#NAV Play Reading Series

[runningfrom2am]

leveling the playing field XII

summary: with nowhere else to go after getting caught cheating to help lucy gray, you both make some desperately stupid decisions.

pairing: coriolanus snow x fem!reader

wc: 3.2k

tags/warnings: capitol brat!reader, maybe slightly ooc coryo, idk i tried my best. do they love each other or hate each other? who knows (we do, kind of). use of a derogatory term (pr*stitute) implications and mentions of abuse, so read with caution!! also a little bit of swearing but that's neither here nor there. oh, and manipulation (both of them lowkey)

masterlists // nav // requests

a/n: nothing much to say other than thank you guys and i hope you like it :)

series masterlist

"Coryo!" You grin, running out of the house and down the front porch steps, throwing your arms around his shoulders as soon as you can reach him. It had only been a few days since you'd seen him, but you had to do what you had to do. Truth be told, you did miss him, though.

He chuckles as he catches you, carefully letting you down after a moment. "Hey, Y/N/N, how's it going?"

"I'm good." You grin, turning back at the sound of people laughing inside the house. "You have to come in to meet Ash. He's gonna come with us today, and Lucy Gray is packing a picnic! It's gonna be so fun."

"Who?" Coriolanus asks, but you're already gone, heading back up to the house. An uneasy feeling settles in his gut as he follows you, shoving his hands into his pockets as he enters the home. The kids are trying to gather things into bags, and Lucy Gray is packing some food to bring with the group out to the meadow.

You, on the other hand, are wrapped around the arm of a boy who looks like he belongs in the Capitol Zoo. "Coryo, this is Ash. We met at the Hob the other night." You explain, looking between the two of them as Coriolanus clenches his jaw.

"Nice to meet you." He says through gritted teeth, reaching out out of habit to shake the boy's hand. He's got dark hair, and somehow darker eyes. Immediately, he doesn't trust him.

"You too, man. Love the peacekeeper getup." He chuckles, shaking his hand briefly and Coryo quickly recoils to wipe his hand on his pants.

"Oh, Coryo is a peacekeeper." You explain, smiling up at Ash as he drapes an arm around your waist.

"We're in the business of trusting those monsters now?" Ash asks, somehow maintaining a lighthearted tone. Like it was a joke, like Coriolanus was nothing more than his position.

"Only a couple." You laugh, shocking Coryo completely. Not so much as a word in his defense while this district trash said such horrible things about him. He was back to not even being able to recognize you. "Coryo is my best friend. We've known each other since we were kids. Sejanus too."

Best friend... That's it?

"That makes sense then." Ash nods, and Coryo stands up taller as Ash not so subtly sizes him up.

"You know, Sejanus has been awfully chummy with Billy Taupe and his friends. Ash is one of them." You say to Coryo quietly, taking up the rear of the Covey as all of you walk out to the meadow behind the house. "Have you noticed?"

He hums in acknowledgment, thinking it over. "It is odd." He agrees. He has noticed your mutual friend sneaking away on any nights out they could spare, and just generally being more cagey than usual. And it makes more sense that his name would mean anything to your new friend.

"Have you asked him about it?"

"No." He shakes his head. "You should, though. He trusts you more."

"That's not true." You laugh. "You are his best friend, after all."

"As are you." He raises an eyebrow at you.

"Oh, please. He throws that term around too loosely." You roll your eyes playfully.

"And you don't?" He asks, obviously referring to how you called him your best friend earlier. It's working. This was evidence that referring to him that way was driving him crazy- you had him wrapped around your finger, and you loved the feeling.

"Nope." You grin, bumping him with your shoulder. "Have I told you the haircut is really working for you? Because it is."

"Thank you. It wasn't by choice." He explains, smiling at the compliment but shrugging it off.

"I figured." You laugh, reaching up to run your hand over his shaved head. "I miss your curls, though..."

"Y/N! Come here!" Ash calls from up ahead, walking backward now as he waves for you to join him.

"Coming!" You call back, immediately ditching Coryo to catch up with him.

Coryo cringes at how his boots sink into the dirt and how you let Ash yell at you like that. Like you were a dog. You'd hardly known the guy for a few days and he's already talking down to you, Coryo is appalled at your taste. You run up to Ash, immediately reaching up and sticking your hand in his unbrushed hair. If Coryo was a brunette and didn't shower ever, that's probably what his hair would look like. It made him nauseous.

The following night, after Coriolanus complained endlessly to you about the birds he had to spend most of his days trapping, you had a stroke of absolute genius. He really, really hates those birds, just as much as you can tell he already hates Ash.

As the sun is setting over the field surrounding the hanging tree, you tell Lucy Gray you're going for a walk, and off you go into the woods with only your mind to keep you company.

They'd set so many traps it was unbelievable, and a good amount had trapped some of the songbirds inside. They were beautiful creatures, timid, too, for birds who were typically so vocal. They were products of the Capitol, so that would only make sense. You were careful not to make a sound as you opened every trap you could reach. You could just hope that by the time Coryo and his group arrived in the morning, they hadn't been trapped again.

You knew this was likely considered treason, interfering with government projects, but you didn't have a whole lot to lose, and seeing the frustration on Coryo's face when he ranted about how stubborn these birds were made the risk well worth it. It wasn't the revenge you were used to doling out to people who had wronged you, but you had been working on changing, after all.

After setting free no less than twenty birds that blew your hair back out of your face as they shot out of their cages, occasionally thanking you by singing your footsteps back to you or clawing at your arms, you made your way back to the street to head back to Lucy Gray's home.

You sucked your teeth over the stinging in your skin from the small cuts and scrapes that nnow littered your forearms. You suddenly understood why Coriolanus hated the creatures. They were beautiful singers, but clearly so inconsiderate. They'd be trapped again anyways, you were just delaying the inevitable to piss off your friend. They got scratches on you, but your people would still win the war.

You lift the excess fabric of your skirt to pat the beading and drying blood off of your arms as you walk. The town was quiet, only a few people scattered around very rarely. Either homeless or drunk, minding their business as you silently made your way down the dimly lit streets toward the seam. You recognize you're almost home when you pass the Hob, through the alley where Coriolanus graced you with his subpar apology. Squinting toward that same back exit as the door creaks open, you move across the alley to hug the opposite wall as you walk, trying to mind your business.

"Yeah, okay. I'll arrange for that. Thank you, yeah. We'll work it out. I promise." Was that... Sejanus? Your theory is confirmed when the speaker steps out into the alley. It was quiet, a weeknight. If the Hob had been open, it was deadly quiet by this hour.

"Sejanus?" You call out, speaking without thinking.

The boy jumps, slamming the door behind himself and looking toward you quickly. "Y/N? What are you doing here?" You can see the panic in his eyes as you get closer, tucking your bloody and exposed arms behind your back.

"Just out for a walk. I wanted to look at the stars." You nod up to the unpolluted and clear sky to accentuate your point. The sky didn't look like this at home. "What about you?"

"Oh! Uh, same." He lies. "It sure is beautiful out tonight."

"It is." You agree, looking up at the stars for a beat while you cross your arms over your chest in the silence. "Who were you talking to?"

As he panics you try and tuck your arms back once more, the stinging of movement reminding you of why you hid them in the first place. "Just, uh, no one. Myself."

You hum in response. Sejanus made his fake story hard to believe. "Why don't you trust me?" You ask, tilting your head at him. "I feel like after all we've been through, you should trust me more."

"I do trust you." He replies quickly. "It's less about that, more about... I don't want you to get involved. It's better for you."

"Is Coriolanus involved?"

"No. No, he doesn't know anything. Same as you."

You nod slightly, looking him up and down. "Well... If you need help or you're in a tough spot, come to us, okay? There are few people you can trust out here. We have to have each other's backs."

"No, no, it's not like that." He assures you. "But okay. If I need help, I'll ask."

You smile. "Well, you better get back. Don't want to get caught out so late."

"You too, Sage."

You chuckle, giving him a quick wave as you walk back away from him.

Even in the dim lighting, he could see the marks across your arm that you tucked away with your turn, sauntering away casually in the direction of your current home on the Seam.

Coriolanus was walking a beat alongside the market almost a week later, the one his bunkmate usually took, but today he was too hungover to crawl out of bed. Coryo didn't have the stomach to watch you drool all over that district boy today, so he decided to just take the shift for his new friend instead of bothering to see you. Maybe, this would result in Beanpole owing him a favour anyway, and that was always nice to have.

It was a Thursday, so not all that busy at the market. It was mostly just mother's gathering food and supplies, which left him incredibly bored for most of the morning. He was wallowing in his self-pity when something finally drew his attention. Your laugh. He would know it anywhere. He scans the street again, posture straight as he tries to track you down, which doesn't take long.

Of course, there you are with your new friend, his arm over your shoulder as you hold his hand against your chest. God, Coriolanus hopes you don't spot him. He looks straight ahead, chewing on the inside of his cheek and wishing he could disappear. You were torturing him, the fact that you couldn't see that, or you just didn't care, was driving him insane. It was worse than if you had just stayed in the Capitol.

Now, he can't help but focus on your voice on the mostly quiet street.

"No, I know!" You giggle, looking sideways at Coriolanus who stood at the edge of the street. You're sure by now he had seen you. You didn't know he would be here, normally he wouldn't, but it makes the task of agreeing to spend time with Ash more bearable. At least it was for a reason. "I've never touched a mandolin before, how could they expect me to pick it up in one night?"

"Well, I'd sure be surprised if you could. No one learns that fast." Ash replies, pressing a kiss to the side of your head. You hate it, you want to shove him off and hit him where it hurts, but you can't. At least Coryo was here to witness it.

"True." You nod, walking with him slowly past the stalls, browsing at some of the small trinkets and goods they had. It seemed to be all random things, which was foreign to you. Back home, every store had a purpose, even after the war the Capitol held onto this sophistication. "This is so pretty!" You smile, spinning out from under his arm to get a closer look at a dress someone had made. It was shorter than your skirt, typically one that would be worn by a child in this region, but it was oversized enough that you could wear it and it would land mid-thigh.

"How much is this?" You ask the woman sitting behind the wooden table, holding up the dress that she had clearly made.

"Forty." She answers, nodding to you. "It's steep, but I put a lot of work into it. It'll last your daughter a long time."

"Oh, no." You giggle, shaking your head. "I was thinking for me." You say, lifting part of the fabric to admire the stitches.

"For you?" Ash asks, raising an eyebrow at you.

"Yes, what do you think?" You reply, holding it up in front of you. "I like the red accents. It's beautifully made."

"You'll look like a damn prostitute," Ash replies without missing a beat. "That's what I think."

You bite your lip, face going red as you look down at it draped against your body. You're not sure if it's from anger or embarrassment. You sigh, folding it up again and turning to the woman who looks shocked. "I'll take it." You smile suddenly, placing it back down while you dig out some cash from your pocket, handing her fifty. "And don't worry about making change, I just hate carrying coins around."

"Thank you, dear. You enjoy." She smiles gratefully, taking the money and tucking it away in her pocket. You nod at her, and before you even turn around with the new dress under your arm you feel a firm grip on your skin, yanking you away from the stall and into a side street.

"Hey! Let me go!" You shout, trying to peel Ash's grip from your arm where it's digging in so tight it's already flushing the areas and opening your healed scratches from the birds, smearing the drops of blood across your skin.

"No, you listen to me." He says, dropping your arm in favour of pointing a finger right in your face as you're backed up against the wall. "If you're gonna be my girl, I'm not letting you walk around like some kind of whore. Do you understand?" He says, clearly fumingly angry by now.

You laugh, rolling your eyes. "You don't scare me, you're a district-born loser with no fucking job! How dare you try and tell me what to do with my-"

You're cut off when he smacks you. You take a shaky breath, instinctively holding the side of your face where his palm made contact. You feel your confidence faltering with the heat pulsing under your skin, and with your eyes closed in this back alley, suddenly you're back home. But you're not. You're not home, and he's not your father, and here, you're free. You're gonna kill him.

You open your eyes and stand up straighter, looking him dead on as your chest heaves with anger. You shove him back, pulling your arm back in his moment of shock to take a proper swing at him as he scrambles to push you back up against the wall. In your rage, you failed to account for the fact that he was much bigger than you.

"Hey! Back off her! Now!" Coriolanus shouts, clicking the safety off his gun before Ash can lay another hit on you, gun aimed unwaveringly at the boy as he quickly walks toward the two of you.

Ash panics, and you feel this as the forearm he had pressed up against your throat, pinning you to the wall loosened its hold and you shoved him off just in time for Coryo to push his way between the two of you, the barrel of his gun now inches from Ash's nose.

He raises his hands in surrender. "Hey, we're cool. I didn't do nothin' to her."

Coriolanus is fighting every urge to just pull the trigger on the loaded weapon in his hands. For you. For this asshole hurting you, for touching you, for the crime of even looking at you, he should do it. He breathes heavily, every muscle in his jaw constricted so tightly he's sure it'll ache for weeks.

You watch over your friend's shoulder, watching the gears turning in his head. Do it, you want to tell him, but even in your anger you can see that's irrational, so you keep your mouth shut.

Coryo sighs, lowering his weapon to use it to gesture to the street. "Get out of here." He mumbles, deciding to let him go. "And never so much as look at her again, understand?" You're almost a little disappointed as Ash spits on the ground at your feet, starting to walk away when Coryo turns the gun faster than you can process and jabs the butt end of it into Ash's face. A chilling crack echoes out against the crumbling walls surrounding you and he hits the ground, unconscious with an obviously broken nose.

Coryo is panting as he turns back to you, quickly throwing the gun back over his shoulder. "Are you okay?" He asks, reaching out and holding your shoulders, hands running down your arms quickly to look over the injuries. "Did he do this to you?" He looks over the scattered cuts and scratches. He could tell they were healing, and they were inconsistent with what could be done with a blade or a man-made weapon, so he deducts quickly that you must have fallen into the wrong bush or something. Maybe when you were gardening.

You shake your head quickly, eyes locked on the boy on the ground.

"Hey, no, look at me. Are you okay?" Coryo asks again, grabbing your chin and forcing you to look at him. He nods expectantly, waiting for you to answer.

"Yes. Fine." You whisper shamefully, giving a slight nod under his gentle hold.

"C'mere..." He mutters, pulling you closer to hug him. He sighs, holding the back of your head and gently smoothing down your hair. It shocks him when you start to shake, trying to muffle your crying in the fabric of his uniform. He shouldn't have waited so long. He took his eyes off you for less than a minute to maintain his own sanity, and this is what happened.

You knew you were safe with Coryo, this was your fault for straying from that over some petty anger. He had betrayed you, sure, but he told you it was because he only wanted to help. If you had listened, none of this would have happened. You should have known he was right. At least he hadn't abandoned you, he'd even saved you. You were lucky he was even around.

"He hit me." You sniff through sobs, gripping tightly onto the back of his grey uniform. "I didn't, I don't know why, I-"

"Hey, hey, hey..." Coryo shushes you, pressing his lips to the top of your head. "I've got you. You're safe now. I'm here."

"I'm sorry..." You sniff, overtaken by the foolishness of your own decisions. For denying your feelings for him in a way that only resulted in hurting the both of you.

Coryo has to fight back a smile as he takes in the familiar scent of your hair. "Don't be." He whispers, kissing your head. "I'll always protect you."

You nod against his chest, locking yourself firmly into his grasp. Even as your blood dried and stuck to his coldly grey uniform, you found it hard to let him go.

taglist: @totallynotkaibiased , @stelleduarte , @klplynn , @secretsicanthideanymore , @bejeweledreverie , @gloryekaterina , @andrewgarfieldsbitch , @queenofspades6 , @pepperonipastas , @ladybug0095 , @lunamothwrites , @sbrewer21 , @mus-tbe-a-weasley , @splxtscreen , @unclecrunkle , @karmaswitch , @coconut-dreamz , @nekee-lilac02 , @ooooglymoooogly , @riddlerloveb0t , @lovedbalances , @notyourwildestdream , @snowlandson-top , @too-lit-for-fanfic , @utopiakys , @deafeningballoonnacho , @roosterschanelslut , @chmpgneprblem , @cosmoetik , , @urvampgfsworld , @carolanns-world @nan-nie , @shakespearseclipse , @iovemoonyy , @notyoursweetheart-honey ,  @xyzstar , @eatpizzasass, @slytherinholland , @queenofshinigamis , @elodiebeau , @soulessjourney

i've closed my taglist for coryo now!! sorry to everyone who wanted to be added, but unfortunately there was significantly more demand than i expected and i sadly just can't tag everyone. BUT! if you still want notifications when i post for this fic, please turn on my post notifs!!

[lipstick-and-libraries]

Echoes of the Heart PT. 3

𓋜 Pairing: Minho (XO, Kitty) x fem! Reader

𓋜 Series: The Roommate Exchange

𓋜 Summary: A planned gala, Kitty's plans, managing your writing, and between all of that, the lingering feeling between you and Minho

𓋜 Notes: Thank you for waiting so patiently!! I have a lot going on rn but still want to give you your well deserved chapter, this might feel like a lot of progress in one, but I need the foundation for whats about to come ;)

Hope you have fun <3

Taglist <33: @finnbbl @literallysza @knivesdoingcartwheels @teaandbacon @dragonwitchy @alexandralibbre @formula1mount @strayk1ds143 @uhsophiesblog @iweirdthingsblog @random-human02 @elizabethgracie @verycoolmiyah @navs-bhat

The news broke over the school announcements during lunch. Students at KISS paused mid-bite as Headmaster Lim’s voice echoed through the speakers.

“Attention students: This year’s highly anticipated Creative Showcase will be held next Friday evening, sponsored by none other than world-renowned entertainment executive Mr. Kim Minho. Students are encouraged to participate in this event to share their talents and creativity. We look forward to seeing the incredible work our student body has to offer.”

Kitty perked up immediately, clapping her hands together. “Oh, this is perfect!” she exclaimed, looking at (Y/N), who sat across from her in the cafeteria.

(Y/N) raised an eyebrow. “Perfect for what?”

“For you! You should totally sign up and read one of your poems or stories,” Kitty said.

“I don’t know…” (Y/N) said, hesitating. “Sharing my writing in front of a bunch of people sounds terrifying.”

“Oh, come on,” Kitty pressed. “It’s an amazing opportunity! Plus, you’ve been writing non-stop lately. This could be your moment!”

As Kitty continued to gush, Minho appeared, sliding into the seat beside (Y/N) with his usual air of nonchalance. “What’s she dragging you into now?”

“The showcase,” Kitty said before (Y/N) could reply. “She’s going to read one of her pieces.”

She thinks for a minute, looking Minho up and down before grinning

“What about you?” Kitty asked, turning her attention to Minho. “You should play something on the piano. You do still play, right?”

Minho stiffened, his usual smug expression faltering for a moment. “Not a chance.”

“Why not?” (Y/N) asked, genuinely curious.

“Because,” Minho said, leaning back in his chair, “it’s not my thing anymore.”

Kitty scoffed. “Your thing? Please. You were amazing at the gala last year. Everyone knows it.”

Minho rolled his eyes, clearly uncomfortable. “I’m not signing up. End of discussion.”

Later that evening, back in his dorm with Q and Dae, Minho couldn’t get the conversation out of his head.

“You’ve been quiet,” Q said, glancing up from his desk. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Minho said, scrolling aimlessly on his phone.

Dae smirked. “Let me guess—something to do with (Y/N)?”

Minho shot him a glare. “No.”

Q snickered. “You’re a terrible liar.”

Minho sighed, tossing his phone onto the bed. “Fine. She’s signing up for that stupid showcase, and Kitty’s trying to drag me into it too.”

“And you’re not interested because…?” Q prompted.

“Because it’s pointless,” Minho said. “I don’t need to show off to a bunch of random people.”

“Or maybe,” Dae said, grinning, “you’re scared.”

“I’m not scared,” Minho snapped.

“Then prove it,” Q said.

The next day, Minho found himself lingering outside Kitty and (Y/N)’s dorm. He didn’t know why he was there, but when (Y/N) opened the door and raised an eyebrow at him, he panicked.

“Hey,” he said quickly. “You got a minute?”

(Y/N) stepped aside to let him in. “What’s up?”

Minho hesitated, glancing around the room. Kitty was nowhere in sight. “I heard you’re signing up for the showcase,” he said finally.

“Yeah,” (Y/N) said, her tone cautious. “Why?”

“I was thinking,” Minho said, struggling to keep his voice casual, “if you’re doing it, maybe I could…you know, help you out.”

(Y/N) stared at him, clearly suspicious. “Help me how?”

“Like, give you feedback or something,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I’m pretty good at knowing what works.”

“You want to critique my writing?” (Y/N) said, crossing her arms.

“No,” Minho said quickly. “I just thought—” He broke off, unsure how to explain himself.

(Y/N) tilted her head, studying him. “Why do you care so much?”

“I don’t,” Minho said, a little too fast. “I just…thought it might be cool to work together.”

Something in his tone made (Y/N) pause. She softened slightly. “Okay,” she said. “But only if you sign up too.”

Minho blinked. “What?”

“You heard me,” (Y/N) said, smirking now. “If you want to ‘help,’ you have to perform something too. Deal?”

Minho hesitated, his pride warring with the strange pull he felt toward her. Finally, he sighed. “I'll think about it, but it's not very likely”

The next week passed in a whirlwind of preparation. Minho spent his evenings practicing piano in secret, while (Y/N) worked on editing her piece. They met up occasionally to exchange updates, though their interactions were often filled with teasing and tension.

One evening, after a particularly long session, Minho walked (Y/N) back to her dorm. The rain had started again, a soft drizzle that clung to the air.

“Why did you really sign up?” (Y/N) asked suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.

Minho glanced at her, startled. “What do you mean?”

“You didn’t want to do it at first, said you wouldnt, and then still decided to do it even though you didnt have to” she said. “What changed?”

Minho hesitated, his usual confidence faltering. “I guess…you did.”

(Y/N) stopped walking, turning to face him. “What?”

“I mean, I saw how passionate you were about it,” Minho said quickly, avoiding her gaze. “It made me think…maybe it’s worth a shot.”

The vulnerability in his voice caught her off guard. For a moment, neither of them said anything. The rain continued to fall, soft and steady.

“You’re full of surprises, Minho,” (Y/N) said finally, her voice quiet but sincere.

“So are you,” he replied, meeting her eyes.

They both subconsiously leaned in, not completely, but close enough so they could feel the others stuttering breath on their face

(Y/N) wanting to glance up to take in the situation as a whole, even though she was afraid, looked up, to find Minho already beating her to it

The intensity of his gaze made (Y/N)’s breath catch. She looked away, her heart pounding, and started walking again. Minho followed, the moment lingering between them like an unspoken promise.

Back in his dorm that night, Minho opened his phone to the anonymous blog. He typed a new post, his fingers trembling slightly.

“Is it possible to be drawn to someone because they make you feel something you’ve never felt before? To see them, and suddenly feel like you want to be more?”

He stared at the words for a long moment before hitting send.

And someone, somewhere, would stumble across it the next morning—and wonder who had written it.

Part 4

[septemberpale]

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Rafe Cameron. A Series, Part One.

An ambitious advice columnist tries pushing the boundaries of her craft with a career defining experiment, leading her to cross paths with an equally cunning advertising executive. The lines between professional challenge and personal desire blur in a high stakes game of cat and mouse, where their unexpected chemistry threatens to derail everything they've meticulously planned . . .

STATUS, ONGOING !

NAV. Part One. Part Two. Part Three.

One, The Pitch.

Heels click-clacking against the pavement, you weave through the congested streets filled with other people making their morning commutes. Your favorite handbag slung over your left shoulder and a rough draft of an article on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict tucked beneath your right arm.

You were absolutely exhausted from working all night on the article, hoping it will be good enough for the upcoming issue of Composure, the weekly magazine you write for.

As you step into the bustling office, you can’t help but relax just a tad at the familiarity of it all. The scent of fresh coffee, the sound of ringing phones and clattering keyboards creating a familiar yet welcome chaos.

JJ’s shadow falls across your desk, that insufferable grin of his spreading before he even speaks.

“Rough night?” He hands you a steaming cup of coffee⎯ one cream, one sugar⎯ just how you like it, a peace offering disguised as mockery.

You don’t look up, fingers frantically typing as you refine the ramblings of yesterday’s writing session. “Define ‘rough’.”

“Bloodshot eyes, takeout coffee cups scattered about, and an article that looks like it’s been through a war zone?” He leans against your cubicle, deliberately invading your personal space.

You let out a sharp exhale that borders on laughter. “Cute. Are you here to critique my work or waste my time?”

“Oh, I’m definitely here to waste your time,” JJ drawls, reaching for the draft you made last night.

You snatch the paper back reflexively. “Touch my work again, and I’ll use your sports column as a coaster.”

A smirk plays across his lips. “Let me guess⎯another heavy-hitting piece on international conflict?”

You roll your eyes. “Not everyone writes about grown men in short shorts chasing balls around a field.”

“Touché,” He drums his fingers against your desk in a rhythm designed to irritate you.

“Mind if I take a look?” JJ asks, his tone a blend of challenge and genuine interest.

You come to a halt, fingers frozen mid-keystroke. “Absolutely not.”

“Come on,” he whines, that familiar challenge threading through his voice, “I might actually have some useful feedback.”

You hesitate, weighing his offer. JJ, despite his annoying qualities, was undeniably good at his job. And you are bone-tired.

“Fine,” you concede, sliding your laptop over to him. “But any funny business, and you’re dead, Maybank.”

JJ lifts his hands in mock surrender.

After a moment of concentrated reading, he looks up. “It's brilliant stuff. Really moving.” His tone is unexpectedly serious. “But it’ll never make it into Composure.”

Reality comes crashing down. You sigh, the sound laced with frustration. “God, I busted my ass in grad school just to be reduced to churning out vapid clickbait. I want to write about things that matter⎯like the environment and foreign affairs; I want to make a difference.”

JJ’s expression softens. “Keep busting your ass, angel. You're gonna get there.”

“I know,” you reply. “It’s just. . . frustrating.”

“Has Pope come in yet?” you ask, trying to change the subject.

“Don’t mention other men in my presence,” JJ chides, retreating to his cubicle across from yours. “And no, he hasn’t. Probably moping around his apartment waiting for his date to call him back.”

You grab your bag and make a beeline for the door. “Where are you going?” JJ calls.

“To drag Pope’s sorry ass back to work.” You throw your bag over your shoulder. “Can’t have him losing his job before our staff meeting in thirty minutes.”

“I’ll cover for you guys as long as I can.” JJ offers.

“You're the best, J!” You flash him a grateful smile as you push open the doors.

“I knew you loved me,” he yells out.

You flip him the bird as you disappear into the bustling street.

At Pope’s apartment, you knock on the door. “Morning, sunshine. Time to get up.”

You make your way inside, taking in the mess of clothes and empty ice cream tubs strewn about. Tears threaten to spill from Pope’s eyes.

“I think I’m just gonna go back to bed,” he replies.

“No! Get up! I’m not gonna let you lose your job on top of everything else. Our meeting is in less than half an hour.”

He sniffles, wiping his salty tears with the back of his hand.

“Pope, seriously? You guys dated for a week.” Your tone entangled with compassion and frustration.

“It was the best week of my life,” he responds, eyes distant as they glaze over.

You grab a pillow from his bed and smack him upside the head with it. “Snap out of it.” you say firmly. “She’s not worth it man. I love you, but this has gone on way too long. You can’t live like this.” You toss a pair of slacks and a polo at him. “We’ve got a meeting in twenty.”

You catch a cab back to work, hoping not to miss the meeting. JJ greets you two with coffees⎯one for each of you.

“I don’t really wanna talk about it” Pope mutters, his resolve crumbling.

You and JJ give each other a knowing look; the dam is about to break.

“Why does this always happen to me?”

Bingo.

“Maybe because you fall harder than a skydiver without a parachute?” JJ chastises, trying to lighten the mood as the three of you hurry down the hallway.

Pope shoots him a glare. “Not helping, man.”

“Look,” you interject, “relationships are complicated. It's not your fault things didn’t work out.”

Pope sighs, running his fingers through his coarse curls. “Easy for you to say. You could set fire to someone’s car and they’d thank you for the warmth.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You arch an eyebrow.

“It means you’ve got this… I don't know. . . charm. People can't help but gravitate towards you. Me? I’m like human repellent.”

JJ snorts. “More like a walking romantic disaster. Remember that one girl who stalked you because her psychic told her you were soulmates?”

“Oh, god. Pope groans; a reluctant smile toys at his lips, cracking through his misery. “Don't remind me.”

As you approach the conference room, the office buzz grows louder. Pope takes a deep breath and squares his shoulders.

“Ready to face the firing squad?” JJ quips as he reaches for the door handle.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Pope retorts; his earlier melancholy gives way to determination. “After you.”

“Coward,” JJ banters, grinning.

“Strategic retreater,” Pope corrects lightly.

You shake your head. “Are you two done?”

You slip past your colleagues into the room; the sharp sound of your boss clearing his throat, slices through the ambience like a hot knife through butter⎯signaling the start of the meeting.

“Alright! Who’s going to go first?" he asks.

John B immediately launches into a rehearsed speech about his contribution for this week. ���I’ve started writing about the Royal Merchant.” Everyone turns to look at him. “It’s a legendary shipwreck that sank in the 17th century; there’s been a lot of buzz about it online recently so it might make for a good story.”

He hands your boss his draft: “Excellent! Get to it then.”

“Yes, sir.” John B quickly grabs his belongings and rushes out of the room.

Piercing eyes scan the room as your boss settles on you despite all the willing you’ve done in the back of your head.

“What’s next for the advice column?” He leans forward.

You lick your lips in hesitation, staring at the draft sitting on your lap. “Well. . . I’ve been working on something that’s . . . kinda different.”

Displeasure paints his face at your words but he allows you to continue.

“It’s a political piece⎯”

“No!” He immediately cuts you off. “You were hired to write an advice column; I’ve got plenty of guys who can write politics! Leave the real work to the big boys!”

“But if you’d just listen⎯”

“Look!” He cuts you off again. “I’m the editor of this paper! Whatever I say goes! Stick to what you’re good at: makeup, social trends, and fashion. We’ve got the rest! Understood?”

“Yeah.” You deflate and look back down at your draft.

“Glad we’re on the same page.” He snaps; eyes locking onto Pope’s face. “Heyward! What have you got for me?”

“Sorry. . . I wasn’t feeling very well this week⎯”

“He got dumped.” JJ corrects; your boss’s face quickly switches from displeasure to feigned concern.

“Oh man! Pope!” He leans forward taking hold of Pope’s hand, sympathy dripping with every word he speaks. “What a hellish ordeal for you.”

Pope begins to sniffle for added effect. “Yeah. . . so I haven’t really had much time to write.”

Your boss perks up:  “So write about the split.”

“What? I can’t use my personal life for a story!” Pope gasps in indignation.

Your boss smiles apologetically. “I understand completely.” He turns to face the rest of the room. “Who will use Pope’s personal life for a story?”

Multiple hands shoot up much to Pope’s dismay. . . “Sir! With all do respect none of them have any business mucking around in my private life! I refuse ⎯”

“I’ll do it,” You suddenly exclaim; all eyes turn toward you.

“What?” Pope looks at you mortified.

“I.. I’ll sort of do it.” You correct yourself quickly. “You will be my inspiration.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Your boss’s eyes narrow in on you once again for what feels like the thousandth time today.

“Yeah,” You swallow hard, hands waving in Pope’s vicinity. “Look at Pope! He’s a great guy right? An amazing guy even! But. . . he has a problem hanging onto relationships and doesn’t really know what he’s doing wrong⎯like many of our readers for the advice column.”

An idea comes rushing to you as you try to prevent Pope's personal life from becoming front cover news in the next edition. “So. . . I was thinking that I could start dating a guy and drive him away. But, only using the classic  mistakes that most people like Pope make all the time. I’ll keep a journal of it; it’ll be sort of like a ‘How To’ but in reverse!”

Your boss blinks at you for another moment before flashing you a toothy smile. “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days! Yes! Go!” He exclaims, shooing you out of the room excitedly.

“Thank you,” Pope mouths silently as you leave.

When the meeting concludes, you’re waiting outside for JJ and Pope, trying to process the mess you’ve just gotten yourself into. You three hurriedly walk away from the conference room, footsteps echoing against the sterile office floor, a feeble attempt to escape your boss who manages to make conversation with your colleagues as you head to the break room for more coffee. Midstride, you’re halted by a women⎯ blonde hair and olive green dress cutting a sharp silhouette at the entrance of Composure.

“Oh here comes my 10 o’clock!” Your boss smiles brightly.

“It’s good to see you!” The woman greets, pressing a kiss to your boss's cheek.

“Gentlemen and lady meet Sarah Cameron from Kook Advertising⎯we’re gonna cook up some tie-ins for the fall!” He adds in greeting, introducing each of you.

When he stops beside you Sarah’s face lights up with recognition. “I’ve seen your column! What are you working on now?

You clear your throat ready to answer her question but are cut off by your boss. “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days! She’s going to start dating a guy and then drive him away. Isn’t it brilliant?” He stiffles laughter.

Sarah’s eyes glint mischievously in your direction. “Sounds needlessly vicious! Who’s the lucky guy?”

“I haven't found him yet,” You answer, hands sweeping through your hair, an attempt at calming your nerves.

“Well off ya go!” Your boss shoes impatiently. “That column isn't going to write itself!”

“Nice meeting you.” You wave goodbye to Sarah before continuing toward the break room, with JJ and Pope in tow.

“So all we need to do is find the guy. . .” Pope adds trying to still your nerves.

“Easier said than done.”

NOTES. on a scale from 1-10 how obvious is it that i've never seen obx before? i just love drew and all his other work and wanted to write a fic for one of his characters, we'll see where this goes . . .

[shadowsndaisies]

I was re-reading the series bcs duh, why not? And I love that NG has so different dynamics with each member of the Team and I love that with Roy is just younger-sister-sassy.lvl_3000

LIKE- she turn even more cheeky and stubborn with him, annoying him on purpose and getting in his nerves LMAO THAT'S EXATCLY LIKE SIBLINGS ARE

here a dialogue that I had with my siblings that remembered me of Roy and NG

Roy: get out of my room (lying down on his bed scrolling through his phone)

NG: (stading right there on his room door) I'm not on your room

Roy: yes you are, get out!

NG: I'm not!! I'm not stepping inside of your room! (points down where her feet's are behind the line of Roy's door line)

Roy: Get out!! OR I'MMA THROW OUT YOU JACKET (gets up)

NG: YOU WOULDN'T-

Roy: (bolt out of his bed)

NG: (running down the hallway)

so ive been sitting on this one bc it inspired a lil blurb. enjoy some sibling roy and birdy content after their angst from the season finale!!

synopsis: sibling bonding time!! aka the holidays right after ollie takes in roy...

wc: 1.2k

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You were bored.

It’s winter break, 2004. Christmas is days away but you were so incredibly bored.

This year you were celebrating in a cozy little cottage some ways outside the city that Oliver’s family owned. Ollie himself had been pulled away for some sort of League thing, and so at the moment it was just you, Dinah, and Roy. Dinah had been on some call for the last hour and a half in a little home office. So really, it was just you and Roy.

You like Roy. Everyday he's becoming more and more like the older brother you never had. Dinah seems to really like him too, so it bodes well for your little family. Ollie had only taken him in about six months ago, and there was still some space for adjustment as you settled into being a newly minted family of four. Not that Roy seemed to realize that this was a family… he’d catch on soon enough.

But that's okay. It took you a while to put it together, you could give him some grace to do the same, even though he's older than you were then, and older than you in general.

Nonetheless, be it the boredom, or because Roy was still this new thing, you found yourself in his doorway.

He was just laying there, book in hand. Maybe he's bored too? you consider as you stare. If he's reading the tactic books that Ollie had given him, he had to be, right?

“What do you want (y/n)?” he sighs out, without looking when you stood in silence too long.

“Whatcha doing?”

“Stuff,” is his one word answer and you crinkle your nose in response.

“Come play with me,” you offer instead.

“Nope, doing stuff,” he repeats.

This time your brows shift down, and you step closer.

“Stop,” he groans, finally turning to look at you. “I'm not interested, and I’m doing stuff, so just.. I don't know? Go away?”

You're fully frowning now.

Teenagers suck, you decide.

And then your face relaxes. If Roy wanted to be a sucky teenager meanie pants, then he would be treated like a sucky teenager meanie pants.

“No.”

Roy stops mid page turn and slowly turns his head to look at you. Blue eyes narrowing slightly. “No?”

“No,” you cross your arms and confirm.

“(y/n), get out of my room!” he huffs.

You know he's starting to loose his patience with you. He's already tossed his book to the side to glare at you with full focus, he didn’t even mark his page, you note, scrunching your nose.

Your brows furrow in response before you glance down at your feet. You can see the thin little line that marks the threshold of the room and hallway.

smirking you look back at roy and state, “im not in your room,” as matter of factly as you can manage.

You don't laugh when his eye twitches, but you do take great smug solace in it.

“Yes, you are! Get out!” he shouts again.

“No, I’m not,” you repeat with the same tone. “I haven't stepped into your room at all… yet,” you challenge, pointing to the threshold of the door, and how your feet were planted firmly in the hall still.

“Get out, or I'm donating your leather jacket to a Goodwill,” he challenges, standing up.

That gives you pause, because no fair, you loved your jacket. Dinah and Ollie got it for you.

You hesitate in the door, and he steps forward.

“You wouldn't,” you counter, brows knitted as you study his body language.

Honestly that’s probably the only reason you managed to move as quick as you did.

Studying him for a lie meant you saw how he tensed up, pushing his weight to his back leg before he pounced, arms open and trying to grab you.

Well, and Dinah, consider she's the one who taught you how to read people.

You did notice though and were already booking it back down the hallway before he’d even caught his footing.

“BIRDY!” he shouts, and you can hear him running after you.

You're about to turn to your room, ready to shut the door and throw the lock when you realize your jacket is hanging over the back of one of the chairs in the kitchen. You turn quickly, sprinting through the home.

When you risk a glance back to see Roy gaining, stupid longer legs you think menacingly to yourself.

“DINAH!” you shout, hoping she might hear you.

“NO DINAH!” Roy counters.

You plant one leg on the couch vaulting yourself over before skidding to a stop next to your jacket.

Roy stands across from you. The two of you separated by a couch.

“You shoulda just left me alone Birdy!” he spits out, but you're both panting hard.

“I was bored!”

“How about now?” he challenges. “Still bored?”

You're hugging your jacket to you as you frown, but are saved from retorting when the door swings open, revealing Oliver. He's a bit bruised and battered, and he's got his bag with all his GA gear slung over a shoulder, but he's back.

Neither you nor Roy moves, and it takes less than two seconds for Oliver to read you both and let out a sigh.

“What was it this time?”

“She’s annoying!” Roy starts and you stick your tongue out at him.

“At least I'm not a sucky teenager meanie pants,” you counter, and Ollie’s eyes blow wide.

“Wow, breaking out not only sucky but also a meanie pants, gosh squirt what’d he do?”

“He was mean! for no reason!”

“No reason? She’s literally annoying me for no reason!” Roy counters.

“We're really feeling that holiday spirit huh?” ollie offers in response, finally walking all the way in, and shutting the door behind him.

“So funny,” you scoff.

“Yeah, what a crack up,” Roy snarks.

Ollie takes the opportunity to beam with a little too much pride at you both.

“See, you guys do agree on stuff,” he decides. “I’m great at this conflict management stuff,” he smirks, “I honestly don't understand what Dinah was going on and on about,” he adds, though his tone drops a bit quieter as he says the last sentence.

You make eye contact with Roy behind Ollie’s head and you see as he rolls his eyes and the expression he shoots at you clearly asks, *can you believe this guy?*

You hold back a snort as you quirk a brow in response. Roy seems to pick up on what you were trying to share because slowly you place your jacket back on the chair and then in the next second you both are lunging at Oliver. Ollie, despite how well trained he is was unprepared and lopped over the back off the couch, practically somersaulting over the sofa until he was on the ground. It's quiet for a second and then both you and Roy are laughing. He's holding the edge of the couch and there are tears in your eyes.

“Yes,” he states dryly, slowly pushing himself back to his feet, “bond by bullying your injured mentor…”

The look on his face simply had you both laughing harder.

...

everything tags: @butterfly-skinnylegend

dc taglist: @batarella @loninctzencarat @escapenightmare @uh-oh-howd-i-get-here

cnng taglist: @babymango-writes @smile-more19 @bruiscdlikeviolets @truly-dionysus @farfromjustordinary @sometimeseverythingsucks @dweeb-central @lucy-roo @casedoina @cipheress-to-k-pop @anonomano @seninjakitey @whelmedparker @officiallydarkgeek @midnxghtblue @unini @blackwhiteandshadesofgradient @dontmesswithbeebo @raggedyoldwitch @bouqet-of-gay @duckmylife18 @kendallambrosio @notslaybabes @torchbearerkyle @cynthiarose07 @mono--moonchild @emo-space-tea @notsostraightweeb @sassyspanishartist @ahyeonah @acceber1313 @onepieceformeplease @whatislifeandhowdoidoit @luvelyxp @lovelyartemisa @evermoore580 @mischiefmanaged71 @cryingnotcrying @aces-tattooartist @we-flower-fan @awkward-youtube-trash @laurcad123 @sanovr @feverish-dove @lolsnacks

[wyked-original-writing]

The pirate king of Death's Redemption

summary:

Pirate king Daimhín Heorot: antagonizes the Royal's of Tarak by going after their vessel's. Usually leaving the cargo vessels alone as they had minimum defense and usually didn't have the good cargo. Until he crossed paths with Oisìn Mallory then things slowly change.

Tarak fleet captain Oisìn Mallory: has a past he is haunted by and a distrust for royalty. Has to accept aid from a pirate and to make it worse it's not any pirate but one of the pirate kings.

secrets revealed, royals exposed and something dark stirring in the shadows. Will they survive the manipulations of a seer with good intentions or will their enemies get them first?

series summary: the gods of old are still interfering in the world. One is trapped within the shadow realms will he be set free or will he die? The fae royalty are not quite what they seem. Will the pirates find out about their cursed god and change the world or will it burn to ashes? Will others meddling cause it to unfold and will it be revealed of that is the case?

Dedication

I would also like to add a special thank you to @gioiaalbanoart , @the-golden-comet and @tragedycoded for helping me stay motivated to write this story. Also a very special thank you Gioia and @illarian-rambling for beta reading and helping me to see where potential problems were. 🫂

@lillybaaaka , @evilwriter-originals , @adhdprincess and @theneverwriter , who were some of my first fanfiction writing friends…who have taught me a lot. Without their advice back then, I probably wouldn't have continued fanfiction which led to the confidence to write my own series…that I had been thinking about on and off for years, along with Gioia and Goldie who left lots of kind comments along the way. Y'all were patient with my rambling about any story and that means a lot to me

A thank you to my friends Nav/ @thecomfywriter and my favorite Juno ghost/ @inseasofgreen for making me see Amon in a new light and for listening to my rambling about my wip.

To Jev U'risk and all the others who I have not known the longest but were also along for the last few chapters and the editing process. Thank you and I hope to see the friendship forged grow as time goes on.

A special thanks to @jev-urisk who came up with the name of a chapter. (I'm very not fluent in fish)

Without all of them, this project probably wouldn't have ever seen the light of day let alone anyone's eyes.

So I would like to give a huge Thank you to all who have played a part in this for helping me along the way and being the best friends a person could ask for. Y'all have helped more than I can ever say so I will thank you again. Thank you for everything.

Now I also would like to thank you, the reader, for giving my story a chance. I hope it speaks to you on some level and you enjoy it.

Warnings and disclaimers, tags and general information.

While fanworks are highly encouraged and appreciated if it motivates you, please do not repost, resell, or otherwise plagiarize this book.

Rating: explicit/graphic

Tags:pirates, fae, found family, violence, betrayal, secrets, gore, dark fantasy, LGBTQ themes, slavery, mentioned human sacrifice,Psychological horror,bl,corrupt royals, drama, gods, smut,lore, Death/murder. Kinda enemies to lovers

Warnings:

Torture,Violence, Death, past sexual assault, flash backs, nightmares and panic attacks,PTSD, implied past suicide (not main pairing) , major character deaths (not main pairing) one kinda wacky suicidal character in later chapters.

Warning: There will be increasing darkness levels as the series goes on. The next book gets into the political aspects of the kingdoms and pirate culture and the third gets into the assassins and religious aspects of the world

Character warning: Kia, Luke and Cutthroat are their own trigger warnings.

Cast reference guide

Animals:

Fù the bantam phoenix rooster.

Lord Mew the Norwegian forest cat.

Tarak Fleet personnel:

Oisìn Mallory, age 21, captain of a fleet cargo vessel.

Malleren O'mal , known as Mal, age 24, surgeon and healer on Oisìn's ship. Oisìn & Taz's best friend.

Tazzrin Lynn, known as Taz, age 25 , second in command of Oisìn's ship. Mal & Oisìn's best friend.

Rob, age 28, third in command aboard Oisìn's ship, placed by the Queen.

Oscar Xerex Winslow, known as Oscar, age 19, extra hand on Oisìn's ship.

Luke Emós, known as General Luke, age 37, General of the fleet, high ranking.

Armando Harnez, age 40, second in command of a tarak military fleet ship. Promoted to captain

Pirate:

Daimhín Heorot, age 25, is pirate king of the bioluminescence sea and the captain of the ship.

Galen Æm Age 37, Is the quartermaster of the ship and the second in command of the Redemption crew.

Adoh Stone is the ship's blacksmith and a father figure to Daimhín.

Silent Jack, age 28, ship psychiatrist, extra ship hand, sharp shooter, trusted. He is married to Kenny.

Kenny Silvain, age 32, extra ship hand and one of the better fighters. Will talk your ear off and is happily married to Silent Jack

Morana Blank, age 24, ship's shaman and resident cryptic...

Amon Rùn, age 18-19, cast out prince of the spirit fae, and resident seer of the ship. He is a troublemaker.

Coinín Mallory, age 18 , master carpenter on the ship. Dating Heather

Heather, age 20, cook and healer of the ship. Dating Coinín

Hill, age 22 , earth fae that can repair the ship and is the secondary pilot of the ship.

Eric, age 20 , master of the sails.

Argus, age 35, captain of a ship but previously master guns-men on Daimhín's ship before promotion.

Issac, captain of a ship in Daimhín's command.

Ericson, captain of a ship in Daimhín's command.

Ken, extra hand

Gregg, extra hand

Royals:

Queen Kia and King Emmanuel of Tarak.

Children:

Prince William Tarak, age 27.

Prince Charles Tarak, age 25

Prince Jade Abom Tarak, age 23.

Prince Emmet Tarak, age 21.

Princess Annalise Tarak 20.

§§§

Queen Rhiannon Rùn and King Sayid Tear of the fae, spirit fae in origin but the high Queen and King of the fae overall.

Children:

Amon Rùn, age 18-19, cast out.

Rhea Tear-Rùn age 13, Next in line for the throne.

§§§

Queen Coral of the merfolk, age 157, current Queen of the Merfolk, has a deal with the pirates.

Children: Anne, age 57 , Next in line for the throne.

Pirate King Cutthroat, age 37, king of the Deadmans sea.

Pirate Queen Eris, age 32 , Queen of the Xylem sea.

Gods:

Kieran, god of pirates,swords, shadows and fire. His siblings are Nimue and Nereza.

Nimue, goddess of lakes, rivers, balance and swords. Married to Davy. Siblings are Kieran and Nereza.

Davy, enforcer of Nimue and a pirate in retirement? Married to Nimue and is one of the thirteen with a sword.

Nereza, goddess of beauty turned corrupted.

Death, god of life and death made the fae without power and the other gods granted portions of them powers. Married to Nyx, father of Nimue and Kieran. Adopted father of nereza

Nyx, goddess of darkness and of the north wind. Married to Death, children Nimue and Kieran, Nereza through adoption.

Solace, age unknown, the first spirit and help others to crossover to reincarnation.

Enky, goes by multiple names..He sprang from a void and has a connection to it. The first of the gods.

Can also be found on ao3 here and a sans comic print google document here.

If A chapter has a red flag by it then it has some more specific warnings attached *I'm not perfect at it so I may have missed some that should be flagged* if it has a pepper then it's smut and skippable.

Hopefully working now links below

tag list @thatuselesshuman @gioiaalbanoart @lychhiker-writes @thecomfywriter @evilwriter37

@saebasanart @the-golden-comet @mauannacreates @kind-lion @alinacapellabooks @kuebiko-writing

@kaeru483 @theink-stainedfolk @unstableunicornsofasgard @mysticstarlightduck @demon-sneeze

@fromthenortheast @smellyrottentrees @honeybewrites @the-letterbox-archives @illarian-rambling @paeliae-occasionally

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40🌶️, 40.5, 41, 41.5, 42, 43🚩, 43.5, 44, 44.5🚩, 45🚩, 46, 47🌶️, 48, 49, 50, 51🌶️, 52

[pvrkacciosan]

Starfall Ranch: Wear the Hat, Ride the Cowboy.

Summary: After moving to Velaris county, Nesta and her sister are new to the countryside life, Trying for a change of pace, they unexpectable meet three brothers where Nesta discovers the priority rule, Wear the hat, Ride the cowboy.

Pairing: Bull Rider!Cassian X City Girl Dancer!Nesta Archeron

Word Count: 4.4k

Warnings: This displays the side of Nesta that is sort of resentful, but it leads to the story, (later on, when I post more), Swearing!

A.N: I have started reading the Chestnut Springs series by Elsie Silver, and I couldn't not obsess with how Cassian gives off cocky bull rider vibes. This is the product.

The soft snores emitting beside her drew Nesta's attention, gazing sidelong at the curled body of her sister in the passenger seat of her car, she couldn't ignore the twist of a knife in her chest. Elain had insisted on the blanket that draped her lap, bundled there due to Nesta's car being 'too cold'. For the extent of their journey Nesta liked to have the windows down.

A journey which had her driving for over the past few hours. A change of pace. It's what Elain needed after her extremely bad breakup Elain had become distant, a shell of herself and the busy bustle of the city wasn't doing her gentle soul any favours.

So here they were, driving out to meet with their youngest sister, Feyre. She had moved out from the city, more than a couple months ago, met some guys and now lived with him on his ranch.

The Ranch, which Nesta was currently struggling to find. With their belongings packed into the small backseat of her car, she had the sat-nav playing softly near the drafts of the aircon.

But the weak signal was making their location jump across the cracked screen.

She didn't want to stir Elain awake, not when her sisters eyes were worn red and shadows dulled the undersides of them. Seeing the asshole break her sister heart had stirred something with Nesta, something she had been content to drown and ignore for the years following their parents deaths', but the distraught aura cloaking her sister had brought everything to the surface, the ugly side of her that now reared its head.

When Feyre had called a week ago, to check on their sister, Nesta hadn't shied from the idea of Elain taking a break from the city, to retreat to...

Nesta scowled at the sat nav on her phones, squinting at the name of the Ranch typed into the top search bar,

Starfall Ranch should be the next turn. But as the phone froze and rejogged their current location the map moved. Leaving her off scale for what felt like the hundredth time.

Groaning in frustration Nesta jerked the steering wheel and clamped her foot down on the break. Taking the car off the side of the dirt road.

Elain shifted, the blanket falling from her lap as Nesta ripped the phone from where it had sat in the stand.

"What's the matter?" Elain asked softly, reaching for the blanket that had fallen into the footwell,

"This is why the city is best, no lagging signal there." She typed quickly at the phone, searching for Feyre's contact, Pulling it up she clicked on the icon, a picture of her sister on a hillside, the sunsetting behind her and a man Nesta could only assume was this Rhysand.

"Hey" Feyre called through the phone as Nesta clicked her onto speaker, Elain sitting up at the sound of their sister sweet voice,

"We're lost." Admitting it had something sour sitting itself in Nesta's gut, to admit defeat and ask for help was never something she found easy, had prised herself on the dance floor for working through shit on her own. She knew it sounded horrible for Feyre, who was putting them up in her new home. Nesta didn't mean for the bite in her tone, but the whole situation was making her skin crawl with unease.

"Well..." Feyre paused as something clunked behind her in the background of the speakers feed, "Where are you?"

Nesta tried to bit her lip in frustration to keep herself from launching the phone out the open window beside her, "I don't know Feyre, some sort of field. Everything looks the same"

She glanced around the car, spotting a sign, a sun carved into the warped wooden boards with spikes of sun beams sprouting out in every direction from the circle.

"There is a sign with a sun symbol on it."

There is a clatter from the line and Feyre paused, to think, "Oh yes! That's a nearby Ranch, I'll come meet you. Give me a couple minutes." Nesta was about to protest, to ask her sister to simply direct her but Feyre had already hung up. The call ending with a single beep that filled the now silent vehicle.

Dropping the phone into her laps, Nesta sighed, falling into silence beside Elain who had snuggled back under the blanket.

They waited for a couple minutes before a burgundy red truck caught Nesta's attention in the rear view mirror, the gaps between their bags obscuring the view of the truck as it got closer.

The plume of dust swirled around her small white car as the truck pulled to a stop beside her. Feyre beamed out the passenger side, swinging the door wide.

She jumped down and came around the nose of the truck, Elain sprung out from the car beside Nesta, running to meet Feyre. They collided into an embrace at the front of Nesta car.

Sighing to herself for strength, Nesta opened the door, climbing out to watch them leave the hug, Elain was grinning happily, a fact that drew a weak smile on Nesta' expression.

The drivers door of the truck slammed, the smile melting from Nesta as a red headed male wandered around, his long hair pulled back into a hair tie, a tan brown cowboy hat rested on his head, he had leaned against the front of his truck watching Elain and Feyre.

He acknowledged Nesta with a stiff nod when he caught her gaze studying him with a narrowed gaze. She hadn't missed the way his attention had snagged and lingered on Elain. She knew from overhearing Feyre's conversations with Elain over the phone in previous months, this wasn't Rhysand. This male was slimmer, paler and had fiery red hair.

"It's so good to see you." Feyre pulled away, keeping her hand on Elain's arm,

To see her younger sister now, Nesta couldn't deny how being here had done her well. Feyre had never been one for the busy rat race of city life. The exposure to country life had someone brought back Feyre's spark, her body was fuller now- Healthier. And her skin seemed to glow, kissed by the sun, a small amount of freckled dusted her exposed arms and the bridge of her nose.

Nesta kept a close eye on the stranger still watching Elain as Feyre approached her for a hug, it was rigid, partially due to the aches in Nesta's muscles from her last show, she hadn't the time to stretch today. Her bones felt too big for her skin, flesh stretched too thin.

Feyre quickly pulled back, taking notice of her eldest sisters gaze,

"Oh" she softly breathed, finally gesturing to the male with a flourish, "This is Lucien. His father Helion owns the Ranch next to our own."

The comfortable nature of Feyre calling the Ranch her own had Nesta's skin involuntarily tightening with guilt. Even if she hide it with a dismissive huff as the male finally pushed off his truck with his hip.

"It was lovely to meet you ladies." He tipped his hat, to them and then does so again in Elain's direction, his action notably extended to her. Nesta stiffened as Elain offered a soft smile in return, but as Lucien straightened he nodded once before moving back around to the driver's door.

He climbed in and rolled the window to Feyre, "Tell Az I'll get those horses over by the next fortnight."

Feyre thanked him waving as he turned down the road, following the Sun depicted sign posts. His burgundy truck spitting up dust and stones as it sped off in the distance.

"Right, let's go then." Feyre chirped cheerfully, excitement thrumming from her as she spun to the back door,

The three sisters gathered inside Nesta small white car, Feyre in the back seat offering the small amount of directions, until they were on the straight drive to the Starfall Ranch.

There was a couple buildings, off the road, Nesta noticed each one they passed and as if she heard her thoughts Feyre chimes in, "This is all owned by Rhys, he inherited it from his father. The houses are other family members and his friends that work her for him."

He makes his friends work for him?

As they passed by, Feyre pointed out a bigger building, "That's the bunk house, where the majority of the field hands and cowboys are accommodated." and then her arm is swinging in front of them once more, directing Nesta into a stone drive,

"This is the main house," she said it with such pride, Nesta couldn't help but hid the small grin, despite the unease curling in her gut about all of this.

As Nesta pulled the car into park, Feyre jumped out, Elain following, blanket discarded onto the passenger seat.

"This is where everyone gathers, it is Rhys' house and we have family meals here once a week." Feyre was beaming as she stood staring at the building,

Nesta could understand why, the house was massive, definitely big enough to house family meals. She couldn't help the venom that burned in her chest, Feyre hadn't ever invited them out for those meals until Elain's asshole fiance dumped her.

Feyre turns to help them unload the car, an effort they all set into routine of working through as Feyre continued to chatter excitedly, "Rhys and the other are out preparing for an event tonight, once we have you guys settled we can drive to meet them, then we can go out for drinks!"

Nesta reared her head back, it was effort enough that she had driven them here today, but being dragged out to meet with Feyre's new family and play nice to complete strangers.

"It will be fun Nes."

"Don't call me that" she barked as she rested a bag on the floor, but as she straightened she caught the look on Elain's face as she turned away, her heart constricted as Feyre spotted it too.

Maybe for a couple hours she could play nice...

☽⋆❈⋆☾

The music roared loud as the entered the stands, Elain clung to Nesta's arm as they followed Feyre. Manoeuvring through the crowd that roared with excitement as a bull sprung from the gate a man tethered atop it.

Elain gasps softly watching as Nesta pulled her through the stands of seating,

"Nes, look!" Elain tugged excitedly at her elbow, aiming to draw her sister's attention to where the bull bucked and thrashed to toss the rider from its back, a viciously violent dance she could recognise as the male released his hold and flew off the animal, racing to get behind the protection of the rodeo clowns.

"Elain, there isn't entertainment in watching egotistical men ride adrenaline pumped beast that want to trample them." she deadpanned, tugging Elain on as to not lose Feyre, she continued to lead them to where Rhys was supposed to be.

"Not much better entertainment then that." Feyre called over her shoulder, a smile plastering her face as she spotted her partner.

"Rhys!" She called, the males head popping up, a second head beside him following the sound of Feyre's voice, they both looked towards them now and even as Nesta's legs continued to follow her sister she grew distant.

These males were breathtaking, rugged yet fully powerful bodies toned from ranch work. Night dark hair and skin worshiped by the sun from no doubt working outside almost every day of their lives, They both rose, the one closet presumable Rhysand by the way he leaned in to meet Feyre in a quick kiss, his hand resting in the belt loop of her jeans, "Hello darling," his whispered softly to her, but Nesta caught it even over the sound as the crowd roared around them again.

"Rhys, Az, these are my sister, Elain and Nesta." She gestured to them, both pairs of eyes drawing up to meet where they stood,

"Nesta, Elain this is Rhysand and Azriel." Elain pleasantly moved to greet them. Nesta stayed put, watching Rhys greet Elain warmly and then the second one, Az.

She knew Elain had possible met them before, over video call with Feyre, given by the way both males leaned in for a distanced hug she guessed correct.

Rhys watched Nesta from under the rim of his hat, she offered a small smile and nod, which seemed to prompt him into movement, he brought a hand up to..

The difference there shook her, bringing her own up to shake his hand, she was quick to drop it and offered a nod to his friend,

"Oh he's about to come out!" Feyre beamed warmly, a hand resting into Rhysand's chest, he watched her delicately, but Nesta turned to ignore it as they all took their seats, Elain moving to be beside Az.

They all edged forward in their seats as the clatter of the next bull rammed itself into the gate, from their seats Nesta could see the movement of the rider climbing up the railings.

He was well muscles and his dark hair pulled back into a small bun at the back of his head. His arm were distracting even from here. Something in her core burned as he smoothed his hands gentle over the rope, fingers curling and gliding down—

"Come on Cassian," Feyre rooted beside her, her hand wringing in...

Was she nervous?

Nesta eyed her sister curiously, perhaps sensing her attention, Feyre tilted closer, hand sliding into Rhysand's lap to clasp his own hand, perhaps for ease of mind or comfort.

"Cassian lives on the Ranch with the rest of us."She jerks her chin to the bull ring "This is what he enjoys doing and if without the nerves we loves watching, to support him."

Nesta's brow rose, "So I'm here as a cheerleader to some cocky bull rider. Great."

Feyre's lips pursed, forming a thin line, as she watched the gate, where Cassian was preparing for his run, "I know you're here for Elain's sake, but you could enjoy this you know."

"With you new shiny family. Yeah loads of fun." She knew these comments would hurt Feyre, it wasn't her intention, not entirely.

Feyre sighed beside her, resting forward in her seat as the coaches and workers prepared to release the bull, "We will talk about this later." Feyre didn't glance at her as she spoke, but Nesta felt every work, the weight and meaning behind them. This wasn't going to be a conversation that went down well.

But for now as the gate swung and the crowd chorused an uproar Nesta settled back, watching as the bull flung free.

The male, Cassian, the name stilling every second that slowed as Nesta watched. The bull flung its whole weight up, body burling down heavy as Cassian threw himself against the movement, free hand spirally above him.

The bull danced up and Nesta drew slow breath as she watched the dance, vicious and volatile, where Cassian's powerful thighs cling to the bulls sides, to keep himself steady and it curled spinning on its front hooves.

From her own experience in dancing she watched the way he moved to balance his core, to keep himself centered to stay on the bulls back.

As a timer buzzed out over the screams of the spectators Cassian released his grip, the rope unravelling from his hand, swinging a leg he launched himself from his seat.

Jumping out the way towards the fencing railings, the rodeo clowns following and corralling the bull as it spun before filing back down the chute,

Cassian stood tall on the fence, a leg hooked over the top for balance, he flung his hat up and the crowd responded with cheers and bellows of excitement,

Despite the curling in her stomach the liquid fire pulsing though her veins, Nesta dampened that desire and rolled her eyes at the sight of the male, revelling in the feedback from the crowd.

Cocky Bull riders.

The first stream of women swirled around him, his swaggering grin drawing them in, from social media types Nesta spied the buckle bunnies amongst them easily,

"Right then, off to Rita's for celebratory drinks!" Rhys clasped his hand down on Feyre's knee, his voice drawing the attention of everyone in their group of even a few others. He seemed to have that affect, to draw gazes, it wasn't a surprise Feyre had fallen for the male.

Even as she fought to keep her gaze from drifting as they all rose, Nesta glanced to where Cassian still clung off the fence, a women, golden skin and slim pulled herself up beside him on the railing, her delicately small hand rising to clasp the curve of his hat, plucking it off his head she rest it down onto her own, Nesta couldn't see the women's expression but the mirror on Cassian's face had Nesta's gut swirling, the grin there rocking a pulse through her.

A soft chuckle rumbled behind her, Nesta flinched looking over her shoulder at Azriel. He too watched Cassian, waiting for Nesta to move before he left the stand,

He shook his head, adverting his gaze from her own when she looked at him, "Buckles bunnies," He flicked a hand up to rub a thumb along the rim of his own hat, tapping it twice with a finger, "Wear the hat, Ride the Cowboy"

He met her stare, unblinking. As though he might decipher the expression on her face, break the mold of her mask and understand every thought. He smirked to himself as he watched her attention flick back to Cassian, for just a second.

Betraying her inner thought,

For what it might be like to ride that Cowboy.

☽⋆❈⋆☾

Nesta stepped into the warmth of the bar, having being abandoned by Elain, her sister opting to enter into the bar beside Azriel, while Feyre waltzed in hooked under Rhysand's strong arm.

Rita's was in the closest town to the Starfall Ranch, and it seemed most of the bull riders and their families came here after the night at the ring.

But as their group wandered in, heads turned. Feyre had explained to Elain more about the Ranch on there drive over, her sister was happy to keep to herself about the comments Nesta had made earlier, a fact Nesta herself was also content to ignore for the time being.

During the journey, Feyre had explained that Starfall Ranch was well known in Velaris County, as not only the biggest by size but also the biggest producer for high bred horses and cattle, and their stream of champion Bull riders and Team Penning. For which Rhysand, Azriel and Cassian were a "formidable team" as Feyre had put it, saying that the other locals renowned them for their silent communication and understanding of one another whilst they worked.

They were respected. Which was more then Nesta felt as the local women eyed her and Elain, noting them with the males. She flung the hardest stare should could muster as she shadowed Elain, making them think twice about going after her sister. Elain had come here to heal not to start petty small town drama. Nesta on the other hand wouldn't be so opposed to a good brawl.

It wasn't uncommon for her to occasionally get into fights in her youth, the countless clubs and bars in the city teemed with prissy country girls who thought they could even contend with the throws of a city girl. And men in the city were weak, fickle. The amount of men Nesta had been with that had slept around whilst with her... She could make a bible sized book of the times its had happened.

Rhysand led the way, Feyre still tucked securely under an arm, to a table at the back, near the far side of the bar.

The lights were warm and emitted soft glows, that only added to the affect of the bar, old whiskey barrels were used as tables, high enough to be up to her waist and patrons roared with life around the open dance floor, where people swung one another around. Arm flung upwards to conjoin with new partners. Lines formed as bodies swirled.

It drew her eye more than she cared to admit, allowed her something to watch other than the happy couple beside her in the booth.

"Cassian said he will be here shortly," Azriel slide a phone into the back pocket of his loose jeans. He assessed the group, turning to Elain, "Gin and tonic?"

"Tonic water will be fine," she smiled at him in thanks, He took a second to stare Feyre and Rhys down, not needing to ask for their drinks before he turned to Nesta. "Gin and Tonic?"

"Whiskey." She didn't look away from the lines of people still shuffling around on the open floor,

When Azriel didn't immediately move she turned to meet his stare, the corner of his mouth twitching up in mild amusement, before he twisted away into the crowd.

Nesta turned back, her bones twitching to dance. It was annoying to watch the almost slopping drunken moves of the dance floor, To dance was to embrace the movement, a message to commit ones soul to something greater than themself. It was release and a battle.

These dancers were anything but warriors, she ached to move, to show them how it was done.

"You should dance Nesta." Elain voices from where she hid in the shadows of the booth wall watching the look on her older sisters expression. Nesta slowly drags her attention to face her sister, to see Elain whither into the shadows, to want to hide from view was a tragedy almost as tragic as those dancing on the open floor.

She swept her gaze back to pity those dancing, "You wouldn't see a queen in a charity shop." silence settled over their table as her word met them,

"So you think highly of yourself then" Rhys added his brow high as Feyre elbowed him,

Trading her attention back to those at her table, Nesta allowed the smirk to tug her lips, "Well, No one else will." She locked eyes with Rhysand now, allowed him to see how much she meant it. If not for Elain she would still be in the city with Gwyn and Emery. Probably at the studio dancing until her body grew too tired to support her own weight.

But Rhysand didn't look away, not initially until Feyre moved against him, nudging him as she tracked the approaching figure.

Cassian had swaggered in, the women glued to his side, his hat still propped atop her head. Be-lining for their usual table he swiftly pushed himself through he crowd to where he could see them.

Pulling the women beside him Cassian slide up to the table, quick eyes taking a scan of the faces now looking up at him,

"Well done!"

Nesta didn't even try to resist rolling her eyes as Feyre beamed her congratulations for her friend, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Rhysand.

"Here we are." Azriel said, skillfully sliding the tray of booze onto the table,

The tray was place almost in front of Nesta, the sting of the liqueur hitting her nostrils, if she couldn't dance, drinking would get her that same numbness she needed. It would have to do,

As Azriel passed out each drink, Nesta already spied her glass, the amber liquid was calling to her.

But Azriel had paid for the drinks, a point she wasn't ignorant enough to ignore, so she waited for her liqueur to make its way to her.

Only for a new hand to reach onto the tray, hand twisting to pick up her glass. Nesta watched it as the hand plucked it from the tray, and brought it to their lips.

Cassian wiggled a brow at her over the rim of the glass. He gulped back almost more than half the glass, before handing it off to the women beside him, she bashfully took it,

Cassian turned back now, meeting Nesta's gaze, He surveyed her with a once up and down sweep, his gaze growing gradually slow over her breasts, and up the column of her throat to settle on her face.

"That wasn't yours." She bite out, ignoring the way her toes curled in her boots as he smirked, head tilting to watch her.

"and you are?"

"Cassian," Feyre held her glass before her, "These are my sisters. Elain" she gestured to her sister beside Azriel, then turned to Nesta, who still hadn't turn away from watching the women screw her face up as she sipped the whiskey. Her Whiskey. "And that is Nesta."

The laugh that bellowed from the Bull rider made her skin itch with warmth, Snapping Nesta attention away from her stolen glass "You're Nesta."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? What had Feyre said about her to the male that gave him that air of amusement.

Pushing up with her palms on the table, Nesta rose up purposefully into his space, her breast so close to brushing his muscled chest when she reached to take the class of amber liquid from the women beside him, the blonde women grasped trying to hold to it, to someone prove herself to the bull riders whose hat she wore.

Taking the glass to her with ease, Nesta met the bull riders gaze, simply ignoring how close they were to distract herself from the rising ache between her legs at his scent, his closeness, as she teased the glass along her bottom lip, swirling it, "And you must be the egotistical bull rider who thinks women wearing your hat gives them the right to ride you. How worthless you must feel. It's cheap."

Then she nocked her head back, downed the whiskey in one, she slammed the glass onto the table before stalking towards the bar. Without pulling a face as the blonde beside him had done at a mere sip.

Nesta didn't look back as she moved through the dancers, the other patrons parting for her, a shark in a shoal of fish. Didn't look back as she felt Cassian gaze linger,

Cassian let lose of the breath that had lodged itself in his chest at her closeness.

Nesta. He mulled her name as a whisper on his lips, intrigued as he watched her, watched the way people moved from her paths as though to warrant her attention was to draw deaths scythe.

Whatever it was they all shied from, he wanted it. Wanted her.

Taking a final glance at the whiskey glass on the table, the lines of her lip gloss rimming the edges, Cassian met his brothers gaze.

With his usual bolstering smirk, Cassian plucked his hat off the girls head beside him, securing it in its rightful place, he stalked off after Nesta. Cutting thought he path she had made for him in the crowd, a direct line to follow, to get to her.

Damn the rule. Hat or no, he had ridden bulls that gave the same fight as her and it had always thrilled him.

And he, the egotistical Bull rider was never one to back down from a challenge. Especially when it was right in front of him.

[grapecaseschoices]

OCTober, Day 4; Naveen Joseph (FHR PC)

UNDER-APPRECIATED OC: an oc you feel like you don’t talk about enough, or you haven’t fleshed out as much as you would like

"suddenly you're ripped into being alive. and life is pain, and life is suffering, and life is horror, but my God you're alive and it's spectacular." —Joseph Campbell

Naveen is the least focused on/talked about from one of my least talked about current fandoms. Don't get me wrong; I really love Fallen Hero. However, I'm not particularly as hard-core as the average FHR fan. They're a at a level of consistent dedication and analysis that I LOVE to see, but I don't really always have in me [also my memory is shit, lol]. So, I always feel odd putting up my blorbos ... especially if it's some time since I've read the series, BUT don't get me twisted, I do love it and them! And my more commonly spoken about get some traction too! It's just this ... BASTARD, lol.

Maybe it's because they're the third. Maybe because I originally didn't play book 1 with them. Maybe it's because their character concept is a bit hard for me in certain ways -- while also being real easy for me in other ways -- so I feel disjointed when I try to grasp or discuss them. I don't know but I feel Naveen gets the short end of the stick.

Some things about Naveen:

Naveen really ain't shit. I mean Naveen IS the shit. They're the richest of my steps and has a clearer, more self-focused goal of the three. They're least likely to be deterred [until .... dun dun dun] of the lot. I think it is because their desire is very straight-forward and doesn't really hinge on the Rangers or their approval [or even disapproval!]. It certainly isn't twisted up in morality, right?

Their desire is freedom. Money and success are avenues to that. Sure they DO love luxury and yes they DO love art [art thief bg what's up!]. However, their goal is freedom from their past, freedom from connections that would weigh them down [bye Ortega!], freedom to be who and what they want to be. I think of my lot Naveen is the one who is most alive -- or most wants to BE alive. They want to live life as and believe they are a Real BoyTM more than they others do.

c/ping this here, the famed want. need. dread. meme: Naveen Joseph (FHR): want: it’s not weakness to love him. he loves you too | need: you’re making it. and you will be free. | dread: there’s no escape.

Freedom also includes the freedom to make the world their oyster ;-D. As Marina stated: "All I ever wanted was the world."

Some villain/hero stuff about Nav: Their villain name is Starling (... nobody's darling). They're a streetwise tactician. Their puppet name is Amelie (and yes that's on purpose!). Their highest trait is their arrogance first and then their ruthlessness.

SOMEHOW! They fell for Daniel. Despite themself! It was good. Until it wasn't.

They/them, nonbinary. Quirky streetwear, fond of the facial piercings.

And that's that!

Oh, and the hands photo is by Elijah Grimm on Unsplash.

[babyjakes]

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key | agere - sfw regression | a - angst | ddlg - sexual ddlg | f - fluff | h/c - hurt/comfort | mf - medfet elements | n - non/dubcon or dark elements | s - smut |

series.

ever green, evermore | loving husbands jake and ari had always believed they were all each other could ever want or need. but one unusual summer, when their world is turned upside-down by an uncanny girl from down the street, they find that having someone to love, nurture, and care for together is the missing piece that finally completes their perfect family and lives.

fics.

darling dangers | n, s | kinktober 2022 | dark!best friends!ransom drysdale and jake jensen x innocent!reader | prompt: vibrator

if this was a movie | s | nerd!best friend!jake jensen x reader | your nerdy best friend is gonna make you a star.

little loser | f | boyfriend!jake jensen x reader | jake is the one person in the world you could never say no to.

mess of a lesson | n, ddlg, s | august '23 blurb night | soft!dark!daddies!jake jensen and ari levinson x little!reader | you refused to go before you left, and now you must pay the price.

blurbs.

holy ground | ddlg, s | april '23 blurb night | best friend!jake jensen x little!reader | love is an ocean; you and jake are diving in, head first.

not trying to play | s | kinkmas 2023 | bf!jake jensen x subby!reader | prompt: nipple play

where the heart is | h/c, f | feb '23 blurb night | best friend!jake jensen x college student!reader | jake makes for the sweetest surprise during a valentine's day spent in the hospital.

headcanons.

whumptember 2022 | cuddling | sleepy | headache | scary movie | panic attack

5k headcanon party | rainy day cuddles

kinkmas 2023 | threesome

other | nail stickers | diner date | itchy nose

[e-dash-lace]

My Very Own Locked Tomb Playlist

A bunch of songs that I listened to while I was doing a Summer 2024 re-read of The Locked Tomb (mostly Harrow and Nona) in no particular order. I took notes because this fandom makes you crazy and Spotify is so stupid that instead of having a notes feature, it has an algorithm that makes you a new playlist four times a day that's called something like "gut-wrenching wailing girl dinner slay brat summer afternoon." Anyway, notes under the cut (spoilers for the entire series sorry)

Psychic Wound - King Woman

The song that Ianthe puts on the radio when she needs to focus to give Harrow her lobotomy. (In all honesty though I think that most songs off of the I Saw the TV Glow playlist go kind of crazy over Harrow the Ninth. Something something horror of being a queer teenager.)

Intergalactic - The Beastie Boys

When Gideon the Ninth the animated feature length film opens, the opening credits play to this song. This song also plays during Camila's fight with Ianthe Naberius on New Rho

Go Away Little Girl - Percy Faith & His Orchestra

This song really screams Jod to me. It plays during John 8:1. Like really close your eyes and imagine it. Like there's no sound it's just like a jumbled up bunch of slow motion scenes.

My Smile is Extinct - Kane Strang

Honestly I just needed to put this song on the playlist because it's the kind of depression song that's like just goofy enough to make you laugh even when you're sad. RIP Harrow Nonagesimus. She would have loved My Smile is Extinct by Kane Strang.

Army of Me - Bjork

Another sword fight song. This song plays during Gideon and Harrow's first fight on the Ninth House. I think that my brainworms just also really wanted to bring some of that girls fighting in steampunk muted colors vibe from Sucker Punch into this playlist.

Growing Pains - Ethel Cain

The queen brainworm living in my mind demands that all playlists I make have 1 Ethel Cain song. I can't really tell you how this fits, but when I tried to remove it, I thought "no. she stays" This song is Harrow the Ninth coded but maybe like Harrow Coffee Shop AU

Jesus Is the One (I Got Depression) - Zack Fox

First House National Anthem I fear. If I had money, I would pay it to comission a Harrow the Ninth animatic to this song.

Sunday - The Cranberries

Not really sure why this is on the playlist. I think it might have been an accident, but also it just sounds kind of appropriate so it stays :)

August Underground - Ethel Cain

Spotify gave me a really really good daylist ONCE that was just like atmospheric music (mostly from videogames). It was so stellar that I saved it! I listened to that playlist while I was reading like the last 25% of Nona. This song plays throughout all of NtN Chapter 28 or at the very least an extended scenes of Sex Pal and Camilla turning into Paul.

Ghosts in the Static - Ben Babitt

Atmospheric music to listen to while Nona drives through the River. A lot of the songs on the KRZ soundtrack fit that vibe. If you want music to drive on the River to, you should listen to the Kentucky Route Zero soundtrack.

Dumbest Girl Alive - 100 Gecs

I think that Gideon Nav would be a really big 100 gecs fan

Thick Skull (Re: Julien Baker) - Paramore & Julien Baker

I think that Jod would be a really big fan of Paramore. I think this song is about Jod, but it's the song that plays during the flashback scene when Gideon kicks Wake out of the airlock and she falls into the Ninth House

Bad Lil Vibe - Coco & Clair Clair

HEAR ME OUT. In my mind, Jod has gifted Ianthe a cassette player and for some reason, the only cassette that's in it is like some collectible 10th anniversary cassette tape of the album Sexy by Coco & Clair Clair. (that doesn't exist yet but it will). I feel like Coco and Clair Clair are good music for the Coronabeth and Ianthe dynamic duo, but I think that this song is for Ianthe. I think it has that evil hot mess (not like Sharpay Evans evil hot mess, more like Shego with smeared lipstick and a broken heart at the club) vibe that the Saint of Awe brings to the table.

4AEM - Grimes

Grimes TO ME ok IMO strikes me as someone who in 2015 would have been fancast as ianthe because she's blond, skinny, and like swinging around a long sword in her music videos like someone who just kind of thinks that swords are cool conceptually and will go well with the special effects but couldn't actually use one to defend themselves if it came down to it and that's really ianthe tridentarius-core TO ME. I imagine that deep down Ianthe hoped that becoming a lyctor meant she would get to be like an international pop star but more. Not to digress but this song is an Ianthe Tridentarius fight song.

Combat Baby - Metric

Actually lol okay hear me out. So actually Ianthe was also gifted a cd player by jod and this is the song that she cries to (ALONE) when she thinks about Harrow. I think Ianthe wishes she had a y2k style but she was just born in the wrong decade sorry

Pluto - Bjork

This is the song that is playing after Harrow wakes up and Gideon is inside her brain helping her fight Cytherea. I think snippets or like altered instrumental versions of this song also play in each trial that Harrow and Gideon work through. Like some version of this song is definitely playing the first time Harrow siphons Gideon to get those keys

Femininomenon - Chapell Roan

First of all, what is any playlist made in 2024 without a Chapell Roan song on it. Second, when I first wrote this note I imagined this as the song that plays immediately after mercy kills Jod and then like there's a full 3 minute music video where like Mercy is on lead vocals, she's like arguing with Augustine a bit then they're like dancing and then the song really abruptly cuts off right before the end when Jod sucks himself back together. Alternatively, this song plays every single time Nona sees a woman.

Dream Girl Evil - Florence and the Machine

Alectopause Hive International Anthem In the parallel universe where Nona the Ninth was released as a webcomic or like an AO3 fic, Taz Muir has linked this song in the Notes and there are 1000 animatics of the Nona epilogue with this song.

Springbreakers - Charli XCX

Alectopause hive international anthem 2 electric boogaloo (Remember how I said "gut-wrench9ing wailing girl dinner slay brat summer afternoon"? I meant that) I would also accept this song as the Nona epilogue animatic song

Bit of A Monster - Vylet Pony

I can't explain this one. I don't know why it's here it just has to be. If you made it this far, leave ur theories in the tags idk.

Mysteries of the Cleft - death's dynamic shroud

I think like if you asked me to I could make a whole playlist of songs about being in the River, so this is either like a planetkiller harrow song or like the song that plays when Jod takes Ianthe and Harrow through the River the first time.

Kizaki Lake - Satoko Shibata

One thing about me, if there's an opportunity to put a Japanese song on the playlist, a Japanese song is going on the playlist and right now the other queen brainworm in my mind is the brainworm that's been addicted to this album since it was released in February and I think everyone should listen to it. The instrumental for this song plays throughout the entirety of Day One in Nona and IF I WAS IN CHARGE Satoko Shibata would be tapped to do the score for the film because she's just that good. Go listen to Your Favorite Things!

[shivada-jade]

genshin masterlist.

☆ = my more popular fics. you had a fun time reading them ♡ = i remember having tons of fun writing them

|| back to nav ||

what's included below: reader inserts, misc, hcs

reader inserts

series: The Greatest Showman Greatest Showman au Lyney

Timing Time Travel Albedo, Sucrose

☆♡ Soulmates an au multiple | one, two

Magical Mischief Hogwarts au multiple | one, two

☆♡ A Little Twist of Fate ...albedoes?... albedos?

♡ Serenading (hcs. bullet point) multiple | one, two

oneshots: ☆♡ Songs of a Siren a siren they met at sea multiple

♡ Cecelia Flowers (strictly platonic) their endearing brother diluc, kaeya

♡ Movie life is a movie. the stage is yours kaeya

♡ Let's Play Wii modern au with the original 4nemo ...minus aether sorry buddy

♡ Reply Back idol au with the travelers

Better Bard (bulleted) friendly competition with venti

The Abyss and other strange things kaeya encounters

Shut Up and Dance With Me basic ass fic with childe

Nice Rock A nifty gift for xiao

Communication shyness leads to flowers ganyu

Lover = Loser another basic ass fic with childe ...i need to write him to do him justice

How to Be a Romantic Zhongli trusts Childe's step by step guide

♡ Puppy Love (platonic) thoma finds it amusing

I've Never Been in Love Before the songwriter and the architect kaveh

... a mystery fic for our mysterious friend

☆♡ a silly product of procrastination i used listen to the barbie/bratz/mlp soundtrack to be able to finish work alhaitham

where you belong (Platonic) you weren't much different like his brother. diluc

Just in Case poetry is an art form to keep things alive venti

Podcasting Undercover being an idol and an anonymous podcaster is hard to balance. especially with a cheeky new idol spilling everything kaeya

chemistry shit I think i wrote this when studying chemistry. then my posts from this point on had a very different formatting. a new era began. albedo

one bed… [WIP] but you weren’t going down without a fight.

misc. [TBA]

hcs [TBA]

[eorzeanflowers]

10 Fandoms, 10 Characters, 10 tags

Basic rules: choose 10 fandoms that you are part of/support, and choose a favorite character from each of those. Then, tag ten folks!

Tagged by: @miqojak Ty for the tag!!! Sorry it took a hot minute.

Tagging: Uhhhhh, @terminuspride, @fair-fae, @alannah-corvaine, @voidsentprinces, @healerstail, @ahollowgrave, @alicelufenia, @starrysnowdrop, @briar-ffxiv, @driftward

Now to the list! In no real particular order cause I really just drift from thing to thing.

Penny Polendina (RWBY)

I love my quirky little robot girl. She's the absolute best, a brilliant fighter and very emotionally intelligent. She is such a cheerful ideal, someone who tries to see the best in people. She knows when they've gone too far and isn't afraid to stand up for what she wants! Which is the whole core of her little arc. Being a weapon given a soul and all. It is a beautiful story of a little girl who cares so much and wishes to be able to just... be that cheerful little girl without the weight of the world. Its just so sweet.

Honorable mentions: Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Oscar, Neo

2. Kafka (Star Rail)

In all honesty she's the reason I'm even playing Star Rail. She is such a mysterious character, with a voice to die for. Yes, Hoyoverse characters tend to be rather shallow (that's a gacha game for ya), but Kafka just hits everything I love in a character. Her character short when she was fully released is... *chef's kiss* just amazing. I will admit, every time she does her ult in game I join her in saying "Boom." ^_^;

Honorable Mentions: March 7th, Stelle (Trailblazer F), Seele, Bronya, Jingliu

3. Lyse (FFXIV)

Shocker, the leading lady of Stormblood is still my favorite? Honestly, all three of the ladies from Stormblood are the trifecta of favorites. (Lyse, Fordola and Yotsuyu) The various storylines that cause them to interact is such a delight. I wasn't too bothered by the whole "Yda was my sister" thing, cause well, Yda was barely in the game post ARR... And like, it was always Yda and Papalymo. Never just one or the other. So when Lyse got the chance to shine and actually take center stage, I was smitten. She's tough, gentle, sassy, collected, brilliant, a bit silly, and more. Such a well written character. I'm still upset she left the scions tbh. Could've added a little hair color diversity by a little bit. :P

Honorable mentions: Aymeric, Hilda, Erenville, Zero, Y'shtola, Thancred, Ryne, Gaia, Minfillia

4. Gideon Nav (The Locked Tomb)

Ok, seriously, this series grabbed me by the throat and would not let me go. Gideon is such a lovely first viewpoint (and I adore all the viewpoint characters). She takes no shit, talks a lotta shit, and can fight a whole heck more shit. The way she interacts with Harrow at first, then the other Necromancers and their Cavaliers is such a delight. Sure you hate Harrowhark so much Gideon, why are you obeying her command to not speak a single word to literally anyone else, hmmmmmmmmmmm?????? Also the gay panic that Gideon seems to have on the regular is just. Great. I don't want to speak too much more on Gideon, cause this series is just great and you should read it.

Honorable mentions: Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Nona, Camilla Hect, Ianthe Tridentarius, Coronabeth Tridentarius.

5. Raiden Ei (Genshin Impact)

Last time it was Eula, now it is Raiden Ei. It is always a toss up between them, if I'm being honest. Ei is just... such a sad puppy? XD Its the best way to describe her. So trapped in her own past and trying to do what would best preserve her sister's memory... She's just SAD guys. Yeah, she may not be the best governing force for her nation, and she indirectly killed a lotta people with her retreating away and leaving a puppet behind, but we the Traveler showed up and fixed things! Also she gets two amazing boss fights, I honestly wish I could do the story one again but I ain't working through Mondstat and Liyue again. >.>;

Honorable mentions: Eula, Alhaithem, Deya, Kamisato Ayaka, Zhongli, Nahida, Navia, the Wanderer, Wriothsley

6. Karlach (Baldur's Gate 3)

KARLACH IS THE BEST AND SHE IS SO SWEET AND LOVELY AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO BACK TO HELL OR DIE OR [redacted]. She is such a lovely goofball that even shows platonic love if you don't romance her and I really think that is great! Her arc tying into Gortash was delightful, bringing her much more into the story instead of just a bystander like a couple of them. (Like out of all the origin companions Astarion barely has any connection to any of the major players in the story, he's pretty self contained tbh.) Her sweetness, the way she says she's gonna eat dirt if you leave her camp, and her cheerful demeanor are just.... Amazing. I'm really running out of words for Karlach cause she is my favorite. I'm gonna have to start BG3 up again and actually play my romance run of her soon.

Honorable mentions: Shadowheart, Wyll, Astarion, Lae'zel, Dammon, Orin, Jaheira, Minthara, Isobel, Aylin

7. The Doctor (Doctor Who)

Ok, a bit of a cop out since, you know, they are the star of the show. BUT COME ON. The Doctor in their various iterations have been so enjoyable. My personal favorite is Tennet's 10, but Capaldi's 12 is a strong second. Its just a good show to binge at times. There are a lottta good episodes, a few really bad ones, but overall its a good time. The scene at the end of the special where they rescue Gallifrey is still one of my favorite scenes in the whole franchise. And hell, the Archeologist is based (loosely) on them, so how can I not include them?

Honorable mentions: DONNA NOBLE, Rose Tyler, Clara Oswald, Bill Potts, Me, Strax

8. Xion (Kingdom Hearts)

Have I mentioned I love tragic characters? Xion is literally the definition of tragedy, with all the problems with her just existing lol. Her presence in 358/2 Days really made the game for me. Roxas was kinda bland and having someone that was similar in age (like Sora, Riku and Kairi were) to interact with made it all that much better. AND SHE GETS THE HAPPY ENDING. Eventually. Boy is it a long road, but that's Kingdom Hearts for ya.

Honorable Mentions: Kairi, Namine, Riku, Sora, Aqua, Terra, Master Xehanort, Isa, Lea

8. Lucina (Fire Emblem)

I really wanna pick someone else in all honesty, but Fire Emblem has a worse problem than Hoyoverse games in their bit characters. :/ Lucina is a strong character that really delighted me when I played Awakening. She's such a surprise that it really helps make that Fire Emblem my favorite. She's got a good supporting cast too, with Robin and her dad Chrom, but Awakening was really her game. Chrom was kinda there just to be her dad lol

Honorable mentions: Robin, Chrom, Ike, Mist, Soren, Sumia, Erika, Marisa, Lyon, Elincia

9. Trevor Belmont (Castlevania)

Full disclosure, I have not played his game, in fact the only two castlevania's I have played both feature non Belmont's as the lead players (Portrait of Ruin and Order of Ecclasia). But the way Trevor is in the show, OH BOY. He is rough, he is blunt, he is smart, he is SOOOO dumb, he is loyal, he is a fighter, he never gives up, HE IS JUST GREAT. He's also one of my biggest Bi panics when he shows how much of a badass he is in episode, I think, 4 or 5 or later? Its been a hot minute since I watched that series. When he first uses the flail weapon that I forget the name of.

Honorable mentions: Shanoa, Jonathan Morris, Charlotte Aulin, Sypha Belnades, Alucard, Dracula

10. Aigis (Persona)

Aigis is a super cutie and I love her interactions with the female protagonist. I really wish P3 wasn't such a long game and Aigis actually showed up a little earlier. She's just a doll! I do need to try and find a copy (or emulate) FES to play the storyline with her as the lead singer. Its just so rough to get thru P3 I just lose motivation. T.T I've made it to the vacation part with the female lead, like, three times and no further cause my motivation tanks. WHICH IS WEIRD CAUSE THAT'S WHEN YOU MEET AIGIS. Its just too long for me I guess. XD

Honorable mentions: Teddie, Female lead P3, Male lead P4, Yukari Takeba, Mitsuru Kirijo, Akihiko Sanada, Fuuka Yamagishi, Shinji Aragaki, Junpei Iori, Chidori Yoshino, Elizabeth, Theodore

Not gonna lie, kinda struggled to find a full 10 franchises to pull a character from. My mind just goes blank when asked my favorite character from X place. Names escape me and everything. XD But as you can see, I love robot girls, strong girls, mysterious girls, tragic girls, a fail man, and traveling weirdo.

[runningfrom2am]

leveling the playing field XVI

summary: you can finally go home.

pairing: coriolanus snow x fem!reader

wc: 3.4k

masterlists / nav / requests

tags/warnings: capitol brat!reader, maybe slightly ooc coryo, idk i tried my best. do they love each other or hate each other? who knows (we do.). implications and mentions of abuse and some non-graphic violence, so read with caution!! also a little bit of swearing but that's neither here nor there. oh, and manipulation.

a/n: i can't believe this is it :') the final part (excluding the epilogue which is coming v soon). thank you all so so so much for all the love on this fic! it means so much to me that you guys enjoyed it! but don't get too sad (like me) bc i am not ready to let them go so i'll probably do like blurbs and stuff ab this series so stick around for those!

series masterlist // playlist

"Y/N/N. Do you have your clothes from home?" Coryo asks, pulling the boat back up onto the shore. The guns were gone. He's free to go home if he wants.

"Yes." You nod. "I couldn't get rid of them if I wanted." You chuckle, looking up into the woods behind the cabin, hoping Sejanus is long gone by now.

"Okay. You're gonna stay here, just for a few days, and then I'll come get you before the train leaves. I'll take you to Two with me, just wear those. You'll fit in better."

"Okay..." You nod, nervous about being out here all alone for so long.

"I'll come bring you food as much as I can." He knew it would be a long hike each way to come see you, but he would have to carve out the time. He looks up at you quickly from digging through his own bag when he hears you sniffle. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I- uhm..." You clear your throat, fanning your eyes to keep any tears from falling. "I'm just scared." You try and laugh it off, shaking your head slightly.

"Don't be scared." Coryo shakes his head, dropping the bag to grab your shoulders. "Hey, you're gonna be okay, Darling, but we don't have another choice. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"I know, I know that..." You sniff, looking up at him. "Is she dead?"

"Yes." He answers quickly. "I buried her. She can't hurt you." He promises. Was that true? No, definitely not. There was no trace of her after the shot besides her earring on the ground,  but he had hit her. He was sure of it. There was no reason to tell you that, though, just to scare you more. You couldn't go back to town, there was nowhere for you to hide while peacekeepers searched every inch of the populated part of the District for days while he waited for his train.

"Okay." You whisper, taking a deep, shakey breath as you look around at the suddenly scary forested area around you. The rain had started to clear up, which helped with the sun peeking through the clouds to brighten up the lake. If Lucy Gray hadn't ruined everything, you would probably be getting ready to keep moving.

"Just, try to relax out here. Okay? Go for a swim, just enjoy the fresh air." He smiles softly, brushing some hair back out of your face as he tries to make you feel better.

"I've had enough of the woods for the rest of my life." You scoff, shaking your head under his hold.

"I know, Y/N/N, I'm sorry. It's only a few days. Like I said, I'll come back for you whenever I'm free." Even if he could only stay for five minutes before he had to turn around and make the trip back to town, he would do it. "Then we'll figure everything out. I'll handle it."

"I... I just want to go home, but I can't." You cry, letting him wipe your tears as your chest flushes with the emotion.

Coryo winces at your tears. He hates seeing you cry, and he has seen it far more times than he would have liked to in the last few months. "I'm going to figure it out. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you ever again. I promise." He says softly, trying to get you to look at him.

You lean into his palm, closing your eyes as you try desperately to pull it together. You were exhausted, but this was the last thing Coryo needed right now. "I'm sorry. I'm just having a moment."

"I know. You're okay." He chuckles, planting a kiss on your forehead and pulling you into a hug, rocking your body gently back and forth. "You know, I think the last time you said that to me was the day I realized I was in love with you." He hums, squeezing your shoulders gently.

You laugh, which makes him smile. It's what he wanted. "I feel like that's a bit dramatic."

"No, it's true." He grins, craning his neck to look down at you. "You defended me, and you listened to me, and you looked just so pretty doing it..."

You bury your face in his shirt to hide your blush.

"You're always on my team, and I appreciate that. I really do." He explains, satisfied that he's made you feel at least a little better. "I hope you know I'm always on your side, too."

You nod slightly, smiling through your tears as you look up at him. "I know."

"Good." Coryo whispers, kissing your nose. "I love you."

"Really?" You whisper, eyes lighting up as you wring your hands together against his chest in front of you. "You're not just saying that because I'm crying on you?" You laugh slightly.

"No, I do." He nods in confirmation, grinning down at you in admiration. "There's no one else in this world I can trust as much as I can trust you."

"Then why'd you give her your scarf?" You ask, tilting your head. "It looked... valuable."

"It was. It belonged to my mother..." He says solemnly. He suddenly shakes his head, mocking your expression as he changes the tone. "You really were dead to the world, huh? I was holding it, and she just asked if she could see it. Then she didn't give it back." Coryo explains, raising an eyebrow at you. "Why, are you jealous of the dead girl?"

You roll your eyes with a smile on your face, attempting to shove him away.

"Hey, I'm kidding." He laughs, pulling you close again by your wrists. "Don't you trust me?"

"Okay, yes, I trust you." You giggle as he drops your wrists, sliding his hands over your waist.

"And you love me?" Coryo asks, urging you on.

"And I love you." You grin, nodding slightly.

"That's my girl..." He hums, running a hand lower down your side, thumb running over your midsection as he leans in to kiss you. He had you right where he wanted you, he'd wanted to say that for ages. Only since he even clued into the fact that the buzz he gets under his skin when he catches you smiling, anyway. Realistically, you were something he had always wanted. Picturing his future over the last few years when he was dragging himself out of bed every morning desperate to arrive to class on time even on an empty stomach, his daydreams of his success always included your own, as well.

Now, it was only the two of you. He was so right about you, you were perfect in every way. Smart, obedient to him and only to him, but you fought for what you wanted. You knew struggle, pressure, and soul crushing expectations in the same way he did. Through all of it, you were there for him. You were beautiful- and he was the only one smart enough to see past your occasional outbursts. No one knew how to navigate you like he did, and he was lucky that few people ever bothered to try.

The most beautiful girl in all of the Capitol, and you were his. He meant it when he said that he would never let anyone hurt you. He couldn't let anyone take you from him.

"Do you know where we're going? Where Tigris and your Grandma'am are living?" You whisper, curled up next to Coryo on the train as it pulls into the Capitol station. You're holding the orange silk scarf in your hands, using it as a small blanket in the cold train car. You had spent most of your time out by the lake trying to clean it- but dirt was a stubborn stain. You'd have to be more thorough once you had access to cleaning supplies again. You couldn't let such a lovely piece of clothing go to waste, especially when it was so valuable to him.

"I don't..." Coryo mumbles in response, staring out the window as you lean your head against his shoulder, knees tucked up to your chest. "They shouldn't be hard to find, though."

The wheels screech to a slow stop in the familiar city, and you can't help but smile at the endless sea of grey architecture. It wasn't anything like the forest in Twelve, and you loved it. The door slides open and some peacekeepers enter, drawing both of your attention as you sit up away from him.

"Dr. Gaul is expecting you both in her lab immediately." One of them informs you, and you nod a little bit, looking nervously over at your boyfriend.

You hung off his arm for the entire car ride and all the way to the lab as you're escorted by the men in the matching uniform to his own. Your clothes were dirty, despite how many times you cleaned them back in District Twelve. You had cleaned them obsessively throughout the last couple of months, but the water was never quite clear enough to be helpful. It was vile. Surely you smell unpleasant due to this, and you were hoping you would have a shower before confronting anyone from your previous life, but clearly, you weren't so lucky.

"Do I stink?" You whisper, trying to avoid the echo of the large room as your heels click across the linoleum flooring.

"Not any more than I do." Coryo answers, a small smile pulling on his lips as he glances down at you.

You giggle, gently slapping his chest as he removes his hat.

"Congratulations, Mister Snow, Miss Y/L/N. You've passed all my tests." You look up at Dr. Gaul for the first time as she speaks to you, tossing something into a pool on her floor. "I've asked President Ravenstill to grant you both a full pardon, effective immediately."

You don't say anything as you both stop in front of the tank in the ground, staring into it as Coryo revels in the shock. "I also told him that you are too promising to be wasted in the Districts. So you will be studying under me at the Capitol University."

While she speaks, you pull Tigris's coat tighter around yourself at the slimy, vicious look of whatever creatures are splashing around inside that tank that she is continuously feeding.

"We can't afford university." Coryo answers on your behalf, forcing you to look up at the woman across from you. While you were incredibly grateful, you were scared. Things were complicated back at your parents' home, and even with a legal form of forgiveness, it's not likely your father will see it the same way. You couldn't go back, and he wasn't likely to give you a dime or let you go free. Within the week, you'd probably die from an "unknown illness" contracted in the Districts if he found out you were home.

"A certain Mister Strabo Plinth has offered to pay for everything you need while you're there. All for being such good friends to his Sejanus." Dr. Gaul explains and your heart drops in your chest. You can't help but wonder if he's even still alive out there, in the North. "He doesn't know quite how good a friend you were, of course. I never mentioned your little recording. Quite impressive, Mister Snow, how you sent your only friend to the grave just to get my attention."

"That's not what I did." Coryo shakes his head at the allegation.

He squeezes your arm in warning, knowing this topic was a fine line to walk. "Are you sure? Because I think that won you the Plinth Prize, after all."

"Sejanus Plinth is not dead." You blurt out without thinking. She tilts her head at you, looking at you intensely, a knowing smile growing on her lips.

"Oh?" She asks, and internally you struggle for a saving grace while Coryo furrows his brow at you. You hadn't seen Sejanus since you sent him away, but you did try looking for him in your days out there alone. You had to believe he was alive, after you gave him his way out.

"Well, I heard that he had escaped in Twelve. As far as I know, they never found a body. He planned on running off anyway. That's likely what he did." You explain, clearing your throat.

"I agree. That is likely, but the odds he would survive out there..." She shakes her head slightly, dropping another treat into the tank as the creatures snap at it. "Anyway, the president has agreed to another year of the games! People watched, and I have you kids to thank for that."

You and Coryo wear matching grins now, posture perfect to match your collective pride.

"But before I take you under my wing, after everything you've seen out there in the real world, let me ask you one final time." Dr. Gaul says, looking pointedly between the two of you. "What are the Hunger Games for?"

You look up at your boyfriend, nodding for him to answer. "I used to think that the Hunger Games were a punishment for the districts. Then, I thought they served as a warning to us here in the capitol, about the threat the districts posed. Now I know the whole world is an arena. And we need the Hunger Games every year to remind us all who we truly are."

"And who are you, do you determine?" Coryo looks down at you as she speaks.

"We are the Victors." You finish with a proud smile, looking at the woman across from you who seems more than pleased with your answer.

"Coriolanus, what are you doing back so soon?" Your mom greets him as she opens the door of your childhood home, smiling sadly, confused as to the condition of his return.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am." He smiles politely, grey uniform cap now clutched to his chest. "I proved to be exceptional in my training. Dr. Gaul saw it was better Y/N and I work under her at the University."

"Y/N?" Your mom gasps, reaching up to cover her mouth with her hand. "She's alive?"

"I assure you, she is safe." Coriolanus nods. "Now, may I speak with your husband? I won't take up much of his time." He brushes past her, entering the home without waiting for permission.

"Well, dear, where is she?" Your mom asks, letting him pass and closing the door quickly. "Why hasn't she come home?"

"I think you know why she hasn't come here." He hums, looking around. "Where is he?"

"His study." Your mom answers quietly, gesturing up the stairs. "I'll walk you."

"No need. I know where I'm going." He gives her a small smile in return, following the familiar path toward your room.

He stops in front of your father's study, knocking before taking a step back. The force of habit leads him to stand at attention while he waits for permission to enter.

"I'm busy, don't bother me." Your father's voice echoes through the ornate lining on the door. Then he realizes, he doesn't need permission. Not anymore.

Coriolanus huffs, opening the door and stepping in.

"I said-" Your father growls, slamming his pen down on the desk before he looks up and takes in the grey of Coriolanus's decorated peacekeeper uniform. "Coriolanus."

"Sir." He nods in response, closing the door quietly behind himself. "May I sit?" He asks coldly, gesturing to the chair across from him.

"Please." Your father nods, brow furrowed as to what the blonde boy could possibly want, or what he is doing back so soon.

"Y/N isn't here, son." Your father sighs. "She-"

"I know that." Coriolanus interrupts, placing his hat on the desk between them.

"You know where she is." Your father's tone is unsurprised, but questioning.

"I do." He confirms, back straight in the chair. He had always been afraid of your father, but this was built on an admiration. He reminded him of what little he remembered about his own father. This morphed into anger slowly but surely over the last few years, picking up several hints either in your appearance, demeanor, or choice of words which painted an incredibly unflattering picture of who the man sitting in front of him truly was.

Your dad hums in response, eyes locked on the boy. "How was your summer?"

The question catches Coryo off guard, but he puts all his focus into maintaining his poise. He has the upper hand, here, and he has to keep reminding himself of that. "It was good. Certainly an eye-opening experience, the people out there are very... different."

"Then what brought you back so soon?" His neglect to even ask where you were, if you were okay, if you were even alive makes Coryo's blood boil in his veins.

"Dr. Gaul." Coriolanus states, swallowing before he continues. "She granted your daughter and I a full pardon in exchange for taking an internship under her at the university. After all, that is her dream, is it not?"

Your father's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of your name. "It was." He agrees.

"Is." Coriolanus corrects him, leaning forward with his elbows on the desk. "Strabo Plinth has offered to pay our way."

"Of course he has." Your dad chuckles, but not an ounce of humour reaches his eyes. "Self righteous bastard..."

"Seeing as you don't care about her as much as you care about your own reputation, he saw it would be a way to repay her for her loyal friendship to his son. She saved his life twice, after all." Coryo ignores your father's comment, watching as the gears turn in his head, trying to remember the second time.

"I know you think you understand my daughter, Coriolanus, but there are some parts of her you will never know. Not truly." Your father responds coolly. "So, I'm not sure what she has told you, but-"

"But nothing." Coryo cuts him off, leaning back in his seat. "Here is what is going to happen. You will have nothing to do with her, her life, her mistakes, or her decisions any longer. Since, in your own words, you see her as such a burden, I am willing to free you of that."

Your dad grits his teeth together, and it's his turn to lean forward. "Coriolanus Snow, you will not speak to me that way in my own home. Y/N is my daughter, and I shall be involved as I please and I shall do with her what I deem appropriate to consequent her actions."

"No." Coryo replies sternly, standing up abruptly, unabashed by the sound of the chair scraping across the wooden floor as he slams his fist on the desk. "She is eighteen. I  take responsibility for her now, and unless you want to lose everything you and Highbottom have built, you will cut me in on every dime you make. Do you understand?"

Your dad laughs again. "And who will believe you, Coryo? You're just kids. You don't know what you're talking about. Whatever she told you is untrue. Simple as that."

"Would you like a list?" Coryo threatens. "Is that a risk you're willing to take, Y/D/N?"

He sighs, standing up to look eye to eye with him, clearly seething with the disrespectful use of his first name. "She's more trouble for you than it's worth, Son."

"That is my decision to make." Coryo says through gritted teeth.

"Suit yourself." Your dad raises his hands in defeat, careful to not show any fear. Coriolanus could see through it, though. He's won, and he knows it; it was a great deal, if your father was smart enough to see it that way. "How much do you want? Money is nothing to me."

"More than Highbottom gets." Coriolanus requests plainly, grabbing his hat and placing it back over his head. "And you'll pay for our wedding." He adds casually, pushing the discarded chair back into its place. "You'll pay for as many dresses and parties as she wants, every drink, every slice of cake, and every last flower she wishes for exactly how she wishes for it. No compromises, and no surprise appearances from you. Are. We. Clear?" He speaks clearly, intentionally enunciating every word with a trace of venom.

"Crystal." Your father scoffs, taking a drink from the whiskey glass on his desk.

Coriolanus nods, giving him a small smile. "Good. I'll be expecting the money orders every other week." He grins smugly, giving your father a quick bow before heading for the door, stopping as his hand brushes over the handle. "All due respect, Sir, which I deem to be very little, but what you have done to your daughter over all these years is what has made her into the woman you hate. Don't think I was the only one who noticed, and you would deserve every bit of harm we could do to your name. If you ever so much as speak to her again, I will kill you myself."

Coryo glances back at your father's expression only briefly before leaving. He couldn't resist the satisfying look of loathing and anger on the man's face.

The small smile sticks as he walks down the stairs, hearing the crystal glass shatter as it's thrown against the door behind him.

Finally, you were totally even.

taglist: @totallynotkaibiased , @stelleduarte , @klplynn , @secretsicanthideanymore , @bejeweledreverie , @gloryekaterina , @andrewgarfieldsbitch , @queenofspades6 , @pepperonipastas , @ladybug0095 , @lunamothwrites , @sbrewer21 , @mus-tbe-a-weasley , @splxtscreen , @unclecrunkle , @karmaswitch , @coconut-dreamz , @nekee-lilac02 , @ooooglymoooogly , @riddlerloveb0t , @lovedbalances , @notyourwildestdream , @snowlandson-top , @too-lit-for-fanfic , @utopiakys , @deafeningballoonnacho , @roosterschanelslut , @chmpgneprblem , @cosmoetik , , @urvampgfsworld , @carolanns-world@nan-nie , @shakespearseclipse , @iovemoonyy , @notyoursweetheart-honey ,  @xyzstar , @eatpizzasass, @slytherinholland , @queenofshinigamis , @elodiebeau , @soulessjourney

taglist is closed for coryo unfortunately, but my requests for him are open!! so send me all your suggestions!! requests here!!

[oblivixni]

rules . nav . muses .

independent oc & canon muses semi-selective rp blog . 21+. discord 1x1 friendly, dm's open, message me for friend request. currently under construction written by yvvy, they/them, 25+ .

1x1 discord ad under read more

hello! i am searching for some 1x1 rp primarily on discord in a private server. if you show interest/react, i'll dm and we can throw some things together to test it all out, if it sticks it sticks, if not no hard feelings. i would really love to find some long term 1x1 rp partners.

favorite genres: supernatural, mythology, scifi, fantasy, dystopian, crime (bladerunner, john wicke, romeo + juliet (1994) type vibes etc), horror (zombies, until dawn setting/plot, dead by daylight)

other genres that are of interest are bands/musician verses, sports (like exy from the foxhole court series), and potentially summer camp/hs reunion type vibes if slice of life is more your thing.

note: not a huge fan of small town or slice of life rp's tbh but i'll do it with the right circumstances

favorite canon muses/fandoms/verses to play: allison argent, derek hale, stiles stillinski (teen wolf), nightlight/jack frost (rise of the guardians), klaus mikaelson, davina claire, marcel gerard (the originals), vampire academy, acotar/tog, the fourth wing and more.

oc x oc, canon x oc, canon x canon -- i don't really have much of a preference. i just want to have fun writing. i'm very interested in collaborative writing — meaning multiple plots going potentially (not to overwhelm), multiple muses and not all of them romantic ships but i do love a solid romance story. i write m/f/nb muses so i don't really have a preference there, honestly it's more about the muse's vibes for me. i will also love your muses as if they were my own, i want to know everything about them so we can craft a lovely universe for them.

[glitchy-npc]

G and U for the ask game! :)

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it?

I play fast and loose with ships but the first one I was really ride or die for was Rei/Makoto from Sailor Moon. They're not even one of the more popular ships like like Ami/Makoto or Rei/Minako but 12yr old me thought they should kiss and they were right and always will be.

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

(gonna pick different characters that the last ask)

Raistlin Majere - Dragonlance Saga. This OG probably first started my love of asshole characters. Characters who are fiercely ambitious and hurt because they've been hurt, who trust only themselves because even tho the people who love them try how can you be sure and....omg wait that's just Tegan. hmm. My subconscious must have pulled a fast one there.

Gideon Nav - The Locked Tomb Series. You ever feel like a character was designed just for you? There's nothing I don't love about her from her muscles, her silly personality (despite the horrors) and her terrible, terrible (I approve tho) taste in women. I still haven't gotten around to the second book I can't read.

Ifan Ben-Mezd - Divinity Original Sin 2. The voice. I mean he's a great characters with a lot of good qualities but that voice. 100/10.

Thanks for the ask!

[ao3feed-twiyor]

The Phantom Thieves of Ostania

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/AemPkbI by ASRW After Damian gets kicked out of his home by his mom and subsequently Eden’s dorms to learn to live with out the help of his family’s fortune he ends up with far more than he bargained for when the Meta Nav installs itself on his phone and learns about the meta verse. Now with the fate of the world on his shoulders to stop this foretold ruin can Damian live up to his supposed destiny? And maybe he’ll learn to make some new friends along the way. (You don’t need to have played through Persona 5 to understand this story. That being said this story will follow Persona 5 plot somewhat, not exactly but with similar story beats) Words: 1593, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Persona 5, Persona Series, SPY x FAMILY (Anime) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/M Characters: Damian Desmond, Anya Forger, Becky Blackbell, Henry Henderson, Murdoch Swan, Morgana (Persona Series) Relationships: Damian Desmond/Anya Forger, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Loid Forger | Twilight/Yor Briar Forger | Thorn Princess, Damian Desmond & Anya Forger, Becky Blackbell & Anya Forger, Damian Desmond & Ewen Egeburg & Emile Elman Additional Tags: Damian Desmond Needs a Hug, Damian Desmond-centric, Aged-Up Damian Desmond, Cute Anya Forger, Aged-Up Anya Forger, Morgana is a Little Shit (Persona Series), The Velvet Room (Persona Series), Shadows (Persona Series), Social Links | Confidants (Persona Series), Mentioned Loid Forger | Twilight read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/AemPkbI

[dwarfsized]

10 characters/10 fandoms/10 tags

the always amazing @aevallare tagged me <3 sooooo:

Astarion Ancunin (Baldur's Gate 3) - getting the obvious one out of the way early. you put a character in front of me who gets mad at you for being good and kind because no one has ever been that to him, who is a bitch and that's a feature not a bug, and im not supposed to become deeply obsessed with that? he is everything. to me.

Gideon Nav (The Locked Tomb) - tamsyn muir WHEN will my wife come back from the war? Devotion even when you hate it. Being a weapon in more ways than even you are aware of. Love when you don't know what love is, really, getting it wrong and right at the same time. Gideon @ Harrow is just "its rotten work. especially to me especially if its you. i'll fucking do it but christ alive."

Murderbot (The Murderbot Diaries) - i think i am one of the only people who thinks that Murderbot is on the fem-presenting side of androgynous but i do think that and i'm right. I haven't read the latest book yet. Being forced to interrogate an in-between space, Murderbot's "dont look at me" in combination with vulnerability, the desire to cut and run and figure yourself out and then, like. not actually figuring yourself out much. did the running help? did escaping do anything? or should you have stayed?

Stede Bonnet (Our Flag Means Death) - Cringefail fuck-up pirate my beloved, i hate watching him do things it's like looking in a mirror. Theater kid playing dress up, steeped in self-doubt and trying to get everyone to talk about their feelings. In season one he looks at his own life and says "is anyone going to ruin this?" and doesn't wait for an answer. I want to kiss him in the moonlight. Every time I think about him I want to throw up. <3

Keyleth (Critical Role) - The weight of the world on her shoulders because she's been raised to lead her people, and all that simmering rage she tries to keep under wraps, and then she only gets a tiny bit of time with the person she loves before she has to live for years and years and years and watch everyone she cares about leave her. Archdruids with timeless body are an existential nightmare.

Alex Louis Armstrong (Fullmetal Alchemist) - okay listen. when i rewatched fmab in college, I was fully ready to fall in love with Riza. I was very surprised when I realized that it was not the badass with the gun I was fixated on, but the. big muscle-y guy who cries a lot and gets used for comic relief 60% of the time. but. im here. i love him. the ishval flashbacks got to me.

Blue (This is How You Lose the Time War) - Loving someone enough you're willing to let them close enough to kill you. The inherent rot beneath blooming things. Taking the slow path. Not leaving well enough alone. Love, but with teeth. I'm so normal about her (lying)

Cora Sabino (Noumena Series) - I wish I could tell everyone to read Axiom's End because I loved it, but I cant because the sequel fucked me up so bad. Its good! but god the atmosphere is so oppressive and Cora's struggle with depression is extremely real for an alternate history story that asks the question "what if we found out aliens were real during the bush administration?" I was legitimately unwell.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Star Wars) - I just think he's the funniest guy with a laser sword. so repressed. had one of the most grey-jedi masters to ever do the damn thing. bitchy. the chosen one is his padawan. honestly he had to know anakin was sneaking out to canoodle with padme and just decided it wasn't his problem. calls himself fucking ben on the hell sand planet. why was he like that.

Spock (Star Trek) - this is the most "i just think he's neat" of all of them. i inherited this blorbo. this blorbo was handed down to me from my mom. he was hers first, im just picking up the torch. "guy who acts like he has no emotions but every seven years enters a fuck or die frenzy" im sorry but that's. that's too good. i have no choice but to rotate him in my mind.

I cannot tag 10 people but i will tag @asterordinary and @werewolfnobody and if anyone else wants to do it go for it! tag me so i can read your response!