Your workplace was surprisingly nearby, Childe wondered how he’d never noticed before. Then again you kept many things about your life hidden away, almost as if you were too scared to mutter anything from the past.

Childe couldn’t help how clammy his palms got when he’d parked in the spacious underground parking lot and help Teucer out of his booster seat.

The cool air of the compound did nothing to help his flushed cheeks while he texted you of his arrival, waiting patiently in the lobby as you and Beau hopped out of the north side elevator and sped walked to the pair. Beau’s eyes were practically shining in excitement as he threw himself against his ginger friend. The two boys immersed almost instantly in their own little world as Beau rambled about his Mommy’s big fancy work building to an equally entranced Teucer.

“Hey boys!” You chirped with glee as you pulled Childe into a friendly hug, then an extra tight one to little Teucer, careful as to not crush the bag in his arms.

“What’s in the bag sweetie?” You questioned Teucer who was trying his best to give you the bag.

“Big brother and I bought yummy food for you and Beau!”

You looked a bit surprised before a heart melting smile graced your features. “Is this what the surprise was? Thank you so much.”

You leaned down and gave a soft kiss to the top of Teucer’s bouncy curls before moving over to Childe, your lips grazing his right cheek for only a second but it was enough to stop the poor man’s heart.

He struggled to say anything as you suggested you all go up to your office, instead following close behind you and the kids like a gaping fish trying to communicate.

Childe couldn’t help but notice that they’d gotten a lot of curious looks as you led them back to your office. Some people even leaning in and blatantly whispering to each other as they watched.

An uneasy feeling flooded him as he realized the weren’t looking at the new comers but at you.

Now wasn’t the time for jealousy but it was beyond that, even Childe wasn’t that immature. He’d caught the eyes of a dark-haired woman dressed to the nines and covered in expensive jewelry eyeing you up and down with a not so friendly glance before her expression melted into a kind one as you stopped to introduce her to Childe and Teucer.

“Ah who do we have here? A little family get together?” The woman wondered as her eyes feasted on Childe so openly, ignoring little Teucer who stood right beside Beau.

“Oh um, hi Lynn. This is my good friend Childe and this is Teucer.” Childe couldn’t help but take notice of how you’d moved the two little boys to stand behind you, your figure shielding them away from the woman. Beau nervously slipped his hand into Teucer’s as his other clutched your skirt.

“So this is the famous Childe? Oh (Y/n) how selfish you’ve been hiding such a handsome man away.” She stepped closer and held out a perfectly manicured hand for him to shake. “I’m Lynn, thanks for taking care of your little sister.”

Childe took the woman’s hand and smiled almost painfully. He knew what game she was playing and he was more than happy to join in.

“I can say the same thing about everyone here, always keeping my (Y/n) away from me. I couldn’t stand being away so here I am. Isn’t that right honey?” Childe released the woman’s grasp and moved to stand beside you, his arm coming to wrap around your shoulder.

He tried to keep his cool and charming composure as best he could but it was hard when you were pressed up against him, the soft smell of your perfume making him dizzy with need.

You’d tensed up in surprise at the sudden contact before relaxing in his hold, even going as far as to lean into his larger body, both of your molding together perfectly. If Childe thought he was a mess he had no idea the storm that was wrecking chaos upon your poor little heart.

“R-Right.” You nodded quickly. Lynn’s smile turned down into a frown as she eyed you again, turned up her nose, then gracefully walked away with a huff.

You wasted no time in escorting all three back into your office, setting the bag down onto your office without a word.

Childe knew he had messed up by how deep in thought you were. He knew he should have controlled himself now he might just have ruined any chance he had at all.

“(Y/n), I’m sorry I-“ he was stopped as you held a hand up, surprising him with a satisfied grin.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to see Lynn speechless, and you managed to get her to walk away.” You laughed and gave his shoulder a playful slap. “The food is getting cold, let’s feed the boys and I’ll explain everything okay?”

During lunch you’d told him everything with a hushed voice as if someone were listening. Lynn was your bosses secretary, holding no other title than that but she acted as if she were a chairman.

Since day one she’d had it out for you, always making you uncomfortable and giving backhanded compliments in front of others. You usually stood up for yourself but you’d been too scared to cross the line and end up in hot water. This was the best job you were blessed on receiving and you weren’t about to mess it up just cause some weird coworker hated you for no reason.

“I know this sounds insensitive, but why not look for another job? You’re way overqualified for this place anyways. I can help you, I know some really important people.” Childe claimed as he helped you clean up.

You smiled and shook your head softly. “I really appreciate it, but this is a really good company. My boss is a very kind man– well from the few times I’ve seen him– and the pay is good. I get to keep Beau in a good school and our apartment is beautiful. I don’t want to mess all this up over some playground fights. I don’t want to let her or anyone else drive me away. I’m tired of running.”

Your last statement made Childe perk up. He remembered what Dottore had told him, this was his chance to finally ask about your past and hopefully bring you closer together.

Before he could even open mouth the phone on your desk rang loudly making his eye twitch in annoyance. The Archons were out to make sure he didn’t get a single chance to talk to you properly.

You sprang up from your seat and took the call, muttering a few replies before hanging up and giving your friend an apologetic smile.

“I need to take these files down the hall real quick. You’ll be okay here with the boys?”

Childe waved you off with a kind smile, telling you not to worry about a thing.

In your haste to deliver the work you dropped a paper by the door but you were too fast. Childe couldn’t catch you fast enough as he watched you disappear around the corner.

He turned and kneeled by the kids. “I need to step out of the room for two seconds, can you two be the best big boys and stay put?”

The tots were quick to promise their good behavior and Childe was off to find you. He barely made it past the second door from your own when he was stopped by an aggravated looking Lynn.

“I hope I didn’t upset you earlier, I’m just genuinely surprised (Y/n) would have a friend like you.”

Childe’s fists clenched.

“Why wouldn’t she have a friend like me?”

Lynn scoffed a bit as if such a question was even worth answering.

“Judging by your expression I can guess (Y/n) hasn’t told you about her past?” A smug smirk stretched her lipstick clad lips as Childe looked confused.

“Not a very good friend.” She continued, leaning back against an empty desk beside her, “did she tell you how despite being engaged she still got knocked up by a stranger, cut off from her family, and continues her little games with our CEO?”

Lynn gasped as Childe stepped in menacingly, his eyes showing nothing but rage as his words dripped venom.

“You know nothing about (Y/n). Your crazy jealousy over the fact that she has more humanity in one finger drives you up the wall. I know your type. You try your best to land any big wig in your bed just make your way up in the world and use your little games to get what you want, but I’m not the one you should be messing with. Never speak another word about (Y/n) or her child if you know what’s good for you.”

Lynn tried not to tremble as the tall man spat out his threat, her eyes looking around for an escape before she resulted to her only defense.

Crying out bloody murder worked as suddenly some workers came out of their offices looking at the very incriminating position Childe and Lynn were. The frightened woman pinned back against the desk, mascara tears running down he powdered face, and Childe’s chest heaving slightly as he tried his best not to blow up on the conniving leach.

“Childe? What’s going on?” He turned upon hearing your bewildered voice, seeing you standing next to what he assumed was your boss.

“Oh! Ms. Ningguang! This man tried to attack me! Please call security! He’s crazy!” The odds were staking against him as Lynn ran into the arms of the white-haired woman who looked anything but amused.

“What? Wait no! Childe wouldn’t do something like this!” You were quick to defend your friend, rushing over to grip his arm, pulling him behind you. “Tell them Childe!”

“Childe?” A deep voice came from behind Ningguang, three very familiar faces coming in through the door looking every bit as intimidating.

Childe felt his shoulders drop in relief as his most trusted friend gave him a questioning look. “Zhongli! Ganyu! Xiao!”

Zhongli stepped in closer to fully take in the scene before him. “You know Mr. Zhongli?” You questioned aloud.

“He’s a very close friend in fact.” Zhongli answered for him, giving one of his gloves as his golden eyes moved over to eye Lynn down. “So close that I can vouch that he wouldn’t do something so heinous without a very very good reason.”

“He did try to attack me! Why are you all just standing there? You wouldn’t really take his side would you?!” Lynn cried as she tried to find comfort in Ningguang’s arms only to be blocked as Ganyu stepped between them.

“Now now Ms. Lynn. This isn’t how we conduct our investigations. You claim Childe tried to attack you, but you have a history of causing disputes around the office.” Ningguang said calmly as she paced around the room. “A history that I think shouldn’t be used against you so easily but it’s hard to believe you, especially when you’re standing right under a surveillance camera that could easily clear the air.”

She turned to look at Zhongli, motioning with her hand towards her office. “We can check the cameras in my office with no issue. If what Ms. Lynn said is true then we shouldn’t waste anymore time.”

Lynn shook her head in disbelief, anxiously chewing on her thumb’s nail as everyone watched her, calculating her next move.

Trying to continue her victim mentality, she silently followed the two CEO’s, dabbing her tears away with her sleeve.

“We’ll conduct this quickly. (Y/n), why don’t you head back to your office for now while Childe cools off.” Zhongli said, giving Childe a we’ll talk later glance before following the women down the hall, followed by a worried looking Ganyu and an annoyed Xiao.

Without another word you pull Childe back into your office where the two little boys sat huddled together, tears rimming their large eyes.

“We heard a scary scream.” Was all Beau said as you kneeled down and pulled both boys into your arms, cooing to them that everything was okay and that they were so brave.

Childe reached out and placed a hand on your shoulder. “I’m sorry about all this, if I had controlled my emotions better I wouldn’t have caused so much trouble.”

You glanced back at him and smiled sadly. “We should talk later. Not here, not now. The walls have ears and they listen well.”

Childe acknowledged your warning and waited.

It wasn’t until later that night when Teucer was tucked into bed that you finally called Childe, asking him to meet you at the park in front of your apartment building.

Once he arrived he was greeted by your tired figure wrapped up in a brown blanket seated at a lone bench watching the stars that hung brightly above you.

The man cursed himself for the frown that pulled your lips down. He needed to take better control of himself, why did he have to ruin everything when it was going so well?

“(Y/n)?” You looked up and smiled warmly as you patted the space beside you. Once Childe sat down you didn’t hesitate in opening your blanket and allowing him to scoot in, protecting him from the cool breeze. This was a good sign, he thought.

“I want to apologize–“ you cut him off with a single finger pressed to his lips. “It’s alright, Lynn confessed to everything. I knew from the start you didn’t do anything. I should be thanking you for sticking up for me and Beau like that. Not many people would have done what you did. How did I get so lucky?”

Your voice broke a little at the end forcing you to look away as tears began to burn the rims of your eyes.

“(Y/n) look at me.” Childe turned to face you, his hand going to rest on your knee giving it an encouraging squeeze.

His heart broke when you looked at him, you looked so tired and defeated, he wanted nothing more than to put you at ease.

“I care about you and I want to help you but I feel like you’re hiding such a big part of yourself and it hurts to see you suffering through it alone. I understand that you’re being strong for you and Beau but I can see how it’s affecting you and I want to help you. Please, just let me in.”

There was a moment of silence before you spoke, moving your hand to rest over his own only for him to quickly intertwine your fingers together.

You took a shaky breathe and decided to let it all out. “You’ve probably heard some shocking things about me today right? That I was engaged? That he left me after having my baby, my family shunned me? Well it’s true.” Childe tried not to show the surprise on his face. He wasn’t surprised in a bad way, he was surprised that you’d condemn yourself for it.

“Ever since I was young, I was set to be engaged with another family’s son. Our futures were decided before we could even walk. Him and I got along growing up, we were very close in fact but that was the problem. We were more like siblings and we couldn’t have been more different. We agreed that once we were of age we’d stuck up to our parents and break off the engagement. Well, I ended up moving out as a teen desperate for my independence. That’s when I met the person who would give me Beau.”

Childe unconsciously tightened his grip on your hand and you were quick to gently stroke the back of his palm with your thumb.

“Her name was Lily. She was the daughter of a local farmer and we became best friends. She was also very private, until later I found out she was very sick. She’d been born with Eleazar, but that never stopped her. She did so many amazing things despite her illness. She even fell in love and had the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen.”

The red head held his breathe as the impact of your words began to ran down on him like ice shards.

“But the pregnancy took a massive toll on her already weak body that we knew she wouldn’t make it. She begged me to take the baby, her father was already getting on in age and there was no way he could raise an infant on his own. So I took that beautiful little boy and I’d do anything in my power to make sure he has the best life he can. My fiancé found out and we used my sons birth as an excuse to break it off. My parents swore never to speak to me again so I picked up everything and moved around until we got here.”

You paused a released a shaky voice, your hands beginning to tremble as guilt began to rot in your heart.

“How could I use Beau for my own selfish reasons? What kind of mother am I? Every day he acts more and more like Lily that I just feel so terrible for making him a pawn in my selfish game.”

Your shoulder shook as you’d finally let out all your grief that had held you down. Childe wrapped his arms around you tightly, pushing your face into his neck as he gently rubbed your back and allowed you to sob into him.

He’d gently shushed you, whispering sweetly into your ear. “Don’t say that. Not everyone is an expert at being a mother right away. You’ve been through so much in silence but you shouldn’t suffer alone. You deserve to live the life that you want, not the life that other people expect you to live. Beau is a blessing for you, some higher power out there knew that only you could care for him, and he knows it too. Whatever shame and guilt you feel I hope will leave your mind because you’re amazing.”

It felt like hours until your sobs turned to soft sniffles as you snuggled in close to Childe. His steady heartbeat thumping gently against your ear as your arms wrapped around him for dear life.

You finally pulled away and gave an embarrassed laugh. “I probably look like a mess, I’m sorry you had to see all that.”

Your hands moved up to wipe away at your red eyes. “(Y/n)…” you stopped upon feeling Childe’s warm hands cup your tear stained cheeks, tilting your head up so you could look into those cerulean eyes.

He wanted to say a million words and nothing all at the same time. Your heart thumped loudly against your chest you were worried you’d faint right then and there as his gaze flicked down to your lips then back up as if silently asking permission.

You allowed your eyes to slip closed, praying to every Archon above that you hadn’t made a fool of yourself. All worries vanished in an instant as soon as you felt a set of plush lips cover your own.

Sure you kissed a few boys here and there growing up but it never felt like this. Childe held onto you as if you were made of glass, treasuring you so deeply that the very thought sent a shiver down your spine.

After a moment you both pulled away, your foreheads leaning against each other as you kept your eyes shut trying to process what had just happened.

“(Y/n).” The man called again, his voice as smooth as velvet.

You looked at him and almost felt another wave of tears brim your eyes at the sheer amount of love his eyes held alone.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” He grinned happily, peppering your cheeks with soft kisses. You couldn’t help but giggle and turn your head to catch his lips once more.

“How long?” You questioned, a bit in shock that someone as perfect as Childe could love someone like you. You weren’t a bad person, you just usually weren’t someone’s first pick.

“Since the day I first laid eyes on you.” He confessed, chuckling at how your cheeks darkened almost instantly. “So have I.” You mumbled shyly, looking down and playing with the blanket still wrapped around you both.

“So does this mean I can call you mine and mine alone?” He leaned his head down and pressed a soft kiss against your neck, sending a shiver down your spine.

You wrapped your arms around his waist and gave a soft hum. “Only if I can do the same.”

Childe pulled away and gave you his signature boy-ish smile making your heart melt. You moved in to kiss you again but you were quick and cupped your hand over his puckered lips. “I asked my neighbor’s sister to watch Beau while we talked, she has school tomorrow I don’t want to keep her up.”

Childe pouted but nodded and slipped his hand into yours as he walked you back up to your apartment. The cozy atmosphere immediately set him at ease upon seeing the toys that were littered here and there and the endless amounts of framed pictures of Beau, showcasing his growth in great detail.

His heart swelled knowing how much you loved Beau, he was positive you were meant to be his mother. You let Childe follow you to Beau’s bedroom where the little boy lay tucked in and peacefully sleeping. Next to him sat a blonde teen, her fingers gently ran through Beau’s hair as she hummed a gentle lullaby.

“I’m back! Thank you so much for watching him last minute. I hope he wasn’t too much trouble?” You whispered as you stepped in, picking up a few stray toys off the floor and placing them into a bin.

The girl, Barbara, stood up gracefully and shook her head. “Not at all. Beau is a little angel as always.” She noticed Childe standing by the doorway and gave him a friendly nod.

“Oh hello.” She said politely as she followed you out into the living room. “You must be Childe, (Y/n) talks about you a lot.”

Childe smirked in your direction as you gave Barbara a pleading look. “Yep that’s me, the boyfriend.” He said with a cocky tone making you roll your eyes and bump your hip into his.

Barbara have you a knowing look before moving to slip on her shoes by the doorway. “Well then I won’t get in your way any longer. Have a good night!” She giggled and slipped out the door leaving you looking like a tomato.

“Do you maybe want to sleep over?”

[c0kitty]

𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 .... 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐄  w/ satoru gojo x f!reader               « 0:00 ─〇───── 0:00 ⇄                            

summary: at a party, someone hits on gojo, chaos ensues. (⛦) content: black coded. suggestive. jealously in reader but, reader trusts gojo but just a little tiny doubt. reader being possessive. gojo is just obsessed with reader. reader just being horny for gojo. (⛦) w/c: 700+

your brown skin glistens, creating a perfect yellow glow, as the sun hits your body. it was hot as hell even with the little clothes you had on. you wore a tiny pink bikini, which showed pretty much everything, hugging at your body perfectly. your huge versace sunglasses, which satoru laughed and teased at you for having (he doesn’t understand fashion), covered your eye’s just enough so that the sun wouldn't be too overbearing.

you'd had taken a few pictures for your instagram and fans but, now you were feeling bored as you watched satoru play volleyball in the water with his friends and some randos.

okay, you weren't bored you were just a tiny bit horny.

satoru was just looking a little too good for the girls. his pasty white skin, which you urged/pressured to put sunblock on, got some luminous tan, and his muscles, which visibly flexed every time he caught the ball, showed just how much he worked out.

there was one girl in particular that kept trying to touch him. at first, as you watched her, you thought it was just a simple mistake, they were all trying to catch the ball bumping into each other would happen. 

but, after a while her hand kept reaching for his chest, and each time it stayed longer and longer; a little annoyance started to build in you. you knew satoru wasn't just going to cheat, but she needed to know he wasn't an option.

a few seconds pass and nothing really happens as the game begins to an end, you try to go on your phone, to distract from the interaction replaying in your mind. but, minutes after looking up again, you see satoru's back pressed against the pool's wall facing you, while the blonde-headed girl stared up at him with her stupid doe-eyes. you look at satoru, seeing his usual smirk quipped onto his lips. 

was he entertaining her?

the thought only lasted for a moment before he points to you — prompting the girl to turn around to look at where his finger was directed, a frown etched on her face. satoru noticing your eyes were already on him, gives you a wave, boasting his already loud voice, "hey, baby."

you wave back with your long nails, a rigid smile playing on your lips. at that, she turns around to face him again, drawing closer to him as she tries to speak with him.

but, as she continues, satoru furrows his brows and lightly pushes her out of the way to leave, revealing his impatience. he comes out of the water, to your chair, droplets traveling down his body, as his shorts hung low. 

the girl's eyes follow him as he leaves to go to you.

satoru reaches down to grab the towel resting by your leg. his pretty-gold chain, you'd bought him, dangling at his neck. he tosses the towel on his snow-white hair, carelessly drying it. "how's my princess?" your heart flutters at the nickname.

"annoyed. — why do you always have to look so good?" you reply, jokingly, but not really. he throws his towel your guys’ bag on the floor, sitting next to your thighs, his big-calloused hands resting on your thigh, mindlessly, caressing it.

wondering if she was still watching, you lift your gaze to see that she was — an idea pops into your head. you go to sit up, brushing satoru's hand off, to stand up in front of him.

"you know i always do it for you." satoru says, as you stood between his legs, his eyes rack your body, to your perky breast that sat pretty, to your colorful, gem-stone waist beads that sat on your hips --- the sun hitting you with its essence, didn't help how much he wanted to fuck you then and there.

"you look so fuckin gorgeous in that baby," he says with a wolfish grin, " — i hope you know." he says. 

a laugh escapes your lips as you move closer to him, his arms circling your waist. "mmm, i should, you’ve already said that 10 times since we got here." he gives a chaste kiss to your waist, "not enough times."

he looks up at you, his ocean-blue eye’s glimmering up at you like you were his entire world, which satoru would strongly disagree — you were his universe. 

"i see you looking at me, but are you gonna do anything, hm?" you mutter, your hand tugging at the metal link of his chain. his grin stretches wider, hands toying with the delicate string of your bikini.

you sneak a quick glance back to see if she was still there, only to find her back, storming off.

mission accomplished you would say.

[merriclo]

Tips on Accessorizing for Cheap !!

this has been said to death already, but find the cheapest second-hand or thrift store you can in your area, and become a fiend. there’s a lot of great jewelry that’s hidden in there

furthermore, lots of thrift stores will have auctions to get rid of what doesn’t sell. here, you can get actual buckets of things for like,, $5 USD. you can ask the staff if they host these, and they’ll let you know! in my experience, you either have to be 18+ or be accompanied by someone who is, so if you’re young, grab your favorite trusted adult and go get some shit for dirt cheap. (this doesn’t stop at accessories, actually, i got all of my dishes and some furniture and books this way. just make sure to clean it !!)

if you’re interested in using chains and such for accessories, get them at a hardware store!! they’ll be sturdy and last you a good amount of time, while also being much cheaper than anything you’d find at a store.

ask around!! see if anyone you know has things they want to get rid of that you can snatch up

follow tutorials from punks. the entire subculture is built on rebellion, and thus relies very little on consumption. i’ve seen punks use the waistbands of old jeans as bracelets before, and look sick as fuck while doing it. even if that’s not the style you’re aiming for, you can still take the principles and practices and apply it to your own style.

get versatile!! i’ve used necklaces as pseudo-belts and bracelets before, and have wrapped bracelets around hair-ties. scarves can be ribbons or belts or hair-ties, too!! everything has a second, secret usage

things that aren’t accessories can also very easily become accessories if you try hard enough. bottle tabs can be tied together to make shapes and charms (many tutorials and patterns can be found on Pinterest!) and random pieces of thread can become charms if you learn how to tie certain knots.

diy and crafts!! save bottle caps and turn them into pins, spare ribbons as bracelets or earring charms. dollar stores and walmarts and such have supplies to craft your own jewelry, too! lobster hooks, thread, beads, earring hooks, etc.! you can even bypass this by buying sturdy enough wire and making the earring hook yourself, if that’s your only option. tie buttons together, and you end up with a bracelet, tie even more and you have a necklace or a belt or whatever the hell you want.

if you get some bobby pins and then hot glue charms or whatever onto them, you get hair clips!! just try and make sure the charm isn’t too heavy so it’ll stay in your hair.

libraries and other public services might have jewelry making or knitting or crocheting nights where you can learn how to craft and take what you create back home for free!! check that out (and also support your local library. get a library card i beg of you.)

you can prolong cheaply made jewelry (especially rings) by coating it in a layer of clear nail polish. it’ll stop it from turning your fingers green, and provide a protective layer between the metal and any sweat or water it might come into contact with

kids sections of stores. i am not even playing right now, go get yourself some hair clips meant for 6 year olds. if you figure out how to style it, it’ll be perfect.

remember that you can use and do literally whatever the fuck you want, so long as you like how you look. loop dental floss through buttons and wrap it around your wrist, or make a charm out of knots and hang it on the zipper of your jacket, or cut off the straps off of an old unusable bag and make it a choker. have fun with it

i’m American, so some of these might not translate well to other countries. if you have any advice to add, please do!!

[webslinger-holland]

The Emperor of Magic | Part 5

Summary: Now trapped inside their worst nightmares, the crows need to find a way out in order to stop the emperor. Thankfully, Kaz is always one step ahead and figures out a solution.

Warning: +18 Warning, verbally and mentally abusive parent, deceased relatives, blood, gore, many mentions of death, working in the menagerie, choking, attempted murder and suicide

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x Fem!Reader

Type: Series

Word Count: 6.8k

Author’s Note: This is the end of the series! I really hoped you enjoyed reading this because I have had this story concept in my drafts for a long time. Let me know your thoughts and have a great week!!!

Series Masterlist

The emperor of magic stood in the center of six fallen bodies. She could feel a single bead of sweat rolling down the side of her temple, uncertain if it was from the blazing hot heat waves or if it was from mental strain. Her eyes remained shut as she struggled to keep the six crows under the veil of darkness.

Normally, it wasn’t hard to get inside someone’s head and drive them towards the point of insanity. But this time was different. She needed to take all six crows down, which was no easy task at hand. It didn’t help that they were all incredibly clever and intelligent; they weren't just dumb witted folk. This made the mental battle all the more challenging for her. 

Despite this, the emperor was determined to succeed. She needed to keep them unconscious, forcing them captive within their worst memories and nightmares. With great struggle, the emperor managed to break the chains that bound her. She also was able to get loose from the customized straight jacket that had failed to hinder her powerless. She threw those to the side. 

Afterwards, the emperor pulled the bag off her head. She discarded it by tossing into the heap of sand. She removed the final eye covering and ear pieces strapped around her head. She was now finally met with the blinding rays of the sun for the first time in nearly three years. 

Wylan’s Nightmare:

As soon as his eyes changed black, Wylan’s body succumbed to a dream-like or comatose state. When he managed to regain consciousness, his eyes began to flutter open and he could see a completely different atmosphere. He quickly sat up upon realizing where he was. 

The mansion was known to be one of the most beautifully constructed and decorated house in all of Ketterdam. It belonged to the a well-respected member of the Merchant Council which just so happened to be Jan Van Eck himself. 

Naturally, Wylan recognized the house that he had spent his early childhood years in. It all came flooding back into his memory; the marble floors sparkled as they must have been polished to perfection and the high wooden beams that stretched across the ceiling held brilliant chandeliers. The furniture was the most expensive thing on the market at the time. The mansion couldn’t be anything less than perfect.

Now looking down, Wylan saw that he was dressed in one of his old beige suits which now explained why his collar felt so tight around his neck. He went ahead and loosened it immediately. He also realized that his wild hair was tamed and combed down like it always had been when he was a young boy.

In the short distance, Wylan heard a voice talking in the other room. He carefully rose to his feet and made it way over to the door that was slightly cracked open. Peering through the crack, Wylan’s eyes fell on the man he once called ‘father.’ And his breath caught in the back of his throat. 

“You stupid, stupid boy.” Jan Van Eck said with a shake of his head. 

That familiar pang of guilt shot straight to his heart; he had gotten too squinted with those words in his childhood. His father always shaming him, calling him stupid or worthless. He clutched the frame around the door, squeezing his eyes shut to keep the tears at bay.

“You’re a disgrace!” 

All of the sudden, Jan Van Eck slammed his hands down and discarded everything that lay on the desk which included books, pens, and papers of the sort. The burst of fury only caused Wylan to flinch something terrible; something else that he still hadn’t grown accustomed to.

“Can’t read, can’t write.” Jan Van Eck scoffed to himself. He gritted his teeth together. “You’re absolutely worthless!”

Without thinking, Wylan burst through the slightly open door in a rage of fury. For once in his life, he was going to tell it straight to his father and he wasn’t going to let him push him around anymore. His fists were clenched at his sides and his jaw was locked. 

Upon hearing the door slamming against the wall, Jan Van Eck turned to face his disgrace of a so-called son. He narrowed his eyes at his approaching figure, not expecting much from him anyways.

“You...” Wylan began, but he struggled to find his voice as it was laced with red hot anger. He pointed a finger at him accusingly. “You do not know me,” Wylan claimed with tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

“I know you’ll never evolve,” Van Eck spat. “Spent years trying to change you, trying to shape you.”

“I don’t need to be changed!” Wylan yelled back. His face turned beat red in his fit of rage. 

“You weren’t enough,” Van Eck said with a shake of the head. “You could have been so much, but you're worthless.”

“We never were the same person,” Wylan seethed. He jammed a finger directly into the man’s chest. “I am not you and I was never going to live up to your name.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Van Eck’s lips shifted into a sinister smile. “Because I’ll still always be there to haunt your nightmares.”

Very slowly, Wylan took a step backwards in his place upon coming to the realization that he wouldn’t be able to get rid of the image of his father in his mind. It will always haunt him and he can’t change that. He suddenly became aware of the situation; that he was living his worst nightmare. And his worst nightmare was being stuck with Jan Van Eck.

Backing away, Wylan wanted nothing more than to leave. He hurried out of the room, charging upstairs to escape to the place where his old bedroom was. He closed the door behind him, twisting the lock in its place. He moved away from the door then. But he didn’t know of the dark figure that stood behind him, watching his every move.

Back in reality, the emperor was left standing and staring directly at Wylan’s limp body in the sand. She studied him carefully. She caught a glimpse of a small tear escaping the corner of his eye and rolling down his cheek.

Jesper’s Memory

When Jesper finally awoke from his unconscious state, he too was most surprised with his surroundings. He shifted into a sitting position, rubbing the back of his neck as if he had a kink in it. He came to realize that he wasn’t in Ketterdam and he wasn't in Ravka either. It almost looked like...

Upon further inspection, Jesper found himself in the middle of a field. He rose to his feet slowly. His long trench coat danced in the breeze. His heart sank in his chest. The memories of his childhood came flooding back into his mind.

These fields were all too familiar to him. Amid the wheat, amid the soft golden ears, moved the unseen wind. The wheels of straw rested on their earthen bed, soaking in the brilliant sunshine. Under the sky that is made all the more pretty for the scattered clouds, the white puffs that radiate white light. It was a simple scene. 

His softened gaze fell on the small little house in the short distance. It looked like something from an old photograph; a deep memory that he had almost forgotten. His feet began to carry him to the house. The dark figure followed after him without his knowledge.

Coming to the house, Jesper lifted a hand to pull the colorful blanket away from the doorway. He stepped into the entrance. His hand fell to his side and his heart had never felt more heavy.

It was a small house in the sense that it was all one room. The ground was made of fresh orange dirt and the walls had been lifted by his father at one time. A small stove sat in the corner. And there was a little wooden table for eating. Two beds lay on either side of the room. One of them had an occupant. 

“Mama?” Jesper asked just as horrified as the moment he had found her years ago.

His mother always wore the most magnificent colors that made her complexion glow. Her favorite color was yellow in which she was dressed in. She wore these orange and yellow heavy beads around her neck. And her hands rested on her chest. She must have been asleep.

“Mama,” Jesper called again. He felt the tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He approached her bedside, dropping to his knees to be at her side.“Mama, wake up. I’m here,” Jesper pleaded.

He took her hand in his own, bringing it up to his lips to press a firm kiss to it. He failed to keep his tears at bay, feeling them now cascading down the sides of his face. He shook her hand gently as if half expecting her to wake up and rid him of this horrid nightmare. 

“Mama. Wake up. I need you,” Jesper cried. The dark figure stood looming over him as he was forced to once again grieve the loss of his mother.

Leaving the memory, the emperor of magic shifted her gaze away in order to face her next victim. The heartrender lay motionless in the sand with a hand near the side of her face. She looked so peaceful in the moment, but she knew she was already experiencing the worst thing she could imagine. 

Nina’s Nightmare:

The Little Palace had been home for so many years. All the Grisha were sent to live at the palace after they had been tested for powers at a young age. Depending on which order one was classified into, they would be dressed in the appropriate color coordination.

Every room was created by the most beautiful and delicate hand. The hallway floors were made from the finest marble, sparkling in the early morning hours. Grand oil paintings hung on the craved marble walls. The quartz pillars upheld the vast ceilings in the grand staircase. 

For some reason, Nina found herself walking through those hallways she used to call home. She felt a little disoriented because, with every turn, the palace just seemed so empty. She’d peek into rooms and poke around a corridor, but still, nobody was in sight.

She called out for others. “Zoya? Alina? Where is everyone?”

When Nina finally approached her old bedroom, she saw that the door was already cracked open and a blood stain painted the once golden knob. She pushed the door open gently, cautiously stepping into the old room. Her breath caught in her throat.

Because what Nina saw was something she hoped she would never have to see. All of the Grisha she had once known and who she had grown up with were laid lifelessly on the floor. Their colored uniforms were burnt, torn, destroyed, and soaked in blood. She couldn’t tell if it was their blood or soemone else’s.

Glancing past the bodies, Nina named every single face she saw. Her heart never felt so heavy and burdened. She choked back a sob because even though she had left the little palace long ago, she still called it home. The Grisha were her people; nothing would ever change that. But now, they all lay dead in front of her. 

At one point, Nina’s eyes settled on the still body of her old friend Zoya. She rushed to be at her side, dropping to her knees. Her hands went to hover over her heart with every intention of helping her. But Zoya’s hand came up to clasp her wrist to stop her. Her pained eyes shifted to face the heartrender beside her.

“Y-You,” Zoya grunted through her teeth. She felt blood seeping past her lips. “Y-Y..You left us,” Zoya claimed.

“I-I didn’t want to,” Nina said with a swift shake of the head. “I never wanted to leave you behind.”

“But you did,” Zoya pointed out. “You abandoned us. And for what? A Fjerdan who only murders your people.”

“H-He’s not like that,” Nina insisted. She felt tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, Matthias would never hurt me.”

“It’s because of his people that we are left scarce,” Zoya said. “They came in the night. They slaughtered us.”

This comment made the heartrender glance around once more to see the familiar faces that surrounded her. She saw the red blood that painted so many faces. She felt only one heartbeat in the room besides her own.

“I didn’t know,” Nina claimed.

“No,” Zoya shook her head. “No, you knew. You’ve always known that they hunt people like us. That they kill people like us. You’ve known, but you chose to ignore it.”

“I-I’m so sorry, Zoya.”

“And now, you will have to live with the fact that you got us killed. You let them in and made us vulnerable,” Zoya claimed. “Y-You are the reason the Grisha will be extinct,” Zoya finished.

All of the sudden, Zoya began choking on her own blood. It spilled out of her mouth in waves. Though Nina tried to help her, it was already too late. Her body became relaxed after the coughing came to a halt. Her eyes were glassed over in a haze. And her breathing came to a final halt. 

All at once, Nina felt an overwhelming amount of shame and guilt in her heart. She dropped her head down, feeling the tears streaming out of her eyes at a fast rate. She raised a shaky hand to cover her mouth in hopes of muffling her sobs. She squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to regain composure. 

The dark figure that stood behind her took one final glance around the room. It took a single step backwards before choosing to return back to reality. Her eyes fixed on the person laying beside the heartrender.

Matthias’s Nightmare:

For some reason, Matthias thought he was dreaming again. He only thought this because he always saw her in his dreams. His dreams were quite often unsatisfying since he never really knew what he wanted. There were times that he dreamed of finally killing the heartrender that tormented him and then there were times he dreamed about how her lips felt when he kissed her. She was always a mystery to him, which made him realize that he didn’t know what he wanted. 

Now Matthias didn’t know where he was or where he was going. He had a feeling that he must have been within Fjerdan territory since there was a blizzard waging around him. He could barely see in front of him from all the snow and wind blasting in his face. 

For a moment, Matthias shifted his focus to his footing. He watched himself lift each foot in front of the other, trudging forward through the heaps of snow. That’s when he saw red. 

The dark figure had been following him this whole time. She watched carefully for his reaction. The splotch of red in the snow must have been blood. He followed the trail of blood until his eyes fell on a body laying in the snow a couple feet ahead of him. His heart sank.

“Nina!” Matthias called out. 

He hurried to her side, basically collapsing beside her in the snow. He was able to pull her body to lay on her backside before taking a look at her wounds. His hands hovered over her lifeless body, unsure of what to do in the moment.

Her face was so pale; her lips were already blue from the cold. Her eyes remained shut since they had been closed long ago. Her hair was frozen from the blood that leaked from her head. In fact, Nina’s body was covered with various wounds. She must have bled out from them.

His eyes fell on a particular wound near the junction of her neck. It honestly looked like some creature had taken a large bite out of her neck, which ultimately caused her to bleed to death. But those bite marks looked all too familiar. 

When Matthias lifted his head, there was a grand grey wolf standing in the short distance. It stood calmly as the wind brushed past it’s striking grey and black fur. However, the wolf’s mouth was dripping with the blood of its victim. It was in that moment that Matthias realized wolves might not have been as tame as his people once believed. 

“You did this?” Matthias said in utter disbelief. He stared at the wolf blankly. “W-Why? She didn’t do anything. She didn’t deserve to die like this.”

Slowly, Matthias looked back down to the beautifully calm woman in his arms. He held her tightly in fear of letting her go forever. He lowered his head to press it against her own. He rocked back and forth with his love in his arms, crying quietly to himself. 

“She was all I had left. She was the only one to love me for who I was,” Matthias sobbed. “She loved me even though she wasn’t supposed to,” Matthias whispered.

All Matthias could do was press a soft kiss to the center of her forehead. He stared off into the distance for he was unable to look at the wolf the same again. He cried for what felt like hours on end and he refused to leave her side. 

Inej’s Memory:

The Menagerie was most commonly known as the House of Exotics. This was mainly because the menagerie advertised the exotic beauties of foreign women. They always dressed as specific animals that came from their country or region.

The House of Exotics was almost always filled to the brim with men looking for a good time. They often smoked which filled the house with a thick cloud. There was always heavy liquor seeping from their lips, which made their breath smell awful and their discernment rather thin. The men were able to do whatever they pleased as long as they paid the right price.

During Inej’s time at the Menagerie, she had never felt so low and empty in her life. Now she stood there once again. She wore her old clothes which painted her out to look like a lynx. Her soft brown skin reflexed wonderfully against the brilliant purple silks that hugged her body.

With each step, Inej heard the little bells that wrapped around her ankles. She maneuvered her way through the heavy crowd, passing by drunks and other girls dressed to impress. She didn’t think to question how she got back there or the fact that she was just relieving her worst memory.

When she was there, she felt numb to the rest of the world. And she entirely was  right then and there.

For the moment, Inej was leading this half drunk man upstairs to the private rooms. He had already paid her for her time spent with him. She felt the kruge jingling in her pocket. She brought him to one of the rooms, letting him inside before closing the door behind them.

It didn’t take more than five minutes for the man to emerge from the private room, still in the process of buckling his pants back together. He closed the door with a satisfied smirk on his face before heading back downstairs to the bar for another round. 

Back in the room, Inej lay on the soft bed in a heap of sheets. Her beautiful purple silks had been discarded on the floor. She stare blankly at the ceiling, feeling entirely numb. She felt a single tear seep out of the corner of her eye.

Her core was filled with a sense of shame. Her legs felt weak as if she already knew she’d have trouble walking. Even her shoulder ached slightly since he had bitten down during their time together. She pulled the sheets to cover her bare body, shivering at the memory engraved into her mind.

For a second, Inej closed her eyes as if to wish she could just disappear into the next life. She hated being there. She hated the things she was forced to undergo. She just wanted to be free. Why couldn’t she be free?

The dark figure that stood by the window was looking directly at the saddened woman laying in bed. She even went to turn away from the scene, because it was too much, even for the emperor herself.

Back in reality, the emperor was truly struggling to keep all six of the crows under their own spell. She only needed to hold off for a little longer because they’d eventually discover that they’ll be stuck. They won’t be able to escape those nightmares. That is, not unless...

Kaz’s Nightmare:

When the black clouds came to settle around him, Kaz Brekker was able to get a sense of his surroundings. He had come face to face with his greatest demon.  The familiar eyes of his dear deceased brother were staring right back at him.

Very slowly, Kaz found himself rising to his feet with the help of his cane. He stared at his brother blankly as if he wasn’t at all surprised to see him after all this time. He observed him ever so carefully because one wrong step could be the end for him.

“Hello Kaz,” Jordie said. His lips curved into a mischievous smile. 

When Kaz didn’t say anything or do anything in particular, Jordie furrowed his eyebrows in slight confusion. He took a single step forward. He raised his hands in defeat.

“What? No hello for your long lost brother?” Jordie questioned.

“I know you are not real,” Kaz claimed. He still wore a blank stare on his face.

“Oh, aren't you the clever one?” Jordie almost mocked him. “Even if you think this isn’t real, you're trapped here with me until your brain starts to rot. You’ll never find the way out,” Jordie laughed.

Kaz’s lips twitched into a wicked smile. “Won’t I?”

Just then, Jordie’s face fell blank. He looked at his younger brother with a hint of confusion behind his eyes. He shifted nervously from one foot to the other. “Whatever do you mean?” Jordie laughed cautiously.

“You made one vital mistake,” Kaz claimed. 

Though this time, Kaz wasn’t speaking to the image of his brother. More so, to the dark figure that stood behind him. In a slow manner, Kaz had turned around to face the emperor of magic herself who had been watching the conversation all along. Out of all the crows, Kaz had been the only one clever enough to notice her presence. She was slightly impressed.

“What mistake did I make?” The emperor of magic spoke through slightly gritted teeth. She clenched her fists at her sides to contain her anger because she hated being outsmarted by others. 

“You discovered all our names,” Kaz began. He tipped his head to the side. “Through the same memory,” Kaz added.

Now the emperor tried her hardest to keep a straight face, but he could already see the small sense of panic hiding behind her eyes. She shifted from one foot to another in a nervous manner. She held his gaze strictly.

“Which means, all of these nightmares are connected in some way or another.” Kaz noted. He went to look at some of his surroundings, not necessarily recognizing where he was at the moment. “I wonder if they can hear me,” Kaz said mostly to himself.

“Who?” The emperor asked curiously.

“The other crows,” Kaz seethed through his teeth. He lifted his head to look towards the sky once more. “Jesper, Inej, Nina--” Kaz called for his crows loudly.

“You can’t get out,” the emperor said rather hastily. He directed his attention back to her.

Despite this, Jesper heard the message through his own memory. He raised his head and looked into the distance. All of the other crows were able to hear their boss too. Though it sounded more like a distance echo than anything else. They listened carefully to the conversation that followed.

“You're trapped here. You’ll never figure out how to get out,” the emperor claimed. She breathed a nervous laugh to cover up her slight fear.

“You underestimate me,” Kaz spoke. “Another mistake.”

Just then, Kaz took a single stride forward in his place. In a way, it was almost like he was taunting her or challenging her with knowledge of his own. Because if anyone knew something, it was that Kaz Brekker was always one step ahead of the game. He knew this was going to happen all along.

“Let me ask you something: when do you wake up from a dream?” Kaz questioned. He now stood directly in front of her, staring down at her through hooded eyes. “It’s always right before something terrible happens,” Kaz stated plainly.

The emperor couldn’t have predicted his next move. He immediately seized her throat with his glove clothed hand. She breathed a small gasp of shock as his digits began tightening around her neck. She clawed at his hand, desperate for some form of release.

“Sometimes, you get shot at. Sometimes, there is an accident. And sometimes, you fall.” Kaz recalled some of the dreams he once had and the ways he managed to wake up from them. “But you always wake up,” Kaz said while tightening his grip.

“And my guess is that if you die in this dream, you wake up. Is that right?” Kaz wondered. When the emperor said nothing, Kaz went to tighten his grip again. She winced at the contact. “Is that right?” Kaz repeated himself.

“Y-Ye-s-s,” the emperor struggled. “Y-You’ll w-wa-wake u-up.”

In the meantime, the other crows heard the entire conversation between the two of them in the distance. They finally understood what was happening and what they needed to do in order to get out of their nightmares. There was only one solution to waking up.

Without hesitation, Wylan found his old stash of chemicals in the floorboards of his bedroom. He riffled through various glass vials, searching for two in particular. He raised the two glass vials in his hands, seeing the bright colored liquid that they contained. If mixed together, those chemicals would create a deadly explosion. He popped the corks off them.

In the other dream, Jesper had been slow to rise to his feet. He looked down at the body of his deceased mother, still feeling the tears coming out of his eyes. He reluctantly pulled one of his shiny pearly guns out of his holster at his side. He cautiously raised the gun to the side of his head, squeezing his eyes shut in preparation for what was to come. 

Now Nina was still sitting amongst the bodies of her dearest friends. She contemplated things for a moment, basking in the reality of the situation. She raised her hands in a particular manner, focusing all of her attention on the speed of her own heartbeat. 

Meanwhile, Matthias discovered that he was moving towards the wolf that stared directly at him. He forced himself to place one foot in front of the other. He heard the wolf growling in a threatening manner. He knelt into the snow as if ready to accept his fate. He closed his eyes just as the wolf lunged for his throat.

In the menagerie, Inej had climbed to the rooftop of the institution. She peered over the edge, looking to see several stories below her. She climbed onto the ledge, keeping her arms out at her sides for balance. She put one step forward before falling to her death.

Back in his own nightmare, Kaz carried the emperor’s face a little closer to his own. He studied her carefully as if searching for any sense of faulty. He narrowed his eyes at her. He kept his grip firm, despite her desperately grabbing at the lapels of his trench coat. She was begging for release.

“B-Bu--t I’ll be l-long gone by then,” the emperor claimed. Her lips curved upwards into a smile. “Y-You’ll ne-never catch u-up to me.”

“You’re bluffing,” Kaz called it. Her smile fell. “You haven’t left yet. You’re keeping us under as long as you can. And once we are lost, then you’ll make your escape.”

And indeed he did call it.

“Y-You have n-no idea what y-your up a-against,” the emperor struggled to speak. She was quick to send a firm gab into his stomach, which caused him to release his grip on her neck. She ran past him as quickly as she could. 

With the nightmares being connected, the emperor was able to open a portal into one of the first nightmares. She jumped through the portal, taking a brief moment to look at the scene in front of her. It was the old mansion.

But the once pristine bedroom was now covered in a thick layer of blackened ash and dust. The soft brown floorboard had been burnt, laced with an unknown chemical burning through the wood itself. The velvet curtains had caught on fire. And the wallpaper had been destroyed beyond repair. Amongst the destroyed scene was the small lifeless body of the demolitions expert. 

“No,” the emperor whispered to herself. “He’s gone already.”

Which only meant that Wylan was awake in reality. In haste, the emperor went to open another portal into the next nightmare with every intention of stopping the next crow from waking up. All she was able to find was a limp body laying on the ground. The sharpshooter still held one of his guns in his hand, but a bullet had already entered his skull. He lay there as the blood spilled from the headshot.

The panic began to take over. The emperor dream hopped to the next one through the access of another portal. Amongst the bodies of deceased Grisha was the familiar heartrender. She lay peacefully amongst her own people, having chosen to slow and stop her own heart.

Now the emperor was growing agitated and frustrated. She went to open another portal which led her to the ice cold lands. She squinted through the blizzard storm only to find a wolf feasting on the body of a unmoving druskelle. The wolf raised its head and bared its now blood stained teeth.

Finally, the emperor forced herself to run as fast as she could through the final portal. She hurried to the edge of the building, being quick to peer over the edge. She spotted a motionless body nearly six stories below the building. She had jumped. 

The emperor of magic had failed to keep them at bay. They all managed to escape their worst nightmares, which meant that they were all awake and ready to take her on in the real world. She needed to get out of this dream.

“You’ve lost. Admit it,” a familiar voice said from behind her.

When the emperor turned around in her place, Kaz Brekker was looking directly at her. He wore an infamous smirk on his face. He had followed her through every single portal, dream hopping right behind her. This also meant that he had seen each of his crows dead which couldn’t have been easy. 

“They are back in reality by now. Getting ready to put a stop to you,” Kaz stated as a matter of fact.

“What about you? You can’t leave unless you die,” the emperor took notice. 

“That was never part of the plan,” Kaz claimed. Her face fell. “The plan was to keep you under as long as possible because that is the only way you can be stopped from the outside. You can’t fight me in here and them out there at the same time,” Kaz explained.

Back in the desert, the five crows came to surround the emperor who stood in the center of them. The others turned to face the heartrender amongst them, giving her the signal through the form of a single nod. She raised her hands in a particular motion, slowing the heart rate of the emperor of magic.

In the dream sequence, the emperor grunted at the feeling of her heart being squeezed and slowed down. She clutched at her chest in attempts to stop what she felt. She lifted her head to look directly at the man himself. Realizing that she had been bested, the emperor was quick to turn around in her place and charge towards the edge of the building.

Without hesitation, Kaz followed directly behind her with every intention of stopping her from jumping over the side and waking up from this nightmare. Just as the emperor leaped from the ledge, Kaz grasped onto the emperor’s forearm to stop her.

From the mere pull of gravity, the emperor’s body slammed against the brick wall of the institution. He had been pulled down slightly, but he was still able to keep a firm grasp on her while hanging over the side of the ledge. She fought against his tight grip, trying to get loose so she could fall. 

“I won’t let you,” Kaz grunted. He struggled to maintain his hold on her, but he shook his head at her careless behavior. “I can’t let you hurt them.”

“Then you’ll just have to come with me,” the emperor told him. She pushed off the brick wall with both of her feet. She used all of her strength to pull him over the edge of the building. 

Together, both bodies began to plummet to the ground from the force of gravity. The two of them stared at one another, sensing that familiar feeling of falling to the ground with no control whatsoever. Just as the two of them would hit the ground, their bodies jolted awake back in reality. And the real challenge began.

It was rather odd. It was almost like the heartrender was holding the heart with her own two hands, forcing the heart rate to slow down. Just as Nina thought the heartbeat would come to a final halt, it was like she felt two hands envelope her own from within the chest. 

Those invisible hands holding her own began to pry her fingers off of the heart itself. She eventually realized she didn’t have a grasp on the heart anymore; that it was probably back to its normal self in terms of heart rate. The feeling of those hands covering her own began to close in.

In a split second, Nina let out a terrible scream of pain as her hands got crushed by the ones that kept hers captive. The emperor of magic kept her hands clenched into tight fists as she broke every bone in the heartrender’s hands. 

Naturally, Nina ended up dropping to her knees on the ground. She clutched her hands close to her chest for some form of comfort, but she wasn’t able to stop she blood from spewing from the joints in her fingers or the bones from poking out of the back of her hands. She never felt so much pain in her life.

“Nina,” Matthias called out to her. 

Though part of him wanted to rush to her side, a bigger part of him wanted nothing more than to stop the emperor once and for all. With a mighty war yell, Matthias charged towards the emperor of magic who kept her back to him. He raised his two fists above his head and brought them barreling down.

But at the last second, the emperor spun around on the heels of her feet to surprise him. She drew her own fist back and sent it directly into the center of his chest. With the force of her magic, Matthias was forced backwards in his place. His body dragged across the desert sands as he felt the wind truly knocked out of his chest. His chest burned painfully.

Now the emperor went to face the other three crows standing amongst her. With Jesper drawing his two guns out of his holsters and Inej wielding her precious knives, Kaz waited to signal them to attack her with his cane. She went to take a step towards them, but was stopped when something hit the side of her head.

A bright pink powder escaped from the small glass vial that hit the side of her head. The powder sparkled in the bright sunbeams that beat down on them. She didn’t even realize that she managed to breathe the powder in, but it began to greatly affect her senses. She turned towards the small person who had through that at her. 

In the short distance, Wylan went to grab another vial from his pouch. He hoped to hit her with something to make her sense weaken so it might be easier to take her down. Just as Wylan pulled the vial out, he felt an invisible hand wrap around the expanse of his neck. He was dragged forward by an unforeseen force until his neck made contact with the emperor’s cupped hand. 

Without warning, Wylan’s body was slammed to the ground by the emperor. She went to straddle his chest, keeping him pinned to the ground. He grasped at the hands wrapped around his neck, desperately trying to loosen her grip on him. He gasped her air. He felt the life being squeezed out of him.

Before Wylan lost the oxygen in his chest, a gunshot rang through the air. The bullet managed to lodge itself directly into the emperor’s shoulder, which caused her to release her grasp on the boy’s neck. She slumped backwards in her place, reaching up to grasp the wound on her shoulder. 

The emperor scurried to stand to her feet with every intention of finishing off these crows. Her vision began to blur and her head felt dizzy. Despite this, the emperor managed to raise her hands to put up a fight. 

The three crows worked in a synchronous harmony, taking timed turns to throw different strikes. Now Inej was the first one to step forward with her knives drawn at her sides. She took a couple swipes which the emperor managed to dodge barely. Then Jesper fired a couple rounds from his pearly guns. He manipulated the bullets to fly exactly where he wanted, but the emperor waved her hands to direct the bullets elsewhere. Finally, Kaz went to step up. He raised his cane and swung with all his might. He struck her once or twice, but it wasn’t enough to take her down.

Suddenly, the emperor felt a large arm wrap around her backside which put her into a tight headlock. Her knees were knocked out from behind, forcing her to drop to her knees. Behind her, Matthias tried to maintain a tight grip on the smaller body. He grunted upon feeling her fight against him.

Slowly, Kaz went to approach her. He raised his cane in the air, bringing it towards her face. He stared her down carefully.

“Admit it,” Kaz repeated himself. “You’ve lost. We’ve bested you.”

The emperor choked upon feeling the grip tighten around her neck. “B-But I haven’t lost,” the emperor claimed.

“We’ll kill you,” Jesper explained. He came to stand beside his boss. He raised his guns to point directly at her head. “No hesitation,” Jesper stated firmly.

“And it will be slow,” Inej added. She pressed the edge of her knife against the emperor's check, swiping it away to leave a sharp mark. “And painful,” Inej said. 

“You can kill me,” the emperor of magic told them. Her voice grew heavier as if the demon inside her was speaking. “But it will be your mistake because I always come back.”

Before the emperor could say another word, Kaz raised his golden cane above his head and brought it barreling down into her skull. The body ended up collapsing to the ground from the mere force of the swing. He continued to beat in her skull until there was nothing left, but a pool of blood and brain. The blood painted his face in a gruesome manner.

“Kaz!” Inej called out. She had hoped to bring him back to reality. He finally stopped beating the body to death. “It’s done,” Inej claimed.

The crows had gone through so much within the past few days. They had schemed their way back into the court and somehow managed to escape. They ended up having to relive their worst memories and became temporarily trapped in their own nightmares. They needed to escape those nightmares in the form of killing themselves. And they had to defeat the emperor after taking some heavy hits from her. Despite all this, they managed to survive, just like they always did.

But for some reason, Kaz just had a feeling that she’d be back just like she said. 

THAT IS THE END OF THE SERIES! PLEASE TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS! SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO POST.

TAGLIST:

@d34drapunzel @adorawritesalot @vixythepixie @theghostofshadows @lonelywitchv2 @arcadialine @zeeader @cleverzonkwombatsludge @shara-ne @iloveinej @ireallydontcareanymorebrooo @mystic-mara @missymisha @tremendoushearttaco​ @home-of-disaster​ @gh0stgirl333​ @harrydimples @marina468 @phoenix666stuff @grippleback-galaxy​ @mariar31 @theghostofshadows​ 

[ssaemilyhotchner]

Y for your alphabet prompts plz! (btw found your blog from AO3, loving the chapters so far)

aw thanks for reading, anon! <3

OTHER 1K DRABBLES | Read on AO3 Join the celebration by requesting a letter!

letter: Y | prompt: yuletide | wc: 1.3k | a/n: Jack/Emily fluff and Christmas content before Halloween because it’s still 85°F where I am and I’m trying to manifest cooler temps/holiday spirit. I wrote the first iteration of this in 2011(!). Needless to say, substantial tweaks went into this version because coming back to your writing 13 years later is humbling, let me tell ya.

Please do not repost (reblogs welcome) or otherwise claim as your own.

--

Emily had barely taken three steps into the bullpen when she heard Hotch call out to her.

“Prentiss, can I see you in my office, please?”

JJ and Morgan shared a conspiratorial glance. “Oooh, someone’s in trouble,” the latter teased. Emily responded with an eye roll and a good-natured shut up, Derek, then dumped her bag in her desk chair to make her way to the man who was summoning her, though not before sparing a longing glance at the fresh pot of coffee in the corner of the bullpen. She slowed her ascent of the stairs, however, when she heard Rossi chuckling at her from his office.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he dismissed, a vague yet omniscient quirk to his lips.

Emily looked at him suspiciously before pushing Hotch’s door open. “Hey, you wanted to see me?”

She hardly had time to register the sight in front of her before a seven-year-old blur precariously set down a full glass of orange juice and pounced into her arms. “Miss Emmy!”

“Oof,” she grunted as the boy collided into her. Grinning widely, she picked him up and spun him around. “Hey there, buddy! How are you?”

Jack wrapped his arms securely around her neck. “Good! I got you something,” he said with a smile that was so like his father’s.

“You did?” She gasped theatrically. “But we already celebrated my birthday!”

Jack nodded excitedly before motioning for her to set him on his feet. Fishing through his pocket, he pulled out a necklace with a plastic snowflake charm and other tiny beads held together by thick blue string and handed it to her. It was then that Emily noticed the crudely cut paper chain of snowflakes lining Hotch’s bookshelf. “Wow, you two, it looks like Christmas in here.”

“A certain someone couldn’t wait two months for snow and presents,” Hotch quipped with a small laugh.

The boy in question beamed. “So, I made my own snow!”

“Well, I think your snowflakes are beautiful. And as for the necklace,” Emily kneeled to his height and pressed a kiss to his forehead, “I love it. Thank you very much, Jack.”

He bit his lip and blushed a deep pink, watching with wide eyes as she put his gift on. “You’re welcome.”

Finally moving out from behind his desk, Hotch stood and closed the distance between them in measured strides. Running a hand through his son’s sandy hair, he said, biting back his smile, “Jack has a question for you.”

If possible, Jack’s expression brightened even further. “When are you going to come over, Emmy? I miss you.”

Emily’s heart did a little flip at his sweet words, then another when she and Hotch shared a brief but suggestive glance. “That’s up to your daddy, honey.”

“Well, Daddy?” Jack asked expectantly, his eyes wide.

Emily has both Hotchner boys wrapped around her little finger, Hotch thought fondly. He cocked his head to the side appraisingly. “Do you have any plans for tonight?”

--

Emily eyed Jack as he yawned for the third time. “Looks like it someone’s PJ time.”

Jack frowned. “But I don’t wanna go to sleep. I want to stay up so we can play.”

“Honey, you’re practically falling asleep standing up. How about this? Go wash your hands—I can still see pizza sauce on them,” she said, and Jack giggled, “then brush your teeth and I’ll be there in a minute to tuck you in. Okay?”

“Will you at least read me a bedtime story?”

“Jack,” Hotch warned gently from his spot at the kitchen sink, where he was washing their dinner plates, “why don’t we let Miss Emily relax? She’s had a long day, buddy.”

“It’s okay,” Emily assured. “I’d love to read you a story, Jack.” Jack rubbed his eyes sleepily but his grin at Emily’s words was wide as ever.

“And what do we tell Miss Emily for picking up dinner?” Hotch prompted.

“Thank you,” Jack said dutifully, wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her tightly.

“You are very welcome. Now hurry on to your room and pick a story before I change my mind,” she teased.

He was off with a yelped okay, okay! before Emily could so much as blink.

Teeth minty fresh and hands no longer sticky, Jack eagerly curled up beneath the covers and clicked on his bedside lamp, casting their shadows onto the wall. “So,” Emily said with a soft smile, “what book are we reading tonight, Mr. Jack?”

“I dunno. Anything to do with snow.”

“Boy, you really want Christmas to be here, don’t you?” Emily asked, scanning his small bookshelf for promising titles.

“Uh huh,” Jack nodded. “Because of our special visitor!”

“Santa?”

“No,” the boy giggled. “You, Miss Emmy. Are you gonna come over on Christmas like last year? Daddy says you make Christmas real special for us.”

“Well, your daddy is very sweet,” Emily replied, her cheeks warming. “We’ve got a while ‘til Christmas, but once we’re closer to the big day, if it’s okay with your daddy, I’ll be here.”

Satisfied, Jack burrowed further beneath his mountain of blankets. Finally, Emily found the picture book she had been looking for and pulled it off of the shelf with a flourish, then moved to sit at the foot of the boy’s bed. “Now close your eyes and try to get some sleep.” Clearing her throat, she began. “T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the house—”

“—not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse! This is my favorite.”

“I know it is, silly,” Emily laughed, pinching his nose softly and causing more giggles to spill forth. “Now sleep.”

Jack said nothing, just obeyed, her voice an excellent lullaby.

“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads. And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled down for a long winter’s nap…”

--

“Hey, you.”

Hotch looked up at the sound of her voice, then smiled and handed her a generously filled glass of her favorite red wine as she plopped down on the couch beside him. “Hey.”

Accepting the drink gladly, she curled up against his side and let out a long sigh. “You were right earlier; today really has been a long day.”

He snaked an arm around her waist, tugging her closer. “Especially for you. I still don’t understand why you insisted on finishing all of your reports before we left.”

She snorted. “Hypocrite. Besides,” she took a long sip of the heady wine, “I wanted to spend my weekend doing someone—I mean, something—else.”

Hotch chuckled at her very intentional slip of the tongue. “Oh, yeah? Like what?”

Slowly, Emily placed her glass onto the nearby coffee table then set her chin atop his shoulder, her breath ghosting against his cheek. "Mmm, nothing," she answered coyly.

“That sure doesn’t feel like nothing.” He grunted as her lips traveled from his cheekbone to the underside of his jaw, then the hollow of his throat. “Emily…”

Covering his mouth with hers, she silenced him with a coaxing, teasing kiss. “Have I answered your question yet?”

“Just about,” Hotch replied breathlessly, guiding her backwards until she was spread across the couch’s entire length and he was hovering over her.

“I have something for you,” she whispered against his lips.

He slid a large hand to her back and pulled her body flush against his, reveling in the experience of her; even though they'd been together for just over a year, sharing space and time with her like this was still a luxury, one he doubted he would ever get used to. “I’ll say.”

Emily trailed her fingers down his chest, eventually coming to rest at his hip. “Undress me,” she clarified, her doe eyes already nearly-black with want.

Hotch obeyed without hesitation and felt his breath catch in the back of his throat as he reached the last button and pushed apart her blouse. “Jesus,” he breathed approvingly.

She laughed, low and sultry. “I take it you’re a fan.”

“You know I can’t get enough of you in red.” He dropped his lips to the swell of a breast, peppering kisses along the edge of her scarlet-hued bra. She rewarded him with a surprised exhalation as his teeth grazed her sensitive skin, and the sound traveled straight between his legs.

“It’s like I’m your very own Christmas present, just waiting to be unwrapped,” she purred.

“Thank goodness the holiday came early, then.”