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inkblot22 · 8 months ago

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What's Worse?

I finally finished this. This unpostable thing. It's done and even if it's bad, I do not care. In the end, it ended up being 4k words and I'm okay with this. Header by @/cafekitsune

Who is this fic for? I tried to keep this one very neutral despite the many references to body parts, so anyone who can handle it is free to read! Keep in mind that pronouns such as you and they are used to refer to the reader. The reader is human and does have hair.

TW for coercion, noncon, dubcon, allusions to a physically and emotionally abusive dynamic, captivity, everyone is at least a little bit untrustworthy in this, mentions of the smell of blood, beastman-specific oddities and anatomy, violent and morbid similes. Just in case, I'd like to say that this is DEAD DOVE, DO NOT EAT. A lot of the stuff is more so implied than explicitly stated, but it's still there.

The day he moved up a grade and began his “internship” is the same day he took you with him. Sure, Grim came along, but you’re often so busy, or he’s often so busy, either way. So you haven’t seen your familiar in months, and your life is filled with Leona.

You don’t know why he did this, but the first night you were there, he tapped your uvula with his fingers as he orally serviced you so feverishly that you left teeth indent bruises on his knuckles from biting down so hard as you tried not to be loud. He wore them like jewelry, and you know his brother saw them. Everyone at the table knew what happened, because, according to Leona, no matter how often you shower, the way you smell will always give you away.

That was a little over six months ago. As far as captivity goes, it’s rather cushy. You stay within the confines of the Afterglow Savannah’s palace. Sometimes Leona gets a bit aggressive and you take it, but you’re fed, clothed, and possibly pampered. It could be worse. It could be far worse. You could be in the dungeons.

You actually don’t know if this place has a dungeon, come to think of it. The last time you asked Leona, he asked you if there was an issue with the room you shared with him. When you tried to explain why you asked, he called you a “dumb herbivore” in a very fond tone of voice, then fell asleep. You didn’t try asking again.

It didn’t stop you from wandering. As it turns out, the Afterglow is mostly populated by beastmen… beastpeople? Aren’t all people beasts? Whatever, the point is, you’re basically the only person in the palace with muted senses. You often think back to Rook, wondering how he trained himself to use his senses so well. You tried to practice once, but Leona caught you hiding a ball and chucked the thing out the window, telling you to find something better to do with your “skills.” You sure used one of your senses, at least.

Unfortunately, these “muted” senses, despite them being completely sensible for your human state of being, have led to some issues. For instance, when someone approaches you, you don’t notice until they’re within your field of awareness. Beyond that, according to Leona, Farena, Cheka, and Farena’s wife, you also tend to just reek of blood.

You have no idea why, and you’ve never noticed this before. You get out of the shower, having scrubbed hard enough to rid yourself of any dirt but not enough to create micro-abrasions on your skin, and Leona still complains about it. You play fight with Cheka, gentle enough that neither of you gets harmed and he’s giggly, and he pauses his mirth and wrinkles his little nose before asking if you got hurt. Zuri, Farena’s wife, regularly would stop you whenever she saw you, her eyes wide as she asked you if everything was okay. The palace staff didn’t say anything, but they’d constantly be re-filling your first-aid kit, one that was “gifted” to you and one that the staff and Kifaji (despite him being human like you, or maybe just not obviously a beastman) insisted that you carry at all times.

But out of all of them, Farena was the worst. If you were in Cheka’s nursery, even just seconds after the kid fell asleep, Farena would pop out of nowhere. If you lingered a bit too long in the kitchen or hallways, anywhere too far from Leona’s wing, he’d approach with a smile, his arms spread wide. If you came to the dining hall without Leona’ his glowing brown eyes would find you, the intensity akin to a sudden knife wound. His persistence in being around you was all blanketed by his uncomfortable implications when he spoke to you.

Even so, you happened to somehow get lost. The hallways are sort of color-coded, but you’ve passed this same hallway several times, enough for you to be okay with admitting that you’ve been walking in a circle for the past twenty minutes. And, much like the devil, as soon as you thought that if you were there any longer, a certain lion-man would appear, Farena popped up and scooped you into a hearty hug as greeting, your feet coming off the floor.

“Leona’s partner!” He never calls you by name. It’s always just that. You are Leona’s partner, not your own person, you guess, “I knew I’d find you eventually.”

“Yes. Hello, your highness.” You wheezed as he placed you back on the floor.

“Oh, you’re so prickly, just like my baby brother. You two are a perfect match- he does like a bit of bite.”

You rarely knew how to respond to him, so you often didn’t. You just stared at him, like a total moron, but he continued talking like you aren’t giving him the most anserine of looks- a word he has used to describe you before, basically to your face.

“I’ve heard that you forgot your first aid kit. We don’t need you tripping and scratching yourself on Leona’s dresser again, and not with an inability to heal yourself.” He never gave you time to answer, “Of course, I know you aren’t magic, but those of you without it have made some wonderful inventions to make up for that.”

“Oh. Yeah, I just left for, like, two seconds so I could return something to the kitchen.”

He nodded, thoughtful, still smiling, “Well, did you hit your head? You’ve been walking in a circle, and you didn’t even stop to say hi to me.”

“No. I, uh.” You cast your gaze down the hallway closest to you, then looked back at Farena, “I am a bit lost. I guess someone else is usually with me when I’m wandering around.”

Leona is not the only person in his family with a cunning streak. You are marginally aware of this, and when Farena’s eyes narrowed, you sucked in a breath.

“Hmm. You’re right, Leona’s partner. It is rather strange not to see you by my baby brother’s side.”

It struck you multiple times in the past that the amount of times you bumped into Farena couldn’t possibly be a coincidence. He’s a king, so why was he never ruling or whatever kings did all day? It was incredibly strange, and you made the same subtle discomforted motions like clockwork. He usually pretended not to notice whatsoever.

His grin was always too bright. You did prefer Leona’s smirk, “Very well. It looks like I’ll need to escort you back to Leona’s quarters, won’t I?”

“Uh. I mean, if you’re not busy.”

“You’re such a mousy thing. Come,” He offered you his arm.

You took it, and true to his word, he led you back to Leona’s wing, then straight up to the door. He knocked, and you ducked out of his arm to cautiously open the door. Leona strolled out of the bathroom, hair and skin wet, his eyes not even skimming over you before they flashed to his brother, who strolled in as though he owned the place. Maybe he did. Who owns a palace if not the king?

“Ah, Leona! I found your partner, wandering the halls like a lost lamb.”

As soon as the words process in Leona’s mind, his green eyes are sliding to pin you down. Your limbs feel like lead, and you don’t move or emote, lest he strike. He’s like a snake when he’s like this, which is ironic. Perhaps it’s not ironic, and just comedic. Who knows?

Regardless, Farena keeps talking, “And I missed you at lunch! What a shame. They had your favorite, you know. Meat! And lots of it. Don’t you ever get hungry, being in here all the time?”

If not for everyone talking about the way your skin smells, that comment could have been written off entirely. It didn’t feel great, being indirectly told that you smell like fresh meat, and Leona wasn’t helping much.

“Mmm. No. I don’t like my meat that rare.” Leona grumbles, taking a seat on his bed and waving you over. “Hey, c’mere and braid my hair.”

What was worse? Being told you smell delicious or being told you didn’t smell delicious enough? It was one of those things. You cautiously tied off his braids, capping both of them in beads that Cheka had gifted you. His hair was wet, clinging to his skin as desperately as the water did. You caught yourself watching a drop sliding over Leona’s tattoo and hummed softly.

Farena was still talking. You didn’t hear the beginning, and you didn’t care about the end, so you completely tuned him out so you could finger detangle the rest of Leona’s wet hair. While you were ignoring Farena, you were pointedly all too aware of Leona’s sounds of pleasure. It took you a while to get used to it. You were a primate, and he was a lion. More lion than ape. He snorted and rumbled, huffed and chuffed, his face twisted in a scowl.

“Ah, what a shame. I’ll have to speak to you later, Leona. Perhaps you could talk about those plans with Zuri. I’m sure she’d love to listen.” You tuned back in as Farena turned to the door, opening it before remembering himself and waving at you, “Bye bye, Leona’s partner!”

When he was gone, almost as soon as the door was closed, Leona twisted his torso to grab you around the waist and pull you into one of his kisses. You read somewhere that the reason men kiss so… wetly is so they can mark their partner. It makes more sense if they just didn’t want to kiss with dry lips, but you’re no kissing expert. Leona is not an exception to this, you supposed. He always licked his lips before pressing them against yours, slicked with his saliva and often accompanied by a quiet, barely perceptible growl.

His kisses were dizzying. Possibly because it was difficult to breathe while kissing someone, and possibly because you were usually held in a crushing vice whenever he kissed you. Your poor ribcage had been squeezed many times.

And just as soon as it started, he dropped you unceremoniously and stood up, walking past your sprawled body on his floor, “We’ve got some big dinner to get to. Get dressed.”

You scrambled to your feet, “Big dinner?”

“Mhm. It’s some official’s birthday. I can’t be bothered to remember who.”

That made enough sense. In the time you’d been here, you’d learned pretty quickly that it wasn’t exactly worth it to go out of your way to be remembered positively by everyone, especially not since you were… with Leona. In all the time you’d been here, you’d never been sure about what the nature of your relationship with him was, either. Asking would get you some kind of snarky or irritated answer, and not asking but thinking about it made it hard to focus on anything else, so you didn’t think about it.

“Oh. You see Grim today?” You asked while getting dressed in your own green and black dashiki, like a couple’s outfit in the matching pattern of Leona’s.

Like he always did, he stared for a moment before making a few small adjustments. It was funny, he couldn’t be bothered to care about his own appearance, and yet, when it came to you…

“Yeah, He’s good. Still working on the mage stuff.”

“Mmm. Okay. Thanks.” You mumbled, lifting your arms so Leona could look you over again, “What?”

“You stink like my brother. If we had time, I’d fix that, but…”

“What does he smell like?”

“Shouldn’t you be asking what I smell like?” He snapped, and you flinched. Sometimes his irritation came with physical indications, but heavier than the physical indications was the energy around him, “Forget it. Stay close to me tonight.”

You usually did. You hated parties here, but more than the parties themselves, you hated the strangers who came up to you and just said whatever. Last time, someone approached you and asked how big Leona’s wallet was for you to stick around. You’re learning to like nobility less, not that you particularly liked them before..

You’re tucked against Leona’s back for the entirety of the evening. He’s like a ward. People see him and walk the opposite direction unless they’re drunk or stupid, and those types are in short supply at the beginning of the night. Unfortunately, by the middle of the night, amongst sips of his drinks and nibbles of various finger foods, you felt exhausted and Leona was straight up pissed.

You wondered why for a bit too long. You barely even realized when you ended up back in his room, outside on his balcony. He was stewing, pouting like a toddler. You unstuck yourself from his side and sat in one of the chairs.

“Mmm.” He grumbled. He often did this, putting a noise to his emotion, but no words to explain himself. You’d wised up and figured out early on that it was best not to approach him for this type of thing, “Hey, runt.”

Uh oh. He tended to use that nickname before he did something foul to you. You squirmed in your chair and flinched as he turned around and yanked his shirt over his head. His pants went next. Leona didn’t bother with underwear.

“C’mere. What are you hidin’ in the corner for?” He mumbles, “We’ve got time now.”

Your uh oh gets multiplied. It’s not that you aren’t attracted to Leona, or that you’re not in the mood. It’s not that you’re terrified of him, not that you’re confused by his awkward libido. It’s that you honestly don’t know what he sees in you, sprinkled with a bit of relationship insecurity. You’re here because of him, you and Grim have a home because of him, but what’s going to happen when he gets bored with you?

He looks over his shoulder at you sharply, “What the hell are you doin’? I said c’mere.”

You swallowed and took a few steps forward, stripping as you walked. The night air makes your skin tingle with goosebumps, your nipples hardening and a shiver rattling through you. It’s a very strong possibility that these feelings have beset you based only on the fact that someone could look up from Zuri’s garden and see you and Leona, both naked on his balcony.

When you’re standing in front of him, he just stares, one of his hands ever so gently stroking himself. You think it’s funny, the phrase “playing with yourself,” because that is what it is. His fingers softly paw at his heavy balls, gliding up the base of his shaft to tweak the head of his cock under his foreskin. He doesn’t break his gaze on you to look at himself. The hand that is not busy with himself reaches out to grab your waist, just above the start of your hip, and yank you closer.

He’s not gentle. Not really. You know he has the capacity to be gentle, but he doesn’t really seem to care. In the past, when you’ve pleaded with him to be gentle, he’s told you that he would treat you like glass if he thought you were made of it, but since he’s seen you suffer worse (what is worse?) he doesn’t see the point in bothering. That doesn’t change the fact that his touch often hurts. Now is not an exception, and you make your displeasure clear with a soft noise of discomfort.

“Shhh. You wanna tell me what happened earlier?” Leona mumbles, pressing his face against the skin on your stomach, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh.

You absolutely hate it when he smells you like this, but that’s not important right now, “Wh-what?”

“With Farena. You looked freaked out.” Leona ever so lightly kisses the pit of your bellybutton, “He do anything to you?”

You’re not a fan of Leona acting like this. While it seems like he cares, you know from past experience that he’s typically, if not always, on the brink of a jealous meltdown. His jealous meltdowns almost always end with you sitting alone in the bathroom, tending to your own wounds as he sleeps like a kid who just threw a tantrum. So you decide to give a simple answer before distracting him, at least for a moment.

You scratch the nape of his neck, since he doesn’t like you touching his ears, “He was just his usual off-putting self. Nothing else.”

Leona grunts and looks up at you, so you take your chance. You lean down, sitting on your knees, and press a mock-reverent kiss to Leona’s thigh. He’s surprisingly hairless, for someone who is more lion than ape. You suppose the same could be said for yourself, as someone who is more ape than lion.

Leona’s unimpressed face slants into a smirk, and his hand that was previously fondling his genitals slides to cup your cheek, fingertips rubbing behind your ear.

Now that it’s right in front of your face, you wish that you hadn’t decided that this was the best option for distraction. You think maybe anything would be better than catching those barbs in the back of your throat. The little softly-curved nubs circling the base of the head of Leona’s cock flare out a bit, resembling one of those Elizabethan ruffs, tattered by the passage of time and reduced to the skeleton. They aren’t sharp, not truly, but they’re uncomfortable, especially when you forget that the more worked up Leona gets, the further they poke out and the harsher they feel. It’s similar to someone’s very carefully blunted fingernail and fingertip rubbing against your cheeks.

You try to suck up your carefully hidden disgust and press a soft kiss to the very tip of Leona’s dick, wetting your lips with his salty pre. Surprisingly, he doesn’t taste bad. You would think that his skin, his cum, would taste bitter and harsh, but it’s not the worst thing you’ve ever tasted. Perhaps that’s a silver lining in this wicked situation.

Regardless, a quiet grumble from him makes you snap back into the reality of where you are, and you figure you may as well get to work. You slide your lips down to his base, wincing as the spongy head of his member punches the back of your throat and his hand slides back to grip your nape.

“You trying to bore me to death, runt? You know I hate this teasing shit.”

That’s right. He absolutely loathes it. You bob your head a little more expeditiously, trying to ignore the slick mixture of drool and pre that is escaping from the corners of your lips and the ever-increasing strength of Leona’s thrusts against your face.

Despite your senses being the most dull in the palace, you can sort of hear the festivities downstairs, and Leona chuckles, standing with your head still cradled in his hand so he can actually start thrusting. It always begins with you trying to set a gentle pace and it always quickly dissolves into chaos. He’s lazy, but if he’s anything more than lazy, it’s a shameless pleasure chaser. You would think that you would have learned by now.

“You can’t hear them. They’re not at all concerned with me, they’re wondering where you went off to. But everyone knows that you belong to me, so they should know that you’re with me.” Leona mumbles.

You gag, his dickhead wetly popping against the back of your throat as the fluids in your mouth froth with the speed of his motions, gooey trails roping down to cling to your cheeks and collarbones, connecting to Leona’s shifting hips. At least he doesn’t stink today.

A bug lands on your shoulder and flits away as you choke on Leona as he shoves his cock down your throat. Maybe you should feel a bit more grateful that this is happening partially outside, and that way you can have constant reminders that you’re still alive and not in some form of purgatory, serving time for your very minor moments of humanity when you were alive.

Leona snarls, “You’re just so cute, with those lips wrapped around me. I wonder if my brother would keep flirting with you if he knew that you were like this in private.”

The implications of that statement are absolutely lost on you. You’re aware that Leona knows how you feel about your current life to a degree, but he doesn’t give a damn about your emotions. Whatever he’s talking about is absolutely just him babbling out some sex-addled nonsense. As the barbs scrape against your uvula, you gag and try to push his hips away so you can catch your breath for a second.

He doesn’t let up. Sweat is sliding over his skin, beading into crystal pearls and sliding down to flavor the skin in your mouth with their salt. If you don’t puke from his roughness, you’re going to puke from ingesting so much sodium. His smirk grows and his fingers massage the base of your head as if he isn’t pounding into your throat.

“Aw… too much? Maybe if you were a bit more active, I’d be done a bit sooner.” He coos.

You don’t fully hate Leona. He has given you somewhere to stay, food to eat, clothes to wear, for both you and Grim, but whenever he gets like this, taunting you even though he’s using you like a cheap sleeve, you feel an indescribable, hopeless anger. Regardless, you bring one of your hands up to the copious amounts of drool and pre and sweat that are covering your skin, collecting the goop on your fingers. You cup his ass with your non-gooey hand and spread that cheek, plunging a finger into his asshole and aimlessly crooking your finger.

His hips spasm, his hand fists into your hair and he lets out a low grumble, “Rrr.”

You slowly ease your other gooey finger into his ass and hope that he will cum soon so you can catch your breath. You need a shower, and he’s probably going to just go to bed after this. You’re more tired than he is, and you’re actually beginning to think that you both might be a bit tipsy. You need this to end, and you need it to end soon.

Your prayers are answered. You feel his cock bob in the back of your throat, the glans tapping that soft spot that makes you feel it in the back of your nose, and he yanks your head back, your lips releasing him with a somewhat loud pop.

His cum is hotter than it has any right being. You suppose since he runs hot, it’s not that shocking, but you’re also aware that the whole reason that the balls are not an internal thing is because the human body is way too hot for sperm to live for long periods of time inside of the body. This information is irrelevant, however, because Leona has just made the mess on your skin that much worse. You sigh as he lets go of you, flopping back into his chair and gesturing to his cock again.

“Can you clean me up before you go running off?”

You’d love to tell him no, to ask him to shove it, but you grunt your acquiescence and tongue-clean his messy skin, as if you aren’t covered in more slime than he is. Once done, you stand up and gather your clothes, placing them in the laundry bin in the bathroom and getting in the shower.

You scrub a little harder than usual, but not hard enough to break skin, not even enough to create micro-abrasions. Once out, you throw on one of Leona’s gaudy yellow tees and take a seat on the bed. He’s already curled up under the covers, but the soft tapping of his tail lets you know that he isn’t sleeping. You slide under the covers yourself and Leona rolls over, pulling your back into his chest.

“Hey.” He mumbles into your hair, “You stink like a fresh kill.”

What’s worse? Smelling like blood in a den of predators or being in the den of predators to begin with?

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tessa-liam · 6 months ago

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Turning the Page

Only You Can Love Me This Way

Chapter 13

Choices, The Royal Romance, The Royal Heir AU

Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son.

Turning the Page Series Masterlist

My Complete Masterlist

Main pairing: Liam Rys x F!OC Riley Brooks

All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who both belong to this series.

Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression. Cross-over fic with Choices, Perfect Match.

Rating: M 🔞 - Warnings – Series will have crude language, weapons, NSFW material – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors.

Words: 3624

Only You Can Love Me This Way

Chapter Summary: Olivia continues to mentor Riley on how to adapt to Cordonian nobility. Maxwell, Bertrand and Savannah babysit William and Bartie, taking them on a Lythikan adventure. Liam and Riley re-connect and discover that their love story is stronger and better than ever.

Music & Title Inspiration: Only You Can Love Me This Way, Keith Urban

A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found.

A/N2: Damien Nazario has been assigned as William’s personal bodyguard. (Series cross-over with ‘Perfect Match’)

A/N3: My submission for choicesjunechallenge, prompts: spatial-hotel / temporal-beginning/ dialogue- “Up for a little trip?”

El Alami residence, Rabat, Morocco

With her ankles crossed delicately underneath her, Madeleine El Alami pulled out her cellular to check the status of the Uber driver. It was still incredibly early in the morning in Morocco, and time was of the essence. Her flight was scheduled to leave in ninety minutes from Rabat – Sale International airport and nothing and/or no one was going to halt her journey. Not even her husband.

Peeking out from between the fence columns outside her home, she could see the city coming alive as the sun's first rays illuminated the horizon. The people who had been hushed moments before, now filled the streets, greeting each other and heading off to start their day. It was a side of life Madeleine had never experienced before, a stark contrast to the opulence and splendor of her former life at the Cordonian palace. It was a reminder of the sacrifices she had made to follow her heart to be with her lover, Eduardo.

Now five months pregnant, the former queen, now the wife to the Moroccan diplomat, was leaving this world behind. While her husband slept, Madeleine, along with two hand servants were waiting for the Uber vehicle to roll to a stop at the estate’s front entrance. Her suitcases were hefted on board, as she sat down in the rear seat and buckled herself in. The driver shut the door and the car slowly rolled away, the servants went back inro the estate.

Her parents' disappointment and dismay had only grown when she told them about her unborn baby on their last visit. Her father coaxed her to pack up and return to his duchy in Karlington, England and start over. Her mother wanted her to move back home to Krona, Cordonia. As usual her parents were worlds apart when it came to their only daughter and her well-being, but they were united against Eduardo.

However, she was done with being controlled by Eduardo. Done with her father's demands and her mother's nagging. This time, she was going to do what she wanted to do. And what she wanted to do was to spend the rest of her pregnancy alone.

As she Uber drove to the airport, Madeleine left her husband, forever closing that chapter, watching the world go by; but not seeing anything. Her mind turned to the letter she had left for her husband. She had no regrets for her actions but hoped her words would provide solace for him.

She felt nothing. No sadness. No loss.

She had already mourned her former life and the loss of her title as queen. In its place was a new sense of freedom. And with that new sense of freedom came the hope for a new life, with the baby growing inside her.

Nevrakis Lodge, Lythikos, Cordonia

"Are you excited to see Uncle Maxwell and Aunt Savannah today, William?" Liam spoke as he was getting his little prince ready for the day. William giggled. "Yeah!"

"And you get to ride in a carriage! You have never ridden in one before, have you?" Liam smiled as his son's excitement grew. "YES! Horsies!" the little boy replied enthusiastically, his eyes wide with excitement. Liam chuckled. "Let's go get some breakfast and then we can go and wait for Uncle Max.”

"Okay, daddy!" William beamed; his excitement shined brightly from his big blue eyes.

As they entered the hallway, they heard a familiar voice call out, "William! Look at how big you are!"

"Unca Max!" William cried out, running towards his favorite uncle.

Maxwell scooped the little boy up in a bear hug, smiling widely. "We're going to have so much fun today, little man!"

"Where's Bartie?" William was concerned, his eyes searching for his newfound best friend.

"I'm over here," Bartie replied, popping out from behind his mother. "I wanna play with the horses, too. Can we, Mommy? Pleeease?"

Savannah gave her son a loving smile. "Well as long as the two of you eat your breakfast first." William bounded over to his little friend. "YAY!" The boys both cheered. Liam strolled over, "Savannah, hello. You look well this morning," Liam kissed her cheek.

"As do you, your majesty," she replied with a curtsy, bowing her head. “Liam, I am so happy and excited for you and Riley.”

"Thank you, Savannah."

Liam clapped Maxwell on the shoulder. "It is good to see you both, too, Lord Beaumont, Duke Ramsford."

“Your majesty.” Bertrand bowed and smiled, then stepped back to join his wife.

"Good to see you too, Li." Maxwell grinned at his childhood friend, as the men watched the boys follow Savannah as she grasped their hands.

Liam shook his head, a grin on his face. "Those two are inseparable. It's a good thing Bertrand has gotten over his fear of children."

Maxwell laughed. "Bertrand loves kids, he just has to be the most uptight person on the planet."

Liam chuckled. "I suppose that's true."

"Hey Max, are you ready?" called out Savannah from down the hall.

"Ready to eat always, Savvie ... as I"ll ever be," Maxwell replied, turning to Liam. "So, what's the plan for today?"

Liam gave a mischievous smile. "Well, I thought you could spend the day with William and Bartie, giving Riley and I a chance to have some alone time."

Maxwell grinned. "Hah ... sounds like fun," he winked. "You're going to owe me, though."

Liam rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you want."

Maxwell chuckled. "Alright, let's get this show on the road. The kids and my stomach are waiting."

Liam turned back to adjust his tie and reached for his suit jacket which was draped over a wing chair. He walked to the foyer to meet with Riley and Olivia, Bastien following discreetly behind him.

"You're dismissed, Damien," Liam said. "I appreciate your vigilance.

“Of course," Damien bowed and took his leave, joining the other members of the Royal Guard in the hallway. As he closed the door, his eyes wandered across the hallway, where he watched Olivia wrapping William in a hug before turning toward the foyer and the waiting limo outside.

Damien had been captivated by Olivia from the moment they were introduced. As he watched her wrap the little crown prince in a hug, his mind wandered.

He could not help but admire her grace and elegance, the way her fiery hair shone underneath the chandelier or when her eyes sparkled when she laughed.

Damien knew he could never have her, but the thought of being able to spend time with her, to make her laugh and see her smile, was enough to fuel his dreams.

He wondered what it would be like to hold her in his arms, to kiss her soft lips and feel her body pressed against his.

But that was all it could ever be, a fantasy, a dream.

‘What would a Duchess ever see in a guardsman? Olivia is a rare beauty,’ Damien mused. ‘She's not like any other noble, and she doesn't seem to care about the status or title.’

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and he straightened up, adjusting his uniform.

As Damien thoughts went back to his post, his eyes drifted back to Olivia, and he could not help but wonder if there was a chance, however small, that his dreams could become a reality.

***

“Olivia, why are you being so secretive?” Riley inquired again, after spending the morning shopping for clothes and accessories in the city center, the limousine rolled to a stop at the Nevrakis lodge entrance.

Bastien opened the limousine door as Olivia stepped out. Glancing back to Riley, she smirked, “You are one lucky lady”. Riley’s eyebrow lifted in question. “You, my dear have a final challenge to endure."

Riley sat and blinked as she took in her words. After reaching for her bags Riley turned her attention to exit the limo after Olivia, when she heard a deep baritone voice, "...Hi."

Riley looked up to see a six-foot, 4-inch-tall familiar man looking at her with a huge smile. Dressed in a crisp, sleek suit overtopped by an Armani topcoat

"Liam? ...What are you doing here?" Riley’s eyes went wide as she looked up at her lover.

"...And dressed like that?”

“Love, I wouldn't dream of being underdressed for your final challenge." Liam smirked and then chuckled softly watching Riley’s look of disbelief.

"So, you're here for the challenge too?"

"You bet. I've been waiting for this moment since you came back to Cordonia."

"Liam, what is going on?"

“This is our final destination. According to Olivia, I am the challenge.”

"And that would be?"

Liam smiled wide, not giving out any clues.

"Oh my, this isn't a game show, right?"

"Not to worry, love. All I know is that Olivia has prepared something for us and it's a surprise."

"Okay. So, what is this surprise? Please tell me."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to spoil the fun."

"Liam, I don't like surprises."

"Love, I know ...I can see that. But, I think you will like this one. This is our last day in Lythikos; I've already been briefed and we're going to have a blast."

Olivia’s watched their exchange and added, “the last thing you need to get back into fighting form is to reconnect with what you are fighting for.

...And you have always been driven by your love for Liam; for your family.”

Liam slid his arm around Riley’s waist pulling her close to him. “Which was an unusually sentimental thing to hear Olivia say.”

Olivia sighed, “a bit saccharine for my tastes, but to each their own. I always thought love was a weakness, but you seem to actually draw strength from each other.”

Riley’s scrunched her eyebrows, “Just to be clear, my last challenge is to spend time with King Liam Rys?”

“The whole day, actually. Olivia is taking us into town.”

“Everyone else will help me take care of William while you’re away.” Olivia added.

“Sweet! Free daycare! I’m really warming up to Lythikos hospitality.”

“It’s a circumstantial offer. Cherish it while it lasts.”

Liam kissed Riley’s cheek, “believe me, we plan to.”

“But Olivia, you’re supposed to be looking into our Madeleine problem....and the press.”

“Damien and I will dhave everything covered; I promise.

And you have your marching orders. Reconnect and start fresh, that you may crush your enemies on the morrow.”

Liam grinned, “Ah, Romantic.” Placing his hand on the small of her back, Liam steered Riley back into the lodge to change into the evening wear that she bought in town.

Standing at the entrance of the dining room, along with the other guards, Damien Nazario stood vigilantly watching the crown prince. His eyes were sharp and ever watchful. As a trained ex-secret service agent and bodyguard, he knew when people were watching.

His attention was suddenly drawn to a smattering of voices outside in the main hall, and a moment later, Duchess Olivia Nevrakis entered the dining room, and Damien felt his breath catch.

She was stunning. She had been stunning the night before, but he had not noticed her beauty fully. This morning, the Duchess wore a form fitting black and grey suit. Her vibrant red hair was done up in a chignon. Damien was entranced by her, but he knew better than to stare. He tore his eyes away from her and glanced down at the floor, taking in the shiny black patent leather of her boots. He swallowed, wondering how they would feel around his neck. He shook his head, trying to clear the image from his mind. He looked up, and his eyes once again caught sight of her, this time her stormy blue green eyes were looking straight into his.

She arched an eyebrow and tilted her head as she regarded him. Damien's cheeks warmed.

"Good morning," a voice sounded beside him.

"Morning," he mumbled, glancing back to where the Duchess had been, only to find her gone.

Drake chuckled. "See something you like?”

***

Inside the limo, Liam and Riley arrived outside an upscale restaurant in the city center.

Bastien opened rhe passenger door and Liam stepped out, holding out his hand for Riley. She took it and climbed out of the limo. She gasped when she looked at the building in front of her. "This is beautiful."

"You are beautiful," Liam smiled. "And tonight, you will be dining on the best seafood this side of Paris."

"That's a high bar to live up to." Riley's eyebrows raised.

Liam chuckled. "It can certainly get the job done."

They were escorted inside the restaurant, with Liam's hand on the small of her back as they were led to a secluded table overlooking the city center.

Liam pulled out Riley's chair and she sat down, exposing her long tanned leg through the side slit of her cocktail dress. He sat down and his eyes drank in the sight of her, his gaze lingering on her legs.

Riley blushed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare." Liam looked down.

Riley reached across the table and took his hand in hers. "Look all you want, Your Majesty."

Liam lifted his head and locked eyes with her, his blue orbs sparkling. "I have wanted to do this since the night of the Coronation Ball. You were breathtaking that night. I wanted to sweep you into my arms and dance the night away with you. But there was always someone or something getting in the way."

Riley grasped Liam's hands in hers ...

"Mmm, this whole place smells like fresh bread. I want to eat that smell."

"I will order the kitchen to prepare you a fresh loaf immediately." Liam grinned.

Riley threw her head back and laughed.

"Please do. After Olivia's challenges, I feel like I could devour this entire restaurant."

"I love the sound of your laugh," Liam whispered.

Riley's heart skipped a beat.

Liam's grin widened. "I hope we have many more dates just like this. After Olivia's unique brand of 'help', we've definitely earned this day."

Riley giggled. "That was the nicest way of saying Olivia was a royal pain in the ass."

Liam let out a chuckle. "That was very diplomatic of me, thank you."

Liam smiled as a steaming breadbasket and the entrees were set down on the table. The waiter tops off Riley's red wine and sets a glass of scotch down for Liam.

Riley picked up her glass and held it aloft. "A toast. To us."

"To us," he echoed, clinking his glass against hers.

As Riley takes a sip, the waiter places a small dish in front of her. Inside is a thick chocolate sauce in the shape of a heart, the word "love" written in script, and two berries.

Riley looked from the dish to Liam, her lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Chocolate covered strawberries? Are you trying to seduce me, Liam?"

"That depends," Liam replied, a matching grin forming on his face.

"On what?" Riley asked.

"Whether or not it's working," he whispered.

Riley's eyes met his and they burned with desire.

"I'll take that as a yes." His grin widened and he leaned across the table. Liam took Riley's hand in his, his fingers tracing slow circles on the back of her hand. "You are beautiful. I wish we could have been together from the start."

Riley's lips formed a soft smile. "So do I, Liam. I don't want this night to end."

"It doesn't have to." Liam reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, laying them on the table between them.

"Up for a little trip?”

Riley's eyes widened. "Are you suggesting we run away together?"

"One of the best kept secrets in Lythikos is a glass igloo tucked away in the mountains. The perfect view of the stars, the perfect view of the valley."

Riley bit her lip and looked up at him from under her lashes. "I think I might have found the perfect view right here."

"It's also very secluded. Not another soul for miles." Liam winked.

Demurely smiling, Riley added, "I can think of a few ways to take advantage of that."

"So can I ... if you're up for the trip."

Riley picked up the keys, the smile on her face growing wider. "Let's skip the dinner and jump right to the dessert."

"Then we should leave right now," he suggested, his eyes never leaving hers. After a few calls, Liam stands and offers his arm to Riley.

Riley slipped her arm through his and together they headed out of the restaurant, and back into the waiting limo.

The driver was already waiting and pulled the car into the traffic. They passed through the city streets and up into the mountains. It was dark when the car finally pulled up in front of a domed glass structure. Stepping inside, the entire frozen mountainside stretched out around on all sides, a beautiful aurora shined through the ceiling panels.

"Oh Liam, this place is unreal ... it's all the natural wonder of camping with the comfort of a five star hotel."

"And a lot more privacy." Liam added.

"After the past few weeks, I really wanted to get you away and alone," Liam softly spoke, his arms slipping around Riley's waist.

She placed her hands over his. "Me, too. I don't want this day to end."

"I have one more surprise for you."

Riley smiled. "Is that why you brought me here? For a surprise?"

"No. I brought you here because I want to be alone with you." He kissed her cheek, his lips trailing along her jawline and down her neck.

Riley's eyelids fluttered and she tilted her head back. "Mmm, is that so?"

Liam nuzzled his nose against the spot behind her ear. "I wanted to do this all evening."

"What's stopping you now?"

He grinned. "Nothing."

Liam pressed his lips to hers. She melted into him and deepened the kiss. His tongue sought hers and they moved together in unison. He cupped her ass and pulled her into him, her curves conforming to his body.

Riley's hands tangled into his hair, her fingers tugging. Liam moaned into her mouth, his desire rising. Together tumbling back onto the bed, legs tangling as they fall down onto the plush mattress.

A while later, Liam's fingers combed absently through Riley's hair as they watched the way the colors and lights swirled around, constantly changing.... It was hypnotic.

"When I look up into the sky ... I see you. I see something beautiful, brilliant, untamable ... a breathtaking force of nature. I know that we have been through a lot, but when you're in my arms like this ... I also know that we can find a way through it together, if you'll let me."

Riley sighed happily. "Liam..."

*I know, love, that I said I wouldn't bring it up again, but after tonight, I need to tell you that I'm so sorry for everything."

"Liam, it's okay, I know you had to do it. I know the weight of the world was on your shoulders, and you had to do what's best for your people, that's your duty. But you have to also do what's best for yourself. We all do."

Liam's grip tightened slightly around her waist. "That's what I want. You...

"Riley. I love you. And William. I can't imagine my life without you both in it."

"I love you too, Liam," she whispered. "So much..."

"Do you forgive me?" Liam asked quietly in earnest.

"Of course, I forgive you. I am so sorry that I was a coward and left without telling you about..."

"SSHHH! There is nothing to forgive you for, Riley. You were just doing what you felt you had to do. I am so sorry that the court was so unfair to you. My father ..."

"Liam, please. Let's just focus on the present."

"... and the future." LIam added with a kiss...

@choicesficwriterscreations @thosehallowedhalls

#choices fic writers creations #tessa liam writes #the royal romance #liam rys #trr fanfic #trr #riley brooks #the royal heir #junechoiceschallenge2024 #choices june challenge

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aleisters · 22 days ago

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the next nine matches. ebb and flow. the first ppv paint. for a while it becomes more grey than the tendrils of black. once white starts to impede the tendrils re-appear.

at the end of 2022, start of 2023 (bottom row), the white vanishes. the black is the darkest it's been and starts growing. start of 2023, it changes again.

oops, forgot the matches. they're under the cut.

27/05/2022 AEW Dark #145 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) defeat Adriel Noctis, Gregory Sharpe & Matt Brannigan (3:50)

29/05/2022 AEW Double Or Nothing 2022 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) defeat Death Triangle (PAC, Penta Oscuro & Rey Fenix) (15:35)

22/06/2022 AEW Dynamite #142 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA AEW All-Atlantic Title Qualifying: Malakai Black defeats Penta Oscuro (9:56)

13/07/2022 AEW Rampage #49 - Fyter Fest 2022 - Tag 2 Savannah, Georgia, USA Kings Of The Black Throne (Brody King & Malakai Black) defeat The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) (8:18)

24/08/2022 AEW Rampage #55 Cleveland, Ohio, USA AEW World Trios Title Tournament First Round: The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, John Silver & Ten) defeat House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) (9:03)

04/09/2022 AEW All Out 2022 Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA Darby Allin, Miro & Sting defeat House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) (12:11)

14/12/2022 AEW Dynamite #167 - Winter Is Coming 2022 Garland, Texas, USA House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) defeat The Factory (Aaron Solo, Cole Karter & QT Marshall) (0:26)

28/12/2022 AEW Dark: Elevation #96 Broomfield, Colorado, USA House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) defeat Dean Alexander, Hagane Shinno & Rosario Grillo (5:20)

04/01/2023 AEW Dark: Elevation #97 Seattle, Washington, USA House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) defeat Ari Daivari & The Wingmen (Peter Avalon & Ryan Nemeth) (5:46)

#tal.png #malakai black #malakaipaint

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hunterthecharmer · 3 months ago

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Unexpected - Part 1

Alright everyone, here is part one to my Glen Powell x Reader fic! I will start part two tomorrow, but wanted to go ahead and throw this up to get your thoughts. :) no Glen in this one yet, just setting the stage for reader's context/job and how the two will end up crossing paths. Feedback is welcome! Part two will be very long as I want to be sure to include a lot of Glen x reader scenes of course.

Love you all! xoxo

Word count: 2.3k

“Savannah, we can’t put this off to another day. We have to turn in our plans by Friday morning!” you sigh, massaging your temples. Savannah was a hard worker, but having her partner on this project go on maternity leave earlier than unexpected had really rattled her. She began twirling the ends of her hair as she chewed her bottom lip, your words going in one ear and out the other. You shake your head before stepping closer to your coworker, placing a hand on each of her shoulders to try to get through to her.

“Sav, listen to me. Janet is going to kill us if we can’t prove to her that we can handle this event. The flights and talent are already booked, we just need to decide who we want to speak at this convention and nail down the catering. All the other little details, I will take on myself. Deal?” You shoot her a soft smile, her shoulders slouching into her olive green cardigan. She exhales deeply, eyes closing before opening them to meet your gaze. “Okay, deal. Let’s do this!”

“Have a great night, Sav! I’ll see you tomorrow.” You shout over your shoulder as you stride out of the office, waving to Savannah as she returns a smile to you, the humidity providing a slight fog to her glasses.

After hopping into your car, you crank up the AC and turn on your playlist before driving down Rodeo drive toward home. The palm trees gently blowing in the breeze, the lit up signs..it was quiet for a Wednesday night. Granted, it was only 8pm, but still. In the 6 months you’d lived in LA, you hadn’t been able to go anywhere without seeing some type of night life or large groups of people gathered, having fun in their shorts and Ray Bans. It wasn’t necessarily for you, but you had indulged in the lifestyle a bit. Going out for drinks with coworkers, seeing shows on the weekends, soaking up the sun on the beaches. It wasn’t home, but there are definitely worse places to live.

Working for Ignite Cons had been a dream come true. You started as an event coordinator in your hometown for tourists that would visit for shows that were filmed there, and ended up going viral online to catch the eye of the company. You loved working behind the scenes to make tourists and talent feel welcome, and their experience to go as smooth as possible. From tours, to dinners and even decorating and staging panel events - you had your hands in all of it. Immersing your mind into the world of these different shows or movies was never boring, and oftentimes challenged you to put your own personal interests aside to really think outside of the box about what fans or stars would want to see or do.

You succeeded at this for 3 years before Ignite reached out, bringing you on to focus solely on Hollywood -esque events to be hosted by the company for different brand trips, special dinners in town or anything else they may want to host. You were quickly pulled away from caring for fans and tourists to being sent a dozen emails from publicists and assistants to ensure the talent attending these events had any and every possible thing they could need. Instead of focusing themed dinners around a tv show or film, you were setting up panels, teachings or classes for actors, singers, stunt doubles, etc. all across the world to attend in hopes to re spark that creativity or drive in them for an upcoming job. To ignite their love for their job and to bring in the money for the production companies and all involved, hence the company’s name: Ignite.

You turn the key to your apartment, the sweet smell of vanilla and sugar cookies filling your lungs as you toss your keys on the counter and mentally pat yourself on the back for setting your diffuser before you left this morning. You peel your high heels off your feet, stepping onto the cold hardwood floors and exhaling with a smile at how nice it felt on your sore feet.

After a shower and warm mug full of some tea, you drift off to sleep before another full day ahead.

“No, Thomas, that won’t be an issue. I’ll get a check in the mail to you by this afternoon. Of course! Oh, and do you guys have any special desserts you could prepare as well? Maybe a dairy, non dairy and gluten free option? Yeah…you know how we roll in California. Ha! Okay, perfect.” you smile while twisting the phone chord with your finger as you check ‘Find caterer’ off your to do list. Three knocks on your office door shake you from your concentration, turning your attention to your boss waving at you, motioning for you to meet her in her office when you are finished. You thank Thomas and hang up, smoothing out your dress before grabbing your notebook and heading to Anne’s office down the hall.

“Ah, there she is! Please, have a seat.” Anne smiles warmly at you, gesturing toward the velvet armchair in front of her. You take a seat and cross your legs, opening up your notes in anticipation of her questions. “So, how is the project going? Is Savannah hanging in there?” She begins, clicking her pen as she shuffles some papers around her desk. “We are making great progress! I have already found a caterer, and Sav is supposed to be choosing from a handful of speakers as well as a paint and sip instructor. She’s hanging in there.” You flash your boss a sympathetic smile. Anne nods, scribbling on her paper and nodding slowly. “Good. I knew you two could do it. I really appreciate you stepping up with Leslie being out. I don’t know what I would do without you! I promise, once we get past this event in Tennessee, I will release you back to your regular tasks and behind the scenes zone.” Anne smiles at you once more before standing from her chair, mirroring her movement. “See you Friday morning!”

She closes the door behind you as you return to your own office, her words echoing in your head. Why did she say back to behind the scenes? Wasn’t this still behind the scenes work, technically? Maybe she didn’t mean anything by it…

The work day comes and goes, and next thing you know it’s Friday morning. You slip into your black work pants, heels and maroon blouse. You make sure to spend a little extra time on your makeup and hair today, as you and Savannah will be giving a presentation on the entire two week agenda for Ignite’s next convention you two named “Expressions”.

Savannah had all but fought you on the name of the convention, having fallen in love with a couple of the activities and teachers she had found regarding actors wanting to expand their emotional range for different projects, specifically showing it in their facial expressions. Teaching them how to react in certain scenes while also showcasing how they can under react in some ways as well to let co stars and the sets built around them shine when and if need be. To not overdue a character or emotion.

You and Savannah gave a final wink to each other before standing before the executives, your boss included, to click through your slide show and pitch the theme, dinner menus, lodging and finalize the talent who were attending. The budget had been respected, and after the hour long pitch came to a close, applause was all you and Savannah could hear ringing in your ears. All the tension and anxiety melted away. The company officially gave you both the green light and outlined the responsibilities the two of you, as well as other staff would have for the convention.

Among the laundry list of roles and requirements was physically being in Tennessee for the duration of the event, and helping to assist the talent in getting to and from their chosen activities each day. The resort would have golf carts for each person attending, and everyone would have someone from Ignite as well as other companies helping keep the talent on schedule and basically being their assistant for the two weeks they were away from their regular day to day schedules and teams. Suddenly, Anne’s comment from the other day finally made sense. Doing your best not to show your distaste in front of everyone in the conference room, you sign the contracts and shake hands with everyone before grabbing Savannah’s arm to pull her into the breakroom.

“How’d I do? No, how did we do?!” Savannah excitedly asks, her voice low. You give each other a high five. “I think it went great! I’m so happy they liked our ideas and all the activities we lined up. But I have to be honest, I am not thrilled about the whole talent handler thing.” You scrunch up your nose as you grab a water bottle out of the fridge.

“Are you kidding? I was hoping they’d at the very least allow us to go see our ideas come to life in person, but this is even better! Can you believe all of the talent going? I wonder who we will be assigned to!” Savannah’s enthusiasm causes you to take a deep breath in and adjust your tone. “You know I’m just more of a behind the scenes kind of girl, not really a face to face person.” You sip your water, watching as her smile grows.

“This will be good for both of us! We’re in it together, deal? Think of it like a work vacation. We have two months until November to get ready for this- don’t worry!”

You pace your apartment, staring at your suitcase full of boots, sweaters and everything else you could possibly need for your two week trip to Tennessee. You had a week before you had to leave, and come tomorrow morning you would know who you were assigned to as a handler. You hoped it would be someone nice, maybe someone your age or someone you enjoyed watching on tv. Maybe it would be someone older, someone more established? Your mind was swimming with possibilities as you fell asleep.

“Alright ladies, here are your assignments!” Anne claps her hands together before handing you both a manila envelope. Savannah’s jaw drops, and she holds the portfolio close to her chest. “I’m too nervous to look! You go first.” She nudges your arm, and you let out a sigh. “Alright, let’s see who I’ll be carting around…” You flip open the folder to see a photo of a 32 year old male actor, with dark hair and brown eyes.

“Dylan O’Brien? Not bad, not bad. I’ve seen him in a few movies!” You smile, before closing the portfolio and sliding your chair back in place as you glance to Savannah’s folder. “Okay Sav, your turn. Let’s see it!”

Taking a breath, she opens hers to read, “Glen Powell?” she reads the name, a curiosity in her voice. “I don’t know who this is. Do you?”

Anne shrugs, sitting back down behind her desk and reaching for her glasses. “You girls go home early for the day, time is ticking away and you need to be sure all your ducks are in a row!”

You take one more glance at the photo of Glen, heat rushing to your cheeks. You knew exactly who he was. In an effort to keep your composure, you quickly excuse yourself from your boss’ office, pulling Savannah with you. “Savannah..I know who he is. He’s one of my favorite actors! How have you not seen Twisters yet? Or what about "Set it Up?” You excitedly gush before Savannah cuts you off. “I’m sorry, but you got Dylan?! My celebrity crush? What! Not fair.” She pouts, crossing her arms as she follows you down the hallway to your office. Closing the door behind you, you sit her down in the chair. “Look, we are not going to be there as fans, we are there to work. We have to be professional, and I’d offer to switch with you but they’ve already been sent our names and photos- I checked. We have to forget that we’ve seen any of their work and strictly drive them around the property for the next two weeks, okay? Our jobs could be at stake if we don’t impress Anne and the company. Besides, this isn’t my job anyway.” You trail off, Savannah nodding slowly at your words. “You’re right. Okay, it will be as if we don’t know them. Got it. We can do this!” You both high five before heading home for the day.

On your drive home, your mind is going a mile a minute. Would Dylan be nice to work for, or would he be a total douche? And Glen…there will be so many people attending this thing, there’s no way your paths will cross. Right? Besides, this won’t be the time for photos or meet and greets. Glen, along with every other star there will be attending on their own accord, their own dime and will be looking to immerse themselves to try and hone their craft. You were not about to let your inner fangirl get in the way of that. They’re all just people like you, after all. You shake your head, smiling to yourself as you pull into your complex. This would be an interesting few weeks ahead.

#glen powell #glen powell fic

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beesmygod · 4 months ago

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"A GHOST STORY" IS A WEBCOMIC I MAKE THAT I WILL BE RE-POSTING, GRADUALLY.

the top row is from 2013, the bottom row is from the 2018 re-draw. while the panel progression in the re-draw is much better (as well as the consistency in sound effects and gutters), i think it was a mistake to change the black eyed kid's sniffing posture to the one where he's not clearly trying to get a big whiff of the air. whiff whifff...like an animal in the Savannah.

posting this so far has been making me feel very, very sad. but i have a feeling that most of my really bad feelings are connected more to the generalized anxiety of having to put work i no longer stand by on display for people to judge. these posts are, ostensibly, supposed to entice you into reading the comic that has consumed my life for 10 years (and i think about near constantly). but the idea of trying to convince people that something i made is good enough to spend their time on is a really stomach-churning task. it is frightening. i do not like myself enough to ask people to make investments in me both financially and in terms of their free time.

also the world at large is very bad right now. it is hard to navigate the world and "hustle" when everyone is doing so poorly and you know it's annoying to be subjected to someone's mediocre creation that they have outsized feelings about. the question i always ask myself when i hit print on my comic is "is this something i would read?" and the answer is still no. but i'm getting closer. i feel like i've been honing a knife edge for a decade but it's nowhere close to being up to the standard i want. but it's not like the knife isn't getting sharper. it is. but is it beneficial to ask others to help me sharpen it? what are they getting out of it?

regardless, this is the comic i was capable of making at the time. both times. the top row pages reflect the best efforts of someone working a desk job and going to school and the bottom row reflects the efforts of someone who worked on these pages in between their usual 2x a week update schedule (when possible, the re-draw took several years to make)

why am i making "A Ghost Story"? first, it was because it was bursting at the seams with ideas and had the energy to execute them. even if the end result was sloppy, it was freed from my mind. now its because i can see It. i can see the arc the story and the characters are taking and i want to shepherd them there. there's something at the end there, if not for me than for them. just to get them to where they need to go and where they need to be. is that enough? these things that only exist and matter to me actually hold on that thought is way too big for this already huge post. maybe next time.

short version of that long thought, for now: i am deeply troubled by wondering why people do the things they do, and push my dolls around to understand the actions of other people and also myself. there's more to people than the surface and rudimentary opening chapters of my comic were looking to explore. i needed to go deeper. i want to know what drives people. and i want to make people laugh while doing it.

---

♥ read the comic: A Ghost Story ♥ support the comic for as little as $1 a month on Patreon ♥ pay what you want for the re-draw of the first chapter on itch.io

you can block the tag "#AGS repost" to keep this off your dash

#ags repost

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gettingvetted · 5 months ago

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re: your last post with the serval and "she wasn't 75% housecat so it wouldn't work" Is it just that the rabies vaccine hasn't been tested and studied on wild animals of the same taxonomic family that it's not accepted? Or has it been tested and does it full out just not work and thus can't be trusted? This is wildly interesting and I'm very invested lol

Most drugs used on animals are used in an off-label manner, meaning that the drug is not approved/studied for either the species it is being used on or the reason for which it is being used. For example, most brands of pentobarbital (the euthanasia drug used by most vets) are only labeled for use in dogs only (you might see it labeled for horses and dogs but this is uncommon). We still use it on cats, cows, rabbits, chickens, zoo animals, etc, and it works just fine. Same with many antibiotics - most do not have animal labels and we use them anyway. One particular anti-vomiting medication for cats and dogs is frequently used to help with coughing and sneezing, joint supplements can be infused into the bladder to help with sterile inflammation, etc. The possibilities are endless and it seems like I learn new options every day on veterinary forums.

This is about 99.5% legal in cats/dogs/most exotic pets/zoo animals with a rare exception here and there. Animals that produce or become food such as chickens, cattle, goats, etc have stricter rules to make sure none of the drugs end up in the food supply, but a good portion of it is still legal with asterisks.

Vaccines are slightly different. In most cases, the viruses and bacteria that cause diseases are the same between animals. So even if a distemper vaccine is only licensed for dogs, you can pretty well assume that the virus is the same when it crops up in ferrets and raccoons. The variability comes in with how long immunity lasts, how much vaccine to use, and whether immunity will develop at all. For example, horses need double the dose of rabies vaccine of most other species and need to be vaccinated yearly, even if the vaccine's label for dogs and cats states that it lasts for 3 years. It's doubtful that immunity lasts even a year, as horses typically produce very poor immune responses to vaccines. And those are just the species we have data for.

When it comes to the possibility of transmitting a 100% fatal disease to humans from animals, absolutely zero chances are taken. So while it is legal, and encouraged, to vaccinate the majority of captive mammals for rabies, it's impossible to tell what or how much protection exists in each species as a result of vaccines that are only extensively studied in cats/dogs/ferrets. This is why many GP clinics outright refuse to work with hybrids like wolfdogs and high percentage savannah cats, because any bite of a staff member or client requires euthanasia of the animal and the resulting staff medical bills may not be covered under workman's comp and/or practice liability insurance if you don't have a rider for working with wildlife. Even antibody titers to rabies, while measurable, are not considered proof of vaccination or immunity, because we don't know what level of antibody titer correlates to immunity across species. Vet staff who are vaccinated for rabies are theoretically supposed to get titers every 2 years, but this only informs whether boosters are needed. Even a person with a normal titer should receive post-exposure rabies shots if they are bitten by an animal with any possibility of rabies. That's how seriously rabies is taken, for good reason

#anonymous #ask #rabies #vaccines #rabies vaccines

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cinderellaenjoyer · 3 months ago

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Cosma's Nightmare Time!

That's right, folks! Your girl's planned out a whole Nightmare Time fan-series! 20 episodes of both canon characters and my OCs getting put into situations, including rewrites of three of the original episodes!

Heavily inspired by @pastriibunz Nightmare Kai-me!

Forever and Always

Olive is overjoyed when her sister Emma marries Paul Matthews. Finally, they'll have a happy, stable life, a life that'll go just how Olive planned it. But all is not as it seems, and soon Olive discovers her sister and brother-in-law might not be what they seem

Honey Queen

Summer is in the air, and the annual Honey Festival is steadily approaching. Linda Monroe and Zoey Chambers will do whatever it takes to win the crown at the Honey Queen Pageant. For Marcella Johnson, however, it just seems to be a fun little thing to try out, much to the confusion of her competitors. It's not about having fun, it's about winning!

Hey Melissa!

Savannah and Rose find themselves tangled up in shenanigans with Sav’s co-workers, including Office Creep 2 Freddie Briggs and office secretary Melissa.

Loser Status

Max's friends have had enough of him, and finally stand up to him. Unfortunately, all this does is make Max announce them as losers. And by next Monday, everyone at school seems to know it. The strange part is, no one seems to remember them being popular at all. The gang must work together to adjust to their new social life and find out what changed them from clique to geeks

Rinse Re-Pete

Max Jagerman falls and dies in the Waylon Place, comes back as a ghost, and kills anyone he deems a ‘nerdy prude.’ But where the story changes here is that Peter Spankoffsi - with the help of a certain yellow goat - is given the chance to stop it from happening. Pete is determined to stop anyone from dying, to make sure no one is harmed, no many how many loops he has to go through to do it. But as the loops go and Pete's sanity wears down, his objective changes from making sure Ruth and Richie live and making sure Max stays dead.

The Kitty Cat Club!

19 year old Melissa Hey loves two (well, technically 4) things - cats, and her childhood friends Aubrey, Krissy and Mina. But as close as the girls are, they're growing up, and soon they'll be adults with busy lives and little time for each other. The girls are desperate for a way to spend time with each other. Luckily got them (and less luckily for everyone else), the creeps at Melissa’s internship give her an idea

Siren's Serenade

After almost drowning, Rose Spankoffsi’s body starts to change in strange and unusual ways - ways that are weirder than puberty. Rose isn't sure what's going on, but what she does know is that she's getting more scaly and her singing voice is getting better. On top of that, three mysterious women seem to be following her wherever she goes. Slowly, Rose starts to adjust to her new gifts, and suddenly she's questioning if she wants to keep her humanity at all.

The New Kid

Sunset Jagerman is sick of her brother, point blank. So when she sees him picking on shy new kid Jordan, Sunset befriends him out of spite. Slowly, the two’s bond becomes genuine, and they begin to like each other’s company. But Jordan has secrets, secrets he doesn't want Sunset finding out. Sunset tries not to push, but when curiousity gets the better of her, blood starts to get spilled.

Forget Me Not

Gone are the angsty, lonely, grieving days of Savannah Lamb’s teenage years. Sav has a job she's pretty okay with, a decently sized apparenment to herself, and most importantly, co-workers she can consider friends. It doesn't get much better for this. Unfortunately, a certain Lady in Black has other plans, ones that include getting Sav to dig up a memory that has haunted her for years.

Cheerleader 3000

Lacey Brooklyn Brent is the perfect cheerleader. Preppy, full of energy, always positive. A little too perfect, at least to Brenda and Stacey. The girls try to let their suspicions slide, but when Lacey starts acting weird and getting more and more defensive about cheer - well, the popular girls aren't exactly known for minding Thier own business

The Hatchet Girl

Max Jagerman’s bullying chased Lindsey Topet out of Hatchetfield High in sophomore year. So it's a wonder to anyone why she decides to come back to the same place that caused her so much pain. Well, that is until the popular kids start dying.

Space Star

Rose is a Spankoffsi. She is also the perfect little actress. Nobody wants two lords in black fighting over them, but unfortunately for Rose, she ends up caught in a fight between T'noy Karaxis and Pokotho to be their specialist little toy.

Universal Revenge

Angelou Brailer was once in Max Jagerman's little posse, until he got kicked out. When he returns to Hatchetfield High, students are immediately enamored by him and the chrisma he radiates. Max is determined to drag him back down again, but comes to discover Angelou has different plans, as well as some… divine intervention.

Little Candy Shop of Horrors

Stephanie Lauter makes an unusual new friend at the new candy store in town. One that's sweet, and craves it too. Unfortunately, Steph's new friend’s favorite treat is red and sticky, and is instant on Steph getting it for her.

Heart Eyes

Marcella has never really liked love triangles in fiction. So, when she finds herself in one, she's not very thrilled. Especially not when then triangle consists of her long time crush Bill Woodward and an Eldritch Eye God.

The Nightmare Well

After a visit to a mysterious well, PJ finds herself having frequent nightmares. What's more is that she finds herself coming back to the well over and over again, becoming more enticed to jump inside. She enlists Reese's help, but it soon becomes apparent the well has no intention of leaving her, or anyone, alone.

Pretty and Perfect

Lola Drayson is sick of being a Nerdy Prude. So when a beautiful red haired woman offers her the chance to be everything she's ever wanted to be - perfect, pretty and popular - Lola jumps at the chance. Lola is thrilled by her new life, despite her best friend Michelle's concerns. But beauty comes at a cost, and Lola's dreams are soon to become a total nightmare.

Web of Melodies

Michelle signs up for the town Talent show, hoping it'll take her mind of the weird visions she's been having recently. She's happy to meet most of the other performers, but one in particular seems somewhat suspicious. And when an old friend shows up, Michelle realizes just what she's getting into.

Honey Queen, 2009

What happened at the 2009 Honey Festival? How did six (known) people end up dead? That's for Christine Jagerman to know, and you to find out.

Grace Chasity and T'noy Karaxis VS The World(s)!

Tinky's been having a little too much fun lately, but luckily Grace is willing to help him clean up his mess. With a lot of annoying comments, of course.

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