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tryskomys · 1 month ago

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Wet Sand

Stone Gossard x OC

Chapter 8 - Over My Head

Summary: that would be a shame.

masterlist

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫

notes: didn’t expect to finish another chapter this week, yay! i hate hate hate describing outfits, it always feels so wattpad. but hey, hopefully it’s digestable. this one somehow feels short - still, it’s 4,1k but you know, sometimes it just has this vibe. hope you like it anyway <3

tws: none this time, just lead-heavy tension and a bit of clumsy fluff.

songs:

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫

22.4.1988

Keys rattled in the main door and Stone hurried in, his grown-out hair slightly sticking to his forehead. Keeva peeked out of the curtain in front of her room, holding an eyeliner pencil.

“Okay, this is the only brown colour they had, but I think it’ll do,” he called over his shoulder, waving to call her downstairs.

“Perfect! I asked your mom for a hair dryer, it’s in the bathroom,” she said and gathered her makeup. She hopped down, trying to shake the nervous chills off when he turned around and looked at her.

Xana worked in a little vintage clothes shop and when Keeva mentioned that she didn’t own a dress, she rummaged through the depths of the shelves and gave her one with a huge sale. She even altered the seemingly shapeless drape of dark purple linen into a cute sundress.

She wanted Keeva to have a fancy look for the first official Mother Love Bone concert - Andy came up with the name and no one had the slightest idea what it meant, but it was perfectly weird and off-the-wall, just like his lyrics.

Keeva felt so uneasy. She hadn’t worn a dress since fifth-grade prom and Xana didn’t exactly leave much to imagination.

The thin straps were really too much for her, so she put on a baggy checkered shirt she stole from Stone’s drawer and decided to wear the dress on top of it.

The dress was too short as well, but she managed to make herself feel a bit better with some bike shorts she found at the bottom of her suitcase and thick woollen socks.

She was dreading Stone’s reaction, expecting him to either laugh at her or at least tease her heart out of her throat for being scared to wear a skirt.

She could already hear his nagging nasal voice in her head.

‘Awooga! Look who’s here, the Virgin Mary herself. What are the shorts for, Baby? Afraid to show an inch of your thigh?’

It was very refreshing when he just looked Keeva up and down and quickly turned back around without a word, digging around the CVS bag he brought with him. She softly sighed, trying to shoo the uncomfortable thoughts out of her brain.

Wow. Great. Gee thanks, that was such a nice thing to say, Stoney. You’re so sweet.

“Lookit,” Stone said after clearing his throat and handed her a box of brown hair dye. “You think it’s fine?”

“Yeah, that looks about right,” Keeva nodded and reached up to compare the photo of the brunette woman on the packaging with Stone’s roots. “Yup. Well, bathroom, off you go. I’ll be there in a sec.”

On cue, he ran his hand through his hair and walked away, unusually sheepish. She shook her head and quickly finished the eyeliner, her fingers jittery.

Jesus, is it that bad? Should I change?

Keeva threw the pencil away on his bed with slightly too much strength before following him to the bathroom. Stone was sitting on the cold tiled floor, picking on his nails. She started unpacking the box dye while carefully watching him rub his fingers together.

“You want the roots too or just the grown-out part?” she questioned, skimming over the instructions.

“Just the orange bit,” he took a fleeting look at her legs and quickly focused back on his hands.

“Calm down,” she softly mumbled, making him frown.

“I am calm.”

Stone’s fidgets were a clear indicator that he was, in fact, not calm.

They played a few house parties over the last two months, but this was different.

A proper show at The OK Hotel.

“When was your last gig?” Keeva ignored his irritated tone as she put the rubber gloves on and vigorously shook the plastic bottle of liquid to mix it with the dye powder.

“October,” Stone muttered and put his index finger to his mouth to chew on it. “You?”

“May,” she answered, softly tutting to make him stop. He just threw her an annoyed look and continued to bite on his hangnails.

As Keeva hovered above him with the dye bottle, Stone laid his hands in his lap and closed his eyes as if he was bracing for some sort of impact.

“You ready?” she sweetly scratched his head and he visibly relaxed, humming in agreement. “Good boy.”

That made Stone snicker and he reached out to pinch her calf. She squealed and gave him a little kick before proceeding to squeeze a bit of dye in his hair and smearing it in.

After a few moments of anxious silence, it was as if a switch flipped in him and he straightened his back with a big sigh, levelling his head with her stomach. Then, he rested his forehead on her hip bone. Keeva shivered.

Don’t do this to me.

“Careful, you’ll ruin my fancy dress,” she near-whispered and took a tiny step back, but he just chuckled, his breath tickling her thigh.

“That would be a shame,” Stone mumbled and lifted his head with an absent gaze. He raised his hand to softly tug at the rim of her skirt. “It’s nice.”

A painful rush of red filled Keeva’s cheeks as he slowly ran the tip of his index finger up her thigh and under her skirt. A freezing jolt of chills ran down her spine and she twitched - accidentally sending her knee forward. She softly kicked Stone in the chest, but he didn’t seem too bothered, tutting.

“Ow,” he lazily deadpanned and finally shuffled further away from her. She let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding.

What the fuck is your problem, beanpole?

Keeva couldn’t decide if the silence was awkward or not, but it was nerve-wracking either way.

“You’re still breathing on my leg,” she said as she rubbed the dye between her fingers, working it into a strand of Stone’s hair. He hummed.

“I am.”

“It tickles.”

“Tough shit,” he scoffed and softly blew on her skin. She kicked him again, this time on purpose. Stone grabbed her leg mid-air and started tickling her knee.

“Stop!” she yelped and and tried to step back. “I have your precious hair in my hands, asshole, don’t test me!”

They yanked each other back and forth for a few moments before Stone finally let go of her leg with a loud hiss.

“Ow! Okay, yield, yield, Jesus!”

Keeva stopped pulling his hair, too, giggling.

“The longer you distract me, the longer it will take and we have to leave in two hours. So if you want to go out there with ammonia mud in your hair, go ahead,” she spewed, nudging him with her foot. Stone wolf-whistled.

“I’m distracting you? You sweet talker,” he chuckled.

“Yeah, your pants are too tight,” she gave him a sarcastic smile and he - slightly panicked - quickly looked down at his jeans, then back at her.

“Your dress is too short,” he mirrored Keeva’s smile and watched her get red in the face again, clearly entertained.

Yeah, thanks for the honesty, mate.

Encouraging as always.

“I know it is,” she muttered under her breath and then took a long pause. “You think I should change?”

Her voice came out much more insecure than she planned. Stone tilted his head and Keeva was surprised that he seemed so puzzled.

“Of course not,” he frowned as if it was the most obvious answer under the sun.

“What’s ‘of course’ about that? It’s short and I’m short and my knees are scabby and I have bruises all over my legs and -”

“You look amazing, shut up,” he said matter-of-factly. Keeva raised her eyebrows.

That almost sounded like a Stone compliment.

“You shut up,” she shook her head with a bashful grin and hurried to break the eye contact. She pretended to squint at whatever she was doing. Whenever Stone’s hair was wet or tied back in any way, his stare somehow managed to be even more overwhelming.

“Thanks,” she silently added and quickly tried to change the subject. “What are you wearing, anyway?”

“Nothing this cute, let me tell you that much,” Stone started poking her knee again and she gave him an annoyed frown.

Yup. Here comes the mocking.

“Sorry,” he chuckled and raised his arms in surrender. “Uh, I don’t know. Probably a Green River t-shirt, that seems like a nice touch of irony.

Keeva snorted.

“No, you will not.”

“Watch me,” he shrugged. “I think I’ll take the Scumbag cowboy hat, too.”

“Oh, good grief,” she whined, holding back a laugh.

“Here we go! This is the shit,” Andy exclaimed and reached into one of the large bags of clothes in front of him. He fished out a felt cowboy hat with a few huge feathers sticking out from behind the rim. Stone started laughing, immediately grabbed it and put it on.

“Jesus Christ,” Keeva stuttered out and slapped her forehead. Andy and Regan clapped.

“Oh, you have to,” Regan cackled, whistling when Stone batted his eyelashes.

“It looks so fucking good with the whiskers, you’d be drowning in pussy if you wore this every day,” Andy giggled and kept on digging in the bag.

“Ew, don’t encourage him! I live in the same room,” she complained and started searching through one of the bags as well.

“Shut up, Baby, you’re just jealous that you don’t have a cool hat,” Stone grinned as he took it off, studying the feathers closer. She hooted.

“Oh, but I do,” she said and pulled out a big satin top hat. They all gasped.

“Put it on! Put it on!” Regan chanted and loudly wolf-whistled when she did. It was slightly big for her, but she felt amazing. It felt like armour.

“Are we playing any T. Rex today?” she giggled, looking up at the rim of the top hat with childlike delight. Stone giggled.

“Well, now we are!”

“Yay! Thus, Tom and Jerry’s Scumbag Jukebox was born,” Andy announced and clapped, clearly overjoyed.

Stone and Keeva exchanged a look and after a few seconds of silence, they both burst out in giggles - and they continued to do so until they were both on the floor, tangled into each other as they cramped through a fit of laughter.

“If you wear your Scumbag hat, I’ll wear my Scumbag hat,” she warned and wiggled her finger at him after putting a plastic shower cap on his stained hair. “Done.”

“Please, wear your Scumbag hat. That will be, like, a crown to this outfit,” Stone chuckled and tugged on her skirt one more time before getting up. Keeva narrowed her eyes at him.

Great. Great for my confidence.

“What now?” he added, taking a look in the shabby little mirror above the sink.

“Thirty minutes and wash it off,” she said and took her rubber gloves off. “But honestly we could keep it like this, too. The slicked-back look really makes your eyes pop.”

Stone looked at her and slowly widened his eyes while extending his arms, creeping closer to her. She squealed and started running out of the bathroom - however, he caught up with her in two brisk steps. He grabbed Keeva from behind with a theatrical growl, lifted her off her feet and started spinning in a circle.

“No, put me down! Careful with the dress!” she screeched through laughter, frantically slapping his forearms. Stone cackled and squeezed his arms around her waist.

“Would be a shame, wouldn’t it? Haha!”

“Yes, it would, put me down!”

“Say you look great and I’ll release you from my clutches,” he squeezed tighter and started spinning faster.

“Let me go!”

“Say ‘I look great!’” he mocked her accent with a high-pitched voice.

“Stop, I’m gonna be sick, Stoney!”

“Say it!”

“Okay, I look great!” she yelped and Stone finally stopped spinning, but still didn’t put her back on her feet.

“See? Wasn’t that hard,” he hummed, shaking Keeva from side to side. He squeezed her one more time in a tight hug and then set her back on the ground, planted a quick kiss on her burning cheek and hopped away to his clothes drawer with a cocky grin.

● ● ● ● ● ●

“Ow! Son of a bitch!” Stone’s yelp echoed from the bathroom, followed by a fierce kick into the lousy cupboard under the sink.

“Calm your tits, I’m not fixing the door again,” Keeva chuckled and walked in to see what’s going on.

Stone had washed the dye off and blow-dried his hair, now attempting to detangle a scrunchie out of his ponytail. It was a bit dehydrated from the dye, so it easily matted into a big messy knot.

The darker hair looked amazing. It definitely gave him a certain air of maturity, a thought that made Keeva laugh as she watched his childish frown.

He was redoing the ponytail for the fourth time. She had no clue why, it looked the same as always, but Stone just wasn’t satisfied with it. Now, he was just aggressively pulling while grunting in frustration.

“Jesus, how did you manage to do this?” Keeva squinted, stepping on her tiptoes. She tugged on his kaleidoscope vest to take a closer look.

Stone was already in his chosen gig outfit - he really did put on a Green River t-shirt and she could do nothing as he threatened to spin her around again if she didn’t stop nagging.

“I don’t fucking know, I’ve been standing here for, like, half an hour and I can’t get…this…fucking…thing…out. Ouch!” he squealed again when Keeva tried to help him.

“I can’t see shit in this lighting, move,” she mumbled and grabbed the hairbrush he was holding. She dragged Stone out of the door by the wrist like a little kid.

“You’ll be bald by thirty if you keep fucking with it like that,” she said as she tugged him down on the floor with her. “Sit.”

“I’m not a dog, asshole,” Stone muttered back but did as she said and crossed his legs. He hissed when Keeva pulled him by the tangled mess so he’d shuffle closer to her.

“Yeah, dogs don’t yap as much. Stop bitching and stay put,” she retorted and slapped his hand away when he tried to rip on his hair again.

Now softer, Keeva pulled a little so he’d tilt his head back, giving her a better look at where the knots were.

“Good grief. Why did you redo it, anyway? It looked great on the first try,” she tutted and started carefully untangling the mess strand by strand. Stone finally seemed to calm down a bit.

“It was uneven and it looked like shit, so I tried to make it straight, but I loosened it too much. So I untied it and did it again and that was off, too.”

“Ehm ehm, Narcissus,” she teased, giggling when Stone reached behind him to pinch her thigh.

He hissed in pain when she accidentally ripped a lone hair out in an attempt to wiggle it out of the scrunchie.

“Fuck. Sorry, Stoney, sorry,” she whispered, cringing at his pained grunt. “Stop wiggling.”

“It’s just at this weird length where I can’t put it up without having a bunch of little hairs sticking out like a muppet and it’s bothering the fuck out of me and now it looks even worse when it’s not bleached,” he rambled and waved his arms around, which caused another few accidental rips. “Maybe I should shave it off.”

“Yeah, over my dead body, mate.” Keeva scoffed and quickly checked her watch. They still had a solid hour before Bruce was supposed to pick them up for the soundcheck.

“What, you think I couldn’t pull it off?” Stone asked with a grin, finally easing under her hands.

She couldn’t stop her vivid imagination from carrying her away.

She pictured him with a buzz cut, which made his strange features even stronger - the Roman nose seemed longer, the cheekbones and jawline sharper, and the freckles more noticeable.

And the eyes. Oh, the eyes. She definitely couldn’t take any more of that.

The glistening sweat on his temples and cheeks without any hair obscuring his flushed face made her heartbeat far too quick for her liking, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She shook her head when the fading image of an older Stone - with a shaved head and an unshaved face - smirked.

Keeva successfully detangled the last strand and theatrically threw the scrunchie across the room, then gave Stone a brief playful scratch and took the hairbrush.

No way I’m allowing that. Keep it ‘til you’re old enough to be hot.

“I mean, sure you could. But you seem to be -” she raised an eyebrow at Stone’s perfectly timed heavy sigh, “- enjoying yourself just the way it is. Maybe we could make a deal…let’s see. If we ever play, like, a really big festival, then you can shave your head.”

As soon as the brush touched Stone’s scalp, he leaned his head back and his eyes fluttered closed.

“What’s a really big festival? How many people are we talking?” he said with a growing smile.

“Not in terms of people, just…you know, the feeling,” she shrugged.

Stone chuckled.

“Deal.”

After all the knots were gone, Keeva neatly brushed half of his hair up, took the thin blue scrunchie on her wrist and softly tied it into a high ponytail.

She noticed that he tilted further and further back under her fingers, slowly resting his body against her chest. By the time she was done, Stone’s head was lying on her shoulder as he silently hummed an unintelligible tune with his eyes closed.

Keeva had never seen him so peaceful before. So innocent. A whiplash-inducing contrast to his prickly attitude from earlier.

How very you.

“Hey, don’t fall asleep on me now, you’ll mess up my masterpiece,” she softly nudged Stone, but he didn’t budge.

“There’s a knot right under my ear and it’s really pulling, maybe you should give it another brush,” he mumbled, not moving an inch. Keeva chuckled again and decided to entertain his jabs.

She put the hairbrush away and ran her fingers through the loose waves. Stone sighed again.

“Still pulling.”

She briefly brushed her knuckle against his artery while reaching up. She could swear she felt his heartbeat fasten. There were no knots left, but Stone’s eyelashes fluttered every time she touched his scalp and that was enough to make her play along.

“Pulling,” he lazily muttered, egging Keeva on to continue.

“Oh, wait, I think there’s a tangle right here,” she whispered and reached to the other side of his head, running her fingers through the brown strands behind his ear.

A chuckle rumbled in his chest, followed by a deep sigh.

“Yeah, that’s it,” he breathed out.

A rush of blood inflamed her face and she snapped out of the dreamy limbo she was floating in.

Stone was lying in her lap, resting his forehead on the nape of her neck. When he spoke, his nose brushed against her clavicle and his shivering exhale tickled her skin.

“Fuck, I wouldn’t shave it if they paid me.”

Keeva couldn’t stop herself from caressing him again. She knew that she was just adding new knots by brushing through the hair over and over, but he didn’t seem to mind.

On the contrary, Stone’s ears were growing warm and red and so were his freckled cheeks, forming a burning patchy blush to match hers.

She was too busy studying his peaceful features to realize that she rested her arms around his neck in a loose embrace.

“You’re a witch, you know that?” he mumbled after a few minutes of silence, finally opening his eyes. Up until that point, she thought that he’d actually fallen asleep.

However, Stone seemed completely lucid when he darted across Keeva’s face with curiosity, as if she were a compelling book. His eyebrows slowly knitted into a soft frown when he stopped at her lips.

“What time is it?” he suddenly asked before she could speak, completely glossing over the previous comment. Keeva blinked a few times, still digesting his scrutinizing stare.

“Uh, half past four. We still have, like, a bit over an hour -”

“Cool,” Stone interrupted her and abruptly snaked out of her arms, stood up and skipped over to the bathroom in long hops.

“Thanks, Baby. I dub thee my official hairstylist from now on, looks fine,” he called after her. Keeva still sat in stunned silence, giving her cheeks a few slaps to drag herself out of the haze.

“Wait, like I’m forever stuck untangling your knotty scrunchies like you’re a little girl? Braiding your pigtails?”

“Better leave it up to you, then it will be your fault if I’m bald at thirty,” Stone peeked out of the door and stuck his tongue out at her.

“And pray tell, what do I get out of it?” she crossed her arms and squinted at him. He shrugged.

“You get to play with my luscious locks, of course.”

Keeva raised her eyebrows.

“You just said you look like a muppet, but fair. You know what that means though, right?”

“Hm?” he frowned.

“You have my hair tie. You’re branded as my property now.”

“Backhanded flirting doesn’t work on me and you know it, sweetheart,” Stone shot back a bit too casually for her ego’s liking and disappeared back into the bathroom. “I’m free as a bird and I intend to keep it that way.”

“Keep whatever you want, Casanova,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes. “But it’s like, the kindergarten rule number one. ‘Thou shalt belongest to the wench whose scrunchie thou wearest on thy wrist.’ Something like that.”

Stone’s chuckle rang in her ears, but he had no further snappy comments.

● ● ● ● ● ●

The OK was packed. Way more than they’d expected. Although Andy carried himself like the confident frontman he strived to be, his giddy nervousness backstage was extremely contagious.

Keeva didn’t mind, though, as it was a welcome change from her sickening nervousness - she had to leave the soundcheck two times to vomit.

Once they came on, though, it was like something possessed her and took away the tense cramp in her stomach.

Greg was tightly holding everything together, effortlessly professional and giving her encouraging smiles whenever the two of them found the right groove for a song.

Jeff was jumping around and bopping his head while never missing a beat, she had to come over to him a few times to lift his floppy hat away from his eyes - and she earned a huge twinkling smile from him.

Andy bounced around like a flying comet, commanding all the attention of the crowd and playing them like a fiddle, while Bruce watched him with a gleeful smile, overjoyed to be on stage again working his black-and-white Telecaster.

The lights were low and dimly glowed through the small venue. She could see the encouraging faces, familiar or not, whistling and headbanging like there was no tomorrow.

The whole of Soundgarden, Regan and his and Stone’s friends Shawn and Josh, Jerry and Mike from Alice in Chains, some of the guys from Sub Pop and hers and Jeff’s co-workers. Even Mark and Steve from Green River showed up, along with their new bandmates - all four of them screamed their hearts out and Mark even crowd-surfed at one point. Xana was there, too, clapping and hooting from the side of the stage.

Stone was in his element, writhing from side to side as he mouthed along to his riffs. It was mesmerizing - the way his flushed cheekbones shimmered when Andy called for a lone string of light to be pointed at his lanky friend.

She could do nothing but stare at him in awe, quickly closing her agape mouth shut whenever he turned at her with a half-lidded and out-of-focus gaze, barely present as he gave her a firm nod to cue her to join him.

He had such a strange way of handling himself while playing, a silhouette that haunted her dreams.

“What?”

“Nothing, just your posture.”

“What’s wrong with my posture?”

“Nothing wrong with it, it’s just…it suits you. Perfect ninety degrees. Edgy.”

“I get cramps when I angle it. It’s the arms. You know - beanpole.”

“Hey, can you turn the reverb down a bit?” Stone called after her during one of Andy’s in-between-song comedic routines. They stood right next to each other, but her ears were buzzing, so she gave him a confused frown.

“Huh?”

“The reverb,” he mouthed again, but Keeva shrugged. He shuffled over to her, a bit out of breath from jumping around.

He affectionately took her around her shoulders and squeezed her closer - his cheek was sweaty and flaming hot as he brushed against her forehead while bending down to her.

“The reverb, could you turn it down?”

This time she heard him, leaning back to press her lips against his ear.

“Come again? Sorry, I can’t hear a word you’re saying over that absurd hat, feels like it’s screaming into my face.”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫

#90s music #grunge fanfiction #mother love bone #pearl jam #pearl jam fanfic #pearl jam fanfiction #pearl jam imagine #stone gossard fanfic #stone gossard fanfiction #stone gossard x oc #stone gossard #band fic

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necesito-mas-cafe · 1 year ago

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I found this awesome Au, and was given the blessing to do a (1) fanart, except I got a little excited and decided sleep is optional; so I made 3 pictures.

This is the first fanart I do for this fandom, and I'm fucking proud. Stone's in love and it's painfully obvious.

Anyway, I tried to draw robotnik's long coat, but I didn't succeed.

Post war (i guess), Pearl misses her diamond. Stone and Robotnick are being gay.

I imagine if he ever had to reform, Robotnick would remove the diamond pattern on his clothing.

I also gave Stone a rectangular neckline because Robotnick's gem is rectangular *wink wink*.

I'll not comment on this.

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@princess-pacman

Thanks for giving me the green light, and sorry if I went too far 🗿, I got a little excited.

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English is not my first language, sorry if it's confusing.

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bluu3berry · 6 months ago

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steven universe gemsona!

i made gemsona's for me and my girlfriend! I did it off of are birthstones, mines march which is an aquamarine and my gf's is a diamond! So i made them red diamond mweheheh!

@anon-coke (my beloved gf U_U) More art + the story under the cut!

Story: Red diamond was the one who made the technology, but when red fell in love with an aqua she was casted to the shadows... the basement under homeworld, all alone only with the same aqua as a sort of assistant...

#steven universe #steven universe fanart #greg universe #su fanart #jasper #steven quartz universe #gemsona #pearl steven universe #lapis lazuli #peridot #gemsona su #gem persona #gem oc #gem art #gem stones

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coulrology · 2 years ago

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🔓 NEW JUNIPER SKINS UNLOCKED!

Coven Head 🦚

No Concealment Stone 💍

No Vest ❌

Eyes 👁

Ex Coven Head 🦋

The Knee ❄️

#toh #the owl house #toh oc #juniper jazz #illusion coven #illusionist #coven head #ocs #iggy’s art #sorry he’s in their undies for one of them I just needed a good ref for their eyes 💔#EVERYONE POINT AND LAUGH AT THEM WITHOUT THEIR CONCEALMENT STONE THO LMAO LOSER #yes he DOES enhance his height w the stone #also fun fact about his knee fit in case it wasn’t obvious but #I chose the same colors from Pearl’s palette bc Pearl = past/home and Juniper comes from the Knee 🫶#also. more to come eventually bc they are my little barbie doll and I will dress him up however I want <33333

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starlitmothart · 1 year ago

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Crown Jewels - Gemstone themed magical girls

This was the very first magical girl team I ever created, from many many years ago. Back then, it was before the pandemic, so their team name was "Corona" lol. I have since changed it. There's 12 main members, but this is the main team! They're fighting against an organization that wants to revive an ancient evil deity and gain immortality by draining the lives of others.

The Main Team

Crown Pearl, Lulu (center, white) - the leader, uses a staff

Crown Ruby, Robin (red) - uses a smashing board shield, Sophie's twin

Crown Sapphire, Sophie (blue) - uses a magic orb, Robin's twin

Crown Garnet, Avaka (pink, @lucensspem1414's OC) - uses a scythe, her family has an abnormally high amount of magical girls

Crown Amethyst, Amy (purple) - healer, but uses a sword as well

Crown Turquoise, Mani (turquoise) - uses a microphone/her voice

As usual, I'll be making more posts to introduce each character!

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saiimonellaboy · 1 year ago

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An edited screenshot of my off colors

Pearl pair, Smoky, Cinnabar, moon pearl, lafist and nebula stone

#smoky quartz #pearl pair #cinnabar #nebula stone #lafist #screenshot #my ocs

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cdragons · 7 months ago

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Bound by Embroidered Chains - Aemond Targaryen x Seamstress!OC x Jacaerys Velaryon - Chapter Two

Previous Chapter

Summary: Dragons have a habit in hoarding the prettiest of jewels, and pearls are of no exceptions.

Warnings- MDNI 18+ Obsessive Behavior (we all knew this was coming), tiny!Jace is delulu, tiny!Aemond is kind of a jerk in this one, Dark Themes, shit is going down, not betaread we burn like Harrenhal, etc. Also, translations for Valyrian will be added at the bottom! Also, I used an online translator for the High Valyrian, so it may not be great 🫠

Author's Note: I'M BACKKKKKK! I am so sorry for leaving this story alone for so long! I have been getting into other fandoms and making new stories because of those fandoms. But the two new trailers for HOTD season 2 brought me back! I swear I will be better at updating this story! But on the bright side, I made this chapter over 5k word length! I own only the plot and OCs of this story, please do not repost without my permission.

Despite living in the Red Keep for nearly your entire life, you still felt hopelessly lost as you walked down the corridors beside the prince. Like you and Aemond, the sight of you walking side by side with the heir of the Iron Throne’s firstborn son made for an unusual sight for the courtiers of the Royal Family. But this was not the case with the serving staff, which comprised smallfolk. Your mother was a favored companion by Queen Alicent and Princess Rhaenyra. Despite coming from such humble beginnings, Doreah of Essos became a highly regarded member of the serving staff belonging to the House of Targaryen. All the maids respected your mother, while most stewards who served under knights idolized your father. And as your mother’s daughter, they were very used to the vision of one of their humble sewists’ children playing with the Royal children.

As a result, no one so much as batted an eye when they saw you walking down the halls directly beside Prince Jacaerys. It would have made a much more unusual sight if your presence was absent by either his or his uncle’s side. The older staff bowed their heads in respect to the prince while also flashing a small but kind smile at you. The younger serving girls were still too new in the ways of the court and beamed with broad smiles at the sight of you before acknowledging Jace. You grinned back as you inwardly beamed at the knowledge that Head Septa Marlow was with you.

She would have scolded those girls fiercely if she had caught them greeting an apprentice seamstress before the prince.

You turned your head to glance at your childhood friend, who happened to be second in line for the Iron Throne, as you both made your way to his mother’s chambers. Your eyebrows furrowed as you took in the troubled expression on his face. Just a few minutes ago, he was practically bouncing on his feet as the two of you left Aemond alone in the Godswood. But now it felt as if he was a thousand miles away from you despite being so close. Having been by his side since his birth, you always felt a sense of protectiveness toward the young prince. No matter his station, you were a month past your third name-day when he was brought into this world. It was natural that you were perspective to his shifting moods.

“Jace?” you softly called out to him. You were relieved to have brought him out of his thoughts. “Are you alright?”

Jacaerys stopped in the middle of the stone corridor. Staring at you with those large brown eyes, he looked much older than his actual age. When someone as happy and bright as Jace became somber, it was always a reason to worry. Was Rhaenyra all right? Had he been listening to those awful rumors of his true birth?

“Ashi’,” he began, “what were you and Aemond discussing in the Godswoods’ Heart Tree?”

Ah, so that’s what this is about.

You inwardly grimaced as you realized how foolish you were to worry. With Aemond and Jace, it was always something one did to the other. And almost every time, it was up to you to stop their squabbling by being forced into the middle. You were not as blind as everyone in the castle liked to believe you were. You knew that both boys had an unhealthy attachment to you for whatever reason they conjured in their minds. Reasons that were only encouraged by their mothers.

You were still cross when they interrupted you and your mother’s reunion with your father. The matter was really very stupid. Jace had made fun of Aemond for not having a dragon during their family supper with the King. However, Jace only did so because Aemond and Aegon were snickering to themselves about how fat Princess Rhaenyra had grown due to her third pregnancy.

It didn’t make any difference to you, in all honesty. All you remembered from that time was that your time with your beloved father was forcibly cut short. To make matters worse, the two boys’ outbursts startled your mother, and the stress was so terrible that it nearly caused her to faint.

As a result, you decided not to speak to either boy for nearly two weeks. It had grown to the point where Queen Alicent and Princess Rhaenyra practically begged you to forgive their sons—but even a royal command would not budge you. It did not matter how many blueberry tarts or honey cakes they gave for your forgiveness. You made it very clear that you would resolve never to speak to either boy unless they sincerely apologized to your mother for the awful fright they gave her. You finally resumed your friendship with them after your mother asked you herself to forgive them after Aemond gifted her a lovely bouquet of blue and purple hyacinths, and Jace gifted her a basket full of her favorite honey lemon cakes.

“Jace,” you groaned, “you cannot be serious.”

“Ashi’, you’ve been spending so much time with him lately. I feel like I don’t ever get to see you anymore.”

Rolling your eyes, you walked away from him as you sped up your pace to reach their destination. You only made it a few meters from where you were earlier before Jacaerys caught up to you and firmly grasped your wrist to keep you in place.

“I’m serious, Ashi’!” he insisted. “Unless it’s for fittings or when the Maester seeks your help teaching us High Valyrian, I rarely ever see you anymore!” His eyes had a wet sheen in the light, and his lip quivered slightly. “I miss you. Luke misses you. And so does Mother and Father!”

If the pitiful sight was enough to fill you with guilt, his next question nearly broke your heart.

“Do you – do you still consider me your friend?”

“Oh, Jace-” you pulled your younger friend into your arms “- of course I do. I’ve been so busy with my duties and my mother’s health. She and Princess Rhaenys have been so concerned over Lady Laena’s pregnancy and are trying to convince Prince Daemon to travel to Driftmark for the baby’s arrival.”

Jacaerys wrapped his arms around you, eager to feel your warmth. If the gods were kind, time would stop, and he and you would stay like this forever. But he became sad at the mention of his Aunt Laena. He had heard his father recount hundreds of stories of their time together at Driftmark in their youth. Jace knew his father missed his sister terribly, and he was sure she missed him the same.

You noticed your friend’s change in behavior. You looked at him with concerned eyes, and his heart began to race at your care for him.

“Oh, Jace,” you whispered, “have I upset you somehow? I did not mean to!”

Jace frantically shook his head. “No, Ashi’! I just wondered…do you think I’ll ever meet my Aunt Laena?” he softly asked. “Do you think she’ll like me? Can you tell me more about my cousins?”

You rolled your eyes at his request. He had yet to do so despite your advice for Jace to send a raven or two to his cousins. You hadn’t seen the twins for many years, but the three of you wrote to each other so often that it felt like you would recognize them by how they spoke alone.

“I’m sure she and your cousins will adore you, Jace. Baela is excited about her new sibling. She says she’s close to riding Moondancer! Once she gets big enough, she hopes to ride her with Rhaena!”

Jace wondered how you’d react if you knew he didn’t write to his cousins because he was scared they wouldn’t like him. To be honest, he didn’t really care about them at all. He only cared about the way you smiled at him, and only him, when he asked.

“Mother!”

Still seated at her dark-stained ebony-wood desk, Princess Rhaenyra of House Targaryen scribbled away with her black swan’s feather quill, nearly hidden behind stacks of dusty tomes and piles of scrolls from across the Seven Kingdoms and, despite being heavy with child, remained to be one of the most exquisite beauties across the realm. Hearing her eldest son’s voice, she looked up from her papers and smiled at the two children standing in her chambers' doorway.

“Jace! You made it and brought our little Lady Ashirri with you.”

You looked down at your feet as your cheeks slightly pinkened at the attention brought to you. Princess Rhaenyra was one of your mother’s closest friends and one of the few belonging to the noble houses that approved of your father’s rise in status. But his title was only in name, and so many in the keep look down on him with ill-hidden disdain. And as a result, many in the keep looked down on you with the same contempt and disgust.

The image of Lord Otto Hightower’s cold and judging eyes gazing down at you with arrogance came to mind before you could block it out.

You lifted your skirts and bowed in a deep curtsy in respect for Princess Rhaenyra. “Yes, my princess. Prince Jacaerys told me that you required my assistance with something?”

Princess Rhaenyra warmly smiled and laughed. “Yes. My husband seems at a crossroads in deciding which fabrics best suit his sister. Although, as you can see, he is being unnecessarily picky about it all.”

Her husband, Prince Consort Laenor of House Velaryon, stood beside your mother with his arms spread wide apart. On each arm were textiles of luxurious materials and superb stitching patterns. His close friend and confidant, Ser Qarl Correy, stood close behind him. The crown princess spoke truthfully as the entire room was filled with dozens of fabric bolts, from brilliant orange-marigold Dornish satin to iridescent light-azure Yi Tish silk. Your eyes were filled with excitement and wonder at the magnificent sight. You raced to touch the imported textiles.

“Is this silk truly from Yi Ti?” you softly whispered while carefully stroking the surface with one finger. “It looks almost too pretty to be real. This color would beautifully complement Lady Laena’s complexion and silver curls.”

Your mother and Prince Laenor smiled in agreement. It was softer than anything you’ve ever touched. Yi Tish silk was famous for its textile quality. One bolt was worth double your mother’s monthly wage at the Red Keep. The color alone was mastery at its finest. You knew from personal experience that blue was an incredibly tricky dye to handle. Although it was a primary color, it was rare in nature. You had to devote hours, if not days, to find the correct materials to yield the desired tone and shade properly. But that work is useless if the dye ends up damaging the fabric. Dark blue was one matter – it was still stunning, and many nobles would pay a hefty amount of coin for it. But to own such beauty, you wouldn’t dare imagine the price for a few yards, let alone an entire bolt.

“Fine eye as always, little lady,” Laenor jovially laughed. “Yes, I’m sure at least one of these fabrics will make a suitable dress for my sister before she gifts me another niece or nephew. I’m afraid your mother is very cross with me at the moment. Any delay in choosing the fabric will result in her being unable to finish the dress before the baby is born.”

“Lady Laena will need it to be loose and not so tight around her waist,” you spoke matter-of-factly. “Muña says that most pregnant women have rashes and inflammations after giving birth, so the dress must be made of a fabric that won’t cause irritation. Let’s see…excuse me for a moment?”

You took out the small leather-bound journal Kepa gave you as a gift from one of his many voyages with Lord Corlys that you kept in your dress pocket, along with a small stick of charcoal. You drew out the image as quickly as possible whenever inspiration struck, regardless of the time or place. It was a habit that could lead to horrible misunderstandings, but being scolded and berated mattered little to you if it meant you could train yourself to be half as talented a seamstress as your mother.

After flipping past all your previous ideas, you finally spotted a blank page. Racing to your mother’s side for help, you excitedly shoved the journal in her face.

You thought aloud and drew out the concept simultaneously. “I think it should be blue. Even if Lady Laena married Prince Daemon, she is still a Velaryon by birth! Maybe if we chose a material that looks like water, it would make her feel closer to Driftmark and Lady Rhaenys!”

Doreah beamed from ear to ear as she crouched down and took you in a tight embrace. It filled her with such joy to know her daughter had developed such a tender and compassionate heart. You were a deeply empathetic girl who always considered the needs of others before your own. Her little pearl had a heart of gold that shone through the darkest storms. She planted a loud kiss on your cheek before letting you go.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, my little pearl,” her eyes twinkled as she cupped your cheeks. “I have just the fabric in mind for it.”

Lady Doreah Pyke pulled out a large bolt of shimmering azure blue silk velvet. The rippled pattern and texture matched the transcendent and melancholy shores that surrounded High Tide. You gasped in delight at the sight of it. It was exactly the color you imagined! You gently caressed the hand-pleated panels, expecting it to feel crinkly and cheap despite its luster. But the fabric sheen and its soft, velvety texture made you want to wrap yourself with it like a warm blanket.

Your mother thoughtfully inspected the fabric. “Yes, this will be perfect. However, I think instead of a dress, it may be better to be used as a cloak. If the result is as beautiful as my little pearl envisions it to be, it would be a shame to be a dress for one lady. If it is a cloak, it can be passed down from mother to daughter.”

“An heirloom cloak…” you murmured in excitement. Your mother was a genius. “It sounds so romantic…the waves should be hand-painted and glass beads strung and stitched into the fabric. Oh, Lady Laena will look like a sea goddess! Would she like it enough to pass it down to Ladies Baela or Rhaena?”

Doreah chuckled at your delight and booped your nose. “She will love it, my darling – especially because you will be helping me make it.”

“A wonderful idea!” exclaimed Laenor. “Who better than our lovely Doreah and her little pearl to complete the task?”

“Really?” you gasped. To work beside your mother on such a prestigious project…was like a dream too good to be true. “Mother, do you…do you truly think I am ready?”

Jace jumped to his friend’s side to hug her. “Ashirri! This is wonderful! You and Lady Pyke will make the most beautiful cloak in the Seven Kingdoms - I know it!”

Rhaenyra and Laenor glanced knowingly at their son’s support for his dearest childhood companion. Everyone in the Red Keep knew of Jacaerys Velaryon's infatuation with Ashirri Pyke. If only the gods had allowed their stations to be so different. It seemed cruel to let two young souls meet and grow beside one another without the hope or possibility of love being borne.

You beamed at Jace with a brilliant smile that shone with so much radiance that looking at you felt nothing less than sin. You took his hand in yours as you squeezed his hand in silent thanks and appreciation for his words. In the young prince’s eyes, you were more heavenly than the Maiden herself. He hopes to be seen as strong as the Warrior in yours one day.

“Kirimvose, jorrāelagon raqiros,” you said in your mother’s native tongue, softly stroking your thumb on his skin as a rosy hue bloomed on Jace’s cheeks. “Muña, īlon līs jiōragon naejot mirre rȳ istin! Nyke jāhor sagon going ēlī!”

You were about to leave before stopping and tracing back your steps to bow to Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Consort Laenor quickly. Your cheeks were bright red from embarrassment from forgetting such basic etiquette.

“My princess, my prince, forgive me for not remembering to thank you for granting me this opportunity and forgetting to leave before you dismissed me. I was too caught up in my excitement. But, I swear that I will not let you down.”

The adults in the room shared amused expressions at your excitement. Ashirri Pyke’s transparent honesty and sweet nature were so refreshing to not only the Targaryen Princess and her prince consort husband but also the entire Royal Family. She was the perfect combination of her parents’ personalities. From Hotho, you adopted your father’s unwavering honesty and sense of justice. From Doreah, you were your mother’s copy in sweetness and purity. You were a highborn noble in all but birth and title.

Rhaenyra waved off your apology and nodded. “No need for apologies, little pearl. Run along. There is work that needs to be done, and your mother and I still have things to discuss between old friends.”

You pouted to hear that your mother would not be joining you. After all, this was a very important job, and you had hoped this would provide an opportunity to learn more of your mother’s secrets in her trade. But who were you to refuse a princess’ orders? You bowed once more before waving goodbye to Jace and everyone in the room before racing to your chambers. The disappointment you felt moments before was washed away by the jittering and buzz of your creativity rushing through your mind.

The waves would have to be hand-painted – that goes without saying. But should you paint silver instead of ivory for the sea foam? And did you have a steady enough hand to replicate each pattern perfectly? You were going to need a template to trace it.

You were going to need dozens if not hundreds, of beads ranging from violet to turquoise to teal. Were there any artisans in Kings Landing that could make such a large quantity? Were there any skilled enough to ensure the glass and crystals would yield such clarity and durability? You may need to ask Kepa if he made any glassmaker friends from Essos or the Free Cities.

Could you dip into your personal collection of sea crystals and pearls? Mother would be cross with you, but it would look so splendid against the fabric!

While racing down the many halls and past the flurry of chambermaids and squires, you came across Aemond. His trademark frown on his freckled face quickly turned to a kind smile.

“Ashirri! Mother wants to–”

But you did not have time to stop and quickly ran past him. You interrupted him with an apology.

“Usōven, Aemond! Yn issa muña se Dārilaros Laenor teptan mirros hen rōvēgrie import! Nyke emagon naejot jiōragon naejot mirre paktot qrīdrughagon!”

Aemond owlishly blinked before realizing you had spoken to him in High Valyrian. He took a few moments to mentally translate what you said before calling out your name and asking you to explain.

“Umbagon! Skoros gaomagon ao nūmāzma?”

But when he turned, you were nowhere in sight, and he was left alone in the middle of the stone corridor. His shoulders slumped in deep disappointment at seeing you running away from him. But he supposed that such a slight could be forgiven since you were his loveliest and dearest friend. On the plus side, he was gifted with the sight of how the sunshine rays peering through the windows darted your glossy locks and wrapped you in a warm halo that brought out even more of your natural charm and prettiness.

As soon as you reached your room, you shut the door and grabbed every colored charcoal stick you’ve been gifted since you began learning your letters. Grabbing your big sketchbook, you immediately began jotting down your vision. By the time your mother joined you, your entire floor was covered with pages filled with a kaleidoscope of blues, greens, violets, and silver. Doreah was ecstatic of the display of your budding talent and took you in her arms for a tight hug.

The next few weeks were the most thrilling of your young life. You would spend hours on end with your mother, going over and debating which colors would match the tone of the cloak. Your mother found out about your idea to incorporate your pearls in the stitching, and she gave you a lecture that put all her past scoldings to shame. Eventually, you relented. In truth, you were a tad reluctant to part with your pearls. Each pearl was a gift from your beloved kepa for each country he visited. He said it was his way of giving you a tiny part of the world to his little pearl.

Because you were so busy trimming and stitching, you barely had time to read with Aemond under the Heart Tree in the Godswood or watch Jace practice his sword fighting with Ser Harwin Strong. You and your mother could only be removed from the cloak when either Queen Alicent or Princess Rhaenyra ordered your presence. They often expressed their woes at your decreased presence in court. As a result, your mother would take small breaks to share tea with Queen Alicent to discuss your progress as a seamstress, or she would get called by Princess Rhaenyra to her chambers so that they may speak their most private thoughts and troubles in High Valyrian.

You would often escape their orders by spending time with Princess Helaena. She would sneak into your workspace to bring her own embroidery and ask for your guidance with the more intricate patterns. While most of the court found the second princess a bit…odd – you took to her presence like green to pink. The two of you greatly differed in personality, but that made your friendship with her all the more special. You always made sure to treat her with kind words and common courtesy.

The most rude you had been to her was when she showed you a massive spider in her hands, and you loudly shrieked before crawling under your bed as a reflex. It took a few minutes before you could rejoin her. When she asked if you liked to hold Gerald the Spider, you took your father’s thickest riding gloves before you went near the beast.

You only held Gerald in your palms a few moments before you cried and begged Helaena to remove him from your person. But despite the terrors you got from Gerald the Spider that night, it was worth it if Helaena could smile as happily as she had when you agreed. She was so pleased that she didn’t correct you when you called her by the nickname you made for her, ‘Hel.’ In fact, you were almost certain that the nickname made her happier than you holding the spider.

But despite the peace these past few weeks have brought you and your family, such joy was not granted to the rest of your friends. Trouble was brewing in the Red Keep for House Targaryen – a fact you were unaware of until much later. You were returning from the rookery after being notified of receiving a letter from Baela. She was so excited about the arrival of her new sibling. You were reading the letter until you heard soft cries in the library. Searching for the source, you were shocked to find Aemond crying in a secluded section of the Royal Library. Distressed at your friend’s tears, you immediately knelt and hugged him close to you.

Clinging to your arms like you were his anchor, you could only make out the words: ‘pig’ and ‘dread.’ When you voiced your confusion, Aemond explained once more.

“They gave me a pig!” he barked, wiping away the angry tears from his violet eyes. “They said they found a dragon for me, and it was a pig! The ‘Pink Dread’ they called it!”

You lowered his head to the crook of your shoulder. “Aemond, who’s ‘they’?” you softly asked.

“Aegon! Who else?” he exclaimed. Your simple linen frock muffled his yells. “My sister’s bastards were there, too!”

Your blood chilled. He couldn’t mean…Jace wasn’t…

“Aemond, you can’t say such things,” you warned. “It’s considered treason by your father’s laws.”

But Aemond wasn’t listening. “I hate those bastards. They shouldn’t carry the Targaryen name. Their last name should be ‘Waters.’ It’s the name that bastards born in the Crownlands carry. Northern bastards are called ‘Snow,’ ‘Sand’ for Dorne, ‘Flowers’ for the Reach–”

“‘Pyke’ for the Iron Islands,” you snapped and let him go. “Am I a bastard, Aemond? Am I what you hate? Do you hate my father?”

Aemond was shocked at your venomous tone. When he realized what he had done, he quickly tried to make amends.

He shook his head. “My pearl…no, no, no,” he said. “You aren’t a bastard. I wasn’t talking about you. I was talking about–”

You clenched your fists and stood on your feet. “I know who you were talking about! That does not make it right!”

Aemond was getting angry. Why weren’t you taking his side? Had his whore of a sister already poisoned you against him? Had Jace already dirtied you with his filthy, bastard blood? He stood up and stared you down with fury in those beautiful violet eyes that you once so adored. But all you saw was his grandfather.

“Your father is a bastard,” he stated matter-of-factly. “He was a bastard from the Iron Islands that Lord Greyjoy didn’t want! He wasn’t worthy of his noble father’s house name, so he is named ‘Pyke’!”

You shook your head. “There is more to family than names and blood. I am neither a Targaryen nor a Velaryon. I do not carry a speck of your noble house’s blood, but I consider you and Jace my dearest friends! To me, you are my brothers! You and him are my family because I love you, not because of blood! Does that count for anything?”

“I never thought of you as a sister,” he spat out. “Not once did I consider you family.”

Devastation overwhelms your broken heart as tears flood your and Aemond’s eyes. He reaches out to hold your hand, but you step back. Once more, he tries to keep you closer to him, but you turn around and run to the door. When you reach it, he calls out your name and begs you to let him explain. Once more, you turn to face him to see he has not moved an inch. You feel so small and insignificant underneath the massive stone framework, but you summoned the sea of hurt and rage crashing inside your heart.

“I used to wonder how a horrible and mean-spirited man like Otto Hightower could be the grandsire of such a sweet boy,” your voice trembled, but you continued to steel yourself. “I thought…you were smart enough not to listen to such horrible things. I thought you were my friend. But I was wrong. I was so horribly wrong. What your brother, Jace, and Luke had done to you was cruel and unfair. But Aemond…what you had become…I-I don’t even recognize you anymore.”

With that being the final word, you raced to your mother’s chambers. You cried into her skirts and told her what happened – of the Pink Dread, Aemond’s cruel transformation, and the ruin of your friendship with him. You sobbed out your wish to leave the Red Keep and never return.

Doreah Pyke immediately thought of what Princess Rhaenyra had informed her in the afternoon. ‘Nyra told her that she would be moving her family to Dragonstone. Each day since her failed attempt to match Jace with Helaena, the Red Keep feels less safe and more hostile to her and her children. Since Harwin assaulted Ser Cole, tensions between the princess and the queen have reached an all-time high.

“Come with me,” her princess begged Doreah. “Come with my family to Dragonstone.”

“Oh, ‘Nyra,” whispered Doreah, “I don’t know. Dragonstone is so far from King’s Landing. And Ali would never–”

“Alicent is becoming more like her father each day,” Rhaenyra interjected. “She wants to put her son on my father’s throne – both she and her father are conspiring against me.”

Rhaenyra clasped Doreah’s hands in her own. “I know you want to believe she is the same girl from our youth. But Otto Hightower has sunk his poisoned claws in her and will stop at nothing to crown Aegon when my father passes. I need people I can trust by my side. People like you, my sweet Dory, and your husband.”

“…But Ashirri, my pearl,” sighed Doreah. “She will be so devastated. She grew up running in these halls, playing in the Godswoods, exploring this castle’s corners and shadows. This is her home.”

“Your daughter will flourish wherever she goes,” insists Rhaenyra. “She will never be alone – not with Jace, Luke, and Joffery by her side. And forgive me for what I am about to say, my friend, but…King’s Landing no longer agrees with you as it used to.”

Doreah sighed and gazed out the window with slumped shoulders. What her princess said was true but hard to hear. As she grew older, she found the air and noise outside the Red Keep more sour and rancid. It made her miss the clean and fresh sea breeze in Essos. Rhaenyra was not the only one who had noticed Doreah’s melancholy. Hotho, her beloved Iron Knight, has remained in King’s Landing after learning of her despondence. Her husband implores her to care more for her health – if not for herself, but their daughter.

Doreah waved off their concerns, but perhaps…they had a point. Stroking your hair to calm you down, your mother asked if you would be open to the possibility of moving to Dragonstone. She reassured you that she and your father would be there with you and that you would still be around Jace, Luke, and Joffery if you ever felt lonely.

You agreed before she finished and immediately started packing. By the end of the month, you had not spoken another word to Aemond and left with Princess Rhaenyra and her family to Dragonstone. You did not look back. You wanted to leave King’s Landing and Aemond as soon as possible. You wanted to leave this wretched castle and have peace once more.

While others stared at the obsidian castle with trepidation, you felt hope. Unpacking your things from your trunk and knapsack, you were determined to leave behind all the political headaches and focus solely on stitching with your mother and sailing with your father.

If only life could be that simple.

Translations:

Muña - mother

Kepa - father

Kirimvose, jorrāelagon raqiros…Muña, īlon līs jiōragon naejot mirre rȳ istin! Nyke jāhor sagon going ēlī – “Thank you, dear friend…Mother, we must get to work at once! I will bet going first!”

Usōven, Aemond! Yn issa muña se Dārilaros Laenor teptan mirros hen rōvēgrie importance! Nyke emagon naejot jiōragon naejot mirre paktot qrīdrughagon! – “I am sorry, Aemond. But my mother and Prince Laenor gave me something of great importance! I have to get to work right away!”

Umbagon! Skoros gaomagon ao nūmāzma?” – “Wait! What do you mean?”

Tagging: @ethereal-athalia, @valeskafics, @faesspace, @aphroditesmoon, @dreaming-for-an-escape, @nellychick, @asa-do-your-thing, @arcielee, @bellamys-girl1, @immyowndefender, @xxlovingfandomsxx, @elinedjarin, @meg-egg-blog, @marvelescape, @mandiiblanche, @lokiofasgard12, @boxedpandas, @anewpersonthatexists, @toodlesxcuddles, @mckiquinn, @cvspians, @aemondslove, @bogbutteronmycroissant, @lady-ashfade , @axelsagewrites

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#house of the dragon #hotd #hotd au #house of the dragon x you #house of the dragon fic #house of the dragon x reader #house of the dragon x oc #jacaerys velaryon x reader #jacaerys velaryon x oc #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen x oc #jacaerys x reader #jacaerys x oc #aemond x reader #aemond x oc #reader insert #a song of ice and fire #team black #team green

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magizra · 1 month ago

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Realized I never posted this here!

I've had something like this forming in my head (like a pearl in an oyester or a kidney stone in a kidney) since the book of bill was announced

Ft. my FIRST EVER and ONLY gravity falls oc, the Therapschist, a sentient geode assigned to help Bill out while he's back on earth

And a little something extra:

#bro....#need to make more gf art jbtw #and also some stuff of this au #my art #digital art #gravity falls #bill cipher #book of bill #im not that familiar with the handyman au so im not sure how similar this is to that #fanart #human bill cipher design

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ask-the-pioneer · 22 days ago

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Hello and welcome to @ask-the-pioneer! This is a scripted ask blog dedicated to a slugcat OC of mine called Marbles (she/her), titled the Pioneer. She is a re-interpretation of Artificer’s blue slugpup, set in a AU where the pup survives, grows up, and receives a name. The main story begins some short time after the end of Artificer’s campaign. At that point in time Marbles is already a young adult (early 20s in human years). She parts ways with Hunter - her mentor - and ventures out to seek the knowledge contained within the pearls that she was always captivated by.

This blog is run by @kalivasquez (@kalivasquezart). Keep in mind I’m not a native English speaker. There may be spelling errors or weirdly constructed sentences at times. This is my first ask-blog ever so idk what I’m doing but I’m trying my best 👍

CONTENT WARNING: This blog has content rating of +18 due to potential sensitive themes: mental trauma, depictions of violence, suicidal ideation, blood and gore, or other graphic imagery that may be uncomfortable, scarring or otherwise triggering to witness. Viewer discretion is advised. Posts containing mild themes will be tagged appropriately, while posts showing heavy themes will have "mature" filter applied to them. Please be aware that all the content shared on this blog is intended for an adult audience!

More info below the cut!

Blog Rules 📜

Last update: 10th of October, 2024

By default you address the main character - Marbles, aka the Pioneer - in your asks. If you wish to inquire me directly (as an author of this blog), please include “[OOC]” at the beginning, or otherwise indicate that the message is directed at me and not the character.

Asks are answered in-character. Sometimes the character may react to your ask in a seemingly negative way. Please keep in mind that it is done from their point of view, and it does not imply that I (the author) personally reacted badly to your message.

I appreciate all the asks that I receive. However, I reserve the right to not answer some of them, at my discretion. It is not guaranteed that you receive a response. Still, I’ll try my best to answer as many messages as I can.

Be aware that some asks I receive may be skipped over, especially ones that are short and vague, in favour of more complex asks that help me push the plot of this AU forward. This is also relevant for asks that refer to the same subject (duplicates).

Please be tactful! Asks that are inappropriate or confusing in their intent (like spam, baits, asks containing slurs) will be deleted. Sorry!

Do not send me asks via direct messages (DMs)! I keep my DMs open in case someone needs to contact me for other reasons, like incorrect tagging or important offsite matters. If you send me a DM meant to be answered like an ask, your message will be ignored and deleted.

More rules may be added later. Please check this section again periodically.

General Character Info ℹ️

As of now, this ask-blog has only one acting character - Marbles the slugcat, aka the Pioneer.

Name (given): Mirmyntasseth, Eight Marbles Cast in Stone

Title (given): the Pioneer

Nickname: Blue (for family), Marbles (for friends, after being named by an iterator)

Pronouns: she/her

Age: young adult (very early 20’s in human years)

Personality: energetic, curious, savvy, humorous, short-tempered, resilient, drive, a little naive and too trusting, exhibits mild case of abandoned child syndrome

Specific traits:

good at finding pearls (she loves them, goes about as crazy for them as scavs) and other trinkets,

knows martial arts, can incapacitate enemies by hitting their pressure points,

can craft explosive spears and grenades - they do less damage, but stun for longer; crafted explosives have deep orange color,

already has a mark of communication, granted by NSH,

Tools:

Marbles is often seen wearing a light colored “sling bag” on her back, where she keeps her pearls and other items,

at a muuuuuuch later point in time, she receives a gift from a kind interator - her very own citizen ID drone; the drone can read from pearls and translate slugcat speech into other languages.

Current reference sheet:

For more in-dept info and drawings/references of the character, please visit Marbles' ToyHouse page.

AU Timeline ⏱️

the story of Pioneer takes place some years after the end of Artificer's campaign, and begins at the same time as Hunter's campaign in-game

this AU assumes the following timeline for slugcat campaigns: Spearmaster -> Artificer -> Hunter -> Gourmand -> Survivor -> Monk -> Rivulet -> Saint,

Artificer/Hunter/Gourmand campaigns happen close together, with Hunter/Gourmand overlapping slightly; all three scugs are roughly the same age, with Arti being the oldest (early 40s), and Hunter the youngest (39),

Saint and Monk are still slugpups by the time the story of Pioneer beings,

Spearmaster is unlikely to be present in this AU as it is assumed that over 432 cycles have passed, meaning they are no longer alive,

Rivulet is unlikely to be present in this AU as here their campaign is assumed to have taken place *much *later in the future,

Saint is thought to be stuck in a time loop, and *may *appear in this AU.

AU Setting 📝

Pioneer’s Backstory (before the events described in this ask blog):

Marbles/Blue (the Pioneer) was born in the Garbage Wastes area, raised by a single mother (Artificer); the other parent remains unknown,

she had a sibling (who was also the runt of the litter) - a brother named Bryn, the green slugpup; the two were fraternal twins,

she got separated from the rest of her family in a scav toll incident,

was not killed, but abducted instead by the scavenger toll tribe, brought into their local shelter just before the rain started,

initially assumed to have been taken in as a fodder in case of predator attack,

in the end she has earned her keep when she learned how to make grenades and explosive spears, turning herself into a valuable asset for the tribe,

was treated fairly well, but never truly incorporated into the local scavenger community,

had stayed with the tribe for many cycles, learning how to fight and survive, but also how to look for valuables (mainly pearls) and haggle with other tribes,

could probably have run away, but she held on to hope that mom would come back for her,

whenever she got “lost”, the tribe would look for her to bring her back,

after one of her short solo expeditions, she came back to the camp only to find out the entire scav tribe has been wiped out,

ran away and been wandering aimlessly for a while, eventualy stumbling upon Hunter who adopted her, took back to NSH's superstructure, and underwent training alongside him (under NSH’s supervision),

promised to accompany Hunter during his important mission, but had to suddenly part ways due to unfortunate circumstances (just before the beginning of Hunter’s campaign).

Post Tagging 🏷️

I use the following tags:

#rain world, #rain world oc, #rain world au - default tags added to all answered asks (unless OOC),

#rain world spoilers - is included in posts that may spoil RW lore, for example: when answers hint to the conclusion of Artificer’s campaign,

#rw - rain world-specific characters that are present in a post, such as: “#rw hunter” or “rw five pebbles”; i will try to use the full name(s) intead of abbreviations,

#au lore - posts that contain important worldbuilding information for my AU,

#ooc- out of character posts, or anything else that doesn’t fall under “rain world” umbrella,

(more tags will be added to this section once I actually start posting stuff)

I also tag sensitive content with appropriate tags like #tw [trigger], if shown.

Text Key 💬

Most dialogue takes form of narrated drawings, where Marbles speaks in her own voice. The speeches are a part of the drawings themselves.

However, if a post contains additional text, the following key is used:

[Narration]

[The road was long and arduous, and she was glad to have finally found a shelter]

(Thoughts)

(This place is full of scavengers, I should be able to trade those pearls for some food)

“Speaking”

“How come you have not seen a vulture before? Climb up to Sky Islands, they are everywhere!”

//OOC

// more art coming soon woohoo!

Credits 📑

image in the blog's header belongs to Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

Yoŋasabi script (slugcat language, original conlang) in the top banner by @opashoo

all the other drawings posted on this blog were made by me, unless stated otherwise

#rain world #no one actually reads the “About” page so i've decided to turn it into a pinned post #can you believe i still haven't come up with the name for this AU lol #pinned

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crus-tulum · 5 months ago

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Пока не рисую особо, но вот карточки второстепенным камнеосам! Основным пока нет =')

Special for @shiny-gem-ocs sorry my english is bad))

1) pearls (2,3,4,5,7,8,9)

2) rosasite and aurichalcite - they're local fashionistas xD

3) soapstone (in russian - talc chlorite - therefore abbreviated as chlorine) she is doctor

4) gravel-36. there are a lot, that's why they're fighters.

5) shale. On her feet shale shoes (?????) lol

This is only part of them :D

In general, my AU have 3 classes: precious stones, geodes and just stones. the first get high, the second decide for themselves what to do, the third are "for slaughter". I can explain the details about classes in other posts.

My three main OC - two amethyst geodes and one pebble (in Russian GALKA) - were in another drawing on the beach... about them some day :P old art ↓

Русские надеюсь тоже поняли я вас не бросаю! Я не умею ни рисовать ни говорить по-английски извините я неуч (с гугл переводчиком с горем пополам)

Извините постараюсь рисовать вкатываться немного обратно....

#art #land of the lustrous #houseki no kuni #lotl oc #lotl #oc art #oc #hnk oc #hnk

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princess-pacman · 1 year ago

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So, yeah. Here’s their reformed outfits. Pay no attention to the stockphoto watermark. I changed Robotnik’s coloring because I like this better. I don’t know what else to say about it.

#fanart #gem au #stobotnik #su au #black pearl oc #red emerald oc #agent stone #dr eggman #dr robotnik #drawing #my art #This one took me forever because my room got bed bugs and had to be decontaminated and my ipad was in there so…#And when I did finish I forgot to post it for like several weeks #I have more art for them in the works #And more AUs for them that I haven’t posted about yet #And an Erasermic SU AU as well that I have some art for if anyone’s interested

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tryskomys · 22 days ago

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Wet Sand

Stone Gossard x OC

Chapter 9 - Feel Flows

Summary: it makes the pain go away.

masterlist

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫

notes: okay, here we go. I usually try to avoid writing anything that resembles smut like a plague (read as: i’m really bad at it and i’m trying to be mindful of my digital footprint), but the plot won’t move itself as they say. if anything feels clunky or alien - it’s because it is. but hey, maybe that’s just the sprinkle of realism we need to make the not-smut soup we shall be feasting on, starting today. enjoy you horny dummies <3

tws: probably a smidge nsfw. recreational drug use, drinking, brief mentions of drug abuse and domestic abuse. ‘getting lost and forced to spend time together’ is a trope, right? should be. naughty touching. lewd words. oh, and news flash - quoting someone face to face is not cool, especially if the quote revolves around voyeuristic pleasures and the word ‘cum’ is present. the more you know! plus - stone can be a pretty harsh asshole when he doesn’t know how to express emotions so watch out.

songs:

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫

July, 1988

“Hand me the tent first. No, not the six-pack, the tent. T-E-N-T, the big blue tarp thing you’re staring at,” Keeva said to Regan, who was unloading camping gear out of a small van.

To her annoyance, he was already a bit tipsy and high as a kite, so he had a hard time understanding her commands. He giggled and grabbed a tent kit from the trunk.

“Sorry, mom. Don’t spank me, please. Or do, I don’t know, never tried it before,” he handed it to her with another chortle, watching her carefully put it on the leafy ground.

They - Regan, Shawn, Chris’s girlfriend Susan and Keeva - decided to organize a weekend camping trip to celebrate Stone and Chris’s birthday and, coincidentally, Mother Love Bone’s shiny new major label contract and Soundgarden’s new album being finished.

It kind of fell apart in their hands, though - Bruce, Greg and Hiro had a bad case of food poisoning at a house party and Jeff was off to Montana to visit his grandparents. Chris and his girlfriend Susan, Kim and Matt joined, as well as Mark and Steve from Mudhoney.

Andy cancelled because ‘he wasn’t feeling well’.

Keeva knew that Xana banned him from going, though. Even though the six of them were a real band now, they seemed to see less and less of each other and that was double the truth for Andy - Xana moved in with him and Chris and culprited most of his friends as bad influences.

He’d been having some troubles with sobriety again and she, in her desperation, thought she could help it by locking him up in a golden cage.

Keeva wasn’t too keen on her methods and that started causing a rift between the two women.

Xana controlled what he ate, what he wrote about, who he hung out with and he seemed to be alright with it. But physical fights were where Keeva drew the line.

Bloody scratches, eye bruises, ripped lips…on both of them. It was bizarre how two grown-ups could claw at each other like that and still insist that it’s ‘just how they are’.

There were a few instances of Andy knocking on their door in the middle of the night.

“What the fuck, Andy? It’s three in the -”

“Can I come in please?”

Only once he entered the dimly lit room they could see that Andy had a bloody nose and a few slits near his eye, clearly from long nails.

Stone jumped up from his bed and immediately threw his joint into the glass of water on his bed table to put it out.

He grabbed Andy’s shoulders with a frown and started turning him around, checking for damage.

“Holy shit, did you get mugged?” Keeva gasped, carefully brushing Andy’s wild hair away from the crusty blood so she could take a closer look. His breathing was slow and shallow.

“Xana thought I was strung out and I didn’t know where else to go,” he mumbled, almost as an inaudible blur of words. Stone and Keeva immediately looked at each other as an identical jolt of frigid chills ran down their spines.

“Are you strung out?” she asked calmly, trying to be cool, but when he didn’t answer, her stomach twisted in a nauseating cramp. She bravely pushed down the sickness as Stone firmly took Andy’s face in his palms, dragging him under the lightbulb.

He was adamant about looking anywhere else but at Stone’s judgemental frown.

“Look at me, Andy, and I’m not gonna ask twice,” Stone said in a tone she’d never heard from him before. It was bone-chilling, like a fever dream. She walked up to Andy just as he looked up and that allowed his two friends to put the pieces together.

Flaming red cheeks and bloodshot eyes with tiny pupils.

Not an ideal start of an official band life with a record contract.

A record contract.

The idea made Keeva’s insides flip as if she was on a rollercoaster.

Once the band bagged more and more gigs, the old white men in black ties started spawning out of thin air and suddenly, everyone was eager to take them out to the most expensive restaurants in Seattle.

They tried to snoop out every little dirty detail about the band members, their personal histories and where the band was going.

The first few meetings were fun, because they didn’t take them too seriously and just enjoyed the attention, which made Jeff properly cross at her and Stone at times.

But after the third dinner, the anxiety grew worse. It was hard for Keeva to focus on writing when she had a five-to-eight job every day and had to sit down face to face with a new slimy suit at least once a week.

She started smoking more over the past month, too, a sign that always made Stone worried.

“Hey, you good?” he hurried to her right after coming home from work one day, not even taking his shoes off. Keeva was sitting on his bed wrapped in his blanket, finishing the last cigarette of the pack she bought just a few hours ago.

She’d hoped that she would calm down quickly enough and get her shit together before he’ll come back from his late shift. The last thing she needed was for Stone to find out that she spent her breakdowns in his bed because his heartwarming scent calmed her down.

Unfortunately, he came home early. However, he didn’t seem to care at all.

Keeva’s eyes were bloodshot and her nose was swolen like a red bobble. It was clear that she was shaking and sobbing not too long ago, her t-shirt was stained with tears. She just waved Stone off when he sat down next to her and took her face in his palms.

“Yeah. Just tired.”

Just tired.

That was Keeva’s go-to answer. But now they were finally signed and could put all her attention to the music again. That’s what she told herself over and over, anyway. To try and mute the reality that this was just the beginning.

This camping trip was a perfect way to unwind, so they took Soundgarden’s broken-down touring van, loaded it with sleeping bags, snacks and weed and found a beautiful spot in the woods on a hiking trail just a few miles outside of Seattle.

She already gave her gift to Stone at home, before they set off on the trip.

“Well, open it!” she excitedly wiggled as they sat down on the floor after Stone blew out his candles - well, one candle stuck in a bowl of dry cereal.

Stone was feeling up the small package with a wide grin on his face, careful not to tear the paper too much. When he unfolded it, he let out a surprised chuckle.

“What’s that?”

“A pan flute!” Keeva exclaimed and laid on her stomach, leaning on her forearms. “I was going past this tiny music store on my way home from the park the other day and they had it on display. The guy said that it’s an antique piece, possibly Art Noveau. It’s technically a variation for children, that’s why it’s pocket-sized. The Romanian ones are usually bigger.”

Stone raised his eyebrows and studied it closer.

It was curved, made from well-kept rosewood and had a cyclamen flower pattern carved all over, along with hand-painted fading red lines woven into the engraving.

“It’s…it’s gorgeous. I don’t know how to play it, though,” he sheepishly shrugged. He was clearly taken aback, turning the instrument in his fingers as if he were looking for instructions. Keeva giggled.

“Just blow.”

Stone squinted at her, smirking.

“I’m not skilled in that point of view,” he said and yelped when Keeva playfully slapped his arm. She took the pan flute from him, licked her lips and put her teeth over her bottom lip.

“It’s just like whistling. You purse your lips like this,” she mumbled and blew into the flute. A rich tone came out, resonating through the concrete walls.

Stone hooted as she handed the instrument back.

“I’m shit at whistling,” he said and then tried to replicate her lip movement, but only a sputtering breath came out. She broke into joyful laughter. He shook his head, but couldn’t help but join her giggles.

“Hey, that wasn’t that bad!”

“I think Zamfir would be rolling in his grave.”

“Zamfir’s not dead yet!”

“I know. But hypothetically, he would be if he’d heard you.”

The whole party stomped through the forest, following the trail that was supposed to lead to a campfire spot, huffing and puffing as the setting sun blazed into their eyes.

They were all slowed down by bags and backpacks, so they had a pause earlier to catch their breath and have a drink. The guys already passed around two spliffs on the way. Susan was pretty straight-edge, so Keeva didn’t feel as left out as usual.

After an hour and a half of walking, Mark - the self-proclaimed boy scout that led the way stopped in his tracks and groaned.

“God dammit, we left the grocery bags in the car.”

Various curse words echoed through the silent woods, but Stone just sighed.

“I’ll go get it. I need a walk, anyway. Where the hell did you get that grass, Kim? Feel like my head’s gonna explode.”

Kim just shrugged and raised his arms in defence.

“I told you it was good shit, no one forced you to smoke the whole thing.”

“I’ll go with you,” Keeva popped in and gulped down the rest of her beer. “They say that it’s bad luck to be alone for more than five minutes on your birthday.”

Stone snorted.

“You just made that up, didn’t you?”

“Yup. I’m not letting you wander the woods when you’re baked and dumb.”

“Isn’t he always?” Matt called after them and Stone gave him a middle finger and got ready to holler back, but Keeva just dragged him away down the trail with a grin.

��I won’t confirm or deny that!”

● ● ● ● ● ●

“Ugh, this fucking trail. We’ve been here already,” Keeva whined as they walked onto a familiar patch of soil and leaves surrounded by trees.

She remembered it because it looked like a cute little fairy circle with a big stump.

“No, we weren’t. We’re going in the right direction, I’m sure,” Stone shot back, adjusting one of the grocery bags over his shoulder.

They managed to get back to the car and take everything with them, but they each downed another beer on the way and got so caught up in Keeva’s nerdy lecture about different kinds of flutes that they stopped monitoring the trail signs on the trees.

It took them about an hour to realize they were going around in circles and the sun had already set.

Thankfully, Stone packed a camping lantern but it only helped them see a few feet in front of them and not much else.

Deep down, he was clearly brewing a meltdown - sweating bullets and trying to ignore the bleeding blister on his heel.

“Stoney, come on. We saw this tree half an hour ago,” Keeva pointed at a large oak tree that seemed no different from the others to him.

“Fuck you, you can’t tell,” Stone snapped, huffing as he put the bags down for a second to loosen his arms.

“I can, it has this big branch right there that reminds me of your huge snout,” she pointed at a branch and gave him a little sarcastic smile. Stone loudly groaned, clearly growing irritated.

“Oh yeah, you’re right, we have been here before. See that stump over there? You sat on it and bitched about your little feet hurting. Maybe if we didn’t have to stop, we’d be back before it started getting dark,” he spewed, put the lantern down and fished a can of beer out of the bag.

He cracked it open and chugged it in one go. Keeva looked away to hide her blush, even though she knew it wouldn’t be visible in this light.

Is everything you do hot? That’s unfair to mankind.

She checked her watch. 9 PM.

Fucking hell, I’m gonna get eaten by bears before even having a single legal beer in this shithole country.

And they’ll bury me in a joint grave with this bug-eyed smartass.

“So what do you propose, little Miss Girl Scout?” she asked, immediately gasping and shaking her head when he took off his backpack and sat down on the ground next to the lantern and the stump.

Stone grabbed another beer - probably the sixth one of the day.

“I’ll stay here and wait until they find us,” he simply said.

After a long pause of staring at him in disbelief, Keeva cackled.

“You’re mentally unwell,” she said and started walking away. When he didn’t follow her, she looked at him and raised her eyebrows.

He was stubbornly sitting there, drinking his beer, looking up at the sky. Keeva darted between Stone and the spot was staring at. She could see the stars popping out of the darkness right in front of her eyes.

He fished out the pan flute from his backpack and crossed his legs, softly blowing into it.

He’d been trying to get a proper sound out of it the whole day - much to everyone’s annoyance - but now, he finally nailed it.

Suddenly, he changed in front of her. Gone was the annoying smartass. Stone’s elven features were softly enlightened by the moon that just peeked out from a cloud. The humid summer breeze made some of his hair twist in waves. They cascaded around his pale face, flowing around him every time a whiff of wind tickled his aquiline nose.

Keeva had an unbearable urge to come closer, sit down next to him and touch his flushed cheek to make sure he was real. Study him up close and count every freckle on his face. Trace her fingers along the dimple in the middle of his bottom lip.

Place a kiss on his ear and whisper every thought that ran through her head.

Stone had a small smile dancing on his lips as he closed his eyes and breathed in the crisp earthy air, clearly proud that he finally tamed the flute.

Like a forest spirit unbothered by the hardships of life, he ran his bony fingers through his hair and tucked a lock behind his pointy ear with a heavy exhale.

Then, he nonchalantly rolled the sleeves of his checkered shirt up and rested his arm on the stump, allowing Keeva to study his sinewy forearms that glistened with summer sweat.

His eyes eerily sparkled in the dark as he looked at her for a few seconds before taking another swig of his beer with a shrug.

The smartass was back.

“I don’t wanna get even more lost and I’ve got all the things I need for a celebration right here - snacks, chicks, alcohol. If you sing to me, I’ll blow the flute and we’ll even have music. Dream birthday,” he mused. “And sooner or later, when they run out of their alcohol, they’ll remember that they sent us out here and they’ll come looking for us. Bulletproof plan.”

“Oh, I’m not the chick for you. Too bland,” Keeva scoffed and finally convinced herself to walk over to Stone. The closer she got, the hotter her cheeks burned at the sight of him.

She took one can of beer, too, but she was still determined to go.

“You have no idea what kind of a chick I’d like to have at my birthday party, so don’t put words into my mouth,” he pushed back while offering his can for a toast.

Stone obviously had a lingering grudge against her for stopping to sit down - his tone was cold and condescending. That was like a big red blanket in front of Keeva’s eyes.

We got lost because of you, you baked asshole. You’re gonna get it and I’ll savour every second of your dumb red face.

She clinked her can with his and grinned, taking her backpack off and throwing it next to Stone.

“Oh, I have my sources. Wanna know everything I heard coming out of that chamber of sin?” she teased as she stood above him and took a sip of her beer. Stone immediately knew what she was referring to.

The OK Hotel incident she taunted him with a couple of months ago.

“I was there, I don’t need a refresher,” he scoffed and downed his beer in one long sip. She quickly finished hers, too, to hype herself up.

Do it, pussy. Do it, he’ll be pissed.

Keeva put her hands on her knees and bent down to him, levelling her head with his at an irritatingly close distance. She deepened her voice into an imitation of Stone’s breathy, vulgar tone.

“‘Oh, yeah, sweetheart, you’re doing so good -’”

Stone’s annoyed eyes shot up and he painfully bumped her nose with his head. His cheeks were rapidly growing more flushed as he spoke.

“Keeks, is this necess-”

“‘- oh, sorry, you want me to continue? How can I tell that you like it if you don’t scream for it?’”

The irritated frown started turning into a frigid grimace as he tried to hold it together.

“Shut up, I’m serious -”

You couldn’t shut me up if you tried, bastard.

“‘- that’s it, let me hear you -’”

“I said stop!” Stone raised his voice this time, his eyes flashing with an emotion that was unintelligible to her. That wouldn’t stop her from getting the job done.

Keeva wanted to go back to the others. She couldn’t handle the looming tension for much longer and she definitely didn’t want to go wander the woods at night by herself and leave Stone alone on his birthday.

Just snap already.

“‘- oh, good girl, cum on my fi-’ Ow!”

She couldn’t finish her sentence because Stone suddenly sprung up and accidentally hit her chin with his head, knocking her off balance. As soon as Keeva stabilized - thanks to him grabbing her shoulders before she could fall - he just kept pushing her until her back hit a wide tree.

The pointy bark pinched her skin so she let out a little yelp, but he apparently didn’t care.

Stone didn’t even seem angry. His face was as blank as a sheet of paper and he spoke in a chillingly calm tone, the one he used for his harshest brand of sarcasm.

“You think you’re funny, right? Think you’re clever and above all this earthly bullshit. Looking down at us mortals from the top of the I’m-better-than-you mountain,” he sneered. “If you’re so divine, why won’t you explain to me what were you doing in front of that bathroom, oh Holy Virgin?”

Oh. Oh, fuck. No. No, no, no.

There’s no fucking way.

“The fuck do you mean?” Keeva asked, failing at keeping her voice from cracking. He broke his blank facade with a tiny condescending smirk.

“I thought you were supposed to be clever.”

She just raised her eyebrows and tried to swallow the lump in her throat - she felt like she was going to choke.

“What’s the matter? You have an answer for everything, don’t you?” Stone tipped his head and shrugged. “What were you doing out there?”

“I was waiting for you to fucking leave,” she snapped, but he just rolled his eyes and stepped a bit closer to her.

“So you’re telling me that you were just standing there for an hour and staring into a wall?” he asked, tipping his head to the other side.

There’s no way he knows. He’s baiting. No.

“I -” was all Keeva managed to push out of her lungs. She tried to keep an annoyed straight face as if she was bothered by his stupid untrue questioning.

“I - I - I what?” Stone mocked her stuttering. “You can do better than that. Go on, amuse me with some brash bitching. You’re pretty great at it.”

Keeva couldn’t speak. She tried, but no noise came out. She just stared at Stone, letting the glowing green eyes pin her to the tree as he neared even closer.

He must’ve felt the heat of her cheeks by now.

Another wave of tepid breeze ruffled the leaves and ran through Stone’s hair, making a few stray strands tickle her cheekbone.

He smelled of fresh soil and sweet sweat and alcohol. Intoxicating.

“Disappointing.”

He stopped right where the tips of their noses didn’t yet touch.

“Next time you plan to laugh at me for fucking strangers in bathroom stalls, think back to your pretty little hand in your jeans in front of said bathroom stall while listening to me telling a stranger to cum on my fingers. It might give you some perspective.”

Keeva took a breath to say something, but the way Stone condescendingly tipped his head again made her mouth snap shut.

He then gave her a mocking smile as if he was rewarding her for shutting up and then took the last tiny step to make their noses touch.

His surprisingly cold skin sent a wave of boiling hot blood through her whole body.

“One day, I’ll be the one waiting at the other side of that door. And if I only hear as much as a whimper, I’ll laugh in your fucking face.”

And with that, Stone turned around and walked back to the stump and the lantern. Keeva’s frozen stare didn’t bother him much.

He sat down and started digging around the bag for some snacks, humming a new Paula Abdul song he’d heard on the radio earlier. When he found a bag of spicy Doritos, he whistled and took a swig of his newly opened beer.

“Happy Birthday to me.”

● ● ● ● ● ●

Two hours of awkward silence dragged on as they sat around the stump, wordlessly feasting on the snacks they had two full bags of. Drinks, too, the two six-packs were gone and they cracked open a bottle of tequila, each taking two shots from the lid.

After gulping down the second one, Stone finally spoke. Well, slurred.

“Hey, you can see a big big star there!” he gasped and took Keeva around the shoulders to squeeze her closer and point at the sky.

His body was like a portable heater, all sticky and flushed. Stone dragged her over himself and sat her in his lap. Keeva felt like a rag doll from all the drinking and junk food, so she gladly let him, snuggling up closer.

The humidity was sky-high and suffocating, but somehow, in his company, in the dark forest meadow enlightened only by the lantern and the moon, it felt like a dream.

A really hot, heavy, head-spinning dream.

“You’re so smart it makes my tits tingle.”

“Can I ask, like, a really serious question?” he mumbled after a moment of pondering, resting his chin on the top of her head. Keeva chuckled.

“I don’t know, can you? You can hardly talk,” she giggled as her own tongue tripped over itself.

“I’ll manage,” Stone said and sat up a bit more straight.

“M’kay, go for it.”

Silence.

“Do you like me?”

His voice seemed strangely sober as he fiddled with a loose thread on her jeans. Her eyes popped open, but she managed to keep composure.

“What?”

“You deaf?” Stone mumbled. They were both slightly swaying from side to side and every time the wind blew, it seemed to move them like waves on water.

“I mean, of course,” Keeva stuttered after clearing her throat. “Of course I do, you’re my best friend. Like, the best one I’ve ever had.”

Nailed it. God, I hope I nailed it.

“Why won’t you let me in?” he said and let his head slide down her sweaty curls to rest on her shoulder. She frowned.

“In where?”

“Dunno. Just…in,” Stone replied with a shrug.

“You’re more ‘in’ than anyone ever has been, trust me,” she chuckled and leaned her head back. Stone’s hair tickled her cheek as she looked up at the swirling sky, his bony shoulder digging into the back of her head.

“Doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes,” he muttered and paused with a sigh. “There’s just…some days when you look at me, there’s something in there that I can’t put my finger on. I can’t figure out what it is and you won’t tell me, like it’s out of limits or something. Like a ‘stop snooping around’ zone.”

When she didn’t say anything, Stone scoffed.

“Exactly like this. Just wish you’d feel more comfortable, I guess.”

Keeva didn’t know what to say. It was painful to hear his doubts, but at the same time, she perfectly understood the feeling.

“Don’t know if you like me, either,” she muttered after a long moment of silence.

“I’m confused about that, too, believe it or not.”

“You also don’t know if you like me or not? That’s encouraging,” she chuckled, but Stone clearly didn’t mean it as a joke, considering his frustrated groan.

“I do. You’re -” he paused and harshly tugged on the thread. She could hear the wheels turning in Stone’s head as his wasted brain tried to find the right words. “I want you to be my friend, I want it to stay the way it is, but I just…fuck, you’re right, I can hardly talk.”

Keeva stared up at the glowing moon, emotionless. She could tell where this was going and she tried her best to brace for it.

You don’t want this. You don’t want this and you can’t handle it. You’ll go crazy.

“I guess I’m just shit at sweet-talking,” Stone added and finally tore off the thread on her pants. He rolled it between his fingers into a ball and threw it away, then snaked his hand around Keeva’s waist.

“I mean -” she started without thinking. Her imtoxicated mind couldn’t stop itself. “I’ve heard your praises before. We’ve already dissected that earlier, though, and I don’t think either of us enjoyed that, so let’s not -”

Fuck, why the hell are you bringing that up right now, idiot?!

“But that’s what I’m saying,” Stone mumbled and started caressing her stomach with his thumb. “I’m shit at talking but I’m pretty well versed at actions.”

Keeva knew it was coming, but Stone’s irritatingly brash tone still hit her like a freight train and made a painfully hot blush spread across her face.

She set her eyes in front of her and tried to discipline herself by staring deep into the void between the trees.

Stone’s voice was as airy as the July breeze around them.

“I’d make you feel good, you know. I’d make you feel real good. Here,” he hummed and carefully observed Keeva’s reaction as he slowly snuck his hand under her cropped t-shirt and placed it on her wildly beating heart. She felt like it was soon going to jump out of her ribcage.

She cursed herself for not wearing a bra, even though that clearly wasn’t something he minded.

She couldn’t keep in a hiccuped breath and that gave Stone a sign that it was okay to move his feather-light fingers to the left and softly draw a circle around her nipple before taking his hand out again.

“And here -” he ran his finger down her stomach and stopped right above the rim of her jeans, tracing small loops along her naked abdomen.

Then, Stone reached up and caressed her along the jaw, up her cheek and stopped at her temple, gently tapping it.

“- maybe even here.”

She had to take a couple of deep breaths before being able to talk.

“Why?”

Proud that she managed not to turn around at him, Keeva arched her back under his embrace to stretch some of the tension out, but it only worsened, because it allowed Stone to cage her between his legs even tighter.

It dawned on her that he was undoubtedly enjoying himself, and that took away any of her remaining common sense.

“It makes the pain go away,” Stone whispered into her ear while putting a bit of pressure on her temple, circling it with his thumb.

Keeva felt a stab in her heart - a different one than when he cupped her naked skin. Even though he had her melted in the palm of his hand, he gave her nothing but raw practicality.

“Nothing makes the pain go away,” she sighed, shivering.

“You wouldn’t know, would you, Baby?” Stone nudged her cheek with his. His warm sticky skin made goosebumps rise up along her arms as he bent his head and placed a soft kiss on the nape of her neck.

The nickname was emphasized and it never felt so personal. Mocking.

“You’re naive,” Keeva tried to fight back, but couldn’t hold back another sigh when Stone rewarded her jab with another kiss, this time much less gentle.

“Maybe,” he mumbled. “You’re bitter.”

“Takes one to know one,” she shrugged, squirming when he softly bit her. She felt like she was having a fever. Stone scoffed.

“You’re stuck-up,” he slurred and brushed some of Keeva’s curls away, gently tugging on them so she’d bend her head back. She softly hissed.

“You’re a prick.”

Stone grinned against her skin as he placed another wet kiss under her ear.

“Bad news, I like it when you insult me,” he jabbed and grinned even wider when Keeva momentarily snapped out of her brain fog and frowned.

He somehow seemed more annoying than ever and it was driving her insane.

“So you’re a freak, too,” she scoffed over her shoulder, but Stone tugged on her hair again to move her back in place so he’d have easier access to her skin.

“Yup. Takes one to know one,” he muttered before giving her a long, sloppy kiss right above her clavicle. A buzzing sharp pain ran down her spine when Stone sucked on the thin skin.

“Fuck, stop - you’re gonna leave a -”

“I don’t care,” he interrupted and sealed it with a soft bite. “Let them see.”

Keeva took a deep, deep breath.

“You think the whole world revolves around you,” she shot back, but he just shrugged and lifted her t-shirt over her breasts. The tepid air suddenly turned freezing cold.

“Good try. You’re never gonna win this, sorry,” Stone scoffed and expertly twisted her around in one brisk move so they’d be face to face.

Keeva wasn’t prepared for that possibility. She didn’t have a plan on how to avoid his scrutinizing stare. She didn’t want her will to break that fast. But alas, once he locked eyes with her, she was gone.

Stone’s pupils were wildly dilated and his eyes were half-lidded, he was obviously floating in a haze of his own. Somehow, the green seemed to be the most vivid Keeva had ever seen it. As if he sucked it out of the trees around them.

How could I possibly survive this when I live with the fucking Medusa?

She took a shaky breath.

“Insufferable.”

Stone chuckled, tipping his head as he always did when he taunted her.

“And you are a pussy,” he shot back and squeezed Keeva closer to him when she finally gave up and twisted her legs around his waist. Stone rested his forehead on hers, but he didn’t move an inch closer. All parts of their bodies were touching, except for the lips.

Keeva sighed.

*Oh yeah, nearly forgot. No kissing. That’s a good policy.*

“Jokes on you, ‘cause I love it when you insult me,” she mumbled and made him giggle. Stone’s laughter was always so contagious, she couldn’t help but laugh back.

“Fine, you’re a bitch, then,” he said with a shrug and moved back to her neck, kissing his way down to her chest, painfully slow.

“You’re too hot for your own good,” Keeva breathed out and buried her hands in his damp hair. She could feel Stone’s smug smirk against her skin.

“Am I?”

Keeva gave his hair a little tug and he reacted with a sound that almost resembled a moan.

“You’re also vain,” she whispered and tugged again when Stone kissed her breast, her confidence boosted. He let out another noise.

“And you like it,” he mumbled just as he was about to move further down. He stopped, though, hovering in front of her chest as his hot breath tickled her tender skin.

After a few moments, Keeva tried to push him closer again, but Stone didn’t budge. He just straightened his back and put her t-shirt back down. She had no control over herself as she writhed in frustration with a whine.

“Told you you wouldn’t win,” he smirked and rested his forehead on hers again. Keeva decided to test Stone’s resilience by shuffling in his lap, but he sternly grabbed her waist and held her in place, tutting.

Her annoyed frown made him laugh again.

The loud buzzing in her ears when they fell silent made her head hurt - and that began to slowly sober her up from the thick haze in her brain.

What exactly are we doing here? Friends don’t do this.

This is not friendly behaviour.

“We could do it any time we’d need to unwind,” Stone finally spoke. His voice was soft and fragile, as if he was whispering along with the rustling leaves. “Pure companionship. Nothing but a friendly help out.”

Keeva bitterly scoffed as the fog slowly melted and her senses came back.

“You have a lot of friends that would gladly help out, Stoney,” she whispered and nudged his pointy nose with hers. He closed his eyes to collect his thoughts.

For a split second, she wondered if Stone, too, felt like he was living with the Medusa.

“No,” he breathed out. “No one like you.”

Before Keeva could answer, a branch cracked somewhere in the distance.

They both jumped further away from each other before Stone grabbed her, turned her around in his lap again and squeezed her closer, shielding her with his arm.

“Don’t move, it will leave if it doesn’t hear us,” he barely whispered and wrapped himself around her even more in defence. Keeva frowned but shuffled as close to him as she could.

“The fuck do you mean, ‘it’?” she said but Stone harshly shushed her. After a few seconds of horror, they both relaxed once Steve’s voice echoed through the trees.

“Hey guys! Where are you?”

The other voice was Shawn.

“Stoney? Keeks? Hello?”

She could almost feel Stone’s eye roll.

“We’re here, you lazy fucks!”

“Hey! Where the hell were you?” Shawn questioned with a worried frown as the two figures emerged from the darkness, holding their own camping lanterns.

“Clearly having a fucking ball, where were you?! How did it take you four hours to start looking for us?” Keeva spat at them and quickly hopped up, brushing dry leaves off of her ass.

She turned back at Stone, whose unreadable expression made her head spin.

He looked at her, his eyes slightly less feverish, and his curt but disappointed nod was a clear sign that he agreed that this conversation was meant to be had sober and at home.

“I mean, we thought you had a better sense of orientation,” Steve barged in with a shrug. “Plus, there was the sentiment that perhaps you needed some alone time and believe me, nobody around that campfire wants to walk in on that, so…”

“You’re a funny bloke, Stevie,” Keeva gave him a sarcastic smile when he drunkenly giggled. “Not right now, mind you, but sometimes, I’m sure.”

“Oh, we might need your medical assistance, Stoney,” he said as he helped Stone get up.

“Mark and Chris took some shrooms, you gotta see that,” Shawn shook his head. “I’ve never seen anyone trip their balls off that hard. Chris started making out with a tree because he mistook it for Susan who was right next to it, so Mark tried to drag him away. But they started wrestling and now he has a bloody scratch on his nose and probably gave Mark a stye. And Kim laughed so hard his stomach started cramping and he got sick. Matt had to hold his hair back, didn’t know he was such a gentleman. Wait, where’s all the stuff?”

He rummaged through the bags as Keeva curiously loomed over his shoulder and watched him dig around the empty cans and chips packages, patting his back.

“It’s gone to my head, love. Big time.”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫

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